Hunter Tomson - 2/1/2022
Hunter Tomson - 2/1/2022We remained in our hideout, locked away within the inner depths of the rainforest. The Amazon swallowed us whole upon our arrival. This twisted jungle is a world of its own. The only laws here are rain, nature, more nature and then more rain. But refuge was found within a maze of seemingly abandoned tunnels that spread throughout the Amazon core. These tunnels formed a network of human history. An untouched memory, yet to be discovered. We remained submerged for some time. In these vital moments of Alfa’s mission, it was key that everything went as planned. Alfa paces the room with purpose. I’ve never seen her on edge like this. The invisible light that shines around her remains locked deep away inside her. I spectate from the sidelines, careful not to get in the way.
We are in the lower chambers of the tunnel network. I suspect this tunnel network was a feature of a long-lost Amazonian civilisation. Upon the walls dance escribing's of all kinds. For a while I would try to decipher these, but the language was lost of me. I knew that they spoke of the stars. Stars were important. But all else as wasted. A communication stuck in time. Lost within stone. Blunt upon my eyes and ignorance.
Silence fills the room, but we are not alone. To my right within the main chamber opening remains a tightly grouped formation of 1,000 Warriors. They stand still, dormant and lifeless. Every few minutes, I hear the mechanical clinking as a warrior comes into being. They spawn with a winding vibration that shocks the warriors into existence. Their body and helmets glow throughout the chamber. Upon spawning, a warrior will turn their head towards Alfa, step outside their formation and then make their way towards the tunnel exits. At this point, they begin to run, whilst those with jetpacks fly. They take to the sky, on their journey towards their mission designed locations. Each with their own purpose. Each with a role to play.
Speaking of roles to play. Zen Porter enters the room and approaches Alfa. They communicate in a series of light flashes from Porters helmet. Alfa was no longer pacing. She remained standing facing the army. I remember feeling as if something was off. My hairs stood on end in contemplation as to what it could be. She turned to look at me.
‘Megacorp is coming, we are under attack. We need to leave now.’
As she said this, she turned to address the warrior army that was still yet to spawn.
‘Spawn.’ she whispered in a soft tone. Her breath washed over the army, which then assembled before our eyes of us and reared into action. The chamber lit up with a thousand lights of all colours. A multicoloured spectrum lay before me and pulsed in unity. Their weapons and armour shimmed with new life. The haze of colour grew within the room until I was forced to cover my eyes.
‘Warriors, we are at war. The enemy approaches our doorstep. They have found us. They are coming. The time is now. You are my last defenders. You each know your roles!’ Alfa commanded.
In response, the armies glow blinked twice. But they remained entirely still and silent.
‘Who is fit to lead this army. Who will defend our honour and plans. Who will lead our light into the darkness?’ Alfa ordered.
In response, the entire army glow vanished. Darkness filled the room. The darkness was blinding in wake of the previous light. A moment of silence passed. Then, from the back of the chamber, a purple white light began to glow. It was dull at first, but as it grew brighter, I could see the formation of Warriors dissipating as one Warrior progressed forward. As it reached the front of the army, the warriors behind fell to one knee. It seems the army’s leader had been chosen.
‘I wondered when I’d be meeting you. Bozzi, you know what’s required of you?’ Alfa asked.
The tall warrior figure looked down at her. The white glow that emanated from its body and helmet pulsed brightly.
Alfa rested her hand against its torso. She paused for a moment then commanded, ‘Go now. We will meet again soon’.
Bozzi turned towards the army. His white glow flashed in a strange order, and the army began to change formation. Then, in absolute harmony, the dissipated from the room. This Warrior seemed different. Bozzi held back from a moment as they left. There was something magical about this one. He turned his head towards us and looked straight at Alfa one final time, then ran from the room. Each leap he took must have covered 5 meters. This warrior was a unique specimen.
I notice the dull light that ebbed from the warrior army that departed was dominated by green. It gave me hope. This meant that the dominant part of this army were the jungle species. They should stand a good chance on this terrain I pray, whilst the armies light faded on their journey towards the exit tunnel. Then I notice the abundance of white armour within the army. My heart sinks in recognition that this unit of warriors is also just as equally made up of snow warriors. Alfa and I made our way towards a secondary exit. We were guarded by a small collection of 45 warriors and Zen Porter. Those without Jetpacks took the lead. Their heavy weapons raised, ready to defend what might come our way. Those with Jetpacks held back closest to us. Ready to remove us from danger should the Megacorp attack come our way.
They came at night. They came with fire. They came with destruction.
As we reached ground level, the world outside the tunnel entrance burned down on us. Fire. Absolute fire. Never-ending fire. Everywhere you turned. It scorched the environment. It was as if the sun had exploded and rained down upon us. Trees glowed as if alive with the heat. Animals fled in all directions. Chaos was upon us and fear mulled in my throat. A path lay ahead of us where the riversides water had kept the blaze at bay.
Beyond a treeline, I can make out the warrior army. Their spectrum glaze sparkles against the orange fire ridden horizon. Horror fills my guts as see huge shadows moving into the firelight. The shadows loom large. They tower above the battlefield. A mechanical being like no other has entered the fray. This must be what Alfa had spoke to me about. I never thought I’d see one. I hoped they didn’t exist. But even now, I have to admit the mechanical masterpiece of destruction was incredible to see. The Megacorp drone shook the battlefield with each step that it took. As it moved forwards, I notice the in the background at least twenty more drones about to enter the arena. It was definitely time to leave.
But regardless of the need to escape, we all stood watching, transfixed on the events that were unfolding. Jetpacked warriors took to the sky. They rain down upon the first drone with a penetrating success. Katanas spiralled in all directions. The drone began to fight back by using it’s flamethrower arms upon itself. Fire engulfed the warriors that clung to its structure. But in that fire a sharp bright blue light emerges as an EMP blast erupts into the sky. The drone is now falling and with it, fallen warriors are scattered to the side. It races to the ground with sky scraping revulsion, but its landing area was filled with fighting warriors. At least forty or more warriors are smothered in the void as the ground shakes upon the drone’s impact. Alfa screamed and began to run towards the battlefield. With fear in mind but are fire in my chest, I chase after her, but before my first steps are found I am flying. I look around to see Zen Porter lifting me higher and higher into the treeline. We ascend with tremendous speed and as I look down I see Alfa’s dress flailing out behind her as she raced towards the battleground.
‘Porter, go back now… PORTER?! Leave me! Go back and save Alfa!’ I scream. But its no use. As his firm handed grip wound around me, we spiralled higher and higher into the sky and the inevitable truth rung true in my mind. He only listens to Alfa. She must have ordered Porter to take me out of the equation. I’m not helpful. I can’t save her. I’ve been removed.
Feeling worthless, my body hung as we drifted over the battle. It looked like four drones had fallen, but a good fifteen or more fought on. The warrior army was split throughout the field. Their tactical precision was working to their advantage at times, but many lay struck down across the battlefield. We were almost in reach of the clouds by now and before touching them, Porter rolled to the side, and we began to descend. As the descent concluded, I was placed in the upper canopy of the trees outside the battle zone. Porter looked at me and held up one hand towards me. I knew what he was saying. Stay put. I felt like a child. Utterly helpless. Just as I was about to scream at him to go and rescue Alfa, he took off into the air and began an approach towards the battlefield.
I tried to follow his path of flight, but his glow was soon obscured within the battle’s chaos. There was little to make out from this distance. I see fire. I see warrior glows. And then more fire. My eyes strain to keep track of the mountain like drone shadows that swing throughout the fire stricken land. Fear reels within me as I notice the warrior glows are fading. Like stars in a clear night sky, their lights twinkle. But one by one those lights are being extinguished and still, there is no sign of Alfa.
Around forty warriors lights are making their way towards me. They seemed to be retreating. As they reached the treeline on the edge of the war zone, the warrior’s glows all faded. I soon noticed, the trees around me shaking as the warriors climbed it the trees and filled protective positions around me. They clung to the forest, forming a metal scaffolding to the surrounding canopy. They remained entirely still. Watching and waiting. Just like me, they awaited their purpose, their commander, their lifeline. But she was nowhere to be seen. I poke my head above the canopy one more time. I had to find her. A burst of joy burns within me as I notice what could be the final glimmer of hope that we had left.
I see Zen Porter flying through the sky towards us. Alfa’s white dress flails in the wind. The material sparks with glowing embers. Porter holds her limp in both arms as he drifts towards me. He settles on a branch nearby and lowers her towards an inner dwelling level within the tree’s upper trunk. She moves softly. Her skin is torn and burned in different places. Her eyes blink, and her lips are moving. I sigh in relief. For a moment I had feared the worst, but Alfa was alive. I tried to speak with her, but she wouldn’t answer. She sat up and stared out towards the chaos. I remember Alfa telling me that she couldn’t cry. She had no tears to weep. Her body wasn’t capable. But looking down now, I could tell she was crying all the same. The loss of the warriors had harmed her deeply. Would she ever be the same? Had she known this would happen? Questions swam before my eyes as the emotion took over me. I clear my eyeline to try and make sense of the battle.
I search for the light of a warrior. There are none. The ominous dark moving shadows that represent the Megacorp drones still stand. A red glimmer shines from their upper helmets as they survey the land. I duck down in fear that they are searching for us, but as doing so, I notice a purple and white shimmer from the corner of my eye. One light remains shining. I want to call out. I want to shout at the warrior. Here we are all in hiding and yet this warrior was malfunctioning, ruining our cover. It was walking towards the battlefield. With slow, purposeful steps it addressed the battlefield as it entered a clearing in the treeline. It’s body and helmet glowed white with an intensity I was yet to witness. It illuminated the battlefield until a point where I could see the final six Megacorp drones looming down in the distance. In unison, the drones turned towards the malfunctioning warrior. It was about to lead them straight towards us. Something had to be done.
‘Alfa, call it back. Turn it off. It will lead them right towards us.’ But she remained silent. I return my gaze to the battlefield, where to my shock I see the warrior reach over it’s shoulder to unsheathe its purple plasma katana. The warrior stood perfectly poised, five hundred meters away from the opposing drones. As the drones began to take their first steps towards it with their cannons raised, it started to run. I had seen that run before early today. I had no doubt in my mint, this was Bozzi. His speed was incredible. A streak of white light was left behind him as he sprinted towards the drones. As he ran, the purple katana began to expand. The katana was now twice the size of a normal katana, and soon three times the size. The white light became mingled with the purple light of the katana and began to fly through the sky as Bozzi jumped towards the first drone. The katana collided upon steel and exploded. Light burst around the battlefield and the drone fell to the wayside. The katana went flying through the sky like a boomerang, and Bozzi was already upon the next drone. The blue EMP attack now shook through the Drone army, capturing not only the drone he was now stood on up also its neighbouring structure. The two drones froze in their movement before beginning their descent to join the many fallen warriors or drones that littered the opening. The katana, still spiraling through the air, was soon reunited with Bozzi’s white glow as he sprung into the air to catch it. Landing on the next drone, he was able to entirely behead the upper structure of the drone. He rode the drone to the ground as it fell, only stopping at the very last moment to jump off and avoid the carnage that would surely follow upon impact. With now only two drones remaining, he spun the katana over his head whilst awaiting their next move. Both drones in unison raised their fire cannons. They directed them straight towards him and without hesitation unleashed an expansion of fire. The stream burned directly at Bozzi. The purple and white light was engulfed by the flames, but yet he stood still. The fire cannons continued to burn for almost one minute. I stood watching, waiting, praying that Bozzi had escaped the fire. But I knew he hadn’t. Amidst the fire, the purple and white light still glimmered. Bozzi was gone and still two drones remained.
The fire cannons soon came to an end. Either to recharge, or in the knowing that the job was now done. The final two drones stood victorious in the distance. But as the fire retraced back towards them, the impossible stood before them. There Bozzi stood. Twirling his Katana. Waiting. I began to wonder how is this possible? How could he survive the furnace they had unleashed upon him. But my thoughts were derailed as Bozzi mounted his final attack. From his left shoulder, he withdrew his crossbow and attached two of the EMP Kunai’s that were attached to each arm. The bow now glimmered with the blue riddled EMP arrow he had just created. In two simple actions, he slung one arrow into each drone. Once the arrows took mid-flight, he turned on his heels and began to walk away from the battlefield.
The battlefield behind Bozzi exploded as the blue EMP kunais deactivated the final drones. Fire, dust and carnage reeked the battlefield. Soon the dust settled and as the fire began to dwindle, out of the smoke walked Bozzi.
Many warriors fell on that fateful night. But Alfa was protected and a new hero was born. Bozzi. The only warrior to survive the Megacorp burn.