Scene 2
“But avoid the edge of the map my son.” There came a violent hiss as the back tire spun in place.
“For here, there be dragons. Here there be dragons!” he bellowed as he took off at full speed.
“Fire! Fire! Fiiire!!!” came bellowing through the speakers as both weapons began spitting a withering hail of bullets. The pavement skipped and shattered as bullets smashed into it, while he curved the bike along the wall of the tunnel. As the front wheel spun slightly in the open air, a flare of light came from the rear exhaust and the bike launched out into the space between both AVs. It tore through the air like a razorblade through a curtain, leaving a faint ripple behind it as he pulled back hard on the handlebars. Spiraling end over end, the wheels impacted hard on the still firing weapons, which managed to find some purchase in his back, shredding the coat and armor he wore, leaving a wild bloody gash. Both weapons twisted hard inwards, their deadly payload shredding the underside of the AVs. As the spin drew to an end he landed on the other side of gulf and tore for a reinforced steel wall. Both AVs sputtered and floundered behind him before regaining enough control to give chase. As they came about, they noticed he was gone, without so much as a trace.
He glanced back once at the flickering hologram he’d driven through, as the actual steel wall slid into place. He rocketed down the nearly sheer drop, the tires barely touching the surface, with service lights guiding him. The grim look on his face began to color with rage, as the distant light in front of him began to shrink.
Grabbing his helmet, he slapped it on and forced the engine again, dragging the bike hard against the wall and down. “Slide the veil.” He said again, and again the screen displayed “Ether accessed.”
“Dragon, what’s the loop?” Heaven responded, her calm, business-like tone a direct contrast to the near berserk look plastered on his face.
“I don’t really care how tapped this node is supposed to be, who the hell authorized the second seal closure.”
“Someone who clearly does not value their existence.”
“Yeah, clearly.”
“Just a sec, I’ll find out.”
“Good stuff, ‘cause if that gate is up when I get to it, we’re gonna have a problem.”
“I’ve no doubt.”
A slight flicker of light played across her face and he could vaguely hear the other participant in that conversation.
“What do you mean, ‘you authorized it’? You don’t have that authority at all.”
The arrogant, narcissistic tone, which responded, left him no doubt that Fang was to blame.
“In a situation like this, I can’t sync in every little thing Heaven, and you know that.”
“Fang, that’s Dragon in that line, so undo the seal. Now.” Her tone was notably point and would not accept opposition.
“Or really? It’s Dragon is it? Well lah dee dah. He’s likely got half the cobalt devils on him right now. It’s better this way Heaven, trust me.”
That last sentence he heard, not through the helmet, but through his own ears.
“Heaven, tell him to start praying.”
“Why?”
“Because unless a god intercedes he’s gonna learn what it means to enrage a wyrm. Fadin’ through the veil.” He tore the helmet off and triggered the flare once more. The air bent around him as he sped for the shrinking opening, pure rage upon his face.
“Pray?” Fang repeated as he pushed down on the seal clasp once more. “What does he mean by-”
His question was cut off a massive detonation came echoing from the tunnel. He barely had time to see Dragon sailing through the air, hands out stretched, mouth open like some hungry carnivore, the bike, smashed and battered spinning over itself behind him, before the hands crunched on his head, and the knee struck him in the face. He flipped completely over and landed on his face, blood fanning out in the air before splashing down. Dazed, he barely had time to realize he’d been attacked when he was lifted by the back of his head.
“You almost got me killed you self-indulgent shit!” Dragon spit vitriole has he punched him hard in the face, the cheekbones giving slightly.
“Then you lied about the damage to line access. I cleared that tunnel easily.” Another vicious punch and teeth fell to the floor from his knuckles.
“And then you try to seal my lines to keep me out. My lines! Mine is narcissistic piss-ant!” Now a headbutt that deeply cracked Fang’s forehead.
“I built these tunnels! Give me one good reason I don’t you break into pieces and leave you for the worms.” His hand slid around and tightly gripped Fangs bloodied throat, squeezing tightly.
“I’ll give you one,” a calm voice cut through the bloodlust and hate which filled his vision, as a gentle hand closed on his shoulder and turned him about. Heaven stood there, the glow from spiritshift still playing about her, giving her an almost inhuman quality. “that’s merely the chemicals talking because that’s not who you are.”
As he looked at her, the red and black spots which peppered his eyes and skin bled away, and his grip slackened until finally Fang fell to the ground.
“I...I.. um… I need to get some rest.”
“You should probably go to the medical bay first.”
“Nah… nah that’s cool. The genetech’ll take care of that and it’s not like the bones are broken. I just need so sleep. It’s been a long day… so very… very… long.”
“Alright then.” She said, lightly stroking his back as he walked past her to the spiritshift. “Wake up when you do, I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”
“Yeah, thanks.” He seemed barely conscious of either her words or his surroundings. It was as though all life and energy had been drained from him, and he was but a husk which walked upright.
“For here, there be dragons. Here there be dragons!” he bellowed as he took off at full speed.
“Fire! Fire! Fiiire!!!” came bellowing through the speakers as both weapons began spitting a withering hail of bullets. The pavement skipped and shattered as bullets smashed into it, while he curved the bike along the wall of the tunnel. As the front wheel spun slightly in the open air, a flare of light came from the rear exhaust and the bike launched out into the space between both AVs. It tore through the air like a razorblade through a curtain, leaving a faint ripple behind it as he pulled back hard on the handlebars. Spiraling end over end, the wheels impacted hard on the still firing weapons, which managed to find some purchase in his back, shredding the coat and armor he wore, leaving a wild bloody gash. Both weapons twisted hard inwards, their deadly payload shredding the underside of the AVs. As the spin drew to an end he landed on the other side of gulf and tore for a reinforced steel wall. Both AVs sputtered and floundered behind him before regaining enough control to give chase. As they came about, they noticed he was gone, without so much as a trace.
He glanced back once at the flickering hologram he’d driven through, as the actual steel wall slid into place. He rocketed down the nearly sheer drop, the tires barely touching the surface, with service lights guiding him. The grim look on his face began to color with rage, as the distant light in front of him began to shrink.
Grabbing his helmet, he slapped it on and forced the engine again, dragging the bike hard against the wall and down. “Slide the veil.” He said again, and again the screen displayed “Ether accessed.”
“Dragon, what’s the loop?” Heaven responded, her calm, business-like tone a direct contrast to the near berserk look plastered on his face.
“I don’t really care how tapped this node is supposed to be, who the hell authorized the second seal closure.”
“Someone who clearly does not value their existence.”
“Yeah, clearly.”
“Just a sec, I’ll find out.”
“Good stuff, ‘cause if that gate is up when I get to it, we’re gonna have a problem.”
“I’ve no doubt.”
A slight flicker of light played across her face and he could vaguely hear the other participant in that conversation.
“What do you mean, ‘you authorized it’? You don’t have that authority at all.”
The arrogant, narcissistic tone, which responded, left him no doubt that Fang was to blame.
“In a situation like this, I can’t sync in every little thing Heaven, and you know that.”
“Fang, that’s Dragon in that line, so undo the seal. Now.” Her tone was notably point and would not accept opposition.
“Or really? It’s Dragon is it? Well lah dee dah. He’s likely got half the cobalt devils on him right now. It’s better this way Heaven, trust me.”
That last sentence he heard, not through the helmet, but through his own ears.
“Heaven, tell him to start praying.”
“Why?”
“Because unless a god intercedes he’s gonna learn what it means to enrage a wyrm. Fadin’ through the veil.” He tore the helmet off and triggered the flare once more. The air bent around him as he sped for the shrinking opening, pure rage upon his face.
“Pray?” Fang repeated as he pushed down on the seal clasp once more. “What does he mean by-”
His question was cut off a massive detonation came echoing from the tunnel. He barely had time to see Dragon sailing through the air, hands out stretched, mouth open like some hungry carnivore, the bike, smashed and battered spinning over itself behind him, before the hands crunched on his head, and the knee struck him in the face. He flipped completely over and landed on his face, blood fanning out in the air before splashing down. Dazed, he barely had time to realize he’d been attacked when he was lifted by the back of his head.
“You almost got me killed you self-indulgent shit!” Dragon spit vitriole has he punched him hard in the face, the cheekbones giving slightly.
“Then you lied about the damage to line access. I cleared that tunnel easily.” Another vicious punch and teeth fell to the floor from his knuckles.
“And then you try to seal my lines to keep me out. My lines! Mine is narcissistic piss-ant!” Now a headbutt that deeply cracked Fang’s forehead.
“I built these tunnels! Give me one good reason I don’t you break into pieces and leave you for the worms.” His hand slid around and tightly gripped Fangs bloodied throat, squeezing tightly.
“I’ll give you one,” a calm voice cut through the bloodlust and hate which filled his vision, as a gentle hand closed on his shoulder and turned him about. Heaven stood there, the glow from spiritshift still playing about her, giving her an almost inhuman quality. “that’s merely the chemicals talking because that’s not who you are.”
As he looked at her, the red and black spots which peppered his eyes and skin bled away, and his grip slackened until finally Fang fell to the ground.
“I...I.. um… I need to get some rest.”
“You should probably go to the medical bay first.”
“Nah… nah that’s cool. The genetech’ll take care of that and it’s not like the bones are broken. I just need so sleep. It’s been a long day… so very… very… long.”
“Alright then.” She said, lightly stroking his back as he walked past her to the spiritshift. “Wake up when you do, I’ll make sure no one disturbs you.”
“Yeah, thanks.” He seemed barely conscious of either her words or his surroundings. It was as though all life and energy had been drained from him, and he was but a husk which walked upright.