The Chronicles of Exodus 2: Wrath of the Fallen

Chapter 2 Camp of Ruin

Hellfire neared the surface as we came nearer to the camp. Below we could see the road I once used to cleave apart a hel-walker once upon a time. But then again that was the same year Drago and the Raiders attacked...and the year Astrid was murked. I remember that year. The single worst year besides the year that plague went around Europe killing everyone. My father told me that story. We were nearing the camp now. I could see the smoke of the campfire billowing into the air. I could hear chatter coming from below. Must've been those blasted extroverts. Hellfire dived down to the camp, perching on a wooden lamp post. Under the cover of shadow, I slipped down Hellfire's tail, round the back of my dorm and inside. Outside the window I could spot Hellfire curling up to sleep. I sighed while unsheathing my blades. I held them in hands for a moment, feeling their weight. I ran my finger over the deep cracks in the blade itself. For some reason I felt sad and down looking at these tools of mass destruction. Was it the amount of needless death that these swords had brought about? Or was it the cruel way they were given to me? I just couldn't place the feeling. I flipped the blades upside down and placed them on the hook on the wall. The monster skull design of the swords had a little spiked hook shape that made the perfect hanging spot for storage. I let out a sigh and sat on my bed. I looked around. Mimir's bed was on the left next to the kitchen and the toilet was towards the front of the log dorms. I slumped back, laying on the bed allowing my eyes to close and drift me away.

I awoke over 3 hours later, when chatter was right outside the dorm, near the campfire. A knock came from the door. I raised up off the bed and walked over to the door. The door swung effortlessly open and thumped against the door stopper. I looked up and outside. It was Thea, one of the girls of the camp. She held a plate of bacon, toast and was that...chicken? I rubbed my eyes and held the door open for her. "Why don't you come out your dorm anymore?", she asked while stepping in. I itched my back and neck while yawing. I closed the door behind her. "To be honest... I don't know." I said, lying. Everyone knew why I never showed myself, but they ignored. I pulled out a chair for her and sat on the other end of the table. Thea placed her plate down. "I, uh received your message.", she said. "I just wanted to come by and thank you for actually caring." I sighed and glanced over at my weapon wall. Thea must've noticed as she looked in that direction. She pushed out her chair and walked over to the wall. I blinked sleep out of my eyes and joined her. I tried following her gaze. It went from the axe to the hammer and even to the spear, but she remained focused on one thing. The Banes of Destruction. "Those are your blades, correct?" Thea gestured towards them. I nodded sadly. I reached forward and pulled them from the wall. I could feel the heat brewing within. "I had hoped I would never have to see those again.", I said with a sigh. "Why?", Thea asked. I looked in her direction before looking back at the blades. "I killed thousands of people with these.", I explained. "That is why I hid my godhood from everyone. Oh, being a God sounds so cool." I gestured but then shook my head. I looked back down at the blades. Gradually I felt something, something odd. It was like I could feel the blades, their energy but also their memory. The pain that they carried, they inflicted upon people. A bang came from the door again. Thea rushed to open it. I looked towards the door. It was Levi. "Raiders! They were spotted in the lower north sector!" I snapped towards him when I heard those words. I quickly whipped up my hammer and shield, Aspis and rushed out the door. I grabbed Levi's shoulder. "How many Raiders? Do they have weapons or vehicles?" I demanded. "Rifles, guns, spears and ten jeeps." Someone butted in. I turned to Freyr, the culprit of the calling out and the only person to have been captured by Raiders in this camp. I nodded and stormed out the camp and down the road. That's when I heard it, a groan. With a grimace I held out my hand. Suddenly, my axe flew out of the dorm, out the camp into my grasp. I looked the zombie in the eye as I rushed forward. I raised my axe high above my head and cleaved it through its head. The undead crumpled to the floor and its blood stuck to the axe blade. I kicked the corpse before looking out for any raiders. I was so sick of people interfering with my life. I looked out over the trees. There just in the near distance I spotted tanks and raiders. I furrowed my brow, my eyes turning to slits. I clenched my fists as I began to transform. A tail sprung from my behind, spikes tore through my back and spine, claws protruded out from my fingertips and my skin turned coal black and scaly. I screeched as my transformation began to complete. I grew to a staggering size. This was the wrath of Gojira, the God of Destruction. I roared at the incoming enemies as I charged their position. I raised one giant leg and smashed one of their tanks to metal scraps. I raised my claws and roared yet again. I scooped a jeep off the floor and grasped it in my hand. My lips curled as smoke began to spill out from between my teeth. I opened my jaws; a beam of bright orange and purple flames engulfed the jeep. After I finished, I hurdled the jeep away, tossing it as far as I could. It bounced and hopped across the ground before exploding into nothing. I turned back to the rest of the raiders. A horn blared from one of their semis. I spun, swinging my tail around and thrashing the vehicles into debris like they were match box cars. With a growl I stormed away to the mountains.

I smashed my way through trees, rocks and whatever was in my way. A plume of smoke was expelled from my nostrils. I looked up at the nearby mountain. With a roar I slammed my spiked shoulder into the rock side. I roared again, breaking deeper and deeper into the mountain until it split. I clutched the sides of the opening, digging my claws through the tough rock. My muscles bulged as I tore the mountain in two. I watched as the mountain collapsed. Boulders and rocks tumbled down the side of the mountain. I grappled the rocks and tore myself out of the other side. I slammed my head through a hunk of rock with a booming roar, alerting everyone to my appearance. I looked out at the endless expanse of plains. I knew something was here, I sensed it. I trampled over the land leaving ginormous footprints in my wake. I growled, snapping my head in the direction of the sense. I sniffed the air; it was polluted and disgusting. My eyes narrowed as I rolled my shoulders. The ground began to tremble and shake. Rocks from nearby cliffs and mountains began to crack and break off. An earthquake? No. This, this was something else. I wiggled my fingers, awaiting IT. Then I heard it! The ground exploded behind me, sending rock, sand, and dirt high into the air. Through the dust I saw it, a pair of bright terrifying yellow eyes. A roar screeched from within. It was like hearing something that wasn't there. A call to the soul, a scream of...presence. The beast lunged, tackling me to the floor. I was shocked, stunned even. My eyes widened. It was horrifying. Its head was mangled and torn, one of its eyes were plucked from its socket and dangled on a thread. Its jaw was broken, dried blood clustered around the shattered joint. Its left arm was torn off just below the shoulder. I shook my head, regaining my composure. I clenched my fist and punched the beast's jaw. The creature flew back, blood flew from its head... as well as its jaw. Its jaw crashed to the floor before bouncing and finally settling. Despite this severe injury it remained unphased. This was no animal, nor creature. This was a zombie, an infected creature. It shared no resemblance to anything, no creature I had encountered in this time but... I did recognise it. Somewhat. Gods, I hope that isn't what I think it is. I have lived and died through hundreds of years, but I remember that before the apocalypse, before everything I had met a few brave souls who I ventured with, and unfortunately, I had to put down. They were infected and hid it from me. They waited until my back was turned to try to kill me, but they failed. My god like invulnerability slaughtered any infected cells inside my bloodstream, like it had with every disease I had prior. If I was not crazy, that beast was identical to a foul beast I ruthlessly murked with my bare hands. I swallowed before extending my claws. No, that was impossible. I watched them die I watched it die. It couldn't've come back, could it? I shook my head and lunged at the undead creature, latching my claws into its head, and splitting in two with no remorse. I snorted a breath of flames as I stepped over the body.