CREWSADERS - THE NOVELIZATION OF A GAME THAT DOESN'T EXIST

The Wastelands of Acid

https://youtu.be/Am3BBNVQ_08?si=abjbHUZ50mwaU6FH

It was dark.

It had always been dark, or it might as well have been. Pure darkness as far as the eye could see, or rather, as far as it couldn't see... but still, something could be heard, rippling in the distance.

A river?

A flow of liquid?

Pops of chemical bubbles...

He couldn't seem to recall how he'd ended up in such a place. He knew he had lost his sight many, many years prior, but he also knew he'd never felt such strange auras surround himself before- ones of radiation and unknown metals.

He slowly approached a puddle, one bearing a radioactive aura which managed to glow even through his closed eyes. Peering at it, he could only help but be amazed by how his image reflected within the liquid's aura. For the first time in an eternity, he noted his spiky black and blue hair, long blue coat, and sunglasses that adorned his pale skin.

///////////// Alarmed Spirit: MAZERO /////////////

It smelled... oddly nice.

Mazero's nose cringed at just how powerful the smoke smelled. Sweet yet acidic, likely caused by the liquid that flowed through the heaping piles of junk that littered the area. It felt dangerous just to be present.

"*BEEP!* DANGER! THIS ZONE IS UNFIT FOR LIVING BEINGS!"

Mazero jumped in surprise when he sensed the security robot nearby approaching. Scrambling back to a steady stance, he instinctively spawned a neon barrier that pushed the android away without causing it any harm.

That was odd. Was that the only robot?

Mazero let out a sigh of relief and ventured off into the distance, scanning about as much as the area's distinct auras let him feel within his darkness. In the end, he was met with junk as far as he could feel, except one spot: some sort of factory in the distance, surrounded by security robots. Maybe that was the way to go, but how would he avoid the machines? Could he even do so? Just the thought of being the only one responsible for his own safety was enough to send shivers down his spine. Mazero's powers were purely protective, letting him form all sorts of barriers, platforms and constructs, but no weapons. He would be harmless against any threats.

Still, Mazero concluded he'd have to push forward. There was room for silence, but none for stillness. He had to act.

One foot after the other, the young man began slowly treading forth as he looked around for a way to dodge all the robots, his shades furrowing unnaturally as if contemplating.

Eventually and almost unconsciously, however, his walk turned into a jog and then into a full dash. Around walls and over platforms erected by his hand, he rushed towards the factory. Mazero leapt over the robots, skating over self-made surfaces that made him able to sneak around the security, until he came to a sudden standstill.

He had accidentally dropped right in front of a robot. Facing each other for several seconds, Mazero found himself frozen in place in hopes it would turn away. And turn away it did, continuing its routine of scrubbing the floors. Mazero let out a sigh of relief, grateful.

The heavy sigh, however, was registered by the robot, triggering its defense mode and making a giant barricade of shields surrounding the factory's front.

"Oh..."

Fortunately, what he lacked in strength, Mazero made up for in creativity and problem-solving through his defensive powers. Raising one hand, a platform emerged from the floor and catapulted him into the skies. Mazero quickly caught himself during his descent with a soft platform that floated above the factory, letting him catch a deep breath. Two large neon gloves quickly spawned over his hands, which he used to shoo! the robots away into areas of the junkyard where they'd be less troublesome. The shields vanished as the robots retreated, and the coast was clear.