Sword, Shield, And Family

Chapter 20, Stones Left Unturned for Centuries

Unknown Location, Unknown Time, Uknown Conditions.

~Raven's POV~
I slowly opened my eyes, my head feeling like it was hit with a weight. I met the eyes of a wolf, my eyes shooting wide. The wolf snarled before trying to bite my throat, but something caused it to stagger back. I saw a German Shepard snarling at the wolf, which caused it to leave. The canine stared at me, eyes wide with curiousity. I saw my helmet beside me, I picked it up and put it on. I then saw a D40 to my right by my foot. I picked it up and put it on the magnetic "hook" on my back. I kneeled by the German Shepard. "Thank you. . ." I said softly. I saw it had a collar, which had a Ghostbusters collar on it. I was surprised those even still existed. I stroked the dog gently. "You wouldn't know where we are huh?" The dog then barked and started heading in a direction. I know this was a terrible idea, but I followed the dog. I had no other option. I had no idea where I was, except the fact I was in a forest. After a while of walking, I followed the dog to a clearing. A meadow, but something else in the distance. A city. It was familiar. Then I realised. It was the remainders of San Francisco, California. I was deep in Dark Forces territory, very deep. The west coast of North America was dangerous. I knew if there were any humans that survived San Francisco's traunatic event in 2263, they were long dead. The dog looked at me and barked. I had no other option, this dog was the only guide I'd get in this ruined place. I followed him, he seemed to know the place. A smart dog, almost too smart. I followed them to an old fallout bunker. I entered it, not knowing what to expect, but I was safe. The bunker was empty. The dog looked up at me then at a skeleton in the corner, long dead. Then there was a skeleton of a dead dog, they must have been in this bunker when San Fransisco lit up like a fireworks show for God. San Francisco was a bad day. It's what made the EDTF lose hope. It's what the power of the Dark Forces could really do. I wasn't born at the time, but I remember learning about it in history class. Everyone died. So many lives gone in just a few seconds. Millions. Women, men, children. All of their screams going off at once, it put fear into all of us. I remember watching a news feed of it that traumatized me as a kid. The entirety of San Francisco looked like the gates of hell itself. It was like the whole event was for the Dark Forces to put fear into us. Make us scramble. Shake in our boots. When I was in middle school, I looked in the video feeds in history class my history teacher kept in the drawers, I played them on a screen, and I watched. Every time I watched them, I heard faint screams echo in my head after I watched them, like if I was hearing the remains of those who died. I then remembered her. Sophie. Her screams echoed in my head again. I went to a kneel, breathing heavily. The dog looked at me and whimpered. I looked back at him. "I'm fine big guy. Just thoughts of the past." I assured him. The dog seemed to calm down. I leaned against a wall, staring at the broken clock across from me. "I'm sorry Sophie. . ." I said softly. The dog laid their head on my lap, whimpering. I smiled slightly. "I guess we've both experienced loss huh?" I asked. The dog only replied with a whimper. "Don't worry bud, I'm not goin' anywhere anytime soon." I promised him. The dog stopped whimpering. I looked at my left arm, a reminder of my failure to protect my team. To protect Sophie. Yet, it was a reminder of how I went through hell and kept going. I laid there for the dog for what must have been an hour, drowning in my thoughts. How could I have done it differently? How was I the Dragon's Heart? And what was it? I still didn't know. By the time my thoughts passed, the sun was fully up. I looked at the dog. "Me and you. . . We're lost, but we'll guide each other. I think the name Ghost fits you." The dog stood up and walked to the blown apart door of the bunker. I perked my head up "We moving? Lead the way." I walked with Ghost. I needed to find a way to contact the EDTF without raising alarm. Until then, I was on my own. Well, almost. I had a new ally, we needed each other. I followed him to a battered up Humvee, but it was the most intact vehicle around. I knew a thing or two about being a mechanic due to the fact I took classes for it in high school. I checked the humvee for what was needed to fix it and I got to work. I looked around for parts I needed, scavenging for what might be useful. By sundown, I managed to get the humvee in working condition. I started the process of hotwiring it. This is usually the part I struggled with in that mechenics class. I tried it many times before I got the engine started. I started driving, it was dusk, the sun was setting and I needed to find a good shelter. I looked at ghost, who happily had his tongue flapping out of his mouth as his head was out the window. The humvee was electric powered, but it had a good battery, and I packed extra batteries from the cars I salvaged from. I turned on some music on the stereo, which the humvee had music I liked. I felt like I was in a damn post-apocalyptic movie, where that one guy is salvaging for stuff in a wasteland and everything looks dark and gloomy. Felt too-much like a cliche, like the last survivor of a nuclear accident, but I never survived a disaster. I never was a lone survivor of some traumatic event. I was lost in enemy territory, hoping for a way out. But for now, finding shelter was my priority, before the Dark Forces knew I was around, and they'd come after me. I don't know how I got in this situation, why I woke up where I did, but I met a companion who I'd forge an unbreakable bond with for many years to come.