(Author's note: Hello everyone. I'm sure you must be wondering what I'm doing, posting this and instead of working on the other story. I'm doing this as a favor to a friend of mine, who told me his birthday is today. He originally made a request, something I couldn't do at the moment, so instead I wrote this. This was actually an idea I had a while ago and started writing it for fun and in my free time. Today, for him, I'm gonna post it because the main character is based off another from my friend's favorite game. Hope you like it, my friend.)
(3rd Pov)
Ruined. That word could be used to describe the state of the city was in. Tall buildings were still holding up, but looked like they could collapse any time while the streets below them were wrecked with debris all over it, making transportation by vehicle nearly impossible. It also wouldn't be recommended because it would attract the 'tools' to the reason why everything was how it is.
The Punishing Virus. A mistake Humanity could never undo. A mistake because it originated from a failed product, a zero-point energy reactor, made by Humanity. Due to an explosion caused by an accident, the Virus was released and became air born, spreading rapidly until it consumed the planet, putting Humanity at the brink of extinction. When Humans come into contact with the Virus, it immediately attacks their cells causing them to break down and rapidly kill humans. Now, if the Virus consumed the planet, what happened to the Humans? Most of the population, the lucky or rich population, found safety in Babylonia. It was Humanity's last hope for sanctuary and any chance of comebacks. Specifically, it is a large structure that orbits just above the atmosphere, containing both civilians, government, and military. However, it does not contain all the remaining humans. Equal to the amount on Babylonia, the ones who couldn't live there, still remain on Earth in the forms of separate factions who held their power before and after the Viral outbreak, but there were also nomads. They were small groups who don't belong to any factions, they only wander and scavenge to survive in this apocalyptic world.
As for the 'tools' of the Virus, they were called corrupted. Machines, created by Humanity to serve them, that came into contact with the Virus. Unlike Humans, the Virus attacks their logistic system, that gives them the ability to recognize and obey human authority, which reprograms them into mindless monsters with the sole purpose of destroying anything that shows signs of human conscious. These are the 'tools' That had a hand in the destruction of all the civilization humanity had made through the centuries.
It really did seem like it was the end, everyone thought so, but like history proving humanity's own wrongs, it also proved of how stubborn humans can be. Own thing led to another, and serums were created to fight off infection temporarily. Not only that, but the key to the counter attack was made.
The constructs. Human minds planted in mechanical bodies with built in resistance to the virus. It isn't that effective most of the time, but when having a human partner with them, a special system was made so that it was possible to prevent infection on both parties. Now, teams of constructs with a human, the commandant, lead the fight into taking back humanity's home.
Back to the first city, it was like all the others, ruined, but many corrupted roam it's lands as well. Under the night sky, corrupted marching or crawling all around, they clattered in groups to large hordes. Under a highway was no different. A gardener, a humanoid robot with a spinning blade attached to a rod in it's hand, was just walking around with it's weapon in hand, looking for anything that needs to be destroyed. It took one step forward-
*Slash**Hack**Clatter**Crumble*
-Only to soon fall to the ground in pieces. This alerted other corrupted nearby. The first corrupted to turn to it's fallen kind, was met with a large slab of metal to pierce it's face, then the weapon was pulled down, cutting the enemy in half. Following up the weapon and up the handle, the wielder is shown.
The figure appeared to be a male teen around eighteen years old. Judging by the line patterns on his exposed wrists and slightly exposed neck, his body was mechanical, he was a construct. He had black hair and two different eye colors. His left eye a cold cobalt gray and his right being a dark azure blue. His expression was neutral, like a resting face. He wore a dark gray mask that covered his mouth and nose. His attire was slightly baggy jeans and a black long sleeved undershirt, along with a gray band on his left wrist. His jacket looked like a gray poncho. It didn't have a hood, instead a collar that was always up and reached his mouth, the zipper was more to the right, instead of normally being in the center. It was left mostly unzipped, up to right side of his chest, though it didn't reach the collar. It had a black belt over it, angled diagonally, coming down from his left shoulder down to the right side of his waist, with a hook on the back. It also had a faded black symbol on the back. He had black shoes that were meant for sprinting, and fingerless gloves that helped in grip. Around his waist was a belt that carried six pouches, three on each side and a small med kit on the back of his waist. He was covered in scratches.
His weapon of choice was mostly metal, that being the blade. It was a large sword with a long handle. The handle was connected to a metal piece that almost made up the entire opposite end of the blade. The blade itself was plain white with a rectangular gap near the bottom corner of the blade and meets the metal attached to the blade, it had a lot of scratches and slight cracks. The whole thing was quite wide and long, but actually really thin.
The figure removed the sword from the remains of the corrupted, having no problem holding the massive weapon with one hand. Then spun around, swinging the sword in a arc to fend off three more corrupted behind him. As they staggered, he used his free hand to pull out a pistol from a holster on his thigh and shot all of them multiple times, emptying the clip. He back flipped high into the air and landed on top of another gardener, attempting a charge with his back turned to it. He stabbed his sword into it's back, the blade slightly glowing blue while the open wound on the machine's back glowed red and as he holds it down, he placed the gun under his arm holding the handle of the sword and reloads the firearm. After doing so, he finishes the gardener by shooting it in the head. Soon the red glow vanishes along with the light in its eyes. The remaining wisps of red energy travel up his sword and into his hand.
"This should last me for a while." He muttered to himself. Sighing, he straightens his back while holstering his gun. He then flipped the sword over him until it was placed directly over the belt where the hook was and waited until he heard a click to let go. He then walks away from his mess, holding his neutral look. As he walked, he kept wary of his surroundings while also trying to find anything interesting. Sadly he didn't. After some time, he finds an abandoned hotel where he entered and walked up some stairs and went inside a room. He put his sword against the wall. He laid down in a bed and pulled out his gun. He rested his arms on his sides, before closing his eyes. While constructs may not have the same needs as humans, they still need rest for their mentality.
(Time skip)
The next morning the figure awoke and looked around at his surroundings, slightly dazed. He blinked to get the sleep out of his eyes. After staring into space for a few seconds he gets out of bed and equips his sword and gun, but only after checking it's condition first. He walked out of the hotel and sighed in relief at the sight of no corrupted. He then began his walk, with no destination in mind. He would encounter a few corrupted here and there, which he easily disposed of.
He then came upon the city limits, nothing but remains of a forest ahead. He walks across the land, a blank look on his face as he stares at nothing, just straight forward. It was a relatively quiet walk, no signs of corrupted from what he could tell.
He had been traveling for an hour straight now. Then gunfire rang out. He stopped walking and turned toward the noise before making his way over.
"Don't give up!"
He came upon a hill and saw a group of constructs and soldiers with humans behind them. They were surrounded by corrupted and the soldier look really banged up. Without a second thought, he rushed down to help them. Down with the soldiers, they did all they could to keep the corrupted away, but they weren't reaching their limits as quick as humans do.
"Damn! How do they even stay charged!?"
"Nevermind that! Aim for their limbs and joints!!"
"Is this how we leave this world?" A woman quietly asked as she tightly held a child in her arms. Said child had their head buried deep into their mother's chest and trembled in fear. The others may not have heard her, but all thought the same. Suddenly, a corrupted got to close and was about to impale a solider, but before they could do so, they were sliced in half. The rest of the corrupted couldn't see what happened, because they were quickly torn apart.
"The... Hell?"One of the soldiers whispers. They took a moment to process the seen of fallen machines before registering the person standing among them. After a few seconds, he turned to the stunned audience.
"Is everyone alright?" He spoke gently, not wanting to frighten them.
"A construct?"
"U-Uh I think so..." He turns to the construct. "Um, thanks for the help. We're all good, well, most of us." He turns and points at a female who was keeping to themselves on the ground and kept at a distance from the others. The construct in front of them studied the one in the ground and identified her as a construct like Him. She was righting clutching her arm.
"What's wrong?" The teen asked as he eyed her wound.
"She's been infected, and there's not much we can do about it." Hearing that, the teen nods and walks over to her, while holstering his weapon. He got close to her and kneels. She notices him and glared harshly at him.
"What are you doing!? Didn't you hear him!? I'm infected, stay away!" He didn't listen, instead he forcefully removed her arm to see the infection. Some wires and metal skin could be seen. The figure didn't falter and grabs the construct to pulled her close to him. "Wha-! Hey!! What do you think your doing!?" He stills doesn't respond as he stands up with her in his arms. He turns his head to the soldiers.
"I have something that can treat her, but in case she lashes out, I'll take her away. We won't be too far." The soldiers exchanged glances before one responded.
"Uh... Okay? But may we have a name at least? A squad name maybe?"
"... Y/n."
With that, he carried her away despite her very vocal protests. After getting behind a few trees, he kneels again and lays her down on the ground and forcefully held her arm out to examine it. By now the female construct wasn't struggling against him anymore and only glared.
"What now? You don't seem like a support type, or even look like you know first aid."
"... I took you here so they wouldn't see what I do."
"Huh?" Not answering her, he places his right hand on top of the wound while also holding something in his other hand. His hand glowed a light blue and mixed with the red energy. The female stared in shock at what was happening, energy was being drawn through her arm and absorbed into Y/n. It also seemed to be infecting the object in his hand. Soon the glowing stopped and Y/n removed his hand. When the construct checked her monitors, she found no traces of the virus. "... What did you do?"
Without responding, he then takes out the first aid kit he had and started patching up the wound. As he did, the girl didn't say anymore. Once head done, he stood up and held a hand out to her. She stared before grabbing it and stood up.
"... Thanks."
He nods and leads her over to the others.
"You're a medic, right?"
"... Yeah?"
"Please keep fighting. These people still need you, so hang in there." She doesn't respond. Soon they see the group again and Y/n helps any of them if they were hurt. After a bit of checking the humans and telling them how to get to they're destination, Y/n was about leave, but the construct stopped him.
"Wait."
He stops his walking and turns to her.
"The names Bridget. I'm with the Support Force." Now that she introduced herself, he got a good look at her. She had short brown hair with some tied at the top and blue eyes. She wore a skin-tight suit which exposed her lower back. The fabric around her waist and half of her back was white, while the fabric covering her chest was black. She had disconnected long white sleeves with a black stripe running through the middle. On her shoulders were circular objects meant to hold something, there was a square box on her left shoulder. The suit was also trailed down her thighs, mid way. She also had a belt with a few small pouches on the front and back. In the middle of the back was a white fin sticking out. The suit crawled up her neck where there was a metal collar around her neck. In her hair was her Inver-device in an odd shape.
Y/n nods at her name in acknowledgement.
"You heard my name already. Um, sorry for carrying you without permission."
"You don't have to apologize for that, it was necessary. I'm sorry for the hostility though."
"You shouldn't apologize either. Anyone would panic in your state."
"Yeah, but believe me when I say I'm usually more levelheaded in situations like that."
"I'll take your word for it..."
"..."
Silence then falls on them. Y/n then turns to walk away, but was stopped by Bridget who pulled on his poncho.
"Hold it. What did you do back there? What happened to the virus?"
He stared at her for a bit before answering while pulling out a box. He made sure to hold it in a way so that she wouldn't make out the details of it.
"... I took the virus into my own frame, as a form of conductor before transferring it into this thing, it's specialized to have better stabilizing capabilities. Though, it won't hold it in for long, so I need to quickly ditch it."
Bridgett glared suspiciously.
"If there was technology to absorb the virus, the science council would have made some noise about such a finding."
"The Science Council has many other projects to juggle. Plus, it's not that hard of a concept to have the punishing virus absorbed. It infects. For humans, it's accelerated cancer, a specialized man-killer. But it needs mechanoids to get all our walls to get to humans. If human behavior is what attracts them, then make a signal to fool it."
"It-It can't be that simple!?" She stared at him weirdly. "What do you mean signal?"
Y/n pulls out another device and presses a button. What plays is a recorded conversation between some host and guest. She continues to look at him weirdly.
"Audio signals are transformed into a series of pulses that correspond to patterns of binary digits and are recorded as such on the surface of a magnetic tape or optical disc. Keep it as pulses in a specific way, you got something that can draw the virus."
"I-I... I really don't think that's valid..."
Y/n shrugged.
"Works just fine for me."
"So what will you do with it now?" She asked with a sigh and stood cautiously.
"I usually throw it away, it's served it purpose saving lives. Like yours."
Bridget fidgeted.
"Okay, but what about you? How are you not infected when you're somehow the conductor."
"... I'm careful."
"What does that mean?"
"I know what I'm doing." Speaking with finality, Y/n turns and begins walking.
"Hey! Where are you going?" She took long steps to grab him. He sighs, slightly annoyed.
"I have places to be. I shouldn't waste time in one spot."
"Where's your squad?"
"Around. They usually let go my own way."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Then shouldn't they have arrived by now? We've sent distress signals back there."
"They contacted me first when they received the signal, since they knew I was closer. Told them I'd handle it, and I did."
"Arrogant much?"
"I won't deny that, but if you knew how long I've been alone you'd think otherwise."
Bridget stared at him with mixed thoughts. It was too suspicious to think he was all alone especially when he can absorb the very poison that kills thousands, so it's obvious there more to it and even more that he wasn't gonna say anything about yet. Though, if he was telling the truth and since he did help her, the least she could do was drop the subject. However, she need to give her response.
"I'll have to report our meeting."
"Go ahead, won't do me any harm."
She stared for a few seconds before sighing and crossed her arms. She tilted her head down as she spoke.
":... Fine. See you around." She lifts her head, showing him a small smile. "Come find me when you get to Babylonia. I'd love to get to know you."
Y/n nodded at her. After saying goodbye, he turns and walks away. After that day, Bridget would definitely keep her new friend in mind, expecting the day they could talk in better settings.
With Y/n, he had his own thoughts after his encounter with the support force girl. Though they weren't specifically about her. He looked to the sky and talked quietly out loud.
Y/n:... You must be wondering how much longer...
He put the thoughts to the side as he continued his walk.
(Time skip)
After an hour straight of walking, he arrived at the next city limits. He walks into the city, seeing many more corrupted, a few that were new to him.
"Corrupted are getting worse..." He noted to himself. He walks around, occasionally hacking at any corrupted that neared him. He walked a bit more, before hearing scanners in his head going haywire and he suddenly jumping away. In his previous spot was the tip of chain blade. He regained his balance and looked over to his attacker. His eyes narrowed in caution at the newcomer. They seemed to be another construct with gray hair with a few strands of yellow and different designed eyes. His left eye was normal, while his right eye was black where the white should be. He was wearing a cloak that hid the left side of his body, only showing his sleeved right arm and the gray collar poking out the top of the cloak. He held a shotgun and saw blade.
"... You not just passing by?"
Despite his attacker's appearance, Y/n wasn't intimidated by it or the aura they gave off. He kept a slightly noticeable tense stance, prepared to retaliate if needed, but the other male was more relaxed and had a easy smile.
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not... may I have a name?"
"... You first."
"Not one for manners are you?"
"Excuse my caution..." He begins glaring as he speaks. "I'm sensitive to clear intent."
The construct chuckled slightly and shrugged whimsically. He grins at Y/n.
"Roland. You?"
"Y/n. Now what do you want?"
"Nothing specific I assure you. I was simply walking around in search of some entertainment when I saw you. Lucky me, it was a runt from Babylonia, who was idiotic enough to be alone out here."
His grin grew wider as red energy began to form around him. Monitors, only Y/n can see, flashed. They were gauges on viral levels and they were warning him about the dangerous amount within the construct before him. Y/n didn't show any reaction, but did reach for his sword.
"So I take it you'll humor me?"
"... I will, but just know I don't have to."
In an instant, Y/n charges Roland, before leaping into the air. He came crashing down, swinging his sword at Roland. He blocked with both his weapons, proving them to be far sturdier and durable then Y/n thought. Roland pushes him back a couple of feet. While Y/n regained his footing, Roland took this opportunity and fired at him. Y/n deflected the bullets with the flat side of his sword. Roland swung his blade into the air, the blade separating into little blades attached to a chain. The tip of the chain seemed to hover in the air, letting Roland swing through the air towards his target, while still firing upon him.
Y/n was blocking the shots with his sword, but saw Roland's attack over his sword and sidestepped just as Roland was about to bash Y/n with his gun. Within a second, Y/n swung his sword at Roland's back, sending him flying and smashing into broken cement. Roland recovered and stood back up, glaring as Y/n didn't attack when he was down. Roland charges at Y/n and swung his sword at him, only to be met with his own. As the stalemate went on, Roland swung his gun over their sword, aiming to smash Y/n's head in. The attack was grabbed before it can follow through. Now Y/n was managing to hold back Roland's sword with his own with one hand, while holding back his gun. He didn't seem concerned at all, nor did he look to be struggling. They break the stalemate.
As they both tried to regain their footing, they both shot each other, their bullets, either missed or deflected each other. When that clash ended, Roland charged Y/n, who struck his sword into the ground, switched to reverse grip, and swung upwards, taking rocks with it. As the sword soared, the blade glowed a dark blue. The attack landed on Roland, sending him flying again, but was followed up by an arc of blue energy. The impact smashed him through a whole chunk of rocks and landed in another.
He got back up with an annoyed smile. Y/n's expression remained neutral, but his brows did narrow slightly.
"You're more durable than you look."
"Well, I didn't overcome death just to be defeated by a few well aimed attacks."
"Overcome death..."
"Yes... Something we may have in common."
Y/n remained silent, his sword pointed to the ground, but his stance was ready to attack. Roland wiggles his pointer finger mockingly.
"You can't fool this old lad. We're practically brothers, you and I. I see potential in you future."
"... Was that before or after you decided to jump me?"
"Who can say? Anyway, we don't have to fight anymore, I see what you're capable of and what more you can be. Let's have a chat."
"... Okay... What faction are you from?
"Curious are we?"
Y/n gave him a bored look. Roland huffed before spreading his arms out with a smile.
"I am what's called an Ascendant. I've been offered this impressive title to live a more exciting life! My current mission is to follow the lady's lead in shaping the world in our way. Even if it means having a hand in the destruction of man kind."
He lowered his arms and directed all his attention in Y/n, who remained still as he clutched his sword's handle. Though, during the speech, he looked at him with an intense stare.
"Though, "Ascendant" is only a title. I do not think you share similar thoughts, do you?"
"... You look smarter as well... Your right, I have no interest in genocide. Are we done?"
"But we don't have to be. I'm not some maniac who lives for the thrill of battle. I live for the thrill of living, to continue on and see my own goals. It's not my fault if others fall along that path. They fall because they lack that strength to go on."
"... I respect that. We may not be so different."
"Yes..."
"But you'll have to do so much more to make me follow whatever it is you planning."
"I see... I suppose one has to be the one to initiate for every conflict."
Roland charges at him again, but this time at much faster speed. He aimed to sever Y/n's head from his body.
*Clash**Grind*
Only to stopped by his bare hand. This annoyed and shocked Roland, that much force should have at torn up skin, at the very least the glove, but no. His entire hand was still in tact. He shouldn't focused on that, though. He should have focused on the fact that Y/n's body began to glow a dark azure blue. Too late, Roland was sent flying... again, by the sudden pulse of the energy. Roland shook the daze off and immediately jumped away to avoid the large sword of Y/n's, crashing down on him. However, something felt off.
Numbness slowly registered to Roland. He looked down at his left arm... At least he was supposed to be looking at his arm. It was gone. Roland grunted in pain and landed. He looked over and saw his arm was were he previously was. Y/n pulled out his sword from the ground and turned to Roland, who felt a shiver down his spine. Y/n had his eyes narrowed, but that ominous glow from his right eye was simply unnerving. Roland may seem foolish and cocky, but he knew a lost battle when he saw one. He backed up slowly.
"Alright, alright... point made it across, you don't want to listen anymore. Then I hope we can learn more next time... Though, do tell... what can you hope to aim for by traveling this land all by yourself? You've gained attention from more than one source. We're all interested."
Y/n remains silent.
"Can't answer huh... disappointing, but understandable. You're a smart person, do you even realize all that is wrong with this world?"
Y/ remains silent, his hair shadowing his eyes so Roland couldn't see what could be running through his head. Suddenly, he slams down his sword into the ground. He lifts his head and looks Roland in the eye.
"...I'm still learning... Humans have their faults and have made grave mistakes, however not all are at fault. There's innocent live who lost a home for doing nothing wrong. Right now, what I want is a world without the virus to destroy centuries of cultivation. And if that's not a reason to fight, then it's because there are other things worth fighting for, aside from humanity itself."
"... Can you really stand by that."
"... No, but that's what makes a mind so amazing, it's capability of changing, to be amendable."
Roland looks at him blankly, but Y/n could see his scrutinizing gaze.
"You may not understand it, but that is why I fight."
"Heh... in time you'll realize that will of your's can it carry you so far."
"... Then we'll just have to see."
"... Till next time..."
Roland left through the shadows, while Y/n gave no chase. He sighed and headed over to Roland's severed arm. He grabs it and red energy is absorbed from the appendage. Unlike usual, Y/n felt a larger scale of re-energizing.
"Damn, they're filled to the brim with the virus..."
He drops the limb and holsters his main weapons. He then continues his directionless-wandering.
(Time skip)
The sun was setting now and Y/n was looking for a place to rest, until he heard a quiet noise. He walked to the source. He came upon a few large clusters of debris and a some splatters of blood. He walked closer to the source, now clearly hearing sobbing and someone talking. He found the source to be a young woman with a infant in her arms. She saw her area darken slightly and turned to see him. She jumped in shock and tried to crawl away.
"You're hurt." He noted as he eyed the red stained sleeve wrapped around the woman's leg. He walked closer, only for her to back further away. "I want to help." He pulls out hid med kit as proof. The woman relaxes, but is still really stiff. Y/n kneels beside her and got to work on her leg. After a few minutes of disinfecting, the women's leg was now wrapped in bandages. He looks over to the infant. "Does he need help?"
"She... and she's just hungry.
"Why are you out here?"
"I was a part of a refugee group, but got separated when the corrupted attacked... I'm the only one left."
"You're in luck then, I saw a Babylonian camp from a distance. I'll take you there."
"I don't think I can walk fast."
"Then we'll take it slow, no harm will come to you as long as I am here."
"... Thank you." With some help, the woman and the three made their way through the ruins of the city. Whenever corrupted neared, Y/n would have the woman hide as he took care of them. It was a little hard to move, because of the Woman's injury and darkness of the night. They soon arrive the base, where, by luck, there was a transport. Y/n suddenly stopped a yard away from the base, where none of the soldiers noticed them yet. "What's wrong?"
"... Head straight and you'll be there."
"What about you?"
"... Not yet, I still have a mission."
She was about to speak again, but the baby began to fuss. The woman tried to calm it down. Y/n stepped closer and loomed over the baby. She stopped fussing and stared at him curiously as he held out a finger, which she grabbed gently. Y/n hummed a small tune, which seemed to put the baby to sleep. The woman looked at him surprised.
"What was that?"
"... Red like roses."
He then began to walk away without another word. From a distance he watched as the woman safely aboard the transport, heading for Babylonia. After watching it fly off into the distance, Y/n walks away, deciding to walk through the night, having a sudden boost in energy. He walked until the sun was in the sky again. As he walked, he heard an explosion in the distance. He walks to the top of a pile of debris and saw smoke in the distance.
Not thinking, he immediately ran all the way there. He didn't slow from the hordes of corrupted that stood in his way and just cleaved them out of his path. Each hit absorbed the Punishing virus from all of them. A gauge was in eyesight was turning red. He noted that and dismissed the notification.
He skids to stop to see a battlefield, littered in bodies of corrupted. He saw movement. It was a human, a commandant based on the badge. Beneath him was a construct.
With a red scarf.
End.
(I might work on this when I finish the other story. What do you think. Also hope your happy my friend!)