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Friday, June 28, 2013

Saturday Super Stories - Skulduggery 110 Part 1c

"Malefactor, Reprobate, Charlatan, Neerdowell, or Gentlemen Thief, names associated with villainy.  I pull from the universe tales of Larceny and Legerdemain focusing on the evil that fills the world."  The Nameless.

Skulduggery 110 Part 1c - The Saga's for Darion Gray


Chapter 5 (Futures)

Darion walked once again through the portal outside the Free Zone, he had first gone to his apartment and retrieved the picture, concentrating to lift and place it in his jacket pocket, and he was amazed when it stayed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

2273, four years later...

There were bright flashes overhead, followed by many reports. He had come through into a war. He glanced down at the picture and saw that it had made the journey with him. He smiled, and then he noticed that he could touch it with no problem. It had become as unstable as he had. 'Interesting" he thought.

Several bullets passed through him then, he looked down, ash pouring from the wounds. "You have made a mistake...?" An android stood before him, basically human shaped, but very alien in appearance. It auto loaded a new clip into its gun and shot him again. Again he was fine, his curse would let him live through this. Suddenly a ship flew low overhead and dropped several more of the androids to the ground; these seemed to be armed with laser rifles and pistols, these too passed through him leaving only a tingle in its wake.

He stopped next to a body, picking up its pistol. He turned to the first beast and shot it in the chest until the clip was dry. The monster stood there, still firing at him. He walked between them and they destroyed themselves, lasers easily cutting through their armor, and he picked up one of their pistols and started towards the city.


Old Neutron City, 2273

The city was a warzone, the new breed of android was systematically killing all of the populace, leaving only shells of buildings in their wake. The world was very different than when he had left, how could this have happened? He searched for a safe zone so he could get answers, he killed tens of the monsters to get to it, but he made it. The rebel leader against the beasts was called The Red Dragon, and he was soon brought before him.

The leader stood over a map of the city, an elemental made of concrete, dirt and rocks stood guard behind him. He had his generals nearby and conferred with them occasionally while devising battle strategies.

"I need answers." Darion spoke before waiting to be addressed.

"Yeah, well that’s real nice there; I need to win a war so I guess were even." He pointed out some locations on the map and sent a messenger off. "I hear your some kind of bad...ass?" Red Dragon stared at Darion for a long moment. "Kill him," and he turned back to the map. The Elemental moved to attack and Darion stood his ground.

"Why attack me, I’ve done nothing to hurt you."  Darion questioned.

"Because I hold a grudge." Red Dragon responded.

The elemental swung a huge fist and Darion collided with it, and he was flung backwards and slammed into a debris bin, knocked him, it, and its contents to the floor.

"I’ve never seen you before!"  Darion wailed.

"It’s been a long time, ten years give or take, but I remember you, you look different somehow, but I know it’s you." The elemental strode slowly forward and moved to stomp on Darion’s leg, and he backpedalled away, causing it to miss.

"I’ve never seen you before; I’m not even from here! This isn’t my world, I only want answers!" The Red Dragon waved his hand and the elemental stopped its attack.

"Leave us." His men objected but reluctantly left.  "Six months ago a force of androids marched out of the ReXunited ARCology. Led by an AI called TechnoSyde, they single handedly destroyed most of downtown, within hours of the opening. While authorities tried to stave off the attack, TechnoSyde sent huge transports to the other cities. NeoGothic City was nuked on the second day, DeeCee by the end of the first week. Within a month TechnoSyde and his followers had a foothold in the Americas.

"The entire time the underground was planning a counter assault. The blackrunners were united in a common goal; we made strikes against the ARCology and TechnoSyde's various forces biding our time, until we could get a hold of this." He walked over to a tarp and lifted it, a huge bomb sat there. "It’s an E.M.P. the most powerful one still on the planet."  Red Dragon finished.

"E.M.P.?" Darion asked.

"Electro Magnetic Pulse, an explosive device that sends a pulse of electricity so powerful that it knocks out all of the electronics in an area. I saw it in a movie once."  Red Dragon Replied.

"I can stop all of this. I can fix everything that has happened."  Darion responded.

"I told you once before, Time Travel. I must warn you that you will only make things worse the more you mess with time." He continued to stare at Darion. "How are we to know that all of this didn’t happen because you went back and changed things."

"Because I haven’t left yet, this is my world too." He pulled the picture from his pocket, there was going to be a gate soon, within hours. He tucked the photo away. "I need all the information you have, I know I will get it if what you’ve said is true, because no matter what I have to leave."

Red Dragon stared at him long and hard, minutes passed as he contemplated the ramifications of this decision. He grabbed some files from a cabinet and threw them at Darion. As they flew through the air, it bubbled and rippled as one of the ARCologies creations stood before them. It swatted the files out of the air and they smacked into the ground.

"Shit." Dragon hissed and willed his elemental to fight, as he started casting at the same time.

Darion scrambled and grabbed the files as the fight started right above him. He rolled out of the way and the machine stomped a foot at him. He stood and began to run, Dragon glared at him and cast his spell. The area flooded with light and Darion was blasted away, flying through the air, smashing into a half wall. He lay dazed for a few moments and then shook his head clear and began to move again as the battle raged behind him.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

He stepped through the portal to his next destination, this time in the past; it was time to change things.

TBC in Skullduggery Part 2