Prompt #02——Chapter Two——“We could be heroes!”
Author's note: This should hopefully clear up some of the confusion from chapter one whilst simultaneously creating more questions, some of which will be answered by the end of chapter two. Lol.
“Agent Thirteen?” The tone was clipped and stern, and Svern felt a feather of excitement wavering in his chest.
xxxxx“Yes, sir.” He stood rod-straight before his commander, anticipatory not-quite excitement humming in his chest.
xxxxx“This is your first test, boy.” The statement was obvious, but Svern refrained from rolling his eyes. “You've always been the hardiest of our recruits—don't fail me now.”
xxxxxThe barely-hidden threat sent a cold prickle of fear clawing its way up the soldier's spine.
xxxxx“Yes, sir,” he said simply, ignoring the slight dryness to his mouth.
xxxxxSvern's superior began to pace slowly, hands clasped behind his back as he stared holes into the ground, deep in thought and spine painfully straight.
xxxxx“Very well,” he barked finally, glancing upward to pin Svern with icy, dagger-like eyes. “I suppose your best is all we can hope for?”
xxxxx“Yes, sir.” Svern felt heat rising to his face, but he knew better than to respond otherwise.
xxxxxThe man grunted. “So be it.”
xxxxxWith a slight crackling sound and a burst of static the disgruntled, life-like image of Svern's commander vanished; the dull glow emanating from his transmitter ceased.
xxxxxExcitement bubbled in the young soldier like a spring, and he shifted restlessly to a slightly more comfortable position. Hopefully no one was watching.
xxxxxAbruptly the shuttle began to hum softly, vibrating beneath his feet, and Svern allowed himself to swallow away the tight feeling in his throat. He was on his way—to 'where', though, only his superiors knew.
xxxxxTaking a deep, deep breath, Svern slowly reached back and pulled his hood up, letting it conceal his features behind a mask of black, cloth-like metal. It was made of lacunium but held in place by stronger rods of ethcuna. Tough, and strangely supple, it covered the top portion of his face and successfully concealed his eyes.
xxxxxThe soldier muttered softly under his breath—a single word that activated the technological properties of the hood—and could see almost immediately: a screen in the metal lit up to show him a view of the outside world, almost like a mechanical window.
xxxxx𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀
. 𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃
. 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐀
. The words ticking across his screen gave Svern a cold shiver of excitement, but it was quickly replaced by a sense of dread.
xxxxxHe was one recruit against potentially everyone in the city, and the government would not allow his release until the mission was completed. Svern swallowed back bile as sweat trickled down the back of his neck. The whole situation was nonexistent, of course, but it was as life-like as possible. It was impossible for him to be killed, but he could be wounded; any 'rebels' were holograms simulated by the government's rekenaarlas. However, those who failed their missions were almost never seen again. Failure was not an option.
xxxxxSuddenly Svern's capsule sighed a whoosh of air and tipped sharply, catching him off-guard; he fell forward toward the smooth grey wall, just managing to save himself from a face-plant with hands and feet. He swore, bracing himself in place and glaring at the metal just a few centimetres away from his nose.
xxxxxWas the government
trying to kill him, sending him out in a faulty shuttle? Sure seemed like it.
xxxxxA solid thud jarred his already taut muscles, and when a sharp hiss sounded from ahead Svern nearly jumped out of his skin. He lashed an arm back to grasp his poltsikn or shar-kins remember at the last moment that all firing-weapons had been confiscated before embarking.
xxxxxZarken, he cursed. Cautiously raising his head, the soldier took in his situation, realising with a sense of relief that it had simply been the entry-exit hatch sliding open.
xxxxxWell, I guess suffocating in here's out of the question, he thought drily. But he couldn't quell a niggling sense of relief.
xxxxxGrunting with the effort, Svern slowly worked his way through the pod, cursing his luck so far. Cold metal pressed down on his back, and the hard surface bit into his hands and knees—but in reality he'd suffered worse. He pushed on.
xxxxxThe last few metres to the exit were painfully slow; it was hard to move in such a small space—but move he did.
xxxxxFinally—finally!—Svern crawled out into the open air, senses on high-alert; his limbs trembling slightly as a rush of adrenaline filled him. The soldier had no idea where the government had landed him, and he preferred to not be peppered with bullets—or worse. His gear was dark and would hopefully conceal him for awhile—if he was lucky—but a transport-capsule crashing in the middle of the night was pretty hard to miss.
xxxxxHowever, much to his relief all was still and silent as he stumbled to his feet and groaned softly. Svern wearily staggered back against the capsule, using it to steady himself as he took in his surroundings.
xxxxxThank Ba'alim, he thought.
I'm outside the city! His heart was racing like a stampeding beyngar, and the soldier took several deep, controlled breaths. He forced his heart to calm.
xxxxxSvern's muscles were stiff and sore from spending so long in the same position, forcing him to limp slightly as he returned to the capsule's entry-exit hole. Time to clear some rebel-impersonating holograms out of the system—but first he'd need a proper firing-weapon, issued by the government itself.
xxxxxA slight smile twisted the corners of his lips as he extended his arm and held it just inside the capsule, waiting.
xxxxxWhat would they send him? Hopefully something good, but taking the disastrous start to his mission into account Svern knew he'd be happy with a simple poltskin; it was better than nothing.
xxxxxA hissing, whooshing sound filled his ears, and suddenly an unexpected weight dragged at his arm, pulling him hard against the shuttle as he struggled to master his surprise.
xxxxx“Zarken!” he swore, grunting it out painfully against the cool iron. The soldier's thighs burned painfully as he squatted, lowering his overcast face to get a glimpse of what he now held.
xxxxxSvern's heart stopped.
xxxxx“Far out,” he gasped, too stunned to form a coherent sentence. “Zarken. Z-zarken...” He trailed off as a delighted smile broke across his features, despite all attempts to quell it.
xxxxx“
Far out!” the soldier crowed, trying to contain his jubilation, and he ripped the weapon out with a ringing clang.
xxxxxIt was a glossy-black byindigar, version Q-3000. Brand new and armed for immediate action.
xxxxxSvern whistled in appreciative delight as he examined the furnishings, the settings, the ammunition; he ran a hand slowly down the barrel, eyes wide with gleeful wonder.
xxxxxByindigar Q-3000s were one of the best long-range weapons available, with a firing-range of just over a kilometre. Normally only the best agents, ranked Elite and up received them—not cadets.
xxxxxAn anticipatory chuckle tore from the soldier's throat and he raised to shoulder-level, peering down the sights.
xxxxx“You beauty!” he whispered. “You beauty.”
xxxxxA slight hint of foreboding tempered Svern's exultance as he forced himself to calm, and regained control. If he'd learnt anything from his superiors, it was that the harder the mission was the better the gun you'd receive. The sharp tang of nervous fear stung the back of his throat like sour bile, but he swallowed it down.
xxxxxGet in, clear the area, get out, he thought, replacing all emotions with a stone-cold sense of purpose.
Get in, clear the area, get out. He flicked a switch, releasing a strap from the byindigar and slung it snuggly over his shoulder.
xxxxxHe was ready to roll.
xxxxxStepping carefully so as not to disturb leaves or twigs, Svern slowly picked his way down to the city-walls, heart starting up a steady beat in his throat. His muscles were cord-tight, ready to leap away at a moment's notice if a single threat presented itself; he gripped the Q-3000 securely, prepared to raise and fire if needed.
xxxxx“Halt!” a commanding voice rang out suddenly in the chill night-air. “Who goes there? Identify yourself!”
xxxxxBefore the first word had fully left her mouth, Svern had the byndigar up to his eye, zooming in on the wall; his finger hovered over the trigger, unwilling to take an unnecessary life but ready to end any confrontation before it started.
xxxxxThe soldier turned his sights to focus on the figure atop the wall.
xxxxxShe had her own weapon raised, ready to fire; it looked to be an oshmalgar, the standard weapon for a guard; she wouldn't be able to see him clearly, but he was well within range of the potentially-deadly bitter-dart.
xxxxx“Archen,” Svern replied finally, lowering the Q-3000 a little. “My name is Archen—” He stopped-short, panic threatening to converging upon him.
xxxxxArchen who? His mind drew a blank.
xxxxx“Eh? Archen who?” the guard's suspicious voice drifted back to him, misted with puzzlement. He didn't blame her.
xxxxx“Zarken,” the soldier swore in frustration, muttering under his breath. "I should have come prepared.
xxxxx“Archen... Archen Aralevitirati,” he blurted finally, closing his eyes in momentary relief. A prayer of gratefulness sprang to his lips.
xxxxxBarely half-an-hour into his first test and already exhausted.
xxxxx“Aralevitirati, huh?” the guard repeated musingly. She paused.
xxxxx“Alright. You're free to enter.”
xxxxxSvern exhaled through his nose, relieved to avoid a violent confrontation; he had the feeling it would go better with him if he refrained from killing holograms programmed to be on the government's side.
xxxxxSlinging the Q-3000 over his shoulder and maneuvering it to rest between his shoulder-blades in an attempt to keep it out of sight, Svern picked his way through the field, making for the solitary gate taking up the centre of the wall. Rough, fabric-like steel tugged at his calloused fingers as he reached up to ensure his lacunium hood was still in place, concealing the majority of his features.
xxxxx“Hurry up out there!” the guard called impatiently, and a sudden harsh, grating clatter startled the young soldier. He ducked low to the ground, squatting as he slung the byindigar down to his front, sighting almost immediately and gazing about for the enemy, twisting to take in all four points of the compass. His heart hammered a war-signal in his chest.
xxxxxHeat crept up Svern's face as he gradually realised it was simply the old gate's gears as it creaked painfully open. Rising to his feet, he whipped the Q-3000 back over his shoulder and ran for the gate, just managing to squeeze inside without impaling himself on any spikes.
xxxxx“Alright, Archen,” the guard said harshly, gesturing with her oshmalgar as she caught sight of the byindigar-strap stretching across his chest. “What's the deal?”
xxxxxSvern gazed at her intently, momentarily ignoring the question as he took in every feature: the lines of her face; the honey-gold tint to her hair; the scarred, work-hardened hands; the matter-of-fact yet slightly-pained look in her dark eyes. Despite the stony-faced expression she now wore, he knew she was capable of laughter; she probably had children waiting somewhere.
xxxxxThe young soldier was suddenly glad that, hologram or not, he hadn't had to shoot her in order to gain entrance to Ontrovalia.
xxxxxSvern's gaze seemed to intimidate her; the guard took an involuntary step back and warily raised the oshmalgar a little higher, worry flashing in her eyes.
xxxxxA small, cynical smile twisted Svern's lips. Not breaking eye-contact he drew a few geldraha cards from a pocket and slowly extended his hand. The guard cast him a questioning glance.
xxxxxSvern's smile widened.
xxxxx“These,” he said, “are for letting me speak. You'll get more for following my orders.”
xxxxxThe guard silently considered for a moment, eyes flicking from his face, to her oshmalgar, to the geldraha. Then abruptly she stepped forward and swiped the pieces from his hand.
xxxxx“Speak,” she said stiffly, and the soldier allowed a disconcerting smirk to creep across his features.
xxxxxEven holograms can be bought, he thought darkly.
xxxxxIgnoring the guard's obvious discomfort, Svern tugged a small chip from a tiny, hidden pocket in his sleeve—making sure to disguise his motions—and extended his hand, clicking the button on top as he did so.
xxxxx“Agent Thirteen, undercover mission. Classified.” The glowing screen emanating from the chip would, he knew, be broadcasting information verifying his claim.
xxxxxSvern watched, satisfied, as the blood drained from the guard's face, leaving it almost colourless in the dim lighting.
xxxxx“I—I'm sorry, sir. I—I had no idea—no idea that—”
xxxxxSvern raised a commanding hand to silence her stammered outburst, and scooped a handful of extra geldraha pieces up.
xxxxx“You will speak of this to no one,” he said, removing her not-unwilling hand from the oshmalgar and placing a card securely on her palm. “This never happened.” He placed another one. “And when your superior asks where you were, you felt the call of nature.” Svern placed the last commanding card heavily on her palm and curled her fingers around them, smirking darkly.
xxxxx“Kahk-ihta.” With a final word of leave-taking, the young soldier pocketed the remainder of his geldraha and slipped past the rueful, dumbstruck guard and out the opposite door.
xxxxxStep one: infiltrate the city—complete, he thought, allowing himself to feel a slight hint of satisfaction.
xxxxxThe city below, cupped in the secure embrace of a hill, lay in quiet slumber, dark but for a few solitary windows shining bravely in the night. Svern pursed his lips, contemplating his next move. He needed to find the spies before they found him, but how?
xxxxxA chill wind whistled up from the city-valley, and Svern couldn't help shivering slightly; goosebumps appeared on his arms and face.
xxxxxSleep, he decided quickly.
Sleep first and deal with rebels in the morning. Lack of sleep never did anyone any good.
xxxxxThe soldier trotted a few metres down the hill then ducked behind a sheltered bush, byindigar resting across his chest. Closing his eyes, he forced himself to fall into a guarded slumber.
#xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx# xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx#xxxxx#
xxxxx“WELL, well, well. WHAT have WE got
here?” a sing-song voice chortled in satisfaction. The words' pitch rose and fell rhythmically as Svern snapped his eyes open, instantly alert. “AGent THIR
teen, HUH?”
xxxxxSvern made sure to keep his face expressionless, breathing a prayer of thankfulness that his hood had remained in-place throughout the night. While successfully concealing his face, the screen also showed him the rather cramped view down a byindigar Q-3's barrel. The weapon, old and outdated yet still extremely deadly, was aimed right between his eyes, gleaming in the early-morning sun.
xxxxx“WAKey wakEY! RISE and ShINE!”
xxxxxSvern yawned insolently, and the byindigar shifted slightly as his chest rose and fell; an irritating, high-pitched chuckle grated his ears.
xxxxx“
I LIKE you,” the voice sneered, “FOR now.”
xxxxx“What—” Svern paused to lick his sleep-dry lips. “What do you want?” His eyes flashed nonstop around the screen, seeking—and not finding—a glimpse of his accoster past the Q-3. “What's your name?” His last question was a time-waster; no one in their right-mind would answer in a situation like this.
xxxxx“
I,” came the reply, “am DIGAN Aratrabea.” Surprise shot through Svern like a stun-ray. Surprise quickly replaced by dread.
xxxxxIf this man was telling the truth he was extremely dangerous. And he knew it.
xxxxx“AAAH
yes,” Digan purred. “
I see your FACE palING! Aratrabea. SHIFT self.” He chuckled again, and cold claws wrapped around Svern's heart.
xxxxx“What—what do you want?” the soldier growled, muscles stiffening as he spoke. The Q-3000 lay heavy on his chest, but he dared not lift a finger.
xxxxx“
I HAVE power.” Digan sounded as if he were smirking. “YOU have GOOD powER too.”
xxxxxSvern flinched, shutting his eyes and breathing a quiet curse.
xxxxx“Really?” he remarked drily, eyes still tightly closed; his brain ran a mile a minute, analysing any and every possible option for escape; his situation was serious. “What makes you think that, hm? I could be an Itzuliara for all you know.”
xxxxxDigan cackled, and the maddened sound cause chills to run up and down the soldier's spine.
xxxxx“DON'T fool WITH
me, SVERN.
I read YOUR files.
I hacked THE government's REKENAARLAS.”
xxxxxSvern shut down. He knew, now, what he had to do, and the best way to accomplish his goal was to turn off—to not think, and simply
do. Digan Aratrabea was a threat. Svern's task was to destroy him.
xxxxx“Alright,” his lips moved of their own accord; Svern spoke almost without thinking. “What are you after?”
xxxxxDigan squealed like a child, giggling happily.
xxxxxThe man's mad. xxxxx“YOU and
I,” he purred, “—we COULD be HEROES! Your ABILITY coupled WITH mine WOULD make US...
unstoppable...” Digan's voice was cat-like in quality; almost a growl now.
xxxxxSvern shifted slightly, tilting his head in an effort to appear thoughtful—and the movement was all he needed to be able to see the man.
xxxxx“That... that doesn't sound too bad,” he admitted. “What's the plan?”
xxxxxThe young soldier's eyes roved across Digan's face almost automatically, committing every last feature to memory. He was long and thin, with sickly-pale skin; the left side of his face was charred, and bubbling with a gruesome infection. The man was disgusting.
xxxxxSvern suppressed a shudder, and one of his fingers twitched slightly. The soldier couldn't wait to put a bullet through the man's head. Or a zap-ray.
xxxxxDigan's face showed a hint of confusion at the question. “
OverTHROW the GOVERNMENT of COURSE,” he hissed. “WE can FREE the PEOPLE and BE
heroes.”
xxxxx“...Free the people from what, exactly?” He couldn't resist the malicious question.
xxxxxUtter mystification invaded Digan's features, twisting his marred face into strange shapes as he puzzled through the question. Svern smirked. He knew there was no plausible answer. Their government was a good one, and the rebels so far were mainly funded by disgruntled nobles who thought they should be receiving more geldraha than they already possessed, thus robbing the less-fortunate.
xxxxxThe soldier watched the rebel intently, body tensed and ready for action. Waiting for the right moment.
xxxxxThere—Digan's eyes flicked aside for just the fraction of a second as he pondered the question, his concentration lost, and Svern arched his back up to regain his footing. Twisting effortlessly to his feet, the young soldier swiped the Q-3 from the rebel's pasty hands and simultaneously kicked the skinnier man back against a tree.
xxxxxTwo seconds was all Svern needed to have the Q-3000 at his eye and trained on Digan.
xxxxx“Fool,” he smirked arrogantly. “What were you saying?”
xxxxxDigan's Adam's-apple convulsed as he swallowed. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, startlingly dark against his suddenly blood-drained face.
xxxxx“P-PLEASE,” he croaked shakily, “we COULD—save THE
world...”
xxxxx“You said you hacked the government's rekenaarlas,” Svern responded quietly. “How?
xxxxx“I must admit, you have me intrigued,” he lied as an added afterthought, and Digan's ugly yellow eyes flickered with a slight hint of hope.
xxxxx“
I—w—w-with—ALL my INforMATion IS... is HERE.” The man tucked a trembling hand into his overcoat and Svern edged forward threateningly, prepared to shoot at a moment's notice. He didn't think it wholly unlikely for the rebel to have a poltsikn secreted in some hidden pocket—but all that appeared on the man's pasty palm was a chip.
xxxxxSvern allowed himself to relax slightly, and he cautiously lifted the technology from Digan's open hand.
xxxxx“Really?” he questioned, glancing down with a raised eyebrow. “Everything's on here? You're sure?”
xxxxxDigan nodded frantically, fingers twitching. “YES, now WILL you PLEASE let ME up?” he whined. “WE can SAVE the PLANET!”
xxxxxSvern scowled underneath his mask.
xxxxx“Yes, you keep saying that,” he hissed from between clenched teeth. “And it gets more and more annoying each zarken time.”
xxxxxHis finger dove. The zap-ray passed through the hologram's emaciated skull without a sound.
A/N Okay, so who here forgot Digan was a hologram? XD *raises Svern's hand*
Hehehe that's good; it's supposed to be mildly confusing at first 
