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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187
St. Paul, MN

0 posted 2000-04-03 11:38 PM


Here is the second part of my Chimera story.  The first part can be found here.  Please post any comments, suggestions or critiques you have, I'd love to hear them!  Thanks for reading        

Fear began to tighten my throat as the dim lights of my cavernous abode were cut, plunging the room into darkness.  The only light was the dim glow of the computer screen.  Every sound in the echoing chamber was amplified as my ears searched for something my eyes could not.  Hearing nothing, I turned my eyes back to the faint glow of the monitor.

There emblazoned in white on the glowing black of the monitor was a message I thought it beyond their capacity to send:

45R395AX We know of your betrayal, and it shall not pass by Us without prosecution.  There is only one punishment worthy of your crime. We are sure you know what this is.  Oh, and the gun in the upper-left hand corner of your desk?  Useless.  We will be watching.

The monitor went to black once again as I heard the faint sound of leather booted feet scraping softly on the hard tile floor.  I was about to reach for the gun kept in the desk drawer but thought better of it.  If they really were punishing me in the way they said, a gun would mean nothing.  Instead my hand moved to the leather bound hilt of a katana.  An ancient weapon, but finding a resurgence of use as the world’s foes changed.  

I put my back to the wall and placed my right hand up against the cool plastic of the outlet while my left hand held onto the katana with a death grip.  I felt the electricity throbbing through the outlet, flowing like some undeniable river.  I could feel it exert its pull on me, willing its current through my body, the heady rush of mechanical power drew me like a moth to a flame.  I knew the result would be just as fatal too and tottered on the brink as I fought back my urge.  

With the magnetism of the current nullified I concentrated on my true task.  With but a touch of my mind the current again returned to the fluorescent lights overhead and the room was shrouded in yellow light.  Not a soul moved underneath the pale flood of light to my great relief.  I decided quickly that to stay in my desolate abode was to invite death.  

From underneath the cot I grabbed a small duffel bag bulging with clothes and necessities and made my way, once again, for the grated opening of the sewer.  

I limped through those vile smelling sewers for an hour, only having to stop once to hide from the sound of splashing footsteps.  At the end of that hour I approached an aperture where dusty light flowed in as the putrid sewer water cascaded into the blackened depths of a vile river.  In the distance the Metropolis shone in all its unholy glory, lifeless light shone from it and glinted dully off the charred steel of the towering architecture.  

The pain in my leg continued to shoot up into my torso with each step and now I believed myself to be safe, no one comes into the desolation.  I sat down just within the iron pipe and proceeded to enter a trance.  The pain softened until it was only a blur against my mind.  I pushed forth my mind down into the wound and surveyed the damage.  No tendons or bone damaged, this would be an easy heal.  

I faded out of consciousness, entering a state of oblivion where I could feel and think nothing.  When I finally came too the sky was as black as pitch, lit intermittently by amber flashes of electricity.  The going would be treacherous on the broken concrete, but my leg was not wracked by pain any longer.

I made my way out of the sewers and set my feet upon the broken concrete that stretched between this barren place and the Metropolis.  From my duffel I removed a pair of leather pants and matching shirt, which I covered with a knee-length leather trench coat.  

After garbing myself in leather I began to weave a small spell to conceal my cyborg arm.  With my arm cloaked in magic I proceeded to cautiously cross the broken concrete field to the razor-edged facades of the Metropolis.  

The Metropolis some say is the next step in man’s evolution, while others believe it one step further down the spiral of decay.  It’s true only the strong survive there, the slow and the weak are quickly trampled underfoot, their bodies left for the sanitation drones to dispose of.  The law enforcement works for whoever can supply the largest bribe and at the moment that happens to be the Society.  

The society controls the Metropolis’ computer and technological front, keeping records and statistics along with all the tools of war.  They rule through intimidation, bribery, fear and by the help of the assassin’s blade.  Those who crossed their path usually disappear without a trace, the case being quickly closed by investigators.  

I chuckled darkly as I entered the deep shadows that cloaked the ground level of the Metropolis, for I had crossed the Society in the worst possible way.  I had cut myself off from them, denounced them in a very personal way.  

After committing such an atrocity coming back to the Metropolis was walking into a nest of stirred up hornets.  By now the hornets had heard of my return and were flexing their stings.  I was on the alert for anything out of the normal, my eyes scanning the alleyways and shadowed recesses for any sign of danger.  Once a slight noise to my left caused to me to leap and reach for my katana but all I saw was a feral shape scurrying down an alley.

I was drawing near the massive Cryo Tech building, which happened to be my goal.  The owner happened to a be a great friend of mine, a cybernetic magus who had skillfully hid his power and created a vast technological industry behemoth.   It was through him that I hoped to find the answer to my burning question: Who was FireBrand, and what did he want?

The dark tinted glass doors were almost within arm reach when I heard the screech from high above.  Frightened past conscious thought I leapt backwards as a gleaming length of steel buried itself in the ground in front of me.  A katana quivered in the hard concrete and a trickle of blood slithered down its length to match the stain upon my own forearm.  My escape was narrow.  

My ordeal wasn’t over so quickly though, before I could compose myself the blade was quickly followed by a figure garbed in cloth of darkest black except for a red rune upon his breast.  A Darkstalker assassin, trained from birth in the art of death, his veins filled with combat drugs, faced me down.  A burst of terror ran through me and sweat began to trickle down my back. A Darkstalker never failed, especially when faced by such a hated enemy of the Society.  

The psychotic killer lifted his katana and was charging at me within a heartbeat.  My sword flashed up into the guard position and I prepared to counter his attack.  His charge ended not in the slash I was expecting but a quick sidestep and thrust towards my heart.  A block made more by luck than skill deflected the blade causing only a large gash in my side.  Ignoring the throbbing pain and flowing blood, I watched the Darkstalker.  It was only a split second he launched himself at me in a stunning salvo of sword blows.  Block, parry, deflect, dodge, I ducked and threw myself to avoid the spinning arc of his blade.  Twice more he scored upon me, a deep wound in my shoulder and a lesser wound upon my leg.  I could feel myself weakening as the blood flowed from my wounds, I wouldn’t last much longer.  

The assassin seemed to sense this and only came on harder and faster, his sword an indistinct blur.  With a final resounding clang my sword was sent skittering across the rough pavement and I was lying flat on my back looking up the long length of blade into maniacal eyes.  

I closed my eyes and whispered a prayer to Machina as the assassin lifted the gleaming blade in a final thrust.  Pain tore through me and my eyes snapped open.  Gleaming metal filled my eyes as the world faded to black…

***********

Blinding white light filled my eyes as they once again opened.  I found myself lying on something feather soft, a huge change from the hard cots and cold steel floors I usually occupied.  As my eyes adjusted to the light the sight around me was startling.  Everything was green and brown, some sort of art filled the room, brown poles split into many smaller branches and were covered at the end by paper thin green objects.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen, these strange shapes filled the room and there was not a hint of steel or desolate concrete waste in sight.  

“What had happened before this?  How did I get here?” I wondered.  

“My friend, you are here by my grace.  Do not make me regret inviting you into my sanctuary,” a foreboding voice said from over my shoulder.

I turned to see a man clad all in white behind me. He was quite handsome, his face smooth and close shaven, his muscles rippled underneath the tight fitting garb of white.  He had a figure most men dream of. Was I dead?  This all seemed so unreal… the strange art, the physically perfect man.

“No, you’re not dead… I suppose you wouldn’t know the meaning of this scene.  I’ll change it to something more familiar,” the man said as he closed his eyes.

The strange art faded away and the room became a common chamber of surgical steel dotted with computer terminals.  This was indeed unsettling.

“How do you know my name, and where am I?” I asked quietly.

“I have gifts like yours, except mine serves a different purpose,” he said, and must have saw the blank look in my eyes, “I can read minds, like you can read machines.”

“You’re a cyber magus too?” I blurted.

“Yes indeed, you may know me as FireBrand, Chimera.  We all use alias’ in our organization.”

I pondered this for a moment, trying to hide my elation at finding this mysterious figure.  “What is your organization and what is its goal?”

“Our goal is the Society’s destruction.  Once long ago, those green and brown things you saw covered the planet, they’re called trees and plants, they had beautiful bright colored growths and people adored them.  People also used them and soon they were all destroyed.  They changed carbon dioxide into oxygen for us to breathe, now we are forced to build factories to do this for us.  We have kept the seeds of the plants, the trees.  We want to resurrect the Old World, create a place of beauty and kindness.”

It was a startling revelation that those pieces of “art” were actually living creatures, creatures that had once thrived.  

“Will you join us Chimera?  Your abilities would advance our purposes, you could help us destroy the Society.”  FireBrand almost pleaded.

“I need to think about this,” I said as I began to feel a headache come on.

“Take all the time you need, Chimera, our facilities are open for your use.  Please make full use of them, but know that our guards will not allow you to leave the premises.  

to be continued.. hopefully by the end of this week



[This message has been edited by Dusk Treader (edited 04-10-2000).]

© Copyright 2000 Abrahm Simons - All Rights Reserved
ESP
Member Elite
since 2000-01-25
Posts 2556
Floating gently on a cloud....
1 posted 2000-04-04 03:58 AM


WOW!!! I can't wait for part three. I am new to the prose scene so I will suggestions, critiques and comments for the more experienced.

Love and hugs,
Lizzie


Munda
Member Elite
since 1999-10-08
Posts 3544
The Hague, The Netherlands
2 posted 2000-04-04 06:02 PM


Abe,

I'm normally more into fantasy than sci-fi, but I am enjoying this greatly and can hardly wait for part three. I'm very curious to find out how this story will unfold.

Alwye
Moderator
Member Elite
since 1999-06-16
Posts 3850
In the space between moments
3 posted 2000-04-04 10:53 PM


Awesome Abe!  I especially loved the ending (or is it the beginning?   ) with the strange man and you bringing in the earth's forgotten life.  Stunning, I can't wait for more!

 *Krista Knutson*

As soon as man does not take his existence for granted, but beholds it as something unfathomably mysterious, thought begins.
~*Albert Schweitzer*~

Dawn Eclipse
Senior Member
since 2000-01-31
Posts 637
The Horsehead Nebula
4 posted 2000-04-05 06:39 PM


Heya Abe!

That was a wonderful story continuation!  YOu could have told me that you had more though... that way I wouldn't have to almost miss it... LOL.  I love your vivid and dark imagination.  It is very fun to read what comes out of that head of yours.     I hope to see more from you... I had better...  

 Sometimes the most important things can't be seen with the eyes, but are rather felt with the heart.
*Cassie Roseen*



Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187
St. Paul, MN
5 posted 2000-04-05 07:39 PM


Thank you all for reading and replying!

ESP - I'm glad you enjoyed it!  Hey, you can make all the comments you like about my piece, the readers are important!  Don't be afraid to tell me what you don't like, and what you do!

Munda - Thank you much   Drawing in people who aren't usually interested I deem as an achievement!

Krista - Thanks for the support Krista!    Ya liked that part, eh?  Well, We'll just have to see what happens...  

Cassie - Thanks a lot Cassie!    I'm glad ya liked it!  There'll be more soon, don't you worry!  

Thank you all again for reading and replying, I really appreciate it!


 Abrahm Simons

"...Watching fate as it flows down the path we have chose" - Trent Reznor, "We're in this Together"

Marilyn
Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621
Ontario, Canada
6 posted 2000-04-10 09:10 PM


Well I finally made it to this. Sorry it took so long. I think you need to look at how you continued this story. There are some inconsistencies between the first part and the second. A few minor ajustments and it should iron out fine.

This was a thrilling read Abe. I can't wait for more. Just be sure you carry on from where you left off.  

Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
7 posted 2000-04-16 07:17 PM


OKOK!

You're delving into the realm of amalgamation! VERY brave! Not many can meld sci-fi and fantasy well, you seem to be doing great so far though!

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