Play Testers Wanted Pt. 13

'Your audience wants to know what mischief you are up to.' A virtual reporter asked appearing in my HUD.

'Wait, this is going out live?' I asked and she nodded. 'Watch and see.' That is strange. Time to entertain my fans. The clouds were ready and down came the torrent. I was thinking that mud and heavy armor do not blend too well. It was time to hunt. If I took out the leader it might impact the other's morale. The craters soon filled to overflowing creating even more difficult terrain. I watched the squads converge on my former position.

"He's not here!" One of the soldiers called out.

"Of course, he isn't," the leader cursed his voice low and annoyed. "The weather turns against us."

I nudged the temperature down to not quite freezing. I saw the steam roll off the armored figures as their battle suits compensated. The leader was not so well insulated. He looked miserable. I fought the urge to laugh. It felt like I was directing an orchestra. Freezing rain pelted the robed figure and I took a dark joy from it I will not lie. I hesitated not knowing if I should rely solely on Yautja weapons for this contest or just enjoy myself and wreck them with the Darksaber. The decision was taken out of my hand. Was it planned perhaps it was as the first notes of Blue Oyster Cult's 'Dancing in the Ruins' filled my consciousness?

"Let's do this!" I laughed startling the Inquisitor by my proximity. The Darksaber was in my hand and activated as I surrendered to the will of the Dark Side. I danced across the battlefield so lightly my feet barely caused a ripple in the overflowing pools. The mud carried no mark of my passing. And death followed where I trod. The blade spun and struck out slicing adamantium and layered ceramics with ease. The marines knew no fear. They died all the same. It felt amazing to be freed from the constraints of the duel. They were amazingly resilient with redundant organs, decades of experience, and determined to manifest the will of their undying emperor.

"It is hard to follow his weapon. He is so damn fast!" The reporter explained to the unseen audience. I fought the urge to trigger the ghost fire blade since potential rivals were watching. I took out the marines eventually leaving only the Inquisitor, and two men in that tactical dreadnaught armor. One wore the familiar black color scheme while the other was clad in gray.

"Librarian?" The Inquisitor seemed to defer to the dude in gunmetal gray. "Your will?"

I was preparing for another drawn out fight when my HUD alerted me to motion around us. I cycled through the spectra and there they were twenty Xenomorphs circling the field. I was torn. My blood was pumping, and a knock down drag out with a pack of aliens would be epic. I cursed and teleported outside the ring of hidden terrors.

'What are you doing?' The reporter asked via my mask.

'I need to know if a queen alien is on this world. If I kill them, I will never find out where their nest is. Twenty is a lot to not have one.' I explained to her and the audience.

"Ha, coward!" Laughed the one called Librarian. "He has fled the field of... what in the Emperor's name is that?!" His voice lost its humor as the Xenomorphs revealed themselves. They swarmed them and I almost believed they might pull it off until the Librarian destroyed an alien nearly on top of him. The splash of acid shredded his armor. They took the Inquisitor alive. That screamed eggs and if they were eggs there must be a queen. My choice had paid off. The surviving Xenomorphs and their prisoner left. I looted as fast as I could. I was not passing up on three sets of dreadnaught armor, that was not happening!

The mud made tracking the aliens easy. I was confident I could find their nest but then what. It was just me against who knew how many Xenos. I could not save during a live feed, so I had to move cautiously. My confidence became overconfident as the prints left behind by the aliens vanished. The mud was smoothed over, and I froze in my tracks. Someone or something had done this. Fuck! I cursed as I examined my surroundings and fought down the confusion. Had the marines called in stealth units for some reason? No, that made no sense. I reached out and felt the residual psychic footprint. Someone had used telekinesis to smooth out the mud. Why? Were they protecting the aliens? A flood of ideas traced back to Weyland Yutani and their desire to acquire the Xenomorph. I did not remember them having psychics. I was off my map and clueless. I could not track the aliens since they were exomorphic and their body temperature matches their environment.

My Spidey sense tingled and felt like I was being watched. My motion sensor did not show any movement nor did my mask reveal any hidden enemies. Still. A moment later I was alone. Could my masked be defeated? Could the Yautja technology be overwhelmed?

"There is always a bigger fish." I stated channeling Qui Gon Jinn. "Isolenti, can you send me the coordinates of the nest you attacked?" I asked transmitting to the ship.

"For a moment there just a moment mind you, I thought you had given up." Isolenti chuckled.

"Nope. Work smart not hard was my father's motto." I shared and felt a small twinge of loss. He had died in the car crash that had landed me in the hospital. Funny how he and Nick Shaw had died on the same day. Hell, a lot of people had died on that day. I pushed out the bad memories and focused on the holographic display. Two icons marked the immediate area. The first was the you are here icon and the twirling marker the entrance into the tunnel. I used FarSight and teleported to the cave entrance. Raw stone and processed materials littered the front of the tunnel. The interior of the cave showed that it was artificial. The space looked like it was used for storage at one time but had been abandoned.

Isolenti directed me via my HUD to a damaged elevator shaft. This was my way down to the nest or what was left of it. She pointed out on an outcropping of wall that had been pushed into the shaft by the bombing. She had hopped down to the small ledge and then down the last thirty or so feet which was the floor of the elevator shaft. I felt like I was being watched again. I glanced around but neither scanner nor senses picked out an observer. I shrugged and hopped down the fifty-foot drop and landed lightly using levitation to cushion my landing.

"Show off," Isolenti snickered before continuing giving directions.

The narrow hallway was carved from the living rock and felt much older than anything on the surface or any architecture I had seen so far. Had they dug too deep? Had the Xenomorphs been here that long? My mind went back to a certain derelict ship and a smoke covered cargo hold filled with hell incarnate. The tunnel ended and opened onto a temple like chamber. None of it matched Skrull, Kree, or Shi'Ar technology or culture. This was far grander and elegant than those three societies. The alien hieroglyphs did not match those races either. That sense of being watched became undeniable. I reached out seeking out enemies. "Nothing. I thought... aw shit." I cursed as I felt the weapon pressed against the back of my head. "Who are you?"

"Scout." She said lowering her pistol. I turned my head and got my first look at her. The features of her mask reminded me a Japanese Oni demon. "What is down here? What are you?"

"I am making sure that the colony of parasites has been wiped out." I stated looking at the style of her armor and equipment. "What the fuck are you?"

"I am one of the Dancers of Death," she giggled. "Let's make sure those pesky parasites are gone."

She holstered her unusual pistol and moved to stand next to me. She was tall, thin, and had an almost elfin build. I loved her armored long coat and beneath that an armored hoodie layering her protection and not relying on a single type of defense. I liked her thought process. Why was she here? Something got her attention, was it the creators of that strange energy? Was she in fact tracking them? First things first we needed to eyeball the Xeno nest and if it were destroyed then we could address her presence. We entered the entry hall. Ten stylized pillars supported the ceiling. Each represented a different possibly divine figure. Some looked animalistic while others had clearly sharp humanoid features.

I was drawn to one of the pillars more than any of the others. The figure wore feathered armor along with a hawk-like helm that kept his handsome features revealed. Emblazed upon his chest was a symbol I knew all too well the Yin Yang. Was this another manifestation of Anackire? Perhaps it was one of her earlier champions? Near the double doors that led deeper into the temple complex was a deep cratered hole that looked to be the site of a Xenomorph death. I gestured and we went into stealth mode and high alert. If one of them got this far there could be more.

I took the lead at this point. I examined the pillared hall first making sure we did not leave enemies at our back or any free to flee to the surface. It was free of foes. One of the massive double doors was open enough for us to slip in without opening it any further. No need to alert potential enemies to our arrival. I set my mask on the Xeno wavelength for now. My nameless ally moved with a stealth and grace I envied. She did not step exactly it was more like she floated across the ground barely touching it. I savored the gorgeous artwork decorating the walls. It reminded me of a blend of Japanese, Egyptian, and Svartalfar cultures all rolled up into one. Could she be an offshoot of the dark elves?

The wide hallway broke off into many side chambers, we had to check them all. The nameless stranger followed me. I went to the room marked with the most complex symbol. The base of its design was an inverted triangle with its point facing down. Two arched 'legs' supported the triangle giving it a stable base. A line protruded from the flat 'top' of the triangle. Two horizontal lines crossed the vertical. The first of the two was longer and at each terminus was a short-angled extension that framed the triangular base. The second horizontal line also had angled extensions that ended at the same point as the vertical giving it an almost trident shape.

"The aspect of the spider," she intoned with clear reverence. In the chamber were nine suits of heavy armor and upon each helmet was the same runic insignia that was above the doorway. Their weapons were sealed behind a complex rune structure. It would take time to unlock even one of them. The armors themselves gave off a bad vibe. I left them alone. "You are wiser than you look. The war god doesn't take kindly to thieves."

We exited and went to the next chamber. Another stylized rune was emblazed upon the lintel. More armor and weapons were to be found here. Like the spiders these had the rune on the forehead of their helmets.

"Dragon aspect," she explained.

"Just how many damn war gods do you have?" I asked looking over a formidable energy rifle, though it looked more like a lance than a traditional rifle.

"One. The key word is aspect. One god with many aspects." She explained with a smirk in her voice.

"Huh, spider, dragon, and all those others are parts of his personality or the aspects of conflict." I stated and I felt her approval of my assessment. "How long has this place been abandoned?"

"Too long," she fired back bitter, but her anger was not aimed at me. "NO!" She screamed as we reached the end of the hall and the collapsed floor and utter devastation below. "Why?!"

"To stop the death of millions perhaps even billions of lives." I said as I summoned one of the M3 droids from my inventory. I chose the one with the best sensory package. "Make sure nothing is alive down there." I ordered and imputed the data for the Xenomorph lifeform. "Make daddy proud."

The droid vanished from sight and drifted down through the tens of thousands of tons of debris. If there was a way in, we would follow. If not, we would leave them buried for all eternity. It was a waiting game now.

"Why are you really here?" I asked the nameless stranger. "I am Ghost Fire, Leader of the Shadow Fang Clan."

"I am Ynariel, a simple wanderer without family or home." She replied and while technically true she was far more than that. A nobody does not simply stealth up on me. "I received a request to make sure this holy place was left untouched."

"You use words the way a warrior uses their weapon." I told her and she laughed. "Do your people have a connection to the Svartalfar... the Morasir?"

"And you are as blunt as a Warhammer." She said her voice cold and menacing now.

"Vanir? Or are you a branch I haven't heard of before?" I plowed on through. I felt the psychic tendril and sealed off my thoughts behind a barrier Strange had taught me. It had an aggressive side if she tried too hard. When she yelped and grabbed her head, I knew she had lost her patience. "Let's not try that again shall we."

"Impressive but enlightening as well... cousin." She laughed and left it at that.

The droid returned and I watched its data stream. The lower levels were completely buried. I informed her it was time to depart. Her emotional anguish was clear. This place meant the world to her. I got it. Something this beautiful being destroyed is soul crushing. I reached out and felt hundreds if not thousands of minds. There were people down there!

"Change of plans! Stay behind me." I ordered and chuckling she pressed her body against mine.

"What mischief are you up to Ghost?" She asked as I tapped into the relic and powered it up. Once its meter was full, I used that energy to restore the fallen structure. She was speaking but I could not hear her. The ground shook as I rebuilt it even as my mind threatened to snap. The vibrations slowed and eventually all was still. I opened my eyes and gasped at the beauty before me.

"Gorgeous!" I whispered as Ynariel strode towards the celestial temple. She stopped, turned, and faced me. She removed her mask and she was related to the Vanir and Svartalfar but from a separate branch altogether. I felt my knees give out and I knelt hard drained utterly by the strain.

"You just redefined the impossible for me." She purred. "Rest. When you are restored, I will share with you secrets few outside my people ever witness." I shifted to a meditative position, closed my eyes, and reflected on today's events. This place coursed with power. I felt it race into me while thousands of voices sang their thanks for my actions. As my mind embraced the song, I picked out the alien syllables and found correlations between the languages I knew, and a sense of understanding built quickly. I began singing the song and felt Ynariel's surprise.

"Let's get going," I said in my first attempt at her native language. She corrected me with a smile on her lips.

"Come on, welcome to the celestial temple." She said as she offered me a hand up. She was stronger than she looked. At the heart of the restored temple was the Flame Imperishable and I recognized the power behind it.

"Phoenix!" I gasped and dropped my head.

"Coin return to me my coin," a voice called out from the heart of the inferno. I had two with the image of the phoenix. I removed both. A force tugged the grey coin from my grasp, and it tumbled into the pillar of fire.

"What was that?" Ynariel asked witnessing it.

"An icon given to me by the Phoenix's avatar," I explained as a brilliant flash of light drew our attention to the center of the temple. The coin returned but it was once more a deep golden hue. "Oh my..."

"You have restored my temple. So, I have restored my token. Use it wisely." The voice offered as Ynariel gazed at the coin in awe.

"Below, we must go down." She urged and took my hand. The spiral staircase appeared to be carved from a scintillating white marble. Where had they quarried this? None of the native stone was marble or even similar. I was about to ask her when we reached the next level. "Behold! The Pride of Iyanden the sleeping city!" The streets and avenues spread out in all directions. The architecture was as elegant as anything the dark elves or Asgardians could fashion. I tried to identify the stonework but failed. My crafting skill was damn high and yet here was a million tons of material I could not identify.

"Color my intrigued, what is this city made of?" I asked my guide.

"It is extradimensional in origin. My people draw it from that other plane and shape it to serve our needs. It can take on a variety of shapes, textures, and states of matter." She explained and it sure sounded like magic to me, but it was too sophisticated for that. "It has lain here hidden for countless centuries."

"Your people called this place home once." I stated.

"We called them the maiden worlds and were our colonies before... before pride and worse reduced us to wanderers." She said and the pain came in waves.

"Show me." I asked and she removed her mask and wiped away the tears. I disabled my mask and reverted to my Svartalfar shape.

"Better," she chuckled. "This is the grand causeway and it was here that the high holidays were celebrated, and the people gathered to sing and dance."

"You say that like you were at the heart of things. Musician?" I asked and she shook her head. "I was hoping that fine ass was from dancing." I joked and she slapped her left cheek and we went deeper into the city. There were towers, spires, gravity defying minarets, and things I had no proper names for. It did not reduce their beauty one wit and I liked the fact my vocabulary lacked the words. The universe still had mysteries and I embraced that. I felt the psychic pull and she followed me as instinct took over. It was the grandest of an entire city full of wonders. The Tower of Souls she called it. I heard their voices singing to me. A chorus of angelic voices weaving an eternal music that kept this place alive.

My HUD dinged as my quest updated. 'Raise the Dead City.'

Are you kidding me?! Fine! I followed the voices into the tower. Ynariel strode beside me and let the beauty her people crafted speak for itself. Her silence was a testimony to the ancient architects that were long dead but not forgotten. Curves woven intricately into stunning arches, walkways, and ramps. Linear aspects fashioned into pillars, buttresses, and slotted windows that only let the darkness in. I was going to change that if I could. The psychic pull increased until I found myself levitating with Ynariel running alongside.

My mind was flooded with the light of millennia as I came into the presence of the Heart of Souls. I wept at the ethereal glory before me. The interior of the tower was adorned with hundreds of thousands of jewels. Each gem held the essence of a fallen member of her people. Untold wisdom scintillating and here at Ynariel's fingers.

"Restore us to the stars!" They sang.

"It'll kill you," Ynariel declared. "Why are you doing this?"

"I have to try. Such beauty has remained in darkness for too long!" I replied. "I supplicate myself to your will." I intoned as the power of the elders lifted me and placed me in the slowly growing shaft of light. The song grew in strength and I added my voice to it. When she said I would perish I thought it was simply a physical death, it was not. I was losing my individuality to the potency of the collective. I was a diminishing light fading into the eternal illumination that was the well of souls. I fought to maintain myself. Three million years of history threatened to wash me away and I called out for aid. She heard me. The living embodiment of opposites cradled me in her strength allowing me to access the living network and do the impossible. The Pride of Iyanden did not suddenly fire off engines deep beneath her. The city did not suddenly teleport into orbit. Oh no, the city, with my help of course, folded Time/Space and entered the domain of Istus and vanished from the world of Jerull and appeared in a forgotten corner of her web. The weight of my body hung heavy upon me as my spirit reentered it.