"So, what's the plan?" Victor asked Minos. Both of them watched the city from the roof of a tall building. The sky still covered with thick, grey clouds as the sound of breezing wind whistled through the eerily quiet city.
Minos stood still, his back to Victor. "Why do you fight? Victor." He asked.
"I asked you a question first, Minos." Victor replied plainly.
"I will answer your question once you've answered mine." Minos insisted.
Victor exhaled before responding, "I fight to avenge my fallen brothers."
A brief moment of silence before Minos let out a quiet chuckle. "You impress me, Victor," Minos began, a subtle respect evident in his tone. "Of all the humans I have seen, none fought as you did that night, taking on demons that would require an army to defeat, all by yourself. You are... commendable."
Alarms began to fill the quiet city as rain began to fall. The air grew colder, tension filled the atmosphere.
"Tell me this, Victor," Minos interrupted as the alarms blared in the distance, "You wander through this city time and time again, and yet, you slept on a mere bench. Why? Have you no place to stay?"
Victor paused, letting the question sink in. "Do you think a soldier, with no place in society, would find freedom to be pleasant? I've been part of the Apex Operatives since I was twelve. My hometown was the first to fall to the demon hordes. From then on, all I knew were orders. And society hated me for it. They treated me like a murderer, shaped me into a machine. Outside the walls of our base, I had no purpose."
"If they made you into a machine that carried no thoughts other than to kill, then why hasitate to shoot me when you saw me?" Minos asked.
"I didn't shoot you because I'm no longer a machine. I seek reasons now, not formulas. My humanity returned when I was reassigned to a new squad, Apex-0. That's where I met people like me, orphans... but unlike me, they smiled, laughed, cried... I couldn't understand it." Victor paused, the weight of his memories settling on him.
"Despite my difference, they treated me no differently. I was their friend. I learned their thoughts, their emotions, and I came to understand the unique trait of being human. I saw them as my brothers. But even though my combat abilities were far better than all of theirs combined, I still failed to protect them. Now, I vow to kill every demon, to avenge them."
A long silence rose between Minos and Victor as the city alarm continued to blare. Minos chuckled as he turned towards Victor, he held his hand out to Victor. "Stand and fight, Victor. We share the same hatred for these demons. Join me, and together we will wipe them from the face of the universe."
Victor glanced at Minos' outstretched hand. "I'll probably die either way," he sighed, taking Minos' hand as he stood.
Suddenly, the alarms stopped, and a brief silence followed, broken only by the violent rumble of an earthquake on the far side of the city. A large explosion sent gusts of wind through the area, raining debris from above, while the gut-wrenching screams of demons filled the air.
"So, what's the plan, Minos?" Victor asked, his eyes fixed on the dark, spherical cloud of smoke lingering in the distance.
"We wait for the emperor demon to arrive. Then we kill it, before it gets too powerful," Minos replied, staring in the same direction as Victor.
"And the people?" Victor asked.
"They disappeared overnight... likely consumed by the emperor," Minos responded coldly.
A massive centipede like creature emerged between two large skyscrapers on the far side of the city. its grotesque form filling the cityscape. From its skin and exoskeleton, hordes of demons began crawling and pouring out, surging toward them.
At the head of the creature, stood what seemed to be the emperor demon. A colossal entity dressed in red armour, covered with the scorch mark of hellish symbols. On its chest was a cage, where the screams of the damned echoed. On its waist were the heads of previous victims. its hand glowed pure red, magical energy overflowed from the palms.
"There's the target," Minos alerted, pointing toward the emperor demon.
The sounds of helicopters, trucks, and tanks began to fill the streets and skies of the city as fighter jets roared overhead, flying past Minos and Victor, dropping bombs and firing missiles into the demon hordes. Gunfire erupted, soldiers shouted orders, and the clamor of chaos echoed as they scrambled to their positions. The demons' screams grew louder, rising over the sound of explosions that obliterated wave after wave of the monstrous creatures.
Armored infantry began to fortify defensive positions on various streets. Machine guns blazed, rockets launched, and tanks fired relentlessly, all in an effort to hold back the ever-advancing demon tide.
"Do you recognize them?" Minos asked, his gaze fixed on the unfolding battle.
Victor looked around for the symbols of the Apex Operatives. "Stand by," he answered, his eyes hovering across the battlefield for symbols.
At last, his attention landed on a truck barreling through the hordes. Heavily armored and bristling with weaponry, the vehicle sped towards the soldiers entrenched in battle.
"There!" Victor pointed. "That's the A.O.'s exterminator squad. I'll catch up soon. You go ahead and clear the path for me." His voice was steady, tactical.
"I expect your swift return, Victor," Minos replied.
With a calm confidence, Minos placed his hands behind his back. The symbol of scythes on his body glowed a vivid crimson as he materialized two short scythes, the dark blades pointing downward. His grip tightened, and without hesitation, he stepped forward, dropping down into the fray behind the soldiers engaged in the fight against the demon horde.
Minos walked effortlessly past the soldiers firing at the approaching demons. They quickly noticed his presence and, in a panic, redirected their fire towards him. Each bullet ricocheted off harmlessly, having no effect on Minos as he continued his approach, unfazed by the onslaught.
The soldiers were soon filled with shock as Minos' body became blurry before suddenly vanishing toward the demons, leaving behind a trail of lifeless demons in his wake. Stunned, they stood speechless, confusion etched across their faces as they glanced at each other, murmuring questions about who-or what-the mysterious figure was. They quickly pushed aside their bewilderment, and pressed forward deeper into the city.
Meanwhile, Victor laid low, careful to remain unseen by the infantry. His eyes were locked on the armored truck he had spotted earlier, now stationed behind the armored units. The metallic door slammed open, and six heavily armored figures emerged from the vehicle, each wielding advanced weaponry—either a mounted machine gun or a flamethrower attached to their right arm, with a shield strapped to their left. Their steel helmets completely obscured their heads, ensuring their safety.
Their machine guns were mounted at the elbow, and the weapons were an impressive sight: eight cuboidal barrels arranged in a circular formation extended from the main body, which encased their entire arm, save for the hands where the triggers were located. Each cuboidal barrel housed twin cylindrical muzzles, capable of firing high-explosive, large-caliber rounds. Ammunition belts ran from the backs of the Exterminators to their weapons, feeding them a constant stream of lethal firepower.
The Exterminators' captain bore no shield, but instead carried dual flamethrowers, each one mounted along their forearms.
The earth trembled beneath the heavy, armored footsteps of the Exterminators as they advanced, taunting the demons with their superior firepower and technology. Victor, hidden behind a collapsed wall, watched them carefully, formulating a plan.
Exterminator squads, high modified soldiers, would be best to avoid them. Victor thought to himself, keeping calm as the figures moved away from their truck, unleashing a torrent of gunfire into the demonic hordes.
With the armored figures now out of sight, Victor made his move. He darted towards the rear of the truck, its headlights casting an ominous glow on the Exterminators as they continued to mow down waves of demons. The dim red light inside the truck illuminated the empty seats and the scattered bullet casings littering the floor.
But what truly caught Victor's attention wasn't the carnage outside or the state-of-the-art weapons. It was the fabricator machine glowing a vivid green, installed where the passenger seat would normally be at the front of the truck.
Moving cautiously, Victor crouched low and approached the fabricator machine. Its brilliant light bathed his face as it flickered to life, recognizing the presence of an authorized user.
"User identification required," Ther machine spoke.
One of the Exterminators glanced towards the silhouette of Victor standing by the machine. "Intruder at our vehicle. Proceeding to exterminate the individual," the Exterminator called out.
"Weapon and armor fabrication complete," the machine announced, as it produced two large bags filled with equipment.
The Exterminator charged forward, his heavy, armored steps causing the bullet casings on the truck's floor to rattle and spill out. Finger on the trigger, he rushed to the open back of the truck and aimed his weapon, ready to eliminate the intruder.
But Victor was gone. The truck stood empty, the fabricator still humming as it remained active.
Confused, the Exterminator scanned the area, turning in every direction, but there was no sign of Victor. His brow furrowed beneath his helmet as he returned to the fabricator. "Machine! State the information of the last recorded fabrication." he commanded.
The machine whirred to life. "Last activation information:" it began in a monotone voice. "Lieutenant Victor Williams. Callsign: Orca. Ex-commander of Apex-0. Last fabrication requests: Apex-0 commander armor and weaponry."
The Exterminator froze, momentarily stunned by the information. Without wasting a second, he turned and bolted back towards his squad, his armored feet thudding against the pavement.
"Who was it?" the veteran captain of the Exterminators asked, his voice calm yet laced with curiosity.
The Exterminator hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "It was Victor... sir."
A grin slowly crept across the veteran captain's face, hidden beneath his helmet. Though he maintained his composure, there was a flicker of satisfaction in his tone. "Noted. Proceed as planned. Wait until the rest of the squad arrives," he ordered.
The apex predator lives. He thought to himself, a grin spread across his rough, scarred face.
Victor opened the two bags and proceeded to gear himself up. The adaptive heavy armor that was crafted specifically for Victor's combat style. An adaptive armour plates designed to resist even the most advanced metallic projectiles. The helmet, which granted him a full 360-degree view, concealed his features entirely—only revealing his face when the visor split open horizontally, like a predator's jaws.
A metallic gaunlet covered his arms, fabrication gloves materialised ammunition and metallic boots covered his legs, all built to withstand nearly any damage. Draped over his head was a black hood, marked with the false eyes of an orca on either side, designed to deceive and disorient his enemies.
As he inspected his armored palms, Victor's harsh memories surged back, the faces of his fallen brothers, the blood on his hands. His fists clenched tightly.
I will avenge you all. That is a promise, he vowed inwardly, retrieving the final items from the bags: the weapons of Victor's past.
A lever-action shotgun and two automatic pistols, all loaded with high-explosive incendiary rounds. The cuboidal barrels of both firearms contained dual circular muzzles, designed for maximum impact. He holstered them at his hips alongside a combat knife.
Victor walked out the building putting on his helmet, just in time to meet Minos walking towards him with the head of what seemed to be that of a demon general on his hand.
"The thought of you cowarding away had almost crossed my mind, had I not remembered you are but a human." Minos spoke, walking closer to Victor.
"But here I am, for you to suggest a course of action." Victor replied coldly.
"Suggest?" Minos echoed, his impatience flaring. "Then I suggest you help your people, unless you're eager for more casualties. Emperor demons never come alone. Six generals are scattered around the emperor. Three have already fallen. The remaining three are headed straight for the soldiers' defensive point."
"I assume you're going for the main target?" Victor asked.
"Your assumption is correct. Once the three generals are dealt with, evacuate the men. The battle will wreak havoc on the city, and an emperor is no easy foe, especially given my current limitations," Minos replied, his voice commanding and brisk.
"Limitations? Care to elaborate?" Victor pressed.
"This body is merely a replica, created by Evangelina. My true form is sealed away, and I need the energy from demi-gods to break the chains that bind it. While this body retains some of my strength, it pales in comparison to my original form," Minos explained.
"Are you strong enough to take on the emperor head-on?" Victor asked, his skepticism rising.
"My strength alone won't be enough to guarantee victory. That's why the evacuation is crucial," Minos replied confidently.
Victor's frustration simmered. "And what are the chances you'll lose?"
"If it doesn't have any deceitful tricks, I will win," Minos said, his unshakable confidence striking Victor in an unsettling way.
Victor contemplated asking about a backup plan, unsure whether to fully trust Minos yet. Suddenly, the screeching sound of a crashing helicopter shattered their conversation. The flaming wreck fell several buildings away. The two exchanged a brief nod before splitting up, Victor sprinting toward the crash site, shotgun in one hand, knife in the other.
Minos dashed building to building, cleaving any demons in half with this scythes as he slowly made his way closer to the emperor demon.
The emperor casted vicious flames down to the exterminators that fought their way close to it. Quickly dodging the spell, they continued to fight the hordes of demons. The emperor raised its hand to cast another spell, only to be interrupted by the razor-sharp blades of Minos's scythes grazing against its bulky armor as it narrowly avoided the attack.
"I was told my arrival would attract you, Scarlet King!" the demon's grim, dark voice echoed from within its armor.
Minos remained silent, focusing on the fight rather than engaging in meaningless banter. He charged straight toward the emperor, his scythes poised for a devastating blow.
The demon conjured a sword-spear in its hand, easily blocking Minos' strike. They exchanged a flurry of blows until Minos parried one of the demon's attacks and countered with a powerful kick that sent the creature crashing into a nearby high-rise.
A brief stillness was shattered by a massive infernal beam shooting from the high-rise directly at Minos. Barely dodging the beam, he rushed toward the demon as more beams were unleashed. Each beam effortlessly pierced through buildings and vehicles, leaving a trail of molten destruction in their wake.
While Minos battled the emperor demon, Victor made his way to the helicopter's crash site, mowing down demons in his path. He spotted four injured survivors huddled next to the fallen aircraft, barely able to defend themselves as demons surged toward them from all sides, their terrifying screams echoing with hunger for human flesh.
From atop a nearby house, Victor observed the approaching hordes and fabricated shotgun shells from his gloves, reloading his weapon to full capacity. The sound of an orca's call emanated from Victor's suit, echoing through the city and redirecting the demons' focus toward him. He spun the lever of his shotgun, chambering a fresh shell as the horde closed in.
As the demons got within range, Victor leaped into action, exterminating them with precision. His shotgun obliterated small groups, while his knife sliced through them effortlessly. The demons' attacks had no effect on him as his armor adapted to their strikes. To him, the demons were nothing but prey, even his mere punch would penetrate their skull.
The injured suvivors could hear only the sounds of demons and Victor's gunshots. Victor's made quick work of the hordes, shooting and slicing through them with ease. Finally, the horde diminished, leaving piles of lifeless corpses in the area.
One demon managed to jump directly at an injured survivors, only to be seized by Victor's hand, grasping its head. The creature's wails were silenced by the sickening crack of its own skull being crushed to pieces, the blood splatered across Victor's helmet. The survivors looked Victor in awe as they noticed that the horde had been cleared.
Victor looked back at the survivors, "Can you walk?" Victor asked one of the survivors lying on the ground.
"Barely." The survivor answered, holding in the pain.
Before Victor could say anything further, "We'll take care of them." A familiar voice spoke behind Victor.
He turned quickly to see the exterminator squad approaching. Victor holstered his weapons and placed his fist to his chest, saluting. "Captain Rogers," he called out.
"You needn't salute me, Victor. We are on equal terms," the captain replied, returning the salute.
"Take the injured back to the defensive line," Captain Rogers ordered one of the exterminators. "What's the plan, Victor?" he continued.
"There are three generals close to the emperor, we take them down while my friend is fighting the emperor." Victor explained.
"Noted." The captain replied. "But who is this friend of yours?" he continued to ask.
"It's a long story for such a short time. Take your squad to take care of one of the generals just north-west from here. I will handle the rest" Victor adviced, brushing aside the captain's question.
"Very well." The captain replied. "Godspeed Victor." The two men saluted once more before parting ways.
Meanwhile, the battle between Minos and the emperor had escalated into chaos. The clashing of their weapons echoed throughout the battlefield, the combination of hand-to-hand and magical combat causing buildings to topple and molten lava to flow around the ever-expanding battlefield.
Minos and the emperor exchanged a powerful blow, forcing both to the edge of the battlefield. Quickly recovering, they stood their ground, weapons at the ready.
"Why do you resist? Had you joined us, you would be stronger than Azarath himself," the demon taunted, arrogance dripping from its voice as red flames enveloped the blade of its spear.
The two warriors circled along the edge of the battlefield, tension crackling in the air.
"Stand and fight, Minos. Face the defeat you have brought upon yourself!" the demon roared, its foot smashing into the ground as it charged at Minos.
Chapter 3 -End-