[Heat-seeking missile incoming!]
Galen yanked the controls to the right. His HUD was filled with information, but he only focused on the red warning in the middle of the cockpit.
[Impact in 5...]
"I'll need some flares!" He yelled at the cockpit around him. He tried pushing the pedals even harder, hoping it would give him more speed. He felt the metallic parts behind him radiating heat to his suit. The back engines were already overheating.
[Impact in 4...]
"I can only provide chaff, Voss." The robotic AI voice was just as calm as ever. Its life was not in danger. Lucky bastard, Galen thought. Chaffs were designed against radars, not masking heat. But what other choice did he have?
[Impact in 3...]
Galen reached to the release lever for his counter measures, and pulled it down as hard as possible. He didn't bother pulling it back up. He either survived this fight, or it didn't matter how many defenses he had left. A continuous burst of explosions shook the cockpit, the metal frame vibrating as tiny glass fiber particles where blasted outwards.
[Impact in 2...]
He pushed to controls away, and the horizon disappeared behind the top of the cockpit. Green trees filled its place, quickly growing in Galen's view. "Prepare for EVAC!" He didn't bother checking if the missile got intercepted, he had more experience than that.
[Impact in 1...]
A button in front of him began flashing, filling the space with ominous red light. Could he salvage this? Where did he mess up? Galen took a final look at the trees, and hoped that none would skewer him. He slammed his fist down on the button.
[Brace for impact!]
A metallic object soared through the sky, it silhouette of that of a man. Two legs, two hands, a proportionally tiny head. It's shoulders were breaking the top of trees as it's engines on its back and feet propelled it towards the ground. Armor pieces were breaking off, a cannon on it's shoulder was dragging behind, only held on by a piece of tube. Then it met its end. A missile, the size of a pen compared to the machine man, hit it right at the hip. The fireball that followed took down all the trees in a hundred meters. Nothing remained but charcoal and ash. The machine man was in pieces, and even those where blasted all over the area. Only once piece of it survived. Sort of.
An even tinier man, Galen Voss, was rapidly rising in the air, slowly reaching the apex of his EVAC vector. Before it's demise his mech's AI calculated a trajectory for him towards a nearby lake, that could cushion his landing. Only the calculation was made with a parachute in mind. And that same parachute was not opening. He tried pulling on the emergency release valve, but it didn't budge.
The crystal clear lake was approaching quickly. And he was going to meet it at full speed. He was about to die.
Galen gasped for air as he came to, his chest heaving with panic. Why wasn't he dead? Why wasn't he suffocating? The last thing he remembered was the lake rushing toward him. But now, he was sitting, and it took him a moment to realize he was in a cockpit—only, not the one he knew.Galen looked around, his confusion getting stronger. This wasn't like any cockpit he'd ever seen, there was nothing industrial or militaristic about it. The features of the cockpit curved gracefully, their smooth surfaces made of something that looked like polished stone, almost artistic. Instead of control panels or joysticks, the surfaces were etched with intricate carvings, glowing faintly, their green light casting patterns across the space. It felt unbelievably ancient, yet advanced beyond anything he could imagine.
This space was far larger than anything Galen has ever seen. Every mech he had piloted before barely fit a single man. During his early training, the tight spaces often left him feeling claustrophobic. Over time, years of service had forced him to adapt. But this cockpit wasn't just slightly bigger; it was huge. It felt more like a room. The pilot's chair placed center, surrounded by the console adorned with the intricate glowing markings. There was even enough space to stand and move around. The only illumination came from the symbols, their green light casting eerie shadows. No external light was present, leaving it isolated from the outside world."You have finally arrived." A melodic, yet commanding voice resonated from the very air around him. Galen froze, scanning the room, but saw no one."Who... who is that?" he stammered. The air seemed to thicken, and a milky fog began to materialize, swirling like a living thing.
"After all this time, you don't recognize my voice?" Galen knew that he would have recognized the voice if he ever heard it. It radiated a certain power.
The fog coalesced, condensing until it formed the shape of a woman. Her figure was both ethereal and imposing, wearing a tight black dress that clung to her figure, the fabric making her faintly translucent as if made from a clear bright night. The dress revealed just enough skin to be alluring while maintaining an air of elegance. Her long, raven-black hair moved as though caught in a breeze, and her piercing eyes glowed like emeralds. Tattoos adorned her arms, neck, and thighs their designs intricate and hypnotic. Swirling spirals, and flowing patterns showcased waves of a stormy sea on her neck, that turned into roots and bark of a tree as they moved down her body. They pulsed faintly, as if alive, in rhythm with the cockpit's lights. She radiated an aura of power.
Galen was struck silent by the sight. This was the most realistic AI hologram he has even encountered. Its text to speech quality was on an other lever, compared to the military units. Could this be a luxury model?
"Where am..." The women held up her hands, commanding silence.
"There is no time for questions now," she said firmly. "You have been dead for a long time. Regaining your true self will take time."I am...DEAD?
His mind raced, desperate to grasp the reality of what she was saying. The missile. The lake. They weren't nightmares. They had truly happened. His heart sank as the weight of her words settled in.The woman turned away. Galen noticed what seemed to be tattoos of black wings on her shoulder blades, presumably meeting at her back. With a graceful wave of her hand, she gestured toward the polished wall. The surface began to shift, moving like untangling vines. As the layers parted, sunlight streamed into the chamber, illuminating the walls, the console, and the enigmatic woman herself.
Galen turned his attention to the view. They were in a bog, and definitely inside a mech. Bone-white limbs jutted out from the water, anchoring the mech's body to the ground. Mosquitoes buzzed around the armor, and moss had already started to claim parts of the surface. But more importantly, there were two other mechs approaching from the edge of the bog.One mech was armed with a massive poleaxe, its design primitive, with armor plates riveted like a medieval knight. Its shoulders bore a crest-like insignia, and its movements were deliberate, almost nonchalant. The second mech carried a two-handed sword nearly as long as its body. Its angular, battle-worn plating was adorned with scratches and dents, a testament to countless battles. Both mechs advanced slowly, their footsteps sending ripples through the murky water, their designs a stark contrast to the elegance of Galen's surroundings."I've brought you here to become my champion." She glanced back at Galen, her eyes burning emerald. "I need you to fight as my avatar.""If you don't, we'll both perish."