Aberrant: Dead Rising - [DR End] The End

[Ira Sagebrush]

*20 years later*

Ira's arm creaked and broken bones grinded, as he went to wrap it around the glowing Goddess that is Cassandra. (All Glory to her name, praise the Lady Under the Mountain, Seer of the Skies, Voice of Those Who Shall Not Be Named.) They looked over the conquered lands that had once been the beautiful, lustrous, breadbasket of the United States, but now held nothing but the scars of battle, as the awesome pair and their undead army had rained down spite and despair in the wake of the death of their daughter, Arcade, at the hands of one Morgan Fox, (May he die a thousand deaths in the grasp of the Crawlers.)

Click to reveal.. (Ira)

Ira

The Sun was setting on the last foothold of the Bastard, having been driven back to the his original 'refuge', the place where it all began, and Ira couldn't help but think that the encroaching twilight held a double meaning.

Click to reveal.. (Flashback)

"You can't stay here dude, the whole goddamn United States government is coming to 'reclaim' this place!" Ira yelled at the stoic leader of the Refuge. Ira's arms gesturing wildly in the direction of Undermountain and violently air-quoting in Fox's face.

"Calm yourself Ira, Cassandra has made it quite clear as to the dangers that threaten this refuge and as we speak, they are being handled."

"What the hell are you talking about Fox?!"

Morgan picked up a letter on his desk, the Presidential Seal briefly visible as he unfolded it.

"We have been corresponding with Undermountain for some time, and they have been quite generous in sharing information that they have gleaned from your visit."

Fox cleared his throat and began reading out loud as Ira stood, mouth agape. "The Sick One arrives with the undead, eager to lay waste to the last vestiges of man, seeking vengeance . The skies burn more red than the rivers of blood that flow into the Styx. Born twice into the world, by life and by death, the End will be brought to the light."

Fox stood as he finished, tossing the letter down. Shouting voices could be heard from outside. Ira finally found his wits as he realized he had been lied to.

Why didn't I see this coming?

"Cassandra said that." Ira said flatly.

"She did," Morgan nodded in agreement, "We all believe that it portends to your daughter, Ira..."

"WHAT!?"

Ira's rage threatened to burst a vein in his head as he realized the implications of what 'being handled' meant. But before even he could act, Cass blinked in, her hands awash in blood, her skin glowing a faint blue.

She grabbed Ira's arm hard, nearly wrenching it from its socket and they both blinked away, finding themselves at the entrance to Cheyenne Mountain.

"The Fuse blew, Undermountain fell on Arcade. No rain shall fall, Knight, now is the time for Atonement." Cassandra's form nearly vibrated in suppressed action, tendrils of energy whipping around her.

Cass

Ira turned to his Lady, his voice disturbing, like the sound of grinding gears, "They lay waiting, if we do not let them loose, they will fall upon themselves. Already the Crawlers are being tore into."

The glowing form barely tilted her head, as if listening to something only she could hear. Her voice was calm, serene in drastic counterpoint to the milling chaos surrounding them, "You have done well my Undying Knight. Break the dam and purify my heart of its desire."

"To the Styx." Ira said, pulling away and walking to his Captains, all appearing in various stages of decay. With a thought, he exerted his control and sent the orders.

Fuse, erect the wall, Felicia, take the Crawlers and bring down their fortifications, John, find Fox, I want him alive.

As the three dispersed on their various commands, a figure rose from the Refuge City, the unmistakable sound of Morgan Fox's voice carrying over the massed army, "End this now, you have drank your fill. Nothing more can be bought by the lives that could end today. I implore you, take peace into your heart and disperse."

Ira leered as he felt the maggots feasting on his ever-regenerating rotting flesh. Cassandra gazed with unfeeling eyes towards the floating figure. Bursting through his mental defenses like rice paper, both their mental voices reached him at the same time, one so perfect and calm it was almost painful to hear, the other, in stark contrast, rattled with putrification and Fox had to suppress his urge to puke.

"The Sick One arrives with the undead, eager to lay waste to the last vestiges of man, seeking vengeance. The skies burn more red than the rivers of blood that flow into the Styx. Born twice into the world, by life and by death, the End will be brought to the light."

Ira continued on after Cassandra stopped, she felt the inevitable point having been made.

We have brought your End, Morgan. Reap what you have sown.

"So be it." Morgan whispered to himself, floating lightly to the ground.

He tossed the key from around his neck to Priest, who nodded silently and ran off.

~~~

The battle was fierce, the tide of the conflict seeming to ebb and flow both ways, but slowly the Zombies massed at the entrance, the patience that only comes with Death on their side. As the Moon set over the grounds and the darkness enveloped, a great rumble rolled across the earth, sending the people inside into a panic, fearing an Earthquake ...or worse.

Ira looked over from his place by Cassandra, his eyes easily penetrating the black, to confirm the section of wall that had been collapsed.

Good work Hotness. Ira sent, slipping into old habits in his excitement.

I...I love...

Her thoughts faded, and then went silent. Taking what was left of Ira's humanity with her. When Arcade had died, Cassandra had become distant, consumed with revenge, which had forced Ira to seek comfort for his grief in the arms of their companion. With Cass' continued disconnect with humanity, the new pair's relationship had blossomed, Felicia being able to look past Ira's form as he continued to disintegrate, having seen him before the change.

Ira's enraged voice thundered across the battlefield, life wilting at its sound, "Kill them! Kill them all!"

With a renewed surge, the Undead obeyed the command of their Lord, pouring through the gap, laying waste by sheer numbers under the sickly green glow of Fuse's Wall.

Trapped under the Wall, Fox and his compatriots were force to fight, unable to flee. Backed into their last waypoint, the remaining survivors crowded around Fox as he prepared to open a portal to safety.

The portal started to open, a faint glow of blue washing the room, but then it flickered and went out.

"Ah, ah, ah," John said, emerging from a shadow, his snakes wrapped around his skeletal form. "I'm still hungry!"

Slipping from shadow to shadow, he pounced on Jo, nearly taking her head off in one move.

Fox pressed a button on his mic, "Its time." He then launched himself at John, nearly making it before the world went dark.

As the eruption raced across the landscape, a voice, finally at peace, whispered, To the Styx...

[Dawn OOC]

2 xp