MOTF Book I: BOTE Chapter 1

A deafening roar swept across the abandoned city on Innamorta. A wry smile spread across Dylan’s face. Oh great, now there’s that, he thought to himself. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any easier. Dylan was a twelve year old Innamortan, around average height with dark hair and light brown eyes, and like the rest of his Innamortan race, he was strong, skilled in combat, intelligent, and would not die unless he suffered a fatal injury. No old age, disease, or poison affected the innamortan race, at least not that anyone knew of. He was currently leading a squad in the Shadikill army made up of soldiers in his age group.

The history of the Innamortan Wars was practically common knowledge on Innamorta. In the beginning, each Innamortan race formed its own kingdom. There was the Bladewrath, who favored the usage of bladed weapons, the Blastidonez, who favored the usage of ranged weapons, the Speartons, who favored the use of pole arms, and the Shadikill, who favored adaptability in combat. These kingdoms quickly erupted into war as the nations fell into conflict to establish their dominance and the superiority of their chosen way of warfare.

Appalled by the actions and violence embraced by the other Innamortan races, the final Innamortan nation, the Lightor, developed something of a superiority complex, believing that peace and the pursuit of knowledge was the only righteous way to live. To spread their newfound beliefs and enforce their moral authority, the Lightor decided to jump into the fray and attempted to exterminate and subjugate the other races. Through studying the other races advancements and technologies, as well as reproducing like crazy, the Lightor were able to get a definitive edge over the other races in the mad scramble for power.

To combat the growing threat of the Lightor, the other Innamortan races formed an alliance by signing a treaty proposed by the mighty Shadkill warrior known as Mogar, and Dylan’s own ancestor. To oversee the Alliance, a council was formed, with Mogar serving as the first Head of the Council. Over time the war continued, and new technologies were developed. A perfect example of how conflict led to progress.

Originally, this area had been a Shadikill outpost, until it had been overrun by cyberbeasts. Since then everybody had refused to claim it due to the looming danger of the cyberbeasts. Cyberbeasts were gargantuan creatures that had over time evolved to be genetically grafted to technology. Most were humanoid and they all had exoskeletons made of an organic metalic alloy and all developed integrated weapons on their bodies as they matured. Each was highly lethal, but they weren’t nearly numerous enough or organized enough to form their own society. For the most part, they wandered the unclaimed territories or attacked the outlying towns of the Innamortan nations.

Dylan’s communication officer, Sergeant Walton, had intercepted Lightor transmissions a week back that revealed the Lightor’s plan to seize the area. Dylan waited to strike until the Lightor had wiped out the Cyberbeasts, and attacked after their numbers had been greatly thinned out.

Even so the Lightor had outnumbered them three to one and it had been a hard fought victory for Dylan and his squad. They had suffered six casualties, one of which was their tactical officer, Sage.

Now after all of their casualties, apparently there was a cyberbeast that the Lightor had missed in their not so thorough sweeping of the area. And now it was up to Dylan and his squad to deal with it, but Dylan had a plan.

Dylan quickly turned to his stealth officer, “Sullivan, I need you to take your men and head in the direction of the beast.”

“Towards the beast?” Sullivan inquired.

“Yes” Dylan responded. “With your cloaking devices and stealth training, you and your men can sneak right past the beast and take up a position behind it.”

“Barre,” Dylan said as he turned towards his tech officer. “I need you and your men to fall back and repair the turrets and artillery so that we can shoot down any Lightor drop ships that try to take advantage of our predicament.”

“Tactical unit, I need you guys to stick with me as we attack this thing from the front.” Dylan said to the now leaderless unit of his squad.

“And Walton,” Dylan said as he turned towards his communications officer, “I need you and your men to maintain communications between the units of the squad, while providing support for the tactical unit.”

“I can do that sir,” Walton responded.

“With tactical and communications attacking from the front, and stealth attacking from the back, we’re gonna box the beast in and light the bastard up! Are you guys with me?!!”

“Yes sir!” came the unanimous cries from his squad.

Dylan quickly donned his helmet, shrouding his face and protecting his head. “Gentlemen, let’s slay a monster!” Dylan’s voice rang out, his voice slightly muffled by his helmet.

Dylan may have only been twelve, but he was already an outstanding leader. He was smart, charismatic, strong, but most importantly of all, he never asked his men to do anything that he would not do himself.

They may all have been technically boys, but Dylan considered himself and the rest of his squad men given their advanced accomplishments and all they had been through together. They could count on each other and trust each other with their lives, and that was more important to him than the amount of years they had lived since they had been born.

As the stealth and tech squads left to embark on their tasks, Dylan began a quick weapons and armor check to ensure that everything was properly prepared. First he ensured that his armor was perfectly secured on his body, though he needed to tighten up the armoring on his left knee some. With his armor fully secured and tightened, he quickly moved on to his weapons.

First he checked his custom heavy firearm. It was a custom made weapon that Dylan had ordered for himself. It was a hybrid between a rocket launcher and a lasergun. Essentially the main barrel fired highly explosive rockets, and the main barrel was surrounded by eight smaller barrels that fired laser blasts. After a quick inspection, Dylan was pleased that the laser cells were fully charged and the rocket barrel was fully loaded.

Next he checked his magnum. It was a small but powerful sidearm. It’s blaster bolts were more condensed and fired at a higher velocity than the norm, and it packed quite a punch. Satisfied that his magnum was fully charged with the safety turned off, he holstered it and pulled out his final weapon, his katana.

The pommel of the katana was well crafted, set with a gold finish. The blade itself was fashioned from the exoskeleton of a fallen cyberbeast named Scorpiox. Dylan had killed him a couple of years ago after a brutal and hard fought fight, after leading Scorpiox into a building filled with explosives. After taking some of the exoskeletal plating, Dylan had it melted down, refined, and fashioned into a blade using Bladewrath steel folding techniques, and by putting a bit of his own blood in there, stained the blade black. The blade was also sharpened down to a very fine point, and Dylan made it a point to maintain it after every battle. Dylan stroked the side of the blade and gave it a few experimental swings. Satisfied with its weight and maneuverability, he returned it to the sheath on his back.

By this point, Walton had received a communication from the stealth squad saying that they had just passed the cyberbeast and that it was headed towards them. Good, Dylan thought. It’s walking right into my trap.

Dylan and the rest of his men stood there staring at the building thirty feet away, waiting for the beast to turn the corner. Suddenly with loud footsteps that echoed across the former base, the cyberbeast stepped into view. It was humanoid with two arms, two legs and a head. Its chassis was a dark blue, and there was a large cannon mounted on it’s arm. It was also massive. Dylan estimated its height to be at around twenty feet.

As soon as the creature locked its eyes its prey, Dylan’s squad began to fire. Blaster fire rained down on the creature from all angles, but seemed to do nothing more than irritate it.

The beast of tissue and metal growled in irritation as it raised it’s cannon and fired upon the tactical unit. Using their finely honed instincts, the tactical unit barrel rolled out of the way just in time as a deafening blast shook the ground and nearly caused Dylan to lose his footing.

Before it had a second chance to fire, Dylan heard the familiar whir of Sullivan’s laser rifle as a concentrated laser beam struck the beast in the leg from behind, causing it to stagger and throwing its aim off.

As the tactical unit all regained their footing the blast from the cyberbeast’s cannon flew above their heads and harmlessly exploded on the ground a good twenty feat away. Seizing the opportunity, the tactical unit and the communication unit fired at the beast’s legs while the stealth unit fired at its back.

The resulting change in the pressure of the squad’s attack forced the beast onto its knees as Dylan joined in the frenzy by firing his lasers at the beast’s chest. The Cyberbeast howled in pain and rage as it began to take damage from its adversaries.

Unwilling to be subdued any longer, the beast slowly began to rise up and lift its arm. Another cannon blast discharged, this one more powerful than the rest, this one aimed at Dylan. Though it landed a good three yards away from the tactical and communications men standing behind him, it was still powerful enough to hurl them off of their feet with force enough to knock them out, despite their best efforts to avoid it.

Dylan had somehow managed to avoid the worst of it. Somehow, he knew what was going to happen before it did, he didn’t know how he knew it, but he did. He had managed to roll away a split second before the blast left the cannon, but was still hurtled several feet away, and his own custom made battle gun landed a few feet away from him.

In the few seconds it took Dylan to regain his composure and pick up his weapon, the beast made its move. Unhindered by blaster fire from one side, it quickly rose back up to its full height and sent a blast off towards the stealth unit. The beasts aim this time was not as accurate, but it still hurled the men off of their feet as the stealth unit’s reflexes were not as well honed as the tactical squad’s. Two of the men weren't lucky enough to avoid the worst of it and took the full brunt of the blast, killing them almost instantly.

Dylan could do nothing as he helplessly watched two of his men die and the rest tumble to the ground in wounded and unconscious heaps. He was overtaken by fear and pain for a few seconds before he snapped back into focus, filled with rage and a new sense of purpose. Suddenly, Dylan’s eyes were drawn to the cannon mounted on the horrid creature’s arm.

In a flash, Dylan’s gun was back in his hands and he was firing wildly at the cannon. Several laser blasts flew from the sides of his gun and hit the cyberbeast’s cannon, sending a shower of sparks and molten metal everywhere. A second later Dylan sent a rocket flying into the back of its head causing it to snap forward.

The beast howled in pain and turned around to face its new adversary, letting its cannon drop to the ground with a loud thud. Dylan locked eyes with it as he glared intently, seething with hatred. The creature glared back at Dylan and growled as two large spiked blades sprung out of its arms.

Dylan started walking towards the beast with his gun outstretched in front of him. As he began to pick up the pace he fired a rocket into the beast’s chest causing it to double over in pain. As he broke out into a run a few feat away from the beast, it swung both blades at him.

Dylan shot it in the left shoulder with a well placed blast from his rocket launcher, completely halting its assault on Dylan’s left, before tossing the weapon to the side and leaping over the blade coming in on his right. After very narrowly passing over the large serrated blade, Dylan pushed off of the cyberbeast’s knee and hurtled himself above it’s head.

As Dylan soared through the air, he caught onto the edge of the building a few meters away from the beast with his left hand, and held himself there as he pulled his magnum out with his right. As the cyberbeast swung its head around to face Dylan, Dylan fired four shots at it’s head. The first two glanced off of its face harmlessly, the third caught it in the eye, and the fourth punched a hole in its throat.

As the beast coughed and swung its blades at Dylan wildly, Dylan pushed off of the building with his legs and flipped over the beast’s head and it’s blind attacks, while continuing to fire at it. When Dylan landed on his feat again he fired a few more shots at its head with his magnum before discarding it, leaping into the air and rolling over the blade coming in on his right.

When he landed on the ground after dodging the creature’s blade he rolled backwards away from the next strike. As he regained his footing, the two combatants paused as Dylan drew his katana from his sheath and pulled it in front of him before flourishing it in his right hand.

Dylan let the fury of battle and his hatred of this creature build inside of him until he was trembling with excitement. Then the two pounced at each other with great ferocity. As the beast swung at him, Dylan deflected the giant’s blows with speed and strength he never knew he had. He was even fast enough to land a few glancing blows on the beasts exoskeleton, but none of them pierced it.

In the midst of the chaotic frenzy happening around Dylan’s body, he eyed the spot on the creature’s leg that Sullivan had shot with his laser rifle. In a flash Dylan charged at the beast’s leg and swung with all of his might. Dylan heard a resounding clang of metal on metal and then a satisfying crunch as Dylan’s blade bit into the leg of the beast.

A blue oily fluid began to spew out of the creature’s leg as it roared in pain and outrage. Then without warning, the giant swung its other massive leg, and its foot caught Dylan in the chest, hurling him several feet back and winding him.

All hope seemed lost for Dylan as the creature pounced towards him, when suddenly the beast was hit in the neck with a rocket, stopping it dead in its tracks before its blades could slice through Dylan’s prone body.

As the creature’s body was rocked with the explosion and its neck engulfed in flame, it was hit from several angles by resounding blaster fire. As it’s body was cascaded in blaster fire, Dylan sprung to his feet. Without wasting a second, Dylan swung his blade in an upward arc with all of his might, cutting a large gash in the beast’s chest.

Before the towering giant could respond, Dylan swung his blade at the creature’s already wounded leg, severing it completely, and toppling it. As soon as the cyberbeast hit the ground, Dylan leapt up into the air with his blade angled downward, and landed on its chest, driving the blade through the gash in its exoskeleton, and straight through its heart. For good measure, Dylan twisted his blade in the beast’s heart to ensure it didn’t get up, and it never did.

With the beast now dead, Dylan turned in the direction of the rocket that saved his life and saw his men standing up with their guns in their hands and an awestruck look on their faces. Among them was Walton, holding Dylan’s own heavy firearm in his hands.

Dylan began to put bits and pieces together. As his men had begun to regain their composure one by one, Walton had them play dead as they coordinated and watched Dylan fight the beast alone, waiting for the proper moment to jump in, save him, and provide him with the opportunity he needed to kill the beast.

Dylan began to swell with pride at the ingenuity and resourcefulness of his men. “Excellent job men!” he cried out with gratitude, his body still trembling from the excitement of the battle.

He turned to Walton, “when I become king I’m making you the supreme commander of my army, or something like that.” he declared. Dylan was not only a skilled leader on the battlefield, but he was also royalty. His mother was the Queen of the Shadikill, and his Father, as a descendant of Mogar, was the head of the Council of the great treaty. As the child of both, Dylan stood to inherit both the Shadikill throne, and his father’s seat at the head of the council. He was set up to become the most politically powerful person in the history of their race.

“That was impressive. Most impressive,” Dylan went on, trying to fully express his gratitude at the young sergeant for saving his life.

“I was impressive?” asked Walton surprised. “What about you flipping over that giant's blades and hacking away at it’s body? That was amazing!” Walton exclaimed.

“Let’s just agree we’re all complete and utter badasses in our own ways,” Dylan compromised.

“Has the tech unit repaired the artillery?” Dylan asked changing the subject.

“Sergeant Barre reports that the turrets and cannons are ready to blow Lightor ships right out of the sky the moment they get in range, and I commed the Shadikill army, and reinforcements are on their way to restore the base.” Walton confirmed.

“That’s what I love to hear!” Dylan exclaimed as he clapped his hands in excitement. “The reinforcements will be here soon enough, and they are more than capable of holding and restoring this base on their own, so let’s go back to the capital, find a bar, and get wasted! Drinks are on me!”

“I’m not sure that’s legal” Walton replied. “We are only twelve.”

“Ha!” Dylan said as he dismissed that statement with a wide grin on his face. “Everything is legal when you’re a prince!” Dylan exclaimed with anticipation and excitement at the opportunity to get completely wasted. Tonight was going to be a fun night indeed.