Chapter 42: 42. Duality

Barcelona, Spain, Mon 24 Jan 22 20:56

I lay on my bed on my back, head hanging off the edge and I was looking out of the window upsidedown. All I could see was the half moon on one side of the window and the barely visible stars, thanks to the city's light pollution. I had managed to stay out of trouble since my incident with the RAF, keeping my head low by simply staying indoors. But it was so bloody boring... Not to mention where it was so quiet, Reikon's inane whispering was doing my head in and tonight seemed to be more noticeable than usual. So I sighed, got up and headed back down stairs, back to the garage, where I found Raina, checking over Sarah again. She was good, did her job almost religiously, checking up on Sarah's vitals every few hours, even in the nights when I can't sleep I hear her get up half way through the night and spend at least half an hour in here with her checking Sarah over.

Sarah was making some progress as well, the changes were definitely taking effect, nearly all her hair had gone, fallen out. Her tail was well and truly growing, along with her wings, all looking like weird stumpy growths sprouting from her body. Her feet were also starting to elongate, forming the digitigrade type hind legs that Dragons possessed. Her head too, looking incredibly odd, her jaw line and front of her face seemed to be stretched out. Her injuries and burns were well on the way to healing, looking almost non existent actually, except for one... Her amputation. I read up on SkyTech's research into regrowing extremities during the proceedure, they didn't usually work. There were reports of fingers, hands, feet, ears - smaller body parts regrowing, but never whole limbs. I was worried this would be the case for Sarah too and seems to be holding true, even with me using the Shard on her. The shoulder joint had somewhat started growing back, but other than that, no real progress was showing and there certainly won't be enough progress before the process finishes.

Raina: "You ok?" She asked bringing me out of my daydream.

Me: "What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine... Just, wondering if there was any more I could do for her."

Raina: " 'Any more you could do'? Alex, you're giving a girl destined for the grave a new lease of life! That's a miracle in anyone else's books. Honestly, you need to chill out some more, you've done a great thing here, give yourself some credit please."

Me: "Alright alright, I suppose it will suffice..." I replied smiling, "...I have a question for you though. Why are you so trusting in this? In me? This is a science like you've never even heard of before, you allowed me to completely manipulate the DNA of this girl and never really battered an eye. How come?"

Raina: "I guess, partially it comes down to my oath as a nurse to never let anyone die if I can help it. Partially curiosity got the better of me. You and this strange and rather dangerous sounding world that you live in, if I could get just a small window of opportunity to get a glimpse into it... Just a small part of it..." She sort of finished with a shrug of her shoulders.

Me: "So you wanted to see a bit of action?"

Raina: "I wanted to see something different. The trouble with working in a hospital, people come and go, they change in the time that they're in for, some for better, some for the worse. But this... this tops it all in terms of 'changes for the better'."

Me: "So you didn't just stick around longer just for the money then, you wanted a different experience too."

Raina: "Yeah... basically."

Me: "That's good, I like that."

There was a good minute's silence between us as I watched her finish working before she spoke again.

Raina: "So this... 'Consciousness'... 'Reikon' I think you called her... What does she want?"

I remained silent for a few seconds, thinking how best to answer.

Me: "She wants rule, everything and everyone, both here and on her home planet."

Raina stopped working to look at me directly.

Raina: "Aaannnd... You're going to stop her? Right? I mean, I don't understand this magic business, but you're going to get her out of your head? Or block her somehow? Or something? You must have a plan surely?"

I dropped my head slightly and paused again.

Me: "I... I don't have a plan, no. I still don't fully understand everything that's going on yet, but I need to see to her sooner rather than later, that's all I do know."

Raina stared back at me for a few seconds, before finishing up her work on the computer.

Raina: "All is good with Sarah still, I'm  going to get myself to bed so erm... Good night."

Me: "Good night Raina, thank you." I said to her as she passed, giving me a kurt little smile in return.

I looked around the garage, it wasn't a big garage, it only had three cars in it, a Lamborghini Huracan, a Lexus ISF and a new shape Land Rover Defender. This fourth space was thankfully empty for us, good thing too, the tank and all of its associated equipment took up a good half a car's space. I caught the moon again in one of the small triangular windows that was set above each garage door.

Me: "Hmmm..." I said to myself thoughtfully looking up at it, then I started to recall my armour into place over me.

__________*_Wrex_*__________

Welcome, MD, Mon 24 Jan 22 16:05

Wrex: "How's your arm doing?"

Jinx: "Achey... but Pretty good..." She flexed and moved her previously broken arm about in front of me, giving a full range of movement without issue, the hand shaped burn mark now just a prominent scar as well, "...thank you. It's amazing how fast we can heal! Have you ever broken anything?"

Wrex: "Yeah, once. My leg."

Jinx: "How did you do that?"

Alex: "...Wrex..." I heard her voice faintly call me, as more of whisper and I looked around the dining room,

Wrex: "Alex?" Asking nothing but the thin air. I caught Jinx looking around, then back at me confused,

Jinx: "What is it?"

Wrex: "Didn't you hear Alex call my name from somewhere?"

Jinx: "Err... No?... Are you ok?"

Wrex: "I'm... Fine... Just imagining things, obviously. Where were we sorry?"

Jinx: "You were telling me how you broke your leg."

Wrex: "Oh yeah, well I was thrown out of a Roclaw."

Jinx: "A what?"

Wrex: "A Roclaw, the insect thing?... oh, I forgot, Earth doesn't have them, sorry."

Jinx: "You were thrown... From an insect??" She replied simultaneously bemused and confused.

Wrex: "What? Oh no, our drop ships... similar to some sort of troop carrying... Err, 'chopper' you call them. But these little ships are fast and agile, the design is based on these insects called Roclaws. But anyway, we were shot down, I was thrown from the cockpit after crash landing, fractured my leg."

Alex: "Wrex..." Her voice was louder this time and I looked around again, still not seeing anyone, so I ignored it upon Jinx asking for more details.

Jinx: "Nice... But I did say 'broken', fractures don't count."

Wrex: "Yeah I know, just letting you know what weakened it, Skylen finished it off in a fit of rage by whacking it with his tail, deliberately might I add."

Alex: "Wrex!"

I shot up from the chair, making Jinx jump a little.

Jinx: "Are you sure you're ok?!"

Wrex: "Alex, where are you?" I said still looking around, even leaving the room to continue looking.

Alex: "Finally... took me forever to get through to you properly... I'm in your head... Don't worry, not like Reikon is with me, just enough so that I can talk to you. Thought I'd take it a step further than making a call, plus as an experiment to see if it would actually work. Are you ok?" Her voice now coming through with almost like a bit of an echo in my head.

Wrex: "I'm... fine, I guess. Give me a minute to explain to Jinx what's going on, she's looking at me like I'm insane... Alex is talking to me, in my head."

Jinx: "Things are never simple with her eh?..." She mocked as she got up and left the room, "...I'll leave you to seemingly talking to yourself then and looking insane while doing so then." She patted me hard on the shoulder as walked past.

Alex: "I'm not interrupting something am I?" She asked, sounding almost a bit agitated now.

Wrex: "Not at all... Are you ok? You sound a bit... I don't know, annoyed?"

Alex: "I'm fine, want to meet me somewhere interesting and talk for a bit?"

Wrex: "Yeah, I'd like that. Where shall I meet you? I'll get my armour on."

Alex: "No need for armour. Are you at Sarah's safe house still?"

Wrex: "Yeah, not left since I got back from seeing you leave me behind in the UK."

Alex: "Ahh... sorry, I was injured and had to get away to safety. Sorry again."

Wrex: "No it's fine, I get it. So what are we doing?"

Alex: "Just go up to your room and lie down on the bed for me, get comfy."

Wrex: "Okaaay... Are you about to walk in naked on me or something? Because that would be nice." I asked with a grin as I slowly made my way upstairs.

Alex: "He he, I wish, but unfortunately not. Let me know when you're there and comfy."

Wrex: "Why? If you're in my head can't  you see what I'm doing?"

Alex: "I'm talking to you in your head, but I'm not going to invade your privacy like that... Unless you want me to."

Wrex: "I don't mind, I trust you."

Alex: "Yeah well, you shouldn't... You there yet?"

Wrex: "Just getting comfy..." I replied as I climbed on to the bed, "...can you understand how weird this is? And why am I doing this? Aren't we supposed to be meeting?"

Alex: "We are, just, not in person again, sorry. Are you ready?"

Wrex: " *Sigh* As much as I can be, I suppose."

Alex: "Ok, close your eyes, open them when I say."

Wrex: "Okaaay..." I replied, doing as she requested.

Alex: "Ok, and open them - nnnnnnnnnnow..."

I opened my eyes as instructed, but it was a bit dark around me... I was outside, my vision was fuzzy, but it was returning to normal, I was staring up at the night sky. I put my hands on the bed to push myself up, but it didn't feel like a soft bed, it felt like dirt, or sand. I sat up and looked around me, everything was grey, rocky and hilly, then... Then I saw the Earth, sitting huge on the horizon.

Wrex: "What the...?!"

Alex: "Pretty amazing, isn't it?" I spun round to see her, armoured up, sat on a rock half a dozen feet away.

Wrex: "We're on the Moon?!" She gave a slow nod to me.

Alex: "The 'Sea of Serenity' to be precise."

Wrex: "Wow... And I'm not dead, how?"

Alex: "As I say, you're only an image, you're safe, still breathing on the bed at the house, but I'm up here for real."

I picked up some moon dust and watched it fall away from my hand.

Wrex: "But I can touch stuff?"

Alex: "Yeah... I've done one better than last time, you're a projection of yourself, but you're solid this time..." I got up and stepped towards her, "...Wrex... You and Jinx..."

Wrex: "What about 'me and Jinx'?" Getting a feeling by the way she was saying it, I knew where she was going with this...

Alex: "You're not... All this spare time that you're spending more in her company, rather than mine... I was just wondering if-"

Wrex: "If you're insinuating what I think you are, then don't. I can see why you like Jinx as a friend, she's... quirky... But she's not you... You're special, you're the only one for me."

She looked back up to me with a satisfied sounding 'hmmm', but other than that, her helmeted face gave no indication of her mood.

Wrex: "So... I can touch you? Now that I'm 'solid'?"

She shrugged before replying,

Alex: "Can if you want to, but although you might not need armour here, but I still do, I haven't worked out that much... Yet."

Wrex: "Shame... Would be nice to stroke your face, or at least see it."

Alex: "Why?, When there's a perfectly amazing view behind you?"

Wrex: "Why look back when there's a perfectly amazing view in front of me?" I said to her, her head sort of bobbled slightly before she quickly spoke again.

Alex: "Such a charmer aren't you? God, what is it with your smile??"

Wrex: "Would have been nice to see your face react to that, but nevermind I guess." I said with a wink.

You are reading story Alex – Heart Of The Vanguard at novel35.com

Alex: "Wanker..." she replied in jest, Her head dipped to one side, apparently in thought, "...Hmm... although... I might be able to see to that though."

A few seconds passed and her faceplates started losing the darkness to them, becoming mostly transparent, it wasn't perfect, but I could definitely see her face underneath the faceplates now, like looking through shaped and ridged glass.

Wrex: "That's much better, how did you do that though?"

Alex: "A little trick that I just worked out from our new Executioner friend's armour from the other day, I just improved on it and cloaked my faceplates, inside and out... Oh and watch yourself, I can cloak too now, I just implemented it." She said with a cheesy smile.

Wrex: "He he, would be nice to have you sneak up on me for real..." I stepped up and stroked the side of her helmet, she almost seemed to enjoy it, actually closing her eyes and placing her hand on top of mine, "...If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looked liked you enjoy that."

Alex: "I do... I can feel you you know."

Wrex: "But, how? I'm touching your armour-"

Alex: "-ME,... You're touching me. Wrex, the armour is a part of me now, I can feel things through it, as if you are touching my bare skin."

Wrex: "Does it not hurt then when you get hit? Or shot by a missile maybe?"

Alex: "There's no real pain receptors, thankfully, but I do feel the hits, yes. A little request though... Please don't keep bringing up that incident, I feel terrible as it is."

Wrex: "Ok, I will try not to, but Alex we're on the news, and-"

Alex: "I know, I know... We've got to go careful how we tread now. Me especially with... 'Her'."

Wrex: "Indeed... Have you worked out how to get her out yet?"

Alex: "No. Have you heard anything from Sora?"

Wrex: "No... She's gone rather quiet the past couple of days, not sure what she's been doing to be honest."

Alex: "Brilliant..."

Wrex: "So I guess we're on our own, starting from square one." I sat on the rock beside her.

Alex: "Not... necessarily."

Wrex: "How do you mean?"

Alex: "You remember I said I had seen the future? Well... Future me gave me some tip offs."

Wrex: "Tip offs? Like what exactly?"

Alex: "She... 'I' told me that there was an opportunity that Reikon can be stopped if I can get myself to the Heart."

Wrex: "Well that won't be easy, it's kept under guard in-"

Alex: "The queen's private study, I know, I've been there and I used the Heart in the future as well."

Wrex: "So... Got any ideas? Even if you can cloak now, you'll never be able to sneak your way in."

Alex: "I know... That's not the worst bit about the tip off..."

Wrex: "What is then?"

Alex: "I was told that it will happen one way or another... The only opportunity I will get to change the future is moments after she kills Queen Arisu."

Wrex: "That... Can't happen!, As much as I dislike her, you- I mean, 'she' can't kill the Queen!"

Alex: "Don't you think I know that?! Why do you think I've been trying to avoid almost everyone and wracking my brain and the Shard for answers and ideas?!"

Wrex: "Ok, I see your point, kind of, but you know I can help you, probably be able to help you even better if we were together in person."

Alex: "No... That still can't happen."

Wrex: "Why not?!"

Alex: "Because I won't kill you the way I've seen it happen!!"

I stared at her rather upset face as she looked back at me, distraught.

Wrex: "What do you mean?" I tried to ask as gently as possible. She turned her head away from looking at me,

Alex: "I kill you... Reikon, showed me that... In detail. She tricks you into believing it's me at some point to get you close... She... harms you and then... *Sniff* Puts me in control just long enough to see you die in my arms... *Sniff* The look on your face that you give me as you... 'go'... I ... *sob* I never want to see- *sob*"

I pulled her in close as she broke down. I wasn't sure how to take the news of my own death, I could see now why she left, I don't blame her, if roles were reversed, I'd do the same... But do I hate her for it? Of course not.

Wrex: "Hey, heeyyy,... We'll work it out, and that won't happen either."

Alex: "It will though, I've seen it! *Sob*"

Wrex: "It hasn't happened yet and it won't, because I know you're stronger than she is, you won't allow it to happen."

Alex: "I hope you're right, I really do. Because I certainly don't feel it..."

We sat there for a long while in silence, with me still holding Alex in my arms, watching the Earth slowly rotate and cross the horizon.

__________*_Reikon_*_________

Unnamed area, close to Stadharholskirkja, Iceland, Thurs 27 Jan 22 01:28

'He had better be there...' I thought to myself as I neared the end of the Jump, I searched around the whisper that had appeared in my head, but it wasn't showing my lover anywhere, or anyone for that matter. It was annoying the amount of tricks that Alex had worked out on her own with the Shard in such a short amount of time, where as it took me what felt like an eternity to barely scratch the surface. Calling up the whisper in your mind? I hate to say it but it was simpler and seemed more natural that way and I never even thought of it.

Still, she was stupid enough to allow herself to fall asleep without putting any sort of protection on her body or mind, allowing me complete control of her and holding her in an unconscious state so that when she wakes up, she will have no idea what has occurred. I left the Jump, stepping onto a lightly snow covered cliff top, the sea crashing into the rocks below instantly hitting my ears. I looked around as the Jump faded behind me, not seeing anything or anyone.

Reikon: "Skylen my love, where are you?" I called out, to no answer. I sighed as I searched and walked around the area. A thousand years had taken its toll on this place. Where once dozens of inviting and homely wooden houses stood, nothing but a few rotten wooden foundations remained of the village that was my last home before my death.

A noise caught my attention a fair distance away, I raised my hand in the direction of the sound in an upward grabbing motion, using the Shard's power to grab and pull the culprit towards me. From the tree line from the path that I use to take further up the cliffs all those years ago came a crash, followed by a small screech and then from the hedgerow I pulled out a Dragon and immediately stopped my pull and released the culprit once I realised who it was 

Reikon: "Skylen?! What were you doing up there my love?"

Slylen grunted and growled as he pulled himself from the floor, dusting himself down as he rose and adjusted his cannon holster over his shoulder.

Skylen: "I had to be sure it was you my sweet and not a trap set out for me."

Reikon: "Hmm... smart thinking, I'll give you that."

Skylen: "Why call us back here? Of all places." He asked while stepping towards me, but I turned away from him as I gestured to the relatively flat area around us. 

Reikon: "Surely you know why? This is where it happened, where we met again after my banishment, seemed poetic that we should meet again in person after my initial containment occurred in the same spot. Why? Does it bother you?" I asked turning back to him, he stayed quiet for a few moments looking down at the floor then back to me.

Skylen: "There was a lot of pain associated with that day, with this place..." he looked off towards the cliff edge towards some of the rotten wooden foundations and walked around a selection of them before stopping at one in particular, "...in this very spot to be precise."

Reikon: "But I'm right here, alive."

Skylen: "But you're not completely yourself are you?, it's not the same... and I still experienced your death!... I mourned for you, I never truly stopped mourning either."

Reikon: "Relax!... *Sigh*… I know time and my apparent death has taken it's toll on you, but I can assure you my love, it's only a matter of time before-"

I was interrupted by a Jump opening a few dozen feet from us, Skylen hastily made his way to my side, unholstering his cannon as we watched who emerged. Two gloss black armoured Draconians emerged, one male and one female.

Reikon: "Oh... these two..."

Skylen: "Executioners? You know them?"

Reikon: "Yeah they might be a bit pissed off with me, I sort of killed their friend."

Skylen raised his cannon but I put my hand out over the top of the barrel and gently lowered it back down.

Craven: "ALEX! You killed my Kaiya! You took her from me, now you owe me a life! YOURS!" She started storming towards us, fists and eyes starting to glow red and purple.

Diefaren: "Craven, remember, we are here for the Shard not-"

Craven: "Silence! We have full permission to kill her if necessary, and I now deem it so!"

Reikon: "Craven my dear, It's been too long... my sister sent you did she?"

Craven: "We are under order of her Majesty Queen Arisu!"

Reikon: "So that's a yes then. Tell me has she gotten any more big headed since claiming my throne?" Craven paused her march, seemingly confused.

Craven: "What are you talking about?!"

Reikon: "It is I, your old friend, Reikon."

Craven: "Crayton shit!, Princess Reikon is dead!"

Reikon: "True, I died, here, in this very spot over a thousand years ago, but only in body... my mind... was locked away, hidden in the Shard until I managed to invade this Alex that you seek to destroy." I explained gesturing down at myself.

Craven: "She... killed my friend! My lover!"

Reikon: "No dear Craven... I did..."

Craven: "But-... you-... why?!"

Reikon: "Simple respect my dear, she stabbed me in the back, quite literally, she paid the price... this is the second chance for me to start what I tried to do many, many moons ago and no one is going to stop me. So tell me my dear Craven, you were ready to stand by me before... has your allegiance changed in that time in my absence?"

The glow around Craven's hands and eyes faded as she hesitated for a good couple of seconds before she dropped to one knee and bowed her head and Diefaren jumped back in shock.

Craven: "No, my Queen." She said to the floor.

Di: "What do you think you are doing?!"

Reikon: "Showing her respect to her true ruler of course, the rightful heir to the throne... so tell me as well Difaren, who will you bow to?"

Craven looked sideways from her crouched position to Difaren who looked between her and myself before backing away.

Di: "This... you cannot be serious?! Queen Arisu is our true leader! This is... This is heresy!"

Reikon: "Diefaren… this is your last opportunity... either you are with us... or you are dead to us."

Di: "I'll take my chances! The Queen will hear about this!" He said flicking his visor shut and crouching ever so slightly, preparing for attack.

Reikon: "Indeed she shall... when the time is right... Craven, if you please." I gestured her towards Diefaren. Craven stood up and turned to Difaren, hands and eyes glowing again.

Di: "Craven! You are an executioner!, You are the will of your true Queen!" He said adjusting his pose to face Craven while still backing up.

Craven: "Reikon IS my true Queen, she was always destined to rule, not her sister... now, it's time."

Diefaren ripped his clawed hand upwards, pulling the ground up under Craven up, throwing her up in the air, she leapt from the rising rock and soil and barrel rolled in mid air towards him. He blocked her by putting up a purple wall which she bounced off of and crashed back to the floor. It was at this point Skylen raised his cannon and stepped forward, but I stopped him by grabbing his arm.

Reikon: "Let her have her fun... I want to see if she's still got it."

Craven indeed quickly recovered from being knocked back to the floor and used Difaren's own wall against him, blowing it backwards with a swing of her hand, it disintegrated as it smashed into him sending him flying backwards and he bounced off the floor with a growl. Diefaren tried to pull himself up but wasn't quick enough as Craven had already leapt on top of him driving her tail blades into the armour in his chest.

He growled at her, trying to fight her off, he grabbed her tail to pull it back out, so instead she grabbed and ripped off his helmet from it's mounts and  threw it to the side. With his now unprotected face she tried to go for his neck and face with her clawed hands instead, digging her claws in and slicing him up, which then meant he had to let go of her tail to try and defend his face... he was stuck, what ever he focused on more, her tail or her hands, the other would cause damage. In the end, after a few seconds of scuffling Craven managed to drive her blades into his chest, causing him to roar in pain. The roaring turned to wheezing as he still tried to fight her off, before turning to gurgling and his attempts to fight her off turned to aimless flailing. A few seconds more and he fell silent while looking at Craven, then his head collapsed to the floor and he fell still. Craven remained in the same spot for a few more seconds, even giving another shove of her tail into his chest to be sure before finally standing up off of him, placing one foot on his chest beside her tail and yanked her tail blades out, flicking the worst of the blood off and turning back to me.

Craven: "Consider my loyalty to the Vanguard renounced, my queen." She said with a slight bow of her head.

Reikon: "Impressive, quick, efficient... however, your role in the Vanguard is not over yet... we may be able to turn this around in our favour and make this work for us... Craven, I have a new mission for you..."

(-Slipknot)

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