• Date: September 30, 2173


  
• Time: 11:00 AM


  
• Location: Eldrant's Thermosphere


  

  [Tale, are you ready?]

  ''No...''

  ''...But let's end this.''

  The operative immediately made his first move, firing at his opponent. Multiple twelve-point-seven-millimeter rounds flew and struck the alien's energy shield. Though a potent weapon, the MK12 Battle Machine Rifle wasn't powerful enough. Thus leaving room for a counterattack by the lord as he charged with energy saber on hand.

  [Incoming!]

  His A.I. partner warned as he held the trigger of his weapon. However, it wouldn't be long until his rifle began to click, which could mean only one thing: he was out of ammo.

  'I'm out.'

  He cursed as his alien rival got closer, close enough to swing at him. Reacting accordingly, he dodged the energy saber's swing by ducking underneath the blade and going around his opponent's back. Afterward, he immediately stored his weapon on his back, securing it, before opening his palm and shouting his eternal servant's name.

  ''Sarroth, sword!''

  [By your will!]

  As she heeded her master's command, the blade spirit swiftly transformed into her material form and settled on his armored hand. Meanwhile, as the Kaynian Lord turned, he saw his hated rival with a sword. Thus, he immediately attacked, and the elven blade spirit and his energy saber clashed before shoving each other away. Following up, he delivered several thrusts and slashes at his adversary, but in return, multiple blocks and parries countered him.

  ''You have grown with your blade, but it will not be enough!''

  Annoyed that the Ghost Operative was keeping up with him in swordsmanship, he grew increasingly frustrated. So much so that the alien lord pursued an aggressive strategy and attempted to create an opening for him to exploit. Raising his energy saber high, he delivered a powerful overhead swing.

  ''Die!''

  The lord shouted as his weapon collided with the operative's blade in an attempt to block. What happened afterward was an eruption of a powerful shockwave from the contact of two swords. A mighty boom echoed as Tale eyed his alien foe with his emotionless helmet before shoving him away.

  ''Tsk...''

  ''...You talk too much.''

  Unsummoning his eternal servant, he equipped his battle machine rifle, removed its empty drum magazine, and replaced it. Afterward, he would pull the trigger, and hypersonic rounds aimed at the Kaynian Lord would exit from the barrel of his weapon.

  ''Argh!''

  Grunting in response, the lord endured the barrage of more projectiles as his passive energy shield flared. Though ineffective against him, it did agitate his way of thinking as he opened his palm and pointed it at the Ghost Operative. Moments passed before a powerful psionic lightning erupted. Multiple tendrils raced to reach their target, but instead, what greeted them was the magic shield put up by the blade spirit for her master to have an equivalent to the alien lord's energy shield.

  ''You fight without honor!''

  The lord shouted before charging fearlessly. Seeing this, Tale fired at his approaching foe until his weapon ran out of ammunition, as indicated by its rapid clicking. Seeing an opportunity, the alien lord closed the distance and slashed at his hated rival. However, the energy saber wouldn't cleave through the Ghost's magic shield or power armor. Instead, in a clever move, he sacrificed his MK12 Battle Machine Rifle, allowing it to be sliced in two, but redirected the incoming attack elsewhere.

  [Tale, your rifle!]

  Vee pointed out, but her cries of concern wouldn't be heard as her partner swiftly summoned Sarroth to his grasp, gripping her tightly before delivering a mighty blow on the Kaynian Lord's energy shield. The sheer force alone was enough to launch his adversary away by a foot.

  ''Ugh!''

  Grunted the alien lord as he secured his footing before retaliating by charging his armored fist with psionics and closing the gap between him and his hated rival. Within seconds, his hatred and psionics allowed him to bypass the guard put up by the operative and punch him in the face.

  [Tale!]

  {Tale!}

  Sarroth and Vee shouted as they saw their partner/master being hurled to the very edge of the platform. However, he wouldn't fall. Not today, as he held onto the edge before pulling himself up.

  ''You will die, demon!''

  Proclaimed the Kaynian Lord as he charged fearlessly, closing the distance between them before swinging his energy saber at his opponent. However, the Ghost wouldn't stand idle as he dodged by sidestepping away from the attack. Raising his eternal servant, he counterattacked with an overhead swing, making contact with the passive energy shield. A shockwave erupted as the blade spirit damaged the alien's defense.

  ''Ack!''

  Being thrown to the side, the alien didn't spend more than a nanosecond to reassess himself as he immediately thrust his energy saber. Reacting accordingly, Tale parried the incoming thrust, but he wouldn't account for the following barrage of slashes. Pushing himself further, the lord had no fear as he took advantage of his opponent's shock. Still, even while on the back foot, the operative's guard ensured that any attack swung at him was blocked or parried away.

  'If he keeps this up, his swordsmanship will eventually outpace mine...'

  '...I have to figure a way to disarm him!'

  Thinking of a method to overcome his relentless foe, the Ghost formulated a strategy to disarm the alien lord. Though superior in sword fighting, his adversary was a novice in hand-to-hand combat—something he had noted from his previous fights with the lord back in Quake Town.

  ''I'll tear you apart limb by limb, demon!''

  Shouted the Kaynian Lord as he continued his assault while his opponent took the backfoot. However, it wouldn't be long until Tale saw an opportunity; as he dodged an incoming thrust, he immediately used his left arm to lock the alien's left arm, which held the energy saber. Afterward, he unsummoned Sarroth and followed up with a right hook, staggering his rival before grabbing his left arm with his right hand, freeing his left to smash the armored gauntlet of the alien, disarming the energy saber.

  ''Gotcha!''

  Finally, without a weapon, the operative delivered a solid punch at the lord's face, staggering him some more. Afterward, two solid jabs connected before he delivered a powerful uppercut. Without pausing, he grabbed the Kaynian's shoulder and delivered a fierce headbutt, shattering the passive energy shield.

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  [His energy shield is down!]

  Vee shouted as her partner witnessed the passive energy shield shatter before him. Immediately, Tale pressed his advantage and unleashed a flurry of punches on the Kaynian Lord—right hook, left hook, jabs, and an uppercut. However, the alien wouldn't stand idle as he saw his adversary's skill in hand-to-hand combat. Thus, he fired a potent psionic lightning point-blank at the operative, but this time, instead of screaming, he held his breath as he powered through the pain.

  ''YOU DARE TOUCH ME DEMON!''

  The alien shouted as he snapped his finger, which summoned his energy saber. Raising his weapon, he delivered an overhead swing at his hated rival. However, instead of making contact with the flaring magic shield on the Ghost Operative, the blade spirit, Sarroth, made her appearance as she caught the energy saber mid-air with her magic.

  {As long as I live! I will protect him!}

  She declared as she did what she promised her master, the Hero of Eldrant, to be his eternal servant and weapon against the darkness. Meanwhile, as psionic lightning pummeled his magic shielding, Tale pressed forward, acknowledging he would most likely die. Step by step, he approached Sarroth as she held the Kaynian Lord's energy saber suspended mid-air.

  'Closer...'

  '...Closer...'

  '...CLOSER!'

  Then, like his namesake, the Ghost Operative phased through the avatar of his eternal servant and hurled a mighty blow with his raised fist at the alien lord. Making contact with the face plate of the Kaynian, Tale's punch had enough kinetic force and velocity to launch his adversary. However, the alien lord adjusted his body to execute a controlled crash, causing him to land knee-first on the ground. This adjustment allowed him to recover instantly as his opponent lay before him, sword on hand, eager to finish their duel on his terms.

  'My Arc! Grant me strength to slay my adversary!'

  Stating the name of his leader, the Arc Messiah, leader of the Arc Imperium, who sits on the Throne of Evos, the god leader of the Kaynian Race. He concentrated what psionics he could spare onto a powerful psionic beam. Opening his palm and pointing it at his idle adversary, he unleashed what power he could muster for a desperate victory.

  [Psionic attack, incoming!]

  Hearing his A.I. partner, Tale immediately raised Sarroth to block the incoming beam with her blade. Upon contact, sparks of psionics and violent bursts of magic erupted. Holding his eternal servant tightly, he used the broadside of her blade to deny the incoming psionic attack. However, Sarroth's material form flared like an energy or magic shield under constant assault.

  {AHHH!}

  Screamed the blade spirit as she denied the alien lord the chance to injure her master. Then, more psionics would be poured into the lord's attack as his hated rival was being pushed back. Metal scraped with a loud screech throughout the void, though no one could hear it, as sparks burst like firecrackers on his armored boot.

  'I have to...'

  '...I have to push forward!'

  And so, he took a step forward while focusing on blocking the psionic beam. One step at a time, Tale began to approach his alien adversary. Meanwhile, upon noticing the Ghost's encroachment, the lord prepared to respond. Doubling his efforts, he poured more psionics into his attack, hoping it would be enough to kill his rival.

  ''DIE! DEMON!''

  Proclaimed the Kaynian Lord as he gave it his all. However, from the operative's perspective, he merely held on as he took another step. If he were to make his approach and get into swinging distance. He could end this once and for all. Thus, he doubled his efforts as his eternal servant shielded him with all her strength. Left foot, right foot, and so on—his dedication to making up for his mistake of bringing himself and his alien foe to Eldrant. His promise to Lord Commander Adelard and those who had died during the three days he and his adversary had spent on the elven world.

  ''FOR EARTH AND HER PEOPLE!''

  With a defiant battle cry, he pushed forth, charging toward the alien lord without fear. Getting close enough for him to grab the gauntlet of his adversary, raising it up before swinging his weapon, which decapitated the left arm.

  ''ARGH!''

  The alien screamed as his left arm was sliced clean from his shoulder. Thus, with his right hand holding tightly on his energy saber, he retaliated, raising his weapon and attempting to behead his rival. However, his move would be intercepted with a quick parry before having his right arm decapitated by the Hero of Eldrant. Falling to his knees, the lord stared at his opponent. Never in his life would he face defeat after a thousand years of service to the Arc Imperium.

  ''Any last words?''

  Tale stated as he saw his defeated foe kneeling before him. Though the battle was tough, it finally ended on his terms. However, unlike his alien counterpart, he'd at least give him a fitting end worthy of a powerful foe such as a Kaynian Lord.

  ''Curse you...''

  ''...Demon.''

  Afterward, the Ghost moved in and swung his sword, ending the life of his rival as the Kaynian's head thuds to the ground while his body's glow faded from blue to gray before dropping.

  {The deed is done, my master.}

  Dematerializing her physical form, Sarroth appeared on her master's H.U.D. and confirmed the alien lord's death. Still, for Tale, it was surreal that it was finally over, atleast for now. However, the Kaynian Device still remained, with its potential to endanger Eldrant. Simultaneously, agreeing with her partner's thoughts through the neural interface, Vee materialized beside the blade spirit.

  [Well then, best we deactivate the device and save Eldrant...]

  [...Shall we, Tale?]

  ''Agreed.''

  Approaching the device, Tale hovered his palm over the interface, allowing his partner's avatar to appear. Hopping to the visible interface, Vee immediately established her holdings over its system as she was already familiar with its workings and gracefully maneuvered to its center system.

  [Okay, I am in. Now let's find the...]

  [...Aha! Here you are!]

  Accessing the device's semi-intelligence, she deliberately activated it and allowed herself to be seen. With the Kaynian Lord's I.F.F. with her, Vee could stop the device's activation.

  [GATE SYSTEMS. FIFTY PERCENT FUNCTIONALITY. DESIGNATED DESTINATION. SEARCHING...]

  [...WARNING! UNKNOWN PROGRAM ONBOARD!]

  [Okay, let's see if this works.]

  The semi-intelligence immediately prepared multiple defenses against the intruder and a contingent of viruses and termination codes. Of course, Vee expected this, but it wouldn't matter when the device found out she had the Kaynian Lord's I.F.F.

  [SCANNING UNKNOWN PROGRAM. SCAN COMPLETE. PROGRAM IDENTIFIED...]

  [...APOLOGIES FOR MY RUDENESS LORD ATLANT.]

  After realizing who it was trying to terminate, the construct apologized. In return, the A.I. smiled, now that the I.F.F. had worked. Stepping forth, she raised a hand to show it wasn't a problem.

  [It is alright. No need to be formal.]

  [WHAT DO YOU NEED OF ME, LORD?]

  [I require you to activate your deactivation code.]

  [QUERY? I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BRING FORTH A COMBAT FLOTILLA ON THIS PLANET?]

  Questioned the device, Vee, of course, did her best to maintain her impression. Coming up with a logical explanation wouldn't be that hard. With the device aware of her possession of the lord's I.F.F., she only needs to explain the situation on the surface to convince it.

  [Yes, but as of right now. Our forces on the surface have suffered, and it wouldn't take long for the primitives to capture our technologies...]

  [...Hence, I am deactivating you. So that you may not fall into primitive hands.]

  [I SEE. BUT LORD, YOU HAVE PURPOSEFULLY COMMANDED ME TO DESTROY MY DEACTIVATION CODE.]

  [What?]

  [YOU COMMANDED ME TO DESTROY MY DEACTIVATION CODE. SO THAT NO ONE CAN STOP MY WORK.]

  Vee couldn't believe what she just heard. The Kaynian Lord ordered the device to destroy its deactivation code. If that was the case, the only way they could stop the Kaynians was to manually set the device's self-destruct sequence, which required someone to stay behind.

  [Ah yes, I remember now. Pardon me if I have forgotten. I have just engaged with the demon, and I am exhausted.]

  [UNDERSTANDABLE LORD. SHALL I INITIATE THE SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE?]

  [Not yet. I may need time to access my options first.]

  [UNDERSTOOD, I SHALL WAIT FOR YOUR CONCLUSION.]

  Disengaging her connection with the device. Vee appeared on its interface and faced her partner with a troubled look on her virtual face. Meanwhile, the Ghosts Operative assumed she had found something worth presenting to him.

  ''Vee?''

  [Tale, listen. The device would finish the construction of its final pillar within two hours, and deactivation of the device is no longer possible.]

  ''What?''

  [Turns out. The Kaynian Lord knew that we would try to deactivate the device. And so, he commanded the semi-intelligence onboard to destroy its deactivation code.]

  ''So that leaves us with its self-destruct sequence.''

  [Yes.]

  ''So it's going to be like that.''

  The A.I. nodded in return. However, the operative knew the self-destruct sequence had to be done manually. This meant that he, Vee, and Sarroth would die in the process but would save Eldrant.

  [I know how we can destroy the device without you dying.]

  ''Alright, what is it- Ack!''

  But before Tale could finish his sentence, his armor was locked into place. He knew this was his partner's doing; she must have had a good reason. Unless. Through the neural interface, he immediately realized what she was doing. His partner was staying while he and Sarroth drifted away.

  [I'm sorry, Tale. Since the device's self-destruct sequence is manual. I have to stay behind.]

  He couldn't believe it. He wanted to think it was a joke or a lie, but his partner's genuine face told him it wasn't. He had already lost several people in his life, including his creator/mother, Lilith, whose condition was currently unknown due to the Kaynian attack on Luna. His mentor, Parka, a second-generation Ghost Operative, had taught him everything within three days before he met his end on the Lunar surface to give him time to evacuate his unconscious and dying creator. Now, he faced the same dilemma with his A.I. partner—dying to secure the future, just like those before her.

  ''Vee, no! We can find a solution together! Don't do this!''

  [Listen, you have been my everything throughout my short existence...]

  [...Let me do this for your sake, Tale.]

  Vee's virtual avatar began to cry, with digital tears streaming down her cheeks as she gave a heartwarming smile. However, the Ghost couldn't accept this—there had to be another way. He'd rather die than let his partner do this by herself.

  [Goodbye, Tale.]

  Vee then deactivated the power armor's magnetic boots to allow Tale to float away. Try as he might, he couldn't move his limbs, and his struggling wouldn't accumulate to anything as he drifted away to the Exosphere of Eldrant.

  ''VEE!''

  He shouted as he watched Vee return to the device's systems. Unable to move his power armor, he turned to his eternal servant on his H.U.D. Meanwhile, witnessing the events unfold and her master's close companion sacrificing herself, Sarroth did her best to reboot the MK48GV3 Power Armor despite not being well-versed in its systems.

  ''Sarroth! Reactivate the armor's systems now!''

  {I can't master...}

  {...Lady Vee has locked me out of the system.}

  ''Damnit!''

  Suddenly, a flash of light engulfed the alien structure as it exploded, sending a powerful blast that scattered nearby asteroids and debris within Eldrant's vicinity. This blast also pushed the Ghost Operative to the vast emptiness of space. And for once in his life, Tale cried—though silently, tears streamed down his cheeks. The loss of his partner, friend, and companion was devastating.

  "No..."

  ''...NOOO!''

  Tale shouted as he saw the explosion bloom like a flower from afar. However, unbeknownst to him, the resulting shockwave would rotate his body one hundred eighty degrees. Doing so, he would be greeted by a stray asteroid to the face, powerful enough to knock him unconscious.

  "Master!"

  Immediately, Sarroth sprung into action as she tried to awaken her master, but her attempts fell on deaf ears. Floating away, the unconscious Ghost Operative would journey across the outer ring of the Milky Way Galaxy for ten years. The Elves of Eldrant would believe he was dead, though unbeknownst to them, the Hero of Eldrant would drift aimlessly for ten years. Meanwhile, the First Contact War of Earth was over, and the new leadership placed after the war would see the U.G.E. prepare for the Kaynian Menace's return. However, for Eldrant, peace would be brought to its continents, and a monument would be created for the operative and his heroics. But a certain young elve would weep in her sleep, knowing her savior was lost. Although many around her would tell her that he was dead, Joan would continue to believe that he was out there, floating throughout the cosmos.

  TALE: Hero of Eldrant

  By Archer6ald

  The End.