Herald of Light

> "*To live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering.*"
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> **- Friedrich Nietzsche**
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> "*And those seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.*"
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> **- Friedrich Nietzsche**
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**Year**
18 NAC

## Herald of Light

### Prologue

Looking down upon the scarred planet of Raldova with eyes flushed with elation and excitement, Falsha clicks her mouthpiece together while watching the clouds twirl and dance upon the raging colors that make up the Rylin homeworld. Thinking of the many adventures and tales that await below, her attention is quickly snapped back to reality when she hears the main command center door opening; it making a whirring noise for a moment before beeping quietly as the head researcher marches in with an army of scientists behind him. Quickly standing, Falsha stands at attention as her clicking ceases after several more bouts.

With the door sliding shut behind him, the towering head scientist named Kalvic looks around at his crew. Giving a nod after seeing that he got all of their attention, he projects his voice proudly "Attention crew, we have been given the White light to initiate the Rilli capsule and contact the Rylins on their own terms. We will begin the launch protocols in an hour, I expect everyone at their positions once the clock strikes thirteen. Dismissed."

With excitement even swelling in Kalvics voice, it seems everyone is looking forward to making first contact with colored primitives. Waiting for the head research to leave, Falsha returns to her seat after his departure as she begins to ogle the world below; her having become quite familiar with it and its people over the last several years.

Hopefully they can take care of it unlike their owners...

### Convictions in Reserve

Lying face first in a cold wet field, Delik groans and moans as his high begins to run down once again and his illusions of freedom drain like his energy. His arms riddle with punctures and bandages once more throb in pain and his skin itches with insects hopping across him or biting him for a midnight snack. He hated it, he hated everyone and most importantly: himself. Living job to job with him barely lasting a week, it's only through the forgiveness of others he can still get employed in town or else he would've died a long time ago; something he welcomes right about now.

However as he broods and bemoans his own shortcoming as is usual following his highs, Deliks attention is drawn to a raging noise which pierces his eardrums from above. Having his heart beat rapidly in response, he quickly pushes himself up to look up at a Black sleek structure falling from the night skin in a raging inferno as it nears his current position. Realizing he isn't hallucinating anymore, his eyes widen in fear before he begins to kick himself up out of the muddy field of tall stocked produce ripe for harvesting.

Wades of mug get stuck between his boots as he scurries out of the field and back over to his house or better described as a broken down shack that should be demolished. Breathing heavily as the flaming shard of metal draws closer, he sighs as he sees it pass his home by and the field. Crashing in a thunderous explosion upon the hillside to his left, Delik shields his eyes before lowering his arm to see a rhombus shaped shard sticking out of the side of the hill.

"W-whah?" He says in a confused tone, slowly rising to his feet as his hands shake slightly still from adrenaline.

Smoke wafts off the shape as a large white bulbous circle protrudes from the side of its structure, it having a sleek black design which shines in the moonlight.

Walking cautiously towards hill, he moves through the field and towards a dirt path which leads up the hill. Breathing somewhat calmer now, he begins to relax until a sudden bright light shines from the object and encircles him in a high powered light. Looking in terror at the object, his eyes adjust as the object begins to speak in an authoritarian tone in language beyond his comprehension.

"W-what the fuck is t-this?"

The structure goes silent as he speaks before the same voice returns but in a language he can understand, a man speaking.

"Hello, this is an automated message sent from the Raldova research facility, we hope this message can reach your leaders in due time; we couldn't send an intact capsule to their population centers on account of several air defense systems still being operational in all major regions."

Delik blinks silently as he processes the words of the structure.

"My name is Kalvic, I am the Head Researcher for the Kingdom of Zoscia on this operation and I come in peace; my hope is that our two people can cooperate in the near future and work together to bring life back to your homeworld. Please approach the Rilli capsule and collect its contents, the remaining resources will be unlocked by a Zoscian scientist once we begin restoration procedures."

It begins to repeat the message as the light follows Delik, him trembling somewhat from a mixture of fear and the drugs in his system as he walks slowly up the hill and towards the machine. Seeming like hours, his steady steps eventually lead him up to the large capsule as its boastful speech and light become near deafening and blinding.

The sounds of pressure or air releasing can be heard as he approaches, the voice dying down along with the light a compartment in front of the bulbous spotlight opens up and reveals a blackbox which slides out on a thick plate of metal. Having a large handle that he can easily grab, Delik grasps it and pulls the box off as the weight nearly makes him let go and tumble it down the hill. Hoisting it away from the hills edge, he hugs it close to his body as the machine continues to watch him; Delik staring for several more moments before running off to his house below.

Closing the door and locking it once inside, the light turns off as he sighs and catches his breath from running. Looking around at his dirty home, the ceiling has various holes in it which leak during the wet season and the carpet looks like it hasn't been cleaned or washed in years. Mold hasn't grown yet, but the home smells of alcohol and stale odors which give it a mood of decay that the environment compliments. With his mattress lying on the floor off to his right, blood stains and alcohol stains the white bedding as his needles lie empty around and on his blankets.

Looking for a place to set down the box, he goes over to a small wooden round table to his left that has a single chair for when he eats in his house; a rarity these days considering he's out of a job again. Setting the box down, he moves back goes into his bathroom which has one of the few remaining lights that work in his home, him sitting down on the cold dirty tiled flooring as he begins to sob over everything that's happened in this hell of a night.

Eventually crying himself to sleep, Delik wakes up on the floor to the sound of metal plates moving about and pops his head into the living room. Scanning with groggy eyes, he notices the box appears to be alive or at least moves as its plates constantly shift and rearrange for some reason.

Realizing last night wasn't some horrible trip, Delik frowns as he walks over to the box and observes it.

Opening up a small hole, it looks to be a keyhole but his finger could fit in it based on the width alone. Observing it closer, he looks in the hole as the box unlocks and flings open in his face, causing him to fall back.

"Bitchin fucker!" He yells before standing up and seeing the inside of the illusive box. Inside lies black and white objects with an alien design to them as some sort of antenna object and a black leather bound book sits inside. Grabbing the book, he opens it to hear a voice which begins to explain the contents from a speaker installed into the book; Delik being caught off guard as his attention focuses on the voice.

Speaking his language, the voice sounds different from the original one but still masculine as it begins to explain the treacherous yet exciting journey these so called Coronans had researching his home and learning of its situation. Sitting down as he reads what words he can and listens to the voice, his skepticism begins to soften as the voice speaks of the distress and sadness they've felt having to keep an arms length from the Rylins.

Delik closes the book as it begins mentioning the great war, him panicking and opening it to find it continuing where it left off to his relief. Now flooded with complex words he never learned, reliving his peoples mistakes and learning of life among the stars all at once; he begins to become overwhelmed as he sets the book down and goes into the bathroom.

Looking upon his own face in the mirror, his red eyes have been hardened by years of struggle along with his once young features as youth no longer blesses his face. No he was now a man, one troubled by countless demons and with only one solution in the form of a syringe to keep them at bay. Now he was faced with a historical revelation he is far from being able to comprehend let alone herald the news of; why couldn't the Coronans not have been fucking dumbasses and had chosen the worst location land their shitty truth box on!?

All of this swelled in his mind as he looked up his silver beard and hair with a face of rage and sadness all swelled into one face. His eyes diverted slightly to the pictures and notes he had lining the side of the mirror, from minor quotes he heard of hope and breaking addiction to pictures of his ex-wife and daughter.

Oh...if only they were still here to help him, if only Yilin hadn't have died to fucking cannibals who he found making a pot roast out of her; if only he wasn't visiting a friend that ended up fucking him over anyways, maybe he could've saved his baby girl. Maybe his wife wouldn't have walked out on him....maybe...

He pauses as tears swell in his eyes, him darting to a knife on the side of the sink. He had been saving this for a certain rainy day and now was the time.

Grabbing the knife, he raises it up to his unkempt bearded neck and began to cut as his hair flew off the bladed edge and into the sink below.

"This is for you Yilin."

He begins to clean his neck as razor burn sets in and his skin becomes irritated.

"There is no way this is by accident, it's a sign and I need to take it before it leaves me too."

Cleaning his chin and sides of his jaw, he adds the finishing touches as he cleans his upper lip.

"Not this time."

Cutting the last curly silver hair from his face, he looks into the mirror at a clean shaved man he hadn't known for many years. He cracks a smile at the sight of his skin once more being visible around his mouth and neck as his eyes go to his long hair next.

Riddled with knots and probably parasites for all he knows, Delik begins to cut his hair and bring it down to his old look as he spends an hour in total cleaning himself up until finally he was like his old self if a bit older; no parasites at least!

Leaving his bathroom, he goes back to the box and begins listening to the book as days pass by with him learning all he can from the book with his limited vocabulary and listening to the voice. Living off what little scraps he has left in the kitchen, he spends three days in total learning about the Coronans and their intentions.

**We want to save you, we want to help you.**

**Nowhere else was safe to land the pod, whoever finds this, you must bring this to your leaders and connect it to a powerful radio signal so we are aware you wish to make contact.**

**Protect this beacon system with your life, it's the only way for us to get a signal.**

**Become our Herald, save Raldova**

And so he shall, he had made up his mind which was a rarity these days and he wanted to bring this to the only people he knew that could make it a reality. The Republic of Dundi, too bad they were across the sea or wait...they have territory on Telfen that's right! He had to get there as soon as possible and the only way was with an automobile.

Being drug free for three days was difficult but had done wonders for his psyche, he had to get into town and ask Ulrah for a ride, he had to **Herald the truth**.

Leaving around midday, Delik leaves his home wearing a heavy leather jacket and rough worker pants from his days in construction. Walking outside, he looks up to see the black shard still lodged within the hillside as it observes him with methodical attention. It was even more unnerving to look upon during the day, something that seems almost impossible to exist in reality as it deflects and rejects all forms of color besides Black and White. Unnerving as it was, Delik knew he was still doing the right thing and had at least another day before his withdrawal would crash back into him and make his doubts flow like a river, good thing he'd be long gone from his needles by then and will just have to soldier through.

Taking a dirt path into town, it takes him about twenty minutes to reach his old hometown before he lost everything. Giving a smile, he looks at the still intact town that shines like a beacon within a sea of Chaos, the houses dotting into the hundreds of residents as short homes bellow with chimney smoke and life.

"Arenstov."

Smiling, he knows this will probably be the last time he sees town and all of the painful and happy memories it floods back into him.

Walking into town, Delik looks around at his old neighbors and friends as he maneuvers himself over to the general store; everyone thankfully avoiding contact in hopes he'll leave them alone. Sometimes the loneliness is the worst part, but he knew it was his own fault; a revelation only he had when sober.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Delik conjures up a smile while entering the small general store. A bell rings from above while an old familiar face stares him down with scrutinizing eyes, her old weathered face having aged a thousand years since he last saw her. Good old Jimila. Walking up to the desk, Delik smiles as Jimila frowns at him.

"Oh look who's back, ya finally learned how ta walk again?"

"Mmhm and I've been sober for three days straight."

She laughs and claps her hands mockingly, saying "Oh good for you, maybe someone will give ya anotha job for goin clean again."

"Well actually I didn't come in to get a jo-"

"You best be buyin somethin then otherwise you best FUCK right off."

She always had a temper, years of disappointment having led to resentment.

"Uh no, I need your help."

"Matty ain't helpin you no more, you're a shitty worker at best and even he ain't gonna foot your bill."

"This doesn't involve him, I need YOUR help."

Jimila takes a second take for a moment, somewhat surprised by his sincerity as her voice calms slightly.

"Woulda ya want?"

"I need your car, I'll pay you everything I have just to borrow it for like a week. I've got business out of town."

"Oohoho! You? Nooooo WAY do ya got business outta town, nobody fuckin knows you. What do ya really want with it?"

"I'm serious, I need to get out of town; please Jimila, I ain't fucking you over this time."

Delik leans on the desk somewhat now as he frowns, Jimila folding her arms in response.

"Been years of this ya know, ain't nothin changed with you till Matty washed his hands clean of your shit; why should I trust ya now? Who knows where ya been the last few months, once we weren't useful no more you up and left us for your bitchass drugs."

"I'm done with that now! C'mon Jimila you've gotta believe me, I want to do right by Yilin."

"How exactly?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, just....just take my money and I'll promise to bring it back!"

He takes his old worn wallet out and hands all his cash to her, Jimila looking at him with kinder eyes as she puts his hand down and says softly "Delik, you need some help and you ain't gonna get it by jumpin ship and startin somewhere else. Look, you need to talk to Doctor Feld bout settin up some sessions and medicine if ya REALLY want to clean up like ya sayin. Just go visit him, alright?"

Delik stares at her for a moment before in a defeated tone, says "Alright..."

Putting his cash away, he leaves without saying another word as he realizes what must be done.

Waiting outside and loitering through town near the general store, Delik spends the rest of his day striking up conversations with strangers and people he used to know with varying degrees of success. Buying some food and drink for the road, he also picks up an old worn backpack which he puts his transmitter and book in after a quick visit back home. Once feeling set and ready for the trip ahead, he goes back to the general store at around 9pm and hides behind some fencing near the storefront; his eyes fixated on Jimilas crimson red Ulfi model car. It was in great condition and one of the few cars left in town, the best of the batch as well.

Having his thoughts floating once more as he waits, Delik whips himself back into reality when he sees Jimila waltzing out and shutting down the general store for the night. Dressed in a heavy fur coat and a small white cap to fit, she was always the fashionable one out of his wife's friend group. Moving silently closer towards her car, Jimila hums an old tune as she begins to unlock her car.

Eyes widening and commitment coursing through his brain, Delik quickly rushes out from behind the fence and slams full force into Jimila who screeches at the top of her lungs. Grabbing the keys, he struggles with her but it isn't even a close match as he rips the keys from her grasp and leaves her on the ground with pain throbbing from her side. Slipping into the car, he turns it on as he quickly begins to back out, Jimila finally recognizing him as a flushed face of hatred stares at him.

"Y-you! You sonofabitch, I'll fuckin end you for this! Delik you cunt, Matty gonna burn your fuckin house down!"

Delik looks at the dirty and bruised Jimila as he starts to swell with emotions, him quickly rushing out of the parking lot and driving off; Jimila simply crumpling to the ground as she begins to sob.

Adrenaline rushing through his veins, Delik quickly drives out of town on the nearest road and begins traveling anywhere else as civilization once more passes him by and he enters the wild unclaimed lands to the north of his home. Tears in his eyes, Delik begins to cry lightly as he drives on into the night.

### Nesen Stew

Pain flares through Deliks body as the affects of his withdrawal finally begin to reveal themselves, him having woken up the next morning with an incredible burning pain in his arms and legs. Sniffling as he begins to have a runny nose, he groggily looks about as he finds his car still hidden in some underbrush he laid low in last night. He drove for hours on end out of town, but you can never be too careful; it's the careless after all which end up on a meat spit or hanging from a tree.

Pushing himself up from the comfortable back seat, Delik shields his eyes somewhat from the sun.

  "This has to be the shittiest withdrawal I've ever had."

Opening the car door, he slowly moves himself out into the tall grass below as he gets back into the drivers seat and opens his backpack to have a quick morning snack. Jerky as always was his favorite and thankfully he had a decent amount left for his potentially one way trip; at least he'd die happy and full of his favorite meal. Thoughts of death begin to cloud his mind as he continues to eat, him frowning somewhat at the horrific fates he may end up being subjected to out in the Wastes.

His mood sours somewhat until he turns on the radio and begins to clear his mind of doubt, him channel surfing as he finishes up.

**It's just the drugs, I can't fail now.**

Finding a cheery station to enjoy while on the road, Delik smiles slightly by the hosts enthusiasm and drives back onto the main broken road to continue his journey. Keeping his windows up, Delik observes his surroundings which seem to increasingly become more and more dry as he leaves Arenstov behind and ventures into the wild lands.

Burned out cars scatter the sides of the road, having been plowed out of the way years ago by Jalvinics Gang so as to have a direct route to collect protection money from the town. Hated as he may be and abusive of his power, it was the only option or they'd all end up as a barbecue roast in Galspite. Delik sighs as his thoughts go back to the wild fields which surround his left and right.

Traveling for about another hour, Delik pulls over to the side of the road and pulls out his road map to check which roads he'll have to use. Scanning the gigantic map, he spots Dundi on the eastern seaboard and with a variety of twisting roads which lead to it. Picking Route 92, he turns back to the road while using the map as a guide to make sure he's still on track.

Continuing on without issue, Delik passes the occassional burned out building or town with a variety of mutated guests taking refuge within their dwindling walls. Masked elongated creatures with a hunched back watched him pass a particular farmhouse which he shivers at the thought of its contents; the exterior bloodied and obviously infested with all manner of insects which are drawn to the scent. He remains unimpedded though until his heart sinks at the sound of a loud motor quickly coming up from behind him on the road.

With enlarged eyes, he looks in the rear view mirror as a man drapped in a skin mask and a finger necklace rides upon a motorcycle with a barbed and heavily armored truck following behind him. It seems there's three all together as they hoop and howl at the sight of his car. Delik rapidly begins to check the glove box for any firearms as he sighs in relief once finding a Tulruvan styled pistol hidden in some old paperwork. Matty was always the guns blazing type and once again his ex-friend was saving his ass.

Placing the pistol on his lap, Delik tries to calm his rising anxiety as the group approaches, the skin masked man rolling up over to his right. The mask now in closer view appears to be one made out of a variety of faces, a childs even being added to the collection as the man smiles through its mouth with chapped and sun dried lips.

Speaking somewhat loudly so as to speak over the motorcycle, he says energetically "How's it goin partner? Leavin the townies for a bit eh?"

Of course, Jalvinics dogs.

"Yeah, I'm just heading out to visit family is all; they're just a bit further up on Route 92."

"Oh bullshit man, ain't nobody be livin on 92, ita hellhole if I've ever seen one."

  "Shit."

"So Chief what's it gonna be? Yous gonna pay up a fine me and the boys made or what?"

"What's the fine?"

The masked mans smile widens as he points to his necklace of fingers.

"Fuck no!"

"Oohoho it ain't a question boy, you gonna pay one way or anotha!"

The man laughs as Deliks mind races, him looking back at the truck as he begins to sweat even more rapidly.

With a grimness growing in his eyes, Delik raises the pistol and fires at the man quickly as a bullet rips through the forehead and makes the masked tyrant gutter and swerve off the road. Crashing into a tree, the trucks occupants look shocked at lack of submission by Delik and begin to race ahead with guns firing at him.

Swerving and hearing the glass break in the back window, he focuses on outrunning the two man killing machine behind him as the chase narrows. Delik clutches his pistol while watching the horrific crimson stained truck rear up behind him soon after he sped up, rusted metallic spikes trying to strike home into the back of his car.

Firing off at the trucks windshield, Deliks bullet fails to lodge itself into flesh but does crack the glass enough to anger its secondary occupant. Greeting him in a host of slurs and angry grunts, a bald shirtless man opens the side door as he stares with murderous intent at Delik. Wielding a hefty metallic buzzsaw bat, his metal grafted lower jaw opens somewhat in laugh as he pulls himself onto the hood of the truck quickly and begins to lunge towards his car.

"Somebody's goin in the stew tonight lads!"

Shouting in a low growl, he pushes a button his saw as it begins to spin rapidly. Delik grits his teeth while firing three shots into the roof of his car, hoping it'll hit home on the sawmens savage lunge. Two cries of agony once his first and second bullet left the pistols chamber answered Deliks prayers, him watching the bald man lose his grip while lunging due to shock and being sucked under the monstrous treads of his companions vehicle.

The sounds following soon after was all the confirmation Delik needed, him gaining ground on the truck. Hope swelled in his heart with his chances of escaping growing ever greater until the road ahead dashed his goal viciously. Eyes widening at the sharp turn ahead, Delik sees a horrific fortress off to the North West with black smoke bellowing from an old brewing plant turned stronghold. A smiling man in a top hat gleefully announcing the factory up ahead with the words "Nesen Brew" labeled in large print upon his colorful billboard. That wasn't the worse though, he wouldn't make this turn and he knew it, all he hoped for is that this car could survive off road like the truck could.

Working to lessen the blow of ripping off the road, Delik veers into the bushes and vegetation below the decimated road; the truck following in suit with a fired pistol to accompany its arrival. Aiming towards a dense treeline to make his escape, Delik turns right somewhat with the truck closing the distance. Blooms of green open their embrace to the cars as they drive on towards them, the trees being deathly silent and void of any life beneath its stout branches.

Breathing heavily and with adrenaline pumping in his veins, he aims towards a small opening that his car can most likely fit through without pursuit. Yards turns to feet with the trucks engine roaring ever closer with every second closer until finally Delik realizes he was too late. Spikes bury home in the back of his car as they jerk him off course and the two mechanical dancers interlocked with blood and sweat crash into the trees at near full force. Watching the withered bark draw ever closer to the sides of his car, he can only blink before the world goes dark and the cascading breakage of glass and metal cuts short.

**I can't die now, not to these degenerates of all things.**

**Strike my flesh as they may, the whip buries only so deep compared to the dagger of vengeance.**

**Only the cutting of bone will bring an end to their torment, the Herald will deliver.**

Waking up consciously only barely through an unknown amount of time, Deliks memory remains somewhat fuzzy as the hot pain of his withdrawal rushes back to him in these short instances of clarity. Chilling water is poured over him with a choir of laughter to accompany his reaction as hands push and shove him to the ground before the light once more fades. He remembers the leather caressing his back as it peeled away at his skin with a sickening crack, time seeming endless in these moments as his howls fed the nightly jackals which took joy from his suffering. The darkness seemed almost overwhelming as his lifeforce slowly drained from his body until finally the Light once more shined and reality came back to him.

Draped in a sack shirt and pants, the fabric is rough and itchy with little care to the wearer besides covering them up in the cold nights or to sweat them like a pig in the blazing summer heat. His hair was matted and dirty with sand and other minerals camping among his silver threads complacently. Deliks body overall flared in pain as he sat himself up on a wet metallic floor and took in his surroundings. Caged like an animal, he looks to his left and right to find varied companions in his imprisonment that look around hungrily in their own cages or shiver on the cold floor in a vain attempt to find peace in this nightmare. Cries and wails echo throughout the room, moonlight shining in from the broken windows of a long forgotten factory and torches illuminating what little darkness the owners wished to keep at bay while on patrol.

Smelling of putrid scents and cooked meat, he looks down at his squalor in disgust and sadness, the memories of his torment rushing back along with his depraved pleading for the jackals to stop their games. It was all to no avail and before him sat stew...fucking Nesen Stew and with it came all the realization one could get from these cannibals; they were but meat to them and little more.

Sniffling, Delik stands up as begins to rejuvenate his limbs and bring life back into their muscles. How many days had passed or weeks for him to feel this lethargy? The pain of withdrawal was still strong if not crippling alone and now he had to escape?

He frowns at the current state of his predicament as a whisper from his left draws his gaze. A man in his later half of youth stares at him with one eye and an unkempt beard as he weakly smiles and says in a quiet voice "Hey! You gonna eat that?"

Pointing at the stew, Delik reels in disgust as he says "No."

"Mind if I take it off your hands?"

"Sure."

Sliding the stew over to his cage, the man smiles as he begins to eat its contents to Deliks dismay.

"Thanks, names Umic by the way, been here for a bit longer than you."

"How long have I been here?"

"About a week or so, heh it shows! Haven't even started to eat the stew yet, prefer the half charred rodent they give you instead."

"Uh huh, I plan to keep it that way."

Going closer to his cell, he grasps the rusted bars as he says quietly "How many fuckers are there here?"

"Hard to say, guards rotate regularly but usually about eight or so."

"Sounds like good odds then, how many patrol this time of night?"

Umic raises his head in shock and says "You aren't planning to take them on are you? Heh that's suicide."

"Better then being meat in storage, now how many patrol this time of night?"

"No idea bud, your guess is as good as mine."

Delik sighs as he rolls his eyes and moves back from the bars, him observing his surroundings.

  "Guess I'll do this myself."

Looking at the disheveled state of his cage, Delik notices a broken bar and begins to try wiggle it back and forth in an attempt to break it free. Loud creaking deters him though as he stops and looks for something else. He spends the next thirty minutes looking for weaknesses in his cage, all of them being too loud sadly to manipulate as his hope begins to quickly sink once more. It'd be all too easy to just crawl up in the corner and await his fate, it seemed almost like the better option now that he knows his predicament outside of his earlier wavering consciousness. Sitting down as a guard rolls by, he waits another twenty to make sure he's gone before once more going to the first bar he found.

Loud and withered, it was barely a start but could be improvised as a weapon if he sharpened it enough. Surviving the wastes had taught him a few tricks in his older age and with enough friction and time he could make a deadly weapon to gut any one of these jackals. Standing up once more, he begins to nudge the bar piece in the dim lighting as its creaks grow ever louder with every second spent wiggle its form free. Some other prisoners such as Umic pick up on his actions as they watch in fearful silence until finally seeing Deliks fruits pay off in breaking out a small piece of bar.

Sitting crisscross, he begins to sharpen it on the metallic floor carefully. Sharpening a single vicious looking edge, his quiet repetition brings some freezing prisoners to sleep at last while awakening others near his cell who watch. Having an audience was always bad in prison, but he was desperate and if he got ratted out for a scrap of actual meat then at least he could say he tried. Such thoughts shouldn't be impeding him now though, he had already committed to freedom and nothing could stop him aside death.

Finishing up the final movements of the bar, he smiles at the slightly more edged weapon he had crafted from ingenuity alone; rust is awful for sharpening unless removed but even chipping off flakes of metal could make it at least a good thrusting weapon with jagged edges. If only he had his hunting knife, he could've gutted all of these jackals in no time. Rolling the bar up in his thick sack cloth, it uncomfortably rests close to his stomach but it'll have to do for the time being as he curls himself up to try and sleep the night off; he needed more information on the facility before he made his move.

The next morning came and with it a whole host of terrors that night mercifully concealed from Deliks eyes. Torture, target practice, skin carving, the list goes on and without end which shocks but doesn't exactly surprise him; he remembers how Yilin looked and he'll never forget the terror he felt in that moment, all of this is but a sideshow to him now. None the less it was disheartening to see the way people have been treated here and Umics talk of eight guards proved to be on the nose.

With night came an end to the terrorizing and in its place arose the wails of despair and suffering. Delik wouldn't join them this time though, his energy instead being spent on the trial ahead as he finally spots a guard waltzing into the prison ward if you could even call it that. Moving up to his cage bars, he looks at the guard who appears to be wielding a shotgun of sorts and a buzzsaw bat which seems to be a staple of these guys' arsenal if they even have one. Looking over at the man, Delik scrunches his face into one of rage as he lets his anger out on the man which appears to be a lower grunt considering all the whip marks decorating his body.

"Hey fucker, how's the patrol going?"

The man stops and looks over at Delik, a dreadful aura wafting from him as he speaks in a shrill voice that reminds him off a dying car engine.

"The usual, hey waita second..."

Pointing at him, fear fills Delik at the idea of being caught before the guard laughs and says "Oh shit you're the bitch boy."

"I think you've got the roles reversed buddy, those marks look like someones been going to town on your twink lookin ass."

"Oh you wish, we definitely spared you from THAT experience heh; but I'll keep the invitation in mind."

  "What the fuck!?"

"Alright smartass, you're lucky I don't knock your fucking teeth in."

"Emhehe, behind that rusted cage of yours? Best thing you can beat is whatever shit we toss your way."

Delik scowls as he spits in the guards direction, his rival seeming to take some joy in this as he moves closer.

"Alright, you've got my attention meat."

Raising his shotgun at Delik, he smiles between thin pale lips as he adds "Back against the wall."

Not wishing to refuse the mans orders with a gun in his face, Delik goes to the back of his cage as the guard unlocks the door and walks in with a certain lithe in his step. Keeping his gun aimed at him, he begins to take out his saw.

"I sure do **love** the spiteful type, it makes you all the more fun to carve. Blood runs hotter in rage and its quite the delicious addition to sausage."

Walking forward with the blunt end of the saw, the guard prepares to clunk him over the head as Delik takes him by surprise and quickly jabs him in the neck with the jagged bar. Gasps are heard audibly as this occurs, the guards eyes widening as a smile cross his lengthy face.

Pushing him against the cage, Delik begins to choke him out after this as he guard struggles and kicks him several times. Pain spikes in Deliks body as he attempts to hold strong and finish the job, the two wrestling to the ground while the life drains from the guards eyes. Minutes pass before finally the struggle ceases and Delik jabs him again for good measure.

Shaking once more, it had been quite a while since he last killed someone, but there was a depraved joy to it he couldn't really explain. Something deep within him he couldn't shake ever since he saw the light expire in Yilins killers all those years ago. Giving a slight smile at the memory, he frowns in disappointment of his own joy as he searches the guard and finds the cell key along with his two weapons. Observing the mans attire, he realizes he couldn't wear it even if he tried considering the smaller frame the guard had, so instead he rolls him to the back of his cage into a prone position so as to look like he's sleeping.

Locking the cage soon after, the other prisoners begin to jangle their cages in anticipation as Delik rushes past all of them and to the well lite exit. He couldn't risk freeing them all just yet, first there had to be hell to pay.

Learning the inner facility as he goes, Delik moves cautiously while paying head to sounds of movement and discussion. He wanted to kill them all but he didn't have the tools necessary just yet, first he had to get a firearm he was adept at using. Moving through the halls, he hears a radio playing off in a barracks to the left along with a man humming to the lyrics. He appears to be making a collage of sorts with varying images of landscapes being the theme which all seem cut from magazines and books. Quickly entering the room, the starving artist is dispatched with a swift blow to his head from the blunt side of the bat and a whirring of the side soon after.

It made a bit more noise then he hoped for, but the job was done and the treasures were all his. Searching the room for ten minutes, he finds a spare set of clothing that fits his size when using a belt and takes the pistol the man had on his person. Armed with a pistol now, he feels more at ease with a rifle being the cherry on top if he could find one; beggars can't be chooser though and he was all out of time now to go searching. Hearing two men run down the hall and towards the ward, he imagines they got worried after the guard hadn't reported in.

Their concern was to his benefit though as he snaked his way back to the prison ward and quickly unloaded on the two unsuspecting jackals. A pop here and there dropped the first with little resistance while the second was able to turn around and return fire before meeting his demise. The hive had been stirred and now four sets of footsteps scurried around from above as some headed down to check on the situation.

Delik had to act fast and with little time, he looked into the room and saw the faces watching him with a sliver of hope resting in their pupils. Smiling at the sight, he rushes in and unlocks several strategically chosen cages to hand them weapons from the guards. Explaining the situation to all three quickly, he gives them the shotgun and the two new guards firearms before slinking back into a dark corner to prepare his ambush.

Soon came three heavily armed men all warring for a fight as they found none. Swishing their torches around, they begin checking the room as the head of the three inspects the two dead guards.

"Fuckers got em from the back, one's out. Interrogate the prisoners and kill anyone who gives you shit."

The other guards begin unlocking a cell until Delik fires and gunfire erupts from three other cages with varying accuracy. One guard is down immediately from a shotgun blast to his posterior as he writhes on the floor in agony.

"They're all in, gun em down!"

More gunfire erupts as Delik aims for the leader and punches through his exposed abdominal flesh several times as the other guard is shot from both directions by two of the prisoners. Screams erupt in the ward before eventually the fire ceases and guards groan in pain before cut short by mercy shots delivered by Delik.

The last one was nowhere to be seen which was a bad sign, however he had little time to do a man hunt. Unlocking the cages of the armed prisoners, he addresses them and tells them to watch the ward entrance while he assesses the damage. Dutifully nodding, they are obvious amateurs with guns but they did a good enough job at point blank range so they could suppress one man hopefully. Delik walks around the ward unlocking cages as he finds six prisoners died in the gunfire to his dismay, him frowning and unlocking their cages as well until everyone was freed.

"Everyone! I want you to remain calm and follow my lead out of this place, there's still one man on the loose and nobody else is dying besides that jackal this night."

Some people cheer or clap at his response but most remain mute, trauma having scarred them deep enough to no longer care. Telling them to remain inside the ward for the time being, he tells his three armed prisoners to keep a watch on everyone and remain cautious. Delik departs to the factory proper after this and begins to search for his equipment while clearing room to room. Finding nothing on the first floor, he reaches the second to be met with a warm welcome; fire nearly licking his face as a man bellows his flamer at him and sets alight the environment around him.

Cackling in a full thermal suit used by welders in the pre-war, he appears to have adorned it in blood and bones weaved into the upper layers of the suit as he sprays a barrage of flames without concern. Taking cover behind a clunky conveyor belt, he is spared the heat proper but still sweats from the sheer flames around him.

"Oh of course it's the bitch boy!"

Moving his arms in a welcoming manner, he adds "I couldn't have thought of anyone else having the balls to attempt an escape; hell most of em don't even have a pair anymore hah!"

Preparing to move, Delik remains silent as he hears the flames beginning to spew again which gives him his cue. Rushing out of cover, he fires in the general direction poorly at the flamer to give some suppressing fire before he finally makes it to a metallic platform above the flamer. Firing a shot at his torso, Delik hits home as the flamer grunts and fires back; more of the room going in flames. Glass cracks from the sheer heat, empty Nesen bottles shattering while metal creaks from Deliks weight and the flames weakening its frame.

Looking at his options, Delik drops the pistol and takes out his bonesaw before jumping over the walk way guard and down by the flamer. Engaging in hand to hand, the flamer is an obviously more well built man as he batters Deliks face with his flamethrower and pushes him back. Staggering from the blow, Delik turns on the bonesaw as he runs forward reminiscent of a pikemen in olden days as his saw drives home into the flamers thermal suit and he screams. It lasts only minute until finally he ceases, Delik putting the blade away and beginning to search the rapidly deteriorating room for his gear.

Wood cracks and metal groans, the weight of the room becoming too much to bear as portions cave in ten minutes into his search. The flames were carelessly sprayed and the fruits of the flamers labor shows, destruction has wrecked this room and made it difficult to find anything. Coughing from the smoke, Delik raises his shirt to to cover his mouth before promptly forgetting at the sight of his gear. Strewn in a messy locker room off to the right, he finds the Black and White array along with his equipment which had been haphazardly tossed in with other gear from unlucky passerby's.

Quickly slinging his pack on and grabbing Mattys pistol, Delik kisses his old dinky one goodbye before proceeding back to the lower floor. Gunshots and screams echo from below, Deliks eyes widening and his pace changing to a sprint with every new shout and scream. Stopping at the midpoint of the stairwell, he looks down in horror at a group of four prisoners all aiming their oppressors weapons at a horde of disgruntled prisoners which slowly advance on them. At the head is a familiar face that makes Delik only further regret his carelessness at forgetting about the other guns which lied in the ward.

Umic focuses his attention on the crowd, but as Delik comes into view, he smiles slightly at him.

"Hey buddy!"

Turning his shotgun up to the stairwell, he fires at the disappointed Delik who quickly attempts to rush up to the next flight of stairs. Pain rips through his back leg and shocks his flesh, him yelling in pain while a set of footsteps can be heard going towards him.

"Finish him off and get to the truck, we're not getting fucked again!"

Delik grunts and his world wavers, the darkness once more encroaching and threatening to rip the light from his heart. Gripping the cold metal staircase, he begins to drag himself up to the second floor which teases him with more cover to save his life. Boots clank on the metal and approach him with a slight increase of pace, Delik crawling up to the inferno once more as he gets behind the wall next to the staircase.

A man can be heard running at the group in an attempt to rally the crowd forward into a rush, but his attempts are in vain as he's cut down by a flurry of bullets. Pain burns through Deliks wound as he aims down the stairwell and fires at the man who is shot once in the shoulder; him retreating back to the group.

"You pussy, kill the cripple!"

"Not gonna happen."

Umic pauses before saying "Fuck it, let's go!"

The group continues moving towards the exit while Delik looks around for a window he can climb through along with anything hot to cauterize his wound with. To his dismay, there is a raging hot bar from the collapsing walkway, Delik grimacing as he looks at the incredible pain he'll endure. Sighing and taking in his circumstance, Delik crawls over to the bar and grasps the colder end which still feels uncomfortable hot. Raising his pants on his left leg, he turns somewhat awkwardly to look at his wound as he inches the bar to his skin; a sizzling sound following soon after and immense pain which sends Delik almost into unconsciousness as his mid calf is treated for the time being.

His other leg had barely any bullet holes, not enough at least for that pain. Tossing the bar to the side, he grunts before looking at a window dead ahead which leads outside, it leading to an arched roof he wouldn't be able to stand on. Feeling the kiss of the flames growing closer though was all the motivation he needed, Delik firing several shots at the old window and bating the glass out of the frame before crawling out with several small cuts.

Rolling onto the rooftop, Delik begins rapidly approaching the edge with an unknown drop awaiting him below. Working to stop his roll, he begins to slow as he grasps the old withered shingles of the roof, several breaking off from the sheer force pulling him downward until finally he finds a sturdy one that stops his descent downward.

  "I need out of here, this shits fucked. Why are they fighting each other now? It makes no sense!"

Looking around at his surroundings, the moonlight illuminates the courtyard of the factory, five vehicles in total being parked outfront of the main entrance. Fire casts an orange haze upon the worn brick street below and reveals a hefty but manageable fall Delik could take, the sounds of the crowd and gunmen growing ever closer to the courtyard.

Glancing below, Delik slowly inches his fingers off the shingles, gravity embracing him and beginning to violently pull him down as he once more begins to fall.

  "Don't break a leg, don't break a leg!"

Trying to lessen the pain of the landing by using his good way to take the brunt of the pressure, Delik falls with a strain coursing in his leg for but a moment before he collapses onto his side and begins to roll himself to his feet. Using whatever wall or objects nearby to assist his rise, Delik quietly looks about to find no life surrounding the cars; the main entrance of the factory burgeoning with noise now as Umics yells grow closer.

Limping to the closet vehicle, Delik finds it locked. Cursing under his breath, he goes onto the next and then the next, a series of repetition leading to a realization that Jalvinics men might be heartless killers but they certainly aren't dumbasses who leave their cars unlocked. Deciding instead to ambush Umics men, Delik gets behind the furthest truck before stalking the front door for any movement, his pistol trained on the battered olive doors.

Creaking open with a flurry of voices arguing with one another, Delik raises his pistol slightly and cracks the first gunmen in the head he sees. Three shots and a flurry of red stream to follow is enough to confirm the bullets new home as the man falls motionless on the ground, the other four yelling as the crowd can be heard rushing them at the first sign of weakness.

Moving closer to the door with his pistol Umic and his men can be heard screaming as a flurry of gunfire erupts from the entrance, Delik going to the entrance and finding a sickening struggle between animals all wanting to survive. Men and women battering one another and grasping for the weapons in hopes of harnessing its power and intimidation, Umic appears to be still alive along with one of his men as they fight their way out of the disheveled horde. Jingling with a key ring in his hand, a crazed look of desperation rests in his eyes as he spits blood and runs out.

"B-bitches, a-all of em....come on, let's get out of here."

Looking up to face Delik in his final moment, he gives one final smile as a bullet greets him and his unwitting comrade.

"Thanks buddy."

Delik smiles before taking the keys from Umics death clutch of a hand. Five keys, five cars, looks like somebody had the full house. Now he did as well though and everyone knew; staring up at him with contempt as the chaos begins to settle, Delik unhooks one of the keys before throwing the rest of the ring into the courtyard.

"It's all yours friends."

Moving quickly to the side, the horde rushes into the courtyard, their size vastly surpassing the number of cars by a long shot. It was a fight for resources, reminiscent of their grand countries which brought this world to ruin, a degenerate sight if Delik ever saw one. A broken world filled with broken people, thankfully that would all change soon.

Looking back down at Umics glazed over eyes and stupid shocked expression, Delik shakes his head before walking away, him keeping any ambitious prisoners at bay with his pistol while he quickly gets in the truck he finds matches the keys design. Trial and error had him wasting time as more and more found it easier to pounce a wounded man compared to the horde fighting over the rest, but thankfully none of them had the courage to try before he found his ride.

Turning the engine on and driving out, several prisoners attempt to grasp onto his truck, but it's all in vain as the rapid increase in speed makes them all inevitably give up out of realization or primal self-preservation; no one holding on once he exited the gates of the burning Nesen plant.

Watching the burning fire engulf his hell of a prison and all who lied dead inside, Delik could only see the dark outlines of the desperate still fighting for what little remained of their destroyed home.

### Assurances Phantasm

The horrors of Nesen burned themselves into the skull of Delik almost as deeply as the whip marks that were cracked into his flesh, the brutality, the chaos, both sides were as inherently evil as the other but in different ways. When frustration and stress came, the Jalvinics used force but so did the prisoners who realized the futility of cooperation once their situation began to set in. Freedom was as dangerous as oppression in its own nefarious way, but it's the only one of the two that can also lead to any good in the long run.

The darkness was closing in and the days of torment inflicted upon Deliks body were finally beginning to close the curtains upon his life. Everyday he woke up weaker, his stomach grew hungrier and his face more grizzled and uncleaned as the sunrises ticked by. His mind was a maelstrom of regrets and desires with his Heralding falling into doubt before being reaffirmed soon after. Dundi was but on the horizon and yet it felt so far away, his journey having been a long and treacherous one with little food or comfort to guide his path aside the groaning engine and the dry texture of the map which led him northwards. Delik had never felt more closer to death then he did now, he avoided the main roads and Jalvinic patrols on barely any sleep until finally breaking through to the wastes proper where no sole man ruled and nutrients became his newfound concern.

His mouth parched and robbed of moisture, Delik observes the road with tired eyes, a short battered green sign appearing on his right and saying "Dundi, 10 Vols ahead". Long reserved happiness once more soared to the surface at this revelation, Delik laughing slightly as the dread of his death began to wear off and be replaced with the fulfillment of his goal. All he had to do was survive his trip to Dundi, he just needed to keep his eyes open and his strength paramount.

Focusing on the road, he drives onward with willpower being his only fuel to keep him going. This is later amplified with the crescent of buildings budding on the horizon with lights to accompany, almost like it was a sign to him which was saying "Come! Come oh ye Herald of Light!"

Keeping his excitement capped for the majority of his ride, Delik slowed his approach to the towering gates of Dundi which stood in the broken tumultuous wastes as a bastion of civilization in a sea of chaos. Grey with metal reinforcements placed over wooden walls, it clashes heavily with the lush wild forests which crash defiantly against its impenetrable layers of steel. Stopping outside the crimson colored gates of the city, the symbol of old Tulruvia hangs above the gate, a shield with four sides that had symbolism he faintly could guess about at best.

Guards in full metal armor stare down at him from the ramparts, all armed with rifles and anti-vehicular weapons. Eyeing him cautiously as they observe the Jalvinic symbol upon the hood of his car, their eyes are drawn to Delik as he exits weakly and says in a projected yet wavering voice "I c-come to speak with the Council of Dundi, p-please allow me entry." Looking down at him, minutes pass by as the gates eventually open with a squad of armed soldiers walking out and taking Delik into the city.

Seeing his wounds and the lack of Jalvinic attire upon his personage, they take him through the bustling streets of the large city and to a guard post where he is processed and interrogated for several days. Kept in a holding cell by himself, Delik spends four days in contemplation until finally the jingling of his cell door can be heard and a woman walks in with militant fatigue style clothing on and a helmet under her left arm, it having two large violet lens' and an older look to its design. The woman herself has two crimson eyes and surprisingly fire red hair which currently it kept up in a bun behind her head.

Speaking to the guard in what Delik guesses is Tulruvan, she walks in and observes him before speaking in his tongue, a slight accent to her energetic voice.

"So you are this Herald of Light I have heard so much about, yes?"

Delik nods as the woman continues, "You look miraculously sane for a cannibal as well, not like the other trash which somehow levitates into our domain."

"M'am I am not a Jalvinic at all, your captain may hold his suspicions but I would much more enjoy stringing those fuckers up rather then join them."

"Hmm, you sound as if you hold a vendetta against them?"

  "Vende-what?"

"Yes ma'am."

Smiling, she looks at his bandaged left leg.

"I heard you were wounded prior to your arrival here, is this still true?"

"Mmhm, got some shotty rounds in my legs still, I can feel them whenever I walk on my left leg. Also there's some slight pain from my back."

He motions to his back.

"Understood, well I believe you have certainly done your part as a humble guest of Dundi, so it is only right for us to return the favor. Pack your gear, I will have you taken to the Dundi Hospital as soon as the paperwork is signed, your wounds must be mended before we continue our discussion."

"T-thank you ma'am."

"It is but my duty Delik, as a Councilwoman I must think of all our people whether it be a loyal citizen or but a passerby who we can assist on their path."

Delik bows while sitting up, him asking "Will we speak again after my treatment?"

"Well of course, there is much we must discuss so save your energy ahuhuhu."

Giving a laugh, she walks out of the cell and adds "I'll make sure the hospital informs you about when I arrive" before walking off from his cell.

His world seeming like it's finally taking a turn for the better, Delik would be transported to an actual hospital, something he had never seen before in his humble life living in Arenstov. His guard would lower somewhat before rising slightly at the revelation that the Republic of Dundi was paying for his medical treatment, an unusual if not unseen affair within the nation or so the nurses said. Why pay for him? He couldn't really answer that question and eventually forgot about it after being put under for several hours and waking up without those bullet fragments in his legs anymore.

Weeks passed as he got special treatment from the nurses, them rubbing his back and applying healing salves to his whip marks along with physical therapy to his body while his leg recovered from surgery. His beard and hair would be shaved and trimmed respectively with the same features he wore while beginning his journey once more looked back at him in the mirror. Mentally he would benefit as well from his bedrest, him having time to sort out his thoughts and even pick up light reading to increase his vocabulary a bit; he always hated reading, but a growing passion would begin to sprout in him during his stay at the hospital.

Taking nearly two months to recover from his surgery, Delik began to walk again during his fifth week post-surgery, him walking down to the dining hall and striking up conversations with fellow patients. One day his regular routine would be interrupted though by a nurse informing him Councilwoman Ismira Faljas arrival. He had never heard her name up until now and it was nice to have something besides a title to place with such a pretty face.

Going down to the hospital gardens to meet her, Delik finds Ismira sitting at a wooden table surrounded by various blooming flowers, it being an obviously strategic choice with the shade shielding her from the suns scorching rays.

Giving a smile and a slight wave, Delik approaches Ismira who he sees is wearing a tight fitting tan uniform and black boots; she returns the gesture as he sits.

"How have you been Delik?"

"Amazing, once you get used to eating irradiated bug, anything is an improvement."

Ismiar laughs in her charming voice before adding "I bet! Why I remember hunting my first Kolishven in my teens, it was quite the sight with me prancing about in its gigantic footsteps while following its trail."

She leans forward somewhat, resting her elbows on the table as she continues.

"I remember looking into its black voids it has for eyes and downing the beast in three shots, I felt like I was queen of the forest and wanted a taste of its meat; so I cut some up with my father and took it home to try. It is hands the worst tasting meat I have ever tried in my life."

The two laugh as Delik says "Worst then bug?"

"YES! It was absurdly horrendous heh. Ah, but I am getting off topic, I came here to speak of you."

"It's fine, but uh sure. Woulda ya wanna know?"

Composing herself, she sits upright once more and says "You piqued my curiosity with your statements of being the Herald of Light or so the guard Captain reported in his questioning of you. I want to know more and about its connection to your array."

"Straight to the point eh?"

"I'm not THAT kind of politician Delik, a champion of the people must always be at her finest."

"Well sit back because it's a long story."

"Time is thankfully on our time today, begin when you are ready."

Sitting back, Ismira takes in his story as he begins all the way from the beginning and his first sighting of the beacon which shone a bright light upon him. He goes into detail about the array and the three books he was given by the machine and their contents; aliens from beyond the irradiated sky watching them from above like a scientist in a microscope. He speaks of his destiny as the Herald of Light and how he must place the array upon a powerful radio tower.

As he mentions the tower, a somewhat nefarious smile grows across Ismiras face as she says "You need a powerful transmitter, correct?"

"I guess if that is what it takes to contact outward to the Coronans."

"Hm, well I believe we can help each other out then if your story proves to be true. Of course I will need to inspect your array and books before we proceed."

"That's fine, but could we do it here? I want to keep them close, otherwise this whole trip is for nothing."

"Of course, of course. Now shall we?"

She motions towards the door, the two going to his room and grabbing his equipment which is thankfully still there. Proceeding back to the gardens, they spend the next couple of hours together inspecting the array and listening to the books which verify Deliks story and then some.

Feeling satisfied with her findings, Ismira gives a smile after they finish looking through the last book and says "I believe we may have a case to get you a Council hearing. See our interests are aligning quite well currently and your array is just the casus belli we need to kick off a war with Ernvec; they are the only holders of a radio tower requiring this magnitude, a pre-war once as well."

Delik frowns at the mention of war, saying "Is there anyway we could work something out with Ernvec so I could use the tower without bloodshed?"

"I doubt it, Saldanias is not the trusting sort and contacting aliens would only further hinder his goals of controlling his suppressed populace."

"Alright, so when would this hearing begin then?"

Pursuing her lips together, she goes into thought before saying "Give me three days to try and set something up and then I will tell you of what fruits I have bore. I suspect it may take a week or two considering the Council is currently setting up preparations for war."

"What does the Tulruvan mainland think of this?"

Smiling, she does a double take before asking "Mainland?"

"Dundi is a subject of Tulruvan right?"

"Was. We have not had any form of contact with the mainland since the Great War. What caused you to raise this question?"

"It's just...well I heard stories about you being this huge, strong nation is all."

"You flatter me Delik but sadly I must assure you that we aren't as big as some might believe. Dundi is but a city with some towns under its rule, just like Ernvec and several other 'nations'. Our hope is to be like Tulruvan of old one day though, so you aren't on the wrong track."

Feeling somewhat embarrassed and stupid, Delik nods as Ismira stands.

"Well I believe my time is up here, it was a pleasure once more to speak with you Delik; I will get back to you in a couple of days about the council situation."

Shaking his hand with a friendly smile, Ismira slips out of the hospital just as quickly as she came.

Three days pass, Delik continuing about his routine until finally he is informed by his charge Nurse about his release on orders of Councilwoman Ismira. Packing his gear and being handed back his firearm upon leaving the hospital grounds, Delik goes outside to be greeted by Ismira once more in her alluring tan outfit and charming smile which seems to put all his worries to rest at the mere sight of it. Giving her a wave, he walks over with a slight smile.

"I'm guessing you go through to them?"

"Yes and infact your hearing will be later today around 4pm."

Deliks eyes widen, Ismira noticing and resting a reassuring hand upon his right shoulder.

"There is no need to worry Delik, I have convinced several council members to my train of thought already, you simply must state your case confidently and with evidence to back your claims."

"Can you help me prepare at least?"

Ismira gives a slight shake of her head and sighs.

"Sadly as an active Council member, I can not assist you in your efforts prior to a hearing; it would be seen as me giving you an advantage so to speak and as a result I would be disqualified from the hearing."

"Ah, I kinda understand that, but what am I to do till then?"

Putting a white gloved hand out to him, she says "Come with me and you shall see."

  "I hope this works out, I've never been one for public speaking."

Giving a weak smile, Delik takes her hand.

Venturing up together to Council hill, the busy streets below are left behind for the tranquil and quiet stone pathways of a majestic palace which has seen better days. Built in a style Delik has never seen before, the gilded palace of orange and navy blue glistens in the afternoon light. While worn, it looks untouched from the war unlike the rest of Dundis buildings, the gardens brimming with lush green life and cool streams of water running throughout the carefully trimmed mazes of flowers and statues to bygone Kings and Queens of Tulruvia.

It's quite the beautiful sight, Ismira only adding to the scenery with her cream colored flesh and striking crimson eyes filled with ambition and joy. She was a sight to behold and if Delik was a more foolish man he might've even tried a chance at her hand. Such thoughts were not deserving of him though, he was a failed father and husband who became a washed up druggie who was given a way out through circumstance and not his own willpower. He was pathetic compared to people like Ismira who actually live to change the world instead of just surviving in its shadow; his Heralding was his only chance to change that though, perhaps he could bring Light to the darkness just like the Council. Faith is all he has to show for it so far, but perhaps now the true work could begin in earnest.

Taking him inside the majestic palace, Ismira takes him through the halls of Kings with portraits lining the marble walls to the left and right while the cool marble floor greeted them with a click to every footstep they took. Veering off to the a side room, Delik is taken to a majestic yet humbly sized bedroom with the largest bed has ever seen off to the right with velvet colored sheets and black pillows. There is also a table and mirror to the left that has a dresser accompanying it, the room having the same marble design with navy blue carpeting. A door off to the left of the entrance leads into a small bathroom with actual plumbing, a sight he hadn't seen since he days at Arenstovs shitty motel.

Delik smiles at the atmosphere before looking as Ismira, their eyes meeting.

"This is yours for the time being in Dundi, please enjoy its accommodations and I will make sure to send a servant to take you to the Council room once it is about to begin."

"This is amazing Ismira, why give this to me though?"

"You are a very special guest Mr. Delik, I believe your story which means you hold a world changing device in your possession; what better room then for the man who will change all of our destinies?"

Blushing at the compliment, Delik sets his backpack down on the table with the mirror and says "Thanks, I can only say is so much before I annoy even myself heh."

"Then don't, actions speak louder than words and these coming days will decide our destiny. Either way you are at the head Delik and so the outcome and consequences are yours alone; we will all being singing your name in praise at the end of this, I am sure of that."

Almost wishing to hug her for such powerful words but also punch her by placing all the stress on him, Delik can only smile with slight tears beginning to swell in his eyes.

"Anyways I should get going, see you at the meeting."

Tapping the wall harshly, she leaves with a final "We have a world to change~"

The clock ticks by, hour passing to the next until finally a knock is heard at Deliks door. Looking up from all of his books and the information he was trying to memorize, he sees a young woman in a orange and white uniform greet him with a youthful smile.

"Mr. Delik, I am here to take you to the Council Chambers."

Packing up his things, he nods and says "Lead the way."

Walking through the gilded halls to a set of two large black doors, the young woman and another servant open them to reveal a large inner chamber where six Council members stand in anticipation of his arrival. Guards armed with rifles are stationed around the room in a uniformed navy blue outfit and orange ascents to add flare to their predominantly blue aesthetic. The room is made of stone and has an older design compared to the rest of the palace with a bulbous circular ceiling with windows lining the very top.

Art of Tulruvan history decorates the bulbous ceiling with the Vestorian faiths creation story serving as the beginning of the prideful nations long and vibrant history. It ends with golden age of Tulruvia prior to the Great War and its eternal struggle against the rabid Suzlenki dogs that threatened the traditions of old. Paragons of the old ways and its values, the successor Dundi Republic wafts the same aura with the councilmen wearing royal yet militant attire in homage of the nation of old they have vowed to bring forth once more. Delik at most has a minuscule grasp on the symbolism at play here but it entices him none the less with the stories and tales he has yet to learn about this foreign people that have opened their doors to him.

The council men stand behind dark wooden podiums with the center one having the crest of Tulruvia upon it, Ismira standing at the head with two Councilmen on each side of her. Another woman off to the left and three men take up the remaining seats of the Council, Ismira most likely being the speaker as her voice command authority above the rest.

"Delik of Arenstov, self proclaimed Herald of Light and guest of Dundi and its people, please step into the inner circle of the room and we will begin."

Looking down at a large intricate circle which bears the crest of the city of Dundi, Delik walks onto it but not the crest itself; him uncertain if it would anger the council to do so.

A man with the name plate of Zolfen off to the right speaks and says "This Council hearing of the year 63 following the Great War is now in session. Today we are here to discuss Mr. Deliks claim of possessing alien technology and being chosen to deliver a specific array to the Suzlenki National Communications Tower. We will begin with an opening statement from Mr. Delik and continue with a free form debate from there until a final vote at the end of the session."

Speaking in unison, the council says "Hail to the Republic of Dundi and old Tulruvia, may the orange flag fly eternal."

"You have the floor now Mr. Delik" says Zolfen before the floor goes silent.

  "Aw shit, what happened to buying a couple cold ones and talking over a fine steak?"

Clearing his throat, Delik looks to Zolfen and says "Thank you Councilmen Zolfen."

Zolfen nods and gives a slight smile.

"Councilmen and women, I come here today to explain my situation to you and ask for your help with an issue of great concern. I am but a humble townie from Arenstov, you probably haven't heard of it because nobody really does. It's a peaceful town which is mostly left alone."

He pauses at the last part before continuing.

"We aren't the most spectacular and I'm not either, I came here after having my sleep interrupted by a loud explosion which I came to realize was something that fell from space. It shined a light on me and spoke, I approached it just to get a better idea about what the hell fell in my backyard and that's when it gave me these things."

Opening his bag, the guards become somewhat more tense before relaxing as he pulls out three black and white books and an odd looking radio array. The Council members, once lacking in interest are now all leaning forward somewhat as they observe the items which were laid upon the floor.

"These books are a recollection of our history and studies done from space, I'm not too big on all that stuff so most of what the guy said was gibberish science stuff to me but you can read or listen to the contents yourself if you want. I knew then though that I was chosen to deliver this message to all of you and hopefully with your help we can bring this dream into a reality."

The other man to the right named Aljesov points at Delik and says "What proof do you have of this being alien technology? It could just be an audiobook."

"It came from space in a giant metal rhombus and told me."

Some of the other council members become more skeptical after he says this.

"So you have no proof is what I am hearing?"

"I do, listen to this voice."

Kneeling down, he opens the book as a voice begins to play. It speaks of observations of the Rylin people and its current circumstance along with the disconnected state civilization is in.

A woman to the far left says "Anyone could have made this, you realize none of this is new information, anyone could've guessed the world is in anarchy and people are mutated. It does not take a genius to figure that out."

"Listen to him talk about the planets rota-whatever science stuff."

Aljesov looks over at Ismira and says "Is this truly the best you could conjure up for a casus belli, the words of some loon?"

Ismira narrows her eyes at Aljesov but remains silent.

"Mr. Delik I do not believe your story nor have you produced any proof besides some aborted half baked excuse you call 'Alien books' to show for it. What factual reasoning would this council have in believing you?"

  "This motherfucker."

"W-well besides the books your Councilmen, there is also the array which is obviously alien in nature."

Delik closes the book as he holds up the obsidian black array which does indeed have quite the alien design to it and thick black plating fashioned in a way unknown to the Council or Delik.

Aljesov nods before saying "Interesting, a bobble. I suppose it's better than the audio books."

Zolfen looks over at Aljesov and says "I am not saying I disagree Councilmen Aljesov but why do the books strike you with such disapproval?"

"I have dealt with my fair share of technology and its inner workings, computers, radios and all the li-"

"Oh! Well Councilmen perhaps you would like to explain this array to me then?"

Delik blurts this out to the councils and more specifically Aljesovs dismay as he motions Delik to bring it to him. Smiling with a satisfied grin, he hands it to a guard who comes forward and brings it to Aljesov.

Looking over the design quickly, he frowns before setting it down and saying "I am unfamiliar with this design I must admit."

"Oh and what about these?"

Delik hands a book to the guard, Aljesov looking at it and for anywhere the audiotape could be lodged in with no avail.

"...."

"My point exactly, nobody knows what the hell this is."

Ismira speaks up, saying calmly "Mr. Delik, please refrain from swearing in this Council Chamber."

Delik bows and says "My apologies."

  "I would hate being on this Council, I can't even let loose."

The guard hands Delik back his equipment as Aljesov sighs and rolls his eyes.

"How could we us this as the basis of a legitimate casus belli though, Councilwoman Ismira?"

The quietest member on the left named Maltin finally speaks up as he faces Ismira.

"Well it would be a war over the Suzlenki Tower for starters and its surrounding resources only which is not inherently the goal of this Council but the added materials will help us in the proceeding war. That is unless Ernvec antagonizes and breaks the treaty following the capture of the Tower which he will most likely do."

The woman moves her leery gaze from Delik to Ismira as she says "So it would be an excuse for a start of the war, but Ernvec aggression will be the proponent that leads to its annexation."

"Exactly Councilwoman Delrish."

  "I like how I have the most similar sounding name with the bitchy Councilwoman out of them all."

Delrish nods and a smirk goes on her face.

Zolfen looks around as the Council goes silent for a minute or so, him saying "Has the Council decided on a vote or shall we meet for recess?"

The majority say recess and the Council members leave or storm out of the Chamber. Delik stands there and watches them all leave as Ismira walks up to him and says "You did good, a bit confrontational but overall you exceeded my expectations. Once we return, I am 'sure' we will have a final answer for you."

She winks as she says "sure" before walking off past him and out of the room.

Two hours pass with Delik being taken back to his room by a servant before his returned to the Council circle to hear the final vote.

Ismira speaks once more and says "The Council is now back in session, so my fellow Councilmen, are we ready to give our final vote or shall 'we' continue debating the legitimacy of Deliks claim?"

A certain poison spits from her voice as she says the last part, Aljesov remaining completely silent as he looks away somewhat.

"I am prepared to vote" says Zolfen, the rest following in suit.

"Excellent, well then: All in favor of assisting Mr. Deliks goal of reaching the Suzlenki Tower and activating the array, say 'Aye'."

Zolfen, Ismira and Matlin all say Aye.

Ismira looks at Delrish who says "I abstain" and Aljesov who looks dead at Ismira and leans forward, saying "Nay."

Nodding at their answers, Ismira finishes off with saying "In a 3 to 1 vote, the Council of Dundi has decided to assist you Mr. Delik with your goal of reaching Suzlenki Tower and will prepare immediate preparations. This Council is dismissed."

With that, the Councilmen leave, some walking in pairs chatting while others silently exit the room without a word. Delik smiles as he takes in the results, him taking his gear and heading for the exit before Ismira intercepts him and interlocks her arm with his. The two begin walking out of the chamber as Ismira quietly says "Wait till we are outside."

Delik nods as the two walk outside in the lush gardens of the palace, several Councilmen being seen in the distance as they walk off to the city below.

"I wish the results would have been better than we received, but the majority is all that matters. Which means you'll be getting to that Towers of yours soon enough."

Smelling of a mixture of sweet fruit in her militant wear he first saw her in, Delik enjoys the pleasant company as he smiles at her words.

"How long do you think it'll take?"

"Oh give us a short while and I will be sure to tell you when the time has come. My broadest guess is a couple of weeks considering we already have been planning this war; we just have a better excuse now to finally conquer Ernvec."

"I won't be doing any fighting will I?"

"Of course not, your safety is of 'upmost' concern to us, infact I had a proposal to even ensure a smoother process."

"Oh?"

She moves away and motions to the array, putting a hand out to him.

"I believe it would be best if my soldiers establish the array upon the Tower, it will be a warzone after all and by doing so we can keep you safe from harms way while also allowing the Herald to still be able to contact the Coronans from a safe distance."

Delik looks somewhat conflicted by this proposal.

"I am unsure, I made a vow to hold onto this array with my life."

"And I agree, you shouldn't let this fall into the wrong hands but I have been nothing but transparent with you so far; I am certain you can trust me of all people."

Once more he is confused by her wording but hides it well this time as he turns away slightly.

"I can't. I'm sorry but I have to do this, it wouldn't be the same if I'm not there. I must **Herald the Light** and I can't really risk another mans life to carry my burden. Thanks for the offer though."

He smiles fainly and looks back at Ismira to a shocking look of annoyance upon her flushed face. Staring at him with eyes of ice, she keeps her hand extended.

"Delik there is no reason to make a fool of yourself getting killed in battle, just hand me the array and I can assure you a safe establishment of communications."

"If I must look like a fool to be the Herald then a fool I must be."

Her voice somewhat cold, she closes her eyes and pinches her forehead for a moment before saying "So be it, I am just trying to look out for you."

With warmth coming back to her voice, she motions for them to walk once more as they interlink arms once again.

"My appreciation is endless Ismira, by this point I can't even state it anymore heh. But a man must carry out his own dreams or else he is simply living out someone else's."

"Quite the true statement Delik, quite true indeed."

Resting her head upon his shoulder, Delik flinches slightly as Ismira sighs and the two walk arm and arm in the dusk sunlight.

### The Tower

**My ground work has been laid, now the true struggle begins.**

Suzlenki Tower, perhaps his final resting place or the beacon of hope for his people; it truly made no difference now. The dice have been cast and now fate would guide him to victory or defeat, his journey will prove true and righteous or he'll realize just how deep the drugs have really damaged his sanity. He was but the passenger now on a long ride to hell and Delik wouldn't have it any other way.

Ismiras hypothesis would prove slightly off but close enough to give her some credit, it took a month and a half for the Dundi War Machine to reeve itself up into motion with every week bringing in more soldiers and weapons of war to the Capital as all of Dundis men answered the call to arms. War was yet to be declared but from what little he picked up of the servants gossip, it appears Ernvec was already mustering its own forces in response. A clash of epic proportions would begin and hopefully he had no part in it.

Instead he focused his energy on the texts gifted to him by the Coronans along with the instructions as to how exactly the array functions. Thankfully it wouldn't work just from turning it on and hailing them or else all of this journey would've been the stupidest decision in his life, no he needed to make a statement or else they wouldn't even bat an eye at some random bumpkin trying to hit up a conversation. They needed a message and the Tower was Deliks only shot. It all came down to that cursed pre-war building with who knows how many years left before it finally crumbles into a pile of rubble.

It was all he thought of as it kept him up at night while trying to go to sleep, him rolling in his bed at around 11pm in hopes of finding a better position. His attempts would prove effective in due time though, him beginning to snore and drift off until a click is heard at his door. Keeping his snoring up, his eyes go wide like an animal in headlights as light from outside his room shines in to illuminate a figure which quietly and carefully inches towards his study. Having a lithe figure similar to the young servant which usually attends to him, he raises an eyebrow as she begins moving items about quietly at his study until finally she spots the array.

Moving towards it, she touches the gleaming black object before quickly jumping at Deliks tired voice.

"What are you doing?"

Alarmed and instantly stammering, she moves back from the array and says "M-mr. Delik my apologies, I was just looking for my cleaning rag I left in your room earlier. I did not mean to w-wake you or anything."

"Your rag is my array?"

"N-no sir I just thought it was near it was all. My apologies, I will come back tomorrow morning to collect it when I can see."

"Mmhm, you do that."

The woman quickly scampers out of the woman, Delik waiting for the door to close before he gets up and grabs the array. Wrapping it up in his sheets and an extra pillow, he hides it carefully before going back to attempting sleep. Now he definetly couldn't sleep.

Waking up the next morning, Delik grabs the array and begins walking around with it as he eats breakfast in the main hall with it. Several Councilmen which lodge in the palace give him odd looks but for the most part he is left alone, besides Ismira who approaches him after breakfast. Motioning him to follow her, the two head outside to a Jerivag table in the gardens, a traditional strategy game where two comepeting colors attempt to starve the other one of actions until finally one side has no moves and loses; it's quite the popular game at the palace from what he's seen. Sitting down, Ismira folds her hands and motions to the game.

"Ever played?"

"Nope, looks neat though."

"It certainly is and I just so happen to be a master of Jerivag, one of the best in the palace if you discredit Matlin heh."

"He always did strike me as the booksmart type."

She looks at him and says "What gave it away?"

Both of them laugh, the pressure of war eroding from both of their minds as Ismira sets up the game and explains the rules. Beginning to play, Delik has no idea as to what he's doing and flounders while Ismira looks over at the array.

"Got a new friend?"

"He's quite the talkative one, yesiry."

"Heh well he certainly is Mr. Important around here, I would not blame him for bragging a bit."

"He's got some fans too it seems."

Ismira stares directly at him, her smile lessening slightly as her voice goes more serious.

"Oh? Do elaborate."

"Yep, Tulsha tried snatching him up last night, said she was grabbing a rag or something which was obviously bullshit."

"Mmm and what happened after that?"

"She just left."

"I see, well I will make sure to ask her exactly as to why she thought messing with such important equipment was a good idea; despicably with a war resting on its functionality."

"The war'd continue either way, it just adds an extra firework show if it does."

"Heh, true, true. However I have my own curiosities as to what mysteries lie in that array, but we will find out when it activates on the tower."

"Hopefully it isn't a dud, my whip marks are badass but I'd prefer to have an actual reason for getting them."

"I heard about that, do you mind telling that tale or is it a bit raw?"

Delik and Ismira begin chatting as the game continues, it being pretty one sided as Delik continually makes blunders but occasionally takes out his opponents pieces when he tries or just gets lucky. The day continues by without anything interrupting another pleasant memory.

After Tulshas attempt at taking the array, Delik thankfully had no excursions from the servants into his room during the night. This didn't stop him from keeping the array hidden of course, but it eased his worries atleast; nothing could separate him from the array at this point, not even death if he had things his way.

Hitting the books for more information on the Coronans and their reasoning for studying his shitty world out of all the options, he gets deep into a philosophical mindset before being ripped to reality by the whirring of a siren. Hearing the batting of what he now knows as helicopters outside, he looks to see armed vehicles and helicopters all over the city begin to leave Dundi and head north as people cheer and instruments blare from below.

**North we ride, our final farewell will be ones of cheers and not the mourning of our peers.**

Packing his gear and donning his signature wear he stole from the Nesen Brewery, he was thankfully able to get the outfit dyed black with white on the edge to spice things up. His overcoat also had the same treatment done while his winterized helmet/mask was given to him in white as he requested. He was the Herald of Black and White now and he certainly felt the part in the mirror as he tries out several poses while whipping out his pistol.

  "Hell yeah."

Leaving his room ready to go, Delik is directed by a servant to the palace gardens where he finds Ismira waiting in her green colored fatigues once more, her helmet on for once as she crosses her arms while looking at him approach. Behind her sits a helicopter which currently spins and awaits their boarding, the pilot looking out along with six soldiers that all watch Deliks approach.

Ismira looks at him and stops him from proceeding on the helicopter, saying "You sure about this Delik? You can always turn back and hands this over to us, we will make sure everything goes off without a hitch while you await the green light."

Shaking his head like he always does once this is brought up, he says "I can handle myself, no need to worry alright? Now let's go kick some Suzlenki ass and end this."

Sighing, Ismira looks down before back at Deliks eyes.

"You are always so stubborn, have you ever thought that it might get you killed?"

"I'm not dead yet am I?"

He shrugs as Ismira chuckles and motions to the helicopter.

"Alright, get in, no more funny business you hear?"

"Yes ma'am."

Getting in the helicopter, the doors are shut after they board, the soldiers all looking around as Ismira gives the go for the pilot to begin ascending. Freaking out somewhat by the sudden shift in gravit, Delik adjusts to the change in his situation as he realizes he is basically floating through the air right now. It excites and terrifies him all at once, but that was everything at this point.

He just has to hold on a bit longer.

Listening to the radio and Ismira giving commands in Tulruvian, it became quickly apparent that his language was an after thought at this point as everyone spoke in a tongue he didn't know a clue about besides how angry it sounds. His worry wasn't with them though, it was with the battle around them.

Snow begins to fall as they continue north, the world below turning into a white blanket with slivers of orange and blue treading through its lands at rapid speeds. The sounds of war had yet to arrive, the rickety metal of the helicopter being his only taste of what had yet to grace his eardrums. Passing snowed in villages and towns, no life is found within them from what little he gets from Ismira every so often.

What killed or drove them away is unknown to Delik or anyone for that matter, some looking newer yet still abandoned all the same. He heard tales a child about the chilling northlands where the Suzlenki once roamed freely, monsters without a need for sleep, they had surpassed everything that made them Rylin and in turn became monsters because of it. Uncaring and with a pleasure found in death, he heard the tales of refugees fleeing north in hopes of starting a better life away from the wastes to only be found frozen in ice with Suzlenki stars ironed on their foreheads; of all the ways to die, the Suzlenki had mastered the worst and made sure everyone knew what awaited those who invaded their home. Delik could only hope he wouldn't be added to the list of frozen dead, neither Ismira or any of these people he had come to respect.

Looking down on the vast swathes of snow below, the cool air seeps in and caresses him in response. Calling to him from below, the land has opened itself to his arrival and now the frozen jaws would close on his flesh.

Explosions erupt and gunfire follows soon after from below, contact being made with the Suzlenki. Men manuver through the convoys of vehicles and scattered ruins below while an entrenched enemy in the snow fires from undistinguisable locations that the Dundi Army could only guess at. Sometimes their tanks hit a red mist and confirm a kill whereas other times it's but puffs of snow they shoot up into the air. Their foe was simply more adept and losses below begin to stack up while air command continues its course deeper into Suzlenki lands, several air wings being dispatched as ground support to carve a path for the army.

After passing through the first line of defense setup by Ernvec, the army begins to catch back up with the helicopter convoy as dispersed and isolated battles rage across the barren landscape, some divisions having side objects separate from the Tower assault. The majority seem on course for the Tower though which appears on the horizon after thirty more minutes of travel, its majestic and staggeringly tall design overshadowing the varied buildings which lay below it in a deathly still city of ice and snow. It looks abandoned with the streets being snowed over ages ago and only the roofs of cars being visible at this point in regards to where the streets used to be.

Delik gets an unsettling feeling from the city but elation at the sight of the battered and defiant tower, its radio tower glowing with a crimson hue in a friendly gesture towards him. Circling the city in wait for the armies arrival, the helicopter convoy begins its descent after the army begins clearing block to block with minimal gunfire so far.

"Where's the Suzlenki?"

Ismira looks at him and says "That is what we are trying to figure out, so far only pockets of resistance have been spotted."

Looking back down at the ever approaching streets, Delik frowns in worry of what lies below. His comrades preparing for a quick landing and standing with their hands grasping a ceiling handle to keep themselves steady. He does the same and prepares to rush out, the helicopter approaching the rooftop of an apartment complex near the tower and landing.

Ismira quickly says "Frostjackets, we are clear, begin mission objective."

Opening the doors and dropping out of the helicopter, six soldiers exit with Delik while Ismira simply nods and says "Good luck Herald, you will need it." The helicopter vacates the area afterwards and joins the convoy above, Delik smile as the snow kisses and welcomes him to their home. Turning to face the streets below, the entrance to the tower is plain as day if a bit deserted, him beginning to walk towards the apartment door while Frostjacket secures the area.

  "It's all on me now."

Clearing the rotten and collapsing apartment complex, Frostjacket heads out into the streets below. The tower lurching over them with a menacing aura of dread, despite this though, the streets remain relatively calm with little conflict so far. Moving carefully with his comrades through the streets, Delik breaths calmly while observing the abandoned shops and storefronts which haven't seen the Rylin touch in decades. It'd be sad if he wasn't sure they nested feral animals or Suzlenki lining up their sights, all the more reason to get inside.

The biting cold digs into their outfits while they continue their march, Frostjacket arriving at the bottom of the towers stone staircase which leds straight up to the omniously shiny grey doors of the structure. Walking with a bit more haste, dead trees once used for decoration line both sides of the stairs and help break the wind that rushes through the streets.

Stopping at the top of the stairs, Ismira comes over Frostjackets ear pieces. Delik looks at them before one says brokenly "Blizzzaard inbound."

Delik nods while Frostjacket leads him up to the main entrance, one of the soldiers volunteering to open the door slowly. Spotting a shotgun trap on the inside, the team quickly brings out their tools and undoes it before proceeding into the facility proper. The cold from outside follows them into the complex but without the wind at least, it howling in rage from above and coursing through shattered windows.

The main entrance of the facility looks worn down from wind and age in general, the symbol of the Suzlenki being painted across the smooth tile flooring with a red star rising like a spaceship into the sky. No matter how horrorifying they sounded, they sure had a taste for art. The room still has functioning lighting but barely, the reception desk straight ahead having a red star upon the front with a single light illuminating it while red lighting lines the edges of the walls to give the grey room a vibrant feel it didn't naturally have. A stair well to the second floor is off to the left with offices and other rooms above them on metal platforms which give an even more furturism vibe from the whole setup. A light gleams over on the right, thick metal doors being half ajar with an elevator inside that sits idly with its light still working.

Frostjacket circles up with Delik as the broken speaker points at him.

"Squad secure floors, wait with Ujin and Naldov."

"Understood."

The broken speaker nods as he speaks to the rest of the crew in Tulruvan. Afterwards four of the six soldiers depart for the upper floors, securing the offices before heading to a flight of stairs that leads further up.

Delik looks around as he waits, him making sure his pistol is loaded while Ujin and Naldov explore the reception hall.

The world is silent aside the wind and roaring of tank engines through the streets of the city, all is calm like the first day of snow which gently lies upon the world in harmless flakes. It's beautiful and elegent in a sense, every snow flake being just as unique as the personalities which observe them, but with numbers comes conflict and just like the masters of the world which tore it asunder, the snow is unforgiving and unbending to any but its own.

Helicopters begin to land for the inevitable blizzard while several stay in the air for the sake of air control and guiding the others to a safe landing. Soldiers wrap up for the biting cold and forward team Frostjacket turns on their flashlights so they can spot one another if the blizzard rips through the windows and engulfs the facility. They fear the snow, they prepare for the inevitable when in reality; the snow is their only friend here.

With the storm approaching rapidly, the final helicopers land inside or on the outskirts of town while soldiers hunker behind armored cars and continue their advance. Everyone remains quiet while the crumbling of snow echoes and approaches from the North, it being but an absent threat and then ripping through the city in the next instance. Crashing through long weary windows and breaks in rotten wood which has stood its last, the blizzard claims the weak before moving onto the strong; it hampering the helicopters still in the air and obscuring their vision to dangerous levels.

Men are hit with a stinging pain of the wind and snow which clutches to their outfits and weaves down to their flesh below. Everyone is paralyzed which proves as the perfect opportunity. One with this blasted land they call home, the buried and motionless Suzlenki rise from their graves of frost and begin their assault on the southerns which invade their homesteads. Rising in the hundreds they take up position in their ancestors home to once more slay the great enemy, bullets echoing and cutting Tulruvian men down in scores while armored cars are destroyed from afar with explosive projectiles.

Ujin and Naldovs radio chatter goes erratic with activity as both tense up, helicopters rapidly beginning to roar their engines and enter the skies in a panic as the sound of approaching armor columns spell their doom if they stay. Some crash and explode quickly upon lift off while others survive and reach the skies above, their windows frosting over until the heaters finally kick on to clear the encroaching frost.

Ismira herself for once fears for her life as she holds strong and tries to calm her men, several other Councilmen assisting her efforts as morale tanks from the chaos of the storm. Entire convoys are led to the slaughter by Suzlenki ambushes and battle lines begin to slowly form while casualties rack up on both sides, the battle finally beginning.

Delik looks around as the outside world suddenly sounds becomes a maelstrom of bullets and screams, Ujin and Naldov rushing to the entrance and beginning to barricade it with whatever furniture they can find. Delik helps push the main reception desk infront of the doors to ensure they remain shut, the the two contacting the rest of Frostjacket which rush down to them.

Broken speaks again to Delik as he points to the elevator.

"Take with us, they stay."

Nodding, Delik heads into the elevator with Frostjacket while Ujin and Naldov hold down the entrance. Clicking the top floor of the tower, the elevator closes and has difficulty starting up before it begins rising to the top floor. Broken contacting Ismira while the world outside seems to only get worse.

Deliks thoughts race as he holds his pistol tightly, the elevator slowly clicking up floors. Making it to floor "50", the elevator suddenly jerks to a stop and refuses to open, Frostjacket and Delik turning on their flashlights and breaking through the emergency hatch. Getting up and into the cold elevator shaft, the floors above appear to be coated in ice with the elevator probably failing on them.

"Fuck..."

Delik shakes his head while Frostjacket looks for a ladder which they find to the left. Getting on, the squad hears squeaks and groans from the old rust metal up until floor "51" which they get off at. The elevator doors look to have been blasted off from a very long time ago, some explosive being used and giving them access to a powered down office floor.

Moving through the mold ridden floor, upper floors can be seen through collapsed paneling which allows quick yet dangerous climbs up to the next floor. Taking the risk, they all make it and find themselves on an abandoned floor with no furniture or anything besides a large broken window and a cold concrete floor to greet them. Delik can see the battling from below at this height, him frowning and following Frostjacket to the stairwell; the team is stopped though when they spot a hole in the stairwell door and a single shot is fired into the skull of the man next to Delik.

He is instantly killed as Deliks squad goes down to four members which open fire on the door and get a satisfying yelp in response, someone falling down stairs soon after before firing a single pistol round. Moving carefully to the door, the four enter the stairwell and find their fur cloaked sniper dead on the next flight of stairs below; death before dishonor.

Moving upward and cautiously, the team suffers rifle fire again with no casualities this time, the four opening fire and see no returning fire or bodies to fire upon. Tensions rise within the squad, paranoia setting in by the slightest noise as they continue their ascent.

Suzlenki planes rush through the city, firing their guns at Tulruvian troops with hopes of breaking cover but retaining the cities structure. Various convoys are hit with differing losses while helicopters clip several planes and send them into a downward spiral.

Minutes pass with Suzlenki dominating the skies, the blind Dundi helicopters being mainly sitting ducks for the blizzard experienced Suzlenki pilots. A fight is delivered though for both as more Tulruvians join the skies and start turning the tide just like on land. Recovering from their shock, the Dundi army begins to make headway once more into the city with ambush sites getting bombed out and overtaken by advancing troops; their numbers simply overwhelming the enemy.

Delik and his squad grows slightly winded while marching up flight after flight, the group reaching floor "80" and finally meeting their last challenge.

Finding the sniper which shot them earlier, the group advances on the fleeing man which seems unaffected by the ice covered floors. One of the soldiers makes it ahead of the rest and shoots the sniper in the back, rushing up and finishing the job. The rest begin to catch up to him before a molotov flows through the air and catches him ablaze, the man yelling and screaming through his vocoder as it melts. Gunfire from above erupts and downs him next to the sniper, the squad taking cover while broken curses and returns what little fire he can.

The Suzlenki from above begin to retreat wordlessly soon after, Frostjacket advancing once more and inevitably getting stopped at floor "95" with the final ten floors being blocked off by collapsed rubble and decay. Moving onto floor 95, they find it's a large observatory room like the majority of the upper floors they saw from outside; if death awaited them anywhere, it was here. With the metal walkway underneath them having holes in it or close to giving away, it's a death trap in the making.

Delik looks above and sees all of these floors are collapsing and the wind isn't doing any favors, all of it being on large shooting gallery with walkways connecting to upper floors and broken observatory glass awaiting them if they feel. The only stable ground was the solid concrete floors which are mostly caved in.

Moving upwards, several land mines can be seen placed ahead, it being a death sentence to try and deactivate them. Getting behind cover, Frostjacket fires at the land mines and has them explode, the walkways and floors shaking as some concrete gives way closeby and a piece of the tower starts to collapse; more crumbling being heard elswhere. Moving up to the next floor, they are met immediatly with gunfire on a two sided shooting gallery. Delik drops down while Broken fires to the left and the other soldiers to the right. These Suzlenki surpirsingly seem less combat effective compared to their lower brethern, their shots being wild and hitting home on kelvar vests and padded legs but not so much vital organs or heads.

They're dispatched and Frostjacket continues onward, Delik having used rubble to keep him from injury. No more movement is heard from above, them getting to floor "97" with ease as very little signs of Suzlenki activity appear to be above this floor.

Broken tells them to halt and radios in Ismira. Delik looks around as they do this, him looking at the battle below.

Pacing slowly, he eventually hears a reply in Tulruvian, him nodding slowly as he aims his rifle at Delik and fires. Pain rips through his chest and leg as he his quickly downed, his eyes widening and the cold floor embracing him in a sickly caress that weakens him further.

Looking up in betrayal at the Frostjacket members, the floor begins to cave in, the two quickly moving for higher ground. The rumbling draws nearer as the tower takes Delik into its graceful fall, the other two being heard screaming as well from above. Blinking slowly while the world crawls to an apathetic pace, Delik closes his eyes as the world goes black.

Gasping for air, Delik awakens in severe pain with his chest having broken ribs and his back throbbing from the impact of his fall. The back of his head throbs but thankfully isn't bleeding thanks to his helmet, him looking to see he thankfully hadn't fallen too far but was now lower than ever before. Attempting to move his arm, he finds himself capable without much pain as his basic needs are assessed and panic overwhelms him at the thought of the array being smashed. Feeling his pack, he sighs after taking the array out to find it remains unscathed by the collapse; perhaps it was the material that kept it from being smashed to bits, but what could be that strong if it was the case.

He had little time to think on that though. Raising himself slowly to his feet, pain shoots through his leg and nearly makes him fall once more. Keeping himself barely stable, the pain in his leg flares while standing but doesn't seem crippling thankfully. Feeling his holster, Delik finds his pistol no longer in his possession which only further rubs salt in the wound. Sighing, he scans the tower for a way up, him finding some exposed rebar he could use to climb up to a higher concrete platform, the upper levels being exposed to the biting blizzard now and obscuring his vision beyond a certain point.. Helicopters and planes race by as he begins to climb the rebar, him getting to the platform and starting to scale his way up.

The sound of Ismiras voice echoes from above, it repeating a question before issuing orders; rage swelling in Deliks heart at the sound of her voice.

**Only the Light will guide me now, everything else is a lie.**

Moving towards the voice, he becomes more exposed to the biting blizzard with his ripped outfit providing less cover compared to before. A chill runs up his spine while he hoists himself up to one of the metal walkways, Broken lying prone with his neck snapped probably by falling. The ear piece echoes Ismiras voice, Delik grimacing as he picks it up and places it in his ear.

"You fucker."

Silence.

"Should've given the order a bit sooner, they're all dead."

"I told you your stubbornness would get you killed. I gave you the chance to hand over the array at every opportunity and still you resisted; this is your own fault."

"I knew something was up when that fucking maid entered my room, you've been a snake this whole time. I'll fucking end you!"

Ismira laughs slightly on the other end before saying "What did you expect? I never said you'd live to the end Delik, I said the array would reach its destination, never did I say YOU would be its carrier. I've been clear as day, it's not my fault if you couldn't catch the hints."

Giving an order in Tulruvian, Ismira says "Please die this time" before the ear piece is disconnected. Shaking his hand violently Delik throws down the earpiece and crushes it under his boot before almost falling off balance by the shaking of the tower. He looks down to see tank shells being fired up at the tower, his eyes widening and his pace upwards quickening.

"No, no, no. Not now!"

Erratic in his speech, crying his heard above as he reaches the next floor and finds the other soldier whimpering with his body lodged under a slab of concrete and his rifle too far away to reach. Looking up at Delik, his cries increase.

Observing the soldiers sorry state, he quickly picks up the rifle and ends the young mans life; merciful in his eyes compared to the freezing cold. Throwing the rifle off to the side, he continues to climb with the upper floors becoming more unstable and almost collapsing under his weight.

The whole city is open to his eyes as he reaches floor "100", the battle below being unseeable but the noise almost deafening. A familiar language from above can be heard, it being difficult to understand from all of the noise. Climbing up on rickety ladder, the cold begins to make him move slower and more methodical as not to expose himself to more of the cold. Clutching the array close to his heart, the shaking from below worsens as helicopters fire on the supports and attempt to shoot the radio tower through the blizzard; Suzlenki planes swarming and taking their distraction as an opportunity.

Climbing up to a metallic platform, he opens a door to his right and enters a metallic room shaped like a ring that goes around the whole side of the tower. Thankfully concealing him from the elements, he sees the base of the radio tower on the floor above along with the voice which he can now accurately understand. It speaks his language and it sounds like the Suzlenki commander handing out orders and wanting a status report from the tower team. Climbing a short ladder to the second floor, he sees the red glow of the machinery which covers this entire ring; it being overwhelming at first to Delik.

Taking out the array shakily, he looks around for whatever the hell this thing could fit into as he rabidly searches the room.

**The Light is inevitable, the darkness can no longer keep it at bay.**

Crumbling of concrete can be heard below as more of the tower shakes, the electricity flickering slightly as Delik breathes heavily and finds the control panel the commander is talking from. Ignoring his questions, Delik looks at the array to see where it plugs in, it having a cable specifically made to be plugged into Rylin technology.

Through trial and error, he finds the right port which makes him giggle embarassingly like a young child. Setting the array up shakingly on the panel, he waits and hears nothing; he must've missed something but what is it? He read and recited everything he needed to know about setting it up, WHAT IS IT?!

Scanning the panel, he switches on the microphone by holding down a button and begins to tune in with the array as he speaks.

"H-hello!? Is anyone out there?"

"Fuck, fuck!"

Continuing to cycle through the channels, the tower below creaks with another explosive barrage, the helicopters growing closer.

**In the darkest of times, the Light will shine the brightest.**

"Hello! Is anyone out there? M-my name is Dalik, does anyone hear me!?"

He begins to tear up, his world literally crumbling around as more barrages come, a helicopter being shot down and crashing into the lower tower floors. The blizzard only grows bolder as the fighting increases, the worlds violence unceasing, its path predetermined; the radio tower jingles slightly in the wind, the world outside becoming a bluish haze.

Dalik slides down to his knees and crumples onto the cold metal floor, his world finally over. Staring at the wall, he blinks with minutes becoming eternity. His mind running a blank from being overloaded, the world becomes static and mere noise to him, he has no more tears to cry, nothing left to give. Faith is all he once had and now even that was crushed. Watching the steel wall shake with the tower, he almost tries to drift into sleep until a familiar voice cuts through the static.

"Hello! This Head Researcher Kalvic from the Raldova Research Facility, it is good to meet you Dalik."

His eyes widening, a bright light shines down upon him as he stands and looks outside the window. Above in the blizzard outside, the faint outline of an obsidian black vessel levitates above, its lights aimed at him.

"I am so glad you were able to reach out to us, so, care to walk us through your world?"

Smiling and wide eyed, he says quietly "Yes...yes I would."

### Epilogue

Watching the world of Raldova spin in a blanket of stars, Delik smiles at how insignificant they are in the grand scope of space. A rock among many with a people he barely felt redeemable at this point, but just like himself, anyone can change if given the right motivation.

Hearing the creaking of a seat in front of him, Delik smiles and faces his gracious host. Letting his beard grow out once more has hidden some of his mouth but the creases still give away his joy at seeing Falsha once more. Adorned in a black suit that covers her average form head to toe in metal with a predominantly white lab coat over the top, her hands sit folded on the table and with a surprise to grace his eyes. Upon her head sits no helmet for once, it sitting on the table and instead replaced with the face of a black haired woman with pale skin and thin supple lips. Her nose unlike his seems to be inward somewhat with the two nasal passages showing and a row of canines and other teeth smiling at him with genuine kindness.

Speaking in a kind voice, she looks over his file and everything he has given to them so far about his journey.

"You have done an amazing job Delik, I do not believe any of us here could survive such punishment like you did."

"Once your life is filled with nothing but tragedy and failure, you'll be willing to take anything if it means a chance at happiness."

"To me it seems like you did nothing but succeed in this tale so no need to be down about it. Anyways I did not come here to 'just' praise your name in unending hymns."

Delik chuckles, the Coronans having a bigass vocabularly just like the Tulruvians did; thankfully he wasn't fearful of what words he didn't understand this time, he could die peacefully if that was their intention.

Opening his file, she scans through it and says "If there is anything in the world you would like to have, we are honorbound to obey Delik. Wealth, property, permanent vacation across the stars, you name it and we will provide considering the service you have done for the Kingdom of Zoscia."

Deliks eyes widen, him having expected his only reward having been permanent residency aboard the research station; not that he was complaining, the cooks did a better job making his meals than his wife ever did.

"Really? Well thanks."

Falsha nods, saying "It is the least we could do, aside fixing you up of course."

She certainly was right about that, he looked like shit when they took him. Now he felt like a million dollars.

Leaning back in his seat, he feigns thinking deep as he says "What if I want a giant space fish? So I can ride it among the stars."

"Heh that would be 'quite' the request, maybe a bit fairytalish in its possibility."

"Hm."

Watching him enter his thoughts again, Falsha remains silent as she awaits his answer or lack of one.

"I think I know what I want."

Getting her pen ready, she flips to an empty page and looks poised to write.

"Build a mausoleum for my daughter Yilin and add an exta grave."

Falsha frowns and nods, writing in his request.

"It will be done, now may I ask a personal question of you Delik?"

He nods.

"What do you plan to do now?"

Crossing his arms, he taps his foot in thought.

"Well...I guess I plan to be the **Herald of Light**.

## Trivia

The Herald of Light world is inspired by the Wasteland, Fallout and Metro series.

It took Knight Alien six days in total of non-stop writing to finish the **Herald of Light** story.

Delik was created to challenge Knight Aliens ability to write a drug addict and their mentality.

The Rylin language as shown in "Nesen Stew" is just a combination of English letters to form an Alien language.

Dundi is pronounced the same way as the Scottish City of Dundee.

The Towers look was inspired by Ostankino Tower in Moscow.