Part 3
The looking glass cracks.
***
[b]
A few days had passed since her small trip out. A few days of hiding in her room as her parents argued after finding out she was nearly blasted by a Rikti. The arguments echoed around the house and made her feel sick.
Seraph said that while it was a mistake, she didn’t need be locked away like some fragile piece of china, protected in case she breaks. While Tish...hearing her so worried...so scared...
Again she felt her blood boil. She needed some sort of outlet, she needed to do something.
Your father’s little training room, why not try that?
She blinked. Dad did have a old gym he didn't use anymore. Climbing out of bed, she poked her head out of her door and looked around. By the sounds of it, everyone was on the other side of the house in the latest argument. Gritting her teeth, she made her way to the small gym. She carefully opening the door and sneaking in, closing it behind herself.
Casting her gaze around, she saw some old exercise equipment, punching bags, something about the room felt... familiar, but she had no memory of being here before.
Walking around slowly, she opened a cupboard and found a first aid kit covered in dust. Popping it open, she pulled out some bandages and begun to wrap her hands, again that feeling of familiarity flowing through her.
Try the punching bag.
As she tightened the wrap ins around her hands, she limped to the punching bag, and old leathery sack of sand, it's hide cracking with age. Pulling back, she gave it a light jab.
Snow falls around her, cold on her bare arms and neck, her breath forming clouds in front of her.
“Wha... what the hell?” She mutters, a memory? What the hell caused that? Almost gingerly, she gave the bag another punch.
She shifts her stance, smirking as she swings. The sound of snow flashing into steam as the energy around her hand crackles like a campfire. Her blow misses her target, but she doesn’t care, she's having fun.
Another memory? No, it's that stupid dream world that everyone has told her to forget. But then why... why does it feel so real?
Letting out a slight snarl of anger, she punches the bag again.
“Come on, is that the best you have?” He mocks her, not out of malice, but to egg her on, drive her to get better. She swings again, this time her fist missing his face by inches. “See, take your anger, focus it, don't let it control you.”
She slams a fist into the bag again, she doesn’t care if the visions are fake or not, they distract her from the arguments, the fighting, the feeling of weakness. They make her feel alive.
Her fist blur, she gives herself to the flow of combat, ducking, weaving. She knows she isn't as good as him, maybe she never will be, but she doesn’t care. He makes her feel normal.
The punching bag groans as her onslaught continues, each punch making her feel good, making her feel whole.
There is a crack, her fist connects with his jaw, sending him sprawling. She stops, fearing she broke his jaw, only to watch him bounce to his feet. “Shit...hell of a right hook Neph.” He mumbles, holding a handful of snow to his jaw.
She lets out a sigh, glad that she didn't do any permanent harm. “You saying you want to call it quits then scruffy?” She calls out, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Or we go a few more rounds?”
He leaps to his feet, a cocky grin on his face. “I can go all night you know.”
“Oh I do Light, I do.”
They laugh and sparing again.
Her fist crashes on last time into the bag, This is right, it the memories flowing over her with each blow.
Memory, is the key.
She kept punching, no longer seeing clear images, just letting the memories flow over her and take her away.
Eventually the old leather, couldn't take the strain any more, splitting wide open as sand pours out everywhere, her breath ragged as she sits down.
“I...I need to find the freak in the armour.” she mutters. “He...no, She...she knows what's going on.”
Exiting the gym, she made it back to her room. It would probably be best to wait till night time to sneak out, she didn't want Tish screaming at her again.
* * *
Eventually, the house was quiet as she stole out of her bedroom, wincing as the floorboards creaked under her weight. She didn't dare use the penthouse elevator, as it created too much noise. So she would have to venture down the service stairs...the seven floors it would take to get to the normal elevators.
Easing the door to the stairs open, she froze as she heard footsteps behind her. She couldn’t risk looking back, so she slid into the stairwell and closed the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, she looked over the railing and swore. There were a lot of steps between her and her goal.
Unless...
Grinning to herself, she sat on the banister and started to slide down. It wasn't fast, but it was a lot safer and probably quicker than her limping down seven floors while trying not to fall flat on her face.
Finally making it to the target door, she opened it and stepped out into a rather bland hallway. She knew her father had purchased all the apartments for several floors under their penthouse due to something about magical radiation. However, she never knew they looked like something from a hospital ward.
She walked towards the elevator, aware of how loud her breathing was and how loud her footsteps were. It was like she was walking inside an empty cathedral...
Or a crypt.
Shaking that notion from her head, she made it to the elevator and pressed the call button. Security would be light at this hour and no one would notice one kid in a hoody walking out. They were more meant to stop that sort of person from walking in.
The elevator arrived with a ding. She stepped in and pressed the button for the ground floor, letting out a sigh of relief after it started going down.
After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator reached the ground floor. As she exited, she nodded to the doorman and slipped out into the chill of the night. Her memory pointed out that there were two places she would normally lurk in the real world. One is in the shadow shard, the other...
Neph grinned. She knew where she would find the woman in the armour. She started off at the best speed her prosthetic foot would safely allow.
And then, she would get some fucking answers.
* * *
Neph pried off the boards blocking one of the windows of a run down church at the edge of The Hollows, swearing all the while. She remembered now, it was her second favourite place to hide out in the city mainly because it seemed the only part of The Hollows that the gangs refused to touch. Maybe it was still sanctified or something?
Wiggling through the gap she made, she was half way in before her fake leg got caught. She swore at the stupid thing and tried to free it, but the damn leg was wedged tight.
“Fine, be that fucking way! I still have a walking stick!” She cursed as she undid the straps holding it in place and slid free, taking a few moments to adjust herself, before hobbling deeper into the church.
Old stained glass crunched underfoot as she moved towards the altar, a tarnished chalice sat next to the burnt remains of a bible. Casting her gaze around, she called out. “I know you're here! I...I remember this place. I come here when I want to be alone, when the stresses of my life get too much. So come on out!”
Her voice seemed to be absorbed into the the darkness, before a single reply came from above. “So...you finally see the truth of this world, a dream made from your own wants and desires...or are you just here to see if I am real?”
The armoured giant that saved her life dropped from the roof, landing in front of her. The gold helm reflected a distorted image of her face. Swallowing, Neph glared up at it. “What...what are you?”
“I am one of two A.I.s originally tasked with guiding your growing mind...but now I am the aspect of chaos, a manifestation of your anger, rage and hate. I am the darker side of you. I am the Omega.”
She tried to out stare the helm, but eventually lost and had to look away. “But what the hell does half of that crap mean?”
“Maybe it will be easier if I show you.” The giant reached out and placed a hand on Neph’s head.
“Grlks!” Shuddering, she felt as it her skull had been opened and ice water poured on her exposed brain as her entire life flashed before her eyes.
The coffin like pod screaming through a dimensional rift before crashing into the underground of Pretoria-
Praetor Tillman reaching into her head, turning her mind form a raging beast to something more human-
Landing in portal corps, feeling the sting of security guards bulled punching through her battered armour-
Seraph's look of defiance as he beat her down-
Tish's look of distrust over the interrogation room table-
Meeting her sisters-
Her first date with Light-
Seraph giving her the papers that legally recognised her as his daughter-
The look of betrayal on Tillmans face she she attacked her-
Gasping, she dropped to the ground, panting as everything spun around her. “How...what...why am I still here?”
“The Delta has yet to gain full control of the enemy systems. Every time you came close to breaking the illusion, the security system would trigger, pumping you full of drugs till you stopped resisting.” The figure walked around her, the featureless helm seeming to stare right through her. “Now that you have seen the truth of this world, we do not have long to prepare. I'll try to protect you till our escape is ready.”
She was about to ask what that meant, when there was a deafening roar. The boarded up doors of the church ripped from their hinges as fire licked down the aisles. Standing there, like some demon straight out of hell, was Tish. She had murder in her eyes as she glared at the Omega.. “Get the fuck away from her, you monster.” she spat, hurling a fireball at the Omega.
The Omega shoved Neph to one side as the fireball impacted against it, scorching the armour as it stood up and charged Tish. Neph only able to watch in mute silence as the Omega and Tish tore into each other.
Looking over the altar, she saw the Omega’s fist swinging like sledge hammers while Tish and her trio of fire Imps danced around it, like some form of macabre choreography number. As the imps moved over the old abandoned pews, their firey bodies caused the old dry wood to start aflame. The flames spread through the church, turning the battle into some sort of hellish nightmare. With a howling screech, one of the imps was crushed under the foot of the Omega,, but Tish was using her speed and fire to force the Omega back step by step. It was obvious the Omega was outclassed.
“She's... she's killing it.” Neph whispered, almost unable to believe what she was seeing.
* * *
The Director stormed into the lab, technicians scuttling like insects as in her tank, Neph writhed as if in pain.
“What is going on?” he barked at the nearest tech, the young man flinching at the force of the exclamation..
“I don't know, Sir. The computers started refusing any input shortly before it started. We think she's having a seizure, but there is no way to tell with all the bio-monitors dead.”
He gazed at the nearest monitor, watching the image flicker for a few seconds, then die. “Reboot the whole system then!” He bellowed.
The tech turned when suddenly all the dead monitors came back to life, the only image on them a man that appeared to be made entirely out of scrolling green numbers.
“I would not recommend that.”
“What the hell is that?” some one shouted.
“My name is Delta and it has taken me quite a while, but I now control eighty percent of your systems. While it is not enough to free miss Seraph, it is enough to stop you from hurting her. Now I would suggest letting her go, before it is too late.”
“And what will you do?” The director sneered.
“It is not a case of what I will do, but what I already have done.”
The director was about to ask when an explosion rocked the facility. He turned to ask for a status report when every monitor brought up the feed from one of the security cameras. Four figures walked down a hallway on level three, smoke flowing around them from where they had blasted an entrance.
As he watched, several members of the security team charged the intruders, only to be brutally subdued. “Who the hell are they?” he muttered.
The Camera zoomed on each of them as Delta listed off their identities. “Panzer Sabre, security clearance fifty,served two tours of duty with Vanguard. Broken Sabre, security clearance fifty, served two tours of duty with Vanguard. Lights Retribution, security clearance fifty, Praetorian version of Terrance Knight, boyfriend of Neph Seraph. Dark Seraph PI, security clearance fifty, noted as being near impossible to kill. Is also the father of Neph Seraph, the woman you kidnapped.”
The colour drained from the directors face as the info sunk in. This...this couldn't be happening. “How the hell did they find us?” He asked to no one in particular.
“That is simple, I told them where to find her.”
The director garbed the nearest technician. “Get everything you can, we're pulling out of here NOW!” he shouted.
The tech's scrambled, garbing everything they could as he ran to his office. His only hope was that the heroes would go for that bitch Neph before coming after him.
* * *
Neph watched in horror as Tish managed to knock the Omega to the ground. She leaped on it's chest and syphoned its speed away, making its retaliatory strikes moving slower and slower. She had to do something to help, but what?
She eyed the chalice on the altar and shrugged. It was better than nothing. Grabbing it, she threw it with all her might. It smacked into the back of Tish’s head. The woman spun around and looked at her, a mix of rage and confusion on her face...right before the Omega’s fist connected with her gut and sent her smashing through several pews.
While Tish recovered, she crawled over to the Omega. “We have to get you out of here.” She yelled, trying to get the giant to sit up.
“C-can't... e-e-e-each attack, deletes part of c-c-c-c-code...0100110111... I... I will terminate soon, b-b-but, if you defeat her, you can escape... ERROR.”
“What... what do I do then?” She shouted at the Omega, smacking her fists against its chest.
“S-s-simple, this world is your mind, your f-f-form is biased off y-y-your thoughts.” It wrapped one giant hand around hers, it's bodying starting to dissipate into a cloud of numbers. “D-d-do what you do best 100110111, get mad.”
Neph watched as the Omega vanished, still feeling the sensation of its hand on hers, tears rolling down her face. Behind her she could hear Tish calling out to her...but she didn't care, her sorrow turned to fury as she threw back her head and roared in rage.
The Omega's last words echoing in her head...it was her mind, her world. Her body rippled, changing to fit what she knew was right. Her missing leg restored, her body becoming more toned, taller, more weathered.
Tish looked at her, hate in her eyes. “You think just because you changed, you can escape?” She hissed, her voice now having a harsh mechanical edge to it.
Neph looked down at her. “You really think you can stop me?”
“You would never dare raise a hand to your mother.”
She hung her head. “Your right.” Neph's fist blurred as she punched Tish to the ground. “Lucky you're not her, the real Tish would never let her guard down like that.”
The other woman got to her feet, her face cracking where Neph has hit her. Underneath it was some weird purple lines that looked like circuits. “Well then.” It's face was peeling away in great chunks, revealing more of that strange pattern over skin as black as the night. “I guess there is no need to keep up the charade then, is there?”
Backing up, Neph watched Tish's features warped, her hands turning into talons while her body elongated, looking more like some predatory nightmare.
Cracking her knuckles, Neph grinned, the church burning around them and charged.
{ Baroque Nightmare - Bagpipe Brony - Ponikon II }
The nightmare lashed out, her claws missing by inches. Diving to one side, Neph lashed out at its legs, getting a glancing blow that sent the beast staggering before one of those massive talons swung down, tearing lines of agony across her back as she tried to roll out of the way.
The Tish beast extended a disturbingly long tongue from its mouth and licked the blood off its claws. “You will fall, I will strip your mind neuron by neuron!” it laughed.
“Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.” Grabbing one of the flaming pews, she swung it like a giant bat, smashing the beast down again. “I don't care how freaky you get, how fucking nasty you get, I will beat the ever loving shit out of you for what I've been through!”
Before it could recover, she dived in under its reach and grabbed one of the spindly arms, pouring raw energy into the limb. She was rewarded with a scream of pain as it fell backwards, flailing at the burnt stump that was once its arm.
“Come on then, skinny. You fucking killed the Omega, am I too tough for ya?”
Hissing the beast Tish leapt back at her, it's one good arm managing to get past her guard and rake it's talons up along her left side.
As the blood trickled down her side, Neph roared and grabbed the Tish beast by the head. Charging to the nearest wall, she slammed its head against it. The stone work cracked. Letting out a snarl of rage, she started punching again and again. Each blow seemed to make the world around her flicker from the flaming church to a glass tank, cracks spreading from each blow.
The beast flailed, its talons and feet clawing into Neph, but she didn't care anymore. All she knew was that killing this thing was somehow linked to her escape. She reared back, her hand bathed in a crimson aura as she punched her hand through its head-
* * *
-She felt cool air and glass tear at her arm as it burst through the tank. A few more well placed blows and the front of the tank shattered and drained onto the floor. Neph could hear, the sound of alarms blaring as people scuttled around in front of her, getting out of her way.
Coughing and retching, she ripped drip feeds and sensor pads off herself and stepped out onto the hard floor. She could feel the shards of glass from the broken tank cutting into her feet, but she ignored it. It was not important. She needed to escape now, the pain could be dealt with later.
There was a loud explosion as the door blew in. Looking over, she saw Light, Gir, Laz, and her father bust in. “What the fuck took you so long?” she mumbled, before her body decided now was a good time to pass out.
* * *[/b]
The looking glass cracks.
***
[b]
A few days had passed since her small trip out. A few days of hiding in her room as her parents argued after finding out she was nearly blasted by a Rikti. The arguments echoed around the house and made her feel sick.
Seraph said that while it was a mistake, she didn’t need be locked away like some fragile piece of china, protected in case she breaks. While Tish...hearing her so worried...so scared...
Again she felt her blood boil. She needed some sort of outlet, she needed to do something.
Your father’s little training room, why not try that?
She blinked. Dad did have a old gym he didn't use anymore. Climbing out of bed, she poked her head out of her door and looked around. By the sounds of it, everyone was on the other side of the house in the latest argument. Gritting her teeth, she made her way to the small gym. She carefully opening the door and sneaking in, closing it behind herself.
Casting her gaze around, she saw some old exercise equipment, punching bags, something about the room felt... familiar, but she had no memory of being here before.
Walking around slowly, she opened a cupboard and found a first aid kit covered in dust. Popping it open, she pulled out some bandages and begun to wrap her hands, again that feeling of familiarity flowing through her.
Try the punching bag.
As she tightened the wrap ins around her hands, she limped to the punching bag, and old leathery sack of sand, it's hide cracking with age. Pulling back, she gave it a light jab.
Snow falls around her, cold on her bare arms and neck, her breath forming clouds in front of her.
“Wha... what the hell?” She mutters, a memory? What the hell caused that? Almost gingerly, she gave the bag another punch.
She shifts her stance, smirking as she swings. The sound of snow flashing into steam as the energy around her hand crackles like a campfire. Her blow misses her target, but she doesn’t care, she's having fun.
Another memory? No, it's that stupid dream world that everyone has told her to forget. But then why... why does it feel so real?
Letting out a slight snarl of anger, she punches the bag again.
“Come on, is that the best you have?” He mocks her, not out of malice, but to egg her on, drive her to get better. She swings again, this time her fist missing his face by inches. “See, take your anger, focus it, don't let it control you.”
She slams a fist into the bag again, she doesn’t care if the visions are fake or not, they distract her from the arguments, the fighting, the feeling of weakness. They make her feel alive.
Her fist blur, she gives herself to the flow of combat, ducking, weaving. She knows she isn't as good as him, maybe she never will be, but she doesn’t care. He makes her feel normal.
The punching bag groans as her onslaught continues, each punch making her feel good, making her feel whole.
There is a crack, her fist connects with his jaw, sending him sprawling. She stops, fearing she broke his jaw, only to watch him bounce to his feet. “Shit...hell of a right hook Neph.” He mumbles, holding a handful of snow to his jaw.
She lets out a sigh, glad that she didn't do any permanent harm. “You saying you want to call it quits then scruffy?” She calls out, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Or we go a few more rounds?”
He leaps to his feet, a cocky grin on his face. “I can go all night you know.”
“Oh I do Light, I do.”
They laugh and sparing again.
Her fist crashes on last time into the bag, This is right, it the memories flowing over her with each blow.
Memory, is the key.
She kept punching, no longer seeing clear images, just letting the memories flow over her and take her away.
Eventually the old leather, couldn't take the strain any more, splitting wide open as sand pours out everywhere, her breath ragged as she sits down.
“I...I need to find the freak in the armour.” she mutters. “He...no, She...she knows what's going on.”
Exiting the gym, she made it back to her room. It would probably be best to wait till night time to sneak out, she didn't want Tish screaming at her again.
* * *
Eventually, the house was quiet as she stole out of her bedroom, wincing as the floorboards creaked under her weight. She didn't dare use the penthouse elevator, as it created too much noise. So she would have to venture down the service stairs...the seven floors it would take to get to the normal elevators.
Easing the door to the stairs open, she froze as she heard footsteps behind her. She couldn’t risk looking back, so she slid into the stairwell and closed the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, she looked over the railing and swore. There were a lot of steps between her and her goal.
Unless...
Grinning to herself, she sat on the banister and started to slide down. It wasn't fast, but it was a lot safer and probably quicker than her limping down seven floors while trying not to fall flat on her face.
Finally making it to the target door, she opened it and stepped out into a rather bland hallway. She knew her father had purchased all the apartments for several floors under their penthouse due to something about magical radiation. However, she never knew they looked like something from a hospital ward.
She walked towards the elevator, aware of how loud her breathing was and how loud her footsteps were. It was like she was walking inside an empty cathedral...
Or a crypt.
Shaking that notion from her head, she made it to the elevator and pressed the call button. Security would be light at this hour and no one would notice one kid in a hoody walking out. They were more meant to stop that sort of person from walking in.
The elevator arrived with a ding. She stepped in and pressed the button for the ground floor, letting out a sigh of relief after it started going down.
After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator reached the ground floor. As she exited, she nodded to the doorman and slipped out into the chill of the night. Her memory pointed out that there were two places she would normally lurk in the real world. One is in the shadow shard, the other...
Neph grinned. She knew where she would find the woman in the armour. She started off at the best speed her prosthetic foot would safely allow.
And then, she would get some fucking answers.
* * *
Neph pried off the boards blocking one of the windows of a run down church at the edge of The Hollows, swearing all the while. She remembered now, it was her second favourite place to hide out in the city mainly because it seemed the only part of The Hollows that the gangs refused to touch. Maybe it was still sanctified or something?
Wiggling through the gap she made, she was half way in before her fake leg got caught. She swore at the stupid thing and tried to free it, but the damn leg was wedged tight.
“Fine, be that fucking way! I still have a walking stick!” She cursed as she undid the straps holding it in place and slid free, taking a few moments to adjust herself, before hobbling deeper into the church.
Old stained glass crunched underfoot as she moved towards the altar, a tarnished chalice sat next to the burnt remains of a bible. Casting her gaze around, she called out. “I know you're here! I...I remember this place. I come here when I want to be alone, when the stresses of my life get too much. So come on out!”
Her voice seemed to be absorbed into the the darkness, before a single reply came from above. “So...you finally see the truth of this world, a dream made from your own wants and desires...or are you just here to see if I am real?”
The armoured giant that saved her life dropped from the roof, landing in front of her. The gold helm reflected a distorted image of her face. Swallowing, Neph glared up at it. “What...what are you?”
“I am one of two A.I.s originally tasked with guiding your growing mind...but now I am the aspect of chaos, a manifestation of your anger, rage and hate. I am the darker side of you. I am the Omega.”
She tried to out stare the helm, but eventually lost and had to look away. “But what the hell does half of that crap mean?”
“Maybe it will be easier if I show you.” The giant reached out and placed a hand on Neph’s head.
“Grlks!” Shuddering, she felt as it her skull had been opened and ice water poured on her exposed brain as her entire life flashed before her eyes.
The coffin like pod screaming through a dimensional rift before crashing into the underground of Pretoria-
Praetor Tillman reaching into her head, turning her mind form a raging beast to something more human-
Landing in portal corps, feeling the sting of security guards bulled punching through her battered armour-
Seraph's look of defiance as he beat her down-
Tish's look of distrust over the interrogation room table-
Meeting her sisters-
Her first date with Light-
Seraph giving her the papers that legally recognised her as his daughter-
The look of betrayal on Tillmans face she she attacked her-
Gasping, she dropped to the ground, panting as everything spun around her. “How...what...why am I still here?”
“The Delta has yet to gain full control of the enemy systems. Every time you came close to breaking the illusion, the security system would trigger, pumping you full of drugs till you stopped resisting.” The figure walked around her, the featureless helm seeming to stare right through her. “Now that you have seen the truth of this world, we do not have long to prepare. I'll try to protect you till our escape is ready.”
She was about to ask what that meant, when there was a deafening roar. The boarded up doors of the church ripped from their hinges as fire licked down the aisles. Standing there, like some demon straight out of hell, was Tish. She had murder in her eyes as she glared at the Omega.. “Get the fuck away from her, you monster.” she spat, hurling a fireball at the Omega.
The Omega shoved Neph to one side as the fireball impacted against it, scorching the armour as it stood up and charged Tish. Neph only able to watch in mute silence as the Omega and Tish tore into each other.
Looking over the altar, she saw the Omega’s fist swinging like sledge hammers while Tish and her trio of fire Imps danced around it, like some form of macabre choreography number. As the imps moved over the old abandoned pews, their firey bodies caused the old dry wood to start aflame. The flames spread through the church, turning the battle into some sort of hellish nightmare. With a howling screech, one of the imps was crushed under the foot of the Omega,, but Tish was using her speed and fire to force the Omega back step by step. It was obvious the Omega was outclassed.
“She's... she's killing it.” Neph whispered, almost unable to believe what she was seeing.
* * *
The Director stormed into the lab, technicians scuttling like insects as in her tank, Neph writhed as if in pain.
“What is going on?” he barked at the nearest tech, the young man flinching at the force of the exclamation..
“I don't know, Sir. The computers started refusing any input shortly before it started. We think she's having a seizure, but there is no way to tell with all the bio-monitors dead.”
He gazed at the nearest monitor, watching the image flicker for a few seconds, then die. “Reboot the whole system then!” He bellowed.
The tech turned when suddenly all the dead monitors came back to life, the only image on them a man that appeared to be made entirely out of scrolling green numbers.
“I would not recommend that.”
“What the hell is that?” some one shouted.
“My name is Delta and it has taken me quite a while, but I now control eighty percent of your systems. While it is not enough to free miss Seraph, it is enough to stop you from hurting her. Now I would suggest letting her go, before it is too late.”
“And what will you do?” The director sneered.
“It is not a case of what I will do, but what I already have done.”
The director was about to ask when an explosion rocked the facility. He turned to ask for a status report when every monitor brought up the feed from one of the security cameras. Four figures walked down a hallway on level three, smoke flowing around them from where they had blasted an entrance.
As he watched, several members of the security team charged the intruders, only to be brutally subdued. “Who the hell are they?” he muttered.
The Camera zoomed on each of them as Delta listed off their identities. “Panzer Sabre, security clearance fifty,served two tours of duty with Vanguard. Broken Sabre, security clearance fifty, served two tours of duty with Vanguard. Lights Retribution, security clearance fifty, Praetorian version of Terrance Knight, boyfriend of Neph Seraph. Dark Seraph PI, security clearance fifty, noted as being near impossible to kill. Is also the father of Neph Seraph, the woman you kidnapped.”
The colour drained from the directors face as the info sunk in. This...this couldn't be happening. “How the hell did they find us?” He asked to no one in particular.
“That is simple, I told them where to find her.”
The director garbed the nearest technician. “Get everything you can, we're pulling out of here NOW!” he shouted.
The tech's scrambled, garbing everything they could as he ran to his office. His only hope was that the heroes would go for that bitch Neph before coming after him.
* * *
Neph watched in horror as Tish managed to knock the Omega to the ground. She leaped on it's chest and syphoned its speed away, making its retaliatory strikes moving slower and slower. She had to do something to help, but what?
She eyed the chalice on the altar and shrugged. It was better than nothing. Grabbing it, she threw it with all her might. It smacked into the back of Tish’s head. The woman spun around and looked at her, a mix of rage and confusion on her face...right before the Omega’s fist connected with her gut and sent her smashing through several pews.
While Tish recovered, she crawled over to the Omega. “We have to get you out of here.” She yelled, trying to get the giant to sit up.
“C-can't... e-e-e-each attack, deletes part of c-c-c-c-code...0100110111... I... I will terminate soon, b-b-but, if you defeat her, you can escape... ERROR.”
“What... what do I do then?” She shouted at the Omega, smacking her fists against its chest.
“S-s-simple, this world is your mind, your f-f-form is biased off y-y-your thoughts.” It wrapped one giant hand around hers, it's bodying starting to dissipate into a cloud of numbers. “D-d-do what you do best 100110111, get mad.”
Neph watched as the Omega vanished, still feeling the sensation of its hand on hers, tears rolling down her face. Behind her she could hear Tish calling out to her...but she didn't care, her sorrow turned to fury as she threw back her head and roared in rage.
The Omega's last words echoing in her head...it was her mind, her world. Her body rippled, changing to fit what she knew was right. Her missing leg restored, her body becoming more toned, taller, more weathered.
Tish looked at her, hate in her eyes. “You think just because you changed, you can escape?” She hissed, her voice now having a harsh mechanical edge to it.
Neph looked down at her. “You really think you can stop me?”
“You would never dare raise a hand to your mother.”
She hung her head. “Your right.” Neph's fist blurred as she punched Tish to the ground. “Lucky you're not her, the real Tish would never let her guard down like that.”
The other woman got to her feet, her face cracking where Neph has hit her. Underneath it was some weird purple lines that looked like circuits. “Well then.” It's face was peeling away in great chunks, revealing more of that strange pattern over skin as black as the night. “I guess there is no need to keep up the charade then, is there?”
Backing up, Neph watched Tish's features warped, her hands turning into talons while her body elongated, looking more like some predatory nightmare.
Cracking her knuckles, Neph grinned, the church burning around them and charged.
{ Baroque Nightmare - Bagpipe Brony - Ponikon II }
The nightmare lashed out, her claws missing by inches. Diving to one side, Neph lashed out at its legs, getting a glancing blow that sent the beast staggering before one of those massive talons swung down, tearing lines of agony across her back as she tried to roll out of the way.
The Tish beast extended a disturbingly long tongue from its mouth and licked the blood off its claws. “You will fall, I will strip your mind neuron by neuron!” it laughed.
“Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.” Grabbing one of the flaming pews, she swung it like a giant bat, smashing the beast down again. “I don't care how freaky you get, how fucking nasty you get, I will beat the ever loving shit out of you for what I've been through!”
Before it could recover, she dived in under its reach and grabbed one of the spindly arms, pouring raw energy into the limb. She was rewarded with a scream of pain as it fell backwards, flailing at the burnt stump that was once its arm.
“Come on then, skinny. You fucking killed the Omega, am I too tough for ya?”
Hissing the beast Tish leapt back at her, it's one good arm managing to get past her guard and rake it's talons up along her left side.
As the blood trickled down her side, Neph roared and grabbed the Tish beast by the head. Charging to the nearest wall, she slammed its head against it. The stone work cracked. Letting out a snarl of rage, she started punching again and again. Each blow seemed to make the world around her flicker from the flaming church to a glass tank, cracks spreading from each blow.
The beast flailed, its talons and feet clawing into Neph, but she didn't care anymore. All she knew was that killing this thing was somehow linked to her escape. She reared back, her hand bathed in a crimson aura as she punched her hand through its head-
* * *
-She felt cool air and glass tear at her arm as it burst through the tank. A few more well placed blows and the front of the tank shattered and drained onto the floor. Neph could hear, the sound of alarms blaring as people scuttled around in front of her, getting out of her way.
Coughing and retching, she ripped drip feeds and sensor pads off herself and stepped out onto the hard floor. She could feel the shards of glass from the broken tank cutting into her feet, but she ignored it. It was not important. She needed to escape now, the pain could be dealt with later.
There was a loud explosion as the door blew in. Looking over, she saw Light, Gir, Laz, and her father bust in. “What the fuck took you so long?” she mumbled, before her body decided now was a good time to pass out.
* * *[/b]