Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Crusade ❯ Battle's End ( Chapter 3 )

Jon stood before the assembled troops of the Pagan Resistance. He had unhidden his wings that he usually kept hidden. They were were covered in beautiful white feathers. Beside him stood Shay, dressed in the skin tight battle armor that all three of the Fates wore.

"I stand before you as your commander. Your whole life lies before you. I will understand if any of you wish to back out."

"I stand beside you, my love." It was Shay who spoke. None but Jon heard her.

"I will be leading the Chimeras. The Chimeras are the Special Ops forces of the Resistance. We will be sneaking into the Home base of the Beast. The Fates, our strongest Mech unit, will lead rest of the mech unit. You men and women will be watching our backs. You will keep the enemy from attacking our infiltration team." Jon hit a button on his podium and a map appeared on the wall behind him. It showed the town of Brookline. On the very northern border there was a red glowing dot. Farther down on the map there was a blue glowing dot. Jon pulled out a laser pointer. The red dot created centered on the blue dot. "This will be our entry point. The Fates," Jon points laser pointer at Shay, hitting her squarely in the chest. When it hits her, the beam forms a heart. "Have told us that if we enter any closer, we will be swarmed by the enemy. This," Jon pointed the laser pointer at the red dot. "Is the Target. On the records we call it Target Omega. It is the Home base of the Beast. The final battle between good and evil is at hand. Call it what you will, Armageddon or Ragnarok, it is here."

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Jon was briefing the Chimeras on the coming battle. Only the stealth members of the team were coming with him. The warriors were going with the rest of the fighters. "Our target will be the throne room. Take only close combat and silenced weapons." Jon took the WingKey and a standard issue Freedom Fire plasma rifle and strapped them on his back in an "X". He also took plenty of ammo cartridges and put them in his bandoleer. He checked the scanners in his mask and the speakers and transmitters in his helmet. When he was sure that everything was working, he donned the final pieces of his uniform and went to check on Shay.

"Shay, as my second in command, it is your job to make sure that after my team has infiltrates the enemy base, all troops pull back. I mean it. A lot of people will die and I don't want any more than necessary to die. And you are not to follow me in. I know I am usually quiet and submissive to you, but I am ORDERING not to go into to the base. If you follow this order, I will do anything you want me to when I get back" There was no hint of doubt that he would return from this mission in his voice, but she could tell that he was afraid that he wouldn't return because that would make her sad. But she knew that if he did get killed, she was to, with the help of the rest of the gods, bring him back.

Finally the time had come for them to set out. The mech pilots entered the cockpits of their mechs. The infiltration Chimeras boarded Totoro, who would take them to the battlefield. The warrior Chimeras boarded other NekoBasu that had been converted into armed and armored personnel carrier.

They were going to warp their troops there in waves. First would go the Fates, then the rest of the mechs, then the armed and armored personnel carriers containing the warrior Chimeras and finally Totoro, with the infiltration Chimeras inside.

The trip through the warp, was rather uneventful, aside from the attacks from the creatures that live in the warp, it was a rather uneventful trip.

They reentered reality on an desolated street. Among the rundown stores on the side of the street were a comic book store, a video rental store and a creperie.

Jon astral projected himself into the comic book store. He remembered this store well from his childhood. It had been one of his favorite places to go as a kid. But on June sixth, 2400, the Beast passed legislation that outlawed all non-government approved media. The comic book store became a media speakeasy. They survived like this for a while before the Beast's "angelic" Enforcers raided the place, in suits and fedoras, no less. [Suits and fedoras are the stereotypical speakeasy raider of the nineteen twenties]. He looked at the yellowed, dogeared comic books and dusty action figures. The floor was littered with bodies, both those of the Enforcers, dressed in Suits and fedoras and of the employees who were dressed in battle armor with the symbol of the Underground Free Press,

Then he shifted to the video store. The same story there. They had joined the UFP and held out as a Media Speakeasy until they were raided. The floor was littered with corpses, from both sides.

After that he returned to his body. He found that they were almost there and called a halt. The were to get into formation. The mechs formed a "V" with Shay as the lowest point. Behind them were the foot troops who had disembarked from their NekoBasu and were heading out on foot.

Totoro and his passengers were taking another route. They approached the back of the building. There was an obelisk with the words "As Perseus slayed the Chimera, So shall I slay you." Jon growled at that.

He gave the order to disembark and they opened the door that had been left open. The first trip they made was to the power generator room. There they dis activated the generator. He told them to head to the command center and that he was going a different way on his own. He also sent the signal to Shay that they were in and that she was to take the troops home and hope for the best. Anubis and Bastet followed Jon, taking up rear guard positions while Jon took point.

Finally they reached the grand hall. It was dark but they could make out shapes of statues and crosses. "So glad you could make it, dear brother." A voice called out of the gloom, a voice that could only belong to the Yogo-sha no Aku, other wise known as "Ronald Carey". Out of the shadows, a form stepped, dressed in monks robes with his hood over his face. Around his neck hung a cross carved from a blood red stone on a string of rosary beads.

He pulled his hood back and revealed his face. It didn't look like the face of the bringer of the Apocalypse. The eyes were blue-grey and he was slightly pudgy. His curly blood red hair was rather neat. He drew out a naginata (Think a katana blade on a long pole and you aren't far off). The blade was made from a glowing blood colored stone and the handle was from a metallic blue substance.

Jon drew the WingKey from his back and glared at the opponent. He charged and the blades met. A shower of sparks flew from the blades.

Again and again the blades met, charged with the energy of good and evil. Finally Jon got the advantage and sliced off the head of his foe. The head rolled to the ground and bolts of lightning shot out of the stump. The lightning formed the image of a dragon and rushed at Jon. As it rolled over him, he could feel his strength increasing.

"Beast, I know you are here! Face your destiny!"

Then out of the shadows, another form materialized. It was buff and appeared to have the head of a donkey. <Set.> Jon thought to himself.
Anubis, knowing his time had come, Stepped forth and drew his energy scythe. Set drew a Ninja-to (Like a katana except with a long straight blade and a square Tsuba ((Hand guard)). Also called a Ninja sword) Anubis charged at his uncle, his glowing blue blade swinging.

The battle was a tough one because both combatants were evenly matched. The battle could have lasted forever. But Set used a muscle burst spell (Increases strength). He got cocky and Anubis Lopped off his head. The energy from Set washed over him, taking the form of a charging donkey.

Anubis stood proudly in the end position of his sweep, Set's headless body lying at his feet. For some reason this scene had an an air of familiarity. Jon Picked up on it instantly and rushes foreward and engages the growing shadow, which is taking the form of a winged demon. The Beast summons a shadow sword and they fight, blades meetting. The Shadow was a good fighter and managed to get several blows through, but fortunatly none on his neck. After a few mintues of combat, the WingKey started to glow. Jon knew that the final moments of the battle were approching. With a final yell, he made an awesome swoop of the WingKey and beheaded the Shadow.

The thing's body and head fell to the ground and turned to black powder that Jon swept into a specially prepared bottle.

With that he placed their flag in the the flagholder to the side of the throne and the building returned to the house it had been.

When Jon, Anubis and Bastet emerged to a chorus of loud yells, shouts and whistles, The first person to approach them was, of course, Shay, who embraced Jon in a tight hug.

She stepped aside and Jon brought his free hand up in a V-is-for-victory sign. "The war is over! The End of the Beasts rein is here!"

The was another chorous of cheers and everyone relaxed. For the first time in many years, the world was at peace. The sun rose on a better world the next day.

-Fin

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