//------------------------------// // Chapter 33 My Reckoning // Story: Warframe: Relic Hunters // by UnknownEntity743 //------------------------------// Warframe: Relic Hunters Chapter 33 My Reckoning *Location: Relic Hunters’ HQ, Present Day* “So, wait, you’re not going to play the next memory? Why? I want to see these jerks pay for what they did!” Dash complained as Excalibur kept his steady gaze “As much as I would like to watch that myself, the others already know what happens, if you haven’t already guessed?” Excalibur pointed out as Dash rubbed her arm sheepishly “But also, I don’t want to scar you with my most… graphic memory,” Excalibur spoke hesitantly as he read the mane 7’s faces. “Yeah, something more graphic than what you saw just now,” “So, that only leaves…” Rhino started as Mesa sighed “The most painful memory of all, am I right?” Mesa asked as Excalibur nodded “You’ve seen my anger, my despair, my faults… now the only thing left for the war to take from me… was my family,” Excalibur spoke coldly as he glanced at Valkyr who looked like she would break down at any moment, but he knew she wanted him to continue, even if it hurts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Location: Orokin Outskirts of City, End Of Orokin Era* Among the growing chorus of cheers and celebrations, the night grew darker, making the world feel more alive than ever, with the lights of the city shining brighter than ever before. This is what the Orokin should have looked like, instead, only death and slavery. Until now. Meanwhile, on a small bridge near the borderline of the city, was a Tenno, his body glowed with dread, despair, hate. They did this, they took his only chance of a better life than a creature, forced in a metal suit. He just watched as they continued to celebrate the deaths of those who gave them a life, who gave them a second chance. It disgusted him so much, he wanted to die. “I know you’re there, Prime,” He spoke, his red and black armour glowing faintly now, then Excalibur Prime appeared, behind him was Excalibur. “And you,” “Nice to see you too, Stalker,” Excalibur spoke sarcastically as he sat on the edge of the bridge. “So, why are you here? We kind of just took down the pricks who enslaved us for decades, you know?” “You call ‘that’, freedom!?” Stalker snapped as he smashed his fist on the bridge’s wall “Stalker, why are you out here?” Prime asked as he turned to face him, his armour glowing more sickly “Because I wasn’t quick enough… to save the Orokin…” Stalker spoke through what sounded like grit teeth, then he pointed at Prime. “You murdered them!!!” “They had enslaved us since Margulis, and you wanted to save them? Why?” Prime asked as Stalker lifted his scythe “Because, ‘they’ gave us a home! ‘They’ gave us a purpose to live! ‘They’ were the only family we had left and you slaughtered them like cattle!” Stalker snapped, his scythe shaking in his grasp “You’re insane! They fucking tortured me! What do you call that!?” Excalibur retorted as he stood up, his eyes narrowing. “I almost killed 3 primes with ease! And my own sister!” “An honest sacrifice.” Stalker answered bluntly as Excalibur felt his rage boil, then he pulled his Skana out “You little-” War spoke, but Prime stopped him from attacking, then Prime pulled his own Skana Prime out “I won’t kill you Stalker, because you’re my friend, but I will exile you,” Prime stated firmly as Stalker looked at him and then, for once in his life, he laughed “You think I’m afraid of your little threat!? I’ll go… but everytime you look to the shadows, when you kill without mercy, I’ll be there to end it all,” Stalker warned, his voice hollow and cold as ice, then he vanished into shadows “Excalibur, get back to Nekros Prime, warn her to keep on a lookout for any signs of, Stalker,” Prime ordered as Excalibur looked at his friend with an odd look “What are you going to do?” Excalibur asked as Prime turned to look at him “I’m going to go after, Stalker,” Prime answered simply *SHINK-SPLAT* For Excalibur, time moved slowly, but only to capture every detail of red that painted the ground and his body. The large blade puncturing Prime’s chest like a hot knife through butter, the blood spilling to the floor. Then, time resumed as the blade was quickly relinquish from Prime’s chest, the Stalker standing over them both as Prime fell to the floor. Then Excalibur panicked, his heart racing with emotions. “Prime! Prime! No-no-no!” Excalibur cried out as he felt the world become ever so colder, he rested Prime on the stone path as the blood slowly oozed from the wound. “Prime!?” Then he felt something grab his arm as he looked right at the helmet, knowing Prime was staring him dead in the eyes, like if you just pissed him off. But all that Excalibur felt was sorrow. But his ears managed to catch something, which it stung more than any bullet or blade. “Never… let your past… define you…” Prime said in a whisper as Excalibur felt his hand drop, to which he tried to move him “No! dammit don’t you die! Please! I-I…” Excalibur couldn’t though, he tried, but he knew it was fruitless, to which he sat there, staring at Prime for the longest time, not even caring about the blade that looped around his neck “His compassion made him foolish, for that was his downfall,” Stalker spoke, not fazed by the death of one of his only friends “Stalker?” Excalibur asked quietly as he stopped to wait for Excalibur answer, which came as a painful reminded of reality *POW-POW-POW* Three shots from the Lex Prime Excalibur held, made easy work of Stalker’s stomach and leg as he fell back on the wall of the bridge, his bow fall from his back as he did so. The blood easily made its way to the ground as he felt himself wobble between the banister. Then he stared at Excalibur his eyes as black as the void itself, he tried to turn his scythe in his direction, but Excalibur quickly roundhouse kicked him in the chest, sending him crashing through the supports as he plummeted to his demise. “Fall…” Excalibur finished as he felt his head spin from the rush of adrenaline. He turned and saw the shadows that were running towards him, mostly likely about the gunshots Then Excalibur took one last glance at Excalibur Prime, then he collapsed to his knees, and waited in complete hopelessness. They won the war, but was it really worth the loss of his closest friend? “Bro? goodbye…” Excalibur muttered, his gaze turning to darkness as his eyes closed in defeat -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The memory faded. It was short, but the impact was more than sufficient. Excalibur felt something trail down his face as he wiped the tears from his eyes. “Excalibur, are you…” Skyler began but he already unhooked the machine and left swiftly, but he stopped at the doorway, but didn’t face his friends “Never let this define you… only me…” Excalibur quoted as he left the room, to which Rhino spoke up “That was… I don’t even have the words,” Rhino spoke true fully as Limbo added “In all my years, I have never had to watch my own friends die in such a manner, even to go as far as to kill another,” Limbo responded as he felt his stomach turn “That’s the Orokin in a nutshell, more monstrous than me,” Nidus growled as Titania looked at Nidus with pity, then Nox final answered what everyone was thinking in some way “He’s been through more pain than any of us, we can’t fault him for that, but I can also see why he blames himself,” She answered as the rest nodded, then Mirage perked up “Wait, I have an idea!” She jumped with slightly glee, making everyone slightly better. “Right… I know we’ve all been through loss, so… why not throw a celebration for all the ones we lost!?” “How will that…” Twilight tried to ask but Pinkie perked up “Oh-oh, like a Memorial Day! Only super-super fun!” Pinkie answered as Vauban chuckled “It does seem like the best approach, I mean, killing things can’t always be fun? besides are fallen deserve a good sendoff,” Vauban backed up as the rest seemed to agree, but Valkyr quickly left, dragging Skyler with her “Hey, can I ask you something?” Valkyr asked as Skyler nodded “What is it?” Skyler asked as they heard something go ‘bang’ in the room “I need you to talk to my brother, I would do it myself, but… I’m no Excalibur Prime,” Valkyr begged with a slight hint of worry “Why me? Wouldn’t be better if you helped him? You’re his only family after all,” Skyler suggested but Valkyr smiled warmly “’We’ both are, and he’ll listen to you, I know he will,” Valkyr answered, catching Skyler off guard “M-me!?” Skyler stammered as Valkyr hugged her “I can trust you, right?” Valkyr asked as Skyler thought about it for a moment, but happily returned the embrace “Sure.” Skyler answered as Valkyr let go of her, giving her a warm smile “Thank you, Sky,” Valkyr said as she was about to skip away, but stopped as she remembered something important. “Sky, wait!” Skyler turned to face Valkyr again, then noticing her embarrassed face as she brought Skyler’s ear close to her mouth as she whispered 2 words into her ear. To which Skyler’s eyes widened in shock, he heart missing a beat in the process “Y-you!?” Skyler tried to ask but Valkyr giggled and hushed her “Now-now, In time, just thought I let you know first!” Valkyr said with a wink as she skipped away, leaving Skyler to process the new information “Ordis?” Skyler called out as she waited “Yes, Miss, Locks?” Ordis replied as she smiled to herself “Can you tell me where Excalibur is?” Skyler asked as she felt her heart tighten. “We need to talk,” To Be Continued… Those who justify their actions through violence are the most sinful of all.