Rogue Chaos- The Heliophage: The Beginning of the End
It had been close to a week by the time that all the members of the Battleborn felt as if they were just waiting for when Rendain was going to retaliate against them. Most of that waiting consisted of training in the simulation room, practicing a new type of competitive mode in the BATTLEGROUND ASSIMILATION SYSTEM Kleese made sometime ago that was called “Face off”, and helping some of the newcomers to the group get ready for when they needed to really go out into the field. They needed all hands… or in the case of Sweetie Bot and R-Dash 5000, hooves on deck when they needed to make their assault on the Jennerit homeworld of Tempest. Because if Rendain was going to make his move, they would only have one shot at pulling this off… otherwise Solus and the universe itself will no longer exist.
From the combat simulations that were tested, the battleborn were able to learn a bit about their three additional companions that Discord had “recruited” along the way. First, there was the Smooze, or as the Draconequus described it, the smooth ooze. For being what remained of the Old Sentinel on Ekkunar, the smooze wasn’t exactly a juggernaut of a fighter like it was when in the body of a golem. But what it could do was two forms of sludge in combat. One to slow down enemies in a sticky trap on the floor while another was used as corrosive slime that could eat away at skin or metal. More importantly, the Smooze itself was able to shapeshift into a juggernaut like form, changing his primary ranged attacks into crushing melee blows. The only problem though was that he could not relatively hold this form for long. Roughly thirty to forty seconds based on Kleese’s observations and calculations.
Secondly, there was R-Dash 5000. Almost the UPR equivalent of Sweetie Bot, but with some major differences. Including the fact that Eris was able to make a copy of Nova so it could run properly. Her forelegs served as weaponized cannons that were primarily used to fire high explosives. However, unlike Benedict, who wields a high capacity rocket launcher and also Ernest, who uses a grenade launcher to support the members of his team, R-Dash was rather… different. In most cases, it may be seen as similar to Montana. Though, instead of fire and ice, R-Dash’s weapons (and a bit of modifications from Kleese) allowed it to store powerful EMP charges that were the size of a relative hand grenade. But that was not all that she was capable of. Freaking lasers shot from her eyes, and, surprisingly, two smaller copies of herself would come out and fire their miniature weapons, though they all chanted “Crush, Kill, Destroy, Swag.” three times before going back to normal. Plus, the same visor that could shoot lasers could also allow for her to see major enemies through walls if, she applied the right choices with her helix ring.
Last, but certainly not least… there was Eris. Though her and Discord were both draconequus, it did not mean that their approach to combat was the same. Her son demonstrated the “fun” side of chaos while her abilities demonstrated more of the darker side of it that would be expected from someone of the Jennerit Imperium. Her weapons were a pair of chakrams, disguised as a pair of rings that Deande gave to her as a gift. But the rings, in combat, could easily drain life from an enemy just as easily as one of Rath’s swords or Ambra’s staff… and like Deande’s fans, they worked at close and long range. But that wasn’t what made Eris relatively… unique. What made her unique was a little something she called… pandemonium. Basically, it was somewhat similar to Ambra when her basic attacks generate Heat. The key difference though was that Pandemonium affected some of her other abilities and if used it carefully, she could be a big team player along with affecting how quickly she attacks and how much damage she could deliver. Add that to the fact that she had a short range blast that could stun enemies and also the ability to make decoys of not just herself, but also her teammates and you may think that she has a lot of tricks up her non existent sleeves.
But there was one that was a real game changer. Something called “Embrace the Madness”. It was used as an ability to provide bonus attack speed, critical damage and reload speed to her team, but it also changed how her two other abilites functioned. The decoy ability, which she called Double Vision, could produce more than one clone while the blast attack she called Mind Break could make enemies that were struck turn on their companions. Like have a primal thrall bomber detonate on another thrall instead of by one of the other battleborn. And to top it off, the more Pandemonium she had, the longer it would last.
All of this was important for when everyone in the base heard Nova’s voice over the PA system for the base as she alerted everyone to immediately report to the bridge. This was the moment that they were anticipating… and everyone was ready for the final fight.
“Okay everyone, listen up!” Ghalt hollered out to everyone as soon as they were all in the hangar bay. “Rendain’s repairs on the heliophage are complete. It’s time to see if all that planning and preparation paid off.” Nova pulled up a schematic of a battlefield while also showing the main ship the crew were using. “Kleese and I will be flying alongside the fleets in low orbit to distract the majority of Rendain’s military that are stationed at the capitol building on Tempest. While that is going on, Mellka and Deande will be figuring out a way to power down the heliophage.”
“Uhh, question?” Sweetie Bot asked as she raised a hoof. “How are we supposed to do all of this?”
“We’ll be splitting up into two teams. One team will go with Deande and Mellka while the rest of you will come with us. Deande and Mellka’s team will consist of Discord, Shayne and Aurox, Eris, Sweetie Bot and Caldarius. My team knows what to do and the rest of you have one job.” Ghalt told them. “Kill Lothar Rendain.”
“Do we really have a chance of pulling this off?” Mellka then asked.
“No idea, but I know one thing for sure,” The UPR captain told the Eldrid. “None of us are going to die in the dark-.”
“Oh my god, you walking movie poster!!” Kleese abruptly shouted, surprising everyone else. “Let’s just get on with the apocalypse already!!!”
“UUUUGH!!” Several Battleborn groaned at the same time while Reyna and Thorn simultaneously gave the old geezer a one finger salute. “You butthole…”
“Friggin’ Buzzkill.” Ghalt groaned.
“Thanks Kleese…” Mellka replied sarcastically.
“Yeah, thanks a lot old man!!” Discord then said before fistbumping Shayne and Eris at the same time. That was followed by a laugh from the LLC genius before his next statement.
“Pahahahaha. Oh, I love you morons! LET’S DO IT!!”
By the time that they reached Tempest and split up, both teams began to go to work on their separate objectives. For Discord and his team though, the first part of their journey wasn’t exactly diving into the heat of battle like he thought, but instead having to handle a ride up an jennerit lift terminal.
“When this lift reaches its terminus, we’ll be within reach of the Cathedral of Lenore. That’s where we’ll find the Heliophage… and Rendain.”
“Man, it’s been too long since I’ve last been there. I wonder how much it’s changed since I’ve last seen it.” Eris remarked as she looked at Deande.
“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.” Mellka then spoke up as she looked at the rest of the team that she and Deande were assisting. “Before we can get you in the cathedral itself, we gotta bring down its defenses. I hope you guys are ready.”
“Well, we spent the last 24 chapters building up to this point,” Discord remarked as he used his chaos magic to form a copy of Caldarius’ TMP blaster in his paw . “Better not let the readers down like how No Man’s Sky let down it’s fanbase.” Shayne readied her boomerang while Aurox cracked his knuckles. Eris herself had the rings on her wrists form into chakrams as they slowly approached the main terminus in anticipation. Once the gate retreated and allowed the group to step inside, they were greeted by an ambush of Varelsi Shulks and Marksman from both sides of the main platform. But upon entering, they saw how… grim things were up in the sky.
“Holy crap… the star. Are we too late?” Mellka asked Deande while shooting a few of the shulks in the face.
“Not yet. The factions are fighting to give us this chance,” The spymistress reminded them. “Their sacrifice would mean nothing if we fall.” Everyone else couldn’t agree more. Many of the Battleborn had reasons for Rendain to die and to come this far only to fail was something that they were not going to let happen.
“And Rendain’s gonna pay for everything that he’s done. That is for certain!” Caldarius added onto that as he slashed one of the last few Varelsi that attacked them in half as they secured the terminus. Once the place was secured, Mellka and Deande soon went to the console at the back of it and examined it. It looked like the console could only be operated by two people at once. So Deande and Mellka made a clear decision before looking back at the group.
“We’ll ready the teleporter to get you inside. We’re going to need the rest of you to wreck those defenses! Find and destroy the shards powering the Heliophage’s shields.”
“The map on this console says that they’re in the Resident District and Temple District to the south and west of here-.” Mellka spoke while operating the keypads on the console, before finding one other detail that was rather… problematic. “Oh sh*t!”
“What’s wrong?” Shayne asked.
“We’re running against the clock! Rendain is going to activate the Heliophage in twenty three minutes unless we destroy those defenses and stop them! Hurry!!” Mellka ordered, causing everyone to run to the active launch pad nearby… not without Discord waiving goodbye to the two friends they were leaving behind.
“May the force be with you.” He stated, shortly before descending into the unknown and joining with his teammates and family… Eris herself upon looking at where they landed was surprised. Things did definitely change from how she had seen it last time around… but it wasn’t quite exactly a good change. And just as soon as they stepped inside, they soon heard Lothar Rendain greet them.
“Welcome all of you… to the Cathedral of the Sustaining Mother… and to the end of our journey together,” He spoke calmly, before his tone changed midway through. “I would welcome you inside, but I imagine you’re here to stop and/or kill me.”
“Yep, that’s the idea.” The group heard Mellka over the comline as the team encountered some Thrall Brutes, Gunners, and a few Evolved thrall that all resorted to charging at them.
“And this is the part where I beg you to reconsider, only followed by your vigorous rejection of my offer.” Rendain then predicted.
“We reject your offer. And VIGOROUSLY!” Everyone heard Kleese boast. Which was ironic since a few minutes earlier, he was saying that they should just get on with the apocalypse already and fend for themselves.
“Hah! Splendid. I admire your spirit!” The Lothar complimented them as Shayne and Aurox pulled one of the thrall over so it was in the direction of Eris’ Chakrams.”Let’s see how far spirit can take you.”
“Well, it’s gotten us through everything you’ve thrown at us so far, so that’s a start.” Sweetie Bot then commented as they made their way through the broken and messed up streets of the Resident District. There was trash scattered everywhere and even some defaced posters of Rath, Ambra, Caldarius and Deande that the Jennerit used to label them as traitors. They were spread out at first. But upon heading up a particular stairwell, Eris happened to find a defaced poster of another Jennerit that was unsettling.
Herself. “Oh come on! This is the reason why I hate the Mainstream Media!” She grumbled, showing the picture to everyone else as they went down an alleyway that was to the right. “That looks nothing like me!!” The poster was her, but with a human nose, a mustache, monocle, and top hat.
“That’s just the worst kind of fan art I’ve seen!” Discord remarked.
“Guys, that is really not our biggest concern right now-.” Shayne remarked as then entered what looked like a chapel building as they were greeted by more thralls and some of the varelsi waiting for them. Which in turn gave the teen a rather… interesting idea. “Oh hey guys look… it’s the paparazzi.”
Sweetie Belle and Caldarius along with Aurox looked at the teen with a bit of confusion, but before they could say anything, both Eris and Discord charged into the chaos and began attacking everything in sight. “WE MUST PROTECT OUR IMAGE!!!”
“Kill the Paparazzi like Hillary Clinton and her emails!!!” Discord added. Sweetie Bot herself just shrugged, charging into the fray with Caldarius and Shayne behind her. Each one of the Thrall and Varelsi put against them fell in battle as they made their way towards the first shard cluster powering the gate. However, there was a problem. When the group tried to attack it themselves, nothing broke off.
“Damn, that thing is reinforced somehow. Kleese, we need a harvester drone at the Resident District immediately!” Deande replied, followed by a LLC drone flying overhead as they heard Kleese respond.
“Already there. Defend it while it extracts the shards! It’s INCREDIBLY expensive!”
“Anything from you guys is incredibly expensive!! Who do you think your clothes are always dressed in gold!?” Discord retorted. “That’s called inflation at it’s finest!!”
“And a pretty lacking DLC Pre order.” Eris added to what was said as one chakram sliced a head off of a varelsi while they soon heard an announcer say FATALITY! in the background. They continued to work on the defensive as more waves of thrall and Varelsi soon approached their location. Just as Discord deposited some shards to set up a thumper turret for added firepower. The rockets from the turrets helped with laying a suppressing barrage on the incoming hostiles while everyone else focused their fire on some of the major enemies that spawned in the room. Soon though, Eris decided to assist one of her teammates when she noticed that a lot of thrall were trying to gang up on Caldarius.
“Prepare for trouble and make it double!” She said to herself with a rose in between her teeth, using her magic to create a decoy of Caldarius that the thrall soon focused their attention on, allowing for the Jennerit Shock Trooper to back up and use his flash grenade to blind those same thrall before laying down a suppressing barrage of shots from his TMP.
“Much appreciated Lady Eris,” Caldarius thanked in response. The draconequus was going to say something, until she noticed her son pouting at her.
“Did you really need to do a Team Rocket reference?” He questioned her, just as Shayne, Aurox and Sweetie Bot were finishing off the last of the remaining thrall in the room.
“Meowth! That’s right!” A random cat with a coin on it’s forehead added, before getting shot by a thrall. “I’m blasting off AGGGGGGAIN!!!!!!!”
“Well that was short lived,” Discord sighed, looking back at everyone else before noticing that the Harvester drone had finished collecting the shards they needed. Once it was complete, they heard Deande speak to them.
“Good work! That’s one down with one more to go. You got to get to the next one in the Temple District and quickly. You got 15 more minutes before Rendain will commence the veiling!” The Spymistress told them as they all ran out of the temple… after Discord looted every box in sight.
“Really now?” Shayne then asked, all while Aurox facepalmed himself with one of his claws.
“I’m a completionist, I can’t help myself!! No stone left unturned!!” He shouted back, before teleporting back over to catch up with everyone else. “I wanna get a high score on this mission!!”
“Same thing here,” Eris added “but you know you’ll probably get s**tty rewards for doing it-.”
“Who cares about the rewards?! Now are we just gonna talk about little things like this all day or are we going to do something that matters!?” Discord snapped, appearing on the back of Sweetie Bot in a Napoleon outfit while holding what looked like one of Rath’s blades. “CHARGE!!! Into battle I say! FOR SOLUS!!!” That was followed by Shayne and Aurox having to run after the two of them with Caldarius and Eris shortly following behind them.
“We should probably go after your son before he gets in over his head, Lady Eris.” Caldarius advised the other draconequus as they watched them run into battle up ahead.
“Way ahead of you.” She snapped her claws and was on Caldarius’ back. “Charge!!!” The Shock trooper sighed at this as he began to make a personal note in his head.
“Note to self… don’t give Eris any crazy ideas.” Caldarius thought, even though that the idea in itself seemed practically impossible given how both Eris and Discord were both unpredictable… but in itself, that unpredictable nature would be the key to defeating Rendain himself.
“To the end credits!!!” Both Draconequi yelled. “And whatever lies beyond that!!”