//------------------------------// // Chapter 24 Final struggle // Story: A Black Sun Rises // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 24: Final struggle At the other end, they came to a ruin, a catwalk led to another portal, large cables connected both portals. Seeing some supplies on a table, they all restocked before heading through the next portal. Coming out, they were now on a large platform, a huge mechanical structure with multiple rotating pillars in the middle of it. Deathshead stood before it, turning around as he spotted the American. “Agent Blazkowicz... you have an annoying tendency to appear at the worst possible moment. Which is why I have taken certain precautions.” He pointed behind him and the group saw Fletcher in the Heavy Trooper armor, a Leichenfaust his up by his magic. But to the horror of Konrad and his squad, they saw Dinky on a platform, altered in a way they couldn’t imagine. Dinky looked untouched at first. But what was unnerving was the way she was standing...on two back hooves. Her forehooves hung limply at her sides while her eyes stared out at the oncomers. At last, her back-hooves left the ground as Dinky Doo hovered in mid-air, slowly holding her forehooves out to either side of her. Her mouth opened wide. Then wider. It stretched further than any normal pony could manage, her cheeks going taut like rubber bands. Her eyes turned blank then bristled with volts of veil energy as a pale green light burst from out her mouth. It formed a trail, snake-like, and out of its head emerged a screaming, sharp-toothed equine skull gliding towards them, a face from hell with a voice to match “It is amazing how powerful Unicorn magic and Veil energy combined can be. Fletcher Fray, he may be in the armor of a heavy Veil Trooper but make no mistake. He has no shoulder venting system like the others you encountered. He is the final stage of it.” Strasse then pointed to the siblings, they stood behind Fletcher. Katja's body was enshrouded, as if a thick layer of shadow was enveloping it, blotting it from sight. The shadowed figure was hunched, crouching, shuffling in a pained, warped fashion. A dusky indigo mist was emanating from the figure's shoulders, forming a ghostly silhouette of Katja, coursing with veil energy. The face of the ghost was monstrous, skeletal, grim, dead lights in her eyes illuminating a skinless face. As it rose higher in the air, spreading out its arms, its hair floating in a mad weightless mess, the creature from the veil, inhabiting Katja's body, opened its mouth wide and let out a screech. “The young girl... Fascinating, isn't it? How much work the human body goes through in order for us to simply hear something as small as a bird call or a wind chime. Literally countless organs, muscles and nerves orchestrate our ability to detect sound. Presently, Miss Katja's ability is being amplified significantly. Where a normal individual would hear a small noise, Katja now hears as if it were echoing across the landscape. A gunshot? The noise alone will cause her incredible pain, more than she's ever experienced. But through pain...we learn...Is that not so? Her ability to detect sound is also amplified. Move, blink, breathe...and she will know. She will find you...and make you experience the same pain. And I very much fear you will not live to learn from it.” The scientist explained and pointed to the colt. Blau's body was aflame. But the flames seemed controlled, connected, working around the body they'd possessed to create their own. A creature of fire and smoke stood in Blau's place, all muscle and armor with a twisting tail of flame in place of a back-half. The face of Blau Streifen was swallowed up from the lips-down as a set of ferocious, sabered, scorpion-like jaws gnashed and spat embers in a feral display of menace. Flickering forehooves stamped like sledgehammers on the floor, scratching and scraping with rage. The creature represented the fires of war in shape and mood and was intent on spreading it to everything it touched. “Her younger brother.... Fire. Said to be man's first creation and its greatest. Our knowledge of fire begat our knowledge of navigation, settlement, cookery, metallurgy, the list is endless. From fire comes life...and death. From fire, young master Blau Streifen shall be born anew, rechristened if you will, into a living missile, seeking out any who would harm the Third Reich and burning them to ash. These veil-powered radiator systems are filling his body with raw energy. His speed, strength, resilience and, not least, his ferocity will be unmatched by any living thing. Through the veil comes power and young Blau Streifen is privileged to be the subject of that power.” Deathshead then looked at the machine and Dinky. “Beautiful, isn't it? Such raw unbridled power. It destroyed the Thule Civilization; but where they failed, we will succeed. I have the technology to control it. And our first demonstration will be the city of Isenstadt. After that, I will destroy everything that stands in my way - the world will fall on its knees before the Third Reich.” He exclaimed in triumph.” “I have to say, for all you've cost me, I can't help but be impressed. You've managed to get this far. Only appropriate I give you a sight worth seeing. I chanced upon your friends and found them...wanting. The last time they fell into our grasp produced unsatisfactory results. This time however, there will be no mistakes. Direct contact with the veil and all it grants mortal flesh shall strip her of her weaknesses. Her magic shall be brought to its fullest potential. No human weapon will withstand against it. And from the wreckage of our last great war, we shall at last claim victory. You are confident in your abilities, Agent Blazkowicz, and I admire you for it. But in the end, you could only venture so far. Behold the veil, Blazkowicz! Behold the future! A shame you won't get to see the swastika flying proudly over Washington D.C. Kill him!” He ordered and walked away. Konrad and his squad could only stare at the children. Was whatever Deathshead had done to them even reversible? Were they still alive? None of them had time to react as Katja let out a loud shriek, causing everyone to cover their eyes and William saw Fletcher aiming at him. Fletcher..." B.J struggled to stand, holding up a hand before the armor-encased unicorn bearing down on him "Fletcher, it's me! Snap out of it" Snorting and growling dementedly, the Eternal Knight stared. No human met his gaze. No friend. He was staring instead at Grand Master Solomon, dressed in his fine robes and gleaming armor, looking down at him with that smug, contemptuous little sneer of his, those venomous eyes furrowed in disapproval, as he were the murderer, the traitor, the infidel. Then Solomon laughed. "You spent fifty years at war and nine-hundred and fifty in hiding...to put a princess on the throne. And then, when she returned, she refused it. You lived on as countless comrades died...and now you can never avenge them. You fought to save Equestria from tyranny and are now labelled the servant of a usurper, a destroyer, a demon" he laughed again "You have failed, Fletcher Fray. Your entire thousand-year struggle has all been in vain" His pale eyes glinted arrogantly "You are weak...Say it" A roar that neither man nor beast could imitate escaped Fletcher Fray's lips, lost in rage as the sight of his most hated foe disguised the sight of his friend. “Hello, Solomon. This thing that matches my bow and it hurts a whole lot more! This weapon fires disintegrating inter-dimensional pulses of electric death and it really wants to make friends with you! I hope you enjoy screaming, you sick son of a nag! My magic is just as powerful as yours - so now we are equal.” He fired the Leichenfaust and Blazkowicz barely dove out of the way, managing to use one of the pillars for cover. In response, Blau charged forward, trying to engulf the pillar with fire but William used his shield to block the flames. Walking out, he saw Fletcher standing before the machine. He knew he couldn’t kill the stallion but had to incapacitate him somehow, so he fired a short burst of his MP40 but the bullets just bounced off. Looked up, he saw a blue glow from Dinky, realizing she was casting a shield around Fletcher and that he had to use Empower to get through before he was forced to his knees as Katja shrieked again. “We have to do something!” Dennis exclaimed, but they all couldn’t bring themselves to hurt the stallion. Konrad looked around, there was no ladder or anything to get to the platform Dinky was standing on and Fray took aim again, so he did a quick thought. “What are you doing?!” Hans yelled in disbelief as he saw his NCO running front of Blazkowicz, as if he wanted to be killed. To their surprise, Fray held his weapon up into the sky. “Out of my way, soldier!” They started to realize, whatever Deathshead had done to Fray, it caused him to see them as allies, something they could exploit. Blazkowicz shoved Konrad away and activated Empower to fire through the shield. Fletcher did not flinch at all but Dinky did slightly stumble. Apparently, it took her a lot of effort to maintain the shield. As the energy for Empower ran low, William used one of the pillars again for cover, only for the girl to shriek again, with Blau trapping him with flames. “Squad, scatter!” Escher ordered and they did as told, taking position around Blazkowicz, aiming at him, but also blocking Fletcher’s line of fire again, forcing him to stand down. Blazkowicz used this to activate his shield and escaped the flames, using then Empower to fire at Fletcher. Surprisingly, the stallion after a few hits fell to his knees, the shield vanished, with Dinky holding her head, the siblings did too. That gave Blazkowicz an idea and he ran up to Fray, pulling out his shield crystal. Fray struggled as Blazkowicz grabbed him, Fletcher roared before William slammed his shield crystal into Fray’s Medallion located on the chest. Konrad and his squad mates looked in shock as the machine send out lighting, directed at Fletcher, he screamed in pain, his skeleton briefly visible, making everyone hope he would survive this. The machine caught fire and sparked. It exploded in a shockwave, destroying the platform and the group got gently levitated beneath the top of the machine, in the inner workings. “What a trip…” Tim commented slightly dazed as he saw that the inner workings with the gears made it look like a mini-maze with plenty of corridors. “No shields? Well, I don’t need it since I can alter time itself.” Fray’s voice sounded. “Where are you hiding, Solomon? It’s time to die.” A loud shriek made them cover their ears and as they uncovered them, they saw that Blau Streifen dashed around two corridors, blocking them off with his fire. In a flash, Fletcher stood at the other end of the flames, firing his Leichenfaust again. William used Mire to dodge it before they saw Fletcher running away, Dinky close behind him. The group moved carefully through the corridors before Blazkowicz got suddenly shocked, grunting in pain, twitching and the squad saw Dinky before him, Fletcher close behind. But the stallion couldn’t fire as the squad was in front of the American. William recovered quickly and fired a short burst at Fray, he slightly grunted, then retreated at an incredible speed due to using Mire. Again, the soldiers moved carefully, before they saw Katja slowly moving towards them, shrieking upon spotting them. As William covered his ears, he saw a flash again, managing to shoot at it and he heard a grunt. “I’m going to enjoy putting out your flame,” Fletcher said as he fell to his knees, with the children holding their heads. William noticed as walked closer that the armor was damaged, exposing some parts, seeing that Fletcher’s eyes glowed red in the Veil. Blazkowicz slammed his mire crystal into the unicorn’s Medallion, causing him to be electrocuted again. “Solomon! You son of a nag! I’m not done yet with you!” Fray screamed in pain as another explosion occurred, sending the group gently to a stone path under the machine. Blazkowicz picked up some supplies in a small camp of the Nazis. Then they moved up the path, back to the top. On a hill, they saw Fray with Blau Streifen, the colt hovered next to Fray’s bow, lighting up the tip and Fletcher fired. Blazkowicz dove out of the way as the arrow hit the ground, creating a barrier. He just got up as Fletcher fired the Leichenfaust again, yet his target avoided the shot by moving down the bath and returned fire with his K98. Fletcher got thrown back by the hits, losing his balance and fell over the edge, the German soldiers gasped slightly, yet did not hesitate to move on, taking care of a few sniffers along the way. It ended at an edge of floating Veil energy. “Only one way to go.” The American said and jumped into it, getting levitated up. Konrad and his squad did the same and they came back to the inner workings but the gears were gone, along with most of the ruin walls. “Solomon! This ends...NOW!” Fray screamed and they saw him, together with the children on a platform of the center tower. It slowly lowered, making him a sitting duck, as Blazkowicz had no trouble firing at him while avoiding his shots, while the squad went to cover. The moment the platform touched down, Fletcher fell to his knees once again, with the kids holding their heads. “How can this be? You're nothing but a spoiled schoolcolt!” Fray exclaimed in disbelief as William got closer. The American saw that the helmet was gone, seeing a ring on Fray’s horn and scars on his face, they were barely visible in the dark light, as they were healed and dried. “Don’t you dare touch me! You traitor! You’re just one pony! You can’t defeat the lunar republic! Soon we will liberate Equestria!” The unicorn yelled before William slammed his Empower crystal into his Medallion, getting again electrocuted. “You can’t win. You hear me? YOU CAN’T WIN!” A bright light blinded everyone and as it stopped, they found themselves in back into the real realm. Fletcher and the kids were lying on the ground, the letter normal again. William checked for pulses and nodded. “They’re exhausted but okay.” “Ugh…that…hurt…” Fray mumbled as he slowly got up. His entire body ached, he groaned, struggling to get up. William smiled to see that the ring was lying on the ground, broken in two. The children managed to get up with shaking legs, grunting in pain as they collapsed again. Konrad and the others smiled, happy they had succeeded in making their friends normal again. They had done it, what they thought was impossible. But they knew the kids were in no state to go on their own “Damn you Blazkowicz!” Deathshead yelled and they saw him fleeing towards the other portal, with the machines around the catwalk exploding. “Get the kids to safety, I’ll deal with him!” Fletcher said to his allies. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Konrad asked with worry. “I’ll be fine! Go!” Nodding, Escher gently picked up Dinky, Hans took Katja and Tim took Blau. They all ran as fast as they could towards the other portal, seeing that the Zeppelin was also damaged. Holding the children tightly, the group jumped over a railing, Dennis and Tim screamed as they fell before opening their parachutes, landing at the outskirts of town. “F-Fletch…” Dinky said weakly, as the Sergeant gently put her down, seeing how the Zeppelin was a burning wreck, crashing into the castle in a gigantic explosion. “N-no…” She looked in shock at it. Even Blazkowicz with his allies looked at the burning castle. Had Fletcher perished in the crash? Had been the rescue attempt been in vain? The siblings sniffed, not able to believe he had died. “Hey! Look!” Dennis pointed at something in the sky, reflected by the moonlight and the children managed to smile weakly. “Fletch…” They saw him flying towards them, using his mechanical wings, smiling as he landed next to them. “Just because I don't fear death, doesn't mean I planned dying up there.” He said before he felt dizzy and everything went black.