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Story : [ Prototype ] Towards the Light
Prologue
Author : Fire Bolt

days after the incident on the USS Raegan, Alex Mercer is on the hunt for the remaining infected and Black-watch. The city is slowly going back to normal and the virus seems to be dying out.

In one of the residential area on the outskirts of Manhattan stood a house, a house like any other. Inside on the computer stood a man 20 years, closing to 21. Michael Santiago, or Mike for friends just finished watching the latest episode of My little pony : Friendship is Magic. After everything that happened it was one of the few things that brought some joy to his life, he was a closet brony and while he loved the show he would never admit it. His grandparents left him this when they decided to retire and spend the rest of their life at a retirement center. He had already installed himself in the house so this was just a formality, sadly his happiness was short lived. His parents were so happy they decided to come along, at the time he was hearing rumors about a viral outbreak that was plaguing the city, but he dismissed it as gossip. Mike left immediately after everything was done, and went back home. How he wished to stay maybe he could have helped his parents, maybe he could have made a difference. It seemed that soon after he left there was a fire and no one that was inside survived. The news crushed him, ad guilt was still clinging to him. How was it possible that no one escaped? His father practiced mix martial arts and his mother was an athlete. He would have pursued with his questions but he was wrecked and trying to forget, the insurance and everything his parents left him, set him up for the next couple of years. By that time Mike hoped he would be better, two and a half weeks after the incident and he was still in pain.

He ran a hand trough his black hair sighing, his brown eyes fell upon the wall clock. '10:30 still early! He thought to himself as he went back trough browsing the Internet for ponies. A few minutes later and his phone rang, he looked at the id *Joshua* one of his best friends, he was always trying to cheer him up. He sighed deeply and answered.

''Listen man, I know your going trough a hard time, and I'm thinking some time at the Irish Pound will do you good.''

''Don't be like that man, you don't have to drink, we can just you know talk...''

Joshua hung and Mike stared at the phone for a few moments. He grabbed his keys, his wallet,his headphones and shut down his computer. He got dressed, grabbed his coat and went out after closing the door. Outside and in the sky the clouds completely blocked the moon, the street lights being the only thing to provide light. As he walked towards his destination, he noticed that no one was in the streets, no cars were passing by not even the usual city noises could be heard. There was just silence as he finally saw the bar, 'The Irish Pound' , it wasn't as bad as most thought, quite a cheerful place really. He entered the bar and looked around for his friend. Surely enough Joshua was sitting alone on a table near the window a large beer in his hand. He walked towards him and he noticed.

''Mikey, glad you could make it, come take a sit. HEY 2 more beers here.'' He shouted towards one of the girls who nodded and went to get their drinks.

''Yeah man, you've been kinda down lately and I understand why but you've been avoiding people its not healthy. Not even Emily could cheer you and that ain't good.''

A waitress walked with two large beers and set them on the table'' Would you like anything else?''

Before Mike could respond Josh cut him off'' Bring another two in about 10 minutes ok ?''

The two friends talked for a while, and after too much alcohol Mike decided to call it a night, he paid his share and went on his way, he was more that a bit drunk and it was showing.

''Damn it this is the last god damn time I drink so much, and it barely helped, last time I try Josh's methods. This city is going to hell and drinking my problems doesn't work. Its the middle of the freaking night and here I am stumbling home, drunk off my ass and... talking to myself, great just great.''

My vision begins to blur a bit and without noticing I'm taking a different route home, its trough a bad neighborhood but I'm too tired to care. I continued walking, bracing myself on the walls from time to time. Shouldn't have drank so much, as I turn a corner I notice a large black vehicle parked on the sidewalk in front of an alley, looked like an armored Rover.' What morons park on the sidewalk?' I think to myself as I walk towards it, not in the mood to detour around it. I take a few steps forward and what happened next almost gave me a heart attack. I heard screams and gunfire, and worst a body flew out of the alley with enough force to dent the side of the vehicle.

My condition plus that sickening crack made my stomach churn and everything I drank in the past 2 hours now lay on the side-walk. I manage to get back on my feet and shakily walk towards the body hoping against all odds that he or she might be alive. I hear some angry shouts and the fighting sounds continued, someone might be hurt, but I can't do much. I turn back to the body on the floor to get a better look, looked like black leather armor, who wears that kind of uniform? And what is he wearing on his face? Night vision goggles ? The hell is going on. Damn, wait what is that on his belt? Holy crap its a pistol. Shit what do I do? I'm gonna need it but... Guns are terrible, there are some things in this world that shouldn't even exist. But someone might be hurt or worst, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if didn't do something.

I hesitantly pick it up, and fumble with it albeit a bit drunkenly, but manage to check the mag and pull the safety off. Guess I will have to thank Jericho after this is over. Seems it ain't so bad having a redneck uncle. I hesitantly proceed down the alley, leaning on a wall for support, pistol in my other hand, damn this place looks like hell, what happened here? As I go deeper the sound of fighting intensifies, my vision a bit blurry and my sense are a bit off, which might be a good thing. I think I can hear something in the distance, like a helicopter, but I'm sure thats just my imagination. I walk some more nearing a branching path on my left. I instantly regret it as something massive slams into the brick wall, almost going trough.

Why did I come here? What was I thinking ? WHAT IS THAT THING? My mind was screaming, and I almost fell on my ass, it looked like something from a nightmare. The sudden surge of fear clears my vision and I take a look at my surroundings. Oh god, bodies, broken, crushed bodies, mangled and deformed. The thing looked at me and growled, I was paralyzed with fear, but before it could do anything else something or someone crashed into the thing. I was thankful and at the same time terrified, after the dust cleared a bit I see a guy with a hoodie holding the thing like it was nothing and then slammed it into the ground. I get a look at his face and the color drains from mine, those eyes, so much rage and hate, whoever this was, he was mad, and ready to kill anything in his way.

He snapped that things neck like a twig and what happened next almost made my stomach turn again. Weird tentacles spawned from his back and seemed to consume the body, then they retracted, the body now looking completely drained. That is when a realization hit me, whoever this was, he was strong, he was mad and he definitely wasn't human. He looks at me and grits his teeth, his left arm seemed to be changing, Jesus Christ that blade looks like it came from a nightmare. I don't know how but I manage to lift the weapon and aim. I emptied the mag, I hit most of the time even with my shaky aim, I think I just made him angrier. He opens his mouth and my blood turns to ice.

Hate and malice dripped from every word and I freeze again. He jumped and grabbed me by the throat, slamming me into a nearby wall. I couldn't do anything, I was trapped and I knew I wouldn't make it out alive. He plunged his blade trough my stomach it went trough me and pierced the wall effectively pinning me. I could feel myself getting cold, slipping out. I could hear sounds in the distance, a helicopter maybe? Not exactly important seeing as I was going to die. Those tentacle things came out once again and into my body. I felt connected like he was making my mind his own, my entire life flashed and I wasn't the only one who saw it. The tentacles, no, tendrils withdrew and I was no longer being absorbed. I take a look at his face, blood dripping from my mouth, I no longer saw hate and malice in his eyes, they now bore sorrow and regret. He opens to speak again, and I do my best to listen.

''I promised her... Promised her things would change... That I would stop this before it took more innocent lives. I'm so sorry Dana.'' His voice was filled with regret and looked like he wanted to speak again but a light from above cut him off. I think it was the helicopter I heard earlier. He turned to me and spoke once more.

''I'm sorry I cannot undo my mistake, but I can try to make up for it. This will at least give you a fighting chance.'' I couldn't hear his last words, I was already falling into unconsciousness, I feel something snapping like someone broke an iron pipe, and then darkness.

Mercer broke his blade, leaving the first half pinning Mike's body to the wall, the second hand reverting to normal before changing both hi arms into claws. Alex jumped on top of the block to get a look at the helicopter and noticed a single pilot in the cockpit, the helicopter looked a bit more advanced than the usual one. Alex decides to finish it off as quickly as possible, as a weird feeling loomed in the air.

This thing was faster than it looked, but it was like it didn't try to fight back. Like it was stalling for time. Mercer threw a nearby antenna at it and it seemed to disorient the pilot. Alex jumped as high as he could and pile dived trough the helicopter. The thing fell in half, its rear half landing on the roof, its other half landing next to Mike
a green light emanating from inside. Alex jumped again and looked at the debris, he noticed the glowing light and a green liquid seeping from it.

Alex eyes widened, this wasn't an attack, it was a suicide mission. And that was a nuclear core, a very unstable one that could vaporize anything within a mile. It hadn't exploded yet maybe they couldn't activate it. The way it was 'bleeding' showed he had only moments but before he could move, core exploded. It lasted mere seconds and in its wake was just a small crater. It looked like the thing imploded on itself since it couldn't detonate. As Alex looked at the missing piece of land, he's face turned into a scowl and spoke:

[ Prototype ] Towards the Light

by The Lich King

(1)Prologue