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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 87: What Was On The Mountain...

Day 195 (11:57 AM. The wilderness somewhere between World Two and Word Four)

*CREAK*

“You mean the formation of that second creature is what caused the shockwave?" I asked the automated assistant.

*Apparently so Mr. Winter.*

“Wow!! What a ride!!!" The yeti exclaimed.

“Yogi, I know you are a new soul and still learning as you go along and all..." Corbin started to say to the manufactured monster.

“What are you trying to say Corbin?"

*CREAK*

“He means being catapulted by a shockwave that was created by a newly freed being possibly an evil unspeakable horror that has decided to conquer the planet is not what we consider a fun ride." I said scanning the upper right monitor of the prototype.

“But we are in one piece." The young yeti said reaching.

“We have the deflectors to thank for that. But I am seeing system errors." I said.

“Meaning?" Yogi asked looking at me with those black beady eyes of his.

*Meaning the prototype took damage.* The automated assistant responded.

“Stabilizer error. Overwatch what is that?" I asked.

*CREAK*

**That component is responsible for attitude control during hover mode.* *

“You mean flight stability." The little mongoose boy said.

*Yes Mr. Mongoose with that system down I will have a hard time keeping the prototype upright during flight.*

“That is not good. Overwatch contact Lady Ursa."

*Not possible Mr. Winter we are out of communication range.*

“Well our network was never supposed to allow us to communicate in the middle of nowhere." Yogi said.

“Big brother try Feleen." The little mongoose said.

“Good idea. Overwatch how about our auxiliary site?"

*No good. We are out of range from that as well.*

“Damn, I was hoping if we could contact Feleen, she could relay a signal back to our friends." I sighed.

*CREAK* *CREAK*

“No good Alex, we have the only prototype capable of flight. Remember the silver prototype is grounded." My little brother said.

“What is making that damn noise?!" I asked looking at my companions. They were equally clueless. “Overwatch run a complete systems check of the prototype. Corbin pull up the camera."

“We landed in a tree." My little brother said panning the front mounted camera on the nose of the prototype. “It is in a forest on the side of a mountain."

“I think that creaking noise is the tree considering whether it wants to keep or let us go." Yogi said out loud.

*Except for the stabilizer all systems are operating within given parameters Mr. Winter.*

“Can we fly out of here?" The yeti whose lap Corbin was sitting on asked.

*The prototype could tumble to the ground before we reach a sustainable altitude.*

“A better idea would be just to land. But there is no place to do so with all these trees around." I said looking at the green canopy below us.

“What is that?!" The little mongoose shouted.

“Put it up on the main monitor." Yogi ordered.

“What is that?!" I said echoing my little brother.

“Is it a tornado?" The yeti asked.

*It is too large to be. It looks like a hazy windstorm a giant one. A fierce one.*

“The winds how strong would you say they are?" I asked the automated assistant.

*We are about to find out Mr. Winter.*

*CREAK*

“Overwatch let's get out of here!" I said powering on the prototype.

“Passive restraints are on. Deflectors too." The little mongoose boy said typing.

“Ah, Corbin, you might want to put that away." Yogi warned.

“Right. It could be damaged if we fall!" My little brother agreed.

The automated assistant engaged hover mode as the storm approached our location on the mountainside. As we took off from the tree that was creaking under our weight, the hover vehicle started waffling side to side then front to back as we were overtaken by massive turbulence.

*I am having difficulty maintaining attitude control.* The automated assistant said as it struggled to maintain enough lift.

Corbin had just put away the copilot monitor and keyboard when a fierce gust hit us.

**The winds outside are over a hundred miles an hour.* *

And down we went.

“Overwatch do something!!" I shouted

*No good. I am sorry. Impact is imminent!*

*THOOM!!!!*

When the dust had settled. The blue coupe had landed on its side at the bottom of a fissure wedged between two walls.

“Eeeyah!!!" Yogi exclaimed. “I felt that."

“We all felt that." Corbin said rubbing his head.

**Everyone in one piece?* *

“That is a relative term." I said looking at the upper right monitor. “Stabilizer still failed."

“Looks like we will have to cut our way out of here." The little mongoose said pressing the third button in the row of buttons on the weapons console.

Nothing happened. Actually that is not entirely true, more alarms appeared on the upper right monitor.

“Side-pod failure." The young yeti said. “Wait, what? They were fine a moment ago!"

“They could be jammed." Corbin said looking at the alarms.

“Now I know what the interior of a sandwich feels like." I sighed.

*Well the weapons launchers are inoperable for the moment so we can't force our way out of here.*

“We can't release the dome either." Corbin said looking up. “Talk about being in a rock and a hard place."

“Alex what do we do?" The young yeti asked.

I rested my head on the steering column.

“That is tough one. We are stranded on a mountain with no supplies. Mobility is severely limited. We could stay here and wait out the storm."

“And then what big brother?"

“I don't know. We can't contact home for help. If we seek help there maybe hostiles in the area. I just don't know fellas."

“You can start by making a decision Alex." The designer toy said.

“Overwatch what is the status of the deflector system?"

*Unlike the stabilizer and the side-pods it is operational Mr. Winter.*

“Expand to maximum."

**Acknowledged.* *

*WUP*

“Ok that wasn't the right call." I concluded.

“But at least the prototype is at the bottom of the fissure now." Yogi said.

“But still lying on it side." Corbin added.

*Looks like the storm has subsided for now.* The automated assistant said observing.

“We are going out the trunk." I said.

*You are seeking help then?*

“Yeah if we can find it Overwatch." I said crawling behind the driver's seat.

“Try to keep the rest of the prototype's systems from failing." Corbin said following me and then the our resident yeti.

“Wow, look at how steep the walls are and how narrow the fissure is!" Yogi said looking around us.

“It is like a sliver in the mountainside." Corbin observed. “How are we going to get up there? That looks to be a distance- of about 500 feet."

“In stages- to me fellas." I said aiming my grappling hook upward.

Yogi and Corbin grabbed on to me.

“Wow, your fur is soft." I said as I was embraced by those large yeti arms. “Hold on tight."

We scaled the first 100 feet finding a ledge to set down on and then did the next segment and then the next and then the next and the next until we were topside.

“The winds have died down." Yogi said licking his finger and holding it up.

“But they will be back." Corbin said inhaling. “Which way?"

“We go upward." I shouted.

“Why?" The sentient toy asked.

Corbin point toward the base of the mountain. We observed another storm moving in.

With little alternatives left, we started to ascend the mountain.

“Weapons at the ready everyone." I warned. “We don't know what is out here."

“Dense forest for a start a little hard for me to make my way through." Yogi said.

“Well with that big body of yours, it can be understandable." The little boy added.

“Gee thanks roomie."

“Sorry it sounded better in my head." The little mongoose said as he started swacking brush with his boomerang.

“We need to find you something other than rocks to defend yourself Yogi." I said watching him help carve out a trail.

“Unfortunately I haven't really found anything to my liking."

“What about the other weapons you have seen within the colony?" I commented.

“You mean like Corey's crossbow, Shakara's or Gahri's spears, T'hoka or Ursa's swords, Ananias' scythes, Tori's bone club, Ms. Una's whip or your grappling hook?"

“Yeah." I replied to the young yeti.

“My hands are too big. For the time being, I will just stick to throwing rocks."

“Or maybe we should take a trip to that trading post where Corbin got his weapon, we could probably find something for you there." I added.

“That's if we can get off of this mountain Alex. How much farther?" The young yeti said as he nearly tripped over a rope that was strung between two trees.

!!!

“Everybody down!" I shouted as two logs swung at us from opposite sides of the forest.

*SWACK*

“What was that?" Yogi asked.

“A booby trap. It means this area is inhabited. “Wow that is quite the incline." The mongoose boy following the yeti said. “But look there is a trail!"

It was faint, but there. I traded glances with my companions.

“It is there for a reason, let's follow it. Watch out for more traps."

We passed the tree-line as we continued to ascend the mountain. Along the way the conversation shifted to what we saw hours earlier in the stone forest.

“So any theories as to what that was Claudius released?" Corbin asked.

“He called it a homunculus." Yogi responded. “What is a homunculus?"

“A big scary monster." I interjected. “But the bigger question is what does that mean for us?"

“Well, it wanted to surprise- dominate the planet." My little brother interjected.

“It also has the ability to change its size and replicate itself." Yogi said.

“And it was thankful to Claudius for releasing it from its prison." The mongoose boy said. “I think it is another enemy."

“Well, as I see it, it is going to have a problem dominating the planet because another is trying to do so."

“I think Claudius is going to try to convince the creature to attack the synoptic if possible." The yeti said.

“The first scenario would be more beneficial to us I suppose."

“Not if both ONE and TWO destroy the planet Alex." My little brother said bringing me back to reality.

“Is that what we are calling it now Corbin?"

“Well there are two of them Alex."

“Or they could join forces and rule together." The manufactured monster said.

“We know what life would be like under ONE. What about TWO?" I said as I gasped at the thought.

“Too many unanswered questions and not enough data to make a real conclusion. Regardless we have to get back and warn our allies." Yogi suggested.

“Look prints on the trail!" Corbin said kneeling. “They are leading further up the mountain."

“They look fresh." Yogi added.

We stopped walking and started running as we realized that the storm was gaining on us. That was when we saw it about two miles in front of us.

“What is that?" I shouted.

“Alex, Corbin- that is remarkable. It looks like someone carved a dwelling out of the mountainside."

“It appears to be a jagged wall and well hidden." The little mongoose boy said.

“I think our immediate safety is our top priority fellas." The young yeti said.

“Agreed we need to get out of this weather and quickly." I said looking down the mountainside. That storm was enveloping everything in its site.

We ran as fast as we could for the next mile and a half arriving at the fort like structure.

“Whoa it is made of mud and brick!!! And you can see for miles around!!"

“Easy there little yeti." I said.

“Sensing anything big brother?"

“No but this is nice, it is isolated, remote and you can see for miles in any direction."

The entire structure was a makeshift wall built into the side of the mountain with small cutouts and a doorway with a tarp over it. I looked at my companions.

“Hello? Anybody home?" The little mongoose boy called out.

Receiving no answer Yogi tapped on the wall. He then went inside as the storm arrived.

“Yogi!! You don't just do that!!" I shouted.

“Well it is not like anyone is around to object." He grimaced. "And we need shelter."

(Wow, this is ripped from the pages of modern primitive!)

Inside there was a heating pit, a large white shaggy rug, hand crafted storage trunk, a wall recess where food was placed, and a weapons rack where I saw a crossbow and large club were laid.

“Will you look at this stuff!" The manufactured monster said. “Who ever lives here is really living off of the land."

The most prominent item was a small table with a pad on it?!

(Wow, that looked really out of place.)

While the sentient toy studied the domicile, I looked at the pad. It was still functional! But wait! There was more- it had a series of news stories on it.

I picked it up and started sifting through some of them.

...Late December Year of Empire 33 while hunting for rebels The Knights of Sovereign Discovered a Remote village in the mountains far west of World Five…

...Occupants were flawed beastials whose transformations from animals to the perfect species was imperfect…

…Fearing reclamation they fled civilization and had been living in isolation for thirty years until their discovery…

“Corbin!" I shouted waving him over.

My little brother came over to see what I was looking at.

...The residents of the remote colony were captured and brought back to World Five to be judged and punished for violating the statute settlement....

...The beastials of the colony were sentenced to that which they were trying to flee from de-evolution and their human companions were sentenced to the living death…

“These articles are about World Six big brother! That means whoever lives here is from that colony!! There were survivors!!!"

“But this is quite a distance from their colony." I said thoughtfully.

“It was probably by design Alex. Think about this isolated place, the traps, the great vantage point." The little mongoose-boy said.

“Alex, Corbin I think we have company!" The designer toy announced. “Someone is coming!"

“It is okay Yogi!" I said running to the entrance of the structure Corbin was right behind me.

In from the storm walked a tan female saber-toothed tiger with more than an average build, small tail, big paws, black ears. She was dressed in clothing that looked more like a leather bikini than the primitive shirt and skirt Corbin and I had seen her wearing last time.

She was holding a spear in her left paw and a blow dart in her right paw and appeared to be lost in thought when we surprised her.

“SHIRA!!!!" Corbin and I shouted pouncing on her.

We shocked the barbarian badly. I forgot that members of that colony were highly xenophobic.

(Whoops.)

We received our welcome in kind. Corbin and I were thrown against a wall and then...

*PFFFT*

*groan*

*PFFFT*

*thud*

“What did you do to them?!" Yogi shouted. Before receiving several blow darts…. Well a lot of them.

*PFFFT*

“Wait, we are not your enemy, we come in peace!!! UGH!!!"

*thud*

Much later I awoke to some soft paws massaging my neck and a cold compress on my head.

*NGH*

“Easy there drink this." The tigress said handing me a potion. “It is going to take time for the drug to work its way out of your system."

“Shira? Why did you attack us?!" I shouted.

“Why did you pounce on me?" She countered.

“I was... I mean Corbin and I were just so glad to see an old friend and friendly face."

“You two caught me completely off guard. I was distracted; weak." The female barbarian said.

“Your colony was obliterated by the empire. You were thinking about them." I said to her.

“Yes."

“I am so sorry Shira."

“For what Alex? It wasn't anything you did." The tigress said. “More like bad luck."

“Toward the end of the empire, the High Evolutionary initiated a reign of terror to hunt down those he considered a threat to his rule. Despite your isolation- your colony got caught up in all of that." I said trying to concentrate but my head throbbed and my mind felt very foggy.

Despite what she had been through the last seven months she looked great.

“The end of the empire?!" Shira asked.

“You don't know do you?"

“Know what Alex?"

“Give me my hug and I will tell you."

I hugged the lady warrior for some time.

“I think you can let go now Alex."

“It is so good to see you Shira."

“UGH what happened?" The little mongoose boy next to me asked coming to.

“We surprised her badly little brother."

“So did the empire last December." The she beast said. “The knight core was pursuing some rebels of interest in our area and stumbled upon our colony. Despite our precautions we were invaded. They got Kendall, Basil, Gia, Rose, Kip and the rest. I was out hunting when it happened."

“You were the only one to avoid capture." The little mongoose boy said rubbing his head.

“I hate the high master for what he did." The saber-tooth tiger said.

“I was not happy with his decision when I found out either. In fact I expressed as much during an evaluation and was labeled an pre-rebel and imprisoned." I interjected.

“I traveled to World Five in attempt to rescue my friends, but it was hopeless, by the time I arrived, all of them had been judged and punished. The humans of my colony were given the living death and the beastials were de-evolved."

“Shira." Corbin and I said in unison.

“I fled World Five and found this place. It is serene, peaceful and away from everything. I decided to stay."

“Wow you are really away from it all." I added.

“This place has many natural barriers to discourage invaders." She said looking at Corbin and myself.

“By that you mean that fissure or the windstorm?" Corbin asked.

“Both."

“Um, Yeah we fell down the first and fled from the second." I added.

“We left to get help and found ourselves here which is quite nice." The little boy added.

“It is away from the empire and the High Evolutionary's influence."

“You don't have to worry about the empire ma'am." A third voice beside Corbin and myself said stirring.

“Who is this Alex, Corbin?" The tigress asked.

“A friend of ours- Yogi meet Shira."

“He looks like a Sasquatch." The female she beast said.

“And you are a saber-tooth tiger and a pretty one!"

“Oh I like him. So you boys have a story to tell me then?"

The three of us nodded.

“Let me get some more antidote before you begin." Shira said standing.

(Antidote?)

Yogi watched as our hostess went to the recess in the wall and fetched a bowl full of steaming liquid.

“Each of you take a sip of this." She said handing it to Yogi who then passed it to Corbin and then myself.

“So why don't I have to worry about the empire any longer?" The tigress said making herself comfortable.

“Because it doesn't exist." Corbin said.

“Really?"

Corbin, Yogi and I spent the next hour giving the former leader of World Six the mother of all updates.

“So that explains why there haven't been any further information on the pad or aerial traffic between the cities." The she beast said.

“Yes." I replied.

“Lord Tiger?" She asked.

“I am sorry Shira he perished during the cataclysm." I said wistfully. “Many did."

“It is ironic that the three of you are living exactly how I live." The tigress said lying down on the rug in between the mongoose boy and myself. As the young yeti watched curiously.

“How is that?" I asked.

“Xenophobically." She said lying back looking up at the ceiling. “So the high master is gone, his empire taken over by another with additional threats about as well."

“Yes. Speaking to that, we need to get back home and soon Shira." I said looking at her.

“Well it won't be tonight, your mode of transportation- in is literally between a rock and a hard place." She said turning her attention to me.

“It is also the primary defense of our colony too that is why we must get back as soon as possible. We just don't know how." The little mongoose said.

“There may be a way but that will have to wait until morning- the windstorm is still about outside, and you three need to wait for my drugs to wear off, so boys it looks like you will be spending the night with me." The tigress said pulling Corbin and myself close to her.

“Um miss Shira?"

“Yes Yogi?"

“Do you have anything to eat?" The manufactured monster asked.

Day 196 (7:12 AM Shira's camp.)

“So you have been living by yourself all this time Ms. Shira?" Yogi asked the saber- tooth tiger.

“Yes."

“It must get really lonely." Yogi said accepting a bowl of soup from our hostess.

“I prefer to be alone especially after my loss young one."

“I was lonely too until I came to the Lost City. Now I am not." The sentient toy said to imperfect beastial.

“This soup is great Shira!" The little mongoose said slurping.

“Why thank you Corbin."

“This area is really unique." The young yeti said as he finished his breakfast and went to the doorway. “Say what are those strange looking lights? They appear to be dancing and it is daytime!"

“I call them cliff lights little yeti. More of the mountain's natural defenses do not attempt to follow them or you will become lost."

“This place does have a lot of natural defenses to scare away outsiders." I commented.

“I have added a few of my own too Alex." The female barbarian said as she finished eating. “I like my solitude."

“Um miss Shira?"

“Yes Yogi?"

“Do you have a bathroom?"

The tigress led us outside to a small shed atop bog about half a mile from her lair.

“This is it?" Yogi asked looking at the structure."

“Yup." Was the reply.

“Um thank you." The yeti went inside closing the door.

“He seemed disappointed." Shira commented.

“He was expecting something a little more sophisticated." The little mongoose boy said. “This is more natural than sophisticated."

“I see." Shira said staring Corbin in the face.

“By sophisticated, he means plumbing. In the bathroom in our colony, waste is routed to a local swamp where it is broken back down and returned to the environment." I said back peddling.

“I see. That yeti boy is an interesting creature."

“Life has been a little rough for him." The mongoose said to the tiger.

“He doesn't have any parents." I said piling on.

“Oh?"

“He is a manufactured monster." I whispered. “A sentient toy that was built to start a new craze; marketed and sold to those who could afford it."

“What happened?" Shira asked.

“The world ended." Corbin and I responded in unison.

“It isn't all doom and gloom; there are pockets of survivors struggling against the encroaching darkness- we just wonder how long any of us can hold out." The little mongoose boy said.

“Ahh… that was refreshing." Yogi said emerging from the outhouse.

“Good, let's wash up." The tigress said.

“Wash up?" The little mongoose boy asked.

“It's ok Corbin, I promise not to peek too much." The she beast said.

“Um, where miss Shira?" The young yeti asked.

“Follow me."

Adjacent to her lair was a tunnel that led inside the mountain to an underground warm spring.

“Whoa amazing!!!" Yogi and Corbin shouted when we saw it.

“This is where I bathe. Join me boys?"

The three of us watched the female tiger enter the small glistening pool which was fed by some running water from somewhere outside.

“You really have built a good life for yourself Shira. You are smart, resourceful, have fantastic survival instincts and great leadership skills." I said entering the pool.

“Why thank you Alex."

“We could use your knowledge and experience in our colony." I said clasping her paw. “Our leadership is somewhat domesticated- they don't really know how to survive outside of the former empire which is what they have known for the last thirty years."

“So what you are saying is that you all have been limping along?"

“Umm hmm." Corbin said nodding his head.

“You could teach us a lot." Yogi said joining us. “But we have a big problem we are still stranded out here."

“About that…" Shira said rising from the hot spring. “Follow me."

We watched the female tiger make her way back to the outside. We then followed the she beast up a scary rocky trail on a shady side of the mountain.

“I found this a few months ago after the thaw. It had been covered by the snow and ice."

Corbin, Yogi and I traded glances with each other for on this steep and scary side of the mountain was the red coupe. Its dome was smashed and the hover vehicle had been split into two pieces, but there was no doubt about it, it was the red prototype.

Alex Winter July 23rd, YOE 34