"Risenfall, Chapter 01" by Lyn LJ Jackson

Risenfall

Chapter One

            "The Council of Asevinne has finally approved of more funding to the Risenfall Corporation." The scruffy man pulled his long coat tighter around himself as he walked down the sidewalk into the corporate area of the Asevinne region, a taller, broader man striding at his side.

            "Heh. I guess you will be giving me a team then, John." The taller man stopped walking and shifted the white bowler on his head, his other hand resting at the hilt of the legendary sword at his waist. "Tell me you found some experienced new recruits."

            "Come on, Drale. You know me better than that," spoke John Chasten, "I have been working as the Chief Recruiter at Risenfall for more than twenty years. I am as skilled with my job as you are with that blade." A smile crept across Drale's pale face as John lit up a Marlboro. "Let's go."

            John Chasten sat in a fairly lit conference room, his coat hanging on the chair-back. His hand pushed back into place his slightly greying hair, and straightened his blue tie. On one side of the long table that practically engulfed the small room, sat two eager looking applicants to the Risenfall Corp. Chasten's rough fingers smoothed out invisible wrinkles in his suit jacket. He did not know why he was becoming impatient-- he knew Drale was going to be late. He always was. The Chief Recruiter had always filled time by explaining company procedures. He even told them what they should expect at the Corporation, since it was highly likely that they would be taken in by Risenfall, especially after he had seen their performance in the preliminary Action Room. It would have been an--

            The door to the conference room suddenly opened, and Drale entered the silent air. He still had his white bowler perched upon his brown haired head, his blade hanging faithfully at his side. He wore white jeans over a white short sleeved bodysuit.

            "Hey," greeted Drale. "I'm sorry that I'm late." He took a seat across from the new recruits, his eyes already beginning to size them up, wondering at their strengths and weaknesses. "I'm Drale, and I will be deciding if you get this 'job' or not."

            "He was always the frank one," commented Chasten.

            "Thank you, Mr Chasten. Now. Let us hear them speak on what they have to say about themselves," said the man in white.

            The woman with deep red hair sat up in her chair. Her dark eyes took one look at the hat upon her interviewer's head and spoke.

            "I am Ele. On the street I am known as Timelapse. And I presume you are the legendary Drale the Cleaver."

            "And in that you are correct. It must be my hat; most people do not recognize my sword," responded the swordsman. The other recruit relaxed further into his seat and began to speak.

           "Audhulmar, it is named. Though your enemies call it the Sword of Satan. It is a katana, very rare around these parts. Forged of an alien material, forged by the Xerxens, whose race has sadly long since died out. The blade is also untraditionally double sided. First owned by Shinji Murakami, then passed to the Great Hika--"

            "I'm impressed," interrupted Drale, "And you are?"

            "Fate, or Symbiote to the outside world. I am the weapons fanatic."

            "Ah. That explains it." Drale began to slightly tap one finger as he looked from one recruit to the other. They both seemed to be around twenty-four years, almost as old as he was. "So what have you guys been up to? What experiences do you have tucked under those wings of yours?"

            "We don't have wings," stated the long haired Fate.

            "Who does, nowadays? I hear they are rare. Well?" prompted Drale.

            "I was in the Gale-Fire Incident," informed Ele. "I am sure you remember the day the fire-headed rams were let loose at the Aven Factory."

            "And I...," began Fate, his green eyes falling to the polished long table. "I started the Hylo infestation. And ended it."

            "Heh Heheh... John you have found some interesting characters indeed." The swordsman stood from his chair, and began to walk toward the door. He opened the door and headed out. "Get them some suits."

            Drale stood a top the roof of an abandoned building, his new team members Fate and Ele stood at his sides. The new team just received their new mission in aide to humanity: someone from this neighbourhood had informed Risenfall Corp on seeing two mutant humans. Reportedly, they were infected with some kind of disease that spread to whoever's blood was exposed in their presence. Three people had already died at the nearby hospital of some unknown infection. Risenfall Corporation had been contacted immediately.

            Fate's long hair blew slightly in the wind. He wore a long sleeved bodysuit and boots. Gloves covered his hands, and leather vambraces covered his arms. A mysterious many layered belt hung on his waist. Ele wore a short jacket over her red and purple bodysuit, tall boots adorned her feet and a pocketed belt sat loose about her hips. A red ribbon was tied around her right wrist.

            "The informant said the two mutated people lived in the apartment above the pub just over there," said Drale, pointing with his finger. "This is a straightforward mission, to capture these guys without anyone getting hurt-- or infected. That includes us."

            "I was kind of hoping it would," commented Ele. "Who wants to take point?"

            "I will," volunteered Fate.

            "Just one other thing," began the blue eyed leader, "I have been to this side of the Asevinne Region many times, and the citizens around here don't usually appreciate people from the Risenfall Corp. They bear us only when it benefits them. There are often things going on here that the folks here like to keep to themselves. With Risen wandering around, to them, its bad news. So if you ever come here, always have some business to be about. Once people see your suit in action, it will be hard to forget. Especially if you get a record like mine. Sometimes I wish I had--"

            "Excuse me, but, can I ask you a question?"

            "Yes, Ele."

            "Exactly how... how old are you?" questioned the red haired woman. Fate nodded in the background. He too had been curious. Fate had looked up his leaders records after being accepted at the Corp, and was astounded. He had to be at least forty. Maybe even forty-five. He couldn't have been--

            "Twenty-five," came the response as Drale began to stand stiffly and slouch in his posture. "I know, I don't look it. I'll shave these whiskers of in a few days."

            "Actually I think it is your record. You were at the Coliseum, helped with the Take Over scheme, defeated Mr Invincible, cracked the old man Richard case, single-handedly solved the Jack and Jill maze, and--"

            "Yes, yes. I have been at this Corporation for what seems like forever. Let's not waste anymore time," sighed the swordsman.

            "What if the mutant humans we are after try to escape on seeing our approach?" questioned Fate as he headed to the edge of the roof, preparing to jump the two stories to the sidewalk below.  

            "Then they would have left already. We have been standing here a long time," informed Ele. "The friendly neighbours are already shutting their blinds and peeping at us from behind the curtains. Besides, those poor souls probably want us to help them. I bet at least one of them are suffering."

            "Really? How much money are you putting on that?" asked Drale, suddenly animated and alive again.

            "It was only a phrase. Don’t tell me the Corporation doesn’t keep you on one of its highest pay checks," responded the red haired woman.

            "I--" began Drale, just as Fate knocked on their heads like front doors.

            "I'm bored. Let's go," were the only words Fate spoke before leaping off the roof.

            Once inside the pub, the bartender directed them to the stairs that led to the upper rooms. Fate led the way up the stairs, his left hand moving to remove the vambraces on his right arm. A sickly grey-blue Symbiote could be seen fused to his skin.

            So that is why his name is Symbiote, thought Drale. Interesting. I expect John gave me this easy mission so that we will become familiar with each others abilities and learn to work as a team. The broad shouldered man looked over at the female counterpart to their team. On the outside, she appeared to be doing nothing to prepare for any impending danger that might be lurking on the upper level. Though her eyes did become very keen. Drale’s hand curled around the sheath of his katana, his thumb moving to lift the blade slightly out of its protective covering. Two doors dominated the dusty hallway, a few whiskey bottles cowering in one corner. Fate was about to decide on which door to knock upon, when the door at the farthest end of the hall opened.

            “Ah, So the Riiisen have finahhlly come,” drawled a crackling voice. A figure stepped out into the hallway. He wore dirty, ragged clothes and his festering hair was matted to his sunken skull. His skin had taken on an ill blue hue, and his eyes had yellowed. The mutated man had bone protrusions from his joints, and open sores on his exposed skin. “I am George. Who might you all be?”

            “I’m Symbiote,” said Fate, being at the front. “This is Timelapse, and Cleaver.” Drale tipped his hat at the disfigured human.

            "I hope you are here to try to help us," George motioned for them to follow him, and the Risen did so, at a reasonable distance. Fate entered the room George disappeared into first. The dim room had a single window, which he could see Ele taking a position to cover if one of the mutants tried to use the window as an escape. Drale confidently strode forward, not caring where he stood in the empty room.

            "Why did you allow them in?" growled the other mutant.

            "Anne, please, they are here to help us," reasoned George.

            "I thought we agreed not to let ourselves fall to capture for Risenfall to experiment on us!" Anne rose from her scowling in the corner and strode forward. "We don't need any help from you Risen."

            "Your condition is affecting others," began Fate, his symbiotic arm tensing up. He was not enjoying the proximity of the mutated human. "Surely you will allow us to--"

            "Graaaaaahhhhhggg!" screamed Anne as she launched herself at Fate, ready to cut him open with her yellowing fingernails.

            "Anne, no!" began George as he reached out in pulled his companion back, "Symbiote is only trying to--" His words soon fell short. The blade that Drale had at his waist was now point first at Anne throat. Had George not pulled Anne back at the split second that he did, she would impaled herself upon Audhulmar, and Drale, along with the other Risen, would have let her. Fate's green eyes flicked over at Drale. He had heard of the tales of the fighter's agility, but he never expected the man to be that fast. He did not even hear the blade leave its sheath. Drale resheathed Audhulmar.

            Ele still stood at her post near the east wall. She had her eyes on the unpredictable Anne for sometime now, and she was sure the disfigured lady was hiding something. Just as she was about to raise her voice, Anne whipped a grenade from her sleeve and pulled the pin. Ele's eyes flashed as time slowed down before her, and came to a halt. George, Anne, Drale, and Fate where are as still as statues, and the grenade's timed explosion paused. The outlines of everything were blurred, and the light coming from the window was distorted. Ele only extended her powers to encompass the room they were presently in. She stepped forward, and moved the grenade out of Anne's hand, careful not to scratch herself on the boned joints or fingernails.

            The grenade was safely in the room corner when time resumed itself. A large explosion rocked the structure, as the corner of the room fell away to the street below. A gaping maw was left in the wall as the air and sounds from outside began flooding in. Ele pulled to confining restrains from a pocket on her belt, putting one on each of the mutants.

            "You guys bring them back to Risenfall," spoke Drale. "Depart through that hole in the wall. I'm going to talk to the owner of this place, and settle things downstairs. I'm sure they heard the noise."

            "Meeting up with us later, Cleaver?" questioned Ele.

            "Yea... There's something else I need to do."

            The hospital room was brightly lit, and the smell of cleaning fluid hung in the air. Two chairs crowded a corner, and a bed took center stage. Medical consoles hummed a song while the white floors and walls glared in at the occupant of the bed. A sixty year old man lay on the crisp-sheeted bed, his weak eyes on the man that stood at the bedside. The old man was dying, and he knew it. Drale gazed at his father as the old man began to speak in a low tone.

            "Son... son, you can see that I am not going to last much longer," said the old man. "I can see it in the eyes of the doctors as they speak in their hush-hush tones. I am glad you still visit me, my boy."

            "Heh, Dad, I fear the day I become so heartless as to not even see about my ailing father," replied the brown haired man. "How much time do you think you have left? Is there anything I can do for you?"

            "Ah, do not worry yourself about me," laughed the old man. "You always did put others before yourself. Now, my boy, I took care of everything, and I mean everything, once the doctors told me I had contracted a fatal disease. Your visits are enough. Though... there is one thing..."

            "Anything, father. I'll do anything for you."

            "One thing that I must tell you. Stop being so hasty now." The old man sat up in his bed. "The powers of my body have long since faded as this illness has taken a hold, but... my foresight still remains unwavering. I am too sick to understand exactly what I am seeing, but I need to warn you. Before I took ill, I was a part of the government's Council of Ten, as you know. When I die, another will take my place. And when that happens, a great change will befall Asevinne. I do not know if will be caused directly or indirectly by my replacement. But I do know it will revolve around my successor. Keep your eyes, ears, and blade sharp, son."

            "Should I inform Risenfall Corp?"

            "Maybe wait until after I am dead. Then my words might carry a little more weight. And I won't have people coming to see me just to ask tons of questions."

            “…when you’re dead…” Drale only sighed and looked away, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

            “I know you tried your best, Drale...”

            "Well… I'm glad that you are still in high spirits, father," said Drale. "I'll leave you now, so you can get some rest. My new team is waiting for me." The swordsman waved, and exited the room. He left with a smile on his face, but the instant he was removed from the white walls, he expression turned to one of worry. Whenever his father's foresight sent him a warning image of the future, it usually turned out to be correct.

            Great, thought Drale as he left the hospital, Now I have another thing to think about the next time I train or get patrol duty. He soon hailed a taxi to Asevinne Region's corporate area.