12-18-2005, 04:29 AM
OOC: This may, to some, come off as very explicit at some points. Just thought I'd give a fair warning if you are a person who dislikes graphic violence.
Seventeen relaxed on one of the cots within the balcony of the watchtower. Although he was laying one what was in essence, a thin sheet of cotton wrapped around a slab of concrete, he didn?t mind at all. For someone who had been spending the last few days of his life trying to outrun his mortality, the android could not have been more relieved to be in relative shelter. At least surrounded by the heavily guarded watchtower, he would be momentarily free to collect himself before the armies he had scouted a few hours ago arrived to unleash the full wrath of the pit upon the planetoid.
The highlights of the last few days?still painfully fresh in the android?s mind?repeated themselves as part of his cybernetic half?s preparation for the carnage to ensue. Yet, to the weary machine-hybrid, the images supplied nothing more then depressing memories and reminders of the aches and pains that consumed his entire, war-ravaged form. Still, even against Android Seventeen?s will, the abysmal clip show continued to torment him.
The images, slightly distorted by previous malfunctions of the his cybernetic components, eclipsed the internal display of the battered android. Blinding him to everything but themselves, they replayed to him some of the earliest events of the competition. Angered that he could do nothing to stave off the scenes, Seventeen simply submitted to his technologically superior side and viewed the backlogs of his CPU as they progressed. Piccolo Daimoun had been a bad memory from a darker period of the competition, and it pained the cybernetic warrior to watch as he split open the namekian?s skull like a watermelon.
Following that panorama was the android?s second venture into the hospital, yet before that was his tryst with the seemingly godlike avatar. Seventeen cringed when he witnessed the ebony titan cleave off his forearm with relative ease, but soon there was a change of scenery?this time the android was fighting the human samurai Yajirobe. Although their contest was relatively even, no clear victor ever had the chance to emerge. As soon as it seemed the battle was winding down, a slew of zombies, lead by the nefarious Satan invaded the dome.
Seeing the valiant samurai impaled the first time had left a mark on the android?s psyche, but having to watch it a second time succeeded only in pouring salt onto an open wound. The multiple, near-death experiences the android had with Vapor over the course of the last few hours were replayed for him to painfully relive. They were shortly followed by the very one-sided duel with the demon general Azrael--a confrontation in which Seventeen had never expected to survive?let alone leave the victor.
As the last of the events looped through the machine-hybrid?s internal display, he began to question how he had managed to continue for so long. Nearly everyone that he knew had met a cruel exit from the competition, but somehow, Android Seventeen had been able to outlast them all. With his cybernetic component satisfied that its almost torture-like treatment had possibly given its organic complement an edge in the bloodbath drawing nearer by the minute, everything finally returned to normal inside the tired, strained head of the android. Lifting his heavy eyelids, Android Seventeen noticed that both the mysterious Watchman and the green, winged creature were both in the room as well.
There was a brief exchange of words, but the drowsy android was unable to hear what exactly the two were conversing about. As if the words had struck some undisclosed nerve, the emerald organism spun around to face the aged guardian of the tower. With an expression of disclosure clearly visible on his white features, the tall warrior addressed the robed watchman. Nothing happened for a while after that, and Seventeen was unsure whether or not a few minutes or a few hours had passed.
When he finally found the energy to sit up, he leaned over the edge of the cot and collected his effects pouch. Inside, the android removed his battle visor and turned it on to initiate another massive influx of digits and text. The sheer number of information alone could only indicate one thing and one thing only?Satan?s army had at last arrived. As is he had received the same mortifying information, the speckled warrior took a nosedive off the balcony?s handrail. Uttering an audible gasp, Seventeen rushed passed the watchman and over to the banister.
He only had a few seconds before the winged creature reached his final destination, but that short span of time was all the apparatus needed to identify the two battling figures. They were the same two combatants that the machine-hybrid had observed so many hours ago when he arrived at the watchtower. Kao, son of Brim, seemed to be on the verge of snapping the neck of his saiya-jin opponent when the dive-bombing, energy-consumed figure detonated like an atomic bomb. The heat discharged from the fighter?s body as he was consumed by his own energy was enough to send the android stumbling back into the confines of the watchtower. Still too weak to maintain his equilibrium, the machine-hybrid lost his balance, fell, and landed painfully on his back. A giant cloud of smoke seeped into the room seconds after the blast.
A number of mostly incoherent thoughts flooded the android?s mind. The most prevalent message was one of complete distress at what had just transpired before his eyes. In the short span of time he had to gauge a reading, the cybernetic warrior was able to deduce, due to the uncloaking feature of his visor, that the green man was synthetic. Only androids had the innate ability to conceal their ki, yet the true question Android Seventeen briefly pondered over was why the machination seemed to be organic. It only took the drained machine-hybrid to recall that he was only partially inorganic, and it made perfect sense that other androids like himself existed in the world. Both Bardock and the green humanoid, however, had been contestants?some of the most stalwart still alive, and now both of them had been wiped out of existence in the blink of an eye.
Something within Seventeen was deeply confused at what he had just witnessed, yet the more rational portion of his mentality understood the sacrifice the speckled android had made. By forfeiting his life, even at the cost of a fellow combatant, the humanoid had ended the threat Brim?s seed represented once and for all. Seventeen would remain dazed on the floor for what could have easily lasted an eternity had it not been for the intervention of two very familiar divinities. In a duet of flashing particles, Paige and Leo materialized in front of the fatigued android. Seventeen smiled weakly at the pair of whitelighters and asked for assistance off the stone floor. With a warm smile, the female guardian angel lent a hand to her weary friend.
?You are not looking too healthy, my friend,? Leo said, lightly punching the noticeably worn out machine-hybrid. The android strained to offer a counterfeit smile to the fallen divinity, but Leo just shrugged his shoulders at the behavior of the morose mortal and turned to peer out over the balcony. Something caught his attention as it had done previously with the speckled man. Seventeen, who hadn?t bothered to look out at the hills in the distance earlier, looked up to see the bulk of the unholy crusaders were pouring over the rolling expanses of the wastelands. Much to the chagrin of the woman he was leaning on, the cybernetic warrior staggered towards Leo. Instead of actually going anywhere, he only managed to trip, bringing Paige with him on his downward plunge. When he hit the floor, Android Seventeen felt something new break?probably a rib or two.
?Just lie there and we?ll make you good to go,? the whitelighters said in unison, ?Gabriel needs heroes like you to champion his cause.? With the conclusion of their parallel speaking, the two guardian angels rested their palms on the mutilated back of their fallen ally. An all too familiar feeling spread over the battered android?s figure, and soon enough, Seventeen felt new life exploding across his dead, devitalized tissue in an orgasm of warmth and euphoria.
After a few minutes, the machine-hybrid, once struggling to remain afloat in the chaos that was Kala, began to fell better then ever. Standing up, what had once been one of the single, most straining actions was now as simple as it should always be. Android Seventeen looked at his fingers, raising them up to his face so that he could get a closer look at the lack of third-degree burns that once plagued them. Amazed, the cybernetic warrior reached behind his formerly blackened, bald cranium to run his hand through his rejuvenated head of hair.
?It?s only hair,? Paige giggled, but Seventeen ignored the sarcasm of the lovely whitelighter. He was but a humble mortal, and she was infallible--above both the petty obsessions and sufferings of the android. Still, the machine-hybrid understood that his ladyfriend was only trying to lighten the mood, and for that, Seventeen loved her. Turning to glance back over the balcony, the cybernetic warrior could see that the forces of Hell had ceased their advance a few hundred yards from the elevated tower.
?We need to move, Paige,? Leo said, having broke his silence for the first time in a few minutes. He had returned to the edge of the terrace right after he assisted in the healing of the android. Although he looked to only be in his mid-thirties, the fallen angel almost always had an air of seriousness around him when the going got tough. It was strange that the usually happy-go-lucky whitelighter knew exactly when to get serious. The same trait was one that the android knew he lacked entirely. As much as he tried though, Android Seventeen couldn?t stop running his fingers over his healed epidermis. It was during times like this that the machine-hybrid was glad he had friends in such high places. Leo, not bothering to give a backwards glance, pointed to the battlefield and departed the room in his luminescent normal grandeur.
?Here,? Paige spoke after a period of uneasy silence. She turned around, revealing a small stack of clothes that she must have manifested herself somehow. Raising an eyebrow, Seventeen tentatively reached out and selected the two shirts from the top of the pile. Both articles of clothing were stylized exactly the same as the android?s usual attire, all the way down the stitching pattern.
?Do some shopping?? the machine-hybrid said sarcastically as he pulled the undershirt down over his body. The red-haired angel rolled her eyes in disgust, but Android Seventeen knew he detected the smallest hint of a smile on the woman?s delicate visage. After slipping the ebony tee-shirt over its ivory counterpart, the cybernetic warrior removed the tattered remnants of his denim jeans. When he reached up to retrieve his new pair of jeans, Seventeen had to fight the urge to make a sardonic comment to the blushing whitelighter. After drawing the laces of his brand new boots taut, and tying a clean, crimson bandana loosely around his neck, the android gave a solemn nod to his momentarily silent guardian angel. Paige leaned forward, planting a single, brief kiss on the machine-hybrid?s lips before dissimilating into a flurry of white and blue light particles.
Still staring at where the whitelighter had been with the same shocked look on his face, Android Seventeen cursed beneath his breath. Even though he was content with remaining blissfully enraged at the stunts Paige enjoyed performing, reality soon shattered any mental or emotional fa?ade the android was trying to erect. Outside, both sides had remained stalwart of their current positions, yet it seemed that the hour of judgment was quickly drawing near. Swallowing down the last fears and uncertainties his organic self had concocted over the last few hours, Seventeen began towards the balcony; however, before he could leap over the side and into the imminent battlefield, strong words quickly stopped him dead in his tracks.
?You may covet this, my young technological marvel,? the words, powerful yet soothing had come from the mystifying watchman. Seventeen was initially startled by the old man--the android had completely forgotten that the robed figure was still idle in the center of the chamber. However, now a pasty, skeletal hand was extended from the boundaries of his flowing cloak and clutched between his sunken fingers was what appeared to be the blade of the avatar. At first, the machine-hybrid was stunned because he didn?t know how the strange deity could have come to possess the sword. When last he recalled, Seventeen had forgotten to recollect the mighty weapon after his conflict with the strange, aqueous construct. Without further instruction, the robed figure let the blade of the sword swing downwards, so that the hilt was now pointed towards the android, ?to you I bequeath this weapon young mortal. May it serve you well in the tribulations to befall us all.?
Brushing off his natural knack for asking too many questions, Android Seventeen collected the powerful weapon from the guardian of the asteroid and started towards the terrace. Leaping into the hushed nighttime, the cybernetic warrior landed on the top of the balustrade, both his hands and left hand firmly grasped the chilled stone of the railing. With his free hand, he valiantly hoisted the mighty sword above his head for all beneath him to see and uttered a battle cry as he gazed across the field of battle. Below the android, several of the idle angels, their spirits slightly diminished from the sight of the unholy crusaders prepared to pounce upon them, felt their fears lift a little at the gallant display of fervor by the bizarre mortal. Like a true gargoyle of vengeance, Seventeen remained perched upon the stone, hoping that he would garner the attention of a few of the immobile demons.
Content with his flamboyant display of spirit, the cybernetic warrior leaped from the railing. With assistance from his ability to control his ki, Android Seventeen succeeded in touching down on the dried earth without breaking any of his bones again. Glancing around, the machine-hybrid immediately noticed the cyan-haired girl was standing near the rim of a large crater near the base of the tower. Quickly recalling what had happened only a few minutes ago, he realized that scar in the earth represented the final absolution of the strange green android. At the pinnacle of the lofty watchtower, the android?s battle visor informed him of the presence of Reijin, Gabriel and two other potent ki signatures. Turning his gaze once more to face the battlefield, Seventeen started towards the front of the line, but before he could make it more then a few paces, two voices exploded into the nervously quiet, early morning air.
?War!? the two voices, one clearly human and the other blatantly demonic, triggered a torrent of screams to shatter the once deadly silence of the stand off. With that one, powerful word, both concentrations of troops broke from their immaculate lines and began screaming across the field towards one another. In the thick of the rush, Seventeen was quickly shoved aside by hastened angels, yet it didn?t bother the machine-hybrid to see the divinities show some backbone for once.
Over the entire course of events leading up to this point, all the celestial army had done was stand around at the watchtower and wait for their enemy to tire of all the destruction it had wrought long enough to confront them. Now, Gabriel had exactly what he had hoped for--both the defensive position, and an enemy that was possibly fatigued from nearly a day of constant slaughter. Still, the android, beset by the sudden number of troops violently pushing their way past him, found himself doubting the archangel?s plan.
Standing back as the mass of winged, armored soldiers stampeded past him, the cybernetic warrior took in a deep breath. Looking forward, he watched the initial result of the conflicting armies: several explosions rocked the asteroid to its core as mangled bodies were scattered into the air. Blood rained down on the field, yet none of the combating warriors seemed to be affected by the crimson downpour; however, Seventeen reeled back from the fluid shrapnel, trying desperately to avoid staining himself this early.
Yet his efforts were in vain once again, and a splash of the sanguine liquid succeeded in masking the android?s sight under a scarlet veil. Loudly declaring his dissatisfaction, Seventeen wiped the blood from his eyes, glaring at the small skirmish going on a few yards in front of him. It was clearly evident that the hell spawn had an advantage over the holy legion, yet there was one thing that Gabriel?s forces included that the demon?s lacked--Android Seventeen.
Gliding across the terrain like a phantom, the cybernetic warrior injected himself into the one-sided conflict with fiery retribution on mind. There were only five demons, but by the time the initial shock of the android?s entrance had subsided, only three had kept their heads intact. Their fallen brethren were laid out at their feet, their headless corpses served as nothing but mere geysers of blood. It was a strange emotion, Seventeen had slain countless enemies before, yet before he had never reveled in the bloodshed unless some outside force was adversely affecting him.
This time, though, it was a completely different feeling. Even during the final battle with the changelings back home, Android Seventeen had never relished the thrill of the kill. After all, on Earth the only reason for fighting was the will to survive; however, now the cybernetic warrior wasn?t combating servants to some tyrannical empire. He was fighting the very embodiments of the exact entity that he had been vying to consume his soul since the start of what had once been a game show--Evil.
As he outclassed and exterminated the demonic grunts, the only lasting dilemma simmered in the android?s mind. For the last series of days, the machine-hybrid had slaved to prove his allegiances with numerous powers. He had endured the tedious challenges of the heavenly powers, the mysterious watchman, and the duo of whitelighters, yet among all of his hardships, there was but one person he never felt he had truly atoned to. With each demon he drove to extinction, Seventeen knew he was once step closer to achieving penance within his own mind. After all the bizarre dreams and trials, he was the sole person who contained a single shred of doubt pertaining to who he was underneath.
As the last hell spawn was felled beneath his rage-infused blade, Android Seventeen took a deep breath and took a short glimpse at the surface wounds that had stained his new clothes. Frowning in distaste, he shrugged off the aggravation and glanced up the slightly slanted incline in front of him. He was forced to shield his eyes from the rising light of the sun with a bony forearm as he trekked up the already tarnished hillside. Sloshing through a thin layer of biological shrapnel, he was unexpectedly joined by a small assemblage of divinities.
Although he found himself detesting the armies of Heaven for their inclination towards inaction, on the field of battle, Seventeen was willing to accept the backing of anyone with a weapon. Once at the apex of the small knoll, the ragtag group had a view of the focal point of conflict. Like a living, hellish mosaic, the scene made the android shiver at its level of carnage. Nothing he had ever witnessed since he had woken up in that cabin so long ago was as disturbing as the landscape just a few dozen yards in front of him.
Satan?s army obviously had no feeling for anything, yet without a soul to call their own, Seventeen didn?t blame them. Still, having to observe as the seraph?s were torn apart and scattered into the sky in gory chunks was enough to send the most fanatical of warriors straight to their knees. Having to sit back and watch the forces of Heaven be rent in pieces quickly became too much for the android to stomach, but before he could leap into the thick of the m?l?e, several black dots emerged from the hills several hundred yards away.
?Siege weaponry!? a nearby angel screamed before having his entrails freed from the confines of his abdomen with the swing of a demonic axe. There was a series of reverberations that shook the entire battlefield. The quaking preceded the wailing of some form of hellish mortar as it soared across the central skirmish. Seventeen, realizing all too hastily that he had no place to retreat from the effects the projectile would have, did the only thing he could think of whenever he needed a momentary relief from the mayhem of battle.
?Field open!? With a nervous yelp, he desperately threw up his personal defensive measure. Fortunately for the android, his energy blockade had just the window of opportunity it needed to prepare itself for the earth-shattering effects that the mortar shell would have upon its detonation. Watching the satchel as it struck the earth, no one initially heard anything at all. The clash of swords was nullified by the blinding white light that paved the way for the next effect of the demonic weaponry.
However, even through the protection of the green shielding, Seventeen still heard the titanic explosion that heralded the coming of a massive wave of heat. With no environmental protection in his barrier, the machine-hybrid was staggered by the insane level of heat. Falling to his knees, his shield started to flicker and weaken as he lost the concentration needed to maintain it. Yet, at the last moment, when Seventeen felt as if he was about to faint from the heat, its power over him dissipated. However, upon first seeing it, Seventeen understood the power of the bomb paled in comparison to the aftermath.
Strewn around the immediate vicinity, were the remains of the defenseless angels. With no means of protecting themselves from the vehement fury the bomb contained, they had succumbed beneath its devastating power. What lingered behind was nothing but broken, bloodstained corpses. Across the faces of the seraphs who had no time to flee from the destruction, Seventeen could see twisted expressions of agony plastered. It was an unfitting death mask for such benevolent beings.
Still, the android knew he had no time to lament their passing, and as depressing a picture that it was, the machine-hybrid understood that many would face their mortality at the foot of the watchtower. Meanwhile, a large shadow had fallen over the majority of the battlefield--the by-product of the day?s shifting cycles. The vibrant glory of the sun was peaking in enough time to cast down the blood red hue that the harvest moon had bathed the asteroid in.
Tightening his already strong grip on the hilt of his weapon, Android Seventeen leaped down the full length of the hillside. His eyes were set on the isolated bout occurring near the rim of the major skirmish. Several demons were toying with a pair of wounded celestials. The unholy heathens were relishing in the torment of the angels they had already incapacitated. Having cast aside their barbaric weaponry, the quartet of demons was physically maiming the divine duo. Cringing in pain, the soldiers of Heaven were submitted to having not only their faces and bodies disfigured by the natural weapons of the infernal infantry but suffer helplessly as their wings were ripped apart clump by clump. Appalled by the defacement of the defenseless, Seventeen, once again emulating the angel of retribution he was quickly coming to personify, leaped directly into the fray.
Running off of his abhorrence of the hell spawn, the hate-amalgamated android drove the length of his blade clean through the sternum of the first devil unlucky enough to detect his presence. Kicking forward, the fuming cybernetic fighter sent the foremost demon to his final resting place and pivoted to block against the rusted, archaic machete that the second soldier wielded. Unwilling to engage a pair of the crusaders at once, Android Seventeen batted aside the inferior weapon of his current adversary.
Exposed, hell spawn number two soon felt cold steel rip its way through his throat, and then as his corpse collapsed into a quickly expanding pool of its own blood, he felt no more. Giving a final, hateful glare to the disposed vermin, an adrenaline consumed Seventeen swung the blade blindly, yet much to his dismay, the avatar?s former weapon split flesh. His vision, clouded by the thrill of battle, saw nothing of the weeping demon, struggling to keep his viscera inside his body.
Taking a few deep breaths, he realized that the foot solider would act the same way if he was in the android?s shoes. Even after he had stopped seething, Seventeen ignored the pleas of his dying opponents and dealt out the death blow to its all too deserving recipient. Dashing forward, the sound of metal segregating flesh and bone was heard once again, and as the carcass crumbled into a lifeless heap, its murderer smiled as he watched the severed head roll across the ground for a few feet.
Hurdling over the ensanguined mass, the android came down on the decapitated cranium with a sickening crush--splatters of blood and fragments of bone sprayed out from underneath the machine-hybrid?s boots. Still discontented, the android continued to rub the tips into the shattered skull for a few seconds. Satisfied with his dispatching of the trio of grunts, a primeval Seventeen turned his attention to the line of siege weapons amassed on the tallest hill on the battlefield. He knew that allowing the artillery to become fully operational would directly result in Gabriel?s men losing control of the watchtower.
Fully understanding that course of events would give the forces of Hell and even greater advantage then they already had physically and mentally, Seventeen understood that dismantling the artillery was the most imperative objective. Eying the troops doing battle nearby, the android knelt down, an invisible aura of ki sheathing his entire figure. His muscles tensed beneath his surging energy, and in the next instant, the machine-hybrid was off on his undertaking. Beneath him, several of the hell spawn tried to swing their primitive weapons at the low flying warrior, yet even though he blocked out everything minus the giant machinations on the hillside, none of the crazed demons managed to capitalize on his blind determination. For as fast as he was compared to the meaningless grunts aborting their lives on the ground beneath him, Seventeen failed to reach his targets before they became fully operational.
Still, he pushed on, the lowbrow features of the demonic machinations becoming distinctly visible. Comprised mostly of giant wooden logs cloaked underneath a layer of black paint, the tank-like war machines were decorated to display their demonic origins. For example, the bones of long dead, prehistoric creatures were mounted down the sides of the contraptions, and at each weapon?s helm was the skull of their respective beast. What further harmonized the concept of the machines were the massive barbs of bone, wood, and steel mounted up and down their sides. In particular, the two blood-soaked spikes jutting from what once housed the dead beasts? eyes were testaments to the dominance of the infernal contraptions.
Seated above the skull on each artillery piece, was a single demon, his sole duty appeared to entail nothing more then striking a war drum as a means of auxiliary intimidation. As the android went to touch down, the first volley was unleashed by the siege catapults. Seventeen observed the three bundles of volatile chemicals all the way until they erupted against the walls of the watchtower. Albeit it he was unable to see as well staring in the direction of the escalating sun, the cybernetic warrior was certain he saw the massive structure wobble slightly as it tried to cope with the intensity of the explosions.
Stanch in his will to prevent a breach in Heaven?s sole possession during the battle, the android discarded any momentary doubts he had and leaped onto the side of the colossal structure. He understood that trying to fly all the way to the top of the machination would only result in making him a clear target to all three contraptions.
Using the sword of the avatar as something to ensure he wouldn?t plummet to a very probable death, Seventeen began to scale the side of the tank. His mission immediately attained the interest of a few hell spawn stationed on the weapon as guards, and even though they were unable to assault the saboteur themselves, the forces of Hell had come to the battlefield aptly prepared for the most lowdown of tricks their foes may perpetrate against them.
Cackling at the sight of the machine-hybrid scaling the high, barbed walls, the guards vanished, returning a few moments later with a stack of dynamite in each of their hands. Once again forcing down the taste of bile that accompanied a new wave of fear, Seventeen climbed faster, yet he almost immediately found his upward progress hindered by the defensive measures the seemingly barbaric hellions had implemented.
The first two sticks of dynamite dropped behind the very mortified android, but luckily for him, either the fuses were too long or they had been ignited too late, because the explosives detonated a few dozen feet below Seventeen?s feet. Exhaling, the machine-hybrid sped up his ascent; however, much to his dismay, the next pair of explosives careened off his back before exploding only a few yards beneath him.
Shards of wood and bone bit into the android?s jeans, forcing him to scream in agony as fresh blood oozed from the new wounds. The worst part of that volley, however, was the feeling of the high-powered sticks of dynamite rolling down his back in the seconds before they erupted, tearing a massive hole in the artillery?s side. Just as the pace of Seventeen?s heart started to return to normal, the two guards reappeared over the edge of the war machine. It was at that moment that the android?s CPU did some calculations pertaining to distance and velocity before supplying him with a rather diabolical plan.
Giggling some more, the two sentries dropped their bars of gunpowder upon their ostensibly vulnerable target. Instead of retreating, the machine-hybrid let go off the wall with one hand, unleashing a blast of energy that triggered one of the explosives to detonate inoffensively. With the same hand, Seventeen caught the remaining stick of dynamite and returned it to its senders.
Still giggling and high fiving one another, the two narcissistic demons failed to understand what happened until it was far too late. Their screams were drowned out by the explosion that claimed both their lives. Pulling his body tight against the wall, Android Seventeen closed his eyes to the world as the two sentries corpses were ruined by the fury contained in the small shafts of gunpowder.
One of the bodies could be heard crashing into the side of the next siege catapult, and the other fallen devil was thrown completely from the line of machines, his corpse hitting the ground few hundred feet down and bursting apart. Opening his eyes, Seventeen looked behind his shoulders at the second artillery piece for the corpse. He saw the obviously dead demonic sentry, impaled by several of the defensive measures on the machination?s wall. Blood escaped the multitude of wounds inflicted upon the deceased warrior, yet the android couldn?t find it within his soul to care at all. The crucified hellion knew the consequences of waging war against the throne of Heaven, and now he was nothing but another statistic.
Pouncing up the portion of the wall left to climb, the wearied android was immediately assaulted by a few soldiers. Yet, unlike many of the other demons that the machine-hybrid had encountered, the group of grunts was easily dispatched within a matter of seconds. However, unlike the other encounters, the machine-hybrid suffered a few minimal stab wounds. Jostling the final corpse over the edge of the machination?s crown, Seventeen poked the surface wound and thanked Satan for giving the guards of his siege weapons blunt weapons.
Filled to the brim with determination, the android leaped up onto a small wall. Beneath him, several lesser devils were slaving to reload the catapult each time it was fired. Taking a short look at the parcels laden with explosives, the android noticed that their contents had stained them red. It only took a moment for Seventeen to realize the satchels must be stuffed with blood or some other messy, organic supplement. It was a crude addition to the demon?s desire to incite fear in their victims.
As he brushed off the barbaric tactics of the hell spawn, the machine-hybrid flipped off the barricade into the air. Traveling high above the artillery piece, yellow rays of ki began to escape his clenched fingers. Spiraling back down a few feet for subconscious reasons only, the android threw his aligned, glowing palms forward. With his target verified, Seventeen let a faint smirk creep across his features.
?Final Flash!? he screamed, unleashing his energy salvo at the ammunition depot of the siege weapon. It wasn?t the initial explosion caused by the wave of ki that created the brilliant explosions, but what happened when the heat triggered the barrels of explosive parcels to detonate. Screams of the machine?s crew could be heard for only a few moments before being completely masked by the explosion. His eyes wide with awe, Seventeen failed to notice the remaining two catapults modifying their trajectory, and even when the cloud of smog lifted to reveal the burning remains of the central weapon, he never heard the sound of wooden gears shifting.
Seduced by the sheer amount of carnage he had generated, Android Seventeen failed to detect the two explosive projectiles until they crashed into him from each side. The cybernetic warrior?s reaction was lost among the wrath of the blast, and when the initial explosions subsided, a hush fell over the neighboring combatants as they all took a moment to peer up at the veil of dust and debris still suspended around where the android had been.
Seventeen relaxed on one of the cots within the balcony of the watchtower. Although he was laying one what was in essence, a thin sheet of cotton wrapped around a slab of concrete, he didn?t mind at all. For someone who had been spending the last few days of his life trying to outrun his mortality, the android could not have been more relieved to be in relative shelter. At least surrounded by the heavily guarded watchtower, he would be momentarily free to collect himself before the armies he had scouted a few hours ago arrived to unleash the full wrath of the pit upon the planetoid.
The highlights of the last few days?still painfully fresh in the android?s mind?repeated themselves as part of his cybernetic half?s preparation for the carnage to ensue. Yet, to the weary machine-hybrid, the images supplied nothing more then depressing memories and reminders of the aches and pains that consumed his entire, war-ravaged form. Still, even against Android Seventeen?s will, the abysmal clip show continued to torment him.
The images, slightly distorted by previous malfunctions of the his cybernetic components, eclipsed the internal display of the battered android. Blinding him to everything but themselves, they replayed to him some of the earliest events of the competition. Angered that he could do nothing to stave off the scenes, Seventeen simply submitted to his technologically superior side and viewed the backlogs of his CPU as they progressed. Piccolo Daimoun had been a bad memory from a darker period of the competition, and it pained the cybernetic warrior to watch as he split open the namekian?s skull like a watermelon.
Following that panorama was the android?s second venture into the hospital, yet before that was his tryst with the seemingly godlike avatar. Seventeen cringed when he witnessed the ebony titan cleave off his forearm with relative ease, but soon there was a change of scenery?this time the android was fighting the human samurai Yajirobe. Although their contest was relatively even, no clear victor ever had the chance to emerge. As soon as it seemed the battle was winding down, a slew of zombies, lead by the nefarious Satan invaded the dome.
Seeing the valiant samurai impaled the first time had left a mark on the android?s psyche, but having to watch it a second time succeeded only in pouring salt onto an open wound. The multiple, near-death experiences the android had with Vapor over the course of the last few hours were replayed for him to painfully relive. They were shortly followed by the very one-sided duel with the demon general Azrael--a confrontation in which Seventeen had never expected to survive?let alone leave the victor.
As the last of the events looped through the machine-hybrid?s internal display, he began to question how he had managed to continue for so long. Nearly everyone that he knew had met a cruel exit from the competition, but somehow, Android Seventeen had been able to outlast them all. With his cybernetic component satisfied that its almost torture-like treatment had possibly given its organic complement an edge in the bloodbath drawing nearer by the minute, everything finally returned to normal inside the tired, strained head of the android. Lifting his heavy eyelids, Android Seventeen noticed that both the mysterious Watchman and the green, winged creature were both in the room as well.
There was a brief exchange of words, but the drowsy android was unable to hear what exactly the two were conversing about. As if the words had struck some undisclosed nerve, the emerald organism spun around to face the aged guardian of the tower. With an expression of disclosure clearly visible on his white features, the tall warrior addressed the robed watchman. Nothing happened for a while after that, and Seventeen was unsure whether or not a few minutes or a few hours had passed.
When he finally found the energy to sit up, he leaned over the edge of the cot and collected his effects pouch. Inside, the android removed his battle visor and turned it on to initiate another massive influx of digits and text. The sheer number of information alone could only indicate one thing and one thing only?Satan?s army had at last arrived. As is he had received the same mortifying information, the speckled warrior took a nosedive off the balcony?s handrail. Uttering an audible gasp, Seventeen rushed passed the watchman and over to the banister.
He only had a few seconds before the winged creature reached his final destination, but that short span of time was all the apparatus needed to identify the two battling figures. They were the same two combatants that the machine-hybrid had observed so many hours ago when he arrived at the watchtower. Kao, son of Brim, seemed to be on the verge of snapping the neck of his saiya-jin opponent when the dive-bombing, energy-consumed figure detonated like an atomic bomb. The heat discharged from the fighter?s body as he was consumed by his own energy was enough to send the android stumbling back into the confines of the watchtower. Still too weak to maintain his equilibrium, the machine-hybrid lost his balance, fell, and landed painfully on his back. A giant cloud of smoke seeped into the room seconds after the blast.
A number of mostly incoherent thoughts flooded the android?s mind. The most prevalent message was one of complete distress at what had just transpired before his eyes. In the short span of time he had to gauge a reading, the cybernetic warrior was able to deduce, due to the uncloaking feature of his visor, that the green man was synthetic. Only androids had the innate ability to conceal their ki, yet the true question Android Seventeen briefly pondered over was why the machination seemed to be organic. It only took the drained machine-hybrid to recall that he was only partially inorganic, and it made perfect sense that other androids like himself existed in the world. Both Bardock and the green humanoid, however, had been contestants?some of the most stalwart still alive, and now both of them had been wiped out of existence in the blink of an eye.
Something within Seventeen was deeply confused at what he had just witnessed, yet the more rational portion of his mentality understood the sacrifice the speckled android had made. By forfeiting his life, even at the cost of a fellow combatant, the humanoid had ended the threat Brim?s seed represented once and for all. Seventeen would remain dazed on the floor for what could have easily lasted an eternity had it not been for the intervention of two very familiar divinities. In a duet of flashing particles, Paige and Leo materialized in front of the fatigued android. Seventeen smiled weakly at the pair of whitelighters and asked for assistance off the stone floor. With a warm smile, the female guardian angel lent a hand to her weary friend.
?You are not looking too healthy, my friend,? Leo said, lightly punching the noticeably worn out machine-hybrid. The android strained to offer a counterfeit smile to the fallen divinity, but Leo just shrugged his shoulders at the behavior of the morose mortal and turned to peer out over the balcony. Something caught his attention as it had done previously with the speckled man. Seventeen, who hadn?t bothered to look out at the hills in the distance earlier, looked up to see the bulk of the unholy crusaders were pouring over the rolling expanses of the wastelands. Much to the chagrin of the woman he was leaning on, the cybernetic warrior staggered towards Leo. Instead of actually going anywhere, he only managed to trip, bringing Paige with him on his downward plunge. When he hit the floor, Android Seventeen felt something new break?probably a rib or two.
?Just lie there and we?ll make you good to go,? the whitelighters said in unison, ?Gabriel needs heroes like you to champion his cause.? With the conclusion of their parallel speaking, the two guardian angels rested their palms on the mutilated back of their fallen ally. An all too familiar feeling spread over the battered android?s figure, and soon enough, Seventeen felt new life exploding across his dead, devitalized tissue in an orgasm of warmth and euphoria.
After a few minutes, the machine-hybrid, once struggling to remain afloat in the chaos that was Kala, began to fell better then ever. Standing up, what had once been one of the single, most straining actions was now as simple as it should always be. Android Seventeen looked at his fingers, raising them up to his face so that he could get a closer look at the lack of third-degree burns that once plagued them. Amazed, the cybernetic warrior reached behind his formerly blackened, bald cranium to run his hand through his rejuvenated head of hair.
?It?s only hair,? Paige giggled, but Seventeen ignored the sarcasm of the lovely whitelighter. He was but a humble mortal, and she was infallible--above both the petty obsessions and sufferings of the android. Still, the machine-hybrid understood that his ladyfriend was only trying to lighten the mood, and for that, Seventeen loved her. Turning to glance back over the balcony, the cybernetic warrior could see that the forces of Hell had ceased their advance a few hundred yards from the elevated tower.
?We need to move, Paige,? Leo said, having broke his silence for the first time in a few minutes. He had returned to the edge of the terrace right after he assisted in the healing of the android. Although he looked to only be in his mid-thirties, the fallen angel almost always had an air of seriousness around him when the going got tough. It was strange that the usually happy-go-lucky whitelighter knew exactly when to get serious. The same trait was one that the android knew he lacked entirely. As much as he tried though, Android Seventeen couldn?t stop running his fingers over his healed epidermis. It was during times like this that the machine-hybrid was glad he had friends in such high places. Leo, not bothering to give a backwards glance, pointed to the battlefield and departed the room in his luminescent normal grandeur.
?Here,? Paige spoke after a period of uneasy silence. She turned around, revealing a small stack of clothes that she must have manifested herself somehow. Raising an eyebrow, Seventeen tentatively reached out and selected the two shirts from the top of the pile. Both articles of clothing were stylized exactly the same as the android?s usual attire, all the way down the stitching pattern.
?Do some shopping?? the machine-hybrid said sarcastically as he pulled the undershirt down over his body. The red-haired angel rolled her eyes in disgust, but Android Seventeen knew he detected the smallest hint of a smile on the woman?s delicate visage. After slipping the ebony tee-shirt over its ivory counterpart, the cybernetic warrior removed the tattered remnants of his denim jeans. When he reached up to retrieve his new pair of jeans, Seventeen had to fight the urge to make a sardonic comment to the blushing whitelighter. After drawing the laces of his brand new boots taut, and tying a clean, crimson bandana loosely around his neck, the android gave a solemn nod to his momentarily silent guardian angel. Paige leaned forward, planting a single, brief kiss on the machine-hybrid?s lips before dissimilating into a flurry of white and blue light particles.
Still staring at where the whitelighter had been with the same shocked look on his face, Android Seventeen cursed beneath his breath. Even though he was content with remaining blissfully enraged at the stunts Paige enjoyed performing, reality soon shattered any mental or emotional fa?ade the android was trying to erect. Outside, both sides had remained stalwart of their current positions, yet it seemed that the hour of judgment was quickly drawing near. Swallowing down the last fears and uncertainties his organic self had concocted over the last few hours, Seventeen began towards the balcony; however, before he could leap over the side and into the imminent battlefield, strong words quickly stopped him dead in his tracks.
?You may covet this, my young technological marvel,? the words, powerful yet soothing had come from the mystifying watchman. Seventeen was initially startled by the old man--the android had completely forgotten that the robed figure was still idle in the center of the chamber. However, now a pasty, skeletal hand was extended from the boundaries of his flowing cloak and clutched between his sunken fingers was what appeared to be the blade of the avatar. At first, the machine-hybrid was stunned because he didn?t know how the strange deity could have come to possess the sword. When last he recalled, Seventeen had forgotten to recollect the mighty weapon after his conflict with the strange, aqueous construct. Without further instruction, the robed figure let the blade of the sword swing downwards, so that the hilt was now pointed towards the android, ?to you I bequeath this weapon young mortal. May it serve you well in the tribulations to befall us all.?
Brushing off his natural knack for asking too many questions, Android Seventeen collected the powerful weapon from the guardian of the asteroid and started towards the terrace. Leaping into the hushed nighttime, the cybernetic warrior landed on the top of the balustrade, both his hands and left hand firmly grasped the chilled stone of the railing. With his free hand, he valiantly hoisted the mighty sword above his head for all beneath him to see and uttered a battle cry as he gazed across the field of battle. Below the android, several of the idle angels, their spirits slightly diminished from the sight of the unholy crusaders prepared to pounce upon them, felt their fears lift a little at the gallant display of fervor by the bizarre mortal. Like a true gargoyle of vengeance, Seventeen remained perched upon the stone, hoping that he would garner the attention of a few of the immobile demons.
Content with his flamboyant display of spirit, the cybernetic warrior leaped from the railing. With assistance from his ability to control his ki, Android Seventeen succeeded in touching down on the dried earth without breaking any of his bones again. Glancing around, the machine-hybrid immediately noticed the cyan-haired girl was standing near the rim of a large crater near the base of the tower. Quickly recalling what had happened only a few minutes ago, he realized that scar in the earth represented the final absolution of the strange green android. At the pinnacle of the lofty watchtower, the android?s battle visor informed him of the presence of Reijin, Gabriel and two other potent ki signatures. Turning his gaze once more to face the battlefield, Seventeen started towards the front of the line, but before he could make it more then a few paces, two voices exploded into the nervously quiet, early morning air.
?War!? the two voices, one clearly human and the other blatantly demonic, triggered a torrent of screams to shatter the once deadly silence of the stand off. With that one, powerful word, both concentrations of troops broke from their immaculate lines and began screaming across the field towards one another. In the thick of the rush, Seventeen was quickly shoved aside by hastened angels, yet it didn?t bother the machine-hybrid to see the divinities show some backbone for once.
Over the entire course of events leading up to this point, all the celestial army had done was stand around at the watchtower and wait for their enemy to tire of all the destruction it had wrought long enough to confront them. Now, Gabriel had exactly what he had hoped for--both the defensive position, and an enemy that was possibly fatigued from nearly a day of constant slaughter. Still, the android, beset by the sudden number of troops violently pushing their way past him, found himself doubting the archangel?s plan.
Standing back as the mass of winged, armored soldiers stampeded past him, the cybernetic warrior took in a deep breath. Looking forward, he watched the initial result of the conflicting armies: several explosions rocked the asteroid to its core as mangled bodies were scattered into the air. Blood rained down on the field, yet none of the combating warriors seemed to be affected by the crimson downpour; however, Seventeen reeled back from the fluid shrapnel, trying desperately to avoid staining himself this early.
Yet his efforts were in vain once again, and a splash of the sanguine liquid succeeded in masking the android?s sight under a scarlet veil. Loudly declaring his dissatisfaction, Seventeen wiped the blood from his eyes, glaring at the small skirmish going on a few yards in front of him. It was clearly evident that the hell spawn had an advantage over the holy legion, yet there was one thing that Gabriel?s forces included that the demon?s lacked--Android Seventeen.
Gliding across the terrain like a phantom, the cybernetic warrior injected himself into the one-sided conflict with fiery retribution on mind. There were only five demons, but by the time the initial shock of the android?s entrance had subsided, only three had kept their heads intact. Their fallen brethren were laid out at their feet, their headless corpses served as nothing but mere geysers of blood. It was a strange emotion, Seventeen had slain countless enemies before, yet before he had never reveled in the bloodshed unless some outside force was adversely affecting him.
This time, though, it was a completely different feeling. Even during the final battle with the changelings back home, Android Seventeen had never relished the thrill of the kill. After all, on Earth the only reason for fighting was the will to survive; however, now the cybernetic warrior wasn?t combating servants to some tyrannical empire. He was fighting the very embodiments of the exact entity that he had been vying to consume his soul since the start of what had once been a game show--Evil.
As he outclassed and exterminated the demonic grunts, the only lasting dilemma simmered in the android?s mind. For the last series of days, the machine-hybrid had slaved to prove his allegiances with numerous powers. He had endured the tedious challenges of the heavenly powers, the mysterious watchman, and the duo of whitelighters, yet among all of his hardships, there was but one person he never felt he had truly atoned to. With each demon he drove to extinction, Seventeen knew he was once step closer to achieving penance within his own mind. After all the bizarre dreams and trials, he was the sole person who contained a single shred of doubt pertaining to who he was underneath.
As the last hell spawn was felled beneath his rage-infused blade, Android Seventeen took a deep breath and took a short glimpse at the surface wounds that had stained his new clothes. Frowning in distaste, he shrugged off the aggravation and glanced up the slightly slanted incline in front of him. He was forced to shield his eyes from the rising light of the sun with a bony forearm as he trekked up the already tarnished hillside. Sloshing through a thin layer of biological shrapnel, he was unexpectedly joined by a small assemblage of divinities.
Although he found himself detesting the armies of Heaven for their inclination towards inaction, on the field of battle, Seventeen was willing to accept the backing of anyone with a weapon. Once at the apex of the small knoll, the ragtag group had a view of the focal point of conflict. Like a living, hellish mosaic, the scene made the android shiver at its level of carnage. Nothing he had ever witnessed since he had woken up in that cabin so long ago was as disturbing as the landscape just a few dozen yards in front of him.
Satan?s army obviously had no feeling for anything, yet without a soul to call their own, Seventeen didn?t blame them. Still, having to observe as the seraph?s were torn apart and scattered into the sky in gory chunks was enough to send the most fanatical of warriors straight to their knees. Having to sit back and watch the forces of Heaven be rent in pieces quickly became too much for the android to stomach, but before he could leap into the thick of the m?l?e, several black dots emerged from the hills several hundred yards away.
?Siege weaponry!? a nearby angel screamed before having his entrails freed from the confines of his abdomen with the swing of a demonic axe. There was a series of reverberations that shook the entire battlefield. The quaking preceded the wailing of some form of hellish mortar as it soared across the central skirmish. Seventeen, realizing all too hastily that he had no place to retreat from the effects the projectile would have, did the only thing he could think of whenever he needed a momentary relief from the mayhem of battle.
?Field open!? With a nervous yelp, he desperately threw up his personal defensive measure. Fortunately for the android, his energy blockade had just the window of opportunity it needed to prepare itself for the earth-shattering effects that the mortar shell would have upon its detonation. Watching the satchel as it struck the earth, no one initially heard anything at all. The clash of swords was nullified by the blinding white light that paved the way for the next effect of the demonic weaponry.
However, even through the protection of the green shielding, Seventeen still heard the titanic explosion that heralded the coming of a massive wave of heat. With no environmental protection in his barrier, the machine-hybrid was staggered by the insane level of heat. Falling to his knees, his shield started to flicker and weaken as he lost the concentration needed to maintain it. Yet, at the last moment, when Seventeen felt as if he was about to faint from the heat, its power over him dissipated. However, upon first seeing it, Seventeen understood the power of the bomb paled in comparison to the aftermath.
Strewn around the immediate vicinity, were the remains of the defenseless angels. With no means of protecting themselves from the vehement fury the bomb contained, they had succumbed beneath its devastating power. What lingered behind was nothing but broken, bloodstained corpses. Across the faces of the seraphs who had no time to flee from the destruction, Seventeen could see twisted expressions of agony plastered. It was an unfitting death mask for such benevolent beings.
Still, the android knew he had no time to lament their passing, and as depressing a picture that it was, the machine-hybrid understood that many would face their mortality at the foot of the watchtower. Meanwhile, a large shadow had fallen over the majority of the battlefield--the by-product of the day?s shifting cycles. The vibrant glory of the sun was peaking in enough time to cast down the blood red hue that the harvest moon had bathed the asteroid in.
Tightening his already strong grip on the hilt of his weapon, Android Seventeen leaped down the full length of the hillside. His eyes were set on the isolated bout occurring near the rim of the major skirmish. Several demons were toying with a pair of wounded celestials. The unholy heathens were relishing in the torment of the angels they had already incapacitated. Having cast aside their barbaric weaponry, the quartet of demons was physically maiming the divine duo. Cringing in pain, the soldiers of Heaven were submitted to having not only their faces and bodies disfigured by the natural weapons of the infernal infantry but suffer helplessly as their wings were ripped apart clump by clump. Appalled by the defacement of the defenseless, Seventeen, once again emulating the angel of retribution he was quickly coming to personify, leaped directly into the fray.
Running off of his abhorrence of the hell spawn, the hate-amalgamated android drove the length of his blade clean through the sternum of the first devil unlucky enough to detect his presence. Kicking forward, the fuming cybernetic fighter sent the foremost demon to his final resting place and pivoted to block against the rusted, archaic machete that the second soldier wielded. Unwilling to engage a pair of the crusaders at once, Android Seventeen batted aside the inferior weapon of his current adversary.
Exposed, hell spawn number two soon felt cold steel rip its way through his throat, and then as his corpse collapsed into a quickly expanding pool of its own blood, he felt no more. Giving a final, hateful glare to the disposed vermin, an adrenaline consumed Seventeen swung the blade blindly, yet much to his dismay, the avatar?s former weapon split flesh. His vision, clouded by the thrill of battle, saw nothing of the weeping demon, struggling to keep his viscera inside his body.
Taking a few deep breaths, he realized that the foot solider would act the same way if he was in the android?s shoes. Even after he had stopped seething, Seventeen ignored the pleas of his dying opponents and dealt out the death blow to its all too deserving recipient. Dashing forward, the sound of metal segregating flesh and bone was heard once again, and as the carcass crumbled into a lifeless heap, its murderer smiled as he watched the severed head roll across the ground for a few feet.
Hurdling over the ensanguined mass, the android came down on the decapitated cranium with a sickening crush--splatters of blood and fragments of bone sprayed out from underneath the machine-hybrid?s boots. Still discontented, the android continued to rub the tips into the shattered skull for a few seconds. Satisfied with his dispatching of the trio of grunts, a primeval Seventeen turned his attention to the line of siege weapons amassed on the tallest hill on the battlefield. He knew that allowing the artillery to become fully operational would directly result in Gabriel?s men losing control of the watchtower.
Fully understanding that course of events would give the forces of Hell and even greater advantage then they already had physically and mentally, Seventeen understood that dismantling the artillery was the most imperative objective. Eying the troops doing battle nearby, the android knelt down, an invisible aura of ki sheathing his entire figure. His muscles tensed beneath his surging energy, and in the next instant, the machine-hybrid was off on his undertaking. Beneath him, several of the hell spawn tried to swing their primitive weapons at the low flying warrior, yet even though he blocked out everything minus the giant machinations on the hillside, none of the crazed demons managed to capitalize on his blind determination. For as fast as he was compared to the meaningless grunts aborting their lives on the ground beneath him, Seventeen failed to reach his targets before they became fully operational.
Still, he pushed on, the lowbrow features of the demonic machinations becoming distinctly visible. Comprised mostly of giant wooden logs cloaked underneath a layer of black paint, the tank-like war machines were decorated to display their demonic origins. For example, the bones of long dead, prehistoric creatures were mounted down the sides of the contraptions, and at each weapon?s helm was the skull of their respective beast. What further harmonized the concept of the machines were the massive barbs of bone, wood, and steel mounted up and down their sides. In particular, the two blood-soaked spikes jutting from what once housed the dead beasts? eyes were testaments to the dominance of the infernal contraptions.
Seated above the skull on each artillery piece, was a single demon, his sole duty appeared to entail nothing more then striking a war drum as a means of auxiliary intimidation. As the android went to touch down, the first volley was unleashed by the siege catapults. Seventeen observed the three bundles of volatile chemicals all the way until they erupted against the walls of the watchtower. Albeit it he was unable to see as well staring in the direction of the escalating sun, the cybernetic warrior was certain he saw the massive structure wobble slightly as it tried to cope with the intensity of the explosions.
Stanch in his will to prevent a breach in Heaven?s sole possession during the battle, the android discarded any momentary doubts he had and leaped onto the side of the colossal structure. He understood that trying to fly all the way to the top of the machination would only result in making him a clear target to all three contraptions.
Using the sword of the avatar as something to ensure he wouldn?t plummet to a very probable death, Seventeen began to scale the side of the tank. His mission immediately attained the interest of a few hell spawn stationed on the weapon as guards, and even though they were unable to assault the saboteur themselves, the forces of Hell had come to the battlefield aptly prepared for the most lowdown of tricks their foes may perpetrate against them.
Cackling at the sight of the machine-hybrid scaling the high, barbed walls, the guards vanished, returning a few moments later with a stack of dynamite in each of their hands. Once again forcing down the taste of bile that accompanied a new wave of fear, Seventeen climbed faster, yet he almost immediately found his upward progress hindered by the defensive measures the seemingly barbaric hellions had implemented.
The first two sticks of dynamite dropped behind the very mortified android, but luckily for him, either the fuses were too long or they had been ignited too late, because the explosives detonated a few dozen feet below Seventeen?s feet. Exhaling, the machine-hybrid sped up his ascent; however, much to his dismay, the next pair of explosives careened off his back before exploding only a few yards beneath him.
Shards of wood and bone bit into the android?s jeans, forcing him to scream in agony as fresh blood oozed from the new wounds. The worst part of that volley, however, was the feeling of the high-powered sticks of dynamite rolling down his back in the seconds before they erupted, tearing a massive hole in the artillery?s side. Just as the pace of Seventeen?s heart started to return to normal, the two guards reappeared over the edge of the war machine. It was at that moment that the android?s CPU did some calculations pertaining to distance and velocity before supplying him with a rather diabolical plan.
Giggling some more, the two sentries dropped their bars of gunpowder upon their ostensibly vulnerable target. Instead of retreating, the machine-hybrid let go off the wall with one hand, unleashing a blast of energy that triggered one of the explosives to detonate inoffensively. With the same hand, Seventeen caught the remaining stick of dynamite and returned it to its senders.
Still giggling and high fiving one another, the two narcissistic demons failed to understand what happened until it was far too late. Their screams were drowned out by the explosion that claimed both their lives. Pulling his body tight against the wall, Android Seventeen closed his eyes to the world as the two sentries corpses were ruined by the fury contained in the small shafts of gunpowder.
One of the bodies could be heard crashing into the side of the next siege catapult, and the other fallen devil was thrown completely from the line of machines, his corpse hitting the ground few hundred feet down and bursting apart. Opening his eyes, Seventeen looked behind his shoulders at the second artillery piece for the corpse. He saw the obviously dead demonic sentry, impaled by several of the defensive measures on the machination?s wall. Blood escaped the multitude of wounds inflicted upon the deceased warrior, yet the android couldn?t find it within his soul to care at all. The crucified hellion knew the consequences of waging war against the throne of Heaven, and now he was nothing but another statistic.
Pouncing up the portion of the wall left to climb, the wearied android was immediately assaulted by a few soldiers. Yet, unlike many of the other demons that the machine-hybrid had encountered, the group of grunts was easily dispatched within a matter of seconds. However, unlike the other encounters, the machine-hybrid suffered a few minimal stab wounds. Jostling the final corpse over the edge of the machination?s crown, Seventeen poked the surface wound and thanked Satan for giving the guards of his siege weapons blunt weapons.
Filled to the brim with determination, the android leaped up onto a small wall. Beneath him, several lesser devils were slaving to reload the catapult each time it was fired. Taking a short look at the parcels laden with explosives, the android noticed that their contents had stained them red. It only took a moment for Seventeen to realize the satchels must be stuffed with blood or some other messy, organic supplement. It was a crude addition to the demon?s desire to incite fear in their victims.
As he brushed off the barbaric tactics of the hell spawn, the machine-hybrid flipped off the barricade into the air. Traveling high above the artillery piece, yellow rays of ki began to escape his clenched fingers. Spiraling back down a few feet for subconscious reasons only, the android threw his aligned, glowing palms forward. With his target verified, Seventeen let a faint smirk creep across his features.
?Final Flash!? he screamed, unleashing his energy salvo at the ammunition depot of the siege weapon. It wasn?t the initial explosion caused by the wave of ki that created the brilliant explosions, but what happened when the heat triggered the barrels of explosive parcels to detonate. Screams of the machine?s crew could be heard for only a few moments before being completely masked by the explosion. His eyes wide with awe, Seventeen failed to notice the remaining two catapults modifying their trajectory, and even when the cloud of smog lifted to reveal the burning remains of the central weapon, he never heard the sound of wooden gears shifting.
Seduced by the sheer amount of carnage he had generated, Android Seventeen failed to detect the two explosive projectiles until they crashed into him from each side. The cybernetic warrior?s reaction was lost among the wrath of the blast, and when the initial explosions subsided, a hush fell over the neighboring combatants as they all took a moment to peer up at the veil of dust and debris still suspended around where the android had been.
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