5 Consolidation

Excerpt from the Diary:

"After I got back from the time-space warp machine, the first thing that got into my view was sand. Literally, the moment I got warped my eyes were filled with sand.

'Shit, they repaired my leg but they threw me to die on Gronos. If this is Gronos.'

Now I need to find some living people and get my life's task done. Heh, it's gonna be a long journey.

As I started walking thru the sand dunes, I remembered that I need to orient my way or I might get lost in the unknown territory. Not the best of endings actually.

I stopped and sat down on the sand, waiting to see where will the sun move so I can know where the north is. I waited for two hours and then moved again.

I walked for a full two months or even more. While I was going through the dunes I was ferociously attacked by wildlife and bandits whose hideouts were around here somewhere. It is a hellish experience to be attacked every hour by a different enemy. Who would say that this is a desert, haha?

Finally, I saw a little bit of green in the distance. But it was so far, I'll need at least two days to reach it.

On the last day of my odyssey thru the never-ending sands, I encountered an interesting being.

A Cyclops."

Back to the present.

'Phew, I almost lost my head to that weirdo. Time to get to that oasis before the sun comes out.' I thought as I got up from where I've been resting after an hour of dancing with that blood-thirsty beast of a man. Heh. Who would think that a mutant would be able to run away from the cleaning squads and roam the wild?

Anyway, I need to get to the oasis. My water supply is empty so I need to refill it and then find a radio or something to check the world's situation.

I've spent fifteen years on Core planet, the home of those wretched cyborgs. They sent me back thru time and space to the time of the attack on the base. Three hours before I was taken away, so I don't meet myself accidentally.

But who cares.

I'm back now, ready to wreak havoc everywhere.

My goals have changed, my appearance changed. I changed.

I became bald, grew a pitch black beard and got a few scars. Most noticeable of my new scars were the ones over my chest and back, and the one over my eye. Over my chest and back was a lightning-like scar, given to me by a lightning bolt (I have a metal knee now). And over my eye was a standard cut mark. Oh, and don't forget the bulging muscles I got from torture like training.

My appearance change should be because of the higher levels of radiation on the Core planet or something. I had brown hair before and was rather skinny.

Anyway, I got supreme training and tutoring from Arnold, so I'm not the little guy from before. I've been sent back to consolidate my new strength and find my own way.

After a little while of resting from the cyclops battle, I continued my trip to the oasis. I reached it two days later, as expected. And as unexpected it was empty.

'What the... have they sent to a wrong planet? Again?' I wondered as I neared one of the villages.

"Hello, young man. What is your business in the village of Zealot?" a middle-aged man of average height and build welcomed me, while blinking his eye.

"I've been stranded in the desert for a long time now. I would like to visit a market or a place where I can get food and water to rejuvenate a little. And then I'll be able to talk like a man." I said in a falsely weak voice.

"Well, young man, you can call me Joe." the man added. "May I know your respected name, young man?"

"You can, Joe. I'm called Shorty" I replied weakly.

"Hmm. Weird name, indeed. And all..."

"I need water, I didn't drink anything in weeks. Let me in to drink and then I'll answer all your questions afterward." I stopped him mid-sentence because I was really out of any supplies needed to sustain my new battle capabilities.

"No need to be rude, Shorty. There are no rude people in our village." Joe said with a smile.

'This bastard is threatening me, huh. Well time to dance.'

"Joe." I called him.

"Yes, Shorty?"

"Go fuck yourself." I struck him straight to the chest, sending him two meters back.

He didn't even wince. He acted like a boulder being hit, he was nearly sent flying but didn't even move a muscle.

'Fuck! What is this guy?' I thought as I prepared for the retaliation

But it never came.

"That was really rude, young man. Did your parents not teach you that you shouldn't harass other people." He grinned.

"You have no right to enter our village, stranger." boomed a voice behind me. I turned around to see what is happening behind. At the moment I turned around, Joe grabbed my neck from behind. Too bad for him I had a knife at my waist. I stabbed it between his ribs and left it there. His strength was drained away together with his green blood.

As he fell on the floor breathing heavily. I turned to the source of the voice I heard a moment before.

There was nothing there. Just shifting sands of the desert.

'Have I gone crazy? Will the same thing happen again?' I wondered while recalling the blackness of my unconsciousness after the scream. If it happens now...

I'll die for sure.

I turned around and took my knife out of now dead Joe. I cleaned it of blood, on his clothes of course. And started moving towards the village.

'Still have a half an hour of walking, huh. Well, can't be helped.'

Half an hour later I enter the village of Zealot and look around in search of someone to talk to. After searching for another half hour I finally managed to find a living human. Actually what was left of him. He saw me and screamed trying to move his upper body, the only thing he had left. I stood in the door frame and watched his suffering.

'What did this to him? I've heard of mutants being made by humans as an unsuccessful trial and error experiments to make augmented humans. But could it be here? Could one of those Labs be here?'

I walked up to him and placed a foot on his back.

"Can you talk?" I asked with pity in my eyes. He looked at me blind with rage. And that's when I noticed it. A black mark on his forehead. It is the mark of infinity.

'Oh shit.' I thought as I took my pen and pressed a button. It transformed into a rifle. And I blew his brains out.

I then turned and went outside.

"STOP WHERE YOU ARE!!!" A soldier yelled at me when I exited the building.

"What do you need, soldier. You hav..."

"I DON'T THINK I ASKED YOU TO SPEAK!!! WHO ARE YOU!!!" the soldier interrupted me

"You don't have to yell idiot. I'm Shorty. I wandered thru the desert and ended up here." I insisted

"Who do you call an idiot, you scumbag!!" The soldier in black uniform screamed and swung his ax at me. I easily evaded and punched him in the stomach. The sound of vomiting was so pleasing to hear after so many years.

But of course, the others won't stand aside and watch their sergeant get beaten up. They all drew axes and attacked me.

'Nice. At least I now know I'm in Empire of Griffpax. Really nice.' I thought while evading their swings.

Griffpax is an empire allied to my old home empire, Pangras. Which means that they're here to hunt down mutants or Infinity troops since that are the only two things I found here. While evading I asked:

"Yo, lads. What are you searching for here?"

"Stop moving and I'll tell you, bitch!" answered one soldier.

"Well, well. If I stop you'll just hack me to death. So I won't. And, the most important thing is that I can do this for two whole days. Can you?" I shrugged and put on a smirk while evading.

It irritated them. It irritated them very much. They started moving faster and their swings started getting more on point.

"HAHA. Looks like I hit close to home, eh?" I started laughing without stopping the evasive movements which irritated them even more. They're special forces and they cannot hack one little guy. It really is funny.

And after 15 minutes it got boring. I've been evading them over the whole village.

'This is starting to be boring. Time to throw in some fun. Hoorah'

Then I kneed the first soldier in the chest.

He flew three meters back, hitting three other soldiers to the ground. The others stopped and pulled back a few steps, flabbergasted.

"What are you?" One of them asked in disbelieve.

"I'm human. Same as you, but a little different." I answered indifferently while looking at them.

"You're too fast for a human. I'm one of the best SF sergeants in the Griffpax army and I can't even hit you once. Where are you from, lad." Said the sergeant I have punched a while ago.

"First of all, I'm not a lad. I am Shorty. My town has been destroyed somewhere around six months ago." I said.

"What was your town called, which country was it in? Give me more info, or I'll start shooting." He said while picking up his pen and transforming it into a rifle.

"South Pangras. A city called Oryth was destroyed in an aerial strike by the Almidhsfead Empire. I survived and was taken to a military base in Wimros. My father, who was my only family, was disintegrated by the laser." I recited.

"Ain't Wimros on the other side of the continent, Shorty? How did you end up here? And if you were in that base that was hosting SF of Pangrasian first legion, why are you not wearing Pangrasian military uniform?" The questions poured out of sergeants mouth.

"Long story. I might explain it to you. If you give me some water and a communication device that has access to multiple frequencies. Oh, and tell me your story first. What are YOU doing here?" I proposed while sitting down on a nearby rock.

They sat around me and we started chatting.

After securing the area of course.