Chapter 17: Vault of the Sandstalker

3 hours later...

It was very amusing to see Jess react the way she did. She had pounced on me and demanded to know everything I knew.

And so I told her about Athena joining Atlas on Pandora to locate her.

Simce General Knoxx had told Steele not to attack thsi village. It seems that he will inform m Athena in person taht he had discovered Jess' location.

That meant that Athena has to be on a mission right now, and when she returns to the Atlas HQ where Knoxx is, they will sned her a mission before she reaches Knoxx, hence preventing him from revealing Jess at the village.

The mission they will definitely give her, is the "thermals only" one to kill everyone here.

And Athena will accidentally kill Jess in the process.

That means I have only a few days at most before they arrive.

I will be long done here before they arrive.

But right now, this place is my "safe zone" from Steele and her Siren power, PhaseCreate.

I did not expect her to actually be a threat...with the whole...you know...being a meme of a character and "main Villain"...

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*cough* *cough*

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Anywayyyyyyy~

I had gotten along quite well with everyone here.

Nothing in particular actually happened, I just spoke with Jess and answered whatever she wanted to know about Athena.

She was happy, she was definitely looking forward to meeting her.

Oh yeah...I finally made contact with the others. I was partially out of range, but Jess convinced the village leader to let me stay and to use their communications HUB and network.

The raid on the Atlas Outpost was a success, to be honest, I didn't care about the Outpost.

I cared more about this place, to be specific, Jess.

She will be the perfect bargaining chip.

24 hours later...

Nothing much happened. Just went to sleep and Jess began hanging out with me.

She trued flirting with me for a bit to get me to take my helmet off, but I refused. I'm a one girl guy.

Speaking of which, seems like Angel was finally able to locate where I had gone.

It had taken her a while since the barren wastelands I was teleporting across to avoid Steele's summoned swords, had no technology or cameras for her to hack into.

Also, I had gotten out of the viewing range of the Angel Satilite in orbit, since John/Jack cared more about the other Vault Hunters then a lone one like me.

But, during the night cycle, she had been able to secretly move the Angel Satilite's orbit path, and find my location while her father was sleeping.

And that was when I was in a world of trouble...when I tried saying hello, she had immediately cut me off.

Angel: "What were you thinking?! Trying to provoke the Atlas Corporation and a Siren like Steele?! You could have died!"

I can feel Angel's worries and stress from the Telepathy/Siren connection.

She never had a friend she had ever gotten close to before. She viewed the other Vault Hunters as friends, but that was one-sided.

But as for me, I had been the only one to actively talk with her at any chance and opportunity we could get.

She had grown attached to me, and didn't wnat to lose me as I was the only one she had been able to bond and connect with since her mother's death.

Raime: "I am sorry Angel. But It was natural that me and the others would cross paths with Steele since we're all looking for the Vault."

Angel stayed quite for some time. Trying to calm herself down and her heart rate.

The more I secretly use and practice with this Siren Telepathy and Siren Comnection powers I have, I am getting far more proficient and better at it.

All thanks to the 90% brain potential I have unlocked from the Deadshot Serum.

I think think should explain more on what I mean by 90% brain potential unlocked.

Imagine there are two types of brain functions.

One is lower brain function which is from 1% to 100%

The second is higher brain function which is from 101% to 200%.

Of course this doesn't exist, but it helps to explain the Multiverse terms of % brain unlocked.

Let's break down what it is.

1% to 10% - What the Human Brain has unlocked for both Higher and Lower Brain Functions.

Lower Brain Function of 100% allows for younto be the smartest person on Earth. Smarter than any Scientist, Artist it Infamous figure throughout history. Grants you enhanced mental processing, superior intellect, immense IQ, Photographic Memory, Edict Memory and more related stuff of the like.

At 100%, it allows for the complete control of your own biological body. You can co trolling your lungs, organs and muscles completely, but cannot do insane things like reverse blood flow or things that contradict the biological body needs and processing of the Human body.

Basically Lower Brain Function at 100% is like the NZT drug in the movie "Limitless".

The Higher Brain Function is the real crazy stuff you may be thinking off, such as Telekinesis and such.

Higher Brain Function is like the movie "Lucy".

The average Human has an 10:10 percentage ratio of Lower:Higher.

But someone like Angel and Tannis has 95:20...maybe higher.

I currently have 90:11 thanks to the Deadshot Serum.

(A/n I had to do this since people keep bothering me about it. I had to study Biology on Human Brain again just to give a proper explanation to you lot who kept saying he use Telekinesis and unstoppable.)

Enough drifting off topic, getting back to my conversation with Angel.

Angel: "Why did you attack the Atlas Outpost? Was it really necessary?"

Raime: "Yes. It served to weaken her, that was a main communications relay Outpost that had been destroyed. It was best to use the element of suprise to take her off guard. Not only that, but I was well prepared for her and any possible errors that may have happened in the plan. How else do you think I'm still alive."

Angel: "...Okay then...and what about that girl you've been hanging out with. You two seem like best friends."

She said in her normal tone, but I can tell she is very irritated and jealous of Jess. Its cute she is jealous cause she thinks I like Jess enough to make her my girlfriend.

Raime: "I said it before didn't I?"

Angel: "Said what?"

Raime: "Your my darling Angel...I mean, who else am I going to marry other than you?"

Angel was literally blowing steam out if her ears on the otherside after my proclamation to marry her one day.

It was hilarious as she tried to say something but stuttered and fumbled over her words.

Raime: "I take it as a yes and leave the marridge preperations on hold until you deny it. If you refuse, then it seems I'll have to look for another bride-to-be!"

I said it in such a dramatic and obviously faked acting tone of voice.

Angel continued to be left speechless and just cut the connection.

Haha, she'll be my wife one day.

3 hours later...

I contacted the others to get going on their journey out off Fyrestone and head to New Haven where I'll meet up with them.

I told them not to delay and make it there ASAP as I'll be doing the same.

I was lying since I'll be heading to the "Ghosts of the Vault", before I head to New Haven. I just told them to head there with no delay so that they won't interact with the Bounty Board and get the "Ghosts of the Vault" quest before me.

1 hour later...

"WARNING! STATIC STORMS IMMINENT! TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY! WEATHER CURFEW IS UNDER EFFECT! WARNING! STATIC STORMS IMMIN-"

The voice of a A.I. sounding lady, the same one that warns the player nor to cross the map's boundaries or the towers will kill them, had spoken on the radio of the village.

Everyone headed inside as an Static Storm, the same one I had seen as I was fleeing from Steele a few Earth days ago.

Was now rapidly approaching the town. I had immediately ran to the most fortified building in the village.

While I and many others had maid it, the storm had come.

But then there was a headcount dome and two people were missing.

Woman: "My daughter! Where's my daughter?! Laura?!"

Teen: "My brother grandfather isn't here! Has anyone seen Rodgar?!"

Just as I went to the wall to peek through a gap in the steel plated walls, I could see outside was heavy winds and knocked down posts and poles, along with many miscellaneous things flying everywhere in the string winds that had swept the town.

Jess noticed me and also came over to where I was to see through the gaps.

She gasped as she saw what I could see.

An little girl of 10 years old was trapped under a large pole, her leg had definitely been crushed by the weight of it.

Meanwhile, an elderly man presumed to be in his late 70s was struggling to lift the post up, so that the girl can crawl out, but it was to no avail.

The mother had seen her daughter outside and within the storm and her eyes were wide with fear as she became crazied and tried rushing outside, but a another person had stopped her.

The same with the Teen who looked to be 17, as someone else had held him back.

Woman: "Let me go! Laura! Laura!!!"

Man: "Calm down! You'll die if you go our there, the Sandstalker is coming and there to far to get back in time! I'm sorry but they're gone."

The same incident had happened with the Teen as it did with the Mother of the young girl.

Jess was shaking on my side and I could see the loom in her eyes.

I heard shouting which distracted me for a moment from looking at her.

Man: "Stop him before he gets himself killed!"

I turned and saw the Teen was able to get out of the other man, and was pushing people aside who tried to restrain him, or dodged under or around them.

I moved and grabbed him in a choke hold to put him to sleep.

But as i did, I saw a girl leap past the door to the outside!

Raime: "Jess! Wait! Dammit!"

I finished rendering the Teen unconscious and dropped his body.

I then chased Jess outside and into the storm to recapture her.

I couldn't see properly in the storm, as such I couldn't risk using my teleportaion Siren Powers or I'll end up stumbling and falling over, then it'd be game over when the Sandstalker arrives.

The Sandstalker is a unknown lethal creature that reduces within the Static Storms, not a single soul had ever seen what it looks like not had survived being outside in the storm along with it.

The storm had almost arrived as all visibility had become harder.

I saw Jess trying to lift the post but was too weak.

Raime: "Out of the way!"

I picked Jess up and placed her aside, I wasn't an idiot to push her aside as I would have, but not in these circumstances with a dangerous sand storm/Static Storm all around us.

The old man was moved aside as well and Jess helped to hold him steady and upright.

I grabbed the post of 9 Metres, roughly 30ft in size, and effortlessly trew it to the side.

It wasn't even that heavy to my enhanced strength, it was just made of wood.

The girl's legs had been crushed and if I were to hold her up, they would dangle like a pair of noodles.

!

I had detected something approaching, a shape, and it was coming in fast!

It had to be the Sandstalker, I had detected with my Spatial Awareness.

I grabbed the girl and carried her with one hand, whil I held my Dark Saber in my other hand.

I can't see anything in this storm so my gun was useless, only when the Sandstalker gets close will my Spatial Awareness be at its absolute zenith.

I would then use my Dark Saber to slash it to bits.

I mentally summoned Kaal to appear, as in the next instant, out of nowhere.

The black antler horned horse covered in gold markings and purple glowing eyes, had emerged from beneath me and out of the very ground, with motes of gold and black flames to announce his arrival.

Raime: "GET ON HIM!"

I shouted my orders to Jess and the old man Rodgar to get onto Kaal's back.

Kaal understood what I wanted him to do, I had trued handing Jess the girl in my arms...

I pulled her back and Kaal turned abruptly and ran away without hesitation.

While I had turned around and slashed my Dark Saber at the air.

Jess: "NO!!!"

*High pitched echoing roars*

I looked down and saw a severed...tentacle? Or tail? Or tendrils?

I couldn't tell which it was as I myself don't even know what a Sandstalker looks like.

They were a creature that was never meant to appear in the game, but only mentioned in echo logs and dialogue with characters like Pierce and Tannis.

But it was Cut from the game.

Moze's watch in Borderlands 3 actually shows a countdown time, this was a reference to the Static Storms time period of activity.

A Static Storm would last for an average of 20 hours.

Kaal had taken Jess and and Rodgar to the fortified building, he will return to me once he had escorted them.

I calmly kept my hearing and senses steady and to the maximum.

I placed Laura on the ground and spoke to her while I kept my focus around me.

Raime: "Laura? That's your name right?"

Laura: "Y-Yes-s, I-I-"

Raime: "SHH! I know you're scared Laura, but please stay where you are. Do not move, so not make a sound. I am very strong, I will keep you safe. I know your legs hurt and you are in pain, but please bear through it okay? You will be completely fine. I just need to deal with this intruder of your home first."

Laura was on the verge of tears. She is a strong girl to not be scared shirtless by everything that is happening.

If you are yo survive on Pandora, you would definitely need to be tempered at a young age for the harshness and dangers of Pandora.

I slashed once more behind me as I sensed vibrations in the air once again.

But this time I missed, but succeed in firing it away from me and to retreat from its offensive.

I was at a great disadvantage.

I am not fast enough to attack it, I ahd caught it by suprise the first time since it never had to deal with such a fast Human being before.

I was a Lion while it was a Panther.

I was stronger with my Dark Saber and Guns, but it was far more dangerous simce it was a being based of Stealth.

And it was in its element while in thsi storm while i wasn't.

I realised I needed to stroke it faster than it can retreat-

!

I am a damn genius!

I took out a particular weapon, I had gotten from a Mod for my Skyrim character, out if my Inventory.

I also took out a body suit with a ton of cybernetics in it.

How the Fuck did I forget about this?!

I quickly equipped the cybernetic suit, I put it on one piece at a time. Kaal had long since returned to me, but I realised I would be attacked and hit right off of Kaal's back if I didn't deal with the Sandstalker first.

As I put on exam individual piece, I had been perceptive of my surroundings and slashed with my Dark Saber, or rolled to the side to avoid its frequent attacks.

Sometimes it would try to target Laura, but I had been able to keep her close to me and well safe.

Once I had finished equipping everything, I had put on a visor.

I was completely covered in black, and now I was able to see through the storm to some extent with the visor's capabilities and built in features and HUD.

What Mod was all this apart of which I had?

Remember I wished fur my Modded Skyrim character. That included all the items I obtained from the Mods, but no Aedra or Daedric Artifacts.

I sheathed my crimson electrical blade into its strange sheath.

Raime: "TIID!!! (Time!!!)"

I had shouted the first Word of Power in Dovahzul of the [Slow Time] Thu'um shout, ever since I was reincarnated. This was the first Word of Power I had learnt over the month of complete and utterly focused meditation of learning this Word of Power.

It was the first Thu'um shout I will learn die to it's uses and usefulness.

Time itself had slowed around me, I could see the particles of the storm fly past my face and around me.

I myself was not alot faster, but it had helped.

I had used my PhaseTime Siren power to help in being able to use [Slow Time].

I sensed with my Spatial Awareness that an Attack was coming from my right.

I began to move my body and my hands still on the sheathe of the blade and its handle.

The tip of the razor sharp tail was a metre from me.

*Kaboom*

*Slash*

The mod I had gotten was the Metal Gear Solid.

*Agressive pained High-pitched echoing roars*

And the blade I had used, to slash of not just the tendril bladed tail, but also the supposed hand of the Sandstalker, was non other than Jetstream Sam's high-frequency blade.

The VT7 High-Frequency Blade, Muramasa.

And the suit I was wearing was Raiden's cybernetic suit. If you know who the Metal Gear Raiden is, and not the the one who is a certain straw hat God that goes *Zap* *Zap*, nor a certain komono wearing female Shogun that pulls a sword from her between her breasts, then you'll know who I'm talking about.

(A/n Gif here of how he cut off Sandstalker's head and tendril.)

I swiped my hand and my reward which was its remains had been stored into my inventory.

I sheathed Muramasa and gotten ontop of Kaal with Laura in my arm.

I ride at full speed to the shelter.

I jumped of Kaal and teleported to the door I could see. Kaal had vannished out of thin air and I rushed inside.

I placed the girl on into the Mother's arms and rushed to slam the door shut since the others were having trouble due to the storm's winds.

As I reached the door I grabbed the door to slam it shut, I saw a blur go past me, but I shut the door and heard a few thuds on the outside of the door, along with the screeching roars of the Sandstalker.

I locked and barricaded the door, I turned to look around as I heard a scream.

That's when I saw it...

A sharp spike shaped blade, presumably shot from the tail's end of the Sandstalker, and had pieced two people.

The head of the Mother had the spike lodged in her head.

She had died instantly.

And...

The daughter Laura I had just saved...

Had one in her gut...she was still alive and was in shock as tears fell down her face.

I ignored the sounds and screams of everyone on the room as I just stared at her...

I had promised her.

I said she would be safe, she would be fine.

And I failed that.

I watched as everyone in the room panicked and rushed around her, chaos had broken loose on what to do.

She was going to die, even I knew that with my extensive, it was a wound that cannot be treated.

Her blood poured out...

But that was not what I cared about.

I heard the words she spoke through the noise, it was a Whisper, but I heard it as if cannons were firing...and I could do nothing as I felt my soul and heart shatter from what she said.

Laura: "You...Lied..."

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To be continued...Chapter 18: Nephilim's Soul