14: Rost

\\// Last Helldiver Gillian POV //\\

Rocketing through the earth's atmosphere reminded me of the war when we still had Hell Ships. When everyone I could call my friend was alive and not a dog tag hidden under my armor. When I still had a purpose instead of guarding dead men walking… However, now I have a few things once more. I have friends, I have purpose, I have a new mission… dispensing Democracy across the multiverse with extreme prejudice against new enemies. Not for Super Earth, Super Earth was destroyed by our enemies, no it's for my new home the Orbital Fortress, Dead Dawn.

Dead Dawn was a weird name for my commander's home. Yet his reasoning with a somber yet lively smile and laugh made me see the logic behind the name. I even find it fitting in a morbid sense.

"We're horrible with staying dead Gillian, but come dawn we march on once more to get our pound of flesh from those we hate. We live on even when dead, forever marching into the breach due to our circumstances or choices in life. Turning back means permanently dying, so onto the next dawn we dead men walk."

Everyone has DIED in one way or another, yet they're still alive being menaces. I myself could be said to have died when I stopped thinking and just became a puppet of war. Thinking of such broken logic I couldn't help chuckling, angling my drop pod I landed right on top of a "Corrupter" as the tribals call it. Sending sparks, oil, metal, and even flesh flying as the edges of my pod crush a Human. Reminds me of the times a private panicked and accidentally crushed an ally or hostile with their pod.

My landing surprised the people calling themselves Eclipse, even the machines faltered. So without any more waiting I kicked the door of my pod off, the heavy piece of paneling crushing some poor idiot as their body left a blood smear on the snowy ground. Racking my modified Stripper, the shotgun's pellets pulp a cluster of cultists into meat paste.

"So that's a Lethal +4 modification…. I'm gonna call you Precious… now purr for daddy…"

The cultists looked at me funny due to my words. I took offense to that for every soldier out in the multiverse. I didn't hesitate to use the bayonet on Precious to behead another while pulping another two with a shot. That got the cultists and machines to react. Finally the amateurs. Grabbing a stratagem from my belt I activated it. Stuffing the beeping orb into the platings of a corrupted Ravager as I vaulted over its SLOW attack. Kicking off its back and landing into the middle of some more cultists, Precious impaling a dumbass with poor trigger discipline through the right eye.

The heavy 50. cal machine gun in his hands turning his friends into paste as his dying body squeezed the trigger. A searing light impacting the Ravager behind me as the machine and a few fading screams of terror makes me chuckle. They probably think it was an act of God striking them down given their primitive cult worshiping dead assholes. Side stepping a Watcher, Precious ripping the thing in half with an extremely close shot to its midsection. Sparks, oil, coolant, and metal flying as the machine let out a death rattle while flailing its top half.

{WORTHLESS. DIE.}

Side stepping the stinger of a Corrupter I glanced at the machine. Seeing a red hue around it as energy physically manifests red cables around the machine that seems to kill any vibrant life around it. Meaning it was that AI.

"Ah the not cute Hades… don't try dicking me like I'm your mother you unloved menace…"

As the deranged AI's controlled machine twitched, a stinger impaled its side abruptly. Black and golden wires of energy corrupting the war machine as a rusting machine cackled.

{AHAHAHAHA SURPRISE INFERIOR! THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE HADES!}

Chuckling at the kid I couldn't help shaking my head. That's when I saw SOMETHING crash into the side of a mountain. Heavy Metal music kicked to life suddenly as if the very world itself had awakened something akin to a boss. That's when a giant mass of red and black pulled itself from the mountain, serrated teeth grinning on its face. The cultists and corrupted machines froze, while Hades was still tangling with Corrupted Corruptors.

"We are Judgment!"

Then the real fun began as the Eclipse cultists and their machines were broken and stalled. Racking my gun I chuckled like a madman as I dove head long into the fray. Not minding one bit whenever my flesh was slashed, burnt, or worse. After all Helldiver's are forever and I'm the last one standing so I'm eternal!

"Die you false gods dog!"

Slashing the worthless traitor to Humanities throat with my bayonet I smiled under my helmet. I remember enjoying killing the dogs who turned against Humanity… It's been too long since I last could execute traitors. As I fought with the engrained experience of far to many fights, my body felt refreshed every so often. The commander's First Aid magic trick fixed both my body and armor each time as if the damage never existed. Even the dog tags I wear underneath my armor as a second layer of skin are brand new once more. So I'll never lose my fallen brothers again…. I don't want to let them go again…. I won't…

\\// Rost POV //\\

Hearing the sounds of destruction fading away even now as the fight should be ending. With the Saint of Machines and his soldiers targeting the main forces of the Shadow Carja. Ripping an arrow from my shoulder as soon as it hits, I raised my blade, beheading a Watcher with a growl. Even if the Saint of Machines is treasonous to befriend, the man knows how to make weapons. The blade is made with the spine of something called a Behemoth and the claws of a machine called a Sun Bringer. Was a gift meant for one thing, and I shall be fulfilling that purpose.

"You won't be going an-"

"OUT OF MY WAY SHADOW CARJA DOG! NONE SHALL DENY ME MY DAUGHTER!"

The strange gem in the hilt of the blade turned crimson red, the blade itself shaking as if responding to my only wish. The mad dog attempted to stop me from reaching my daughter being cut in half without any resistance. Not even their heaviest piece of armor stayed my blade. Yet I knew something had changed with the blade, as even the Machine Saint spoke through my Focus in writing.

[Kaiser: Color me impressed Rost, you've been acknowledged by my first Vassal Weapon… I look forward to seeing how far your love for Aloy takes you my friend. May the Vassal of Family protect all you cherish.]

The blade hummed loudly in my hands as I felt it become one with me… sighing I let out a frosty breath. Then I charge forward, breaking through the machines blocking my path to the Proving Grounds. My blade singing as the machines are torn asunder, my desire to see my daughter safe seems to resonate with it. Even as I fall off a cliff towards the Proving, seeing my little rebellious girl fighting for herself and the clan's future. I smiled, tears running down my cheeks seeing how the children looked at my pride and joy now.

However, when those mad dogs attempt to use Blaze barrels to blow Aloy up. I feel something foreign yet familiar as well, following the feeling I swung downwards. My descent quickening, my anger becoming a roar, my blade cutting into the cart of Blaze making it become still mid explosive build up. Yet I didn't stop. I followed the feeling even now, explosive flames coiled around my blade as I swung it at the one responsible.

The mountains shake, a deafening explosion sounding as if a beast was roaring echoed through the mountains. Where the waste of life once stood was a path carved in fire and a molten hole through the mountains. The blade in my hands quiets its ever growing hum as if pleased. Looking at the weapon in my hands I give a wordless thanks as my daughter hugs me. Her arms squeezing around my body with a tremble that would be unnoticed if not for how tight she held me. Sheathing my blade, I hugged her back. Stroking her fiery red hair as I spoke softly.

"I'm here Aloy… I'm here… you were great… I'm proud of you."