Apocalyptic Returning

Chapter 7: Generation Zero

A vortex of flames exploded into Gravedigger from his left, which he blocked with his left hand. The flames surrounded him, unable to get through his aura of darkness to reach him. Upon waving his hand to the left, a wave of black energy carried the flames away. With the flames now gone, he looked to where Reaper once stood.

Seeing nothing where Reaper once stood, a shockwave of black energy exploded from Gravedigger's exosuit. The sheer violence of his surging energy an expression of his rage. He already knew what had just happened, even without getting a good look at the perpetrator. And it was that fact that pissed him off to no end.

Reaper opened his eyes and found himself on top of a small building that overlooked a small town. Sitting up from the makeshift bed, he felt a searing pain in his left shoulder. Confused, he looked at his shoulder and grabbed it with his right hand. The vivid memory of Gravedigger ripping off his arm popped into mind.

"Kid did a real number on you back there." A familiar voice said from behind.

Standing up from the bed, Reaper turned his head to where the voice came from. "Arazia?" Reaper questioned.

Arazia stood at the ledge of the building and examined the town before him. His exosuit was colored red with orange energy running through it. His exosuit was dragon-like with heavy armor all over it. On his back was a pair of dragon like wings and there was a pair of horns protruding from the back of his specialized helmet.

"I grabbed your arm while I was there and let your exosuit reattach it while you were sleeping." Arazia stepped back from the ledge and turned to face Reaper. "Assumed you would appreciate it."

"How-" Reaper tried to ask a question but was cut off by Arazia.

"Are you an idiot?" Arazia asked honestly. "What the hell made you think you could take him on? What part of "Gravedigger" do you not understand? Or are you just suicidal, because that's all you're going to get out of fighting him."

"Hmph" Reaper voiced. "I thought I could take him."

"You can't" Arazia stated.

"No shit." Reaper shot back. "I can fucking see that now. He kicked me around like I was nothing, even ripped my arm off even through my ability

"Thats just how he is." Arazia said as he sat down on the ledge. "Overwhelming no matter who you are. No matter how strong you are, he will always be above you, so far out of reach. But he's the strongest, so that's just how it is."

"Strongest?!"" Reaper questioned angrily. "No, that's a fucking understatement. In the exo world, Zaraph, Azrael, Boss, Rez, Me, You, were the strongest. What that was, what he is-" A flashback of that disastrous energy Gravedigger controlled flashed through Reaper's mind. "Is something far beyond human capability."

"Thats for damn sure." Arazia agreed. "But such is the way of life. Those like him are blessed with power far beyond mankind's understanding and the rest of us just have to live with it. Living everyday hoping they don't use that power to take away all we have built; all we have suffered for."

"Those like him." Reaper questioned.

"Heh" Arazia let out. "A story for another time. Don't you have a war to be fighting right now?"

"War?" Reaper questioned. "What do you mean war."

"I guess you wouldn't know considering you've been out for about a day." Arazia stood up and walked past Reaper. "While you were fighting Gravedigger, an Infinium Agent killed a member of Apocalyptic Returning."

"Oh" Reaper let out.

"Yup." Arazia confirmed. "Your hands are probably going to be quite busy for a while now. Good luck." Looking past Reaper, he saw as a VTOL was closing in on their location at high speeds. "Think your rides here."