Fantasy Kaizoic: Earth Reborn

[Da Doofus]

In the years following the Last World War of the 2200's, a mass continental shift decimated the planet in an extinction-level event. Yet this was not the worst to come. Ancient, slumbering creatures awoke from hibernation from the cataclysm in what is known as the Emergence Event.
What followed was a war against these titans that spanned two centuries. Humanity is losing now that the Apex Predators have risen from their rest.
The only hope for survival is the Noah Project. Ten ships the size of cities will preserve thousands of lives in orbit until conditions settle on Earth for recolonization.
You are one of the fortunate few among millions, and it is now the last day you will have of your former life.
The Noah is launching, and the Apexes are coming.

 

[Da Doofus]

All of human history has been written by the victors, the triumphants atop strife and misery
Looking back, much of history have been prevalent in mankind's oldest, most enduring of traditions:
War.
Whatever rivalry spurred on another global conflict in the ashes if what was known as the United Nations have no importance now. In the wake of its end, it would seem the very planet grew weary of man's eternal conflict upon its surface. The next extinction event had come, and with it the beginning of a new era of Earth's story.
This was our planet no longer. The earlier rulers of Earth had risen to reclaim their lands, and purge the remaining cities. The mighty machines and weapons created to destroy one another were now aimed at this common foe. United under a single, unspoken banner.
The final war for Earth had begun.

And after two centuries of fighting . . . Humanity had lost with only the need to run and survive left.

******************

You sat onboard a flying transport en route to the Noah 6 launch site. Other passengers crowded the small civilian ship with you. Mothers held their children to provide some form of comfort from the encrouching terror.

A news broadcast flickered on the partly damaged holo projector. Noahs 4 and 9 had been destroyed by swarms of Hypodraconis. The rest had launched, sparing tens of thousands from the destruction overtaking the world.
Noah 6 was the last one.

Outside the window, dozens of Crusader Mechs stomped across the desolated land, securing the perimeter for what was coming.

Beyond, the distant lights of the launch facility flickered like a fading beacon of hope. This was it.
Your last day on the Earth you know.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo had always tried to avoid the news. It was easier to live life being ignorant of what was going on. Almost as if, for a second, he could pretend the entire human race wasn't about to die out. But at the moment, with the projector screen being one of the only things he could see, it would have been really tough to avoid the broadcast. He sighs to himself, sitting in this cramped space with a bunch of suffering people really wasn't a good way to stay calm. He had to do something to lighten the mood somehow. "Hey! Just like any other day right? Two of the Noah's have gone down, that's like....a 10% chance of dying?" he says, realizing he had no clue how many of the ships were built in the fireplace. "I'd say those are mighty fine odds."

 

[Da Doofus]

An old woman looked up at him, her faced coated with ash and soot.
She gave no response, only returning her head between her folded arms as she sat on the floor. Thunderous booms rattled in the blackened sky outside. What should be a lovely midwestern dusk was shrouded in clouds of smoke from destruction occuring miles away.
The horizon to the North was lit by an encroaching fire. Kairo would remember hearing rumors that the Hypodraconis Alpha Male was fighting for territory with the recent Apex to rise.
Recent being relative, as it was almost ten years ago when it rose from the Arctic glaciers. In just two years, this creature reduced what was left of Canada and the Northern U.S. into ashen wasteland.
People were calling it a walking apocalypse, since it was the sole reason the mechanical behemoths that had begun to turn the tide against the Hypodraconis were now numbered so few now.

He'd also remember rumors of another Apex that had been ravaging the flooded East, but communication was cutoff so there was no confirmation of this.
The reality remained, the Apexes were fighting each other now, and they were on the march toward each other.
If the rumored one in the East was real, that would make 4. All moving toward each other.

The launch bay grew closer, and other transports became visible from a distance. A small wave of hope swept over the transport. Some of the children stood to wave at the distant ship.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Curious by the sudden change of mood, he looks over towards the direction the kids were waving at. Surprisingly, through all the thunder and smog, he could see the small outline of the Noah. The sight of the distant ship does wonders on calming Kairo's nerves, and he can't help but to smile. Maybe this wouldn't go terribly wrong like he expected it to. "See? Everything's gonna be fine." he says to no one in particular.

He was still in disbelief of it all. The last thing he had expected was to have been chosen to be saved from the hell hole that was Earth. Racking his brain as hard as he could brought upon no reasons as to why he deserved this spot. His parents had worked for the military, but they were nowhere near the rank that granted them such privilege. He himself wasn't anything special either. A working class citizen with almost no accomplishments under his belt, except mechanical expertise. He decides to call it quits on the reflection, maybe he was just lucky. Either that, or the systems really messed up.

 

[Da Doofus]

More transports cleared the thickly layered mists, and the launch facility now came within a few miles distance.
A gigantic, metal plated crater in the ground made up the majority of its expanse, with six docking towers lining the interior.
The Noah itself, or at least the tip of it, rested in the center. However, even that small part exposed was large enough to house several aircraft carriers atop it.
Even some of the adults gasped in awe at the sight.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo was amazed by the sheer size of the ship. He hasn't seen anything of such scale in his life. It amazed him to say the least, and to imagine that they managed to make multiple of these! He stands up from his cross legged position on the floor to get a better view.

 

[Da Doofus]

The shuttle now flew over the loading bay for the land-based transports. In the fences beyond, hundreds of wayward people clamored at the gates, trying to get past the barricades and security.
Some of the parents diverted the children's eyes.
It was a sad fact that not every individual was selected for a spot on a Noah. Even in the middle of nowhere, refugees would pour in with the belief they would be allowed inside.
Smaller Achilles mechs stomped around the airfield as ground transports docked into their mechanical loading bays, making way for dozens of selected Noah passengers.
The shuttle Kairo was in passed overhead, straight for one of the Noah's docking towers.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo looks down at the large crowd forming outside the perimeters of the ship. It indeed was a sad sight to see. So many people who were looking to get onboard. From his position in the sky, he could make out a children in the crowd, some too young to understand what was going on. The thought of not belonging returns, but he does his best to block it out. What's done was done, and there was no way he could change any of it. These decisions were out of his control.

Instead of spending too long sulking, he starts walking towards the carrier's door, ready to exit the shit. A smile plastered on his face to hide how nervous he really was. The ride here would probably be the last moment of peace he would get in a while.

 

[Da Doofus]

Once the shuttle docked, the locking mechanism kept it hooked to the loading bay. The doors opened, and Kairo was practically a pebble in the flood of passengers that pushed from the transport.
Once a comfortable position in the crowd could be made, he would follow a set path where the crowd calmed into a branching path line into the Noah. Guided by neon floor lights that marked the 'lanes'.
Takahashi robotic drones whizzed around, notifying the passengers on where to keep in file and ocassionally reminding them that they are now safe.

The platform stretched over the vast crater with the Noah's body below.
There, multiple platforms extended onto the massive ship, where cargo and mechanical parts were being freighted aboard.
Kairo would catcha glimpse of a Takahashi Inc. Guardian security drone stomping aboard.

"Keep in file, sir." A drone zipped over his head. The floating metal ball flew to another line to maintain the orderly formation.

 

[Chai_T3a]

The marvel of everything that was going on was breathtaking to say the least. Kairo couldn't think of anything like what he's seen today. The feeling in his chest, which seemed to be a mix of excitement and stress, grew tenfold. There was just so much going on, and so many questions going through his head. It made following instructions pretty tough. He almost didn't notice that he completely exited the line until the drone had come to inform him.

"Oh sorry." he mutters quietly, before heading back to the line. "Hey! Now that you're here I got a few ques-" he said, before realizing that the drone had already zipped past him. "tions...". Guess it was wishful thinking to believe they'd have time for him. He looked back straight ahead and tried his hardest to not get distracted by some other cool thing doing their cool job.

 

[Da Doofus]

The peak of the Noah ship itself towered over them like a monument as the hundreds poured into it.
The interior, what all Kairo could see, was a massive airlock that doubled as an elevator platform for several dozen people at a time.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo followed the line of people heading towards the elevator. With the effective road block that formed near the elevator, the line had begun to look a bit more like a crowd. It wasn't something chaotic though, as everyone around Kairo seemed to be waiting as patiently as they could for the situation they were in. Guess going into cryogenic sleep isn't something people get to excited about.

He waited there for a few minutes before he was able to get on the elevator. He looked around at the people around him and decided again to try and strike up some friendly conversation. "Anyone else here expected to be chosen?" he asks, genuinely curious.

 

[Da Doofus]

An answer may have been given, but it was drowned out among the coughs and multiple conversations among the dozens.
The elevator began its descent into the interior of the Noah. After a few minutes of sinking after layer after layer of rowed lights, a glass-cased section of the shaft provided a vast view of the Noah's midsection. It would be unlike anything these people would have seen before. The Atrium was practically a small city meant for housing the passengers. Rows upon rows of cabins built into the walls with attaching rails and platforms connecting them.

"Look at that . . ."

"Can you believe?" Would be some of the murmurs heard in the crowd.
For most of them, this was the first time seeing modern technology. Many of the population centers not actively protected by the military were in fact sections of decimated cities turned into refugee centers.

 

[Chai_T3a]

The same sense of awe was present in Kairo. He had messed around with some pretty high tech gear in his life. He remembered dismantling blasters, repairing the old hologram projector at home, but this kind of technological feat was on a level unimaginable to him. If only he could be given time to explore this damn thing. A smile appeared on his face as he marvelled at it all.

The time flew by quickly, and very soon. He had arrived at the intended level. He waited for the door to open.

 

[Da Doofus]

Once it did, the layout before him and many others looked like a technologically improved medical clinic.
Takahashi mk. 8 Syndroids attended to passengers, providing medicine, bringing them standard issue Noah passenger jumpsuits, and assisting however they could.
These had been widely heard of. The latest improvement in robotic AI technology. They were designed to look human, for the most part, their faces were made of a plastic faceplate with a speaker where the mouth would be. The eyes were glass to give the illusion of organic ones. The most notable feature would definitely be the core AI processor. They were created using volunteer donated brainwave scans. Every Syndroid was made to, for all intents and purposes, be human.
A few dozen escorted what families there were away from the elevator and to medical booths.
The rest were guided to booths further out on the deck. Each one had a flickering hologram of the same woman. From the way each one seemed to be carrying on a different conversation, it was mostly not a recording.

Kairo was led to such a booth, where the holo-girl flickered into being behind it.

"Konnichiwa!" She greeted with a smile. "My name is Yui. Welcome to Noah 6. May I have your name and place of birth sir?"

 

[Chai_T3a]

“Wow.” He said, almost a bit overly enthusiastic. “You’re one of those human-robot things right?” He had heard rumours about these things before, even caught a glimpse of one of them once, but being right next to one was definitely a complete different perspective.

It took a moment for him to gain his composure. At that time, the staring had dragged out to an almost awkward level. He wasn’t sure if the woman in front of her even had the capacity to care about that, but he definitely felt a bit embarrassed. “Sorry, everything’s just been really overwhelming today. Anyway, I’m Kairo Hunjan. Born in Calgary, Canada.” He answered

 

[Da Doofus]

"Ah yes!" Yui nodded. "Mr. Hunjan. Welcome aboard." She made a gesture with her hand. "I am an AI created by Mr. Takahashi himself. Ten of us in total." She explained, a faint hint of shyness in her voice that time. "I don't like making it sound like I'm bragging, my sole purpose is to maintain ship function and passenger safety."
Behind her, a car-sized pod with a bench inside appeared next to the platform Kairo was standing. It ran on the electronic rail system spanning the entire Atrium.

"If you are in no need of medical attention, Mr.Hunjan, please have a seat. This will take you to your assigned quarters before launch."
She glanced upward, as though hearing something.
"Please excuse me." She bowed, flickering away along with all of her other displays at other booths.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Oh. Okay then." He said to himself. Confused about the sudden exit. He wished he could have gotten a bit of a conversation going. He takes a look outside of his own booth to see if the same thing had happened to anyone else. To his surprise, Yui was gone from every single booth that he could see. He tried not to pay too much heed to the disruption. She probably just had to tend to the ship. Or at least he hoped that was the case.

He put that thought in the back of his mind, and decided to do as Yui instructed. He sat down in the pod with his arms crossed. Ready to be taken to the quarters.

 

[Da Doofus]

As though responding to his presence, the pod took off without any hesitation.
It carried him along the 'roads' of the Atrium at speeds that would cause him distress if not for what had to be depressurization.
Shortly, it arrived at a metal structure lined with windows.

"Your room is 3-7B." Yui's voice came from the pod.

Thunder rumbled outside, but there was a feeling that it was no storm causing it.

 

[Chai_T3a]

"Thanks Yui! Appreciate the ride." Kairo calls out, before exiting the pod. He took a good look at the building that he was assigned to. The structure was clean and sleek, a concept that was completely foreign to him. It puts a bit of a smile on his face knowing that he'd at least be comfortable through all this. But even with the small pleasures, the looming guilt for those left behind persisted. The faint sound of thunder coming from outside only fuelled that feeling.

He walked into the building and started to logically search for his room. His body was there, but his mind wasn't. With the next strike of thunder, he finally gave up at trying to ignore it. He needed to know what was going on outside.

"Hey Yui? Don't know if you can hear me, but is it possible for you to pull up some security cam footage from outside the ship? I wanna know whats going on." he asked as he reached his room.

 

[Da Doofus]

No answer came from the AI.
His room was basic in design. A sleeping cot, a small cabin, and a desk with a holo-terminal were all the furniture provided.
Understandable since this ship was meant to function as a refugee vessel.

More thunder, only this time an animalistic roar followed after.
Perhaps a view to the outside could be found on the terminal.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo doesn't spend a lot of time going through every aspect of his room. The sound of what could have only been an apex had geared him into overdrive. He quickly made his way to the terminal and began looking through the thing. He was desperate to figure out what was going on outside.

 

[Da Doofus]

What view that surrounded the Noah would burn into the memory of all that witnessed.


***************

Crusader mechs, armored Oni MK 3's from the East, and a few Escusson Strikers from Europe surrounded the launch facility as a protective barrier from the panicking swarm of Hypodraconis.
As all mechanical behemoths of various banners of lost countries fired into the skies, bodies of the fire breathing beasts fell to the ground.
Further into the fray, Crusaders that have exhausted ammunition charged at Hypodraconis that landed. With massive bayonets out, they dueled these predators in imagery similar to the Greek legend of Hercules and the Nemean Lion.
One such brave crew of pilots had just cut one of the attackers across the throat. Its blood and ignitible biofluid spilled over the Crusader's armor before collapsing in choking, smoke coated breaths.
The victory was short lived as another Hypo swooped down and grabbed hold of the mech's head with mighty talons.
In seconds, the metal-plated helm that protected the pilots was torn from the bulky shoulders, spewing wires, tubes, and oil over the dead Hypos body as its killers body collapsed over it. A few members of the mechanic crew escaped through the various hatches, but the Hypos swooped once more to blanket the ground in fire. The tiny souls were engulfed in seconds.

Even further beyond, the entire horizon burned as fleeing Hypos retreated from the silhouette approaching from the North.
It was him. The Apex that turned the tide of the war. It was like a giant dinosaur in posture, but it was coated in bone-white armor on the head and back. A crest encircled the back of the head like a crown, and there were two spots that glowed with heat.
An armor plate grew out of the chest that had similar glowing spots on it too.
He stomped toward the battle with an apocalyptic inferno to his back.

The thunderous roar came again as a Hypo almost twice the size of the others plucked an Oni from the field like a grape from a vine. Its back was patterned with black over its fiery orange hide, it identified itself as the Alpha Male of this swarm.

Lightning flashed in the sky, and rain began to pour as a powerful wind swept over the destructive scene.
From the flooded East approached another titanic creature. A curtain of rain silhouetted its appearance as well, except for the bright purple bioluminescent markings on its face and body that glowed like neon. A pair of horn-like appendages grew from its head that whipped around like some kind of glow-tipped tentacles.
It was bigger than the Northern Apex, and walked on 4 legs. Somehow, it was the source of the coming storm.
This had to have been the Apex that decimated the coasts of America, Europe, and Africa. Yet another rival to the other god-like creatures.

This was where they were converging to fight for territory.
The Noah rumbled as the engines bellowed into full ignition. They were launching in the midst of the mayhem.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo kept his eyes peeled on the screen. Not a single part of his body moved. The Apexes, the destruction, all the deaths. He'd seen them all. Things that he would never be able to unsee.

At that moment, Kairo truly understood what being helpless felt like.

He stayed in that position, sitting on the chair in a mixture of fear and anger, until what once was the huge apexes became nothing but tiny dots he could cover with the tip of his finger. Still, he watched. The life he had lived for the past 23 years, was all but destroyed. Gone.

After several minutes, he forced himself to stop watching the feed. There wasn't much to see now anyway. With a shaky finger, he disabled the hologram. Through the intensity of the moment, he hadn't notices that a few tears had fallen from his face and onto the table. He hastily wipes off the droplets with his shirt, and takes a few deep breathes to calm himself down.

He needed to be strong. After watching the live feed, the dire prospect of the situation was something he finally began to understand. If this was the world he was to come back to, then the luxury of grief wasn't something he could afford.

"Get it together." He whispered quietly to himself.