| Fan Fiction: | |
|---|---|
| Skye Helldrix - The Cyblivion Incident | |
| Author | Aldrasos |
| Fan-made Characters | Skye Helldrix
Raiden Manikin |
Description: A short story of Skye Helldrix after the murder of his father.
Chapter 1 - An Unforgivable Crime[]
Footsteps.
They were the only sounds which could be heard, alone in the grim silence which surrounded them. The trees were still, just like the body being carried down the path in the white coffin towards the pit in the ground, Dr Helldrix's final resting place. No birds were singing, as if they too shared the sorrow of the spectators standing idly beneath them. It was as if the world had frozen, the only ones alive being the men carrying the dreaded transport between them. And then a single voice broke the silence.
'Skye, you alright?'
Skye Helldrix snapped out of his trance, turning his head slowly towards the voice.
'Yes, I am quite fine. I suppose I am just a bit... stunned... by these developments.'
Dr Venture looked at him worryingly for a few seconds longer, before nodding solemnly and looking back at the coffin.
'I don't understand... Why would the White Fang target your father? He never hurt anybody, nor did he ever speak out against Fauna...'
Skye did not respond, his face unnaturally neutral as his father was carried past him. Dr Helldrix was murdered, by the White Fang no less. These facts were undeniable. On a perfectly normal day while traveling to present one of his latest medical android models his transport was hijacked and he found himself faced with an armed group of the criminals, who took little time to put a bullet through his skull in cold blood.
'This is not as simple as the police believe, that is certain,' Skye said quietly, voicing his thoughts aloud, 'There is another force at work here.'
'Another force? But who would do such a thing?' Venture replied uncertainly. Skye shook his head and ran his hand through his dark blue hair, letting it fall back as disorderly as it wished.
'That is what I intend to find out,' he growled, turning away from the grave and beginning to walk away from the funeral. The doctor disapproved and reached forward, grabbing hold of Skye's arm and turning him back around.
'Where are you going? This is your father's funeral! You cannot simply leave before the coffin is even in the ground!'
Skye was about to reply, but he caught sight of something annoying over Venture's shoulder. His brow creased in irritation and his body began to glow a dark blue as he reached forward and removed the doctor's grip, before extending his arm forward and sweeping it to the side. Some few metres away the cameras of several newspaper photographers shut off, startling the users as they faced a blank screen. Then, with his arm still outstretched, he balled his hand into a tight fist, to which the devices suddenly sparked and short-circuited, shocking the unwelcome attendants. Skye began to stride towards them, but the same hand reached forward and clamped onto his shoulder, stronger this time.
'Let me handle this. If you insist on leaving, then so be it.'
Skye sighed wearily and nodded, before taking one last look at the coffin as it was slowly lowered into the grave.
Venture returned to the company testing facility some time afterwards. By the time he arrived it was nearly midnight, and the facility was empty, the workers having gone home some time ago. When he entered his private study he removed his coat and tie, hanging them up on a peg and retrieving his lab coat before pushing open the swinging doors to the design sector. After reaching his station he began picking up bits of metal and pieces of circuit boards, placing them in a scrap tray on the desk before pushing it away. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, he flicked out his lighter and was about to light up when a voice spoke from behind him.
'You shouldn't be smoking in this area, Dr Venture.'
The rebellious scientist jumped at the voice, dropping his lighter and yelping as the lit cigarette fell onto his hand. He turned around angrily. His eyes, previously filled with rage, softened as Skye emerged from his hiding place behind a pillar across on the far side of the room.
'Oh, it's just you, Skye. Good grief, you almost gave me a heart attack.'
Skye managed a smirk, an uncommon display of emotion. 'Everyone working in this facility left hours ago. If it were truly empty, why would the lights still be on?'
Venture glanced up, realizing that he was right. He smiled weakly, but noticed something swinging by Skye's side.
'What's that?' he asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
Skye lifted the device so it could be seen easier. It was strangely shaped, like a thin drum covering half of his right forearm. The white material glowed as light blue data streams flowed through its fibers, and the top of the object dipped inwards. It looked like a very high-tech and advanced piece of equipment, like nothing the doctor had ever seen before.
'This...' Skye announced with obvious pride, 'Is Mechanical Martyr, my personally designed weapon. I needed a new one ever since that idiot messed around with my old weapon and disintegrated my hand and destroyed it in the process...' He grinned. 'Let me show you what it can do.'
They strolled through several corridors, arriving at a large testing ground. Venture stayed back as Skye lifted his arm, to which the weapon seemed to awaken, a gentle humming sound emitting from the device. He reached across at several pincers extended from the sides, latching onto the metal of one of the targets. With a jerk of his arm Skye ripped a chunk of the target off, the material placed onto the chamber at the end of the device. Then, the weapon glowed a dark orange as the material heated up and changed into a molten state. Just before the molten metal was about to fall away did Skye aim and fire, sending the makeshift projectile at one of the targets. The molten metal ate through the target like paper within seconds, leaving only a burnt stain on the ground to indicate that something had originally been there. Venture's jaw dropped comically in complete disbelief at the result while Skye lifted the weapon upwards as it vented steam into the air, nodding approvingly in contentment. As if to say 'that's not all', Skye threw out his arm to the side, causing the device to adjust slightly, the various extensions folding inwards and a large blade extending from the firing zone. Then the blade burned a deep blue as a jet of flame roared upwards from exhausts in the guard. He suddenly sprung forward, swinging the weapon effortlessly as he expertly carved apart metal and stone targets like a hot knife to butter, completing an impressive display of slashes, stabs and cuts before coming to a halt, the flames burning out and the blade retracting.
'With this... nothing can stop me from finding out who it was who ordered my father's killing,' he said bitterly, before turning to Venture. 'If you wouldn't mind, could you please notify Beacon Academy that I shall be taking time off to grieve for my loss. That should be a good enough excuse to buy me some time to work.'
Chapter 2 - Developments[]
'I told you everything I know! I swear!'
Skye looked at the man with his cold gaze and eventually nodded, convinced he was telling the truth. He pretended to turn away, before suddenly whipping back, reaching out and clamping his bionic fingers around the man's throat, lifting him into the air and then slamming him against the wall. The force of the blow caved in the back of the man's skull, leaving a dent in the metal sheet which he had impacted upon. Skye held the limp body for a moment longer, slowly releasing his grip and allowing the corpse to crumple to the ground. He stood there silently, unmoving, as he mulled over what he had just learnt. Apparently his father's assassination was an 'error' as a result of poor intel given by a client. When Skye had asked the man - a White Fang officer - who said client was, he only knew it was a large company in Vale. He was unsure how far he could rely on the dead man's words, but when someone sees a stranger cut his way through an entire team of armed soldiers they tend to be in a talkative mood afterwards.
'I don't believe this... five days I have been searching, and none of these mere pawns have any idea who they are even working for!'
He kicked the body violently repeatedly, cursing loudly at nothing and everything. Eventually, breathing heavily from the exercise, he collapsed against the wall and slid into a sitting position. The areas around his eyes were dark from many late nights of tracking down White Fang members and his dark blue hair was messy and stuck out in different directions. He felt like he could fall asleep right then and there, but after a few seconds he forced himself to his weary feet, stepping over the fallen bodies of his opponents as he walked out of the warehouse. He made it a few steps, but suddenly a voice spoke from behind him.
'Well, if it isn't young master Helldrix.'
Skye turned perhaps slower than he should have under the circumstances, his head tilted at an angle like he was saying 'what now?'
'Who are you?'
The man who stood before him was tall and thin, roughly in his fifties, with mid-length raven black hair and a large waxed mustache. He wore a smart, well tailored and seemingly expensive suit with equally posh shoes, and had a rich-man's cane under his right arm. He lent down and read the pulse of one of the fallen White Fang members, after a few seconds he went to withdraw his hand, but the member suddenly reached up and grabbed his arm, a long knife held in his other hand. Skye was about to take a step forward when the new arrival viciously booted the member in the stomach, causing him to grunt in pain and loose his grip on the man's arm. Without a second thought the man in the suit reached into his pocket, drew a small pistol and shot the ambusher in the forehead, killing him instantly. Sensing an aura of danger about the man Skye couched down a bit into a fighting stance, arm poised to stab should the man turn on him. It did not come to that, however, as the man glanced at Skye with a hint of annoyance.
'That was not supposed to happen,' he murmured, his eyes flicking back and forth between the pistol in his hand and Skye a few metres away. He eventually put the pistol back into his pocket and turned to look at him properly.
'These days everyone of any importance and common sense carries a weapon,' he said in his defense, and Skye slowly dropped his guard, his sword retracting back into the base of his weapon, which then rearranged into a large wrench which he slung over his shoulder across his back.
'I will ask you again, who are you?' Skye demanded, a little more forcefully this time. The man was unfazed by his aggression, and instead his lips formed into a thin smile.
'My name is Mr Benson. You don't know me, but I know you. I am a businessman here in Vale, and a good one, I can assure you...'
'Sorry, but I have no need of a salesman right now,' Skye said, cutting him off mid sentence, 'As you can see I have to do something of great importance.'
Mr Benson smiled again, losing none of his humor. 'Don't worry, Master Helldrix, I have come to help you track down those responsible for your father's murder.' Skye raised an eyebrow when he heard the words, folding his arms and eying Mr Benson warily.
'You knew my father, then?'
Mr Benson nodded slowly. 'Yes, I knew him. Ahead of his time, he was, when it came to robotics. He was undoubtedly worth millions should he have been employed to another business. We were good friends when we were younger, and we still met occasionally. It's a shame what happened to him.'
'You know something, don't you?' Skye asked with a hint of excitement, stepping forward with interest. Mr Benson nodded again.
'The people who killed your father misled the White Fang into thinking the vehicle he was traveling in contained an important member of the Schnee Dust Company's Vale branch. Once they discovered they had been wronged the group paid them off with a large sum of money, and they were in the clear.'
Skye gritted his teeth angrily, but the information was nothing he had not already heard. Noticing this, Mr Benson continued.
'How do I know all this? Well you see, I first noticed a large amount of my company's spending capital disappear, 'invested' in a new scheme, apparently...Oh, you look confused! I forgot to tell you, the business I own is one you are quite familiar with - The Cyblivion Corporation.'
Skye's eyes widened in surprise, but he stood his ground nonetheless. The Cyblivion Corporation was the main rival of his business, the Helldrive Corporation, the shares of which he had inherited from his late father.
'So you're telling me that someone in your business is responsible for the assassination?' Skye asked suspiciously. Benson shook his head, his eyes hardening.
'It was not just one person. I became suspicious when I found that no such scheme existed. I was told it was for a new design of android, but I had not approved of any further models being in development. After learning of your father's death, I got suspicious and did a bit of snooping myself. I made contact with the White Fang, pretending that I was part of the assassination on the part of the conspirators. They told me everything about it, and I must say I am hardly surprised who is responsible.'
Skye tapped his foot on the ground impatiently. 'And? Who is responsible?'
Mr Benson's smile faded. 'The Cyblivion Corporation's Board of Directors. A vicious and merciless bunch of businessmen who would stoop to any level if it meant that they get more money. With your father gone the Helldrive Corporation will practically slow to a halt, and business will move to Cyblivion. I like competition, but going as far as murder to ensure success is unacceptable. I will not harbor murderers in my company, and I am sure you will not stop until they are all six feet under, no?'
Nodding, Skye felt his mood lifted by knowing his search had come to an end. It was then that the fatigue finally set in, and he realized he desperately needed some rest. Unfortunately, he knew he could ill afford to end the conversation there.
'What should I do about this? Cyblivion Headquarters is heavily defended. Even I may have difficulty getting access.'
Mr Benson nodded. 'Sorry, but while I may have just shot a man, killing people is not something I like to do. If I attempt to arrest them I would have difficulty finding new members for the Board. While I hate the present members, they are undeniably loyal and skilled. Arresting them would be very difficult, and I would have to reveal that I had contacted a criminal organization, so that could backfire completely.' Benson's mischievous smile reappeared. 'However, I have an idea...which just might work.'
Chapter 3 - Help unlooked for[]
One month later...
'Sir, this is a serious situation!'
Mr Benson leaned forward in his chair, his brow furrowed in irritation.
'I understand the situation perfectly well, Mr Locke. Why do you persist in bothering me with this?'
The man named Locke slammed his hands flat against Mr Benson's desk and glared at him angrily, the silver rings on his fingers making a dull clunk as they hit the hardened glass.
'I am bothering you, Mr Benson, because you seem content in just sitting back and letting this all play out.'
Mr Benson rose to his feet to meet him, his face darkening.
'You know, Mr Locke, last time I checked it was I who ran this company. Unless you have come to prove me wrong I shall continue to work as I please.'
Locke shook his head in annoyance and gestured to his assistant, who walked briskly over and laid a large white envelope on the table. Locke glanced at it for a second before pushing it across for Mr Benson, who eyed it suspiciously and opened it with obvious reluctance.
'Funnily enough, that's exactly what I came here to do. The Cyblivion Corporation, as a result of your neglect, is now under new management. The one with the highest percentage of shares in the company is now one of our greatest business rivals, Sir Skye Helldrix.'
Mr Benson covered his mouth with his hand thoughtfully, hiding the small smile beneath. He opened the envelope and scanned its contents, a simple letter confirming Locke's statement. A few moments later his nodded slowly and looked up at his guest.
'Well, it appears what you say is true. You may leave now, Chairman.'
Locke scowled one last time, before turning around and walking away, waving his hand at his assistant to follow. Before he reached the set of double doors they opened, and a young woman stepped partially through, only to be pushed aside rudely as the large man strode past. A flash of irritation passed over her face, but appeared as if she was accustom to such visits as the expression quickly vanished and was replaced with a warm, genuine smile.
'Mr Benson, a young man by the name of Raiden Manikin is here to see you,' she said. Mr Benson returned the smile and nodded for her to let him in. She disappeared and a few moments later the next visitor stepped through. When their eyes met the young man Raiden smirked with a hint of devilishness, glancing back behind him.
'Nice to see you again, Mr Benson. Haven't forgotten me, have you?'
Mr Benson laughed, his deep voice a reassuring sound. 'How could I? After you called me up last month asking for a favor I haven't gotten a good nights sleep since.'
Raiden glanced back a second time. 'The Chairman seemed...aggravated...I assume it went as planned?'
Benson nodded and tapped the opened letter. 'You're friend has done well for himself. In only a month he somehow managed to overthrow me.'
'Skye is a genius when it comes to technology,' Raiden replied, 'the machines he designs may even rival the complexity of Flayyer one day.'
Benson lowered himself back into his chair, sighing wearily. 'He couldn't have done it without you pulling some strings on the business side, Raiden. You're a good friend.'
Raiden laughed at the comment. 'Hardly! It is a leader's role to ensure the well-being of his subordinates. Skye has been absent from the team for over a month, and it's time he returned.'
Despite the short conversation, Raiden turned to leave, but Benson's voice called after him.
'Why are you hiding that it was you, Raiden? Why not tell him it was you who helped him along all this time?'
He shook his head and gave Benson one of his usual dark smiles.
'And why would I do that?'
Chapter 4 - Operation Cyblivion[]
Skye stood in the lobby of the Cyblivion Corporation's headquarters curling and uncurling his bionic fingers, hearing the servos whir quietly inside. He kept glancing at the digital clock on the opposite wall, silently wishing the digit to flash to 11 pm. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, Mr Benson turned the corner and strode up to him. Everything was in place, but nonetheless he was still obviously nervous despite his best efforts to hide it behind his tough, undaunted expression.
'The Kronagar Havocs are in position. In a few minutes they will activate, storm the boardroom and...deal...with all members of the Board of Directors at once. I have ensured that the room is soundproof and there the windows are one-way, so there is no chance of people seeing what happens. Meanwhile we will go our separate ways here and get as far away as possible. We can't afford any suspicion being directed at us.'
Skye's expression remained impassive. 'They brought this upon themselves when they agreed to murder my father in cold blood. I will get my revenge, on every. Single. One.'
Benson looked into Skye's eyes with concern. After a few moments he nodded slightly and turned to leave. He opened the swinging glass doors and looked back at him.
'Sir Helldrix, are you not coming?'
Skye did not turn to look at him, remaining silent. Benson continued to look back for a few more seconds, before sighing and walking out into the darkness of the undisturbed night. Skye breathed in deeply, closing his eyes as he reflected sadly. He reached into his lab coat's pocket, retrieving a set of cracked orange goggles. He studied the goggles for a few moments, turning them over slowly with his human and robotic fingers. Suddenly, he shoved them back into his pocket and strode through the empty corridors of the building, up several flights of steps until he found himself at the end of a long hallway. Lining the sides of each were six impassive humanoid machines, their bodies sleeker and more dynamical than those from other manufacturers. He had designed them himself - the greatest mechanical death-squad in creation. As he slowly walked past them he glanced at them, admiring his handiwork. When he got to the middle of the corridor he raised his prosthetic arm and swung it to the side in a large sweeping motion. Around him he heard the mechanical soldiers awaken, raising their heads and drawing their weapons. Reminded, Skye unslung his own weapon from his back, the wrench converting itself into its gauntlet form. The sergeant, a model with red trims, marched up behind his shoulder, standing at attention.
'We are at your command, Sir Helldrix. Awaiting orders.'
Skye managed a weak smile and nodded to himself. He steeled himself for the task ahead and glared at the closed door with pure venom. He could leave right now, let the soldiers slaughter the directors while he walked away from the entire scheme. But he would not, could not, do that. He was doing this for his father, and he had to see it through to the end.
He stared straight ahead as he spoke. 'Soldiers, we have, at this very moment, begun operation Cyblivion.'
The soldiers understood, turning and marching to the door and lining up either side of it, allowing Skye to enter first. Skye walked forward, barely giving a moment of hesitation before he went up to the door panel, resting his knuckles on the metal as the device on his wrist went to work. A long, needle-like instrument extended out, burning through the panel and tapping into the system. The vengeful student tapped a button on his wrist and the override began. He withdrew his arm, and a second later the door opened.
Inside the room was a long glass table, at which nine men and women dressed in smart, expensive suits sat. When the door opened their heads snapped towards him in surprise. At the end of the table was the Chairman, Locke. Unlike the rest of his fellow directors his expression was one of expectancy rather than surprise, as if he was waiting for Skye's arrival. He rose to his feet instantly while the other directors glanced at each other, unsure what was happening.
'Sir Helldrix, how unexpected,' he said coldly, 'have you come to kill us?'
Some part of Skye was surprised by the response, but he could barely be bothered to process it properly, instead nodding his response.
'Yes, I am,' he said, void of emotion, and then he attacked. In an eye blink he was upon his first victim, the pincer claws of his weapon latching onto the first man's torso, lifting him into the air. To the man's horror his body began to heat up and melt in the course of a few seconds, with Skye glaring at him remorselessly as he did so. Moments later the man's cries of pain quietened, and eventually stopped altogether as his body fell into two chunks, his upper body and legs. The other members of the meeting screamed in alarm as it happened, and Skye wasted no time in lowering his arm and aiming it at those on the left side of the room, firing the molten flesh and bones of their colleague at them in a grisly display of sadistic fury. As he did so the six robotic soldiers stepped in beside him, leveling their automatic rifles and opening fire on the survivors, who were caught completely unprotected in the crossfire. They were gunned down within seconds, their blood sprayed across the room like a large gore-stained piece of artwork. Skye's gaze fixed upon Locke, who had managed to avoid the opening volley and had drawn a pistol of some sort from inside his coat and had begun returning fire at the soldiers, the dust-infused bullets practically useless against their armour. In a moment of blind fury Skye smashed his robotic forearm on the glass table, shattering it instantly. He then quickly extended his sword, the blue flames from the base of it burning brightly like the very depths of hell. He swung his arm across the room, roaring ferociously. The flames seemed to envelop the entire length of the room, incinerating the helpless victims who were caught to close to the base of the flames. To Skye's frustration, Locke had somehow survived unscathed, clambering to his feet and raising his pistol, the barrel aimed at Skye's chest.
At that same moment one of the robotic soldiers, the sergeant, sprung from the side. It smashed aside Locke's arm and hit him in the stomach with the butt of its rifle. Locke groaned from the strike but refused to give up. Despite the Havoc model's superior design it was caught off guard by the sudden counter-attack which quickly followed, in which Locke grabbed onto the sergeant' robotic wrist and swung it to the side, causing it to stumble forwards slightly. The slight change in position was all Locke needed, as he aimed the pistol at the back of the sergeant's neck and fired repeatedly. The sergeant jolted from the impacts and fell forward. Locke mad a move on the fallen soldier's weapon, but Skye was already there, barreling into him recklessly. Skye, however, had forgotten to deactivate his sword, and the heated blade cut easily through the glass behind them, the only thing separating them from the outside world, and a fall from the 30th floor.
Chapter 5 - Consequences[]
Skye's eyes snapped open. His vision was slightly blurred but he nonetheless gazed at his surroundings worriedly. When his vision began to clear he realized he was in some sort of hospital bed. It was dark, and the hospital - or wherever he was - appeared empty. He glanced to the side and noticed he was hooked up to some sort of machine, with numerous tubes sticking into his skin pumping different chemicals into his body. He sighed wearily and looked up, noticing the lights above him. He decided he didn't like the dark, and with a slight gesture of his fingertips it activated, bathing the room in its welcoming light. It was then that he realized he wasn't alone in the room, for a young man sat opposite him. As the lights flickered on their gazed locked together. Skye felt threatened at first, but let his guard down as the familiar face smirked at him sharply.
'So, you're finally awake. That's a relief.'
Skye rubbed his eyes and looked at his visitor in surprise. 'Raiden?'
Raiden's smirk widened. 'Good, you remember me. Well, you just had to go and get yourself hospitalized, didn't you?'
'Ugh...what happened?' Skye asked, trying to sit up but groaning from the sharp pain that followed. Instead Raiden stood, as sleek and smart as usual in his expensive suit, and walked over to the side of the bed.
'You fell out of the damn building, you crazy bastard. You fell thirty floors with Locke, and somehow managed to survive. Quite the miracle really. Locke landed on a nearby car, while you had a worse landing.'
'Worse landing?'
Raiden's smirk crept up again. 'Yeah, worse. See those burns?'
Skye glanced down at his hands. They were indeed burned. Nothing serious, but the still looked quite painful.
'How the hell did I get burned?'
'You had the misfortune of colliding with a passing truck. That truck just so happened to be filled with explosive dust. To make matters worse, your flaming sword was still on when you landed. I'll let you imagine what happened next.'
Skye could barely stop himself from smiling at his luck, or perhaps how unlucky he was instead. But when the events began to replay themselves in his mind he suddenly turned serious.
'How long have I been out?' he asked with concern. Raiden pretended to look at his watch.
'Well, its 4 o'clock at night right now, so that would make it about three days,' he answered, smiling thinly. Skye groaned again, shrinking into the covers slightly.
'And Locke? Is he dead?'
Raiden shook his head. 'No, he survived. Physically, he appears to have only suffered a few broken ribs and an arm fracture. Luckily for you, he hit his head when he landed, and pretty bad too. He is currently suffering from short-term memory loss. He doesn't recall anything that happened that night. Mr Benson and I were able to create a cover story for you, saying that you were in a meeting with the Board of Directors when they showed you their latest model of android. They had a programming error and began shooting the members of the board. Luckily, you had Mechanical Martyr with you at the time and tried your best to fight off the robots. For whatever reason in the confusion of the fight you and Mr Locke were thrown through the window and fell to the ground. As for the rest of the board members...the rampaging robots massacred them.'
Skye breathed out in relief. He spent a few moments dwelling on what Raiden had just told him, but a sudden thought occured to him. He looked at his team leader suspiciously and asked the question.
'You know Mr Benson?'
Raiden frowned from being found out, but nodded anyway. 'Mr Benson was the man who took me on as his apprentice a few years back. He taught me everything there is to know about business and politics, and helped me make a lot of useful contacts. When I heard what happened I met up with him and he explained everything - the plot, the robots, the assassination - so I offered to help clear up the mess you made. I must say, you completely annihilated those people. They had it coming, I guess...'
Skye smiled for some reason. 'You are taking this all surprisingly well,' he noted.
Raiden shrugged away the comment. 'Can't say I was completely surprised that you would eventually find someone to take your revenge on. It's just good to know it was the right people. Now then!' Raiden stretched out his hand, his usual cold, mischivous smile on his face.
'Let's get back to Beacon, shall we?'