-
Dean looked over the group of people they had just rescued. The oldest of the group was about Sammy’s age and the youngest was thirteen. He had both wondered and worried if they would come across preteen and younger children but figured Luduserus would not need children that young.
“Are you all there was in this block?” Jolt asked as he and the others looked over them for any possible visible injuries.
“We are all the ones that were there,” a gangly troll said.
“Are you sure?” Dean asked. “For as long as you guys were here?”
“There was another group,” a dwarf girl said. “There were only here for a few days and took somewhere else.”
“We thought they were sent home,” a human warrior added.
“Damn,” Dean muttered. That group was taken and repurposed into human foot soldiers for Luduserus.
“That’s were you guys are going,” the female program said before anyone could ask any further questions. “We are going to take you to an area where you can relax, stretch around, not worry about anything and before you know it you will be back home and talking with your new friends.”
Dean smiled at the program. The kids did seem to buy what she was saying and hopefully they will be able to defeat the demon and save the missing children from the brainwashing.
“Has everyone been accounted for?” Jolt asked.
“No,” Dean said as he looked around. “Where’s Tron?”
“And Quorra,” another program asked.
“I saw them talking,” Jolt said. “He seemed a bit shaken up.”
“They do know that we don’t have much time,” the female program said.
“They do,” Dean answered and glanced back to where the entrance was.
The two former programs climbed down through the hole. If Tron was shaken up as Jolt had said he was before he wasn’t now. He was actually smiling.
“Is everything okay?” Dean asked.
“It is now,” Quorra said as Tron nearly ran up to them. “He’s still getting used to being human.”
“How did you adapt?” Dean asked.
“It was easy,” Quorra said as she smiled. “Sam helped me and everyone had been very nice. I once worried Sam when I cut myself with a knife in the kitchen by accident. He kept telling me to clean it and let him look at it but I just couldn’t stop staring at the blood. I have blood. It was an amazing feeling to see that I was human.”
“You can tell me more as we head back,” Dean said as they followed after everyone.
-
There were several more Users in the hideout when Dean’s party had returned. They all looked confused or relieved or both. Several programs were speaking with some of them and others were handing them vials of energy to drink.
“We have a bit of a problem,” Slash said when they returned. “Some of the Users are in the middle of games as we speak.”
“How many?” Tron asked. He had seemed to snap back into take-charge mode during their walk back.
“Two parties,” Slash answered as held up his fingers. “One of them is being taken to the lightcycle games and the other was something about a quest.”
“For the crystal horn,” a female zombie answered. “They were taken to the Quest for the Crystal Horn.”
“We need to go back for them,” Tron said. There were no ifs ands or buts about the way he phrased himself.
“Can you guys organize a way on getting them back to Mrs. Bradley’s laptop?” Flynn asked.
“We are working on that right now,” Slash added. “The vehicles are being prepared as we speak.”
“We need to figure out who goes to which game,” Sammy said.
“Lia knows where they are,” Dean said as he nodded to the program.
“I’ve helped break out Sam from a different lightcycle arena,” Quorra said. “I volunteer to help save the Users from the current lightcycle game.”
“I’ve gone and equipped for the fantasy setting,” Dean said as he pointed to himself.
“We still need to hammer out the details,” Tron said. “And we need to do it quickly.”
-
Still using underground transportation Tron led his group through the winding tunnels until they came to a dead end. The underground paths did not go everywhere and according to Lia’s directions they had to emerge from the floor.
“I wonder if this is the same game simulation,” Dean said as they crept behind a building.
“It’s not the same game,” Lia said and shook her head. “There are several simulation rooms.”
“The one I rescued you guys from had an underground access,” Gabriel reminded them. He and Yori rounded out their party. Both Sams, along with Quorra, Castiel and Slash went to rescue those from the lightcycles while Jolt lead the group to take the other Users back to Lora Bradley’s laptop.
“Do you know what kind of game we are facing?” Dean asked.
“It’s a simple quest from what I gathered,” Lia explained. “The players enter through a canyon and must fight against furies, wolf creatures, and skeleton warriors until they reach the treasure that is guarded by the sleeping beast.”
“What kind of beast?” Yori asked.
Lia shrugged. “It changes from time to time.”
“It’s quiet,” Tron said and pointed to a different building that was closer to the game dome. “Now.” He raced towards the new cover and pressed his back against it while he watched the others as they caught up.
“When do we go in?” Dean asked.
“I have to see if it is guarded,” Tron answered. “And if it is how many are standing in front.”
“No matter what you are, you are always prepared,” Yori told him.
“Here.” Dean held out the pair of binoculars his brother given him that was in the bag the other Winchester carried around.
“Thank you,” Tron said and held up the binoculars to his eyes. He could see about eight guards and all looked the same, save for two of them. There was something about them that made them look younger than the other two. Those weren’t just programs.
“How many?” Yori asked.
“Eight,” Tron answered as he handed back the binoculars to Dean. “Two of them are Users.”
“Which ones?” Lia asked.
“One next to the one of the furthest left,” Tron answered. “And one next to the one that is standing on the right side of the entrance, exactly next to the entrance.”
“I wonder why these guys are on just simple guard duty,” Dean answered. “Darla was turned into a lieutenant.”
“Nyrii,” Tron corrected. “When she was repurposed she was Nyrii. They are two separate identities.” He was not the same as Rinzler, he felt that he and the program he was turned into were two different identities.
“What is your battle strategy,” Yori asked.
“Split up and attack from the sides,” Tron said. “We try not to harm the Users as we take out the guards.”
Tron and Yori had teamed up together while the others went around a different way. They took great care to avoid being seen and were able to sneak up to the guards until they were a few meters away.
Tron attacked first. His disk struck one the guards in the neck before it came back to him. He caught it and threw his second one.
Yori had thrown her disk a few nanos after Tron had made his attack. Her disk did not cause deresolution of one of the guards but it had cut off his arm. As soon as she had caught her disk she threw it again and caused his form to derezz.
The only one left was the User and he came at them with his staff. He swung it around towards the two of them and nearly hit Yori who jumped back and away at the last second. When the User swung at her again she struck her disk down and cut through the staff.
Tron relied on his bare fists as he went up against the User while Yori tried to fight him from behind. Tron was pleased and impressed that his romantic counterpart was able to be come stronger. She always was quick though.
Yori lashed out with one hand and grabbed the User by the wrist and held it firm while the User tried to spin around.
Tron kicked out his legs from under him and grabbed the User before he could hit the floor. He folded the User’s arms behind his back and held him steady despite the fact the repurposed human was trying to wriggle free.
“We need Gabriel,” Tron said.
“And I know what you need me for.” The angel had appeared behind them. “Don’t worry about Dean and Lia. We took care of the guards and put the other kid under.” He touched the User on the forehead.
Once the User went limp Tron scoop him up into his arms. “We can’t carry them through the game, or just leave them here.”
“Inside,” Gabriel said and pointed to in the dome.
Tron followed the angel inside where Dean and Lia were kneeling over the unconscious body of a different User.
“Can’t just leave them here,” Lia said. “Someone has t-“
“I’ll stay with them,” Yori said.
“I was going to volunteer,” Lia told her.
“You know the game routes better than I do,” Yori said. “The others are better warriors than I and even with his powers restricted, Gabriel still is an archangel with many talents.”
“Are you certain you will be all right?” Tron asked her.
“I’ll be fine.” She caressed his jaw and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “Go save those kids, my handsome User.”
-
The canyons were similar to the ones in the Grid in structure but they were different in color. There were gold, orange, tan and a mix of the colors. Some of the rocks seemed to sparkle. The path was also different. Not everything was hard packed. There were gritty patches, areas with small cracks.
The air felt dry and Tron wondered if it really was that way or was it because of the setting was affecting his User brain, making him think that it was dry. The pseudo sun certainly felt warm.
“Have you visited a place like this?” Lia asked as they walked through the canyon. She had been staring at everything with her mouth agape.
“We drove past similar landscapes,” Dean said as his ears seemed to twitch. “No real canyons though. Something is coming.” He looked up and pointed at the two dark shapes in the sky.
The shapes came closer and resembled deformed programs with black furry bodies and hairless ugly faces. They flew in on large leathery wings with long string like hair. Their legs ended in feet with curved hook like talons.
Tron felt his disk in hand in an instant. He threw it at one of the creatures and it instantly derezzed. Gabriel took care of the second one with his slingshot.
They continued on at a fast walk, almost jog. They came across more of the flying creatures and several beasts that looked like large dogs with black spikes growing out of their backs. The creatures did not have a chance against them.
A third threat came in the form of walking skeletons that wore armor and wielded swords. They were able to hear them from meters away with the way their bones rattled against each other.
“Now I really feel like Link,” Dean said as he derezzed the last skeleton in the group.
The amount of beasts and skeletons grew in number as they got closer to the goal. The four of them were able to take care of the monsters with an almost ease, even when ten skeletons were up against them.
“Hear that?” Dean asked and pointed up ahead.
“More monsters?” Lia asked.
“Not just them. I hear a battle.” He ran up ahead.
“Dean, wait for us,” Tron shouted as he ran after his friend.
Dean was right. There were dozens of skeleton warriors fighting against five others that Tron could tell where the Users they went to rescue by their appearances.
They weren’t the only ones there. In the middle was a small hill with a pedestal that had a trumpet made of a glass like substance perched on it. A large legless creature was coiled around it and fast asleep. It was covered in multi colored feathers and had a pair of large wings folded up against it sides. It almost seemed beautiful to Tron.
“Is there another monster producing panel?” Dean asked as he looked around.
“Over there,” Gabriel said as he pointed at the wall. “Leave this one to me.”
“You are going to need cover,” Tron said and followed after the disguised angel. He watched as Gabriel jumped and landed on the skeletons.
Tron took care of those that Gabriel missed. He did not throw his disks and instead used them to slice through the skeletal necks and chests. He kept his eyes on the bony warriors as they seemed to be rezzed in from the pulsating panel.
Gabriel pulled back on his slingshot and fired a projectile at the panel. The odd pebble seemed to bounce of the surface with no effect.
“What the?” Gabriel asked as he pulled out something bigger from his pack. “Lets see how you handle this.” He fired again and the projectile struck the bottom of the panel but it didn’t even crack it, only separated what attached the jewel to the bottom. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“Maybe one of the rocks from the ground?” Tron suggested as he derezzed two more of the skeletons.
“Gonna try,” Gabriel said as he scurried along the floor and picked up a rock. “This should do it.”
“Do you have the shot?” Tron asked. He ducked from the attack from one of the skeletal warriors and when he rose up he slice through a few others.
“I do,” Gabriel answered as aimed his slingshot. He did not see the skeleton that was advancing on him.
“Gabriel,” Tron cried out as the skeleton tackled the angel. He cried out in anger and swung out his arms with his disks, taking out several of the soldiers before he threw one of the disks at the panel. It struck through near the top, severing what had kept it bound to the rocky cliff side. The panel fell to the ground where it shattered on impact.
Tron ran back to Gabriel and with a few swipes derezzed each and every one of the skeletons that had gathered around near them.
“Nice shot,” Gabriel said when he got back to his feet.
“This one was made of stronger material,” Tron said as he and the angel helped to take care of the remaining skeletons.
The deep and loud hiss came from behind. Tron turned around to see the giant creature was no longer asleep and was attacking the others. Arrows flew into the beast along with a few disks and Tron was certain he saw Dean’s sword against the neck.
“Good thing it is just one of these guys,” Gabriel said as he ran to the beast. He jumped high, did a tumble in the air and landed on top of the creature’s skull.
Tron ran up to the creature while he threw his disk at one of the beast’s eye and the second one at the neck, just underneath the jaw.
“I hate creatures like these,” Lia said when she caught her disk.
“I have had enough of snakes for the day,” Dean agreed before he brought down his blade again.
One of the strangely dressed Users threw a spear at the creature. The point of the weapon struck the creature in between the eyes.
The creature closed its eyes and fell to the ground seconds before it derezzed.
“Good game,” one of the two female Users clapped.
“Good game?” Lia repeated in disbelief. “Are you aware of the danger we are in?”
The young Users just looked at each other and shrugged.
“Who should get the prize?” A very short male User asked.
“The one who took the winning shot,” Gabriel said and nodded at the one who threw the spear.
“Do we have time?” Dean asked.
“We need to leave,” Tron said as the spear thrower climbed up the hill and jumped up to grab the glass horn. “The game has ended. Follow us out.”
-
They returned to the entrance in little time. Nothing attacked them once they had the horn in their possession. The User who won it held it up to his mouth and tried to play it and only managed to play something that sounded horrible.
“Tron,” Yori said as they arrived.
“How are they?” Lia asked as he pointed at the two repurposed Users.
“They are still asleep,” Yori said as she glanced at them. “They seem comfortable.”
“We are going to have to carry them,” Tron said as he opened the doors.At least a hundred soldiers were waiting outside for them. “After we take care of them.” He reached for disk and separated it into two.
“There is no we,” Gabriel said as he closed the doors. He ran back to them and pressed his fingers against the foreheads of three of the Users and caused them to disappear. He did the same thing for the other two after he had swiped the glass horn from one despite his protests.
“Did he send them someplace safe?” Lia asked.
“Sending everyone there,” Gabriel said and placed his fingers against hers and Yori’s heads.
“Yori,” Tron gasped out her name when she disappeared. “Where is she?
“Where you are going to be,” Gabriel said. “Now grab those two on the floor.”
“We are not going to leave you here,” Dean said.
“Gotta make this difficult don’t you, Winchester?” Gabriel asked as he teleported the two repurposed Users out of the area. “Let me spell it out for you. I’m the one who is going to be saving you from me.”
“From you?” Tron stared at him. “I don’t understand.”
“You will.” The angel said as he placed his finger’s on Tron’s and Dean’s foreheads.
The game arena vanished and was replaced with the underground tunnel that they had to abandon earlier. Tron looked around and found Yori, Lia and the other Users.
“Not again,” Dean said as he ran for the opening. “Not going to let him die again.”
“Dean wait,” Tron said as he followed him.
Dean had opened up the doorway in the ceiling and tried to crawl out and ducked when a bright flash was seen above them. As soon as the flash had faded he pulled himself up again.
Tron followed behind and saw a flickering white glow that was receding back towards the arena. Tron squinted as he tried to make out a shadow that seemed to be walking towards them on two legs. It was human like in form. As it walked closer Tron could see large wing like growths stretch out and then draped the shoulders of the figure and shifted in form.
The figure came into view. He looked like a human with dark blond hair slicked back and noticeable sideburns. His mouth was set in a cocky smirk and he was staring at them with golden brown eyes. He wore a shirt like top, blue jeans and dark brown boots. The long black leather coat he wore seemed to defy gravity with each step the man took.
“Gabe?” Dean gasped.
“That’s right,” the man said with Gabriel’s voice. “The Archangel Gabriel is back and he’s a bloody animal.”
-