1. THIS IS HERRICK'S FAULT
2. THIS IS GOING TO BE SUSPICIOUSLY LIKE A STORY IDEA, I.E. IT'S TOO LONG, DON'T READ IT
Of course, I might decide to do the point form thing that Cherilyn proposed...or maybe I'll just go with the flow and see what happens. Ah well...
So...okay, this is where the story starts (I think).
The story begins with a boy named Claude, and his mother has disappeared after a failed physics experiment. Soon after the report of his mother's disappearance reaches his ears, he begins hearing these voices...like whisperings in a crowded room. After a few weeks of this unusual whisperings, he realises that they are becoming comprehensible, and soon realises that someone is trying to talk to him through these strange whisperings.
Listening in to the whisperings for a while, Claude finally understands that they are instructions to open a portal of some kind, and that this portal will eventually lead to his mother. Without any further hesitation, Claude starts following the instructions, which eventually lead him back to the physics laboratory where his mother worked, which has since been closed down.
The laboratory is deserted save for a couple of beggars here and there, who warn him that strange things have been going on around the laboratory in the weeks that it has been closed, including mysterious disappearances and strange creatures moving around at night. Despite this, Claude doesn't hesitate and quickly gets into the laboratory itself, where he finds dozens of dead bodies, all of them seemingly mauled by a vicious animal...or animals.
However, at the very heart of the building Claude finds a strange glowing device - almost immediately, the whisperings grow louder, and almost without meaning to, Claude finds himself setting up the device, even though he has no idea how to do so. Nevertheless, Claude manages to ready the device, and activate it, hurtling him into another world.
When Claude wakes up, he is greeted by a man...or at least, what looks like a man. The man introduces himself as a Atlantean named Jekill, and after giving Claude food and lodgings, then tells Claude where he is.
There are three worlds, and the fate of these worlds have been weaved together for centuries. Each of these three worlds is inhabitated by a different species, which are remarkably different: the Atlanteans, a high-class technocracy, occupy one world; the Moloch, a species of which little is known, occupy another and the final world is occupied by humans.
Claude's mother was working on experiment that allowed the connection of these three worlds, and her exploits caused a great shift universe, the full effects of which are yet to be determined. One of the more direct consequences was the opening of portals to each of these three worlds. However, the system of travel is unstable, and has only recently stabilized into a one-way system. Basically, the system looks like this: Earth ---> Atlanta ---> Moloch ---> Earth. It basically means that humans can't travel to the Moloch world without first passing through the Atlantean world, and the same thing for the other species.
Due to this one way system of getting from one planet to another, Claude finds that it is impossible to return to Earth via Earth-Atlanta Worldway - the only way he can return to Earth is by first going through the Moloch homeworld. Nevertheless, Claude has to first find out what happened to his mother during her stay at Atlanta, and Jekill and his close friend, Hide, decide to help the boy find out what happened to his mother.
After following a trail of clues, the trio eventually find out that Claude's mother was working with several elite Atlantean scientists to restore the Atlanta-Earth Worldway. However, all their efforts ended without any results - all they managed to do was create a Worldway between Atlanta and Moloch. Apparently, in an effort to return to Earth, Claude's mother volunteered as part of expeditionary force to the Moloch homeworld. Hearing this, there is not much choice for Claude except to venture into the Moloch homeworld in attempt to find his mother and return to Earth.
The Council of Scientists, however, refuse to let Claude continue on this journey - the expeditionary team was sent out nearly a week ago, and even though they were supposed to have returned two days ago, there has been no report from any member of the team to date. Despite Claude's protestations, the Council stands firm. They even put up heavy security around the Worldway, preventing Claude from even seeing the device. There's nothing that Claude can do about it, and so he stays with Jekill and Hide for a few days, which soon drag into weeks.
This changes abruptly one day, when the Council decides that enough time has passed - there can be no more waiting. Immediately, an armed special operations team is formed and prepped for any dangers that might arise while venturing into the Moloch homeworld. Claude, despite the fact that he has no training, joins them - after all, the special ops team needs someone to lead them back to the Earth-Atlanta Worldway if they want to return home.
Leading them through into the Moloch homeworld, the Atlanteans emerge into a jungle world, filled with humid rainforests. There is no sign of the original expeditionary team that was sent out a couple of weeks ago, and there doesn't seem to be any sign of life. The Atlanteans quickly move out further into the jungle, but they can find no trace of the expeditionary team, nor of any reason why they should not have reported back.
Suddenly, the team hears a terrible roar in the distance, which is answered by another roar, this one is much closer to home. Even with their training, the Special Ops team is greatly unnerved, and some of them even begin to turn and flee. Luckily, the Sergeant manages to get them under control, and the Special Ops team beats a hasty retreat.
But soon the jungle around them bursts into life, and the Special Ops team find themselves being attacked by savage, vicious-looking dog-like creatures. Immediately, the Special Ops team employ a fighting retreat, but even then several members of the team are ripped to shreds by the dog-like animals. The Sergeant realises that there's no where for them to run, and orders to the team to split, hopefully splitting their attackers into more manageable portions.
The move works - the Sergeant and Claude manage to escape briefly, which gives the Sergeant enough time to give Claude a Fleet Beacon, which allows Claude to contact the remaining squad members. The Sergeant and his remaining band of soldiers make their last stand, letting Claude escape with the Fleet Beacon.
Alone and with nowhere to go, Claude stumbles around for a few hours, trying to find a way out of this jungle. Suddenly, he remembers the Fleet Beacon, but he fears switching it on, just in case the dog-like animals are drawn to the sounds that it emits. Claude continues for a few moments, when he finally reaches something that looks like a road. Following the road, he comes to a strange hovel. As he searches the hovel for food, he realises that the hovel is something that has been constructed by the dog-like creatures (no doubt because of bits of human flesh strewn around), and quickly stumbles out, only to be surrounded by six of the dog-like animals.
Claude attempts to make a run for it, but he is swiftly chased down and mobbed by the animals. He is nearly killed by the animals, but manages to survive due to another group of the dog-like animals (we'll call them Moloch for ease of use) arriving. Claude uses this opportunity to escape from his attacks, bleeding profusely from his wounds.
Suddenly, yet another Moloch appears in front of him. This one, however, doesn't make any threatening movements - instead, it guides Claude to a stream where he can wash his wounds, and then leads him to another small hovel, where Claude is overjoyed to see the remnants of the Atlantean squad, all of them injured.
From there, Claude learns that the Atlanteans can actually talk to the Moloch, due to some technological devices as well as some genetic advantages. From their primitive communications, the remaining team understand that the group of Moloch surrounding them are renegades, and were part of the small team that managed to lead a group other humans and Atlanteans (presumably the expeditionary force and Claude's mother) to safety.
Repeating such a feat, however, is not easily achieved. Already, most of the Moloch are preparing to enter the Moloch-Earth Worldway in an attempt to take over Earth, and those against the act of invasion have not the political will to stop them. So, these six renegade Moloch have made it their duty to ferry these survivors to the other side of the Worldway, where they can shut down the gate.
Since most of the soldiers are injured, and Claude isn't in good shape either, the renegade Moloch carry them on their backs into the jungle. However, not even a half an hour into their journey, the Renegades realise that they are being chased by another band of Moloch, and so despite their heavy loads, increase their speeds, hurtling down through the jungles. After a frenetic chase through the jungles, they finally come upon the Worldway.
After battling and dodging through the Moloch defenses, only Claude manages to escape into the Worldway - the remaining soldiers and Renegades attempt to stall for time so that Claude and his mother (wherever she is) can destroy the Worldway.
Returning to Earth and the laboratory, Claude looks at the mauled bodies and realises that some Moloch have already gotten through the Worldway - probably an expedition party. In any case, he doesn't have much time left - the Moloch could be entering into Earth by the hundreds at any time. As he tries to find a way to shut down the Worldway, he is startled by a huge Moloch running at him, its eyes red with...madness? Hunger? Claude will never know.
So. The story stops here, unfortunately. Why? Because this is when I woke up, that's why.
Why the hell do I have such whacko dreams.
No comments:
Post a Comment