Chapter 2: A Sudden Wake
We thought we were ready for any attack. Anything leading out into the wild mountains we owned. At least it was fun to pretend.
From right under our noses, corruption's sick hands twisted the hearts of those we protected. The same ones that were afraid of picking up whatever they can to fight, turned against us.
It all began with explosions.
"HEY, FINCH! WAKE UP! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
Defender's voice tore me off my bed. Her tone wasn't the calm and tender one she usually has, it was more worried.
"What? From who and which part of the Stronghold?" I replied, half asleep.
She didn't respond. I was just about to ask again, but then she spoke. Unlike her last tone, this one was filled with sorrow.
"Fr-from, the inside."
My body went stiff. How? There was no way anyone could hit us from within, especially with Specter taking notes of anyone that comes in and out.
This was no time to sit around and wonder. All around us were panicking civilians and traitors.
I picked whatever armor I could find and the first weapon I could find. Sadly, it wasn't anything I could have used against a whole invasion. It was my hunting knife.
Since the first disaster happened, I've kept this knife as a reminder of who I was before joining the DRT. I was a father, an outdoorsman, and a hero.
"Are you ready?" Defender reached down to help me get back up.
"Even in the middle of combat, you're still caring. Let's go." I grabbed her hand and stood up.
I took a deep breath and opened the door.
The entire Stronghold was red. Half of it came from the burning fires, the other half… well, I'm sure you can guess from where.
More explosions went off, sending bodies flying everywhere. I drowsily prepared for an incoming wave of attackers. Their laughter and savagery reminded me of a certain faction, Savages.
"Here they come, good luck Finchie." Defender raised her shield up in preparation for the fight.
"Hmm? Oh yeah, good luck to you too." I forced myself awake and lifted my weapon.
A horde swarmed around us. Defender fought back using her spear and shield, but I got the short end of the stick.
I was thrown around like a rag doll. The more time I spent taking hits, the more my survival instincts showed.
I swung my knife around furiously. A Savage stabbed down into my face, but I dodged just as their dagger dug into the chilly night grass.
With rage, I fought back to my feet. I looked over my shoulder to check on Defender, but she wasn't there.
"Look what you did, Finch. She's most likely dead because of you." A voice inside my head spoke to me.
Suddenly, my rage turned into something greater. I charged headfirst into the crowd of Savages. It was like I unleashed a tornado. All around me, Savages were brutally cut up and dropped to the floor.
A Savage swung at my legs with a jagged sword. Out of pure panic, I quickly reached down to protect myself. What a dumb idea.
"AH!" I cried out in pain. Nothing was cut or broken, but the trauma was still there.
My cry caught the attention of the Savages, of Defender, and of someone else.
I tried to recover fast enough to have one last stand until a silver pole slashed everyone around me.
The Sun's early rays touched down upon the Earth, and onto Defender's golden hair. And behind her was Specter.
"Cover us, I'll carry Finch back." Specter's voice became the voice of an eerie little girl, the type you would hear in horror movies.
As they helped me get outside of the Stronghold, the Savages threw more explosions. All around us, massive balls of flames erupted, setting fire to everything around them.
"Hold on, we're nearly out!" Defender's motherly voice comforted me.
Then debris came and knocked me out.
Now I'm here, stuck with my thoughts, am I dead? Damn, I was hoping to die a better way. Wait, why is my head hurting?
I reopened my eyes, the silhouette of an armored figure stood watching me.
"Look who I found sleeping. Did you finally get your beauty sleep?" Edward Crosser dug me out of what I thought was my grave.
"What happened?" I cleared some dirt off my face and looked around for signs of any danger.
"Bird boy zero, random piece of wood one. You were knocked out by a random piece of wood! Not something cool like an explosion, but wood! HA!"
"Okay, whatever. What happened to Defender, Specter, and Warmonger?"
"We moved. No way we're going to stay here. I just got curious and came back over here to check in on you, turns out you weren't dead. I'll bring you as a present for Defender. Her birthday was yesterday."
"Yeah, I wish her a happy birthday, but I also wish to be back home."
"Follow me!" Crosser started walking towards the nearby forest.
I felt relieved. Not dead yet! Yeah, not dead… yet.
On our way to meet up with the survivors, Crosser made jokes about how much Warmonger and Defender fought after we moved out. But I wasn't paying attention, my focus is set on a bed to sleep in and a meal.
"Hey everybody! Look at the corpse I brought back, it's really cool. It can walk on its own!"
Survivors stuck their heads out to watch whoever was brought back. I felt awkward, everyone was looking at me as if I was a symbol of hope. But I was nothing more than a dirty man with a broken knife in his hand.
"Finch, I can tell your war isn't over." Specter stepped outside. Their voice was now robotic once more.
"I don't care about a 'war.' I just want a bed to sleep on. I'll be glad to fight my war and maybe yours too after I get a proper rest and clean again." I tried to dial down the celebration as much as possible.
"Yeah, get our raider here some rest. It isn't easy sleeping under debris, unless you're me." Crosser ran off to find Defender.
"Feeling well?" Specter looked all over me.
Any cut that was still somewhat red, they patched up. And in minutes, I felt like a mummy. My mind switched between feeling my wounds and wondering who betrayed us, and why?
We've been honest with our people, we've been fair, no one was thrown out from the Stronghold. Which means this was caused to start chaos, not to get revenge.
"Hello in here. Finch, Specter, I got some news for you. I've found who that bastard that betrayed us is, and he has a bounty on his head." Warmonger emerged into the small room Specter and I were in.
"The one most affected, Finch. This is your chance to get payback." Specter started packing up the few medical supplies we had left.
"Great idea, bring me that idiot too. There's enough chaos-heads out there already, I'll make this one sing pure pain!" Warmonger couldn't hold her excitement.
"Fine, I just want this one rest. Then I'll do it. Good night, lady and… Specter."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone