A group of strange-looking Acolytes rested under the sparse shade of an ancient, gnarled mountain tree, panting from the fatigue of navigating the harsh, rock-strewn terrain for hours. Still, there was no sign of danger or any of the Vongers[1].
"Hey, boss, are you sure there's anyone on this mountain apart from us?" Skye asked, her voice laced with skepticism as she idly played with the intricate knots of her multicoloured braids. Skinny and deceptive.
Skye is known for her lethal mastery of the combat rope, transforming the simple cord into a snapping, whipping weapon. Her unpredictable, often hysterical and freak-like persona was a warning sign in itself.
"I don't care, as long as we get enough from these morons to last the next cycle..." Ashy, another member of the crew, stated.
Ashy had discarded the uniform shirt, using it only as a scarf to expose his torso. Across his back, a massive, detailed tattoo of a giant, skeletal tree covered him. Tally marks, etched into his skin, numbered his kills and betrayals across his chest, shoulders and arms. With green emerald hair and a slash of white war paint over his left eye, his craziness was evident, especially with the pair of double-revolver pistols holstered at his hips.
"Trust me," Boss answered, his eyes gleaming with ambition.
Boss was deceptively charismatic, wearing the uniform impeccably, a stark contrast to his crew. "We just have to play along for a while, and then we take what we came for. The Syndicate has more wealth than all the sectors combined."
Jog-Jog and his friends—Maya, Lena, Markas, Solon, and Hind—reached the sanctuary of the tree, their exhaustion visible.
"Huff, huff, can we join you?" Lena asked, trying to sound friendly despite their obvious differences.
"Errrm, yes, you can," Ashy replied, eyeing Solon's formidable blade.
"Oh, thanks," Jog-Jog wheezed.
Three small figures detached from the 'Freaks under the tree' and moved toward Solon, or more accurately, toward his sword. The three kids—a boy and two girls—were carbon copies of each other: big, vibrant green eyes and impossibly long blonde hair that reached the ground. Calling them triplets was an understatement; they were unnerving copies.
"Wanna trade?" one of the kids asked Solon, their voice an unsettling, quirky feel.
"Woah, woah, I don't think Solon here wants anyone talking about his sword," Markas quickly interjected, distracting the unsettling children.
"Hey, I'm Boss," the leader of the 'Looters Crew' started, trying to establish a quick rapport. "And these are my friends: that's Skye," he pointed to the wiry woman, "and this is Ashy the Scar... huh, he's still working on his name. You can just call him Ashy or Ash. And those are the triplets: Max, Maxxie, and Maxine. I'm not sure that's their real names, but that's what we call 'em. Who are you guys?"
"Oh," Maya replied, embracing the forced enthusiasm. "I'm Maya. I don't think our group has a name, but we're just us. That's Jog-Jog, Lena, Markas, Hind, and Solon. We don't have anything special; we're just scavengers trying to earn our keep." Feeling the lack of impact, she quickly added, "We also have a friend going solo."
"Yeah, still not impressed," Boss said, his smile evident as he sensed her attempt to exaggerate their importance.
"We could move together if you want. I think the more the merrier," Ashy induced, his hidden agenda barely concealed behind his manic grin.
"Yeah, we could, but we won't," Solon's cold, deadly voice cut through the air. "And if you ask one more time, I'll cut your head off your neck before you get to blink."
A heavy, absolute silence fell upon the groups, broken only by the whistling mountain wind.
"Hahahahahahahaha! You're so funny!" Ashy suddenly burst into a jarring, hysterical laugh, clutching his stomach until he fell backward onto the ground. The others stared, questioning his sanity.
Ashy abruptly sprung to his feet, a deranged fury replacing the laughter, his eyes narrowed like those of a furious predator. "You could travel with—"
SWISH!!!
Solon's sword, unsheathed with blinding speed, cut through Ashy's neck like a hot knife through butter. Ashy watched in slow motion as his own head tumbled away. "Ashy!" he heard someone scream.
Then, he blinked.
"Snap out of it!" Skye yelled, shaking his shoulder.
Ashy staggered back to full consciousness. "What just happened?" he asked, truly bewildered.
He looked at Solon, deep shivers running down his spine. He had seen it; he had experienced his own beheading, even if it hadn't occurred.
The triplets telepathically communicating with each other
Max: He killed Ashy. Before he could blink.
Maxxie: Thank the cosmos we reversed his time.
Maxine: If we hadn't reversed Ashy's time, he would be dead by now. The time spell works for sure.
********
Meanwhile, deeper within the mountain, a figure shrouded in a tattered hood approached a throne wrapped in vines sprung from underneath. "Maestro, they are close to the dome. What should we do?"
A giant figure sat on the throne, radiating calm and natural power. His build was significantly bulky, his muscles like sculpted stone, and his voice was a coarse, rasping sound. "UNCAGE THE CRAZED VONGERS," he commanded. "Do all you must to serve the master."
"Yes, Maestro," the hooded figure replied, departing instantly.
The Maestro clenched his fist on the stone armrest, the granite crumbling under his immense strength.
**********
The two Acolyte groups were moving again through the harsh terrain, separated by only a short distance.
"We need to be watchful of those freaks," Maya warned Lena under her breath.
"Couldn't agree more," Lena confirmed, glancing back at the unnerving quiet of the Looters.
Suddenly, a loud cry, mixed with groans and crazed, guttural sounds, came rushing down from the slopes above.
Through the flying audio drones, Masaru Hano's chilling voice resonated across the mountain. "Ready your arms and grit your teeths, Acolytes! Your death approaches!"...
"I don't think I want to die here, not in the hands of Vongers!!!" Ashy screamed from behind.....
********
Hello zombie,...
In a sketchy alleyway Dante voice shot through the air as his face is revealed.
[1] Vongers are crazed Vetra addicts. Also used as dread army by Maestro.