Titans Ch. 04

The street was equally quiet and empty, chrome skyscrapers towering oppressively over Alex as he searched his surroundings. Suddenly, a flash of movement caught his eye. A limp, naked body with long, blond hair skidded across an intersection and thudded into a building a few blocks away. Battered and bruised, with blood oozing from several small cuts across the arms and shoulders, it bore the unmistakable metal socket of a mech pilot that glinted in the omnipresent light.

Alex was just about to call out when a hand clamped over his mouth and pulled him to one side. He span around to face his attacker but saw Anna, shaking her head and pressing a finger to her lips. He nodded, and she pointed back to the body, which was getting up.

The manic laugh that came from down the street was terrifying in how disgustingly similar it was to Anna's playful laughter that he knew so well. The Empress, as Alex now recognised, pulled herself upright and spat blood, looking back in the direction she had been thrown from. A tall man, identical to Alex in every way but the vicious snarl on his face walked into view from the direction she was looking. He was also naked and bleeding, and sporting a raging, red erection.

When it became clear the Empress was on her feet the new mech pilot launched himself at her, fists flying. She laughed in delight and ducked beneath his attack, getting in some strong blows to his stomach but taking a knee to her chest for her efforts. As she doubled over he moved to pin her but she grabbed his ankle and pulled, throwing him to the floor. The Empress scrambled over his prone form and grabbed his arms with hers. He bucked against her to try and throw her off, but she just wriggled around until his cock slipped into her, then turned his bucking motions into relentless, aggressive sex.

Alex turned back to Anna, who noticed him turning and tore her eyes away from the bizarre spectacle.

"What the fuck?" he mouthed the words at her silently.

She shrugged, then held up a single finger.

"One" she mouthed, raising a second finger, "And two."

She crossed her eyes, stuck her tongue out and knocked gormlessly on the side of her head.

"Crazy," her lips made the word just as Alex figured out what she meant.

Alex nodded in agreement. Behind him the original two mech pilots continued their violent intercourse. Anna spared one last glance at it before grabbing his hand and leading him away. It was only after they'd been walking for a couple of minutes that he realised intertwining his fingers with hers felt like the most natural thing in the world.

When they were far enough away that they could no longer hear the cries of pain and pleasure, Anna stopped, leaning against the building. She was dressed in her casual clothes rather than the lingerie of last time. A pair of tight pants and a loose blouse, topped with a black leather jacket.

"What was all that about?" Alex asked to break the awkward silence.

"I have no idea," Anna shrugged, "They do that every night, I think. I've only seen them a few times but I've heard them most nights since I got here. It's some seriously freaky shit; they beat the crap out of each other while fucking like rabbits. Definitely some issues there."

"I never would have guessed from meeting her," Alex admitted, "But as I've found out just today, you can never tell what people like at a glance."

"You met her?" Anna pounced on his words, "Where, when?"

"In the camp where I'm living," he said, leaning back against the wall, "She came by to give some orders, apparently she's living as an Empress."

"No shit?" Anna whistled to herself, "Everyone always wondered where they went, I don't think anybody could have guessed that though."

"Yeah," he nodded, "What would your guess have been then?"

"Oh no you don't," Anna gave him a shove, rounding on him, "We're not getting into a normal conversation until we talk about last night."

"Ah," Alex choked up as nerves suddenly overtook him, "What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean, jerk," Anna's expression was hard to read, a mixture of angry, anxious and a little bit turned on, "I know you want this as much as I do, so what's with the reluctance?"

"Oh Anna," he sighed, thinking hard as his head thumped into the wall behind, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but it feels weird. Especially after whatever that was that we just saw. I've known you your whole life; when I said you're like a daughter and a sister to me I meant it. That's pretty hard to get past even without you ambushing me wearing lingerie."

For a moment, Anna's face fell. Her eyes flicked back and forth looking at nothing as she thought about what Alex had said. Before long however, her expression hardened into resolve and she nodded in acceptance.

"I guess I can understand that," she said, hugging him.

Alex practically melted into the hug, relief flooding through him as he squeezed her tight.

"So can we just take it slow?" she asked innocently, her mouth inches from his as she turned to lock her eyes with his identical pair.

Alex swallowed audibly, pulse suddenly racing.

"I suppose," he muttered, feeling her breath tickle his lips.

And then he kissed her.

Alex awoke feeling relaxed and refreshed. Talia had already woken up and left, but everyone else was still asleep. He crept around the snoozing forms and out of the tent. Talia was stood by the fireplace, watching a kettle that was steaming gently as it approached boiling. He stepped lightly as he moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She let out a little shriek as he grabbed her, but then sighed and relaxed into his chest as she realised who it was.

"You ready to talk?" Alex asked, rocking her slightly from side to side and kissing the top of her head.

"A little bit," she nuzzled her head back into his shoulder, "I just felt bad about hitting you. I know you can cope with it, but I still shouldn't have done it. I'll tell you why I reacted so badly when I've had a bit more time and distance, if that's okay?"

"Of course," Alex smiled and kissed her again.

The kettle began whistling, and Talia broke away to finish making tea. The kettle lifted off from the fire by itself with a gesture from the elf, and she tipped in a small bundle of herbs which began stewing in the boiling water. She poured out two mugs, leaving the kettle next to the fire to keep warm, and Talia and Alex sipped at their drinks as the camp woke up around them.

It wasn't long before the camp was once more a bustle of activity. The carts which acted as a makeshift fence around the whole camp were redistributed to each group and loaded with cargo. Giant oxen the size of buildings were led over from a distant field and long trains of carts attached to each one. By the time the sun had fully risen, the first group of scouts had ridden out ahead to check the planned route and the army began to march.

The mech strode along beside the marching soldiers, keeping a slow gait so as not to outpace them. Talia sat beneath his feet in the bottom of the cockpit, somehow finding a comfortable spot among all the metal beams and bolts that kept his seat secure. Daine and Borren were sat on the shoulders, chatting animatedly about how excited they were to be finally moving, and Thrak and Gelb were perched in the hands. The gnome was tinkering with what looked like a steel bracer, carving intricate lines into the surface with a metal stylus, while the orc was peacefully reading a book.

Long miles blurred into each other as the army slowly crossed the plains beneath a cloudy sky that threatened rain. Occasionally they would see a shock of red hair as Elizabeth rode by in the distance, joining the rest of her mounted troops in scouting the area. It was into the middle of the afternoon when the major rode up to them, slowing her horse to match their speed. Her hair was wild and wind-whipped, and her legs splattered with mud from hard riding.

"I've just had reports of a giant in the village up ahead," Elizabeth stood in her stirrups to talk directly to the captain, "You want in on helping to clear it out?"

Alex looked around at his squad. Talia sat up by his feet, Thrak snapped his book shut and smiled a toothy grin, above him the dwarves had gone silent, waiting for his response, and Gelb finished the last symbol on his little project with a flourish, magic sparking off this fingers.

"We're ready if you are," said the gnome, eyes gleaming.

"Let's do it then," said Alex, looking back to the major with a grin, "Hell yes we're in."

Picking up the pace, the mech followed Elizabeth onwards to the front of the convoy, which was just drawing to a halt. Some gilded carriages flanked by ornately armored knights clearly held the general and his aides. Elizabeth nodded to the Scouts who were leading the column and then accelerated away, Alex following suit.

Travelling at a much faster speed than they had been, it didn't take long for the mech to crest the next hill and see the village. Squat, dark wood and thatch cottages clustered around a bend in a river as it wound its way through the hills. From a treeline many miles away, Alex scanned the area. His squad stood in front of him, a few yards further forward so they could see better.

"Reports say a large figure was seen wandering through the village," said Elizabeth, whispering unnecessarily, "Got to be a giant, given the range it was seen from."

"I think I see it," Alex stared blankly at nothing as the mech overrode his vision with data, "Sitting behind one of the buildings. It's carrying some sort of weird sword; it's glowing like the sun to my scanners. Fifty other life signs; I can't tell what they are, but a dozen are in that larger building to the west."

"I don't know what the means, but it doesn't sound good," said Thrak, chewing on his thumb as he thought, "A 'weird sword' most likely means enchantment. One large enough for a giant must be pretty powerful."

"Got it, look out for the sword." Alex nodded, drawing his consciousness back to his body and looking down, "Anything else?"

"Goblins like ta hide in houses, an' beastmen prefer the open," said Borren, who was running a pocket-sized whetstone over his axe, "Nasty buggers the lot of 'em, if anyone's left alive in that place then they won't be for much longer."

"We should go then," said Talia.

She whipped her rapier back and forth a few times and Alex watched with fascination as it reshaped, the metal flowing and the balance shifting to better suit her grip. He reached into the storage rack beside him in the cockpit and tossed out the pistol and rifle to Talia and Thrak, the pistol arcing unerringly into the elf's outstretched hand as the orc caught his weapon awkwardly with two large hands.

"I'm taking a contingent of scouts around to the west side," Elizabeth announced, walking back toward her horse and mounting up, "If there's any survivors, they'll be in the village hall and we'll get them out. Captain, make a full assault on the village in any way you see fit; try and draw them away from me and my men."

"Copy that," Alex responded, closing the cockpit and switching to his speakers, "See you on the other side major."

As the major cantered away through the trees, the Irregulars stepped out of the treeline, looking across the empty fields between them and the village.

"Tha's a lot o' open ground," Daine noted, walking around the mech's leg and strapping a square shield to his arm.

"We weren't planning on taking them by surprise anyway," said Alex, running a final system check, "Let's move, I'll keep us covered."

The Irregulars set out at a swift jog, Alex constantly scanning the village to keep track of any movement. Before they had crossed a hundred yards, a figure crossed between two buildings, looking in their direction. The mech's cameras zoomed in, trying to identify it. A goblin. Alex raised an arm just as his systems check told him the laser was functional. With a sharp crack, a pulse of high-energy light crossed the remaining miles and vaporised the creature's head.

A second creature, a beastman this time, wandered out and fell the same way. As the Irregulars reached the final stretch of distance an alarmed shout went up as someone saw that bodies. Alex sent out a scanner pulse and then gestured to one of the nearest cottages.

"Three in the left house, back corner. Through the door and clear them out," Alex shouted the order, taking another shot with his laser at an exposed head peeking around a corner.

The dwarves shouted and whooped in excitement, Borren throwing himself into the door and breaking it down, the others following behind. Alex strode into the village, keeping an eye out all around. Inside the house Daine and Borren pushed forwards as Talia and Thrak - with Gelb on his back - fired into the occupants. The goblins charged forwards, but were met head on by the dwarves who blocked them long enough for the others to take them down.

The squad made their way from building to building at Alex's direction as he towered overhead watching the surroundings carefully. They were four houses into the sweep when a gleaming, armored head poked up above a distant building and the giant bellowed a challenge across the village. Alex immediately snapped off a shot at it but it did nothing but leave a scorch mark on the plated metal.

The giant, female by the cut of its armor, stepped out into view. Clad head to toe in shining plate armor and wielding a purple longsword, proportional in size to the huge creature, it rounded the corner onto the street Alex stood on and charged, sword held high. The repeated snapping of the laser blasted blackened craters into flesh and armor alike but not slowing the charge.

With a howl of pain, the giant swung the sword. Remembering Thrak's warning, Alex quickly sidestepped, sliding his own blades out. The giant was quick though, and it threw a punch with its empty hand, knocking the mech off balance. Alex swung wide, catching a glancing blow that cut metal like butter but only scratched the flesh beneath. Still staggering, Alex fought to stay upright. Down the street, a goblin fired a crossbow at him and the bolt skittered off the faceplate of the mech, doing no damage but distracting him for long enough for the giant to kick at his legs.

The mech fell to the floor with a crash. Unable to dodge at all, Alex could do nothing but brace for impact as the sword speared towards him. In a nearby house, Talia screamed his name. There was a loud clang. The sword deflected off the chestplate. After a moment's shock, Alex grinned; this was how he was used to fighting. Invincible.

The mech raised an arm and the laser charged as the giant stared on in confusion. Switching to a different wavelength, this time the laser ionised a thin beam of air connecting the mech and the giant. With a bright flash and a crack of thunder, a bolt of lightning arced across the conductive air and smashed into the giant. The plate armor buckled, glowing white hot where the bolt had hit. The giant collapsed without another word as Alex rolled out of the way.

Alex guided the mech to its feet, picking off the goblins and beastmen that had arrived to watch the fight with precise blasts from the laser. He saw Talia watching through a window, and she shouted a warning, pointing behind him. He span about to the direction she was pointing just as a wave of shadow slammed into him. The dark energy passed right through the shell of the mech and rattled him against his harness, making his ears ring.

The mech stumbled to its knees as unholy roars filled the air, Alex turning the head to see a goblin dressed in black robes pointing at him with a glowing, green amulet attached to its neck with an iron chain. Translucent black tentacles suddenly burst from every surface and wrapped around the mech's limbs, pulling hard. Motors and hydraulics strained, but the mech wouldn't move. Only the right shoulder, marked with Talia's protective glyphs, had any freedom of movement. Wriggling with what little room he had, Alex felt some feedback as the fingers brushed against something. He gripped onto it, the giant's sword, and pulled it towards him. As it drew closer and closer, the purple blade seemed to drain the tentacles and their grip loosened. He planted the point in the ground and used it to lever himself upright and back onto his feet.

The goblin magician snarled angrily, baring long, yellow teeth as it gestured towards him again causing the tentacles to tighten their grip. Thrak stepped out of the building, the metal bracer Gelb had given him glowing brightly. The gnome himself was still strapped to the orc's back, and was making complicated gestures of his own as a silver shield shimmered into existence around the pair. Thrak raised the assault rifle, sighting down the barrel and squeezing off a shot. Despite the extreme distance, the shot struck home and passed clean through the goblin's chest. The magic tentacles abruptly vanished and Alex stumbled at the sudden lack of pressure, metal feet thudding on the dirt as he kept his balance.

Scanning the area revealed absolute devastation. Houses lay in ruins and the bodies of goblins and beastmen lay all around. The various members of the Irregulars picked their way out onto the street. In the cockpit, Alex took a deep breath as the ringing faded from his ears, then activated the speakers.

"Let's keep moving," he said, brandishing the giant's sword with a flourish.

The rest of the village didn't put up much of a resistance. As they swept through towards the village hall, they found a few families, hiding in basements, who they left where they were. When they met up with the Scouts, they were helping the few survivors in the village hall out into the open. Elizabeth was perched on the steps up to the grey stone building, wiping blood from her shortsword and watching the mech approached; unphased by the sight, unlike the rest of the soldiers and civilians who gaped upwards.

"How did it go, giant-slayer?" she shouted up to him.

"Tough, but manageable," said Alex jovially, "Spellcasters are tricky to deal with, but I think this might help."

He held out the purple sword, rotating his wrist all the way around to spin it about. Several people in the rescued group flinched, so he stopped and lowered the blade.

"You're not wrong," she said, sheathing her own sword, "Mages are a pain to fight. No offense Talia, Gelb."

"None taken," squeaked Gelb.

Talia nervously smiled. A soldier pushed past her and saluted the major.

"We think the village is clear, major. Troops from the main force are moving in to sweep the area shortly," he announced with a salute.

"No need, we got them all," said Alex, sending out a scanning pulse, "Not reading anymore life signs that aren't accounted for."

The soldier glanced up at the mech, then back to the major with a concerned look on his face.

"If there's one lesson I can teach you today, corporal," said Elizabeth, in a disturbingly sweet voice, "It's to trust the man in the giant mech. Unless the captain's orders contradict mine you should consider him your superior."

"Yes Major Swift," he saluted again, taking another fearful glance at Alex, "Of course."

It took a few hours for the army to arrive, thousands upon thousands of soldiers and staff moving in and setting up camp in the fields around the village. The bodies were all piled up and burned, and Alex spent some time clearing rubble away from houses so they could be reconstructed later by the survivors. As the day drew to a close, he walked around the camp, spotting the ragged tent of the Irregulars and powering down the mech.