XCOM: War of the Chosen

Retribution's Ascension

Prologue

I remembered that moment when I saw something moved, I was barely eleven. No, I had been ten when death moved out of shadow and appeared like a ghost. Even among the crowd my eyes were distantly trying to find anything remotely interesting, I'd long since tried to pay attention to people speaking but my own natural inability to feel anxiety around so many people made it happen. I was sitting on a bench while the huge mob of people were protesting our recent conquering government overlords.

It'd been years since Advent was established and I wasn't ignorant like many of my peers in school. We'd been conquered by an enemy that wasn't human, not one of us. Alien, unknown and seemed impossible. I knew at the time more so we as Americans refused to be defeated, I just remember being so. Many among the former United States resisted in many fashions even after years since Earth had been subjugated. At the time I only heard about an organization meant to defend us because of browsing the dark web after school on weekends, if I could find computers which were monitored by those who searched for dissidents. Yet I managed, I found old video clips not cleansed by censorship.

Months and after of watching, of learning and I finally snapped. Too much had happened to turn back, I knew I'd lose everything what kept me sane. As a child I was alone, I knew what life meant when growing up. Others in class were too focused on playing games, playing pretend and were looking forward to becoming citizens of Advent. I sneered hating it, I hated people and I hated these aliens regardless of what they promised. Planning patiently, trying to gather others to do something and that didn't long given how much resentment lingered upon years and years.

So I kept to myself in school and out in public. Especially when protestors refused to disperse as Advent speakers came online to magnify a man's warning. My eyes kept themselves trained on armored looking vehicles approaching somewhere to my right. This wasn't going to end well for myself, or anyone here. Yet I remained still just watching and waiting as many among the crowd became ever more hostile. I bit my tongue, "You idiots, run!" Didn't realize they'd be hearded into a park and made out to be some kind of trap, I wanted to scream knowing it.

"You don't have any guns, or god help you otherwise!" Several of the more politically motivated 'friends' who I conversed over the web were in that crowd. Most were riding highs in being just at a protest never saw the warnings as I had. Just like in the old videos, riots and plenty of bullets flying. My heart thundered so sporadically it hurt to breath yet I looked around noticing aircraft starting to circle the clearing where this gathering had been organized. Too bad such gatherings were considered illegal due to flash points to garner influences of resistance.

That was when I saw something glimmer on top of a building overlooking the entire area. I looked closely straining to see nothing? My eyes fluttered several times noticing this glinting tinge and it absolutely made no sense, "What the hell?" Leaning back where I sat I swore that it had be something metal being reflected, I couldn't imagine anything else or rather what could it have been? I shook my head clear of whitish blue spots popping up whenever I blinked, I seriously considered getting tinted glasses given how terribly my eyes would get if I tried staring again. I ignored it somehow even how that glimmer kept itself in place.

Suddenly vibrations crawled up from where a phone had been idly playing music. Frowning I read a text from one of my so called 'friends', who'd been at home watching this protest. Months of planning and for what? No one shows up, I show up on some bench and now I'm seeing things? Why did I have to fail trying to go what little good I felt motivated to do? Being abandoned wasn't what killed me inside my heart, it was knowing why and a stupid reason did it turn out to be for myself to find out.

Both of my eyes went wide in sheer disbelief as I read quietly, "Dude!" I snorted softly realizing this person was on some computer at home, "Gtfo out of that place, shit's coming down! Gtfo now!" Officially I felt unnerved when I looked around again seeing those armored cars appear. It was too late to run. They were rolling up on opposite sides of what was our state's former house where our senate made laws. It'd been nullified of any official statue since being underneath this Advent government, a world government at that and as such any opportunity to eliminate localized systems became common. I probably already appeared on some list on some distant agency on a desk, or so I imagined from watching movies.

Distantly I swore I felt a breeze come behind me. I turned out seeing nothing and I frowned, "What the hell? No wind?" I stared at some small trees nearby which were hadn't twitching. I assumed I must have been imagining things but I heard a twig snap! This time I looked over towards my right seeing nothing except on dirt path along bushes and plenty of emptied benches. I sighed out loud, "It's nothing. Probably some damned squirrel, or a cat maybe." Looking up towards a crowd I figured to get my things together and hopefully get back to the ward where I stayed as an orphan.

Yet three words destroyed that imagination all too easily. I froze mid-action when I felt someone breath just over my neck, "Do not move." That voice alone caused myself to jump when I heard a person say very cautious next to my left, I clutched my heart to see nothing? I looked around frantically trying to believe I just imagined something, I shivered when I swore something brushed past the back of my neck again! Oh jell I officially slid down when backed up against a wall? Blinking absolutely shell locked I looked upwards to see a glistening glimmer?

My voice came to life unable to understand, "What the hell am I seeing? Not even a second before I heard laughter so wickedly amused and delightfully cruel it easily made my spine curl in a warning. Cold literally appeared where my throat lay exposed and I felt something unnaturally sharpened tauntingly coming close to cut me, "Your perception of your surroundings makes you a set above these rabble, youngster. But you fail to grasp when danger is an inch from your life." Christ help me I couldn't make heads, or tails of what exactly was saying these words to me! I saw only glimmering ripples yet I wasn't doubting whatever was in front me wanted to stay hidden.

"What do you want?" I ventured to ask whilst inching away from whatever pointed tip as it's originator laughed deceptively kind, "Battle." It said it so simply I wanted to believe I was dreaming, or rather believed I was trapped in a god damned nightmare. Gulping down saliva certainly helped given whatever this thing, or possible person sounded genuinely entertained I spoke at all, "More so I thrive to find a challenge and of course worthy prey, youngster." Sweat trailed down my face when it I started to realize no one was going to come over and notice why I was laying slanted on a bench looking absolutely terrified. Even I considered this all to be a nightmare except loud speakers were giving off one last warning to the protestors who weren't none the wiser in fleeing.

I knew without a doubt it'd end very badly for everyone while gritting my jaws tightly I bit out, "Then go find someone who wants to fight. You picked wrong." I dared to say yet a cruel chuckle easily retorted, "No, I picked correctly. Your kind flees when faced with something capable to kill yourselves, but you?" I tried to stop myself from yelping yet that failed horribly when something sliced forward drawing blood. Burning was what came to mind as I refused to gulp in fear of widening that casually given cut.

More so I felt it trace down my neck to dampen some of the shirt I wore, "Your ignorance. It grants you bravery to face what you cannot understand yet fear should naturally claim you. An oxymoron as they say, I chose right." It corrected definitely amused given I looked very closely to what appeared to be a...sword? My eyes were wide because of fresh blood, my own. My own life blood became critical in revealing a blade wider than possibly two arms I had together! God save me as it simply wasn't natural given how it pulled away to where it's owner stood.

Holy shit, how tall is this thing! I shrieked mentally seeing that blood trailing down from a place easily twice my height. Unintentionally my legs kicked myself back to where I fell over the bench as laughter so utterly vile found it's way into reality. The glimmering figure casually came to stand over where I looked up at this beyond horrified, I had nothing except a second rate phone and two fists to stop something with a sword! A sword that couldn't be damned seen and for hell's sake, I never even saw what was wielding it!

"Why not run? Give me some kind of sport." It said rather conversationally much to my disbelief when I retorted angrily, "And what? Get my fucking heading cut off, or maybe get six steps before whatever the hell you do just ends it?" Legitimate questions from a teenager who certainly had nothing to lose as I almost threw up realizing I had stood up. My expression morphed from absolute anger to sheer terror when this thing had leaned forward, I felt warm air akin to breath striking the entirety of my own face in these few moments.

I watched petrified to see that bloodied sword come to eye level where I stood, "You youngsters have hearts most men would dream to have. Perhaps ending prey before it matures is worth my investment, after all your world is still fresh and struggling to find it's two feet." I bit my tongue trying to avoid lashing out in how we'd been conquered like animals, I wanted to lash out so much yet it must have shown because something odd happened. My face tingled when something warm yet slick traced itself like it were fingers unseen, "Such anger I see, youngster. What makes your blood boil to have such hatred inside you come to light, please humor me as I find it oddly endearing."

I never knew how close to death I was at that time. However I found myself answering truthfully which said enough of how ignorant I'd been, "We're no longer free people, god we're subjects to a higher form of power!" An irony I wasn't aware at the time escaped me, "It doesn't matter if Advent plays nice, or they keep order as they're the new one world government, it doesn't change a fact." Both of green eyes looked up to stare where I assumed it to be a face. I felt something warm hit me squarely above my head head and I swore it chuckled happily.

I spat out spitefully getting an inch closer of sheer anger, "Your kind are invaders! I refuse to bow to idiots who accept it, I refuse to give in and I don't want to be a slave to something that pretends it's good."Jesus I can't believe all of that earnestly was said due to my own research which both parents of mine swore to never say in public. Their notes were one thing, but having to shift through trash to find their names had been deliberately difficult. Yet I felt it was necessary because having some sort of sword not visible used against my sorry ass was a good motivator to remain truthful. Hell at this point if anything happened, I had only to be locked up into a prison somewhere.

That sensation of fingers tracing an unseen pattern sent shivers up my back again. Whatever stood in front of me glittering took it's time to think silently. I looked away when laughter finally erupted to a point where I knew it'd berate me, or possibly harm my body now. Bracing internally I never expected something to caress the entirety of my head, "Your innocence is a double edged blade, youngster. A very deceiving weapon." It complimented me when I looked up absolutely flustered and confused trying to comprehend it all.

"A weapon needing to be honed if I had to compliment it, but alas your ignorance to the Elder's guiding hands is something that can be overlooked. The young learn from their elders, they must learn or they tend to die off quickly. As such youngsters such as yourself have to part with lessons to make any hunt worth it's weight in what is sought out." I looked back towards an overly aggressive mob standing their ground against Advent troopers who advanced as one unit. Dozens were lined up due to multiple armored cars unloading their payload, I looked back to that glimmering spot as it stood by seemingly enjoying itself. Curiously enough I saw that sword sway left to right as if it's holder was bored?

Unfortunately I garnered enough idiocy to reply back quietly, "So what are you hunting?" Objects like bottles, rocks and whatever could be mustered got launched towards Advent lines as I noticed several had batons of some kind drawn out. I shivered realizing it was too late for me to flee, I was stuck at ground zero and there was fuck all I'd be able to do now. Regardless I looked up to that glimmering shimmer as I noticed it had turned facing myself, "All I see are just people trying to do something very stupid and I'm one of them because I can't run now."

The metal bench I sat on groaned as something increasingly heavier than I sat next to me. I gulped down whatever fear when it's chuckling ceased, "Indeed." Strangely enough I offered some sort of grim humor, "Never thought I'd be talking to something invisible while waiting to get my skull caved in by these riot cops." Again groaning from the metallic bench due to something shifting as it's sharp scoff indicated an agreement, "The Will of the Elders always shall be unpredictable and always is it nullifying when a hunt is declared. Perhaps one day you'll learn that adapting to every hunt daily is often the greatest reward to find your prey, youngster." It sounded like comfort yet I'd peg as it an adult who found my questions hardly concerning, I just felt it wasn't going to do anything as I leaned back snorting in disgust.

Again I snorted not even trying to come up with a statement to counter that prediction, I still tried to process I kept on talking to something which wasn't even there visibly. Life just flat out loved to fuck with me, I knew why and I guessed it'd continue to haunt me until I died, "Why bother?" I looked into a crowd getting more chaotic and frenized when riot troopers came into view. I expected a lot of bad things to go down, so why even run now? I was in deep crap and I couldn't get away, kid or not.

"You'll probably gut me when this conversation ends." I looked back to see Advent troopers rushing forward as a crowd stared to separate with various screams. I gave it about a few minutes before all that commotion reached where I sat with whatever kept on humoring to talk with me. Yet to an unexpected shock I felt something almost gently settled over my neck, I blinked when something incredibly warm encompassed that area. Fingers of some kind were idly tapping themselves underneath the left side where my neck and jaw met, shuddering since it felt absolutely surreal given it wasn't even remotely close to a human's touch, I thought to say the least.

Warmth surged through akin to a tidal wave, "No." It said simply almost cooing in sheer joy, "Why kill prey when it hasn't developed into it's full potential? Do no presume your life is forfeit until it is deemed so, yet..." This voice trailed off unfortunately curious as if musing to proceed, "...I find myself oddly conflicted to see if you'll grow into something worthy for me to hunt." For a moment I almost leaned into that warmth but it got driven away when a cold pit formed inside my guts, "After all it's deliciously beautiful to know your eldest of kin has abandoned you to live alone. Your sister who shares your own blood is I recall, wanted as a terrorist and ever so cruelly to save her own skin, she left you surrounded by enemies. Enemies like myself just for her to go fight foolishly against the Elder's, now isn't that something to ponder?"

How the hell do you know that? My body froze immediately when a subtly enforced grip threatened to snap bones connected to a spinal cord. Rage caused both hands of mine to clench rigidly, "Shut the fuck up. Shut up!" I hissed back trying to ignore that pain yet it came back as it always did. I hated thinking about it, I fucking hated it so much and it always bit me whenever spoken.

"Don't even remind me, I hear it everyday at school." Getting into fights weekly tended to make people think I'd start a mass shooting spree and go against the government. I felt tempted to at least do the latter but what could I even hope to do? I was a ward of a state and one which viewed me as potentially hostile to it's rule, so I was screwed six ways to Sunday. Why did it hurt so much though? Every day, I felt it grow and grow until nothing left remained saved for empty tears. Here I felt pain inside my chest and gut regardless if I tried to bottle it all up.

"Yes, I can see it finally!" Forcefully being firmly to look up towards what had to where a face was masked I imagined it's monstrous grin, "Beautiful. Your hatred gives you strength whether it leaves a mark of pain to have it scar you, to give yourself strength through its cause and here you speak to me in order to crush it to resist feeling despair." I glared spitefully trying to ignore feeling like a caged rat as I hissed back ignoring any warning to provoke it, "And you're just a coward hiding in plain sight!"

"You scared if someone can see you, is that why you're jerking me around? Getting off on picking on a kid whose got a shit life!" It tilted what I assumed to be a head given how my eyes couldn't move. Also it appeared to have several tendrils trailing down behind it? I couldn't tell due to an angle of seeing multiple glimmering layers, I almost got nauseous trying to count them given I'd die soon. This thing's grip started to clamp down on a thing called air for me to live off, I nearly had tears trail down my cheeks knowing I wasn't getting away at all.

Being out in public was a consequence to invite dangers, I'd been marked by Advent as some throwaway old world dissident! All because my damned sister wanted to go fight like some fucking warrior, some big shot revolutionary to take down Advent while not even thinking it'd leave me to their fucking mercy! "Your will is quite impressive considering I could crush your feeble neck." It stated factually entertained as I raised my only weapon called the middle finger Mankind's never failed weapon as I heard about it.

Fuck everything, I refused to let myself not go down on my terms, "Bite me." Moments passed due to it's silence before long I felt pressure release my impending doom, "Such defiance in the face of your hunter. How adorable." It mused actually impressed given my eyes refused to wave, "I wondered why the Elders summoned me so, it's almost as thought they..." It trailed off again seemingly leaving myself in a sense of true suspense. No matter what happened I refused to look away intending to go out dying like very person would do in this situation.

Gunshots were heard as volley upon volley of rounds struck people inside what was once a crowd. It'd be accurately a stamped from hell to which I found myself going wide eyed. If I was going to be die by this thing then it'd be by crazed people! Either way wasn't going to end well but I'd rather get it over with now, or having a literal nightmare in being crushed to death did not settle well at all. Personally it might as well just have been hell, I sure as fuck knew this was it. But what happened next I wouldn't be able to forget considering it started everything that I would come to hate about this world, no I'd hate everything involving myself.

"Yes, I understand this task given to me!" At this point I wanted to roll my eyes half expecting to die by a looming stampede of panicked protestors. I braced myself waiting for them to smash into where I sat, I took one last breath before trying to rush over to hide behind the bench! Yet every muscle inside my body refused to move as something akin to wind swept past me. Heat singed my face when I struggled to look over to see that glimmering shape turning a sickly purplish coloration, it appeared like an actual honest god purple tidal wave! The sword flashed so brightly that it'd been easily standing covered in light, I saw it twirl just once before something screamed out gleefully, "Come forth and seek your doom in the harbor of my wave, insects!"

An entire wave spanning possibly longer than a pick-up truck went sailing forward smashing into hundreds of people. I saw them all immediately fall to their knees as Advent troopers sent rounds into them marking a literal massacre. Tears trickled down underneath both of my eyes due to how beautiful that wave looked, god help me otherwise because right now I wanted to hurl, I almost vomited violently due it's intended purpose. Other Advent troopers with batons set to stun, or possibly maim viciously surged forward taking down anyone who tried to resist, or rather made short work of anyone daring to stand up after that purple wave. Screams hardly fazed me once I numbly looked upwards to see reality, or a specifically humanoid portion of it shattered into pieces briefly enough to catch my nightmare's face.

Eyes glowing a pure amethyst so unworldly it was beyond human to put it simply. Teeth sharpened were not human as well, a smile so cruel and wicked had them fully exposed much to my shock. Whatever this thing wore it looked close to armor of some kind, it hugged flesh and allowed movement so quickly that I had one moment to see that sword being sheathed. More I blinked seeing what had to be dreads for hair? My heart ceased to beat given how every inch of flesh that was supposed to be underneath a thing called will refused to react due to forces beyond me. Hell my mind forced me to just craning my neck in order to stare upwards in a mystified yet obviously horrified fashion to see this thing approach me.

"Your fear only now shows itself." It's lips moved almost amused given how twisted it's facial expression matched that word, "But it is not of you fearing your death. Your fear is coaxed into the light due to power that I wield for you to see it's potential, or am I wrong to assume so, youngster?" Something idly fell from hands utterly numb due to whatever purplish coloration which remained visibly, I knew my nerves had ceased to function which was impossible! My phone hit the ground as it's just managed to see a screen crack due to something coursing across it's surface exploding into dozens of burnt plastic!

It became clear that it just wasn't sticking around and showing off for fun. Cold shivers went up both arms once I asked a question even though my voice croaked due to muscles constricting to function, "What do you want from me?" This thing came to tower over where I sat almost truly bemused I'd dare to speak to it. It knelt down placing one of its hand across a cheek as if trying to figure out whether I'd be worth revealing answer for humor's sake. I must have convinced it because I tried to squirm away from those amethyst eyes which glowered literally in their sockets, they'd tear me apart for daring to defy their owners. Christ help me, now I wanted to run and hide from something utterly not humane but I was not granted that mercy.

"You ask as though you don't know." It said frankly grinning like some demented shark, I flinched when it's hands lightly tapped against armor meant to withstand attacks beyond my capabilities. My god did I only now just I realize that death's door was literally but an arm's length away! Tears kept trailing down my face as I understood I wasn't going anywhere now, I was going into hell and this thing would be all too happy guide, "Your hatred is a powerful gift those beyond your sight have differed onto me. You seek an answer to what you already know cannot be known, so you question as though you have power yourself to demand it."

I tried to scream let I felt something curl around me daring to resist! Footsteps greeted my ears in a bid of insanity to tear both eyes away. Yet I found no comfort, or solace given Advent troopers appeared with their weaponry drawn onto me specifically. As if they'd be necessary as one spoke up in a language I had next to no clue to decipher. The thing kneeling in front of me just waved a hand off as dozens of troopers continued on their sweep of any consciousness protestors who either groaned or weakly screamed if they were discovered playing dead. Something unseen jerked me to face those damnable eyes again, it's smile hadn't let up and I must haven't going crazy because I swore it just grew wider again.

"Yet I will entertain one answer you'll find out for yourself." Standing tall I watched it offer a hand as if mockingly wanting to assist to me stand, "Is your hatred powerful enough to see you through what brought you to this moment, boy? State your name, for I wish to hear it from the mouth of the one whose destiny is now underneath my will." I looked around again feebly trying to believe if I remained silent it'd all go away. I wanted everything to go back to normal now, I truly felt like I just opened fucking Pandora's box because I had talked to something utterly not human. God wasn't going to help me, even Christ himself wasn't coming down from heaven because the devil had already beaten them both to the damned punch.

This is what you get for trying to fight back against your prison, smart ass. I thought cynically given how organizing a protest over open net's backfired so damned much. My knuckles clenched tightly popping bone and muscle alike when I stared upwards snarling out words. Words that made that fucked up smile widened so joyfully it knew it had me in a cage, "I don't have one now." Whatever name I had before was dead, right now I was a dead man walking and I simply accepted I'd be able to hope to get back at who left me here to die, "Until I find the one who left me here at your mercy, I'll say I have no name because it's pointless to give you a dumb answer."

Whether my answer satisfied it, or not I'd never know. All I witnessed were bloodied bodies being tossed aside as would be dissidents were cleansed from life itself. I was responsible for trying to fight back against something many had already failed to go against, I vowed to never break from my goal to find the person who left me here to rot. If I had to pledge myself to the devil in order to achieve what I wanted, I'd do it all too willingly and for once I accepted that dying wasn't so bad compared to what I'd deal with now. The last thing I remembered was seeing purplish white coloration swarming my vision until I faded away into a peaceful darkness claiming me as if it were from this insanity, "Well said, student." Without anything left to understand, I had one purpose now no matter what. I'd find my only family member and end their life for leaving me alone in hell.

End Prologue

Author's Note: Let me tell you something, to those who've never read any of my stories, I welcome you to my twisted imagination. To those who are old friends, loyal curious sick individuals and other things, welcome back to other challenge I personally got addicted too. Playing way too much XCOM2, I had an epiphany while playing, I've always wanted to know what if there were more than One Chosen per mission? I mean imagine, all three against your squad on top of what's in play and potentially brought in.

On Impossible, XCOM2 shines like a gem that makes you wish you had. But I digress welcome to my newest story, a tale of Retribution and Ascension, the tale of a journey and my attempt to make things seem really fun. As I post this start, I'm about ten chapters ahead, yes you read this right. I got so addicted and had what I'd dub a 'writer's high' which is basically me getting off work, write, sleep and repeat process while drinking some hardcore whiskey on day's off while playing Stellaris, or Dawn of War games. God people, it's insane when I realize I've gotten probably a tenth done of what I wanted to reach. But rest assured I'm stilling continuing the Imperial Saber, so relax if any readers of that find this little piece of hell.

If you haven't read that epic insane steamroller of a story, do it, you'll get an idea as to what I could potentially make XCOM2 into for this setting. It'll be tricky given how the game's plot is ideally simple, if not downright random to such extremes it's like missing a 99% hit chance. Yes, that happened to me twice on the same mission, queue your disbelief or share your tales of XCOM's biting you in the ass. And we'll come to the proverbial nail in this coffin, why did I choose the 'Assassin' of all three?

Simply put I envisioned all three and I happened to actually flip a coin. Yes, my newly minted and now addictive 'Harvey-Deny Syndrome' of flipping coins is refusing to die. So yeah, I'm fucked in that regard but hey, it's all fine to be sort of entertaining. So enough of my personal demons, I hope you enjoyed the start of XCOM: RA (Retribution's Ascension) cause I'm probably not going to keep typing that whole thing out again. Anyhow leave 'reviews' please, I think to read them and see your thoughts, so go wild for predictions, criticism which I highly advocate since it help me for good or ill, practical advice about potential, the pros/cons and etc to it all.

Also, if you want to see soldiers from your 'games' in this story, have at it. Send a PM, I'll just add them in eventually whenever firefights become large enough for me to run out of names.

Have a good day, folks.