The last days
Chapter 1
Sometime in the distant future.
When one speaks of heaven, usually the image that is brought to mind is rolling green pastures, blue skies, everything living in peace and harmony. That was true up until several hundred years ago. Then came Armageddon, the Apocalypse, Ragnorok.......... whatever your particular religion called it, it was the end of the world. The surface world was now desolate and pretty much dead. Heaven itself had seen better days. The green pastures were now brown and dead, the skies dark and gray. In the center of it all was the city. It was here that many of the gods and goddesses lived and went about running the world computer Yggdrasil, which resided in the massive complex at its center. At one time the city practically glowed, its beauty admired by all. Now most of the buildings lay in ruins. Only the Yggdrasil building still remained standing, yet even that was being questioned. Explosions rocked the building, causing pieces to fall off from above. Outside, demons watched and cheered as chunks of the building fell. It wouldn't be long until the last outpost of the gods fell, and the demons would finally achieve victory.
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Inside, the last remaining 1st Class Goddess sat in the SysOp chair. She wore a black outfit, as did the other gods and goddesses. Unlike the others, she wore a wrap that covered her left arm completely as well as a black glove. Around her 2nd, 3rd, even 4th class gods and goddesses ran about, trying to keep Yggdrasil running long enough to attempt the impossible: restoration of the heavens. It was a last gasp effort by a losing army, the last chance to pull out a victory from the jaws of defeat.
"Boss?"
The 1st Class Goddess turned and looked at the goddess that approached her.
"Yes Rachel?"
"Chronos says that the program is ready. She only needs time to run some tests."
"Time is a luxury we don't have." replied the 1st. As if to emphasize her words, a particularly large explosion rocked the building, causing lights to flicker and many to grab hold of the terminals to steady themselves. The 1st swore quietly before returning her attention to Rachel. "Tell Chronos I'll be there soon."
"Yes Boss." Rachel quickly left to deliver the message.
'Boss.' The 1st thought quietly, 'They used to call Father 'Boss'. Now I'm all that's left.'
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With a roar the front doors of the building exploded inward, cutting down those that stood behind it. The demons came racing in, screaming battle cries, calling for the blood of the gods. The few gods and goddesses present were no match for the more powerful demons.
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"Main doors have been breeched!" shouted one of the operators.
The 1st class looked up. "Send all available troops to the main hall."
"Yes Boss."
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The demons charged forward, leaving a trail of destruction and death in their wake. As they rounded a corner, they were met by a barrage of force bolts. Demons that had led the charge dropped down, either dead or dying. Others charged forward, returning fire. Several of the defenders fell, but the rest remained firm, temporarily holding back the demon hordes. But they could only do it for so long...
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"Demon advance has been halted." called out the Op.
"Where?" asked the 1st.
"Corridor Alpha. But sensors indicate more demons on the way."
The 1st stared quietly at the screen, her left hand twitching.
"The demon are pushing back our forces."
The 1st's eyes reflected the main screen as section after section went red. Her hand twitched again.
"Demons have breeched Corridor Delta."
Twitch.
"Our forces are pulling back. Regrouping in Corridor Gamma."
Twitch. Twitch.
"Boss?" asked one of the Ops, "Maybe we should retreat?"
"To where?" asked the 1st quietly, "We no longer have anywhere to go."
"Then that's it." replied the Op, "We've lost."
"No. Not yet." the 1st stood up, "have our forces hold them off from area 14 as long as they can." She then turned and headed towards the door.
"Boss?"
The 1st turned around.
"It has been an honor working with you." the Op then bowed, the remaining gods and goddesses joining her. The 1st could only stare at them, before turning and leaving the room, her gown billowing behind her.
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"We have entered the main building my Queen."
The Queen of hell turned her head and looked at her minion.
"It's only taken 180 years." muttered the Queen. She moved some of her platinum blond hair out of the way. "Have you found her yet?"
"No milady." replied the demon, "We have not yet reached the main control room."
The Queen turned and looked at the building, "Take me there now."
"But milady!"
"She is family after all." said the Queen, "I want to see her one more time....before I have her killed."
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The sound of the door opening caused Chronos to turn around.
"I was just wrapping up the last tests Boss." said Chronos, "One more test and we.." Chronos trailed off as she saw someone she was not expecting. A Demon.
"Hello pretty pretty." the demon said with a grin, "It's been a while since I had a goddess hasn't it pretty pretty."
Chronos began to back away. "Don't you come any closer!"
"Ohhhh But I want some fun pretty pretty."
The Demon took several steps before a whirling noise was heard, followed by a sickening thud. The Demon froze for a second before collapsing to the ground, a round disk wedged in the back of his head. Chronos turned to see the 1st standing in the doorway, her left arm out in front of her. The 1st lowered her arm and walked towards Chronos.
"You alright?"
"Yes Boss." Chronos looked down. "Your arm!"
The 1st looked at her left arm. A broken knife blade was sticking out of it. With a sigh, the 1st reached over with her right hand and pulled the blade out, a few sparks followed it.
"It'll be fine." the 1st said. She then looked at the machine. "Is it ready?"
"I was going to run another test on it."
The 1st shook her head. "No more tests. Begin the start up procedures for full power operation." Another explosion rocked the building. "Our time has run out."
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The queen walked past the fallen gods and goddesses and entered the Yggdrasil Control Room. She stopped briefly to stare at the slowly rotating structure in the center before walking to the SysOp chair. A dead goddess lay slumped in the chair. The queen grabbed hold of the goddess and then tossed the body aside before sitting down in the SysOp chair. Demons all over began to cheer as she propped her legs up on the SysOp terminal.
"Have you found her?" the Queen asked.
"Not yet Milady."
The Queen brought her feet down and typed a command in the SysOp terminal. She then frowned when nothing happened. "What's wrong with this terminal?"
A demon went down to the operators station and pulled a dead goddess from her terminal. "All the power and controls have been rerouted."
The Queen placed both hand on the SysOp terminal and leaned over.
"Where?"
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"Powers coming up." said Chronos, "Shouldn't be to much longer Boss."
The 1st said nothing.
"You alright Boss?"
"Come with me."
"Boss?"
The 1st turned and looked at Chronos. "You and me are the only ones left. Come with me."
"Our future depends on you alone. The past has become dark, and the present is no more. You don't need me."
"Please Chronos," said the 1st, "For me?"
Chronos smiled, "Alright. Get on the platform. Everything is set, all I have to do is throw the switch."
"Alright then."
Chronos headed towards the control panel while the 1st stepped on the platform. A loud gasp caused the 1st to turn. Chronos lay on the ground beside the control panel, a demon sword in her back.
"CHRONOS!!"
"Well hello there sister dear." The 1st turned to see the Queen of hell and several of her minions beside her.
"Don't call me that." growled the 1st, "I no longer consider you my sister."
"Ah well, that makes two of us." the Queen smiled, "It figures you'd be the last one. You were always the obnoxious one. So..how's the arm?"
The 1st grabbed her left arm out of reflex, her finger twitching again.
"Oh yeah, it was the left. I could never remember which it was." the Queen then smiled, "Don't worry, you'll be seeing it again soon enough. Ready!" The demons around her raised their arms, force balls forming. "Aim!" The demons aimed their arms at the 1st. The Queen was about to yell fire when the 1st was surrounded in a glow. "What the hell?"
The 1st turned and looked at the control panel. Chronos was back on her feet, blood dripping from her mouth.
* Our future....depends....on ....you...Skuld. * Chronos smiled one last time before falling over.
Static like spots began to appear before the 1st's eyes. The last thing she saw before her vision finally went was the Queen of hell screaming and several of her minions leaping at her, trying to stop her.
Chapter 1
Sometime in the distant future.
When one speaks of heaven, usually the image that is brought to mind is rolling green pastures, blue skies, everything living in peace and harmony. That was true up until several hundred years ago. Then came Armageddon, the Apocalypse, Ragnorok.......... whatever your particular religion called it, it was the end of the world. The surface world was now desolate and pretty much dead. Heaven itself had seen better days. The green pastures were now brown and dead, the skies dark and gray. In the center of it all was the city. It was here that many of the gods and goddesses lived and went about running the world computer Yggdrasil, which resided in the massive complex at its center. At one time the city practically glowed, its beauty admired by all. Now most of the buildings lay in ruins. Only the Yggdrasil building still remained standing, yet even that was being questioned. Explosions rocked the building, causing pieces to fall off from above. Outside, demons watched and cheered as chunks of the building fell. It wouldn't be long until the last outpost of the gods fell, and the demons would finally achieve victory.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Inside, the last remaining 1st Class Goddess sat in the SysOp chair. She wore a black outfit, as did the other gods and goddesses. Unlike the others, she wore a wrap that covered her left arm completely as well as a black glove. Around her 2nd, 3rd, even 4th class gods and goddesses ran about, trying to keep Yggdrasil running long enough to attempt the impossible: restoration of the heavens. It was a last gasp effort by a losing army, the last chance to pull out a victory from the jaws of defeat.
"Boss?"
The 1st Class Goddess turned and looked at the goddess that approached her.
"Yes Rachel?"
"Chronos says that the program is ready. She only needs time to run some tests."
"Time is a luxury we don't have." replied the 1st. As if to emphasize her words, a particularly large explosion rocked the building, causing lights to flicker and many to grab hold of the terminals to steady themselves. The 1st swore quietly before returning her attention to Rachel. "Tell Chronos I'll be there soon."
"Yes Boss." Rachel quickly left to deliver the message.
'Boss.' The 1st thought quietly, 'They used to call Father 'Boss'. Now I'm all that's left.'
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
With a roar the front doors of the building exploded inward, cutting down those that stood behind it. The demons came racing in, screaming battle cries, calling for the blood of the gods. The few gods and goddesses present were no match for the more powerful demons.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
"Main doors have been breeched!" shouted one of the operators.
The 1st class looked up. "Send all available troops to the main hall."
"Yes Boss."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
The demons charged forward, leaving a trail of destruction and death in their wake. As they rounded a corner, they were met by a barrage of force bolts. Demons that had led the charge dropped down, either dead or dying. Others charged forward, returning fire. Several of the defenders fell, but the rest remained firm, temporarily holding back the demon hordes. But they could only do it for so long...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
"Demon advance has been halted." called out the Op.
"Where?" asked the 1st.
"Corridor Alpha. But sensors indicate more demons on the way."
The 1st stared quietly at the screen, her left hand twitching.
"The demon are pushing back our forces."
The 1st's eyes reflected the main screen as section after section went red. Her hand twitched again.
"Demons have breeched Corridor Delta."
Twitch.
"Our forces are pulling back. Regrouping in Corridor Gamma."
Twitch. Twitch.
"Boss?" asked one of the Ops, "Maybe we should retreat?"
"To where?" asked the 1st quietly, "We no longer have anywhere to go."
"Then that's it." replied the Op, "We've lost."
"No. Not yet." the 1st stood up, "have our forces hold them off from area 14 as long as they can." She then turned and headed towards the door.
"Boss?"
The 1st turned around.
"It has been an honor working with you." the Op then bowed, the remaining gods and goddesses joining her. The 1st could only stare at them, before turning and leaving the room, her gown billowing behind her.
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"We have entered the main building my Queen."
The Queen of hell turned her head and looked at her minion.
"It's only taken 180 years." muttered the Queen. She moved some of her platinum blond hair out of the way. "Have you found her yet?"
"No milady." replied the demon, "We have not yet reached the main control room."
The Queen turned and looked at the building, "Take me there now."
"But milady!"
"She is family after all." said the Queen, "I want to see her one more time....before I have her killed."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
The sound of the door opening caused Chronos to turn around.
"I was just wrapping up the last tests Boss." said Chronos, "One more test and we.." Chronos trailed off as she saw someone she was not expecting. A Demon.
"Hello pretty pretty." the demon said with a grin, "It's been a while since I had a goddess hasn't it pretty pretty."
Chronos began to back away. "Don't you come any closer!"
"Ohhhh But I want some fun pretty pretty."
The Demon took several steps before a whirling noise was heard, followed by a sickening thud. The Demon froze for a second before collapsing to the ground, a round disk wedged in the back of his head. Chronos turned to see the 1st standing in the doorway, her left arm out in front of her. The 1st lowered her arm and walked towards Chronos.
"You alright?"
"Yes Boss." Chronos looked down. "Your arm!"
The 1st looked at her left arm. A broken knife blade was sticking out of it. With a sigh, the 1st reached over with her right hand and pulled the blade out, a few sparks followed it.
"It'll be fine." the 1st said. She then looked at the machine. "Is it ready?"
"I was going to run another test on it."
The 1st shook her head. "No more tests. Begin the start up procedures for full power operation." Another explosion rocked the building. "Our time has run out."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
The queen walked past the fallen gods and goddesses and entered the Yggdrasil Control Room. She stopped briefly to stare at the slowly rotating structure in the center before walking to the SysOp chair. A dead goddess lay slumped in the chair. The queen grabbed hold of the goddess and then tossed the body aside before sitting down in the SysOp chair. Demons all over began to cheer as she propped her legs up on the SysOp terminal.
"Have you found her?" the Queen asked.
"Not yet Milady."
The Queen brought her feet down and typed a command in the SysOp terminal. She then frowned when nothing happened. "What's wrong with this terminal?"
A demon went down to the operators station and pulled a dead goddess from her terminal. "All the power and controls have been rerouted."
The Queen placed both hand on the SysOp terminal and leaned over.
"Where?"
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"Powers coming up." said Chronos, "Shouldn't be to much longer Boss."
The 1st said nothing.
"You alright Boss?"
"Come with me."
"Boss?"
The 1st turned and looked at Chronos. "You and me are the only ones left. Come with me."
"Our future depends on you alone. The past has become dark, and the present is no more. You don't need me."
"Please Chronos," said the 1st, "For me?"
Chronos smiled, "Alright. Get on the platform. Everything is set, all I have to do is throw the switch."
"Alright then."
Chronos headed towards the control panel while the 1st stepped on the platform. A loud gasp caused the 1st to turn. Chronos lay on the ground beside the control panel, a demon sword in her back.
"CHRONOS!!"
"Well hello there sister dear." The 1st turned to see the Queen of hell and several of her minions beside her.
"Don't call me that." growled the 1st, "I no longer consider you my sister."
"Ah well, that makes two of us." the Queen smiled, "It figures you'd be the last one. You were always the obnoxious one. So..how's the arm?"
The 1st grabbed her left arm out of reflex, her finger twitching again.
"Oh yeah, it was the left. I could never remember which it was." the Queen then smiled, "Don't worry, you'll be seeing it again soon enough. Ready!" The demons around her raised their arms, force balls forming. "Aim!" The demons aimed their arms at the 1st. The Queen was about to yell fire when the 1st was surrounded in a glow. "What the hell?"
The 1st turned and looked at the control panel. Chronos was back on her feet, blood dripping from her mouth.
* Our future....depends....on ....you...Skuld. * Chronos smiled one last time before falling over.
Static like spots began to appear before the 1st's eyes. The last thing she saw before her vision finally went was the Queen of hell screaming and several of her minions leaping at her, trying to stop her.