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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 42: Arrivals

Day 72 (evening, the Infirmary)

"Ah it looks like one of our patients is up." I said looking at the young red avian.

"Where is badger lady?!" She cried. "I need badger lady!"

"Whoa easy, calm down little one." I said to her. "She is near by."

"I WANT BADGER LADY NOW!!!"

"You can't see her now little one."

"WHY?!!" The little girl shrieked.

"Because she is in recovery, like you. In fact when we found the two of you- you were both in bad shape."

The little avian was wearing a black dress with multicolored flowers on it and black leggings. It looked nice but was totally inappropriate for this time of year it was also dusty and very dirty. She stared at me quite uneasily. So I tried to set her at ease.

"Hi I am Alex, I am a medic. I work with Shakara here in the infirmary."

She just stared at me like she was analyzing and then processing the words coming out of my mouth and my very movements.

"And you are?" I said extending my hand.

"Um, Adeline Child." She said nervously. "Addy for short."

"Well Addy, welcome to the lost city."

"What is the lost city human?"

"Well you can consider it a refugee camp for survivors of the cataclysm. Those that live here stumbled upon this place while fleeing the dangers above ground." I said ignoring how she had addressed me.

"This is an underground city?"

"Yes. It is a great hiding place from the threats on the surface- night creatures, Others and most hostile adversaries. Be at ease you are safe here."

(For now.)

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Tired and weak."

"You definitely look malnourished. First lets get some food into you. Then rest and then a bath, you are quite dirty." I said getting up from the cot she was laying on.

"Well we were under ground." The little avian said to me.

"I know, here try some of this." I said handing her a bowl.

"What is it?"

"Ground tuna. Now eat, you need to regain your strength."

Slowly the little beastial, started eating what I had given her. The consistency, its amount, quality and taste.

"So how did you and the badger lady wind up in that cave complex Addy?"

"Well...." She said.

"That was not the safest place to be; there were night creatures inhabiting that area- dangerous night creatures."

"I was camping with mommy and daddy in the Great Forest when the empire ended. We thought of going home, but soon realized that there was no home left to go to. Daddy said that we should stay in the forest and look for survivors- possibly share our supplies. While searching one night we were attacked by these scary horrifying things!" Addy said quivering. "They were dark, tall bird like creatures, black masks hid their faces. They took us to their lair. They were going to eat us! Mommy and daddy were carried away by two of them. I was left for later. The badger lady rescued me and I have been with her ever since."

"How long has that been?"

"Since January."

"And your parents?" I said to her.

"I don't know."

"And I take it you two have been searching for them ever since. We have a few residents here that are missing as well. In fact we were looking for one of them when we found you and the badger lady."

"What happened?" Addy asked.

"One decided to leave on his own and the other just disappeared under very mysterious circumstances. Like you and Lady Barq we hope to find them again one day. Anyway, both of you are welcome here." I said as Addy studied her surroundings.

"It looks ancient."

"Yes this is an old city that was built long ago. My friends and I took refuge here after the fall. It has been our home ever since." I said as she was processing. "Say, when you are better would you like to meet them?"

She nodded.

"I think that they would like that too. But you will need to get better first. Get some rest, I will check on you later."

I then went to the room next door where I found my she beast performing some tests on our second resident.

"Shakara how is she?"

"Weak and partially comatose. I am trying to rehydrate her now." My lioness said opening the badger's eyes.

We watched but the pupils did not move. The larger badger was about the same size as Lady Ursa- a very formidable warrior in every respect, but she was out of it.

Shakara ran her triangular tools over Lady Barq's entire body bottom to top, and top to bottom.

"Well it is a start little cutie. Let's see if she responds in kind." The dark tan lioness said putting away her instruments.

"You think if we can get her up and talking then she can start ingesting food and liquids?" I said to my devious person.

"Exactly. We better get going little cutie. The commander and our bear a conducting a meeting downstairs. They will want an update."

And so....

"So that is the situation everyone." My fierce ursine warrior said to Shakara, myself, Corey, Corbin, Rumble and Rhinox.

"We were unsuccessful in locating Russell Ferguson." The commander said. "Despite searching the cave complex beyond the north maze.

"Did you run across that sleeping night creature that tried to envelope all of you?" Corbin asked.

"No." Lady Ursa said. "Corey's exploding glow stick scared it off. To where, we don't know."

"That gives me some ideas. I think I am going to start making specialized arrows." The black haired teen said.

"...couldn't hurt..." Rumble mumbled.

"In these times, we need every advantage we can get." I said to my companions.

"So Russell is really gone commander?" Shakara asked.

"Affirmative. To where we don't know. He did make it into the cave complex but all traces of him have disappeared after that." The rhino said to the lioness.

"So once again the city is in danger, we all are in danger." The teen said. "Are we going to evacuate?"

"Where would we go?" The little mongoose boy asked.

"There is the auxiliary site but there are nine of us and that site would be quite cramped." I found myself saying.

"Corey, Rumble did you two seal off the entrance to the caverns from the north maze?" Lady Ursa asked.

"Yes for the second time in as many months." The black haired teen said.

"The other exits to the outside world are also secured commander." My bear knight said to the rhino warrior.

Rhinox thought for a moment. "Did anything enter the city during the time the exits from the western and northern mazes were open?"

"No." The little mongoose boy said. "We searched all the homes in the city, the central building and the mazes."

"Rumble didn't detect anything either." Corey added.

"Very well, we will continue to guard the entrances to the city. I also want new traps installed in each of the mazes- loud ones. If something or someone gets through I want to hear about it." Rhinox said.

"And if something does get through?" The lion lady asked.

"We are to keep weapons at the ready." My she bear responded.

"That reminds me, did our medical staff decide on what theirs were going to be?" The commander asked looking right at Shakara and myself.

"Russell's spear. I will keep it for him in case he returns." The dark tan lioness said.

"If he returns." Corey said as all eyes in the eating room fell on him. "I mean if you like, I can help you make specialized spear points- for any and every occasion."

"Very good Shakara." The commander said. "Alex?"

"Um, not as of yet sir." I said dragging my feet.

"The time is now Mr. Winter." The rhino warrior said to me. "What we saw in the cave complex this morning was proof."

"You can borrow the commander's mace for now." My warrior bear said. "From this point on everyone is to carry their weapon at all times."

"Ok, now that the serious stuff is out of the way, what about those we found today?" The little mongoose boy said rhyming.

"Lady Barq and her companion were malnourished, weak and partially comatose when I stumbled upon them." My devious person said.

"How are they now?" Lady Ursa asked.

"Improving mistress." I added. "They are responding to treatment but it will be a few days before they are on the foot-paws."

"When can I see Barq?" The commander asked.

"They are resting now commander. But I will see what I can do." My lioness said.

"Ok, so finding Lady Barq was big, I mean she is big." Mr. Collins started to say.

"We now have the three strongest knights of the former empire here in our city Corey." Corbin chimed in. "When she is back up and about...."

"Yeah, yeah we will be a lot safer. But what about the other one- the bird girl?"

"Alex and I have only had a brief conversation with her."

"She calls herself Addy, she appears to be about six years old." I added. "She said that Lady Barq rescued her from Capital Stadium after her parents were taken by night creatures."

"So she is all alone." The little mongoose boy said.

"...we should visit..." Rumble added.

"Um, perhaps Corbin and I should go first big guy. At initial glance you don't appear to be so cute and cuddly."

The werewolf snorted in response.

"Anything further?" The commander asked. "Ok then Corey, Rumble, Overwatch, Wheels, Shakara and myself will be on night patrol. Ursa, Corbin and Alex get some rest. Dismissed."

Before heading home for the night I decided to check in on our patients upstairs in the infirmary. Shakara had decided to place Lady Barq and Addy in the same room so that they could keep each other company. As I entered I found the commander by the large lady badger's side.

"Barq, I am so sorry."

"Rombolt?! What is this place?" The badger warrior asked.

"You are in the infirmary of a hidden refugee community. I stumbled upon it and about a month ago."

"Looks rather old." The huge badger said looking around.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"We tracked several night creatures to that stadium. We entered planning to exterminate them. It turned out to be a lair, we were overwhelmed. You ordered a retreat and then nothing. Until I woke up here." The female warrior said.

"You were found in a cave complex three miles south of World Five. I assumed you escaped and found little Addy along the way." The commander said taking her paw.

"Rombolt, I don't remember her." The badger warrior said glancing at the little beastial on the other cot on that side of the room.

(Odd, Shakara didn't say Barq was suffering from amnesia.) I thought to myself as I walked over. Despite the condition she was in, her plumage was a nice shade of red. I noticed that it matched her eyes and complemented her yellow beak.

"How are you doing sweetie?" I asked.

"I miss mommy and daddy. Did you find them?" She said turning to look at me.

"Um no." I said awkwardly.

(We weren't even looking.)

"Kay." She said quietly.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

"A little better." She replied.

"If you need anything let us know."

I then walked out of the room to the infirmary next door.

"We have quite some interesting patients huh little cutie?" My lioness said.

"I will say. It is odd that Addy remembers traveling with Lady Barq, while the other doesn't at all. Very odd."

"You going to be alright little cutie?"

"I was going to ask the same of you my lioness."

"Most definitely, the commander and I will be patrolling the north maze. I will also be keeping an eye on our patients which means you will have to keep an eye on Ursa for me."

"I plan to, stay safe." I said to my lioness.

That night it was just my mistress and my little brother. I noticed our bed was less crowded and cramped as a result. As we fell asleep, Lady Ursa embraced me from behind. I rested my head on her chest and my rump in her crotch- our traditional sleeping position. Corbin was sleeping on me in a similar manner.

*POOF*

"Here it is our assignment for the night- to guard the north maze and that sealed wall that leads to the caverns near World Five." I said to loin-cloth wearing were-creature.

"...yes..." He said following me into the maze.

"I had a feeling it would only be some time before I got sucked into guard duty rotation." I said as we worked our way to were the maze ended.

"...rhino needs defenders..."

"Yeah with Russell gone and Lady Barq still in traction you are short a few warriors." I said. "Well, I am happy to help out- as long as it isn't permanent."

Rumble snorted at my remark as we arrived at the sealed wall.

"...we're here..."

"Yay, seven hours of boredom watching this location." I said as we settled in.

Rumble sniffed and listened to our surroundings trying to detect anything out of the ordinary.

"Anything?"

"...no..." The werewolf said as the wall behind us started crumbling. "...um... yes..."

It sounded like someone or something was tunneling in from the caverns on the other side.

"This not good." I said batting the commander's mace on the palm of my left hand. "Get ready to rumble Rumble."

We watched as whatever or who ever dug through the sealed wall into our location. A white paw reached through and cleared enough of the debris to make an entrance.

"Who goes there?!!" I shouted as a small white rabbit emerged through the hole it had created.

Rumble started snarling.

"You are that rabbit girl the commander and Russell encountered!" I hissed.

"...Other..." The werewolf growled.

"Yes. The pony was correct about what was here and now we have found you."

(Shit!)

*"Very clever hiding underground." * The rabbit remarked.

"Get back Poa! We will attack." I warned.

"Be at ease human. On this momentous day of your assimilation we have come bearing gifts." The possessed white rabbit said to me and Rumble.

"What type of gifts?" I asked stepping back.

"See for yourself." The rabbit girl said turning toward the hole in the wall. As she did, she was joined by three more of the the possessed a grey minotaur, his lover a coyote and young lioness.

"Tauren, Lurie and Lea?!"

They were still wearing the clothing they had on the day of the fall; when they became Others.

*"Greetings my friend it has been a while." * Tauren said approaching me. He had that all to familiar peaceful, goofy stare on his face.

"Tauren...." I said to him.

"...Alex..." Rumble said reaching for me. "...we can't fight..."

The were-creature realized that we had been compromised and there was no way we could confront our invaders and survive.

"That will not be necessary." Poa said.

*touch*

As the werewolf dropped to all fours, tossed me on to his back the small white rabbit reached for his tail. The were-creature started rolling on the floor of the maze convulsing as he tried to fight some unseen force that was trying to take over him. I was thrown clear from his back.

"Look at this body and physique! Such a magnificent specimen for our master." Lurie said.

Rumble struggled a moment longer before the inevitable happened.

"ARRROOOOO!!!! ARRROOOOOO!!!!! ARRROOOO!!!!"

"What did you do to him?" I shouted at the horde.

"He has received a early reward for his forthcoming** obedience, loyalty and enteral servitude."** Lea said.

"What was that?" I asked uneasily.

"Indescribable pleasure." Poa said approaching me while the werewolf continued to howl.

"Stay back!!" I shouted as the four possessed beastials approached me.

"Resistance is irrelevant young Alex. We have longed to add you to our order." Lea said to me.

I tried to stand up and run but the situation was hopeless Tauren, Lurie and Lea were much faster than I and could catch me without even trying.

I was soon looking up at the white rabbit as she stared down on me.

"Your friends have missed you Alex Winter."

"Yes ONE, I miss those three very- much they are my dear, dear friends. I did want to see them again, but not like this!"

"You fear the loss of your free will." The rabbit girl said to me. " But what is the alternative? Your free will for the pain, misery and suffering- of your current existence while hiding out in the remnants of the fallen empire?"

"Stay back!! Stay back!!" I shouted trying to find the commander's mace.

"In exchange we offer a new world, free of what hindered and plagued the old. No prejudice, injustice or inequality only eternal servitude to us." The entity said through its four vessels. Before each addressed me individually.

"Do not fear Alex, the synoptic is extremely old and wise. If you are subservient, it will share the wonders of the universe with you." Lurie said to me.

"You will enjoy your new life little human which will be much better than your previous." Tauren echoed. "Our master is quite benevolent; its rewards are even better than sex."

"We have missed you Alex. But never fear, from today forward we will be together forever and ever more." The young lioness said hugging me.

"LEA!! DON'T!!" I screamed as the she beast crouched down and embraced me.

At that moment I felt bizarre as an unknown wind raced through my very being.

"What you are feeling is the transition. It may be scary at first, but is quite fun." The sexy lioness or was it the entity? Said to me.

*MOAN*

"What was that?"

"You feel that don't you?" The lioness said as our minds started to link.

"It's possession squirt and your reward for allowing it." Lurie said to me.

*MOAN*

"OHHHH!!!"

Russell was right the sensation was indescribable. Like a 100 orgasms. No, a 1000 orgasms at the same time. So this is what it felt like to become the entity's meat puppet.

"It is done, we have completed the set." The entity said through me. "Now let's spread the good news to the rest of this city."

*POOF*

"NO!!!" I shouted waking up. "Oh, it was a dream."

"Professor! Don't go! Come back to me!" Corbin moaned in his sleep.

(It looks like I wasn't the only one.)

"Corbin, you are ok?" I said jostling my little brother.

"UHN!!" He groaned. "A dream. But it was so, real."

"What were you dreaming about?" I asked the naked little mongoose.

"Dawn. I was in the chasm where she disappeared big brother."

"How did you wind up there?"

"I had been going over her notes and the last footage from the probe before it was lost."

"So you were conducting your own investigation." I said hugging him.

"Yes. That platform that was surrounded by the obelisks, I think it was a transporter of some kind. Kind of like on your PDA big brother."

"So you are saying she was transported somewhere?"

"Exactly." The mongoose boy said to me.

"Where?"

"I don't know Alex. We need to find out how to work that thing and go after her."

"That could be dangerous- that could lead to another world or universe worse than this one."

"Or better." Corbin countered.

"We need to discuss this with the rest of our family."

*MOAN*

"Oh Shakara! Alex take me now!!!" My perfect person moaned in her sleep.

"But I think that can wait until morning." I said glancing at my warrior bear.

"Why is that big brother?"

"I think we should let momma bear sleep- sounds like she is having a most pleasant dream, I would say boarding on erotic."

"She is?"

"She is. Her crotch is wet and... she just came. I say we let her enjoy it and beg her to tell us in the morning." I said pulling Corbin close to me.

"Um kay. Did you have a dream big brother?"

"Yeah, Corbin I did."

"What about?"

"Rumble and I were guarding the north maze when the synoptic invaded."

"What did you do?"

"There was nothing I could do- Tauren, Lurie, Lea and Poa entered the maze from the caverns. They turned Rumble, then me and then came for the rest of you. The only beast left was Lady Ursa who was left here to succumb to her condition after all of us departed. It was quite a disturbing dream."

"But was it a premonition?"

"Time will tell Corbin, time will tell."

Day 73 (Night, the north maze)

"And once again I have the night watch." I said following Rumble into the maze.

"...rhino worried..."

"I think it was when I told everyone about my dream." I said to the were-creature. "By the way are you sensing anything?"

"...no..."

"Smelling anything?"

"...only you..."

"Good, I hope it stays that way." I said the escaped lab creature.

We soon arrived at the sealed wall where the maze ended and the caverns began.

"...no breach..."

"Good. I hope it stays that way- but if the Others were to invade, it would make perfect sense to come through here." I said staring at the werewolf. He nodded in response.

"So what do you and Corey do to pass the time on your watch?"

"...talk..."

"Really? About what?"

"...life..."

"Let me guess, he does most of the talking and you do most of the listening."

"...how did you know..?"

"Call it a hunch my loincloth wearing friend." I said as the were-creature started sniffing the air. "So what did you think of the meeting?"

The were-creature snorted.

"Yeah I was relieved that the commander finally developed a protocol for missions outside the city. Lady Ursa is going to be our Others specialist and Lady Barq is going to be our monster specialist. It makes sense because they have experience dealing with each respectively."

"...badger looked at me..."

"It is ok, Rumble, she doesn't know that you are a good monster." I teased.

Rumble suddenly moved to the wall, floor, me, then sniffed the air at our location.

"What's wrong?"

"...something is here..." There werewolf snarled.

There was a flash then a yellow oval opened right above me.

!!!

I darted away as Rumble followed. I think he was trying to move me away from being underneath the yellow oval that had magically appeared.

"...how did you know..?" Rumble asked he landed on me.

"I have a early warning system- it is built in."

We watched as something came through the opening landing head first.

"OWIE!!!!" The being said.

"Damnit it is an invasion!" I had just said those words when Rumble leapt into action pouncing on the invader.

"GRROOOOAR!!!!"

"Rumble wait! It could be an Other!" I shouted.

*slam*

"OWIE!!!!" The being said as the werewolf pinned it.

"...not Other. White furred cat..." The were-creature said looking at me before returning to look at our interloper.

(Say what?!)

"Hey Alex! How are things?" He said.

"CODY SPENCER?!"

Alex Winter March 16, YOE