《The Altered, The Augmented, And The Ascended》Chapter 2

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Regulus cried in anguish as he watched his brethren fall out of the sky. In an instant, his eyes had snapped to each one of them as they fell, recognizing them with a mere glance.

Luckos.

Vremi.

Lika.

Isaiah.

The names went on... each one bringing more pain than the last. He was the village chief and he knew each of their names from the bottom of his heart.

And now they were dead. Gone from this world. But Regulus would remember them. His memory of each of them, carved into his soul, bringing new scars on top of old ones. Old scars from a war long ago. This was not the first time that Regulus had warred against the Augmented. He was not village chief for no reason. He was the oldest among the Altereds that lived in the village and he still remembered the last battle against the Augmented like it was yesterday. It was the battle that had taken Klara’s life afterall.

This battle, however, was different. This time the Augmented had prepared. Six spires of mechanical marvels floated effortlessly in the air as they advanced over the horizon. Regulus could not have mistaken them for what they were. They were different - larger in size, and slightly different in shape, but he was sure. They were Carriers. They were more than just floating fortresses. Each one of them contained Vessels, and by the size of the Carriers, he was sure that each one of them numbered more Vessels than his entire village alone.

And as village chief, Regulus knew how many people he had. A hundred-and-seventy-three. And that number just turned to a hundred-and-fifty.

“Chief! Watch out!” a voice shouted and suddenly Regulus was shoved aside.

In his place, an Altered had appeared and was immediately struck by a high-velocity projectile.

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Regulus recognized him immediately.

It was Vale, one of his younger council members and one of the fastest of the Altered. A searing hole had opened up in the center of his chest. Vale gasped for air, as his massive black wings folded before falling limply through the sky.

Regulus did not waste a second. He dived forward, and caught Vale in his scaled arms.

“Vale, focus!” Regulus growled through his abnormally sized jaw.

Vale blinked, then closed his eyes.

New flesh began to grow and a new set of lungs took form within his chest. A few moments later, the wound was gone, his organs and spine fully regenerated.

Vale breathed.

“Thanks chief,” Vale grunted before unfolding his wings and taking flight again. He hovered next to the chief awaiting his orders. “What should we do?”

When Regulus had led the Altereds to the skies, the Augmented had opened fire first. It was from an outrageous distance that he had never seen before. This was something new. An Augmented weaponry that Regulus had not faced before. A volley of projectiles propelled at speeds which had incinerated their scales and carapace instantly. He had watched with disbelief as the carnarge unfolded around him. The first volley had immeditately inflicted death on his kin and massive debilitating wounds to many that were caught in the barrage unaware. Still distraught and in disarray from the first volley, the second had immediately followed after a deafening explosion of sound. The second volley brought even more devastation to the flock of collosal Altereds.

By the third volley, the Altereds had learned. Insteading of advancing as a flock, they scattered into the errant winds, making themselves scarce. They dived and soared through the clouds, looping backwards and around in order to reduce their chances of being struck. No longer were the Altereds sitting targets, but their advance had been halted.

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Now, they looked to their chief, awaiting his command.

Regulus narrowed his eyes as his gaze fell on the Augmented fleet.

Dominating the horizon in front of them with the setting sun at their backs, were six Carriers lined up in a ‘V’ formation.

Resolutely, he turned to look at his people.

There was only one thing really for them to do.

Regulus raised his gargantuan arm, and every Altered in the sky - even those that were a thousand meters away - saw it clearly with enhanced eyes. He had pointed forward.

The army of hulking angels dived towards the Carrier closest to them, following Regulus, a giant among giants and their unwavering leader.

Another volley of projectiles ejected from the Carriers, searing a path through the air before perforating the army of Altereds.

Regulus didn’t even flinch as he felt parts of his flesh vaporize before feeling the scorching heat and the cold air travel through his innards. But it was not lethal. Anything that didn’t obliterate his brain instantly would not kill him.

Before long, Regulus slammed into the hull of a Carrier. His army of Altered followed like a swarm, crashing into the ship, and denting the exterior.

Their close proximity made it impossible for the Augmented to fire at them.

Regulus looked at his arm and focused. He stirred the genetic pool of varying compositions within him and selected. By his will alone, his arm began to change, the carapace and scales melting away, where new material grew. An ebony black lance formed, its length nearly as tall as himself.

Regulus spared a quick glance at his brethren. They too had changed. Their dense carapace, and tree-like limbs transformed into barbaric weapons.

Now it was the Altered’s turn to wreak havoc.

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