Factory Reset: Divine Corruption

Chapter Ninety-Five

Chapter Ninety-Five: Useless

"Captain!" The shrill voice of Viscera echoed in the deep crater left in the planet. The black rabbit it was addressed to groaned weakly as he pushed himself up, the gravity completely weakening to it's normal amount.

Mason slammed his fist against the ground, his eyes and the stripe around his neck glowing brightly. Mason shivered, his breathing erratic and heavy. Viscera slid next to him, their hands gripping his arm to bring him back onto his paws, "Are you alright?" They asked.

"Help Renaissance, please." Mason told them, gesturing to the downed frail protogen with his head, his ears quickly pressed themselves tight against his nape. Viscera's visor took on a face of reluctance, the pixels creating a frown, but Mason's face of determination decided for her that she should just follow what he had said.

Mason turned his heel, quickly dropping to his knees with a pained grunt, gripping onto Ja'Kles arm, "Are you alright, Ja'Kle?" Mason asked worriedly, easing the Mosomarian onto his paws, the other's wings rustling. Ja'Kle groaned as he was helped up by Mason, his eyes rapidly blinking.

"I'm alright, we gotta get going now." Ja'Kle told Mason, and the rabbit quickly agreed. A second passed, before Mason gripped Ja'Kle and brought him close for a hug, his chest heaving wildly as the Boson-Energy was drawn out of him by the contact. Ja'Kle brought his arms around Mason and hugged him back.

"You got Renaissance?" Mason asked after the two separated, and the Viscera called out that they did. Mason nodded his head, sliding his hand down against Ja'Kles side before grabbing his wrist and pulling him along, to what he assigned the couple of protogen to stay and do.

There, in the middle of the large column upward, was a massive structure constructed of congealed and mutated blood, floating pieces of rock and miles upon miles of stone, and thousands of shards of hard light. The structure was for them to use to get out of there quickly, once the group returned with the beacon.

"Where are they..." Mason muttered under his breath as he and Ja'Kle stumbled to the platform. Cardinal swiftly ran towards them, sliding to a halt to better support Ja'Kle, who despite saying he was alright looked injured. Mason glanced up, seeing Marissa still floating, concentrating on the many holes in the cavern's walls.

"Hurry!" Retaliate yelled, quickly urging them forward. Mason gulped, pressing his paws deep into the ground before starting out in a run, cardinal quickly catching on and running with them, Ja'Kles paws basically being dragged against the cracked ground. He only groaned, he was tired.

"Renaissance, can you contact the pods? Are they still there?" Mason called out behind him, his purple eyes shining so brightly they appeared to be shining stars. His breath was rapid, his voice was raspy. And yet, it had a triumphant sound to it. They were succeeding. They were actually winning.

"They're still there. I can't contact them, but they are.." Renaissance yelled back, groaning. Mason felt little ambient Boson-Energy coming from the white-ish protogen, and Mason felt a pang of worry. He discarded that thought though, and kept climbing towards the middle area.

Cardinal suddenly told Mason to pause, and she stepped forward. Her visor turned off as she reached out with a clawed hand, and a long stripe of yellow hard-light stretched out from her fingers. It took the form of a platform, and she gently urged Mason to place Ja'Kle on it so she could transfer him faster. Mason quickly complied.

Mason gently eased Ja'Kle onto the platform, and he gazed on as Cardinal took his love to the middle faster. Mason sighed, and quickly followed her. He did not like giving up carrying Ja'Kle, but he seemed greatly affected with that gravity wave that Marissa unleashed. They soon reached the middle.

All the remaining protogen seemed to be there. Both Arctic and Northern were resting in the middle, and Fallout was knocked out, guarded by Nebula and Aberration. Ja'Kle was placed beside him in the direct center of the large winding structure.

Mason sighed, turning his head towards the cavernous black void-like walls around them. Mason peered deep into the void, his ears stretching to try and hear anything. But there was nothing, nothing beyond the crackling of the rocks.

"Watch out!" Another shout rumbled through the air, and Mason quickly turned his head. A blur ran past him, the light-ish gray color of Retaliate ran past him, jumping down from the pedestal. Mason quickly turned his head. The Residents were waking up once more after that gravity crush.

Mason turned heel for a moment, planning on reaching the pedestal once more and just letting his team take care of while they waited for Ruinate to come back, but Mason stopped himself. He felt himself ache to return to the pedestal, console Ja'Kle and just wait. But the inner side of himself yearned to not be useless.

Mason clenched his fist tight, hitting his leg to get himself straight. There was no reason to risk himself right now, especially after all that could be at stake with the universe. And yet, Mason couldn't help but feel like he wasn't doing anything substantial. He knew he was doing a lot, and yet it didn't feel like it.

Mason turned heel once more, his ears twitching gently as he sighed out in frustration with himself. He started out in a run, his eyes glowing brighter as he drew in more of the ambient Boson-Energy around him. If he had this ability, might as well use it.

Mason breathed out. If only Ruinate would get there, they needed to leave now.

________________________________________________________________________________

Howdy!

So... I did it! Finally managed to get this done! 'Tis not good at all, but I did my best! Apologies for the shortness, heh-

But I did it! Thanks to those that are still reading, and I hope y'all enjoyed!

~ Candle

2/14/2022