The Orion Project (Rewrite) (indefinite hiatus)

Chapter 34

Devon watched as Lucas tore through the front of the convoy, leaving nothing behind. He almost felt bad as he picked another one off with his rifle.

"I am surprised things are going so smoothly for you youngling."

"Of course it is, it was our plan after all." Devon replied confidently.

"Hmm, yes. And the sky is blue and calm."

"The hell does that even mean?" He fired again.

"Youngling, you do not have the experience to have such confidence. I would expect things to start becoming....unpleasant soon."

"Oh come on, it's nothing we can't handle."

Lucas suddenly threw his axe at something near the tail end of the convoy and rocketed off like a missile. Devon looked on in disbelief as he left the rest of the convoy untouched.

"I did indeed warn you."

"You...! Lucas? Lucas?! Where are you going?!" Devon yelled over the comms. All he got in response was a roar of excitement and the sound of metal being twisted.

Devon looked on in disbelief before he shook his head. A large, heavily armored truck, barreled through the mess of cars, debris, and corpses and sped off down the highway.

"I'll bet Slavore's in there." Devon mumbled as he propped himself on one knee.

"You have your 'orders' youngling. You had best go after your prey. It would be embarrassing for me if you let him go." His bond chided him.

"Embarrassing? For you? What about me? I'd be more embarrassed than you." He said as he slotted his rifle on his back next to his sword. When it was secured, he walked to the edge of the roof and looked down.

"Yeah, I have time. I definitely have time. Right?"

"Jumping would be the quickest route and wisest option to take. This is an excellent moment to learn how to fly! Oh....it is just like teaching the younglings back in my homeland!"

"Fly? I'm not some baby dragon grandma. I can't fly! I'd be falling and flailing about!" Devon said incredulously.

"Oh hush now! I can teach you how to fly with magic! It will be exciting! And I am not that old! I am only twenty thousand, three hundred and twenty two years old! I am in the prime of my life! A 'grandma', as you put it, would be in their five hundred thousand years to be considered an elder. Do not be rude about a female's age youngling!" She warned.

"Technically, you're not anymore. You're just in my head at this point." He said as he watched the truck get closer.

"If I was deceased, I would not be spiritually attached to you and I would have ascended to the beyond. So yes, I still live. Now then, prepare yourself."

"For what?!"

"To jump of course!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"To pounce on your prey at such a crucial moment is exhilarating youngling! Jump when I tell you to jump."

"I'm not gonna jump off of a skyscraper and fall to my death!"

"Do not whine or I shall throw you off of this building myself!"

"You can't do that! You don't even have a body anymore!" Devon stated. "R-right?"

"You have much to learn youngling." She sighed.

Devon felt a strange, liquid like sensation flow through his chest, like someone had poured cold lava through his core. It felt unnatural and before he knew it, he was flung off the roof and falling rapidly towards the pavement.

"YOU CRAZY REPTILE!" He cried as he fell. He could only flail his arms in an attempt to slow himself.

"You will apologize for your words later. For now, let our engaging lessons begin!" She said gleefully.

Devon could only feel a pang of annoyance and anger as he continued to fall. "Then tell me what to do!! QUICKLY! PLEASE!?"

"You have a connection with the skies not only through me, but through your own power as well. Focus, feel the currents around. Let them surround you, hug you, and slow your descent. Let the currents flow through you like the air does in nature."

"Im not gonna get this on my first try, am I?" He groaned as he started to focus.

"No, and it will most likely hurt. But! You will be alive! And will have taken your first steps towards becoming something greater!" She said with pride.

"Yeah, right."

Devon reached out with his will, hoping to feel the spirits respond. He could feel them reach out their open arms and surround him in a thin coating of air. He pushed his arms downwards and felt the air burst out beneath him.

While it did not fully bring him to a stop, it still cushioned his fall just enough for him to only crack the concrete beneath his feet and create a small crater in the road. He groaned in pain and shook his head as he stood. He barely saw the truck through the smoke and he rolled out of the way.

"Woah!" He cried.

"Well? What are you standing still for? Commence your pursuit youngling!" She urged.

He pushed himself to his feet, stumbling into a sprint after the vehicle. He suddenly felt lighter as he reached the peak of his sprint. While he was still on the road, he was moving faster and faster as he realized he was catching up to the vehicle at an unexpected pace.

"How am I doing this?!" He asked himself.

"You have not severed your connection youngling. The spirits and aiding you on your hunt. Do be careful, you do not want to pass out when you reach them." She warned.

"Yeah, Aesir said something similar. I'll cut it out when I'm on that truck!"

He felt another burst of air urge him even faster behind him. He reached out his hand and latched it onto the back of the truck. He jumped up onto the roof and severed his connection.

"What was that?!" He heard someone say from within the truck. He reared his arm back before smashing it through the windshield and grabbed ahold of the steering wheel and jerking the vehicle into a roll.

He leaped off the truck and rolled to his feet. He watched as the vehicle rolled dozens of times until it screeched to a halt, lying on its side. The windows were shattered and, even for its reinforced armor, its frame was dented and mangled. He watched as a couple of Slavore's men crawled out, looking dazed and confused. Slavore soon joined them with a large gash on his head.

"Who....who are you?!" He screamed at Devon. "Kill him!"

His men stumbled to their feet and drew their pistols, sloppily firing shots at Devon. A few shots bounced off his armor harmlessly and Devon slowly walked towards them. As soon as he reached them he backhanded one off the ledge of the bridge and grabbed the other's sidearm. He crushed it and the man's hand into a crumpled mess of metal and bone. As the man screamed in pain, Devon clocked him so hard with an uppercut that it snapped the man's neck in one go.

Slavore slowly backed away, drawing what looked like a machete from a sheath on his back. He wiped the blood out of his eye as he pointed the blade at Devon. The weapon trembled in his hand as he backed up into the median.

"Wh-what kind of monster are you?" He asked as Devon now stood before him. The tip of his blade was pressed against Devon's chest armor and it started to groan under the pressure. Devon took one more step forward and the blade snapped in two. Slavore looked on in horror as Devon drew his own sidearm.

"I dunno," he said and aimed it at Slavore's head.

"You tell me." And he pulled the trigger.

Slavore's body slumped against the median and a good chunk of his head was blown open. Devon heard an airship land behind him and turned to see everyone waiting for him. He gave a thumbs up to Hydros as he climbed in the back and sat next to Rose.

The ship lurched into the air and they sped away, the city nothing but a small speck behind them. Their mission had been completed.