Colorized Ghosts - Chapter One, Unexpected Change
The sun melted into the horizon, it’s orange hues faded to darkness as the night settled in. A few hours ago is when the Royal Guard came to his house to tell him the news of the promotions. In three days, is when the ceremony will be held to commemorate the new queen. With the ceremony still fresh, he reflected on what this could mean for the kingdom, though his thoughts were cut short by knocks at the door. To his surprise, the unexpected guest was none other than the Princess herself.
With the door ajar, she rested against the wall; her hazel eyes glimmered in the moonlight, with a puff of smoke that floated to the door. She flicked the cigarette away, then smirked complacently at him, “May I enter?”
“Of course,-” He wafted smoke out of his face, while she rushed in and made herself at home, “-come on in!” He exclaimed quickly, then sunk his shoulders with a short sigh then closed the door.
“At least let me finish, Roxanne.” He turned, to see her already lying on his couch.
“I’m surprised you were able to slip by the guards at this time of day.” He closed the door, quickly going around and cleaned up anything out of place.
“Oh please, you know it’s easy to get by them.”
“Well that’s true, but then again they might have just let you slip by. I mean, you do command their respect as the Commander.” He took a seat and calmed down.
“Well that could be possible, but that’s enough about sneaking past the guards. There’s more important issues to discuss.” She fixed her posture then cleared her throat, “Specter, there's been some strange sightings in the forest west of the capital. A small team of covert operatives were sent in to investigate, but we lost contact about fifteen minutes ago.--”
Specter stood up, afterward walked over to the display case that hung on the wall. He moved his hand under it, the display case along with the wall dematerialized, which revealed his armor and weapons. “-- and let me guess, you want me to go in and continue the investigation while helping the operatives extract?”
“Precisely, but on this mission I’ll be joining you.” She grinned, then headed to the entrance.
“You sure you want to join me? I figured you had business to take care of with the ceremonies.” He reached out to his gear.
“Of course, besides I need to keep an eye on you just in case. Also, this mission is unsanctioned, so reconnaissance only besides the standard backup weapon.” She glared at him keenly, while next to the door.
“Fine.” He muttered in annoyance followed by a brief sigh, afterwards with hesitance grabbed the standard recon equipment. “Let’s be on our way.” With a hint mischievousness he concealed a prototype weapon on his wrist.
They left the house swiftly, with Specter in the front as he guided Roxanne through the dimly lit alleyways. After they walked in silence for a few minutes, she spoke up, “You know, with your status as Captain you could come live in the palace.”
“The thought is appreciated, but I don’t think other nobles would be delighted with the notion. Besides most of them are already fed up with the idea of seeing me in the Royal Guards with you as the Commander.” He walked ahead with a brisk pace, then checked around the corner and behind for anyone that might have followed them.
“Well yeah, I understand what you mean by that.” Roxanne smirked as she thought about the times she had Specter appointed to her squad on purpose.
“As expected, but let’s focus for now. Alright Roxanne, at the checkpoint ahead, I’ll handle the guards. Also, just wait for me a bit passed gate.”
“Be quick about it.” Roxanne said to Specter then waved at the guards and continued onward, both guards waved in return. She motioned her hand toward the sensor, “Identification recognized, Knight Commander Roxanne,” followed by a green light the gates opened.
The spotlight flickered on, it illuminated Specter as he approached the guards. One of them approached Specter, with his arm raised, but then bowed upon closer inspection. “My apologies Captain, I didn’t recognize you without your formal attire.” The guard returned to his post and then both of them bowed formally to their Captain.
“No worries, besides it’s always good to see you two.” Specter patted them both on their shoulders.
With slight hesitance one of them spoke up, “Sir, if we may ask, where are you going with the Commander?” Their eyes shone with profound respect, though to Specter it seemed as a strong sense of reverence.
Taken aback by their dauntful expressions, after a slight pause and a soft chuckle he regained his composure. “Princess Roxanne, I mean the Commander, wants to go out sightseeing before the ceremonies. So she has annoyingly, appointed me as her escort.”
“Ah I see, I’m sorry for sounding nosy.” Said the more reserved guard.
“It’s fine, Luke. No reason to be timid all the time, speak up more often and have confidence in yourself.” Specter bumped Luke in the chest with his fist.
“Yeah, Luke, like the Captain says.” He goaded Luke with a nudge.
“As per you, Nathan, take care of your little brother and don’t be so hard on him all the time.” Specter glared at Nathan.
“Y-Yes sir…” Nathan nodded and dropped his tough act.
“Anyways, I have a favor to ask. I know this is against ‘protocol’ but I need to borrow one of your ceremonial short-swords, if you don’t mind.” He told them both, with a quick eye roll at the mention of protocol.
“Are you sure, Captain? We have some other weapons in the locker inside the checkpoint.” Said Nathan, while he pointed to the locked weapon storage behind them.
“No it’s alright, either one of your swords is fine.” After a thorough look at the storage, he returned back to them.
“Alright Captain, it would be my honor then.” Luke’s hands shook with excitement as he unfastened his sword and scabbard, then handed it to Specter.
With a slow examination he noticed the Kingdom’s insignia on the hilt and its gold decorations, he was happy to see that it was well maintained. “Thank you for the help, I’ll be on my way now. Also one last thing, if the Princess returns alone, wait for me at your home.” With routine precision he strapped the scabbard to his belt and slid the sword in, followed with a wave to the young brothers.
“Yes sir.” They both said in unison, and waved back at Specter happily.
After a long yawn, he waved at the sensor, “Identification recognized, Knight Captain Specter.” Before the green light activated he forcefully opened the gate and passed through. The automated turrets atop the gate activated and aimed at Specter, he ignored the lasers pointed at his back and continued.
Specter caught up to Roxanne after a few minutes, “Anyways, sorry for being up a bit longer than expected. Also I know the mission is recon only, but I made sure to bring something a little more kick.”
“Oh, what did you bring?”
With his palm raised, skillfully he unfastened the well hidden device. Once free, he handed it to Roxanne, “Experimental palm-mounted phase disruptor.”
“Uh, yeah. What does it do?” She strapped it to her wrist and palm, then faced Specter.
“I pitched the idea to the R&D division, it can output a charged shot or blast of photon energy. Mostly, meant for all types of scenarios, but focused more on spiritual threats.” He said while they moved onward toward the forest.
“Are you talking about like fighting ghosts?” She replied, holding back laughter.
“Yes, Princess….” Specter sighed, and ignored her comment.
“Well I don’t really understand your combat about spirits and stuff, but I’ll try to be more serious about it. Still, you sneaky bastard, taking away a classified prototype.”
“Well, someone had to, but anyways now we’re both properly equipped. Anyways, who did you assign originally to the mission?” Specter wondered, about who he was going to help extract from the area.
“Recon Division’s Director, Ella Brado, accompanied by your usual sparring partner, Royal Guard’s Head Liaison, Victor Kufka.” Roxanne replied.
“Ah, I see. Good choices. Even without communications, those two should be fine.” Specter smiled at the mention of the two operatives’ names.
“Still, we’ll have to be prepared for anything.”
Blanketed by moonlight, they slipped into the outskirts of the kingdom’s capital, Grimlight. With a quicker pace, they stood at the edge of the Forest of Nightmares. Centuries ago there lie another
Kingdom that ruled the area, its castle secluded in the center and an unknown shrine south of it. In the past years there have been increased reports of rumored, entities of darkness, as the villagers say. With a quick glance at each other they steeled themselves and headed into the forest.
The emerald trees and flora, swayed softly with the wind, the moonlight dimmed slowly which left only ominous shadows that danced in the distance. Specter took point, with a stance that was ready for combat; Roxanne moved behind, she covered the rear with her palm disruptor ready.
Silence had engulfed them, their senses sharpened momentarily but waned as dread and anticipation kicked in. Whispers could be heard in the distance, while Specter noticed trails of green lights in the cover of darkness. Entranced with the lights, a few branches subtly snapped nearby, Roxanne tapped on his shoulder, with drove him away from the distraction.
“I heard some sounds nearby us, let’s keep cool and be ready.” Roxanne said softly, then quietly went to where the sound came from.
“Right. Right. Don’t worry I got your back.” Specter placed his hand on the hilt of the sword with a tight clench.
In the distance a bell rang, Roxanne paid no heed to it while she removed any vines and branches in the way. On the trunk of a tree, lied fresh blood, with its trail that lead further inward.
“Specter, this way.” An unexpected sharpness echoed from her mildly hushed call to Specter.
“Right, I’m on it. Stay close, but out of sight.” Still uneasy, briskly he moved passed any trees and vines still on the track of the blood from earlier.
With a forceful halt, in the dim light, he could make out the figure of an operative which lay against a tree. With a close in the gap, the operative reached out to Specter immediately in horror, before he relaxed momentarily.
“H-Hey Specter. They’re here, watching us since we entered the forest. You have to get out of here!” Victor’s were pupils dilated, with sweat that flowed down his brows and cheeks.
“Hey. Hey. Calm down. You’ll be fine Victor. Just tell me who they are, and I’ll make sure you stay safe.” Specter said calmly, though unable to ignore the sensation of a being that observed from the treetops.
“N-No, I’m done for! Besides, I can tell you can feel them watching us. Nowhere is safe in this forest, please Specter you have to find Brado!” Victor’s hand gripped Specter’s tightly, his resolve gleaned in the darkness.
Faster than he could respond, a black needle pierced through the Victor’s head. Blood splattered on the tree behind and on Specter’s cloak. He couldn’t contain the anger that formed, and turned at where the attack came from, which he shot off a barrage of gunfire. “Show yourself, bastard!”
“Hey calm down, there’s nothing we can do for him anymore…” Roxanne tried to hold down Specter’s arm.
He glared at Roxanne without a break in his concentration, then looked at Victor who was ranked under him. “How can you ask that of me?! To calm down when a good friend of mine died in front of me!”
Without notice, one of these beings dashed to Specter from the shadows, like a hand that extended to take your soul, it flickered back and forth from reality, before it swung at him rapidly. “...Join us..” It’s voice left a minor headache with green eyes that trailed in the dark.
Specter instinctively blocked with the sword, the entity shook in place, upon a closer inspection a warped bone mask adorned its face. Specter turned slightly, to glance at Roxanne, “You better fucking shoot it with that damn disruptor, Roxanne.”
“O-Of course...” Roxanne trembled at Specter’s ferocity, there was hesitance in her movements.
“We’re no use to each other dead, focus Roxanne!” Specter slid the sword through the entity, afterward ducked to let her get a good hit. “Shoot it! Now!”
Roxanne braced herself against the fear, after a brief exhale she aimed, the disruptor shot out a photon blast to the entity.
The entity overcharged with photons shifted back to a physical state, afterward Specter rose up then shot it, a clean head shot. Before the entity could plummet, Specter swung the sword forcefully through it’s torso, and silently it lay on the ground dead. With a loud exhale Specter spat on the entity’s corpse, “Rot in the dirt, fucker.”
“Roxanne go find the other Director Brado, I’ll lure them away from you. Also don’t bother coming back.” With a methodical anger, he cleaned the sword and placed it into the scabbard again.
“Are you sure Specter?” Roxanne asked, a worried look on her face.
“You already know I am.” Specter scowled with residual irritability, he kneeled toward Victor. In that dim light, faint traces of blood could be seen smeared on Specter’s arm and black combat shirt. An earthen fire shone in his eyes and followed by a cold reluctance, in Victor’s pouch he found two flares along with medical bandages. Without a word he got up, then handed Roxanne a flare and the bandages.
“Alright, once we’re safe outside the forest, I’ll signal with the flare.” Roxanne patted Specter on his shoulder, “I’m sorry, just make sure you come back alive,” afterward she dashed into the darkness of the forest.
Specter gave Victor a quick glance, “You won’t be forgotten.” Anger welled up inside him immensely, soon after he sprinted toward the direction of the castle.
The rest of the beings, now placed all their attention to Specter, after he managed to slay one of their own. Leaves rustled with the trees ominously stretched upward, which blocked out most of the moonlight that remained. In that almost complete abyss the being, writhed and screeched inhumanly, the noises raised Specter’s nerves to a new peak.
En-wrapped in that ambience, Specter observed, unfazed, the beings shimmered a faint silver. Though their eyes, glared about with a strong lime color. Some dangled from the branches of trees, while others crouched ready to pounce.
There was one however, that formed itself from the very darkness in front of Specter. With silvery-green eyes, it watched Specter before it spoke, “I have seen how you killed one of the lower ranks, this is very interesting indeed. I will depart now, but be warned The Enlightened will not be so kind.” Before long, it disappeared in the direction of the castle.
Just as he said, these so called Enlightened all charged at Specter. With no time to attack, he headed south toward the shrine. In his retreat, Specter lit the flare and tossed it to the corrupted pursuers. As he ran he took short peek behind, and saw that the Enlightened were drawn in by the incandescent crimson light.
“Just you wait, you’ll get your does soon enough.” Specter said.
The dread and fear he felt earlier had drifted away to nothing, while the sky was painted with bright orange streaks, dawn had arrived at last. With the light that reemerged Specter, could make out the base of the desolate shrine, once there he stood by momentarily to recover his breath.
Sunlight pierced through the warped forest, with one final bellow one of the entities appeared near him. It snarled, on all fours it contorted itself and headed for Specter, before it could reach him it stopped in place.
“A perfect blessing, come here you piece of shit!” Specter pounced at the Enlightened with vile aggressiveness. He didn’t give it a chance to phase, repeatedly impaled it on its head and torso with the sword. The light from within it drained, and lied on the ground lifeless.
Specter arose, gave the forest a quick view before he noticed afar a red light that peered through the emerald woodland. After a bitter sigh and malicious smile Specter turned to face the shrine, “Just you wait Enlightened, once I finish investigating this Shrine, I’ll kill you all and avenge Victor.”
Within Specter his rage smoldered even more, still without a skipped beat he strolled up the steps to investigate the shrine.
