Raider's Reign

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[p3tr1xx]

Hello chat, I've finally put Raider's Reign on AO3! I know some folks don't like reading fics on tumblr so I've decided to put it on AO3. I don't really like the site but most people read fanfic there, so. Here it is!! It's still wip but I will be updating it when I have the motivation and time. :)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66597979/

[yourlastwither]

CHAPTER 1.

Alex woke to the sound of someone rapping the knocker against his door. He glanced out the window, now confused as to why someone would be knocking so late- let alone at all. He pulled himself out of bed, groaning in protest as another string of knocks came. “I'm up, I'm up, geez..” He grumbled, lugging himself toward the door. He still had a nasty limp from falling a few too many blocks a few days ago.

He opened the door, trying to rub the grogginess from his face before he answered. After he felt he was ready, he opened the door.At his doorstep stood Lukas, one of Jesse's friends.

..but why was he here? What did the order- let alone Lukas have to do with him? He would find out shortly, it seemed, as the man got a bit closer. “Can I come in? It's about Jesse.” He asked quickly. He didn't leave Alex much choice, anyway. Either way, this was about Jesse, which meant it was important.

Alex stepped out of the way, allowing the taller inside. Once he came in and invited himself to sit, Alex sat across from him, hands steepled over his knees as he silently questioned the man, urging him to speak.

“..I don't know if you want to hear it right now.” Lukas started, tilting his head down and to the side a bit as he gauged Alex's reaction to the already vaguely tense situation. Alex's brows furrowed as he listened to him. “It's nothing.. bad.. is it? He's not dead or anything?” He felt his stomach drop as he asked that.. why did he feel like this, just saying that?

Lukas gave him a look. That look he'd even seen Jesse give when someone got something unfortunate right. Right then and there, Alex felt a part of himself die. He watched as Lukas tensed up, trying to make himself look smaller. “..I'm sorry.”

Alex wanted to dismiss it and say it was fine, but it wasn't. He had every right to be upset right now, he wanted to take everything out on Lukas- he knew it wasn't his fault and doing so was incredibly wrong, but gods. He wanted to do it. His world was shattering over this one thing.

He took a deep breath, hands moving up to crumple his hair as he felt himself start to shake. “..What’s supposed to happen now? He just.. died..? How?” And a part of him didn't want to hear that answer. He wanted to be stuck in the dark, thinking his brother was alive and not- well. Dead. Lukas looked a little lost, trying to figure out a way to articulate what he knew without it sending Alex further into despair. “..Well, it's.. finicky. I don't-” He cut himself off, taking a hastened breath. It was better not to dance around this. “When we went to go stop The Admin, Jesse ended up dying. None of us really knew what was happening, everything was moving so fast- but before we knew it, he was just.. gone.” Lukas' voice crackled, steadily grown weak from the recollection of the incident. Was it even an incident? No, this was a tragedy.

He took a journal from his satchel and placed it on the coffee table, sliding it toward Alex. Alex's stomach twisted violently. He knew that cover. Gods, he knew it. And boy, did it hurt. “..This was what we managed to find of his inventory after we left and came back, but.. everything else was lost. I'm sorry.” A partial lie. But he thought the journal would be more of use to him than a few bits and bobs.

Alex swallowed the lump in his throat and took the journal, hands quaking as he flipped over the front of it to see the initials inside.

..And just as quickly as he'd opened it, he slammed it shut, biting his knuckles as he looked away from Lukas. He wasn't ready. Was anyone ready? His thoughts were starting to become muddled as more of them rushed to be the first. He felt tears start to prick at the corners of his eyes.It took a few minutes for Alex to collect himself enough to speak. “Has anyone decided what to do for Beacontown?” He asked quietly, his voice wavering slightly. Lukas shook his head, sitting up. He chewed at the inside of his cheeks, mulling over ideas. “No, we're still figuring it out. Olivia and Axel are too busy, Petra doesn't want to do paperwork, and I'm hardly qualified to manage an entire city.. Jesse's intern isn't either,” he said with a sigh, raking a hand through his hair. It felt damp from the still-falling snow outside.

Alex was quiet enough that you could hear a pin drop, and he stayed that way for a good while. “I can take care of it.” The words came out without his permission, a compulsive decision, but now the words were out. He couldn't back down now.Lukas looked baffled. He knew Alex was a follower, not a leader- the two had been friends back when The Ocelots were still a thing. Alex had always attached himself to Aiden and relied on him for big decisions, so why?“A-Are you sure? You've never taken on a role like this before, and besides, you're still re-” Alex raised a hand, cutting him off. “It's fine, I'll do it. It's better this way, I don't want people panicking because Jesse's gone. You haven't told anyone else, have you?”

Lukas shook his head, burying his head in his hands. “I can't- like you said, people would panic.. I don't know if I could handle calming so many people down.. I'm not a leadership guy..”

Alex huffed and sat back, rubbing his hands over his face once more. “I'll just.. head down tomorrow and get things settled. You can handle managing things tonight, right?” He asked Lukas warily. The blonde swallowed thickly and nodded as he sat up, raking a hand through his hair. “I can..”

And with that, he stood up. Alex watched him walk toward the door. “Take care,” He near-mumbled as he opened the door. Lukas openedit and turned back. “You too,” before he disappeared behind it and closed it with a soft click.

[yourlastwither]

PROLOGUE.

Jesse stepped toward the shulkers against the wall, waiting for a bullet to be shot at him. “Lukas, can you spot for me?” He asked the blonde, casting a determined glance at him as he got hit and began floating.

Lukas nodded, keeping an eye on the obstacles around the other, watching as he swam around the moving objects. “Jesse, look out!” He called just a moment too late, watching as the brunette got rammed by a magma block. He stared on in horror as Jesse got sent into cacti in the ceiling, frozen in shock. He watched as he took repeated damage, until he disappeared into a pile of items.

Why did he have to freeze? He hadn't in so long! What happened?

He could hear Petra yelling at him, feel her grabbing his shoulder and shaking him, but her words fell on deaf ears. He was supposed to tell Jesse where to go- why didn't he warn him sooner? He stared at the journal on the floor, flipped open awkwardly and slightly ripped, lying among the items Jesse brought with him to the palace.

With shaky hands and bated breath, he took the journal and the remains of Jesse's armor, placing them in his inventory.

A shrill cry from Radar broke his daze as the boy finally realized what'd happened, and Lukas watched as he paced around the room.Petra yanked him toward the door as she finally decided they were leaving, and he followed, gaze glued to the ground.

This was going to be a lot; this was too much already.

[yourlastwither]

[yourlastwither]

[yourlastwither]

[yourlastwither]

Would you like a hint?

[yourlastwither]

Urnhtorm ht .ul bydntrK ranegpenesadta h te disaeatra oyu orpaei ym ie o his epyu edi h ih lc.dt tehanr etoY cs s,te.eoh trta

[yourlastwither]

TUe ryean.ana peisee leh nvreadteSasTe r rgetd.fle pr.So h nvrebfr tclasseisnht.hafme latttUe oiop.

[yourlastwither]

The Universe and the Stars.

They are fragmented.. fallen apart. Stop the Universe before it collapses.

[yourlastwither]

TUe ryean.ana peisee leh nvreadteSasTe r rgetd.fle pr.So h nvrebfr tclasseisnht.hafme latttUe oiop.

[yourlastwither]

My Terminal keeps shaking. I'm worried I'm not strong enough to house the people who seek refuge there. Would you like me to help? Won't that draw attention? Torchflower is too busy to notice. Okay. I trust you.

[yourlastwither]

Where is Crimson? I don't know. Don't lie to me. I told you, I don't know. Why don't you look for him yourself? You insist on peering through peoples' vision all the time. I didn't want to hear him complaining about it. I'm not in the mood, and I've already heard enough his stupid twin's wailing while he was alive. ... I'll go look for him, but just know, I won't be happy about running this 'errand' for you.

[yourlastwither]

That plan won't work, I told you. Torchflower has more power than us, he could easily kill you when you're on your own. He's already done it once, who's to say he wouldn't do it again? ... You really think that? ... I know that. I saw what he did to you before, and after that in Ilhjvuavdu. ... We can't allow him to continue spiraling out of control like this. I know. ... ...

For now, we have the outer border. He won't listen to us here.

[yourlastwither]

Allium? Are you here? ... You're awake again. ... Yes, I don't think I'll need to sleep after this. ... Are you feeling okay? ... I'm not sure. Is Torchflower with you? No, he's busy. ... Good. We have time. ... Time for what?

[yourlastwither]

Hello? ... Why is it so dark?

Go back to sleep.

... I don't need sleep. Is that so? ...

You've been asleep for quite some time, though. ...

Have I? I can't remember. ...

You shouldn't.

Why is it so cold? You'll see, I've built something wonderful. ... You're a liar.