The Sunbreached

Chapter Two

ATLAS

An announcer over the shitty speakers began to make a small speech, "First class members please begin boarding today's train, CRRSHK you will be seated in cars A,AB, and AC. All other passengers please wait for further instructions. CRRSHK Thank you, and have a wonderful time riding with Bifrost Trains!" I begin heading towards the first car, a line was quickly forming. I won't be as lucky this time with the deep-pockets surrounding me. They stare, and stare, and have the Hel damned audacity to whisper and mock. I ignore them, it's the least I can do for myself.

I reach the ticketmaster, and hand him my ticket. "Are you positive that this is your ticket, Grotaþr?" he doesn't even look back at me, Grotaþr. A petty slur coming from a damn petty man. I clench my fists, praying to whatever's out there that I won't break this idiot elfs nose. He must have read the room because he quickly stamped my ticket and ushered me inside. The train was worse inside.

Its walls shimmered with thin plating of copper and some xenon lamps. I found an empty seat that looked relatively comfortable and far away from anybody else, and sat. The window was cut off so I only got a fraction of a view then what the four-seaters would, that's okay though because the view is awful. With a blank mind the chime dinged once? Thrice? Eight times? I wasn't paying attention. The train began to move, its soundless noise making up for the limited amount of people in the car.

I began to relax, less people, less problems I always tell myself on these types of journeys. Even if there are hundreds of people filed into the cramped, glittery, awful, death trap that the train is, I was still stuck repeating the same words to myself. It was only going to the Uppercrust anyway, it could only be a short journey. It would only be a short journey.

The train rattled a bit, but nothing happened, nothing could happen of course. It rattle some more, and some more, and a bit more before finally. BOOM, a loud explosion deafened my surroundings. My ears were ringing in waves, quickly my eyes search the car for anything. A hole, a person, screams, blood. Anything. "It must have been behind us...' somebody mumbled next to me, 'Barricade the door! Maybe we can stop those dogs!' A spindly elf announced. He looked important. His mane was combed into tight intricate braids, his ears pointed skyward moving around for noise, and his clothes gold. A thought raced through my mind, He has money to spare.

Suddenly, my body stands without warning. I pull some folding chairs from the wall and shove them through the door's long handle. The elf joins me, he takes some larger crates of something and drops them in front of the door. In a split second, I reach for his pockets. I feel two, no four coins, gold possibly, a small pocket-photo, and a key. I take it all and shove it deep into my pockets. The train slows. We arrive at the first, and only, stop. Aberborough.

The doors don't open, crashing noises come from behind my car. The of shoots a glance at me, "I think only you can stop them.' His eyes look at me, they're dark even his sculleras are as blue as night, 'I see something beyond that door, I will remove the protections. You must go and fight the aphascel away.' His native language is seeping through, he is scared. But his accent is similar to an uppercurstic. 'Fine.' I huff and crack my knuckles with a pop, 'Just, make sure everybody stays alive here. Cant have these ulsair die, now can we?' I make a cocky smile. He smiles back a bit more shy, but confident.

With one simple move, I am a part of the chaos. I immediately get hooked on the cheek, out of instinct I grab the nearest body and shove my knee into their abdomen. I get hit, something cracks, I hit back. It's messy, it's bloody, and I'm ashamed that I love it. I grab a nearby broken chair leg and practically beat the blood out of somebody, he squeals and bites my ankle.

Ouch.

Foot to the face, and he's done. Next two guys are Beefy and Skinny, for obvious reasons. I grab Skinny's shoulder and redirect his head into Beefy's gut, more excess chaos ensues as Beefy begins to chase Skinny. I slip right past them. It seems that the rest of the crew has already fled, or moved onto a new car. I look around, no people, no belongings, just a huge hole in the side of the car.

I move into the next car, this one has people. They're gagged and trying to convey me a message? A gag goes loose 'Look out you idiot!' Bang. A bullet zips right past my head, I dive. He shoots, I launch myself over one of the tables. He shoots again, three. He has— I quickly throw a stray canister at her between thoughts—ten bullets left? Maybe less, three have gunshot wounds. Two glass panes are cracked, and the three for me. Seven bullets. I run down the aisle, the shoot whipping past me right as I dive. Six.

I throw something, anything, at her. I hear a single shot right before a 'Oh Hel damn it!' She shot herself in the foot, lucky me. I run up again in the chaos, she shoots twice at me. Ripping my coat in the process, three. I charge, she's caught of guard and I manage to pull the pistol from her hand, she hits my stomach hard. I shove her to the ground harder. Her eyes flicker for a second before closing, maybe a little too hard? I tie her to the doors long handle with her own bag strap and continue on my way.

Luckily the third car I'm in is completely normal, a little shaking up. Which is normal. I go through the motions, tell them it's okay that it's going to be alright. When suddenly my head begins to hurt, hurt bad. Worse than ever before, even worse than some of my migraines. Then I—

—I think,

I hear ringing. It's loud, very loud?

Am I through? Am I h e r e? Can you hear me, Vessel? No. No, why is it so loud? Why do I

Feel hurt? Something is burning me. Yes, marks of a new age Vessel.

My skin. My hurt. No, ourmy pain. Something is,

Wrong? Yes wrong, very wrong something is messing with you. Quiet Vessel, you do not understand why?

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Authors Note: Longer than the rest of the two previous chapters, but don't worry! The other two will most likely get updated to be just, or closely, as long. Don't forget to drink water, I'm serious!!!