[Halloween] The Origins of Deathmatch

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History is written by the victor.

 

But what if it’s because of that that we can’t dare to come out of hiding?

 

We may have survived the carnage and the madness that ensued a long time ago, but I know for sure that we wouldn’t survive a battle that would involve us against every other soldier in the world.

 

This is my story.

 

This is the truth of what happened.

 

Of how it all began.

 

Listen closely, because I’m about to tell you about the origins of Deathmatch. 

 

 

 

YEARS AGO


 

“Command, you’re sure it had to be today?”

 

“Zephyr Three, one more day and we would have lost the crystal deposit to the mercs. Scared of Halloween, hmm?”

 

“Well, you know what they say.. never go on a night op on Halloween Eve.”

 

“Very funny,” Command replies. “Remember, this is a stealth op. We gave you that custom Urban paint for a reason.”

 

“Relax, I won’t kick this off until the rest of my squad gets here. How’s their ETA?”

 

“5 minutes. Be advised, the rest of your squad is currently at base. We’re giving them a break. Your team is actually lone hunters just like you. Of course, they’re not snipers, but they can put up quite a fight.”

 

“Interesting,” I reply. “Alright. I’ll try to establish communication with them. Z3 out.”


The silence returns. I climb out of the hatch and breathe in the fresh air while looking out over the highland. I put on binoculars to survey my opposition. 

 

There’s a Titan-Ricochet, a Viking-Railgun, a Wasp-Freeze, and a Dictator-Smoky. Definitely too much to handle alone. 

 

I look back at my tank. Hornet-Shaft with a unique Urban camo, perfect for almost any encounter, be it up close or at range, offering masking like no other in forest conditions like these. I climb back in and conduct a final check of the tank inside.

 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a Hunter-Firebird come out of hiding. He bears our insignia and doesn’t look in my direction. Looks like my active camo worked quite well. Across from the Firebird, I see a Mammoth-Magnum moving towards the mercs. These must be the lone wolves Command was talking about.

 

A misty fog sweeps over the plains, bringing with it a strange smell. I breathe it in and think of home, of my family, of her… and yet, it feels so far away from me.

 

More importantly than that, something’s wrong. I can feel it. My HUD changes its color to that of a sickly green and then highlights both the army tanks and the mercs in green.

 

I’m in a trap.

 

I scope in with my Light Capacitors and activate my Booster drone for a quick kill. The Magnum goes down straight away. Even from far away, I can see that absolute pandemonium is erupting on the battlefield. 

 

Even with the suppressor I had attached, the Shaft must have been loud, because the Firebird turns his turret around and starts rolling towards me. Instinctively, I activate my Speed Boost so I can escape quickly.

 

He has other plans, though. I see the blue flash coming from his tank and instantly know that I’m in trouble. The EMP connects and cuts off my Hornet’s power for a split second. Then the Defender drone kicks in.

 

My turn.

 

With my Double Damage still active, I shoot the Firebird once, and twice, and thrice. He tries to light me up with napalm, but the Defender drone doesn’t let that destroy my tank so quick. On the third shot, his tank explodes.

 

That was much too close.

 

I roll over to see if there’s still people left on the battlefield. Now, there’s only the Titan-Magnum, a Wasp-Freeze, and a Viking-Railgun. In a flurry of motion, the Viking-Railgun destroys the Wasp, but not before the Wasp places his bomb down. The Titan gets caught in the explosion, ripping off its turret and burning it completely.

 

I adjust position in order to get a shot at the Viking, activating the radar I had saved just so I could finish the mission and scoping in. Suddenly, a Dictator-Smoky appears out of nowhere and starts shooting the Viking. The Viking retaliates by shooting once and then using his Overdrive. 

 

I snipe the Viking, but it seems to be too late for the Dictator - his Smoky gets blown off and all that remains is his hull.

 

The fog returns out of nowhere. It encircles the highland completely before coming for me.

 

What’s this feeling? It’s as if

I’m about to

fall right

aslee…

 

 

 

I open my eyes, as if I just woke up. That was quite the dream. The problem is, I can’t remember where I drifted away from reality.

 

And then I see it.

 

A burned-out shell of a Titan. Just like in my dream…

 

A frozen barrel of a Ricochet. Just like in my dream…

 

A Hunter-Firebird, torn apart. Just like in my dream…

 

A Viking pierced by a Shaft shot.

 

A Viking pierced by a Shaft shot?

 

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Please let this be a dream.

 

Opening my eyes reveals that the truth is the real nightmare.

 

Many tanks lay defeated on the battlefield with no lights that show life inside them. Most are damaged irreparably, some even reduced to rubble. Most wear the mercs’ insignia. Some wear the insignia of our army.

 

So many lives cut short, and I was a part of it? I even killed my own…

 

There has to be a survivor. At least one that I can save. The Dictator lies in the distance, its lights still glowing. 

 

I step out of Hornet and walk towards the tank. The Dictator’s hatch is open - I climb in and see a man with a piece of metal impaled through him. He picks up a gun and points it at me.

 

“I can save you,” I say. “Please.”

 

“There’s…no…way,” he says. “Please…just…end…it.” He flips the gun around, giving me the handle.

 

I’m reluctant to take it. “There is blood on my hands after today. I don’t want to kill you too.”

 

“Please.” He coughs up blood. It’s either me or he bleeds out.

 

I know what I must do.

 

I take the gun from him and slowly raise it in his direction. He nods.

 

I close my eyes and look away as I shed a tear.

 

The gunshot reverberates through the silence of Halloween Eve.

 

 

 

That’s how it all began - with a chemical agent that warped our understanding of who the real enemy was. We killed mercilessly and regardless of whether the people on the battlefield were our friends or even our family. For years, the number of people like us grew unnoticed in the shadows of the world.

I wish we could’ve saved everyone.

But when you came along, I knew that you were the last piece of the puzzle.

That you wanted to save everyone, because you went through the same experience that I did.

That you were willing to make a change.

Now let’s go and try make things right.

To prevent more people from dying to the brutality of Deathmatch.

So that Halloween is a celebration instead of a massacre.

Our origins may define who we are, but it’s up to you and me and everyone here to go and fight the people who caused this in the first place.

This is our fight.

So let’s go win it.

For us and for the souls we extinguished…

 

Tidebreaker

 

[Krill_300 113]

Happy Halloween Guys!

 

;) 

[Initiate 1,306]

Very well written, @Tidebreaker.

If only this could get more exposure.

[Tidebreaker 1,669]

Very well written, @Tidebreaker.

If only this could get more exposure.

If only... if only.

[Initiate 1,306]

If only... if only.

The woodpecker sighs...

[Venerable 2,967]

Brilliant!