The Wastelander

by Tipsy Wanderer

  Hellflower was no typical wastelander. She clenched her fists and responded coldly, “What makes you think I’ll cooperate with you?”

  “Because you have no choice.” His illusory voice sounded like it’d come out of a nightmare. It was both infinitely far and right in front of her. “First, I will offer a warning: the self-destruct sequence Roste created when he established this place has begun. The destruction of Blackwater Base is inevitable, and if you choose to remain here, you will die.”

  Hellflower did not believe him. “I’ve never heard of anything like that. Your alarmist nonsense will not persuade me.”

  “You shouldn’t underestimate Roste. His methods of ensuring Blackwater’s destruction were numerous, and the most certain method involves the help of outside forces.”

  “Outside forces... you must mean the Elysians!”

  “Your powers of comprehension continue to impress.” The praise was odd coming from his rasping voice. “Unless I misjudged, the Elysians have likely already heard the news. To them, the Seekers are mortal enemies, a bleak sin to be wiped out. This is especially true given the shocking experiments performed here, wouldn’t you say? This army of Elysians is sure to contain a number of demon hunters, so do not presume this place can survive. Blackwater Base’s fate is sealed.”

  Hellflower felt her heart sink into her stomach.

  Roste… ah, Roste! Again, I underestimated you, you shrewd fox!

  In all the wasteland, Seekers were the most intolerable to the people of the Elysian lands. This enmity was clear in their doctrines, wherein none of their citizens were permitted to use vehicles, guns, or any of the artifacts of the past. In the eyes of the faithful, these tools invited the destruction of man and had become synonymous with filth.

  In contrast, Seekers craved the secrets of the past and explored the ruins for their treasures. That made every Seeker a blasphemer.

  The war between Elysians and Seekers had gone on for years with the denizens of the holy lands having destroyed much of the Seekers’ influence. Each time, they rooted out any and all traces of their organization and eradicated them with extreme prejudice. The abominations created here in Blackwater Base would be considered especially abhorrent. They were created through the use of demonic technology, and if they were burned a hundred times, they would never be considered cleansed.

  What came of the Elysians’ rage was frightening to behold. When it was time to cleanse, they dispatched more than just elite warriors. When someone truly needed to die, they sent their seasoned demon hunters, warriors whose primary occupation was to destroy the root of human suffering.

  How strong were demon hunters? A handful of them was as formidable as an army! If a contingent of them were dispatched, no power in the wastelands could withstand their ire.

  A cold sweat broke out all over Hellflower’s body. If not for the Caliph’s warning, she would have never known they were coming. If they arrived at the marsh before she could leave, it wouldn’t matter if she were a once-in-a-generation master. There would be no escape.

  “You called me a traitor. Why are you telling me this?”

  “Mistakes might be forgiven for those with talent. Besides, there’s something I need you to do for me. Not just now, but in the future as well.”

  Hellflower didn’t even need to think about it. “You’re talking about Cloudhawk.”

  It was not hard to guess. Cloudhawk possessed the Gospel of the Sands, one of the Caliph’s most treasured relics. There were only two possibilities in which he could have come across it; either he’d really killed the Caliph, or the demon had given it to him. Evidently, it was the latter.

  She knowingly went on, “He’s important to you. Otherwise, why go through all the effort?”

  “He’s an investment.” A glimmer of mirth twinkled in the beast’s hellish eyes.

  Hellflower was an interesting human, which was one of the reasons why he was loath to kill her. In addition, she was in a position to help. She could not remain here and needed a way to escape with the data, find somewhere safe to uncover its secrets, all while avoiding a gruesome death at the hands of the Elysians. The Caliph was the only one who could make it happen.

  129 Trespasser

  Cloudhawk was practicing the demon hunter training exercises. He found that his body had improved again by no small measure. Now, he was able to perform twenty movements easily. Though it was a far cry from what the Bloodsoaked Queen could do, his improvement was still impressive.

  He still remained in Blackwater Base, studying with Hellflower. There was much to learn. Otherwise, he would have already left to continue his journey.

  Cloudhawk hated the struggle and intrigue of the wastelands. He despised fleeing from place to place, fighting for his life. Getting out of this hell hole was his greatest wish. His friendship with Hellflower was more about mutual benefit than anything else, and there was nothing she could offer that would keep him here.

  Sooner or later, Cloudhawk would leave. Without a doubt!

  A guard approached to deliver a message, “Master Cloudhawk. Our leader wishes to speak with you.”

  Cloudhawk made his way to Hellflower’s laboratory. She was crouched over a series of strange instruments, too absorbed to notice him enter. She was as beautiful as ever; her firm breasts and pert backside were outlined by her lab gear, and her silvery hair hung loosely at her shoulders. The others in the room stole furtive glances as often as they could.

  These days, no one challenged her authority. She was the undisputed leader, whether it was in terms of intelligence or physical capabilities.

  She didn’t raise her head, keeping her eyes fixed on the equipment before her. However, words slipped from her attractive mouth when she heard Cloudhawk’s footsteps. “I heard you’re getting ready to leave?”

  Cloudhawk was direct in his response, “My time here began with an accident. I’ve already stayed too long. I’m planning to leave in a couple days.”

  He already had the Caliph’s book as proof and the Bloodsoaked Queen’s token for passage. A life of ease and plenty awaited him in the Elysian lands. There, Cloudhawk would live as a hero, living a life which he imagined would be far better than anything out here in the wastelands. The young wastelander was not an ambitious sort. In his entire life up to now, his only desire was to find somewhere peaceful where he could live out his days in comfort and quiet.

  “It’s your decision where you’d like to go. I respect your choice. But, you should see this first.” At last, Hellflower straightened and approached Cloudhawk. She handed him a piece of paper. “The analysis of your blood.”

  “This doesn’t make any sense to me. Just tell me what you found.”

  Roste’s final bite had been nagging at Cloudhawk ever since it happened. Only, everything had seemed normal, and over time, his worries had eased. In the off chance that something was wrong, he’d entrusted Hellflower with checking his blood. Once he left, he figured it would be difficult to find someone who could help examine him even in the Elysian lands.

  Hellflower paused in thought. This bumpkin could read, but that was about it. She couldn’t expect him to comprehend the results. She pushed her glasses higher along the bridge of her nose with her slender fingers. “Long story short, there’s an unknown microorganism we discovered in your blood. We’ve come to call it Trespasser.”

  The news and ominous name gave him goosebumps. “It’s in my blood? That can’t be right!”

  “If you think I’m just trying to scare you, come and have a look for yourself.” She led him to the lab table and situated Cloudhawk before the strange instruments she had been staring through. “This device was created out of materials we found in the wastelands. It’s crude but is capable of magnifying the contents of blood.”

  “Why do you have three samples?” he asked.

  “Stupid, to compare of course!” She pointed to the various slides as she explained, “On the left is normal blood. In the center is a sample from Roste.
The one on the right is yours. We were able to find the differences by analyzing the three samples and comparing them with each other.”

  Cloudhawk leaned over the left device and peered through its lens. Inside, he saw a field of red, thickly dotted with round specs that were difficult to differentiate. Those had to be what made up human blood?

  The sample in the center device was completely different. There were red dots, except these weren’t smooth plates like in the last sample. Roste’s blood contained red spikey material of various shapes with tendrils of dark green reaching out from them. The space between the mutated blood cells was thick with strange green organisms – so many in fact that the blood was tinged green.

  Roste’s blood was absolutely monstrous!

  The last sample he looked at was his own, and when he looked through the lens, his face fell. Much of it looked like the normal blood. However, there were bright green dots around the edges. There weren’t many, and they wandered freely through the serum. A small number had attached themselves to the red blood cells.

  The green microorganisms were few but lively. Even as he watched, they were reproducing, slowly permeating through his blood serum.

  “Yeah, I see it. The green things are Trespassers?” Cloudhawk lifted his head to look at Hellflower, worry on his face. “But, what the fuck is it?”

  “I don’t know. About all we can guess is that it’s some sort of peculiar form of life.” She looked at Cloudhawk with an earnest expression. “When we examined Roste’s body, we found that it was completely infested with Trespassers, which were present in every cell. We suspect this microorganism was what gave the Academician his high-grade adaptability.”

  Cloudhawk pressed her further, “The ones in Roste’s blood were different. They were darker.”

  “Trespasser reproduces quickly, and once it reaches a certain concentration, we can be sure that it will begin to infiltrate the rest of your body. What we learned from Academician Roste’s body was that this organism will fundamentally alter your biology eventually, but as for how it will manifest, we have no idea.”

  Cloudhawk shuddered as a chill ran through him. “How long do I have?!”

  “Around ten to twenty years. You might start seeing changes in a year and a half – we really can’t say for certain.”

  “Son of a bitch, what the hell?” Cloudhawk angrily grabbed fistfuls of his ratty hair. He knew the Academician was up to no good. “Is there a cure?”

  “Roste didn’t leave any notes about it. I can’t think of any way to reverse the infection.” She spoke to the young man with a teasing smile, “But, look at it this way. I think you really got a bargain. Ten to one odds you become a super shapeshifter, inheriting a lifetime of the Academician’s work. How can this be a bad thing? You’ll have abilities wastelanders could only dream of!”

  Even though his transformation hadn’t been complete, Roste could already fight about as well as the Bloodsoaked Queen. Given another twenty years to perfect his body, Roste would have broken the lifespan limit of a human – he would have become a super life form.

  None of that interested Cloudhawk. He wanted to train and become stronger like the demon hunters, not deliberately turn himself into a monster! What would power mean if he wasn’t even human anymore?

  Cloudhawk was at a loss.

  Hellflower was one of the best minds around, and even she didn’t know what to do. Did that mean there was no hope of reversing the process? Although there wasn’t any indication, was there a chance this infection could affect his memory, will, or personality?

  Cloudhawk was somber and uncertain, but Hellflower found his trepidation amusing. Cloudhawk had been willing to stand up to Roste, but this situation frightened him. To many including Hellflower, his situation was not pitiable. The Academician’s superior abilities had been obvious to everyone.

  Who hadn’t been twisted by the wastelands? Capability was the way to power!

  Hellflower considered the situation for a moment. “There’s nothing we can do here, but I know of a place that might be able to help. If you go there, maybe they will have a way to help you.”

  “Tell me, where?”

  “The Dark Atom, out in the Elysian lands!” It was a name he’d heard several times already. Hellflower explained further, “The Dark Atom is the most complete and influential Seeker organization in the entire wastelands. They’re as full of talented people as the sky is full of clouds. If you can get to them, I think they’ll be able to help you.”

  “So where can I find the Dark Atom?”

  “I have no idea.” She chuckled at her own disappointing response. “Skycloud’s been trying to wipe them out for over a decade with no success [1]. They’re crafty. Wherever their base is, it’s almost impossible to find, so no one knows for sure. I think your only bet is to search for them yourself when you get there.”

  “Thank you!” Cloudhawk’s mind was made up. “I’ll set out as soon as possible!”

  “Come with me first.” She pulled him into an adjacent room. “Since we aren’t sure of your body’s condition, I want to give you a thorough examination.”

  The room that she brought him to was not large. Uniforms hung from pegs on the walls, revealing it to be a locker room for lab workers. Hellflower slipped her lab coat off her shoulders and hung it on a hanger, revealing her form-fitting, short-cut clothing beneath. With a snap, she pulled her gloves off and threw them aside before interlacing her fingers. A series of cracks and pops issued from her knuckles.

  “Take off your clothes."

  “I need to take off my clothes for the examination?”

  “Stupid question. How can we do a full body check if you have your clothes on?”

  Hellflower’s deft fingers quickly stripped off his clothes. His rough, dark skin was revealed to her, but it was different from before. His complexion had become a healthy bronze, and he’d gone from emaciated to pleasantly muscular. This appearance was hidden beneath his clothes, which made him look thin and unassuming. Without them, he looked like a cheetah, corded muscles taut and ready to pounce.

  “These, too.”

  Hellflower pointed a dainty finger at his underwear.

  1. Skycloud is the city led by the Bloodsoaked Queen’s uncle, as explained in Chapter 93

  130 Profound Education

  Cloudhawk felt slightly uncomfortable. However, he was a wastelander. Since when did they care about this sort of thing?

  He was hardly a paragon of virtue, and this stripping was just being done in order to do his physical. What was there to squirm about? Without saying anything else, he removed his last remaining scrap of clothing.

  Hellflower didn’t begin right away. She took a few moments to look over Cloudhawk’s naked body. A teasing light showed in her eyes as her gaze hovered over his crotch. “Well, you’re… manlier than I expected.”

  “That’s enough, Hellflower. I’m getting irritated!” He didn’t mind the lack of privacy, but her gaze was stripping him of his dignity! “Hurry up, for fuck’s sake.”

  “Alright, alright, what’s your hurry? We’re just getting started!”

  Hellflower’s hands were like works of art. Although she wielded guns with the skill of a master, they were not calloused or rough. Her touch was as gentle as water, to the point where Cloudhawk had to wonder if she bathed her hands in some medicinal fluid to keep them so soft. Hands like hers just weren’t found in the wastelands.

  Her soft, cold hands rested on his face. They stood close, almost touching, and he could smell the scent wafting from her. The heat of Hellflower’s body caused Cloudhawk’s pulse to race.

  “Heart rate has increased by thirty-two percent.” Her hands gently ran through Cloudhawk’s hair, across his face, and down his neck. Her touch explored every inch, even the curve of his ears. Her voice was both casual and impish. “You’re nervous.”

  To Cloudhawk, it felt like there was a fire in his chest. It was a sensation he found difficult to control, but he
grit his teeth to fight through it. “Hey, what kind of physical is this? I feel like you’re screwin’ with me!”

  Hellflower masterfully combined coquetry with dignity. Outwardly, she teased him with a seductive air, but her actions were diligent and earnest. Her words were serious. “There are very few in the wastelands more capable in control meta-abilities than I am. With a touch, I can determine material by texture and the state of internal structures. I can feel your muscles, blood, organs, and even bone through your skin. If there are any abnormalities or mutated growths, my hands will find them.”

  So that’s how it was. Cloudhawk had almost forgotten that she was an expert marksman and a rare wastelands weapons master. It didn’t matter how precise or complicated the tool was. After only a few moments in her hands, she would know how to wield it intrinsically. It was that ability that made her such a force to be reckoned with.

  “Hmph, you hardly seem willing. I’ve never given anyone else this sort of treatment, you know?”

  Her grumpy and flirtatious mannerisms made his bones turn to jelly. Goosebumps sprang up along his flesh. Hellflower was a complicated, inscrutable woman. Who knew what she actually felt in her heart?

  She was both thorough and careful in her inspection, her fingers tracing every inch of him from his head to his chest to his back. Eventually, her gentle touch reached his groin, to which Cloudhawk replied with a voice a little too loud, “No reason to check there. I’m sure there aren’t any problems!”

  But, she paid him no mind and stretched out her hand.

  Her agile fingers explored in such a way that Cloudhawk couldn’t restrain a physiological response. Hellflower’s brows danced flirtatiously as, whether purposefully or simply mischievously, her touch lingered for a full two minutes.

  Her next question was offered almost absently. “You’ve never been with a woman?”

  The question took Cloudhawk off guard, and he wasn’t sure how to answer. However, Hellflower knew simply by looking at his reaction. He really was a pure young man.