HOME | DD

Description
Out of nowhere, the insufferable ticking returned!

Each tick rang painfully in Crona`s ears as he looked around him for his team. Only vaguely making out their outlines between the hordes of twisted creatures that surrounded him on all sides. He growled as he switched out into the offence and slashed at the humanoid mutant that loomed over him. There was too many of them and not enough time. He looked again for his team members, picking them out one by one.

All three of them were in similar battles; struggling for survival as groups of mutations pounced at them. They all wore a confident smile on their faces. However Crona could feel that the smile was a lie, masking their worry and desperation to go on.

Suddenly a pain like no other knotted in his stomach, he began to stumble in a daze as the air grew thin. A final loud “tick” split his ears, far louder than the others. He collapsed onto his palm and knees, clenching his stomach. Everything became still and lifeless. He began to count as a loud siren crashed overtop the drone of the blazing city.

“One…Two...Three...Four...”

At the count of ten, the lingering silence was torn apart by a booming voice.

“Game Over!” It blasted.

The ear-splitting screech rang for a few seconds before dissipating into the sounds he had grown so familiar to: the fire crackling, the pittering of falling rubble, and the crunch as the rigid soil gave way under the iron soles of his boots.

“Um, Crona? You can get up now?” A voice spoke to him.

He looked up through his silver hair, a young girl held out her hand, offering aid to him.

He rejected her generous offer, forcing himself up as he looked around. The creatures that once posed a deadly threat were retreating into the distance. They were no longer set on inflicting harm to the team. He slid his sword into its holder and looked down at her, ruffling her pearl white hair. He flashed the start of an amused smile as she instantly tried to undo the mess he had caused.

“You did good, rookie.” He praised, a slight chuckle in his tone.

She was too busy trying to fix her hair to reply, but shown that it had been heard with a flattered smile. She exhaled loudly, sulking as she threw her fringe to one side in a vain attempt to keep it from obscuring her vision. She tried to ignore it however found herself unable to stop fiddling to get it right. A hand landed on her shoulder, tugging her softly.

“Come on, Jemma” A voice sighed from behind the rookie,“If we go back to base now, there should be enough time to fix your hair before next game.”

Like a child obeying its mother, Jemma turned and walked away with the older girl. Their leader watched as they grouped up with a fourth member, another male, and initiated in a conversation among themselves. He just stood idle and watched as they began to shrink into the distance. Jemma stopped and looked back, the others mirrored her.

He had not moved from the spot. He stared intently at the ruins that lay before him, a gentle breeze brushing against his skin. It was cooling but carried a humid feel from the surrounding flames. He sighed as he slipped into memories, memories of the bustling city now turned to a desolate wasteland.

“You coming?” One of them called out.

Their leader hesitated as he was pulled away from his fantasy. He breathed quickly as he fought to retain his condition, managing to raise a hand signal. He quickly regained speech.

“Yeah…You guys…Go ahead..” He instructed, keeping his order short to compensate his erratic breathing.

He watched as his team exchanged looks and whispers. Depression washed over him for a moment as he gave the level one last look before turning; sighing and taking chase of his team.
He caught up to them as they reached home, a rather large concrete fort, with barred windows and heavy iron doors. They all let a sigh of relief that it was finally over. The other boy cranked the wheel that covered the door and cringed as it opened. The two girls walked in, nodding to thank him. Crona followed Jemma, receiving a pat on the shoulder from the other boy, Crona looked back in surprise, taken off guard by the friendly gesture.

“Nice work out there leader!” He congratulated as he flicked his hair to one side, closing and bolting the entrance shut.

Crona nodded, with all due respect to his companion, he just didn't feel like talking. Unfortunately Crona didn't seem to have a choice as the boy followed him like a lost puppy as he walked around the base. Reaching his dormitory, he threw himself onto his bed and finally spoke.

“Digi! Could you please just shut up and let me rest! It’s been a long day… I just want to sleep it off.” He growled.

Digi jumped onto the bed across from him, bending over the side and reaching for something. Digi hastily pulled out a magazine and blew off the dust, whipping it in the air. Crona looked over, alerted by the cracking of the pages.

“When is it not a long day?” Digi sighed, “It’s been the same every day for how long now? Years? Months? I’ve lost count! It’s always the same. We’re nowhere closer to finding the truth!”

Crona hated to admit it, but Digi was right. They`d been fighting off the mutant hordes for what seemed like forever. He rolled over on his bed to face the ceiling.He closed his eyes as he tried to think, desperately searching for any memory from before the “incident” but to no avail. He sighed deeply, turning over as another noise emanated from Digi`s side of the dorm, catching his attention. Digi gagged as he took a gulp from a water bottle. He forced himself to swallow the water in his mouth, which he wiped with disgust.

“Ugh. Stale as always. I tell ya Crona, it can’t be good for us, can it?” Crona shook his head as he sat up, unable to sleep or rest. He stared out the window, bars obscuring most of the view. Digi followed his gaze and became agitated, a growl rising in his throat.

“What is it? Did one of them escape?”

Again Crona shook his head.

“Do…”Crona paused as the words formed in his mouth, “Do you remember what it was like before all this? To be free? The sun? All of that?”

Digi pondered on the question, a finger on his bottom lip. For a moment it seemed he had gasped but then with the drop of his head, it was obvious he could not answer his leader’s questions. Digi looked over to his leader and shrugged. Crona rolled his eyes and stretched an open hand across the room. Digi smiled dropping the bottle into Crona`s hand. He laughed to himself as he watched Crona take a quick gulp, his face cringing up with regret almost immediately.

“One day...” Digi smiled, “We'll free this world. Freedom will be ours.” He held out an enclosed hand which Crona punched lightly in a friendly matter. They retreated their hands, opened them and shook on it.

Jemma crashed into the room, the body language exerting a high level of excitement as she fidgeted.

“You two! Quickly! Come on! Alice picked up a energy signature on the scanner unlike any we've seen before!” She panted before dashing out and running down the hall. Crona and Digi leaped from their beds and followed after, picking up their weapons on their way. In the main lobby, large monitors surrounding one of the walls flashed as the fourth member of the group, Alice, fought to return balance, furiously tapping away at the keyboards.

“Alice! Report!” Crona ordered as he entered and stood beside her and Jemma.

“I’m not sure leader!” Alice panicked, not removing her gaze from the buttons they were spread out in front of her, “An alien frequency emerged just a few minutes ago. The systems are going haywire.”

“Location?”

“Just working that out now! I should be able to pinpoint the source of the signal…” She tapped the enter key with more force than the other keys, “...now!”

On one of the overhead screens a image of the Earth popped up on a tab, Slowly bit by bit the image was zoomed in and re-rendered until a map of the local area came up. Crona could clearly see the outline of the base. A red dot flashed as all the other screens relaxed to their calming blue.

“It’s not far from here! Come on! Team, move out!” Crona ordered.

Digi, who stood by the door watching the screens intently, shoved the door open and held it for the other three. Crona, being already prepared dashed out. Jemma quickly ran down a different hall, grabbing her chained scythes and belt tightening it around her waist before running out the door. Alice swiveled round on her chair and lunged for the door, grabbing her scythe from beside it as she exited. Digi slammed the door behind him as he left, following his team.

Crona pushed aside a bush, looking down the path ahead. He signaled for his team to stop behind him.

“The signal is coming from just up here!” Alice informed, stuffing her mobile device back in her pocket.

Crona squinted his eyes as he surveyed the clearing. It was dark, covered in debris with the moon being the only provider of light. There was a sparkle as the moonlight reflected off a slab of metal. Crona kept him and his team hidden, however, until he knew it was safe. Slowly one by one they emerged from the overgrowth and marched over to a metal object that laid central.

Jemma gasped in awe, “What is it?”

Digi grumbled, “Looks like a giant donut if you ask me, maybe its edible.”

“I doubt it, it’s made of metal Nimbus!”

Digi and Jemma erupted into an argument as Crona silently crept over to the machine and observed it. Like Digi had said, it had an unusual donut shape held up on a pyramid stand, a small box next to it. Crona kneeled to investigate further. There was a loose panel on the front. Crona removed it and placed it aside, peering in. He was greeted by a jumble of wires.
He lifted his head and called for his team, who obediently came over at his call.

“Jemma think you can hack it?” He asked, wiping his forehead.

“Can do, but it may take time.” She replied with a nod.

Digi shoved her aside impatiently, “No way am I waiting! Let me handle this!”

Jemma tried to convince him otherwise as Digi picked up a fist and slammed the the box. The clang echoing as sparks came off the wires and licked the air. Crona fell back and pulled himself away as a buzz rattled the metal. A light instantaneously began to glow from the center of the main machinery. It grew and warped in size, eventually expanding across the whole gap. A starry vortex swirled across the reach of the metallic rim.

The team cautiously approached it. A faint breeze could be felt through. The team murmured between each other as they tried to figure out what exactly was going on. Jemma was the first to make a move as her curiosity peaked. She reached out to touch the starry setting. To everyone’s surprise the scene rippled like water upon touch, The stars retreated to the corners and a tunnel came into view. Faint noises of civilization began to creep into the area. Everyone backed up to the bottom of the stairs and looked through.

“Where is that?”

“How am I meant to know?”

“Are we being invaded?”

Digi snapped and dashed for the tunnel shouting in rage. “If they're gonna invade, it’s not gonna be on my watch!” He punched at the passageway and was sucked through. Jemma covered her mouth to halt a scream. The tunnel rippled again, more furiously this time around.

Jemma began shaking in fear.he tugged on Crona`s jacket, “Leader! What just happened? What is that thing?!”

Crona sighed and he stood up strong, he closed his eyes as another cooling breeze brushed against him. “No matter what ever it is.” He paused before giving the order.

“We're going in after him!”

Description
Out of nowhere, the insufferable ticking returned!

Each tick rang painfully in Crona`s ears as he looked around him for his team. Only vaguely making out their outlines between the hordes of twisted creatures that surrounded him on all sides. He growled as he switched out into the offence and slashed at the humanoid mutant that loomed over him. There was too many of them and not enough time. He looked again for his team members, picking them out one by one.

All three of them were in similar battles; struggling for survival as groups of mutations pounced at them. They all wore a confident smile on their faces. However Crona could feel that the smile was a lie, masking their worry and desperation to go on.

Suddenly a pain like no other knotted in his stomach, he began to stumble in a daze as the air grew thin. A final loud “tick” split his ears, far louder than the others. He collapsed onto his palm and knees, clenching his stomach. Everything became still and lifeless. He began to count as a loud siren crashed overtop the drone of the blazing city.

“One…Two...Three...Four...”

At the count of ten, the lingering silence was torn apart by a booming voice.

“Game Over!” It blasted.

The ear-splitting screech rang for a few seconds before dissipating into the sounds he had grown so familiar to: the fire crackling, the pittering of falling rubble, and the crunch as the rigid soil gave way under the iron soles of his boots.

“Um, Crona? You can get up now?” A voice spoke to him.

He looked up through his silver hair, a young girl held out her hand, offering aid to him.

He rejected her generous offer, forcing himself up as he looked around. The creatures that once posed a deadly threat were retreating into the distance. They were no longer set on inflicting harm to the team. He slid his sword into its holder and looked down at her, ruffling her pearl white hair. He flashed the start of an amused smile as she instantly tried to undo the mess he had caused.

“You did good, rookie.” He praised, a slight chuckle in his tone.

She was too busy trying to fix her hair to reply, but shown that it had been heard with a flattered smile. She exhaled loudly, sulking as she threw her fringe to one side in a vain attempt to keep it from obscuring her vision. She tried to ignore it however found herself unable to stop fiddling to get it right. A hand landed on her shoulder, tugging her softly.

“Come on, Jemma” A voice sighed from behind the rookie,“If we go back to base now, there should be enough time to fix your hair before next game.”

Like a child obeying its mother, Jemma turned and walked away with the older girl. Their leader watched as they grouped up with a fourth member, another male, and initiated in a conversation among themselves. He just stood idle and watched as they began to shrink into the distance. Jemma stopped and looked back, the others mirrored her.

He had not moved from the spot. He stared intently at the ruins that lay before him, a gentle breeze brushing against his skin. It was cooling but carried a humid feel from the surrounding flames. He sighed as he slipped into memories, memories of the bustling city now turned to a desolate wasteland.

“You coming?” One of them called out.

Their leader hesitated as he was pulled away from his fantasy. He breathed quickly as he fought to retain his condition, managing to raise a hand signal. He quickly regained speech.

“Yeah…You guys…Go ahead..” He instructed, keeping his order short to compensate his erratic breathing.

He watched as his team exchanged looks and whispers. Depression washed over him for a moment as he gave the level one last look before turning; sighing and taking chase of his team.
He caught up to them as they reached home, a rather large concrete fort, with barred windows and heavy iron doors. They all let a sigh of relief that it was finally over. The other boy cranked the wheel that covered the door and cringed as it opened. The two girls walked in, nodding to thank him. Crona followed Jemma, receiving a pat on the shoulder from the other boy, Crona looked back in surprise, taken off guard by the friendly gesture.

“Nice work out there leader!” He congratulated as he flicked his hair to one side, closing and bolting the entrance shut.

Crona nodded, with all due respect to his companion, he just didn't feel like talking. Unfortunately Crona didn't seem to have a choice as the boy followed him like a lost puppy as he walked around the base. Reaching his dormitory, he threw himself onto his bed and finally spoke.

“Digi! Could you please just shut up and let me rest! It’s been a long day… I just want to sleep it off.” He growled.

Digi jumped onto the bed across from him, bending over the side and reaching for something. Digi hastily pulled out a magazine and blew off the dust, whipping it in the air. Crona looked over, alerted by the cracking of the pages.

“When is it not a long day?” Digi sighed, “It’s been the same every day for how long now? Years? Months? I’ve lost count! It’s always the same. We’re nowhere closer to finding the truth!”

Crona hated to admit it, but Digi was right. They`d been fighting off the mutant hordes for what seemed like forever. He rolled over on his bed to face the ceiling.He closed his eyes as he tried to think, desperately searching for any memory from before the “incident” but to no avail. He sighed deeply, turning over as another noise emanated from Digi`s side of the dorm, catching his attention. Digi gagged as he took a gulp from a water bottle. He forced himself to swallow the water in his mouth, which he wiped with disgust.

“Ugh. Stale as always. I tell ya Crona, it can’t be good for us, can it?” Crona shook his head as he sat up, unable to sleep or rest. He stared out the window, bars obscuring most of the view. Digi followed his gaze and became agitated, a growl rising in his throat.

“What is it? Did one of them escape?”

Again Crona shook his head.

“Do…”Crona paused as the words formed in his mouth, “Do you remember what it was like before all this? To be free? The sun? All of that?”

Digi pondered on the question, a finger on his bottom lip. For a moment it seemed he had gasped but then with the drop of his head, it was obvious he could not answer his leader’s questions. Digi looked over to his leader and shrugged. Crona rolled his eyes and stretched an open hand across the room. Digi smiled dropping the bottle into Crona`s hand. He laughed to himself as he watched Crona take a quick gulp, his face cringing up with regret almost immediately.

“One day...” Digi smiled, “We'll free this world. Freedom will be ours.” He held out an enclosed hand which Crona punched lightly in a friendly matter. They retreated their hands, opened them and shook on it.

Jemma crashed into the room, the body language exerting a high level of excitement as she fidgeted.

“You two! Quickly! Come on! Alice picked up a energy signature on the scanner unlike any we've seen before!” She panted before dashing out and running down the hall. Crona and Digi leaped from their beds and followed after, picking up their weapons on their way. In the main lobby, large monitors surrounding one of the walls flashed as the fourth member of the group, Alice, fought to return balance, furiously tapping away at the keyboards.

“Alice! Report!” Crona ordered as he entered and stood beside her and Jemma.

“I’m not sure leader!” Alice panicked, not removing her gaze from the buttons they were spread out in front of her, “An alien frequency emerged just a few minutes ago. The systems are going haywire.”

“Location?”

“Just working that out now! I should be able to pinpoint the source of the signal…” She tapped the enter key with more force than the other keys, “...now!”

On one of the overhead screens a image of the Earth popped up on a tab, Slowly bit by bit the image was zoomed in and re-rendered until a map of the local area came up. Crona could clearly see the outline of the base. A red dot flashed as all the other screens relaxed to their calming blue.

“It’s not far from here! Come on! Team, move out!” Crona ordered.

Digi, who stood by the door watching the screens intently, shoved the door open and held it for the other three. Crona, being already prepared dashed out. Jemma quickly ran down a different hall, grabbing her chained scythes and belt tightening it around her waist before running out the door. Alice swiveled round on her chair and lunged for the door, grabbing her scythe from beside it as she exited. Digi slammed the door behind him as he left, following his team.

Crona pushed aside a bush, looking down the path ahead. He signaled for his team to stop behind him.

“The signal is coming from just up here!” Alice informed, stuffing her mobile device back in her pocket.

Crona squinted his eyes as he surveyed the clearing. It was dark, covered in debris with the moon being the only provider of light. There was a sparkle as the moonlight reflected off a slab of metal. Crona kept him and his team hidden, however, until he knew it was safe. Slowly one by one they emerged from the overgrowth and marched over to a metal object that laid central.

Jemma gasped in awe, “What is it?”

Digi grumbled, “Looks like a giant donut if you ask me, maybe its edible.”

“I doubt it, it’s made of metal Nimbus!”

Digi and Jemma erupted into an argument as Crona silently crept over to the machine and observed it. Like Digi had said, it had an unusual donut shape held up on a pyramid stand, a small box next to it. Crona kneeled to investigate further. There was a loose panel on the front. Crona removed it and placed it aside, peering in. He was greeted by a jumble of wires.
He lifted his head and called for his team, who obediently came over at his call.

“Jemma think you can hack it?” He asked, wiping his forehead.

“Can do, but it may take time.” She replied with a nod.

Digi shoved her aside impatiently, “No way am I waiting! Let me handle this!”

Jemma tried to convince him otherwise as Digi picked up a fist and slammed the the box. The clang echoing as sparks came off the wires and licked the air. Crona fell back and pulled himself away as a buzz rattled the metal. A light instantaneously began to glow from the center of the main machinery. It grew and warped in size, eventually expanding across the whole gap. A starry vortex swirled across the reach of the metallic rim.

The team cautiously approached it. A faint breeze could be felt through. The team murmured between each other as they tried to figure out what exactly was going on. Jemma was the first to make a move as her curiosity peaked. She reached out to touch the starry setting. To everyone’s surprise the scene rippled like water upon touch, The stars retreated to the corners and a tunnel came into view. Faint noises of civilization began to creep into the area. Everyone backed up to the bottom of the stairs and looked through.

“Where is that?”

“How am I meant to know?”

“Are we being invaded?”

Digi snapped and dashed for the tunnel shouting in rage. “If they're gonna invade, it’s not gonna be on my watch!” He punched at the passageway and was sucked through. Jemma covered her mouth to halt a scream. The tunnel rippled again, more furiously this time around.

Jemma began shaking in fear.he tugged on Crona`s jacket, “Leader! What just happened? What is that thing?!”

Crona sighed and he stood up strong, he closed his eyes as another cooling breeze brushed against him. “No matter what ever it is.” He paused before giving the order.

“We're going in after him!”