The Hero Eternal: Resurrection

[flames]

Finally...after being put on hold for almost half a year due to writer's block, I present to you: The Hero Eternal: Resurrection-Chapter One.
Taking place two years after The Hero Eternal: Warrior and several years before FireWind Chronicles, this is the long-awaited (yeah right...) second installment of HoKaze no Flames' backstory, starting with Warrior, continuing with Resurrection, Coming to the climax in Apocalypse (Coming soon?) and 'ending' in FireWind Chronicles...Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Shadows of a Beginning
It’s been two years. Two years since the malevolent tyrant Xan was destroyed by the combined forces of the resistance and a lone hero. Two years since the space station Eternal was destroyed, the planet was saved and…
It’s been two years since the now legendary Warrior Anthro, HoKaze no Flames, perished to save the lives of all who lived on the planet and destroy Xan once and for all. Much has changed. All beings now live in harmony either in or nearby Neo Babylon, which has now become the paradise it was originally meant to be. Anthros and Reploids now co-exist peacefully with Humans and the quality of life for all has greatly been improved. The entire Resistance has been honoured as heroes and monuments for those who lost their lives have been erected.
The Resistance base is still used by many of the Resistance, mostly to monitor the area for any remaining droids or to socialise. Humans still develop new technology there and one in particular, “Levi” Leviathan Aquaous, has personal reasons for remaining there.
It’s been exactly two years since Flames gave his life to protect the planet he cared so much for and bring the freedom that he had so dearly desired. The world is at peace. Xan and his droids are gone. There is no danger.
However…

Levi ran through the crumbling ruin of a laboratory as her men held fired wildly into the darkness behind them. She kept on running, pausing only to hack away at anything that gone in her way. They had to keep moving. The occasional patch of broken ceiling reveals the stormy heavens.
Explosions are heard behind her and she looks back at her men, seeing that they are all still alive. Strange blasts echo around the ruins as they approach, still hidden by the darkness that engulfs them in the corridors. They continue running, a human and some Reploids, in a ruined laboratory many miles away from both the Resistance base and Neo Babylon. They run. They run for their only hope at survival. They run for their lives, they run for salvation and they run for all that they know. 
Only when they head down several flights of stairs and enter a very modern room do their expressions change. Levi’s face gleams with hope, however brief, as blast doors are lowered and the room is sealed from their pursuers. Levi sighs with relief before peering around the shadowy and ominous room. It was far too modern to have been abandoned at the same time as the rest of the building. The Reploids all crept into the shadows before retreating once more, slowly and with a solemn manner. “We’ve found it.” One of them said to the human. Levi nodded and fiddled with a series of switches and keyboards in the walls and lights flickered on, casting ever-shifting shadows around the small group. One section was still completely in the shadows, but it could clearly been seen: A large tube containing an unknown liquid, and more importantly, a dark figure that floated there, never moving. They had found it.
Levi stepped closer, a mix of hope, bewilderment and awe on her face as she keyed in a pass code into the console to the side of it. Immediately powerful lights activated and fired light directly into the stasis tube, revealing the figure inside.
His eyes were closed tightly and his face wore an accepting expression. He wore a dark crimson helmet with matching armour that covered his entire body. A fox-like tail moved ever so slightly as it floated, seemingly having a mind of its own. His long orange hair splayed out behind him from an opening in the back of his helmet.
“Is it him?” A heavily scarred Reploid asked, his scars stretching across his face as he spoke.
“I…I don’t know.” Was Levi’s reply as she thoroughly examined the Anthro. Was it him?
“I know what you mean Levi.” Said a cute Reploid girl known as Sakura, her voice revealing her uncertainty. “It looks like him, but there is something…off about him, isn’t there? How can we know for sure that he is really Hokaze no Flames?”
At the mention of Flames Levi could have sworn that she had seen the Anthro twitch ever so slightly. This Anthro closely resembled Flames in almost every way, but there were a few things that seemed odd: His tail was a bit more fox-like then she had remembered, his hair had been shorter and more like spines, the design of the helmet had been slightly different and there was something that just seemed…different. Levi couldn’t tell what it was that was irritating her and seemed so different.
She had no time to contemplate it further though, as the sounds of their pursuers’ attacks reached their ears. They were attacking the blast door and it probably wouldn’t hold out for very long. The Reploids stood there shocked for a moment before going into positions and readying their blasters. Levi gripped her expandable/retractable Plasma Spear and was about to hurry into position when she glanced back at the stasis tube. She looked again at her comrades and the fear that some of them held before heading towards the console next to the tube. She typed frantically as the blast door cracked and groaned. The stasis tube and console whirred into life, ready to awaken the Anthro just as the blast door gave way.

Liquid drains, a tube opens. Enemies appear, shots are fired. Screams of pain echo through the air. A pair of eyes burning with an intense fire, open…

I open my eyes to see chaos and mayhem. A group of Reploids are engaging an army of…strange droid-like beings which emerge from the darkness ahead. I step forward, realising, as I look at the stasis tube I emerged from, that I must be in a laboratory of some kind. An oddly familiar human girl with long, shining hair notices me and steps towards me, a Plasma Spear in her hand. She speaks:
“Flames, please help us!” 

The Anthro looks at the droid-like beings briefly before reaching for something attached to his armour. He finds nothing. He frowns slightly before reaching for a holster at his hip. He draws out an old blaster and rushes forwards, distracting the enemies and proceeding to fire a steam of plasma into their skulls.
Levi watched as the Anthro who she believed to be Flames knocked the enemies backwards with the shots he fired. Levi had no time to observe though, as one of them leapt through the air at her. She stabbed it with speed and skill, impaling the creature/droid in its heart. Blood oozed down the Plasma Spear as Levi wrenched her weapon out and threw herself at another one, this time neatly slicing its limbs off with a wave of plasma.
The Reploids fired wildly into the darkness, hoping to hit one of their enemies before they could be seen. The Anthro’s shots were varied to say the least, with some shots merely distracting the droids, others were aimed at weak points in their armour and others were slightly more powerful shots that had to be charged for a moment to be fired. He was clearly rather skilled with the blaster, which looked very similar to the blasters used by the Resistance against Xan’s droids two years ago.
Levi stabbed, thrusted and slashed her way through the horde that attacked her, occasionally teaming up with others in her squad before they were forced away from each other again. Just as she let herself believe that everything was going to be okay, a piercing scream of pain was heard. As a Reploid was overpowered by several droids at once. He was panicking and somehow managed to dislodge the helmet of an injured droid. Underneath the droid-like armour there was a creature…a biological droid…a monster, its soulless eyes like a shadow on your spirit. It turned back to the Reploid as the other creatures assaulted the helpless Reploid. Blood splattered everywhere until the Reploid’s screams halted, despite Levi’s best attempts to save him. It was too late.

The group of Reploids became very angered at the loss of their comrade and charged through the creatures, fighting with rage in their eyes and sadness in their hearts. Only Levi and the Anthro kept their resolve, fighting with skill and tactics as opposed to rage and power. Only when the last shot was fired and the last clang of an armoured creature falling to the ground was heard did the group stop. There was no need for talking as they all ran out, Levi leading them, with Flames just behind her. They had to leave before anymore came. No one looked back at the brutally maimed corpse of their comrade. They would have to give their respects to him at another time.

I ran closely behind the human girl, who I had taken to be the leader. I had far less questions in my min then I thought I would, considering the situation. It all felt so familiar to me. I would have to ask any questions I had later, although one was constantly on my mind: The girl had spoke to me when I woke up, she had addressed me as “Flames”…Who am I?
As I looked behind me at the Reploids following us I heard a slight rumble overhead, which quickly became a massive tremor as the ceiling broke apart and collapsed. I dashed forward to avoid it, along with the human girl, whereas the Reploids all ran back to just escape the debris.
I paused and looked back at the now completely blocked corridor and looked at the human to see if she was harmed. She must have seen my slightly worried expression as she told me that she was fine and that the Reploids could still make it out by other exits, some of which may be faster and safer than our current route. I nodded and was about to walk on ahead with her, but another question had popped up and I felt like I had to say it:
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think we have been introduced…What is your name?”

Levi’s thoughts came in fast and furiously. Of course he had probably lost his memory, after all that he had been through, it was no surprise. Being kept in stasis could also cause temporary memory loss too…Or it could be that this Anthro wasn’t Flames at all…No…I mustn’t think too negatively…
“Can you remember anything?” I asked him, trying to show concern only and no anxiety. He thought for a moment before replying:
“No personal memories, no. Only non-specific memories and information like how to fight, what the world was like when I was last awake, Anthros, Humans, Reploids, Xan’s reign over Neo Babylon and so on…”
Levi was saddened by this, but it couldn’t be helped. She told him her name and they both set off again, attempting to find the exit.

Levi…That name…so familiar, but why? Is it truly recognition ? Or just my mind trying to make something seems normal…? Who am I? Where am I?
I shake my head, trying to block out the questions bouncing around my skull. My worries weren’t important, but the survival of me, Levi and the Reploids was. We climbed up many ruined flights of stairs, some of which were covered in debris, and followed the route I assume Levi must have used to get here, but we were met with a stroke of bad luck. The ceiling had collapsed again here and there seemed to be no way around it that would keep us going in the right direction.
Levi approached the wall of fallen debris and studied it carefully, as if trying to conceive the best plan of action. I heard a very slight noise behind the wall and felt an ominous feeling travel through my spine. I was about to tell Levi to get back when a large, metal hand smashed through the rubble and grasped Levi.
I ran after her through the rubble to see the arm retract back onto the body of a large mech of some sort. It didn’t appear to be manned or be one of those creatures, so I assumed it was a Combat mech with some limited Artificial Intelligence. It was just short of the ceiling in height and its plating looked very tough. I drew out my blaster and launched myself into battle…

The Anthro, Flames, fired with great accuracy and avoided firing at the main body as it would no doubt be very resistant to the plasma and there was a chance he might hit Levi. He dashed towards a wall, jumped and kicked off of it, just as the mech fired a laser beam from its chest at the spot he had been a moment ago. The Anthro sped through the air and reached a suitable height before firing a series of blasts directly into the head of the mech. They ricocheted off, scorching the head slightly and impacting the ceiling. Flames landed and rolled out of the way as the mech thrusted its free fist into the ground. The mech fired another beam just as the Anthro was coming out of the roll. He flipped back to the left and fired a more powerful shot into one of the “eyes” of the mech. It paused for a second before it continued its assault.
After a few more minutes of the mech making craters in the floor and receiving next to no damage from the Anthro’s blaster Levi spoke out in a somewhat defeated tone:
“It’s no use! You can’t damage that thing with your blaster!”
The ceiling began to rumble once more as Flames leapt out of the way. The mech activated its thrusters and boosted itself through the ceiling, causing even more of it to break apart…

The floor was shaking too now. In a matter of moments both the floor and the ceiling would collapse. I would have to time this perfectly in order to pursue the mech and rescue Levi. I jumped as high as I could against the wall just as the floor broke apart and part of the ceiling plummeted. The part of the corridor I was in managed to escape the falling debris, but not the floor’s collapse. I pushed against the wall and kicked off, avoiding the debris as it fell, jumping off it and other rubble as it fell before I emerged on the next floor, kicking off another wall to make it safely on a sturdier part of the floor. The mech was just ahead of me, near some sort of ancient computer system. I ran towards it and fired another stream of shots into its eyes, but it had no effect besides stunning the machine for a few seconds. I heard a crackle of static as the monitor of the computer flickered into life. Strange…The mech also turned to “face” the screen. An image of a blue orb appeared, which turned into a flickering image of a human wearing blue armour that carried a blaster very similar to the one I carried. A name sprung to mind: “Omega Zero”. The image spoke:
“Don’t give up…take this…” The image died and a hidden compartment in the wall next to the computer slid open and threw something out before closing again. I, Levi and the mech all stared at it for a moment: A hilt of a sword-like weapon, possibly some form of energy or plasma sabre…
“The X-Sabre…?” Levi questioned quietly. I snapped out of it as she spoke, rolled forwards, grabbed the weapon and activated it, turning back to face the mech as I held the orange blade of energy tightly. It felt good in my hands, this…X-Sabre…
I wasted no time and lunged at the mech’s free arm, slashing it repeatedly where the arm connected to the body. The blade passed easily through the metal and the heavy arm fell to the floor with a loud thud. The machine prepared to fire another laser beam, but I somehow flew over it and dealt a powerful downwards blow to the machine’s head, creating a large gash. I landed, held my blaster in my left hand and paused, remembering a useful battle ability. I stored energy into the blaster and fired a destructive blast straight into the gash in its head. The head exploded and the body swayed from side to side. If it fell on its side, Levi would get crushed! I dashed forwards and sliced through the arm’s joints, forcing it to collapse to the ground and release Levi just before the body was about to fall. I sped over, gripped her in my arms and leapt out of the way as the massive body of the mech impacted the ground.
“Are you okay?” I asked Levi after placing her down.
“Yes…Thanks Flames…We should get going before anything else happens…” She replied, before leading the way again. I mentally frowned at her calling me “Flames” but I ignored it and chased after her, thinking about what had just happened. It seems that I was regaining some memories after all…The X-Sabre and…the Omega Blaster…my weapons?

We hurried through the rest of the ruined laboratory without incident, finally making it out and meeting up with the Reploids, who had escaped a few minute before we did and had met a couple of those creatures on the way. We all swapped tales as we headed back to the base and I glanced over at Flames after telling my story. The storm had ceased and it was lighter now. In natural light and with the X-Sabre, he looked a lot more like I remembered him, although something was still making me uneasy if I looked at him too long…probably just his lack of memories…We better sort that out back at the base…

I followed Levi and the Reploids to their base, which was located not too far away from Neo Babylon. I had realised that Xan had been defeated and that Humans, Reploids and Anthros were now all equal, but evidently something had happened. They had been attacked by those creatures, those biological droids and had risked their lives in the ruins to…to find me? Why had they gone to the ruins and awakened me? Why can’t I remember anything but basic knowledge and skills? Just who am I? I need to find the answers…

The resistance base was almost the same as it had been way back when. Only now it was bigger, had more people and rooms, featured better technology, better living conditions and many improvements. There were now many training rooms, some people had slightly bigger rooms and the synthesized food was now a lot more enjoyable to eat. As Levi reported the mission and dealt with various matters she knew that she would have to run some tests on Flames to see how he had been affected by his near-death and time in stasis. And part of her mind admitted, even if the rest didn’t that she would have to run several DNA tests to confirm whether he truly was HoKaze no Flames like she had hoped or someone else, a family member, a genetically altered Anthro to be like Flames or something else altogether.
She showed him around, showed him his room, which was the same as he had last used it and said that she had to run a few tests shortly. Levi told him that she would try her best to answer any questions he had later.

I may not have all my memories, but I am no idiot. I have already deduced that everyone at the base believes me to be HoKaze no Flames, a hero who had saved them from Xan and had presumably died saving the planet from total annihilation. It explained a lot. Like my apparent name. But until it can be proved just who I am, my name is Flames. Not HoKaze no Flames, just Flames.
I will uncover the truth about who I am and create my own purpose for my existence………………   

[Dr. Strange]

Mm.... I like it. Keep writing!

[flames]

Chapter 2: Depths of the Unknown  

I waited patiently in my room, knowing that it would be only a matter of time before Levi returned. I decided to get to know the room, as I probably would be staying at the base for a while. There was a somewhat comfortable, but small bed, a table and a wardrobe of sorts. I opened it to find that it had been technologically enhanced to be bigger on the inside than the outside. It contained a few earpieces, a digital photo cube, a variety of clothing that seemed to be exactly my size and a broken blue helmet.
Where have I seen it before? An image of a human wearing this helmet appeared in my mind. The one who gave me the X-Sabre: Omega Zero. I shook my head in confusion and shut the wardrobe. I paused and remembered the nearby training room Levi had shown me earlier. Why not? She would probably be a while and I need to practice. I headed out of my room and walked towards the training room, hoping that there weren’t too many people there…

Levi knocked on Flames’ door. “Flames?” She received no answer, so he must have gone out. She thought for a moment and went to the nearby training room. Sure enough, he was there, practicing a series of slashes before rapidly drawing his blaster and firing. He was fast and solely determined on his attacks, not noticing her until she called his name.
“Huh? Oh, Levi…I take it that you’re ready to perform the tests?” He said in a neutral tone, as he approached her.
Levi nodded and led the way to one of the medical rooms. A group of humans were there, working with complex-looking equipment and computers. Levi walked over to them and begun the tests, hoping that they would reveal some information of use to everyone…

I stood up next to Levi, peering at the monitor which displayed the data from the tests. A human was sitting in front of it and typing into the console. The tests had been a bit strange, but they weren’t uncomfortable and it wasn’t really any big deal.
“What’s your overall summary of the data?” Levi asked the human in a slightly commanding voice.
“We still haven’t been able to decipher all of it, but this is what we’ve got: The memory loss appears to indeed be temporary and has only affected personal memories. It is currently unknown as to the source of this amnesia, but the time spent in stasis is the most likely reason. As for the DNA tests…”
I couldn’t help but focus more attention on the speaker now. Levi had a strange expression on her face that was between anxiety and hope.
“…while many sections of his genome match that of our records of HoKaze no Flames’, there are some…irregularities…that we cannot map correctly. The parts that we have been able to map match our records perfectly but these irregularities are bewildering to say the least as we have no idea what could have caused them and…” The human was about to go into an even more in-depth explanation, but, thankfully, Levi intervened:
“Just give me the bottom line: Is he HoKaze no Flames?”
The human shook his head and replied sadly: “We have no way of knowing at the moment. It seems highly likely that he is, but as we don’t have enough proof and he doesn’t remember, he’s just Flames for now, not HoKaze no Flames…”

Levi thanked the man for his work and left the medical room with Flames.
“Not exactly the result you were expecting, I take it?” He said, breaking the awkward silence.
Levi shook her head, but replied: “It doesn’t matter Flames. I believe that you are the legendary hero and if you believe in yourself too, then it will be true. It doesn’t matter right now if you are the same Flames I knew…You helped me and will help us out, right?”
Flames was clearly taken back by her strange cheerfulness, as they walked back to his room. He simply asked her: “What exactly are you guys fighting against, anyway?”
Levi almost smacked her head at her own forgetfulness. He hadn’t been told yet! They both entered Flames’ room, sat down on the bed and she began to explain the situation to him…

Only a few months ago one of Xan’s last old droids fulfilled its mission by escaping capture and entering a secret underground base more than 60 miles away, across the desert. The droid located a lone stasis tube and followed the last instructions gave by Xan: To release the figure that slept within the tube. The droid complied with Xan’s last order before shutting down: He unleashed Xan’s master and creator upon the world.
His name was “Emperor Draconis” and he was a human-cyborg who had been sent into stasis many decades ago. During his time in stasis his genetic makeup had been altered to expand his lifespan even further and enhance every last cell in his body, mostly in his brain. Draco had discovered of Xan’s failure to become the Ultimate Being and wreak havoc on the universe. Draco used the impressive technology at his base and hacked several other secret bases even further away from Neo Babylon. Within a few mere days he had brought all of his bases back to full power and had created a vast army of biological droids.
Unlike Xan, who used machines based off Reploids to serve him, Draco understood that living beings made more powerful foes and set to create a new species, all loyal to him, who had the capabilities to become cyborg like him to enhance their strength. He sent a message of his existence to all and announced that he was ready to take over the world. His time in stasis had made him even more insane and he is said to be constantly scheming, improving his droids’ abilities, eternally attempting to create the anything that would grant him the status of the Ultimate Being.

Levi left me after finishing her tale, stating that she might have a mission for me tomorrow. I pondered over what she had said for a while and lay there for a while before getting up and returning to the training room. I had some unfinished business to take care of…
Draconis stood in the darkness before his latest creation, satisfied that its creation had been successful as it slept in the tube, ever changing, ever ready to serve its master when it was awoken. The monitor next to the creature displayed an ominous message before it faded and all lighting was turned off. The screen read:
HoKaze data successfully copied…

Levi prepared the mission brief as Flames stood before her, ready to aid the Resistance on this rather warm and pleasant day. Levi decided to begin:
“Alright then… We’ve detected disturbances in the Eastern Sea and think that there may be a droid-production plant hidden on the ocean floor. As we doubt that it is very active, we’ve decided not to send anyone else with you on this mission. This one is mostly to help you get used to the missions and to asses your current abilities. We’ll be maintaining contact with you and have provided a visor/oxygen mask attachment to your helmet to allow you to survive underwater. Are you willing to do this for us?”
Flames replied with a “yes” like she had expected him to and geared up. As usual, yet another question popped up in his mind which he queried:
“I have a slight question, though…Won’t I sink straight to the bottom of the ocean and be unable to get out if I wear my armour?”
“As your armour is semi-buoyant and your body can float well, it shouldn’t be a problem; as long as you remember how to swim…You can swim, right?”  Was her reply.
To this Flames shrugged, but proceeded to head out anyway, swiftly vanishing into the distance as he sped towards the Eastern Sea.

From what I remember, the seas are a lot smaller then they were but a century ago and there are very few left in the world. The Eastern Sea is relatively nearby and is rather small, being more like a merged group of lakes then a sea, so this shouldn’t be difficult. The 5 known seas: Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western and Far Eastern were the only natural bodies of water currently known in the world. All the water we need was artificially produced for us. I skidded to a stop at the base of a tall hill that went straight up vertically with small ridges sticking out. I smiled to myself briefly before soaring from side to side of the hill, leaping off the ridges, as I made my way up.
When I reached the top I could see for miles around, but that wasn’t important. What was important was that there was a nice, grassy path up here that led me straight to the Eastern Sea. I paused a moment before I ran forwards and jumped, falling into the cold, dark waters…

Flames made contact with the water and suddenly sunk, instead of floating on the surface like his buoyant armour should have allowed him to do. Instead he somehow sank, faster then a stone, to the seabed. It wasn’t his armour that dragged him down, it was his body. His body couldn’t float…!

I looked up from the seabed, trying to see where the surface of the water was. Even if I could remember how to swim, it wouldn’t be very helpful right now. How had it all happened? He had felt his armour try to float up to his surface, but his body had somehow dragged itself down here…Does this, mean that my actual body can’t float? But that’s impossible…All Anthros, Reploids and Humans can float as their bodies are naturally buoyant…
I mentally shake my head and decide to search the seafloor for anything suspicious.
Although nothing pointed towards a droid-production plant, there was something very ominous about the area as I headed further out. Perhaps it was the fact that I was walking underwater or that I had sunk in such a strange way or it could be that I was simply getting paranoid. It really was rather ordinary down here, at least, as ordinary as walking along the seabed would ever be.
As my mind wandered I reached the edge of the relatively shallow region I was in, the area ahead of me stretching across my visible world, revealing how much deeper I would have to drop to carry out the investigation properly. I sighed and jumped off the edge, falling into even darker and murkier waters.
Despite the fact that I was plummeting far faster than a sinking stone, it seemed to take a while to reach the bottom. It only took about 15 seconds, but considering the speed of decent, I must have sank really far down. My theory was proven correct as I strained my eyes to see the area I had just left. I couldn’t see it. The water was far darker here and it was more difficult to see into the distance.

The droids slowly moved closer to their target, making no sound as they effortlessly glided through the water. These droids were different to the ones that had attacked the resistance in the underground base. These ones wore little armour, clearly revealing the creatures’ form. They could breathe underwater and they appeared to be perfectly adapted for water combat in more ways then one…

I felt pain pierce my back and I spun round to see a group of aquatic droids, wearing armour plates only on their torso, forearms and shins.
“Levi,” I begin, as I draw my X-Sabre. “I think you were right about the droid-production plant…” I hope that my weapons function correctly underwater. I activated the X-Sabre and stabbed the nearest droid. The energy of the sabre was flickering a bit and seemed to be fading a bit, but it worked. I hacked through the droid who I had stabbed, unleashing dark blood into the waters. As I prepared to attack the others, they swam above me, staying out of my reach.
They all held their hands forward, which I now noticed were very claw-like, aiming directly at me. What were they doing? Come to think of it, how did they shoot me in the back? I don’t see any blasters being carried by them… Energy swirled in front of their claws as they charged the swirling orbs. Heat radiated strongly from them and the water around them pulsed outwards.  I drew out the Omega Blaster and fired. Nothing happened. I pulled the trigger again: still nothing. The damn thing didn’t work underwater!
I leapt backwards a few times before dashing forwards and jumping towards them, extending the X-Sabre’s blade as much as possible to hit them. They all suddenly and easily sped upwards, escaping my attack. I landed and saw that the orbs had grown very large and the water around them was completely black. I had no time to prepare any other attempts at stopping them as they pushed forwards and the energy attacks hurtled through the water, leaving dark afterimages behind them as they engulfed the water they passed with shadows. I jumped to the left. I rolled to the right. I leaned backwards as one almost got me in the face. I looked upwards as the others rocketed towards me. They impacted me and the seabed, disturbing the water even further. I flipped onto my feet and saw that the droids were preparing for another attack. There was no way I was going through that again!

Flames threw his X-Sabre through the water, hoping that the spin he had put on would serve its purpose. The weapon span through the water, its blade of energy forming a circular wave of energy around the weapon, turning the Sabre into an energy disc. The weapon span faster and faster as it moved through the disturbed waters, the movement caused by the droids only increasing the disc’s speed. The droids attempted to dodge it by swimming to the side, but the disc wasn’t aimed at them. It completely missed them, but it managed to slice each orb into two neat halves as it span back to Flames, the disc slowing down until it reached him. He caught it nicely in his hand as he watched the energy contained in the orbs scatter everywhere, sending ripples of heat and darkness throughout the Eastern Sea.

A large ripple of energy had been found coming from the depths of the Eastern Sea a few moments ago. Thankfully it had only affected a small area of the sea. From what Levi had gathered based on the last communication Flames sent out, he was in the centre of the disturbance. Levi hoped that this meant that he was successfully handling any forces Draconis had sent.
“Flames, what’s your current status?” Levi asked, ready to key any important data into the computer system before her.
“I’ve found a group of aquatic droids and engaged them. I’ve been able to take a few out and weaken the others by using their attacks against them and I’m still searching for the production plant. I’ve also got some information regarding the X-Sabre’s capabilities that I’ll report to you later.” Flames said rather casually, in between grunts and cries which obviously meant that he was fighting. Levi replied in an affirmative to show that she had got it all and closed the communication link.

The droids had been greatly weakened and now swam, with far more difficulty, lower down. I swiftly estimated how many more were left: about twenty, all in various stages of health. Some heavily, injured, others slightly wounded. A few of my limbs were aching from the explosive ripple of energy, but I was fine. I dashed to a dying droid and leaped onto its back before thrusting my blade into it, ending its misery. I soared off it and thrusted the X-Sabre into it before kicking off of it with both feet and flying towards the others. Some tried to stab or slash me with their claws but I kicked them away and sliced the limbs off before slicing them at the neck. Blood clouded the waters until all I could see was dark red.
Satisfied that all of the droids had been defeated, I proceeded to leave the bloody area and continue my search for the plant. It didn’t take very long to find it. It appeared to be a large boulder sticking out of the ground, but on closer inspection you could see a dark vapour, which was most likely what made the water so murky, escaping from various points in the boulder. I walked around the fake rock until I saw a slight piece that jutted out ever so slightly and seemed to be a shade lighter then the rest of the “boulder” I hammered it with my fist and the rocky surface fell apart and revealed the production plant. It was very small, and it seemed that no droids were being produced at the moment. I paused a moment to consider my options…

Flames stood back and prepared his arm. He stepped forwards, curved his body round slightly and threw the X-Sabre, turning it into a disc once more as it sliced through a series of tubes, wires and antennae, creating gashes in everything until the weapon lost moment and landed on the seafloor. Flames grasped the blade for a moment and unleashed a fury of attacks on what remained of the plant, cutting, dicing, stabbing, smashing and melting anything the energy blade came into contact with.
By the time the Anthro had finished, there was naught but a pile of scrap metal on the seafloor surrounded by dark vapour where Draco’s Aquatic Droid-production plant had been.

Levi stood a little bit away from the ledge as a group of resistance members dragged Flames out of the freezing cold water. “Thanks.” Flames told everyone, clearly somewhat embarrassed and possibly a bit aggravated that he needed a team to retrieve him from the water. Levi gave anyone who wanted it a hot beverage to warm them up as they headed back to the base.
Levi listened intently with a group of researchers and medical experts as Flames recounted his tale and described the strange sinking he had experienced caused by his body. Everyone was rather puzzled by this strange lack of floatation, and although theories were made, no one had any answers. Levi could see that Flames was both irritated by his “condition” and slightly frightened by it. Why he would be frightened she had no idea as it wouldn’t kill him as long as he kept the upgrades he had received for this mission with him.
Levi mentally shrugged as everyone left except Flames. She motioned for Flames to return to his room, but he held back.
“Levi, I wish to talk with you for a moment…”  His eyes were rather downcast as he spoke.
“…?” Levi was unsure of the best way of asking him what he wished to talk about, as she looked at him carefully.
“…What was HoKaze no Flames like?” Flames suddenly asked, getting straight to the point.
“…Well…” Levi quickly tried to decide on the best way of telling him. “…he didn’t really reveal that much about himself, I guess. He was devoted entirely to saving us all from Xan and aiding anyone who needed help. He didn’t seem to have that much time for himself, especially after his best friend, Omega, died. Flames often had doubts about himself and his own abilities, like many of us…” At these words Flames twitched a bit, as Levi continued: “…but HoKaze never gave up and tried to be kind to all who deserved kindness. He valued everyone else’s well being far more then his own. After Omega’s death I thought it was because he had nothing to live for, but I was wrong. He cared not for his own life, but for what his meaning of life was. As long as he fulfilled his meaning of life, it didn’t matter about the condition of his life…”
“What was his meaning of life?” Flames asked, clearly intrigued, possibly feeling a slight connection with the dead hero.
“He had many, but his motto sums it up: “I won’t hesitate, if an enemy appears before me, I’ll destroy it, even if it costs me my own life!”…He lived solely for others and for freedom…”
“I see…Thanks Levi…” Flames seemed less downcast, as he bid goodbye to Levi and stepped into his room.

I sit on my bed, thinking about everything I could remember, the events that took place after my awakening and about HoKaze no Flames.
Just who am I? I need to find that out for myself. What am I? I’m clearly not “normal”… What is my meaning of life…? I have no answer, possibly because I don’t have a real life, not yet…
Until I find out the answers, I’ll give the resistance all I’ve got to ensure their safety and their success. I’ll show everyone just what I’m made of!

Draconis observed the monitor with interest as he rapidly typed a series of commands into the console, before glancing over at two stasis tubes. One contained a slowly healing, brain altered figure wearing red armour. The other contained a being whose genes were being altered rapidly, a being who was being reborn.
The monitor displayed the status of the second being as it slept on, mind unaltered, DNA radically different. A message flickered onto the screen just after Draco left:
HoKaze data successfully applied. Genes altered accordingly…
DANGER! Mind alteration failed! Power level unstable…The message blinked and faded before anyone saw it as both figures moved ever so slightly…

[flames]

The Hero Eternal: Resurrection (and consequently, the entire trilogy) is currently on hiatus and shall not be added to until I conquer writer's block. In the meantime, I'll be updating FireWind Chronicles and Oneshot Collection every so often.

[Somebody]

Very good read, probably among the best I have read on the entire site. I particularly like the parts with flames and the water, further explaining and solidifying his personality and quirks. If only you didnt have writers block but I can understand how it is

[flames]

Kuso...I really do need to start writing for this again... omg
In any case, I noticed that chapter 2 isn't displaying correctly and as the FF isn't letting me repost the chapter (it has too many characters), I have decided to search around for a backup of mine and link to it. Chapter 2 (backup ver) can be found here: http://resurrectionchapter2ver1backup.wordpress.com