The Time I Was Reborn A God Of War 3 A Means To An End

After trying for 30 minutes to light the fire, he gave up and wondered how much cold he could take that night.

'' System has basic survival capabilities. If host wishes, We could take over hands to light fire for host. ''

'' AGAIN! Why didn't you say so earlier! ''

'' System wished to give host a chance to prove his capabilities himself, before offering help. ''

'' You're evil, you know that right? ''

'' Negative, System is incapable of either good or evil. ''

'' Ugghh, never mind. Yes start the fire, my hands are freezing. ''

Seeing his hands move on their own again, he tried memorizing the movements this time. That small knowledge could be useful and he did not want to rely on his AI too much. Watching carefully as his hands picked up 2 porous rocks near him, what he a.s.sumed were flint stones, and strike them together at an angle.

While focusing on the movements, he noticed that he could feel all his muscles. As if the movements were done by him, but without him thinking about it.

'' System, why do I feel the movements you are doing. And why did I not feel them earlier. ''

'' We have lifted restriction on muscle sensation. System believes it is best that muscle memory is learned on such basic skills to limit unnecessary use of automatic movement. We have as goal to make Host as autonomous as possible. It is all for the Host's good and education. ''

'' Well at least you'll be useful to learn small stuff like that. Hahh! ''

'' System detects a small level of sarcasm in Host's voice. We would like to advise against such actions, as both Host and the System are merged, resulting in host being rude to himself. ''

'' ... ''

'' ... ''

'' Okay, you win... ''

Having understood the basic gesture for lighting a fire he stopped focusing and let his muscles 'memorize' the rest. With a few sparks the fire was lit and he began to feel a bit better.

Now, many questions were going around in his head. Choosing to learn about the car crash first, he asked the System.

'' AI, about earlier, what happened to the hummer. ''

'' During the pursuit, no progress was being made. The Tamarain scouts were keeping up to the vehicle's speed. So We made a judgement call and faked an accident and Host's death.

We drove the truck down a hill, crashed it into a rock and stopped all body activity for a short period of time.

Once the Tamarains left, We gave Host back 'the wheel' over body and now, we are here. ''

'' So you're telling me, you took over, saying I couldn't drive away from the with my 'sub-par' driving skills. But you had to crash the truck and fake death to escape them yourself? ''

'' Affirmative ''

'' How dumb can you be exactly hmm? ''

'' We don't understand Host's question. ''

'' I mean who's the idiot that programmed you stupid enough to crash a truck and fake death. ''

'' We do not have the answer. ''

'' f.u.c.king moron. Stupid program. How could I get so freaking unlucky. ''

'' System believes that merging with Host's conscience might have compromised logic reasoning. ''

'' Ohh my G.o.d!! Now you're blaming ME?!! What the f.u.c.k man! ''

'' No other logic conclusion can be found. ''

'' SCREW YOUR LOGIC !!! ''

Grumbling to himself, Karl decided to go to sleep. He was tired and the System was not being helpful at all. For a second, he thought it might really have been corrupted from merging with him. It was proving stubborn and sarcastic, just like him. Falling asleep with thoughts of his ancient life, he dreamt about his young self, watching his son grow and become a strong independent man.

Dreams of his happy life transformed into nightmares of blood and death, as his subconscious brought him back to what he had to do to survive now. He felt something tic in his brain and went into a dreamless state for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Karl woke up well rested and full of energy. Having not dreamt the rest of the night and the weird feeling he had felt before that, he had suspicions. He went on to voice them to the System.

'' System, did you do something to me while i was sleeping this night? ''

'' Affirmative. Host was having trouble sleeping. In the optics of permitting Host a good night of sleep, to be full of energy and ready for combat, System separated sub-conscience from consciousness to prevent further dreams. ''

'' Is that permanent? '' He asked, slight panic in his voice.

'' Negative. System has already reconnected subconscious, as it is part of critical decision making in combat. ''

'' Well then, thank you. I appreciate the gesture. ''

'' Anything for Host's well-being. ''

'' OKAY!! '' Karl slapped himself in the face lightly to finish waking up.

'' Where to now. ''

'' System has detected many human lifeforms, marching in the same direction at the edge of detection range, early in the morning. ''

'' A path maybe? It could lead to a village. Where those enemies or regular humans? ''

'' The lifeforms detected were from Earth. ''

'' Ahh, good. Very good. What is the difference though. How can you know if they are Tamarains or humans from Earth. ''

That was an explication he had been wanting to ask since his first encounter with a Tamarain. Now seemed like the right time to satiate his curiosity.

'' Tamarains are not much different from Earth's humans. The difference lies in the small gland Tamarains have in their brain, which permits them to channel their body's energy into electric current. System only has to scan for electrical current within body to see the difference. The weakest of Tamarains, cla.s.s F, can only channel a small charge. Enough to power weapons or small machines, such as their flight enabling backpacks. Stronger ones such as cla.s.s A or cla.s.s S, can channel the energy of their body into lightning strikes, strong enough to instantly kill enemies of weaker levels. ''

'' You mean actual lightning? ''

'' Affirmative ''

'' How in all h.e.l.ls have they not conquered earth yet!? ''

'' Cla.s.s S are extremely rare, as for cla.s.s A less so, but still highly uncommon. ''

'' How rare exactly ? ''

'' One in a Billion Tamarains birth with the potential to become S cla.s.s. ''

Feeling relieved that he might never cross paths with one, he sighed and wondered how they got such powers to begin with. So he asked the ultimate question.

'' Could I develop such powers? ''

'' Negative. Host's body does not contain said gland. ''

'' d.a.m.n, that's sad, but i guess i can't all have. '' But then the System kept talking.

'' Host's body being an artificial construct, an operation to add such gland could theoretically be possible. Further research on the matter could lead to possible knowledge of surgical procedure to implant gland in Host's brain. ''

He hurriedly asked '' what kind of reasearch would that entail? ''

'' Host would have to dissect and most likely consume brain and glands from Tamarains to gain precise mapping and connection to gland within Tamarain brain. ''

'' Yuck!! ''

Puting that idea aside for now, he got up and asked the System in which direction was the road it had detected.

'' Path is located 280 meters to the north-east from Host's current location. ''

So he took off in that direction, hoping he could gleam more information from survivors of the war. Maybe even find someone who actually knew how it all started. After about 15 minutes of walking through the woods, he reached the tree line to what indeed looked like a rough earth path. He stayed hidden a bit, waiting to see someone pa.s.s on the road, before going on it. It didn't take much time. About 5 minutes later, he saw a small group of 4 men with backpacks that looked filled to the brim with goods. He a.s.sumed they were merchants. Walking out slowly from the tree line, so he wouldn't frighten the men, he waved at them.

'' h.e.l.lo fellow humans! ''

As soon as they saw him, the 4 men took out small blasters from under their coats and immediately took aim at the stranger before them.

'' Woah!! I am human just like you! ''

'' We'll see about that ourselves. '' The man in the front answered coldly.

'' Corey, use the scanner and check him out. ''

Pulling an odd tablet, the man named Corey pointed it at Karl's head, getting closer to get a better reading.

'' He's clean!! '' Corey yelled back, lowering his weapon.

The other 3 men also lowered their blasters, but didn't holster them, as they still didn't trust him.

'' What's your name stranger. ''

'' Courtesy dictates you state your own name before asking for someone else's. '' Karl answered not wanting to reveal his ident.i.ty.

'' State your name or die a nameless death. '' The man said, all four of them raising their weapons again.

'' System advise Host to not use his real name, as name is a.s.sociated with a dead person, in a lost age. ''

'' I know that, jeez. How stupid do you think I am. ''

'' System will not answer such question. ''

'' Ohh? What do I hear there, is that a point of sarcasm ? ''

'' Negative ''

'' HAHH, denial. That's rich. ''

'' My name is Henry Calvert. I am a traveler and have come from far. I have no ill intentions, so why don't you all lower your weapons ? ''

'' Hmm. Much better. Well Henry, my name is Jhon, this Max, Grant and Corey, which you already know. I'm the leader of this merchant group. We were headed to the village not far ahead. Were you also going there? '' Jhon asked, holstering his blaster, followed by his 3 friends.

'' Not particularly, Jhon, I was pa.s.sing through. But indeed a village would be a welcome sight. Would you mind me joining you for your travel there. ''

'' I don't mind, as long as you don't do anything phony, you can do what you please. ''

They then started walking again, heading west, to were they were telling them was a hidden village inside a mountain side. That explained how it had survived the war being waged in the area. On the way, Karl, now calling himself Henry, talked with all four of them and learned that the village was called Legacy Cave Town. Henry found it had a nice ring to it. He also learned that it used to be a mining shaft, that had been transformed over time into a big cave to accommodate fleeing survivors of the war.

Keeping the discussions to informative small talk, they took almost 2 hours to get to the village. Once there, the five of them parted ways with a small head bow and few words. Now with him being here, he made his priority to find some access to information.

Walking towards the biggest building in town, which he had learned from Corey, was the town hall, he was being looked at with curious eyes and low heads. Noticing people were avoiding him, he wagered it was because he was a stranger. Reaching the town hall, he entered the building. He Bee lined for the counter and immediately asked the clerk '' Excuse me good sir. I am a traveling historian and it has come upon my knowledge that this town may have some doc.u.ments about past history that are not known to the world. Would there be a possibility of browsing such doc.u.ments, for history's sake. ''

Looking at him with bewildered eyes, the man took a few seconds to regain his composure. He then took up a smiling face and said '' Of course young man! The doc.u.ments you are looking would be stored in the city archives at the library. They are accessible to all as information has no price. ''

Giving directions to get to the city's library, he ended his guidance with '' We sure hope you will bring this city to light in history books. ''

'' I am sure to try my good man ! '' Henry said, waving his hand and leaving for the library. As the building was not very far, he made it there in a few minutes of walking.

He quickly entered and asked the young clerk where he could browse the archives. The young man, clearly bored to h.e.l.l with his job, barely looked up and pointed and old computer a the back of the room. Making it to the computer in a quick few strides, unable to hide his excitement, he sat down in front of the big flat screen and powered it up.

He started by getting information about the war's cause. Not learning much more from the archives, as the System had pretty well summed it up for him the day before, he moved on to the next question he had. How had the human race survived.

He learned that they had started migrating to the stars after realizing they might become extinct through the continuous raids from the now stable wormhole, located just outside of moons...o...b..t. He also read that to prevent ma.s.sive loss of life, the world government had decided to turn to ma.s.s producing 'driveable' clones to send to the front lines.

Now, with his curiosity fulfilled, he now had more personal questions to verify. Such as, what had happened to his son. He looked into his old company and found a few news that shocked him. The headlines read ' Hampton Technologies joins hands with Phoenix Co. to produce clone soldiers' . He remembered his son combative nature and hard headed manners, which he had gained from himself and was proud to see his son trying to save his fellow humans.

Other headlines such as 'Hampton Tech releases new weapon concept, earth might be saved' and 'President of Hampton Tech takes the fight to them!' made him proud as a father, but also as a fellow human. His son had grown into such a fine man, fighting in his own way to protect his planet. The next headline though, crushed his heart to bits. 'Tamarain raid on Hampton Tech HQ brings death to thousands of personnel. President's body not found in the debris. Is Earth's main defender dead or alive'

With his eyes wet, Henry opened up the article and read it thoroughly. The more details he read the more he cried. It was a tragedy. With pain and anger now brewing in his heart, Henry made the vow to exterminate the Tamarain race to avenge his son. Knowing that he would have to consume a lot of Tamarain genes on his long journey, to a.s.sure his survival, he grunted. '' It's a means to an end '' he thought, heading out of the library with a now stern look upon his face.