13"Hey, this isn't HWGA."
Nope, it isn't I'm afraid, but that doesn't mean work hasn't continued. Honestly, I always wanted to come back to GFL, I'm a big fan of the genre and have been on a big cyberpunk kick after playing some indie games. I didn't like the direction the first draft was going...so yeah, back to this redo shit again.
One of the things I kinda like with GFL is that there's so much in the world that isn't revealed. There are things we can only speculate as we get bits and pieces of lore. To me this is a chance to flex my writing muscles as I continue to work on my gate story. If HWGA was a swan song to service, this is a chance to try something different.
So without further ado, let's get into it.
A Neon Glow Lights the Way
2055 INDEPENDENT CITY STATE GLITCH CITY
+SYSTEM DISCONNECTED….INTERFACE WITH OPERATOR SHUTTING DOWN+
Under the vibrant pulsating glow of neon lights and surrounded by the bodies of both friend and foe alike, a lone White Knights contractor grunted as he removed the last piece of his armor. Powered down against his will, it was useless to him. Chaos had fallen upon the city and his company had failed to stop it. All it had taken was some leaked documents and the veil lifted over the company's shady dealings.
So, in an effort to save face, the knight's superiors abandoned him and the rest of the company. Powering down their armor and any T-dolls with them was the surest way of removing accountability. Now defenseless and against a city that hated them, the knights were in a losing fight. This particular knight and his squad were no exception, fighting nonstop for hours. Their last orders had been to safeguard a corporate district while evacuations took place. Behind their makeshift checkpoint, the towering megastructures stood defiant against a city that hated their occupants.
The knight took his helmet off and let it clatter on the wet asphalt below, exposing his face to the rain as he looked into the cloudy night skies above. There, just out of reach, he could see the last of the angular corporate transports gently glide away, its engines hummed as it took its precious cargo far away from the doomed city. He couldn't help but manage a weak smile. His squad had achieved their objective in the end. She was up there, probably screaming at him from behind some armored glass, her mascara streaming down her eyes as she reached down to him. That was the last glimpse he got of her as she forcefully loaded into the transport.
"Ya tebe lyublyu, goodbye Stella."
Now down to his soaked undersuit and combat trousers, the knight turned to face the mob gathering around him. He had been given a brief moment of respite, his enemy needed numbers if they wanted to stand any chance of taking him down. Besides, now without his armor, he was as good as dead.
"You've done a man's job sir! Letting those corporate rats get away like that!"
The knight slowly turned to face the voice that called out to him. A civilian in a kitsch-style baggy jacket and pants sporting a wicked-looking afro. He brandished a shoddy-looking pistol by his side.
"I guess you're through huh?"
"Finished." The knight slowly unholstered his pistol and unclipped a hatchet hanging off his hip. "And so will you if Rossart Territorial Defense Forces catch up."
As if on cue the distant sound of automatic weapons chattering away intermixed with the dull whumps of explosions. The knight pointed back over his shoulder.
"Yeah see that'd be them. Now's where you drop your stuff and leg it. If you play stupid they might leave you alone. One thing's for sure, this whole damn city state is getting annexed."
"Shit pig, that may be." The rioter nervously pointed at the knight. "Funny shit though, despite all you've done, it's a shame you won't live."
Making good on his threat the rioter aimed his weapon at the knight. A foolish decision, it barely made it halfway up before a loud bang echoed throughout the street followed by a flash of light. A ragged hole now in the center of his forehead, the rioter teetered back and fell into a deep puddle with a splash.
"Then again, who does?" The knight slowly lowered his now smoking pistol and turned to face the rest of the mob. "So, he made his choice, what'll yours be? Run while you can, or die here. If you think killing me is going to 'take it to the man' then by all means."
Seeing reason, some of the mob dropped their weapons and ran off towards parts unknown. Unfortunately, there was still plenty more for the knight to deal with. Blinded by rage and unable to contain themselves any longer, they raised their weapons high and charged.
"Fine by me then! Davai!" The knight snarled before rushing towards the mob to meet them head-on. As he descended into the maelstrom of blunt objects and fists, the last thing on his mind was home and his beloved.
Neither he was worthy of seeing again.