Chapter 2 - Into the endless void of space

We ran out into the world outside of the village which was nothing but grass meadows for quite some time. However we eventually made it into a nearby forest. There we used the trees to our advantage and ran so far that it would be almost impossible for the enemy to find us. But something was weird, no one ever came after us.

What's happening?

Would you like to activate skill 'spy?'

Sure.

'Spy' skill activated.

Now I was able to peer past the trees and the meadow. Then into the tunnel my vision went and there I saw nothing but a pile of rocks. Someone had destroyed the only exit to the village.

My companions were probably the ones who had done it which meant that they, along with the villagers, were now trapped in that hell pit with no viable way of escape.

I closed my eyes and then looked to Rouge.

"Did you tell them to do that?" I asked.

The man gritted his teeth. "Well, we did have a lot to talk about when you were asleep. Truth be told, we knew that those demons would come eventually and when that happened, destroying the exit was one way we could get you out of there alive."

"So what happens to them?" I ask as I walk closer, towering above the blonde man.

"They're soldiers. That's what they're trained to do." Rouge glared at me. "You would know that if you had your memories intact. This isn't the first time we had to sacrifice comrades. So let's go already." And then the man continued deeper into the forest. Bloc and I followed once more.

As we trotted through the landscape which was elevated in some places and sunken in others, I shot some questions to Rouge. "Tell me what exactly I am? I don't think normal humans can do what I did."

"Human?" Rouge gave me a sideward glance before returning his attention to what lied ahead. "You're anything but human, cap."

As he ran up and down the land, he continued. "You're an Angel as we like to call you. Born from a race of superior creatures that have long existed before time. We don't even know what you are ourselves. All we do know is that you came to Earth one day and ever since then, you've been defending us with all your might."

"So because I'm an Angel, I can do all of these strange things?" I asked as we climbed onto a mounted piece of rock to get a better angle of the area.

As Rouge peered across to the mountain in the distance, he spoke. "Well, that's what we assume. Tons of scientists have looked at your body and the only thing that they could get from it is that it's made from technology far beyond our own capabilities. You're the perfect combination of biological and technological advancements."

Then we began running down towards the direction of the mountain. Bloc also contributed to the conversation as if to summarize what Rouge had just said. "Captain strong." The little goblin said as it trotted down the hill beside me.

What about you? What do you know about me?

Negative! All that I know of you has already been downloaded into your brain.

Ah, that makes sense. After all, unlike me, you were made by humans. I was made by something else entirely.

We continued to run until we eventually reached the base of the mountain.

"What do we do?" I ask.

Rouge rubbed the back of his head and looked towards me. "Well, me and Bloc can use our gear to hop up there. You should be able to do a similar thing as well. Just ask Riot about it."

And then, boosters from the armor on the man's foot blasted him forth up the mountain where he then continued to hop in periodic leaps. Bloc did the same.

What does he mean?

Would you like to activate skill 'Long jump'.

Yes.

Skill 'Long jump' activated.

Then I looked to my feet as blue plasma enveloped it. And then with a simple jump I was blasted forth into the air. I landed as the ground below me shattered away sending debris to fall down the mountain side. Then I leapt again and again until I had even managed to pass my two companions and was now standing at the top of the snowy mountain. Strangely enough, I didn't even feel cold.

Soon Rouge and Bloc came up as well. I looked to Rouge. "What do we do now?"

He walked forward in the snowy storm with his hand still clutching his rifle.

"I called ahead. So by now they must be here somewhere." He said as he looked around and then stopped suddenly. "There." He pointed and then ran ahead.

From the distance, it had seemed like a silhouette of a rock but as I got closer I saw that it was something else entirely. It was a spaceship. A very futuristic one at that with massive thrusters at the back. There was also a massive hatch that had opened to form a ramp where a woman stood with a hand to her waist waiting. Her other hand held a rifle braced over her shoulder.

She smiled as we came closer. "Took ya long enough. Get in!" she shouted and then walked up the ramp and into the ship.

I along with my two other companions entered the spacecraft and I watched as the ramp lifted up to form the back of the ship.

Then I heard the sound of the thrusters revving. And before I knew it, the ship had lifted off the ground as I wobbled to find my balance.

"Strap yourself in, cap." Rouge said as he was fastening himself to a seat with a seatbelt. Bloc, too, had already fastened himself.

But it was too late for me. The ship blasted into space at supersonic speeds as I was sent flying in the back of the ship. I felt my mouth being torn open as the ship blasted forth. And when it finally stopped and continued at a regular pace, I fell forward into the iron floor below.

"Hey cap, you okay?" the woman asked as I forced myself up to see her reaching out a hand. I grabbed it and pulled myself up. Though the woman was quite tall, she paled in comparison the giant that I now was.

Rouge then came forward from his seat. "Yeah about that Casandra," the man paused and twisted his face as he awkwardly motioned his hands. "cap kinda lost his memories."

"What?" Casandra looked towards Rouge and then back at me. Then to Rouge and then back at me. This continued for a bit until she finally asked. "So you don't remember anything?"

I rubbed the back of my head and replied. "I'm afraid not. And if I'm quite honest, I don't really feel like I'm the person you all say that I am."

At that Casandra walked away and began pacing up and down. "This is horrible." She started. "The galaxy's at its worse and our greatest asset decides to get amnesia."

She went on like that for a bit until Rouge finally found the courage to try and stop her. "Calm down." He began as he motioned his hands up and down. "It isn't like he's dead. Memories or not, he's still the cap."

Casandra's face became fierce as she turned towards the blonde man. She pointed a finger at him and marched brazenly up to his face. He took a step back in fright. She took another step forward. "Don't you tell me to calm down!" she started. "Have you already forgotten why that arrogant bastard's so important?" she pointed to me.

Was I arrogant bastard?

Affirmative! You were quite the asshole.

"He's the only one that knows. Without his memories, how will we…" Casandra dropped to her knees and grabbed her head as her riffle crashed to the ground. "How will we win without him?" she said in soft whisper.

Rouge knelt beside her. "Hey, it's going to be fine." He comforted.

I then walked up to her and knelt as well. Awkwardly as I looked to the side, I spoke. "I may not remember who I once was but trust me when I say that I will do the best I can to help you all."

Then Bloc came in as well. "And so will Bloc!" he said cheeringly with a fist raised to the sky.

The colored woman piloting the ship also looked back to the scene unfolding, as I noticed. We met eyes and she smiled as she threw a little wink towards my direction. I turned away in embarrassment.

"Yes, that's right." Casandra forced herself to rise up and picked her riffle off the floor. She turned around and flung her medium length white hair as she did so. "We still have a chance to win as long as you're alive." She looked back to me. Then she walked to the other side of the ship and sat down on one of many in a row of seats. She placed one leg on to another and turned to the side avoiding any eye contact that came her way.

"Well it's good to see that she hasn't changed." Rouge said as he rose up from the ground and took a seat as well, on the other side of the ship that is. I followed him but Bloc went across the room to sit with Casandra.

"So what now?" I asked.

The man laid back into his chair with arms stretched outwards. "Well, we'll head to nearby allied planet and hope things go good from there. In the mean while," he looked towards me. "you can try to recall any wisps of knowledge from the old noggin of yours." Then he leaned his head back and closed his eyes while I was left to sit in the seat that wasn't even fitted to my size.

How great!

I looked to my side and then made my way to the front of the ship where the colored woman was piloting. Through the glass panes before me, I could see the empty world outside filled with stars, planets, moons and even nebulas. It was quite bizarre. I've never been able to do something like this. Arrg, my head hurts. How do I know that I've never done this before? Wasn't I always the captain? Doesn't that mean this was a normal sight for me? I groaned in pain a I held my forehead.

"Hey you okay captain?" the colored woman asked as she looked back to me.

"I'm fine." I said quietly. Then I once more looked to the outside world. Whether I had seen it before or not wouldn't change how amazing the sight was.

"You know, I never thought I'd see you with such a look in your eyes." The woman said as she refocused her attention to the endless space infront of her.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well…" she began. "You just had this look of amazement in your eyes. I've never seen that. As far as I've known you, nothing ever fazed you. It was always the same stoic expression on your face with the occasional grin or two. That never changed." She then took another look at me. "But I guess losing your memories can change someone entirely."

"I guess so." I reply and then made my way to a nearby seat. Since it was a little closer to the front, I could see through the glass panes easily. And for the rest of this journey, that was what I would do. I stared into the wondrous expanse of the endless space and became lost within it.