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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 94: The Dawn Of Civilization Part 1

Time Hunters journal entry. Where are we again? What year is it?

“Cody?"

“It is 4162. We have returned to the city-state period; the 90 year war Primrose."

Oh yeah, Sir Ram's black PDA has brought us to the middle of the human's war before the High Evolutionary came to power. We are hiding in the forests near the city-state of Anon which is slightly west of where World One will be. Cody and I had been traveling with Sir Ram for thirteen years before the knight was able to rescue his true love from her untimely death the day of the empire's fall.

Now the four of us have a single unifying mission to discover the origin of the synoptic, destroy it and prevent what happened December 31st 4250 (Year of Empire 33). Well that was the plan. It hasn't gone so well though. As time travelers our resources are limited to what we can scrounge up in the thirty-two hours after we touch down. We also can't control where we jump to either. Mara and Sir Ram believe the black PDA is malfunctioning and they don't have the resources to fix it. So lately we show up in a time and place, conduct research, question the locals and then move on. They keep hoping that we will appear in one of the cities during the High Evolutionary's reign so that Sir Ram and Mara can access their labs and fix the device. But that hasn't happened, yet.

“Wow, they are getting frisky!" Mr. Spencer said spying on some familiar shadows within a tent lit by candle light not far away.

“Cody it is not polite to spy on our elders." The rabbit girl chided the white furred cat- boy.

“Are you kidding me?! Primrose look at that! I mean look at it! How can you not stare?!" Cody said forcing his companion to stare at the silhouettes.

(So much for adulthood bringing about maturity. He is twenty seven and still acting like he is fourteen.) Primrose thought to herself.

Not far from the two young adults was a naked big horned sheep laying flat on his back paws covering his eyes in pure sexual bliss. On top of him was his nanny goat riding her lover for all he was worth.

“My. They are getting frisky." Primrose said to Cody.

“I think it is because Sir Ram survived that self inflicted wound he gave himself when ONE possessed him." The cat-boy said.

“It was a brilliant ruse to trick the entity." The she rabbit said.

“But it got Alex." Cody sighed.

“Alex." The rabbit girl and the cat-boy said in unison.

“Do you think he is ok?" Cody asked.

“No." Primrose responded. “We have lost a good friend forever."

“Hey, if we are all successful, none of this will have happened anyway." Cody said watching the ram and goat- go at it.

“How is that Rammy?" Mara said raising and lowering herself on her lover's spear.

“More good than not my nanny."

“That is for saving me from an untimely death." *grunt* “And this is to celebrate your recovery."

“Thank you my dear." The former knight said. “But shouldn't we get back to the mission?"

“We have spent the last thirty and a half hours looking around; there is nothing to find in this time period- except the humans fighting each other for control of what is left of their former government. Fortunately we are far enough away from that. I say we just unwind for the next hour or so. The night is warm and the moon is so full and I hope you are too my love."

“Mara is there something you are not telling me?" The big horned sheep said to his goat as she leaned forward to smile at him.

“Well, I was going to wait to tell you- but I have been collecting items during our last few jumps to construct tools to try to fix the black PDA."

“You think we will be able to control where we go?"

“I hope so Rammy."

“My love this IS cause for celebration… oh...uh…"

“Lookie it is gonna happen!! It is gonna happen!!" Cody whisper-shouted.

“BAAAHHH!!!!" The ram bleated loudly.

“MAAAHHH!!!" The goat answered him.

“It happened." Primrose blushed.

“My, my, my so messy, you were full." Mara said looking at her sex.

“Only when I am with you my love." The ram said to the goat.

“Hey you two is it safe to come in?" Cody asked peeking in the tent.

“Well… I… um." The ram said embarrassed.

“I think we should have given them some more alone time." Primrose said joining Cody.

“Hey it is nothing I haven't seen before!" The cat boy announced. “Besides we have about 90 minutes before we move on- I was thinking about taking a nap."

“Um, we should get cleaned up." The caprine announced. “I don't think Cody or Primrose would want to sleep anywhere near us otherwise."

“It's okay! I don't mind." The cat-boy shouted.

Mara pinched Cody on his cheek as she and Sir Ram left for a nearby stream. The two adults dribbling goo on the floor of the tent and outside as well.

“Plus I love the smell of sex." The cat said looking at the rabbit.

“And big sexy strikes again!" Primrose face-palmed.

Cody and Primrose made themselves comfortable while they waited for the scientists to return.

“That must have been one heck of a mating session." The cat-boy announced.

“Cody I think someone is approaching!" The she rabbit said as her ears twitched.

“It is probably Mara and Sir Ram."

“No it is singular."

“Is it the Alliance or Legion? It can't be I thought we were away from the front lines?" The cat said to the rabbit.

“Let's hide."

The rabbit girl and cat boy made their way to the base of a tree from the tent to watch and wait. A grey haired man of about sixty or more years walked out of the woods and approached the tent they had been in moments earlier. He had a worn looking face with brown tattered pants, a white shirt, tattered shoes and only a rope for a belt. He looked like a hobo.

The man rummaged through the tent looking for supplies. Finding none, he turned and stared at the campfire for a moment.

“Alright thief, what did you think you were going to find?" Cody said using his adult voice.

“I am sorry, my supplies are running low." The man said apologetically.

“We don't take kindly to bandits." The cat hissed.

“Cody!" Primrose shouted. “It is ok."

“How is it ok? That hobo tried to rob us!"

“We know him." The rabbit girl said pulling the cat boy out of their hiding place. “Dr. First? Dr Richard First?"

“Primrose?! Cody?!" The man said turning toward the two. “What are you doing here?"

“We came back, but not willingly." The she rabbit stated.

“My how you two have grown." The man said examining the two- you are both adults now beautiful and handsome."

“And you are so grey and old."

“Cody!"

“Sorry." The cat-boy said backpedaling.

“Well it has been thirty years." He said to the former beastial teens.

“It is great to see that you escaped from the Legion's base." Primrose said to the physician.

“It took me a few years to do so."

“So what we told you thirty years ago influenced your decisions?" Primrose said.

“Yes. I fled to the wilderness." Richard said looking at Primrose's chest.

“The war, it is going to last for another 56 years, I am afraid Dr. First." Cody said.

“So I will be 112 when it is finally over." The hermit concluded. “And that will be my life."

The time hunters nodded.

“If I were you I would make your own happiness. Get away from this madness and find somewhere else to live." Primrose said to the doctor.

“Or you can raise your hands human and step away from our children." Sir Ram appeared with weapon drawn. “These sonic blasters are a bit primitive but are effective, nonetheless."

“If I were you, I would do so quickly." Mara said appearing from the opposite direction.

“Friends of yours?" Dr. First asked. “Remarkable- a female caprine and a male sheep!"

“Sir Ram, Mara! It is ok! It is ok! He is a friend!" Cody shouted.

“This is Dr. Richard First!" The rabbit girl announced.

“This is the physician you met in 4130?" The goat lady asked.

“Yes we were captured by the Legion and forced to work at their base before escaping." Cody announced.

“I assumed you two younglings made it back to your own time. But now you have returned. Why?"

“Something awfully bad happened. It ended our civilization. Many died." Cody said as Sir Ram and Mara joined them around the campfire.

“Was it a war?"

“If you must know, it was a formless, shapeless entity that enslaved our fellow bestials, killed our ruler and destroyed our world." Sir Ram said indignantly.

“How could something be without a form?" Dr. First said thinking out loud.

“We have since learned that it was extraterrestrial in origin." The goat lady added.

“As in from outer space?! So we are not the only inhabitants in the universe? Incredible!"

“Your world view of the universe is quite dim doctor." Sir Ram said staring down the sixty two year old.

“Sir Ram!" Cody said trying to ring him back in.

“HMPH!"

“It arrived on this world long ago and has tried to take over several times through the ages but was not successful for some reason until now." The rabbit girl said.

“We are trying to find its origins, stop it and reverse the damage that was done." The cat boy added.

“That sounds like a dangerous mission." Dr. First said. “I haven't seen or heard any of what you speak- especially in this century. Perhaps it is just dormant?"

“Or building its power." Sir Ram said. “If only we had a way to track it."

“It looks like we have about an hour left before we depart." Mara said looking at the black PDA.

“Hmm… I have a proposition for the four of you." Dr. First said humbling himself.

“What is that human?" The goat lady asked.

“Let me come along."

“What could you have to offer us?" Sir Ram asked indignantly.

“I am a doctor." The grey haired human said.

“Thank you, but my medical knowledge is far superior to yours." The big horned sheep said condescendingly.

“And I am also a amateur historian and very knowledgeable about this time period and what came before. Besides there is nothing here to look forward to for another fifty six years."

The cat, rabbit, goat and ram all looked at each other.

“He could be useful to us on our mission rammy." Mara said reaching out to grab the paw of her beloved.

“Oh great, another mouth to feed!" The former knight of Wundagore huffed.

“Excellent. When do we leave? Um, how do we leave?"

“Don't you have some things you want to bring?" Ms. Willow asked.

“Actually no. All I have is right here with me." Richard said pointing to a knapsack in the brush nearby.

The four time travelers broke down their camp in the forest and within the next hour and prepared to move on.

“So how does this work exactly?" Dr. First asked.

“We just disappear from this time and appear in another." Cody said.

“I think for you to come along we should hold paws…" Primrose said reaching out to grab the soon to be former hobo's left hand while Cody grabbed the right.

“It is time." Mara announced looking at the black PDA Sir Ram was carrying. “3-2-1."

*FLASH*

The four time hunters and their guest disappeared.

*FLASH*

Cody, Primrose reappeared in a snow-covered forest. Dr. First joined them soon afterwards falling to the ground from the same yellow oval the beastials had appeared from.

*OOF*

“Wow, you really stuck that landing." Cody said.

“Dr. First are you all right?" Primrose asked.

“My back ow. Where are we?"

“More like when. Judging by all the white stuff it is late fall or winter." The rabbit girl said looking around.

“And judging by the red sky in the distance it is after the empire collapsed." The cat boy concluded.

“It is also very cold we need to seek shelter or build it." Richard said.

“We can't build it Sir Ram and Mara have the tent." The cat replied.

“How long does it take them to appear?"

“Within the hour or so Richard. Gee, it is cold." Cody concluded.

“Hey what is that in the distance?" Primrose said pointing.

“It looks to be a tower." Dr. First said studying the structure. “Attached to a fort."

“Let's check it out." Cody said running.

“Cody you know it could be dangerous right?"

“It is either that or we freeze Primrose." The cat boy shouted.

“He hasn't changed much in thirteen years has he?" Dr. First asked.

“Nope."

The she rabbit reached into her supply pack and gave their human friend a hooded cloak to wear while they made their way to the fort.

“Thank you my dear."

“You are most welcome." She replied.

“I was wondering- how do you time jumpers keep track of your OWN time? I mean for like birthdays and the like?"

“The black PDA keeps track of the general time we have been doing this. But Prim and I just use the dates of the time periods we wind up in. It is less confusing. Wow, that is rather small structure, isn't it?" Cody said.

“Tall wooden fence encasing three buildings and a tower that looks like a high tree." Richard said studying the design.

“It must not have taken long to construct." Primrose said as the three arrived at the entrance- a single door with a peep hole.

Cody knocked. “Hello any beast there?"

The trio received their answer when the gate opened.

“Be ready for anything." The she rabbit warned gritting her teeth. “We don't know what we are getting into…."

“Who goes there?!" A half human and half scorpion asked greeting the trio.

“We are three travelers in need of shelter whoa?! Say what are you?" Dr. First asked.

“I am Linias. I am the leader of this outpost."

“That is not what the human meant giggles." A small brown otter girl said running up behind him. “Your appearance startled him. He is a monster, a friendly one."

The she otter studied the rabbit girl and the cat boy for a moment.

“Say you are the Time Hunters aren't you?"

“Recognition!!" Cody beamed. “So our reputation precedes us!"

“We have heard of you. Did you find a way to destroy ONE?" The scorpion man asked.

“Not exactly we are still working on it." Cody said locking his arms behind his head.

“Come in, come in. I am Tippi welcome to World Seven."

“World Seven?" Dr. First asked.

“Yes this is our home and a refuge." The scorpion man said shaking hands with the Dr. First.

“It is also a sanctuary for those fleeing the entity and the rest of the troubles of the planet." Tippi said guiding them inside. “Say aren't you missing some in your party?"

“They will be arriving any minute." Cody responded.

“Haem!" Linias shouted at the unseen lookout on the central tower. “Two more will be arriving."

A black tentacle waved in acknowledgement.

Linias then corked his stinger and guided the trio to one of the three buildings inside the fence. Inside was a cooking pit that glowed red. It was surrounded by several long tables.

“So, I assume you have questions?" The she otter said sitting down. As the scorpion man stood next to her."

“Yes many." Primrose said.

“This is our cooking and dining room. Can I get you anything?"

“Yes. But I was curious, what year is this?" Primrose asked.

“4253." Linias said calmly.

“Or year of empire 36." The otter girl said walking to a far table and bring back three bowls. “We stopped using that convention though." The she otter said returning.

“Why is that?" Richard asked.

“The civilization that created Linias and that I lived in is long gone and not coming back." Tippi said. “Here, tomato soup."

“We are still trying to reverse that." Cody said accepting a bowl.

“So is this an offshoot of the Lost City or a secondary base?" The rabbit girl asked.

She received blank stares from the scorpion monster and otter girl.

“The Lost City is no more." Linias said. “It was destroyed about two years ago."

“It was not long after Sandu, Linias, Haem and I arrived."

“My word, were there any survivors?" Dr. First asked.

“Initially but now there is only Sandu, Linias, Haem, Gahri, Kenna, Zhade and myself." The she otter said as the door to the cabin opened.

“Not possible. Rammy and I fortified that colony for any eventuality!" Mara said walking in.

“You made it!" Primrose said running over to greet the two.

“Perhaps my dear you and your friend should clarify." Sir Ram said following Mara.

“It was a perfect storm of calamity." Lianias said. “The lost city welcomed us. Lady Ursa trained Haem, Sandu and myself as warriors. Together we helped protect and defend the colony."

“I worked in the kitchen with the Wild family feeding everyone and making sure Linias and his friends augmented their diets."

“Oh that you did Tippi." The scorpion man said patting her paw. “I don't think I have had a single craving for beastial in some time."

“Liar. Anyway, it was around mid August when the monster king…"

“The monster king?" Sir Ram asked.

“A new enemy the lost city acquired when they took us four in." The otter girl said. “He sent some of his forces to try to take Haem, Sandu and Linias back."

“Ursa, Barq, Shira and Rhinox managed to repel the invasion but there were casualties. A few warriors fell during the battle but many were injured leaving few to protect the city."

“Staffing was stretched thin. The entity came for us the next day." Tippi said. “It had implanted itself in a mute sergal warrior and lay dormant for some weeks before avoiding detection and waiting. It then activated and started taking over a little at a time. First the porcupine couple, then a human couple storing them in the north cave beyond the north maze."

“Let me guess by the time Ursa, Shira, Rhinox and Barq figured out what was going on half the populace had seemingly disappeared." Sir Ram said.

The scorpion man and the otter girl nodded.

“Shira ordered an evacuation; everyone abandoned the city and traveled to the west to meet up at her former colony. The journey was treacherous the survivors were picked off by the monster king's forces, Others, and a golem monster who Alex referred to as TWO."

“Wait, the homely freckled human boy?" Mara asked. “I thought he became an Other?"

“He was for a time but escaped the collective." Tippi said. “However- he, the bear lady and the mongoose boy were abducted by the KLIS during the journey. We never saw or heard from him or them again."

“There were only seven of us left when we got to Shira's former home. We constructed what you see now."

“My goodness." Dr. First said finishing his soup.

The ram and goat were shocked beyond belief.

“I want you two to go over all this again. Do not omit the slightest detail!" Sir Ram ordered.

Time Hunters journal entry. Sir Ram, Mara, Cody, Dr. First and myself have jumped to February 2nd 4253 two years after the fall of the lost city which we discovered only survived eight months past the end of the empire.

_After touching down we found ourselves in a mountainous forest to the west of World Four and World Five. The survivors of the colony seven in all, fled there and built a new sanctuary for refugees. A fort. None of the residents we met two years ago survived the journey. _

The news hit Sir Ram pretty hard. He was elated at learning Alex had escaped from ONE, but devastated that he, Ursa and Corbin were lost to the KLIS. He and myself extensively interviewed all within the fort again and again. Their stories matched. Rhinox and Barq were killed protecting the survivors from the monsters roaming the forests. Shakara became an Other. I was told that as she was being possessed the entity promised her that she would never ever suffer from depression again. The finality of Corey and Rumble is a bit vague though. Accounts vary but the two were separated from the rest of the survivors during a KLIS assault. Perhaps they are living by themselves in the wild it is unclear at this point.

Dr. First and Cody spent their time assessing the health of all who are here. Some common diseases which were thought to have been eradicated have returned. They spent a lot of their time yesterday treating the ill. As for the rest of the residents, they are well physically but very taxed mentally given what happened to them. Mara has spent the last day working on the black PDA trying to see if we could control it.

_This time jump was devastatingly informative but we are no closer to our goal and discovering that we lost additional friends didn't help much either. _

*THUMP* *THUMP* *THUMP*

“I say what the hell is that noise?" Sir Ram said awakening.

“Don't look at me. I was journaling." The she rabbit said as Cody snored next to her.

“It sounds like an incursion." Richard said stirring. “I didn't say anything but while examining the residents yesterday, I got the feeling that they were in hiding."

“Probably from the forces that destroyed their previous home." The she goat said yawning.

“Nanny how long until our next jump?"

“Four hours rammy."

“What if we don't have four hours?" Primrose asked.

“Human, you and I are going to find out what is going on." Sir Ram said rising. “Primrose, Mara pack up in case we need to flee and get the boy vertical!"

Richard and Sir Ram exited to the courtyard as the seven in the fort greeted their visitors.

“Malice." Linias shouted through a peep-hole in the gate.

“It has taken us some time to find you boy, by we have. This time you three will be coming back with us!"

“What about the rest of us?" Zhade shouted at the cat monster.

“Snacks for the trip back." A silhouette next to Malice stated rather abruptly.

“Who is that?" Tippi asked Linias.

“Malicious."

“What are we going to do?!" Kenna shouted.

“Zhade, Haem, Sandu, Gahri and myself are going to hold them off. You and Tippi take everyone else and flee. Use the caves to the south if you have to."

“Linias!" Tippi said hugging the scorpion boy as the reality hit her hard. He and the others were going to die here.

“Yeah, if this is to be the end Tippi I am sorry I tried to eat you."

“Linias…" The she otter started to say.

“Ah-ah-ah-ah, you are all surrounded." Malice announced wiggling a long claw.

*CRASH*

“There will be no escaping today." Malicious added walking over the section of wall he just toppled.

“ATTACK!!!" The man scorpion called out to his forces.

“We should be going Sir Ram!" Dr. First said grabbing his paw as the Ram aimed his weapon at the invaders.

“You dare touch me human?!"

“Your mission was to stop that which was done- you won't complete it if you die here and now beastial."

The big horned sheep looked at the massive horde of invading monsters. There were just too many of them! And they kept coming!

“I have seen my share of lost causes and this is one, right here and right now." Dr. First continued.

“And so the Lost City's legacy ends here." Sir Ram said observing the carnage around him.

The two fired their weapons as they retreated back to the boarding room where Mara, Cody and Primrose were packed.

“Status?" Mara asked.

“The fort is lost Mara."

“We will be too if we don't depart now." Richard said.

“What happened?" Cody asked.

“It was one of the factions that wiped out the previous colony." Sir Ram shouted as there was pounding on the door.

“Little morsels, little morsels let me in!" A dark and demonic voice on the other side of the door shouted.

“They're here!" The cat boy said shaking.

“Mara now would be a good time." Primrose said as the goat lady fiddled with the black PDA.

“Richard." Primrose said reaching out her paw. Just as the door was pulled outward into the courtyard and a bloodsoaked male version of Malice looked inside.

“My I don't know where to start first rabbit, cat, sheep, ram or human." The monster said showing its fangs. “But I will give you five a hint... I was leaning toward mutton!"

“MARA!!!" Cody and Primrose shouted in unison.

“That will be none of the above tall dark and gruesome." Mara said pressing some buttons.

The quintette disappeared in a yellow flash.

To Be Continued….