The Fourth Saga

Sotsu: Legends

Chapter 32- Gray

The silver plane now carried Sotsu quickly west, it was determined that they’d reach the City Ruins Zone within a few hours. Sotsu found himself fast asleep, in one hand he gripped the unfolded Skara photo in his hand. While his head was set on the back of his left hand which his arm rested on the arm of the seat. He snored quietly, not bothering the dozen or so Dark Legion Special Troops which were going about their own business in the plane cabin. 

As the plane passed over through several mountains and over the chilling white clouds that collected, a lone figure propped himself up on a peak. A strong looking red echidna, scarlet red metal attachments covered his arms and silver ones his torso, his hair was nothing more then metal strands, much like that of many Dark Legionaries. A scarlet red shoulder pad covered one shoulder with Greek-style markings in black over the center of it. His eyes were covered by black lenses, though they were in fact attached there, one gloomy red eye was visible on the left side, as well as several small metal stubs that protruded from the top of his head. Much like the ones Sotsu had, the same red metal covered his legs with shin-guards as well as footgear. A dark red pistol hoistel hung on his left side, and to complete it all, he held a large dark silver gattling over one shoulder.

"At long last… the Black Knight has come," the echidna whispered to himself before taking a graceful bound to a steep slope going one side down the mountain and sliding down it.

Sotsu woke abruptly as he heard the propellers of the plane stop, one of the Dark Legion Special Troops stood in front of him, looking down at him through the black visor on his helmet.


"Sotsu, we’ve landed for a brake, come on," the troops said gesturing for Sotsu to follow him. 

"Hmm? Alright, I’m coming," Sotsu replied realizing he had the Skara photo in one hand. He smiled at the picture then folded it up and placed it back into it’s rightful stop in his topmost pocket on the left side.

The black echidna made his way down the three steps from the plane and looked about. Gray clouds held in the sky as they carried a light load of rain, ready to be let loose any time soon. They were on the landing stretch of a long abandoned airport. The runway had several potholes in it, the paint long peeled away as the place had been neglected.

"Where are we?" Sotsu asked one of the troops who was stretching out his back. 

"We’re close by the ruins. It’s like this all the way there, long since abandoned cities and stuff. I dunno why they died, no one does. But everyone says it’s dangerous, because powerful gangs hang around here," the echidna explained, giving a shrug and sounding unenthusiastic. "As I here though, back in ancient Mobius times when it was just Overlanders, this place was very populated, I don’t remember the name though. Sas Fiso… something… I dunno."

"Hmm… to tell you the truth… something about this place seems familiar," Sotsu said looking about as he scratched his chin.

No other planes or aircraft of any kind were on the landing strip. As the ex-earthling looked into the distance at the dark scene of crumbling skyscrapers and buildings in the distance, he tried to think of what it looked like. Now though it was nothing more then a ghost-city. 

"Well come on guys let’s get going, this place gives me the creeps," the pilot said waving from the plane door.

"You heard him guys let’s lock and load!" the troop commander shouted to his men, receiving a strong reply.

Sotsu found himself looking out the plane window as they took to the sky after a short and bumpy run down the landing strip. He continued looking and pondering about the location, then his answer came into view, his face held in shock, as they flew over a broken, wreaked and twisted bridge that held a rather brown color. If not for the style of the bridge that still remained, Sotsu wouldn’t have recognized it… as the remains of the Golden Gate Bridge, they were in fact, in what used to be San Francisco.

"Ah shit," Sotsu mumbled to himself, then he leaned back in his seat, feeling much more distressed then before.

"Where are we going?" Sotsu asked turning toward one of the troops.

"Some place south of here called San Jose," the troops answered back, then went back to his card game with the others.

"San Jose," Sotsu breathed, remembering that not to long before he had came to Mobius he had visited there. 

"So that means we’re in California," Sotsu noted.

"Cali wha’?" the troops questioned.

"Back when this was Earth, er… ancient Mobius, this place was called California," Sotsu replied, only taking his eyes away from the window for a second to answer the Dark Legion troop.

"Hmm," the troop sounded as he shrugged his shoulders.

Sotsu slunk back into his seat and thought about what may have happened to his hometown. He wondered if this so much was really the future as it was another dimension. Does that mean that this is what to become of my Earth in several thousand years? 

Sotsu’s thoughts were interrupted by the sudden shake of the plane, the troops were alarmed and panicked as the sound of loud metallic whining filled the area.

"That’s not Scios this time," Sotsu noted, soon answered as bullets hole riddled across the side of the plane.

The troops shouted to each other, the commander ordered them to ready their arms ,but it was no use. There was one loud whump as the whole side of the plane the troops were near, was torn open. A metallic echidna burst through, a large gattling blazing away, the sound held in Sotsu’s ears as the black echidna sat and watched the troops futilely fire back, only to have their shots reflect off a red force-field about the strange figure.

Then all at once the figure dashed toward Sotsu. The ex-earthling found the strong metal arms wrap about him, then he felt the metal echidna break the other side of the plane, there was a loud gush as the air outside rushed inward, howling about the jagged and broken plane that then exploded. 

Sotsu and the other echidna flew through the air. Sotsu looked below seeing they were a ways from the city and very high in the air. Sotsu wasn’t able to break from the other echidna’s strong grip as they plummeted toward the earth. The other echidna drew a smirk across his face, was he suicidal? 

"Shiiiiit!" Sotsu shouted as the ground came up, he closed his eyes, then felt an abrupt pressing of his ribs and the wind current stopped. He felt himself being lifted from the metal echidna’s shoulders and plopped to his own feet.

He opened his eyes, they were both alive and well. He looked about, the dull sky held firm, casting the land in an errie gray light. They were in what used to be a bay, but it had long since dried out. 

"Who are you?" Sotsu questioned firmly, setting one hand ready to draw.

"I am Gray, I had been sent by Lamartis to ensure your safety," the echidna answered back, his gruff voice even further made him intimidating.

"This is Spitfire," the echidna added as he hefted his gattling over his shoulder.

"Why’d you do that?" Sotsu asked pointing to the last remaining bits of the plane that rained down into a lower recess of the area."

"Because it’s my mission to make sure you stay alive. Now come on it isn’t safe standing out here like this," Gray said as he began to walk in the direction of the city.

"Ya’ know where we’re going?" Sotsu asked as he ran a little to catch up to his "bodyguard".

"Not exactly. Long as we keep an eye open I’m sure we’ll survive."

"So… who’s this Lamartis?" Sotsu asked looking down at Gray, who was about a shoulders shorter then Sotsu.

"I’m not classified to release information about my clients," Gray replied in his usual stern voice.

"What can you tell me then?" the black echidna persisted.

"That you are someone of great value. Apparently you’re someone very powerful, or in time you will be at least," Gray answered.


The pair made their way up the sloping hill out of the pit that used to be the bay. Sotsu and Gray now found themselves entering the crumbling city of San Francisco, or what used to be San Francisco. The road was broken and segmented, the towering buildings were in tatters and some were even tilted, some have already toppled. And the worst part was, it is completely silent, dead, and long-since held life. It was a ghost city, yet the two weren’t alone.

Gray was the first to pick up something, Sotsu could only guess that one of the echidna’s implants gave him a stronger electromagnetic pick-up spectrum, as he drew Spitfire and actively looked about. No sooner Sotsu as well picked up something, in multiples as well. The black echidna took his akimbo to hand and scanned the towering buildings for anything. 

"It’s the Hunter! Get him!" a strong voice shouted from atop a near-by abandoned store.

There was the sound of multiple gun clacks as several mobster-style thugs took position over the roof’s lip and trained old fashion Thomsons on the two. They were a varying sort, species ways. But they all adorned mobster style suits, some complemented with a bowler’s hat, jewelry, cigars or even the classic pin stripes. 

The Thomson’s rattled loudly as the round magazines shook, pumping bullet-holes that danced vividly on the dead streets that Sotsu remembered being so lively. Gray answered back to the group with a short volley from Spitfire, as Sotsu also took several pops off with his pistols. Then the two split ways to avoid being riddled with bullet-fire. 

Gray took up position behind a wall inside a narrow and dark alley, popping out on occasion to send a few shots from Spitfire. Sotsu ran a ways and rolled, coming back up to return fire. He intended to actually close the distance in chance to sub-due his opponents in a non-lethal fashion then interrogate them, unfortunate Gray didn’t agree with such plans as the echidna had already pushed a bullet into several of the mobsters.

There was the sound of an engine revving off about the block, followed by the shouts and howls of another mobster group who was embarked on a black classic-car, several of them peering from the window with their Thomsons ready. Sotsu got back up and headed for the building on which the first group was on, though he soon found himself in a pair of gleaming head lights as the second group made their move onto the black echidna. 

Sotsu dived to the sidewalk as the car zipped by in a black blur, their shots toward the ex-earthling all fell stray. Sotsu righted himself and hoisteled his pistols to draw the Sword. He backed himself against a wall so he’d be out of the line of fire form the first group, then he began to assemble the weapon for assault.

Gray tightened his grip on Spitfire and exited from the cover of the alleyway. He pressed light fire onto his building stationed opponents, but as he made his way closer the black mobster car found it’s way toward him. He turned as he noticed the gleaming headlights, he wasn’t going to back down from the oncoming vehicle, instead he pivoted his left foot and narrowed his eyes. The car adorned group fired stray shots at the red echidna as the car speed fourth. 

Then in a fluid action the cyber-echidna jumped and jammed one foot hard into the windshield, blasting fourth wildly with Spitfire as his other foot found home on the frame siding. The driver and a few of the front-seat passengers found a quick demise to the volley from the large weapon, then the echidna took a flying leap off as the car swerved violently and smacked hard into a wall, and exploded. Gray hit the ground tumbling, but with control. He righted himself and continued his dash toward the first group, the second one presumably all dead. 

Sotsu finished his assemble and took his trek toward the building at full speed. Both echidna’s launched off the ground, landing on the building with bullets flying. Gray stood firmly in place, Spitfire downing an easy dozen of the mobster’s, who’s bullets rendered useless by the force-field. And Sotsu who dodged and fired in combination, his actions with grace, skill and precision, not killing one mobster in the process, but each finding an uncomfortable hit to unconsciousness, weather from the Sword’s shots or from physical blows dealt by the echidna wielding it. 

In the wild fury the two echidna’s had not realized the other’s presence and the two made their way to the center simultaneously. Sotsu quickly smashed the butt of the Sword into the skull of his last opponent, and Gray broke the neck of his last by means of smashing Spitfire onto the poor mobster’s head. Then the two drew their pistols at the same time, turning to stare down the barrels of each other’s. 

Sotsu was looking down the barrel of a rather large handgun. The large silver extension in the front, the red rectangular casing, and the banana magazine, a medal held onto one side with a piece of parchment handing from it.


Gray starred down the long barrel of one of Sotsu’s black pistols. The only sound was each of them breathing hard from the strenuous battle, a heavy layer of sweat tickled down their foreheads. Then they both looked up, then slowly lowered their weapons, then altogether hoisteled them.

"Who are they?" Sotsu asked looking about at the dead or unconscious figures dashed about the roof of the building.

"They’re Abet’s men. And Lamartis didn’t tell me about this…" Gray replied, eyeing Sotsu with a deathly gaze.

"About what?" Sotsu questioned taking heed into Gray’s notion.

"That you are a Hunter. Dark Legion had sent you huh? I can tell you… you won’t succeed," Gray said, his harsh words quickly took into Sotsu’s mind. The black echidna knew what his bodyguard was talking about. 

Gray was saying Sotsu was a hunter of the Legends, and that is true. The Dark Legionnaire only figured Abet was a Legend.

"Where do I find Abet?" Sotsu asked.

"San Jose, and I take it we’re going there?" Gray returned, noticing the smile drawing across the black echidna’s face.

"Or course," Sotsu said, before leaping from the building and dashing off, his bodyguard trailing close on his heels.

-Nicholas D. Wolfwood-