บท 623: Warlording over it

Why was Ulysses only targetting the Legion's major routes West? Well, it was a mercy as it was an attack. From what he'd seen, Tamia and the faction that stood behind her was competent enough to fight them off, especially with those old-world monsters they had supposedly tamed.

Not only that, but he wanted to prevent the Legion from attacking the Mojave again... Not to protect it, but to isolate it so as to allow Tamia and Bulwark to build New Vegas any way they saw fit. And allow him to observe how they act without having the Legion breathing down their necks.

He wanted to see if Tamia could keep her word, and if she proved she was determined to right the wrongs committed in the past, then perhaps he'd find a new place to call, Home.

He finishes targeting the Legion's routes just as the launch occurs, the missiles releasing huge amounts of fire as they launch into the sky, leaving long trails of smoke. From miles around animals, marked men, and people alike, watch the bombs of the old world head skyward, towards an unknown place to the East.

Most of them breathed sighs of relief, as the fear of nuclear annihilation had been drilled into their very genes, even those who did not know what the bombs were, knew to steer well away from them... Though, the conscious survivors of the Divide remembered what'd happened in the past, and internally thanked whoever had sent those bombs elsewhere, preventing another catastrophe from occurring again.

Tamia and Ulysses walk towards the empty silo that still had the roof doors open... They both stared out at the sky which was for some reason quickly clearing up... The ever-present sandstorm that afflicted the Divide had cleared up, as if celebrating the absence of those accursed weapons.

"Hey, the sky's clearing up... We could probably teleport outta here now." Tamia happily exclaims, having hoped she wouldn't have to traverse the Divide again.

Ulysses sends her a sideways glance, "No. Our road isn't finished. We entered the Divide on foot, so we must leave it on foot."

...

"Why?" Tamia questions, not seeing the point.

"It is a matter of respect. You... We. Called this place home. I wish to say goodbye, you should too." he states and begins walking towards a hidden exit in the chamber.

Tamia chews her lip for a moment before relenting and following Ulysses, she wanted to stay in his good books, and if 'saying goodbye' was all she needed to do, she'd do it. "Hey, wait up!"

Ulysses waits for her at the hidden exit that'd just opened up, "Let me show you the places that you missed in your rush to meet me. It might bring back those buried memories."

Elsewhere :

Afton and Lanius face-off with locked eyes, fists raised as they slowly circle each other. The occasional Legionary gives shouts encouragement for Lanius, while insulting Afton, but Afton's own side just silently watches.

The fact most of it was made up of robots should also be mentioned, each of the Ultra-Bot having already locked onto the enemy, ready to fire should they be ordered to. The Remnant and Bulwark Vertibirds were steering clear of the Legion now, instead, targeting the NCR survivors who were helplessly trying to hold onto their positions.

"I will grind your bones and use them to powder my crotch." Lanius states with an eager grin.

"Yeah? Well, your armour looks stupid." Afton sarcastically retorts as they finally charge one another. Afton crashes into Lanius with the force of a thousand suns... Well, not that much, but you get the picture.

Lanius is thrown off slightly by the sheer strength exerted by his enemy, his usual tactic of overpowering his enemy wouldn't work here, so he instead shifts backwards and attempts to trip Afton with a kick to his knee.

*Clank!*

The attack uselessly slides off of Afton's armour allowing him to retaliate with a punch to Lanius' face.

*Crack!*

Lanius' head whips around as the punch connects, he attempted to block it with his arms but was simply not fast enough to react in time, especially with his previous attack having no effect at all.

His brain bounces off of the inside of his skull, making him disoriented, but he quickly centers himself despite it. His muscle memory prompted him to counterattack, which he did. His body turns with his head, allowing him to send a spinning back fist towards Afton.

Afton's danger sense warns him way before this connect however, allowing him to duck under it and send a couple uppercuts into Lanius' sib and stomach.

"Gaaagh!" the man shouts in pain as his armour dents inwards, his ribs breaking from the force of Afton's strikes. Lanius stumbles backwards and immediately vomits onto the floor, his breakfast and small flecks of blood dying the ground.

Afton cracks his neck with a satisfied look, "You done? Maybe I should let you hit me, youknow, to make it 'look' like a fight." he taunts.

"SPUMAE!" Lanius growls as he wipes the vomit from his lips and charges Afton, throwing a garage of kicks and punches.

Afton easily blocks most of them, though, a couple slip from his guard and hit his arms and chest. They do basically nothing though and he retaliates with a headbutt. His forehead collides with Lanius' nose which snaps like brittle kindling, splattering his face with blood.

He follows it up by sending a snap kick at Lanius solar plexus, knocking the wind from his lungs and bringing him to his knees.

...

Afton just stands over the warlord with a neutral look... "Look at me Lanius."

...

"I said. Look at me!" he spits, forcefully grabbing the man's face. Lanius lunges at Afton and tries to bite his neck, but Afton just smacks his face away and slams a knee into his stomach, again sending the man to his knees, coughing and spluttering.