Chapter 618 - Honourable Betrayer

The Dam begins to hum to life as the reactors activate, and a faint 'clanging' sound could be heard East of the Dam... Not that anyone would notice it over the gunfire, bombs, and shouts of soldiers.

Afton was made aware of it by Nyx just as Veronica and Christine arrive next to him, behind the plant plough. "Looks like the mission is a success. Now all that's left to do is remove the obstacles." he states, turning his head towards the nearest NCR trooper who seems to be cowering behind cover. "Oi! Soldier!"

The man looks up at Afton and gives a trembling nod, "YES SIR!?"

"Sorry!" he shouts, pointing a revolver at the man's head with his free left hand. The trooper attempts to sputter out a response but has his brains blown out before he gets the chance. With that, he sends an order to the rest of his army that'd just arrived at the Western side of the Dam. "Execute Operation; 66"

Screams erupt behind him as Securitrons, Ultimo-Bots, Cyberdogs, Deathclaws, and Bulwark soldiers start decimating the NCR forces. The attack took them off guard as they weren't expecting their reinforcements to start firing at their naked backs.

If the Legion's numerical superiority and brutal tactics weren't enough to route them before, this abrupt betrayal definitely was. All troopers aside from the Veteran Rangers immediately broke ranks and started fleeing... Unfortunately, there were only two places they could viably go... East, towards the Legion where they'd be crucified or enslaved... Or the West, towards the Bulwark army that'd just betrayed them and were slaughtering their brothers and sisters.

Most chose the latter option, due to the exit being closer and the fact death was preferable to torture and death. The Veteran Rangers turned their Anti-Material rifles towards the Bulwark forces, but found their bullets to be almost completely useless against Saturnite plating... The only thing's they could viably harm were the Cyberdogs and Deathclaws, as everything else was far too armoured to damage.

Veronica and Christine were forced to fire at the Rangers as they tried to target them, Afton of course continuing his own fight against the Legion as they tried to breach, scale, and destroy the plant-plough they were using for cover.

*CRaaash!*

A blue-tinted blade cuts against the plough, confusing Afton momentarily due to the fact they were being attacked by a Saturnite blade... "The fuck!?"

Lanius of course was on the other side, fighting off the vine tentacles sprouting from the plough. "ARRGHAHAHAH! SHOW YOURSELF COWARD! ET NON MORIERIS!"

A few other Legionaries who are encouraged by Lanius's rather suicidal charge join him in destroying the vines that continue to hold them off... Unfortunately, there's only so much mass Afton can lose before his abilities start losing their effectiveness.

Afton detaches the Plough from his arm and jumps atop it, looking down at Lanius and his men. "Of course it would be you, Lanius, the so-called 'Blade of the East!'."

Lanius gives a bloodthirsty grin beneath his helmet and points his blade at Afton, "I KNOW IT IS YOU, PARKER! THE GREAT CAESAR SPOKE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT YOU!" he says and awaits Afton's response... It wouldn't be honourable to attack him before their verbal spar had ended...

*Bang!*

Both Afton and Lanius turn towards the sheepish-looking Legionary who'd just fired a shot at Afton's head... A shot which had bounced off as if it were a blank.

"You." Lanius growls, swiping his blade backwards at the Legionary, beheading him in an instant. "THIS IS MY BATTLE! NO ONE SHALL IMPEDE IT!" he roars before turning back to Afton, "WILL YOU HIDE BEHIND YOUR MEN? OR FIGHT ME LIKE A TRUE WARRIOR!?"

Afton shakes his head, "I don't know if you're just stupid or brave. Before I tear your head from your body, where did you get that armour!?" he demands, wanting to know if there was another source of Saturnite he wasn't aware of.

Lanius laughs, "It is made from the body of that weapon you left on our doorstep! As will my next helmet, which will be adorned with your skull!"

Afton glowers and concentrates on the man, he didn't need to check his Karma as Lanius was about as evil as a human could get. He was responsible for as many cold-blooded murders, rapes, and other crimes as was humanly possible to commit. No, he instead uses [Living Anatomy] to check his stats.

[Legate Lanius]

Health : 97%

Stamina : 80%

DT : 55

Strength : 12

Perception : 8

Endurance : 10

Charisma : 6

Intelligence : 6

Agility : 10

Luck : 5

Ailments :

[Blood-Rage] : Increases Strength by 2 while in the midst of battle. While active, causes a slow deterioration of the body, leading to eventual death.

Afton's eyes widen at the fact Lanius had breached the human limit... Though, it was obviously a temporary thing, he idly wondered if Lanius would just slowly die if locked in a prison and occasionally hit with BB gun pellets.

"Well!? Will you run like those cowardly men wearing the symbol of the Bear!? Or will. You. FIGHT!?"

Afton can only nod, he knew Lanius would die at his hands so there wasn't really a point of denying the fight. If anything, it'd lend further credence to his might, and demoralise the Legion by having their greatest combatant defeated in an honourable duel.

He takes his helmet off and places it on the ground, along with his other weapons. His Ultra Chainsword, revolvers, rifles... Everything apart from the Range Finder that was safely hidden in an armoured compartment on his leg.

He cracks his knuckles and looks at Lanius, "Use your blade if you wish, I'm going to curb-stomp your ass regardless." he states, wondering if Lanius was aware of his Plant arm.

Lanius shakes his head though, stabbing his blade into the Dam to keep it upright, taking his helmet off and rolling his shoulders. "It is you who will perish this day." he says, locking eyes with Afton, though still occasionally glancing at Afton's more unnatural features... The visible black veins around his eyes in particular.

Afton glares at the man, to be honest, he was surprised by his face... He looked more like a gay-stripper than an elite warrior, with those sideburns and porn-star beard... He had no scars on his face, either due to his skill or due to his thick helmet.