Story behind the ‘Fortress’
Ash Fortress... Those who have been behind the wheel know for sure that tougher battles are only possible at Terminal-45. But that's understandable: the terminal has access to the water. And here...
Ten years ago, nobody dared approach the fortress: it's like your ears were filled with cotton, your head throbbing, vision fading. I went there myself on a bet, barely left the place.
But two boys came there once. Brothers. One was called Ash, the other — Ulysses. Yes, that one. They came there, all ragged: they'd hit a mine so they had no car, no food, all charred. Found refuge in the fortress. And they lived there alright, it wasn't that bad: apparently, the fortress didn't have the same effect on children.
They grew up, making do with gathering, but people drove them away, because they knew where the brothers lived — they were afraid of them. And, apparently, for good reason.
The brothers realized that the fortress was a very convenient spot that could be protected with ease. They assembled their own cars, rebuilt the bunkers and started raiding the surrounding villages. They pillaged, had fun, put together a whole gang of raiders, basically, turned into proper criminals. Ulysses was known for beastly brutality, everyone knew the horrors of the towns above ground. But for some reason they all feared his brother. Because he never committed atrocities. He just came and went, and when merchants came up to a settlement, the settlement was gone.
Other bandits soon flew into a rage. The Weatherman himself assembled a punitive expedition of five hundred cars. They could not come close, but artillery worked well, and soon just a few walls were left of the fortress. The brothers held out long, but still they had to leave the fortress. They retreated to the Sepulchre. Those who pursued them never returned.
A month later, Ulysses at the powerplant — looking like he does now, with the mask. He came and told them to do whatever they wanted to him. The locals were ready to burn him for his atrocities, but Vala warned them against it. She said: ‘Kill Ulysses and you will become just like him’. Then the Engineers announced Ulysses' return over the radio. Everyone exiled him, and that's why he wanders eternally through the lands known and unknown. As for Ash, no one has heard about him since.
But something has happened in the fortress. A couple of scouts ended up there, and they suddenly realized that they could drive there. So the curious survivors drove into the castle, and after them whole groups followed suit. They fight for it all the time: trying to build a strong point. What is there to defend? Well, what happens if something starts climbing out of the Sepulchre? We have no idea what's in there. Only Ulysses and occasional wanderers went inside — and they always keep it to themselves, never saying anything. So it goes.