Songs of the Chained Ones’ Fury: Chapter 3 Part 1
Patmos stood upon a clearing of grass-clothed boulders, goo-filled basins, and lush plant foliage as he gazed intently into the north of where rich, sun-glistening skyscrapers and floating buildings loomed in the distance.
He breathed deep. He clenched his fists. Then he closed his eyes.
He chewed at the great burning hate in his heart and he drank the blood-boiling essence of his rage into his soul.
He savored it’s black, malicious flavor.
He opened his eyes.
The Toderai family ruined his dreams and imprisoned his family. And now one of the Tonderai brothers was so hypocritical enough to give birth to an empire that venerated some of the dark doctrines that true Metoraf followed—while Patmos slowly rotted to his demise—so hypocritical…that it sickened Patmos to death.
The same fool warning me against living in the darkness yet soon enters the dark side himself! That fool.
But here Patmos was—almost completing the borders of the Torian Forest—and he could feel the sword of suffering taking form in his hands as the breastplate of justice, helmet of malice, boots of jealously, and shield of fury come onto his being—feeling empowered with vengeance’s sweet armor.
Patmos would have his vengeance. And it would be more than sweet, but glorious.
Draped in a flowing celestial black cloak of midst and darkness formed from his own energy, Patmos stood like a wraith floating in a forest, wisps of the cloak of energy flowing away while more reformed with ease.
A small pack of massive forests bears were licking water from small lakes as antler and large dogs the size of small bulls were resting near the pack.
As Patmos stepped forward, the hound-dogs and antlers raised their ears and stared in his direction like vigilant villagers. The massive forests bears growled.
The biggest bear—the pack leader no doubt—walked towards Patmos, crossing the small lake with its deadly teeth barred, its growl reverberating over the loud water splashing from the stomps of its thick, Sheenyo-Qi-adult sized legs.
When it drew nearer to Patmos, sorrow assailed Patmos.
Don’t come any closer. Don’t be stupid like our species. Why be the architect of your suffering? The trait of self-affliction and self-destruction does not belong to you beautiful animals. It belongs to us.
It kept drawing closer, and Patmos slowly shook his head.
Then, from behind Patmos, a thunderous growl erupted. The massive bear looked over Patmos’s shoulder, yelled in fear, and it ran back to its bear pack. Reaching them, the massive bear fled with its group while the large dogs and antler darted off from the clearing.
Soon, strong demonic aura loomed over Patmos, and he absorbed every wave of it as the growls became stronger—so much so that scores of birds and bangrola flew from the trees.
The growls drew closer then ceased. And soon, a great presence hovered over the vengeful Kai. Patmos clinched his fists while five large horse sized hound-wolves stood next to him—dripping waves of satanic power.
He said aloud, “Come friends, let us give Minefer and that hypocritical Tonderai worm a warm welcome. Let us retrieve what we need and avenge my family.”
*****
Deathly screams, thundering chuckles of machine gun fire, roaring explosions, the fierce cacophony of launched missiles and booming tanks. A once thriving metropolis, now engulfed in flames. A rich city-nation now singing those damned melodies of death and violence. A sung that had been sang before. From a time and times past, a song ancient but contemporary that now hounded his ears once again. The song he always hated. The music of war. The very orchestra that he had escaped now mocked him again, reminding him of humanity’s fall—his own failures, his own sorrows, his own past in war.
Here is a physical manifestation of man’s stupidity. Here is the sick global ritual of a stupid humanity that gives worship to sin. That pays homage to Lady Nenet herself. That puts a smile on Satan’s face. Oh Nenet, how many generations have you consumed while they died under the sensually excited grip of sin? How much longer will you feast on all the suffering souls Nenet? When will Satan stoop beside you in the divine courts of justice? Lord Jesus, where are You?
He gritted his teeth.
And after all my days of escaping this ritual. Living by myself. Trying to live my life free from the blood and the death, here it is again. All over again.
He’d been staring at Montroy for some time, the cool winds breezing past him as he stared from a distant cliff from the besieged city-nation. But despite his distance from the conflict, he could still feel the heat of battle breathing onto him like a giant furnace from hell.
And what was this war about?
For another pathetic extreme ideology behind some supposedly profound moralistic reasoning born from some false, twisted justice? And to think that being away from it all, the wars, would have made things better. Yea. He failed…because he was complacent…keeping away from the affairs of the world, living his life in a rich, grandiose cabin while eating cartons of strawberry cheesecake ice cream as he sat in his comfortable king size bed next to a floor to ceiling window overlooking a lush, green marshland.
Ton-Ton jumped from the precipice of the overhanging cliff face, a great gust of wind exploding from his explosive leap, and he flew towards the sky. Traveling towards the city, he soared two skyscrapers high and halted near the edge of Montroy, hovering near its borders, his eagled eye vision allowing him to see the conflict in the city without having to draw closer and jeopardize his presence.
To think that after the Great Wars of Old, people would go live their lives in peace and pursue a relationship with God.
But it was all a lie.
Happening again just like the Great Wars of Old. But now…now…
Despite seeing the carnage before him, most of his pain didn’t come from any of it.
And he was greatly troubled because of that fact.
He soon began to resent himself for acting so stupid. If only he hadn’t done what he did. His grandsons would still be with him even now. But, after losing them, after they turned against him, he was broken. Ashamed that it took a broken family to break him and get him to change—to break free of complacency. But, when it came down to it, that’s how all people broke free from terrible habits wasn’t it? Being broken. Even for salvation, they needed to be broken.
If only he was more open, if only he told the truth when they were young, he wouldn’t be feeling how he’d felt now. But then, after seeing the besieged city before him, guilt assailed him. A ghastly selfishness eating him inside.
Seeing all this death…he chuckled to himself. If only we didn’t sit in His chair. But we had to listen to the Evil One. Had too. And now look where we are again. Back to square one. Messed up like Adam and Even when they ate from the tree of knowledge—our disobedience destroying us yet again! Oh but we just had to do it did we?
Ton-Ton flew closer, looking at a group of men and women who were lined up against a wall. A squad of soldiers were aligned opposite the huddled men and women, aiming their assault rifles at them. A soldier without a weapon stepped behind the line of assault rifle aiming soldiers, his hands in the air. Ton-Ton could practically see the deadly gleam of satisfaction in the man’s straight face which was supposed to reflect his sense of duty, his seriousness, his responsibility in the situation. But Ton-Ton could tell that the soldier behind the firing squad wasn’t acting like some soldier of pity.
No.
That commander was enjoying it.
Ton-Ton clenched his fist, flying away from the city under siege. And there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t. He had to conceal himself. Because in the grand scheme of things, he would be a criminal breaking certain galactic and earthly laws if he done so—which made his race more ridiculous. He looked over his shoulder to see the commander darting his upraised hands down. The moment Ton-Ton saw fire flash from the rifles and heard the huddled victims scream, he soon darted the opposite direction.
Covering half a mile in less than a femtosecond, Ton-Ton was before them, raised his right hand and Christ-Gripped the soldiers and the fired bullets, halting the bullets in their place. The soldiers and fired bullets hung in the air by Ton-Ton’s power, then he flicked his hand, causing the bullets to disintegrate and the soldiers’ bodies to slam onto the ground, their assault rifles clattering beside them. The commander looked at Ton-Ton with widened eyes.
And so, Ton-Ton decided to be a criminal and break laws then.
Oh well.
Ton-Ton tele-gripped the commander towards the pile of grunting soldiers. Soon, the citizens got up and ran away.
Ton-Ton grimaced, watching them flee. People would say that war was only natural. That it was a part of man’s nature. His heart began to hammer, and with it, his mind burned with raged.
Yes natural…sure it is. And as such, I will end the naturality of war with my own hatred that is only natural of our nature, but end naturality with a hate so supreme that it will be the exemplification of true love where all the rivers in this world would be filled with blood. The bodies of men, women, and children—all of them sweetly chopped to beautiful pieces and floating in the oceans as my own body drifts among the dead while the demons celebrate in—
Ton-Ton gasped, shaken from these sudden thoughts. Thoughts born from the dark side. Profound doom and sorrow gripped his heart.
Lord God no.
Loosening his fist. His heart still hammering. He halted, straightening himself. He slowly inhaled and exhaled deep. He meditated, thinking of sitting among a hearth with his grandsons reading Scriptures. Eating pizza with Marla. Enjoying his ice cream. Teaching his grandsons about the Narrow Road of the Way…
The bodily tension loosened, his heart rate lowering. He sighed. Relieved.
He rose into the air. Opening his eyes, his iris went from soft brown to a hard greyish purple. He saw the smoky skies and wind-harassed deserts below him in greater detail—his body burning with adrenaline from bloodlust and from the happiness of feeling fury and despair.
No. The darkness!
He thought the happy memories of his past would stunt the approaching evil within, but it only exasperated it. He folded his hands together, closing his eyes and said, “Lord Jesus. Give me the strength to suppress these twisted desires. I will not let go of pursuing You. Help free me from this evil within.”
He inhaled. Not breathing, he tightened himself. He cut himself off from the extreme emotions that warred against him. Then, he set his mind on being calm, seizing the state of tranquility. He channeled his Kai energy, concentrating the flow of power from his body’s core to his chest, out to his forearms, and thus his hands.
Soon, his hands widened, turning black with fur, his wrists expanding, his forearms shredding by refined, deep-cut muscles that rippled throughout his arms. His fingers stretched out, and black-bluish fur grew on each muscled hand. He concentrated harder. His nails evolved into strong, thick five inch-claws.
He exhaled. And began to breathe regularly.
Examining his transformed arms, his iris switched from purple to jet black. He connected himself back to his emotions and the dark feelings fled from his current serene mood.
He smiled, thankful that he still possessed the control and calm necessary to alter a piece of himself to Sift to his personal Second Nature.
For the Second Nature reminded him of God’s love for him.
He withdrawn his Kai energy, and his hands and arms changed from its Second Nature back to its First Nature—his natural human form.
No…evil war isn’t human nature. It isn’t natural. It’s of the darkness…and that unholiness lives in me and all those that I know and love.
He flew through the skies again. But as he did so, he felt virulent energy dance in the air—saw flashes of it flow in the sky. He gasped. He never felt a wave of power like that since encountering Patmos and the Fallen. The thought shocked him. After feeling and seeing the oppressive wave of otherworldly Kai energy, his hearts began to thump. Something was about to happen. Something was coming. He had to brace himself because, when that power revealed itself, the world had to witness—not just Kai, but the other humans too—all of humanity had to witness because, that something, had the power to change everything.
He looked behind him and pinpointed the source of the massive energy. It was coming from the heart of the besieged city.
“Damn it.” He said to himself.
He flew deeper into the city-state of the imperially besieged Montroy.
*****
Dhibha and Arlene, along with Bridge, Wall, Elffy, Dante and Tombs and some of their friends and fellow journalists, had been on the run for some time. They’d soon been hiding in a large alleyway as streams of missiles and bullets whizzed through the streets like fast-passing tails of giant, deadly creatures. Dhibha had been shielding Arlene like a mother would her child, and Arlene squeezed Dhibha’s back in fear. They were staring at the fire fight that was happening ahead of them.
Dhibha looked at Elffy and said, “Go and check out the street behind us.”
“What?”
“Right now! Go!”
“You’re not the boss of me right now damn it! You go!”
“Screw you!” barked Dhibha.
“You’re the one with the boxing skills.” Said Dante. “Go put on some war-make up and a black bandana, sprint down this alleyway, slip past some bullets, knock out some soldiers, and find an escape route before they find us.”
“Eat my smooth, hairy vagina you fat-mouth cuck!”
“Tough girl. Not so tough now are ya?” said Tombs.
“Hello! I’m getting gang-banged Bridge!”
“I mean. You’re the one with the boxing moves. I thought you were supposed to be the supergirl or sumethin.’”
“Sorry if I failed to live up to being a damn freak’n superhero! I’ll try harder next time!” shouted Dhibha.
“And I thought you were on our side!” screamed Arlene, her grip squeezing tighter around Dhibha’s waistline.
Dhibha eyes strained from Arlene’s kung-fu grip until Arlene loosened.
“I am,” said Bridge. “it’s just. Ya know. The boxing and all.”
Dhibha flicked off Bridge.
“Dhibha and Arlene, go and check the perimeter before we move forward!”
“Are you serious?” hissed Dhibha.
“Know how it feels now huh?” said Elffy.
“Jack off.” Dhibha hissed.
“I don’t a give damn! Stop trying to boss people around and—”
“You’re grown ass men! You’re supposed to protect us you god damn bums!” screamed Arlene, her grip tightened again.
Dhibha’s eyes strained. This time, Arlene didn’t loosen. “Arl—Arlen—agh!”
“Oh!” said Arlene, loosening. Relieving Dhibha.
“That don’t mean anything Arlene! We’re not obligated to defend some whores who probably hate their own mothers and fathers and cheated on their—"
WHOOM!
Missiles had slammed against buildings. A chorus of screams erupted from within apartments. Chunks of building began falling into the alley. The ground shook, and Dhibha and those around her stumbled. Soon, the way before them was blocked off.
“Great!” said Bridge.
There came a large bang. Then more bangs. It was Emily who was kicking down a back-alley gate along with Lewis. Emily launched the final kick and the door-gate burst wide open.
“Oh well! Gotta do what we gotta do! The law is dead anyway!” Lewis ran down it.
“C’mon!” said Emily.
Dhibha and the rest proceeded to run inside. Soon, they found a wide open shutter area that led into a wide corridor. The scores of journalists and staffers ran inside. They entered a small city shop and—”
“The hell? These fluppin’ rats!” said a middle-aged man.
“Oh nah!” said another woman.
Dhibha suddenly found herself shouting and arguing with a bunch of hiding citizens—tiny old men and middle-aged men and women—before the firefighting outside grew louder. Explosions erupted in the streets. Dhibha began sprinting to cover, Arlene clung to her back, and she and everyone else inside began taking their hiding positions. Dhibha looked at Wall who was looking around the shop, the only person who didn’t even budge. And she found him staring at her with raging eyes. Slightly confused, she ignored him as her mind was on the firefighting outside. Amid the panicked breathing and eerie silence, Dhibha wanted to take a look around. But soon, her dark dread and the cold chill came onto her, and she found herself battling in this strange tug of war between some brilliant darkness and an unknown, terrible light.
Wall studied Dhibha grabbing her core and curling up as Arlene and a few other staffers near them began succoring her. Wall clenched his fists. They didn’t know who they were helping. But he’d seen the evil witch demon with his own eyes. Suddenly, the fighting outside was nothing compared to the evil whore before him. Wall would bide his time. He would wait until his opportunity came.
*****
Izri sat on the edge of an abandoned apartment building’s roof, overlooking a seething mass of imperial mechs and soldiers as they made their way through Tarkanza Avenue. He grinned with delight. With a thought, he pressed a button on his personal goggles, no longer needing to use his hands since he designed his special tech to merge with his mind. A fact he kept hidden from those around him. Why should he expose his special technological secrets? His vision switched from scenic to scanner-mode, and, immediately, his perspective went from a gritty real-world viewing to a series of lights, beams, crosshairs, meters, and gauges. He examined the greyish-red colored imperial soldiers and their heat signatures and saw through the metal of mechs and advanced Creamer Tanks, notching some pilots shifting in their seats and scratching their booties while others wiped their foreheads—most likely sweat or some foul substance from some nasty man-on-man activity that the imperial scum had engaged in during their short breaks. He chuckled to himself. Soon, playtime for them will be over forever. And he would show these bullies who were boss.
Izri studied the street as his vision pierced passed the concrete and saw large mechanisms vibrating underneath. His squad did a good job planting the gifts, and he was happy that Captain Mackelson listened to him and agreed to offer some of his platoons to help his lieutenant and his squad bring the plan to life. They only paid Izri attention because he knew what he was doing, because he was so damn smart. And, to him, that’s all that mattered. Afterall, he couldn’t crush the empire without having brains.
Suddenly, Izri heard footsteps behind him. His heart thumped. Using his thoughts, he deactivated his custom DTR Vortex Goggles which disintegrated in thin air through nanoparticles and Izri pulled out standard issue military Noc-Zoomers.
A fireteam partner showed up.
“Goddamn it Pebbles!” shouted Izri.
Jeez that was close! The idiot almost saw my freak’n goggles!
“Sorry man!”
“What happened?”
“Captain wants to know when you’re pulling off.”
“I’m about to give the order right now!”
“Anytime now sergeant!”
Damn, I’ve been savoring this moment for that long?
“Pebbles,”
“Yea sir?”
“You didn’t see me did you?”
“Doing what?”
“Jerking off.”
“No sir. And that’s not a good idea right now sir.”
“Appreciate the honesty.”
His heart slowed down. He breathed out relief as the private hadn’t noticed Izri using his advanced technology. The DTR Vortex Goggles were Izri’s inventions that were only used outside of New Earth in different parts of the Solar System and bordering Galactic Systems because Izri sold a few of them outside to sustain his living and his rent. He simply couldn’t afford his superiors or anyone else to know about his stuff. No. Not yet. And to think this little idiot could’ve done me in. Damn that would’ve lowered my intelligence.
“I’ll give the order when I say. Go on. Get!’
Pebbles departed.
Alone once more, Izri turned around and continued observing the mass of imperial soldiers. Putting away the Noc-Zoomers and activating his DTR again, he scanned the horizons. Soon, he noticed strange figures darting from building to building like ghosts in shadows. Their heat signatures were strange. He grunted. Interesting players…and nice tech…I wonder who you guys are? Perhaps some mysterious punitive force of the empire? Probably… Should I execute this plan now? Or have you already seen what we did? If so, what if you already know I saw you? Do you expect me to pull out because of that? Or are you betting that I’d be bold and unleash the plan anyway—despite me knowing of your presence?
He grinned. Things were becoming interesting. There were so many tactical choices to make, and every one of them would have major consequences. But, after having experienced friends not going too far in their personal lives because of indecisiveness, he was too experienced to make the same mistakes. He will make the right choice on time without waiting too long. Afterall, he didn’t plan on bringing suffering on himself by doing so. But there’s nothing wrong with being cautious.
He lifted both arms and his thought caused tech gauntlets to form on both hands. Pressing a series of input commands with his mind, he heard a low hum singing in his right earpiece as he had his left earpiece off—the ear that belonged to his army’s channel—as he didn’t want to be distracted with chatter during his own operation. Soon, Izri switched the DTR Vortex Goggles to wraith mode, as the hum became louder, and then four small jets loomed twelve-man heights high above him. He examined their gun turrets, missile launchers, shielding systems, and the newly added laser cannons—courtesy of Jake. Nothing seemed wrong with them, though he could never be sure. He switched off his DTR Vortex Goggles and looked above him, happy to note that his small personal jets were invisible—his technology functioning smoothly with no hiccups this time--as they hovered soundlessly above him. Now that his vanguard sentinels were before him, Izri was ready and would test those mysterious, building-hopping black ops figures and go forth with his plans.
Izri patched into the army channels and said, “Raptor Six, this is Raven One, remain tight and just wait.” He patched out.
In the distance, he heard gun battles.
Captain Lionel was having a field day with these Montebay fools who were trying so desperately to turn the tide of battle when it was all hopeless. They should’ve surrendered a long time ago, not that doing so would spare their lives—simply saving him time and gifting him the convenience of having to avoid such a pointless battle that involved slaughtering rebellious, stubborn targets who fought back because it was so boring to Lionel. After all, it was more fun to watch them bow in cowardice as he took daggers and slowly plunged them into their eye sockets, watching red gooey rivers spout on his blades while hoarse, sorrowful screams sang like a wonderful orchestra in his ears.
As Lionel attacked the enemy from a distance in a smoke-shrouded, debris-choked avenue, he chuckled, grateful that the leaders of Montroy were foolish enough to reject Empower Milo’s offering of annexation during the Diplomatic Meetings. To think that this upcoming war of taking over the country could’ve been averted if they simply accepted Emperor Milo’s proposition. Lionel thanked the Spirits of War that it didn’t happen. But, reflecting on Milo, he bunched his teeth. As powerful and menacing as Milo was, there were aspects of Milo’s compassion that made no damn sense to Lionel and, sometimes, Lionel believed that Emperor Milo’s mercy was completely stupid.
But aren’t we all?
He chuckled again. Dozens of enemy soldiers who were in mechs, soon engaged in a close-quarters battle with the imperial juggernauts while the light beams of a dreary sun reflected from the armor plates of the friendly juggernauts, the sigils and art design of the Sons of Morning National Flags shining like glowing Christ-Dragon eyes. What a lovely sight.
As Lionel headed into the mech fight, four mechs walked alongside him—two on his left and two on his right. Drawing closer, Lionel’s heart was thumping as he’d now tested their newly upgraded mechs. Thanks to Chief Scientist Zivai of The Sons of Morning, this battle wouldn’t be so boring.
When he and his men neared the battling mechs, he spoke into his mech communications channel and said, “Fourth and Fifth squads of Company Eight, retreat from the battle. We’ll take over now.”
Sergeant Stubbs roared as he and his men fought the imperial mechs. There were talks with Mackelson, captains, and some lieutenants that some random sergeant called Izri planned to create some big distraction with some special assault to lure many enemy forces into the hot zone, but the plan was taking so long! Why didn’t Izri set off the plan already? That sergeant was already doing so well, committing miracles and winning battles that they believed weren’t possible but was Izri having cold feet? Stubbs doubted it but still…
Heart thumping, breathing heavy, Stubbs blocked punches of an enemy mech and threw open-palmed strikes into the enemy mech’s core until Stubbs pulled the trigger and unleashed a blast from his mech palm. The combination caused the imperial bastard to be knocked away from a punch-blast combination. Soon, Stubbs ran towards another mech as he fired his turrets. The mech darted away, dodging bullets while many other imperial mechs did the same.
Stubbs gasped. They were retreating.
Shouts and cheers erupted from his fellow soldiers. They did well. But while Stubbs watched the fleeing mechs, five strange looking mechs approached them.
Stubbs’s heart dropped.
A fellow soldier said, “What the hell kind of military issue is that?”
Stubbs braced himself.
Lionel smiled. The soldiers had obeyed him, and he and his men were reaching the startled Montebay scum. He counted twenty-seven enemies to their five.
He didn’t mind the odds at all. At least it made things less boring for him.
The enemy mechs had crab, minotaur-like hulking bodies as they were made in the likeness of some horse-raptor. Stubbs grunted. Not waiting, he shouted, “Fire, fire!” A hailstorm of fiery streams of roaring Daton missiles flew toward the five mechs. The strange enemy mech in the middle jumped forward, raised its arms, and a large, purple shield erupted from its forearms. The volley of missiles and reign of heavy machine gun fire slammed onto the protective barrier. But it didn’t even crack or fade in strength while bullets and projectiles exploded onto it.
Fear struck Stubb’s heart. “Oh no…”
Lionel cackled with joy. The enemy stood frozen like a group of shocked rabbits. And he was even more exhilarated that the shields were incredibly formidable. Then Lionel gasped, realizing that he was starting to eat his own words: Zivai, you think that fusing Kai blood with natural energy would produce great weapons? That sounds ridiculous. Even if Milo approved the plan, the Tonderai Brothers won’t accept to be your Guinea pigs, especially Gabriel. Oh? What? Milo decided to donate some of his own blood? Zivai, you’re hilarious. It won’t work. Oh, you say you’ll me make eat my words? Whatever.
Lionel chuckled. Bravo for making me feel stupid Zivai.
As Lionel retreated the shield, one of his men shouted, “This is gonna be fire baby.”
Lionel grinned and he darted to the large group of enemies along with his four warriors. They began to make short work of them.
Dhibha, her friends, some backstabbing journalists, and fellow staffers had taken refuge with hiding citizens and the small shop’s owners for some time. Soon, there the owners shouted at some citizens who began snatching snacks from shelves. An altercation transpired between the shop owners and the hiding people concerning access to food and water, a conflict which soon ended under a chorus of awe and shock. Dhibha and everyone else had noticed a great mech battle outside. At first, the whole scene seemed ridiculous and suicidal as those five mechs battled a large force of mechs by themselves, but as she witnessed the might and litheness of those beast-like mechs, she couldn’t believe it. The battle ended so fast. Explosions, screams, and punching metal ceased abruptly. Before Dhibha knew it, the five mechs leapt with great explosive thrust from the street. Dhibha’s body and the food stands and furniture all around her jolted. The shop’s windows and shutter doors burst apart. A forceful wind punched her in the chest. She thumped onto the floor and coughed. She looked around her. Her eyes widened. Glass was everywhere and the hiding citizens and her friends had been laying on their backs, coughing air.
”No way.” said Dhibha.
More coughs from Arlene. “Wha—what?”
A moment passed before Dhibha responded. “They…they leapt from the streat so hard, that their jump knocked us onto our booties and caused the window and doors to explode.”
”What are you talking about?” said Dante.
They continued coughing and propped themselves onto their knees and hands, struggling to get back on their feet.
They would never understand. They would never see the world as Dhibha saw it. They saw devastation. Dhibha saw power. For she was a fighter. As such, she understood the power of the mechs and that the mechs were far different than the National Guard and the army of Dhibha’s country. She was able to analyze the weaponry and see that these particular Sons of Morning mechs—compared to the standard Sons of Morning enemy mechs—were on a whole other level.
Was this a special elite unit?
How many of them were there?
How were they so powerful?
Who made them?
"We don’t stand a chance.” she mouthed to herself.
Overtime, Dhibha’s eyes laid on the wreckage of Montroynian mech limbs that lay strewn about the charred, crated-packed streets. As they were all hiding in the shop, Dhibha waited, with Arlene at her side—Elffy, Wall, Bridge, Dante, Tombs, and the surviving men, women, and children watching on.
Lionel walked away in satisfaction. The mechs were stunning. Though he and his men were already skilled, experienced pilots, the technology elevated their game to an entirely different level. He couldn’t wait to humiliate and conquer more of the wretched Montroy fools. Enjoying another good battle day, an alert dial sounded off in his dome.
He answered it.
“This is Colonel Lucia.”
“Greetings.”
“Where the hell are you?”
Laughing at the ridiculousness in her tone, he said, “Continuing our glorious campaign.”
“What?”
“Assisting the other major generals along with their divisions of competent colonels in suppressing the enemy forces in South District. We are now making our way further into the East. Going into the city to finally get our flag at the country’s border.”
“You fool! Why haven’t you listened to my command? Must you be broken to be obedient you ingrate? There is a problem within West District near the hub of our key command base! We might lose control.”
“Lieutenant General, you are paranoid. Do you really believe that after neutralizing most of the main forces, our grip on this city is weakened?”
“If we don’t handle this anomaly, this city will be ripped from our grasp!”
“Litentueal General Lucia, you need to relax and enjoy the glory of our campaign because everything is truly fine. Again, you are paranoid about probably losing favor in being blessed by the emperor but, I assure you, there is no problem because most of the main forces of the Montroy national guard have been eliminated! We are practically hunting the damn surviving soldiers in this city who now fight alongside weak, untrained rebel-citizens!”
“You answer to me.”
“No, we answer to either Lord Michael, who, for the love of Spirits of Intrigue, keeps disappearing like an idiotic magician, or Michael’s observer, Kundai.”
“An unknown enemy Kai has suppressed Commander Toggs and his units but kept them alive! Kai are meddling in our affairs now.”
“Our own Kai fools have been breaking the celestial rules and laws themselves. What did you think was going to happen?”
“You don’t get it! If this is what I think this is, then that means the—”
Lionel cut off the channel, annoyed by her stupid paranoid rants, and continued looking for remaining rebel forces.
He was looking at his own body. Stubbs did not understand what was happening. And, strangely, he couldn’t think of anything else. Neither could he summon any memories as he was so transfixed by the sight of staring at his own headless body that was a few feet away from. He wanted to cry. But he couldn’t. He was only staring as his mouth was open—his vocal cords completely dead. Was this real? Was this truly happening to him? It all happened so fast. A great beam flying forth from the hand of one of the five killers, Stubb’s vision blinded, his sight turning black, a jagged white light appearing in the center of his blackened sight and splitting the black apart from top and bottom, his vision being torn in half, his head and body in unfathomable agony and then…he felt nothing.
Barely remembering and processing what had happened to him, a darkness encroached upon his vision as he now thought of his sick sister who was in her death bed, probably wondering where Stubbs was and when he was going to visit her.
Then, he thought of the affair he had with a friend’s wife. Darkness overcame him. Feeling himself lift from his being, a great wave of regret, despair, and sorrow drowned him. Moments later, Stubbs hovered into a strange abyss. Where was he? In the depths of the abyss, came screams.
Terror hounded him.
Dhibha opened the door and stepped outside. Walking into the avenue, she gasped. There was no way in hell a battle this fierce, this technological, could’ve left such terrible, bloody carnage. She thought there would be no red rivers, no corpses, but she was wrong. The novels and tv shows told her different. But it was all a lie. As Dhibha stared at the dead bodies, Arlene screamed. Dhibha turned around and stared in horror at Arlene who sank to the ground. The others stepped outside. Shock also taken them captive.
And to think the metal and machinery would hide it all…I thought the explosions were supposed to make all this disappear completely.
Dhibha turned around and her eyes froze still—transfixed and assaulted by a headless body. Nearing it, a decapitated head was staring at its own body with lifeless eyes.
A great presence of malevolence and hatred rushed onto her, the feeling inspired by the rage of this ghastly sight. And then she felt the great, pleasurable chill come to life as it was fueled by sorrow, battling with the oppressive dark dread inside of her. She now knew, some strange forces of light and darkness was at war inside of her, and this battle was beginning to push her towards the edge—so much more than the attack at the press and Wall’s cruel accusations.
A rumbling echoed in the air. She ventured towards the sound. Reaching it’s vicinity, she looked around to try to find the source. A rumbling reverberated throughout the air again. Dhibha stared at the head of a machine. As the rumbles came, the door of a machine shook. The rumble grew louder, and the mech’s door slid open as a bloodied hand grabbed the doorway. A woman dragged herself out. The beaten woman’s hands and body trembled, and she plopped to the ground, failing to keep herself upright. Dhibha went towards the bloodied female soldier and the Montroy soldier stared into Dhibha’s eyes while she was splayed onto the ground. Dhibha drew nearer. and the woman struggled to open her mouth.
Finally, in fits of coughs and swallows of her blood, she said, “We should’ve…ran. Should’ve…r—r—r—ran.”
“No,” Dhibha said, shaking her head. “No. You—you fought well.”
“But…Stubbs,” she said. Swallowing harder, grinding her teeth, she squeezed the ground, her bloodied countenance looking as if she found her strength and she went on saying, “But we wanted to fight. We listened to Stubbs. We chose to stay. And now it’s over. No one to blame. Stupid to point the finger. No one blame. We brought this on ourselv—” Her eyes went wide, and she closed her eyes.
The soldier died.
Dhibha stared in rage, pained by the soldier’s words. Refusing to believe what she said. The empire did that to them. There was someone to blame. But, how—the conviction. How could such last words have a great effect on what Dhibha believed? The light and darkness in her warred. Dhibha growled. Staring at the dead soldier, Dhibha’s vision began to change color.
Wall had followed the strange, strong whore around the wreckage. He gasped, seeing her eyes flicker and glow from a purplish-greyish luster to a bluish amber. He whispered in angst. “This whore. She’s a damn witch. I knew it. This goddamn, manipulating whore witched her way up into the editorial. Using people with her wickedness. This witch. I’ll kill this slut. Watch. For getting my arm you stupid whore. You made a mistake. Big mistake! Stabbing my arm! Now you pay for being stupid. Now I break you and you will learn! Only learn when I break you!” Dhibha soon closed her eyes. Tears fell and rolled down her cheeks. She opened them. The witch’s eyes were normal again, the whore no doubt putting up a mask to hide what she really was. Wall walked off. I saw you whore. I saw you again! Won’t trick me! You did this! All of this! Brought these soldiers onto our city. Took everything away from me! My job that I loved! Took everything! And now you’ll pay!
When Dhibha had opened her eyes, her vision returned to normal. She saw Wall staring at her and then mouth bitter curses under his breath while he walked around, staring aloof. But she ignored Wall. Dhibha approached the corpse of the female soldier. She knelt, and slowly closed her eyes. After doing so, something in her shattered. Dhibha rose to her feet and wondered at the phenomenon inside her. She realized that something in her was changing. Thizzle and Tory came to mind. Then the woman and the corpses. “Lord God Jesus, why all this? Why isn’t anything being done to stop this God? Now You see why I left You! Why I hate people. Why I hate You too God.” Her prayers for answers had turned to spite.
Dhibha walked away from the wreckage and headed back towards her friends and the other survivors. Finding Arlene, she went to her, knelt, and gave Arlene a hug.
Arlene wondered where Dhibha had gone, but once Dhibha had took Arlene in her embrace, Arlene noticed that something about Dhibha was different.
Ton-Ton examined the beautiful, black-skinned Falarian woman as she wrapped her arms around a white Dulmarian woman. Ton-Ton crossed his arms. He finally found the source of power. And it was coming from the Falarian with dreads. But she was a Sheenyo-Qi. How was it possible? There was no way she could be awakening this late in her life. But still, she was slowly ascending. And he never experienced something like this before. His grandsons were interesting cases as well, but she seemed so—off…but so right. Even after being around for fifteen thousand years, Ton-Ton thought he’d seen all that he could possibly witness under the sun. But he was wrong. He had to watch her carefully. He couldn’t move in. Not yet. Maintaining his distance, he watched the battles unravel throughout the city. Enhancing his vision, he noticed the strange group of twelve warriors travelling throughout the city again.
The twelve warriors continued leaping through the city in their advanced power suits.
And, just like Ton-Ton, the twelve warriors were doing absolutely nothing. They were merely watching the battles unfold—although, they did place some strange devices into and around the invader’s central base. They weren’t Kai, but they were interesting to say the least.
Ton-Ton needed to be careful around here, especially of the black-skinned Falarian woman.
*****
He was staring out of the jet-ship’s window, examining the Torian Forests. In the distance, Karikoga noticed a lone reegan dragoon lizard hanging from a thick branch of a tall, lush aspen tree, staring upon a duo of gorgon beasts. Soon, the reegan dragoon hunched its back, tightened its hind legs, then sprung from the tree and landed onto the back of the gorgon beast that was loping water. Karikoga enhanced his vision. The lizard bit into the flesh of the gorgon beast until the fellow gorgon walked near the dragoon harassed companion, raised its hand, swiped the reptilian creature into its grasp, bit it’s head off, and resumed its foraging activity. Karikoga shook its head at the reegan dragoon. Why would it do that? Launch itself into the back of a large creature knowing it stood no chance of survival? Perhaps it was hungry?
Regardless, it was stupid a choice and, for that, it dealt with the consequence.
Gabriel approached Karikoga and sat on the opposite seat. Karikoga looked at him. His little brother projecting much energy, so much mystery, and, despite Gabriel’s close proximity, Karikoga began to resent Gabriel for being so distant from Karikoga. Gabriel smiled as if to mock Karikoga’s perception of him and the confidence of Karikoga’s younger brother stung Karikoga’s chest with a small spear of intimidation and condescension, but Karikoga hid any physical cues to convey his feelings and he refocused his attention on the sprawling, rich forest. Karikoga said, “For you…what did it feel like to descend? To step into the Path of Darkness?”
“Just as any who had recounted experienced. During the moment, you feel as if your inner being is being pushed and pulled away from some kingdom of light of goodness that resides within all and keeps all together, and, suddenly, you’re being is snatched away, your inner soul jerking from the reaction, your heart filled with dread, and then you feel your soul falling into an unknown dimension that houses a light that would cloth a vibrant world in blackness. And the soul eventually, abruptly, quakes hard as if it finally landed, reaching the destination of that mysterious dimension, and you are soon filled with power and joy, stepping into a new world with infinite possibilities.”
“Whoa…”
“Exhilarating is it not?” said Gabriel. Karikoga looked at him. “And also terrifying.” Karikoga immediately looked at Gabriel when he said that. “Rest assure my eldest brother, it truly is horrifying. But then you learn to harness horror for greater strength.”
Karikoga tensed from those words as if being sucked into some dark, cramped corridor that threatened to close off his mind. Karikoga looked around the transport jet to lighten his mood. Shohiwa was napping while Abimelech had balanced onto one hand, performing one armed, handstand pushups. Kronos was counting Abimelech’s reps. Gaining a breather from the conversation, Karikoga resumed it as a thought came to mind. “But if you use horror for more power, why can’t we get used to it?”
Gabriel raised his eyebrows.
“Why do we still get scared in Dead Hour?”
Sudden movement erupted as Karikoga said, ‘Hour’ and he looked to see Shohiwa staring at him with tired eyes as if to say, ‘Why you bring that up you idiot?’ Shohiwa closed his eyes, laid down his head, and went back to sleep.
“Good question. I am not sure. I surmise that fear has levels. No matter how one’s tolerance of struggle increases through constant tribulation, fear possesses great depths that even the most diabolical minds cannot fathom or handle. And so, unfortunately, no matter how far one traverses deep into the realm of terror, the realm will evolve itself and create strange evils that even a seasoned experiencer will not be ready for. “ said Gabriel.
“Dead Hour.” Karikoga whispered to himself.
“And it draws near.” Gabriel clenched his hands into fists. “If only I had more power. If I did, perhaps my previous theory on terror has a falsity in its premise since power presents a different scenario and offers a greater hope for its master. Then we may no longer fear Dead Hour.”
Karikoga nodded his head, hopping it was true.
As time passed, a great aura permeated the air and it tickled Karikoga’s skin with its harsh touch. Karikoga tensed in his seat. “You feel that?” Karikoga said to Gabriel who was reading a book.
“I do.”
Shohiwa tensed in his sleep, tossing and turning as he moaned.
Karikoga reached out to him, but Gabriel grabbed his hands. “No brother. Cease. The energy assails him even in his dreams, but he must battle through whatever nightmare it may bring him. He must grow stronger and deal with this energy naturally.”
Karikoga pulled away.
Abimelech was now doing one legged squats on a fat toe, his face bearing no expression. Kronos had his hands outstretched towards Abimelech—no doubt using telekinesis to strengthen gravity over Abimelech and increase Abimelech’s load.
“What about them?” said Karikoga.
“Ask.”
“Hey, Kronos, Abimelech, ya feel that?”
Abimelech grunted. “Feel what?”
“Dito.” Followed Kronos.
Karikoga slowly looked at Gabriel. “See what I mean Karikoga? The two Hurricanes are unphased. And their power is where we need to be sooner.”
Karikoga nodded his head. But the energy intensified. Shohiwa moaned louder. The Beasts remained unphased. Or perhaps they were pretending? No, that was unlikely. Gabriel was most likely true. Karikoga’s heart thumped; Karikoga looked out of the window seeing nothing. But the energy increased. Karikoga gasped.
“Unbelievable. There is a great darkness in this aura.” Said Gabriel.
Karikoga didn’t understand.
“And this is not just any darkness! This one seems more…demonic.”
“What?” breathed Karikoga.
The energy grew, and then became heavy. Shohiwa shouted from his sleep as he channeled his Shekokott Fiziim, battle aura seeping from Shohiwa’s body. Abimelech hopped onto his feet while Kronos closed his eyes and smirked.
“Interesting. Whose around?” asked Kronos.
“Don’t know but can’t wait to try this fool out!” Abimelech said.
“What’s going on? Is it Dead Hour already?” Shohiwa gasped.
Karikoga stared out of the window. He saw nothing.
Soon, the jet left the forests, and the energy dropped.
The jet picked up speed and darted through the skies.
“The hell was that?” Karikoga said.
“The gift of knowing eludes me.” Gabriel stood up. “Brothers, caution has advised that we enter training’s abode and take our time in using its resources. Though the final mission looms like a Christ Wolf and we prepare against it, our mental and physical sharpness must remain potent and indulgence must not seduce our willingness to greatly exert ourselves in training’s realm.”
Shohiwa eyed Karikoga with horror in his eyes. It’s over now brother. It’s over.
He had to utilize his telekinetic hold to subdue Chiedza. She was close, only moments from blasting the passing jet by firing Belial’s Bomb from her slobbering mouth. The large wolf-hound had looked at her master with consternation swimming in her eyes. Patmos slowly shook his finger and said, “Not yet Chiedza. Save it for Milo.” He looked at the army jet in the skies one more time then resumed his journey towards Minefer. His wolf-hound companions followed him in his vengeance.
*****
Commander Lucia was eyeing the war screen, watching Lt. Colonel Morrington and his men trail a fleeing rebel unit. She doubted chasing them because the fool could’ve been setting a trap, but she accepted the challenge because it’s possible that the damn soldier may have wanted her to draw back, counting on her to let them go. But she wouldn’t be a coward and counted on her boldness to be an unexpected development in the enemy’s plan. She braced herself.
Izri was pleased that the chasing unit of scum took the bait. Whose leading these people? What a stupid retard! He set his sentinel, invisible jets into attack mode, placed his hands on his ears, and, before commencing, thought of any potential setbacks: What if those twelve, building hopping, shadow units already neutralized the bombs that Izri had his own team set up? What if the twelve took out Izri the moment he set off the bombs? What if the bombs are simply a dud? Private Pebbles was sitting near him as he said, “Sergeant, anytime now!”
Izri grunted, and, no longer caring about the oncoming engagement, synced into the comm-channels and shouted, “Release the detonators! I repeat, release the detonators!”
He grabbed Pebbles and pulled him up. They sprinted to the other side of the roof as he shouted, “Hit the deck like a poker player hitting away his opponent’s deck in fear!”
Lt. Colonel Morrington was having a decent campaign so far. Soon, he would help Kundai and his superiors succeed in capturing the city. And they would proceed into setting up a new command outpost and pressing further into the country. It was only a matter time. And then, he’d be one step closer to fulfilling his dream: to be blessed by Kundai himself and get the military recognition he deserved. And then great opportunities would beckon to him.
As he sat with Gabriela and Helen, his captains, one of them said, “Sir, Helen can’t stop talking about Michael. Talking about his charms and it’s annoying.”
“Infatuated with the lord are you?” smirked Morrington.
“Of course! Who could resist Lord Michael? The Salem Lord knows how to carry himself.” Defended Gabriela.
“Lord Karikoga is far cuter! And his shy, introverted demeanor bears a melancholic gravitas that showers him in waves of mystery!” Helen said.
“Screw you! Michael’s greater because he’s a stylish, slick, soulful, stallion!”
“Bah. Hear me,” Morrington said, “If there is any young promising man of worth, it is Shohiwa Tonderai. He is one whose endearing attributes and heart for glory for the sake of himself and his people make him to be a great force that would conquer nations and planets.”
Morrington’s captains awed and gazed upon Morrington with ogling eyes.
Morrington continued, “Shohiwa’s mighty arm of power could very well extend throughout the Solar Systems of Proxima Secto—"
BOOM!
A great flash struck Morrington’s vision. And he briefly noticed Gabriela and Helen’s bodies exploding apart like a bursting cake before his entire body burned in a great agony that he never experienced before. His vision suddenly went black and faded into darkness. He felt his soul leaving his body, a phenomenon he never thought was possible, and he drowned in regret and sorrow. He left the earth.
*****
Izri and the private got up as he heard cheers from the com-channels. He turned it off and jogged towards the edge of the roof. Decapitated arms and legs, severed robotic limbs, and chunks of concrete were strewn about the streets.
The plan worked. And a small surviving portion of the Sons of Morning were in disarray.
“Got’em! Got those imperial roach scumbags! But the man of justice won’t stop just yet! Just warming up! They wanna mess with me and my fiance’s wedding too? Ok!” Izri shouted.
Pebbles fainted.
As he did, the sight of a closed eyes Pebbles filled Izri’s vision with bloodied corpses being sucked dry by sweaty, tube-like tongues that were lodged into their brains, their faces shriveling as man-sized fly insects continued to suck brain matter into their skull-piercing, larvae covered tongues which were digging deeper into the shredded flesh of those bloodied heads.
Izri gagged. “No…not again.” He said to himself while grabbing his stomach.
He fought off the vision that would haunt him randomly during his life, then began pulling himself together. He slowly entered his comm-channels, then said, “Attack! Attack!”
Mackelson got the order from Izri, and when Lieutenant Breed and Lieutenant Spitter’s platoons approached from the East and West, converging onto the flank of a disheveled force of the Sons of Morning, Captain Mackelson raised his hands in the air then darted it down. It was all over.
That damned Sergeant Izri was right. Izri saw it coming from light-years away as if he had premonition. How the hell is that man capable of this? How does he know?
And, somewhere in Mackelson’s soul, terror reigned.
Izri was too good. Too good for his own good. Too tactical to be a Sergeant. Too knowing for his age to conquer entire military units in ways that would make legendary generals blush. And too damn bold to come at the enemy like a madman. And better than the most skilled Colonel. Izri’s tactics were out of this world.
And it scared Mackelson.
Then a question dawned on him: Who the hell was Sergeant Izri?
Lionel was on his usual routine. His personal mech units had finished mowing down a small enemy force. And then they had stumbled onto treasure: a group of men, women, and children who were being protected by those pathetic Montroy infantry worms—worms that were now squashed to mush. He ordered all the men killed. Soon, Lionel took the women and children and brought them into abandoned apartment buildings. He began to have his fun. He penetrated a woman as he forced a little boy to look at him do it. The girls were crying in a corner as a group of soldiers had them at gun point. And he penetrated harder, squeezing the women’s face as he was chuckling to himself. Stupid animal. Yes this is good. Continue to be the animal that you are!
He heard a loud noise. He briefly wondered what it was, then continued to have his way with the young woman. A soldier knocked furiously on the locked door. Lionel continued to concentrate on his hard penetration of the woman. The rapt came louder, “Commander Lionel! Urgent news!”
Lionel ignored him and kept going faster.
Another knock followed by a familiar voice, “Yo boss. We got a big problem!” It was Tonbe.
He cursed under his breath but kept thrusting in excitement, the woman ceased screaming as she was tired from exhaustion. Finally, Lionel burst.
Oh yes.
He left her insides. Threw her onto the floor. He gathered himself, pulling his pants up and buckling his belt. He put his hands on his hips, slowly turned around, looked at the little girls. One of them caught his eyes and he focused on her. As she stared with horror on her face, he blew a kiss at her. She trembled. Then he took out a pistol, aimed it at the exhausted, ravaged piece of filthy woman who writhed on the floor with misery in her eyes, and he pulled the trigger. The bullet went through her forehead, the flesh denting inwards and ripping open as a geezer of blood exploded from her bullet-torn head. Her eyes went lifeless as blood foamed from her mouth. She moaned with a delicious sorrow in her pained voice. And the whore’s eyes went lifeless. Thanks for that fast thrill you gave me darling.
“Come in!” said Lionel with calm and joy in his voice.
Tonbe and another soldier entered. “Boss, something big is going down in West District. Kundai demands our presence.”
Lionel gestured his men out as he walked towards the door. Passing Tonbe, Lionel noticed Tonbe staring wide-eyed at the body on the floor. Tonbe seemed disturbed. Lionel immediately stopped and said, “She gets a four out of a ten.”
The dark-skinned, young man looked at him, saying nothing. Lionel smiled, then left the room.
*****
“Commander…”
Kundai, absorbed in deep thought of the conflicts that transpired in the West, North, and South Districts of Newington City, looked at Fiona.
“The bastard Colonel Lucia didn’t listen! Look!”
Fiona handed Kundai a monitor of which the drone scanned an exploded avenue of dead soldiers.
“She’s a fool. Fools never listen!” shouted Kundai.
“Commande—”
Kundai marched off before another soldier could finish addressing him. Fiona trailed him, and Kundai reached a group of captains who were fiercely barking orders to prepare for an engagement, and Kundai said, “Get Lionel and the Torugian Force. Now. Things have gotten complicated in this siege. There’s some strange tactician in the Montbay Providential Guard and he’s a cunning, deadly bastard.”
Sir, Guren and his men have encountered the enemy in Sacksville Town!”
“Damn it! Where’s the colonel?” Shouted Kundai as he began to seek the fool in charge of taking over the entire city.
*****
Kundai charged into a small room of a depilated subway station where men and women shouted into monitors as they all tried to make sense of the situation. Standing near a massive monitor which highlighted enemy and friendly forces, was a woman who stared with fury and annoyance on her face.
If Kundai was as merciless as Gabriel, he would’ve had her foolish self flogged for insubordination without hesitation.
Fiona went past Kundai and headed towards Colonel Lucia. When Fiona arrived, Fiona stared at the monitor with trepidation and shock, trembling.
Kundai reached them, noticing that the friendly blue dots on screen, their forces, were entering an area where the enemy was converging onto them from their flanks and on both sides of their attack lines. Kundai grimaced.
“God damn it Lucia! This can’t be happening.”
Lucia cracked her knuckles as she stared at the screen and said, “Kundai, get away!”
“Impossible…how are Newington’s defense forces moving so fast? So, coordinated?” said Fiona.
“This son of a bastard came from the skies through some blasted abyss from nowhere! And now, this bastard is already turning the tide of this damned siege?” rapt Lucia.
“I don’t understand. Who is he? Who is leading the remaining Montbay Providential Guard?” asked Fiona.
Lucia ignored her, completely absorbed by the imminent devastation of their forces, and Kundai shouted, “Give me temporary reign over this operatio—”
“I took your advice and look at what happened to Captain Morrington.”
“You had him go south! I told you that reconnaissance from lord Michael’s aid had noticed strange activity within that region of the city and yet, this unknown factor, who seemed to spawn out of nowhere, tossed you some bait, and you still fell for it!”
“I’m sorry but you’re not in charge of any units. You’re a Reconnaissance Chief—”
“Only for now to monitor Salem Lord Michael’s performance whilst I also train a real soldier.” Kundai had pointed at Fiona when he said that. Lucia grimaced. “In fact, one should even wonder if you should still be stationed within in your post at all.”
Lucia sucked her teeth. “You have no power.”
Kundai darkened his gaze with a deep resolve. “I’m trying to be very humble here.”
“I don’t care.”
Kundai didn’t want to flex and decided to say, “Lucia! You don’t know who you’re dealing with! Whoever this new enemy commander is, if they continue this streak, they’ll have this district in a couple of hours—a feat that’s actually supposed to take days, Do you understand what type of strategist you’re dealing with? He, or she, will eat you alive!”
“And now the old man tries to scare me and break me while, deep down, he regrets that he isn’t in my position.” She said, as she stared at Fiona as if trying to convince her of some ridiculous shortcoming that she supposedly found in Kundai.
“Give me command of your unit!”
“I’d be a fool to do so to a stupid man such as yourself.
“Stupid?” He punched the screen and grunted out loud. The entire room went silent. All eyes focused on them now and he no longer cared. “You believe me to be stupid?” he shouted. He breathed deeply. Then gestured at the screen. “This entire operation is born from you, the Queen of stupidity! If you don’t get me command of this force you will regret the day you—”
“Kundai!” Fiona shouted.
He stared at the monitor. Kundai gasped.
Lucia cursed under her breath as the entire room gasped. It was too late. The engagement began.
Izri pulled out his personal monitor and examined the battlefield of both the enemy and friendly forces. What he was doing was suicidal as he was operating outside the chain of natural command—moving above and beyond his military jurisdiction. At this point, Izri was a solo operative. He was no longer a soldier of the National Guard. He was now one with a bad-bone to pick from the empire. And this troubled his heart deeply as his men and Mackelson might no longer trust him if they found out what he was doing. But he didn’t care because he believed he was like most people who were ignorant.
No. He wasn’t ignorant. He was something more—something greater because he knew better. And if the empire wanted blood, he would give them death. He began commanding the units of hundreds who were engaging with the surviving forces of the empire.
“Here we go Mackelson.” Said Izri though his comm-channels.
“Affirmative.”
“Green One, Red Four, Blue Six, pull around Tarkanza Avenue, fake a side strike, then retreat. Black One and White One will strike from the center as Yellow Three trails behind!”
Commander Lucia noticed red dots maneuvering around the forces. She gasped. “Gold Forty-Four, Eighty Eight, and all of White, protect the fifth and ninth platoons of third company!”
Kundai’s heart sank, “No! It’s a feint! Don’t do it! They’re trying to ram the center!”
“Now!” Lucia hissed.
A wave of blue dots swarmed the guarded sides, but she noticed the red dots had pulled away while a hidden squad of red dots cut hard through the heart of the blue dots…ramming through the center…
She gasped. “Satan’s bloody balls!”
Kundai folded his arms and stared at her with irritation.
Izri smiled. Then said, “Green One and Blue Six, attack the sides now.” The mechs listened, and they followed through with their original intention to strike the enemy’s five and nine o’clock.
Commander Lucia was shocked. She didn’t know they would do that. “Satan’s tits!”
Kundai said, “Listen, all of Gold line to retreat as Red line sneaks around. Then have White push through retreated gold and stop those enemy mechs that would be chasing them! Tell them.”
Lucia shook. Could she really trust Kundai? Maybe he wanted to see her fail. But having nothing left, Lucia did as she was told and the units retreated as an auxiliary group pressed forward to the retreaters and the others swept around.
Izri raised his eyes brows as he looked at the monitor. “Holy hell! Good job! Where did you get the brains all of a sudden?” he said to himself. Then continued, “Chasing units, pull back and hit’em hard from long-range. I repeat, hit’em hard from long range!” The mech were doing as they were told.
Kundai grunted as he almost smiled.
This tricky bastard!
Hiding his smile so as not to scare or anger Lucia, he said, “It’s a long-range buffer, tell them—”
“No!” Lucia shouted. “Maintain the plan. They’re scared! That’s why they stopped!”
“God damn it! They’re going to strike from long range!” shouted Kundai.
“Now!” Lucia shouted, and they did so. Suddenly, as the White pressed passed the retreated Gold, the groups of white mechs were eviscerated by a long-distance strike. She growled as the room stared in silence. Then red darts charged from the sides and were cutting through. One by one, blue dots were disappearing.
Izri watched as the National guard blew the enemy mechs apart as he examined the fight from the rooftop. They were getting close. Victory was within reach.
As the situation became perilous. Lucia lost her footing. She panicked. And stared at the screen.
Kundai watched as this colonel was falling apart. It seemed Lucia was never used to losing or having things fall out of control but that’s what she had to understand: That no one in this world knew more than they thought they knew—because the more you know, the more you don’t know. No one ever truly knew everything because Kai and Sheenyo-Qi alike were limited in mind, no matter how many nations were conquered, or feats were accomplished. But people like Lucia could not fathom this truth. They never would. Nor would most people that Kundai had known. He stared at the screen. Then, men entered the room.
“Sir” Fiona said.
Kundai turned around. It was the Elite Torugian Force.
“At your service.” Bowed Lionel.
Kundai examined the screen and then said, “Lionel, send one of your men into the hot zone immediately.”
“Sir?” Lionel said incredulously. “No need to worry. Send us all there and the problem will be handled.”
“No, can’t risk it. There is something about this National Guard commander. Even if you have incredibly advanced mechs, I don’t want this commander to see your entire combat capabilities. Should this mystery person survive, that won’t be good.”
Lionel chuckled out and said, “Kundai Kuntendai of Muratuga. No wonder the generals admire you. So…you don’t want to show the enemy the full cards.”
Kundai said nothing.
Lionel nodded his head. “Though one of our aces or king cards will be enough I suppose then. Dalton, head over to the hot zone. Be an example of our power.”
“Yes commander Lionel. I won’t disappoint.”
“Indeed.”
The young warrior saluted and sprinted out of the base.
Colonel Lucia felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She worked so hard to achieve the privilege of leading a corp all by herself, and now it seemed that she would be stripped of her glory at any moment. She couldn’t go out like this, not when so many men gave way for the cause of The Great Emperor.
She gasped.
Her heart dropped. She began to wonder what Emperor Milo would think of her. That mighty, sweet, and wonderful man. Oh how his fury would break her being. She couldn’t fathom living under the scorn of Milo even if she made every effort to accept her humiliation and experience his anger. She stared at a strangely calm Kundai who approached her. “We all make mistakes. We all experience defeat. Just learn and be ready next time. The emperor knows that even the greatest warriors are beaten and—”
She zoned out into her thoughts, thinking of Milo and his power—his potential rage. Milo, oh Milo. Sweet mighty Milo…Finally finding her mind, she darted to the screen and shouted orders.
“All lines, Gold, Purple, Lilith, Cargo—do not retreat and go all out!”
The room gasped as Kundai shook his head. Knowing that it was a lost cause, he hoped this ridiculous tactic saved them all enough time for Dalton to draw upon the field. But there was always hope. Even in a bleak moment such as this—despite Lucia’s deranged stupidity—opportunity always existed. He contacted Dalton who answered, “Yes sir?”
“Be sure to do your best. Our new objective now is enemy combat analysis: We have to see this commander’s hand. Give him enough hell so I can see how he reacts, that way, we can see his true strengths and weaknesses.”
“Affirmative. But I will kill him.”
Commander Kundai raised an eyebrow in shock at the statement. And how the hell do you even know what this commander looks like? Or where he is you idiot? Think about what you just said right there. “You cannot kill what you have never seen or encountered. Just take out as many enemy mechs as possible and press his hand.”
“Yes sir.”
Kundai left the channel and reflected on what Dalton said, ‘But I will kill him.’ He grabbed his eyes brows, blood rushing to his head—overwhelmingly assailed by stress.
Really? Did Dalton just say something as preposterous as that?
Someone tapped his shoulder. “Commander, reinforcements are pulling into the hot zone, coming from the northwest.”
“Reinforcements? Now?”
“Yes sir.”
“I have no say do I?”
“Commander?”
“Do I?”
“What’s wrong?”
He slowly dropped his head and said, “How many Fiona?”
“Two battalions sir. This battle is ours.”
He looked towards the screen. Despite over seven hundred soldiers coming to the rescue to neutralize about one hundred men. Something was off.