Once we reached the garage, there was a long row of vehicles stretching halfway across the entire garage, each one in their own column. There were 3 M1 Abram tanks, fifteen MTVs, and five HMMWVs. In front of the row of vehicles was a group of a mix of dozens of Italian and American soldiers.

Among the soldiers, I also noticed a male Italian officer, conversing with Josh. Before we got far into the garage, Josh turned to the door we came from, and went to leave. As he passed us, though, he took a long look at Rob.

The Italian officer gave an order to some of his men, then looked at me, and said “Josh just told me our mission… you sure we can do something this big?”

“That’s what she said,” Issac joked abruptly.

Rob turned around, scowling, before asking “Shouldn’t you two be looking after my kids?”

“Yeah, we just wanted to say goodbye to Steve,” Dylan answered.

“Yes. This is enough,” I told the officer.

They nodded, then went to help his men.

I slowly turned around, and was immediately assaulted by a hug from Issac.

“Yay! We’re finally gonna revenge Creation Town!” He yelled, spinning me around.

Dylan coughed, and Issac, blushing, set me down before saying “No… don’t do it… revenge isn’t worth it…”

Dylan sighed, then proceeded to walk away. Hesitantly, Issac followed him.

“Is it just me, or do they seem different?” Rob asked, confused.

I shrugged, and replied “Eh. I haven’t had much reason to think about it. They could’ve changed a lot since the massacre.”

Any happiness I might’ve been feeling before then had fully diminished, leaving nothing but an empty void of pain.

“Yeah, but… it’s like they switched personalities.”

“We’re leaving in 1 minute!” The officer yelled.

Hearing this, we all stepped into the back of an empty HMMWV, and I watched as the other soldiers scrambled to get into the vehicles.

“G-Guess both sides o-of this war are the s-same…”

“Yeah. They’re both controlled by an egotistical dictator who’s only fighting this war so they can control a select few… us.”

12 hours later

We were now being driven in a line of the vehicles around the side of a mountain, standing tall above the great Rome. At the moment, we were on the other side of the mountain from the Coliseum, and tensions were higher than ever. Nobody had spoke since we started rounding the mountain.

“You know… Isabelle, Rose, neither of you had to come. I could’ve easily convinced Josh or Cooper to let you two stay.”

Rose responded instantly, “And wait miserably to find out if you won? No chance.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

After a moment, Isabelle, who was leaning back against the wall of the truck’s seat, crossing her arms and brooding, spoke, “I needed to be there to help confirm Robert’s death. And… we’re a team. We fight together…”

Rose elbowed Isabelle lovingly, exclaiming “When did you get so sappy? I thought you were supposed to be grump and closeted.”

Isabelle processed what she said, gave a light smile, and joked back “Closeted? You know I’m straight.”

“You never know…” I trailed off, before realizing Isabelle could’ve misinterpreted what I said.

But, when Isabelle seemed to smile a little more, I added “It took me several years to come to terms with my sexuality, Isabelle.”

…

“Call me Izzy.”

“Pardon?” Rob commented.

“It’s… I don’t like people who I don’t trust calling me Izzy. Only Isabelle.”

“Hmm… fair. I’m slow to trust people too.”

“I… never said or implied I’m slow at trusting people.”

“Yep. But I’m good at reading people. It’s bound to happen when you live for millions of years on the same planet.”

…

“I can’t believe we’re sitting in the same truck as an immortal alien…”

“Immortality is a stretch,” Rob responded, staring out at the distant forest, which was teeming with life and water.

“I’ve gotten close to being killed quite a few times.”

“Psh. You? Please. You’re more powerful than every human on this planet combined,” I said confidently.

“Not every. You still exist. And my sons are part human too.”

“Yeah… I’m pretty good at what I do. But I’m not nearly as powerful as you.”

“How about after this, we do a little sparring, try to see how long you can stand against me.”

“Oh, uh… I… I mean, sure, I guess. Sounds cool,” I said, still trying to seem confident as I leaned back against the truck wall.

We rounded the mountainside, coming into view of the Coliseum. There had to be almost a thousand robots flying around it, most flying directly above the arena inside. Inside each entrance, placed between pairs of giant columns, were stationary machine gun and flamethrower turrets.

Floating directly above the center of the Coliseum, with no additional structures holding it up, was a long glass tube, with a metal sphere at the end.

Looks like Robert might be in there.

As we got closer and closer, I was slowly able to make out some kind of mortar in the dead center of the arena.

“Duck!”

The mortar shot out a ball of fire, which split into smaller flaming shells which each hit precise locations on or around the trucks, obliterating almost every single one, except our truck and a couple others. The tanks were the only vehicles able to take direct hits.

One singular mortar shell hit the mountain beside our vehicle, which sent a wave of force which flipped our pickup truck over the edge of the mountainside, landing upside down on the downward curve below.

After a couple seconds, Rob pushed the truck up, and threw it towards the Coliseum, smushing a group of robots flying towards us.

After pushing myself onto my feet, I looked around, watching as the remaining soldiers were gunned down by Robert’s relentless machines of death.

I shook my head, then yelled out “Let’s go!” before sliding down the mountainside.

As we went down, several more robots flew towards us. I unsheathed one of my swords, turned it into a sniper rifle, and shot a ricocheting bullet which destroyed the robots.

Wow. What a plan. Lemme guess. You were trying to use the soldiers as distractions so you guys could make it inside? A familiarly intimidating voice mocked.

Knightmare… how are you in our head? Pemo interrogated.

Well, Steve’s mind was shattered when he last went to my realm. Though it’s repaired now, well… let’s just say I found a way in.

“Hey Rob! Go take out…”

Before I could finish my order, the entire Coliseum wall closest to us disappeared in a flash if red electricity, soldiers, turrets and all. A hole the size of a third of the entire Coliseum remained.

“I-I got it.” I looked over to see red electricity disappearing from Rowan’s eyes, before he gave me the cutest, yet confident smile I’d ever seen.

I smiled back confidently, then looked back down the slope to see we were reaching the bottom.

Orbs of blue electricity and plasma flew past us as we leapt forward to the bottom, before Rob ran forward and sent dozens of maroon tendrils out his body, which formed a giant wall of veiny-like blood.

When we went to take cover behind it, I looked around to figure out how many of us were left…

It was just my team and I. The entire escort was annihilated.

Fine, Knightmare, I thought, gripping my rifle with both hands.

If you won’t give any mercy, we won’t either. We’re coming… and this form of yours will die today.

Good Luck Steve. You guys got this… probably.