I open my eyes at the sound of the whistle. It's not like any of the ones before, but it's clear what it means. Interestingly, when I follow the source, it's over at the mountains far to the west. What's over there exactly? But I don't have any time to question things like that, the other rail units are already moving.
I stand up, hugging my basket to my chest, and follow. I keep taking deep breaths to keep myself calm, but it feels like I'm quickly turning into a ball of anxious nerves. It's finally time. Really finally time. No more procedures I don't understand, or ceremonies, or walking absurd distances to far off places. It's finally time for the actual battle. I glance up at the full moon off toward the eastern horizon, Reena's premonition replaying in my mind.
As I walk, two other rail units break off from the group. 8C and 3F. Male and female type rail units. "You missed the strategy instructions, so the handlers told us to tell you this..." 8C says flatly, then recites the handlers' words. "1A, you are to stand at the center of the formation. You will retreat while the enemy chases, allowing functional rail units to launch a pincer attack." Right, that's what I already heard when I asked about it. I guess the handlers didn't expect me to seek out information for myself, just like Reid earlier. But it seems they aren't done yet.
Following 8C, 3F says, "Units 8C and 3F will be responsible for defending against the first wave of attacks, and potential long range fire." Referring to themselves, of course. The handlers... are actually having other units help defend me? Why? Not to mention, 8C and 3F always showed the greatest proficiency with shields during training. I don't know how well that transfers to using their divine gears, but I suppose it has to if they've been tasked with defending me. But... why?
"Understood," I say simply and trot forward to keep pace with them as we start moving. Let me think this through. They told me to draw attention away from other rail units, and now they placed me at the center of our formation, with the intention of retreating under fire. If I'm just supposed to draw the enemies in, why waste resources defending me when I'm supposed to die? I walk for some time, turning over the possibilities before what 3F said finally clicks. They're supposed to defend me from long range attacks. Oh, now I get it. If I died to the first volley of long range attacks from the enemies, I wouldn't be around to draw them in close for the rest of the strategy.
I shake my head a little. There's something I don't get. Why would my being at the center of the formation have any effect on where the enemies move in the first place? As soon as I go over that, questioning my place in the formation, the handlers' words jump back into my mind. That I'm going to mess up the formation. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to latch onto the hazy memory. It was back when I was living with Marrianne, just before I moved to the orphanage. What did they say exactly? They asked how much mana I had, then did some math, and said... Didn't they say it was too high? That I would destroy the formation? No no, they definitely came up with some idea based on that. So their plan must take that into account.
But they definitely said I have too much mana. If that's the case... I open my eyes and glance over at my wrist. I flare my gear for a moment to check my mana. 3203. Not very helpful without anything to compare to. I think back once more. They definitely said whatever number they came up with at the time. I... think it was in the thirties? Thirty two, meaning thirty two hundred maybe? I shake my head a little once more. Comparisons are more useful than trying to guess what those people were thinking.
"How much mana do you two have?" I ask.
"Release," they both mutter. Huh? I never activate my gear like that... Before I can wonder about that more, they check their mana and answer.
"Twenty one thousand five hundred thirty five," says 8C.
"Eighteen thousand four hundred eighty four," says 3F. Eighteen... thousand? Twenty one thousand? Immediately, those numbers throw all my previous thoughts away and I try to run the numbers. That's six, seven times my mana! How do I have too much? And why do they have different amounts? No wait, is it because I've been using it lately? I mean, it felt like I had a whole lot to spare, but did I actually end up using that much? Or maybe the handlers meant thirty thousand back then? Comparing to the other rail units, that would be a whole lot, so it would attract the enemy's attention. But... I don't really remember ever seeing a big number like that on my gear, even back when I checked it all the time. All it did was go down a little bit at a time.
I don't get it.
None of this makes sense. Whether I have too much or too little mana, none of the numbers line up. The handlers must know something I don't, and that's why they set things up like this. But is it possible that I burned through all of that extra mana that they said I had and now I'm going to mess up the formation they chose specifically because I was going to mess up the normal one? Or do I actually have a lot of mana like they said, and my gear isn't showing me the right number?
That's it! Maybe my gear can't show the right number without my manastone! If that is the case, then I can assume the number listed on my gear is actually meaningless. Except... My thoughts come grinding to a halt.
If the number on the gear is meaningless, why has it been changing?
Without any information to go on or any way to figure things out, I eventually just try to push all of those thoughts from my mind. Whether our strategy works or not, whether we come out on top in this battle, all of that is beyond my control. All I can do is just try to survive. And it would seem that I've miraculously been handed two more useful tools to do so. Still, 8C and 3F are only supposed to protect me in the beginning. Meaning they'll run off as soon as the enemies come close, won't they?
Well, at least I can be reasonably sure rail units as good at defending as they are should be able to keep me safe through any long range attacks before the enemies close in. That's at least one worry out of the way. After that, when they leave, it'll be up to me to run and avoid the rail units that attack from up close. I just have to do everything I can to run and defend myself until the end of the battle. With at least a little more confidence, I keep trotting along. The other rail units are starting to split off, some on either side to our left and right, to fan out as we approach the battlefield. I'm really glad I got a nap earlier, I feel refreshed and awake. I'm in as good condition as I can be. Time to see if it's enough.
I gulp and keep going, my nerves coming back once more. It's time to use what I prepared. One by one, I go through my basket and convert my mana while walking. About thirty percent fire for stamina, then twenty percent earth for strength and healing, and ten percent air for flexibility, since I figure that is the least useful of the different types. As I go, I skim tiny bits off the top of my well to replace the mana I burn up in the process. It feels like my emotions are starting to swerve all over the place with so much of each built up. Worry bubbles up, reminding me that I never investigated that water mana I came across. That one could have been the key after all!
I continuously fight to shake away the anxiety, made much worse by the earth mana, and just keep calm. Then I finally generate the most useful, and possibly most harmful, lightning. I go until nearly sixty percent of my mana is lightning, with just a tiny bit of colorless still floating around. It will give me the sharp intuition I need, but... The fear that comes with it is dangerous. If I'm not careful, it could absolutely overwhelm me. If that happens, I'll die. Even thinking about it now makes me want to curl up into a ball and cry, but I keep walking as my legs start to shake.
Having finished with the different metals, I look around for a bit. The grassy field is slowly turning into a gentle uphill rise, while the grass thins out. As soon as I spot a pretty big rock, I run over to it and dump all of my metal into a small pile on the ground next to the rock, leaving just the bandages and lele fruit in my basket. On second thought, I drop a couple rolls of bandages as well, just in case I lose the ones with me, and I need them on the way back.
Without the numerous metal ingots, my basket is so much lighter. It won't weigh me down like this, like the metal would have. I move back toward the two rail units, both watching me as they walk. As I leave the metal, I stop and look back, unsure of myself. I definitely won't need it during battle, right? Right. I won't be burning any mana, so I won't need the metals. They'll just slow me down. As sure as I can be with my decisions, I nod to myself a little. Time for battle.
----------------------------------------
I turn back and start walking. An odd sensation overcomes me, like a tingle running up the back of my neck.
The ground is more rocky than grassy. As I go further, it only gets worse. Dirt gives way to broken gravel and jagged rocks. I have to step carefully as I move. Eventually, I stop at the top of a low rise, looking out across the large expanse of familiar land. It is mostly flat, but is covered with small areas where the rock was crushed or blown away. Off to the left side, there's a canyon that descends down along a narrow river. This is the place from my vision.
I look up. The sun has descended, hidden behind the mountains and the horizon while it continues to color the sky a pale orange, fading to pale violet. It continues to deepen, all the way across to the moons at the far side of the sky, just beginning their rise, a deep purple coming in behind them.
Letting my eyes return from above, I look far across the landscape, spotting the low rolling hills past the flatlands. There are lights over there. I blink a little. Yeah, there are definitely lights. Even with my slightly enhanced vision, I can't see their source, they're still within the rolling hills. Then I see it. A tiny speck, far, far across this rocky, torn up battlefield. It's no more than a dot even to my enhanced senses, but I can tell it's one of our enemies, visible as they briefly pass over the crest of a hill.
"Enemies ahead," I inform the other rail units, looking around at- "Huh?" It's just us three. I blink a few times, failing momentarily to hide my surprise, before looking around more. While I was distracted by converting mana and checking the landscape, the other rail units continued spreading out. I thought we were supposed to be positioned at the center of the formation.
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
We are the center of the formation. Besides us three, the rest of the units make up the sides, all the way across the field, standing on low hilltops adjacent to the one we are positioned on. Just beyond, the hills descend to the flat, barren landscape before us. Well, Reid said flat but... that's kind of pushing it.
I get the impression that the land was flat at one point. It still sort of is, except there are craters of all sizes blasted out of the stone surface. It seems some of the shattered stone ended up elsewhere, because there are a handful of boulders scattered across the enormous field. The rest must have been blasted into the sharp splinters of rock that cover everything. Even these hills are in bad shape, with chunks of rock missing at random from their surfaces.
So this is where we'll be fighting? While I've been surveying the field, 8C and 3F have been looking across the field to try and spot the enemies themselves. I suppose they can't see as well, so it takes the few long moments for them, looking across the battlefield before they spot the faint lights as well, and announce it loudly.
"Enemies ahead!" They shout together, loud enough for all of the rail units to hear them on the neighboring hills. All of their divine gears begin lighting up together. It takes a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the glare. It's a little odd, looking out over the field again.
The sun has set behind the mountains and the large moon, even full, isn't much of a replacement. But now... Now the glow of a hundred rail units fills the land with light brighter than day. I stare over the washed out landscape of grays and whites, as if we've burned all the color out of the land.
Though I suppose it did, didn't it? What else but our constant battles could turn this endless, grassy plain into a barren wasteland like this? I shake off the overly powerful spike of anger that comes with the thought that we destroyed such a beautiful place. Now is not the time for that. As soon as I push away the anger, paralyzing fear strikes out in its place.
We're about to fight.
Really about to fight.
The enemies are just across the battlefield. There, ready to attack, with weapons from the gods. My breath starts to come fast and shallow.
I squeeze my eyes shut and shove the fear down. It's hard, really, really hard.
Just focus on not dying. Nothing more, nothing less. Focus. My trembling finally lets up to unclench my hands and jaw.
I look up at the two rail units tasked with protecting me. "Preparing for battle," they nearly speak in unison.
"Full release," the rail units say flatly. Their words are followed by another blinding explosion of light. So this is the fully activated gear we're supposed to use in battle, I think when I see it. Even when I push my mana into my divine gear, it doesn't manifest like theirs. Besides the small gear floating over their left forearms, there are a series of circular light halos spread all around their bodies. Extra points they can draw armaments from, rather than needing to use the main divine gear itself.
Even so, they press their hands to their gears and say, "Aura," together. A flare of light erupts around them, like a hazy glow of flickering fire wrapping around their chests and shoulders. Aura, the most basic of the divine armaments. The one I couldn't use that day.
Without missing a beat, they follow it up. "Oculus." A smaller light this time. It's like a faint glow coming off the surface of their eyes. Even their eye colors change. Instead of the same brown color everyone has, they suddenly look different. 8C's change to look sort of green, while 3F has its eyes turn bright blue. It's strange and kind of disconcerting.
The rail units look over at me, the odd one out since I can't summon the two basic armaments that we are always supposed to use in battle. Aura which grants abilities far beyond what humans can accomplish, and Oculus for seeing mana. Together, they form the basic abilities that let the rail units select targets and fight. Working rail units, of course. I can't even completely activate my divine gear like they can. After a moment, they turn back to the enemies ahead. They stand briefly, waiting. It won't be long now.
But then they turn back to me again. I have to consciously stop myself from making a gesture to question them; rail units don't do that. They look back across the field briefly, before once more breaking my expectations, and speaking to one another.
"This is bad," 3F says.
"What's bad?" I ask. The strange way they're acting, it feels like my heart is about to hammer through my chest.
"You have too much mana," 8C answers. Hearing that actually makes me relieved. I let out a small breath. So I do have too much mana, like the handlers thought. I guess that means my divine gear doesn't count it properly after all.
"Oh, that's fine. The handlers said they formed this strategy based on that," I explain. The pair of rail units just stare at me blankly for some time. The way they don't emote, I can't get any idea of what they're thinking.
"This strategy isn't going to work," 8C finally says.
"We should retreat," 3F suggests. "Before the battle begins."
"I agree, that would be our best option to avoid the worst case scenario." 8C answers.
"W-what?" I can't follow, I don't understand what the problem is. What is this worst case scenario they're talking about? I even end up stammering as I try and fail to force down the nervous trembling working through my body.
"Ren. Flare." 8C summons a pair of divine armaments. First is Ren, appearing out of a halo by 8C's shoulder. I look up at it, studying it closely. We weren't allowed to summon any divine armaments until coming of age, so I've never actually seen them before. I learned about all of these in our lessons, but they only covered the basics, since we would be able to learn far more about them later. Surely referring to how the other rail units can get all of the information about every single divine armament. But all I have to go on are the basics they explained.
For Ren, I believe it's... for armament modification. Taking the form of a floating book. By putting another armament into its pages, the armament can be modified slightly. I look at the thing floating around 8C as it opens up. So that's what a book looks like? Brown colored, rectangular, and pretty thick, with super thin things layered together inside. Aren't those the super thin things I've seen before that people write on? I guess they're called 'pages'. There's also a star drawn on the front of the book. When it opens up, I spot another one on the back.
Summoning the other armament, Flare, directly from its divine gear a moment later, 8C pushes it into the book. The armament vanishes for a moment. It doesn't do anything in particular that I can tell before drawing the armament back out again. Only now, Flare is glowing white instead of red, just a kind of bright glow, holding around its hand. Then 8C raises its hand straight up into the air, firing the armament directly upward.
Flare is a pretty simple, spell type armament. It shoots an exploding ball of fire. I guess 8C used Ren to change the color of the fire from red to white. I wrack my brain for a few moments, trying desperately to pull all the bits of our training together in my head to follow what's happening. White colored Flare launched straight up... It's a signal meaning retreat, I think. So like it said, we're requesting a signal to retreat. High overhead, I watch the Flare explode with a loud bang.
Apparently, 8C and 3F weren't the only rail units with this idea. Dozens of white flares fire up into the air at about the same time, loud bangs echoing down one after another. Now we should be waiting for the whistle signaling us to fall back, right? We all stand for a few long, tense moments. I still don't know what is so wrong with our plan that half of the rail units are requesting we retreat, but... where's the whistle? I keep looking between the two rail units in front of me.
Without thinking about it, I turn to look back toward the far off mountains that still stab up into the sky from beyond the horizon. That's where the last whistle came from. So maybe... whoever is in charge, whether it's the handlers, or someone related to the military... maybe they are watching the battle from there. That would explain why they could sound the retreat whistle in response to our request.
But no whistle comes.
"This is really bad." 3F says.
"Why aren't we retreating?" I ask. Not that I know why we should retreat in the first place.
After a long delay for them to think, 8C speaks up. "I think I know why." It looks at us and says, "Normally it would make no sense to retreat from a battle that has not begun."
"True," we both agree.
"The handlers do not understand the circumstances, so they are not willing to order a retreat," it finishes.
"Then our only option is to fight," 3F responds.
"We're going to die," 8C comments. Immediately, Reena's words play back through my mind. It's almost exactly what she said, word for word. Maybe this was the moment she was referring to? I have no idea, but I can't help myself.
"No," I cut in. "We have to avoid fighting. Focus everything we have on defending and we can make it through." I try to speak with certainty, even though I'm completely unsure. The two rail units stare down at me. Adults, by all appearances, and infinitely more powerful and worthwhile than I am.
And yet, they respond in unison. "Understood."
Then 8C adds on, "We will focus on defending you with all of our power."
"Even if it costs our lives, we will protect you," 3F says. Beneath the flat, unaffected tone, it almost feels like it is speaking with an unflinching will. Does this rail unit even have a will though? I look back and forth between them briefly. Where is this impression of determination coming from? They don't have emotions, so maybe it's just my imagination projecting on them?
Even so, why are they going so far for me? I'm supposed to be useless. Some feeling, an instinct in the back of my mind is tingling. Probably urged on by the massive quantity of lightning mana, I'm getting a feeling, like there is something bigger happening. Emily said that, didn't she? That if I've been given a premonition, I have some sort of fate to be somewhere and do something in the future. But how could that possibly relate to these two rail units laying their lives on the line for a broken unit like myself, that can't even fight. Wouldn't they also be better off if I died? Then I wouldn't be a burden on them in battle.
Whatever reservations and anxiety I have... The fact is, I still don't want to die. I feel awful for placing my own life above a working rail unit's, but I already know I'm selfish, that's nothing new. If they'll willingly throw their lives away for mine... I'll accept it. Even knowing the horrible monster that makes me. Gulping down my revulsion, I step forward, to stand near 8C and 3F.
The enemies are beginning to crest the final hills on the far side of the ruined battlefield. Soon, they stretch across the far side, their numbers too difficult to count at such a great distance.
"We do not have enough power to protect you, but we will do everything we can." 3F says. Its flat gaze draws mine up, staring straight into my eyes.
I harden my will one last time. "Understood."