With forty-five operatives remaining and almost one and a half hours left on the clock, the combat engineers assessed the viability of a breach. As they surveyed the area, Axel gave the order to the five squad leaders to evaluate the logistics for their ordnance and ammunition.
Axel and the explosive experts checked the integrity of the door and noted that it appeared to be made of a strong alloy, solid enough to withstand significant force. Two imposing door handles, similar to those they had encountered before, were visible, yet it remained a mystery how these doors could be opened. They seemed to be expertly crafted for the use of such enormous beings.
The first thing they opted to use was the Winston disintegrating rounds. This time, they planned to create a staircase that would provide both cover and a high vantage point.
Seizing the moment, the operatives began their work. They intended to build six entry points at varying heights, rising approximately two to three meters, creating a breach that would resemble a stairway and could serve as cover if hostile forces were present on the other side.
When the molecular disintegration rounds of the Winston struck the door, it encountered significant resistance. Instead of creating a semicircular impact one meter wide, the blast resulted in only a foot-and-a-half-wide indentation.
If their calculations were correct, it would take at least fifty bullets to successfully pierce the door and about eight hundred to reach their initial goal for the breach, which they could not afford.
"Halt! We’ll check the integrity of the walls instead." Axel said, realizing it would be a waste of precious time and resources if it goes on.
They chose to create a U-shaped tunnel to the side that would provide cover and serve as a checkpoint in case hostile forces were armed with projectile weapons. The men then resumed their work.
As they neared the final stretch, they encountered the same material used for the door. The men exchanged annoyed glances with Axel, who appeared equally exasperated, knowing that precious time was slipping away.
He recalled the hostile forces waiting just beyond the door, seemingly alerted by the tremors shaking the ground. They had been fortunate earlier, but he realized that luck could only carry them so far. Deciding it was time to breach the wall instead, he checked the ammunition available for the Pision with the other teams.
“Status on Pision ammunition. How much do we have left?” Axel asked, his voice tense as he glanced at Winter 01.
“Sir, we’re down to 49 rounds for the Pision.” Winter 01 quickly replied, having finished the inventory.
Axel knew he still had thirteen ammunitions in his inventory, so he used one of them instead.
“Redistribute the Pision ammunition for each man. Squad leaders and snipers take two, the rest gets a shot each.” He also handed the seven ammunitions for his Pision to the operatives, making sure each soldier had at least two shots.
“Take some cover men, fire in the hole!” He warned, planning to blast the metallic wall
The Pision ammunition possessed far superior firepower compared to the Winston rounds, boasting atomic disintegrating properties. It blasted through the wall, creating a perfect semicircular crater measuring twenty meters. However, the wall still stood firm. He fired another shot, and this time the hole gave way.
What they witnessed inside left them baffled. It was like a sea of stars, Alex then signaled Tamaki to investigate and found out the area has no gravity, thinking he could still breathe. At that moment, his system issued a prompt.
[System: Space Breathing Apparatus Activated]
[Oxygen: 100% - 02:59:58]
Tamaki, the first to enter the room, floated quietly inside. He understood the potential danger his team faced if they proceeded without a prior warning, so he began using hand signals to communicate. The men quickly halted the eager Arcanist who seemed intent on investigating the unfamiliar space.
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Some of them snorted disdainfully, lamenting that their thirst for knowledge was being stifled. However, Axel stepped in and explained to them the risks for their unprepared bodies to explode in the vacuum-like environment. Upon hearing Axel’s serious expression, the men, eager to learn but also sensible, relented in their pursuits, allowing Axel to breathe a sigh of relief.
Some of them snorted disdainfully, lamenting that their thirst for knowledge was being stifled. However, Axel stepped in and explained the risks of their unprepared bodies exploding in the vacuum-like environment. Upon seeing Axel’s serious expression, the men, eager to learn but also sensible, relented in their pursuits, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Comet 04 (Luc), Comet 07 (Wong), you stay behind. Those with damage on their All Cloaks please remain here to guard the Arcanists. I only need a team of ten. If we’re not back within an hour, you should leave without us. Winter 01, take charge of the scene,” Axel announced, turning to his fellow operatives.
Since some of the men were inexperienced with navigating through space, Axel, Wong, and Kokoy stepped in to assist. Axel instructed the team to switch to alloy rounds, emphasizing the importance of careful probing. “Fire in all directions,” he commanded, “and let’s find the limits of this room.”
For three tense minutes, the team fired their weapons, the silent bullets traversed in the strange environment. As their bullets ricocheted, an unusual object began to reveal itself, a force that seemed to redirect their shots. Axel carefully approached it, his hand gliding over its surface. To his shock, it felt solid beneath his fingers, it was a wall.
In that moment, he realized the room they inhabited defied the laws of physics. Instead of relying solely on scientific reasoning, Axel tapped into the countless hours he’d spent immersed in novels, this might be an illogical way for a soldier to think but given how absurd the situation was, he could only think this way. Suddenly, a theory began to form in his mind, what if Jeanne D’Arc was imprisoned here?
As he examined the mysterious barrier, its structure took shape before him. It appeared to be a perfect cube measuring about five meters on each side. Axel, his instincts sharp, quickly cautioned his men to refrain from touching the surface.
Knowing full well he needed to finish the mission, he probes the object cautiously. He reached out and made contact with the cube, feeling an odd energy pulsating beneath his fingers. Signaling Tamaki, he asked for a spare All Cloak as he was responsible for the team’s reserves.
As he grasped the extra All Cloak, an unsettling sensation suddenly engulfed him, the world around him shifted, and he found himself surrounded by a dizzying array of mirrors. Each reflection twisted and distorted his image, casting shadows that danced and flickered at the corners of his vision. As he surveyed his surroundings, he could hear a cry for help.
“I… I… I’m scared, I don’t want to be a hero anymore, I don’t want to die, please help me!”
“I can hear the voices of the void as it calls onto me, it tells me the masterplan of the enemy!”
“I don’t care who you are, if you are here to save me then hurry up, I’ve been locked up here for weeks!”
“May the Lord guide you to my voice brave warrior of mankind, I am currently unable to escape my predicament.”
He heard four voices coming from all directions. What puzzled him was the origin of the voices. Why did they all sound the same? He tried to ponder what was to come and how he would be able to determine if any of this was real. What if it was a trap? Multiple scenarios flashed through his mind as he considered various solutions and possibilities.
He first attempted to cut down the mirrors. It worked initially, but he soon realized that it only made things worse, the mirrors seemed unaffected by gravity. Collecting the mirror fragments in search of clues, he noticed that these mirrors were quite unique it was almost paper-thin yet sharp to the touch. He then decided to ask the voice for answers.
“Who are you?! What is your name?!” Axel shouted with all his lungs.
“I… I… I am Joan of Arc! The king has bestowed me my title! Please let me out! I don’t want to stay here!”
“I call myself La Pucelle. If you love praying, reading the holy scripture and seeing the people happy, I’m your lady!”
“Lies! Don’t be deceived by these demons! I am but Jeanne of Domrémy, I live as a peasant girl on the rural areas of France.”
“Don’t let astray from the light, brave warrior, for the Lord will guide you to me! The real Jeanne La Pucelle, come to my voice and let us get out of here!”
Hearing this, Axel found himself caught in a dilemma. He wasn’t sure what to do and lacked the arcane to discern truth from lies. As he reflected on her history, he recalled how he and his men had read numerous books about Jeanne D’Arc, with Kokoy even crying during one of the films. Focusing on the tasks ahead, Axel noted that while all the voices sounded the same and their information seemed accurate, there were discrepancies he couldn’t ignore.
Meanwhile, Tamaki, witnessing his squad leader vanish into thin air, was left speechless. He shook his head, trying to convince himself that it was just stress playing tricks on him. The other eight men stood frozen, exchanging bewildered glances. They understood that what lay ahead might defy the explanations of twenty-first century science, so they chose to stay and waited for their platoon leader.
[Mission Duration: 01:18:57 – Currently Ongoing]
[France Time – 23:12]