Upon the docks of the Zanzibar port city, thousands of souls gathered beneath swaying silver and blue banners. Soldiers of the coalition to end the threat of the demonspawn terror that plagued the world.

“For thousands of years…” Selfia began, the woman standing before the crowd in a tank top with grime and blood covering her fatigues, a far cry from the respectable appearance of a monarch to convey they absolute normality of the undertaken being performed. “Humanity has been fighting for our very survival against genocidal monsters whose sole purpose has been our annihilation.”

Jack stood beside Selfia, his gaze sweeping the crowd before his eye turned to the dozens of aircraft overhead trailing behind a Carrier-class airship. The tip of the spear that would open up the beachhead for the rest of the invasion force.

“For years, we held them at bay, developed tools of war, evolved our arsenal to take on the most craven horrors of our world. But now, With the advent of the apostles and the hordes they've brought, it is no longer a fight we can continue,” Selfia said as pillars of molten energy struck the plains of Zanzibar in the far distance.

Satellites. On que Selfia's orbital array in full swing discharging their accumulated solar energy to unleash hellfire upon the earth.

“The enemy stands at our doorstep, knocking on our walls, baying for our blood. As I speak to you bastions of humanity that have stood for eons are now rubble, trampled by the insatiable hordes,” Selfia said, pacing the podium, “Lunacrypt, Soldaer, Clausterfiell, monuments of our existence are being wiped out with even the crown jewel of our Imperium the Solarus in ruin. And soon... our very species will be exterminated, cleansed from the world with nothing left to defend unless we end this threat now.”

Jack adjusted eye patch, his face facing the camera that televised Selfia's speech on all channels.

“Citizens of the empire, members of humanity, what I ask is not an easy thing, but, it is necessary, If we are to see the morrow, to experience peace, to rid the world of this blight to correct our path away from this apocalypse, our only option in this darkest hour is... To attack.”

Selfia paused, allowing her words to wash over the soldiers standing at attention.

“Today we embark on the greatest expedition undertaken since man went to space, today we end the threat of the demonspawn, today we ensure our survival. Today, we shall take the reins of our future and make our destiny!”

Jack swept his eye over the crowd of cheering soldiers.

“So go forth, soldiers of the empire, bulwark of humanity, and end the threat against mankind, once! And! FOR ALL!”

Applause and celebration, many within the crowd just youth who had no concept or taste of war.

But these were desperate times as Jack spotted a familiar mech pilot beside a jet-black MECHFrame.

Tangerine scowled at Jack and turned away, melding with the procession of soldiers marching onto the floating metal coffins that would take them to foreign shores.

“Jack, with me,” Selfia ordered with Jack following in tow.

****

Inside the Tactical Operation Center, Jack frowned, eyeing the tactical deployments on the holotable and the list of projected casualties as Kenichi, Lita, Ieyasu, Duchess Bell, and Selfia observed his reactions.

“This…” Jack muttered, his face twisted into a pensive expression. “How many?”

“Our first wave…” Selfia began, “Will see about seventy percent casualties, roughly about four thousand dead before we properly secure a foothold to allow our boats to moor on the beach. Anyone not on an airship or on a boat will be left here to buy us time.”

Jack frowned, turning his gaze to Tenno who had been selected to hold the line here to cover their departure.

“Then I should be there to establish the foothold for us,” Jack said, turning to leave but stopping as Sahaqiel blocked the door.

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Ieyasu turned his head, the strategist of the Hoshido operating the holotable. “You can't. If you go, your presence alone would draw so many there that we'd never be able to establish the breach. We have to set up the logistics before we can engage the Black King’s forces operating in this area.”

The holographic blue map shifted, revealing a partially constructed three-D rendition of the base of operations used by the Black King. A last courtesy of the Red Rook.

“So you're telling me thousands will have to die in order for-”

“Our mission to succeed?” Selfia said, nodding to Ieyasu to change the screen. “Yes. We'll be sacrificing everyone here to buy us time. Sacrificing thousands in the future to open a breach. I suspect many here will die, even I may lose my life.”

“I know the stakes,” Jack said, flicking his gaze towards Selfia. “If this is what it takes, so be it. If thousands need to die in order to save millions, then that's what needs to happen.”

Selfia seemed genuinely taken aback by Jack's response. But he was no longer the empathetic man filled with self-doubt and fear.

“Okay. We all understand what's going on, you're all dismissed,” Selfia said before calling Jack to stay behind with Sahaqiel hovering at the entrance.

“What is this?” Jack asked, noticing the two women blocking him in.

“We want to talk,” Selfia said.

“Then talk,” Jack replied coldly.

“Look, Jack… I know, we haven't seen eye to eye on a lot of things-”

Jack's gaze shifted, his eye almost rolling.

“-And I know what you think of me. What you think of us, But, before it's too late, from the bottom of my heart, I want you to know… I'm sorry.”

Fickle words that did nothing to move Jack.

“Is that it?”

“Jack-”

“Prove it.”

“What?”

“Prove it,” Jack said as he held his hand out.

Selfia hesitated, the machiavellian woman normally taking a step back as Jack advanced on her.

The Queen turned to Sahaqiel, the latter frozen in place as Jack trapped Selfia in the corner of the command room.

“Well?” Jack said, his hand shaped in an open vice at a low angle for Selfia to kneel and place her neck into.

“Y-you can't be serious.”

The pair locked gazes, Selfia petrified as Jack's warm breath caressed her skin.

“The plan is already in motion. With the number of advisors and tacticians here, I don't really need you anymore Selfia. So give me a reason,” Jack said, his voice sending a chill down Selfia's spin. “How will you be useful to me?”

“What? Do you want me to suck your dick?” Selfia asked, chuckling nervously at Jack who didn't smile.

Selfia's shoulders dipped, her eyes downcast for a moment before slowly, lowering herself with her slender neck firmly between Jack's fingers.

“There,” Selfia looked up, “Are you- AH!”

Jack's mana shot into the Queen, his mind peering into her soul as the white-haired woman screamed.

Despite the Queen in a state of pain, no guard came running. Jack had conjured a barrier, blocking Selfia's shriek of pain as he delved into her consciousness.

In her mind Jack saw anger, doubt, fear, and turmoil with every emotion and experience the white-haired woman had felt in her lifetime pulled to the forefront of her mind.

The world around Jack began to warp, his consciousness pulled into a reality that was Selfia’s soul.

Jack stepped forward, his feet touching something wet that drew his attention.

Blood.

The entire floor below Jack oozed with crimson ichor, his consciousness shifting to gaze upon the mountain of corpses that surrounded the sobbing white-haired woman.

Covered in blood with her hair stained red, Selfia sat sobbing, the backdrop of her inner sea covered by ruins of buildings and homes that seemed familiar yet unnatural to Jack with every single window filled by eyes.

He could see how Selfia saw herself, a lonely chained down woman surrounded by corpses and burdened by the weight of those thousands looking toward her.

Selfia gazed up at Jack, her tear stained eyes turning away, unable to face him as she clutched her heart and doubled over.

A loud cry of sobbing echoed through the space, Selfia's hidden emotions on display for Jack as he turned to the memories playing around him.

A happy girl who loved the world and finger painting it.

A scared child unable to comprehend why she was being punished.

An angry child without arms who swore to make the world a better place and uproot the empire.

A girl forced to hide her emotions and become something more to accomplish her goals. Never knowing love. Never knowing the comfort of trusting another.

Selfia's intentions. Jack could feel it, her purpose now the same as it had been when she lay upon her bed with bandages covering her amputated wounds.

One singular purpose.

Freedom.

“Satisfied…” Selfia hissed, the woman doubled over with tears streaming down her face as their surroundings shifted back to the command center.

“Yes,” Jack grunted before turning his back to the woman. “If I had gotten a different response, I would have killed you here and now.”

Jack left, exiting the command tent as the flying city overhead began to leave the Zanzibar airspace.