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Chason Base, Palmian Kingdom. October, 64 A.U.
Project Valfreyja
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"Are you sure you're fine?"
"Yes! Look!"
To prove his condition Ames did jumping jacks. Nensa was visiting him back in the medical wing. It was five days since Ames got injured, they did check his body that morning. But even after a thorough check, they came up with nothing.
"How can you be fine, really... How's your body working?"
"I don't know."
"Hmmm. That's more mystery added."
They never gave up on finding out how can Ames use the magic armor.
"You know... They said you are lucky. If they brought you later, you might be..."
"Yes. I have to thank the others."
"They put you in danger..."
"It's not Lt. Pommeline's fault! I jumped in."
"Not THAT. They went off the rail once they saw those Adders. You're the less experienced, you shouldn't be the calmest out of the team!"
BOFF
Nensa slammed the pillow she was holding onto the bed.
"Uh, about that. Did you find anything strange with the Adders?"
"No, why?" Nensa put the pillow down and grabbed the apple peelers.
"They attacked 1st Lt. Pommeline."
"Yeah, and?" She was still pissed.
"Why? I stood out more... Shouldn't they attacked me?"
"What do you mean? ...You wanna report it to Cpt. Lyto? He'll make time for you after you're better, but I think he has some free time today."
"Yes let's do that. Ah... Fank fou." Nensa stuffed Ames's mouth with the peeled apple whole.
---
Knock Knock
"Come in."
Creak
"Sir." Ames entered with Nensa.
"Pvt. Ames? You're good now?"
"Yes, sir. The doctor signed me out this morning."
"Well, that's good! But I won't let you put the armor back just yet, you need at least one more day. This is an order, so, off you go."
"No sir! I'm here to talk about what happened before!"
"Awful, I know. And I'm sorry. But it's not going to let you out of rest, go."
"There's a leak!" Nensa cut in.
"You know this how?"
The captain got hooked on. Nensa closed the door, officially denying Ames's rest.
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"Ames..." She gave him a little nod.
"The first elf to attack. They targeted 1st Lt. Pommeline even though I was closer.
"But it didn't make sense. Normally, I can see how they would target her specifically. But she was emotional, her shot was abysmal, not her standard. I was closer. I was wearing different-looking armor. Why her?"
Click click click
Lyto tapped his pen on his forehead multiple times. He was thinking. He didn't want to take the wildest theory if there were any other logical explanations.
click-
"So... They knew to target the biggest overall problem out of you four?"
"Yes, sir."
"That is FISHY." Lyto spun around on his table's chair.
"Um, there's also one other thing unusual about them, sir."
Lyto stopped. "There's more?"
"Their soldiers on the ground, they were not war mages. At least never trained as one. They mobbed me, but I was relatively safe."
"Eh, 'relatively safe' are not the words I would described your condition. But I see what you meant. We saw you got trapped and getting hit from all directions."
"That is all, sir."
creak
"I agree." Lyto stood up. He walked towards the door.
"Sir?" Ames couldn't help but follow Lyto with his eyes.
"They are fishy. In the first place, where the hell did they get those Adders from? And now this? Haaa..."
Ames just noticed that. Having a magic armor would mean they have a strong backing. But their ground soldiers showed otherwise.
"Valzak Empire gave away the Adders and its blueprint only to elven nations. Does that mean a country is behind the attack? What do you think sir?"
CLACK creak
"I think you should go and rest. Our concerns are valid, but it won't change anything, not now. About the leak, we can't share this info too much, we don't know WHO is the leaker. So once again, go rest soldier!"
"Uh- Yes, sir!" He stood up so fast he knocked the chair he was sitting in.
---
BOOM! BOOM!
RUMBLE
"And... They are back. Doing the same thing they did before."
"Yes, sir."
"They don't use bigger attacks. They don't sneak through the backdoor. Why!? They did the same thing that had failed before!"
"They are not aiming for the base... Something more..."
"There you go, private."
"Ah! Captain, I'm sor-"
"Continue that line of thoughts, I implore."
Lyto shoved his pen on Ames's face. A week after Ames's release, another group of elves came pouring in. Just like before they besieged the fort. Besides some small attacks now and then, both sides mutually ignored.
"Sir, this is just a thought. But what if they know what our project explores?"
"Well, they know NOW that we have magic armor. Hmm... The siege stopped all of our training efforts?"
"Yes, sir!"
"There's also that things with your report..."
"Ah! Yes, that supports it."
"So WE are the target. Good thinking, private."
"Thank you, sir."
"And I'm glad to be your mentor." Lyto theatrically looked at the floor.
"Uh-"
"Oh! Here we are."
They were walking down a hallway in the base. They reached their place. It was a barrack with comparatively smaller space. That was the barrack where disciplined soldiers were placed.
KNOCK KNOCK
"It's Lyto!"
"Yes, sir!"
Inside the room were the other three Pixies. They were treated well. The punishment from them just practically a slap on their wrists. Well, they had to stay there for some time, until Ames was back, but still not as severe of a punishment.
"Ah, soldiers! You heard our old friends knocking on the door? Wanna welcome them?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good."
Lyto left followed by the full Pixy Team on his back.
"What is the situation, sir?"
"2nd. Lt. Kyle, you, are a perfectionist. Same old, same old they stay behind that hill and attack us once every couple of hours."
"Where are we going, sir?" Loclynn asked.
"Hangar."
"Sir! Thank you!" Pommeline seemed to be cheerful even after her little punishment.
"All right, all right! Impromptu meeting!"
Lyto opens a random door in the hallway. It was an empty storage room. There were only cabinets with stacks and stacks of files on it. Looking at how dirty the room was, those weren't too important of files.
---
"Our not-so-little private here, with my help, of course, found out that there might be a leak. So first and foremost, you're not going to tell this information to anyone."
The scene was a bit absurd seeing five soldiers stuffed in a small file storage. Adding to that, the topic discussed was too serious to not have their stern expressions.
"Team Pixy will be standing by for however long the siege is."
"That's it? We're just on standby?"
"Yes. Pvt. Ames and you trio race-hating racialists, will be standing by, in case of the enemy's magic armor attacks."
"W-We're not raci- alists"
"I KNOW, LEAD! It's just that the three of you get all crazy when you see the Adders! But I don't need that! If you mess up like that again, you are cut out of the project, get it!?"
"Yes, sir..."
The tension died down right after.
"Okay..."
"Captain, the plan."
"Right, we pretend to send you guys like before. If there is a leak, they'll send their guys too. We'll ambush them."
"What if there wasn't a leak?"
"Then there's no ambush. It's not a big deal. Are you ready? I want you to promise me to not go crazy on me again."
"Yes, sir. I promise."
"I do, too."
"Me too."
Pommeline, Kyle, and Loclynn agreed. Captain Lyto never really wanted to fire the three of them. Compared to most human mages, they were elites after all. If not for their anger problem.
"Let's get all of you armored up."