I turn around to face who had said that, seeing HHC Jackson. Something is off and screams that I need to get of here but why? “Sir, you gave me a scare, we were about to head off to HQ to rest up and tend to the wounded” I said in quick succession, for some reason I just have the urge to leave his presence, what happened for him to change this drastically.

“Ah, I see well I have another thing for you to do which is to head to M-2 as there is-” “Sir, what remains of my men and me need to rest as we have reached our point of exhaustion” I said cutting Jackson off, he looked at me with murder in his eyes seriously what has happened to him what was wrong. “UTC, Thorn are you refusing an order from a higher officer” “Yes, as we need to replenish our forces before we can continue our next mission, Sir” he sighed to my response to him he waved his hand, and around the other corner trucks came.

“This is something I want to see more in the military, not throwing away the lives of other you fight with but I need you to do that mission soon” he said turning around and entering a armoured transport vehicle and left with no further notice “well you see what the High commander is wanting us to do so hop in” Said one of the soldiers, we all proceeded to enter the truck.

That feeling I got from Jackson was not one to evaluate me, what is he thinking?

POV: Beth

Location: Riding with Team 5165

Why does the air feel all wrong when I breath? Seeing Richard like this is very foreign as he is always seen happy or not seen at all, what kind of person has he morphed into when he joined the military? I guess having heard what he had gone through a while back and now I can understand why he has changed to someone who is closed off and protective. I wish he could talk to me about it as I want to help him but, Do I know how to help? How do I help him?

Jeez why does he have to go through this, can he not just not be in the military to stop other people who love him from worrying to much, is that too much to ask for? Maybe so, but I don’t care though I want him to be happy and live normally, I also can see why he would join so that he can have that dream to live normally.

“Beth, I have a question” whispered Richard “w-what is it” I said worriedly as he may have noticed me being a worry wort “When the fire fight was going on I noticed that you were completely had hidden your presence which when I was collecting the dog tags and saw you behind me I was… a little sceptic about you staying near me” “So what is your question?” “Where were you when the fire fight broke out?” he asked inquisitorially “I was by you at all times, now I have two questions what is this thing called presence and why do you ask?” “Well to answer your first question an instinct of sorts to feel people around you and second I was shot when I should have been so I was shot by someone” he said which answered both of my inquiries, I slouch my head in I don’t know what “did you think it was me who shot your leg?”

I sigh without anyone noticing, I hate to say it but yes I did think it was you, I don’t want to say it though as I don’t want to push you away and hurt you due to me rushing to a logical solution but one that is not backed at all. I open my mouth to say something but before I could I felt a force on my shoulder and then none then again, she was punching me.

“You have fair reason to think of me huh?” I look over to her seeing she was pretty depressed about it, I swing my over her and pull her close to comfort her, to have a should for her to cry on, she dis not cry just huddle up into a ball and lean into me “I am sorry for thinking it was you, it just I have never meet anyone to have completely erase their presence before” she does not respond, she is mad at isn’t she. I take a deep breath in and sigh and look down, to my surprise she is sleeping very cosy like as well.

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

I guess it is fine if we stay like for a while, I also need some sleep I deserve it, I just need… Kimber… to wake… me later.

2 hours later

Feeling a nudge to my side I open my eyes to see Kimber and the others looking at me with…… jealousy? I yawn and want to ask questions “So it looks like the captain does have someone in mind” from that no other further questions are needed “What is it you want disturbing my sleep” I ask “we are not at HQ Sir” one of them quickly responded. My eyes shot open evaporating all the tiredness I was feeling in my body, then certain object or person I should say was not felt “They must have taken her when we all feel asleep” seeing the confusion I was in said another person “Then why were you all looking at me in curiosity like she was still her?” I asked wanting to shout at them “well some of us woke up when while we were traveling and saw you two snuggled up together” replied Kimber, gotten all the answers I wanted at that moment it was time to stop the joking and act seriously.

We are somewhere that is not HQ and have someone who was kidnapped potentially, I go to grab my weapon and have my ands met nothing but air, Shit, I roll up a sleeve of my pants and pull out a knife, at least it is weapon. I disembark from the vehicle to look around to find that we are outside of the city and it is not to be spotted for…. many kilometres or so as it is no where not even a hit to even recognise where it is.

While looking around to see where on earth we are the crackle of a radio is heard “on me whoever is not injured” I ordered and was followed by Kimber and 2 others, while we got closer the more uneasy I felt but I continued. Once it was in sight laying on the ground no one in sight whatsoever, then a crack of bush from behind and the firing from a supressed handgun. Out of the corner of my eyes I see Kimber fall forward, while trying to catch him before he fell to the ground I also in that process of grabbing Kimber threw my knife. I caught Kimber and started to drag him back with looking up to see if Kimber was alright, he was not alright at all, but dead.

I stop dragging him, and laid him down and closed his eyes, I looked back up with hate and wanting to murder that person but when I did look up the other two that were fighting the person were also dead. Seeing this all play out in seconds made me frighten by who was trying to kill us, I was paralysed with fear and did not move centimetre at all.

Once the person grabbed out their knife from one of the men they approached me, my breathing picked up becoming faster and faster every step they made closer to me, until they reached me and knelt down to a knee “Kind regards, from HCC, Jackson” said the male voice, Jackson was the one who did this, why?

“You may be asking why Jackson did this” he said reading my mind “the reason why is that he saw as someone who was a lose end for him to have total control over last light so he had you silenced” he placed a knife next to me and tapped on it “nice throw although be quicker next time about throwing it” the masked man then stood and began to walk away before stopping again “oh, before I leave make sure you never come back to last light as if you do you will die although I doubt it as you are the further possible distance from the city it would be a miracle if you could survive so start praying and I forgot this as well as for doing this I get to marry who ever it was that you loved don’t worry I will take good care of her” he then left and the sound of a flying aircraft could be heard not far from were the truck was and then it cam into view and the man waved goodbye one last time before disappearing.

What just happened, why… no how could this happen? All I can do at this moment is roll up into a ball and cry, I had lost everything in just a few moments, why does this sick act of god have to befall me why is it that I had go through with this, the loud crackles of bushes rang through my ears, I stand up looking around in a panic to find a weapon that is not my knife.

Then it all stops and I look over to the place where it all came from and see a Aku-no “Well I guess I will meet you all in whatever place we are sent to” I sit down waiting for my death, but it never came, after what felt like years a voice penetrated my mind.

“do you need help one chosen from the guardian”