CC finally reached the location containing all the supplies. Gunshots were exchanged by both sides while the team stood at a healthy distance. CC examined the situation in its broad nature. It was explosive, and it was hard to see holes in the building. But nothing was impenetrable. Crane stood behind him, deeply analyzing himself, but he did not utter a single word. Barboora and Creena sat impatiently with Dan, while Cronus kept to himself.
Dan walked up to CC to try and break the silence.
"What can you see?” He asked.
CC hummed to herself, calculating every entrance, every exit, every attack, and every defense. Anything that had the opportunity to be exploited would happen.
"Dan, do you think if we convince each other to cover fire, we can invade?"
Dan looked at her, surprised.
"Hah," he laughed. “No way we are too weak. They’ll just think of us as a distraction. Any plan you can start with us will just go to waste. He smiled. He sat back on the curb, looking at CC.
"Then we’ll give ourselves our cover fire.” CC finally said.
Stomping to Cronus as he played with his pocket knife. CC grasped his elbow, and he turned into a fighting stance on alert.
"You, me, Barboora, and Creena will enter through the side. Dan and that boy will give us cover fire. That fine?” She questioned.
"How Dan is blind, and that child is useless. He was never supposed to be here. That ignorant brat.”
The child is behind. Dan’s legs were quivering at the sight of Cronus. CC’s energy released a little as her black mask tried to intimidate Cronus.
"I am your leader; they will not do much. Only starting the next stage of firing and hiding behind a rock. We will just use all of the available fire around us, stupid.” She pushed her face closer to him.
Cronus did not say another word and just bumped his shoulder into her. He scoffed as he took one long look at the boy with an angry look on his face. He muttered to himself, walking away. The boy looked to his left to see a gigantic rifle his size tossed at him.
Catching it last second, he stumbled and struggled to hold it up. Dan walked away with the boy as a guide. After being left holding the rifle all alone, the boy finally pushed it over his shoulder.
Smiling, the group finally walked inside the danger zone. No shots were fired as soldiers lay bleeding, resting with cracked teeth. Their skin was scuffed, and some even started to shed. A few cracked jokes among each other, seeing the group enter the danger zone.
Along the lines of “What were you going to do?" or "Weaklings," most looked disappointed or were too preoccupied to notice them enter. Luckily, no enemies were peeking behind their cover, and someone needed to spark a gunfight. The boy holding the rifle in his hand looked over his wall for a second to try and find a spot for the humans to shoot. CC analyzed her mask to figure out an opportunity for the perfect attack. Barboora and Creena set their axes and weapons up. Each with a certain device fitting their description and role. Cronus held only his pistol and pocket knife in his hand when the boy shuffled his body to him little by little.
Dan did not push him back but just cracked a smile while he breathed a smoke of cold air. The weather wasn't good today; nothing was good today. The boy finally sat next to Cronus and jumped for a hug on his arm. Barboora chuckled, and Cronus felt embarrassed.
"Get off me.” He knocked away, and the boy fluttered.
The boy ran back for another hug and let out a cry, speaking his first words since CC met them.
"PLEASE BE SAFE, BIG BRO!” and CC looked in surprise. One was more human-like, and the other was lizard-like. For some twisted turn of events, these two were siblings.
Cronus did not know what to say, but he looked away and said, “Don't worry, big brother always got us out of here, trust me," patting the boy's head. CC finally found the opening, a single toe pointing out. With her sniper, she pointed right at the toe that looked like a dune bug from her distance. Adjusting the scope, she smiled and fired, hitting the man right on the toe.
A commotion occurred on the reptile side as another gun rose and everyone ducked. Firing from the humans' side continued, and the reptiles retaliated back. The humans threw an explosion in no man's land, sending metal pieces flying toward Barboora.
Ducking quickly, CC grabbed the metal piece and held it in front of her.
"YOU THREE GET BEHIND IT.” She commanded. Without hesitation, the entire squad ended up behind the metal sheet. Pushing the metal sheet through the ground, Barboora notices an extra one and leaps for it. Bullets brazenly hit her, but nothing critical, and she pushed forward next to them.
"Where are we going?" Screamed Barboora as Creena started to pull herself to Barboora’s sheet. Shots were fired, pushing holes through the metal sheet. The commotion increased as everyone held their ears to try and hear each other.
"East Side, a gate that can be breached, let go.” She quickly uttered before pushing forward to the east side.
As fire spammed onto Barboora’s shield, she grabbed her boot pistol and returned fire. Drinking one in the head and continuing.
"HUH, I JUST GOT 6; YOU SAW THAT CREENA.” She smiled happily. Creena rolled her eyes and moved along with her. In the distance, the other reptiles asked what plan they were trying. I saw the shuffling of their feet and how they threw their sheets to grab new ones. Yet no one was injured just yet. The boy watched happily, and Dan smiled. Turning his body, his riddle pointed at the roof. Firing violently before laying down again. He could not sense if he took a human life, but his heart knew. His heart always knew. Watching their bravery take place, he knew he could put their trust in them. Even if they were a rag-tag group and if they did not want to accept the new leader, she was accomplishing what his son couldn't.
When he was the leader, he was happy and go-lucky. The humans changed him; seriousness took him over, and he quit his diplomatic career and what he aspired to be to join the war. Something that would disgust him made sense. Leading this group, he loved them all. Even if they were all weak, he led them to a sense of victory. His death hurt them all. As they invaded the streets and spent a few hours together, the group looked like they could last forever. So when it only ended in three hours and many had already died, what could they say to themselves?
He was happy that they had found their energy again; a lot could happen in a day. Content with what happened, Dan thought about his son. A hero who even took care of his blind father in war. A light that shined above all others.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
His keen ears heard the explosion jumping to the group, and he turned instinctively with all of his god-given speed to catch it before it would kill them. They all screamed at each other, and people behind the lines told him to get back, but he could not let them get killed in no man's land. Time moved slowly for him while he rushed to the bomb, and the boy screamed for him to come back. But Dan had already made his choice.
Sacrificing his life like his son would want to. Maybe he won't have a statue built for him. Not even a bench. What could he have? He saw his son one last time, leading him to the light, and even now his blind eyes could see.
Creena and Cronus looked back to see the explosive, but Dan, who had gunshots in his body with his smiling face blinded, could see. Shielded them from the bomb. His body went to ash as they were all sent flying away. East. Smoke filled the entire place as the gunfight stopped, and everyone retreated to cover. The humans are on the roof, through the windows. No one was in that no-man's land except them. Except Dan.
Barboora panted, and Creena screamed in anger, pain, and sadness. Cronus held his chest, and CC could only watch the destruction of death before them. Yet she could not do a single thing.
CC grabbed the screaming Creena away and signaled to Barboora, who just gulped at the sigh. She turned and activated the breach charge on the wall. Her eyes are still on Dan. Cronus silence was now self-observed, covering her mouth to hold his puke in. With the beeping continuing, CC could only watch in horror at the death of a good person. So why did he have to die?
–
Joshua looked at the sun, finally setting. The explosions are finally stopping. Yet his hands still felt death. Shaking at everything going on from the distance, the woman stood next to him, restrained, with a burning saucer behind them.
"So you just destroyed this saucer, and you think you can handle creating peace?" She laughed. “You are not a man of peace. Whatever you do will not help you achieve the redemption you so much desire. You will always remain a monster, and as long as I live, you will be reminded of that.”
Joshua was silent but looked back at her, confused to see her angry face facing him. Yet seeing the confusion on his face led her to relax and just look in agony.
"I know why you came here.” She revealed, “Because Caldera and Jom-Sutter have very close relations. Their focus on strengths made them great allies, and acceptance of strength was an important factor. So you thought this place was a perfect haven. You should have done your research beforehand.”
"I did, but I was wrong. It seems like everyone does not like me for some reason. Other than the main obvious one, entire grudges are seemingly out in the open for me. Especially you, to hunt me down after losing so hard with a do-not-care attitude is weird. You must have a reason, so don't keep it a secret and tell me what it is.”
"Don't tell me you do not know.” She stuttered.
Joshua nodded his head sideways, still keeping silent.
"My mom was a servant sent there as a gift. The most beautiful woman on the planet, they called her like some sort of shitty scam.” She scoffed. “For five years, the clan leader got to keep her doing whatever he wanted. My pops were in grief and went missing years later. He’s probably dead."
Joshua kept his head turned and said, "I'm sorry.”
She smiled and said, “How could you be sorry? You killed her, and there is no retribution for it. I know why you ran away here because you thought everyone would open up to you with open arms just because you’re clan-related closely to Caldera. Like some sort of magnificent hero. So tell me, oh great hero, why we should forgive you? So many people here suffered because of you and this regime. Everything here is so absolutely screwed.” She laughed, disturbed by her own words.
Joshua could not say anything else to her, and he kept quiet.
"I don’t deserve forgiveness.” The commander looked back at him and said, “I don't deserve retribution or redemption; I don't deserve love, peace, or some sort of humility. I did an unspeakable deed, and I killed so many innocents. My side of the story does not matter at this point, but what I accomplish in the future will. Even if my stain on history is that of a murderer, so be it. Because I knew I did it for a cause. Even if I had to become the villain, I would make that sacrifice just because I knew how the future would look.”
"So what? What was so important was that my mother had to die as a concubine, under another man's rule, enslaved and unhappy. Why could she not come home happier?"She looked away, holding in her tears.
Joshua stood up and cut her binds off, leaving her free. Joshua held his hands in the air and faced the city.
"So kill me; if I am the murderer you deem to have revenge on, then shoot me. You did great hiding your true feelings about me, but most never dared to chase after me, even after a year. So if you deem me evil, and if my death can bring you happiness, let it be.” Joshua spoke monotonously. He spoke with no emotion, and he was weak with his back turned.
She grabbed her weapon off the floor and pointed at him. Point blank, her orange scope came back, and she could just shoot him right now, and it would be over with. Everything that she worked so hard for Her mother would be happy, and her father would be happy. They would be happy together, and they would smile at her last act dedicated to them.
She always told herself that it never bothered her. He was just a nuisance to her overarching plans to take care of her city and become a leading commander under Pohl she was told a year ago. Everything was set in motion. Whatever she planned from the very beginning was coming to fruition with her in front. Not about heroics, she would finally fulfill her long-lasting number one priority.
For the first time, her hands shook with a clear shot at the man. He took a deep breath, and with her finger on the trigger, he had an obligation to shoot. A gigantic tree figure appeared in front of them. She put her weapon down, and Joshua did not look surprised at the branches overlapping each other. The road and earth were shaking and pummeling.
The woman's voice boomed incomprehensibly. Figures surrounded them from the concrete and the hills. All around them, wherever they could see, were human-like figures. Weapons are being formed in their hands. Revealed from the tree structure was a pathway and a road to go down. She was a familiar woman. The commander scoffed, as she knew who it was, and Joshua glared at her.
Madam Birch stepped down the pathway and looked at Joshua with a sword that infused the element of the earth in her hands.
"Your power is strong, huh? Radius, especially with all that matter control. You could turn the tide if you wanted to." Joshua smiled.
He was right. There was no obvious form of machinery on her. This ability was called an Innate Matter Talent, and some people don't even have a single human with this ability, so a person like Madam Bourget was very strong. Her level of strength was almost unheard of in many parts of the galaxy.
"That is not my job to complete. Anyway, I would like to be an unheard-of monster to those reptiles. Scare them to be trapped there. Who knew they had a whole underdeveloped city right under Caldera?"She shrugged, but Joshua could see right through her eyes. She was a very bad liar.
"So what is it you are looking for? A battle perhaps?”
Madam Birch smiled.
"No, at her. Whether she will be fired or not. I sent her with my children, yet they failed, so will you avenge them? Commander Scope.”
The gun cocked again as a warning sign to Joshua, who turned his eyes to the corner. Seeing her with the weapon, he still pointed at him. He smiled.
"Do what you have to do.” He smiled.
She closed her eyes, and as the sun’s orange left a beautiful sky and the planet reflected off the light, becoming darker and darker, a gunshot fired. Echoing through the air.
–
Pohl walked with an army at his back. Entering Madam Bourget’s territory. Ready to fight any creature in his path. Still, everyone avoided him or was on the other side. He continued his long trek with the best soldiers available, and in a few hours, he would reconquer Caldera.
He did not know this. The hidden tricks above another traitor's sleeve as he walked with his army were Cold’s. He came in from his district, but both had the same goal. They needed to reconquer Caldera. That was a must, even if the two had to fight each other for it.