Complete silence spread throughout the aircraft, with only the sound of Lily's whaling scream slowly disappearing as she becomes hoarse from the constant screaming. Axel and the other children all look out to the frozen sea down below, watching as the hole in the ice slowly disappears from their sight. Their tears flow ceaselessly, drifting away from their face, taken by the wind.
Lily: "Leo..."
***
Back at the island of New Anderthal, Ti1millions swarm the island as their massive forces land down on the snowy landscape, scrimmaging through the destruction. The Ace watches the large ruthless machines grow in numbers as they approach the once hidden away village, now in complete ruins, and mostly buried in snow with what little remains still smoking from the extinguished fires.
The Ace: "I see you have finally arrived, Primordial"
One of the Ti1millons diverts from the army, threateningly approaching The Ace. The Ti1million towers over the machine with its bulky and menacing stature, resting its hand on The Ace's shoulder.
Ti1million: "Kneel."
The Ace: "Kneel?"
The Ti1million forces The Ace to the ground in an instant with immense force, leaving a dented handprint from its grip on its shoulder. The eyes of the Ti1million then flicker from its deep red to ice-cold blue.
The Primordial: "You called me, to show me a destroyed city? My city?! I will come for that little underworld you insolent bots... Think, you run under my nose, and destroy every last one of you since that little power has gone to your data boards. Thinking you can lay waste to my city!"
The Ace: "No you have it wrong, The King..."
The Primordial: "The king? There is no king but the one who stands before you right now. You should recalculate your next chosen words very carefully"
The Ace: "My apologies Primordial Sir. This island was raided by humans, not by any machines of the underworld"
The Primordial: "You expect me to believe that, I heard you when you said it the first time over the stupid little message you sent me. My forces can not find a single trace of a human in this city, and I am to believe a force of humans wiped out almost the entirety of the machine civilisation appointed to this island? What is your play here? To lay waste to the Anderthals so I grant you all the island for informing me of a falsified attack? Clearly, you cut all communications to me so I wouldn't receive word of your attack, or was that the work of humans too... Little scrap?"
The Ace: " I can assure you, humans were here. The remnants of the Anderthals can tell you"
The Primordial: "Oh those useless machines? I had them searched for and destroyed, whatever could be found of those waste of steel that is. I doubt there's even a single one left to speak of this incident, not that I would care what a useless piece of garbage has to plead for their safety. So tell me, Ace... How is it that humans had an all-out war with the machines of this city, and not a single casualty of a human can be found? That's not very logical now is it?"
The Ace: "There were hundreds of humans here, I have recorded reports from my... soldiers who were in the area. Speaking of an ongoing battle between some humans with the help of machines... And rusty old droids"
The Primordial: "Old droids?"
?? ??: "The... Ace SpeAks... tHe... truTh... Primordial... Sir"
A disturbingly distorted voice creeps in from the mist in the distance. The Primordial and The Ace both turn to the frozen shoreline, watching as a badly destroyed machine crookedly walks towards them, slowly unmasked from the shadowy mist. Dripping of water and shavings of ice, with sparks flying hazardously from broken joints and cracks on the machine's body.
Assassin 23: "The Huuuu... Mans... HunDreDs of tHeMmm... Thhhh...They all eScaPed in... A cargo-craft..."
Assassin 23 then throws the bodies of Alyssa and Leo, hitting the ground lifelessly. With their skin turned a pale blue, and their eyes whited out with a blank stare.
Assassin 23: "These TwO aReee... PrOoff... The rEsst oF thE evidence... Is BuRied BeNeAth uUuus Afteerr thOse oLd dRoidS sElf dEstrUcteD taKinG tHe eNtiRe MoUnTaIn witH ThEm..."
The Primordial looks at the two bodies on the ground before him in disgust and anger, stomping over to Assassin 23.
The Primordial: "What was an underworld assassin, really doing here in my city? Hmmm, 23?"
Assassin 23 glances over to The Ace for a brief moment, and within an instant, The Primordial rips 23's head off its body. Slowly crushing its skull in his fist, he walks over to The Ace "THUD!" while 23's body hits the floor, twitching.
The Primordial: "See Ace? This will be you and all of your kind in the underworld if your little boss tries to pull something like this again. Am I understood?"
The Ace: "Yes Primordial Sir"
The Primordial: "Now... Attention all forces, find them"
Just then, all the Ti1millions take off rapidly into the air.
***
Meanwhile, Axel and the others in the aircraft arrive at the desolate island, surrounded by nothing but water. However, unlike the last, this island is filled with flourishing green plant life and flowing rivers.
Everyone stares out at the huge landscape below them as V lands the aircraft among the colossal trees, concealing the large aircraft within the forest. As the propellers begin to wind down, the large mass of humans pours out of the cargo bay onto the rich soil. Some of them are taken in by their new and unknown environment surrounding them, while the others are still clearly distraught by the recent loss of Harper, Leo and Alyssa. V steps out to see the bewildered and depressing state of the people outside, unable to see this as a victory.
V: "This is all my fault... Everyone!"
V shouts from the cargo bay, getting the attention of everyone.
V: "I'm terribly sorry for all the damage I've cost you. I thought I was doing something right by acting upon the information I had of humans somewhere on that island, I thought you guys were held captive. But now I see I was clearly wrong, and I not only lead bounty hunters straight to you but cost you guys your home and even the lives of your people, putting you all at risk. I'm sorry Axel for dragging you into this too, those kids... Didn't deserve that, I should have known better, this was far too dangerous for them..."
Belthorne: "Hey kid! There's nothing to be sorry for... You did the right thing"
Bishop: "He's right! If you guys didn't come to find us, we would have been found sooner or later... The droids knew this, that's why they prepared us for this very day"
Phara: "Yes, we've lost people very important to us. But look at how many of us are still here right now, safe. I'm sure the ones who can't be here with us right now, would see this as a victory"
Belthorne: "I know Harper would!"
V: "But the old droids, they had to sacrifice themselves because we brought the machines straight to you. And your home..."
Jazabelle walks over to V with the bags under her eyes swollen from the constant crying. She reaches her hand out to V and looks up at him.
Jazabelle: "Come on down, you did nothing wrong. We are all happy you did everything you could to save us. It might not have been today, but eventually, same as you found us. I'm sure machines would have as well. And I rather it be you kid... Hahaha. Now come on down and join us"
V grabs her hand and jumps down joining the others. Zaine comes up to him and embraces him in a hug.
Zaine: "Why was that assassin machine after you? Do you know why?"
Judy, Axel and Big C join them shortly after.
V: "It said something about their boss suspecting me of destroying their base"
Judy: "Base... But that couldn't have been you..."
Zaine: "Because that was us... We destroyed that base in our hunt looking for clues to finding you"
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
V: "So those assassins were after me because of you?! Two children died by that fucking machine's hand!"
Axel: "Hey V! Calm down, you can't blame Uncle Zaine for that"
Zaine: "It's alright Axel, I'm sorry you feel responsible for their deaths. I feel the same way like I could've done more, done better. But what I've learned since the day I lost you was that no matter how many times I beat myself up about the outcome of a horrible situation, no matter how many different ways I thought about preventing it. There's no going back, there's no changing it. You just have to live with it..."
V: "Then why are you here?! Why are always talking about the night that you lost me?! Why are you so hung up on reconnecting with me?! Why were you looking for me dammit... Why didn't you just stop..."
Tears begin to flow from V's eyes, as his emotions flare up towards Zaine.
Axel: "V..."
Zaine: "Because, just because you learn to live with the past, doesn't mean you stop moving forward... It doesn't mean you can't hope to fix the damage it's done... "
V: "How... How do I fix this?"
Zaine: "You can't, all you can do now is keep moving forward"
V wipes the tears away from his eyes and holds his hand out to shake Zaine's hand.
V: "I'm sorry for lashing out at you like that..."
Zaine grabs his hand and pulls him close to an embracing hug once again.
Zaine: "It's alright little man, I can be like that sometimes. I guess you get that from me... Haha"
Judy: "Aww isn't this just adorable? Let me get in on this little hugging action"
Judy runs up and wraps her arms around Zaine and V.
Zaine: "Judy... Get off of me..."
Big C: "I too want a hug"
Big C squeezes his arms around the three of them, tightly locking them together.
Zaine: "What the hell!"
Judy: "Big C! You know damn well you aren't a hugger! This is why!"
Axel: "Hahahaha"
R3D rolls on over to Zaine, bumping into his leg.
R3D: "Breee Oooopp"
Zaine: "Oh there you are, I've got some words I wanna have with you R3! I heard about your little adventure to The Iron City with Axel..."
R3D: "Breeeeee... Oooppp"
***
3 DAYS LATER
V: "Alright... Alright, just stay still a little longer R3... Annndddddd... There, all done. Say something..."
R3D: "About time you unhanded me! Do you think I'm some toy little boy?! Wait... Did you understand that?"
V: "Uhhh... A little insulted but yup..."
R3D: "Oh my goodness, you fixed my voice box! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
V: "It's no problem, I said I'd take a look didn't I?"
R3D: "Zainnneeeeeee! Zainnnneeeeeeee! Everyone, I can finally speak again!"
R3D rolls away screaming loudly, as he heads towards the others all gathered together by the river surrounding Axel.
Axel: "Come on everyone, there's no need for this..."
Judy: "Are you crazy boy? Of course, we gotta do this... Alright, everyone! On 3! 1... 2... 3..."
Everyone gathered around Axel all begin to sing happy birthday very horribly, clapping their hands out of sync.
Judy: "Alright... Okay, never mind. We're not doing that..."
Phara: "I'm sorry, we've never done this before..."
Bishop: "The instructions sound simple enough surely. But this is quite new to us. We've never celebrated this thing you call a birthday..."
Belthorne: "Yeah, I'm still not even sure how it works..."
Judy: "I too have only read the song in the books Big C use to find for me as a kid. So I can't really tell you how it's supposed to go but it surely isn't... That..."
Big C: "Well there is also that song you like listen to on your birthdays, Judy"
Judy: "No... No, don't play that..."
Big C: "One time for the birthday bitch, Two times for the birthday bitch"
Judy: "Big C! Stop playing that!"
Big C: " Fuck it up if it's your birthday bitch... If you a bad bitch. And it's your birthday. Go on head and fuck it up in the worst way..."
Robin: "Haha... This is much better than how we usually celebrate the beginning of Axel's life"
Caesar: "This song is very different from what I remember Judy singing..."
Big C: "You the birthday bitch. It's time to do some birthday shit. I wanna see that birthday cake..."
Bishop: "This is a very interesting choice of melody... And words..."
Judy: "ALRIGHT! That's enough of that Big C"
Judy jumps on top of Big C, slapping his head repeatedly.
Axel: "Hahahaha..."
Judy: "Anyway, here's your gift kid. Hope you like it, took it off this stupid bot back at one of the bases we crashed"
Axel: "Wow... Is this a..."
Judy: " A lightweight automatic electrical blaster... Sweet I know"
Axel: "Thank you... But uhh, Aunt Judy... There's..."
Judy: "Yeah I know, the arm of the machine I got it from is still attached to it. Listen those things have really good grips man. Normally I'd let Zaine or Big C pry those suckers off but uh didn't want either of them to steal my idea. Anyway, you owe me now, for my birthday I want one of those talking rides like the one you got! Deal?"
Axel: "But Aunt Judy..."
Judy: "Alright, sounds like a deal..."
Big C walks on over to Axel and drops an old dried branch with shrivelled up, decayed fruit.
Axel: "Uhhh Thank you Big C..."
Big C: "It is a branch belonging to the fruit you so loved to enjoy back at our home base until that tree died unfortunately thanks to Judy playing with fire"
Judy: "Hey! That was you Big C!"
Big C: "I could not bring the entire tree with me, so I resorted to a branch to keep it a surprise and a secret from Zaine and Judy. I see the fruit however has rotten on the journey here, must be the weather."
Axel: "Or the fact that days have passed..."
Big C: "But I am sure you can still make use of it somehow. Plant the seeds, and have an entirely new tree all for yourself"
Axel: "Yeah, very thoughtful Big C. I will do that"
Zaine walks up to Axel from behind Big C, with his arms behind his back.
R3D: "Zainnneee! Zainnneeee!"
Zaine: "R3?"
Axel: "R3?!"
R3D: "Zainnnneee! I can finally speak again! Woooo Hoooo! Oh hey Axel, happy birthday"
Caesar: "I believe it's happy birthday bitch"
Robin: "No Caesar, haha... He is just the birthday bitch... But it is indeed just happy birthday. Right, Judy?"
Judy: "Oh my gosh..."
Zaine: "Who fixed your voice box R3?"
V: "I did... Happy birthday Axel"
Axel: "Thanks, V"
Zaine: "Where did you manage to find the parts compatible with R3's design? I've been looking forever"
V: "Some spare parts I brought along from home..."
Zaine: "Well thanks for that, anyway here you go Axel. Happy birthday"
Zaine hands Axel a silver chain, with a shiny pendant of two hands together. One robotic and the other human.
Axel: "What is it?"
Zaine: "It's a chain my father gave me as a child. He told me it symbolised the unity between humans and machines. I honestly wanted to destroy it or just straight up throw down a hole and never look back. But then I remembered it's all I have left of him, to remember him. So I held on to it all this time even though I despise... Most machines"
Axel: "Oh that's crazy Uncle Zaine... I can't take this"
Zaine: "Of course you can, If anyone still believes in the unity of mankind and machines, it's you. I know you at least won't have urges to throw it away as I do. So take care of it for me..."
Axel: "Thanks Uncle Zaine... I will"
Axel looks at the chain in hand, mesmerised by the pendant.
Zaine: "Here, let me put it on for you"
Zaine clasps the chain around Axel's neck as he looks up to see Lily walking off into the distance by herself.
Axel: "Alright thank you, everyone. I'll be right back..."
Axel gets up and follows behind her.
V: "Hey... Uhh, Zaine... Back then in the cargo bay. You yelled a name... What was that name?"
Zaine: "Vergil? That's your name..."
V: "My name..."
Zaine: " Yes, that is the name your mother gave you... When I heard you going by the code name V. I assumed you already knew your name somehow, possibly from the little jumper your mother knitted for you with your name on it"
V: "I never knew my name... At least, I thought V was my name. It was the only name I went by, the only one anyone knew me by. The team who found me said they called me V because that's what their captain referred to me as when transporting me. When I asked the captain why he called me 'Rescue V' instead of a serial number like all the other rescues usually go by... He said because he saw the letter V on..."
Zaine: " Your jumper... The rest of your name must have come undone or ripped away during the attack. When that machine broke into our home that night..."
V: "I really don't want to hear any more about machines right now..."
Zaine: "Alright..."
V: "But mom... My mother, can you tell me all about her?"
Zaine: "Of course..."
Back at the shoreline of the island, Lily walks towards the crashing waves with Axel slowly jogging behind her. She drops to the floor, sitting on the shore with her body slouched in the sand and her legs cradled with her arms wrapped around them.
Axel: "Hey... Lily..."
Just before Axel could reach the shore to join Lily, a hand reaches out and grabs him by the arm.
Rosie: "Axel? This birthday everyone is celebrating. What is it?"
Axel: "Ah Rosie... Uhh, well a birthday is the very first day you opened your eyes and came into existence in the world... That's how my mother explained it to me, I didn't really understand Aunt Judy's explanation"
Rosie: "Wow, I wonder what my birthday is..."
Axel: "When... it's when... not what. Everyone has one, you just have to find out when you first opened your eyes"
Rosie: "The very first time uh... Hehehe, I don't think I can remember that even If I tried all day. I guess me and the rest of us who were carried by the old droids, probably all have the same birthday then... What about those nice things everyone gave you?"
Axel: "Oh you mean the gifts? It's a gesture of kindness you do whenever it is someone's birthday. You give them something you think they would like or cherish or even something you really wanted to give to them, something special. Like this chain around my neck, this is a gift my Uncle Zaine gave to me, even though it means a lot to him, he gave it to me to look after it for him, and so I'll always remember him by it when's he's not around"
Rosie: "I don't have anything to give to you though..."
Axel: "That's okay, you can get me something on the next one"
Rosie: "Next one?! You get to enjoy this more than once?!"
Axel: "Yes, you celebrate it every year on the same day"
Rosie: "I really wanted to thank you for all you've done though, hmmm... What about this?"
Rosie pulls Axel close and kisses him on the cheek.
Rosie: "Happy birthday, thank you for saving us"
Axel touches his cheek and smiles, he then looks across at Lily still alone on the shore.
Axel: "Thank you, Rosie, I have to go now"
Rosie: "Ok"
Axel walks on over to Lily and sits beside her.
Axel: "Hey... Lily?"
Lily sits in complete silence, only softly mumbling her brother's name occasionally as she looks out at the sea.
Lily: "Leo..."
Axel: "I know you miss your brother... And I know how much he meant to you, how much you meant to him..."
Axel rests his hand on Lily's shoulder, as he looks out to sea with her.
Axel: "I promise I'll always be here for you... Just like he was, Lily... Just like Leo. I will protect you, well you don't really need much protecting uh? Hahaha..."
Lily turns her head to Axel and stares blankly at him and she listens to his contagious laughs.
Axel: "Lily? I know I could never replace Leo... But can I make it any easier for you by being your friend? Is that ok?"
Lily nods her head slowly, and rest her head on Axel's shoulder.
Axel: "We will never forget Leo... But he wouldn't want you to remain sad forever now would he?"
Lily shakes her head side to side very subtly.
Axel: "So let's look forward to the future. To nothing but peaceful days ahead"
Lily: "Axel..."
Axel: "Yes?... Lily..."
Axel looks down, moving the hair from around her face to reveal Lily fast asleep. With dark circles around her eyes, swollen bags and redness all around her face.
Axel thinks to himself... 'Ahh, she's asleep... I don't think I've ever seen her sleep before. That must be why around her eyes are so... black... Well, this is uncomfortable but man I don't want to ruin this chance for her to finally get some rest... Guess I'll be here for a while.'
Axel: "Peaceful days..."