Chapter 708: True Demonlord [39]

"Careful, my arms are precious commodities you know," flitched the lady.

"Nurse Ada, care to explain why," a trail of dirt followed till the current spot, for injuries, they were mild. Uonl and the rest were cooped in the training area, Angela and Aptha were the star of the show, '-so dirty, Éclair's rubbing off on me.'

"I had to," returned she, "-the note, did you receive it?"

"This one?"

"No, there was another. They must have captured him," she bit her nails, "-listen, I was told by the Manager's secretary to transmit this," an odd little trinket laid on the table, "-I should get going, my absence will be noticed sooner or later."

"Ku-," quick shake of the head, "-Fia, care to escort the nurse to the hospice?"

"Sure thing."

'Little gadget," clambered upstairs, '-I wonder,' it connected perfectly to the interface. There, Éclair took charge and figured the bits and bobs, "-a communication device," said he. *Beep,* red dots flickered in temporal pitches, "-hello?"

"Good, the device is working," returned a muddied and noisy voice, "-I, Lina Holseter, daughter of Duke Holseter of Eastern Dostein, request thee, Viscount of Glenda, Igna Haggard, brother-in-law to Emperor Sultria VI, to aid in my moment of plight," the connection ruptured.

'The secretary was a noble?' he gazed to the flashing screen. 

"The last known location is here my lord," displayed Éclair.

'Understood.'

The loudness of patrolling troupes dulled the supposed 'free' land. Two humble outlines stood in the shadow of an office building, "-sure this is ok?" wondered a lesser impressed voice.

"Manager, see the bigger picture," returned a softer yet present voice, "-if we do not make a move right away, the military might cause irreparable damage. "

"I don't see why a duchess would get involved in such a dangerous task. I mean, the army isn't shy of hostage killing nobles to further their plans."

"Which is why us royalists have decided to fight against the militants, they want to sway Alphia into total military rule, a dictatorship emphasized on weapons opposed to human rights."

"Human rights are such a tasking subject. Implying human alienates the demi-humans and vast majority of the habitats on our planet."

"Manager, shall we have the discourse at a later date."

"Why are you so hyper?"

"Look yonder," a speeding bike broke through the already devastateded barricade and made for the office. Trees blocked the road at intervals, '-this may be the only chance we have,' her palms clenched in prayer. The spark of black greatened to a stop, "-over here," she hailed.

Helmet off, "-good afternoon, princess of Dostein."

"Shush," said she timidly, "-let's head upstairs." Intrigue was tantamount to a person's daily need to eat, drink, and sleep. The longer the days were, the more involved Igna found himself in Alphia. A globally admired leadership held vile secrets. Office swapped for a restroom, bland, a white table, empty water cups, cheap plastic, and metal chairs – an unnervingly uncared carpet, and lastly, black-out curtains.

"Viscount Haggard," said she.

'…' he turned listlessly akin to the manager whomst laid on the couch with an open book to the face.

"-my name's Lina Holseter, daughter of Duke Holseter," a slight bow and a curtsy.

"Viscount of Glenda, Igna Haggard, a pleasure to make thy acquaintance Lady Holseter."

"Lina is fine."

"Igna should do as well," they walked side by side to the nearest window. The scene was of melancholic disarray of buildings and constructions fallen to the whims of monsters. Military vehicles roughly surveyed a perimeter, the office seemed to be held hostage. Search parties diligently scanned trees, no rock left unturned, a broken barrier was humiliation. 

"I'll cut to the chase. Mass genocide is planned to occur in two days. See over there, the troops marshal dormant squad members and brand them with an armband. Red for high priority, yellow for those to be left alive if found breathing, and green for those to be killed regardless of the battle's outcome."

"Isn't it the AHA's fault?"

"True, the organization is lax, cares for public appearance, and abstains from getting into publicly damnable situations. The heroes are powerful and obedient, they care for the company's image and would never go against the policies. Vigilantes, firewood to lit the bonfire of repute. In accordance to the policies, the deeds are published and fed to the media, on the contrary, tis snuffed without a chance to surface."

"Nothing wrong in a cynical way of thought. I'd perhaps follow the same ideology if the company was centered in such a huge scandal. Takes mere flickers to light the flames of revolt." 

"I understand too," said she distantly, "-still, the carefulness has grown into uselessness. The death count has increased, families implore to have news of their loved ones. Unlike the military, the AHA hasn't the means to gratify death in the field of battle. Was a long time coming, the directors struck a deal for the transfer of operations."

"What's the problem then?"

"To start anew, the plate must be cleaned. The fighters are to be killed, genocide, does the word not sway thy heart a little?"

"Genocide, my lady?" he exhaled in refute, "-have you not read the atrocities of Arda, the death of thousands? Mere hundreds won't shake my emotions."

"The devil of Glenda is heartless as rumor says."

"Never presented to be viewed as a hero or savior."

"Will you not aid my cause?"

"Tell me, lady Lina, the world moves on give and take. Why should I accept the offer, is there perhaps anything of value I can gain?"

"A good reputation?"

"Risking my life to be a good Samaritan, such outdated ideology of a hero. The selfless one isn't true, I apologize, my lady, thy prince shant arrive in silvery armor."

'Hopeless,' her mood swayed, her forehead locked onto the cold windowpane which foamed, '-I should have prepared a more tantalizing offer…' her fist clenched.

"Worry not," fell onto her mindless ears, "-I never said I won't aid. Tell me of the royalist and the militant, what's the greater goal?"

"Really?" her lashes gleamed, "-thank you, viscount," she grabbed his hand tightly, "-I promise to do whatever thee wishes," she pulled closer.

"Understood," returned an unphased demeanor, "-lady Lina, forgive my asking, was that the attempt at seduction?"

"Damn it," she snarled and stepped away, "-I tried, I guess?" 

"So much for the innocent friend next door act. In summary, the royalists wish to halt the militants to gain power. The latter wishes to gain control of the land and expand to encapsulate Odgawoan – thereon, use said clout to fire at the noble faction, who also wish to gain control of the town. Considering the Count Oathtall's conviction…"

"Correct," peering onto the broken land, "-personally, I care not for what the factions want. My goal is to rescue the remainder, the ungodly amount of 'return home safely' emails and letters I've read is heartbreaking. Wives, sisters, husbands, mothers, fathers, name and there's one to refer." 

"Save the vigilantes?" 

"Yes."

"What about the plague?"

"Those infected will be forced to stay no matter the circumstance."

"Basically, abandon the fallen and help the able?"

"Realism," said she.

"Understand," he placed a hand atop her shoulder, "-the reason I even considered to help is so there's an excuse to leave. My time spent here was short and informative. I now understand what the enemies wish to accomplish. Live and let live." 

Q3 Zone 2, a prominently deadly silence held the atmosphere in a chokehold. Squads were broken into Red, Yellow, and Green. Noncombatants, medical workers, were also rounded in an evacuation exercise. 

"Ada, are you well?" 

"I'm fine doctor," she replied joyously, '-goddess Syhton, I humbly pray for the success of my comrades' venture. Help us thwart evil and guide our way to light,' her watch kept a mild unnoticeable blink. 

Days passed to the 8th of December. The sun rose abruptly, '-this should do it,' *snap,* the last bundle of equipment teleported. The alchemist quarters stood emptily; chatter displaced into mild ticks of bugs. 'I wonder what Cimi decided.'

*Incoming Transmission,* 

"-Team 01, ready," Uonl, Angela, Kinka, and Ginka remained on standby.

"-Team 02, ready," Froy, Gilert, Hina, stood in wait.

"-Team 03, ready," Meza, Jonl, Aptha, walked to the rendezvous spot, a warehouse in the muddled concrete jungle. 

"Understood," he stepped into the morning shine. 

"Igna," waved Fia, "-I'm happy," she smiled, "-today's the day we alter fate."

"Don't get so worked up," he tapped the back of her head. An overview of the battlefield manifested in his thought, '-talk about a risky operation.'

"Master, the gate is about to open." *Ancient Magic: Teleportation.*

Pale-faced figures shuffled forward; a heavy guard of soldiers blocked the escape. *Beep, beep, beep.* '-we're going to die.'

'I wish I could have eaten mom's cooking one last time.'

'The end is near, no more starvation, no more abuse.'

*Heed the decree of thy king, monsters hidden in the earth's belly, the sky's clasped hand, and the prison of space and time. Free thyself,* the street covered in a slowly moving thick liquid, *-conjuration – Realm of Monsters, Arknic Gates.* 

"Begin the operation," fired across the many receptors.

Blood, bodies, and death, washed from the opened gates. Team 01 stood prominent before the coming horde; the outer gates parted to aid in an easier cleanup operation.

"Fia, go help Team 01."

"Understood."

"-Uonl, the vigilantes are on their way, convince them to head eastward."

The thickly coated streets spawned goblins, manticores, serpents, golems twice the size of certain buildings, "-ENEMY REPORTED," yelled across the army's channel.

"AMBUSH!" the monsters rained death, armored vehicles swept to the side effortlessly, '-we've taken the offensive.'

"Army's sending reinforcements."

'The battle finally begins.'

"VIGILANTES," cried Angela, "-Hear us, time isn't for death, rather, tis for survival." Kinka and Ginka leaped to the front and manifested humongous barriers, "-if you wish to survive, aid us!" 

"Squad 32 is alive," screamed an unknown from the crowd, "-I don't want to die here. Follow Uonl, they're going to save us."

"He's right," the aura shifted, "-no more senseless deaths." Yonder rose the smoke of chaos, "-enough being used, the time has come to reclaim our freedom!"

'Instigators,' he leaped into the fray, "-Good job, Kinka, Ginka. Meza's team is ready to evacuate." 

*Bang, bang,* gunshots rattled the hospice, guards fell, "-Now," cried Ada, "-transport is here, start evacuating the patients," workers ran from ward to ward. "-Jonl reporting, the hospice is just about ready for extraction."

"Éclair, you heard the man," transmitted Igna. Rotors menacingly flew into the restricted area. '-About time I leave,' he grappled to the helicopter, "-Jonl speaking, the noncombatants are on their way out, good luck."

'Here's the hard part,' he stood before a coming horde, '-buying time for the fighters to escape.'

'He had to give me the worse mission,' complained Lina tucked into the tree line close to where Kul made her explosive entrance. The somewhat guarded garrison bore their guns inward, explosions and gunfire marred the focus. Armored vehicles sped along the road, *beep,* she clicked and ruined the barrier. Meza gave a thumbs up in passing. '-I better run too.'

"ENEMY'S BROKEN THROUGH!" cried the remainders. 

"Captain Soong," headquarters rang, "-the vigilantes have revolted. An unknown insurgent organization has broken through the ranks."

"Captain Soong," shoes menacingly halted before the desk, "-allow me to neutralize the escapees, there's only a single way out. Marshal the forces there, have reinforcement move from the other side."

"Listen to what the man says."

"You're going to kill them, aren't you?" 

"Yes sir."

"Go on my modified killing machine, show them what it means to mess against the Cobalt Unit." Down the alleys and towards the alchemist quarters, batch upon batch filled the various trucks, vans, and cars. At the helm stood Meza, fast and efficient. Before the army realized what hit, those sentenced to death were evacuated. 

'Seamless,' gunfire nulled in the distance, '-a well-coordinated assault.'

"Uonl reporting, the last transports headed out."

"Froy here, the monster nor the army have attacked yet. We're pulling out."

"Jonl here, noncombatants and workers have landed safely – moving to the last phase." 

"Igna, what about you?" inquired Fia.

"Don't worry and retreat," an army stormed forth, '-here begins my battle.'