"Around 20 casualties, tens of thousands done in damages, and an underlying threat that we may never figure out. That is what the nation of Baum has left us with" one of the men stated, detailing the analytics from a lone room, the aid of Maximilian near him.
Holding the data of the great town from above, the scientist looked onto multiple screens, able to analyze views from many angles. Upon the screen were many different displays of the capital they were now left with, the life that they now had to live, ruined by a minimal threat.
Maximilian tapped his fingers upon the table he was sitting upon, "So, it seems that they really did get salty, their resources meant that much to them".
He scoffed, "Typical rednecks, going to any length to defend their country, even if it is a bunch of sticks. I will give them credit, they really do know how the world works, arguably better than we do" he added, aware of what the country was facing.
"To think we fell from one of the most threatening nations in the land to this, it really is quite sad what the past century has done for us. We really aren't the threat we ought to be" Max spoke, his demeanor unpredictable.
Covering the corners in his mind, he thought back to what he had known, what he was taught in the school system. The world around them, shaped by the mark of that world, paved the way for the civilians, something that shaped the political landscape around them. The only word to describe such a thing was the word "catastrophic".
His mind bubbled with a sense of morbid curiosity. Wrapping his fingers around the table, he thought, "Those really were the glory days when we escalated from an average country to what we are now, it's the reason we have the life that we do".
Flashing back to an imagined version of the era, he pictured a world with refined architecture, a world not too distant from their own painted in the black and white of the past. Refined with stones and buildings that displayed immense beauty, the world heavily contrasted what they had now, polarized by those days.
A world in which leisure was preferred swept over the lands, a world in which unity was thriving was quickly tarnished by a quick change of event. In the span of a day, a single error, the world was sent into agony, everything before them being taken. The world diverting it's path, merging into something separately.
"I have to say that the people of the past really were weak, they let their own desire for idealism overtake them, and here we are. We're the ones who had to clean up their mess," he thought, quickly watching the imagined world fall into a pitiful state, teh vast lands of Welland becoming Desolate.
Picturing the harsh open fields at the border of Welland as prosperous as ever, his mind pictured a fleet of soldiers overtaking it. The sight of blood falling over every corner, locked in by the land that they had.
Placed at the edge of the ocean to their east, their western side filled with land, very little belonged to them. Stuck in a corner with only options to flee, things had seemed dark, the scars of their front still able to be seen to that day. The current was pulled against Welland in those days, only broken through with the light from above.
In their time of desperation a century back, a figure emerged, one with great strength and great prowess. Able to gently guide the people in the direction of victory, Welland became one of the four nations to push back against the growing threat of opposition. Eventually seizing the day as a reserved nation.
Utilizing the vast oceans behind them with a brute force that plowed through everything in their path, the once minute nation quickly became a force that contended with the greater forces, surviving the way in which the world was split in three.
"It really was crazy how it happened, those smaller nations quickly became satellite states and the few that survived are heavily reliant on the other states, Baum being one of them. The bigger nations managed to survive, with the central force, The Urban, still being at play. At least we can promise that I do have a bright path ahead of me, and that we aren't as weak as that nation" he spoke, having a particular one in mind.
He felt aggravated, "We don't need to rely on feeding our people special food or being an ethnostate because we have all the tools we need. Those Kampfer's screwed us over hard and we have no other way to go but forward, regardless of the cost" Maximilian emphasized, placing his hand over his chest gently.
"The world we're living in is one where only Welland can seek to thrive, and I will make sure that happens" he spoke.
With the weather still bright and shining, the bright future had seemed paved for Welland. A town with a large history that could be seen from its architecture, many gathered that following day in one of the arenas within the center of town. Stirring up in a frenzy, the people roared with excitement, their town destroyed recklessly by the smaller invaders.
Loud and bold in their words, many people surrounded the ancient stadium in a patriotic fashion, eagerly awaiting the arrival of good news. The desire to move forward still fresh in their mind.
Inhaling the sediment smell of the arena, General Kratzer wandered around in the darkness. Hidden from the rest of the crowd, he kept himself away in a dark and destroyed corner of the arena, high up above everybody else. Stone faced and determined, he clenched his fists tightly, his men stuck tight to his side.
Letting them adjust the thick robe that was cast around him, all he could think were the thoughts of the people. A world so separated from his view as royalty.
"Looking dapper, General Kratzer, you'll easily woo the crowd" one of his advisors said to him, lightly adjusting the heavy fabric around the grand ruler.
Speaking boldly, he replied, "Whatever sells the message, that's all that matters" reluctant against the superficial claims of his advisor, his fist trembling gently.
"If you say so, you've never struggled with public speaking, so you've got this one in the bag" he responded, the roars of teh crowd growing louder and louder as they echoed before him.
He nodded quietly taking those words, his mind bumbling with a sum of ideas.
Able to sense the pride of the crowd, he felt the material loosely tie around him, his appearance fully formed. He was the tall general about to stand before his people.
"You're up, General!" the advisor said to General Kratzer, letting him walk out the stone archways by himself, ready to move the speech to many people.
A cloud of blue could be seen from the other side, the morning sun bright that particular day, a bright sun that enhanced the crowd's desires. Assembled in masses of hundreds, Krazter saw a few faces start to pop up in the distance, all of them lit with a sense of joy. The same desire to move forward as he had.
Sensing his boots clunk atop the sedimented floor, he was given a moment to think. Each small step that he was about to take would further snowball into something greater, a greater fate that lay up ahead. His dreams were cast on the stage of Welland in that moment.
"Gelba, Blue, I hope this is the path you guys would have wanted, I am going to make this reality true" Kratzer thought, taking his last step in the shadows, fully embracing the ligth that remained up ahead.
Letting the sun shine down against him, a loud cheer quickly filled the stands. Booming with an unmatched passion, Kratzer quickly held the hopes of the people in his hands, bold supporters coming from afar to see his speech. This was the moment many had waited for.
Keeping his composure in front of the crowd, Kratzer remained stone faced, merely keeping a gentle glance at his people. Old and young, even with families, they all had a desire to absorb his glory, hoping for his touch to reach them.
Kratzer quickly tapped on his microphone, letting it emit some static. Letting it circulate around the crowd. From that singular tap alone, the once bombastic crowd quickly reduced to a dead silence, not a sound to be heard. Soon enough, only the sound of the cool winds was able to bounce around the stadium.
"My fellow citizens of Nebel, I am proud to have the opportunity to connect with my people in this time of horrible distress. As the reigning general that has led this nation into prosperity through the darkest of times, I am proud to make new announcements regarding the current state of Welland and our future goals" he spoke, that single cliffhanger being enough to light up a storm of enthusiasm from the people.
He cleared his throat, quickly lowering his voice to match the crowd. "As made obvious by the recent attacks, it has been made clear that as a nation, Welland has been dwindling. The once prominent force of strength, courage, and honor, has now sunk to the bottom of the ocean we had swam in, a now drowning nation struggling to stay afloat. That is the truth that not only you guys, but I must accept, the stifling reality of not only what our nation has become, but what we should strive to be!".
"I'll admit it, I have regressed, and maybe I was not the formidable force I once was, but our weaknesses do not give us the excuse to quit moving. I can say from the decades of mismanagement by our former governors, that while we are not at our prime to fight, we are at our prime to improve, with everything set in place to climb higher. There really is no other time to make this announcement but now, so I ask my fellow people to follow along with this message!".
He pounced his hand on the podium, the force of his fist cracking the wooden piece. "Ever since the buffer zone Verloren has been interfered with, it has been a long road to disaster. Jobs have been fleeting, threats have been high, and we've been the last to enter the fight. Just recently, we experienced a threatening attack from a nation less than a quarter our size. Damaged by a land with less people and resources is all we need to know to be open that we have failed as a nation. It's sad to think that the land that our ancestors had dreamed of has now become a soft threat of the previous century. We were a land that had risen to become one of the four leading forces with combat strength on par with the Urban that is now slated to be outdone by our adversaries. We must stare down the inevitable, and instead of forgetting everything and run, we must face everything and rise as we were chosen to lead the greatest nation there is!".
His voice roared with new delight, "What the other countries seek to bring isn't just catastrophe, it isn't just war, but in fact, cataclysm. Scholars have decided to name the incidents occurring from the other lands as the Catastrophic War, and I have come here to tell you that not only will we stand in this fight, but win it as well! There is no way to escape the threat brewing outside, and due to this, I have made the bold choice to get involved in our war effort. When we step on the stage, we will shake the lands and make it ours to conquer and ours to enjoy, we won't stop against the Barbaric Tribes, against the bordering continents, against the Nima, or against our Deutsch enemies. Those are the people we must strive to take down for our own gain, and if you're not seeking improvement for Welland, then what are you seeking?" he spoke, ending off the speech on that cliffhanger, quietly stepping back in his glory.
Right as those words were muttered from his mouth, the crowd erupted into flames. Burning brightly with the determination of a wildfire, the energy that was given was contagious, spreading wildly throughout the lands. As this piece of media was given and watched by many, their hearts ached with the same desire to grow stronger, to take back what was theirs. This speech quickly becoming the anthem of their goals.
What Kratzer brought was the future they had desired, the glory that they had hoped to achieve. To those young and old, this is what they wanted, a land in which they would thrive, a world akin to them, a world locked behind the price. That price being the Cataclysmic war.
Hearing that broadcasted over the screens present in the central tower, Althea ate her packaged cereal quietly. Trembling with a spoon in her hand, her body became uneasy, her insides trembling. All of this locked behind a gentle facade.
Sitting by her side in the dining hall, Besch was aware of what had happened. Hearing those words echoed from the screen, he glanced over at Althea, noticing the way that she felt. A slowing in her eating had taken place, her movements quickly growings slower.
Noticing the way her eyes fixated on her food, Besch asked, "Hey Althea are you all right?".
She quickly glanced back, "Yeah, I'm fine" she answered.
He nodded his head down, "If you say so, but I want to talk to you once you get back to your room" he responded, keeping a low profile through it all.
Letting the young girl munch down on the rest of her food, he quietly escorted her to her room. Given the task to follow such orders, the two navigated their way down a few floors, eventually finding what was her silent place of rest.
She walked in silence, not saying a word until she had reached that location, a growing silence brewing between the two. A silence that would be forcefully broken open by the time they had reached the doorway that gave light to the dark and empty room.
"So Althea, have things truly been alright since you've been here, I know you haven't said much to me before, but for your own wellbeing I need you to be open and honest, for Welland" he said, trying to extend a helping hand.
She looked at him, subtly annoyed with his authority, his gentle gesture appearing disingenuous. That was something she could sense with her own Magni.
Holding back a flood of tears, she said, "I give no comment" paving over the flood of emotions with the thick concrete of stoicism.
He sighed, knowing how little he had reached. Trying his best to reason, he said, "Look, I'll make sure a word of this doesn't get said, but I was given the job of overlooking you guys. After all, it is what I do best. So please, would you tell me?" he asked.
Sensing a tinge of genuine concern in him, her inner rage started to pop out. Quietly ticking with little remorse, she said, "What does this world have against people like me? What is wrong for me being a Nima? Why does society need to turn against me?".
"It doesn't matter what I do, or what I am, this is only in place to benefit those on top, and it makes me mad" she spoke, giving little to Besch in terms of her emotions.
The man listened quietly, hearing each word come out. Noticing the subtle signs of rage, he gave her another chance to speak, another chance to hear something.
Althea's head tilted away. "Not like you would understand, you aren't a Nima yourself".
He empathized with a hidden sorrow, hearing those words come out of Althea's mouth. Only given the chance to form a bridge, he said, "I know, I'm not, but I am a Purusan".
She glanced over, observing his physical characteristics. "Wait, you are?" she asked in surprise.
He nodded, "Yeah, I am. If it wasn't obvious, it was because my silver hair had to be dyed blonde in this line of work, hence why very few people see it".
She then started to grin, "That would make sense for why you took this job. Purusans are known for being gentler, and less prone to violence. In a way, pure like us Nimas. No wonder we don't have the violence and issues that the Deutsch have. We just don't experience frustration like that" she added, starting to break the layering of the shell she wore.
Besch soon sat down beside her, "I wouldn't say that, I don't think any group is more pure than another. In the end, I was right for my role here, to overlook people like you, and I'm sure you were meant for this type of work. You may not see it now, but General Kratzer knows what he's doing".
Taken aback by that perspective, Althea became resistant. Embedded with everything she had seen, the memories taken, each one looking into the minds of the prisoners. Each one of them, filled with such value, and such depth, only reminded her of what she was living, a path of darkness.
Her robe shook from around her, "Fit to take what is most valuable to people, is that what I'm fit to do? The truth is I'm not, and that should have never happened" she spoke, referencing what she had done previously.
Only sighing gently, he replied, "Maybe, the truth is that you may not know yet. Anyways, I'll leave you to get changed, after that, fulfill your duties" he calmly said, closing the big black door gently, quickly engulfing the young prisoner in darkness.
Surrounded in a batch of coldness that quickly surrounded her, Althea quickly toppled over. Her pale skin pressed up against the cement floors, her body huddling together to conserve warmth. Something she did instinctually without noticing.
Her eyes soon flooded with more tears, the sights of four different people. Slamming her fist on the floor, she felt those four faces blur out, quickly vanishing in her storm of emotions.
Closing her hands tightly, she said, "If only I could meet those four, hopefully, they would be people that would actually except me. Even if I was the bad guy that took their memories..." the space between her fingers feeling empty.
It was during this moment that off the coast of Welland's main land that a group of elite military personnel were resting. The room was designed with tiles, a step above the quality they had in the central tower, the design of the utmost importance. Each detail mattered in the assembly of this remote building.
Adler walked with one of the men, peering out the window to an endless stream of blue. For kilometers from his position, everything in his vision purely consisted of an ocean, the vast but empty world in front of him. An empty world with infinite potential.
"So, Feder, have you ever been to this place before we decided to bring you here?" one of the men asked, standing prim and proper, holding his arms behind his back.
Nervous with excitement, Adler replied, "No I haven't, I have only been in the main land regions of this country, but I've always wanted to visit the island areas. I've always been big on exploring other places" he added, keeping the train of small talk moving.
The man in front of him finally came to a door, one with an automated lock system with three colors presented on it. At the top was a bold green color, aided by a blue lock system and a yellow area where the hinges would be. Contrasting the otherwise dark black and highly developed look of everything, it seemed bizarre, quickly startling Adler.
This place was the world that he was soon set to enter.
"Well sir, do you know what this place is called?" he asked, his voice growing dim and silent.
"No I do not".
The man smiled, "This place is called... Helden Von Morgen" he spoke with a glimmer of cheer, quickly opening up to a bright and shining room, one that held a bright road in front of it.
Opened up to a full squad of people, Adler saw in front of the man, five different individuals, all dawning badges. Standing high and mighty with a presence of authority. Stoic with stone faces, they all faced forward, their gazes darting toward Adler.
Uncomfortable by their glances, Adler subtly tapped into his sensory branch, looking into their Magni Branches. Using the power of his sight to sense their entire network, he nodded, putting all of the pieces together.
He nodded, "So these are the guys that helped during the invasion, those were the people that helped me out" remembering the course of events leading up to their victory.
"But then again, these guys must be high up to have gotten that far, by the time they showed up last, they were drained" he thought, able to see a much more dense body of Magni that they all held.
The man stood in front of the five that faced him, sticking his arm out to them. Giving them a serious glance, he said, "It has come to my attention that these five were the ones who wanted you here, they were the ones who wanted to meet you".
The woman of the crowd immediately stepped forward, coming face to face with the young boy. Gazing up to him, she gave a sinister grin, holding her arms in a crossed manner, showing a clear delight.
"Well, if it isn't the young boy who helped us beat those hillbillies. It seems like you have a bright road in front of you, whatever-your-name-is. Your type make the best soldiers" she said boldly, patting him on the shoulder with brute strength.
He grinned back, "It's Adler, and thank you. What is your name?" he asked, trying to keep a level of respect with her.
She chuckled, "It's Hyenna, I'll try not to forget your name".
The man who led Adler tried to step in, "Don't get ahead of yourself Miss, anyways, I'll introduce you to the other four. Right in front of you is their leader, Gepp, an elite and efficient leader. To his left, you have Kobren, a man who specializes in more behind the scenes action of the group, and right beside him is Griz, who many would call the heart of the group" he explained firmly.
Adler looked at the remaining people, trying to draw a quick distinction. Gazing at them all, he thought, "Okay, Gepp is the blonde one who always looks serious, Kobren has the emo looking black hair, and Griz is the big dude with brown hair that I helped back then" remembering the way in which he pumped him full of Magni in the last operation.
He cleared his throat, "Lastly, there's Krok. He mainly specializes in pure combat, but he also does Macht Breakings for those who behave poorly. But they should all accept you without hesitation".
Relieved with the situation, Adler watched as Gepp moved forward. Well cut and proper, he formally greeted the teenage boy with a handshake, holding his hand out firmly. Wasting no time on a drop of awkwardness, he jumped forward.
"I just wanted to say that what you did was very brave, if only we had more people willing to do what you do, we'd be better off" he spoke, immediately giving his praise to Adler.
Nodding, he said, "It really wasn't a big deal, we live in Welland to serve it, both the citizens and those in charge. I wasn't going to hesitate in that type of situation!" his voice echoing determination.
Subtly heartwarmed by such an action, Gepp smiled. "Yup, which is exactly why you are being appointed to the Wellean Forces. For somebody like you, it shouldn't be a struggle, as long as you are willing to take a lower position first".
"To those who enter the Wellean Forces, it is a tough road up. Be prepared to face hardship left and right and be willing to take low duties. After all, everybody has a part to play in this country" he added.
Nodding in agreement, Adler said, "I know, which is why I'll take what I can get if it means moving forward. You can count on that!".
Gazing at the young boy that had emodied so much determination, Gepp was touched. Reflecting inwards, he thought to himself, "If only I had this much drive when I was a kid, but then again, we'll need to see how it plays out on the battlefield".
He cleared his throat, "Anyways, Adler, we have a test for you before you do anything. It's something that we call a parameter test" mentioning with such reverence.
"What's a parameter test?" he asked.
Gepp grinned, placing his open palm on a door to Adler's right. Letting the door open, the two were quickly introduced to a completely different room, one that held a rectangular arena in the center. Position many meters below them, there were rectangular passages that surrounded the rectangular arena, guarded off by plexi glass that let people see.
The arena was desolate, filled with nothing but glowing hexagonal tiles and the empty air around it. The look resembled a cage of confinement above all else, however its purpose extended far beyond that.
Holding his hand out gently, he said, "Parameter testing is a form of testing to measure the raw capabilities of a soldier. This ranges from strength, speed, defense, and even battle instincts. Which is what we seek to measure".
Adler looked down, seeing a man in confinement in front of him, a tan skinned man with dark hair with a vicious and aggressive look. Highly desiring freedom, the man appeared uncomfortable, shifting around in the space.
Opening up his sensory branch, Adler took a look into his branches. Noticing a bright red emerge violently from within his body, Adler watched the energy move erratically, holding no real pattern. Caught off guard by this, he retreated from his sensory vision, no longer able to see his Magni.
"That type of Magni and appearance, he must be apart of one of the tribes. That would explain his behavior, his rampant aggression would only be natural" he reflected on the situation.
The man in charge looked down at the arena. "What you have right here is one of our toughest fighters, somebody new, but with lots of potential. Somebody like him would make the perfect test dummy and we all know why. As our newest recruit, we want you to fight him, and once we have reached a conclusive point, we'll collect our data".
Adler nodded, "Gotcha, I'm ready whenever you are" he spoke, ready to embark on the test.
Quickly placed in the middle of the arena, Adler glared at his opponent, showing no sign of weakness. Soaring high above the aggressive fighter, he appeared calm and collected, the first observation the ones in charge made. His level head driving the fight.
"Impressive, this dude is treating his first parameter test like it's nothing, he really is impressive" one of the men thought.
"I can't say that I was that way, this kid is on a completely different level" one of the soldiers observed in Adler's actions.
Standing face to face with the barbaric threat, Adler waited for him to make the first move, the match being far from started. Noticing the way in which his movements emanated a sense of rage, he predicted that the man would make the first move. It was only a matter of time.
The guy grunted, "So, you're the one they want me to destroy, the one I have to tear apart?" he spoke, his voice being shaky and uncomfortable.
Joyful above it all, Adler replied, "Far from it, I'm only here to test myself and see how far I can come, and that's what it should be".
The guy quickly grew angry, the presence of his Magni branches starting to grow. Expanding more and more to its breaking point, the arena was quickly filled with a bright red. Suffocating all that was around it, his dense body soon caused the tiles below them to light up, growing brighter as pressure increased. The pressure of the attacks they were using.
Catching onto this detail, Adler opened his eyes, waiting for the moment to strike, the moment in which his adversary would break loose.
Allowing a surplus of energy to seep through his body, Adler used his extraordinary vision to latch onto the target, his energy spiraling to its upper limit.
"Corrupt tyrant!" the kid said, running forward while his arms surged with that malevolent red energy.
Adler stood on guard, seeing the way in which the kid recklessly moved around. His movements, sloppy and uncoordinated, had rung of a man without control, a man of brute strength above all else.
Summoning a field of Magni around his body, Adler hopped back towards the wall, giving him all the space that was needed. His opponent continued to still move forward, not letting Adler out of his sight.
The young kid dashed forward, moving towards the subject at extreme speed, both of their wills clashing. Adler slipped past him, able to land one cut in the sliver of time he had, the two emerging on polar opposite sides of the room.
"You bastard!" the subject screamed, summoning an array of energy that protruded from his strength branch.
Forming a collection of overlapping clusters of energy, he quickly fed off of them, using his brute strength to aid in his speed.
With this new aid to match Adler's swift prowess, Adler used his sensory to look into his attack patterns. Noticing the way in which his strength clusters acted independently, this sparked a thought, one of strategy.
"So, he intends on using those to launch multiple attacks at me at once, quite bold of him, especially since he has the endurance to do so" he thought, reacting according in the heat of the moment.
Adler's energy started to rapidly vibrate, forming a sort of friction, one that would be deadly upon contact.
The two then dashed towards one another, Adler keeping his vital tool in his right hand. Within the limited realm of the arena they were in, there was little room to move, but many places to attack.
The subject got in close, striking Adler with one of his clusters. "Phalanx Strength!" he cried out, swinging his arm in conjunction with the attack, the massive clusters of energy bursting at his disposal.
Dashing away from this attack, Adler felt a few of them burst on contact. His skin felt irritated, nearly burnt from the large sum of strength, something that could spill out in devastation quickly.
"You couldn't keep up with me if you tried!" the subject screamed, quickly gaining ground on Adler.
Waiting for the opportunity to attack, Adler halted his run to a stop, turning around switfly against the subject. With a sum of friction energy in his hand, he struck the subject on the shoulder, utilizing the close range combat that they were in.
Letting loose the well planned out move, the subject's shoulder soon grew a bright red, his skin quickly damaged by the attack. Irritated and bruised from the scarring, the subject was put at a disadvantage, one tactical move away from any success. That, however, was not the reality.
Shrugging off the bruise, the subject grabbed Adler by the collar. Latching with an iron grip, he kept Adler in the palm of his hand, locked away in his iron prison.
He laughed, "Don't you get it, you'll never be adept enough to keep up with my close quarters combat, so just give up!" the subject said, tossing Adler over his shoulder, slamming his back into the hard floor beneath them.
The floor glowed a bright blue, an indicator of the intense pressure. The subject started to grow more powerful.
Adler coughed up the wind that was within him, his arm becoming uncirculated from the subject's iron grip. Caught within the blood red prison he had sought to escape from, Adler kept silent, his mind appearing blank, completely desolate from the attacks.
One of the scientists looked from outside the arena, holding a pen and stack of papers in his hand. Quietly nodding as the brute tension formed between the two, he started to speak.
"Valos is our most valuable subject, even rising beyond the strength of his three other companions. His role as an Aima tribe member makes him excellent with any hand to hand combat and his brute aggression only plays into that role. If this continues, we may call it off for Adler, I doubt he can keep up with his strength" he thought, Adler laying in a submissive position on the hard flooring.
Valos stood overtop of Adler, smiling intensely as the battle shifted in his favor. Exuding a large red aura, he said, "Ya see, kid, if it meant taking one of your attacks to get you into this position, I was willing to take it. Even if your attack does hinder me in the end, I still caught you, and the truth is you'll never overcome me!".
"You don't know the feeling of loss, you don't know struggle like I do. I don't even know how I ended up hear, but my body tells me everything I need. That one thing is to clobber you, you runt!" he spoke once more, descending with a powerful punch to Adler's gut.
Blasting Adler in the gut, he watched him cough up traces of blood. Adler continued to remain dormant, only looking Valos in the eys while he was trying to pummel aggressively, minimally keeping his guard up.
Overcome with his own power, Valos knocked him once more, quickly enabling his secondary branch to finish the job. Letting it surge with ambition, he called out his next attack, the final move that would serve as the final straw.
"Endurance Branch: Gold Chains!" he yelled, forming four gold bands that strapped Adler to the floor, nailing him to a state of being dormant. His body being unable to move.
Valos laughed once more, fully gaining the upper hand on Adler. Burning with rage from his insides, he said, "Ya see, with my branches, I am an unstoppable force that you will not overcome. There is no beating me in a brute force competition, especially for you military cowards. Just sit down and accept that you have no chances!" he spoke, enabling the phalanx attack formation around his arm again.
In a state of checkmate under the lone subject, Hyenna watched Adler stuck in his position of weakness. Locked with no other options to escape, nothing more than a forfeit seemed inevitable. Strapped to a bed of his own defeat, she tapped her crossed arms, accepting the loss.
She glared with discern, "I gotta say, Adler, you may have the spirit that everybody admires, but that won't mean a thing if your strength can't back you up. The truth is, in this country, your role in the services doesn't matter if you aren't strong. If that happens to be you, then so be it. You weren't meant to have an advantage in such a small area against him, but that's something we all need to deal with. Just keep working hard even after you lose" she thought, quickly turning her back from the heat of the battle, the result predicted in her head.
Nailed along a prison of defeat, Adler quickly gained a glimpse into the workings of his mind. Quietly speaking to himself in those moments in which his loss seemed inevitable, he heard bold words start to echo back.
"So, it seems like this kid is... lost. He has let his anger and hatred guide him forward, it may be why he is so strong right now, however, I am not that way" he thought, quickly grinning as strategy started to play in his favor, his mind now clear with a plan.
Right as Hyenna had her back turned, the five militants that he had met prior watched in awe as a storm of Magni erupted. Sporting a bright blue color as it formed in strands of feathers, Hyenna quickly saw it beam past the plexi glass, its brightness attracting those who watched.
Offput by such a recovery, she glared back, finding Adler quickly escape from the chains, fleeing to the other end of the arena.
Surrounded by a wind of feathers around him, he started to speak to Valos, his enemy so consumed with rage.
"It seems you have underestimated me, because I was not gonna go down that easily!" Adler said, the blue Magni still surrounding his body.
Valos looked in shock, confused as to what happened, his yellow chains completely vanishing.
He grumbled, "What the hell kind of a card did you pull this time? What did they tell you about me before we entered this fight?".
Reacting calmly, Adler said, "They didn't tell me anything, but I was able to sense your branches right from the beginning. I will admit, Strength and Endurance is a pretty tough combination, especially in this place, but you forgot one thing!".
"Even if your body can keep up, your Magni has been quickly dwindling this whole fight, and it's as they say, those with the hottest heads burn out the fastest. It was only a matter of time before your Magni would lessen in strength, which is how I sensed my way around those chains of yours!" Adler explained, keeping a polite discourse with his opponent, reflecting on the attacks they had thrown out with their properties.
His energy soon soared to new heights, "Speed and Sensory Branch: Soaring Liberation!" he said, calling attention to the skill he used to evade the chains, the storm of feathers quickly fading.
Gepp looked at Adler in amazement, standing above him from outside the arena. Placing his hand on his chest, he gazed at Adler in admiration, feeling pride in his accomplishments.
He grinned, "So I see, his Phalanx attack drained energy rapidly just to secure a hit, and his golden chains did the same for security. Just when the time was right, Adler used his sensory branch to sense his way through the chains, which was made easier by the draining Magni and his own rapid speed. While Valos went into this fight with a hot head, Adler played it cool and strategic, I have to say, he reminds me a lot of somebody I used to know" Gepp noticed in the young fighter, picturing a familiar silhouette rest overtop of the image he saw.
Adler quickly grew for the final attack, releasing all of the Magni he had. Willing to put all of his eggs into one basket, he thought, "I have to finish this in one attack, at this point, he only has about half of his reserves left. That's just small enough to beat!" his speed branch finally growing to its largest capacity.
Valos quickly got ready to end things in one attack, his body burning with rage. His eyes started to glow with a destructive desire.
His muscles tensed up, "No, I won't let this bastard stop me from getting my freedom, he won't be the force that keeps me down again!" he spoke, adrenaline starting to circulate through his system, powering him up for one last attack.
The two fighters became glowing balls of Magni, distorted by their own strength. Forming into raw power above people, the two of them had their fates set on the battlefield, both willing to fly towards one another.
Envisioning a sucess burnt into their name, the two of their wills clashed, an even match starting to form.
Adler kept his vision steady, for a brief second, reading the uneasy wavelengths in Valos' body. Giving it one last smile before he was set to launch, he said, "I'm not stopping here, I won't give up until I reach the very end" immediately rushing towards Valos.
Armed with the remaining strength that his Phalanx attacks would grant him, Valos dashed forward accordingly. Holding the powers of strength and speed respectively, the two came towards one another, their gaps closing on the battlefield.
Right in the moment that they were about to clash, both of their Magni splattered onto the other's body. Emanating as a heat that deterred the other opponent, both fo them pushed it to their final limits, both intent on destroying the other. That was until two forces intervened.
"Stop!" they heard one of the scientists yell, Gepp and Hyenna soon keeping the two of them back, grabbing ahold of their torsos.
Restraining them from the ever powerful attacks that they wielded, the two of them stepped back, restrained from the heat of the battle.
Adler looked up, Gepp's hands wrapped tightly around him. Confused as to what happened, he gazed at the older militant with his large eyes, saying, "Oh, was I gonna win?".
Valos stood in confusion, "What was that for?" he asked.
Calming the group down, Gepp replied, "Now now, that's enough you two, we don't wanna destroy the other person".
Valos gripped onto Hyenna's arm. "Don't stop me from reaching my full potential, even if that means destroying him".
The scientist soon stood as a referee for the two of them, holding a clipboard of papers that detailed the fight. Sticking both palms out towards the adversaries, he said, "It's not about who would win, but Adler did have the upper hand in that fight. This was only about collecting data that we will need in your next deployment, but until then, get some rest" he spoke.
Adler grew disappointed, "Ahhhh, but I wanted to use my vital point sensory skills. Dangit" he said.
Gepp looked at the young boy proudly, noticing the pouring ambition that came off of him. Holding the boy tightly in his arms, he thought, "I know you really are rushing to go, but please don't make that same mistake, for my sake, please".
"You did well, Adler. I'm proud of you, but I need you to rest up for right now" he spoke, finally bringing the battle between the two to a close.
In the middle of the brief moments that they all had, three different paths were constructed that day. From that test onwards, the path to Adler's role in the Wellean Forces was cemented, quickly soaring through the ranks. It also happened that two different paths were formed in completely different directions, each going their separate ways.
During the noon of that morning, Althea had remained as purely a medic, fixing the wounds of trauma that had been brought about by the militants. Stuck repairing the costs of what war had done to them, she zoned out all reality, only left to roam that wild imagination of hers.
"That guy, that one with the red scarf" she thought to herself, seeing his bold image imprinted within her mind, "What purpose did he have in being there" she asked herself, offput by that.
She held back a waterfall of sadness that came her way, "If only I had asked him more. What he would think of those people I had altered, what kind of government we have, and what his ideals were" she thought, drowning out her sadness with a slight beacon of hope.
In the dark and trembling depths of her role of servitude, she quickly felt a door open. Creaking slightly with a white light that burst through the scenes, the once silhouette people soon formed into distinct beings.
She heard a few footsteps walk towards her, "Hey, is this Althea Sehn?" he asked, his voice appearing unsure.
Nervously snapping into shape, she nodded without his notice, quickly running up to the man. "Yes, yes it is".
The man quickly put on a smile, "Ah, well there's our little Nima," he spoke with such warmth, "Anyways, we have an operation for you, one that I think would suit you quite well" the man known as Maximilian would say to her.
Offput by this, she remembered the beaked mask in all its disgust. Quickly growing hopeless in that, she internally sighed, quietly listening for the news.
The man above her continued to speak, "As a Nima, it should be noted that your ability to deceive, control, and manipulate others is second to none, which is why we have a goal for you, a spy mission".
He nodded, "It has become no secret that one of our enemies has gone soft, they have started to embrace a government completely different to ours, and because of that, they have become too trustful. At this point, they're willing to take anybody in to compensate for their own lack of government strength after their revolution" eluding to a land of disaster, a land torn apart by its own desires, one decayed by time.
Picturing this vivid image in her mind, Althea quietly murmured, "Mhm" as her head nodded.
"Truth be told, you are suited for this role. As someone who is half eastern like yourself, you can pass as a refugee needing their country," he spoke putting a full plan into play at that moment.
She looked at him with a nervous expression, trying to hide it beneath her mask. Distrustful of it all, Althea remembered the invasion to her land, the offputting nature of the new city, everything tucked beneath deception. That was everything she feared here, a path that would only lead back to destruction.
Maximilian picked up on this, having a quick chuckle. "Look, I'm sure you're probably nervous, but if you get us information, I'll gladly give you some money for it. I really only spend my money on sweets and necessities, so I think you deserve it for your hard work. Buy whatever you want with it, because you earned it" he spoke, throwing his money into the bargain.
She nodded without saying a word, "I'll take it" she said, fully agreeing to the deal that day, a new path that would give her a route to follow, a new purpose, one that she could find elsewhere.
Maximilian stood up, stretching out his limbs with a yawn. "Dang, I'm not really a morning person, am I? Look, a bilingual person like you will pass the test just fine, you will have a perfect time spying on those folks from Nebel" he said, leaving without a trace as those words were muttered from his mouth.
Out amid the few fields that Welland had, a dark individual roamed around with a companion. Letting the morning sun soak onto his pale skin, all he could focus on was the path ahead, stretched out to his own desires.
"So why did you decide to take me with you" Geist asked him, trailing behind him into the outer regions, the two being far out from the capital to desolate lands.
Dom stood silently for a second. Without turning around to her, he said, "We can't expect anything good from the Wellean Government, after all, if they found you, they'd only capture you. For now, all I can do is hunt until I get stronger, until I can finally live to see that day when it happens" he smoke, burying his emotions further, the walls to his heart being placed far up above everything.
Given a new horizon for that day, Althea later found herself at one of the train stations, one placed along the border of the country, standing in front of the vast mountains that lead inland. Standing amid the concrete floors with her white robe and shoes, she saw the bright sun peer its head through, one she was so cut off from.
The rays of the sun latched to her skin, a few glimmers of joy surrounding her. Holding with her nothing but her raw determination and ambition to move forward, she glared back at the land, one that was separated from the dense architecture.
"So... this is what Welland has to offer" she spoke, holding a bit of contentment in her heart.
For once, she absorbed the isolation she had, nobody else positioned at the high tech station. Reserved completely for the deployments, she stood as the only one, the lone soldier barging into enemy territory. A foreigner meant to invade.
She gazed down at the train as those doors opened, sliding open as they were to enter her into a new world. One she had not felt in so long.
"Even if this is my role, I have to make the best of it, and do what I can. I won't say I like it, I never had, but this is my only option. Even if I have to face every risk imaginable, I'll take it. There's a bold world waiting for me" she thought, taking that one step forward, one that would lead her into an unexplored land.
YOU ARE READING
The Shattered Rebellion: Visions of Corruption
ActionStory 3 of Shattered Rebellion
