{[Those who suffered the most are the most humble of us all.]}

“I’m curious, how large is this planet? Gravity feels the same, but I doubt our two worlds are the exact same size." Wong dabbed the stones. "Magic does flip physics on its head… No, better said, it’s a new type of physics. A new era of science. New limits, with new rules… One we have to establish.”

Wong started giggling.

“What’s so funny?” Gio walked towards his friend, holding his SAW.

“This world is filled with mysteries… I plan to unravel all of them…” Wong’s fingers and nails ran across the carvings in the stone. “Who’s to say this is the only world? Or that the myth that all sentient creatures came from other worlds isn’t true… What if this world is a meeting point? What if all the races here came from distant worlds?”

“That sounds interesting?” Gio wasn’t really sure what to say.

“And who’s to say we can’t use these stones to travel to their worlds?”

“That might be a bad idea," Gio warned. "We're barely keeping things together in this world… If we go to another or multiple. That might end up becoming dangerous. Since when do you take unnecessary risks?”

“When it comes to science and exploration… You have to take risks…" Wong stepped away from the stones. "Anywho, it's not like I can do anything about this now… Let's go home. Being out here where monsters roam isn't my idea of a good time…”

******

Iris sat in her office. She had a reputation of lashing out, so her secretary kept her distance from the woman. Her beauty and attitude made most men want to hate fuck her. Not that any of them ever got that opportunity.

Her secretary knocked on her office door.

“Enter.” Iris directed as she re-read a legally binding contract she had a CEO sign a few days prior.

Her secretary opened the door, and in walked an older man with deep blue eyes and short black hair. He was the CEO of a company that worked alongside Mike.

“David… I'm glad you came here personally. It'll make things easier." Iris stretched her arms up.

“I got a disturbing message from your courier.” David’s anxiety was obvious. He was sweating and studying the room, trying to determine if any hidden cameras were set up.

“Relax, David. My office has no hidden cameras… I sent my little robin to give you a message… It seems the lady-boys you fuck in Thailand two or three times a month for your 'business trips' are starting to talk…" David gritted his teeth. His secret was in the hands of a stranger. "Before we continue, I need you to understand that I'm on your side… Your wife or kids won’t ever find out what you secretly do on your time off… And if you agree to my terms… Well, I have a good relationship with an organization that will silence those lady-boys… Permanently…”

David assessed her eyes and mannerisms… He was stronger than her, but she was calm, and her eyes were dangerous. He wouldn’t dare show a hint of aggression.

“Do you want money? No, you're a CEO. You're aiming for something else… You want to use my company for something…”

“David, David, David… A company is just a name, a title, and an idea… Those below submit themselves to their bosses and make them a dollar while they themselves work twice as hard and only make a few pennies… So I’m offering you something else instead…” Iris helped herself to a bottle of Petrus. Her lips only welcomed the finest wine from France. “Collapse your company and merge with mine… Of course, you'll have to answer to me… But no one will know, you’ll keep the same salary you’re making, but it’ll be under my company’s name… Genesis…”

“You changed your company’s name?”

“Yes." She sipped her wine. "I plan on starting over… My parents ran their business to the ground, and I've been the one raising it from the ashes… Oh, I won’t stop you from enjoying your luxurious… Adventures… But I can arrange things so you’ll never be caught again…”

“Your offer is off-putting… You have everything you need to blackmail me… Instead of taking as much money as you can, you just want me to merge with you? And you’re not even asking for a cut?”

“Genesis will require you to stretch the truth from time to time, but this isn't about you… It's about someone else… So do you accept my offer? Or should I start blackmailing you for money?"

“No…” The CEO shook his head.

“Here.” Iris dropped a folder in front of him. “I took the liberty of making all the requirements… Your company’s employees and your board members won't be aware of the change… And for the time being, you can keep your company name…"

The CEO hesitated but ultimately recalled that Iris had pictures and videos of him with the lady-boys in Thailand. He sighed and started signing over his company to her.

“You're cold-hearted." He admitted.

“Only when it comes to my ambitions…” She sipped on her wine until he finished reading and signing away his company.

Iris grabbed the folder and flipped through it, ensuring everything was in order. Once it was, she motioned her hand for him to leave.

He left with his tail between his legs. Sure he hadn’t lost any wealth, just his dignity.

Iris finished her wine and walked towards her glass window. The city below was alive and moving.

Just pawns for her to use.

“A company is just a name… You only need to change that to make it yours… White Water has its perks… It's easier gathering dirt on these perverted CEOs… All it takes is finding out what's his… And slowly breaking it away from the main company… Then he'll have nothing to inherit… So far, I’ve earned eight percent… When I take it all, Mike won't be a problem…"

She paced towards a display case, one only she had the key for. Inside of it, on top of red velvet, lay a white stone. Her fingers dragged across the wooden frame.

“From a soul that’s forgotten, and a love that’s forbidden, a hero will rise… A blade of white roses, a soul never meant to be… Lips that savor the kiss of death will find hope and calamity… Until legends decay, and the world blossoms anew…” The stone was glossy and untouched by time. The words written on them were in an ancient language. But one thing was clear, the words she read were clear to her. As if the stone desired to be understood. “The sword will come soon… Then the hero will follow… A hero that I’ll bury…”

*******

Ashner walked through his home. It was clean, and the lavishing aura of being home filled him with joy. The group each scattered to their rooms.

Lina went to water and talk to her plants. Risa, to check on her YouTube channels and read her manga's… Gio had gotten her into some series, and she was slowly becoming obsessed, pretty much with the popular romance stories. And Alex went room to room, collecting dirty laundry, and he would soon get lunch ready. Melissa went to the guest house. She wanted a hot shower and snacks.

It’s so…

Ashner recalled the drunken nights he spent in his shitty apartment… Now everything was different… His life was filled with laughter and beauty…

I’m home…

Ashner glanced at his phone. He left it in his room. Occasionally coming back at night to check on his messages. They didn't go through into the other world.

He had missed a few calls from Evaristo.

He called him back.

"Ashner." His voice was rough, and even after everything. Evaristo still treated him with some disgust. Deep down, Ashner grasped that Evaristo theorized that he had raped Melissa. But, as always, Ashner pushed it aside. "I set up a meeting with a friend of mine… And we need to make a trip…"

*******

Ashner wore a black and red beanie, along with a checkered jacket and cargo pants underneath. The group rode with him until they arrived at a sketchy part of the city.

It was almost midnight. So the cold settled heavily against their bones. Ashner stopped the car and walked towards Evaristo, who was waiting for them outside of a bar. The group each carried two briefcases.

When the group closed the distance, Evaristo studied Melissa confused. He shook his head and led the way. "I have a… Friend… He's an oddball, but he'll sell us military-grade weapons."

“He’s an arms dealer… Should we be cautious?”

“That’s hard to say… He’ll sell you just about everything… Just don’t piss him off. His name is Crow. But I'm still not sure if that's his real name… He's the guy that sold me the computer components we needed to hack into White Water… We were able to break into some parts of their servers… But sadly, we don't have much… We did, however, find out how tenacious they are.”

"What do you mean?" Ashner asked as they passed a prostitute smoking a cigarette. She smiled as Alex passed by them. Offering him 'a good time, at a discount.'

"White Water's data isn't all in one server. They purposely separated their data into different servers, ones that don't communicate with each other and that have to be manually accessed. An odd safety measure to guarantee their secrets remained hidden… Oddly one of their forms mentioned unit 111… My brother’s unit… And I know where one of their servers is… So I'm going after it… Hopefully, with your help…"

“This server… Will it be guarded?”

“Yes, but from what I gathered, it should only be a small-sized platoon protecting it… First, we need to enter the building without drawing suspicion… Hack their servers… Copy their data… And lastly, escape with our lives…"

“This is a big risk…” Ashner shook his head. “What do we get out of it?”

"Hopefully, this server is the one that gives us the names of the companies working with White Water… Or better yet… Politicians, high military profiles, judges, lawyers, or CEOs that are using them for profit… This whole thing goes down a complex rabbit hole… Ensley is the CEO of White Water, and from what I dug up about him… He's a monster and just about untouchable… But if I can get the names of everyone on his payroll and take them out one by one, then he won't have anyone backing him or his organization."

Ashner stayed silent, fighting back his emotions. A vein on his head pulsed for a second. He recalled the day Ensley nearly beat him to death. And when he shot Alex in the head. Luckily the demi-dog set a trap that Ensley fell for.

"We're here," Evaristo spoke to the group and knocked on a metal door with a sliding peek-hole.

The peek-hole slid open. An olive-skinned man studied the group. "What do you want?" He asked.

"To watch the world burn," Evaristo replied.

The peek-hole closed, and several locks were fiddled with until the door opened.

The large man wore a suit and was armed with an FN P90. He kept it slung around his shoulder.

Taking a flight of stairs deeper underground, the group discovered a black market. Just about every type of firearm lined up the walls. Computer parts and programs banned in several countries on display like the newest cell phones in a mall. Armored vehicles and paintings were scattered around the black market like an art gallery.

Guards kept their eyes on the group. Of course, they weren't the only clients, but the number of guards far outweighed the customers.

Evaristo's eyes lit up once he caught a glance at some computer parts.

"You're a bit of a computer nerd," Ashner commented.

Evaristo took a few seconds to reply. His demeanor shifted. “I might need more computer parts.”

“Take what you need.”

A few hands stopped the group. These men and women were heavily armored and wore high-grade armor. They were better than the standard ones the military gave their soldiers. Some were shaped like fish scales, and others covered parts that were normally exposed with regular armor.

“Weapons stay with us.” The tallest man ordered.

Risa reached for her sword and Alex for his sidearm. Ashner raised his hand. "Give them our weapons… If they wanted us dead, we'd be dead."

The group reluctantly handed their weapons to the guards. They were patted down and forced to walk into a full-body scanner. Just to make sure they weren't hiding anything else.

“They’re good.” One woman with blue dye in her hair motioned to the rest of the guards.

Even with an X-ray machine, they can't see their tails and ears.

“This way, the boss is waiting.” The armed man extended his hand, directing them deeper into the underground building.

They entered a room with a basketball court, dozens of arcade games, and a small go-cart path. It was also littered with random items like laser tag guns, and on the wall, hundreds of hats were displayed.

“Welcome! Welcome!” A man with red hair styled into a Mohawk urged the group to step forward. He wore a teen titans shirt and black shutter glasses. Crow was in his early twenties and about as tall as Alex. “Evaristo! You’re back!”

“Hey Crow, I see you’ve added more weapons to your collection.”

"Of course, can you believe those… What do you call them…" Crow wiggled his finger in the air, trying to recall the organization's name.

"The mafia, sir." One of his guards spoke up.

“Yes, yes, mafia, such an outdated name… And it was only until recently that I found out they were still around… They had the audacity to break the rules…” His guards nodded their heads, agreeing with Crow.

“Rules?” Ashner raised his eyebrow.

"Yes, I sell weapons with a clear set of rules. The first being, never harm a child… Women are okay cause some of them deserve a bullet or fifteen in their bodies… I should know… My ex was one… But she's out in Atalanta pursuing her rap dream… Or was it a knitting dream? I don't really recall. Anyway, getting off track. They broke the first rule… And murdered a family including their children…”

Crow’s guards shook their heads again, acknowledging the cost of disobeying their leader.

"Children and pets are innocent… However, I firmly believe that some people deserve to die… Men… Women… Anti-Union supporters… People named Doug… To hell with them… But I can’t name a single child or pet that deserves to die… They broke the rules, so we had to enforce our first rule. And the mafia is no more… What you see around us are the spoils of war… Minus the drugs, I'm a businessman first and foremost, and I have to meet my client's demands… If I have a drug addict as a client, then it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, like when I used to go down on my ex…"

I see why he’s an oddball now.

“Before we start, I need to know what you’re paying with.” Crow wiggled his finger at the suitcases.

Ashner placed his briefcase on a metal table, the guards reached for their weapons, but Crow extended his hand out towards them.

“Open it.” He sang with a surprisingly good tone.

Ashner opened the briefcase and handed him a solid piece of gold. These bars didn't have his logo on them. Instead, he made these for the sole purpose of trading.

Crow handled the gold for a few seconds then bit into the bar. “It’s real.” He spoke to his men.

“Actually… That’s not how you test…” Ashner stopped himself.

Crow casually tossed the bar at one of his guards, who quickly started testing its purity. "I can tell by the taste… Now that we have that settled, I have a few rules… First, these are for the sole purpose of killing, and that’s fine… Just no kids or pets or you deal with me… Second, stay the fuck away from Florida… Don't ask why, but none of my weapons can get in the hands of the locals… And third, have fun, be safe, and try not to die… Seriously, it's bad for my business if my clients end up dead… Or if I have to kill them…"

“We can follow those rules.” Ashner acknowledged.

“Good." Crow clasped his hands. "Now, what are you looking for?"

“A little bit of everything.” Ashner studied the weapons lined up on the walls like trophies. In the distance, his eye caught the rounds only armored vehicles fired. “I might need to bring more gold…”

*******

Ashner and the group returned to Sanctuary. They loaded up a few box trucks with nothing but weapons, ammo, random military-grade equipment, and armor.

Once they entered the kingdom on the first box truck, citizens made room for them. They were used to the white room opening up, so the locals made a game of guessing what they were bringing. Sometimes Ashner clocked them, waging alcohol and money.

Children got the biggest kick out of it. They liked gathering around and frisking the vehicles. But their parents scorned them from a distance until they ran off.

Elana and her royal guards, along with Gio and Wong, walked towards the truck.

Behind them, a new group of demi's followed closely. Some with their heads held high, each wearing well-tailored suits, decorated in elaborate yellow, pink and red silks.

Ashner parked the box truck and greeted Elana, who humbly bowed.

“Ashner, our scouts found a group of demi's." Elana moved her hand toward the new group. They were all slender, tall, and had pink hair. Except for their children and some of their women, they had white hair. And feathers around their ears, neck and the males had some feathers on their cheeks. "These are the demi-flamingos."

“Demi… Flamingos?” Ashner raised his eyebrow and studied the group. “Welcome.”

“Queen Elana, you told me that you were going to introduce me to the leader of this establishment, yet you brought me a commoner." One of the demi-flamingos spoke out of line, giving Ashner a belittling gaze. "His clothing is odd, and he doesn't have an air of royalty. Instead, his aura feels… filthy…"

Filthy?

"Watch your tongue." Risa stepped between Ashner and the new demi. "This man created a kingdom for us demi's to live in. Even now, he's working tirelessly so we can survive."

Elana sighed heavily. “Duke Devlin… Please don't insult Ashner. This kingdom owes him a lot… You only get one warning from me… I won't have you tarnishing my reputation because he's not what you expected…" Elana glared at the tall man.

Devlin scoffed and glanced away.

"Demi-flamingo's are weak warriors. Some are lucky and obtain an affinity for water… How did your tribe survive this long?" Risa asked with her tail standing up and her ears brought back.

"As unsavory as this sounds, we hid… Humans have been pushing east, and monsters of the abyss have been coming down from the north… We had to leave, and when we met your demi-bat scouts, we couldn't refuse your offer." Devlin admitted while he tapped his clothes. "These aren't our everyday get-ups, and our king died long ago. I was the duke, so I'm in charge now."

“I don’t care about any of that.” Ashner stepped forward. “What can you offer Sanctuary?”

“Offer?” The duke raised his eyebrow. “I’m a duke.”

"I don't care. If you can't provide something for us, then we're just wasting resources on you… Can your people serve as guards?" Ashner studied them. Most of them were slim. The women were feminine and frail. The men were barely any different. Ashner pointed at a random woman between them. She had white hair. In her arms, she held a baby demi-flamingo. "What can you do for us?"

She glanced around, caught off guard, she stuttered her words. "Sir… I'm of lower birth... I used to gather food for our people… It's a small job…"

"No job is small. In our society, you can do whatever you want. As long as you help the kingdom, nothing is off-limits."

“What if… I want to become a baker?” Her eyes lit up.

"Then we'll arrange for that. Sanctuary needs more demi's cooking and creating food… What about you?" Ashner pointed at a man that held his head up high.

“I divide resources among our people.” He witnessed the mistake his duke made and wouldn’t dare try to insult Ashner.

"We can give you a similar job. We have new weapons, and we're going to need someone to keep track of them. Since you have some experience with it, I'd like you to help the group. But these weapons are deadly, so I'll make sure to gather demi's from every race to maintain and protect these weapons."

“Are they that dangerous?” The demi-flamingo raised his eyebrows, which were surrounded by pink feathers.

“Yes.” Ashner glanced back at the duke. “Choose fifteen of your most diligent workers. They'll be assigned to the armory and choose another fifteen to serve as the armory's guards. They'll be trained by Gio, along with the rest of our army… But if you don't comply with our rules, then you and your people are not allowed to join us."

The duke wasn't fond of taking orders from a human, much less one he didn't deem as royalty. But his people were struggling, so he swallowed his pride and bowed. "Forgive my rudeness… All one thousand one hundred of us will obey and serve…”

“Elana, Melissa, can you two handle giving them jobs?” Both the girls nodded their heads.

The demi-flamingo’s split away. Some lingered and studied the box truck.

Gio helped himself and meddled inside the truck. “Is that a repelling gun?” He pointed inside the truck.

“I don’t really know why I bought that, but I got a little bit of everything.”

Lina and Risa studied the inside of the truck, even going back and forth as often as they did. The two were still very curious girls.

"I talked to Evaristo. He found a remote server White Water uses. It's guarded, and he believes it'll help us." Ashner admitted while he sipped on his CamelBak.

“You want us to do an illegal raid in our world?” Wong raised his eyebrow. “If we get caught, it’s jail time… Or we might end up dead.”

“That’s why I’m letting you know the risks. Evaristo thinks this server also has information regarding his brother and the disappearance of unit 111. If White Water was involved, then maybe that unit tried to stop them… And maybe they ended up dead…" Ashner sipped on his drink again. "I'm going."

“So am I.” Risa had been eavesdropping. “Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

“I’m in.” Gio smiled.

“You guys are jumping the gun.” Wong shook his head. “If we go in, we will have to kill. One mistake and White Water will destroy us.”

“We’re at war.” Gio studied his friend. “You think Ensley is just going to leave us alone? If we have a fighting chance, we should take it.”

“Evaristo wants to join us in this mission as well.” Ashner showed them a small external hard drive. “This is a computer worm. After Evaristo copies the data we need, he will plug this into one of their main computers. First, it'll erase all the data, including the camera's recorded feed. Then it forces the motherboard to overheat, and it fries itself.”

"This is still too risky." Wong wasn't convinced. "Evaristo might be hiding something. If this was as simple as he said. Why didn't he do this before?"

“The base is in Russia… From what Evaristo told me, some ex Spetsnaz are willing to help us. So we won’t be fighting alone.”

Wong sighed. “Alright, I’m in.”

“I’m going too.” Alex held the M39 sniper rifle Ashner had given him. The short demi-dog fired it often and had learned how to clean and maintain it.

“Include me as well.” Lina clasped her hands.

“No offense… But you two are not exactly warriors.” Ashner spoke his mind. “I’d rather not put you two in danger.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m a sniper and out of the main fight.” Alex teased and forced a fake smile.

"I have the power of foresight…" Lina bowed. "Please let me go with you… I'll use my power to keep all of you safe."

Gio and Wong glanced at Ashner. “… I won’t stop you if you want to go…”

Both Lina and Alex smiled.

“When do we head out?” Gio asked.

“Immediately.”

*******

“Oh, fuck, it's cold." Gio shivered as they exited the private airplane. None of them were armed since they had to fly across countries.

After paying for a car, the group drove across the frozen landscape.

Ashner, Gio, Wong, Alex, Lina, Risa, and Evaristo took in the landscape until they arrived at their destination. A small fishing town, ice and snow-covered just about everything.

The group was well dressed for the cold, but it was still unbearable.

“Where’s your contact?” Wong asked as he focused on the citizens of the small town. Unlike the ones they passed before, these people were not friendly, maybe being five hours away from civilization did that to them.

“They’re in the bar.” Evaristo shivered.

As they made their way across the town, locals kept wary eyes on them. They were locking their doors and keeping their distance.

“What’s wrong with the people here?” Risa asked.

Evaristo shrugged.

"I've seen that look before," Ashner recalled his days in the war. "These people have given up hope."

A cold gust of wind blew across them. The salt of the sea was in the air.

Then a scream caught their attention.

Ashner and the group moved towards it, curiously and cautiously.

“We gave you three days!" A southern American accent yelled. "So why haven't you paid your fee!"

Ashner, Gio, Wong, and Evaristo moved cautiously, using the homes as cover until they were close enough to witness the situation from a few feet away.

Three White Water members wore the same white and black uniform Ensley and his men wore, except a winter version. All three men were armed with assault rifles.

"I'm sorry, the weather has been bad these last few days. No one can get a boat out into the sea right now." Pleaded a local man while holding his son. "Give us a few more days… I promise I can get you fish."

“We’re protecting you, but we can’t do that on an empty stomach.” The White Water member spoke with an irritated western accent. “We’re even taking care of your people inside the base.”

Do they have civilians in their base? Why?

“Your daughter and wife are well fed, and they entertain our men… But we come first, so if you don’t feed us properly, they’ll be the ones that go hungry.”

Of course…

"Please… Just one more day, I'll leave right now." In the distance, the waves crashed heavily against the shore.

The White Water member shook his head and fiddled with his handgun.

Gio’s eyes widened, he gritted his teeth.

Wong held him back. None of them were armed. They had to give up their weapons, or else they wouldn’t leave the states.

Alex was next to Ashner. He glanced up and whispered. “Snipers on the roof.”

Ashner glanced up, and sure enough, two snipers wearing White Water uniforms were on top of the closest building. They had their sights on the family being harassed.

Around them, locals were speculating from their homes.

“We don’t take away your money or anything like that. All we ask for is food." The western man spoke once more. "Why did you get complacent? Now I have to make an example out of you…"

Lina pressed up against Ashner, and her eyes were glowing gold. "Before you do anything. Give Alex his weapon and Risa a dagger.

She’s using her foresight power.

Ashner willed his power creating Alex's M39 sniper rifle. He had used his power beforehand, turning the weapon into dust. That dust had hardened and clung to Ashner's shoulders. He did the same with his combat knife.

Ashner shifted the raw materials into bracelets and a thick necklace. So no one at the airport knew any better. They just presumed he had a shitty fashion sense.

The White Water member aimed his weapon at the father. “Sorry, can’t help a sap like you.”

Ashner molded one more weapon, his 1911. Before the western man fired, Ashner revealed himself, taking a shot. The gunfire echoed, and the western man tumbled, one bullet dug into his elbow and the other into his ribs. Before he recovered, Ashner fired twice, killing the other two White Water members. His bullets went clean through their heads.

XP:3490

The snipers above focused their sights on Ashner when he revealed himself and got serious when he fired on his comrades.

Before they fired, Risa was on top of one of them. Her dagger dug deep into his throat.

The second sniper was gunned down by Alex the moment he hesitated at the sight of his friend getting cut down by a woman who appeared out of nowhere.

XP:3650

The battle was over in a matter of seconds.

Alex tumbled to the ground and vomited out his lunch, and Wong helped him recover. This was the first time he had killed someone.

The western man held his hand up. “Who are you? What did you do?”

Ashner aimed the barrel of his handgun at the man.

“Let’s talk this through…”

“Sorry… I can’t help a sap like you…" Ashner pulled the trigger, and the western man's head flung back.

The family cuddled into each other. Ashner glanced at them as they shivered in fear. Sighing, Ashner turned away.

“Thank you.” The boy mustered. He was young, maybe twelve or thirteen years old. The father was in his late fifties.

Then the alarm rang.

The locals around them closed their doors and hid away.

"Now you've done it," Wong warned as he reached for one of the dead man's weapons. He readied the AK-107, Evaristo and Gio grabbed the spares and readied themselves for the worst.

Risa returned, holding two sniper rifles.

Around them, cars rushed towards them.

"We're too exposed out here, and we're surrounded by too many civilians. They might get caught in the crossfire." Ashner assessed his situation, but Lina spoke up.

"Risa, take Alex and me on top of that building. Wong and Evaristo take the left flank. Ashner, take the right. Gio, aim your weapon down the center. We’re going to be attacked by two trucks. One of them has a machine gun. And four men will rush us from that alley.” Lina pointed directly ahead of the group, her eyes still glowing gold. “Ashner, give Gio the SAW. Gio, wait until you see four of them. Then kill them.”

Her power lets her see up to three minutes in the future… She’s amazing…

Ashner willed his power, and Gio's SAW formed in his hands. Evaristo's jaw dropped.

Ashner tossed it to his friend as the rest of the group took their positions.

Seconds later, two trucks stopped around them, trying to pincer them.

Risa grabbed Alex and Lina. Using her power, she burned through three times the normal amount of her mana, but they were on top of the nearest building in an instant.

Alex readied his weapon, and Risa went straight down to join the others as the White Water members maneuvered towards them.

Alex's sight focused on the man on the machine gun. He exhaled and slowly pulled the trigger. The man fell out of the truck when the bullet ripped through his head.

XP:3730

The rest of the White Water soldiers rushed towards them. Rushing around the homes.

Wong and Evaristo fired on the enemy as soon as they came into sight. Ashner did the same from his position. When their bullets hit, the white in their uniforms slowly shifted red.

XP:3850

Above them, Alex fired once more, hitting a wall, the concrete dust peppered one of the men's eyes. Making him ineffective. That gave Risa the opportunity to rush in and kill his comrade that hid behind the truck. She then grabbed the man who refused to wear eye protection. As soon as she slit his throat, she retreated away from the gunfire.

XP:4090

More reinforcements rushed towards them, but Gio was ready. He unloaded as soon as he counted four men. They tumbled and died on top of each other.

Now only one remained.

The last man rushed back towards his truck and reached for the radio inside it.

A bullet ripped from one of the civilian's homes, killing the man.

Around them, four soldiers rushed towards the group.

They weren’t wearing White Water uniforms.

“What do you want!” One of them roared in a heavy Russian accent.

“To watch the world burn!” Evaristo boomed back.

“Ah! You must be Evaristo!” The man walked towards them with his hands up. “I’m Eugene… I work for Crow… You’re the one that’ll destroy their computers? Da?”

Everyone lowered their weapons.

“To hold a town this big, they need a battalion… What did you get us involved in? Evaristo?” Wong glared at the hacker. His Native American features were more visible now that his hair was getting covered in snow. The wind was picking up and taking snow with it.

“I didn’t tell you all the details because I needed soldiers… Crow brought his men here to train the locals a few months ago… We’re in the middle of a revolution… But that doesn’t change our mission… We need to get into the White Water base, and we need their data.”

Wong aimed his AK-107 at Evaristo’s head. “Your lies are going to get us killed.”

“I want my brother back… I don’t care who I use, betray, or kill…”

Ashner grabbed Wong’s weapon and slowly lowered it down to the ground. "Wong, what's done is done. I need your mind to be clear. Or we will die."

Eugene scratched his chin with the butt-stock of his AK-74M, confused on why his new allies were aiming weapons at each other.

“How much time until White Water retaliates?” Wong asked Eugene.

“Thirty minutes, if they’re fast.” Eugene raised his eyebrows. He was tall, fit, and all muscle. "I have to say. I thought we would make a plan before we attacked White Water. Now that we have their attention, we have to attack right away, or they'll kill everyone here.”

“This mission is a bust.” Wong shook his head. “If White Water knows we’re coming, they’ll kill us all before we get to their computers… We might stand a chance if we had an army…”

“We do have an army.” Eugene glanced back at the locals. Some of the men were gathering the weapons of the dead mercenaries. Others were gathering around Eugene. “But we don’t have enough guns to fight back…”

“Yes, we do." Ashner sighed and reached for the key around his neck.

"Ashner, that's a bad idea," Wong warned.

"I'm aware… But we need an army… And we only have thirty minutes…" Ashner walked towards the nearest door and tapped it with the key. It shifted magically in front of the locals. Some of them awed, and others gasped. Once the door completed changing, Ashner opened the door. "Take everything you need."

The locals cautiously walked in and quickly started taking weapons and ammo, even taking body armor for themselves.

“What the fuck?” Evaristo studied the door. “You can make a room filled with guns appear out of thin air, and I saw how you created that SAW out of nothing. What are you?”

"That's a long story… Evaristo, I know you don't like me… But let me be honest with you… I don't give a fuck… Your obsession is going to get you killed one day… And I’m fine with that… But if even one of my friends dies today… I will kill you…”

Evaristo took a step back. Ashner was serious. Even so, Evaristo inhaled deeply. "As long as we get the data, and I find my brother… Then, you can do whatever you want to me…”

Over six hundred men and a handful of older women loaded up with weapons and ammo. They gathered together in groups.

Each platoon was going to be led by one of the ex Spetsnaz soldiers.

While the militia assembled, the older women in the town drove cars towards them. They were jury-rigged with extra steel. Some of the trucks were loaded up with machine guns in their beds. Thanks to Ashner, they had more than enough weapons.

"It's been twenty minutes." Wong was studying his watch that he turned inward. "These locals are quick."

The child that they saved carried a submachine gun and headed towards the other resistance fighters. Gio's mouth dropped, and he grabbed the kid's shoulder. “What are you doing?”

The boy spoke in broken English. “They have my mom and sister…" He didn't stay. Instead, he rushed towards his people.

“The women here are all older.” Wong’s eyes studied the small town. “It’s obvious what happened here. I understand why they want to fight.”

Lina, Alex, and Risa joined the group. They also geared up. Lina carried a handgun. Even if she wasn't proficient with firearms, she still had one, just in case.

“Gather in your platoons!” Eugene spoke into a megaphone. “Four platoons, just how we practiced.”

They gathered together. Just glancing at them was enough to pity them. They were frightened.

“This isn’t training! Tonight we spill blood!” Eugene’s voice echoed. “Today we take back our wives… And our daughters!”

The militia hardened their resolve.

“THEY WERE STOLEN FROM US! KEPT AS HOSTAGES AND PLAYTHINGS FOR WHITE WATER! WE GAVE UP OUR HAPPINESS! OUR FUTURES! AND WILLINGLY BECAME SLAVES ON THE HOPE THAT OUR GIRLS WOULDN’T SUFFER AT THEIR HANDS!”

Risa gripped her sword tightly, Alex clung on to the strap on his sniper rifle.

“AND TODAY WE’LL OFFER UP MORE! WE’LL OFFER UP OUR LIVES! UNTIL OUR GIRLS ARE BROUGHT HOME! DON’T FALTER! DON’T HESITATE! MAKE THEM REGRET COMING TO OUR HOMES AND DESTROYING OUR LIVES!”

The militia raised their weapons and roared!

“Now I need volunteers.” Eugene stopped yelling. “Our main force will attack from multiple directions, disorganizing the enemy. But we’ve been digging through the ice. And we have a path that leads directly underneath White Water’s base. These volunteers will rush into the main base, disrupt their defenses, destroy their anti-personnel vehicles, and hack their servers… Achieving these goals is essential for keeping our main force alive.”

Evaristo stepped forward and grabbed the megaphone. “White Water will call for reinforcements, even if we win. They’ll destroy this town regardless. They know the names of everyone here. That’s why I will hack their main server, steal what I need, and then destroy it. After that, everyone here has to run. Without your name or pictures of your faces, they’ll never find you.”

“Thank you, Evaristo.” Eugene grabbed the megaphone. “Our mortar teams are ready to rain hell down on them… Don’t worry, our women are in an underground prison. The mortar rounds won't reach them. But if our volunteers are out in the open, they'll get caught in the blast. I need thirty volunteers… There's a good chance all of you will die… But complete the mission first…”

The militia stayed still. The weight of dying wasn't what consumed them. It was the weight of failing that did.

The youngest of the group stepped up.

The boy.

Before he spoke, Gio's strong arm grabbed his shoulder. He shook his head and told the boy no. Next, he stepped up. “I volunteer.”

"Idiot," Wong muttered under his breath.

“Da?” Eugene raised one eyebrow.

“Yeah, I know I’m not one of you. But I won’t let a child risk their life… Plus.” Gio lifted his SAW. “I’ll make sure to clear the way for you guys.”

“If you bleed with us, then you are one of us.” Eugene welcomed him. “How do you say… Brother’s through blood.”

“I’m going too.” Ashner moved ahead. “Risa, you’re more effective in mid to close combat. Will you join me?"

“Of course.” Risa kept pace with Ashner as he got shoulder to shoulder with Gio.

Alex moved too, but Ashner raised his hand, stopping him. "Alex, you'll stay behind and join one of the platoons. Watch our backs." Alex nodded and stepped back, a little depressed.

"Eugene, you don't have a headquarters platoon?" Ashner asked. Eugene just shook his head. "Alright, Lina."

Ashner tossed her a radio, the one that would allow her to speak to the entire militia. “You’re in charge of guiding our army.”

“What?” Lina’s ears drooped down. “I can’t do that.”

"Yes, you can." Ashner walked up towards her and showed her how to use the radio. "Your foresight is amazing, so use it and guide our forces."

“I… I don’t know.”

“That’s why you won’t do it alone… Wong.” Ashner studied the Asian man who was already a step ahead. Then, he grabbed the radio from Lina.

“After the first bullet fires, you have ten minutes.” Wong fiddled with the radio as he spoke. “We’re up against a superior military force, so don’t hold back, and don’t fucking die…”

Ashner nodded and joined the special platoon. Finally, they were ready to move.

"Onward, to death and glory, my brothers." Eugene nodded at them as he led them towards a tunnel hidden in an abandoned building. They had worked hard making it, even going as far as reinforcing it with wood and steel. It also had dozens of lanterns lit to guide them.

Gio led the way until they reached the end. One of the Russians spoke to them. "We're right outside of their motor pool." Gio reached into his bag and pulled out C4. The same ones he had disarmed. They were going to return the gift.

The Russian grabbed a shovel and tapped up until sand and snow came down. The moonlight shined down on them, welcoming them.

Gio jumped out of the tunnel first, scanning his surroundings. He counted four watchtowers, dozens of armored Humvees, all covered in tarps to prevent the snow from covering them up.

“It's clear." Gio extended his hand down the tunnel, grabbing Ashner, then Risa, then Evaristo, and every one after.

One by one, the group crawled towards the armored vehicles. They were using them as cover.

“They have watchtowers, but they're only watching the outside." Gio pointed up. "If we can take them out before they alert the others, then we can destroy their armor with the C-4.”

The locals grabbed the C4 bricks and started sticking them underneath the armored vehicles, moving silently and quickly. They spared no expense, even sticking two or three on them.

“Risa, focus on the watchtowers. If White Water is anything like the military, they should have two guards per tower." Ashner’s eyes went towards the center of the base, where dozens of antenna’s spun. And a specific weapon system caught his eye. “Oh… No…”

Gio eyed it as well. “That’s a C-RAM. If that thing is operating properly… Then our mortar team won’t land a single hit on this base… We’ll be on our own.”

Gio gathered the warriors. They didn't have a platoon leader, but they were more than willing to follow Gio since he was easily the biggest and strongest man. He glanced at Ashner. "What do we do?"

“We break into two groups. Gio and Evaristo take half the men and rush into the main building. The rest of us will create a diversion and destroy their watchtowers… And their C-RAM system…”

Ashner grabbed Risa’s shoulder. “Use your power and go tower to tower. I’ll cover you. The rest of you keep setting up the C4. After we finish up here, we’re going to fight our way inside the building.”

Some of the militia nodded. Other's aimed their weapons around, it was dark, and they had a small advantage. Gio smiled and nodded to the group. "Stay alive out there, boys. We'll get the data."

The group separated, using the darkness to reach their objectives.

*******

“Should I be here?" Lina fiddled with a computer. She was on top of an abandoned factory, with an amazing view of White Water's base. She kept her head down and studied her environment. The base had about five hundred meters of ice and snow before it reached the town. And the city surrounded it in three directions in a U shape. "My foresight has limitations. I can only see the future if I'm in a position that allows me to see the battle unfold. If I'm here, I won't be much help."

“That's why we're using these." Wong tossed Alex a camera which he immediately attached to his headpiece. Wong wore one as well. "We only have two computers, so you'll have to watch the battle from up here. Alex will join first platoon, and I'll join second. Use your power to guide our movements."

Wong pointed at the far left. “That’s where first platoon, and Alex will be, and third platoon will be further down, close to you.” Then he pointed far right. “That’s where second platoon is, where I’ll be. And fourth platoon is further down, again, closer to you.”

Lina studied the computers. She had been going out of her way to learn how to use them. And out of all the demi's, she had gotten the hang of them, even learned how to type. Her ears dropped, and her eyes were worried. "What if I fail?"

“Then we die… Lina, you led us when we were in that alley. I know you have the skills to keep us alive… Just have a little more confidence in yourself and in us." Wong put a camera on his headpiece. It started recording, Lina focused on the computers, they showed both Alex and Wong’s fields of view.

“Alright… But my mana will burn out after fifteen or so minutes…”

“That'll be more than enough time." Wong studied the militia. They were using their cars as cover. And some were positioning themselves on top and inside buildings, others on the cold floor, and some inside the vehicles.

Eugene spoke Russian into his radio then gave a thumbs up to the group. "Mortar teams are ready. We have four on stand-by."

“Then we’re ready… When the first bullet fires, we wait ten minutes… Then the mortar team engages." Wong studied Eugene, who nodded.

“I’ll be in second platoon.”

A bullet echoed. Lina’s ears shot up.

“So it’s begun.” Eugene rushed down the stairs of the building.

*******

Risa used her power. In a second, she was inside the watchtower with her katana in hand. Before the guards reacted, she cut them down.

XP:4950

That’s the last tower.

Risa stuck a C4 brick in the last one and jumped down, using her wind to rush next to Ashner.

“We’re heading after the C-RAM.” Ashner glanced up. The machine was up high, and they needed to take a flight of stairs to get to it. And Risa was already low on mana.

“Hey!” A White Water member stepped out a side door with a cigarette in hand. Even in the darkness, he perceived someone was rushing around. "What are you doing?"

He aimed his weapon and fired.

“Risa!” Ashner gave her the order.

The demi-cat rushed in, digging her sword deep into the mercenary's chest. She dug it into his body from his collar bone. It tore his flesh and internal organs. His eyes dilated, and he coughed up blood. Risa pulled her weapon out, and he tumbled. In the distance, the body of a young man gasped for air. Risa reached out for him, but more gunfire rained down. Peppering the dying man.

XP:5020

Ashner grabbed Risa and just about lifted her away from the gunfire.

In the distance, the rest of the militia opened fire. They were nowhere near the entrance of the building like Ashner and Risa.

The alarm rang, and dozens of footsteps rushed towards the rebels. A door opened next to Ashner and Risa. The two stayed silent as hundreds of White Water soldiers ran past them.

“We need to go.” It was thirteen against a hundred. Risa closed her eyes as their comrades sacrificed their lives. Ashner and Risa evaded the main White Water force and reached the stairs, making their way up towards the gun that’ll prevent their main assault from commencing.

Risa glanced back as she ran alongside Ashner. The last of their comrades perished.

“They’re gone.” Risa had fought in battles before. But nothing compared to the guns from Ashner’s world. They murder in a blink of an eye.

“I know.” Ashner wasn’t numb to witnessing his comrades die. He just wore an invisible mask around Risa. "We can't let them die in vain… We need to hurry before the mortar attack hits us. If we're caught up in that blast, then we're goners."

The stairway started circling around the building, making it more difficult to maneuver. Unfortunately, the two didn’t fathom that the building also served as an over-watched for the base, and they ran directly in front of White Water's entire chain of command.

For a second, nobody reacted.

Ashner aimed his M4 Carbine and pulled the trigger, killing the closest soldiers through the thin walls and windows.

XP:5380

Risa rushed in, cutting down the mercenaries on their computers. She let her anger guide her. Her sword beheaded, de-limbed, and dug into the bodies of strangers, people whose only purpose was to die at the end of her blade.

XP:6200

“They’re heading to the roof!” The mercenaries from below rushed up the stairs. They were unloading their rounds on Ashner and Risa.

Ashner gripped the C4 trigger tightly. It wasn't the right time to use it.

The rounds were ripping apart the remaining windows and destroying the walls around them. They had no cover, and rushing outside was the easiest way to get shot down. The two knelt down together. Ashner used the last of the metal he had hanging around his body, including his assault rifle, as a makeshift shield that curved like an umbrella. It wasn't large enough to cover him and Risa. He brought her close to him and held her tightly.

“We can't get out of here." Ashner and Risa were pinned down. Stray bullets bounced off the shield. Risa hugged him tightly. Her legs were shaking in fear. She glanced up at him.

“Is this where we die?” Risa asked, her blade dripping blood around her. Her eyes locked on Ashner’s. “Did I at least make you happy?”

That’s what you think about when we’re this close to death? You’re adorable…

“Yes…” Rounds ripped apart the computers near them. “You’re the girl who melted my heart… I’m happy that I found you…” Ashner held her hand as bullets peppered around them.

Then the firing stopped.

“INCOMING!” A voice thundered from outside.

The whistle of incoming mortar rounds screeched. It was followed by the C-RAM coming to life and firing at the incoming explosives.

“It’s too early.” Ashner glanced at his watch. Only five minutes had passed. “No… Wong ordered the attack early…”

“Why?” Risa held on to Ashner.

“To make themselves a target.”

In the middle of the chaos, Ashner glanced at his hands. "My power… I'm so used to combat that I'm not using it." He impacted the wall behind him, crumbling it and reforming it. The stairs were ahead of them, so the two rushed ahead.

“THE TOWN TURNED ON US! THEY KILLED OUR PATROL TROOPS AND ARE FIRING DOWN ON US!” The speakers came to life inside the base. “ENGAGE EVERY LOCAL! LEAVE NONE OF THEM ALIVE!”

Ashner and Risa finally made it to the top of the building where the C-RAM was. It moved and fired rapidly. Its rounds lit up the sky with its red tracers. And to Risa's surprise, the noise it made was similar to someone blowing a raspberry.

Ashner palmed the roof and willed his power. Crumbling the roof and creating a fissure. One that reached the C-RAM. Its foundation collapsed and broke to pieces. Making the weapon fall inside the base.

It stopped firing. But not before it tore through the base’s wall as it fell.

“The gate is opening.” Risa’s gaze was on the main gate where White Water members were rushing out of.

Using their Humvee’s and snowmobiles. Like a swarm of ants moving through a thin passageway.

White Water was out for blood. And they had a target.

As they left to face the main force, Ashner flipped the safety of the C4 trigger. He hesitated for a second, acknowledging how many people would die today. The guilt left him when he recalled Ensley’s violence.

Ashner flipped the trigger.

XP:20,850

*******

Gio, Evaristo, and his soldiers pushed deeper inside the building. They lost ten men and were moving as fast as possible.

An explosion shook the building, the concrete wall near Gio cracked. But that wasn't enough to distract him. He focused his fire and gunned down two White Water members who were not in uniform. "The battle outside is getting intense." Gio stepped over the bodies. His men had resorted to picking up their weapons once their own were spent.

“There!" Evaristo pointed at a door with the obvious 'Server Room' etched into its metal frame.

The soldiers rushed inside the room. It was filled with hundreds of black computers behind tempered glass doors, and it was ice cold inside. Evaristo pulled out a small laptop from his backpack. He plugged the wire inside one of the computers. The hacker started running a computer program he created and plugged in several hard drives into different portions of the computer systems.

“How long will this take?” Gio asked.

“Something this large will take me a few minutes… Ten, fifteen… Maybe longer…”

Gio put his head against the door. “Most of the soldiers inside the base left to fight Eugene’s main force.”

“I’m assuming that as well.” Evaristo started typing into his computer. “We still need to get out of here alive.”

“With the children and women.” Gio glanced at one of the militia locals. “Where are they keeping them?”

“Underground in a prison.”

“Prison… Then I know how to get to them.” Gio handed his SAW to the nearest man and walked towards the door. “I’ll find the girls…”

“Unarmed?” Evaristo raised his eyebrow. “Are you insane!”

“Sometimes I ask myself that… But in my experience… If you go in guns blazing trying to save prisoners when the enemy is expecting you… The guards execute them out of desperation… If they’re in a prison… Then I just need to get myself caught.”

“That’s a terrible plan.” Evaristo focused on typing and stopped only when he talked.

“Yes… But it’s the best one I have… I’m not like my friends… They plan every move ahead of time… I just act… And I’m also pretty lucky… Boys, keep Evaristo safe… I’ll find your girls.” Gio stepped out and walked across the base

Most of the mercenaries were gone. He walked past a few rooms until something hit his back.

The sting of a taser.

As he spasmed, Gio smiled.

******

Wong and Alex were on opposite sides of each other. And Lina was the furthest from the battle. She was surrounded by third and fourth platoon.

The elf kept her eyes on both the battle and the computers as the mortar rounds started coming down. Red laser and bullets ripped the projectiles out of the sky before they hit, leaving Lina breathless.

“Here we go.' Lina's eyes turned gold. The future was at her fingertips. She smiled and gave an order. "Nobody fire yet… Wait thirteen seconds…”

The militia was conflicted, but nobody said a word, nor did they disobey. That was until the Humvee's exploded, one after another. Eradicating some of the mercenaries riding the snowmobiles.

Eugene’s army stayed silent. They didn't even cheer. Lina was dead on with her prediction.

Even with all the explosions, White Water still had a formidable force. After the smoke settled, White Water separated their forces in two. Half went left and the other right. They were going to clear the entire city.

“First platoon attack the moment you see them. Don't let them regroup, and don't let them talk to each other.” Lina ordered. The rebels engaged, easily eradicating a platoon's worth of men. "Second platoon, don’t attack.”

The second platoon held their trigger fingers back but kept their sights on their enemy as they sped by them on their snowmobiles.

"Fourth platoon, attack the moment you see them. Use all your explosive weapons…”

Second platoon waited inside old buildings. Adjusting their positions and sights as the enemy passed below them.

Fourth platoon swapped out their assault rifles for heavy weapons and waited until the first wave of enemies emerged. As soon as the enemy came into focus, they unloaded their clips.

The explosions killed a few members, but it did something more helpful. It broke their morale.

White Water broke ranks and retreated.

“Now… Second platoon, while they're retreating, attack them. Fourth platoon, push forward and keep shooting them. Don’t fire at each other.”

Gunfire roared to Lina's right side, where Wong was. The rebels showed no mercy. Some of them were dying under her command. A reality Lina accepted. She was willing to let them die as long as they won the battle. But, a part of her was curious, did her father have to make these choices when he faced humankind in her world? She shook her head. This wasn’t the time and place for that.

In the distance, the C-RAM stopped firing. Eugene tapped a rubber button on his radio. “Unload every mortar round, rain hell on them.”

Lina’s vision blurred. “Damn it… I’m almost out of mana…” Her eyes were flickering from gold to purple. But not before she witnessed something that dropped her heart into her stomach.

“What was that?" Lina glanced back towards first platoon's location where Alex was fighting.

*******

Wong moved an abandoned dresser in one of the homes. He used it to prone his assault rifle on it. He was making sure not to stick his weapon out the window. As targets came into view, he used the red dot on his sight, aimed center mass, and fired.

One White Water member fell, gripping his leg. Wong waited a few seconds for his ally to come and try to drag him away. That’s when Wong fired and killed both of them.

Wong’s radio came to life. “Doctor!” It was Ashner’s voice, and it came in staticky.

Wong reached for the radio. “Broken, what’s your sit-rep?” As soon as he let go of the button on his radio, the echo of gunfire roared through it, informing Wong that Ashner was engaged in battle.

“White Wate- They have a -" Wong shook the radio. The gunfire and static was making it impossible to communicate clearly. Wong brought it closer to his ear.

“Say again, Broken?”

Wong’s eyes widened when he grasped the new development.

*******

Alex and first platoon were still in the heat of battle. Slowly but surely, they were pushing forward. Third platoon was behind them using long-range weapons to kill stragglers and White Water members that panicked and started retreating.

The incubus was inside a home, using his scope to kill his targets. He was nauseous and sick of the gore. But he wanted to live.

Then a humming caught his eye. He glanced up. A monster of steel floated towards his platoon from the base. Then it fired missiles.

Alex ducked as the explosives destroyed multiple buildings. Cutting some in half, also blowing up half a dozen cars, shooting snow and stone into the sky.

From a distance, Lina stood as she witnessed the devastation the helicopter caused.

Wong rushed forward, avoiding gunfire and explosions. He glanced up at the UH-1Y Venom. In seconds it decimated first platoon.

The blast propelled six people, including Alex, out of the building as it collapsed under the pressure of a missile that nearly missed them. As soon as Alex slammed against the wall, he fell limp on something soft… Bodies.

Alex's head was fuzzy, and his eardrums were muffled. But one thing was certain… He was on top of corpses.

Men who were fighting alongside him seconds ago.

His focus went back up towards the flying machine. It stopped about four hundred meters away from him and spun in circles. Unloading it’s rounds on everything that moved, the locals didn’t stand a chance.

"That's a Venom!" A man fifty feet away from Alex fired at it. The Venom spun, and in a few seconds, the rebel’s body was ripped apart.

As the helicopter spun, Alex spied on two men operating the door machine guns. One on each side of the Venom. They were slaughtering the resistance with ease.

Alex low crawled through the bodies, clenching the strap of his weapon tightly. His body shook as the UH-1Y Venom circled around, its fifty calibers ripping rounds across the sky, illuminating its path with red tracers. Leaving behind only the screams of dying warriors.

“This is how war is fought in this world…" Alex gasped and gagged. Some of the cadavers were nothing more than mush, but the aroma was harsh in the air. Alex wasn’t cold anymore. “I should’ve never come here… This world is terrifying…”

Around him, some of the militia moaned and gasped for air. They were on death's doorstep. Alex had gotten extremely lucky. His body was in pain since he was caught in a blast and only ended up with cuts and bruises, but he wasn’t dead yet. The live feed on his helmet was still rolling, granted it was cracked. Lina's voice came through statically. Her tone was nothing but desperation. It helped the demi-dog focus on staying conscious.

“Alex! I’m out of mana! I can’t keep you safe! Get out of there!” Lina begged right before she started pleading with third platoon. Alex’s headset stopped working, it had gotten damaged, and it finally gave out.

“I can't." Alex used the bodies to prone his weapon. He recalled the time Ashner bought him from the slaver. When he fed and let him sleep on a comfortable bed. And when he gave him a new home, his own room, and a new purpose in life. The weapon he held wasn’t just a gift. It was a symbol of Ashner’s trust in him. Even after all the pranks he played on him, Ashner never once punished him. Alex wasn't a fool. He accepted long ago that he was weak, and compared to the others, he was the weakest, even weaker than Risa and Melissa. “Even if I’m scared… I won’t stop… I won’t fail them…”

Alex focused his reticle on the gunner. Even from that distance, he caught that gunner was smiling and enjoying himself.

“I’ll become as strong as them… So they can rely on me more…” Alex recalled how Ashner shook his head when Alex asked to join the mission.

Alex kept his true emotions veiled. Deep down, he was crushed that Ashner didn't believe he was strong enough for this kind of mission. Regardless of how weak he viewed himself. Alex controlled his breathing, just how Gio taught him. He waited until his body exhaled and kept the butt-stock tight against his shoulder, then he squeezed the trigger slowly.

The door gunner's head exploded. He wore goggles, more than likely to keep away the snow from his eyes. Alex's bullet shattered them and kept going. The left side's gunner stopped firing and collapsed inside the Venom.

“That’s one…” Alex adjusted his position as the helicopter spun a hundred and eighty degrees. Alex’s sight adjusted on the second gunner, the fifty caliber machine gun focused on Alex. But the incubus fired first.

In the distance, the second gunner's body fell limp out of the UH-1Y Venom, straight towards the cold floor.

“That’s two…” His sight landed on the pilot. He fired, and nothing happened. The glass was too thick. Alex fired again and again.

Once again, he was powerless.

From inside the helicopter, the pilot jerked her head back. Had the round been stronger… She shook her head and landed her missile’s reticle on Alex. After taking out two of her comrades, the pilot didn’t mind wasting a missile on him.

She readied her joystick and flipped the safety switch for her missiles.

Alex closed his eyes as he fired his last round. "I'm sorry… But… It was a lot of fun…"

A missile flew across the dark sky.

Nailing the pilot's side of the UH-1Y Venom.

Ripping inside the pilot’s hatch. Exploding and erasing the woman’s existence.

Alex opened his eyes as a snowmobile's engine died down. His eyes focused on the street near him. Sitting on the snowmobile was Wong, holding a spent AT4 rocket launcher. He tossed it aside since it was spent and can’t be reloaded.

Around him, the militia reached him and cheered as the helicopter glided away from the group. Crashing against a concrete building and ultimately exploding in a sea of flames.

Alex surveyed it for a few seconds until strong arms grabbed him and lifted him away from the corpses he was on top of. The man carrying him away was his friend.

“Wong?” He asked, still gripping his M39 sniper rifle’s sling. “I feel lightheaded.”

Once they were safe inside one of the abandoned buildings. Wong stripped Alex’s armor off. He skimmed every part of Alex’s body, searching for any kind of wound. He was covered in blood, after all.

“Light physical wounds, more than likely from shrapnel, and that lightheadedness must be a concussion. Thank God… We've lost a lot of people today… I’m glad you weren't one of them…" Eventually, Wong stepped away from the short demi-dog. “That was a stupid thing to do… Lina ordered you to retreat… Yet you kept fighting… A sniper rifle is ineffective against an armored helicopter.”

“I’m sorry.” Alex stood up. Still lightheaded.

“But… Your actions allowed us to rush into the battle without the door gunners mowing us down… You're a hero…" Wong leaned against the wall. "The battle has shifted in our favor… Eugene gave the order to attack the main base… So we’ve already won.”

“How can you be so sure?” Alex asked.

“Because I’ve seen Gio and Ashner’s skills in combat… Those two will never do something stupid that’ll put them in danger…”