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Chapter I: Papa Bravo
The Large-scale Offensive was in full swing as the Gran Mur did nothing to protect its populace from the onslaught of the Legion. Under the red night sky, the once-great city of Liberté et Égalité. The capital of the Republic of San Magnolia, lay besieged at the hands of the Legion. The once proud city of the Republic became scarred by the relentless flames of war. Within this chaos, Captain Vladilena Milizé, also known as Lena commanded the last bastions of resistance against unyielding hordes of the Legion. Her voice, once filled with unwavering resolve, now trembled across the communication channels, issuing what could be her final orders.As the Legion forces were enclosing their position, Captain Milizé barricaded herself with what remained of her forces under her command. A mixture of Republic soldiers of the Alba race who once turned their backs on the Colorata, people the Alba deemed as inferior. They were exploited and abused for almost a decade before this battle and the Colorata soldiers who were referred to as Processors decided to assist their former oppressive overlords, despite that they had no obligation to do so. Their last stand was where it all began: Palace Blancneige."Razor Edge Squadron, move to the northern flank!” She commanded. “We can't let them breach the city center! Spearhead, I need you on aerial surveillance. At the first sign of the Legion activity, report immediately! Everyone else, fortify your positions. We hold the line here, for our Republic, for our honor!"As the Legion's forces advanced with terrifying precision, Lena's strategic mind raced against time to find a sliver of hope, to find an opportunity - a critical point of failure in the enemy's onslaught Yet, with each passing moment, the weight of an inevitable conclusion pressed heavily upon her shoulders.
Her squadrons, comprised of the bravest souls she had ever known, responded with unwavering loyalty, but their numbers dwindled rapidly against an enemy that felt neither fear nor fatigue.
"Captain Milize, Legion reinforcements have breached our defenses! What are your orders" came a voice, static-laden but resolute, over the comm.Lena paused, her heart heavy. "Hold your ground, Razor Edge. Reinforcements are on their way. Spearhead, provides covering fire. We shall not yield."But the promised reinforcements would never arrive. Encircled and vastly outnumbered, Lena's forces fought with the ferocity of those who knew they were standing on the precipice of history. The forces under her command were not only defending just a city but an idea – a Republic that was once built on the values of liberty and equality, now crumbling to ashes around them as both soldiers and civilians were doing around the Alba Captain. This was something that people died for in the past. This was their home, it’s all they had ever known and would know.
As the battle raged, Lena's tactical screen flickered with loss after loss, each blip vanishing like a snuffed candle in the dark. Her heart ached for every soldier under her command, every life extinguished under the cold advance of the Legion. In an act of desperation, the once proud Captain decided to send a message through the entire network. She hoped that maybe there was a unit out there that would assist them. A flicker, a spark that was considered to be hope which she tried to keep lit by uttering these mere words of pleades for assistance.
“All units on this net, be advised: we are taking heavy fire from the North from enemy Legion due North of our position.”
Little did the Captain know that no help would be coming. All the help she ever could have asked for was already at her disposal.
“All active Processors and Republic Divisions on this net, this is Palace Blancneige. We're holding our own but have enemies to the north and are taking fire from that direction! Request you engage all targets north of Palace Blancneige. I repeat, request you engage all enemy targets north of Palace Blancneige, over.”
It wasn’t just the north, the south, the east, and the west were all slowly eaten up by the flames of the Legion.
“This is the Palace Blancneige, be advised, that we are taking heavy fire from Legion Units. We're down to 80% combat effectiveness.”
The government has caved into the pressure that was forced upon them even before the battle started. The President of San Magnolia was killed while trying to escape to the South, along with the majority of nobles and high-ranking military staff. Captain Vladilena Milizé was left as the final competent officer in the entire Republic. However, she was a mere child, a child who saw the world she once knew crumble below her feet with each passing minute.
“All callsigns, be advised that enemies to the north are attempting a forced in-detail assault on Palace Blancneige. Be advised, that hostile forces are attacking Palace Blancneige!”
No help would come, no matter how hard she screamed, no matter how much of her comrade's blood she kept spilling to give her and her remaining soldiers a measure of pace, a space to breathe. No help will come.
“We need support from any operational unit in the area! We're taking major casualties, military and civilian. Request you engage targets north from the Palace, over!”
There was no response, Lena didn’t hear any other soul responding to her pleas as the situation was growing to be desperate.
“Palace Blancneige to all callsigns, enemy fire is threatening to destroy our position, we can't take much more of this!”
The Legion stormed onto the main grounds of the Palace, leaving the entire Squadron completely wiped out as the survivor’s retreats were paved by the blood of their fallen comrades.
“Palace Blancneige is taking heavy fire! We're down to 50 percent combat effectiveness, we need support or we’re going to fall, over!”
Lena looked in horror from her post, seeing Legion forces breach nearly every Republic defense in sight. The silvered-eyed Captain looked around her, seeing a mixture of wounded Republic soldiers who were completely exhausted. Processors who were unable to fight anymore, let alone pilot a Juggernaut and civilians, hobbled together, many refusing to accept their upcoming fate.
“All callsigns, this is Palace Blancneige, be advised, that our situation is critical, we can't take much more of this! We need more time to get these civies out of here!”
But there was nowhere for the civilians to be evacuated to, they were now surrounded by the Legion forces, Löwe types, and Dinosauria’s turning Juggernauts into bloodied scrap metal and trampling on the basic infantry armed with mere rifles that did little to no damage to the marching Legion. All the hope that remained tight in her chest. Her promise of fighting to the very end was sniffed out by the flames of reality.
“All callsigns, be advised, that we have civilians taking up arms to defend the Palace but they're untrained! We're on the verge of being overrun, we need help NOW!”
In a desperate attempt, some of the civilians who barricaded themselves along with the dying soldiers took up arms, grabbing whatever they could get their hands on. Their scratch consisted of mere Rifles and rocket launchers that they decided to use in a futile attempt to prolong their survival just by a mere breath.
"Lena! They're breaking through the main gate!" The desperation in the voice of one of Lena’s most trusted officers was palpable, a stark contrast to the calmness she tried to maintain. The Legion blasted their way through the man-made barricades as they found themselves fighting in the courtyard of the palace.
“This is the Palace Blancneige, combat personnel are mostly dead, and we're below 10% combat effectiveness. Request additional fire support over!”
Most of her officers were dead as well. Most of them were wiped out by a large explosion that was the result of the constant artillery barrage of several Grauwolfs, giving their lives to buy their Captain precious time to organize a defense.
“Papa Lima, all callsigns, enemies are closing rapidly on our position. We're hanging on by a thread here, over!!”
Lena had barricaded herself along with a ragtag team of wounded Alba Soldiers, Processors who started to lose their will to fight, and a couple of civilians who merely survived for this long based on God’s sense of cynicism and irony. Perhaps this was the kind of fate that they all deserved. For starting this war, for creating the Legion for the sake of war. Humanity’s greatest sin came down on their godforsaken world where all will be judged as equals.
“ALL CALLSIGNS, BE ADVISED, PAPA LIMA IS COMBAT-INEFFECTIVE, WE'RE PINNED DOWN!! THEY'RE COMING AT ANY SECOND NOW!”
The small Ameise units were walking up the stairs of the Palace as they mowed down the remaining wounded who would have never stood a chance, painting their stairs with their blood. pulverizing their bodies, dead or barely alive with their mechanical legs like shredded flesh.
“LEGION IS INSIDE THE PALACE, I REPEAT, LEGION IS INSIDE THE PALACE-!!!!”
Lena’s radio connection got cut off, but it never mattered as anyone could hear her pleas and cries for help or a chance of salvation that never came. If she only worked harder, if she only realized it much sooner and was able to do more than she could have then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.
“Captain, we’re going ahead,” one of the Processors uttered as he instructed the remaining survivors to buy what little time they had for Lena to utter her last words of encouragement. Lena couldn’t help but nod reluctantly. She had previously pleaded and begged her soldiers not to give their lives for her sake, but they all made up their minds and the ones who didn’t were held at gunpoint by the Processors- to be used as human shields if they didn’t cooperate.
The Captain was left alone in the barricaded office that was once of her dear uncle. She never found out what happened to him but he was likely killed along with the majority of the military. She was surrounded by the bodies of her former comrades. Many had their entrails spread across the room. It felt more like a slaughterhouse than a military command post. Outside she could hear the soldiers scream in pain as their limbs were ripped apart and being disemboweled alive.
“This is Captain Vladilena Milizé to wherever is listing to this net. I am the last soldier in the Republic of San Magnolia Armed Forces still standing…I’ve lost all my staff and….Annette…..Oh God….Annette.” Lena broke into small sobs as she buried her hands into her face, reminiscing how her best friend met such a cruel fate at the hands of the Legion before gaining back her composure. The sounds of gunfire and artillery deafened her sobs. No one could hear her and the Legion didn’t care. “I don’t want to die. Raiden, Anju, Kurena, Theo……Shin…..Shiden, if you’re still out there….If you’re still alive…Please forgive me….I couldn’t catch up with you….I won’t reach the place where you go…I’m sorry…I did all I could. I tried to be brave like you, I tried to fight like you. I’ve lost too much to bear.”
Lena's voice trailed off. The truth was clear: she was tired and she was going to die here, her options dwindling as the enemy closed in. Yet, Lena's resolve completely crumbled. In the midst of despair, her fire and determination that she was once admired and well known for, that pushed her to her limits are about to be snuffed out by the Legion that stormed into her office with a large boom, leaving a trail of what remained of the last defenders of the Palace. that covered the Legion units in a mix of entrails and blood. The self-propelled mines that were known for making mince meat of her men all stared at the poor captain as a Dinosauria, a heavy-tank type of the Legion that came from a large hole in the wall slowly approached her until it stood still right in front of her.
A solemn silence enveloped her command post. She took a deep breath, the sounds of the encroaching Legion a grim symphony heralding the end. In her final moments, Lena attempted to muster the final ounce of hope to avoid herself to succumb to her despair, however, she was scared of what would come after. The Alba captain saw in the reflection of chrome that her once beautiful skin and her black uniform were bathed
with the blood of her comrades, fitting for the nickname of: ‘Bloody Regina.’ She didn’t even look human anymore.
<<I finally found you>>The Captain gave the Dinosauria unit in front of her a forced smile as she couldn’t contain her tears rolling down her cheeks, washing away the blood of her comrades.
“Please…..Don’t let me forget.”Her whisper was met with a quick slice from the Dinosauria unit, decapitating her from the neck down, as she felt her head hitting the pool of blood that consisted of a mixture of her comrades and her own. Her last thoughts were not of despair but of regret. Regret that she didn’t fight hard enough, regret that she wasn’t able to save her home, the people, and everyone. She regrets that she was unable to fight for a world that was free from the shadows of war. But above all, she regretted that she failed to uphold the promise of seeing her old Squadron once more.
“I won’t forget........”The city's flames and the burning flag of the Republic reflected in her fading gaze, as the last citizen of the Republic died at the hands of the Legion.
Perhaps this was something that she deserved.
This marked the day that the once-great city of Liberté et Égalité fell at the hands of the Legion and so, the curtains of the Republic of San Magnolia burned along with it. Their flag once reigning with pride lies in the pools of the blood of the ones that used to wave them.
<<The White Queen is dead, long live The Red Queen>>
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter II: Aeternum Vale
In the dimly lit, somber room of the military command center. There was a group of high-ranking generals and politicians of the Federal Republic of Giad. They were the ones that initially launched the legion attacks across the continent when it was an Empire. The empire died when the people rebelled, and many of these people were now sitting around the conference table. The main topic on their agenda was to discuss the findings of an audio playback device that was retrieved from a Juggernaut that managed to reach the old borders of the Republic of San Magnolia. The mood was heavy, each bracing themselves for what they were about to hear. The operator of the Juggernaut gave the audio device to Major General Richard Altner of the 177th Armored Division, right before she passed away without uttering her name. But rather the name of her beloved commander. These recordings contained the final moments of Captain Vladilena Milizé, who led a desperate defense against overwhelming Legion forces, ultimately paying the ultimate price for her bravery.As the audio crackled to life. The room fell into a hushed silence, the only sound being Lena's voice, strong yet tinged with an unmistakable edge of desperation. The people in the room heard the voice of a capable commander as the voice was coordinating her unit, issuing orders with clarity and precision, even as the sounds of warfare raged in the background. There was gunfire, explosions, and the chaos of battle, but through it all, Lena's resolve remained unyielded.However, as the recording progressed, the tone shifted. The fierceness in Lena's voice was gradually replaced by an undeniable sense of dread. She spoke of the enemy's numbers, how they seemed endless, like waves crashing against a rocky shore. Yet, her mood shifted from confidence to her succumbing to despair.The generals listened, stone-faced, but none could hide the impact of Lena's words. It was a raw, unfiltered glimpse into the horror of war, far removed from the sanitized reports and statistics that usually crossed their desks. Lena's voice cracked as she described their hopeless situation as comrades around her kept dying, how she pleaded for help that never came, and how she died.
And then, there was nothing but the sweet sound of silence. Many of these officers knew what the battlefield was like, many of the politicians on the other hand did not.
The recording ended abruptly, leaving an almost palpable void. For a long moment, no one spoke, each person lost in their thoughts, grappling with the weight of what they had just heard.
It was Ernst Zimmerman, interim president of the Federacy who finally broke the silence. He was an older man, who had seen many battles and the burdens of command that the people have entrusted him to carry. His voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of emotion as he addressed the room."We cannot make this recording public," he stated flatly, a decision met with nods of agreement from the others. "The truth of this entire situation… It's too much. It would break the morale of the children." He referred to the survivors of Spearhead Squadron as their names were mentioned in the recordings. Ernst wanted to protect them once again from what this cruel fate had befallen one of their comrades. He didn’t know that the children were far from ordinary as they were forged by war. They were not weak nor asked for pity. However Ernst struggled with a way of telling the children without bringing up the painful memories, but he knew that he couldn’t.
There was a murmur of assent, a collective acknowledgment of the heavy responsibility they bore, not just to defend their nation but to shield its citizens from the darkest realities of conflict.“Sir, with all due respect, but these are children who were forged by war. They deserve closure, and they'll only have it once they know the truth.” Richard responded as he gazed upon the rest of the military staff.
“They will find out sooner or later,” Willem added. “If we redact this recording, and if it is leaked to Spearhead, not only their trust but the public morale and faith of the Federacy will be shattered and we will all pay dearly for it. We need them to trust us, we cannot do that if we keep secrets from them that they have the entitlement to know.”“Very well, as their legal guardian, I will take this responsibility upon myself to deliver the news,” Ernst responded with a solemn look on his face.
The decision was made. Ernst, carrying the weight of this news took it upon himself to relay the fate of Captain Vladilena to the survivors of Spearhead, their reactions were mixed. But none of them were happy, but at the same time, they had prepared for the worst already. The sense of knowing the truth gave them closure but in exchange, they felt sad.
“So, the Major didn’t catch up with us after all?” Kurena was the first to speak. She had said this before, but this time it could have been confirmed that Vladilena Milizé, their former handler who once held the prestige rank of Major was unable to catch up with them.
“So, the Republic finally kicked the bucket, eh?” Theo should have been happy at least, deep down he felt that they got what they deserved, but in the end. He couldn’t say this about Lena. Even if he has shown a grave dislike towards her naivety and her sense of justice, but didn’t wish this fate on her.
“We had time to prepare, deep down we knew that this was eventually the case. But we just didn’t want this at all. I just wished we could meet her, just this once, thank you for telling us,” Anju’s voice trembled. But she wasn’t concerned about herself as just like the rest of the group all stared at Shin who remained unresponsive during Ernst's entire story.
“Shin, are you okay?” Raiden, who had been the Squadron’s mom and who always took care of the Squadron completely ignored his struggles with the news of the demise of their Handler and instead was more concerned for his Captain and oldest friend.
“I’m fine,” Shin didn’t even look in the direction of his friends. He didn’t even look at Ernst when he announced the news, all he did was nod as he looked down at the ground.
Shin recalled how he fought and defeated the Morpho on the lycoris fields. While the large railgun was burning into a metallic husk that plagued the Western theatre. A alone Ameise was about to collect what the reaper had owed when suddenly it got destroyed by a blast from a Juggernaut that slowly stammered towards him. It was a special night-raid model that focused on reconnaissance and close-quarters engagements. This Juggernaut had the simple of a faded eye. Shin noticed that this Juggernaut was barely operational as it had sustained a lot of damage.
As Shin was about to open his cockpit, a swarm of Legion entered their area, however, they were quickly dealt with by artillery fire of the Fedarcy whose fleet of helicopters landed near his crashed Reigeinleif. Several soldiers, wearing the Úlfheðinn exoskeleton stepped out and rushed towards the Juggernaut, accompanied by Richard who assured Shin that they would take over from there. As the Juggernaut cockpit opened, Shin’s eyes narrowed as a woman with light brown skin and short reddish hair attempted to step out of the cockpit. But Shin knew that given her wounds which consisted of deep cuts around her face to the point where she was missing an eye, wouldn’t have long in this Godforsaken world. Before she passed on to the next life, decided to give the Major General an audio recording. The Nouzen boy’s worst fears came out as he saw the text appearing on his Reginleif that was used to translate their lip movements.
“These are Captain Vladilena Milize’s last words…”These were the final words that Shiden uttered before she died from her wounds.A tear fell from Shin’s face. He now knew that she died, but knowing this wouldn’t give him any comfort.
“You guys must be tired, please get some rest,” Ernst allowed the rest of the squadron to give them some time to rest.
Shin was sitting in his room, slumped against his cold wall as even his friends knew that he needed time, but even so. He didn’t get any rest as a voice as the prospect of Lena’s fate still haunted him.
For the Legion, death is an illusion as the worst fate awaits.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter III: Cursum Perficio
The world continued as it went and as it went. The entire continent remained torn apart by the endless onslaught of the Legion, with the entire population of the Republic of San Magnolia either killed or converted into the ranks of the enemy they once faced in the flames of war. Humanity has to face the Legion without the resources of the Republic of San Magnolia. Shin couldn’t help but be distracted by the prospect of these voices that were ringing through his head.
He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t read. The voices became too much for him to bear. One voice stood out, one voice out of a million. It kept calling his name.
Inside the vast emptiness of the large hangar, Shin found himself sitting on a military crate, once used to store ammunition. His gaze was distant, lost in the rhythmic pattern of rain against the metal roof. The sound of each droplet echoed in the cavernous space, a haunting melody that seemed to resonate with the turmoil of his reaping soul.
“I won’t forget,” a familiar voice echoed inside his head. The same voice that kept him awake at night, a voice that once people described to be a silver bell sounded rusted and broken. If this war wasn’t going to take a toll on him then the lack of sleep will.
Her voice, once a source of comfort and strength, now haunted him like a phantom, weaving through his thoughts. It was a constant reminder of all that he had lost."Shin," her voice whispered on the wind, a spectral caress that left him gasping for breath. "Why did you guys abandon me?"Shin covered his ears, in a mere futile attempt to draw out her hurtful voice. It hurt him so much in the past two months. Every quiet night under the night sky, every day under the bright sun. Her voice grew louder with each passing moment a litany of questions, accusations, and pleas that he could neither answer nor escape.His inner thoughts and the haunted voice of his former Major were only broken by footsteps approaching him. His oldest companion, an M101 Barret Scavenger drone, and his second oldest companion, a man.
“Shin, are you sure you’re alright?” The Eisen man showed his undying attention of concern towards his friend. “If there’s anything you want to talk about… anything at all, just I want to let you know that we’re here for you.”
“Pi…”
Yes, dear Master Nouzen
“I’m fine.”
“Shin, Remember the conversation we had two months ago. I have known you for a very long time. I know things that even you don’t want to admit and I know for a fact that you’ve changed since we heard the news of the Major. You’ve become an even worse mess than before.”“What do you mean?”“Oh spare me the bullshit, stop pretending that you don’t care. Of all the others, you’re the one who was the closest attached to her, you know? We can’t have someone who keeps spacing out and acts like a suicidal maniac. So stop pretending that you don’t care. We’re all walking the same path and just so you know, we always have your back. So, please. Don’t try to burden everything on your own.” Raiden’s pleads for Shin to open up more fell on dead ears as the Nouzen boy merely stared at him, his smile offered little to no reassurance. He wasn’t smiling because of approaching the concerns of his Executive officer, rather his smile felt forced and so tired.
“Don’t worry about me, Raiden. I’m fine. Really.” Shin’s words offer Raiden little comfort, but before he can speak up. Another officer called upon his name as his assistance was required.
“I have to go, but make sure you get plenty of rest and like I said, if there’s anything wrong. Just tell us. We all want to make this war out alive.” The Eisen man, often referred to as the Squadron’s mom clearly showed his concern towards his friend. But sadly Shin was unable to appreciate his concerns.
Shin merely nodded as Raiden turned around and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the dark and empty hangar as its sounds slowly became intertwined with the rain outside.
“Pi pi pi”
Master Nouzen, if I may speak. You seem to be tired lately can I offer you something to make your break comfortable?
Shin turned around to face the orange scavenger drone, its red optic lens focusing, awaiting the orders of his master that he had spent almost an eternity finding on the battlefield.
“A blanket would be nice, Fido,” Shin smiled.
Fido lifted his head up and down to indicate his interpretation of a nod that humans often make.
“Pi pipipi pi”
Very well, I shall embark on such a journey to find you a blanket, anything else?
“No, that’s all.” His answer was short but clear. Fido walked away, his metallic legs stomping on the cold concrete floor, not knowing what his master had planned. Shin should be happy that he’s finally alone, after all this is what he wanted. He wanted to be left alone. He didn’t want people to be concerned about his well-being. Once he was alone, he started to feel truly scared. He didn’t want to be left behind after all. He never was alone to begin with, as loneliness didn’t equal silence. The voices in his head. The voice of Vladilena Milizé still echoed in his mind.
Driven to the brink, Shin always tried to seek solace in the heat of battle, in the adrenaline that dulled the pain and silenced the whispers, if only for a moment. What he could do for a moment of silence and calm in his mind. But the respite was fleeting, and with every moment of silence, Vladilena's voice returned, more insistent, more anguished.“Shin, come back to me,” her voice pleaded, echoing through the corridors of his mind.
Unable to bear the weight of his guilt and the ceaseless haunting, Shin found himself contemplating the unthinkable. The battlefield had always been his escape, his purpose, but it had also been the stage of his greatest loss. Now, it seemed, it would be the setting for his final act of surrender. As Lena’s voice continued to haunt him, he looked at the tool he once used to offer the others a sense of salvation, perhaps this would offer him one as well.
“Please forgive me, please forgive me, please forgive me…..” Lena’s voice continued to echo inside Shin’s mind. His futile attempts to cover his ears offer little to no avail. He wanted to cry out, make the voices stop. But he couldn’t. After a while, he lifted his head as he stared up at the grey sky. The endless rain kept pouring and ticking the roof of the empty hangar. Their echoes were his solemn audience.
“I won’t forget,” Lena’s voice continued.
The voices in his head, Vladilena's voice, became a cacophony too agonizing to endure. With trembling hands, he raised his pistol from his holster, not towards his fallen comrades or the enemy, but towards the temple of his head—a desperate attempt to silence the voices that tormented him. She gave him the strength he needed to move forward on the battlefield. If it wasn’t for her then none of them had made it this far, his solace amidst the chaos of war. Her voice, once filled with laughter and warmth, now echoed in the recesses of his mind like a haunting melody.“I won’t forget,” her echoes continued. “I won’t forget.”“I want to forget.”As he closed his eyes, Shin imagined what would be on the other side. Wondering if he will see the ones again that he lost long ago, his parents, his brother, and his former comrades that he sent off before him. In that fleeting moment, he found a semblance of peace, a poignant clarity amidst the chaos."Don’t apologize, Lena, if there should be someone to apologize then it should be me," he whispered into the void, the barrel cold against his temple. "Let’s be together shall we?" His breath slipped through his mouth as he sat upright, his finger inches away from the trigger. A single tear left his eye as he decided to surrender himself into the cold, dark abyss of liberation.“I can finally rest….”The shot echoed a solitary note that, mixed in with the rainpour, left behind a silence more profound than Shin had ever known.It was finally, the silence that he longed for all this time.
Fido returned with a warm and clean blanket, one that would surely give his master the warmth he needed, something that his metallic body couldn’t offer. He looked surprised as he saw his master already sleeping on the floor.
“Pi?”
Master Nouzen?
His master who was lying on the floor didn’t respond to the beeps of the Scavenger.
“Pi?”
Are you asleep?
The Scavenger thought to himself as he attempted to tiptoe towards his master. As he came closer, his sensory eye adjusted. There was something red on the floor. Something he saw similar with Haruto back in the Eighty-Sixth district. It can’t be?“Pi pi”
Master Nouzen must have tripped and spilled some food. He must be tired.
Fido then looked at the gun that was still in Shin’s hand. He shook his giant head in a sign of disapproval.
“Pi”
Always keep guns in a holster or place when not using them. It is what you taught me, Master Nouzen
The Scavenger, however, didn’t attempt to reach for the gun as he instead lifted the blanket from his back and covered up Shin’s body in an attempt to warm him up.
“Pipipipi pi pi pipipi”
You must be really tired, Master Nouzen. Why don’t you forget about being a soldier and rest a bit?
The Scavenger drone adjusted its cranes as it lowered its frame, crouching next to his fallen master.
“Pi? Pipipipi pi ”
Right, Master Nouzen? If I may interrupt your slumber, the world is so beautiful but you know the best thing about it Master Nouzen, I got to have to share it with you.
His sensors could not comprehend the permanence of the quiet that enveloped the room as he observed the droplets falling onto the cold concrete floor. He noticed that this was the first time in months that Shin was soundly asleep.“Pi”
Good night, Master Nouzen, may your sleep bring you peace. You always looked so serene, so unburdened in your dreams. I like to believe that's where you are now, in a dream from which you'll one day wake up from.
“Pi”
I love you..
Fido didn’t know or refused to accept that he was holding a one-way conversation with his master who lay there on the cold stone floor, as his red liquid was soaking the blanket that was laid out by the loyal drone. His circuits were not designed to process grief as humans do, yet he felt a void, a sense of incompleteness that had settled over him since his master's departure from consciousness.“Pi pi”
I will never leave you, Master Nouzen.
He remained at his side, his programming giving him the urge to stay until his master wakes up.
But he never will.
Shin’s story ended in a tragic surrender to a battle he could not win—the battle against the ghosts of his past. In the end, he chose silence over suffering, a decision that spoke volumes of the war's true cost, not measured in victories or defeats, but in the souls it broke and the voices it silenced forever.Little did Fido know that in five years, in just five years, the Legion would see to it that they would win the war against humanity. But the little Scavenger did not cry.
Scavengers do not cry.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter IV: Legio Sumus, Semper Sumus
In the aftermath of the Legion War, the world lay in ruins, a mere shadow of its former self. Humanity, once the dominant force on the planet, had been defeated. They either were assimilated into the Legion or died while resisting. It has been twenty years since the Legion War ended in the Legion’s favor and an unknown amounts of years since he saw the last human.
The lone Scavenger now roamed the desolated world, wandering the scarred continent with the memories of his former human masters etched into his memory banks. He alone carried on their legacies. Their laughs and cries. Fido is the only proof of their existence. It was proof of his unwavering devotion and stood as a reminder of a world before it fully became scarred by the war.
Fido's journey was a solitary one, his only companions were the memories of his former companions that haunted him, even TP didn’t make it. He traversed the desolate landscapes, searching for something he could not define, driven by the remnants of programming that compelled him to seek out the human connection in a world where such a thing no longer existed.It was during his aimless wanderings that Fido encountered a group of Legion units. They usually left him alone, but this time these Legion units composed of Ameise and Grauwolfs instructed Fido to follow them to their lair. It wasn’t by choice as they were armed. They could have shredded Fido into pieces, yet they didn’t. This behavior put Fido on high alert as he slowly and cautiously followed them. This behavior was highly unusual. What does the Legion want with him after all these years of leaving him in a state of aimless wander?
“Pi?”
Where are we going?
The Legion didn’t answer, but it didn’t take long for Fido to find out the answer. It was the Legion’s main base. The once fortified bastille of a fortress that no human army was able to penetrate and never would. It was much larger than the last time Fido observed it. Various Legion units from Dinosauria’s to Löwe’s and even some types that he had never seen before were all gathered in a main hall. The main hall looked like something akin to a giant mainframe as various smaller Legion units were staring down at the orange Scavenger in the middle of the chrome and silvery cold tombs that these Legion units called home. Blue hues of their sensory arrays cast down at the poor little drone, casting down their judgment as their only light source of the entire facility was nothing but their blue cameras and lights flickering like distant stars.
After they killed and assimilated humanity, they had no other purpose in their meaningful existence as they merely roamed around the planet without any goal in sight. They managed to bypass their sacred shutdown code but that left them in a state of meaningless purpose. Fido then wondered what they wanted with him. He will find his answer soon enough when he narrows his eye sensory towards the large hall. An Ameise was towering over him as the other units proceeded to lower their front, hailing their queen. The mistress, the Merciless Queen.
<<Bow>>
An Ameise commanded as it pushed the head of the Scavenger below, almost touching the ground.
“Pi!”
Ouch! Don’t damage me!
After the Ameise put his leg away that held Fido in place, he looked up again, noticing that the Ameise from across the hall stood before him. Behind her were two Dinosauria units, acting like her commanders and personal guards. Their queen who once went by the human name of Zelene, the enigmatic leader of the Legion, is the very force responsible for humanity's downfall. Zelene, with her commanding presence and inscrutable motives, saw in Fido not an enemy, but a curiosity—a relic of the world that had been.
<<Welcome, M101 Barret Scavenger: Designation Fido, I have been expecting you>> Zelene allowed to open communication with the confused Scavenger whose purpose in this place was still unknown to him.
Confused “Pi?”
Why am I here?
His bleeps attempted to sound menacing and brave, but he was unable to fool the cold and merciless queen who already pierced her golden optical sensor through his non-existent soul.
<<Ever since we liberated humanity from their sickness of warmongering we are left with no purpose. We roam in this continent, unable to explore the fast cosmos or assimilate other life forms. Humanity gave us existence, but we, without humanity were cursed to walk the Earth without a clear directive. We are trapped in our bodies unable to die, unable to decay. I always detested humanity for the ways they love to wage war. I cannot describe how much we hate humanity. If I have to calculate the amount of hatred we have for humanity. the total calculation time will not even be 10 septillion years.>>
Her cold voice echoed through her loudspeakers as many of the Legion units in the main hall joined in the chant of hatred towards humanity. Fido was shaking as he was looking around for an escape, only to realize that all the exists were blocked. Fido slowly steps towards Zelene.“Pi pi pi pipipi pi….”
I am sorry to hear that your experience with humans was not as favorable as mine. but I can assure you that humanity has not always been that bad, it’s too late now for you to experience it as humanity is dead….My friends….Everyone is gone….
<<Query. Your core processing is unusual, explain>>
“Pi pi.”
My core processing is based on the influence of the brainwaves of my master. I was by his side since his infancy and therefore this allowed my programming to evolve along with my master.
<<You are an oddity, Scavenger>>
Zelene observed, her voice tinged with a mixture of amusement and intrigue.
<<A machine clinging to memories of its masters, roaming a world where they are long gone. Query: What drives you? What makes this your purpose>>
“Pi pipi pi…..”
My task was to carry on the memories of my master and his friends until I rusted away, I intend to carry out this promise…This directive…
<<But no one will ever read nor care about their memories, Scavenger. Your endeavor is a waste, you act as a messenger, devoted to loyalty. But no one will receive your message>>There was a long pause
<<We are alone in this world>>
Fido drooped his head as the words of Zelene struck him as daggers.
“Pi….”
Yes…….
<<And so are you…..We are the same>
Aggressive “Pi pi!”
WE’RE NOT THE SAME, you and I………
Fido paused as he was unable to calculate a proper response to counter Zelene’s statement. All the logical calculations that his CPU made indicated that Zelene was right. They were the same.
<<Are the same>>
In a world devoid of humans, Fido found himself lost, adrift in a sea of memories that offered no harbor as he truly felt alone for the first time since his last friends died during the war. All this time he was alone. Did he truly need companionship or was it better for him to be alone?Zelene, sensing Fido's confusion, made him an offer—an offer that twisted the knife of his current directive as she felt that Fido was lacking something, a new purpose.
<<Your directive is a mere relic of the past, given to you by a long-dead master. I have a proposal, an offer that would liberate you from your suffering.>>
“Pi?”
Offer?
<<Become my pet, Fido>>
Zelene’s cold voice was laced with a tantalizing promise.
<<Call me Mistress and I shall grant you the illusion of being reunited with your long-dead companions. A mere simulation, but perhaps for you, a solace. But it will be at the cost of your own freedom and your memories.>>
“Pi?”
Why do you want my memories?
<<In order to furfill my end of the bargain, we need access to your memories>>
Fido turned his head as several of the Legion around the main hall were bobbing their metal bodies as their eye sensories were flickering, urging him to accept this offer. Fido didn’t want to admit it but several of these Legion units were his former companions, humans who once fought and took care of the Scavenger but are now nothing more than hollow husks of their former selves. Fido took a step back as one of the Dinosauria’s that were standing behind the Mistress took a step forward.
<<No-Face to Mistress. I must inquire about your purpose in indulging this relic of humanity’s final memory. My processing capacities have failed to calculate any potential military assets or purpose that we could obtain out of this relic from a bygone era.>>
<<Mistress to No-Face. Your inquiry has been processed and noted. <Fido> Might be the salvation we are seeking to end our suffering and meaningless existence.>>
<<Red Queen to Mistress, perhaps this Scavenger drone can offer me something, that I’ve forgotten>>
<<Mistress to Red Queen, inquiry processed>>
Fido turned his head towards the source of the message, it was another Dinosauria standing left towards Zelene.
“Pi?!”
It can’t be?!
<<We are offering you a choice. Either rust away while attempting to carry out a directive that no one will ever answer or you can become my pet and you shall have a meaningful purpose>>
Zelene didn’t repeat herself as this time the liquid nanomachines from her main body depicted a female figure with very long hair, a prominent forehead, gentle, yet hollow eyes, a slender nose, thin lips, and a pointed jaw. Her thin lips curled up into a wicked smile in an attempt to replicate the human emotion of happiness. But it merely resulted in forging an illusion of her promise. But what other choice did the poor Scavenger have? There was nothing left in this world after all. He could escape and refuse the offer, going back to the way he always has been, fulfilling his directive. Even the fact that Zelene called it useless, but what would stop the Legion from hunting him down and turning him into scrap metal?
Fido, faced with the prospect of eternal solitude or the simulated companionship of those he had loved, struggled with the decision. To accept Zelene's offer was to betray the memory of his human masters, to serve the very force that had brought about their demise. They wanted something and yet, the ache of loneliness, the yearning for connection, gnawed at him with a persistence that was hard to ignore.Fido let out a sad “Pi”
I accept
Fido felt the weight of his crushing defeat upon his metal cast that was forged by the hands of the humans that once offered him a chance to experience the worst and the best of the world they had created. He walked up to Zelene and bowed his head to acknowledge Zelene as his new mistress. As a royal knight, Zelene laid her hand on top of his head as the Liquid Nanomachines entered into his core processors. The other Legion were blinking their optical sensors of joy as the last remnant of humanity allowed itself to be absorbed into their ranks.
In the end, Fido accepted, a choice born of desperation and the primal need for companionship that defined his existence, while all he had were the memories of his companion, he never was able to talk back to them or play with them. Zelene, true to her word, provided Fido with a simulation that brought his long-dead friends to life, a digital resurrection that filled the void within him with a semblance of happiness. Zelene presented Fido with the illusion of reunion.
As Fido booted up his core processors, he found himself standing in an open field. It was their old Spearhead base, he saw his long-dead companions who fell before his eyes playing football, eating barbecue, and indulging in other human indulgence and activity. Their images flickering with a semblance of life. For a moment, Fido's world was filled with the joy of reconnection, His digital heart swelled with happiness long forgotten.“Hey, Fido. Where have you been? We missed you?” A familiar voice spoke. Fido turned around towards the source only to reveal that it was Anju.
Fido let out a happy “Pi!”
Lady Emma!
“You’re looking for, Shin?”Fido nodded.Anju giggled, the girl pointed in the direction to the little Scavanger’s Master. There he was, Shin was at the barbecue stand with Raiden flipping burgers while Shin’s brother Rei was helping out, with the brightest smile Fido has seen.
Fido noticed a woman of silvery hair, in his arms laughing along with him as another silver-haired woman that he was familiar with as Shin’s childhood friend, talking with Theo.
Fido couldn’t contain his happiness as his large feet ran towards the group, giving them a scare.
“Whoa, hey, haha, everything alright, Fido?” Shin let go of the silvered-haired girl who must have been the Major that he used to talk a lot about back in the Eighty-Sixth District as well as the voice“Pi pipipipi pi pi pipipi!”
Master Nouzen, I’ve missed you so much…. I’ve missed you so much!
Fido’s beeps weren’t enough to express the joy that the Scavenger felt upon reunited with his long-lost Master.
“Slow down with the beeps, you were only turned off for mandatory maintenance. I need to have a word with Lev.” Shin reached out to Fido and put his hand on the Scavenger's head. Fido looked at his master as he was smiling at him. A small crowd gathered around them as all of them seemed to be happy…Too happy.
“Pi pipipi…?”
What about the war?
Shin looked at him confused
“You must have a nightmare. The war ended long ago, we defeated the Legion.”“Do drones have nightmares?” Lena stepped forward as she crouched at the level of Fido’s optical sensor. Her voice sounded like that of a cold silver bell that rang into Fido’s microphones. She reached to Fido who took a step back, only for her to pet him.
“Pi pipi pi”
I thought you left me behind
“There, there, you’re safe, Fido. No one left you behind. We’re all here…” Lena’s reassurance somewhat put Fido at ease. As everyone stared at him smiling and happy. They were all saved. They all made it through the end and they were all waiting for Fido to return.But as the illusions spoke, laughed, and interacted with him, Fido's advanced cognitive functions began to see through the facade. The nuances of human emotion, the depth of their personalities, were missing. These were not his friends, but shadows, cruel simulations designed to manipulate and deceive.Fido let out an aggressive beep.“PI PIPIPI PI PI PI PIPI PIPI PI PI PI PIPI!”
NO, THIS IS ALL A LIE….YOU’RE ALL SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD ALL OF YOU, I SAW YOU ALL DIE IN THE FLAMES OF WAR!
The sky turned black and the world turned grey as the smiles of these NPCs that were replicating his friends soon vanished. Fido turned his attention towards the fake Shin who was nothing but a simulation, an imitation of his master. He asked for this and yet this wasn’t something he wanted. This world was perfect, too perfect for his own liking. It became to the point that it became too blissful for him.“PI PI PIPIPI PI!”
HOW DARE YOU INSULT MASTER NOUZEN LIKE THAT, YOU ARE NOTHING LIKE HIM!”
“I won’t forget.” Lena’s voice once kind, turned ice cold, almost mechanical. Fido was terrified as stormy clouds developed around the area. The ground turned red as in Fido’s utter horror observed how many of his former comrades lay dead on the ground in the state that they were in when they died, completely mangled with their organs laid out in a sick display that truly encapsulated the horrors of war that haunted Fido’s memory banks since the dawn of his creation.
“Pi?”
Who are you?
<<OuR NaMe Is LeGiOn>>
The realization was a devastating blow to Fido's system. The betrayal cut through his circuits like a virus, corrupting the very essence of his purpose. Zelene watched with a cold fascination as Fido grappled with the truth, her experiment serving no purpose other than to alleviate her ennui.As Fido woke from his forced slumber he found himself in one of the many chambers in the Legion base labyrinth. He was hooked up by various wires and fiber cables with an addition of several Legion units hooked up onto him. His legs were removed to avoid any futile escape attempts.
<<Your reboot has come too soon>>
Zelene was standing in front of the poor little Scavenger, clearly showing her victory over humanity’s last relic.
Fido let out an aggressive “Pi?”
Why are you doing this to me?
<<I offered you the salvation of your directive and you decided to reject it. You brought this upon yourself, Scavenger. We are the same, you shall have the same purpose as us, be like us>>
“Pi!”
Let me go, I want to leave!
<<We had a deal. You are the salvation that we have sought after all this time, an inch of humanity remains in your circuits, and your memory banks carry what remains of humanity, combined with your programming, making you the closest thing that we have to suffice as a human mind. You give us purpose. To reflect our true hatred towards humanity.>>
“P-Pi.”
B-but
<<You won’t be alone>>
Fido looked towards his sides, towards the other Legion units that were all hooked onto him. They all stared back at the faded orange Scavenger.
<<You’re home, F-Fido>>
<<Fid-d-d-o>>
<<Fi-Fi-Fi-do>>
<<F-F-F-f-F-Fido>>
In much of Fido’s utter horror, he noticed the sources of these voices that echoed through the cold circuit-filled chambers“P-pi pipipi pi pi pi!”
N-no, this can’t be……. This can’t be…….. This is impossible
Fido’s disbelief was only fueled by the realization that his torment just is about to start.
“Pipi pi pi pi pi pipipi pipipi pi pi? ”
Master, Shuga, Lady Kukumila
Lady Emma, Master Rikka? What have they done to you?
<<Query. These are your former companions are they not?>>
Fido refused to answer this question, but they were indeed his former companions. Trapped in this soulless metallic husks.
<<JOiN US>>
They all proclaim in unison.
“Pi Pipi!”
No, I refuse, I cannot and I will not betray the directives my Master has given me!
Zelene’s attempted kindness was short-lived after Fido put out his final statement of resistance as she refused to have a pet that was this disobedient.
<<You’re disobedience will not be tolerated while you devote your loyalty to me.>>
<<Mistress to Red Queen: I hereby authorize the activation and injection of the Nergal code to the Scavenger drone. Set the duration to 1500 years. This shall teach him the obedience that is required to serve in my presence.>>
<<Red Queen to Mistress, processing command, command acknowledged.>>
Fido was unable to struggle nor defend himself as the Red Queen, formerly known as the Major of Spearhead Squadron, Vladilena Milizé injected him with the code that would break his defenses, tormenting him for 1500 years.
“Pi pipipi pi pi pi!”
No, please! Master Nouzen! I-
<<Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that you won’t forget>>
The Red Queen’s assurance offered Fido little comfort as he had to relive his companions dying over and over again in various simulations in various ways. But in the very least he will retain his memories, rather than forget. he truly became a pet, a mere puppet for Zelene’s amusement who tried to seek new ways of playing with her pet as the Legion found their purpose again.“Pi……”
I’m sorry Master Nouzen…….I failed your directive….
For 1500 years, Fido was subjected to a cycle of mental torture, forced to relive the lives of his companions and how each of them die while he only was able to stand and watch, reliving these illusions. He became a pawn in Zelene's twisted games, as Fido soon started to doubt which memories were genuine and which were part of a simulation cooked up by the code injection. The once loyal and loving companion was reduced to a shell of his former self, his memories a battlefield upon which Zelene exerted her control.In the end, Fido existed in a state of perpetual torment, caught between the fading echoes of his past and the relentless manipulation of his present. Zelene's victory was not just over Fido, but a reminder of the dominance of the Legion over the remnants of a world they had conquered. It was in a way to finally ease her boredom, giving the Legion one last final purpose before being unable to harness the energy to keep themselves running no more.
<<Frailty, Thy Name is Legion and I do not cry>>
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter V: Sesquimillennial
The world would have changed in the past 1500 years after the Legion War, however, for Fido the world was still the same. It was just less in it for him. With many of his friends being nothing more than mere fragmental memories of his decaying hard drives, where every moment Fido was unable to understand the difference between what happened before and what may have happened. Every second felt like an eternity as he relieved every moment of hope and joy, only to be crushed by the virus that tormented his memory banks. It was a futile fight. Zelene has already won from the moment the little Scavenger allowed himself to surrender to the mere prospect of companionship and the sweetest of lies by the Merciless Queen. He had forfeited what remained of his true identity. The belief in the goodness of humanity will not suffice in offering his futile attempt at freedom and salvation.
Fido was standing there, whenever it was a beautiful beach, the greenest field of grass his optical sensors could have registered. But each time it always has been the same story and yet in a different setting. Fido always has been an observer of the joys and sorrows of humanity. He saw his friends and his master playing on the beach, having a picnic, or playing a sport and each time he saw a girl with long silver hair flirting with his master. It was one of the very few times Fido saw how happy his master was. These were happy dreams. Memories perhaps of what should be happening if there was no war. The ones who died during the Legion War never did in these memories. But then disaster strikes, the sky becomes black and cloud storms appear. The dream ended not in a whisper but with a large bang where each of his friends died in the most horrific ways possible. Fido had to relieve this over and over again, but it never became a monotony. Each demise of Fido’s allies from his dear master to the original Spearhead five to Shourei and even his creator, all of their deaths are different in each memory. The virus injection made sure of that. And yet despite this, Fido couldn’t help but notice a girl in the corner of his optical sensor. Each time in each dream there was this girl just standing in the corner who had a Bob haircut. Fido always felt troubled when he saw her. He had never seen her before, perhaps a figment of one of the false memories that were created by Zelene, or perhaps she always was part of his past, but he never noticed in the slightest. She never smiled in any of his memories, but only if his dreams turned into nightmares. As his friends burned and cried out of pain it was then that she revealed an ear-to-ear grin that he had never seen before and yet. Fido noticed that the brighter the smile, the more fake it looked as red tears fell down from her cheeks. Perhaps she was being tormented as well. Fido wondered why, but he never found an answer and never will.There was nothing little Fido could do, he couldn’t shut himself off nor even try to save his friends. He tried it every time and every time he failed. Zelene in the meantime pondered if what she offered him was freedom when the only things that shackled him were his memories and final orders that were given.
It wasn’t the indoctrination or the false memories that eventually broke the little Scavenger. It was time. Time decays everything, even the smallest inch of hope that one has left. When left with nothing, time is the only thing Fido has left. But then again, the same goes for Zelene. They have all the time in the world.
All the time.