"Life is pointless if you have nowhere to call 'home'." ~ Darius Vasir
Armored core: Another Answer
Home
Chapter II: Act I
As the two Cortex transports prepared to withdraw from the compromised South American base, Vasir, the newly forged Raven, and Raian Vernham boarded separate transports. Vasir stared back on the battlefield, one of his design, before entering the hull of the heavily reinforced Cortex AAC (Advanced Armored Carrier) transport. The jungle surrounding the facility had seemed darker as a result of the conflict. Plumes of smoke had arisen from the destroyed squad of Normals just outside the main gate. Both NEXTs were loaded onto the two transports. Vasir then drew his attention to the 03-AALIYAH unit within the cargo hold of the transport and recalled the battle he had experienced within the unit. The thought of his apparent ally, Vernham, sparing the life of their enemy remained in his mind as he entered the dark control room. He was promptly greeted by an engineer.
"Welcome aboard, kid. What we're standing in can only be described as our greatest military asset aside from a NEXT. It's simply known as The Losvaise. This baby is equipped with the same alloy found in most of the corporate NEXTs. It even has enough room to carry your precious AC as you can clearly see." commented the engineer as he pointed at the 03-AALIYAH in the hanger.
"Regardless, you're needed at the bridge. You know the way out, right?" he asked.
Vasir nodded then left the room in silence.
Upon entering the bridge, Vasir noticed the significantly low number of personnel. He gazed out of the bow of the ship to obtain a better view of Vernham's NEXT, the TYPE-HOGIRE. Immediately, he was driven back to the memories of his past. Suddenly, Sumika approached him.
"We're in a war, whether or not they choose to recognize us. But that just means we have the advantage. Which is why I need you for a very special purpose." Sumika said as she approached Vasir
"I'm listening" he replied
"We'll talk about it later. From the way you've been staring at that damn NEXT, I'd say you were reliving the past." remarked Sumika casually.
"I was." replied Vasir looking towards the floor.
Vasir's stern reply shocked Sumika. Knowledge regarding the "Rhode incident" was very limited. Rosenthal was allegedly responsible for the incident; however, Cortex was not aware of any other survivors.
"I'm sorry… It seems only as if it were yesterday. " Sumika said
Vasir remained silent.
"I need you to report here at 21:00 hours. I have some work for you" said Sumika light heartedly as she left the bridge
"Understood." said Vasir.
All Cortex personnel were ordered to remain in the passenger area of the ACC, which was typically reserved for civilians during Cortex's rescue operations. A greater amount of Cortex's work force was required to tend to the needs of all of the evacuees. During Cortex's formation, the AAC class Losvaise was responsible for protecting, rescuing, and recruiting civilian lives which were cast into the center of The Dismantlement War. The Losvaise was designed and created by the Leonemeccanica Corporation as indicated by various engravings of the Corporation's logo throughout the ship. The two AAC transports owned by Cortex were created thanks to a deep cover operation by Sumika and a small R&D team and was subsequently stolen during a flight test, never to re-emerge.
Vasir entered the passenger area and placed himself upon the nearest seat. The battle alongside the Rosenthal NEXT had taken him back to the day of the infamous Rhode incident. He gave off a deep sigh and reclined in his seat and closed his eyes. The events of that day began to replay themselves into his mind as he recollected the tragedy.
It was the year 557 of the Modified Century calendar, two years prior to the present day. Vasir's reminiscence began at the beginning of his school day, which he had assumed would end and in the same fashion as all others. The younger Vasir, 15 years of age, walked into his classroom and assumed his usual seat. Vasir always had the habit of attending class in a timely fashion which was unusual for all of his other peers. By his standards, he had fallen short in his Biology class and felt particularly pressured about the day. Two of his friends approached him, a boy and girl the same age as him. The boy was of darker skin and hair tone and average acne-ridden complexities of a teenager whereas the girl was of lighter skin and brown hair and had a slightly higher sense of personal hygiene then her male counterpart. The boy's name was Sizeria Skylark while the girl's name was Lotte Pokari.
"You're totally gonna bomb this test." said Skylark.
"Give him some slack, he's just a little slower than you." replied Pokari.
"You guys are the best…" said Vasir sarcastically.
Vasir was fairly secure about his academic position. Both of his friends were painfully aware that his academic abilities were well above their own. Both decided to end the heckling.
"Don't suppose either of you studied. Let me ask you two, were you two screwing around or screwing each other?" countered Vasir with a smirk.
Neither had anything to say in response to Vasir's lewd sarcasm. Shortly after, class had begun as it ritualistically had for the entire school year. Without interruption, Vasir and his friends left the class room to enter the cafeteria for their lunch period. The facility was filled with long corridors and brightly colored walls, an industrial staple for North American schools. The lunch hall was in central building, separate from all other classrooms in order to accommodate the large floods of students.
"Well how'd the boy genius do this time?" asked Skylark.
"98%" Vasir responded while yawning.
"Tch, I don't get how you still have the time to stay in check with all your homework and remain in your little GA reserve training program." said Pokari.
"It's called having priorities. Plain and simple, it's a matter of either going somewhere in life or spending what little of a life you have on parties. I'd hate to say it but from the looks of it, you'll both be dead in a year of you two don't let up." Vasir jokingly advised.
"You got it, pops." replied the boy.
"This is why we got you to watch our backs." added Pokari while pushing Darius in a friendly matter.
Beneath the surface of their heated dispositions, Vasir's friends secretly looked up to him. Vasir's comments about teenage debauchery in GA colonies were true. Many of the Rhode colony's youth had pursued reckless recreational activities as their extravagant lifestyles enabled them. Many of the near-aristocratic parents were too involved in their own occupations to properly care for their children. This utopian way of life had not always been this way. North America as a whole had plunged into bankruptcy due to the nation's irresponsible political leaders. During the Corporate formation brought by the Pax, an agreement was made in the hopes to rejuvenate North America's former financial status. This required international funding from the other corporations. The agreement backfired, however, and North America grew overcompensated and drove its people into a lofty, shallow existence. The Corporations grew tired of nurturing the crippled nation. These ambitions were in open violation of the Pax's agreement. Evidently, an attack upon American soil was underway by the European Rosenthal corporation.
Several miles off of the coast of the Eastern North American seaboard, Rosenthal forces had mobilized for an attack upon the defenseless Rhode colony. Among the fleet of airships, a flagship flew within its center. Within the bridge of the force's flagship, a commander and his subordinates were at conflict with each other.
"Commander, I beg of you! Is there no diplomatic solution?" questioned a crew member.
"I'll have you know that I'm quite sick of your rabble. We didn't make you a part of this operation just so you can second guess our goals. I should only tell you once that North America is nothing more than a pampered pen of animals!" shouted back the commander
"A senseless slaughter! This is peacetime! You'll go down in history as nothing more than a murderer!" yelled the crew member.
The commander gave no response. The old, seasoned commander was shocked by the remarks of the insubordinate crew member despite his clearly inferior rank.
"Get him out of my sight. There's no place for idealists like him among us. America is a lost cause and we will show them the price of their superficial existence! We must take the Eastern coast by force and cripple all naval defenses. Keep any collateral damage to a minimum. We're only here to send them a message. Europe will not cater for the weak any longer." declared the commander
At that moment, a soldier walked in and approached the commander.
"Sir, is the White Knight ready?" asked the soldier.
"I shall make it so. I'll speak with the man myself." replied the commander as he left the room.
The commander left the bridge and entered a long, white corridor leading to the quarters of Rosenthal's original Raven. The commander entered the room and approached the Raven. He was simply known as Leonhardt. He was a tell man of equally athletic disposition at an approximate age of 25. He appeared to be of Italian ethnicity.
"Leonhardt, it's time now. What I ask of you now is more than what the average soldier could ever bear. Many lives will be lost but in exchange, your example will save the world from luxurious corpulence. A world of clear division where no one has to starve for the sake of the empowered." coaxed the commander. Leonhardt fixed his gloves and turned slowly to speak with the commander
"I am a defender of the weak. But a taker of innocent lives, I am not." Leonhardt simply stated
"I won't try to convince to do anything. But if you chose to let our people die, then it's your decision. No one's 'innocent' here." replied the commander.
Leonhardt glared at the commander and left the room in preparation for the attack. As he walked across the hallway leading to the hanger, he came across the cell which held the detained crew member. Before he could pass the cell by, the crew member gave him a solemn warning.
"Leon, if you go, then there's no turning back for you. You'll no longer be the hero your people see you as. In fact, you'll end up as nothing but a weapon. You're the only one who can stop this madness!" pleaded the crew member.
"A hero? I have let go of such naïve thoughts. You must understand that there is a price to be paid for my actions. I fully accept the consequences. I have entered this battle, and with as a debtor of death and I am only pardoned from him when I pay his debt." replied Leonhardt.
"You've changed. Humph. Much is given…" began the crew member.
"…Much be required." finished Leonhardt as he walked away from the cell
"So, this is true nobility." remarked the crew member.
Meanwhile, at the Rhode School, Vasir rushed through the corridors of the locker rooms in search of his missing English book. Darius would not have been able to make the time to fetch his text book by the time lunch period had ended. This was the primary downfall of the architectural design of the school. Vasir left the locker rooms and entered the garden leading to the mess hall. The scent of the fresh air and fragrant plant life filled his nose. He took a gaze upon the newly emplaced water fountains and took his time walking through the visually stunning scenery of fleeting nature among the heavily industrial premises. Vasir always took his time walking through the garden as he knew that the noisy angst-filled school hallways would follow afterwards, but little did he know that this would be the last glance of a peaceful life he would experience in his home.
Vasir's usual path back to the mess hall was suddenly cut short by construction work.
"So much for the scenic route." remarked Vasir as he headed back into the crowded hallways.
Suddenly he was knocked back from the school building by a large explosion. As he regained his bearing, he saw that the sky was no longer colored in its familiar blue but was darkened by a plume of smoke which now consumed the entire school. The sound of sirens suddenly filled the air and harmonized with the fading sound of screaming students within the burning school building. The rubble only revealed a gruesome scene. Terrified, Vasir ran away from the school grounds and into the streets heading towards his home. The land was bombarded from above by the Rosenthal fleet. The once peaceful urban environment that had always surrounded him had resembled a war zone. For countless blocks Vasir ran as periodic bombardments from the sky struck the city. Finally, Vasir entered the square of the city he was met by a soldier prompting him to head to the nearest service shelter. Vasir provided identification in hopes to see if his family was safe. Upon reading the identification, the soldier recognized that he was part of GA's reserve training program.
"I see. You and your family should've already gone to Union Station terminal by now, sir. We're losing more lives than we can count out here and you're not joining them!" declared the courageous soldier.
All of the sudden, the bombardment continued as the ominous explosions surrounded the square.
"Kid, get down!" shouted the soldier as he shoved Vasir to the floor.
Suddenly, the entire square was consumed by flames as the soldier pressed himself against Vasir, protecting him from the heat. The heat surrounding Vasir attacked him and his guardian in sharp, resonating waves. The pain was intense for Vasir, even more so for the soldier as he gave out an agonized cry. As the explosions subsided, the soldier gave out his final breath, one of relief as he saw to the safety of the last person he was able to protect. Amidst the chaos, Darius sensed the life drain out of the soldier as his weight pressed heavily on him. After quickly moving moving the body aside, Vasir stood on his feet again and gazed upon the extent of the mysterious destructive force. The images of carnage that surrounded Vasir were far too much to absorb. Nothing was certain in his existence anymore.
Aboard the Rosenthal flagship, Leonhardt made his final preparations for launch within the NEXT Noblesse Oblige. Leonhardt's operator expressed deep concern regarding the nature of the operation.
"Leon, there's something you need to know. The rest of the fleet has moved ahead and started bombarding the city!" said the operator.
"What?!" Leonhardt replied shockingly.
The connection between Leonhardt and the operator terminated. Suddenly, the commander opened a channel with Noblesse Oblige.
"Leonhardt, this is your commander speaking. As I have said before, you've been given a burden no ordinary soldier can bear. Our world is faced with a menace far beyond its own understanding. This is the price of our retribution and we will no longer bend to the will of GA. The world of GA is drowning in its own fortune! We're no longer tools of the Pax!" declared the commander.
"You're insane!" Shouted Leonhardt as he boosted out of the hanger.
As Leonhardt fled the hanger, he was overcome by betrayal. He began to question the true beliefs of his nation. The white NEXT soared through the darkened sky as he entered Neo-Rhode airspace. Leonhardt attempted to hail the other three BRAVARIA battle ships.
"BRAVARIA-1! Stop this madness" pleaded Leonhardt.
"Foolish boy, soon you will understand just how weak you and all of Europe truly is! The Lilliana will rise." replied a menacing voice from within the ship.
Leonhardt pondered a disturbing truth. The entire force sent to attack the colony was in fact a ruse by the notorious terrorist faction, Lilliana. Somehow, the group had managed to infiltrate the very military infrastructure of Rosenthal.
"You... I won't give this evil any credence!" declared Leonhardt.
Leonhardt flew alongside the lowest of the BRAVARIA ships flying along the coast and opened fire upon the main cannons with the RF-R100 rifle in the right hand of the NEXT. Among Noblesse Oblige's armaments was a new weapon of Omer science origin; Six SIRIUS hi-laser cannons covered the backside resembling wings. The BRAVARIA class ships were approximately 760 meters in length and 550 in height and were equipped with high-powered grenade cannons along the port and starboard sides similar to those of a Normal and had caused the destruction which had spread through the entire city. The destruction of the city had come to a temporary cease as a result of the disabled BRAVARIA craft.
"Our Raven has retaliated! This isn't part of the simulation." informed a crew member on board the flagship
"No matter, it isn't as if this wasn't unprecedented. Send our agent. His team as well." replied the commander
"Life is but a struggle with death. To live is the finest of victories"~Leonhardt
Chapter II: Act II
At that moment, a flare was fired from the main BRAVARIA and soared across the city. The flare separated into smaller flares which detonated and lit the sky with a bright red glow. Vasir took notice of this as he dropped to one knee from exhaustion and gazed into the sky. Suddenly his street was blocked by two Normal carriers which deployed relic, past-generation Normals. As the Normals activated, Darius believed the old Normals to be a last effort of reinforcement on behalf of GA and gathered as much strength to escape from the street into the nearby alleyway. Vasir obtained a view of the coastline and identified one of the BRAVARIA ships.
"Rosenthal?" Darius said in sheer confusion
Leonhardt entered the streets of the city hoping to save the lives of those who had survived. Vasir's struggle, however, was unbeknownst to him. The Normals mobilized and scattered throughout the streets. The city area itself was paved with curved, streets adorned with large, metropolitan skyscrapers. The loud scraping of the Normals legs against the ground as they boosted pierced Vasir's ears but he remained undetected. From the distance, Vasir spotted a bright orb from a distance which slowly formed into Leonhardt's NEXT as it closed into the city. As Leonhardt identified targets, his NEXT also scanned for any possible signs of life.
"I'm too late." Leonhardt thought
The results were as he had feared as no heat signatures were detected. The sight of the once densely populated city evacuated of all traces of life so soon was greatly disturbing. The scan was interrupted by enemy fire. Leonhardt's NEXT successfully dodged the enemy as he flew straight through the Normal's fire.
"Eliminate the heretic!" shouted a Normal pilot.
The Normals fired multiple small missile rounds as Noblesse Oblige ascended into the sky. Leonhardt countered using RF-R100 rounds to destroy the missiles mid-flight and descended back into the streets, escaping from the sight of the enemy. Vasir was petrified by the fighting as he remained within the alleyway facing East. He too, had lost sight of the winged NEXT. Sensations of exhaustion, dread, and confusion consumed him. The street Vasir faced was occupied by two Normals searching the area for the NEXT. The outdated radar equipment of the Normals prevented detection of organic life. Vasir faced the ground for a short moment and as he raised his head, the two Normals units were destroyed. Both units were caught off guard by the NEXT. One Normal had appeared to use his left-arm shield to protect himself before ultimately falling to the ground. As Leonhardt continued his attack, another barrage of missiles fired from the six remaining Normals. This time, Leonhard ascended straight into the air and remained stationary as the missiles approached. Vasir had hoped that it was some form of malfunction or strategic flaw on the NEXT's behalf. Suddenly, as the missiles closed in, Noblesse Oblige illuminated with the bright glow of Kojima particles. The activation of primal armor spread the toxic fumes throughout the city. The exposed Vasir immediately began to feel the symptoms of oncoming and fell once more to his knees. Leonhardt simply gazed upon the desperate retaliation.
The smoke had cleared from the missile explosion and Noblesse Oblige remained undamaged.
"This is the true power of the NEXT! We must concentrate our attack!" ordered the Normal leader.
Leonhardt's strong sense of honor was the object of much admiration among his people. The Lilliana saw this operation as an opportunity to crush his spirit and very foundation of his character. After the events of the Dismantlement War, the effects of the many lives he had taken on behalf of his Corporation already had taken a toll on his heroic disposition. Leonhardt had slowly begun to convince himself that he was nothing more than a tool of war. It was his belief that to atone for his forfeited self, he must see his allegiance to the end; an allegiance to his former nation and not to himself. On the battlefield, he learned to suppress feelings of guilt and turmoil as a means to justify the cause of Rosenthal. Now, his sense of allegiance was greatly shaken in the face of the Lilliana terrorists. Regardless, he continued his attack.
The remaining Normals converged to the center of the street and opened fire in a last-ditch-effort to defeat the NEXT. The gunfire of the Normal's rifles were powerless against the Kojima energy. Vasir's head rose into the air and fixed his eyes to the NEXT. The wings of Noblesse Oblige suddenly animated and placed themselves upon the NEXT's shoulders. The six-barrel hi-laser cannon was fired and all remaining Normals were obliterated. The cannons disengaged and the fierce streaks of Kojima energy surrounded the NEXT once again. Leonhardt descended onto the street and once again attempted contact with the saboteurs.
"This is Leonhardt of Rosenthal. Lilliana will fall. On my honor, I swear by it." Leonhardt declared proudly.
"You would do well to not antagonize us, child. May you one day burn in the inferno." answered the commander.
Suddenly, an explosion was set off from one of the cruise ships. Instantly, the shoreline was littered by debris.
Vasir was filled with hope and bewilderment. He questioned if an unseen savior arrived to deliver him from an all but certain fate. Leonhardt was equally shocked by the sudden actions of the terrorists. Suddenly, he realized the true dangers behind their mission. Rosenthal will be faced with the responsibility of the attack. As Leonhardt contemplated this, the sound of an Over Boost system closed in. Suddenly, an additional enemy unit appeared on his radar to the South of his position. The target was a Rayleonard NEXT. It appeared to have responded to the flares set off by the terrorists. Darius looked into the distance to see the other NEXT descend into the city. The new NEXT appeared battle-torn from it's rusted color scheme. Leonhardt readied himself for the incoming unit. Suddenly, the Rayleonard NEXT quick boosted around the building beside Leonhardt. The rusted NEXT stood in clear view of Leonhardt
"How did they manage to capture a Rayleonard unit?" Leonhardt wondered in amazement.
Darius looked from the dumpster he was hiding behind to see it was none other than the flagship model of Rayleonard, a stock 03-AALIYAH. Both AC units stood and looked at each other for a moment before taking action. The enemy Aaliyah model boosted behind some buildings as Leonhardt took to the skies. As their battle commenced Vasir bolted away from the fighting. The enemy pilot proved to be highly skilled as his NEXT surged through the sky, dodging each of Leonhardt's shots. The enemy next closed the gap between them in seconds as he activated his laser blade to catch Noblesse Oblige off-guard. Leonhardt had instinctively foreseen the attack and engaged his laser blade as a possible counter attack. They both turned the corner and their blades clashed together with a bright light. The Aaliyah AC then sent a barrage of machine gun rounds into the core of Noblesse Oblige. Leonhardt quick boosted back unscathed due the contaminative properties that his Primal Armor emitted against the shell rounds. In spite of this, the shell's reaction to the Kojima particles left numerous abrasions on the outer surface of the core.
As the battle ensued, Darius's memories guided him to his destination. The landmark beach of the city appeared before him as he neared the coastline. Darius was just a short distance away from the naval base as he saw a patrol of Rosenthal soldiers. Vasir looked to the sky to see a rain storm close in quickly from the East. The pale blue, grey, and white camouflage of the Rosenthal soldiers allowed them to be easily seen. Darius ran to a half-burnt down building to conceal himself from the soldiers. He wore his signature all black jeans and jacket which he took advantage of to remain hidden in the dark area. Just as he took cover behind a desk he heard the rain rapidly start hitting the cracked ceiling.
"Bosch, check the buildings to the east, and Ordo will check the west, you know what to do if you find survivors. Rendezvous at the coffee shop in the center of the square when you're finished!" ordered the patrol captain.
"Sir." affirmed both soldiers
The soldiers both made their way to the buildings they needed to search. Darius started to panic seeing a soldier towards his building.
"Maybe he'll walk by and I can sneak out of here" thought Vasir to himself. He then hooded his head and waited in the darkness. He then looked for the other solder that was about 30 meters away searching other buildings for survivors. He then turned his attention to the soldier who was entering the building. The solder kept walking towards him unaware of his presence.
"I have to do something" Darius thought.
Vasir waited for the soldier to walk a little closer before taking action. He then jumped out from behind the desk and sent a strong kick to the soldier's stomach knocking the wind out of him. While trying to breath he dropped his rifle and grabbed his stomach in pain, Darius then grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it in a 360 degree fashion. The soldier, unable to breathe, tried screaming but could not. Just as he twisted, Vasir grabbed the soldier's side-arm and fired a round against the man's knee, suppressing the shot. The Rosenthal soldier fell onto his side and grabbed his knee in agony. The man then caught his breathe and started screaming in pain. Little did the soldier know as he was screaming, Vasir grabbed his radio and assault rifle. Vasir ran out and into a nearby ally.
The Rayleonard NEXT began to gain the upper hand against Noblesse Oblige.
"He's too fast!" Leonhardt said aloud as he fired his NEXTs rifle.
Leonhardt realized that he needed to end the battle quickly if he were to survive. The battle raged on throughout the city and all traces of it's former glory crumbled around Vasir. The enemy NEXT was suffering minor damage but was of no deterrence upon the pilot's skillful performance against Rosenthal's prestigious White Knight. For the first time in this battle the Aaliyah NEXT took to the skies to face Noblesse Oblige in aerial combat. Leonhardt fired his rifle while dodging plasma cannon fire from the enemy NEXT. After closing the gap the Aaliyah began its descent to the ground.
"That's right! Such basic Aaliyah engineering would never allow for an aerial fight. Leonhardt thought. As the NEXT descended energy had once again emerged from the units laser blade as the pilot swung once more from a distance. A wave of energy then fired from the energy blade an struck Leonhard directly, with minimal damage.
"What the?!" Leonhardt gasped in amazement
Leonhardt then pushed towards the enemy while boosting behind buildings beckoning the enemy to take to the skies to get a clear shot at him.
The evacuation area was only half a mile away from Vasir and he was determined to make it. The sudden silence told himself to not stop running. As his mind wondered, his thoughts were interrupted by the boosters of the Aaliyah NEXT who flew backwards to keep the distance from Noblesse Oblige. The Rayleonard NEXT eyepiece had darkened as it glared upon its foe. Darius then saw the Neo Rhodes military working together with GA to get people into the escape shuttles.
"Hey! Over here!" Vasir yelled to the allied soldiers.
The soldiers turned and aimed their weapons at the young man and screamed
"Put down your weapons! Get on the ground!" He yelled
One soldier raised his rifle demanding Vasir's identification as his rifle was pushed downwards by a GA Colonel.
"Don't you know who this is?! This is Major Vasir's son!" Yelled the Colonel
"Let's get you to the helipad and to your father." he concluded.
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir" Vasir said out of breath.
As they started to walk towards the helipad, an insurgency of the Lilliana forces started shooting down from a roof upon the soldiers and Vasir.
"Open fire!" ordered the Colonel to his soldiers.
Everyone took cover behind concrete road blocks and Vasir started returning fire against the Rosenthal troops. As the soldiers and Darius were shooting at the Rosenthal troops, an allied soldier was hit in the leg. Darius took aim at one soldier and squeezed the trigger slowly, and as the weapon fired a red mist of blood from an enemy trooper sprayed into the air.
"I think you got one! Good to see that GA's program is working!" yelled the Colonel. Vasir then ran out of ammo in the magazine of his assault rifle which wasn't fully loaded.
"Dammit!" said Darius to himself as he drew his pistol the Colonel ran to Darius's piece of cover.
"Young man, run to the shuttle! Your mother is in shuttle number eight-zero-five! We will take care of these bastards! Go!" ordered the Colonel as he pushed Vasir and turned around to open fire at the undercover Lilliana infantry.
As Vasir sprinted forward, he suddenly fell to the ground in pain as he discovered a grazing bullet wound in his shoulder. Darius put his right hand on his shoulder only to see blood completely cover his hand. He dashed away from the enemy fire as he heard an announcement. "Air support is on its way, Zeta 3. The unbelievers will not know what hit them". Darius's eyes widened as he gasped with fright.
"Colonel! Colonel! Get out of there!" Vasir yelled. Darius kept yelling but the allied soldiers couldn't hear him over the sound of gunfire and explosions. He looked right and saw incoming fighter planes coming closing in. He then looked back at the soldiers who were oblivious to the air strike. As several F99's closed in, the remaining Rosenthal cruisers over the coast all began to self-destruct. The flagship commander raised his hand and detonated the explosives onboard the ship.
"Lilliana Forever!" shouted the commander as the last ship was destroyed
"Air strike! Move! Colonel, run!" Darius yelled. Vasir then saw a rain of bullets coming from the plane's gatling guns hitting the floor and quickly closing in on the soldiers.
"Nooooo!" Darius screamed as the soldiers were ripped apart from the enemy air strike.
The bullets tearing through a nearby building exploded and glass shards were thrown everywhere. Vasir then gasped in pain looking down at his where a shard of glass penetrated his leg. Darius trying his best to ignore the pain, stood up. All but Vasir had been killed in the strike. He looked up at the building that he was shooting at before the planes arrived. The Lilliana soldiers took aim at the young man and as they were about to fire, the building crumbled from above them.
Darius looked around in confusion and realized the Aaliyah NEXT shot down the building with his plasma cannon, he then directed his fire on the fighters that conducted the airstrike and were torn to pieces by the Aaliyah's 01-HITMAN machine gun. The NEXT, now looking down at Darius for a moment, turned around and continued the fight with Noblesse Oblige. Darius then snapped out of it and started limping towards the helipad to the shuttle but as he arrived it was disabled from the air strike.
Noblesse Oblige pondered the actions of the enemy NEXT. Regardless, Leonhardt had no choice but to continue fighting. The enemy AC finally took the skies and started firing its left-handed machine gun and right shoulder mounted plasma cannon.
"Finally" Leonhardt said as he readied his wing like cannons. The Aaliyah started descending to regain energy but Leonhardt fired both of his cannons simultaneously, disabling the enemy NEXT. Little did he know that the civilian escape shuttle was a few hundred meters behind the enemy AC just to its side. Leonhardt was then contacted the Commander from the Lilliana .
"Can you hear me, nonbeliever? You're fighting spirit commends you. We have no choice but to surrender against the might of Rosenthal's "White Knight". For years, the Lilliana have taken refuge within the American soil. We were to end our lives this day through the global crisis of our own making and purge this world of impurity for our righteous one. Yet here we stand, defeated and cornered by the enemy. The last of our elders are onboard the very transport before you. I bid of you, White Knight, destroy us now and leave this place. The GA may have been eradicated from our air strike, but against you, we are powerless. Finish us here and leave this place. You will become a hero to your people as well the Americans. May we meet again in the inferno. Said the Lilliana as he closed communication
The Lilliana had been purged and all credibility for the attack lay in Leonhardt's hands.
"Farewell" said Leonhardt he prepared to fire
Darius looked at the shuttle and to his surprise, he saw his mother banging on the glass crying out for her beloved son.
"Mom! I'm over here!" Darius yelled! .
Darius's eyes traced the cannon blast as all three rounds ripped through the transport carrying. The civilian transport exploded in mid-air. Darius stared at the shuttle in disbelief and shock. A tear ran down the young man's face as he screamed
"Mom!...mom!...No..no..no!"
He fell to his knees and continued crying. He slowly started walking away into the open land of what used to be his home. After several miles of walking his adrenaline started to fade as his limping grew worse. Vasir then took off his jacket and ripped of the sleeves and tied one around his left shoulder and the other around the area where the glass penetrated his leg. Soon after, he lost consciousness and collapsed. In the distance, a transport had landed over the war-torn land. A young man stepped out of the transport to rescue Vasir, the sole survivor in the city. It was an operative from Cortex, who had foreseen the Lilliana attack but was unable to prevent it. Cortex had arrived at just the right time, if only to save one life.
Vasir's eyes opened as he returned to his current reality. Much time had passed since he began his reflections. A man from the bridge approached him.
"Vasir was it? Come with me." he said