Soul of Hatred
Chapter 1: Failed Mission
Gunfire and screams rose to the top of the hill from below in a frightening echo that would send a chill through any SOLDIER, be that a trainee or one of the highest in ranking. Unfortunately, the warriors that fought below at the bottom of the cliff were only of the lowest ranks and the enemy was indeed a terrible challenge. Their leader, a man named Darrell, yelled out commands to them in desperation to keep them all alive as they struggled against the smaller of the hounds that plagued the green fields in a wild assault.
Atop the hill stood Cloud, a young aspiring SOLDIER who would give anything to become exactly that. To become a SOLDIER was his hearts desire, and every rank he rose to filled him with more hope, yet the lack of confidence was becoming a problem. He wished for his dream to come true so much, yet he doubted it somewhere inside.
The young man stared down at the battle below him and as he saw his fellow comrades frightened faces he was thankful that his role in the mission demanded him to be away from the enemy.
Amongst the smaller hounds was the leader, a giant savage canine that looked more like a bear as it raised it's head and let out an ear-shattering roar. It's bright yellow eyes darted around the group as the noise ended, but its mouth remained open in a menacing snarl that crinkled up its nose and revealed rows of bloodstained teeth. Battle scars decorated its thick brown coat, which proved the legend true. It really had been the killer of many of the other beasts in the fields.
Cloud readjusted himself where he lay on his stomach on the grass. It had been almost an hour of waiting for him, and he still had not received the orders to act from Darrell. It was up to him to finish the beast once and for all with a Shinra missile launcher. It stood beside him, a large mechanical gun loaded with the powerful projectile. The weapon cloaked him in its shadow and he hoped it hid him from the savage leader of the pack that would probably tear him apart if it saw him.
He took in a lungful of air to calm his nerves. Ultimately, it was him who would decide the outcome of the battle and that demanded a lot of responsibility. The fighters below were growing tired and injured from the fangs and claws of their enemy, but they made sure the giant beast was suffering just as much.
"Soon," Cloud whispered to himself. He turned his head to the side to see Darrell protecting the people at the back of the battle that were being worn down incredibly fast by a dying wave of the wild dogs.
"Come on Darrell, they will fall apart without the leader," Cloud growled under his breath in irritation. Almost immediately he regretted the emotion and bit into his tongue. His fear would be the ruin of the operation if he was not careful.
Finally Darrell seemed to read Cloud's mind and turned to face him. All he needed to do was give Cloud a quick nod and he was on his feet. Exhilaration replaced apprehension as the he jumped behind the machine and grasped the metal handles on the sides. With another deep breath, he aimed it at the ferocious monster that towered over all others at the bottom of the hill and prepared to fire.
Darrell fired wildly at the smaller targets that raced towards him and his band of trainees. The trust he held in Cloud was strong, but he had a nagging tug in the back of his mind. After embedding another bullet into the chest of an approaching canine, he glanced up at Cloud.
What he saw turned his blood to ice.
Cloud was oblivious to the fact that he had not prepared the missile-launching gun correctly. The safety shield that covered the front hole where the missile would shoot out was still covering. He did not see Darrell waving his arms around and could not hear his panicked screams until he had already spotted the perfect opportunity and launched the missile. He paled as he realised the warnings, but it was too late.
An explosion that almost defended many of the troops below rang throughout the area. The grass was flattened to the ground as the machina power burst from the inside of the machine. Cloud had been thrown metres across the grass and found himself slamming into the grassy slope of the hill on the opposite side of the battle. He only managed to open his eyes until he had hit the ground one final time and slid to a rest on even earth.
It was there he lay and stared up into the sky groggily. Everything seemed to wave and dip this way and that. The sound of running footsteps reached his ringing ears and he managed to sit himself up.
Several hands helped him in this simple action, but none of his fellow beginners gave him any comfort. He knew that he had failed them, and couldn't bring himself to face them.
Dread clutched at him as Darrell's face appeared in front of his own. "Strife, are you okay?" His voice sounded genuinely concerned but Cloud had picked up the hint of anger.
'I am in so much trouble,' he thought dismally as he was led back towards the trucks that would transport them to the Shinra Base.
For the first time, he wanted to be anywhere other than there where Darrell's wrath would be unleashed.
