Chapter 4: The Fate of Colony 9

"You did great. You fought them off. I couldn't have done that." — Reyn

In the training yard of the Defence Force Headquarters, Reyn stretched before rubbing his shoulder.

"Colonel, you really put us through the grinda' today," Reyn complained, his sore muscles crying out in pain. The red-haired, mustachioed Colonel Vangarre snorted in response.

"You bloody know you won't get stronger unless I push you until you puke, Sergeant," Vangarre replied in his usual gruff tone. Due to his long service, Reyn had managed to reach Sergeant younger than most. It most likely had to do with that fact that the war last year had also drawn the boy into it. With his superior physical strength, Reyn was able to make several substantial achievements.

"Guess I should blame Mum and Dad for giving me an iron stomach," Reyn joked. Standing up, he walked to the weapon stand and began to polish his gunlance. It was a Driver, one that specialized in offense and dealing the most amount of damage to the enemy… and thanks to Dickson's research, it was able to harm the Mechon. Most weapons did not harm Mechon, but after Dickson's Monado research turned up fruitless, he decided to arm Colony 9 with these new Anti-Mechon weapons.

"You should blame them for giving you a head filled with rocks insteads," Vangarre said as he leaned back against the HQ building. "Or thank them. It's what's kept your idiotic self safe. I swear, I have never, in all my days, seen a recruit as reckless as you. Least you ain't no sissie."

Reyn smiled. Vangarre always sounded like he was insulting you, but it got a lot easier once you understood the true intent behind his words: "Just thank them for keeping you safe. I'm proud of you."

Or maybe that was all just Reyn's imagination.

He smiled as he got back to work. He caught Dickson leaving the lab out of the corner of his eye. The old man had been one of the few adults Reyn really got to interact with. He was similar to Vangarre in a way. Maybe that was why Reyn and his commanding officer got along so well.

And then the alarms sounded.

Fiora was downstairs, preparing dinner for her brother. Dunban, like Dickson, was a war hero. Not just any hero, however. He was the one who wielded the Monado, despite the constant rejecting it did of him. He endured the pain and lost the use of his right arm while repelling the Mechon in Sword Valley. Right now, she was making him porridge. He was still recovering, so anything she could make to help him would be best.

Finally finishing, she brought the food upstairs. Dunban was shirtless and had his arm wrapped in bandages as he lay in bed.

"And tonight we're having po—" She stopped her happy tone when she noticed something. Dunban was wielding one of his swords with his left hand. He'd been practicing while she wasn't looking again.

"Fiora, look, I know what you're going to sa—" He started.

"No. Absolutely not," Fiora said, cutting him off. "I will not have you swinging any sort of weapon around. I almost lost you, you know. I don't really have anybody else, Dunban. I know a lot of the people in the Colony, but you're the only person I can really talk to. I don't have any real friends. Only my idiot brother who thinks the only thing he's good for is fighting." Fiora finished and walked over to Dunban. Forcibly handing him the porridge and spoon, Fiora marched downstairs.

Dunban could hear her sobbing begin to start again. He sighed. The war was tough on both fronts. For those fighting… and for those at home. When they brought him back on a stretcher, Fiora burst into tears. She was a social girl, but there was never anybody that she truly bonded with. So she latched onto her brother. He was one of the few supporting pillars of her life.

If he fell, he was certain she'd go mad.

'Still, I can't sit around and do nothing. I'm a fighter, Fiora. I always have been and I always will be. If I can't protect you, then I have no purpose,' Dunban thought as he clenched his sword. He had already lost too many people. Seen too many people die in the war. He'd never let his sister be all alone.

Because he was certain… if he died… she'd soon follow him…

A loud alarm then tore through the air.

A fleet of dark ships appeared overhead. No, perhaps they had been slowly approaching for a while now. While everyone else was going about their daily lives, destruction snuck ever closer. Citizens gasped, some cried out, as the alarms rang through the Colony. Some had never even heard that particular alarm before, but those that recognized it were overcome with disbelief followed by fear. The machines overhead growing steadily closer only meant one thing.

The Mechon had arrived at Colony 9… and they would bring hellfire with them.

"You idiots! Why didn't you see this lot until they were right on top of us?!" Vangarre barked into a radio.

"Sir, we thought they had all been wiped ou—" The voice on the other said was replaced by static before resuming. Off in the distance, an explosion rocked one of the Anti-Air Batteries.

Turning to his men, Vangarre barked, "Don't let a single one into the colony! Assemble everyone who can fight! Evacuate the civilians to the shelter! Get a move on! Sergeant Reyn, your squad will protect Dickson! Get him and the Monado to a safe zone! Don't stand around gawking! Get a move on!"

The armored members of the Defense Force began to scatter around town, practicing the drill they had memorized with practice. Reyn split off with the group pushing their way to the Commercial District. Even as they began to cross the bridge connecting the two districts, the metallic menaces crashed in front of them, scurrying around and firing off lasers.

A sniper, Dorothy, hung at the back as she took an arm off a larger, bipedal Mechon in the distance with a well-placed shot. Dickson charged forward out of the group and fired at the smaller Mechon with his Sabre, punching holes through the armor. He struck the legs of those not dismantled by his ether bullets with the sword end of Sabre, toppling them and allowing the Defence Force to quickly dispatch them.

"Oi, gramps!" Reyn shouted. "We're supposed to be protectin' ya!" The redhead charged forward, putting himself between Dickson and the oncoming hoard of Mechon.

"BONE UPPER!" He screamed as he straight up punched a Mechon, sending it flying into a few of its companions behind it. Heartened by his success, Reyn pounded the ground hard with his driver, drawing the attention of every single Mechon on the bridge. Which turned out to be way more than Reyn estimated. Counting was never a strong point of his. He heard Dickson loudly click his tongue in disappointment.

"Hey, blockhead!" Dorothy yelled as she fired off a healing bullet in Reyn's direction. "We want to keep the Mechon AWAY from Dickson!"

"I know, I know," groaned Reyn as he raised his gunlance above his head. "War Swing!"

Reyn spun around, pushing many of the Mechon to their watery grave off of the bridge. He then held his gunlance in front of his face, activating the shield within it. Dickson then ran up behind Reyn and jumped off his shoulders, aiming his Sabre at one of the oncoming Mechon.

"EAT THIS! THUNDERBOLT!" He shouted with glee as a flash of electricity pierced through the head of the Mechon. It fell to the ground before Dickson landed and swung Sabre around to decapitate another Mechon to his right. One more came up behind him, but Reyn pushed forward with tremendous force, knocking it to the ground before driving his gunlance into its torso and impaling it to the ground.

"Keep your eyes open, gramps!" Reyn taunted with a grin. Dickson grunted.

"Brat, that one was already dead. I just hadn't gotten around to killin' it yet," he replied gruffly. Before they knew it, there were already far fewer Mechon occupying the bridge. Most had appeared to have withdrawn to the Commercial District.

"Alright, everyone!" Emmy Leater, one of the Captains of the Defense Force, called to the soldiers, "Let's push through while the Mechon forces are thin! Colonel Vangarre will be supporting us while Miller will take the Residential District!"

As the men and women pushed onward, Dickson quickly patted behind him to make sure his most precious cargo was still there. It would inevitably be targeted by the Mechon, after all. He felt a solid blade and grinned.

As long as the Monado was safe, Colony 9 could burn to the ground for all he cared.

Dunban rushed down the stairs, sword clutched in his left hand. Fiora was already packing various belongings in a backpack. Family pictures, important mementos, and food and water. Upon seeing Dunban's weapon, Fiora glared at him.

"Oh no you don't. We're escaping to Tephra. Now. If you're going to bring that sword, then use it only to protect us along the way," Fiora scolded. Dunban shook his head.

"I can't let only the two of us survive, Fiora. If I can at least save one more person, then it'll be enough. I've lost too many people. I'll need you to go to with the other citizens. I'll protect your back from the Mechon," Dunban said as he ran out the door.

"Dunban, wait! Don't leave me!" Fiora cried as she chased after him.

"Remember these words, Fiora! Let them explain who I am!" He shouted as he charged forward. Dunban breathed in deeply as he unsheathed his katana. The rampaging Mechon all focused on him, their eyes glowing red.

"Born in a world of strife!"

His form was that of a dance, flowing gently through the air like a falling petal during the spring blossom.

"Against the odds!"

Every step was a martial arts form memorized by every tendon in his muscles and every bone in his body.

"We choose to fight!"

Every swing was practiced to perfection without wasting a single movement. Even with his left hand, Dunban was a man who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

"Blossom Dance!"

But Fiora didn't see a swordsman.

She saw the back of her brother running to his death. Recklessly, Fiora threw her bag to the ground and brought out her knives. Dickson had distributed Anti-Mechon weapons to everyone in Colony 9. He often joked that he did it in order to keep his lab funding. Thus, in this battlefield, even Fiora could fight!

"There's no way I'll let you go alone!" Fiora shouted as she ran after her brother. However, she never reached him.

A giant, a titan of steel descended from the skies, landing in front of Dunban. With all his strength, Dunban attempted to slice through this monster. However, this Mechon was different.

This Mechon had a face.

It seemed to shake with laughter with one clawed hand, the Faced Mechon smacked Dunban, sending him flying into a building with its monstrous strength. He felt his ribs break with a loud cracking sound. Dunban struck his sword into the earth, using it as a crutch to force himself to stand. He could not give in. Not with his little sister behind him. He had too much to lose. He charged in again and leaped at the Faced Mechon, but his speed was too slow. His strength too insignificant.

The Faced Mechon caught him out of midair, bringing him close to its face. For a second, Dunban swore the thing sneered at him. For no perceivable reason, the Faced Mechon pinched Dunban's right arm and snapped it, breaking the bone. Dunban didn't cry out. He was only trying to slash at the Faced Mechon with what little strength he had left. Then, with little ease, the monster threw Dunban over the buildings like a child done with a broken toy.

"DUNBAN!" Fiora let out a blood-curdling scream. It all happened so fast. There was no time to respond. There was nothing she could have done. All these regrets and excuses formed in an instant, but they were all drowned out by pure anger. Rage and sorrow that she had never before felt in her life set her entire body alight. With every fiber in her being, Fiora only wanted one thing.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" She screamed as she ran forward. She didn't care about her own life anymore. She didn't care about how weak she was. If she could only hurt the enemy in front of her, she'd die a happy woman.

The Faced Mechon looked at her, regarding her with little interest. As it reared back its clawed hand, something suddenly hit its back. Inexplicably, the Faced Mechon's back exploded as it was sent staggering forward. It turned back to glare at the annoyance that hit it. The Faced Mechon that was supposed to be supporting it were annihilated. In its place, was a group of Homs, their leader holding the smoking rod of a rocket launcher.

Vangarre growled.

"Run, little lady! Let the Defence Force take care of this scum!" Vangarre barked. There were too many Mechon and already more were coming in. If they took out the leader, then they had a chance. If not, then Colony 9 was beyond saving and they could only retreat to Tephra Cave and cave in the entrance with the few survivors remaining. It all came down to this.

Fiora snapped out of her anger. She'd die if she fought. Dunban sacrificed himself to save her. She had to live for both of them. With tears in her eyes, Fiora turned and ran. Even though she knew it was the right thing to do, she felt like a coward.

With the girl gone, Vangarre's Defence Force moved into position. More Mechon were constantly dropping from the sky, breaking into houses and dragging people out just to kill them. Some homes were burning and filling the area with smoke. Only they could end this.

The Faced Mechon moved its heavy body towards them. Reyn led a few troops as the vanguard. The Faced Mechon responded by trying to cut them all to bits by slashing at them with both of its claws. However, Anti-Mechon bullets suddenly rained upon it as the Defence Force set up a covering fire. What they expected would happen would be for the Faced Mechon to move to block the bullets and thus get hit by the vanguard.

However, the Faced Mechon ignored the bullets. No, the bullets were bouncing off of it. Reyn and his troops charged forward, but only Reyn had the instincts to put up his gunlance in time to block the incoming attack. The Faced Mechon's power overwhelmed even Reyn and sent him hurtling back to his other Defence Force members.

His troops weren't so lucky. The men who trained under him, who called him 'Sergeant', and whom he had personally commanded for the last year had their lives extinguished in an instant. The shock would have frozen over his mind, but Reyn participated in the war too. Like all the other veterans, he was too used to death.

"It's not doing anything! Dickson, why the hell are your proudly-touted toys not working?!" Vangarre yelled. Dickson glared back at Vangarre.

"Are you blind, Colonel? He's got a face. He's no ordinary Mechon, you idiot! If he's immune to my weapons, then he might as well be immune to the bloody Monado!" Dickson answered as he fired at the Faced Mechon. Sure enough, it did nothing. Vangarre was suddenly filled with fear. Their weapons did nothing. This was an enemy they could not defeat.

His fear then dissipated. He faced impossible odds before. War could not be won in a single battle. He only hoped Miller evacuated the civilians already. The man wasn't his first choice, but they needed the majority of their forces to secure the route to Tephra as well as protect the Monado since it would draw the most enemies. They now only had one way to survive this.

"Push forward! We'll push past it and secure Tephra! This is a tactical retreat!" Vangarre shouted as he pulled a strange gun from his side. "Flares out!"

'If he has eyes, then we'll blind 'im!' Vangarre thought.

The Defence Force fired their flares at the Faced Mechon. One of them even threw a smoke grenade for good measure. And, with all their might, the Defence Force ran. Once the Faced Mechon was able to see again, it focused on the soldiers and seemed to smirk.

It floated up and began to fly.

The chase was on.

Dunban landed in the water and struggled as air began to quickly fill his lungs. He was drowning. He only had one arm to swim with and his ribs were broken. If it were anybody else, they'd give up and die. They'd be unable to fight back.

'I've fought many battles and I survived,' Dunban thought as he forced his broken arm to work and took his sword in his mouth. The same arm that the Monado had destroyed was broken by a Mechon. Yet he pushed through the pain and swam. His goal: the nearest Anti-Air Battery.

'I've seen the devastation of war, watched countless die, and I survived.'

His perseverance could be called monstrous. At one point, adrenaline had kicked in and the pain was gone. He used that precious time to push his body to the absolute limit. Against all the odds, he reached the AA Battery. Clambering on top of it, he sprinted forwards.

'I've survived by the skin of my teeth time and time again in order to protect my loved ones, in order to return home.'

He kicked open a panel on the AA Battery. Inside was the loading area for a special kind of ammunition. Dunban could count the people who knew about this on one hand. It was a secret project, one that had long ago been scrapped. To the right was a single suit hanging on a hook on the wall. At the end was a large capsule, open and ready. A long time ago, Colony 9 tried to develop a method to travel quickly to other parts of the Bionis using an AA Battery propelled-capsule. The only thing that stopped the project was the inadequate launching power. But for Dunban, it was perfect for what he needed.

'Fiora, if you're still alive... wait for me. You're big brother is coming.'

He loaded himself into the capsule after donning the suit. After closing the capsule, a screen appeared on the inside. The aiming device was set inside for the convenience of the user. Without hesitation, Dunban focused on the Faced Mechon that was now starting to fly. In the distance, he could see Fiora running for her life followed by the Defence Force.

Dunban smiled.

'I won't die yet.'

And then he fired the AA Battery.

A streak of light flew up from the AA Battery before is suddenly veered to the side, tracking its target. As the Face Mechon transformed into its flight-mode, it was suddenly hit by a large grey capsule. Upon impact, the capsule split open, and Dunban leapt out onto the Faced Mechon dressed in a grey and red suit with a visored helmet.

"You're not going anywhere!" Dunban exclaimed as he clung to the monster. Repeatedly, he stabbed his sword into the Faced Mechon as he tried to pierce it. The Faced Mechon flew into the air, trying to twist and twirl its body to shake him off. Yet Dunban did not let go.

"I'll take you down! I'll save whatever I can, whoever I can, and however I can! Even if I die, I won't let go!" Dunban shouted at the top of his lungs. "Foul Mechon! Taste my blade!"

And, remarkably, a miracle occurred. His sword found purchase in the Faced Mechon's joints as it locked itself between gears. The Faced Mechon suddenly went out of control as it flew and spiralled through the sky wildly.

In seconds, Colony 9 was far below them. They flew up the Bionis' shin, far away from all the Mechon. His body screamed at him, but Dunban ignored it. Every single nerve in his body felt like it was on fire. The pain was driving him crazy and his body begged to him to let it die.

But...

The image of Fiora's face in his mind was a million times brighter than all of it.

He promised he would never leave her alone again, and the promise rang a million times louder than his bones breaking.

"Born… in a world of strife!" He screamed, the poem bring backing his sanity as he tried to move his sword.

"Again….Against! Against the odds!" The metal in the joints was beginning to creak.

"W-W-We… I CHOSE TO FIGHT!" With a loud snap, the joint broke and one of the "wings" of the Faced Mechon's flight form fell off.

The already dizzying flight turned into insanity as the Faced Mechon veered off over Gaur Plains, quickly losing altitude. There was only one thing Dunban knew for certain: They were going to crash. This was it. This was the end. In his weakened state, the odds of him surviving were astronomical.

Yet he still smiled.

"Astronomical" didn't mean impossible.

Using his memory of Gaur Plain, Dunban knew exactly where he was. Hoping he was correct, Dunban let go of the Faced Mechon. As he fell back to the Bionis, his will to live was burning ever strong. When water met his Impact Suit, he let out a small laugh.

'Fiora… I always keep my promises.'

The Defence Force enclosed themselves in Tephra Cave and finally breathed easily. Vangarre turned around to take count of all the survivors. They lost a lot of good men and women along the way, but surely Miller finished his job.

But he was wrong.

Miller never made it. Maybe he ran away. Maybe he died. That no longer mattered. As far as Vangarre knew, the people surrounding him were the only survivors of Colony 9. There were too many Mechon. They couldn't go around and save the Residential District. Judging from the fires, it was most likely already too late.

Vangarre, Reyn, Dickson, Dorothy, Emmy, and Fiora.

These were the only people that could be saved.

Everybody collapsed with exhaustion after they cleared out the Caterpile nest and the nearby monsters in Tephra Cave. Turning the area into a temporary camp, they all decided to sleep off the pain and exhaustion. Fiora hadn't said a word to anybody. As the only civilian to make it out, the soldiers surrounding her could not even begin to comprehend what exactly she was going through.

Vangarre took first watch for the night, making sure the others could rest while he held off the monsters.

"I'm going out for a smoke," Dickson said as he walked past Vangarre. Knowing full well how strong Dickson had been in the war, the Colonel let him go without any objections. With ease, Dickson made it to Mag Mell Ruins. He ascended the ramps inside the structure, the weak creatures too fearful of him to attack. Dickson then headed through the hallways, eventually making it to the door that led to the Cylinder Hangar.

Sighing, Dickson went through it. From the overhang, he could see the destruction. Mechon swarmed the area like an unstoppable wave of Antols. The entire area was dyed black by the sheer number of them. Almost all the buildings were collapsed and very few were still standing. From his vantage point, he could see the remains of the Residential District. Nothing was left.

With his superior vision, he could see the numerous bodies strewn across the area. Slowly, the Mechon dragged the bodies off one by one. Dickson lit his cigar and placed it between his lips, taking in deep breaths of the soothing smoke.

The destruction was terrible, but this wasn't why he was here. Those corpses meant nothing to him.

A huge, winged beast descended from the skies and landed in front of him. It did nothing, only waited for him to respond.

"So you've found him, Alvis. I always knew I could count on you. Lorithia always had her self-important head up her ass," Dickson said as he took the Monado off his back and threw it to the Telethia. Catching the weapon in its mouth, the Telethia then flew off wordlessly.

"Now… how exactly am I going to explain this to those kids?"

Earlier

Miller never made it to Tephra Cave.

There were too many Mechon. And even if they could fight them off, there was no way they could possibly save everyone. Miller was prepared to cut his losses and run with the few he saved. However, his heart was too good. He waited to long. Eventually, his men let him run away. He promised to bring back reinforcements.

Miller was always fast, outrunning Emmy in three seconds flat.

He dodged countless Mechon.

Miller was always quick to dodge the job.

When he reached Tephra Cave, the entrance had already been sealed. Despair overcame him.

But Miller, poor Miller, wasn't fast enough.

And the Mechon, those black machines, took him. As the light faded from the numerous machines crowding him, he felt regret. If he never ran away from work all the time, then maybe he'd have been strong enough to save the people he cared about it.

"Captain… No, Emmy… I'm sorry…"

NEXT: Flames that Burn Within

A/N: Here's a chapter edited in a hurry so just now Shay and I are proud and I wrote most of this chapter but Shay was a major help and I need to go to work now!

Question of the Chapter: Do whatever the hell you want I have to get ready for work!

REVIEW, FAVORITE, FOLLOW! Pretty please with manly Dunban on top?!