Lira had faltered, and she hated herself for it. Outside, the mysterious craft was already taking off as her parents helped her to her feet, and she screamed until her throat ran hoarse.
"Misha!" she said. "Charel! Blue!"
The ship showed no signs of stopping, instead turning away from the house and darting off into the black-green horizon.
"Lira, your leg, your leg, it's bleeding bad…" said Lira's father. "Maybe we should visit the doctor, very quick…"
"Ignore that, we have to get Charel back!" said Lira. "I don't care if I bleed out, I'm not letting them take my daughter!"
Lira wrenched herself from her parents' grip, the two of them too old and frail to keep her in grasp. She hobbled towards the door, the hole in her leg pouring purple blood onto the floor, streaming down her toes.
"Lira, wait for us!" said her mother. "We'll go with you, sort this out!"
"Why, why would they do this…" said her father. "Who even are they?"
"I don't know, and I don't care," said Lira. "I won't let them hurt her. Not Charel, not Misha, and not Blue."
She slammed the door open, tears stinging her eyes as she limped into the center of the village. Both of her parents caught up, easily surpassing their wounded daughter.
"Looks like they headed towards the field," said her father, pointing a shaky finger in the same direction the ship left. "But…"
"The clouds…" said Lira's mother. "We have to get protection, it'll rain soon!"
"There's no fucking time!" said Lira. "I'll let it eviscerate me, if it means getting them back!"
"Alright, you two head forward then!" said Lira's father. "I'll catch up with some suits!"
He turned tail and ran as fast as he could back into the house, as Lira and her mother hobbled towards the field. Lira had to be steadied as she half-sprinted, half-limped a pained gait, but both her and her mother were willing to risk their lives to get Charel and Misha back. No matter what it took, they would press on.
Lira's father blasted through every room, tearing out drawers and closet doors and peeking under beds. No signs of any suits. Then it came to him.
We tore them… he thought. For Blue, for bandages, we had to tear them…
"Shit!" he said. Turning from Lira's room, he bolted back out of the house and headed for the nearest barn, a small, squat, clay hut that was sure to have a few extra suits for the workers.
It's an emergency, he thought. They'll have to understand.
The barn was tiny, a little cavern filled with shiny tools and a couple of near-empty racks, bonus supplies for any workers running late or who had forgotten what they needed. Though the materials within were considered for the community, it was more for the working class than an old retired man such as Lira's father. Only four suits remained.
He pulled them down from one of the racks, and ran back outside. His chest was like a plate of cracked ceramic, every moment threatening to shatter it. Nerves were making his muscles twitch and ache, and his head already felt like it was going to explode.
But it didn't matter. His daughter needed him. His wife needed him. Granddaughter and daughter were in trouble. Hell, even Blue was in trouble, to whom he owed a great deal.
Even if this whole mess might've been his fault.
Soon Lira's father caught up to the others, who had just made it out of the outskirts of the village. They had to stop to slip their suits on, Lira yelling in pain as she roughed up her leg to force it through the pants. Above, the sky thundered, screaming its warning to any living being below.
"Just keep going," said Lira. "The suits can hold out…hold out for a while."
"Do we even know where to go…" said Lira's mother. Her voice was breaking with despair.
"Field," said Lira. "Misha…she mentioned that's where the outpost was. Surely that's where they went."
"That's an hour walk…" said Lira's father. "We…we might have our suits disintegrated by the time we even get to the mountain…"
"Then we'll just have to walk fast," said Lira. "For our family."
Both parents were astonished at Lira, who walked forward the moment she had her suit on. She was brimming with determination, with an expression of both pain and sheer anger. It was almost like Misha, if Misha was built on primal rage instead of burning curiosity.
Lira's father kept the extra suit tucked under his arm as they jogged as quickly as they could through the field. He could spot the thinnest sheen of green in the distance, the telltale sign of rains far away.
"It'll be on us in twenty minutes, maybe less," said Lira's father. "We have to hurry…"
"We'll get there," said Lira. "I don't care about the rain."
"We have to," said Lira's mother, who puffed and huffed as she struggled to keep up. "We have to…"
"Save them," said Lira's father. "We can figure this out. And then…then find out just what Blue has to do with this. This…could be his fault."
"Those people knew him, were after him," said Lira's mother. "He saved you and Charel Lira…but they hated him, I could tell…"
"I don't care," said Lira. "All that matters is saving Charel and Misha! We can figure out blame later!"
"Yes…" said Lira's father. "You're right. And even if it is partly his fault…he's still done much for us…"
"Enough!" screamed Lira back at her parents. "Your daughter and granddaughter's lives are at stake, and you just want to talk about how Blue might be the problem! Focus on the people who took our family, for fucks' sakes!"
Neither parent could argue with that. Truthfully, they didn't want to. Both were already getting exhausted, and it had only been ten minutes into their run. They had a long way to go.
"You're right," said Lira's father. "You're right…I'm sorry, my head, I just can't…"
"Too much to take," said Lira's mother. "It's just too much."
"If it's too much then you can head home," said Lira. "Sorry, sorry, it's…too much for me too, but I have to focus. I can't let anything slow me down."
Silence enveloped them as they neared the mountain. The hissing of rain drew near, melting small pieces of the stone at the tip of the peak. As Lira and her parents made their way up the mountain path, they were treated to the first drizzle of acid, and they all pulled their suit hoods up.
Lira was panting, and her parents were straggling further and further behind, neither of them having worked in the fields in over five years. Their jobs were at home, and the strain on their bodies, no matter how determined or adrenaline-fueled they might've been, was proving too much. Still, they tried to press on, hyperventilating as Lira began to vanish up the path.
She knew that her parents were lagging, but she dared not stop. Her head was fuzzy, her leg warm from blood loss, and she too was out of breath. Groaning, Lira fell to her hands and started to crawl forward, clenching her teeth as she could just make out the edge of the field miles away. The rain was coming in sheets now, and she could hear the fabric crackling like cereal in a bath of milk. If she was out too long, it would disintegrate completely, and her skin would be next.
Have to…have to keep going, she thought. Do it for her. You can do this.
Her body was disagreeing. All that time spent in bed due to the illness had not sat well with her muscles, and given how much her leg was bleeding, Lira prayed the bastard who had shot her hadn't hit an artery. She clutched at her leg, barely able to stand up again to keep limping down the path.
Lira couldn't hear her parents behind her, at least not over the pouring rain. She glanced back, and saw nothing but grainy air, flickering with raindrops. Then she turned forward, choking into a sob as she pressed on.
Please no, she thought. Please, don't let this be the end…
. . .
Yuris grinned as he approached a shocked Blue, leveling his pistol at his query. Blood seeped from his mouth and he shivered as he walked, the telltale signs of a man inflicted with the worst of poisons.
"Akazo's gone now, isn't he?" asked Yuris. "It's just you."
Blue slid back, pulling his good arm across Misha's chest as she crept over behind him. Charel had stopped tugging on her to stare at the intruder, vaguely remembering him from times past.
"You're the one…" said Blue, pushing Misha back. "The one that was with Temra back when he tried to stop us."
"It doesn't matter," said Yuris. He chuckled, finally feeling in control. In front of him was the monster who had killed so many, who had ruined everything. And he was hurt, exhausted from the looks of him, and could be ended in one shot. Though Yuris wanted to vomit and felt like doubling over, he kept himself standing straight. He would not fail this time.
"Listen," said Blue. "I know, I know I'm a monster. But you shooting me here…all it would do is doom the planet. Just let me go, I'm going to head up to that outpost and stop the gas-"
"Shut it!" said Yuris. "You speak only when I tell you to now!"
Misha managed to pull past Blue's hand, hugging him. She teared up and stared at Yuris, who grimaced at her look.
"Please," said Misha. "Leave him alone, he's been through enough…"
"You stay out of this," said Yuris. "I don't want to hurt you or your kid."
"You'd do that by shooting Blue!" said Misha. "Please, I love him, I love him, please don't hurt him…"
"Why would you love him?!" said Yuris. "Do you have any idea what he's done?!"
"I…I know," said Misha. "But he's saved me, and my sister, and Charel, and he did everything to protect his friends…the reason why he's so hurt right now is because your friends were trying to torture and kill me and Charel, and he protected me!"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" asked Yuris. "What the fuck happened while I was gone?!"
"I don't have time for this," said Blue. "Listen, if I don't get up to that outpost right now, Revair is going to gas half the damned galaxy! Where do you think that cloud came from!"
He pointed up at the sky, right at the smoky swirls of death surrounding the outpost.
"Why…" muttered Yuris, the energy from his voice draining. "Why is any of this happening…"
"He's a Red Brigader, that's why," said Blue. "Insane zealot. You let me go, I'll leave and die just as you wanted, and Misha and no one else here will get hurt. Everything you're looking for, right?"
Yuris eyed Blue up and down. His arm was sliding off of its socket, and he was coated in bloody bandages. Surely, even a few minutes of exposure would kill him, and even if it didn't, death was in the cards unless he was injected with ounces of serum.
"You're really going to go up there," said Yuris. "You. The same man who killed all my friends on a whim."
"That's right," said Blue. "I'm going to die for what I've done."
"Blue!" said Misha. "You said, you said you might be back!"
"If I do, it'll probably be in a body bag," said Blue. "I'm sorry Misha, but it has to be done."
"He's really going to gas everything huh," said Yuris. "You have no idea how much I want to kill you right now."
"If you do, you'll doom this planet and yourself," said Blue. "Your choice. Just…if you do kill me, promise you'll get Misha and everyone else to safety as best you can."
Yuris wanted to end Blue. All it would take was a simple pull of the trigger. Just one and Blue would be gone. But if Blue was telling the truth, and to be honest, Yuris believed him, then everyone could die. He glanced over at Misha, who was sobbing over Blue's shoulder, like he had after the news of his friends' deaths.
His heart wilted for her.
"Fine," said Yuris. "Go. Make it quick."
"Thank you," said Blue. "Misha, Charel, go back, get to safety, now!"
Blue managed to wrest himself from Misha, who fell to her knees as he headed forward. Charel tugged at her again, her cries like daggers to Misha's chest.
"We have to go…" said Charel. "What if it's too late…"
"Both of you let him do what he needs," said Yuris, eying Blue as he reached the end of the hall towards the outpost. "I'll be around, you bastard, and if I see you coming back, I'll kill you myself!"
"Fine," said Blue. He didn't care anymore. There was only one thing left to do.
Misha finally began to follow Charel, but never took her eyes off of Blue. Her life felt over, like she had just gone on her last adventure. The first, and possibly last relationship she ever had was marching off to his doom, just for her. She turned limp, making it near impossible for the tiny Charel to pull her. Soon after she walked behind Charel, barely comprehending her shouts for her to pick up the pace. It was too much, all too quickly. This wasn't what she had wanted for him.
As Misha finally picked up Charel and ran through the halls to the entrance of the outpost, Yuris investigated the courtyard. He caught a glimpse of Blue leaping up to the ruined ship hovering above, grunting and wheezing as he sidled along the body of the craft just under the cloud of gas which stretched to the heavens.
Yuris found the bodies. He swallowed, his limbs turning heavy but he couldn't say he was surprised. The rain pattered off of his back as he stared down at the corpses in the corner of the courtyard. By the looks of their wounds, their skin and muscles flayed back from the impact of whatever hit them, Akazo was the culprit.
Two fucking monsters, thought Yuris. When this is over, I'll hunt them both down, I swear! I'll avenge everyone who's fallen here!
He turned his attention to the balcony, where he could see more splotches of blood splattered on the walls. Leaping up to the ledge and climbing over, he first spotted one of the guards laying dead on the ground.
Good riddance, thought Yuris.
Then, he saw Geruk, his eyes dim as he lay still. Yuris's breath caught in his throat.
"No," croaked Yuris. "Not you too…"
Yuris sank down, crawling over to his final friend. He too was gone, Yuris didn't detect a heartbeat nor any breathing. Crying, Yuris cradled Geruk in his arms.
Suddenly revenge was a distant thought in his mind. Everyone was gone. Somehow, it was only him, the coward, the one who was "good at surviving" according to Akazo.
If only I was here, maybe, maybe I could've done something! thought Yuris. Maybe…
He curled his body over Geruk's who was clammy and cold as freshly carved stone.
Who the hell am I kidding, thought Yuris. I wouldn't have made a fucking difference, I never do…
He collapsed down next to Geruk's corpse. Once a failure, always a failure.
. . .
Blue hoisted himself to the top of the ship, the outpost right in front of him. He was already wheezing, and could feel his arm trying to fall out of its socket. Tendons strained to hold it in place, the few that had healed already fraying and falling apart due to the strain he had put on his body. Blue groaned. The pain he had mostly pushed aside, it was exhaustion that was his true enemy now. Tiredness beat down on his muscles, whereas the agony of his wounds ebbed and receded due to the lingering effects of the serum. He would have to deal with it.
The gas was right overhead, so close Blue could smell it. Acidic and sweet at the same time, it reminded him of a spoiled lemon cake. Somehow the smell made his exhaustion worse, a constant reminder of just how much toxicity he now had to wade through.
Blue hauled his body into the gas, shutting his mouth tight. Holding his breath would mean little, since the gas would eventually penetrate his skin and was already working through the bandages to his wounds, but any form of protection was a godsend.
Out in the distance, Blue heard the unmistakable sound of a ship approaching. He turned and could just make out his old fighter streaming towards the front of the outpost, a dark speck through the gas and rain.
Everything was poison. The walls, the air, the floor. Blue marched his way to the front entrance of the outpost, open wide and brimming with gas. The halls and rooms within he could hardly see, everything a dark green haze. Blue had to slide his hand along the walls to even figure out where he was, and even then, it was difficult to tell at times if he was really getting closer to the first wing of the outpost where the launchers would be.
A voice crackled to life from somewhere above him. Revair's strained, anxious words seeped from a speaker system strung along the corners of the ceiling.
"Is anyone…anyone still there?" asked Revair. "Akazo, you fool, are you being eaten alive as we speak?"
Blue ignored him and kept moving. The gas made his skin prickle, like static electricity.
"I do hope so…" said Revair. "But if you're alive, know this…my control room is sealed, and you'll die before you get in. I have more than enough pods for this whole galaxy, and even with the burner incomplete, you'll be doomed before you even make it off this planet!"
Eyes watering, Blue felt vomit burning his throat. He was close to hitting his limit, and it hadn't even been a minute.
I'm fine with dying, he thought. I'm fine with it, I'm fine with it.
Blue gagged.
But she isn't, he thought. Misha, you have no idea how sorry I am. That it had to be this way…
He missed her already. Her touch, her smile, those rushes of crazy excitement she got over anything. It was such a contrast to the horrific world he had inhabited for so long, such a breath of fresh air…he loved it, and now he would never see it again.
But it was ok. Because he was doing this to keep her safe. He was doing something good for once.
He pressed on, but it became increasingly hard not to give up. His body was crackling, the gas having seeped through his wounds to poison his insides. The pain returned, and vomit dripped from between his teeth and out from his mouth. Blue was a wreck. To make matters worse, Revair continued to rant from the speakers, the final words of a madman about to get what he wanted.
"Hah hah hah!" said Revair. "My lord, I have done it! My foes, vanquished! My mark will be left, left for you, to gaze upon and smile! The people of this universe, destroyed in our wake, not deserving of the lofty lives they have been given! Let them burn as we have!"
Blue could see it now, the entrance to where the launchers sat. There was no mistaking it, even from the gas-coated hall he could spot dozens of tubes made from transparent Soulless glass and capped off at both ends with silver metal. They were angled towards the ceiling, which was soon to open at Revair's command once the mechanisms finally turned online. A few red lights flashed under each launcher, U-shaped holsters the size of small tree logs.
They're…almost done… thought Blue. I can…just take them out, leave them in here, and with that amount of fire he's making, it'll probably melt the outpost too and engulf him…
Blue approached one of the holsters and grabbed a pod with his good arm, the other having gone completely numb and lifeless. He yanked it out and inspected it.
Only a couple of feet long, and this thing is supposed to withstand fire that can melt through outposts and fighter ships alike? Thought Blue. I understand the precautions needed for this stuff, but how will it survive all that fire?
The pod offered no answers, the strange glass only shimmering in its wake. Blue had heard that the pods could withstand up to a hundred lit canisters of gas before even beginning to melt, but had never tested it for himself.
He went on to pry out a few more pods, his mouth burning with vomit. Everything pained him, but at least the canisters weren't difficult to get rid of.
"Who," crackled Revair's voice over the speaker. "Is that you, Akazo? Or perhaps…the degenerate himself?! I can see the pods going offline, which of you is it?"
Blue kept going, feeling like he was falling apart. He was withering from the inside out, turning lethargic as he managed to remove half of the pods from the launchers. Revair screamed at him from above.
"You disgusting moron!" said Revair. "Who is it down there? Do you really think yourself a hero after all the people you killed? Do you really think you have a moral ground to stand on! Whichever one you are, you know what you did!"
"Yeah," muttered Blue. "I know. Doesn't mean I'm going to let you do this though, you fucking idiot."
"You're dislodging all the pods…" said Revair. "Leaving me only half and a damaged burner…this is not the mark I wished to make!"
He seems worried about not burning as much as he wanted, thought Blue. Maybe these pods can hold up to that much fire after all.
Blue kept going, getting down to the last ten pods as he navigated a waffle-pattern block filled with gas canisters. He counted twenty-six in all, and guessed that the other wing must've had just as many.
"Fool!" screeched Revair over the speaker. "Come and face me yourself!"
Sounds like you're afraid of your own gas, moron, thought Blue. That and you're afraid it's actually Akazo down here.
Blue tore the final pod out of its holster and threw it with the others down below. It landed with a clank in a neat pile of glowing green. He leapt down from the launchers, and the moment he landed, he toppled over.
Blood shot out from his mouth. Blue convulsed on the ground. There was no doubt he had hit the limit, and his body would take absolutely no more. Even thirty more seconds in the gas would mean his death.
Not even…enough time…to walk to the other wing… thought Blue. But I have to, I have to…maybe try and get outside first… approach it without going through more gas…
Blue flipped onto his stomach, his vision darkening. He crawled through the hall, slinking around like a dying animal. Anyone who would've seen him could've thought him already dead, and they would be close to the truth.
Back out… thought Blue. Sidle along outpost wall maybe…near ship…no time, no time…
"I'll make you burn for this," said Revair. "An entire wing…gone, because of you! Is that you, degenerate?! You still haunt me from the grave you should've been laid in?! How are you even still alive down there, I flooded it with gas!"
He was close to the entrance now. Blue could see the outline of the hovering ship.
"I have no choice…" said Revair. "I…I have to settle, don't I? For what I still have…my lord, I apologize, this was not what was planned, not what I wanted! You see, you see…it was those two, those two ruined it all!"
Blue heard sobbing over the speakers.
"No, no, it's no excuse, you're right!" said Revair. "I should've done better! I should've killed Akazo from the start! Executed the degenerates! I was too lenient, too willing to believe in my own ability! And now…now I only have enough for a fraction of the galaxy, the burner won't even be able to light them all in this condition…"
How pathetic, thought Blue as he dragged himself to the top of the ship just outside the outpost.
Revair's voice still echoed from within the building, the haunting last rambles of a lunatic unfulfilled.
"How, how could I let this happen…" said Revair. "My lord, you gave me everything and I end with this…half-hearted display…I…cannot stop now…I must go on with what I still have…and let those creatures burn in hell for daring to stop us…you can at least smile upon me for that, won't you? Have I still done right by you, done well?"
Blue coughed up a mix of vomit and blood onto the cool surface of the ship. His limbs were barely functioning, as he dragged himself right underneath the gas cloud, he felt his bloodied arm slide out of his socket and thud against his side.
That was it. Blue ran out of energy, growing still as a corpse. He moaned, silently cursing at himself for not being able to move. There was still one more wing, if only he could get to it, just take the last pods out, everything could be alright.
His vision darkened. Everything within him was starting to shut down.
"Stop…" groaned Blue. "Let me go, let me do this one last thing!"
It didn't matter if it killed him, he only wanted to reach the final pods. If those were gone, it could all be over, Misha would be safe…
Blue let out a tiny gasp, blood spraying from his mouth. He could move no more, and his soul dried up as he screamed to the heavens.
. . .
Misha cuddled Charel into her chest, waiting at the entrance for Akazo as the torrents of toxicity rushed down from the sky.
"Come on Akazo…" said Misha. "Please don't be gone…"
Her prayers were soon answered as a single ship darted right towards the entrance of the buildings. It slowed for a moment as it neared the place, as if the screeching machine itself were cowering in the wake of the gas cloud. Then it continued on and landed next to the entrance, leaving only a short walk to the side of the vessel.
Akazo slammed the door open, dark circles under his eyes and a tiny streak of yellow leaking from his mouth.
"Come on!" he shouted. "He could launch those pods at any time!"
Misha bolted forward, but as soon as she drew closer, Akazo lifted his hand, blocking the two of them from entry.
"Where's the serum?" he asked. "Do not tell me you forgot it back in the room."
Misha's eyes widened. In her grief and pleading, she had left them with Blue, perhaps hoping he'd take them with as if they'd provide any kind of help.
"I…" said Misha. "I left them…"
"Then go get them!" said Akazo. "Or else I could die from this damned poison!"
"Alright, alright!" said Misha. "Then take Charel!"
She handed off a screaming Charel to Akazo, who grumbled as he lifted her away and into Blue's ship.
"Hurry Misha!" said Charel. "Hurry!"
"I will!" said Misha. She streaked away from Akazo, who crossed his arms as she left.
It didn't take Misha long to reach the room, and she scooped up every last needle she could. With medical supplies cradled in her arms, she ran back out. For a moment, she thought she heard the sounds of crying somewhere above her, but she quickly shook the thought and headed back to the ship.
"There you are," said Akazo. "Hand the serum over."
Misha bounded over and gave Akazo the needles. He turned away from her to allow her inside, and she leapt onto Charel, hugging her tight.
"It'll be ok," said Misha. "Charel…"
Misha knew how hypocritical she sounded. Only moments before it was her who was losing her mind, thinking it was the end. She didn't know if Blue would come back, or if he'd be able to disable the strange weapon Revair was making up above, but she had to believe in him.
"Akazo…" said Misha. "Please, please help Blue…"
"I already have," said Akazo, his hands shaky as he jabbed a needle into his arm, the skin bulging slightly where it poked into his vein underneath. "I've already been exposed."
"But he can't get rid of all the gas alone!" said Misha. "And he…he knows where more serum is, right?"
"Presumably," said Akazo. "If I can, I'll get him out. But if he's still in the gas and Revair launches more pods, I'll have to use what I have and find my own."
"Then…then what about my family?!" asked Misha. "Let's get them in the ship at least!"
Akazo let out a sigh of relief as the healing liquids flowed through his blood. He yanked the needle out, a tiny arc of blood flowing with it. After tossing the needle to the side, he strode back to the pilot's seat.
"Fine, I'll check," said Akazo. "The things I do for you people…"
"Please!" said Misha. "I know you act like you don't care, but surely, there's at least a little good in you! Remember what your friend told you!"
"I won't even get to bury him because of all of this!" barked Akazo, glaring back at Misha. "All that I came here for, all that I've been searching for…is a fight to excite me. And I barely got that, instead only poison and the death of the only one I consider a friend."
"He wanted you to search for something else…" said Misha.
"That he did," said Akazo. "And I'll worry about that later. I won't even get to honor his real desire for a proper burial, he's going to have burn like the rest because I have to focus on you now!"
"Would he…really be against that?"
Akazo grumbled as he lifted the ship above the roofs of the Soulless structures below.
"No," muttered Akazo. "Likely not. The man had too much empathy for people, ever since he got poisoned."
"Lanks…" said Charel, her voice trembling. "Please save Mom and Grampa and Gramma…I want to see them again…"
"Yes yes," said Akazo. "I'll find them-"
He turned his gaze to the outpost. Amongst the gas and torrential rain, he could spot something crawl out onto the top of the ship with the ruined cockpit. It lay still.
"What is that…" said Akazo, squinting.
Misha ran up behind him to look out of the ship's windows with Charel in her arms.
"Is that Blue?!" asked Misha. "Akazo, I think that's him! He's hurt!"
"Well of course he's hurt fool," said Akazo. "But from the looks of it, I don't think he got all the pods…"
"Then we have to help him!" said Misha. "If we can get all the pods, we can save the planet!"
Akazo swiveled the ship towards the outpost, with no intention of going into the cloud. Disabling what was left of the pods meant going inside, and Akazo wouldn't dare.
The right side of the outpost opened, columns shifting outwards to allow a massive black block to reveal itself. Gaps dotted the block, with shining pods within each one. Akazo quickly counted twenty-seven.
That's enough for half of the galaxy, thought Akazo. And if the burner is damaged, then only some of it will be lit…we could escape that.
"Akazo?" asked Misha. Fear washed over her like an icy waterfall. "What is that? Are those the pods?"
"Yes," said Akazo. He sounded robotic, lifeless. "He's about to fire."
"Then we have to go!" said Misha. "Get them out, get my family, get Blue!"
"We have time for one," said Akazo. "I'm driving."
He pulled the ship towards the fallen Soulless, just as the first pods were launched. They tore into the air with a great hiss, snaking upwards into the sky. Each one of them already leaked gas as they flew, the mechanisms on the launcher having released the safety on each pod for them to burst after a certain time.
"Get him," said Akazo. He could hardly think, his mind in a white haze. Soon, the world would be aflame.
"What about my family?!" screamed Misha. "What about everyone else?!"
"Get him."
Akazo drifted the ship so that it floated parallel to the other, before darting out of his seat, and over to the door. He slammed it open, glancing at both the cloud above and the pods that streaked out of the launcher into the sky.
"My…my family…" said Misha.
"He has supplies," said Akazo, ducking under the cloud. "I'll get him."
Akazo narrowed his eyes at Blue, who was hyperventilating onto the ground after screaming the last scrap of his energy into the metal. He lifted a bloody and stinking Blue over his shoulder, having to reach over and catch his arm from falling off his body.
"Not me…" said Blue. "Akazo, not me…go get someone else…"
"No," said Akazo. "It's over, Blue. We're leaving, now."
Rushing back into the ship, Akazo flung Blue onto the ground, letting Misha run over to him and close the door as he got back in the pilot's seat.
"Blue!" said Misha. She crouched over him, panicking as to what she should do. He looked dead already, blood oozing out of all of his old wounds and his skin looking mottled and pale.
"Why…" said Blue. "Why me…"
"Blue listen, just stay with me," said Misha as she stroked his cheek. Tears dripped from her face onto his own, making him blink. "We've still got time, just stay with me…"
"Blue…" said Charel. "What's happening…"
"Only got half…" said Blue. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I couldn't move…"
"Then about three quarters of the galaxy thanks you," said Akazo. "But as for here, they're doomed."
"No," said Misha. She shook her head, trying not to let despair overcome her. "No, Akazo, there's still time…"
Akazo pulled the ship upwards, darting it away from the outpost just as a stream of yellow flame rushed underneath it. Revair was trying to burn them alive.
"No, there really isn't," said Akazo.
The pods had been launched out of sight, and as Akazo rushed the ship up into the rain, the bursts of flame ceased to come from below, but instead from above. Now Revair was aiming for the gas already released into the atmosphere.
"Akazo!" screamed Misha. She ran to the cockpit and bashed on Akazo's shoulders. He was still as a glacier in a pond, his eyes dead and cold.
"Away," said Akazo. He narrowed his eyes as the first blossom of flame exploded to life in the sky, staining everything in a yellowish-orange glow.
"Please!" said Misha. "Go back!" She turned down to look at the fields. Through her teary vision she saw specks down below, three ants plodding past the fruits to stare up at the sky of fire. "That…that's them Akazo! There!"
"You don't know," said Akazo, utterly lifeless. "And it's too late."
The world ceased to exist in multiple colors, no more outpost, field of fruits, toxic rain or even swirling gassy air. Instead everything turned to a grainy shade of orange and red, the fire lighting the gas and melting all away. Even the sides of the ship began to turn molten silver and drip down onto the planet as Akazo pushed it into full throttle.
Must get away, must get away, must get away, thought Akazo.
The ship was a tiny beetle amongst a raging storm, escaping the planet's atmosphere and streaking past stars and planets alike. Fire followed, swallowing away the blackness of space and replacing it with flickering tongues of yellow. All melted and burned in its path, entire sections of space being destroyed in the wake of the flames.
Akazo squinted. Misha's beatings had come to a halt, with her instead falling to her knees and dragging her open hands down his back. She gave a pitiful moan.
"They aren't gone," she said. "They're not."
"Misha?" asked Charel, staring out of the windows with wide eyes. "What…what happened to Mom? To Grampa and Gramma?"
Blue could barely comprehend what was happening, his eyes near closed. He could hear the sounds of the fire roaring just outside of the ship, and thought he could hear something sizzling beyond the wall.
It's over, thought Blue. I've failed. I couldn't get it all in time.
Blue raised his hands over his face. They were stained red with blood, from the past, the present, and perhaps even the future.
I can't… he thought. Misha, Charel, Alethea, Fubuki, everyone… I'm sorry…
Outside, everything was gone. Misha's planet, her family, even his old pictures. The ship sped away from the fire, just barely staying ahead of it until finally, it stopped encroaching further. Crackling and snapping, the storm stopped its expansion, having eaten up an entire corner of the galaxy. It shone red for light years, a mark left by a single insane zealot.
"We're out," said Akazo. "I think." He turned back to Blue, both of whom looked as if they had aged a millennia in a day. "Blue, we're going to give you some of the serum, and when you wake up, you'll tell me where this planet of yours is. I'm hoping it was spared the fire."
Blue didn't really know if it was or not. Based on the amount of fire created by the gas, and how far Earth was from it, he had to say yes. Though this brought him a tiny bit of relief, Misha and Charel's horrific wet sobs tanked his heart back down into the abyss. He closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry…"
He didn't know if Misha would blame him. Part of him didn't want to make it. However, he knew that if he died, it would only make things worse. That despite his failure, he wasn't quite done. Misha and Charel had made it, and so did everyone back on Earth because of his actions. He had to take care of them, look after Misha especially now that she, like him, had no home.
Misha was inconsolable. She hugged Charel tight to her chest, her eyes so wide they looked ready to burst out of their sockets. Neither her nor Charel could comprehend what had just happened, their minds so stricken with grief that they couldn't move. All they could do was cry, sob and hope that somehow, someway, what was happening wasn't real.
She didn't blame anyone. Misha didn't have the energy to even focus blame. All she could think of was how her life was gone, how Charel and her didn't have their home or family anymore. Misha would have to step up to the plate to raise Charel, now that her sister was gone…
Breaking into a loud sob, Misha curled over Charel, who shivered as she too cried into her last loved one. Though Blue was barely alive in the corner, Misha felt alone.
"Lira…" said Misha. "Mom…Dad…"
Akazo kept the ship streaking away from the fire, until he made it so far into the galaxy it was but a speck of red in the distance. Satisfied, he got up from his seat and walked over to the needles, his face grim as he looked over Misha and Blue.
Sighing, he plucked a needle from the pile and went to work on Blue, who was hovering on the edge of unconsciousness. The group sat in their partly-molten ship, grieving and alone in the middle of nowhere, wanderers and outcasts as they had always been. Only this time, not a single one of them kept any kernels of hope. There was only the grim, uncaring darkness of space, and the fires of a madman behind them.
. . .
A new home was in view. Blue lay slouched over Akazo's shoulder, just barely able to make out Earth as it sat like a blue marble in his fading vision. Akazo narrowed his eyes as he spotted a single fighter darting up from the planet's atmosphere.
"This must be the place," said Akazo. "Seems your friend is coming in for a warm welcome."
Blood and vomit dribbled from Blue's mouth. He slid down from Akazo's back to the floor below. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Charel and Misha, huddled together in a dark corner of the ship. His heart had already broken for them. Neither looked back at him.
"Tell them…" said Blue to Akazo. "That I'm aboard…children are aboard…they've suffered so much…"
"Let's hope they believe you," said Akazo. "I'm not as well-versed in ship fighting as ground fighting, and our ship isn't in the best condition."
"They'll…be suspicious," said Blue. "They've been hurt bad by Soulless…many times…just listen to them, tell them what I said…going to pass out…"
"Fine," said Akazo. He turned back to see Blue closing his eyes, finally getting the rest he needed.
Over Akazo's communicator crackled a voice, sharp and aggressive.
"You better stay the fuck back," it said. "Keep your ship right there where I can see you."
"Koros…" muttered Blue. It was the last word he could manage before fading from consciousness.
"We're in need of help," said Akazo into the ship's communicator. "We-"
"Yeah before you go any further than that," said Koros. "Turn everything in your ship off. Engines, guns, everything. I've got absolutely no reason to trust you, and Soulless aren't exactly welcome here. So do it, now. Or else."
Akazo grinned, reaching over to turn everything down. Soon the ship powered itself off, floating helplessly in space.
He's got anger to him, thought Akazo. Could be fun…perhaps Blue didn't disappoint after all.
Something rose up from his stomach and shot through his throat, forcing Akazo to cough it out onto his controls. It burned the roof of his mouth, and splattered all over his switches. Akazo grimaced at the blood.
But… he thought. That…that'll have to wait…
"Good," said Koros. "I'm going to come in closer."
Koros pulled his ship near Akazo's, raising his eyebrows at the odd melting steel across both sides.
"Alright…" he said. "Just why the hell are you here?"
"Blue is on board," said Akazo. "I'm…a companion of his, and he's brought loved ones in dire need of help. Blue needs your help as well."
"Blue?" asked Koros. "Loved ones?"
"It's a bit of a long story," said Akazo, smiling. "But both him and I need serum, we've both been poisoned by gas. There's a child on board, her and her aunt are traumatized and need to get off of this damned ship."
"A kid?" asked Koros. He was incredulous at the story, absolutely nothing made sense about what was going on to him. "If Blue's on board, let him speak."
"He's passed out," said Akazo. "The others…well, they're cowering in the corner. I'm afraid the Supremacy has taken everything from them."
"Ah for fucks sakes…" muttered Koros. "Alright, I'm not letting you anywhere near the planet, ship half-melted or not, without proof you've got Blue on there. I need someone I can trust, I've been burned before and I'm not letting it happen again."
Akazo sighed. This one was as irritating as he was intriguing.
"How do you want me to do that?" asked Akazo.
"Bring Blue into your cockpit," said Koros. "I want to see him."
Akazo grumbled to himself as he turned from his seat, reaching over and lifting Blue in his arms. As he turned around to face the windows, he leaned back in surprise. Koros was already hovering his ship right in front of his, and Akazo could make out his gruff face from his seat.
"Alright," said Koros. "Would be better if you…actually, what does he normally wear?"
"Blue armor of course," said Akazo. "Divoted helmet, white cloth. He's lost it now."
"Fine, that's him," said Koros. "Honestly didn't remember what he looked like, but you've passed the test. Fuckin congratulations."
"Excellent," said Akazo, setting Blue back down. "Now where do we go?"
"You'll follow me," said Koros. "We'll touch down in the desert. Fuck, Secter won't be happy to hear about this…"
Secter… thought Akazo. Another one for the list?
Akazo turned the ship back on and was led by Koros towards the planet.
"Try anything stupid and I'll blow you away," said Koros.
"I have just vomited blood onto my controls," said Akazo. "I have no interest in anything but more serum."
"How much you have now?"
"Five needles."
"That bad, eh?"
"Blue is particularly bad. He's had multiple injuries, is going to lose his arm, and had protracted exposure to some gas in a critical state. He's lucky he's even still alive…even if he might not think so."
"You're going to have a lot of fucking explaining to do," said Koros. "Land down in the desert, immediately power off. Secter and Sycamore are already on their way."
"Perfect. I assume you have supplies?"
"Plenty. If we decide you're trustworthy enough to have them."
"Oh I don't think that'll be an issue…"
Koros would've said otherwise.
Akazo landed his ship in a desert, concerned that he was walking right into a trap. He saw no signs of any cities nearby, no buildings or hospitals or even huts. Only Koros's ship touched down beside them, angled with his cannons right at their side.
As Koros requested, Akazo turned his vehicle off again. He despised being at a disadvantage like this, the possibility of dying either to poison or the guns from a ship both revolting to him. Nonetheless he knew what he had to do, and picked up Blue while heading to the door.
"You two," said Akazo to Misha and Charel. Neither of them responded, Misha looking like a pale fetus curled over a tiny ball with scraggly hair. "Stay here."
Nothing from either one. Akazo frowned at them.
Ahh even I can't say I don't feel bad for them, he thought. Those poor two…especially you Misha, you didn't deserve such a thing. What a fool, what a monster that Revair was. No struggle for his plan, no desire to go out in a glorious fight, just a ball of fire to kill billions, and for what? For some boss that might not ever see what he did? Even the destruction itself is low by Soulless terms, how pathetic in every way…
"I'm sorry," said Akazo. "You two deserved better."
"Leave us alone," said Misha, her voice weak. "Just leave us alone."
Akazo dipped his head and opened the door. Outside, Koros was waiting for them, aiming an elimination rifle at them both.
"Step out," said Koros. "Where's the kid?"
The sun glaring down upon them, Akazo strode out of his vehicle with a limp Blue in his arms.
"Inside," said Akazo. "Her and her aunt are a bit…broken at the moment."
"Broken?"
"They've lost everything."
"Explain."
"Supremacy, Red Brigader," said Akazo. "I'm sure you know of them by now. A single zealot decided he wanted to mark the galaxy, Blue and I intervened but were not enough. He lit a large amount of gas, Blue was only able to disable half of his launchers. Now a corner of the galaxy burns…what was once their homeworld."
Koros dipped his gun down, his eyes wide.
"You're not serious," said Koros. "You're telling me that a Brigader almost lit the galaxy on fire and we didn't even know?"
"That's correct," said Akazo. "But the fool is dead now, and we were poisoned in the process. Get us the serum we need."
"And the two in there…" said Koros. "Jesus fucking Christ."
"Yes, yes," said Akazo. "Tragic, really. Misha and Charel are their names, and they didn't deserve anything that happened."
"Well no shit!" said Koros. "Fucking hell…just…just lay Blue down and bring your serum out here, we'll see what we can do. Secter and Sycamore will be here in a moment."
"Very well."
Akazo did as he was asked, laying Blue down in the sand and going back inside to retrieve his serum. As he did so, Secter and Sycamore teleported into existence right by Koros's ship, both of them crazed and wild-eyed.
"This is it," said Koros, jabbing his gun at Akazo's ship. "That Blue on the ground there?"
Sycamore rushed over to him, eying him over.
"Yeah that's him," said Sycamore. "Who's in the ship?"
Secter walked past Sycamore, holding an elimination pistol. He took a step back as Akazo approached, tall and oozing blood from his mouth.
"Excuse me," said Akazo. "You must be Secter?"
"That's…that's me," said Secter. "And you're Blue's friend?"
"Acquaintance, more like," said Akazo. "It's a long story."
Secter watched Akazo step past him, who looked down on Secter with an almost malicious gaze. It was as if Akazo wanted to attack him right this second but was held back by something from within. Secter didn't trust Akazo one bit.
"Sycamore, Koros," said Secter. "Keep him in check. I'll look inside, then we can focus on Blue."
"I would hurry," said Akazo. "He's dying as we speak."
One look was all it took to confirm Akazo's statement for Secter. He motioned for Sycamore to get some serum into him.
"I just injected him but five minutes ago," said Akazo. "You'll have to wait. No more than three a day, correct?"
"Yeah…" muttered Sycamore. "Alright, why don't we get you two someplace out of the sun then, eh? Especially Blue, he needs an actual bed."
"Alright, get them into the ship," said Secter. "I'll be right back, I just want to look inside."
"This guy said there's a woman and child in there," said Koros, jerking a thumb at Akazo. "They've…lost their planet to a Supremacist."
Secter stopped dead short in the entryway to the ship. He looked back, his eyes full of dread.
"They…lost everything?" he asked.
Akazo nodded.
Secter turned back. Each step into the ship was heavy, labored from the anchors of despair. In the corner he spotted Misha and Charel, huddled together and turning to look up at him.
Their eyes met. Within Misha's Secter saw a kindred soul, someone who had lost everything from the actions of a single bad man. He approached them, slow and cautious.
Secter wasn't even sure what to say. What could be said? Both Misha and Charel had tears staining their eyes and cheeks, and neither so much as moved as he got closer. Swallowing his fear, Secter sank down to his knees, giving the both of them a tiny smile.
"You're safe now," said Secter. "Blue is going to be ok too."
Misha hugged Charel tighter at the words of the strange creature in front of her.
"I'm…I'm so sorry for everything that happened," said Secter. "I know that my words don't mean much, but we'll do everything we can to help you and everyone else heal. I…know what it's like to lose so many people close to you."
Still nothing. Then, from within Misha's body, a tiny voice.
"Mom?" asked Charel. "Grampa? Gramma?"
Misha broke out into a sob, curling over Charel to hide her from view. Secter almost started crying himself. These were innocent people, so filled with pain and suffering. It always hurt him to see.
"A-anything you need," said Secter. "We'll provide anything."
"We just need to be left alone," said Misha. "I can't…I can't talk right now."
"I understand," said Secter. "I'll leave you be, but we should get someplace nicer to stay soon…"
He stood up, leaving Misha and Charel to grieve in their corner. Turning out of the ship, he sat down on the edge of the entrance, giving an exhausted look to Koros and Sycamore.
"They're hurting so badly…" said Secter. "It…breaks me just to see it."
"Not a whole lot we can do now," said Koros. "Just help them get back on their feet, if they can."
"The whole planet…" said Sycamore. "I don't know if they'll recover…"
"I'll stay with them," said Secter. "Once they're ready to move, we'll find them a place to stay. In the meantime, you guys can take Blue and…"
"Akazo," said Akazo.
"You guys can take them to the hospital," said Secter. "Get them the serum they need. It's going to be…a very long few weeks."