Thank you for reading!
Thanks to the efforts of Han and Porter alike in feeding information on where to breach the defenses of the palace, Agent 8 and Abraham infiltrate successfully. It was a little strange how thinly spread security was, at least compared to when the meetings were held. For Agent 8, she needed to sneak into the underground laboratory and uncover whatever secrets were remaining to aid the resistance in their attack while Abraham was to carry out wiretapping the palace as well as planting smokescreens and remote detonators that'd make it easier for the Resistance to make their invasion. Overall, they had the advantage if they could pull this off since they could listen in on the plans of Octavio and know when to get the jump on her and sabotage her plans.
"Alright, we made it." Abraham said notifying Porter, entering through the palace after sneaking through the courtyard.
"Good. Follow through with your assignments. I'll let you know if anything is suspicious from my post." he responded, letting them do their own mission.
With that, the pair splits up. Abraham knew the interior of the palace and gave Agent 8 the coordinates to follow; her destination is beneath the palace where the massive chamber holding all their weapons were stored and the only way in was through the palace where security is lenient-all traffic at the gate since that's how they exited through the machines and stored the captives. For Abraham, he had to sneak around the premises and install the devices in various locations all while under the risk of surveillance in the guards. Having just split up, Agent 8 pulls a little rock out of her hand and inspects it while keeping awareness of her surroundings. Although the security looked a tad bit nonexistent for some mysterious reason, she wouldn't lower her guard. At any moment, they could arrive. Curious about the rock that Jonah thought to be their key to victory, she continued her inspection and drew from her previous experiences and knowledge to form an idea of what Jonah was thinking. Ever since the ancient days of war, the octarians have always prided themselves on their fabulous advancements in technology, however that wasn't enough to propel them to the dominance seen by their rivals. After their defeat they were stripped of their greatest advancements and banned from usage, but even so, they continued their work from the shadows and bypassed the heavy surveillance. All of that time planning something monstrous and capable of destroying the country has finally paid off, but likewise, so was a foil to their plan. Captain Jonah's efforts led to a strange rock being round, a type of sediment thought to be the foundation for the core of Octaria's technology-and so, an anti weapons tech project went underway. Jonah believed that if Octaria's strongest weapons were made indestructible and able to tank even the heaviest of artillery, there must be some sort of weakness they possess, which thankfully arrived in the form of this special rock. He believed that not only was it used as a building block, but by removing a single property, it could also become destructive. After several experiments, his theory was proven. Experimenting on parts from the sweeper, he saw the indestructible material quickly wither away once the rock was placed on it which led to a belief that if they were to mass produce it and use as weaponry, they could nullify the machines the queen prepared, but to be sure, he needed a sample before finalizing. And so, in addition to searching the lab and gathering as much data to help the resistance, Agent 8 also had to test the rock on something there to confirm the hypothesis. If true, the resistance stood a chance against this army, and could even prevent the catastrophe of Octaria and Inkopolis' destruction alike.
After opening up to Sky about his past and his reason for being part of the Resistance, their tender moment as comrades are cut short by a pair of flaming projectiles that set fire to the village, just barely singeing their faces by how close they come. Quickly the villagers nearby evacuate in shrieks of horror as they come under attack with many calling that this had to be the work of the mysterious figure; Sky wasn't as much shaken by how close she was from having her face burned as she was disturbed that anyone would dare involve innocent villagers. As the village catches fire in the early dawn with flames increasing in temperature, Sky can spot a pair of individuals emerging from the flames. One inkling carried a bow and arrow along with an axe in his possession, and the other one carried a pair of chain whips as their weapon. Hatu's eyes sharpened as he identifies the enemy, frightening even Sky who never saw such murderous intent in his eyes.
"He's here…" Hatu growled while clenching his fist, his glare locked on the octoling with the axe in his possession; Sky looked over at the man and understood why Hatu looked so agitated. "He's the one. He's one of the names she uttered with her final breath…" the veins in his hands and arms protrude as he reaches for his bow and arrow, his eyebrows furrowing with wrinkles his hand nocks an arrow, ready to fire; Cortes and "Mad" Max assume a battle stance with their Axe and Chain-Sickles in possession, wary of their surroundings.
Sky bends her knees a little and takes a look at her setting for the battle: a burning village with little oxygen to breathe, orange and red everywhere that makes the shadows even darker to peer into, and disgusting stench of bloodthirst. If there was ever a time to use Midnight, now was the time. Prepared to engage in battle against the trio, Sky readies a variant of her signature gun looking to support Hatu from afar, seeing firsthand from watching him train his men that he was skilled in close quarters combat with the bow, treating it like any other melee weapon. Before they engage in battle, she wondered how Pastelle and Veronica were in a predicament similar to theirs. The answer is yes. Instead of a burning village though, it was a swarm of knights that kept themselves hidden thanks to their high tech which allowed them to camouflage. Veronica made a call to the sanctuary and alarmed the others about the threat of ambush, shocking Jonah and the others since there were no attacks on them. A livid Jonah sends reinforcements and contacts Porter to see what is wrong, but Porter is just as confused as him. From his high post, he spots the unthinkable as the massive gates to the palace open with several types of machines emerging and all led by a trio of drills. Porter's mouth drops trying to describe the build and functions, repeatedly driving home the fact that the drills had rocket propellers and could essentially propel the machine to crash into the "sky" and drill into the surface. Once Jonah and DJ Octavio caught wind of this information, their concerns turned to Agent 8 and Abraham, who were behind enemy lines and likely trapped-last thing needed was them being caught.
"Something is terribly wrong." Han said with a perturbed look; "The queen never said anything about striking this early. She mentioned that it would occur the day of the conference. I assu-"
"No need to explain!" Sigmund said in an irritated tone trying to make sense of the situation. As it stood, two of the Legs were ambushed and another was behind enemy lines on a suicide mission. The 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Legs were all available for dispatch with their units, and the 8th Leg was also mobilized though he had no unit with him so he couldn't take action right away. It was as if the Queen saw right through them and knew everything they were up to and sped up her plans to get the jump on them, which meant…
"We've been had…!" DJ Octavio whispered in despair.
"That woman saw through us…? But how? Han, you swear you know nothing?" Jonah said in preparation to take his anger out on them, but as he turned around, he saw the trio of ninja holding a blade to their stomachs and on their knees ready to slit their bellies, offering an apology for allowing such a failure to occur. Jonah stops them after seeing how dedicated they were to keep their word, which meant they weren't the cause behind this-at least not consciously. What was meant to be the opportune time to ambush the Queen instead turns to her getting the jump instead.
A ring of fire, an inferno that scorches their surroundings, the singe of garments occurring from the heat that also made it difficult to breathe blazes wildly with four individuals trapped in the flames. A decisive battle is about to occur as Hatu and Sky are set to take on Cortes and Max, the conditions around them worsening to a degree that the most they had was only a few minutes to battle, and yet it may feel like an eternity based on the stakes. Hatu takes a final glance at partner, and she does so in return with a nod. They're ready. Max and Cortes rush at them and it begins. Sky's role is to keep them at a distance and leave the close quarters combat to Hatu, who was itching to kill them with only his Bow as his weapon, a choice based on the fact that this was the very bow his sister wielded until her last breath, and what he'll use to get his vengeance; A poetic move on his part. Hatu's fires a trio of arrows at the charging duo, but they've gotten quite stronger since the last encounter with an enemy of Hatu's caliber and that night many years ago changed their lives forever. The night where a single archer on her own was able to bring down the Royal Guard of Candice Octavio forever lived on in secrecy within the palace, but for those involved, that night replayed like a reel. Especially for the lower ranked Wild Cards and Elites who witnessed Nali's might, when they learned of Hatu's survival, they were the hungriest for revenge. However…
"We'll bring your head back!" Max shouted as his chains rustle in the air, the sickles slamming on the soil. With all the might he has, he pulls on the ground and rips a patch from under Sky, who wanted to close the space between them and fire a solid hit while they were preoccupied with Hatu, but in a flash, Cortes is gone. Hatu's eyes quickly scan the surrounding area until he notices a shadow pass him; with a concerned voice, he calls out to Sky to dodge. Instinctively, Sky's body responds to the warning. Any sooner and her head would've been taken off as a brisk yet powerful push of air brushes over her cap. Above her is Cortes, who goes from a horizontal mid swing to a downward diagonal strike, looking to capitalize on the inkling's vulnerability. A pair of arrows strike his arm and wrist that interrupts the motion, and in that time Sky is able to make a quick roll and escape danger. Hatu closes the space-ignoring Max entirely-and does a dropkick to send Cortes flying into a nearby burning home. He rushes over to Sky and asks her if she's ok, but Sky didn't want to concern herself with well being; if she ever made a mistake like that again, it would only burden Hatu. With a serious gaze staring at the inferno ahead, her sky blue hair gives a radiant shine, her eyes as sharp and the glint sitting on the end of her gun. She's ready to get serious with Midnight unleashed. Hatu's face relaxes again, realizing that she was keeping her word and that he had no need to be so agitated. After all, he would finally get to see the surface again once it was all over.
"You don't have any time to be thinking!" Max screams, launching himself at the trio; Hatu blocks him with his bow, to which Max kicks off and does a backflip and throws one of his chain sickles. Sky twirls her gun noticing he was looking to swipe her weapon by hooking it, and instead deflected it. Max does a roll on his landing but kicks on the return and bursts for Hatu. "You don't scare me!' he boasts, clashing with Hatu; Sky looks to back him up, but Cortes returns and rumbles the ground with a furious strike below, looking to stun them.
The sounds of weapons screaming on impact gets hidden among the burning setting where only the grunts of the four can be heard. Hatu fires a set trio in the air before quickly descending to engage in close quarter combat in addition, hoping to overwhelm Max with the attack, but like the Mad octoling said, he wasn't scared. He brings his chain sickles in and goes for a duel style setup, striking at the bow that Hatu uses as a shield. Sky has her hands full with Cortes, who knows she can't get close to him as a disadvantage and since her gun was meant for firing from a long distance, she was on the defense in hopes to keep him away long enough for Hatu to support, or at least, that's what Cortes thought. As he nears Sky and predicts her movement the closer he gets near, reading her like a book, he suddenly finds himself spinning in midair, his eyes rolling as a swirl of blood spills around him. Before slamming the ground with a splat, he last saw Sky holding up a fist in an uppercut position.
"Was that...a bait?" he mumbled, coughing up blood; Sky's irises shined as she turned her sights to helping Hatu, though her battle with Cortes was just beginning.
Both duels intensify as each individual brought their best out of them in this fight to the death. Hatu used in bow in a variety of situations teetering between offense and defense that it became difficult for Max to keep up pace, already understanding that Max was a balanced fighter who suffered with using such an unstable weapon as the chain sickles, where the slightest of movements could ruin his targeting. Likewise, Max was also analyzing Hatu. Despite fighting with lesser skill than he wanted, even he could tell that he had no business being alive; Hatu was far stronger than he anticipated, even with preparation for an ambush. On the other hand, Midnight Sky held her own against Cortes but after defending against his onslaught of offensive attacks, she could feel the fatigue setting in. The fight needed to end soon or she'd get sloppy with her form, and that could spell the end for her; as the beads of sweat drop from her face, she draws her breath once again and prepares to mount another attempt at a solid shot. Each time she fired her gun from a distance, she neared in her goal: chipping down his axe. Even though he swung with power, his axe grew blunt with each swing, which meant that if she could put a dent in the durability, she could render him to only using his hands, which would be in his favor.
"Interesting…" Cortes mumbled wiping away the sweat, having already thought ahead after observing the situation. He found it impressive that a girl her age was able to think like that, finding it rare for soldiers to even concentrate on wearing down an opponent's weapon, much less with a gun that commanded accuracy. On his end, he found it admirable that there were still geniuses like her still in development. "Inkling girl, what is your name?"
"Sky Royale…!" she huffed and puffed, ready to take her aim after this conversation.
"You have...earned my respect…! The moves you show with that gun, they..."
Are just like Nali he thought, much like Hatu, who felt his soul resonate with her the moment she demonstrated her skills. Though she used a gun, he knew from the moment they were sparring that she would make a natural archer, one who might even carry the same spirit as what Nali had. A sprightly spirit who wore a radiant smile but carried a ferocious flame in her heart, her personality was a copy of Nali, as if she was somewhat a reincarnation. Though to Cortes, he never thought that far, he did sense that despite fighting an opponent of a caliber unlike anything she'd ever seen, she'd done well to rely on her previous experiences. She had much to go, but in no time, she could even pose a problem for the Grand Elites. Under all circumstances, she needed to be stopped now; with a nod, the battle changed pace and so did the battleground. Rather than focus on Hatu or entertain solo battles, the pair returned to their original plan of bringing down Sky Royale, but for a different reason. She wasn't a weak link that they could eliminate to make life easier, but rather, they needed to defeat her. She carried the same punch as Hatu-no, her potential was the truly frightening development. When she went into that state where her hair and irises glow, it felt like a different presence entered the fight, one that even Hatu couldn't match unless he went all-out. A chain sickle reaches for Sky, but she dodges in time to move to the right, but that move wasn't for hitting her, but to draw him in. Leaving Hatu behind, Max did a kick of the sickle in the ground and used the other one like a hook to help in gain ground, then using the sickle in the ground in an overhead move to trip her up; she does a front roll and shoots at his hand to knock the weapon out his possession, but he was just a little bit quicker. Sky's pinned to the ground. Blood squirts from collar as he downed her with the sickle missing just a little off her neck; the loudest and most agonizing shriek anyone could imagine, even Pastelle who was away felt her body get a terrible shiver knowing that voice belonged to Sky. In almost an instant, Sky went from shrieking to prying the sickle out her body and tossing it in the air, firing a quick shot that ricochets and grazes Max's leg as payback. Able to avoid a deadly hit from Max, she keeps some distance between her and Max before making the worst move possible. It all felt like an eternity but it was only a matter of seconds, she noticed that Hatu was screaming something to her in desperation, but as realized her surroundings, it was already too late...
A gush of blood splatters as the axe slashes across her back, her eyes whitening as she felt not only the wind knocked out of her, but the immediate level of pain too high for her to tolerate. The attack was so strong that it sent her crashing near the flames, and a sprinting Hatu desperate to save her from being burned up; Max and Cortes use this chance to catch their breath, only able to have landed such a hit by stalling when they could. Hatu slides onto his knees to hold her away from the flames, hugging her tightly as blood pours from her back. It all felt too familiar, the sensation of death in his arms. Just as Nali held him, he now held Sky, and when he thought of that, he could only imagine what her little brother would think. How could he cope with losing her? Would he break, too? In a moment where he should've been concerned about himself, he found his priorities wandering to protecting this girl who changed his life. Tightly held in his arms, Hatu makes one prayer before beyond the flames-he can sense a pair of individuals nearing. With one last longing look at the wincing Sky, who was only hanging one through sheer will, almost losing the ability to use Midnight, Hatu released her. Much to the surprise of Max and Cortes, who were sure he would've laid her there, he instead threw her over the flames.
"Are you mad!?" Cortes yelled; "That girl will burn! With those injuries she could even die!"
Hatu's eyes were cold and sharp, his demeanor calm as he gripped his bow while Sky flew over the flames, "I have no need to worry…"
"Gotcha." a voice answered, their arms open to catch the unconscious Sky.
Relief shows on his face, "I'll leave it to you, Veronica!"
Veronica nods her head from the other side with Pastelle by her side, "We'll be nearby. You know what to do."
Free of his concern for Sky's safety, he knew he could rely on the 7th Leg to save his dear friend-and now, he could get serious with his combat. Up until now, he fought with his sister's bow, looking to honor her by using her weapon, but after seeing how dedicated Sky was to fighting with only a long ranged gun at her hand, he knew there was no point tricking himself any longer. He reaches for the dagger at his hip, and the spear on his back…
"Come at me!" he shouts, for what will be the last of this battle.
Outside of the inferno, the trio sat at a safe distance from the flames so it could be better to breathe, though it was quite difficult with the smoke and the heat; Veronica refused to retreat due to Sky being unconscious and Hatu still battling within the burning village. Pastelle had her gaze glued to the sleeping inkling, worried sick about her ever since she was recovered by Veronica. The entire time that Sky and Hatu were in battle against Cortes and Max, Veronica and Pastelle were battling waves of lower class knights sent by Candice Octavio as an ambush. It was a failure for them, however, as the sheer numbers they had were dwindled in a matter of moments in the wake Veronica's strength, which mesmerized Pastelle. Up until this point, the strongest people she knew were Agent 3 and Agent 8, and these people in the resistance seemed to have enough raw power to put up a decent fight. She felt demoralized watching Sky on the ropes in this situation, since she was the brightest prospect ever in the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Sky starts to groan and move her head a little, almost about to wake up; the gloom Pastelle carried disappeared almost instantly, thankful that her partner could wake up. She leans over to look at her, from upside down, mostly wanting to surprise her and hopefully cheer her up since the situation somewhat called for a morale boost, but when Sky came to-it wasn't what she expected. "How long was I out!?" Sky's head jerks up suddenly, crashing foreheads with Pastelle; both of them hold their foreheads in pain from the impact.
Veronica's plain expression remains unchanged since she already expected this type of result, "A few minutes. You were exhausted from battle. I already wrapped you up." she said, pointing to where she was bleeding.
"Exhausted? Wait, Hatu…! Where's Hatu?" she panicked, knowing that she needed to fight by his side.
"Calm down, Hatu is in battle." Veronica replied plainly with an irritated look.
"Alone!? We have to help him."
"I can't allow that."
"Why not? He's in trouble!"
"The flames engulfing the battle are beyond my ability. The reason he launched you over the wall of fire was because he knew well that it would be unlikely the two of you could escape those flames together."
"You don't mean…"
"He's survived worse. Hatu will come back to us, that much I'm sure of. The most we can do is wait until the battle is over and treat his wounds in time."
Inside the blazing inferno where the sweat evaporates once it leaves the body, the trio of fighters stand their ground. Hatu still had plenty left to exert, but using his spear and dagger meant his defenses would be more vulnerable than before, and likewise Cortes and Max were gassed from the first battle. Whoever landed the critical hits on the other first would likely be the survivor.
"I can sense your haste. You're in a rush, but not from the flames. I'm guessing this ambush is part of a grand scheme?" Hatu glared, his irises more intense than the heat surrounding him.
Cortes shakes his head, "Even on your grave, you still have enough concern to think ahead?"
"I guess the legends were true about you…"
The pair lunge at Hatu and their final battle unfolds, the sound of their weapons clashing and the shining metal ringing through their ears with each collision. Chains whipping, Axe slicing, and the durability of his spear deflecting all attacks. A two handed strike with his bow transitions to a dual wield effort as he finds himself in a pincer attack, having to use his dagger on the defense against Cortes and the spear for the offensive against Max. The chain sickle user reads, Hatu's lunge attempt and whips the sickles like a fishing hook, looking to take his weapon away from him, but Hatu kicks his spear in a vertical motion at the last moment to instead reel in Max, then misdirecting his motion to spin off the defensive position he held with Cortes to swift slice away at Max before creating some space to plan his next attack. In the span of a few seconds, one fighter was already covered in scratches and the other unable to use his signature weapon to his advantage-that didn't faze them though. Cortes and Max didn't slow down on their efforts, instead combining their strengths to overwhelm Hatu, first doing so by hacking and slashing away at his defenses and then finally performing combo attacks from the ranged usage of the chain sickles to he close quarters barrage of attacks done by Cortes, which hit so hard it started to chip and dull his axe. After a period of time spent defending, Hatu noticed the pattern and quickly changed his tempo. Unlike his sister, who knew how to enchant her arrows to suit her needs in a battle, he relied upon his skill at manipulating their trajectory to be effective; it was easy to dodge or deflect an arrow coming straight at them, but one that did a curl and sharpened on its turn, or one so swift that it almost bends on its turn was a difference maker. Firing sets of trios that altered paths, he finally did a ricochet shot-firing consecutive arrows that bounced off each other and went for both opponents. Several arrows connect and many grazed the duo, which gave Hatu the opening her needed to go after them. He switches to his spear and goes on the offensive, with his sights set on Max. Max notices what Hatu is up to and quickly prepares to defend whereas Cortes wants to intercept him, but Hatu was a step ahead. In mid sprint on his way to Max, Hatu swiftly deals a dozen strikes to the torso of Cortes and does a quick twirl before stabbing him in the ankle to return the favor from those many years ago; Cortes drops to his knees and Max is left to fend for himself. Like a storm smacking a wall, Hatu's blunt end of the spear connects with his face and sends him flying. Max is quick to get up to avoid the vulnerability, but Hatu is already there to punish him some more. Hatu continues with the combination, landing as many hits with his spear as possible from smacking him the blunt end to lunging and piercing his body further, he wanted to ensure that Max died as soon as possible. With a powerful kick to send Max into the air, Hatu positioned his spear and launched it like a rocket, generating all his strength into his forearm and biceps to put all the force in a throw that strikes Max in the heart in midair, like throwing a spear at a prey in the wild. Max drops to the ground, the Spear wedged deep in his chest, and wincing in pain, he starts to shed a few tears as death approaches him. He doesn't have long, but he knows that his life is over. Coughing up blood that stains his lips, he remembers the journey he took as a guard, working his way through the ranks of the royal guard to become a Wild Card. To become a powerful guard who defeated countless opponents at such a young age, he had his entire life ahead of him, and now it was all gone. His arms felt too heavy to lift, but the light presented before him was in the image of the dear queen he treasured, calling her name while choking on his tears. To think he'd meet his end at the hands of a traitor…
Hatu pierces his heart and puts him to rest, doing so with a swiftness. He tried to spare the boy's life the first time around, and look what happened. He-in turn-allowed this to happen, allowed Queen Candice to know his whereabouts and provoke her to taking action. It was all his fault. His efforts to save a young soul lost in the leadership of a false queen, it all backfired. Staring long at the dead eyes of Max, Hatu kneels before his corpse, and slowly closes the child's eyes, praying for his peace into the new life.
"And then there were two…" Cortes muttered, limping closer leaning on his damaged axe.
Hatu's calm appearance soon turned demonic, as he finally got the fight he waited years for. One of the men responsible for Nali's death stood right before him, wounded and vulnerable for his wrath. It was only a matter of seconds, but so much happened in the blink of an eye. Hatu launched his spear through Cortes, but he powered through and pulled out the weapon, having both an axe and spear in his possession. Hatu knew that it was a gamble that he was willing to take and took out his dagger-at the very least a slash at one of his vitals would end it in an instant. On the other hand, Cortes had two weapons and plenty of range: he could move swiftly with the spear for quick strikes and swing wide with his axe, making it virtually impossible for Hatu to close in for the kill. Luckily for Hatu, he still had his bow and realizing that it finally came down to this, he worked a new plan. Taking out his bow, he gripped the dagger with his teeth and took aim with his bow. Who would hold out? Cortes had the close range advantage but he was near immobile whereas Hatu had all the mobility but couldn't get in close range for a critical hit unless he did something about the pair of weapons. A crucial moment in their battle, both sides are prepared to trade damage. The next few seconds feel like time is altered to allow them an opportunity to think an eternity, swiftly planning their attack in a matter of seconds. They want an opening. They desire an advantage-anything, to sing momentum to their favor. As Cortes prepares to utilize his dual stance, Hatu's eyes widen. Like a hunter who found his moment to slay, he spotted his chance to strike! Hatu sprints in and drops the dagger from his mouth into his hands, ready to slice the man's throat; Cortes reacts in time and blocks the attempt with his axe. An impressive defense since it was difficult to wield a pair of heavy weapons, Hatu knew this is what takes to defeat a talent like Cortes. Even against the odds, the man refused to let Hatu get the critical hit. Several hits follow between them connecting with their dagger and axe, and after a display of balance, power, and focus, the tribesman performs a wonderful roundhouse kick that sent the axe twirling in the air, managing to reduce Cortes to holding one weapon, but unfortunately that one weapon was his own spear. Cortes reels from losing his axe though he knows Hatu's wobble after the kick meant he was open for a clean strike-in an instant, they both went on the attack. Red appears as the sound of a weapon piercing skin is apparent; Cortes' knees totter and in the blink of an eye he falls on his back with an axe buried in his chest and Hatu on top of him using his own weight to drive it in further.
"Why...did you do it…!" Hatu screamed, tightening his grip on the axe; though damaged and dulled, it was still sharp to penetrate skin.
Cortes laughed as spots of blood drop onto his body-Hatu's blood. The spear firmly in his hands and piercing Hatu's body. An eye for an eye, Cortes made sure that if he would suffer a fatal found from his own weapon, then so should Hatu. "You're bleeding quite a lot over there-"
"Answer me!" Hatu shouts, deepening the axe. "Why did you do it. Why did you kill my sister."
Cortes could feel his eyes starting to roll backwards, "Sh-she, betrayed us. Even though most of us hated her, we never could've had a reason to kill her. She was too strong. And so, one day we learned of a possibility that she was spotted with the enemy freedom fighters, and decided to spread the rumor. We were sure, that would be the catalyst for her majesty's order of her head, and our chance to kill in the name of justice. If only she just lied, maybe she would still be alive?"
"How dare you…" Hatu said in an exasperated tone, his eyes bloodshot.
"It worked out perfectly. We wounded her to death and even rebuilt the nation off of slaves like you. We won, you filthy-"
Hatu picks out the spear out his skin and throws it aside, in turn stabbing him in the throat with his dagger, making his body squirm-the cut wasn't so deep to kill him instantly, but enough that the man couldn't get up anymore. Hatu rises to his feet and limps over to his spear, then returning to Cortes. He takes a moment of silence watching the bleeding man gasps for air, sadistically savoring his enemy's final breaths before stabbing him in the legs to hear him struggle to squeal, and then finally, close to the heart. "I watched my sister bleed out to death. I will never understand the fear and regret she must've felt in knowing that only one of us were going to survive. I can't even imagine how it must've felt to have such resolve to be so selfless…" Hatu rises, stepping on the axe more to deepen the wounds on the man's chest; "The same way she had to suffer, so will you. Drain. Drain away. I hope the blood you leak puts out this fire. And even then, I hope you experience the agony of being here hopeless with no one to help you. Die. Rot. Rot like the worthless trash you are!" he said spitting on his body afterwards and limping away leaving him to die within the inferno; A few moments later, an individual emerges from the flames and the trio can only hope it was who they believed it to be. Sure enough, it was Hatu.
"Gnarby...Weiden…!" Hatu collapses, his body covered with open wounds as big as the weapons he carried. He repeated those two names like a record, holding out his hand for Sky and the others. "I...took down...Cortes. I...have my vengeance. If only...I could...kill those other...two..." he whimpers, falling into the arms of Sky and Veronica, who gently set him on the ground; Pastelle kept on the lookout in case any other enemies showed up. "Damn it…!" he grimaced, looking at the blood covering his hand and feeling the warmth that went cold as soon as he stopped pressing against his wound. These were fatal injuries just like what his sister suffered those many years ago. To this day, he admired her resilience and determination to will herself despite knowing that she was at the end of the road and all while carrying dead weight on her shoulders. A true titan that the world would never know, tears formed in his eyes knowing that soon, he would see her face again. His face looks defeated, yet at peace. He's come to terms with everything now. When he looks up to the emotionless mask of Veronica, and then to the petrified Sky ready to break into a panic, he knew what needed to be done. "P-please…!" Hatu's bloodied hands trembled as he gives her his precious spear and dagger, fumbling them in the inkling's hands; Sky's heart sank realizing what his actions meant. "I've...fulfilled...my...goal…" he winces with a pained smile as some blood squirts from his wound. Breathing alone was agonizing enough, but to apply pressure felt like needles were sticking him everywhere. "But this...is as far...as I can go…"
Sky tried her hardest to stay strong and hold back her tears, but with a defeated Hatu before her, it was impossible. What she admired most about him was the presence he carried, an air that he was undefeated and unchanging-that no one could reach him, and yet, here he was in the worst condition imaginable. Sky shakes her head in refusal, "I won't accept this. I won't accept this! You'll make it! I know you can, Hatu. Please, you can't go just yet!" she plead in a shaken voice, trying her hardest not to lose her composure; even Pastelle was on the verge of crying since she never saw Sky get this worked up about a person other than her closest friends, whereas Veronica had her eyes closed and her arms crossed, already making peace with what must happen.
"Sky...you were...the closest thing...I...had...to Nali. I beg of...you. Protect your little brother...the same way she did...for me…" he struggled with the most genuine smile he could muster, closing his eyes and holding her hands tightly with all of his strength. It felt as though he was casting the last of his strength and resolve for her to inherit, vowing that with his dying breath, he would make sure she saw it through to the end. He achieved his goal of murdering one the killers who took his sister's life and had no reason to continue-or rather, in mind and body, he used up all he hand on that one killer. On one hand, he found it frustrating since he could never measure up to the talent and wisdom of Nali, if it was her fighting instead, he was sure she could've ended it easily whereas it took all he had to win, but on the other hand, he found closure. He found a girl who carried the same spirit as her, and he accomplished his mission; he could almost hear his sister whispering to him "Time to come home." with open arms. Finally, the tribesman could rest in peace and join his sister and parents who must've been waiting for him in the afterlife. With a final breath, Hatu whispered just two words that sent the distressing inkling over her limit as she hugged him, bawling uncontrollably shaking her head furiously in denial. It was only for a few days to weeks, but they connected on a spiritual level that not many could have the privilege of experiencing. They were from different parts of the world, but they shared the same emotions. His body turns cold but he maintains the same smile he had in his final look to her, a view that strikes her in the chest and gut, as his face weakens and he closes his eyes for the last time, she saw not a powerful archer with immense strength, nor a hardened warrior who'd seen the throes of battle, but a delicate soul who dearly missed his family. Sky imagined Azule in her arms as Hatu looked like a little brother who missed his sister, tears welling in her eyes as she shuts his eyes eye for good. As his body felt cold and lifeless despite the smile remaining, Sky realized what it felt like when one spoke of how short and valuable life is, how an eternity can be a fleeting moment in the blink of an eye. Even if she only met him just a few days ago, she already felt like she'd lost a family member. As she clenched his body close to hers crying in horror so loudly that she felt her voice departing, she hoped that he passed on into the next life and could reunite with his family. The warmth in his body disappears, and so does Sky's reluctance to attack Candice Octavio. Now that she knew the truth, the tears she shed would no longer be for Hatu's heroic death, but for pain she'd feel in killing Shiva's mother with her own hands. As she calms herself down, Pastelle and Victoria could tell immediately that a monster had been awakened. A sunken place that she refused to ever fall into again the moment she imagined her little brother in Hatu's place, Sky's eyes glowed a violent hue despite its cool blue appearance. As of this moment, she can only see red. Meanwhile at the palace where Candice and her Grand Elite trio are, they are preparing to mobilize themselves. Their plan worked out perfectly thanks to a little help from an ally. As it stood, the drills and other weapons were preparing to breach the surface, and in some hours, they too would arrive and declare war.
"A few hours...we'll take the rear once the others arrive there. I'm glad that we stationed them to be the ground team leading the attack." Candice said as she recalled her orders in which she stationed Leone of the Elite guards to lead the ground team to the surface with the support of "Blanco" Le Blanc, "Root" Reuter, and Indy of the Wild Cards. As for the remaining Elite guards, they were further behind escorting the other weapons as the second wave of attackers, in which the third wave would be Candice and the Grand Elites.
"How are we looking, Anzi?" Candice spoke sitting atop her throne awaiting news about her earlier dispatch of Cortes and "Mad" Max, who were meant to be part of the first two waves in the invasion.
Anzi shakes her head, "The last I heard of them they had Hatu in their sights along with some girl who must be his apprentice of some sort. Either way, they engaged in battle shortly after and I haven't heard from them ever since."
"More than likely their communications got shut off in battle-no problem, they can catch up. Now, as for those rebel sea rats. How about them?"
"We located their base and can launch a strike whenever you see it fit."
Candice laughs in response and then looks out to the sight of her country, imagining what should soon fall. "They tried to get ahead and look what happens...it comes back to bite them. So desperate to find an advantage that they were willing to accept anyone...fools."
"The drills should soon make an impact and by the time we make it to the surface, the others should fulfill their end." Weiden said making his appearance, returning from outside to deliver word that they spotted a pair of resistance members within the palace. From the surveillance found, apparently one was going underground and the other was exploring the palace, which meant they were up to something if they dared to infiltrate here, that means they're close to achieving their goal. "Should I intercept them? There are only two of them and I can end them quickly."
Candice didn't look amused, "I want you to take May along and track down the intruder exploring the palace. If you bring him down, the other will follow. Use some of the others to set up a blockade and search for them. I want them both dead." she said with a sly grin.
Deep within the palace at differing locations, the intruders were hard at work in their own ways; Agent 8 did her best to traverse the palace stealthily and avoid the surveillance of nearby sentries and other security, able to make progress and follow the map provided to get to her destination in the shortest amount of time. Around that same time, Abraham was already at work with his task. From hall to hall hiding in every shadow available, Abraham was spreading the wiretapping nodes and even putting a few security guards out of commission, hiding them in hidden spots to avoid alerting anyone. To ensure that things went smooth, he even stole a radio from one of them to keep a check on communication between them and make sure him and Agent 8 weren't detected. On Agent 8's end, she finally reaches the underground facilities, and to her surprise, it is far larger than she imagined. If the view of Octaria was marvelous from afar since it sat in a gigantic cavity, this underground facility was far more impressive. A laboratory, rows of massive machines and mechas, and dozens of workers roaming the premises, Agent 8 had limited time to accomplish her mission. Luckily for her, the machines were organized by their types and after doing a quick observation, she took out her rock and prepared for inspection. Data gathering and extraction, she targeted the main room where security and surveillance monitored everything in the underground. While doing so, she couldn't help but sense the familiarity of the situation.
The perpetual darkness. The virus spreading to my lungs disguised as cold, moist air. Bright lights that fail to cover the shadows of grey, and worst of all, the putrid scent of despair. This is what I escaped from...she thought recalling her younger days when she was a soldier under the manipulation of DJ Octavio, and of the wacky venture she underwent to earn her freedom and escape to the surface, the dark past she left behind had to be confronted or else she could never achieve that true freedom she yearned. At first, she was awed by the new life, but when she thought of the friends she left behind in her old life, it soon became dissatisfying that of all the people to escape the clutches of brainwashing, it would be her-a top soldier. Passing by pods of the bodies who suffered a fate she was destined for, it was a mirror for her. A reflection into a future she might've experienced, this mission turned into a reel of her memories. The pain she underwent in carrying out order against her will, slaughtering enemies with body moving automatically-her mind shut off completely. The thought made her skin scrawl like the goo that kept the bodies encapsulated. Data collection. Data collection. Data collection. She repeats, changing her tasks in the darkness under the noses of security, who are scattered at different posts. I already got photos, and I tested out the rock and it does seem to react to the machines as though damaging it on the surface level. A little more quantity and it could become a problematic weapon we can utilize. But, even with we're able to forge them, it won't be much help on the surface since there are connection issues-that's probably jamming from the Queen who is suspicious of us. We need that connection to the surface, but she doesn't-why is that? Something must allow them to keep up with everything occurring on the surface or else they wouldn't attempt such a task as invasion. Communication is key, so what are they up to? The former soldier thought after wrapping up her current task of checking on the conditions of the people captured. Though it looked different from the brainwashing she remembered in her younger days, Candice Octavio adopted the same mindset as DJ Octavio and in a way, furthered the actions the DJ Octavio of old would've taken. But the current fallen king was one she found admirable as a man of change, one so willing to change the nation for the better that he'd take up arms against his own wife and her circle for the sake of justice. They aren't feeding them to the sweepers, so I guess that was an earlier phase that she moved on from? They're still here but not as fuel… A look to the distance and she can make out some weird looking robot suits that looked heavily modified competed the skin showing outfit she wore as a soldier. Also, there were plenty of octolings sleeping in a type of incubator that wore skin tight black clothing that glowed green. Interesting. It looks as though she's following the old formula of brainwashing soldiers and turning them into weapons. Combine them with these new machines of devastating power and durability...Enough, this was enough for her to formulate and create a plan of counterattack, but what mattered most was that she had to get back safely. Just about to leave, she heads back the way she came from when something strange sends her instincts screaming. Her heart felt like it was about to burst with the fear of being caught. Was someone nearby? Was she being watched? Was her cover blown? She didn't know why, but her body screamed at her to cut the haste and stay behind for one last observation-if she didn't, she'd regret it. Although the dim lighting impaired her vision a bit, her keen gaze was sharper than the average octoling, and her twitched in anticipation of any shift in the sound foreign to what she already identified. Crouching and peeking around the corner hidden in darkness, she could feel it again-someone watching her, or at least the presence of watchful eyes. Her eyelids shut and she calms her breathing, swiftly pinching her fingers together-a zap occurring in between her fingertips. Just like she thought, something was up. Are these...gnats? She brings her fingers close, inspecting the squashed nanomachine.
Nearly done with placing all the small wiretapping devices and on his way to contact the others about the information he gathered, Abraham felt a little calmer thanks to his great luck. Able to slide through security and reach the room where all the data he needed regarding the secrets of the machines, he successfully learned of what it took to defeat Candice Octavio and stop the invasion. Along with finding a map of the palace in the form of an overhead blueprint, Abraham was desperate to return home and share the news he found, mostly because he was sure it could be pulled off with the right person. He was also sure that though Agent 8 was skilled, it was best that he uncovered the critical evidence-he already had the right person in mind. Almost there and picking up speed, Abraham senses a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and on instinct, he crouches and covers his head. A sharp boomerang narrowly misses before returning to its owner, a young lady with a mean look. Abraham froze for a second but recognized the face right away…
"Grand Elite…!"
He doesn't have time to finish, a sharp vertical swing missing him from behind after turning his attention to the Grand Elite guard; rolling out the way, he identifies the second Grand Elite and he felt his heart sink. What bad luck did he get to attract a pair of monsters like them? Known as the strongest of Queen Octavio's personal guard, gracing him with an appearance were her pair of her strongest: Grand Elites Weiden and May. Abraham knew of them quite well and knew that running away simply wasn't an option. They operated in different ways but both fought like hunters-an attempt to escape was the last thing he could ever think of. There is no other option than to fight, and as the 2nd Leg of the resistance and a specialist with weapons, this was a matchup that despite his severe disadvantage, he had his arsenal of weapons to compete against their special skills. Weiden and May stare at him like a hunter does their prey, analyzing his strengths and weaknesses and formulating a plan to capture the target. A lean build yet showing some muscles, fear is apparent but he does a good job of hiding it behind that cool smirk of his, though his sweat dripping made it clear he wouldn't last long in a close quarters combat, which worked to their benefit since May was the best at it among the Grand Elites. Neither of the Grand Elites utter a word, instead preferring to go on the attack; Weiden was cognizant of what happened the previous time he encountered an intruder and the last thing he wanted to do was allow them an escape. Stuck on the defense against two powerful foes, Abraham can barely hold his own, only surviving thanks to the arsenal of weapons he has on him that he rotates depending on the attack used, mostly settling on using a shield for protection. After a few minutes of deflecting brutal strikes, he can feel his arms flailing with each defense-he didn't have much strength left to hold them off. Several steps removed from the Grand Elites, he buzzes Porter and warns him that he's been intercepted by the Grand Elites; Agent 8 overheard him and sprints to his location, ordering him to stall for as long as possible. At this point the only thing that mattered was delivering the data he obtained. Under no circumstances could he lose it.
May growls in growing irritation,"He still won't crumble." Prior to battle, she thought he'd be an easy opponent, but his consistency is moving troublesome for her since she didn't want to use up her strength until she got to the surface; Weiden found himself impressed by the resistance member's efforts.
"Why do you fight for the resistance?" he asked, raising his chin with curiosity; "Isn't it easier to simply do as her highness bids?"
Abraham wipes the sweat off his face and does his best to catch his breath, "I rather fight for my ideals than fight for ideals of another…"
"Interesting, so you rather die for your own cause than live to serve another? Strange you should say that when you fight under the ideals of that traitor."
"You can call him a traitor all you want, but to me he's a savior. He's the light that your queen so desperately wishes to claim. You fight for an empty throne!"
May grips her boomerang, ready to raise her weapon yet again. Enraged by his words, she could only be calmed down by the steady hand of Weiden, who stopped her from charging yet again. Weiden's glare pierces the composure of Abraham, who only lasted so long because of his confidence in his weapons. "Fight for an empty throne? If it wasn't for Queen Octavio, this nation would have collapsed promptly after the war! They took our king, stripped away half our population and left us out to die!" the echoes in his raged tone carry the halls; "I can understand the disagreement with her methods, or how she's treated the lower class. Believe me, I'm aware-I have to protect them, after all..." he points his blade at Abraham; "We've created our own economy, forged stronger weapons, and created a decent living for ourselves-who do you think is responsible? That sham of a king who tries to tear it down? You radicals? Your senseless comments aren't even humorous!" Ready to take a final strike knowing there is no chance Abraham can block it successfully, he rushes at him; Abraham braces himself for what could be his last moment. But in a turn of events, Agent 8 was there! Blocking the sword with her gun, she uses her strength and pushes him off, forcing him to take a few steps by firing away.
"You're not hurt?" she asked, keeping her eyes on her enemy.
Abraham shakes his head, "Barely. I got the data we need, so we can-"
May's shadow appear in his blindside, taking advantage of the lapse in concentration by the pair; Weiden charges at Agent 8, looking to take her focus off the vulnerable Abraham. Abraham's a step too late as May's boomerang pierces his chest, but before she yanked it out to do severe damage and spread his blood across the floor, Agent 8's boot planted her in the face and sent her skirting on the floor. In an immediate switch-up, Agent 8 lands a kick on Weiden's chin and sends him staggering. Abraham falls to his knees and holds the place where he bleeds; it's pouring out. Weiden and May recover, ready to square off against her but her concern on Abraham has her hesitant to strike; Abraham pleads that he's fine, and assures her he can hold out long enough to get back to the sanctuary. She knows he's lying, and as such, she promises to wrap up the battle quick. A 2 on 1 scenario against Grand Elite guards, Agent 8 smirks and smugly calls them out; "I've faced stronger…" she says, referencing the epic clash she had against Maya before they became allies. For some reason, the pair had a strange feeling that if they didn't place their attention of Agent 8, they would regret it terribly. In a matter of seconds, Agent 8 brings the fight to them knowing that Abraham's life is ticking down. It wouldn't be easy to defeat them, but at the very least, she needed to make sure they couldn't chase her. Ducking the horizontal swing of Weiden by sliding below, she fires her show and strikes him on the chin again-rending him to a glass jaw as she delivers yet another critical blow that leaves him staggering. As he staggers, she uses her body weight to lift and elbows him in the gut, making him drop his sword, something he rarely does in battle; May notices the uncharacteristic move and takes on Agent 8 instead, but as she does a backhand swing with her sharp boomerang, she only saw an afterimage of the elusive octoling.
Too slow! Her mind screams, knowing she was left wide open; what follows is a harsh strike to her gut that sends her upwards for a moment. Seeing her target shrink for a moment, May understood with that kick alone why it was terrifying to go up against an opponent like her-she didn't know her identity, but off that kick alone, she knew this woman was leagues ahead of her. Crashing on the floor, afterwards, she's unconscious.
"I wasn't sure of it but I'm almost positive that my hunch was correct." Weiden said struggling to his feet; "You're the traitor who left the old king…"
Agent 8 frowns with furrowed brows, "You should've just stayed down like you friend here."
"Talk big all you want, now that I confirm your identity I can beat you the next time we battle! You might escape now, but the next time we meet, I'll kill you!"
Agent 8's eyes glow, "You can try." she said with venom, landing a strike on his chest to knock the wind out of him and leave him paralyzed. Able to create an opportunity to escape before reinforcements can be called, Agent 8 sprints out the palace and notifies Porter nearby that Abraham was in critical condition; Porter advises her to take him to the sanctuary immediately and promises to follow her once he confirms that no one is following her. As they make their run from the clutches of Candice Octavio, who once again proves that her grip on their throats is near iron tight, the Queen of Octaria is ready to unleash her wrath upon the surface world-a notification from the first wave that they were about to break the surface at any moment.
Agent 8 shakes her head carrying him, "I hate to say that stupid phrase but, I could've done this mission alone."
Abraham smiles weakly, "I'm glad I came along. There's no way this would've been successful with only one person. We in the resistance always look out for each other like family. I know you're a maverick that not even DJ Octavio could control, and I know you're a kind heart, so-" he whimpers as the pain in his chest intensifies, the blood staining her back; "I'm just sorry that I couldn't hold on any longer. I'm a pathetic excuse that shouldn't be one of the 8 Legs.
"No more talking. Please, save your strength for when we get back, we can save you."
Abraham already knew it was too late. His unsteady hands tap her shoulder, and handing her the data data he sacrificed his life to obtain he looks at her weakly, "I know he's not very comfortable with taking my post, but he's the only one I can trust with something this big. Please, make sure this reaches Felix!" he said desperately, closing his eyes afterwards.
