Hey-yo everyone, I wanted to give you all a quick update before this chapter starts. I've been realizing how long some of my chapters can be, and I feel like the longer and longer I make them the harder it's going to be to pump them out quickly. Of course I'll still work as hard as I usually do on making a good chapter, but I could make them shorter if you guys would prefer. Or maybe you prefer the long ones, even if it takes a bit longer. I don't mind either way. Let me know what you think.
For now I'm gonna make this chapter extra long in order to compensate for my busy schedule. I might not be able to update the story for a bit longer than usual. Don't worry, I'm not going on hiatus or anything like that!
Also, thank you! A huge thank you to the people reading this story and consistently coming back for more. I love hearing what you guys think of my writing and how you feel the story is developing. I'm also glad you all are as excited to see where Scott ends up down the road as I am. I can't wait until you guys read what I have in store for him. Right now, in this chapter, he's already struggling with what Sombra said...
Chapter 9: Pray for My Lost Soul
2 months later...
I always hated waiting.
It reminded me of the silence I had to endure after Megan's death. The dark nothingness that was death. Or what I could assume was death.
Sombra reminded me patience was a virtue for the fourth time today during the mission, but hearing her speak set off even more raging fires in my mind.
'To become my friend, someone must pour their heart and soul into their dream, and never betray that dream. Even if it meant opposing me. For me to call a man my friend he must stand on an equal ground, and sustain a dream of his own.'
I could still hear her words echoing through my head, and I involuntarily clenched my fists. Nothing has ever bothered me in a way her speech that night did. Not Megan's death, not my artificial limbs, not even the innocents I've killed. All of it pales in comparison to those words. I'd always found a way to shut out the voices in my head, ways to forget the terrible things I'm responsible for and the blood on my hands. Yet she stuck out in my head forevermore. It's affecting me in ways I can't imagine. I can barely hold a conversation with the others around me at Overwatch, much less act like nothing had happened. At times I can't even eat, too busy staring off into the distance as I focus on Sombra. As I focus on what I was going to do.
The thought of leaving Overwatch in search of a dream had crossed my mind many times, and it was often tempting. But something about Sombra didn't allow me to leave like that. I wanted to see this thing to the end. I wanted it to have a happy ending. I stayed with them in hopes of finding what made me special. Everyone at Overwatch had it. That thing that made them unique. Whether it was a quirk, habit, history, personality, or skill. But a part of me knew if I was going to fill this gaping hole left inside of me, I'd need to find it on my own.
Sleep became a distant memory ever since the assassination, and I've become rather restless. Genji commented on my terrible form recently during training, and Lena, who resided next door to my room, complained about me mumbling in my sleep. Whenever I was unlucky enough to drift off into a deep slumber, my subconscious was sure to punish me for it. Nightmares about Maximilien and his son haunted me ever since I murdered both of them. It was an accident. I never meant to harm that boy. But no matter what I told myself, I'd often flash back to the spiraling hallways of the casino, with his cries of pain ringing in my ears.
Angela tried to speak with me more often ever since figuring out what I had done two months ago. She's the only one who knows exactly what it had done to me. But I soon lied and claimed it didn't bother me. Though that didn't prevent her from checking up on me a lot more frequently than usual. The others in Overwatch assume that we finally got over our animosity towards one another, although I never hated her, but there was still a look in her eyes that told me she certainly didn't enjoy my presence. But a part of me could sense she wasn't so hesitant to speak to me about things anymore. I'd often times catch her watching me from a distance, offering me a worried gaze. I never returned the same.
I steadied my hand as soon as I noticed it was trembling. How long was it like that? At times I'd completely forget what I was doing. These days it was easy to get lost in everything that was going on. Of course to Sombra, that was the best part.
Glancing over at her, I watched as she repaired the damages she sustained during a tumble downhill during our scouting mission. It wasn't anything serious, but she had a few scratches and bruises left behind. I told her she didn't need to come with me. I figured that if anything she'd end up slowing me down. But she insisted on tagging along. She claimed she had 'gone soft sitting on her throne' and forgot how to use a gun. Admittedly it had been a while since she'd been on a mission, but I couldn't lie and say I wasn't hoping for some alone time on this mission. I hoped it would give me some time to think.
Instead, I was busy making sure to impress Sombra, even though there wasn't much to do to begin with. It was a simple scouting mission on a Talon base near Russia. It seemed to be a serious problem for Volskaya Industries, what with the countless assassination attempts on Katya Volskaya. We had an attack planned out, but we figured checking out the perimeter one more time couldn't hurt. Nothing of interest happened. Sombra told me about how important this mission was for us. She claimed to have been stockpiling supplies, support, and even troops from many big corporations. Apparently Talon has been targeting their trade routes, stealing their weapons and materials.
That was a huge problem for nearly every major company in the world. They couldn't go running to the government, because then they'd find out they'd be smuggling weapons and gathering illegal materials. At times I wondered if we were doing the right thing. But Sombra never seemed to care about doing the right thing, but rather gaining support from as many influential people as possible. Every step got her closer and closer to achieving her dream.
It was a losing battle. We were most likely going to fail, and probably end up all dead after the attack, but that didn't stop Sombra from risking it all on this one siege of a base. It was one of Talon's largest, and every single attempt to destroy it had resulted in failure thus far. They had anti aircraft guns, over a thousand agents stationed there, and plenty of surveillance drones surrounding it. It was one of Talon's main headquarters. I even remember working there for a few days, but not long enough to become acquainted with the layout. Even with the support and troops from major corporations around the globe, it was risky. But Sombra jumped at the opportunity to prove herself to them all the same. She figured with their help, she'd gain even more power and authority. She'd even gain some new allies.
If we won. I still couldn't help but worry about our chances in this kind of a battle. A large portion of us were going to meet them all head on in the battlefield. Before this, we'd always counted on guerrilla tactics to get the edge on our opponents. Strike quickly, then retreat before they can retaliate. I knew for a fact with my reputation I was going to be on the frontlines. I could already see myself covered in the blood and guts of my enemies.
Turning to Sombra, she offered me a smile that I failed to return, and I sighed as I walked over to her, leaving the flight controls unattended. "No, no. You're doing it all wrong." I shook my head, kneeling down beside her as she sat, struggling to bandage the cut along her shoulder as it bled. She scoffed in response. "I think I know how to bandage a wound." I moved her hands away from it, doing it myself. "Yes you do. Albeit very poorly." I muttered, undoing the loose knot she made. I rolled my eyes when I noticed how dark the wound had become. "I told you to disinfect it, now it's gonna hurt even more." I growled, looking up at her. She smirked. "Dios mio, you sound like my mother."
"Yeah, well, mother knows best." I grunted, pouring the disinfectant over her wound. Sombra winced in response. Dabbing the blood away, I wrapped it in gauze and began to properly bandage it. I noticed a look she was giving me, and I frowned. "What?" I asked, and she continued smiling. "You're worried about me. It's cute." She remarked, and I scoffed. "You know what's not cute? Dying of an infection. We need you, Sombra. Your our leader."
'The one with the dream. The one I'm so desperate to prove myself to.' I bit my tongue, keeping the comments to myself.
"Yeah." She replied, looking into my eyes. "What are you waiting for, a kiss? Pilot the aircraft, I've gotta change out of these muddy clothes." I ordered Sombra around for once, and she chuckled. "Sir, yes sir!" She gave me a mock salute before hopping in the pilot's seat. I trusted her to get us away from the Talon base at the very least. I'd take care of the rest.
As soon as I began to unbuckle my belt to slip into something less dirty and more comfortable, I heard a loud and unfamiliar beeping erupting from the monitors around the aircraft. "Uh...Scottie?" I heard Sombra call out to me, and I hurried out to see what was going on. "I know I'm not particularly good at this whole flying thing, but I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be beeping like that." Sombra said, and I furrowed my brows, looking down at the controls. 'Missile lock. Wait...Talon's anti aircraft weapons...how did they detect us?'
"Oh shit!" Sombra noticed it just as soon as I did. I threw Sombra to the floor before shielding her body with mine out of pure instinct, bracing myself for impact. There wasn't enough time to maneuver or escape the lock. Face to face, Sombra and I both slammed into one another as the missiles exploded upon impact, violently tearing half of the aircraft away with ease. The snow and freezing air blew harshly against both Sombra and I as she nearly went flying out of the gaping hole. I held on to her wrist as tight as I could, watching as the aircraft descended at a nauseating speed as it twirled in the air. "SOMBRA!" I yelled, feeling my grip on the metal frame loosen as the front end of the plane shattered against a tree. Sombra slipped out of my grasp, holding on to singular metal pole as her legs went out from under her. "SCOTT!"
I didn't hesitate to jump over to her before she fell out. We both collided with one another as we plummeted out of the crashing plane without a parachute. Holding myself under her, I prepared myself for impact as I held her to my chest, turning my back to the frozen river below me. The last thing I heard was a sickening crunch of bone and ice before finding myself underwater in subzero temperatures.
I slowly descended into the abyss as I lacked the strength to continue moving. I looked up at the fading sunlight shining through the hole I created in the ice, beginning to succumb to my fate.
But then she appeared right in front of me, right within arms reach, just below the surface of the ice. Sombra. If I died, she would too. Overwatch would lose everything it had gained so far. Everything we'd been doing would've all been a fruitless struggle against failure. I refused to allow that to happen. Once again, I continued moving not because of my own volition, but for Sombra. For her dream to become a reality.
'This man is willing to die for me, and nearly has time and time again, but not because it's his dream, but because he wants me to achieve my own dream. He latches onto it, hoping it will give meaning to his existence.' I could hear her speaking about me once more as I swam upwards, refusing to allow her to drown and be forgotten in these frozen waters. 'I may not be your equal, Sombra, and it's true, I lack a real purpose in my life. But you have that dream. A dream you must fulfill. You belong with the others, leading them to victory. Not here. Not in this god forsaken place. Besides, I pledged my life to you, for now.'
I resurfaced above the water, pulling Sombra with me onto solid ground along the edge of the ice. Looking to my right, she lay there completely motionless, the snow already beginning to cover her. Her black and purple hair lying sprawled out around her head, completely soaked from the water. I moved towards her, placing my hand on her cheek. She was as cold as ice. I scanned her body for a heartbeat, finding a faint pulse. Though she wasn't breathing. "No..." I muttered, stripping her out of her gear, making it easier for her to breathe since it wasn't so tight. I placed my lips on hers, attempting to resuscitate her. Taking deep breathes each time, I released a sigh of relief as she began to breathe once more, coughing up the water from her lungs. I growled, noticing the blood dripping down my right abdomen. Gripping the piece of shrapnel lodged in my rib cage, I swiftly pulled it out, ignoring the pain. I needed to focus.
Sombra was surprisingly not wounded from the crash. Of course she suffered from a few cuts and bruises, but I'd be able to heal those with ease. I noticed her teeth were chattering. Placing my hand on her forehead, my eyes widened. "Shit, she's got a fever." I muttered, looking around in desperation. 'She needs shelter or she'll freeze to death.' I told myself.
Leaving our gear there for the moment, figuring I'd come back for it later, I picked Sombra up, carrying her in my arms. I took her to the woods nearby, finding a hole beneath a tree that would work. It was spacious enough for both of us to fit, and it didn't draw any attention. Talon would be looking for us. But as long as we kept quiet and away from the crash, they'll lose us. And with the snow falling like it is, I won't have to worry about leaving footsteps behind. Placing my hand on her shoulder for a moment, I looked at her as a sudden emotion rushed through me that I couldn't describe. 'I need to keep her safe.'
I went back and retrieved her gear, setting it down beside her. Removing my shirt, I used it as a damp towel to wipe along her forehead. Despite the cold, she was sweating. 'Yeah, definitely a fever.' I confirmed it, looking down at her clothes. Although not as bad as her gear, her undershirt and pants were completely soaked. If I started a fire, the smoke would certainly alert the Talon agents. Sighing, I began to undress her. I needed to warm her body with my own. If not she'll die. I was already out of my shirt, so I pulled Sombra closer to me as I rested my head against the confined space beneath the tree.
Sombra huddled closer to me, her arm draped around my chest. She shuddered, and I ran my hand along her shoulder, soothing her in a way. It all felt so familiar. Like I had done something like this before. My mind soon flashed to Megan, but I shook it off before I could give it anymore thought.
Her fingers danced along my collarbone, where my skin and titanium limbs weaved together. She must be dreaming about something. Her soft skin was cold to the touch, making me move closer to her to keep her warm. The snow continued falling outside, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. The soft lull of sleep began to call for me, and although I resisted it for a moment, desperate to stay awake to keep Sombra safe from harm, I eventually allowed it to embrace me.
I could hear Sombra rustling behind me in the tree as she awoke. I dropped the gear I was carrying over that I had just washed, squatting outside the hole. She noticed my shadow blocking the sun, and she turned to me, struggling to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Good morning." I said, offering her a smile. Laying there, she looked up at me in a dazed sort of state. The makeshift blanket I made out of my trench coat covered her naked body, successfully keeping her warm, and keeping my eyes from wandering. I ran a hand through my wet hair, still drying from washing myself off.
"W-where am I?" Sombra asked, and I raised an eyebrow. "You really don't remember do you? You've probably got a concussion from the fall. You're in a cave near the river by the Russian Talon base. The anti aircraft guns shot us down before we could get away. Lucky for you, I broke your fall, and we ended up in a frozen river, but you're still injured." I explained, and she began to sit up, my trench coat beginning to slip off of her slim shoulders. "Damnit Sombra, you're not ready to get up yet!" I exclaimed, reaching out to her. Sombra revealed herself to me, her toned figure catching my eye, but I forced myself to look away from her. "I'm sorry." I apologized out of habit, and she looked down and realized she was naked.
"Your clothes were soaked through. You would've frozen to death if I didn't strip them off you. I kept you warm with my body." I admitted, and I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to escape this awkward situation. For a moment I thought I saw her blush. "Oh. Thanks, Scott."
I nodded. "Don't mention it. You would've done the same for me." I threw my shirt towards her, and she caught it with ease. "Go ahead, take it. I've been wearing it all day. It's completely dry. You need to rest."
My shirt was much too big for her, the shirt running down to her lower thighs. She sighed, leaning back against the roots of the tree. "I'd offer to cook you up something to eat, but a fire would attract unwarranted attention. Talon'll be on the lookout for us." I spoke softly, closing my eyes for a moment as I crossed my arms behind my head and leaned back.
For what seemed like a few hours, at least judging by the sun's position in the sky, I let her rest. I caught a few winks of sleep, but I didn't allow myself to drift off for too long. We still weren't safe. We'd have to wait for help to arrive. I already made a few calls for help using the frequency on our intercoms. I couldn't understand what they had said in response, but I was certain they heard us. They'd probably be here by nightfall. I planned on leaving with Sombra and making our way to higher ground in an hour, so I began to strap my gear back on.
When Sombra woke up, I asked her a question that had been on my mind for nearly a year. "Sombra, why'd you start all of this in the first place? What caused you to chase this dream of yours?" I asked, turning to her. She hesitated, and I figured I wasn't going to get an answer. I wasn't her equal anyway. 'Why give me an answer? I'd never understand how it felt to strive to make a dream a reality.'
I looked off into the distance, listening to the wind gently blowing outside. The storm had calmed, but snow still covered the land around us. Despite the situation, it was a beautiful landscape. "I imagine it must be pretty rough on you, all this responsibility." I began to trail off.
"Javier." She whispered, and I turned. "Huh?"
"There was a boy I knew, when I was way younger. His name was Javier. He was my best friend. Hell, he was the only friend I had, honestly. Back then, it was odd for an omnic and a human to get along, much less become good friends. We were like most kids, naive, foolish, and ignorant to the world around us." I watched her smile to herself, pulling her knees to her chest as she began to reminisce.
"I was born in a rather small and quiet town. The land was barren, and since agriculture was our only form of trade, we couldn't rely on a steady income. In the summers there would be intense droughts, and in the winter storms would destroy our crops. But that didn't keep them from taxing us for the war efforts. It was the omnic crisis, and Overwatch and the army needed their supplies, no matter the cost to us. Frequently, we'd go full days without eating."
I frowned, pitying her. 'How could such a strong woman come from such a place? Where did this fire that drove her come from?' I asked myself. "One day, we were attacked by omnics during the crisis. People never trusted omnics in my town, however few there were. Javier, my best friend, was constantly harassed and beaten for who he was. I always tried to protect him. But during that attack, he was nowhere to be found. I would've looked for him, but the army was too busy 'saving' us. When they were finished, they left us to clean up the mess, with no reparations for the damages."
"When I found Javier, two nights after the attack, he was being torn apart by a mob in the streets as he cried for help, even calling my name as they beat him. I watched helplessly as they began to rip him limb from limb, and cave in his head with a baseball bat. All while he screamed my name. He needed me. But I was too paralyzed to do anything or intervene. Javier died because of something other omnics were responsible for. That boy..." I watched as she tended up, her hands clenched into fists. "My friend, was murdered for other's mistakes. And all I did was watch."
I hesitated to reach out and comfort her. She'd probably flinch away. Even though I never knew him, I felt sympathy for the poor boy. And it only hurt even more to know things like that were commonplace back then. Countless were murdered out of prejudice. And still, even now, it's happening around us. I understood what she was talking about. Watching as innocents die around you, powerless to stop it. It's all I could think about in Kings Row.
"From then on," her dark eyes met mine, "I vowed to never watch something like that happen ever again. I told myself, one day, I'll change the world. I won't have to concern myself with the divide between human and omnic. One day, I'll unite them, and one day they'll understand one another. No more animosity between each other, no more distrust, and no more violence. A utopia. No matter how unlikely the circumstances are, I'll make something of myself. I refused to let my opportunities pass me by. I refused to hear him shouting my name every time I closed my eyes to sleep for the rest of my life."
"Olivia, Olivia, Olivia!" She repeated herself, and my eyes widened. 'Her name...'
She met my eyes, grinning at me as a stray tear ran down her cheek. "Olivia Colomar. Now you know. You know my name, and why I do what I do. I've never told anyone. To be honest, I never thought I'd tell anyone..."
I was at a loss for words. 'She trusted me with that kind of information? She told me her biggest secrets? And for what? Was this some trick? Was it some way to get into my head? No. No, she was genuine. Som- no, Olivia trusted me with that. Her story. Her dream. Her name.'
"I...I..." I stumbled over my words, unable to form a coherent sentence. "Olivia...thank you." I said, meeting her eyes once more. "For trusting me."
'What did this mean? That was certainly only the kind of information she would share with her friend. But she...' I was even more conflicted than I was before.
"Yeah. It's odd, to hear that name again. But oddly...pleasant...to hear it coming from you." Olivia smiled at me, and I grinned back at her. There was a long silence between us, but it wasn't out of discomfort. It was just natural silence.
"I've realized that...after all the terrible things I've done, it all came from one death. One small flame extinguished. Sometimes I don't feel like I'm doing the right thing. I don't always believe the ends justify the means. But I know I have to. If I don't, no one else will."
My smile faded as Olivia's did as well, and she became lost in her thoughts once more.
"Although it's been so long, that same sadness will never leave me. No matter how many people I save, I regret the things I do. But I refuse to abandon my dream. I've come too far." I listened intently to her as she spoke. "It's a heavy weight to carry, yet I carry it alone all the same. I have nothing else to give my life to. Nothing else to accomplish. I knew for me to make this dream a reality that I'd have to do terrible things, yet, I can't stop. If I quit, everything I've done will have been for nothing. I was never born smart, or strong, or clever, but because of my dream, I know I must be."
I put my hand on her own, consoling her for the moment. "Hey, it's okay." I offered a slight smile, and she looked down at my hand on hers. "I was ready to carry it by myself. Alone. No matter how many comrades I surrounded myself with, I never wanted to burden them with the weight of my dream. But they still stood by me. Risking their lives for me. I won't forget that."
Olivia's eyes shifted up from my hand to my eyes, and I found myself unable to move, paralyzed by her gaze once more. "But then you came along. Swinging those blades left to right, defying death countless times. That day, before our duel, I asked you to join us in a way I never had before. I barely knew you, yet I held you in such a high regard. I know I shouldn't...but...but I trust you, Scott. I've put my faith in you, in a way I never have with anyone. I..." I watched as she hesitated, failing to find the words to say.
"Hey, you're not alone. You know that. You've got everyone at Overwatch, waiting to follow your lead. You've got the support of some of the most influential people in the world. And...you've got me, Olivia." I still struggled to call her that. I smiled at her. For once, I found the words to say to her. She couldn't be doubting herself now. Not with what's at stake now. We all depend on her.
'I can't stay. I shouldn't be lying to her. This...this isn't where I belong. I have nowhere to be, and nothing to do with my life. I have no sense of direction. I'm just an aimless wanderer. Yet she trusted me with all of this. But I have to leave her. To be her true friend, someone she can truly depend on, I need a dream of my own. She said it herself. I need to find my own way. I refuse to be another comrade to her. I so desperately desire to become something she cares for in her life. I want to be a part of that dream. But I never will be. I'm nothing to her. I'll never be her equal. To her, all I'll ever be is a loyal soldier. Her right hand man. But I won't let that happen. I have to believe I can be more than that. I have to be. For my sake. For her sake.'
Olivia and I were on the move, trudging our way through the deep snow. She was behind me, shivering as she rubbed her hands together for warmth. I offered her my trench coat for an extra layer, exposing my titanium limbs. The sun had begun to set, and soon enough the others would find us. I just needed to get to higher ground, and signal for them with the flare gun I took from the crash. Talon is still trying to track us down, but the crash threw them off our trail. They believed we went an entirely different route than we did. The problem was, that flare would attract them to us. We'd have to be certain the others were on their way.
I could hear Olivia struggling to keep moving, still wounded from the crash and practically freezing to death out here. I kept close to her, slowing down to keep her safe. We couldn't lose her now. Not when we're so close to our goals. To her goals.
'How am I going to leave Olivia and the others?' I asked myself. Even if we win, and we accomplish our mission, they believe I'm just like them. They don't know how conflicted I am. It breaks my heart at times when I look at them, knowing that I plan on leaving them behind. All of their smiling faces, haunting me with each step.
'I have to. I need to find something of my own. I need to gain my own independence from them. From Olivia. They'll never understand it, but I have to do it all the same. That dream, that flame that keeps them all ablaze, I need to ignite my own. And I must do it alone...'
"I shared my story. Your turn." I heard Olivia speak, and I didn't turn to her, instead walking forward at a quicker pace. "I know I've asked you this before, but why do you fight?"
Moving forward, I attempted to dismiss her question. "We need to keep moving. Save your strength. Talon agents might be close." I muttered. Turning for a moment, I looked back at her. "I fight...I fight because..." I never finished the sentence, turning away from her and looking up into the stars as they began to become visible. My mind flashed to the night in Monaco, with her standing above me at those stairs. 'So close to me, yet just out of reach.' I told myself.
I could hear her voice echoing in my head again as I continued onwards. 'But he lacks a dream. Lacks any reason to live, and fights for the sole purpose of surviving, rather than for something higher than himself.'
Stopping in my tracks, I heard the snap of a twig nearby, and the sound of a bullet being fired soon followed. I jumped in front of Olivia, the bullet grazing my shoulder, leaving a spark as it flew by and struck a tree. I growled, my blades extending outwards.
Hundreds of Talon agents sprung out from behind the trees and dense woods around us, and I began to doubt our chances of survival here. 'I've taken one hundred men, and I nearly died doing it. But this...'
Olivia loaded her sub machine gun, and we stood back to back as they surrounded us and converged on our position. The ones that lacked a helmet were smirking at us both, aware of the likelihood of our death. "I've only got two magazines, Scott. Not enough for this many men." Olivia muttered, and I snickered. "That's why I use blades. They never run out of ammo."
"Scott," I heard her hesitate as I readied myself for the coming skirmish. It was going to get bloody real fast. "We've beaten the odds before, but I don't know about this one." I didn't respond.
Turning to the hill right above me, I listened as a familiar voice cackled behind the rocks before revealing himself. That same sneer met my cocky grin as his scar stretched with his lips. "Looks like I finally found you, traitor."
"Ha. Yeah, long time no see, Duncan. Still as ugly as I remember you being." I raised an eyebrow, smirking at him. My mind flashed back to my time at headquarters and the constant remarks coming from him. I chuckled to myself. 'At least now instead of imagining myself ripping his head off, I can actually do it.'
"Keh. You always were a cocky bastard. It'll be your end in a few minutes. You and Sombra had done good work for us before you left, I'll admit it. I was even beginning to like the two of you." I scowled up at him, and Sombra leaned her back against mine, steadying herself. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to spare you a slow death. I'm going to enjoy this. Men, attack them. Bring me Scott alive. Now as for Sombra, I'm certain you all know what to do with her..."
I could hear Olivia bristle at the thought of it as the men around us laughed, approaching us slowly. "I'd seriously have to advise you against that. She'd probably end up biting something off." I grinned at them, feeling Olivia elbow me in the ribs.
"I've had enough of you! Men, bring me the traitors!" Duncan shouted, and they didn't hesitate to follow his order.
Instead of waiting for them to come to me, I charged them. The first three I could find were swiftly split in half by a quick slash of my blade, leaving my left blade open to decapitate another one. I smirked, hearing Olivia firing shots at them. She's got my back.
A shot hit me in the leg, and another shot through my hip. I didn't retreat, instead attacking those responsible. A few shots struck me in the back, and I grunted in pain, stumbling a bit. "HOLD YOUR FIRE! I want them alive!" I heard Duncan order, and I smiled to myself. 'He's a damn fool, always has been. If he was smart he'd kill us right now and be done with it. All he's done is give us a fighting chance.'
The Talon agents hesitated, but I didn't. Before they could even draw their knives or any form of melee weapon I cut through their defenses, impaling two men to the tree behind them. The snow was already becoming a dark red as I cut a man's throat, allowing the warm blood to trickle down my cheek. Jumping to Olivia's side, I stabbed the man she had her back to. She dropped her gun and swept the legs out from a man before stabbing him in the weak point of his armor, penetrating his lungs. We stood back to back as we held them off, and I slashed horizontally, smirking as four men fell to the ground at my feet. But they just kept coming. No matter how many I killed, another ten took their place. I soon realized I'd have to fight this battalion singlehandedly. Olivia wouldn't survive this, but she could if I bought her enough time to flee. She could make it to the others in time. Hell, I might even live.
I caught the strike of one man, before throwing him in front of me as a man charged me with a large tree branch. His skull spilt open upon impact, and I soon caved in the other's head with my elbow. I hurdled over Olivia, bringing both my blades down with as much force as possible. The unlucky agent I landed on was split right down the middle. I felt a knife slide between my ribs, and I groaned in agony, suffering through the wound as I dislocated his jaw with a quick jab to the face. He stumbled back, giving me time to pull the knife out and fling it towards another agent, jamming itself into his eye. I parried another blow from a baton with my blade, stabbing my blade up his armpit and through his collarbone.
"Go! Now! Get moving!" I yelled, turning to Olivia for a split second before breaking a man's neck. "No!" Olivia responded, dodging an attack before retaliating with one of her own. "I won't leave you to take on this many men!" She refused, and I sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way," I crushed a man's skull under my heel. "But you're not well, and you'll just end up getting in my way." I stabbed a man in the chest, throwing him behind me and into a group of men. Another agent swung a knife down vertically, but I shattered his blade with a riposte and pierced his heart. Countering an attack once more, I caught the end of his baton with my left hand, breaking it with my right forearm before backhanding him with a blade, slashing his face.
"To hell with this! Fire upon Sombra! Just leave Scott alive!"
I rushed in front of Olivia, catching a few bullets to the chest and arms. I coughed, a glob blood spurting outwards. "Aww. Isn't that cute? Rushing to save his woman." He taunted me, releasing a howl of laughter.
"Why? Why'd you do that?" She asked, and I looked around at the men surrounding us. They hesitated to strike, not wanting to be the next one to fall victim to one of my viscous attacks. I looked at Olivia, meeting her worried gaze before turning back to my enemies.
"Because every sword has its sheath. You belong with the others, leading them to victory. I belong here. Fighting those who stand in my way, a lone wolf. Go back to them. Fulfill your dream. Until then, I'll try and figure out an answer to your question." I explained, exhaling slowly. 'These may be my final breaths. My final words as well. But no matter what, she must live. She's more important than I am. I'm not her equal. Not until I find my own path.' I thought to myself.
Olivia still stood there, hesitating as she stared at me. I charged the men behind her, cutting through them like silk. I opened a path for her to run. "MOVE! Go on! Get out of here!" I shouted, tossing the flare gun I retrieved from the wreckage to her before turning back to the agents as they charged me. I shoulder charged through them, knocking them to the ground, but still feeling a small shiv slash through my calf. I grabbed one by his collar as he sprawled around, wringing his neck like a wet towel.
I heard her run away, before turning. "I promise to bring back reinforcements. I promise." She repeated herself, before sprinting off. I didn't bother turning to her, too busy struggling against the others. They began to shoot at her as she moved, and Duncan scowled. "Don't let her escape! She's their leader!" He bellowed, but I knocked him off of his platform with a rock. "You should finish what you started here, before you go chasing after skirts."
Every one of them began to converge on me, and I smiled, allowing the blood to streak down my face.
I hopped down from the hill I had positioned myself upon, crushing a man with my boot before dodging an agent as he flailed at me in a poor attempt to kill me, swiftly cutting him in half. I sprinted towards another two as they drew their pistols out of fear, but not in time to get a shot off as I stabbed both of them through the chest.
I needed to stay on the move, or they'd pin me down and corner me. I rushed to my left, knocking a man's knife out of his hand before killing him. I swung my blade to the right, smacking the knife out of the air and into another agent's throat. I laughed. 'Not bad.'
My celebration was cut off early as a shiv stabbed through my upper back, knocking me off balance. I growled, turning and planting my foot in his chest, sending him careening into a tree behind him, shattering his spine upon impact. I felt a large blunt object smash into the back of my head, bringing me to my knees. My vision was blurred as I could barely make out the shouts of agents and Duncan cheering them on. I tried to stand, but another long knife was shoved through my gut, and I yelled in agony. Two men were holding me back from stabbing him. I head butted him, cracking his nose before pulling both of them men down on top of him. I stumbled away from them, balancing myself on a tree. I closed my eyes, the throbbing pain in my head certainly not helping me.
'I fight, not because I want to, but because I know nothing else. Because I know that if I were to give up, I'd die. And on occasion, I wish for death. But a part of me is too cowardly. I truly don't want to die. It's the only reason I've ever struggled in my life. Not because of something beyond me, or for someone else, but solely because of my need to survive. But one day, that will all change. I'll find something to fight for. I'll pour my heart and soul into it. And on that day, I won't belong to her any longer. I fight for my own independence.' I finally answered Olivia's question, and I opened my eyes. The snow was completely red around me, and I looked at the countless bodies I had cut down.
My next step to independence, was killing those who got in my way. No matter how many.
'This is war. Not unlike any other war. It's nothing I can't handle. Nothing! Nothing!' I told myself, charging the enemy as my battle cry echoed throughout the night sky.
His leg crumpled under the force of my kick, and I left him howling at the moon like a wolf. I slashed behind me, cutting through another man's throat. My mind flashed to Olivia for a moment, hoping she was okay. Her words remained stuck in my head as I slammed my blade through an agent, kicking him off my blade forcefully into the others.
'Something even more precious to them. They're driven to pursue it, doing so entirely for their own benefit, not for someone else.' I was completely covered in blood, staring at the hundred or so men remaining who lacked the courage to charge me once more. I was knee deep in the bodies of my enemies, but I could barely hold myself up, let alone kill anymore men. I fell to my knees, exhaustion setting in.
'People strive to achieve their dreams, to make them a reality, no matter who they are or where they're from. Their dreams can be small, or large, but no matter how ambitious, they're willing to trample over others to fulfill that dream. Someone can be sustained by their dream, revived by their dream, or even killed by it.'
When I opened my eyes again, I found Duncan face to face with me, kneeling down in front of me. I was held up by two men as they lifted my arms. I scowled defiantly up at Duncan, and he smiled. "You put up a damn good fight, I'll give you that. I'm surprised you're even still breathing. But, you were built to last weren't ya, Clank?" He laughed. It had been a while since I heard that one. Nowadays, that word meant nothing to me. I remained silent, allowing him to move closer to me. He was exactly where I needed him to be. Another inch and he was within range.
He pulled my head up by my hair, forcing me to look at him. "It's a shame I've got to kill you. We sure could use you." He offered a grin, and I returned the same. His eyes widened for a moment as I extended the blade in my right arm, sending out through my elbow and into one of the Talon agent's chest. Duncan attempted to step back and draw his gun, but I escaped the grasp of the other man still holding me, swiftly disarming him before stabbing my left blade straight through his mouth, making splinters of his teeth as his eyes rolled into the back of his skull. "Chew on that, you bastard." I withdrew my blade from his skull, looking at the others that remained as they dropped their weapons in terror. I smirked at them.
"How the hell is he still moving?" I heard one whisper. Another yelled in fear. "Screw this! I'm getting out of here!"
They all broke out into a frenzy, and I released a final enraged scream as they began to flee from the woods, running in all sorts of directions as they escaped. I smiled for a moment, standing up until I watched the last one go, before collapsing to the ground beside Duncan. 'I'm lucky none of them chose to stay behind. A damn fly could've killed me.' I thought to myself, thankful that for once fate felt inclined to give me a break.
Groaning, I struggled to crawl over to the tree behind me, pushing a dead body out of the way and resting my head against the cold bark, releasing a sigh of relief. I never really realized how much blood I had lost before I looked down, watching as it began to pool out of me. I made no effort to stop the bleeding. I was in too much pain to move, let alone try to tend to my wounds. I smiled, closing my eyes for a moment. I ignored the pain, and chose to get some well deserved rest instead.
Olivia's POV
'Don't die. Don't die. Don't die. Don't die.' I repeated to myself, hoping against all odds that Scott had made it out of there alive. Yet there was always a part of me that knew I had probably left him to die out here, alone, forgotten. I scowled, rushing forward as I sprinted to the spot I left him at. Genji was the first to find me here, and the others soon came running behind him. Genji seemed just as scared as I was.
Angela offered to bandage some of my wounds, but I refused. 'She'll have her hands full if Scott is alive.' I thought.
The sun was beginning to rise, and the birds were beginning to chirp as they flocked to their nests. I didn't bother taking in the beautiful sights around me as I hopped over the trunk of a chopped down tree, sliding down a rock as gracefully as I could.
I stopped when I heard the crunch of metal under my foot, everyone behind me coming to a halt. A small knife rested there, but with no blood on it. Had they run away? "Here it is." I said, turning the corner and looking down below me. "We-"
My jaw dropped as I stared at the red snow surrounding the entirety of the location Scott was. Blood was splattered along the trees and rocks, giving the terrain a dark red coat to it. "Scott..." I muttered, analyzing what remained of the Talon agents. It was even worse than in Monaco.
Some were split right in half, their entrails hanging out below them. Others were decapitated, looks of horror frozen on their faces as they stared up into the sky. Another had a tree branch shoved through his throat, and the one beside him was hung up on a tree like some twisted decoration. My eyes widened at what he had done. Scott massacred these men. "Holy shit..." Jesse mumbled under his breath, and I could hear Winston shift his feet uncomfortably. "I think I'm gonna be sick."
The stench was terrible as I stepped over the countless bodies, their black uniforms drenched in blood, the snow around them saturated with red. "Are you saying he did this by himself?" Reinhardt asked, removing his helmet as he did so.
"Can this be real? There's at least two hundred of them." Angela stopped in her tracks. I didn't bother answering her question, as I strode past another fifty corpses before stumbling upon him.
There he was. He was propped up against a tree, a knife stuck deep into his thigh. There was a deep gash that ran along his nose, and he was bleeding profusely from his shoulder and abdomen. His eyes were shut, an odd look of tranquility on his face as a ray of sunlight shone down on him. His titanium limbs were still dripping with blood, and there were what seemed like thousands of cuts decorating his body, along with a wound that rested on the back of his skull, the dried blood turning his black hair into a light brown.
"Scott!" I shouted, running over to him. He didn't respond, sitting completely still against the tree. Genji knelt beside him as well, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Scott?" He asked, looking concerned for his friend. "Come on, wake up, Scott!" Lena demanded, but Reinhardt held her back with his hand. Jesse released a reluctant sigh. "Damnit." He muttered.
I felt my eyes begin to sting as tears threatened to reveal themselves. 'He's just like everyone else I bring into my life. They always end up dying, for me, for my dream. Is it even worth it? All this suffering?' I asked myself, placing my hand on his cheek. It was cold to the touch. "Those look like mortal wounds." I heard Angela whisper, but I refused to give up. "Scott. Scott!" I began to shake him frantically, still gaining no reply. "Scott! I know you can hear me! Get up!" I ordered, watching as his head tilted downwards, staring at the ground.
I shut my eyes, unable to look at him as I shook him once more. "Scott!" My voice began to crack as a tear ran down my cheek.
A familiar cold and metallic hand met mine. My eyes snapped back up to Scott, as I met his small grin. Blood trickled out of his mouth and into his trimmed beard as he spoke, mixing with the snow that covered him. "Please, stop shaking me...it doesn't seem to help with the pain..." He joked, and I heard the others cheer behind me.
I smiled and cried at the same time as I pulled him into a hug, holding his body tightly against my own as I released a chuckle. I felt him return the hug as he rested his other hand on my back. He was alive. Alive.
Scott's POV
I snuck out of the medical bay when Angela had left. It was damn near impossible to keep moving, but I couldn't stand the incessant beeping of the monitor beside me any longer. My body felt like it was on fire down there.
My entire chest was wrapped in bandages, along with a few bandaids on the deep scratches along my face. The deep gash in my nose required stitches, and it was already beginning to leave a scar. I had to hobble around on a crutch to keep myself steady, which made it difficult to climb up to my usual spot. I resided on the same rooftop I always did, taking in the cool night breeze as it brushed along my wounds. It felt relaxing.
Angela gave me an admittedly well deserved scolding for my reckless behavior, and said I required full bed rest. Olivia delayed our attack on the Talon base, claiming we needed to be at full strength if we were to even stand a chance.
Olivia was on my mind once more as I failed to think about something else. She was the only thing I preoccupied myself with. This day changed everything. When we arrived back at base, she never left my side as Angela patched me up. There was genuine concern in her eyes when she watched me grit my teeth in pain. That hug I received kept me awake despite my attempts to sleep. Olivia had tears in her eyes, and she smiled in a way I'd never seen her smile before. She pulled me close to her, and I could feel her tears soaking through my gear.
But what did that mean? Did that mean she truly cared for me? As a true friend? But how could she? I never achieved something outside of Overwatch. I never found something for myself. Maybe she didn't care about that anymore...
But I did. I always will, until I find a dream of my own. I can't just be a friend to her. I can't just stand below her, admiring her. I want to stand beside her, to be an equal to her in every respect. No, I needed to. Nothing else would satisfy me.
I stared down at the lights below me, a few of the others gathering around a fire for one of Reinhardt's stories. I smiled. I heard footsteps coming from behind me, and I turned to find Lena smiling at me. She wore a dark coat and jeans, the familiar hum of her accelerator comforting me in a way. It took me back to when I first met her.
"What is it?" I asked, my voice coming out in a low grumble. I had lost my voice from all of the yelling. Lena twiddled her thumbs, stepping towards me. "Don'tcha think you should be asleep?" She asked. I huffed. "Heh. You know me, I've never been one for rest. But it's nice up here. I can shut my eyes for a few moments."
"You look good, despite all the wounds." Lena remarked, and I chuckled. "Thanks. Maybe it'll make up for how terrible I feel." She giggled at that, taking a seat beside me. "The painkillers wearin' off?" She asked, and I nodded. "Yeah. But I'll be fine."
Lena gave me a look that I'd received a thousand times before. A look that said she knew I was hiding how I truly felt. I sighed, looking back down at the others below me. "There's no need for you all to worry yourselves about me. It's for my own sake that I do all of that stuff." I spoke up, and Lena remained silent. "It's just my nature. I'd rather fight than run away, no matter how many of them there are." I continued, and she raised an eyebrow up at me. "So that's the only reason? You took on an entire battalion because you refuse to run away?" She dug even further. I probably shouldn't have said that. Unlike Jesse or Genji, she always kept pushing. Lena always wanted a straight answer.
"Yeah. I suppose. Besides, I owed Duncan some payback for what he did when I was in Talon. He was always a pain in the ass." I answered, thinking about how it felt to finally be rid of him. "But to be honest, there was something I couldn't get out of my head. Compared to what Sombra is trying to do, compared to what all of you are trying to do, me fighting a battalion singlehandedly is meaningless. Like me, it has no purpose." I admitted, and Lena listened to me intently as I spoke. "I'm not just talking about her, all of you have something to stake your lives on. The people you love, the people you want to protect, the goals you want to achieve. I think it's great. I really do."
I paused, closing my eyes as I clenched my hand into a fist. "No matter what I do, whether I fight a hundred or a thousand men, it will never be more than just some random act." I scowled, struggling to calm myself back down. I opened my eyes again to take in the beauty of the night sky. "Scott, I..." Lena failed to come up with the words to say. "Winston doesn't think he's suited for army life. When this is over, he wants to go back to his science experiments. He wants to help cure the world of disease and illness. Genji told me about his plans for his future with Angela. He admitted he wants to marry her when this is all over. At times I envy them. They have something outside of this...damn crusade. Something to live for. You all do."
"Looking over you all, from up here, sometimes I feel like I can see each and everyone of your hopes and dreams flickering in the light. All of them forming together to create the raging fire that is Overwatch."
I stopped, looking at the others as they laughed around a campfire. Each individual flame of that fire was one of their dreams. "But mine isn't to be seen among them. Even after all this time, I feel like a man who stopped to warm himself by the fire before passing."
Lena placed a hand on my shoulder. "Scott..." She struggled to find the right things to say once more. I ignored her. "As long as I have my blades to fight with, I'm sure to survive. Before joining you all I always survived. No matter the numbers, no matter who I faced. None of it mattered. This time was no different. In truth, I know that this isn't any way to live someone's life. But it's the only life I've known. I've learned nothing but how to defend myself throughout my life. So now that I'm surrounded with friends, and those I can truly depend on, I find myself lost. I have nothing to give myself to. I only fight because I know nothing else."
I stood up, chuckling in an attempt to shake away the emotions I felt. "Forgive me. I know, it probably sounds pretty pathetic." I admitted. "No. I understand, Scott." Lena offered, and I smiled. 'Always good for a smile aren't ya, Lena?' I thought, which made it hurt even more to know what I was going to do. What I had to do. Soon, I'd have to leave. Leave all of them behind to find my own place.
"Wait, Scott...you're not thinking of..." She trailed off again as a gentle wind blew by. I looked at the fire as it wavered in the night breeze. "Scott, are you thinking of...of leaving us?" I heard her ask, and I sighed. Unable to look her in the eyes and tell her the truth, I remained silent as I walked by her.
"Goodnight." That was all I said, leaving her in a stunned silence.
