The alarms were ringing, louder, faster. Why had they not stopped? Corrin turned to look at the confused soldier's around him, his face still damp with tears. "What's going on?" One asked. As if in answer, the Loud Speakers boomed with the voice of the General.
Men, to arms at the southern border! This Bastard thinks he can take us off guard!++
Corrin's mouth dropped. The Emperor had launched an attack! "Why the lying…" But he was cut off. Sergeant Patterson fell to the floor, blood gushing from his leg.
"They've Infiltrated the camp!" Someone yelled. Corrin stood immediately. He left the limp body of Johnson, or whoever it was, on the floor. More las fire erupted from behind the tents.
"Don't flee! No retreat!" Corrin roared with a charisma he had not known in himself. His slug rifle spat forth explosive death. The light fabric of the tents was torn apart. Several agonized moans came from the hidden Imperials. "Charge, while they are down!"
The soldiers followed him. The Earth shook with their steps. They bounded into the camp. Corrin loosed several rounds on an Imperial line before crouching behind a sandbag wall. Las fire flashed overhead, lighting the night sky. He heard movement on the other side of the wall. In a single bound, he flung himself over the sand bags and drove his foot into the face of an Imperial.
"What the…" The other Imperial let his sentence trail off as Corrin grappled his arms and threw him to the ground. He squeezed the trigger and let several slugs fly into the injured man's chest. There were less Mericans beside him now. The fight was not going well. He heard Imperial glory cries echoing from across the camp.
"Don't falter! These lunatics think they can fight us back? Well, can they?" Corrin bellowed.
A resounding, militaristic "no!" shot up from the mouths of the soldiers. Corrin charged across the tent-dotted landscape, yelling encouragement as he ran. He skid to a halt and fired several shots on an Imperial sniper. He took a short step forward.
It all happened so fast. A fist flew out of nowhere and connected with his skull. He fell to the floor. A laughing Imperial stood over him. "Take this one to base." Someone else said, disgusted. All was black.
He was being carried. His arms were strained to the point of breaking. He felt two huge hands holding him up by the forearm. His eyes slid slowly open.
"Not a word, Merican." Someone said spitefully from beside him. He turned his head from side to side. His carriers were Marines, large ones at that. Their armor was heavier, and lushly embroidered. Their legs had huge plating, unlike the one he had fought in the city. They could have been the Emperors honor guard from the looks. Large lightning bolt emblems shot across their chests.
They were no longer in the camp, or at least that was how it seemed. Imperials patrolled about everywhere. Gun turrets of unknown technology pivoted and stared malevolently at all passers. Flags bearing that same lightning bolt emblem covered the walls of most of the buildings.
They swung him around the corner of a building. His arms were pulled further apart. Corrin let out a painful grunt. He caught a quick glance of the scene before him before he was thrown harshly into the dirt. He groaned in agony as the Marines lay their knees on his back and tied his legs and arms.
The stood, looking down on him. "Look up, inconsiderate cretin." Corrin complied slowly. Other prisoners sat around him, none of which he knew. Just ahead, a regal looking man sat atop a blackened throne. He was smiling down on his captives.
"Are you…"Corrin started, a look of hatred on his face.
"You speak when spoken too!" One of the Marines roared as he drove his leathered foot into Corrin's face. He felt a snap. The Marine had fractured his jaw.
The man on the throne raised his hand and looked on kindly at Corrin. "No, I cannot pretend to be of His magnificence." He looked around and raised his arms. "You are all sons of the Emperor, and he will accept you…if you accept him." There was utter silence. The man's smile sank. "You have one more chance. Redeem yourself or live a lifetime of torture. Which will it be?" Several men nodded and mumbled.
The evil smile reemerged on the Imperial's face. "Good, follow their example and you will all be fine!"
"Fools! Don't listen to him. He is only going to send you to die as an expendable asset!"
"What is this? You, would be perfect in the ranks of the Imperial believers." He pointed at Corrin happily. "You could be a perfect soldier of faith…"
"No." Corrin spat. The Imperial looked at him, humoring himself by keeping the smile.
"But why not? It is the only option that…"
"The Emperor will die! He will not survive my fury! No matter what you do to me, I will find him!" Corrin bellowed. He carried on his rant as the Imperial signaled the Marines.
Corrin felt himself being picked up again. His head was still turned to the Imperial on the throne. He felt himself being thrown forward. He spun his head around, only to see the wall closing on him, fast.