"The sky is on fire." Corrin stated. Jasper nodded, obviously lost in his own mind. The two moved down the narrow, winding path through the forest. Corrin could see it. These forests would burn. As he looked up, he saw even more smoke trailing across the lighter clouds.
"We're close." Jasper muttered to himself. "I've been down this path. I…" He turned to Corrin. "Why? Why doesn't this damned fool just stay out of our land! We are peaceful, passive, non-aggressor, yet he charges in and destroys our world!"
"I know how you feel, but…" Corrin attempted to calm him down.
"Well you seem pretty damn content!" the Marine roared. They turned from each other and continued. Corrin opened his mouth, but decided he was enjoying the silence enough. "Sorry Corrin." The words were barely audible, but Corrin smiled.
"This is our country, Jasper. We both hate the damned man more than anything." Corrin spat. A taboo had come over the Emperor's name, but both knew about whom they spoke. The forest was thinning. Corrin could see the mid-day sun between the thin trunks of the trees.
"Corrin!" Jasper warned. "We're in Capitalis." How had Corrin not noticed it? Dozens of guns were pointed straight at the two men. They both froze and stepped back.
"Wait, we're Merican!" Corrin called frantically.
"Oh, of course…" someone said mockingly from the trees.
"LibertasGaudiumAdmonitu!" Jasper cried. Corrin stared at him. He was speaking Old Tongue. The guns were still. Slowly, they lowered. Several men and women stepped from the forest and took their hands. "Marine Code." Jasper whispered to Corrin.
"Come on, friends." the mocking voice from earlier had turned friendly. Corrin looked at voice's owner. She stood before him, beckoning them on. Her blonde hair fell only half way to her neck, but she still retained some kind of beauty. From her uniform, Corrin could see she was a Capitalian Guard.
"I'm sorry we had to be so rude," she continued. "Of course, you understand that the Imperials infest these woods. They have hungry citizens and unemployed soldiers running on the heels of the army, looting and pillaging the places their lords have already destroyed."
"Have they broken through?" Corrin asked tentatively.
"What, the Capitalis defenses? Hell no!" She smiled and looked back at him. "Think us Guard would fail so easily?" He grinned. He knew they would persevere through the worst. Yet, in his heart he knew; he knew there was no chance. He knew. Why had he become such a pessimist? He hadn't. He was sensible.
He, though, he could save the world. If Merica fell, he would take a million of them for it. He would fight on. He would avenge his country. He would fight with Grange, with Jasper…with Johnson.
"You okay there, Corrin?" Jasper asked, seeing his distressed look. He nodded. Something had been biting at him for days, since the rage had first occurred. He thought back, wondering how long he had been on the road, in war, fighting the Imperials. He thought of the Supreme Commander, the President, all of his friends and family. Most likely, they were all dead; taken by the Imperial war machine that blasted through Merica.
No, it was not that that had been paining him however. It was his mind, his body. Something had come over him, degrading him. It was entropy, he knew. It happened to everyone. But no, he was not aging. He had not been through life. Corrin was only in his mind twenties. It was something else. It seemed the war had aged him, not mentally, but physically. Something was bearing down on his body, and he wasn't sure he could take it anymore.
"Well, my friends," said the Guardswoman triumphantly, "welcome to Capitalis!" Corrin looked up immediately and gasped. The Capitalis defenses were a majestic sight to say the least, but in war they were simply entrancing. Pushing aside his worries, Corrin looked out on the enormous line of bunkers that was the defense line. Sparks and fireworks of death exploded all around, cascading colors drifting across Corrin's vision. Thousands of figures poured in an out as behemoth defense guns struck down hordes of infantry.
Merican flags hung along the entire massive row, every twelve feet, supporting the troops and casting an ever present shadow on the enemy. Guardsman, men of every race and ethnicity, were lined behind these symbols of freedom, firing into the never ending horde without abandon. This was Capitalis at war.
"This way," one of the other Guardsmen muttered. Stealthily, he reached for the ground and felt around, kicking up dust and moving rocks. "Here," he grabbed hold of something and pulled up. A steel hatch emerged from the ground and shone, dirty, in the evening sun. The man swung himself down the man-sized hole it had left open. The others followed quickly. Jasper and Corrin looked at each other and saluted.
Lightly, Corrin felt himself land with a thump. They were in a sewer. It smelled rancid. He felt liquid dripping from the damp, musky walls around him as his feet splashed through puddles of unknown material. With a click, the Guardswoman turned on a flashlight.
"Now, stay quiet." She said, "They can hear us down here. We don't want them knowing. Follow us." And so they did. They made their way through the grimy passage for what seemed like hours. Finally, with a crack, light streamed across the plain. Without words, as if fearing the enemy was above them, the leapt through the exit. Welcome to Capitalis, Corrin thought to himself.
He looked around. They were there. It was no different on the inside in war or peace. Ammunition was pilled everywhere, along with weaponry and armor. Bunkers covered the entire field for miles back until finally. Corrin froze. Until Finally. Glory.
Just beyond the final bunker stood the City of Glory, shining in all its beauty and elegance, yet ready for war. He had finally arrived. It was then that he realized it. He had been prophesying the fall of Merica, but now, it was upon him. He would stand in the streets of Glory and die along side his companions and brothers. It would be an honorable death.
"Corrin Grant?" the woman squealed, pushing him from his nightmare. Corrin nodded.
"Yeah, that's him!" Jasper said, laughing. "He's used to it." She shook.
"I need to get to the city." he said.
"Will you not fight with us?" she asked hopefully, her smile fading. He would, he would fight until death. But something told him that staying at the Capitalis would mean he would never save Johnson. And he would save Johnson.
"No." he mourned. "I can't. I have to go to Glory and prepare. Trust me. What's the fastest way?"
"The trench trains, right over there. Load up and be careful." He didn't even let her finish. Both men turned on the spot and head for it, a small gateway into an enormous tunnel.
"Great, another sewer?" Jasper groaned. Two Mericans saluted them as they walked through the gate way. Corrin spun around as he heard screaming, getting louder. Explosions began, all around the walls. With a crash, part of the barricade exploded into millions of pieces.
"Go!" One of the soldier's called. They were pushed into a tiny car. The gate closed before them. There was a boom as the car shot off. Corrin heard a tiny blast. It was a bolt shot. They had broken through.