I redid this chapter because I'm a perfectionist and am never satisfied with my work. Next chapter coming soon, I promise. Also, you don't see it much in this chapter, but my writing is very morbid. There will be much gore. So if you're into the fluffy stuff, go elsewhere.
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"You're not supposed to have that," Kunsel warned, without glancing away from his phone. The SOLDIER 1rst beside him shrugged nonchalantly and gulped another swig from his flask. At this point, he didn't even bother to disguise it. Kunsel sighed dramatically, glad they weren't in plain view. Once they had arrived at Fort McKee, their unit had been granted a few hours of down time and were free to stretch their legs. Zack, had chosen an outcropping that overlooked the fort to establish privacy, obviously wanted to poison himself with boot leg SOLDIER grade liquor. Any inquiry about where he purchased it would lead to less than favorable answers. Where Kunsel used his skills to acquire intel concerning the military and war, Zack spent much of his abilities breaking every regulation the military had.
"Even the Wutaiians are offered a daily draught of sake. But us fine soldiers of Shin-ra get absolutely fucking nothing. Does that make sense to you?" Zack threw back another mouthful, which tempted Kunsel to snatch it away before his comrade became completely inebriated. No matter what Zack thought, his drunken returns back to camp were not unnoticed. Their CO only held his tongue because Zack was General Hewley's pupil, which made him untouchable. Kunsel was not so lucky. He was sure the detail assignments given to him as the CO's retaliation for his inability to punish Zack. If his comrade noticed, he didn't say anything. More than likely, he didn't even care enough to quit drinking. Despite what others thought, Zack Fair was a truly selfish man.
Kunsel was scanning the headlines of the Shin-ra news on his phone when a notification popped up with a small chirp. It was a message from Caleast, another SOLDIER he'd befriended in a dive bar in Junon while they were still recruits. Like Kunsel, he had a knack for networking and acquiring information. Had he not chosen the career of a SOLDIER, he would have done well as a Turk. A few of his acquaintances were high ranking in the Shin-ra hierarchy. Some were more than willing to divulge information for certain courtesies they were unable to execute themselves.
"Hm. Sehr interessant," Kunsel muttered as he read the message, earning a sidelong glance from Zack. The other SOLDIER didn't say anything, long used to his companion speaking his native language. "It seems Shin-ra has yet again defied the will of the gods. They're bringing another one of their mutations to the field." As he reread the text, Kunsel could feel his blood boil. He never cared for the creations of the Shin-ra science department. They sickened him because he could always see what they were before they had turned into crazed mako-infused beasts whose sole purposes were to kill. At least they were allies, however. This new abomination was genetically infused with the terror and dread of all humanity-a death spawn. They were creatures with an insatiable hunger for destruction and Kunsel hated them wholeheartedly.
"So?" Zack said with a shrug. "That's nothing new." He lifted his flask to his lips once more, but paused as he noticed how Kunsel grimaced.
"It's a death spawn mutation," Kunsel growled out. "And they're bringing it here. So help me Odin, if they assign it to our unit, I'll put a bullet between its gods damned eyes." Zack was silent for once, and Kunsel was grateful. His comrade knew where his hatred towards the death spawn originated. Nobody could forget the wake of death spawn destruction.
They appeared not long after the Wutaiian war ended. Initially, death spawn were categorized as an unknown species from the dense forest of the northern continent, migrating after the eradication of their habitat for war efforts. Since their numbers were few, they were easily dealt with. Moberly, a town on the southern coast of the northern continent was the first to witness the true carnage the death spawn were capable of.
It was also Kunsel's hometown. The people of Moberly were completely unprepared. The death spawn were no longer dog sized drakes picking off cattle that wandered too far. There were many of all sizes and shapes, each with the intent to annihilate every living thing in its path. Their skins were always jet black and reeking of death. Kunsel remembered smelling their fetid stench before ever seeing them. Some townspeople fell to claws, spikes, or teeth. They were the few and fortunate ones who took an easy, quick death. Most fell to the millions of diminutive, parasitic insect-like death spawn who chewed through skin and infected their host.
Once the death spawn-who were soon named the swarm after the fall of Moberly-was inside its host, it would crawl repulsively beneath the epidermis, spreading its disease. As the infection advanced, the host's veins thickened and blackened, easily visible beneath paling skin. Kunsel could never forget the screams of agony and despair as bodies twisted and swelled grotesquely, mutating into things wholly inhuman. Limbs ripped from bodies as jarring spikes of razor sharp bone and sinewy muscle replaced them. Tumor-like growths protected by hardened black scales grew where the death spawn took up residence, most located near the spine allowing the death spawn to control its host even after death. The people who fell to the swarm experienced long, harrowing deaths.
Kunsel's mother and sister had been among them. He didn't remember much after they were taken, and perhaps that was for the better. The few survivors of Moberly fled to Bone Village to take refuge. Kunsel assumed his father had also been slaughtered, since he never saw him after the massacre. He prayed his death had been quick, not like those that were killed by the swarm.
"If you do that, you'll be court martialed," Zack warned. Kunsel ignored him and gripped his PHS tightly. The message Caleast sent him contained no photographs or physical description of Shin-ra's latest project. He only hoped the abomination was small enough that they could manage it if it went out of control. Not like the large witherwings that roamed near the northern crater. "Still though," Zack continued, "I don't think there's a soul here who wouldn't want to kill it. Shin-ra has to be absolutely fucking nuts to bring something like that out here. Hopefully it'll be handed off to Foxtrot. Gods, I hate those uptight bastards. Hopefully they'll off each other."
"It'll probably be given to someone in the upper ranks. Someone who has more to lose if anything were to happen to it," Kunsel rationalized. "Our unit has a fair share of SOLDIER Firsts. More than most of the others stationed here. It's not unreasonable to think that we may acquire the mutated bitch." He knew Zack-as drunk as he was-had already thought about that. His comrade was trying to console him, knowing what he had gone through in Moberly. 'But he didn't have to watch as his family was murdered in front of him' Kunsel thought bitterly . He hated when Zack tried to empathize with him. Gongaga had been kept out of reach of the death spawn by the military, and it wasn't likely the battle would be brought there any time soon. Zack's family and friends were kept safe, while Kunsel had nothing to return to.
"It won't be put into our unit," Zack assured.
"Why, are you going to cry to General Hewley about it?" Kunsel quipped, glaring. He meant his words to sting, to rouse Zack into an argument. Anxiety was bearing down on him and he had no way to relieve the tension.
Zack didn't take the bait, however. He merely shrugged and took another drink. "Should I?"
"Gods dammit! Why are you so damn calm about this? You've seen what they do; you know they're not some simple animal! The death spawn are sentient. What's to say this freak isn't going to turn on us the moment it gets the chance?" Throwing his hands in the air, Kunsel sighed exasperated. Much to his chagrin, Zack remained silent as he continued to rant. "These things butcher people for no reason and now we're just going to allow one to fight alongside us! I just can't believe this…" Inexplicably, Zack cut his tirade off by shoving his flask into his face. For once, Kunsel was more than happy to accept, wanting nothing more than to wash the memories of Moberly down.
"Don't worry, no matter where it ends up, we'll take care of it," Zack promised, smirking. In the distance, the loudening sound of helicopter blades signaled the aircraft's approach.
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Totally what the helicopter sounds like: /wTwDhe0T0AY