Gems in the rough
Chapter 3: Curse of pain and tragedy
Obsidian
I awake about three hours before sunrise with an ache literally everywhere. My gem feels pretty warm, that and the fact my form looks more dinged up than before but I know just how to fix that, joining the troops for their morning drills. Most of the drills consist of hand to hand and weapon drills so I should have a good morning. Exiting the barracks, I take notice that Alexandrite put up the anti-gem field last night, and from the amount of dust out front I'm guessing a few gems tried to get in to kill me for cracking their friend. Can't really blame them for trying to get through the field but it's designed to allow gems to walk out but not in. I clear the field with ease, leaving it on for Alex's protection, and make my way to the training fields just outside the perimeter walls. The 'training fields' actually consist of an acre on land right underneath the south side wall defenses and a firing range close by. In essence it's a perfect place for soldier on the edge of the empire to hone their skills. As I enter the area, a wave of emotion washes over me.
The sight of all these gems fighting each other, training to defend their home and empire takes me back. I quickly shrug off those thoughts, no time to think back on those centuries, besides I think I just found my sparring partner. In the middle of the area I see a familiar gem literally throwing her subordinates out of the sparring circle, she is obviously mad about something but I don't have time to find out. Stretching out is something I normally do even though it does draw a few stares seeing how we don't really need to warm up for a fight. But most gems don't have so much unchecked power inside them. Anyway, I approach the circle directly behind the very large gem, from her appearance she appears to be a yellow jasper with black streaks of carbon spread throughout her form. She looks absolutely epic although now as I get closer there is something oddly familiar about this gem but I can't put my finger on it, why does she look so familiar? It's only when she turns around do I realize how I recognize her for right in the center of her chest lies a yellow gem with a large crack down the middle. Her eyes lock with mine, almost instantly she knows who I am.
"You!" she smiles an evil grin at me "Get in here, I need to thank you for last night". Without a second thought I enter the ring and our match begins. Not even a minute later our session ends when the speakers surrounding the area burst to life along with sirens blaring "NOW HERE THIS! NOW HERE THIS ALL PERSONEL REPORT TO COMBAT STAIONS THIS IS NOT A DRILL. I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL".
Alexandrite
I'm already up and about when I hear the alarm ringing around the base. I literally had just got done shopping and paying for transport to the other side of the planet when the once quiet and peaceful market place instantly turned into a bee hive of intense activity. Just the speed of the transformation was breathe taking; weapons being thrown to people, armor hammered and handed while still hot to soldiers. I mean these guys went from lazy to intense in record time. It was glorious, the synchronized movement of mass destruction happening right before my eyes; it reminds me of my time on the fronts. This sight brings tears of joy to eyes although that could also be the toxic smell of gem clothing covered in white hot armor but still tears were in my eyes. Suddenly I feel someone grab me and drag me out of the way just as a squad of heavy machine gunners run right over the place I was standing. I tear myself free and draw my knife ready to kill the first gem I see. That's when I realize that Obsidian has just saved me … again. "How did you get here so fast?". He just looks at me with a glare and points at our ship. All the way across the base a white opal class scout ship has activated and is taking off without us. Before you could say run we both are sprinting for our lives, ducking in and out of the soldiers going the opposite direction. We are literally about twenty-five feet away from the ship when the pilot spots us rushing for the ship. She drops the rear hatch open and that's when things get interesting. We're not going to make or are we? I look at my brother for a plan but instead he suddenly picks me up off the ground and launches me at the rear cargo hatch. The world spins as my form tumbles through the air, one thought rushing through my head. What just happened? Recovering midflight, I land semi gracefully into a combat roll. Without even a second thought I drive one of my knives into the inner hold of ship and launch the second one out the back connected by a silver strand. Looking back, I see Obsidian has launched himself into the air and grabs the knife I threw out the rear in between his teeth allowing his momentum to carry him into the hold.
He lands inside the hold spitting out my blade, hitting the emergency close for the hatch just as the craft clears the outer wall. We look out the side of the clear crystal shell to see what was attacking the base; not surprising a massive force of enemy combatants has engaged the F.O.B. from the south. Troops from the base start pouring out to engage their foes as machine gun and light artillery fire rains down from the walls. From this view up above the attack looks crazy and insane at the same time but those two things always seem to find us no matter where we go. As we move away from the fight the glow of the explosions fade leaving us to stare at the scenery change as we fly over. Walking away from the clear crystal we sit down on the floor and start to relax when shock waves of severe pain riddle our bodies. Our curses have returned.
Obsidian
Nausea, vertigo and the earthquakes really suck especially if you're a gem being whose body isn't even capable of being affected by them. But if you compare those to the curses my sister and I sometimes get; we would rather take those three put together. What do I mean? Well both Alexandrite and I have enormous power that we obtained via special circumstances. Unfortunately, as time passed we found that certain habits began to manifest themselves within our forms. We both have a curse that causes immense torture if we don't do it. Looking over at Alex I see her reaching for her belt. My eyes are feeling heavy but I manage to keep them open long enough to see her grab a canister of food; scarfing it down in mere seconds to try and end the pain. As I see her eyes and body slowly calm down, I start to fade in and out of consciousness. Before I can even say anything I'm out. That's when the real fun begins.
Moments pass until I awake to find myself inside of my own dreams and of course it's a freaking nightmare mixed with my memories. I stand on a hill overlooking a massive battlefield filled with lush green grass, massive craters and two epically large armies charge at each other. The force to my left carries a large light blue banner with a pink shield emblazoned upon it. Ranks filled with multiple types of gems ranging from pearls of various hues too larger multi colored quarts. My gaze shifts to the right and stares in horror. Thousands of soldiers all the same gem, rubies. Each with a different facet but clearly all of them are rubies at the front with heavily armored beryl's closer to the back. The flag bearer, a very muscular looking black star sapphire, carries a blood red banner with a large X on it. Surrounding the x are four diamonds each a different color. Both sides just stare at each other for mere seconds when a horn sounds and all hell breaks loose. The dream starts to shift and distort into my usual torment. Colors invert, those under the blue banner begin to shift into creatures of fear, hate, rage and I'm not on a hill any more but standing between the two as they collide. Shouts, screams, clangs of weapons against each other encompass all that I can see and hear.
Hours seem to pass when from the corner of my field of vision I see the red banner has fallen, the rubies and beryl's begin to retreat but it's futile. Those under the blue banner are surrounding them, and I'm powerless to help them as the nightmares close in for the kill. Just as I manage to move a shadow falls over me, larger than any normal gem I have ever seen. Turning to face my foe I'm paralyzed with fear, for standing before me is a fusion with two large fist gauntlet's raised to strike me. As they begin to fall I scream … jolting upright in a cold sweat. The scene, my curse has vanished for now leaving fear and panic in its wake. Seeing me jolt up Alex looks at me mid bite of a sweet roll. I get up without thinking, walk over to the large window and gaze out. A beautiful mountain range covered in snow, glistens in the light of the full moon though it makes me wonder if I will be ready for this mission. Before I get an answer the war front begins to loom over the horizon. Looks like feelings will have to wait cause now it is time to hunt down and kill our target.