(Sorry that this chapter is being released SO late, I had forgotten about this for years, and now in 2017, I have decided to keep this going. Oh well, Enjoy!)
Training Day.
| RECAP |
Arnis, thought to be human, is a Neuroi built to be what the Neuroi thought at the time, as the perfect killing machine and spy as he was to mimic human behavior and feelings without any problems whatsoever. However, they have lost control of him when he was built and he escaped. He was later taken in by Adalric Mulker and Adette Mulker and cared for him until the last few weeks of the Neuroi War at the time when they were killed in the Neuroi counterattack to try and regain Karlsland, Arnis being the sole survivor of that disaster. The caring of Arnis was a catalyst that kept his powers in line. However, upon death of his parents, that catalyst slowly broke away, until that fateful day where the Neuroi attacked once again. The appearance of the Neuroi is what finally destroyed that catalyst that has been deteriorating slowly. Experiencing his powers first hand is what truly sapped him of energy on that day after killing 3 Neuroi with his bare hands. Now, he is Humanity's only chance.
| RETURNING TO STORY |
I slowly regain consciousness, finding myself in a bed yet again. At least I wasn't lying on rocks or dirt, so it I guess it's good enough. I sit up properly, looking around. It was a nice, spacious room, sitting in a large bed. Guessing that it is a Queen sized bed, I finally stand up, shaking slightly like I wasn't moving for a while… I walk over to a bookshelf nearby and grab myself a book. Then I went back to the bed and read, mostly just waiting for someone to come. After a while, I hear footsteps. I put the book onto the bedside cabinet and lay into the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The door opens, someone walking in, I tilt my head to see that is Miyafuji and Lynette.
"Morning you two…"
The two jumped slightly, then looked over to me.
"Y-You're awake!" Miyafuji exclaims, surprise in her eyes.
"Alright, how long was I out for?"
"5 days… We believed that was your last battle…" Lynette said quietly.
"It'll take a lot more than a couple of beams to fully knock me out of the sky. Also, where are we?"
"We are at the Strike Witch Base down in Karlsland. We were still being chased, but luckily, we crossed the Channel and was backed up by other Witches. The Neuroi retreated and we got ourselves here, some of the Witches asked why are we carrying you. All we said is that you could be Humanity's savior."
"Putting a lot on my shoulders? Oh well, I'll try my best to be this next savior."
"I hope so. Oh! Sakamoto says that if you woke up today, you'll be training straight up."
"Guess you guys don't want me to rest up after what happened 5 days ago? Eh, at least I won't be bored while I wait to recover." I get out from under the covers, standing.
"I guess you are able to regenerate…" Miyafuji looks in disbelief.
"If I wasn't, I would be dead, makes sense doesn't it?"
"True…"
"Well then, shall I start my first training session?"
"I guess you should, follow us." The two leave the room, I get up from the bed, a bit numb in my legs, but nothing too serious, following from behind.
"So, what am I going to be taught today?"
"Basic tactics, carrying heavy load, and other stuff. And was that unit you had on before yours?"
"I guess so."
"Where did you find it? Was it a Neuroi prototype?"
"I don't know really… I thought about how much easier it would've been if I had a Unit… And then one appeared on me."
"Huh… a mystery you are."
"I wasn't exactly made by Humanity, so it will be a while until I can be deciphered… in a way."
"I guess you're right."
"Am I ever wrong?"
"You might be at some point…"
"Well then, looks like I'll be making sure I am correct at all times."
"Good luck with that then."
After a couple of minutes of walking through the compound, we finally reaching a large open courtyard which had the rest of the Witches relaxing. Now it really feels unfair… I also noticed that they were wearing their swimming wear. It took my best to not look anywhere except their heads.
"Ah, looks who's finally awake." Sakamoto walks over with a smile.
"Took me a while…" I rub the back of my head.
"Alright, shall we get started?"
"Might as well…"
"Alright, get ready to be sore."
"Don't know if I can… Oh well."
It was 2 hours into the 6-hour training session and I don't know if I can keep going. I was given a different Unit to hide the Jet Unit I had on the 5 days before. I was sweating heavily, my legs were numb and my arms were exhausted and sore.
"Starting to get tired I see?" Sakamoto walks over to the ground where I was laying in.
"No, I am ready for yet another 3 kilometer jog carrying 150kg…" Sarcasm was scattered across that sentence.
"Get up then." She was grinning, trying to play around with me.
"Nope, I love the hard dirt below me… Even if I tried to stand up, I'll just fall back over."
"Only a third into your session and already giving up? Such a shame…"
"W-Wait! I didn't say I was giving up!"
"Well then, hop up and pick up your Unit, now jog 2 kilometers with it on your back, or shoulders, now run!"
I sigh heavily, taking off the Unit, getting up and then grabbing my Unit as I ran.
"Surprising how he hasn't passed out yet after all this…" Lynette says as the Witches watch me running off.
"He is a Neuroi… but how does he simulate a normal person so easily?" Miyafuji asks the question to everyone.
"He was built as the most perfect spy known to history, he can also be considered a shapeshifter due to how well he can mimic human behavior…" Barkhorn says, taking a sip of water from a glass.
"Huh… will he ever turn on us?"
"If he was to, he would've done it by now… for now, we need to keep our eye on him…"
"What would happen if Humanity found out what he was?"
"He'll go… independent. He won't care who he is fighting, he'll assume everyone is either trying to capture or kill him. Him being a possible threat to everyone's safety, we have to play nice with him, or we all perish."
"So, in other words, he is a bomb?"
"In other words, yes."
"Huh… never knew that not only are we training what could be Humanity's next savior, he can also be the ender…"
"Guess there is only one way to figure out whose side he is really on."
It was now finally the end of the 6-hour training session, and was just about to give out. I stumble slightly, then finally collapsing onto the soft sand of the beach. It was 1pm, so I had some free time.
"Looks like you survived, for now." Sakamoto walks over with a smile. She might be harsh sometimes, but she can also be nice.
"If I don't… wake up… tomorrow… you know why…" I was panting heavily from it all, I'm pretty sure a waterfall is leaving me…
"Alright, go for a swim, you deserve to cool down in this summer heat."
"Thank you… Major…"
I finally stood up, taking off my shirt and walked into the water, the coolness very much needed. I sigh heavily, sinking slightly into the water. As I look around, the Witches were heading towards me. One of them waved, instinctively, I waved back as I slowly made my way over to them. Finally, I reached them.
"So how was training?" Charlotte asked with a smile.
"Felt like I have spent the day killing Neuroi… so much energy… wasted…"
"At least it is over."
"Yep… Can't wait till I go to bed… I have been carrying so much… I don't know how I haven't fallen apart by now…"
"Miracle isn't it?"
"Yep… now if you'll excuse me." I then leaned back, to the point where I fell over intentionally into the water.
"Think he is alright?" Miyafuji asks.
"He's a Neuroi killing machine, this may be nothing to him." Charlotte says, putting her hands on her hips.
I slowly rise out from the water.
"That's better." I begin to stretch.
"What did you do?" Miyafuji asks.
"Something came to my head just now telling me how to regain energy lost and now I feel a lot better."
"Arnis Mulker, getting more and more mysterious by the minute." Charlotte mutters, sounding a little bit of a compliment.
"At least I am unique, not some boring human."
"What's wrong with being human?"
Cough "High Mortality Rate." Cough.
"The Neuroi die just as easily." Charlotte retorts
"Looks like someone is unhappy." I say with a smirk.
"Never knew Neuroi could be annoying at times."
"They did give me an independent mind and I learned through the years on how a supposedly 14-year-old kid should act around people."
"Very smart for a Neuroi…" Barkhorn mutters.
"I'm what was meant to be the perfect spy, the perfect killing machine for the Neuroi. So for me being smart and adaptive, it's just how the Neuroi made me."
"Makes sense…"
"If it is fine with everyone…" I begin sprinting for the tall cliff at the side of the beach. I managed to reach the top after a minute of running.
"Think he'll be fine?" Charlotte says, staring up at me.
"He's a Neuroi. That's all I can say." Barkhorn says, shrugging.
I stare down at the water below, backing up a bit.
"Is someone scared?!" I could hear Charlotte yell.
I gulp slightly, finally backing up a little bit more. Then finally running, upon reaching the edge, I jump right off the cliff. It took me 4 seconds to finally reach the ocean, luckily, I entered the water feet first. I slowly rise to the surface, finally reaching the surface as the Witches arrive.
"First time I felt a little bit afraid…" I pant slightly.
"I knew I saw hesitation." Charlotte grins.
"At least I jumped, so give me some recognition for that."
"Alright, I guess I can give you that."
"Heh…" For the rest of the day, I relaxed with the Witches, realizing that the sun was just about to go down.
"That day went quickly… I need a bloody bath after today…" I say to myself, getting up off of the sand.
"Calling the bathhouse first for the ladies!" I hear Lucchini yell, followed by yells of excitement.
Looks like my plans were shot dead…
I finally walk up to the room I was in before, pretty sure it was the room I was staying in. Just to be sure… knock knock.
No response.
I opened the door just a little bit, seeing noone was inside. Sighing with relief, I walk inside, then closing my door. I hop into the bed, grabbing the book that interested me before and began reading. As I read, my right arm seemed to get warmer than the rest of my body and something was touching it. At first, I thought it was a blanket, but I when I looked again, I was shocked to hell.
To the right of me, was the sleeping Witch Minna. And she wasn't fully clothed. I feel my face getting extremely hot as I was completely surprised to what situation I got myself into. Then I started to hear footsteps, I quickly look over to the door, knowing I have gotten myself into the most stupid situation… I hear the door starting to click open. I immediately wished that I wasn't here, then I saw the door open fully, and was waiting for reactions. I look to see Miyafuji and Sakamoto entering the room, I immediately get up, but I realise that I couldn't see myself. Even the book was invisible, I was a bit confused, mostly relieved.
"Come on Minna, wake up." Sakamoto says, walking over to the bed.
"5 more minutes…" Minna snuggles her head further into the pillow.
"You gotta thank the recruit, he saved your life 5 days ago."
"I know… just too tired right now… But alright…" Minna stands up, she wasn't wearing any type of clothing on her upper torso.
I felt an extremely large pressure in my nose. I immediately pinch my nose together and I very slowly, very quietly get out of the room, until I was a couple of meters away from the door, I started to speed up. After a couple of minutes of speed walking, I was finally visible. I pull my fingers away from my nose to see blood leaking from it. Is it blood? I wipe it away, but only more comes out. I sigh heavily, walking into the main kitchen area. A few of the Witches looks over to me to see the blood coming out of my nose.
"Are you okay Arnis?" Lynette looks over, a bit surprised.
"Y-Yeah! Yeah I'm fine…"
"Are you sure? Something is leaking out of your nose." Charlotte says, glancing up from a book she was reading.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I don't feel anything."
"Alright then… Hope you're hungry Arnis." Lynette says, going back to cooking.
"As hungry as I can be." I sit down in a chair which had a small table infront of it. "Also, do you guys know what happened to Minna?"
"She is resting in your room after what has happened." Charlotte answers, not looking up from her book, in honesty, it looks like a Liberion comic.
"Why my room?"
"You were training for 6 hours, remember?"
"Oh yeah… I still need to take a bloody bath…"
"Yeah, it is open if you want to take one."
"Thanks."
Lynette puts a plate infront of me. On it had some rice, peas, and steak. It looked something out of an artwork.
"Enjoy!"
I take a knife and fork, beginning to eat. It was quite nice; I wasn't expecting to taste this even though I am a Neuroi…
"This is good."
"Thanks! Miyafuji taught me a few things on cooking. Thank her, not me."
"But it must've been hard to perfect her cooking, so I gotta give you some credit."
"Okay!" Lynette walks off.
I finish the plate in a minute, placing it near the sink.
"Alright, I am going to go bathe now." I then leave, walking to my room, but this time, I knock heavily on the door a couple of times.
No response.
I slowly walk in, seeing noone, and making sure I look at the bed. And thank god, there was noone. I walk to the closet, taking 2 towels. One to wear while in the Bathhouse in case anyone decides to 'join' me. I make my way to the bathhouse, seeing noone. I walk over to what I believe is a locker room, quickly checking if anyone is around, removing my clothes and putting the towel around my waist. I then take the other towel I had and put it next to the edge, I then hop into the bath, finally cleaning myself after… what? 7 days? 8? I being to clean myself. I maybe a machine made to be the deadliest thing in the world, but I still got standards.
As I was cleaning myself, I could sense someone coming.
"Hello?"
No response.
"I know you're out there, might as well show yourself."
"Aww, you're no fun." Lucchini walks out from a pillar.
"I'd like to ask why you are here when I am bathing?"
"Just wanting to see if everything is alright. Also, Minna is looking for you."
"For what reason?"
"She wants to tell you something if I heard her correctly."
"Alright, tell her I'll be out of the Bathhouse soon."
"Okay!" She then runs off as I continue to clean myself.
After a couple of minutes of constant wiping with a cloth and soap, I finally cleaned myself. I walk over to the lockers, dressing myself in clean clothes, walking with the other dry towel around my neck.
"That was nice…"
I leave the bathhouse to see Minna waiting at the doorway.
"Oh Minna, I was told you wanted to tell me something?"
"Yes, I want to ask. Did you walk in while I was sleeping in your room?"
"Uhh… Um… Alright, I did, I didn't know you were in the room until it was too late as Sakamoto and Miyafuji walked in."
"Then, why didn't we see you?"
"I went invisible."
"I don't believe it…"
"Then watch." After a couple of seconds, I managed to fully cloak myself.
"What the…" She extends her arm to where she last saw me, touching my chest.
"Yep, I actually can't believe how useful this could be during battle."
"Yeah… hope you haven't done anything to anyone."
"I'm a Neuroi, why would I have sexual desires?"
"True…"
"I'm tired as hell, so tell everyone that I'll be sleeping at this point…"
"Alright, goodnight."
"Night…" I'd mutter, walking back to my room. I open the door and immediately laid in my bed, just too tired to do anything else…
| THE NEXT MORNING |
I wake up the next morning, feeling the same odd warmth in one spot. Alright… who is it this time? I move my head to the side to see Barkhorn lying next to me, and like last time, barely any clothes. Why does this keep happening to me? I stare at Barkhorn for a minute, then getting up, putting on clothing, then walking out. As I walked, I felt something move a little inside my lower torso. I ignored the feeling, thinking it could be just something else. I made my way to the kitchen area, seeing Miyafuji and Lynette were awake.
"Morning you two."
"Morning Arnis!" They both replied in a happy tone. "Breakfast will be ready soon."
"Alright." I walk out into the living room, sitting on the couch and reading a book. It might not be the most exciting thing to do, but it is something while I wait. As I read, my thoughts kept going back to Barkhorn in my bed this morning. Why was she there? Did she want to be there? I'll ask her when I have time… As I read, the rest of the Witches woke up, including Barkhorn.
"Breakfast is ready!" I hear Miyafuji call.
I finally stand, walking with the rest to the dining area. We didn't sit there before since everyone was all over the place. Everyone takes a seat at a quite large dining table in a spacious room, it was connected to the Kitchen so the chefs could transfer items between the rooms quickly and easily. I take a seat next to Charlotte and Lucchini, which were chatting away. I felt that same moving feeling inside of me, I was starting to get suspicious. But I was too hungry to even bother, Lynette and Miyafuji walk out with a small cart with plates. They placed a plate infront of everyone, as always, it looks nice.
"Enjoy everyone!"
I begin to eat the breakfast, and like as always, it is good as I can hope for.
"As always, it takes like anything I can hope for."
"Good to hear." Miyafuji says as she takes a seat next to me on my left side. The witches began to talk between each other, however, I just focused on eating. As I ate, that small spot in my lower torso keeps having that feeling that something is moving. Then I hear a message in my head.
"Valkyrie is enroute to target, estimated time till arrival, 2 minutes. Speed, 800km/h and increasing. Speed will be 1584km/h upon reaching the target. Marker is moving to a new location for a better connection to Valkyrie." It was then I felt the same feeling of something moving within me. It was obvious at this point, the Neuroi planted something into me… And they plan to kill me using high velocity. I immediately stood up and stayed standing, the Witches looking over to me, puzzled.
"Is everything alright Arnis?" Charlotte asks.
"Everyone needs to stay inside."
"Why?"
"Just do it." I then ran, knowing that the living room had a balcony attached. I open the doors, staring out into the distance. The Witches followed.
"What's the matter Arnis?" I hear Sakamoto ask from behind.
"A Neuroi is coming for me… and not for a Capture mission… I am lost cause at this point, they're just tying loose ends." I then jumped off the balcony and summoned my Unit, then bursting high into the air, stopping at 3000m.
"Valkyrie is 30 seconds from reaching target." I could hear something similar to a jet engine, I squint to see a black dot slowly getting larger.
"Arnis! Get back here now!" I hear Sakamoto yell through the earpiece. I ignored her though… I then think on what is going to happen next, it will be going too quickly for me to put a shield up and be safe, it'll go straight through it. I do know I have to destroy the Neuroi inside of me, I take my hand and go straight through the clothing on me, managing to claw my hand into my flesh, digging my hand into me to grab the Neuroi inside, after 2 seconds of struggling, I grab the Neuroi and pulled it out completely. The Neuroi looked like a worm, with the core on the very front of it. I immediately destroyed the core.
"Valkyrie, be advised, target has found and destroyed the marker, but it is too late." I quickly look back up to see that the Neuroi missile has already reached me. I tried to move, but the missile hits me directly, and then I audible click. Then my vision went black.
| 5 hours later… |
I wake up, my right leg and chest hurt like hell, especially where I plunged my hand into myself to remove the marker, it was too late anyways… I slowly open my eyes to see the Witches looking down at me, worry and concern showing fully on their face. I finally sit up, rubbing my head.
"What… happened?"
"After the missile hit you, it exploded, it took us 3 hours to find you. When we found you, it looked like nothing happened to you, a regular Neuroi would've taken a day at least to recover from damage like that. Strike Witch squadrons have been flying around here to prevent any kinds of attacks without having their attack spotted and reported. How you are still alive? Just luck at this point." Sakamoto responds to my question.
"It ain't luck, its skill. Okay, maybe a little bit of luck. And it looks like I am just a loose end to the Neuroi…"
"Hmmm… They probably know that you can be Humanity's Savior, they tried to remove a threat before it became one…"
"Classic Neuroi, and like always, it backfired."
"Backfired?"
"I know that the missile was called Valkyrie, and from memory, I know what Neuroi fired the Missile. However,"
"However?"
"The Neuroi that fired the missile was a Super Hive class, codename Overkill. It was meant to be the Neuroi that killed me."
"Looks like it failed at that job."
"It will have many more chances."
"Then we'll need to keep an eye out."
I finally swings my legs over so that I could stand. "I need a good break… sleep is good…"
"Alright, I might assign you to Night Fighter due to your Communication Intercepting. Meaning, you will sleep during the day, and work at night."
"Sounds fine with me."
"Say, while you were unconscious, we got gear for you to use."
"Yay, finally I won't walk out into the battle unarmed."
"Yeah, follow me." Sakamoto walks out of the room, I follow, with everyone else behind. We reach the hanger, everyone's gear was in here, there was one place that had the Striker Unit I had for training, and then I saw what I will be having. My mouth dropped to the floor. Next to the Unit, there was about 30 Metal spikes, a 30mm Cannon, and 128… 128mm gun…
"You'll be equipped with 30 Metal javelins, a 30mm cannon rifle, and a Maus 128mm cannon. Think you can carry it?"
"I can try…" I look down at the handles on where you hold it. "One question, is there anyone else with this kind of weaponry?"
"For you as a fighter, nope, there is only 3 Heavy Fighters with this kind of weaponry, and they have 90mm instead of 128, so consider yourself lucky."
"Alright…" I grab the handles, and then pick it up with ease. "Huh… not as heavy as I expected."
"Really? You're carrying 2.2 tons…" I hear Charlotte mutter.
"Huh… mind if I have a bit of target practice?"
"Well, alright then…" Sakamoto pulls a lever nearby, opening the Hangar doors, targets appearing in the air.
I walk outside, then aiming at the targets, I grab a shell from a pile next to me. I load it into the slot, this takes two men to load one shell normally. I take aim, looking at the furthest one away.
"Shouldn't you aim at the closer ones?" Sakamoto asks, a bit puzzled.
"That will be too easy." I didn't realise it, but a type of reticle appeared at my right eye, showing me where the shell will drop off, wind resistance and speed of the shell. It stayed quiet for a couple of seconds, but then I fired. The shell left the barrel quickly, a second later, it hits the balloon. The balloon bursts, I open the chamber, the empty shell dropping to the ground as I load another one. I then fire, hitting one at the left.
"This is fun!" I fire again and again, finally stopping.
"Seems like someone enjoyed it." Sakamoto grins
"It felt exhilarating." I put the 128mm down. "So I guess that is my main weapon?"
"That is correct, since of your ability to throw projectiles as quick as a bullet, we gave you the 30 Javelins. The 30mm Cannon is a sidearm."
"Nice, so, I am a Tank in other words?"
"And a Last Resort."
"Hmmm…"
"Well, everyone, get ready for training today." Sakamoto says as she clasps her hands together.
I hear everyone groan, which made me smile, as I go to put away my new toys, something made me stop, I stare at one large cloud in the sky, surrounded by many other small clouds. I stare in that cluster.
"What is it Arn?" I hear Sakamoto ask from behind me. Without hesitation, I load a PzGr. 43 round, aiming right in the middle of the large cloud. I then fire, seeing the shell fly faster than the explosion made to send the shell. The shell combusts right in the middle. At first, it was quiet, then a Neuroi screech pierces the silence, in the earpieces, Strike Witch radio chatter went through the roof from the confusion and the sudden screech, soon, a large Super hive Class Neuroi leaves the cloud, followed by many more Attack Classes in the smaller clouds.
"There it is… Overkill…"
"That's Overkill?!" I hear Charlotte exclaim.
"Hmmm… he isn't here for me… hearing communication chatter… they are after… Shit… Everyone! Inside!"
"Why?" Miyafuji asks.
"They are here for all of you! Inside now!"
I make sure that they all head inside, I summon my Unit, grabbing my gear, including a bag that had 15 shots in it and heading off.
"What are you doing Arnis?!" Sakamoto yells through the earpiece.
"Defending this base and all of you."
"Don't get yourself killed Arnis," Sakamoto mutters through the earpiece. "reinforcements will be here in 5 minutes, keep them off until they arrive."
"Roger."
I load a new shell into my 128, slinging it onto my back, then taking the 30mm rifle. Don't want to waste my shots…
The Neuroi came in quickly, I immediately fire, hitting a Neuroi with each round that left the rifle. One by one, they slowly die off, but more and more Neuroi kept replacing them. Slowly, they start to overwhelm me. A Neuroi fires a beam, I just dodge. They will all fire at once… and that'll be it… I keep firing, knowing that the ammo will finish eventually… I Slowly fall back. God… only 2 more minutes… I take out my 128, slinging the 30mm on my back. I quickly load a HE shell, taking the PzGr 43 shot into the bag. I fire the HE shell, the round combusting in the middle of the huge group of Neuroi Drones. The beams stopped for a second, until more and more Neuroi appeared. If they Witches don't arrive soon… this will be it. I quickly switch over to my 30mm again, firing rapidly. The Neuroi begin to overwhelm me again, I wait for the inevitable beams. A Neuroi was about to fire, but then it randomly combusts, then I see that the rest also do the same, after a close look at one, I see a bullet hole. I quickly look up to see other Witches arriving, gunning down the Neuroi around me.
"Hello Neuroi boy!" One Witch flies down next to me. Her name was Carla J. Luksic, a good Witch.
"Looks like you found out."
"I didn't find out, was kind of told by your team."
"Figures…"
"You have a 128mm cannon?! Lucky!"
"You want to try and hold it?"
"Could I?"
"Now is not the time you two." I look again, seeing a Night Witch, Helmina Johanna Siglinde Lent.
"Never knew this is something that Night Witches are needed in." I grin.
"Never knew Neuroi had the deadliest spies known to man."
"Touché. Now, shall we destroy some Neuroi?"
"With pleasure." Me, Carla, Helmina and the rest of the Witches fired heavily onto the drones, now Medium and Heavy Class Neuroi coming in to play as well.
"Something feels off…" I mutter through the earpiece. "Sakamoto, still fine in there?"
No response.
"Sakamoto?! Can you hear me?"
No response.
"What is it Arnis?" I hear Helmina ask, flying down to me.
"It's the 501st, they aren't responding on any channels… I'm going to go down and check."
I flew down to the Base, which had many holes from the miasma. My Unit vanishes when I got the ground, running in. I start calling for anyone, hoping for a reaction. I then hear a message in my head.
"501st have been captured, they are heading to Britannia. All Neuroi, kill remaining Witches and Arnis Mulker, they must not survive." It was then I hear gunfire become heavier.
"Carla! Helmina! Everyone must retreat now!"
"Wait, why?" I hear Carla through the earpiece, worry in the voice.
"The 501st have been captured and are on their way to Britannia… The Neuroi remaining are going to make sure we do not live. Now go!" I start to take off again, but then something grabs my leg and starts to crush it. I look to see what looks like a giant dog that looks like a Neuroi. It throws me down to the ground, shattering my gear and Unit, then throwing me at a wall. I cough heavily, getting up slowly, the Neuroi growl sounds very mechanical as it circles the small area infront of me, then lunges at me. I quickly rolled to the right, but it turns on me, biting my arm and ripping it off. I yell in pain as I stumble back a bit. The Neuroi then charges at me, snapping it jaws together, just missing my other arm. I bring my elbow down heavily onto it, making a large dent in the head. It quickly jumps back, circling me once again.
"Arnis! Come in!" I hear Helmina's voice in the earpiece, it distracts me for a second, which was what the Neuroi needed. It lunged, biting my leg and throwing me once again. I was close to passing out, I look to see my right arm was coming back, slowly.
"I'm in a bit of… trouble, at the base." I mutter, just hearing myself over the noise of the Neuroi as it kept looking at me.
"Roger, just hang on." The Neuroi then jumped on top of me and grabbed my torso and threw me once again, getting ready to pounce again.
"You better hurry…" my Right Arm was pretty much regenerated; I get the energy I had lost before back. The Neuroi jumps at me, its jaws wide open. I jump up above it as it lands where I was a second ago, then I land on it, punching on the top of the head multiple times, breaking it open after 4 punches, showing the core. I grab it and shatter it, but unlike any other Neuroi, it had one chance left. After destroying the core, it immediately combusted, sending me 30 meters into the air before I came back down hard. I lay there, in pain before I begin to slowly sit up to see my left arm gone, a part of my torso missing, and my right leg gone up to the knee. Red liquid leaks out of the wounds, I know it wasn't blood. I look into the sky to see the Witches landing near me.
"You alright Arnis?" Helmina quickly looks at my wounds.
"Yep, remember, not human."
"Lucky."
"Let's go, no point in staying here anymore…"
"Alright." Helmina and another Witch picks me up, me and the 4 other Witches flying off to a safer location.
| MISSION FAILURE |
