Chapter 19
The Final Battle Part 2
"Daydreaming again?" Sapphire called out to Niko in an enthusiastic voice, her and the other Insurgents running next to him and the horse. She could tell he was by the closed eyes and the mumbling of words. He was too excited.
She and the others slowed down their pace, Sapphire quick to call out, "On foot from here, Nik!"
Niko hopped off the knight and it disappeared. From here, Niko knew things were about to get real as hell and he needed stop letting his mind wander. Niko ran up to Sapphire a bit embarrassed.
"Yeah...sorry about that." Niko said. "I'm just super-stoked that we are finally working together on this one. But I got a question."
Sapphire looked at him curiously. Was he about to ask about the ring again? Instead of a marriage question, she heard something quite different.
"Once this is all over," Niko began. "Will I still be able to see you? I don't want our relationship to end here. I won't be able to stand the idea of you disappearing after all this is over and I can't go with you. So, please tell me I won't lose you and let it be the total truth."
Sapphire was taken aback by Niko's question. She knew once this was over, the Insurgency would get a break from all the bullshit he'd been putting them through. But, why was this even important? She'd see him again...right? Sapphire didn't know how to respond, but she gave the best answer she could.
Sapphire held up her hand as she stopped walking, the Insurgents following suit, some in annoyance. "Niko... I won't lie to you. I'm going to need to disappear for a while. But, once I'm ready, I'll find you."
And that was that. Sapphire started moving her legs again, wondering what it could be awaiting them at their destination. If she were correct, they were almost there. About five more miles, she guessed.
Niko was pretty much hurt. She's going to leave him once this was over. But why? Was the death of the Director something that would make her a fugitive? If so, wouldn't they both have to disappear? Niko pushed these questions to the side for now and focused on what was coming. Whatever her reason was, Niko had to respect it, no matter how much it hurt.
Five miles later, the crew was stood in front of one of the older Insurgent facilities, this one clearly abandoned. Sapphire walked to the door, and, thankfully, it was unlocked. Not that Garnet couldn't have picked the lock.
They stepped inside, and were faced with many doors, but Sapphire instantly knew none would lead her to the Director. He liked puzzles, and this was no different. She flicked her head to Azurite for him to scan the rooms, see which one they needed to go into.
Azurite looked through the walls, and then gestured straight ahead. "That one."
"Thank you, Agent Azurite," she murmured, walking up to the door. She put her hand on the doorknob, but paused. She looked at the others, as if to ask if they were ready.
"I'm ready." Niko said cracking his knuckles as his sky blue armor covers him. "Time to do work!"
The other Insurgents nodded in agreement. Sapphire shifted her gaze back to the door, and slowly, but surely, twisted the doorknob and pushed it open. And the sight they were faced with was not pretty.
In the room, lines and lines of animatronic armored soldiers stood, all in black armor. This was why the Director assigned her the black armor. To be like THEM.
The number of soldiers seemed to go on forever throughout the room, a few crates in the back with who knows what in them. They all stood as still as statues. Sapphire looked down and closed her eyes, a hand up to seize attacks.
"He kept trying... To get her right."
Niko, not wanting to have to face these things for a long time, threw away the inhibitor rings on his tails and started to glow a bright blue and turned into his demon fox form and created a giant bomb and looked at the others.
"GO!" Niko barked. "I'll catch up! If you stay, the bomb will kill you! I want to release this thing now, but not with my friends inside the blast zone! JUST GOOOO!"
Everyone does so, and hears a giant explosion and a huge painful howl. Everyone recognized who it was immediately.
Sapphire stayed at the door and closed her eyes. "That bomb cleaned out those that were there. But the Director has more." She gritted her teeth. She pushed the door back open, looking at the fallen bodies. However, she saw more take their place. She then hurried to Niko's side.
"It's funny." Niko said. "All those years ago, you were protecting me. You didn't care about my past; all you really cared about was my safety. Now, let me return the favor."
Niko gets up and his armor glows a pure white. He smirks underneath his helmet.
"Let's take these guys out together, Sapphire." Niko said. Suddenly Sapphire's armor turns white.