Note: I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I'm really excited to dive into chapter 4 as it serves as a prologue to set the stage for what's to come. I can't wait to start writing the interactions between Suletta and Aidan. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review. Your support motivates me to keep writing the fanfic. I'll even respond to your reviews. Thank you once again, and I sincerely hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 3
Deacon hunched over his desk, the weight of the world pressing down on him. His pencil became a blur of motion, tracing answer after answer with a frenzy that hardly allowed him a moment to glance at the questions. Nika's advice lingered in his mind, a flicker of hope amidst the chaos. If only he had taken his time, maybe he could have achieved a good, even great, grade on his midterm. But time was a luxury he couldn't afford.
His professor, an image of indifference, had propped his legs up on the desk, lost in a world of slumber. The rhythmic snoring resonated through the classroom, though not loud enough to mask the frantic whispers and shuffling of devices as students indulged in the forbidden act of cheating. Eyes darted back and forth, ensuring the teacher remained blissfully unaware.
Yet, the room was ablaze with distraction as Deacon's own device buzzed and roared, demanding attention. The test had been momentarily abandoned, the whirring sounds of battle drowning out the stagnant air. The president's device served not only as a phone, but a portal to a world far more captivating than the confines of the classroom.
The sounds of warfare reverberated, consuming the minds of those present. Deacon's sweaty hands traced the remaining lines on his assignment, his focus torn between duty and academia. He was not only the president but also a pilot, like his brothers before him. The urgency in the voices emanating from the device sent adrenaline coursing through his veins.
"There are so many of them!" shouted a voice, crackling and distorted by the chaos.
"Keep firing!" came the response, gunfire echoing through the room like thunder. "Give them nothing but lead and lost ground!"
Jack's voice, unmistakable and commanding, rose above the cacophony. The sound of his titan's assault rifle became a familiar symphony, a melody woven through years spent in brotherhood. Deacon squinted, struggling to keep still as the world outside the classroom merged with his reality.
Here he sat, amidst the trappings of a trivial test, while his brothers fought valiantly against a menacing enemy, reclaiming relics from a forgotten past. Yet, this test held the weight of thirty-five percent of his grade point average, a cruel reminder of the mundane world that demanded his attention.
"Fuck," Deacon murmured under his breath, his frustration seeping through his words.
Nika's gaze lingered on him, her concern palpable, but Deacon couldn't bear to meet her eyes. He had planned to ask her on a date, to share a moment of vulnerability amidst their roles as president and ace, but now he felt utterly embarrassed. How could he face her after this display of divided priorities? He winced, the weight of his disappointment heavy upon him, when suddenly laughter erupted from the comms.
It was Jack, his voice resounding with a peculiar, almost manic delight that contrasted sharply with the earlier engagement. The laughter echoed through the room, drowning out the mundane surroundings. Deacon's peers turned their attention toward the device, mesmerized by the transformation unfolding within its confines. Jack's jubilant cry pierced the air, infused with a primal bloodlust.
"Yes!" he screamed, his voice crackling with unrestrained glee. "Get that fucker, Aidan!" His words echoed, reaching the far corners of the room, suffusing it with a contagious energy.
Jack and Oscar erupted in triumphant cheers, their voices echoing through the air. But then, amidst their jubilation, they heard it—the chilling sound of Aidan's blade. The whirring chains reverberated within the device, causing their peers to cover their ears in discomfort. Winces contorted their faces as the sickening noise of flesh being rent apart assaulted their senses. Muscles and skin tore, threads of life unraveling.
"Yes, good, yes!" Jack's voice pierced the air, filled with primal delight. "Eviscerate the abomination!" he commanded, his words laced with a mixture of exhilaration and bloodlust.
With those final words, Deacon finished his test, his gaze fixated on the paper before him. He winced at the sight of it, silently praying for the lowest possible grade. He had spent a mere thirty minutes on the task, while the estimated time allowed was a generous two hours.
Without hesitation, he shot up from his chair, pushing past Nika, whose light blue eyes followed him, searching for answers. Deacon propelled himself toward the teacher's desk, his movements lightning-fast. He slammed the paper down with force, startling his slumbering professor awake. The old man teetered on the edge of his chair, nearly collapsing from the rude awakening.
Deacon snatched up his device, his fingers dialing the numbers associated with Harmony House. He sprinted out of the classroom, desperate to obtain a full report and summary of the situation. The sound of his professor's angry shouts became muffled, drowned out by the urgency pulsating through his veins. Students scrambled to conceal their devices, striving to hide the evidence of their cheating.
Yet, amidst the chaos, Deacon failed to notice the small smile that graced Nika's face. Her light blue eyes, filled with unwavering support, followed the retreating figure of the young man from Harmony House. Her silent cheers accompanied his departure, as her gaze shifted toward the imposing hulk of the massive vessel, silently beckoning them forward.
Aidan gripped the control handles of his Monarch-class Titan, his fingers tracing the worn grooves as he recalled the loss of his trusty Ion companion, a loyal companion he had relied on before the destruction of his homeworld. The forces at bay had forced him and his brothers to adapt, to embrace the changing ways. They were not skilled in mechs and Gundams like others, but rather, their talents lay within the Titans they wielded to wage war against the powerful spacian companies that clutched Earth in their iron grip.
He couldn't help but ponder how many years it had been since they embarked on this relentless battle. How long had they fought, him and his people? The question fluttered through his mind for a fleeting moment, drowned out by the deafening sounds of carnage and the relentless field of blood stretching before him. How long had their war lasted?
The insects, colossal space bugs, were a peculiar race that nestled within the ruins of planets and abandoned space shuttles. If they hadn't burrowed deep enough, a small squad could easily dispatch them. But once they entrenched themselves, a massive hive emerged, a formidable adversary that could rival even the Gundams.
Yet, the "Sons of Harmony" had slain Gundams before, dealing a blow to their formidable reputation. Aidan's heart quickened as he deftly evaded a feral insectoid's slashing claw, the jagged appendage scraping along the vessel's ravaged hull plating. Another blow narrowly missed him as he maneuvered his Titan with practiced finesse.
"How are you guys holding up?" Aidan called out, an exhilarated smirk playing on his lips. "Need any assistance?"
Jack's laughter crackled through the radio. "Just focus on the big ones, Aidan. Oscar and I will handle these lesser creatures!"
A surge of relief washed over Aidan as he heard Jack's confident response. Oscar and Jack, armed with assault rifles, were a formidable team, dispatching the relentless swarm that surged toward them like an unyielding tide. As they made their way toward the hangar bay, drawing power from the backup generator, their presence had alerted the hive, triggering a violent response.
The sickly greenish bodies of the insectoid creatures scuttled closer, their many-legged forms weaving through the chaos. The assault rifles were doing their job, thinning their ranks, but the larger ones posed a problem.
Aidan couldn't help but smirk as he tightened his grip on his weapons. Three years had passed since the destruction of their world, a time when reliable supply lines, benefactors, and people supported their war effort. Now, they were but a shadow of their former selves.
Once, Aidan had wielded a powerful energy sword, a relic associated with the Ronin class of Titans. But it was lost three years prior. Now, he bore a different weapon, stripped from the remains of an Ace Mech Pilot mercenary—a chainsword, a mastercrafted weapon fitted with chains, designed to be comfortably held by a Titan or mech. It had been refitted to fit his Titan's hands, and with the push of a button, the weapon would spring to life.
In his other hand, he held a plasma pistol. Calling it a pistol seemed hypocritical, given its size, but both weapons served their purpose. One of the larger insects charged straight at Aidan, the last of the big ones.
Aidan took a step back, his chainsword whirring as the creature rushed forward, arms poised to slash him. The brute didn't even realize the weapon's true capabilities. Aidan ignited the blade, and the creature howled in pain, its green blood bathing him and his viewport.
He cleaved through flesh and muscle as the creature screamed in vibrant agony. Aidan slammed the still roaring blade through the creature's skull, ripping the beast clean in half.
The second creature charged instantly, and Aidan whirred the blade, attempting the same maneuver. But the insect's arms were armored with tough chitlin, impervious to the roaring chainsword.
Undeterred, Aidan snapped his Titan's left arm, blasting blue superheated plasma through the creature's knee joint. Bones split as the creature howled, collapsing onto its other knee. It faltered but remained a threat.
Aidan positioned his weapon beneath the creature's skull, a grin spreading across his face. "You disgrace this vessel," he sneered. "Abomination." Cold fury dripped from his controlled words.
He unleashed a blast, severing the insect's head, and the creature crumpled to the ground, its nerves slowly realizing that its brain had been obliterated.
For a moment, Aidan surveyed the destruction, his gaze sweeping the scene. Jack and Oscar were finishing off the last of the straggling insects, their movements driven by a cold and calculated fury.
What remained now was death. Insect blood clotted the halls of this once-great vessel as Aidan directed his Titan to approach Oscar and Jack's own.
"Oscar," he radioed, his voice resonating with purpose. "Do a thermal scan of our surroundings."
"Roger," Oscar responded. "Initiating thermal scan."
The blip from Oscar's Northstar unit sent a jolt of anticipation through the group. Jack couldn't help but voice his impatience. "What's the hold up? We don't have all day here."
Aidan muttered, his words carrying a weight that silenced Jack's complaints instantly. "Cut it out, Jack. You know the NorthStar units were never designed for Tone level proximity. It's a miracle we could even check."
"Got it," Oscar interrupted, his voice laced with a hint of unease. "We're clear," he murmured, but then hesitated.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked, concern creeping into his voice.
Oscar opened his cockpit, his Titan splitting in the middle. Jack and Aidan watched as Oscar landed on the ship's hull. "We're okay. The insects are making their way deeper into the ship now."
"For what?" Jack queried, puzzled.
Aidan and Jack disembarked, keeping their helmets on as their oxygen readings remained unreliable. They cautiously made their way through the hangar.
"I think they're scared," Aidan spoke up.
"Yeah," Oscar chuckled, his voice tinged with irony. "After the show we just put on, I'd be shitting myself."
Jack nodded in agreement. "It's been too damn long since our blades and guns tasted blood. I won't lie, it feels kinda good to be in the thick of it again." He turned towards Oscar as they approached the far side of the hangar.
Dim lights sporadically adorned the rugged hangar, the backup generator functioning at a minimal capacity. With the lights now on, they could finally see their surroundings clearly and even autopilot their ship into the hangars to load the cargo.
Oscar huffed and headed toward one of the consoles scattered around the docking bay. Each of the boys had a rifle slung across their bodies, their visors reflecting a deep crimson—no longer the once-blue of the IMC, but red, the color that came after the fall of harmony.
Aidan watched as Jack's jokes and teasing filled the air, serving as a distraction while Oscar worked. But Aidan's mind drifted elsewhere. Something about this situation felt strange, almost like a blast from the past. The others couldn't see it, but his features softened, his eyes narrowing with sorrow.
This hangar had once been part of a mighty warship, used to take the fight to the IMC in grand battles. Now, this dilapidated space was all that remained of his home. Bitterness coiled through his body and mind like a poisonous vine as he surveyed his surroundings. Once, hundreds of mechanics would have tended to their Titans, outfitting them with fresh gear. Pilots would have fought alongside Earth, taking the battle to the IMC and other spacian corporations.
But those days were long gone.
His gaze shifted to their Titans, their lone eyes and viewports reflecting the red lights. They had repainted and reforged them in the image of their ship, abandoning the past for the colors of their legion—or rather, a warband of sorts.
Midnight blue with silver and gold accents adorned their armor, alive with a mysterious network of lightning bolts that danced across their battle-plate during combat. It was a stark contrast to the utilitarian pale, exuding more vibrancy, emotion, and a sense of personalization.
Their Titans, armor, and vehicles had all been recolored in this fashion. To the untrained eye, it might seem like they were new and pristine. Little did they know that everything was salvaged, pieced together from the remains of mechs, Titans, and even some Gundam parts. But that part remained a secret, hidden from the prying eyes of the academy.
Three young men, child soldiers still fighting a lost war. Even after the destruction of their homeworld, they persisted. They had just slain a level three insect hive—an achievement that even ace pilots sponsored by powerful spacian military companies would struggle with. They were forged by steel and their experiences, but...
Aidan's fingers clenched into fists. They were still outnumbered... How much longer would they have to endure? How many more enemies would they face?
Suddenly, the lights flickered on, blinding the trio as they recoiled. "Dammit, Oscar," Aidan snapped. "You could've..."
But he stopped mid-sentence, his gaze fixed on the center of the hangar bay. A chuckle bubbled up from within him, and he looked around at his comrades. "Guys," he said, his voice filled with both surprise and delight. Jack and Oscar slowly raised their gazes, their eyes adjusting to the sudden glare. "Look..."
Titans...
Colossal mechs frozen in time within the vessel. Suspended in chains, they remained deactivated, their guns holstered along their backs.
"Good job, boys!" Aidan exclaimed.
The gravity in the hangar still felt a bit wonky, but that didn't deter Aidan from charging toward his friends. They whooped in shock and awe at their discovery, sharing a moment of camaraderie as Aidan draped his arms around their necks. Laughter filled the air, a testament to the excitement of their find.
"This is amazing," Jack said.
Aidan lifted his gaze. "Oscar," he called out to his companion. "Do you have any idea what kind of Titans these are? They look different to me."
Oscar's eyes widened, breaking free from Aidan's embrace. He propelled himself off the ground and approached the towering behemoths.
"No way," he murmured, his helmet still concealing his features. He turned to face his comrades. "These Titans were created before the fall of The Demeter Gateway."
Their words brushed against the ancient anvils of history, their eyes widening as Jack and Aidan floated toward the boy.
Their hands brushed the weathered hull of the Titans. "No way," Aidan murmured. "These must be ancient, decades old, maybe even..."
Jack ran his palm along the hull, dislodging the layers of dust and cobwebs accumulated over years of abandonment. "This ship must have been drifting for ages, trying to deliver a cargo that never arrived, and..."
"It did arrive," Aidan interrupted. His eyes narrowed, tears stinging at the corners. His brothers turned to him as his voice faltered. "It did come back, it delivered its cargo as it was meant to. It brought it back to Harmony."
The boys nodded in agreement, their beliefs reaffirmed by this extraordinary find. "Deacon won't believe this," Jack murmured.
"Who knows?" Oscar pondered. "Maybe, with this haul, he'll overlook our disobedience."
Aidan shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. "Alright then," he said, waving them off. He kicked away from the Titan as they heard the whirring of Aidan's own Titan opening up. The pilot secured himself into the seat.
His gaze briefly grazed the racks, reminiscent of the orbital drop of Titanfall. A fleeting memory that brought a smile to his lips, and then he turned to see Jack floating toward him.
"Recall the airship and help Oscar load the Titans and supplies," Aidan instructed, his fingers flicking over the dials of his Titan.
"What?" Jack questioned, his head swiveling back and forth as he clung to Aidan's Titan for stability. "Where are you going?"
Aidan turned his gaze toward Jack, his hand drifting down to his right hip, the slither of a blade piercing through the hushed silence of space.
Jack's eyes widened. "A data knife," he murmured. "I thought those were extinct. The technology to make them was lost, and..."
Aidan pursed his lips, withdrawing the weapon into its holster. Jack watched as Aidan secured the strap, realizing the true value it held. "We were both trained to be pilots. Granted, our training was expedited and rougher, so only a select few of us were bestowed with proper knives."
Jack's eyes remained fixed on the blade as Aidan continued speaking. "I heard that to receive one of those knives as a member of the Sons of Harmony, you had to be an exceptional ace. Someone the militia believed would become a true hero and warrior."
"Yeah," Aidan snorted. "Look where we are now. Scrapping for remnants of the past like dogs."
Jack shook his head. "What's going through your mind, Aidan? You've got that look in your eyes."
"What look?" Aidan huffed with a smirk, but Jack's expression remained solemn.
"The look that you're gonna do something stupid based on emotion," Jack snapped back. "We've got the gear, and we can go. We don't have to worry about the IMC or Spacian companies tracking this thing down. The moment we leave, this ship will belong to space."
Yet, Jack only saw Aidan's unmoving helmet in his vision. "The Data Knife just needs a couple of minutes to absorb the information from the ship's database. Bases, supply caches—hell, we don't even know what we're gonna find there."
"Wait," Jack's eyes widened, realization washing over him. He pointed at Aidan. "You're going to the command room."
Aidan nodded. "Aidan!" Jack snapped. "That's where the bugs were retreating. There's a whole hive there, probably protecting its matriarch."
Aidan huffed, and the sound grated on Jack's nerves. But quickly, worry replaced his irritation. Oscar remained oblivious, absorbed in his device, oblivious to their prior conversation.
Jack stared at Aidan, watching him check his ammo counters and study the runes displayed on the screen, and it hit him. Aidan was really going to do it.
"Aidan, relax," he whispered, his voice gentle as if speaking to a wild creature. "This is foolish, it's borderline suicidal."
Aidan chuckled without uttering a word.
Jack continued to stare. "This is wrong. You're going to fight the matriarch. You've heard the tales of what these things are capable of—they've ripped Gundams and mechs apart. You're willingly going to fight your last battle for..."
Aidan glanced at him, and Jack fell silent, stepping back as he heard the doors slowly closing on Aidan's cockpit.
"It'll be a tough fight, no doubt," he said, his carefree tone unsettling. Jack could envision Aidan's face in his mind—a strikingly handsome face adorned with faint scars, those pearly white teeth and wide smirk that had charmed many girls at the academy, the same smirk that had inspired them all. "Let the runes of Harmony tell the tale of my triumph. Carve it into my armor and Titan. Until the night our bodies lie cold... let it become a relic."
There was a fervor in those words that made Jack feel strange, almost uncomfortable. It reminded him of the days in the warband, the days he had thought they had left behind. But within this vessel of the past, he realized you couldn't truly leave the past behind.
What had struck Aidan today to act so recklessly? Then, it hit Jack like a truck. As he surveyed his surroundings, he slowly realized what was happening to his brother.
"Aidan," he pleaded. "This is not the way to reclaim the past. You're throwing your life away for mere insects protecting this derelict ship. What guides this foolish decision?" Jack screamed, his voice echoing through the desolate vessel.
Then silence fell, and a second later, the whirring sound of Aidan's cockpit sealing shut. But right before it closed completely, Jack heard Aidan's final words.
Another confident laugh reverberated through his words. "A worthy adversary," he said, his voice dripping with an icy chill that sent shivers down their spines.
Before they could comprehend his intentions, he was already in motion, dashing through the desolate corridors of the ruined vessel. His colossal titan trampled over the corpses of the fallen and discarded insects with a bone-crushing crunch. Oscar zipped over to Jack.
"Where's he going?" Oscar asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Jack simply shook his head, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "Damn fool," he muttered, waving Oscar to his side. Both boys floated in the vast expanse of the vessel, surrounded by remnants of a forgotten era. "We need to pack up. Let the Druid face the beast and be done with it."
Aidan, his towering Titan casting a long shadow over the desolate vessel, surged forward with unwavering determination. The metallic steps of his war machine resounded like thunder through the barren corridors as he carved his path toward the command center, an inferno of rage and vengeance blazing within his veins.
From every shadowy crevice, the alien insects swarmed, their vile presence oozing repulsion. Their chittering mandibles and razor-sharp appendages thrashed against Aidan's Titan, desperate attempts to impede his advance. But Aidan remained undeterred. He gripped the plasma pistol in his hand, its humming energy a deadly symphony. With each squeeze of the trigger, bolts of fiery plasma erupted, turning the insectoid abominations into charred remnants.
Yet, Aidan hungered for a more intimate dance of death. His chainsword, a weapon of ruthless efficiency, roared to life. Its teeth gleamed with a sinister glint as Aidan unleashed a whirlwind of lethal slashes and lunges. The weapon's whirring blade sliced through chitinous armor and scaly hides, drenching the cold metal floor in the blood of the alien horde.
Aidan's Titan stomped forward, its colossal feet crushing the smaller insects beneath its immense weight. The vessel quaked with the force, dislodging debris and shattering the fragile exoskeletons of the unfortunate creatures foolish enough to stand in his path. The Titan became an unstoppable force, an unyielding juggernaut of destruction.
As the swarm thickened, Aidan's movements grew more fluid, his combat instincts honed by years of battle. He danced with the precision of a seasoned master, anticipating the insectoid assault and delivering precise strikes that severed limbs and silenced chittering mouths. His armor, a testament to human ingenuity and resilience, bore the scars of countless encounters, yet it remained resolute and impenetrable.
A tidal wave of alien insects surged forth, their numbers seemingly limitless. Aidan's visor highlighted their writhing forms, a grotesque sea converging upon him. With a primal roar, he plunged into the mass, his chainsword spinning like a deadly cyclone, his plasma pistol unleashing a relentless barrage. He was a tempest of fury and annihilation, a solitary warrior against an overwhelming tide of monstrosities.
The air grew heavy with the stench of burning flesh and the acrid tang of spilled ichor. The twisted bodies of the alien horde piled around Aidan's Titan, a testament to his unrelenting onslaught. The once-chattering swarm now lay silent, reduced to a lifeless heap of broken limbs and shattered shells.
Amidst the aftermath of carnage, Aidan stood triumphant, his Titan casting a long shadow over the fallen foes. His armor, bearing the scars of battle, emanated an air of unyielding resolve. Breathing heavily, he pressed forward toward the command center, his purpose still aflame within his heart.
With a feral growl, Aidan's Titan approached the heavily fortified doors of the command center. Gripping his chainsword tightly, he revved the blade, its metallic rasp resonating through the chamber. With a single mighty swing, he sundered the durasteel doors, rending them apart as if they were mere paper.
As the doors crashed to the ground, Aidan's gaze fixated on the abomination that loomed before him – the alien insect matriarch. It stood tall and grotesque, its form an unnatural fusion of chitin and sinew. Countless eyes adorned its bulbous head, each one locking onto Aidan with a malevolent intelligence that sent shivers down his spine.
The matriarch's chitinous armor shimmered in sickly hues, reflecting the dim light of the command center. Its elongated limbs terminated in razor-sharp claws, poised to taste human blood. Mandibles dripped with a viscous green fluid, twitching and clicking with a primal hunger.
Aidan, undeterred by the monstrous presence, curled his lip in disdain. "You're one hideous son of a bitch, ain't ya?" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt.
In response, the matriarch emitted a low, guttural growl, a rumbling challenge that reverberated through the chamber.
Aidan's own growl reverberated within his cockpit as he retorted, his words infused with defiant arrogance. "Think you can scare me? I'll tear you limb from limb. Your carcass will be nothin' but a feast for my war machine. I'll slaughter ya like a hog."
The matriarch's eyes narrowed, a feral fury burning within them. It lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air with lethal precision. Aidan's Titan evaded the attack, chainsword held high, ready to deliver a devastating blow.
Their battle erupted into a savage dance of violence and survival. Aidan's chainsword clashed against the matriarch's armored carapace, the screech of metal against chitin filling the chamber. Each strike reverberated, shaking the very foundations of the vessel.
Aidan's Titan proved to be an unrelenting force, matching the matriarch's monstrous strength blow for blow. With every swing of his chainsword, he carved deep gashes into the creature's flesh, eliciting gurgled screeches of pain. The alien insect fought back with savage determination, its claws tearing through armor plating, leaving shallow gouges on the Titan's surface.
However, in the next heartbeat, the ship trembled, shaking violently. Aidan and the matriarch were nearly thrown to the floor, his Titan desperately gripping the walls for stability. Amidst the chaos, Aidan heard Jack's voice crackle through the comms.
"Aidan!" Jack's voice carried a note of panic.
"What the hell just happened?" Aidan snapped, his voice laced with urgency.
"You gotta get back here, and fast!" Oscar's voice trembled with urgency. "The backup generator's busted. Didn't realize it was leaking fluid. This whole damn ship's about to go up in flames!"
"Crap," Aidan grumbled, wrestling his titan back into an upright position. But the matriarch was quicker, adjusting to the shifting terrain as explosions and fire erupted around them.
"The ship's headed straight for outer space," Jack interjected. "You gotta take down that thing, Aidan!" His voice carried a note of command.
"What the hell do you think I'm doing?" Aidan retorted, his words dripping with frustration. "This ain't a walk in the damn park."
His eyes narrowed as the creature howled in his direction. Aidan lunged forward, revving his blade with renewed determination.
"Get out of there!" Oscar's shout pierced the chaos. "Live to fight another day!"
"No!" Aidan roared back, his fury igniting. "Move forward, gain two. Run away, gain one." The words spilled from his lips like a battle cry.
Oscar sighed in resignation. "It's just like that girl said," he muttered. "Whatever, just..."
"Girl..." Aidan's voice hung heavy in the cockpit, startling Oscar and Jack. The bravado and bloodlust of battle faded, leaving his eyes wide with a haunted realization. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.
The grip on his titan's chainsword loosened, his hands trembling. Lost in a distant memory, Aidan's voice cracked with vulnerability. "What girl?" he repeated, his tone growing even more desperate.
"For Christ's sake, I get it," Oscar grumbled. "The girl I called you about. Can't remember her name... she was friends with the academy president's daughter or something. Olive skin, teal eyes, and hair like..." He struggled to find the right words.
"The color of a rose," Aidan finished, his mind flashing to her, to that girl he had... to the first vision he...
In that moment of distraction, Aidan's focus wavered, and the matriarch seized the opportunity to strike back with savage ferocity. Its claws, fueled by newfound determination, tore through Aidan's defenses, leaving deep, bleeding wounds.
The weight of fatigue and pain settled upon Aidan, his reflexes dulled by a brief lapse in attention. The matriarch's onslaught proved relentless, evading his counterattacks and delivering bone-crushing blows. With each passing second, the tide of battle turned against him.
The chainsword grew heavier in Aidan's grip, his movements sluggish as he battled through exhaustion and searing agony. The matriarch's prowess became increasingly apparent, outmaneuvering him and striking with precision. Aidan's vision blurred, his instincts faltering under the weight of desperation.
In a devastating maneuver, the matriarch lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air like lightning. Aidan's attempts to parry the blow proved futile, his reactions too sluggish. The matriarch's claws found their mark, slicing through his Titan's left hand with a sickening crunch of metal and sparking wires.
The loss of his Titan's hand threw Aidan off balance, sending his war machine crashing to its knees. Smoke billowed from the severed limb, mingling with the scent of burning circuitry. Aidan's heart raced, his mind scrambling for a solution in the face of imminent defeat.
Before he could react, the matriarch, sensing victory, moved with blinding speed. Its monstrous strength effortlessly lifted Aidan's crippled Titan off the ground, its claws digging into the damaged armor plating. Aidan dangled helplessly in the creature's grasp, his survival teetering on the edge.
Adrenaline surged through Aidan's veins, his eyes fixed on the matriarch's grotesque face mere inches away. Defiance burned within him, a flickering flame that refused to be snuffed out. Through gritted teeth, he spat his defiance at the creature.
The matriarch responded with a guttural growl, its twisted features contorted with malicious triumph. It tightened its grip, relishing in Aidan's helplessness, crushing the life out of his Titan.
As Aidan hung at the mercy of the matriarch, a chilling realization seeped into his mind. Was this where his journey would come to a brutal end? The thought threatened to extinguish the defiant fire within him, but a fragment of memory flickered to life.
He recalled the words spoken by a crimson-haired girl, her voice a mix of gentleness and unwavering determination. "If you move forward, you gain two; if you run, you gain one." The memory stirred something deep within Aidan, an anger and bloodlust that surged through his veins.
His eyes narrowed, fixated on the matriarch's repugnant visage. Its triumph morphed into horror as Aidan summoned an indomitable resolve. With a herculean effort, he wrenched his Titan's body within the creature's grasp, muscles straining against the overwhelming force. It became a battle of sheer will and unwavering determination.
In a surge of raw strength, Aidan broke free from the matriarch's grip, defying its expectation of an easy kill. A primal roar tore from his lips as he unleashed his fury upon the abomination. His remaining hand moved with lightning speed, clamping down on the matriarch's wrist and snapping it with a resounding crack.
With the creature momentarily stunned, Aidan seized the opportunity. In one fluid motion, he drove his chainsword into the matriarch's skull, its teeth tearing through flesh, bone, and chitin alike. A repulsive spray of foul matter coated him, a testament to his brutal triumph.
As the creature writhed in its death throes, Aidan stood tall amidst the carnage, his voice resonating with commanding authority. "Know this, abomination," he declared, his words cutting through the air like a sharpened blade. "Humanity's birthright is to claim the stars, to shape our destiny amid the vast expanse of the galaxy. There is no room for parasites like you, feeding off the strength and potential of others."
The matriarch's lifeblood spilled forth, mingling with the ichor that stained Aidan's armor. It gasped its final breath, a testament to the unyielding spirit of humanity. Aidan stood there, defiant and resolute, as the echoes of his words reverberated through the command center, a declaration of humanity's unstoppable ascendancy.
Aidan's breath came in ragged gasps, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he snapped his head out of the bloodlust. He disembarked from his titan, his muscles taut with anticipation. Making his way toward the command console, he slid his blade out of its holster and jammed the dataknife into it, fusing technology and steel.
Yet, the thunderous sounds of explosions continued to rock the ship, threatening to tear it apart. "Aidan," his comms crackled urgently. "You don't have time for this!"
"I know!" Aidan snapped back, his voice laced with urgency. But then he paused, his mind racing to find a solution. "Go without me," he finally said.
"What!" Jack's voice bellowed through the comms.
"Fuck that!" Oscar's voice interjected, brimming with determination. "Get your ass over here!"
Aidan shook his head, his resolve unwavering. "You won't make it," he insisted. "But don't worry, I've got a plan." With a final glance around the vessel, he shut off the comms. His dataknife had absorbed all the vital information, leaving no trace of their mission.
Then, with a determined shake of his head, Aidan embarked upon his titan once more. They needed to move, and time was running out.
Amidst the chaos and destruction that consumed the desolate vessel, Aidan and his titan pressed forward with relentless determination. Explosions ripped through the corridors, rending bulkheads and casting showers of sparks in their wake. Fire danced along the walls, casting an eerie glow upon their path.
They pushed through the crumbling remnants of the ship, dodging debris that rained down like deadly confetti. Aidan's eyes remained fixed on the docking bay, the gateway to his escape. Each step reverberated through the vessel, a testament to the raw power of his titan.
At last, they reached the docking bay, a vast chamber filled with the haunting echoes of twisted metal and the acrid stench of burnt fuel. Aidan expertly maneuvered his titan into position, aligning it with the orbital drop pod. His movements were swift, a display of his honed skills and unwavering focus.
A smirk curled Aidan's lips as his gaze shifted to the control panel. His hand hovered over the button that would initiate the drop pod's launch sequence. Anticipation crackled in the air as he uttered the words, his voice tinged with quiet confidence. "I'm ready for Titanfall."
In a decisive motion, Aidan pressed the button. The docking bay shuddered, and the drop pod's thrusters ignited with a deafening roar. Flames and energy engulfed Aidan's titan as it securely fastened to the pod, their fates intertwined.
The drop pod descended rapidly, hurtling towards the academy's main dueling ring. Aidan's exhilaration grew with each passing second, a triumphant scream escaping his lips. "Fuck yeah!" he roared, his voice ringing through the pod.
He had done it.
Turning his attention to the smoldering remains of the vessel receding into the void of space, Aidan felt a sense of finality wash over him. It was over. Finally, it was over...
As Aidan gazed up at the beautiful artificial sky of the academy, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. The dipping sun painted the landscape with its golden hues, casting long shadows that stretched across the grounds. Amidst the sprawling campus, he could make out the scattered dots of the student body, going about their evening activities.
Little did Aidan, Oscar, and Jack know, an unseen presence had infiltrated the ship's surveillance, observing their every move. It was like a high-stakes duel, a clash of titans, as the entire student body watched with bated breath, witnessing the relentless brutality, exceptional skill, and strategic genius of House Harmony.
But all that seemed distant now, pushed to the periphery of their minds. Aidan, in particular, was ready to bask in the glory of their triumph. He even contemplated popping a smoke, reveling in the satisfaction of a job well done.
However, fate had other plans in store for Aidan. It was in that moment, when his guard was down and complacency threatened to overtake him, that the Witch from Mercury materialized before his eyes. Her Gundam, a formidable force, wreaked havoc upon his carefully planned landing.
