Chapter 2 "Clash of the Colonies"
"C'mon, mate! Try a little harder, would you?" Fonse put up his shield and prepared for impact.
"R-right, sorry," Noah gripped his veiled sword before dashing at his teammate. His attack was telegraphed well enough for the defender to block successfully.
"That's what I'm talking about!" The mace-wielder eagerly inspected his equipment. "Not a scratch, and my arm doesn't throb, either."
"That's good, then," the swordfighter eased his stance.
"Indeed, it's a noticeable improvement." Fonse was quite pleased with the results of their brief practice round. By carrying out the consul's order to take out a straggling Agnian unit, the salvaging team had earned themselves upgrades to their Blades. "Thanks for helping me test it out."
"No problem…" It'd been three days since the ambush, an unnecessary battle which still bothered the pacifistic soldier.
"Say, how did you upgrade yours?" the redhead stared at the unique Blade of his dour friend.
"Huh?" Noah snapped out of his momentary funk. "Oh, I… didn't do anything with mine."
"What? You skipped out on the reward?" Fonse was initially aghast at such a forfeiture, but soon he began to make sense of it. "Hmm… well, I suppose your Blade is already pretty ace."
"Actually, it's more like I feel I didn't deserve it," the swordfighter averted eye contact, withdrawing his Blade in question.
"Eh? What do you mean? Of course you deserved it. We all did, for taking out those ruddy Agnians." The mace-wielder had become rather animated again, however, studying his comrade's pensive countenance eventually gave him a sufficient hint. "Oh… Noah, please tell me you're not feeling bad about killing them."
"I'm worried…" Noah diverted the conversation, peering over the training fence to the dunes.
"Worried? About what?" Fonse moved slowly towards him. "The consul didn't punish us for letting one Agnian escape. In fact, we got the complete opposite for killing the other five."
"I'm worried the Agnian will alert their colony of our deed," the ponytailed soldier clarified, his tone devoid of any color. "We could have a battle on our hands should they choose to retaliate."
"So what? We'll just wipe 'em out!" The confident voice of Denize rang in the boys' ears as the two girls of the salvager team joined their company. "I keep telling you, we're elite! A silver rank, no less!"
"Yeah, and our team is even stronger now with our upgrades," Lana merrily reminded them, drawing her heavy sword.
"Too right! Check out my new shield!" The mace-wielder brought both pieces of his Blade back out.
"Check out mine first!" the swordswoman added to the show-and-tell. "It's sharper now!"
"My heavy sword can expand for more defense!" the other girl dug her Blade into the dirt. "Although, it kind of slows me down."
"Nothing a little practice can't remedy," Fonse backstepped into the training area. "Noah and I were just having a scrimmage."
"Oh, that would be helpful," Lana accepted his invitation, her forehead already sweaty from struggling with her heavy sword.
"Hey, I want to test my sword, too!" Denize followed her in, stopping short of grabbing her shoulder.
"Wait your turn, eh?" the redhead flashed her a smile. "We don't have collection duty today, so we've got plenty of time."
"Noah, how about a match?" she asked her fellow swordfighter instead.
"Huh?" Noah had been mildly paying attention. "Actually, I was just on my way ou-"
"Splendid! This won't take long!" Denize ignored him as she took her position.
"I-I suppose I can spare a minute…" he gave in, knowing how difficult she was to dissuade. Glancing at Lana while she blocked Fonse's swinging mace, Noah summoned his Blade again and stood before Denize.
"Alright! Here I come!" She wasted no time with her opening move, swiping at him diagonally with her upgraded Blade. Barely into their bout, Noah already found himself backed against the fence. Limited on options, he assumed a defensive pose in time to parry her following attack. However, when the swordswoman lunged at him next, her newly sharpened Blade nearly nicked him in the side. "You kidding me? I know you're faster than this!"
"Not by that much!" The ponytailed soldier palmed himself to make sure there was no damage.
"How can I practice properly if you don't give me your all?" Denize leapt at him again, now boosted by a tinge of aggravation. Their swords met four more times in as many seconds, catching the attention of Fonse and Lana whose own bout had ceased. To everyone's surprise, Noah was the one who lost balance first. "Are you even trying?"
"I think… it's been more than a minute," Noah dodged her question, staring at the tip of her sword hanging precariously over his shoulder.
"You're absolutely useless, I swear," she glared at him before turning towards the redhead. "Can I have a turn with you, now?"
"Uh, sure," Fonse rubbed the back of his head. "It's better to pair an attacker with a defender, anyway."
"You're the best," Denize ambled to him without offering to help Noah stand.
"In that case," the heavy sword-wielder swapped places with her, "wanna give it a whirl, Noah?"
"No, sorry," her ponytailed comrade politely declined, pulling himself up. "I've had enough for today."
"Alright then, guess I'm done for now, too," Lana withdrew her Blade just as he did with his. Although nobody had practiced for long, each salvager had their share of sweat and grime. "Sparks alive am I filthy. When will they get the bathhouse running again?"
"We're in luck," he turned the mood up for once. "I heard we'll have a few transport Levnises replenishing our water supply from Lake Rezzento overnight."
"Really?!" the swordswoman hollered from across the way.
"Denize, please pay attention," the mace-wielder peered over his shield to his distracted training partner.
"Fonsy, this is even better than getting upgrades!" she shook her fists by her sides excitedly, Blade still in hand. "Noah, you'd better not be messing with me."
"If you want confirmation, better to ask the commander," her fellow swordfighter sidled away from Lana, self-aware of his own stench.
"I sure hope it's true," Fonse withdrew his Blade, recognizing that the training session was over. "I'm feeling gross, myself."
"Yes, we could all use… a refresh right about now," Noah closed his eyes, tilting his head upward.
"Noah?" the redhead detected an extra layer of cogitation behind his friend's words. However, Noah wasn't in the mood to stay and explain, finally making a heavy-footed retreat to the barracks.
Shortly after sundown, three transport Levnises and their crews embarked westward on a mission of mercy for Colony 25's unwashed youths. Even for the cleanest ones, it'd been a week since their last bath. Noah didn't dare fiddle with his ponytail before spending another restless night in bed, haunted by the recent ambush his team had launched on some unsuspecting Agnians. They were supposed to be the enemy, or so he'd once thought. However, the guilt he felt for participating in such a violent, unwarranted act was real.
No sooner had Noah gone to sleep than the blaring of the colony siren stirred every soldier out of their beds. Switching on an ether light, he quickly threw on his gear and ignored the headache on his way out of the tent. Sprinting in a partial daze wasn't easy, but Noah soon found the meeting of soldiers, headed by Commander Colin.
"Quiet in the ranks!" their leader extinguished the confused whispers before they could thicken. "We're under attack by a full Agnian offensive! This is not a drill!" With hardly a steady arm, he touched his temple to send a map of the situation to his troops via their Irises. "Our patrollers first encountered them at the edge of the Apex Wing but have since been pushed back. We need you to assist them before the enemy reaches the colony. I'll be calling the shots from atop our Ferronis as usual."
"Sir!" one soldier stepped forward. "The Sagittarius squad is ready!"
"Good!" the commander nodded to him. "Deploy at once!"
"Sir!" a mechanic approached him next. "Restoration of our Gastrates is only eighty percent complete!"
"Then we'll use it for defense," Commander Colin wasted no time deliberating. "Make the preparations!"
"Commander!" Fonse took a turn as the crowd thinned out. "What about the salvage branch?"
"You're the ones with the upgrades, yes?" his superior scanned him and his team.
"A-affirmative!" the redhead straightened his already rigid stance.
"Advance to the frontlines, then!" the commander surprised them with the assignment, pointing southward.
"Uh… ahem, right! Yes, sir!" Fonse spun towards his comrades, nearly bumping into Yuzet. "You heard him! We can do this, right, Noah?"
"Of course we sparkin' can!" Denize answered for him, her fervor from earlier already back in full shine. "This is the perfect chance to put our upgrades to good use!"
"Can't argue with that," the mace-wielder nodded nervously. "Let's go, then!"
Strapping on their helmets but not their masks this time, the salvagers summoned their Blades and dashed out of the colony. Unwittingly, Noah brought up the rear, his mind already reeling from the implications of this sudden development. He knew that nothing good could come from it, hoping mightily that the number of husks left behind would be kept to a minimum. Already spying the telltale glow of red motes in the distance, the nagging guilt only grew in his heavy heart.
Visibility was already a challenge due to darkness, but the sand being kicked around only made it worse. If not for the emittance of energy, Levnises from both sides would've been completely obscured. Yet, even for the salvagers who'd never been allowed onto the frontlines before, the soldiers of Colony 25 were used to these conditions during a colossal fight. Noah and company knew that their best chance for survival was to stay together. However, one well-aimed and perhaps lucky blast from a Testudo was all it took to scatter them like a disturbed nest of antols.
"Guys! Report!" The ponytailed Kevesi scrambled to his feet first, franticly searching for his team.
"I'm still here," Yuzet answered the call. Thinking quickly, he planted his staff in the sand to form a healing ring, the green glow of which led them to find another salvager.
"Denize!" Noah dragged her into the ring so she could be healed. Moments later, she recovered enough strength to sit up.
"Thanks for the save," she coughed thrice, brushing the sand off her lips. "We can do better than this!"
"We seem to have lost track of our other three," he informed her, pulling her up.
"Guess this is how we'll learn who among us are truly elite," the swordswoman brought her Blade out again.
"Status doesn't matter," Noah maintained a vigilant eye. "Right now, we need to check on the others."
"Found one!" the healer hollered to them. "Solon! I'm coming for you! Hang in there!"
"Wait! We're coming, too!" Their de facto leader wished to avoid further separation. However, the moment the two swordfighters took after the healer, another laser blast cut between them. The Testudo from before had caught up at last. "Denize!"
"Got it!" she steadied herself, tightening her grip. "We'll fight this thing, cover for Yuzet!"
"Don't lose sight of its wings!" Noah warned her, straining to locate them in the darkness, himself. "They're not illuminated by eth-"
"Yeah, I know!" Denize slashed at one with an audible clack, sending sparks over her head. Sneaking around the machine, she retracted her arm in preparation for an angled lunge. However, the Testudo spun around and smacked her Blade out of her hand with its undamaged wing. "What the…?"
"Be careful!" he ran to his stunned teammate. "Agnian Levnises are autopiloted, remember? They can detect us faster than our own."
"Brute force, then," she gritted her teeth, collecting her Blade for another attempt. As much as Noah wanted to correct her, he didn't have any other ideas. Together, the two swordfighters jumped at the Testudo as it ejected an ether beam at their feet, sending a plume of sand in their wake. With their might combined, they stabbed the machine to put it out of commission instantly.
"Right, that's all taken care of," Noah observed its residual ether fizzling out. "We need to reconvene with Yuzet and the others."
"Where'd they go, though?" Denize whipped her head around, unable to discern one faded light from another. "They ran in that direction, correct?"
"Yes, let's hope we can catch up," he started running alongside her, watching behind them for any pursuers. Before setting his sights forward again, however, he caught a glimpse of distinctively shaped ether lights flanking them. "Soldiers on our right!"
"Huh?" she turned just in time to spot a sizzling katana soaring at her feet. The Agnian weapon spaded into the sand, causing her to stumble to a stop. "What now?" Seconds later, an Agnian duoblade-wielder darted at the Kevesis to retrieve their javelined katana and prepare for battle.
"Two Agnian soldiers," Noah backed up to her side, taking a defensive stance.
"Enemies we can actually kill!" Denize regained her balance, as well as her confidence. Noah ignored her remark this time, his eyes locked onto their new, masked challengers as they tiptoed closer. On the left was the Agnian who'd thrown one of their two katanas at his teammate, while the one on the right was equipped with a unique pair of ring-swords. Already tired of the staring contest, the swordswoman stepped forward to address them. "You've made a terrible mistake tangling with us! Your embers will soon be no more!"
"I highly doubt that," the duoblade-wielder responded to her threat, crossing their katanas in front of their face.
"Besides, it would seem that you have it backwards," the other Agnian spoke next. "You are the ones who attacked us first. Ever heard of payback?" Both Kevesis fell silent, though their partially covered facial expressions projected divergent reactions to the claim which they knew was true. Noah wanted so badly to blurt out an apology, but something inside held him back from doing so. It couldn't have been fear, not after all the times Colony 25 had fended off Agnian advances such as this. Undoubtedly, the regret over his team's recent deed was ever-present, especially now that they've been rumbled by this foe with revenge on the mind. "Got nothing to say for yourselves?"
"I already said you're gonna die," Denize spouted at them before launching her attack, "and it happens now!" As she commenced combat with the doublade-wielder, Noah locked weapons with the other Agnian's ring-swords. His eyes widened behind the visor of his helmet, having never laid them upon a dual Blade like this. Now was not the time for ogling, however, as he kept his wits about him and shoved his opponent sideways. Now separated, the two of them prepared their next attacks, striking Blades again a second later.
In the following moments, several more attempts at each other were made but resulted in a stalemate. This Agnian was fast, frustratingly so. Noah tried his best to score a hit each time the opponent ran and to break through the ring-swords each time the opponent attacked. Before long, he realized that he wasn't holding back anymore, completely caught up in the fight like he was expected to do.
A change in tactics was in order, Noah's focus now on his challenger's legs. If he could just deliver a decisive slash to the shin, then he could drop this soldier for someone else to finish off. After all, that was how the pacifistic Kevesi had gotten this far without killing a single Agnian. Aiming downward, Noah put his new plan in play. However, both ether-wrapped rings slammed his veiled sword into the sand before it could reach its target.
"Your desperation is showin'," the agile Agnian taunted him, swiping backhandedly at his face while he was pinned. Falling onto his side, Noah felt the night air cool his now-exposed, sweaty forehead with his helmet knocked off from the first hit of their skirmish. In fact, it was the first time since his early terms that he could recall being left wide open in such a way. The ponytailed soldier felt his opponent's eyes on his, realizing that an easy, successive attack hadn't yet come. Blinking and climbing to his feet, Noah swung weakly with no other purpose than to encourage the Agnian to back off.
"Why didn't you hit me again when you had the chance?" he inquired breathlessly.
"Shut it, you!" his opponent growled at him. "I leave no such chances to my enemies!" Angered by the notion that mercy had been shown, the Agnian resumed the fight with a flurry of vertical slashes. Noah held his sword sideways to block each one but was forced to backstep in doing so. Sensing an end in the momentum, he spun around to have another crack at hitting his opponent's shin. However, the Agnian was too quick for him to make contact again, putting on a masterful display of acrobatics for the evasion.
By now, both combatants were heaving, having roved several metri along the sweeping sands. Neither of them had any allies near to shake up the balance of their battle. In fact, the sounds of war had dampened enough for the howl of the desert winds to reclaim its reign. Seeing that his opponent was beginning to struggle, Noah felt safe enough to quickly glance around them for any hint of how the two sides were faring overall. With less sand being kicked up, it was becoming clear that the number of remaining Kevesi Levnises greatly exceeded that of Agnian ones. It appeared that Colony 25 would once again defend its turf. All he had to do now was subdue his opponent and leave to find his teammates.
"Are you done yet, Agnus?" Noah began what he hoped would be the last round of sparring between them, swinging lowly and laterally.
"How can you ask that?" the Agnian scoffed at his question. "You've yet to hit me, while I've nearly beheaded you!"
"You're not as fast as you were, earlier," he noted her slower jumps, feeling the tide of their fight turning in his favor.
"You can't get in my head!" his opponent claimed, despite feeling the physical strain building. "Don't even try!"
"I don't have to try. This is how we win." Seeing an opening, Noah finally struck the once-agile Agnian in the shin, dropping his opponent to the ground. The ensuing cry of pain pierced his ears, sending shivers down his back almost like in retribution. Looking down upon the felled Agnian whose hands were clasped to the injured leg, the pacifistic Kevesi felt a whole new wave of guilt washing over him. His instinct was to offer assistance, but Noah knew that he needed to bail, lest he be caught sparing the life of an Agnian. Instead, he recovered the words which he'd withheld from before their fight. "I'm sorry. Truly… I'm sorry."
"S-sorry?" the Agnian looked up to him as he reached for his helmet. With his own agenda tended, Noah started to walk away. "Wait! Where the spark do you think you're goin'?!"
"Hmm?" he peered over his shoulder.
"You haven't killed me yet!" his defeated opponent writhed in the sand.
"Y-yeah, I know…" the pacifist's tone was lower than the bottom of a sinkhole.
"Have you absolutely lost it?" the Agnian was dumbfounded. "You're supposed to kill me now!"
"I'll… let someone else do that," Noah muttered softly, although he hoped against it happening.
"Coward… you're a spineless coward!" The injured party opted for insults, aiming to provoke him into finishing what he'd started. "That's right, you're a…"
"Back off!" a third voice interjected.
"Bowan?" the Agnian rolled over just as the cavalry arrived. Keeping his distance, Noah observed this assisting soldier who knelt beside his teammate and dug his heavy sword in front of them.
"Save your strength, Mio! I'll get you out of here!" Momentarily letting go of his Blade, the defender helped her up and slung her arm around his shoulder. "Come on!"
"W-we're leavin'?" The worthy adversary whom Noah now knew by the name of Mio hobbled on one foot while she leaned on her rescuer.
"Didn't you read in through your Iris?" the Agnian defender alternated wary looks between her and Noah. "We aren't making headway. We're going back to the colony."
"But… he hasn't killed me yet…" she stole one last glance at the pacifistic Kevesi.
"Listen to yourself! You're delirious!" Her concerned comrade admonished her while he tugged her along, dragging his heavy sword behind them.
Noah could only watch them disappear into the night, shocked that she'd react so adversely to his gesture. For the second time in three days, he'd spared the life of an Agnian, only this time it'd gotten personal. The perturbation was steadily mounting, but this wasn't the place for ruminating. Shaking it off, he finally turned to leave, himself.
It wasn't long before Noah found a passel of his fellow Kevesis thanks to their victorious chants. Staring southward again, he no longer saw active Agnian forces dotting the trampled sandscape. Furthermore, he was glad that it was nighttime, for he was in no mood to behold the fresh death and destruction that'd been left behind.
Back at Colony 25, the mood had sobered substantially while the commander directed all soldiers to reform their assigned groups. Locating his own, Noah saw the tired, sullied faces of Yuzet, Denize, and Solon.
"Fonse and Lana haven't arrived yet?" he asked worriedly.
"Unfortunately, no," Yuzet sighed heavily, noticing a gash on the right side of Noah's chin. "Someone got you, huh? Let me heal you."
"Was it that Agnian with the two giant rings?" the swordswoman crossed her soiled arms.
"Yeah, we were… pretty even," Noah nodded before receiving a welcomed restoration from the team healer. "She retreated, though."
"Well, I made sure mine didn't escape," Denize reported on her success, not that it made him feel any better.
"There you all are!" a familiar voice caught their attention. Emerging from the crowd was Fonse, one of the salvage branch's two missing defenders.
"Fonse!" she exclaimed before embracing his mildly battered body. "You're still alive!"
"That I am," the redhead smiled to the rest of his teammates over her shoulder. "I'm convinced my stronger shield saved me out there."
"All the same, you're getting some of this, too," the healer activated his staff again.
"Thanks," Fonse took a headcount of his fellow salvagers once Yuzet was finished with him. "Wait, we're missing someone."
"It's Lana," Solon informed him, anxiously fiddling with one of his wings.
"Lana?" the mace-wielder forgot to breathe for a moment. "Did anybody try to reach her via her Iris?"
"N-no…" Yuzet shook his head, as did everyone else.
"I'll do it," Fonse promptly tapped his temple. As members of the same colony, it was possible for them to open communication with each other this way, regardless of distance. However, the lost salvager wasn't answering. "Hmm… no good."
"Spark!" the healer stomped his foot. "I… never could find her after we got separated."
"She couldn't have died," Denize wasn't as quick to fear the worst. "W-we're elite, remember? Only the weak perish…"
A death among the salvagers was the last thing Noah needed now, on top of the ill feeling he usually incurred following a battle with Agnus. Just as he'd feared, tonight's clash of the colonies was a result of the ambush perpetrated by his own team a few days prior. Although the Agnians' attempt at revenge had largely failed, to the pacifistic Kevesi it felt like a grand loss for both sides. Even sparing Mio's life couldn't give Noah solace, not after the way she'd appeared to be ready to give it up.