CHAPTER 55

DESOLATION OF ROCKINGHAM PART 2

With one hell of a day finally coming to its end, Arzenal's residents were ready to turn in for some much-needed sleep. Though most were still in high chatter over their guests which no doubt continued with more enthusiasm in the confines of their bedroom quarters. At least it allowed Cal an easier time of navigating his way through the halls without any of the girls stopping him to flirt or proposition him. With his conversation with Salia still fresh in his mind, Cal was beyond pissed at the Commander. All Salia wanted was to gain Jill's approval and she had been lying to her this entire time. Hearing her story of how she had lost Ann reminded him of his own guilt and sorrow after losing Gramps and Naomi. Cal's insides were still boiling that Jill had not disclosed that only a Norma of royal blood could break through the locks Embryo placed upon Villkiss.

"Rough day hon?" A gentle voice spoke from the shadows and Cal stopped to see it was Jasmine, gas lamp held up with Vulcan at her side.

"I never thought there could be a worse attack than that Category 5." Cal sighed.

"I took our guests down to the lower chamber near Aurora and I had a little chat with Jill." She told him. "Your visions? They're getting worse, aren't they?"

"They weren't just visions this time." Cal told her. "I felt his emotions like I WAS Blackadder in that moment. I don't know what's happening to me."

"Let's pray those at the Sanctuary can uncover why this is happening. They might just be able to find a way to block him out." Her concern changed to a proud smile. "It was smart letting Lucas and his people in on the situation despite your differences. Building trust with our allies is the first step to unite all parties. It's what Gaz would have wanted."

"Yeah, he wouldn't have wanted us to keep MORE secrets from each other." Cal emphasized with a cold glare, knowing Jill would have told her about his recent discovery.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner about Villkiss." Jasmine apologized. "I…me and Jacob insisted that you should have known the whole truth about Villkiss when you discovered your royal heritage. But Jill wanted you focused on Siegfried since Ange was in solitary."

"This isn't just about me Jasmine. It's the fact she deceived Salia and took advantage of her trust and loyalty. And you and Maggie aren't any better for keeping quiet about it."

"I suppose I deserve that." The elder Norm admitted. "I never thought Salia would have done something that impulsive."

"And if Jill had just been honest with Salia then maybe more lives could have been saved since I was powerless to stop those three para-mails on my own." Having someone else to blame at least distracted Cal from his own regret and guilt.

"Listen kiddo." Jasmine urged. "I've been here longer than most. I've seen more deaths and more funerals than you can imagine. And one thing I've learned is it's a matter of when not if. When you're a Norma, sooner or later the DRAGONs get us all. But at least with all that's happened, hopefully those girls will be the last. We leave here tomorrow and from then on, they're the humans problem."

"I guess that makes sense." Cal admitted. And it did make Cal feel a little better to imagine the look on those smug bastards' faces when the DRAGONs showed up on their front door step, finally getting a taste of what the Norma had to deal with.

"Good. Now come with me, there's something I want to show you." She looked down at Vulcan with a smile. "You, go guard the mall for me, one last time." Vulcan whined in complaint as he watched them leave and Cal followed Jasmine down to the lower hanger and through the maze of cavern tunnels until they reached a closed off metal door he had never seen before. Once Jasmine unlocked it and sent Cal in first, she pulled a switch on the wall and a dozen lights shone across the right side to reveal hundreds of cardboard boxes stacked on top of the other that stretched all the way to the end of the chamber. Cal peered at one open box and saw it was stocked with a variety of personal items and trinkets you would find in a bedroom. Or on a person.

"What is this place?" He asked feeling his chest constrict. It was the same feeling when visiting Arzenal's now destroyed graveyard.

"A memorial." Jasmine answered as she lifted her lamp over the left side wall where countless names had been carved across it. Cal's stomach churned realizing that all these personal items once belonged to generations of Norma. "Since we don't have a graveyard anymore, I thought I'd give those we lost today their final respect for defending this godforsaken place." Cal saw at the end Jasmine had already carved the names of her mall staff, the armorists, security and others that died today and was yet to list all the pilots who perished. Scarlett's name had been scratched out and as Cal stared numbly at the wall Jasmine handed him a small mallet and chisel. "I was about to finish the rest but my hands aren't as limber as they used to be. Think you could help me finish it up?"

Cal swallowed a huge lump in his throat and felt his fingers tremble as he took the tools from her. Above these new names, ZOLA, COCO, and NAOMI were carved into the rock above them. Pressing his lips tightly together, Cal planted the edge of the chisel into the rocky surface and began to lightly hammer the names of his fallen comrades into the stone.


ELEANOR, BETTY, CHO, SADIE, MAKOTO, VIOLET, HANNAH, RACHEL, COURTNEY, MIRA, ROSY, TANISHA, LAUREN, CHIHO.

Jasmine watched as Cal awkwardly engraved their names into the wall before getting the hang of it. The final time any Norma would be memorialized on this island if they won against Embryo and those who followed him. She looked on feeling a sense of pride that Cal did not break and kept his composure, though the grief still burned clearly in his eyes and once he was done, Jasmine showed him a section of names that meant a great deal to her.

"Don't ever forget their names." Jasmine told him as she shone the lamp across all the comrades she had lost during the first Libertus. Not just Norma but the Ancient Folk too. "They weren't just my comrades. Some of them were my closest friends since I was little." Her voice became slightly emotional as she came across one name in particular which had been squeezed in at the very bottom. "And Gaz. He was the best man I ever knew." Her heart sank recalling some of the memories she had shared with him. They might not have been a textbook couple, but they still found solace from the pain of their past, even if Gaz didn't quite take her fully into his heart.

"He deserved better than be a name upon a stone wall. They all deserved better." Cal said in a low voice. The orange glint from the lights gave his eyes a burning glare and Jasmine could see the fury blazing within him. "It's sickening that one man who thinks he's God condemns us to this life. Nothing ends until he and everyone working from him are wiped off the face of this world."

"All of us want the same thing Cal, but don't let that anger burn away who you are." said Jasmine.

"I'm not the same boy you once knew."

"Maybe. But that boy would take one look at you and run. That boy understood the value and meaning of his own life and didn't let the world tear him apart from the inside and fill him with nothing but hate."

"Look, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I can't let Embryo and Dutch get away for what they've done to us. I have to be the one to hold the line for the others since I don't think Jill can be trusted."

"I understand you're angry with what happened, but you need to remember. Jill may not be the most kindhearted person, but everything she does is for the sake of Libertus. More importantly, you should think about what you're going to do after all this. If we win you won't have to be Siegfried's pilot anymore. You could do whatever you want with your life. Find a real home where you can…"

"What home, Jasmine?" Cal interrupted, his frustrations rising. "There is no home. Home was a cabin in the woods with a man who wasn't my real father who I thought loved me like his son. Even if it was all a lie, it was everything, and now it's gone because of Embryo and especially Dutch. What does Gramps' sacrifice mean if I just…let Dutch go and stick my head in the sand?"

"Take it from me hon. Somebody who had to learn the hard way 10 years ago. You gotta know when to walk away from that path, otherwise you are gonna end up losing something you can never replace." There was a long silence and Jasmine did the only thing she could and put her arm around the young man. Cal rested the side of his head on her shoulder as Jasmine's grip tightened around Cal as an old feeling she had not felt in years came back to her when she had first held him as a baby. It was as though she was comforting her own flesh and blood.

"I don't know if I can ever let go of that man who took Gramps from me." He said quietly. "But I also can't let go of my promise. One day we will all be free. And I'll do everything in my power so that no more lives end up on this wall."

"You'll find your own way. Just like I had to." Jasmine gave him one final hug and allowed him to leave. Grief was a lonely war. Cal would have to figure it out on his own, but she would always be there for him no matter what. It was the strength of Gaz's influence and honor that would never leave him nor her. But maybe it was finally time she moved on and opened her heart once again with what time she had left in her second half of life.


Inside the deepest lower chamber within Arzenal that was always empty, six people sat together in a circle of their sleeping bags with a single gas lamp set in the center. All their faces were stunned in shock and disbelief after Lucas had just finished telling his crew of his conversation with Cal and Jill just a few hours ago.

"Shit!" gasped Finn. "Now that I think about it his eyes are the same color as the Rosemblum queen and her daughters!"

"And his doppelgänger…or Clone created by Embryo!" said Lucia in disbelief. "Just what were they planning to do with him if Gaz hadn't saved him from that horrible place?"

"I don't know. It all just raises more questions why Embryo commanded Trager to create Cal and his clone in the first place." Dolton mused.

"Could his royal blood be the cause of Siegfried's recent display of power?" asked Ralph. "I saw the blast wipe out the entire second squad. It would explain how only Scarlett survived since she was the closest. And that Aura it took at the battle's climax. You all saw the footage. No Norma alive has flown a unit with that kind of speed and ferocity after the beating Cal took." They all looked to Lucas and Lucia for answers since it was their people who created Siegfried.

"No, it's not his royal blood." Lucia told them. "Siegfried was reverse engineered from Embryo's technology. And not even Istvan managed to unlock that amount of power within Siegfried."

Lucas on the other hand, kept quiet thinking to himself. 'Could it be that Siegfried is evolving and responding to the pilots will and emotions? Or is there something else in Cal's blood?' If so, then the burning rage inside Cal was turning their people's machine of hope into something ugly. He kept this theory to himself in order to keep his crew on track.

"It can wait for another day. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow so let's get some sleep." He turned his head to his left and gazed beyond the dark neighboring chamber next to them where the Aurora was supposedly stationed. The ship where he and Lucia were born. The ship he had called home for the first 6 years of his life before his people met the Norma. So many fond memories rested in that vessel. Lucas could envision his mother like she had never left this world. Her bright nurturing face. Her dark royal blue hair and warm caring smile that would always lift his spirits whenever he was down. Then there was his father who always use to smile when mother was alive. But that all changed on that day they stole Villkiss and she had given her life for her people to survive.

"You okay Lieutenant?" Frenzy broke through Lucas' daydreaming.

"I'm just a little tired perhaps." He said flatly, pulling himself together. As the minutes dragged on and hunger grew Frenzy handed them all a sandwich and a bottle of water given by Jasmine along with a pudding each. "Where did you get these?" Lucas asked when the answer came to him and he cast Frenzy a stern look. "You took these without permission, didn't you?".

"Aw c'mon it's no big deal. Besides I left her some of that cash they use." Lucia and Dolton however took their desserts without question.

"Father always hated these." said Lucia reverently. Lucas gave a weak smile at the remembrance as he remained silent while the others chattered. Though he couldn't help but listen in on Ralph and Finn's conversation.

"Well I'm glad you stepped up as the hunter's leader in my absence." said Ralph. "Knowing them they'll want to throw a surprise party when I come back with Serra."

"All the hunters are gone." Finn finally broke the news to Ralph's shock. "Lumpy, Troy, Crane, all of them. I'm the only hunter left."

"God dammit." Ralph sighed.

"Don't beat yourself up." Finn told him. "There's nothing you could have done." Their moment of shared grief was broken by Frenzy dragging his duffle bag he had brought along from the sanctuary that they knew was filled with weapons and equipment.

"These might come in handy for setting traps up for Julio's fleet when they arrive." Frenzy said eagerly; taking out a few claymores, frog-mines, and a few nail bombs. "I also brought this. It may not be the same as your sword, but I thought it might be a good substitute." Frenzy handed a long-bladed gator machete to Lucas who appreciated the gesture. He was still kicking himself for losing the sword of his people. Now Lucia's bow was the last memento of their father. As Frenzy started unpacking the gear he brought, including some of his home-made fireworks, Lucia spotted something oddly peculiar inside the bottom of the pile within the bag. "What's in the box?" she asked.

"Just a few grenades or detonators. I took them from the restricted weapon's locker." answered Frenzy, opening the steel case to reveal twelve black steel balls larger than grenades with four blinking red lights running across their middle. "I thought they looked cool and guessed I'd use them with my slingshot against an NMB aircraft."

"Those are the prototype KRAKEN impact sensory grenades dumbass!" Dolton yelled with a horrified look. "They're part of the Sanctuary's new weapons testing for Para-mail heavy artillery!"

"For goodness sake Frenzy!" Lucia gaped in outrage. Frenzy though looked outright bewildered by their reactions.

"Do you have any idea what would happen if those had fallen out of the case or if you had dropped them?" Lucas yelled, furious at Frenzy's impulsiveness. "One single impact on something solid could decimate half of the Sanctuary's main hanger!"

"Oops." gulped Frenzy, feeling all eyes on him as he carefully placed the one he was holding back in its case and gingerly shut the lid.

"Take them up to the armory storage with the other para-mail weapons now!" Lucas commanded and Frenzy took the steel case carefully back to the lift that carried him up to the main hanger. He returned moments later and sat in silence not daring to speak. "Alright let's turn in, we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." Lucas suggested feeling even more tired than before. He was about to turn off the gas lamp when Lucia stopped him.

"Do you hear that?" She whispered looking around into the darkness. It was only a split second, but they all heard the distinct sound of light footsteps.

"Show yourself." Lucas called out into the darkness as they all jumped up. The four humans' hands lit with the light of Mana and just feet away they saw a small figure emerge slowly from the darkness. It was a young Norma with short dark green hair who couldn't have looked older than 12.

"What are you doing down here?" Lucia asked as she approached the girl who looked apprehensive and nervous. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"How did you get down here? This chamber is out of bounds." Though Ralph tried to mimic Lucia's gentle tone, the memories of his time posing as Corp Lawrence were apparently still fresh in the young girl's mind who reflexively flinched.

"Don't scare her Ralph. It's okay sweetie, you're not in trouble." said Lucia.

"I saw one of you coming out of the hanger lift carrying a case into the storage area. So I snuck on and hid in the far corner of the lift before they got back." Miranda answered, shaking slightly from nervousness. Lucas shot another stern look at Frenzy then turned his attention back to the young girl.

"What purpose did you have coming down here?" He questioned keeping his tone calm but firm so she got the message not to lie.

"Well…I've been watching you all…since you got here…and I overheard a few things when you were all talking with my Captain…Cal." She stuttered. "I know we're all leaving Arzenal forever tomorrow…and I want to help you all in any way I can." Everyone exchanged weary glances.

"That's okay sweetie, you needn't trouble yourself, we've got this handled." Lucia told her.

"Please I want to help." Miranda begged. "I just want to help my squad mates and comrades in any way I can. All I want is for them to be safe and away from this horrible place." Her courage seemed to perk up as they allowed her to continue without interruption. "I won't be a burden, or a bother. I'll do anything." There was a clear hunger and thirst to prove herself and Lucas couldn't help but admire the young Norma for her bravery.

"Should we?" Finn whispered.

"One extra pair of hands can't hurt." Dolton shrugged.

"Miranda does know when to pull her weight in her squad despite her inexperience and age." Ralph pointed out.

"Yeah and she's kinda cute too." Frenzy added earning him an elbow in the ribs from Lucia.

"It's your call Lucas." Lucia muttered.

"Alright. If it means that much to you to help your friends get of this island quicker, I guess we could use the help." Lucas decided.

"Really! Thank you, I'll do my best." She saluted with exuberance.

"I'll debrief you before training tomorrow of whatever task I have for you." If they were to join the Norma during Sorties before taking on Embryo, then they would need someone other than Cal to help on the inside to build bridges. "But for now let's all get some rest." Miranda was about to go back onto the lift but Lucas stopped her. "Stay. If your caught out after hours you won't be any help. Frenzy move it!"

"Where am I going to sleep then?" Frenzy complained. "Can we share Lucia?"

"SLEEP ON THE FLOOR!" They whole crew shouted making Miranda laugh.


Passing by one room with a destroyed doorway, Cal checked to see Vivian snoring lightly in her hammock while Miranda's bed had collapsed. She must be bunking somewhere else on her own. 'Poor kid, she must be so alone after what happened today.' Ange's warning of Miranda's fragile state troubled him deeply. Her deep-rooted self-doubt and confidence with herself and her piloting skills was something he could not brush aside any longer. As he walked on Cal saw a mane of red hair through the semi darkness coming his way. "There you are, where have you been all this time?" He asked Hilda whose stony expression was hard to read.

"I just went for a stroll outside for a few hours to clear my head." Hilda said in a hushed voice. She looked around as though scouting for prying ears before gesturing him on. "Come, we'll talk in my room." She tugged Cal by the sleeve of his jacket and into her new bedroom since Chris had forbidden her from entering Zola's room again. He had not spoken to her since he had left her with Commander Jill and judging by the tense look in her eyes, Jill's story regarding the whole truth about this world and all its lies had shaken Hilda to the core.

"How you holding up?" Cal asked.

"It was a lot to take in," Hilda answered, "but nothing has changed where I stand." They both sat together on one of the empty beds, their faces illuminated by the moon light through the window.

"Where you stand?" Cal asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Me and Ange made a promise in solitary that we were going to tear down this world. And this Embryo guy is the source of it all." Hilda's hands clutched the edge of the mattress as she looked out the window towards the horizon. "I know now there's nothing left for me out there. My old home, Mama, it made me realize that we could blame that bastard to a degree, but she made the choice to forget about me. Just like those humans made the choice to help Norma and forge new lives with our kind."

"I'm glad to hear it. You're taking it a lot better than I am." said Cal, casting his eyes to the floor. "Embryo might be the cause of all our problems and the reason those doctors created me and condemned my mother to slavery. But everything I am and where I am now is all because of that bastard Dutch. He took everything I ever knew. Gramps, my home and now that we're close to Libertus beginning, I'm afraid I'll never get the chance to settle things with him."

"Look I know that guy has a lot to answer for." Hilda responded a little impatiently, hoping to talk some sense into him. "But he's nothing but a rabid dog who licks his master's ass. He's not worth it. And if he's killed by you or anyone else he's wronged, and I'm sure that line goes all the way around Arzenal, then that's how it'll be."

"There was a time when I thought I could let go of this hate." said Cal still gazing at the floor. "Naomi, she always knew what to say to bring me back from the brink, even after discovering my Gramps past and my creation in that lab. Back then I was so carefree despite our circumstances and thought I could keep you all alive like some stupid hero in an anime. I let my guard down and look what it cost me. Even with Siegfried it still hasn't made a damn difference. I just don't know what to do anymore." Hilda looked as though she was about to punch Cal in the face, but she kept herself calm and placed her hand on his.

"I know that feeling but it's about time you stop blaming yourself for what is out of your control." She told him. "I also felt lost without Zola and trust me, I've still got a lot to figure out filling her shoes as Captain. But we have to move on and keep living. We owe it that much to her AND Naomi." Her grip tightened on his hand. It was a comforting feeling. "I thought Rosalie and Chris could fill the hole left behind when Zola died, but I now realize how selfish it was of me and the truth is, no one can live up to that ideal or expectation. I finally see that this place, and you all here, you're all I have left and all I will ever need in this fucked up world." Cal's heart ached at those words because everything she said was true. If he continued down this path then Jasmine was right, he'd lose what can't be replaced. Salia and Ersha, they would never fill the hole that Naomi left and he had to accept that. It was time to walk a new path with those he cared about and love them for who they were without any regrets or fear for what was to come and what might be.

"I've been such a fool." said Cal as he finally looked up at Hilda. "I guess I forgot or just didn't wish to see what was right in front of me all this time because I was afraid of opening my heart fully and losing you all. I just pray when the time comes that I'll have the strength to do what's right when Libertus begins." For once throughout the entire week, Cal was able to shut Dutch out of his mind.

"I know you will." said Hilda with a surprisingly gentle smile. "My life would be much emptier if you weren't here. I'm glad that I have you in my life Cal, even if you can be an insufferable dumbass most of the time." Suddenly, without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about anything in the world, Cal kissed her. Hilda's eyes widened in surprise, but she did not pull away. Her eyes closed as she pressed in, their kiss becoming more passionate as her hands grasped the back of his head. Then before they knew what they were doing, they were undressing, and Hilda was on top of him. They both paused for a moment clad only in their underwear as they gazed at each other. "The only way we're going to get through this is by sticking together." Hilda stroked her hand against Cal's cheek and leaned her face closer to his. "Trust."

"Trust." Cal repeated and he meant it as he stared up at the young woman before him as though seeing the real her for the first time. Before when he had found himself with Hilda like this all those months ago, she had brought herself to him thinking she owed him a debt for nearly getting him killed. But now before him was a young woman who understood and liked him for who he was as he did her. And through the moments of lust, passion, necessity and need, a door had cracked open in both their hearts.


The snowy mountains of the Sanctuary were hard to find in the gathering twilight. The night air full of the constant bone chilling winds that raged around the snow-covered peaks that provided cover for the many skyhooks to evade any Mana NMB ship or drones patrolling the skies. Hosea watched with great pleasure on the Sanctuary's live camera footage within the main surveillance center that the returning supply runners had made it back safely, the five cargo pods attached to their skyhooks stocked to the brim with supplies that would help them through the coming days now that Libertus was so close to launching.

"Lieutenant Hosea come see this." called one of the surveillance teams as Hosea went to check his Mana screen. "Our spy stationed at Misurugi is now passing over the Dorian Ocean. And I've managed to find the five deserters' last known signals entering the same area." Pinpointing Tusk's location, they saw on the map he was heading back in the direction of Arzenal and it all made sense to Hosea where Lucas and the others had gone.

"Well done private." Hosea and Jacob had been worried sick that Lucas and his crew had gone to meet up with Tusk in Misurugi to assassinate Dutch. Now he knew their true intentions were to help Arzenal. "Try and broadcast a signal of any skyhooks stationed at Arzenal. We may be able to radio through their channel for coms." Leaving them to their work, Hosea went down to the second level hanger to check over the mechanics who were cleaning and refueling the returning skyhooks. "Lieutenant Hosea you may want to take a look at this." One of the maintenance crew beckoned the old man over to a single skyhook parked at the stationed area. As Hosea hobbled over as fast as his old legs and walking stick would let him, he realized the skyhook in question was an older, heavier model that had belonged to Gaz. They had brought it back here when they returned Cal and the others back to Arzenal. "What is it?" Hosea questioned.

"I was giving this old model a check over and I found a secret panel in the cargo pods, and I found this." She handed Hosea a single black file.

"What have we here?" Hosea mused. Returning to his office to study the file further, Hosea plopped into his desk chair and began to flip through it's contents. He was unsure at first what he was looking at but as he continued, he realized they were diagrams for a variety of equipment and weapons for Para-mail. Compacted engines, reflective armored plates, high performance pneumatic gears. Reading on Hosea came to a section that detailed the construction and functions of Para-mail and at the very last page was a blueprint of a model the likes of which Hosea didn't recognize. 'It seemed Gaz had been up to more than just keeping tabs on Mana society during his exile.' He realized

Then he spotted something out of place, a folded piece of yellowed paper wedged tightly in the slipped corner of one diagram. Opening and smoothing it out it was a map of an Island with a single cabin in the center. It had to be the same island he and Cal lived on but why would Gaz include this in a folder of Para-mail schematics? Examining it more closely, Hosea was able to make out what looked like a trail leading to a waterfall near the cabin. On a hunch, he flipped over the map and scrolled in the left bottom corner in tiny minute writing labeled, 'Cal's birthday present.'

"You had something important planned that day you wanted to show the boy, didn't you Gaz?" Hosea realized. But thanks to Dutch and Embryo, Gaz never got the chance. Before he could think about the subject any further, his presence was urgently requested back at the surveillance room where Captain Jacob had already arrived. "What's going on?" Hosea questioned as he arrived, noting the aggravated look on Jacob's face.

"We need to know where it's coming from and shut it down." Jacob ordered.

"Captain what's wrong?" Hosea demanded as he looked up at the main console screen that displayed a map of the world. And over Arzenal, a circle of static had been erected that extended 90 kilometers over the surrounding waters.

"It's Arzenal. We can't broadcast a signal to any of their radios. Including Lucas and the other's skyhooks. Someone had put a signal block around Arzenal's airspace. Nothing goes in or out and we can't find the signal or where it's coming from."

"Embryo!" Hosea growled through clenched teeth. "I bet he's behind this."

"Looks like he's trying to stop anyone sending a warning to Arzenal about Julio's forces." Jacob smirked. "But we beat him and Julio to it thanks to Tusk." Hosea breathed a sigh of relief. By the time Julio and his army arrived to retrieve the chosen Ragna-mail pilots, the Norma will have been long gone. But why initiate a communications blackout this early? Something was wrong. Hosea could feel it in his bones. "Keep all tabs on Julio's forces and hack into their coms." Jacob instructed. "We have to warn Arzenal if anything changes. Send a scout squad to monitor the area across the seas." All they could do now was hope they were still one step ahead of their enemies. Especially Dutch Vilson. Now that Hosea thought about it, he had been surprisingly quiet since facing Cal almost a week ago. What could he possibly be up to?


Sprinting in and out of the trees across the opposite side of the mountain Dutch, kept on running wanting to put as much distance between himself, his hometown, and the people in it. He could hear nothing but the sound of his own pounding feet and hammering heart as he sprinted on without rest or care as to where he was heading. All he wanted for to run and never look back. Not knowing how long he had run, his sweat soaked t-shirt stuck to his skin, Dutch finally came to a halt as he found himself at the entrance of a ruin, the likes of which he had never seen.

The place was a maze of crumbling stone stairs, statues, walls and pillars, consumed and suffocated by the green of the forest. Catching his breath, Dutch carefully walked at a pace through the ruins at a wonder that he had not heard of such a place. It looked as though this place was lost to history or maybe was built by a secret community cut off from society and forgotten by its makers. At the far end was a grotto, its entrance caved in over time, but it was set under the tallest hill in the area that gave Dutch a great view of the surrounding area. Amazed by his discovery, he allowed his mind to drift away and forget the recent events and hardships he had faced over the past few months and how his life had turned upside down. But everything came back with a crash with the sound of a voice calling out to him.

"Dutch! Dutch, where are you?!" Donnie's voice echoed through the forest and ruins and before long Dutch spotted Donnie searching around the hill's base just before his younger brother saw him as well.

"Have you been following me all this time?" Dutch scowled.

"I was worried sick when you ran out the door. Where are you going?" Donnie gasped with the same exhaustion as Dutch.

"Far away and I'm not coming back." said Dutch angrily. He was so tired he didn't want to hear it.

"Don't be stupid. Where will you go? Please come back home. Everything will be okay. I'll help you fix this." Donnie pleaded.

"My life can't be fixed. My life is ruined!" Dutch bellowed his anger at the injustice of it all coming to the surface. "What school or university is going to let me in with an assault and attempted murderer on my record?" The news had hit the world headlines that a boy whose name had remained anonymous due to his young age had attacked the heir to the 'Mana Tech Byte Corp,' and left him permanently blind in one eye from major brain damage. There had not been a case of a human with a criminal record for assault in over 400 years. "I'll never come back from a scandal like this! And I know the town knows it was me." Dutch went on shouting. "The way they stare at me like I'm no better than those wretched NORMA! Let's face it. Father is going to send me to military academy and get rid of his disappointment of a son." Dutch was about to storm off but Donnie held onto his arm, refusing to let his big brother go.

"Stop it!" Donnie barked back. "Will you listen to yourself! This isn't you!"

"You don't know me! Nobody does!" Dutch fumed struggling to get free. "My life would be so much better with you all not holding me back! So just screw off and stay out of my life!" Seeing nothing but red he struck out, causing Donnie to fall backwards onto the ground. Then it happened. In a hair-raising split second, the ground had given way as Donnie sank in the ground as if the Earth had just opened up and swallowed him whole. The shock yanked Dutch back to reality as he fell to his hands and knees and began yelling as loud as he could down into the hole. "Donnie! Speak to me! Are you alright!?" There was nothing but silence and Dutch felt the panic rise in his chest. "Donnie, come on man, talk to me!"

"I'm alright Dutch!" Donnie finally answered, much to Dutch's immense relief. Judging by the distance of his response he couldn't have fallen more than 10 feet.

"Use your Mana to boost you back up!" Dutch instructed. There was a flash of green light down within the dark, followed by a surprised gasp.

"Get down here! You gotta see this!" Donnie didn't sound frightened or in danger but rather in awe and amazement.

"I'm coming down." Without thinking or hesitation, Dutch dropped into the hole, his feet hitting solid earth and he fell on his back. Picking himself up, he saw Donnie illuminated by the light of Mana around his left hand, his back was turned to him and he was staring at the walls. "Okay so what's the big deal?" he asked. Donnie didn't answer so Dutch in turn lit his own hand with Mana and before him the whole cave shinned and sparkled as through, they were floating in the black night sky surrounding by stars. "WOAH!" Dutch lost his breath. These weren't simple cave walls made of rock, but rather what looked like black glass. "It's…it's." Donnie voice seemed miles away as the two-brother stood side by side, transfixed in awe at what they had discovered.

"It's Obsidian!" Dutch finished for him.

The caved in entrance was blown open as a green fire ball blasted the rubble apart and through the darkness of the night the inside still shined, untouched by dust or age. And standing at the entrance, the front of his poncho torn to shreds was the now adult Dutch Villson, his face contorted with pain at the memories of this place. Flexing his right hand, the flames around it extinguished and morphed into a light that gave the beautiful cave a clear view and Dutch knew exactly where to look.

Heart pounding in anticipation, he walked to the far end of the cave and found numerous small chunks of the obsidian chipped away where he and Donnie had taken a piece of the treasure all those years ago. Peering into the gap, Dutch's heart stopped as he looked in and found an antique USB stick carefully encased inside a plastic bag. Clever move. By putting it on obsolete tech, it was unlikely anyone would be able to access the data inside. His hand trembling in anticipation, he took the USB out of the bag and carefully turned it around to examine it more carefully. 'So this is what you left behind brother?'


Cal lay fast asleep in bed with Hilda, her head rested atop his chest, their arms huddled around each other, and both feeling more at peace then they had felt in a long time. The soothing warmth of her naked body against his allowed Cal's mind to drift into blissful dreams. To his surprise, Hilda had been remarkably shy and passive. Or at least she was during their first round. After getting a taste and knowing what to expect, she had ridden him almost as fiercely as their former Captain.

Suddenly, Cal felt the warmth vanish as his body was encased in that familiar poisonous chill. Opening his eyes, he saw flashes of a gigantic, towering pillar overlooking a brightly lit city, a villa set underneath the pillar through which he floated through its fancy hallways until he found himself standing inside an office. The room was glowing from the fireplace where a man sat in a fancy chair reading a book, his back to Cal who was feeling rapturous that his carefully thought-out plan was finally coming together.

"I'm glad to hear of it." The man within the chair spoke which irked Cal that he didn't have the gratitude to look him in the eye. The only part of the man he could see was a strand of his long blonde hair and his arm clothed in green silk resting on the chair's side. "How much time will you need before we move ahead with Arzenal?"

"I'll have all those disgusting vermin and traitors wiped out by tomorrow afternoon master." Cal spoke in a cold slithery voice devoid of any human emotion. "They won't be our problem anymore. We'll kill two birds with one stone by dealing with them first before Arzenal."

"I had hoped Villson would deliver but now I'm disappointed to admit that I have no more use of him. A shame, but I guess even the most loyal of old dogs can't perform new tricks. You did practice the song like I taught you." Cal felt a satisfied smirk curl across his face.

"Yes, master. Once my unit is in position, I'll turn their so-called Sanctuary within the mountains to dust." Turning his head to the wall, Cal stared into the mirror almost as though he was seeing something behind him as a pair of blue slit pupil eyes bore into him and he felt himself scream.

"CAL! CAL!"

Cal opened his eyes as someone began shaking him. He sprung upwards and found himself back in Hilda's room. His body was drenched in icy cold sweat while his heart felt like it was about to explode out of his chest. "Cal!" Hilda was leaning over him looking extremely frightened. "What's the matter?!" He had to warn them. The Commander. As loathe as he was to ask her for help, she was his best option.

"The Ancient folk! The humans…they're going to be attacked!" Cal panted, his chest heaving. "He's found where they're hidden!"

"Who has?" Hilda demanded. "Cal just sit back and take a…Cal wait where you going!" Leaping out of bed. Cal threw on his underwear and trousers and burst out the door, tearing through the hallways only stopping when he came to Jill's quarters and began banging on her door. Within seconds Jill flung her door open, her eyes a mixture of irritation and shock at the sight of the half-naked youth before her.

"Cal! What is the meaning of this!?" Jill demanded.

"It's the Sanctuary! Blackadder knows where they are and is going to attack them tomorrow!" Cal explained franticly. "I saw them talking about it?"

"What do you mean you saw them talking about it?" Jill asked, her eyebrows contracting. "You mean you dreamt this?"

"It's Blackadder!" Cal yelled desperately. "He knows where they are! I heard him say it! We have to warn them!" It took Jill an instant to grasp what he was trying to tell her and how he had learned of it.

"I believe you." She said curtly. The next second Hilda in only her skirt and half open uniform top came scurrying to a halt behind Cal. "Hilda go wake Jasmine and Maggie. It's an emergency." Jill ordered before Hilda could utter a word. "Tell them to come to the command center!"

"But…wha…"

"NOW!" Jill bellowed and Hilda flinched before rushing away. "Come with me Cal." Upon reaching the command center, Jill plugged her personal data pad into one of the working consoles and began to broadcast a signal to the Sanctuary just as Jasmine and Maggie came rushing in with Hilda behind them. Maggie in her pale blue nightdress was rubbing her eyes which were still puffy and red from drinking the night before. Jasmine in her purple tartan dressing gown was wide awake with alarm.

"What is it? What's happened." Jasmine asked breathlessly as Cal repeated what he told Jill. "My god…are you sure you didn't dream this."

"No!" said Cal angrily. "It was the same as it was a few hours ago. My clone has found Jacob's base!" Jasmine looked horrified at what she was hearing.

"How did he find out where they are hidden?" Maggie asked.

"What does it matter?" Cal replied, unable to keep still as he paced back and forth. "I heard it out of his own mouth when talking to his master."

"His MASTER!" Jill spun around, a crazed burning look in her eyes. "Was it Embryo? Did you see him?"

"No but it was definitely the same voice that I heard back in Trager's home." They all watched as Jill tried to send a message to the Sanctuary's base or Jacob's own data-pad, only to receive a response of a failed connection.

"What the…what's wrong with this thing? I thought that tech human fixed everything." Jasmine began working at the second console to check over Arzenal's network and connections and what they saw made their jaws drop. Upon the screen that showed an Ariel map of the world, Arzenal was encased by a dome of static that spread out in a 90 KM radius

"Those bastards!" Jill growled. "I bet Embryo or the royal brat ordered the NMB to put a signal jam around us so we can't send a distress call for help."

"I can use Siegfried and warn them!" Cal thought on the spot.

"No, they'll be monitoring the skies at this rate." Jasmine noted. "You won't make be able to call for help if they catch you."

"But how are we going to warn them?" Hilda worried. "They'll all die if we don't do something."

"We've got two options." Jasmine said. "Cal, Hilda, get Mei and have her bring up Dolton see if he can do anything with his Mana to send a warning. It's possible that since we're Norma they haven't tried to block out Mana transmissions. The Inspector's father is a Rosenblum Senator. I doubt he'd stand by and let his daughter be slaughtered."

"And if they have?" Cal asked.

"If Dolton can't do anything to hack through the air jam, then we'll just have to make do with Plan B." Jasmine told them as they went their separate ways. Jasmine quickly detoured to her room and tore a piece of parchment from her notebook and scribbled quickly.

YOUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, THE NMB AND EMBRYO ARE COMING. FLEE NOW OR YOU WILL ALL DIE. REGROUP WITH US AT AURORA. – JASMINE.

Navigating her way through the lower cave hallways and to Arzenal's secret chamber entrance. Jasmine gave a sharp whistle and sure enough she heard the caw as Dexter emerged from his little den atop the cave walls and swooped down onto Jasmine's arm. "Take this home you mangy buzzard. Don't stop for anything." She tied the rolled-up parchment to Dexter's outstretched leg and the raven gave a loud squark as he as took flight. Jasmine watched as the raven disappeared instantly into the darkness of the pre-dawn sky and hoped against hope he would make it in time before Cal's clone did.


Back in the confines of his car still parked at the entrance of Rockingham Forest, Dutch took off his poncho and shirt to examine the wounds he had sustained from the bear earlier. The wounds had now completely healed over like they had never existed. His skin felt funny and hot and as he stretched the side of his neck, his nails rubbed against what felt like leather and gravel. He looked in his rear-view mirror and almost gasped in shock. The patch of skin had hardened into dark grey scales and the veins across his neck now had a faint green glow about them. We no matter. He chose to consume these pills and the fight with the bear was enough to convince Dutch he needed this power despite its unknown side effects.

Slipping on a spare shirt, Dutch disregarded his blood torn poncho and pulled his long overcoat back over him, his heart drumming faster than usual knowing whatever was on the USB he had in his hand was the last chance he had to having all his questions answered. Primitive though it might be, Dutch had on occasion found using the same pre-Mana tech as the Norma to be a way to further get inside their heads and he pulled a data pad out of his car's glove compartment so he could plug in the USB. It took a short while before the device loaded up and all that appeared on the page was a single video file. "What?" Dutch said in disappointment. "Is this all?"

With no other option, Dutch reluctantly opened the file and a flicker of static appeared on the screen before the same cave of obsidian appeared. There was a small fire in the background and soon enough a person off screen cleared his throat and sat down in front of the camera. Dutch felt a painful stab in his chest at the sight of the calm orange flame eyes, his placid face, and a smile that seemed somewhat forced. "Donnie…" Dutch whispered, his hand reaching out to touch the screen as though his little brother was looking back at him in person.

"Okay here goes nothing." Donnie spoke calmly as he took a deep breath. "Dutch, if you're watching this then you've obviously opened the birthday present I left for you. You were never one to celebrate the occasion but you never turned down my gifts, even that antique pocket watch. If you've made it this far then you'll want to know why I've vanished off the face of the earth all of a sudden. This was the only way I can warn you of everything without contacting you incase my cover is blown because after what I'm about to do tomorrow, I'll never be coming back."

Dutch was confused but the sudden realization hit him like a crushing weight as it all became clear. HIS BIRTHDAY PRESENT! Donnie had planted the physical tampered file page with the G.P.S coordinates with his present inside Dutch's locker where they worked! Donnie had reminded him that day of it, but no thanks to Gaz, everything along with Donnie and his supposed plan for that day all died in the fire.

"Okay." Donnie sighed. "Today as you know our program with Norma #66 has produced the world's very first male Norma. No doubt you, the staff and the world leaders believe Trager's announcement to have Subject Alpha euthanized, but it's all a lie. He lied to you all." Donnie looked as though he was bracing himself for the worst and Dutch watched with his breath held. "Not long after the announcement, Trager took me to the Dawn Pillar and introduced me to his boss, the one who constructed the subject Alpha program all those hundreds of years ago. His name is Embryo. I know this is going to sound wild and impossible, but this man is the one who created this world and built the way Mana works. He's the one who controls everything about this world. I was brought to him because they told me, 'I' out of everyone else in this world have been chosen to be Trager's successor once he passes and continue the program in helping his master to make sure the Subject Alpha program is a success."

Donnie's lips pressed together hard, and Dutch knew what was coming was even more disturbing.

"The reason they…Embryo chose me is because of my correct theories and research on why the subject Alpha had failed up until now and he wants me to be a part of the Aura Program." Dutch listened more carefully. "The Aura program was first brought to life after our world stopped using Dracunium as a main power source for our Mana. And the first thing Embryo used with this new power source was to create a clone of one of his original followers. Dr Jeremy Wrinkle. It was then the Subject Alpha program began but the failure for a Norma to produce a healthy human child carried on through generations, forcing Embryo to use the Aura program again to grant Dr Wrinkle immortality. Embryo used the Aura program to transfer Wrinkle's mind and soul into the body of another host. My guess is he didn't want the world leaders to suspect anything if a single human lived an unnaturally long life, so he used different human vessels to disguise Dr Wrinkle's true identity. Trager and all his predecessors, they are all one. They are all the same person and I'm the next host to carry out god's work."

A sharp pain rose in Dutch's throat at this revelation, he was shaking all over with incomprehensible shock and anger.

"Your probably wondering what Embryo needs with Subject Alpha at this point." Donnie continued. "By tomorrow he'll use the kid as a host to create the perfect life form, a clone, Subject Beta. I hate to admit it but I felt revolted by what they told me. That kid is going to live a life of pain and suffering at their hands to create a perfect clone or worse multiple clones that can use Mana, and that is why I've made the decision to flee and go into hiding." said Donnie defiantly. "All our hard work had been nothing but a lie. This whole world and our Mana is a lie and one man who thinks he's God doesn't have the right to hold that kind of power over millions. You may hate me for this brother, but I have no other choice. By tomorrow I'll be taking Subject Alpha and Norma #66 with me, and I don't care how long it takes me. I will find a race known as the Ancient folk. Last year they stole a vital weapon from Embryo known as the Bilkiss, a special machine like the Para-mail with enough power to destroy this world but that power can only be unlocked by a Norma with a royal ring and of royal blood. Yes, Subject Alpha and his mother, Norma #66, are of royal heritage. If I ever do find them and they accept the child, then I'm going to help them train the boy up to take down Embryo once and for all."

The wave of this bombshell was all too much. Dutch's whole body was going into some sort of spasm, every vein up his arms to his neck were pulsing with a flowing green light under his skin as the new scaly creature within his very skin was clawing at his insides. Pausing the video Dutch opened the car door and vomited. "Not…you…too…Donnie." He said in a trembling broken voice, his stomach, chest and head about to explode like a volcano at the fact that both Gaz and his own brother betrayed what they all stood for and hoped to achieve. He walked blindly from the car before crumbling to his knees, his hands crushing balls full of dirt and gravel.

A truly terrible inhumane roar broke the silence of the forest as a ring of green fire erupted from Dutch, his body consumed in a blazing green aura that diminished in seconds as the lone man broke down into anguished sobs. All he had done since that day; all he had fought for, his goals, to exact revenge against his brother's killer and retrieve Subject Alpha back to Embryo to continue Donnie's work to honor his memory. It was all a lie. The very man Dutch served and devoted his life to wanted to use Donnie for his own personal gain like some worthless cattle and it was Donnie of all people who wanted to join those wretched apes and use Subject Alpha to break the wheel of this world. Gathering his thoughts in his broken state, Dutch somehow knew Gaz and Donnie weren't working together that day, nor did they know of the other's intentions. Their motivations and reasons didn't match but he couldn't help but think if they had known of the other's intentions, would they have worked together and left him with nothing and alone.

Pulling himself together, still barely comprehending what he had discovered, Dutch despite his heart pounding with fury, got back in his car and resumed the video, maybe to bring closure or find something that would prove Donnie hadn't entirely betrayed him.

"You may despise me right now if you're still watching this brother, and I don't blame you." Donnie sighed. "But if by some miracle you want to help me then you need to know this." Donnie began to pick up the pace. "Embryo doesn't know it yet, but he'll never be able to create the perfect clone after I take Subject Alpha and his mother with me and destroy every last trace of my research. All he'll be left with is Subject Alpha's blood sample which isn't enough because the seed can only bare a healthy child with a Norma of royal blood, not by machine." Dutch listened with waited breath not daring to make a sound in case he missed something. "It's the reason why Subject Alpha is a male Norma and why it's taken all this time to conceive him. Because Subject Alpha is…"

TO BE CONTINUED…

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Not long now until we get to the big fight at arzenal, where a lot more secrets will be revealed. Keep your eyes peeled soon for the next upcoming 2 chapters, their going to be a real treat.