Chapter 40 "Gone Rogue"

"Okay, so get this…" Chickadee, the dark-toned girl with furry ears prepared to share the next bit of gossip over an early dinner at a corner canteen. Twenty-six days had passed since the friendly round of introductions over a cozy campfire, so casual meetings like this had become common. "I heard the City has left the park in Krezen Cliffs to us liberated soldiers."

"What do you mean?" Alexandria, her accessorized, stylish partner turned to her.

"It's under the City's control, but like… they don't use it," the furry-eared Agnian tried to explain. "So, they let us have the run of the place. And Moebius can't touch it because it's… protected, or something."

"There are several Moebius traps in the ground," Mio divulged to them her expanded knowledge on the subject.

"Right, we helped with the installations," Noah likewise recounted their prior noncombative mission to the location under discussion.

"Oh, I didn't know that," Chickadee conceded, appearing mildly disappointed that they were already privy to it. "So much for enlightening you two."

"It's alright," the moonblades-wielder smiled at her and Alexandria. "I rather liked the park."

"Do you think we'd enjoy ourselves there?" the stylish soldier inquired, affectionately pressing her forearm against her partner's. "Chicky and I are looking for new places to explore together."

"Well, we were also told it's popular among us soldiers," the former pacifist backed Chickadee's claim after taking the last bite of his meal. "Not sure how crowded it gets, though."

"There didn't seem to be much space, at least with all the trees," his special mate added before a request for communications came through her Iris. "Hold on, someone's contacting me."

"No worries," Alexandria nodded as the oldest Agnian swiveled in her seat and accepted the call.

"Hello?" Mio held her fingers to her temple, the whole table now hushed.

"You're alive… glad someone is…" the voice sounded defeated, fatigued, somehow barely familiar.

"Bowan?" she recognized Colony Rho's blue-finned defender, nevertheless. "Are you okay?"

"It's all gone, Mio," his words were cryptically short.

"Gone?" the cat-eared Agnian repeated in confusion. "What's gone? What are you saying?"

"Mio?" Noah watched her posture stiffen from the distress call which was already eerily similar to his own from Fonse over a month ago.

"The colony," the defender fed her a piece of his answer, "all the other soldiers… dead…"

"Wha…?" her wits temporarily escaped her. "Bowan, you're not telling me what's going on. Please…"

"Colony 5… they came back… and wiped us out," he finally specified, though still without much detail.

"I'm so sorry," the zephyr empathized with considerable regret over having not been there to prevent the apparent disaster.

"I'm sorry, too," his tone dipped even lower. "Our Flame Clock's on its final embers. This is it for us."

"No, it's not," she tried to argue through his stubbornness.

"We're done!" Bowan dug deeper into his doldrums, appearing to have already accepted death. "It's only right that I give you warning of our impending end."

"Hey, listen to me!" Mio raised her voice louder than she'd intended. "We can still save you!"

"Save me?" his skepticism was apparent, unsurprising. "How?"

"The City can free you from your Flame Clock just like it did for me," she claimed with first-hand experience, "but you'll have to join us and trust our allies here."

"Guess I have no choice, then," the blue-finned Agnian continued to grouse despite the lifeline being offered.

"The choice is still yours," the moonblades-wielder insisted, her own tone exuding irritation. "We won't force you."

"Fine," Bowan seemed to agree following a contemplative pause. "Don't know how I'm going to live with myself after this, though."

"Better than not living at all," she stuck to the bright side. "Hang tight, we're on our way."

"To Colony Rho?" the swordfighter surmised, having picked up on the situation from Mio's responses to Bowan.

"Yeah, it's been defeated," her expression remained stern well after her call. "Bowan's the only soldier left."

"Right, we should explain it to military headquarters," Noah suggested in the same vein as his own mission of mercy. "Then we can charter a Levnis to the colony."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Mio nodded to him before addressing the two seventh-termers who'd long fallen silent. "Sorry to eat and run, but this is an emergency… and a personal one at that."

"We understand," the accessorized Agnian acknowledged amicably.

"Can we come with you, though?" the dark-toned girl stood with her hands on the table.

"Absolutely," the zephyr accepted their assistance without hesitation. "Hopefully, we won't encounter any hostiles."

"We'd better move," the ponytailed soldier urged his group. "We don't know how long Bowan has on the clock." It would only take them two minutes to arrive at military headquarters where Reynolds, the short, bearded coordinator was chatting with a strategist.

"Hmm?" Reynolds faced the doorway after hearing a bunch of footsteps. "Ah, Noah and Mio again. Got another request?"

"Yes," the cat-eared Agnian entered first. "I received a distress call from Colony Rho."

"Did you, now?" he slowly rose from his chair. "Is it about Moebius?"

"Actually, it's a survivor from war," she corrected him upon reaching the strategy table. "We need to rescue him before it's too late."

"I see," the coordinator clicked his terminal to display a map on the screen. "Colony Rho, you said?"

"Yes, along the Urayan Trail," the moonblades-wielder helped him pinpoint its location, patience waning.

"Fortunately, we have Levnises to spare tonight," Reynolds seemed unharried by contrast, despite his cooperation. "Shall I put out an alert?"

"No, thanks," she turned towards the Agnian couple standing in the doorway. "I have my friends for support."

With the military's approval, the four liberated soldiers headed down the outdoor corridor to the Levnis pad. This time, and perhaps due to the smaller nature of this mission, their ride was a small surveillance ship with no extra features. Once boarded, the pilot lifted them out of the City and proceeded to fly southward to their destination while the sun began to dip into the western horizon.

It wasn't long before the familiar sights of the Urayan Trail came into view, the unique mesh of concrete relics and nature as mystifying as ever. Wheel tracks and footprints all along the beaten path indicated that Colony 5 had indeed mobilized. The destruction left in their wake would soon be realized as the little Levnis landed at Mio's previous home.

"Oh my flames…" her mouth went dry at the grim scene within Colony Rho. Fresh husks littered the hilly grounds, expelling enough red motes to nauseate the four liberated soldiers who began stepping around the debris in search of Bowan. Every building had been destroyed, thus he was easily spotted by the likewise ruined Ferronis, accompanied by two familiar Nopon. "Bowan! Docca! Feriferi!"

"It Mio and friends!" Feriferi, the green, female Nopon answered first, flapping her wings emphatically.

"Back from City!" Docca, the slightly larger, brown, male one responded next. Beside him was a portable, ether-powered cookpot which appeared to be brewing something. "Just in time for humblest dinner!"

"We already…" Noah started to say before he shook his head to refocus on the situation, gripping the hilt of his now active Blade for Moebius detection. "Are you three alright?"

"What do you think?" the sole surviving soldier of the defeated colony grumbled from his spot in the dirt.

"I mean, is anyone hurt?" the former pacifist clarified his question.

"Bruised, battered…" the defender tentatively palmed his dirty knees, "broken…"

"Only first two things correct!" the fluffy caregiver determined duly, "but Feriferi patch up friend Bowan to best of ability!"

"Please don't shout," he covered his ears, shutting his eyes. "My head's still ringing."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Mio knelt in front of him with the portable cookpot between them.

"Isn't it obvious?" Bowan glared at her, a face she was used to seeing from him. "I told you Colony 5 came from the mountain and obliterated us. And then they marched up the trail, probably looking for more…"

"Moraine and the others?" his former teammate bore her teeth apprehensively.

"Like I said, they're all dead," he began to tear up, overwhelmed with grief. "I couldn't protect her… spark it all!"

"Oh… Bowan…" she clasped her hands together over her gem, feeling his anguish.

"Some lieutenant I turned out to be," the blue-finned Agnian spiraled into the depths of despair. "I failed my commander… my friend… and everyone else in the colony."

"Mood lower than other half of Maktha," the brown-furred chef switched off the portable cookpot. "Perhaps veggie soup will remedy."

"Naturally!" Feriferi concurred as she scooped up a portion with a spoon and aimed it at the lieutenant's mouth. "Friend say ah!"

"Are you for real?" Bowan thrice blinked at her.

"Of coursey!" her smile countered his frown. "Feriferi is authentic Nopon!"

"Oh, this is hopeless!" he tossed his hands in the air before she shoved the spoon in his gob.

"It's bad, I won't argue that," the zephyr reclaimed control of the conversation, "but remember we're here to save you."

"Right, your Flame Clock isn't depleted yet," Noah pointed to the one piece of good news. Seconds later, however, vibrations in his Blade indicated that something sinister was coming. "Huh?"

"Hmm?" she noticed its reaction, too. "Is there…?"

"Visitors, now of all times?" Suspicions confirmed, a consul soon entered the grounds out of thin air and penumbral particles. "Woe betide thyself in this dark hour."

"Lord Consul," the defender saluted his ultimate superior from where he sat.

"Moebius," the swordfighter referred to the enemy by a more accurate title.

"So, he's the… new…" Mio's voice trailed off at the realization of who exactly this consul was, wary despite his lack of power over her.

"Rebels yet," the caped boss scanned Noah's group, their attire in particular, "the last thing I need after a crippling loss."

"Sir," Bowan addressed him again, "I'm sorry for what's happened."

"Oh dear, who are you, again?" the consul looked down the nose of his mask to him before accessing personnel data via his Iris. "Ah, Bowan, lieutenant…"

"What're you guys waiting for?!" Chickadee questioned her friends' inaction and charged the enemy with her lance.

"I say, such discourtesy!" the red-armored man swatted her pointed Blade downward and shoved her back to where she'd started.

"I've got you," Alexandria caught her partner in her arms, appearing reluctant to let go afterwards.

"Do you have any idea who we are?" Noah interrogated the enemy, his unique sword plainly visible.

"Nay, and frankly, I couldn't care less," the consul crossed his arms before walking away. "Presently, I must assess the damage done to Colony Rho."

"And then what?" the ponytailed soldier stayed nearly in step with him, ready to strike.

"Tsk, tsk… this won't do at all," the caped hierarch paid Noah no mind, instead fussing over the condition of the colony whose responsibility he'd apparently overtaken. "The horrors that be. There's nothing worth saving here."

"Huh?" the blue-finned Agnian recoiled at what'd been insinuated of him.

"If you want this… this deadweight, be my guest," the consul spoke to Noah whilst pointing at Bowan. "My efforts are better realized elsewhere." Before anyone could utter another word, the enemy dematerialized off the plane just as briskly as he'd entered it mere moments prior.

"He just… left?" the lone Kevesi maintained his guard, though the vibrations in his Blade had ceased.

"Not our priority right now," his Agnian counterpart refocused on Bowan, Docca, and Feriferi. "Come on. We're going to the City while we still can."

With no objections from anybody, not even from the lamenting lieutenant, the now slightly larger group boarded the small ship and departed from Colony Rho. Though her experiences there had often been dreadful, Mio still felt melancholic over its destruction on top of the pain in her heart over the loss of former teammates, notably Moraine. Several thoughts swam through her mind, perhaps not too dissimilar to Bowan's, but the flight's relatively quick duration forced her to set them aside as they drew closer to the City. Once landed, everybody prepared to disembark at the Levnis pad.

"Meh-meh," Docca hopped out first, still wearing his cooking apron. "Home again, after many, many, many years."

"It only four months," the green furball amended his estimation after exiting next, soon followed by the others.

"You two are from the City?" the stylish soldier presumed of the Nopon duo.

"That right," Feriferi placed her wings on her nonexistent hips. "We laborpon before set out on foolhardy adventure."

"Not to be rude, but we still have to get Bowan medical attention and bring him to the Ouroboros Stone," Mio reminded them as she slung his arm over her shoulder to help him walk.

"Ouro… what now?" the injured party contorted his smudged face.

"It's what the City uses to overwrite the indentures of the Flame Clocks," Noah informed him before walking ahead to search for someone of authority within military headquarters. Upon reaching the strategy room where they'd convened earlier, he discovered Reynolds and several associates, including Professor Jinsolm, studying a map of the Cent-Omnia region. "Um, excuse me…"

"Hmm?" the bearded man pried himself away from the analyzing. "Noah, you've returned."

"We rescued someone from Colony Rho," the former pacifist reported on Mio's personal mission. "He's in rough shape."

"So I see," Reynolds determined after she brought the unliberated soldier near the doorway.

"Wha…?" Bowan laid his eyes upon citizens for the first time. "Who are all these… people?"

"Our allies," the cat-eared Agnian assured him, hoping to quell his latest panic.

"Is he still chained?" Professor Jinsolm, a thin, stubbled man in a white coat approached him after leaving the meeting in the back of the room.

"Yes sir," Mio confirmed, eyeing the rips in Bowan's military uniform, "and hurt, too."

"In that case…" the professor activated his Iris to page a colleague. "Dr. Partha, your medical assistance is requested."

"What's going to happen to me?" the defender whimpered, still clinging to Mio.

"They're going to save your life," she repeated her claim from earlier. "Please cooperate with them."

"Ugh…" his body fell limp from exhaustion. In timely fashion, the woman known as Dr. Partha arrived with a wheelchair for him.

"Noah, Mio," the doctor acknowledged the unliberated soldier's rescuers. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of your friend."

"Thank you," the moonblades-wielder clasped her hands under her chin again while the two professionals wheeled Bowan away.

"He's had better days, huh?" Alexandria's tone was quipping yet sympathetic.

"That's putting it mildly," her partner grappled with the understatement. "His whole world's been turned upside down."

"I suppose we had it easy," the accessorized Agnian conceded, soon gazing upon Noah and Mio appreciatively. "All our colony needed was a visit from these guys, eh?"

"That map," the ponytailed soldier still had his attention on the screen inside, captivated particularly by some highlighted text. "I think they're tracking… Colony 5."

"What?" the older deserter started paying attention to it, too. "But that's…"

"Reynolds, pardon me, again," Noah approached him and the militants who were deep into their discussion.

"Oh? Can you make this quick?" The coordinator appeared undesirous of another interruption. "We're busy monitoring a colony that's gone rogue."

"Colony 5, yes?" the swordfighter revealed how up to speed he was on the subject. "They're the ones who recently laid waste to Colony Rho."

"What's this now?" Suddenly, Reynolds wasn't quite so dismissive. "Might you have information pertinent to this developing situation?"

"I do, indeed," the collaborative Kevesi nodded, now with the spotlight on himself.

"Then you may speak," the bearded man granted him permission, albeit stiffly.

"Mio and I have dealt with them before," the former pacifist enlightened them about their experience. "Not to mention one of them is… a friend."

"Is that so?" Reynolds digested the details of Noah's declarations. "Then perhaps you can contact this individual, yes? We know their general location thanks to reports from Nopon informants, but any additional insight would be most appreciated."

"You view this as a chance to intercept Colony 5 and take down its Moebius?" Mio entered her voice into the matter.

"Affirmative," his tone was borderline monotone, "but also in such a case, a roving colony could spell danger for our regional teams."

"And if Colony 5's on the warpath, they might run right over your people," the zephyr connected the dots which Reynolds had drawn for them, "perhaps even on accident."

"Hence our concern," the coordinator eyed Noah expectantly.

"Very well," the ponytailed soldier proceeded to initiate a call via his Iris. "Lanz…"

"Noah?" Answering indeed was the two-toned defender and former temporary team leader of Colony 5. "Can it wait? I'm busy here."

"Where are you?" the liberated Kevesi ventured an inquiry anyway.

"Don't you listen, man?" Lanz snapped at him, sounding as if he were trying not to yell. "Look, once the consul says we've killed enough, then we can chat. Got it?"

"Alright," Noah left it at that, wary of getting him in trouble. "I'm sorry for my intrusion." Seconds later, he tapped his temple again to end communications.

"That was brief," the cat-eared Agnian aptly remarked.

"But perhaps not completely fruitless," he gave her a look which teetered between hope and resignation before returning to the militants. "It would appear that Moebius is in their presence, overseeing their movements."

"Good to know," Reynolds grabbed his terminal for a few clicks. Soon, the Cent-Omnia map displayed markers of their regional teams' locations, as well as those of the nearby colonies.

"Since they're Kevesi, they'll likely invade Agnian territory," one strategizing militant theorized. "We just don't know which one yet."

"We can also assume they'll target an opponent that's currently unengaged in combat," another one followed up with their own thoughts. "Moebius wants to keep the war balanced, after all."

"What if… they do crash a battle already in progress?" the former pacifist suggested as a possibility.

"Huh?" Mio whipped her head in his direction. "You mean…?"

"Two Kevesi colonies versus a single Agnian one?" a third strategist rephrased Noah's supposition. "Rather unprecedented, it would be."

"For Colony 5, though, it could be the norm," Noah politely argued, brows low on his face in recollection. "When I met Lanz' team at their base, he told me that the rest of them had left in search of more Agnians, more lives to take."

"The first time Colony Rho was defeated," the moonblades-wielder likewise stepped back into the recent past, "by your colony."

"Now Colony 5 is the one responsible," he returned himself and Mio to the present. "Yet, instead of heading back to base, they kept marching for more."

"Thus we will continue to monitor the situation," the bearded man broke up their private conference. "The military thanks you for your input."

"Oh, uh, you want us to leave?" the ponytailed soldier interpreted from his words.

"For your convenience, yes, as we don't know how long our investigations will take," Reynolds insisted while the other militants behind him resumed their strategizing around the map. "Please come back tomorrow morning for additional updates, should there be any."

"Will you send a team of reinforcements?" Mio squeezed in another question while she and Noah were led towards the door.

"If it is deemed necessary," the coordinator afforded them a noncommittal answer. "We need to verify that Colony 5 is, in fact, projected to come into contact with one of our regional teams. Until then, proper rest is recommended." Whether or not they had more to say, Noah and Mio soon found themselves back outside with the rest of their group who'd been patiently waiting for them.

"So…?" the furry-eared Agnian was eager to hear what'd gone down in the strategy room.

"They're tracking Colony 5, as I thought," Noah proceeded to share with the two seventh-termers. "It's likely to instigate a new confrontation or maybe even join an existing one."

"Really?" Chickadee reacted to the second possibility. "You think it can happen?"

"That sounds… doubly, no, triply perilous," Alexandria put her own eloquent spin on it.

"Especially since there are multiple teams deployed in the area," the zephyr apprised them of the current stakes. "If any come under fire, the City may send backup."

"Which can be us," the younger deserter turned to the older one. "Mio, how do you feel about volunteering?"

"Strongly, honestly," her tone turned serious, perhaps more than Noah had expected to hear, "after what became of Colony Rho, seeing how disconsolate Bowan was."

"The Moebius in charge of Colony 5 must be stopped," the former pacifist clenched his fists in solidarity.

"Agreed," Mio's eyes met Noah's before they turned to the Agnian couple.

"Sounds like you two are in for the fun," the stylish soldier leaned to one side, hand on hip. "Chicky and I ought to partake as well. Wouldn't feel right for us to duck out of it now."

"Guess we'll reconvene here in the morning," his expression lightened at their show of support.

"Wonder if Café Crumbley will take Docca back," the male Nopon began pondering his own next move.

"Hospital sure to accept services of Feriferi like before," the female one faced the City's front plaza with much more confidence.

"Perhaps can cook for patients?" he considered an alternative option.

"That very bad idea!" Feriferi spun around quickly, nearly sounding offended. "Would only make them sicker!"

"Empty, baseless libel!" Docca objected to her critical conjecture before bidding the liberated soldiers farewell. "Ahem… best of luck to brave friends."

"If hurt, then Feriferi nurse all back to health," the smaller Nopon pledged to them merrily. "But must come back living! Cannot revive otherwise!"

"Er, we'll be sure to keep it in mind," Noah rubbed the back of his neck, hoping that nobody would need that degree of care.

"Thanks, everyone," the cat-eared Agnian bowed her head in gratitude.

With the plan in place, the group disbanded for the night. Before going home, however, Noah and Mio detoured to the barracks where Bowan had been discharged. Seated in a lower bunk, the newly liberated soldier continued to display a somber countenance.

"You found me," Bowan lifted his head after two pairs of boots stepped into his downcast view. "How'd you know I'd be here?"

"This is where those without an apartment stay," the moonblades-wielder acquainted him with his temporary housing. "Did they tend to you?"

"More or less," the blue-finned Agnian gauged with indifference. "They took me to that… shiny stone. Thought I was seeing my life flashing before my eyes."

"Which means your Flame Clock's gone," she tried to keep him on the positive.

"Didn't reverse my failures though," his self-pity persisted anyway, "and tomorrow they want me to attend some class."

"Orientation… in which you'll learn the truths of the world," the ponytailed soldier offered him a conspectus of the lesson plan.

"How can I possibly care?" Bowan's complaining was far from finished. "I just lost… everything."

"I know, but… try, at least," Mio pleaded as she sat beside him, rubbing his shoulder, "okay?"

"You expect too much of me," the defender faced her, grateful for some warmth. "Anyway, what's next for you?"

"We… hope to deploy soon," she informed him after glancing up to Noah, "to prevent Colony 5 from taking more lives."

"Oh yeah?" Bowan finally perked up, even if minimally. "You'll get revenge on them for us?"

"Just on Moebius," Noah quickly clarified with both hands out, "the real enemy."

"You'd better come back alive, Mio," the blue-finned Agnian warned her, "or else I'll…"

"We're not dying tomorrow," the zephyr cut him off before a regrettable threat could leave his mouth.

"I'll keep her safe," her trusted partner promised to both of them. "You can count on it."

"Yeah, we'll protect each other," she took Noah's hand in hers, "just like we've always done."