Seraph Admiral Iru burst through the doors, his chest heaving. He pressed his forehead to his collar as a voice echoed in his mind:
"You know what to do. Backup is arriving. Failure is not an option."
Alone, abandoned, Iru's heart tore between duty and friendship. Tears streamed down his face as he slammed his fist against the wall.
"Damn it!" he shouted, collapsing to his knees. He struck the wall again. "Why did you do that, you damn king…"
Wiping the tears from his eyes, Iru stood. He strode back to the room and flung open the gates with a thunderous thud. He raised his gun, aiming squarely at the King.
The King, calm yet resolute, smiled. In an instant, everyone else had vanished from the room.
"You want my life? Kill me… but spare theirs. I'm right here, Iru."
Iru hesitated, the weight of the choice crushing him. Fire raged across the island as soldiers cut mercilessly through the crowds. Through the crackling of his walkie-talkie, he commanded with icy precision:
"Leave the civilians alone. Don't harm the island."
The King's voice cracked, pleading. "Please… I beg you… let them go… they have nothing to do with this. I beg you… Iru…"
The tension hung thick in the smoke-filled air, the clash between duty and conscience tearing at Iru's heart.