AIM: Chapter 23
Epilogue:
"...We're going to hell..." (He said below a whisper's tone, forcing himself to get up despite feeling completely weak in the knees.)
".....and based off the current conditions of our situation.....I see that happening beyond our control." (He slowly stood up, his eyes lingering upon the chaos before him...)
"....Hence, to retaliate....I'll forcefully....put things under....my own control."
"I'm not done yet."
Chapter 23: He Bore the Bravery of His Strength Till His Last Breath... Part 2
(Flashback: An abandoned cottage in the woods, the insides looming with shadows, roots, and tree branches that grew inside.)
(Standing at the entrance of the cottage is young Makhaza, his eyes wide, curious, and red. His posture is hesitant...as he slightly trembles upon laying eyes inside the cottage.)
"Where is everyone....???" (He asks.)
"Big brother, mom..." (Trembling, he decides to take a few steps inside.)
"Mom...brother....I'm sorry I ran away from home.
I'm back now." (He steps foot inside the cottage. The shadows slowly creep in.)
"Mom, big brother..." (A sudden sound of footsteps is heard in the background. He flinches, hesitates, turns around.)
"Mom?" (Silence.)
Back to the current scene:
Makhaza raised a parade of portals looming in the sky, firing back the previous attacks shot at them by their opponents.
(BOOM!!!! BOOM!!!! BOOM!!!)
"Ugh..." was the sound he made when he suddenly began to cough out blood, feeling a sudden dizziness and ache throughout his body. He began to stumble backwards, but kept himself up, choosing to ignore the pain.
"MAKHAZA!!!" Mutale yelled.
"Take it easy, I can handle most of this."
Mutale ran towards him, holding Makhaza's shoulder to support him as he stood. But Makhaza pushed Mutale away.
"You can't handle this alone.....even if you are the best student produced out of the academy," Makhaza said with an aggressive tone.
"Makhaza..." Mutale said below a whisper, his eyes fixed on Makhaza's current state.
(Inner monologue: "He can't even breathe right anymore...and yet he's forcing himself to keep going...FOR WHAT....ALL FOR WHAT, MAKHAZA!!")
"Mutale....brace yourself." Makhaza said, as a yellow beam was launched at them.
(BOOM!!!!!!!)
Sending a large mass of smoke and dust into the surrounding areas of the battlefield.
"God damn itttt," Mutale said.
"Our bionic shields...don't have enough power for this."
Mutale said as the smoke from the attack covered his hand.
"You should've recharged that bionic tattoo before jumping into battle," Makhaza said.
"YOU'RE ONE TO TALK, WHY AREN'T YOU USING YOURS?!" Mutale yelled.
"I'm clearly sick and about to die right now," Makhaza said casually.
"DON'T JOKE LIKE THAT!!!!" Mutale yelled.
(BOOMMM!!!!! BOOM!!!! BOOM!!!)
Three yellow beams were shot at them. But this time, they were blocked by Makhaza's bionic shield combined with Mutale's.
"Now you wanna activate your shield???" Mutale yelled.
"Focus...or else we die," Makhaza said in an aggressive tone.
(Clap: A member from the opposing crew clapped their hands, sending a buzzing shockwave around the area, causing Makhaza and Mutale to stand still, barely able to move.)
(BYOOOOOOMMMM: BOOM)
Another yellow beam was shot at them, this time sending both of them flying a few meters away.
"That one definitely got them," said the soldier with the yellow-beamed staff.
"Indeed it did," said the man with the braids.
"How exactly are we going to confirm if they're dead or not? The smoke and dust are completely covering the view," said one of the members with a blue suit and large glasses.
"That attack was a direct hit....not even a human could truly survive that, unless they were superhuman," said the soldier with the yellow-beamed staff in a confident tone.
"I see."
"If you want, I can go check for you. Maybe a little clarity will help you feel better," teased the tall man with the braids.
(BYOOOOOOMMMM!!!!!)
A sudden blue beam of light hit the soldier with the yellow-beamed staff in the gut....causing her to bleed terribly because of the hole pierced through her stomach.
"What the???" said the tall man with the braids in a confused tone.
"I TOLD YOU...." said the man with the blue suit.
"AAHHHHH!!!!! THAT WAS SO CLOSE!!!!" yelled Mutale, as he held a copper blaster in his hand, while the other end of the blaster came from the portal being held by Makhaza.
(BYOOOOOOMMMM, BYOOOOOOMMMM, BYOOOM)
Mutale launched three blasts.
(BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!!)
"Thank goodness for the shield," said the man with the blue suit.
Meanwhile, the man with braided hair and a large frame had his eyes fixated on his fallen comrade. The world around him fell silent as his heart began to burst.
"AAHHHHH!"
In absolute rage, he clapped his fists.....creating a massive shockwave that completely broke the shield, sending a massive wave around the entire battlefield.....completely freezing Mutale and Makhaza.
"I can't move...." said the Commander General as he was completely caught in the wave.
"Looks like your portals ain't gonna work now," Mutale said.
"Shut upp, you brat," Makhaza said.
"I just let a comrade easily die....hahahaha, this feels like a pure joke," said the man with braided hair and a huge frame.
"Tell me it's a joke???" he asked once more, aggressively, at the man with the blue suit, who hesitated.
"We knew full well the consequences of what would happen if we fumbled and lost our guard....." said the man in the blue suit.
"Are you the littlest bit remorseful about your fallen comrade??" he asked.
"I am, but back home we knew full well that we had to put our emotions aside during military training," he responded with a hush, serious tone.
Silence stretched throughout the air as the tall man with braids and a huge frame stood still.
"Destroy!!!!"
He clapped his hands harder....causing the shockwave to become so intense that it increased the gravity around them.
"I'm gonna smash every one of you to the ground," he said.
"Hold on.....your teammates are here too, don't forget," said the man in the blue suit.
But he paid no attention.
"Crapppp....I feel like I'm getting heavier by the minute," said Mutale.
"I can clearly see that," said Makhaza as he fell to the ground, unable to get up.
"Hold on....you're gonna kill all of us," said the man in the blue suit.
"This attack will only kill those who are weak," he said in response as he clapped his hands even harder.
"God damn itt," Mutale said, struggling while still standing on his feet.
(Inner monologue: "I won't fall down.")
Makhaza on the ground:
(Inner monologue: "I won't fall down....that's what I said to myself....that I wouldn't fall.")
He said as his eyes lingered on Mutale, who was struggling yet still forcing himself to stand up.
Makhaza:
(Inner monologue: "But here I am on the ground....while the person I didn't want to lose to has seen me fall.")
"Why am I useless???" Makhaza said to himself.
(Flashback:
SLAP.
A little Makhaza placed both of his hands on his cheek.
"You're useless....why can't you do anything right?" says a woman with an aggressive tone while holding a belt in her hands.
Young Makhaza covers his swollen face.
"I'm sorry..."
"What was that???" the woman asks aggressively.
"I'm...I'm sorry," Makhaza says.
"You have no right to tell me that....you have no right!" the woman yells.)
Back to the scene:
(Clap.)
The man clapped even harder, increasing the gravity around them by a mile.
"Ahhh..." Mutale muttered, as he began to slouch and slowly bend toward the ground, but regardless still trying to keep himself on his feet.
"You're still standing...impressive..." said the man with the braided hair and large frame.
(Clap.)
He increased his attack once more.
"Ahhh..."
As Mutale bent even more, but still kept himself on his two feet, though struggling.
Makhaza still on the ground:
("If I don't do anything....he'll die....we all will.")
His eyes glared at Mutale, who despite struggling did not want to fall.
He glared silently....
"Even when faced with extreme adversity, you choose not to run away...." Makhaza said to himself.
"However, I've always chosen to run away....pathetic, yeah....I know."
(Flashback:
"The last moment shouldn't be about you regretting what you didn't do then. It's about choosing the way you're gonna act now,"
says a woman with a bright voice and wide smile.)
"I see," Makhaza said to himself....as he gently smiled.
Silence kissed the atmosphere....
(VYOOOOOOOOOOO DOOOOOMMMM)
An asteroid fell from the sky, coming out of a giant portal.
An asteroid so massive that it stole the attention of everyone on the battlefield and people miles and miles away.
"What is that?" asked the grey-haired man.
Mr. Zimba simply looked at the screen and kept silent.
"Ahhhhh, Makhaza..." Mutale said below a whisper.
The man with the braided hair and large frame clapped his hands, trying to counter the attack, but to his surprise a portal opened under his feet, sending him to an unknown location with red sand.
Above him, the asteroid.....
(BOOM!!!!!!!!)
Mutale fell to the ground, standing up as quickly as he could.
"Ahhhh yeahhh, I can finally move! MAKHAZA!!!!" he yelled.
But Makhaza gave no response, as he lay there lifeless on the ground, with a gentle smile and a white flower sitting next to him.
"Makhaza??" Mutale said in a hush tone as he stood still.
Gently, he began to walk towards him.
He stood in front of him.
His body was lifeless and on the ground...
Mutale knelt.
"No pulse..."
He said in a hush tone.
"MAKHAZA YOU IDIOT!!!!" Mutale said in an aggressive tone, as a single tear began to fall from his eye.
"WAKE UPPPPPPPP!!!!"
To be continued.....