An awkward amount of pressure was used to fly off. A little too much, as the winds billowed behind him loudly with every flap of his wings.
The air itself parted smoothly with a swift whistle.
[70% Operational Prowess]
[Enclavian Rhythm]
His body was honed, more provable. Evident by how the aerodynamics carved a coating of his exo. He felt invisible. Impenetrable even.
I was out only for hours.
A deep ache sank in his chest. The rhythms below used to be a familiar knowing rhythm. Now, all he could sense was a strange, persistent sting that buzzed in his system.
His hyper-acuity vision recognized the three cumulative rhythms that were fighting off the wave of asynchrony across the border of Enarc.
It was clear that they were the Enarchies corps. Yet, he can't identify whose which.
[COM: CPOE>CCM]
[Regroup.]
[Inverted Wedge Formation. Halt them.]
He was flying across the skies. With each wind he cut through, his body felt heavier. A part of him that dreaded his role was weighing him down. His form was different, his wings were louder. Resentfully mirroring a certain civilization's technology.
If I were more powerful.
[COM: Seyvron>CPOE]
[We are transitioning from offense to defense.]
If it weren't for my past.
[COM: CPOE>CCM]
[Updates, all of you]
Would this even be an option?
The sun was highlighting him from above. A blatant show of his treachery to the exos below.
[COM: Solivane>CCM]
[All corps of Corvus deployed. Efficiency rate 80%]
[Minor casualties division CC2. Major General infected.]
[Attended.]
Aurelius huffed slightly as he pushed himself. His fusion was in a constant strain from the excess force, fiercly propelling himself more and more. He leaned forward, letting Enarc's cold sting his now-upgraded exo. The pain was a welcome one.
Is that it?
[COM: Valtron>CCM]
[Corps status, ready for deployment.]
[COM: Seyvron>CCM]
[Insufficient division of mana HC1, HC2, HC3. HC4 Idle.]
[We are retreating.]
[Cover the flanks with CC2.]
With every casualty mentioned, the more he felt he had failed as a governor. In no ever circumstances, had they suffered this much. At least, not because of his negligence.
The tightness in his talons was a good distraction. Wings fluttering mid-air. One might say he was stressed for the survival of his Enarchies. Yet, from the cracks of his own mandible. It spoke of something else.
What did I do to deserve this?
His flight slowed, gliding with the wind for a brief moment. Below him were, the ordinary exos that were ignorant of the war threatening all of them.
Why?
Because the Enarchies always take the blow.
But can he be considered as an Enarchy when his rhythm is no longer the same?
Look at them.
His chest hurts. He wasn't supposed to feel this way. He was supposed to act as if nothing happened, like always. Grin, flaunt, never make them uncomfortable. Prove your worth, your utility.
If you contribute nothing, would they grant you mercy?
Was he allowed to be selfish for once?
To return to the past where his existence, perhaps, didn't matter.
At last, the hesitant kid who had sought warmth in his own wings, mourned for what he was. For the exo that had made a name for himself.
So the falcon wept.
Silently.
Like what he had done 15 years ago in the dark alley alone.
Yet, the tears vaporized before they could touch the very soil of this planet, as if what he is, truly does not belong here. Anymore.
[COM: Solivane>CCM]
[No.]
[CC2 is engaged in 11 by north. Your retreat path is clear.]
[Manage your resources better.]
[COM: Seyvron>CCM]
[My resources are bleeding on the line, Szar.]
[Cover. The. Flank.]
Enarc's border came into sight. A high stone wall protected the region. His wings pushed him towards it. Towards his duty. For a split second, he wanted to pivot away.
[COM: Solivane>CCM]
[Negative.]
[CC2 cannot disengage.]
[Looks like Harpyja Corps will have the most casualties.]
Aurelius' eyes scanned the battlefield. His silhouette shaded the land beneath with a graceful animation. The helminths were relentless, mirroring the combat styles of the corps. HC was struggling to maintain formation with the disrupted rhythm field in Echolon.
Seyvron's navy broad exo was seen on the frontlines, rippling the hoarded helminths with a wave of metal spikes. Stealing time for the HC to get a grip by forming thin walls. They flew not far from their positions, afraid of risking the instability of the battlefield that may cause their fall.
A soldier was killed as easily as walking. Their screams of pain mingled with the shrieks of the creature. It was a spitting image of what the Enarchies do. They tore them apart, and they too were torn as well.
Everything should end here.
[COM: CPOE>ALL]
[CC1 west spread, covering CC2, offensive retreat by west, move into northwest.]
[CC2 halted by northwest regrouping with CC1.]
[CC3 retreating from east, nearing the wall. Merging with HC1.]
[HC4 pushed to the front covering north, final rotation.]
[CC4 northeast flank retreated nicely, merging with CC3 and HC1.]
With those commands, Aurelius landed on the graphite path within the border. His wings were folded neatly with a subtle graze between the feathers. His eyes followed the non-combatants who were busy attending to the injured. One sought the warmth within the war, while the other pleaded for assistance in haste.
Many maintenance supplies were prepared by the medics, as seen with the cleco fasteners laid everywhere. Used as a substitute to hold a part of the exo from falling off. A temporary fix before they were sent out again. That was the enduring Enarc.
The injured were cared for, that was all what had mattered in the eyes of Aurelius.
[COM: Valtron>ALL]
[Main priority is to retreat and defend.]
[All regions are to themselves. Our lord's orders are non-negotiable.]
A major general of CC2 caught Aurelius' attention, who was quarantined by the corner of the plaza. He had his hand clasped to his chest as he acknowledged his governor, who had just arrived. It was a painful salute, the tremors that didn't go unnoticed. His own exo was flickering, stabilizing for the meaningless act.
He won't have much time left.
A shame.
His face melted to his chest plate with no signs of mercy. He was a great major, yet he served his life to an incompetent governor. How he wished that he would serve a better lord if he, ever have a next life.
Aurelius strode, shadowing him with his wings that drooped low, ruffling the brittle graphite in solace. "I am forever honored, Zeyan, Major General of CC2."
[COM: Sevyron>ALL]
[Copied.]
[COM: Solivane>ALL]
[On the move.]
Valtron materialized. His dust cloud colored exo walked a step behind, followed by the thump of his weighted steps. "Everyone has retreated, sir."
Aurelius went for the front of the border where the gates had caged the helminths out. "All lieutenants in front of me."
The order was clear, as Solivane flew amidst his soldiers. Weaved through the sea of people from the frontlines. While the HC parted amongst themselves for Seyvron to go through.
Aurelius tapped his talons to his brachii, "Major General HC3, Naz."
"Yes, sir!"
"Let no helminths in, your division is to guard the gate. Split into four troops."
"Informed!" He turned instantly, rallying his units to their assigned place across all border gates with a clear show of discipline.
Once the lieutenants were in front of Aurelius. Seyvron let out a huff as his eyes met Solivane's
"Because of you-"
Aurelius cocked his head at all of them, uncrossing his arms with an amused snicker. "Should I kill all of you?"
Solivane tensed, followed by Valtron taking a step back. Their body stood rigid.
The threat mirrored the signature of Aurelius kill pattern. One where he finds amusement before killing his targets.
"Sir, I understand your fury." Sevyron panted, still out of breath from his way out of the front of the helminths. His exo was marred, layers of thick yellow liquid blended poorly with his plates.
Maybe Luc was right.
"Why then?"
Aurelius' wings flared behind him with a sharp thrust, forcing space behind him. What symbolized as dependability, now became a symbol of threat.
"Am I failing as your lord?"
"Am I inadequate to rule all of you?" The tight talons loosened slightly. It drooped low, but his shoulders were brought back. As if that pride never left.
"No." Valtron dismissed.
"Why do you choose the Enclavians?"
"Do you know how much I had worked, no,"
"Who taught you that I belonged somewhere else?"
"Sir, please, calm down." Valtron pleaded as Seyvron blocked Solivane's body with his. Knowing full well Solivane would only fuel Aurelius' anger.
"You killed me, and you expect me to calm down?"
"Please, indeed." His voice snapped. An echo of the kid who had curled himself broke through. "Please teach me as to why all of this happened?"
Seyvron intervened with a stiff sway of his hand. "Sir, we need you."
"You deserve-"
"Who are you, again?" He disregarded Seyvron, shoving him aside. "Perhaps was this land ever mine to rule?"
Maybe I was never a person to begin with.
I performed and performed.
The performance's coming to an end, and now I realize that I was performing?
Solivane's wings intercepted Aurelius' vision. "Lord."
It was a cute attempt. Aurelius' wings were twice as large as the crow's. It was as if a chick was beaking the statue of defiance made of metal.
"We had to use the Enclavians. Your exo were not suited of this rhythm."
"Had we known this would occur, we would still agree on the usage of that crystal."
Hah..
"Do understand, my lord. We meant no harm." Solivane sought Aurelius' understanding.
"Solivane." Aurelius let out a soft breath.
His arm shot out for a swift chokehold on Solivane's intricate neck cartilage. A bold display of sovereignty for all to see.
The thought of crushing the neck his talon had gripped was very tempting. As the little bird stood obediently in his grasp, with not a single sign of resistance seen in him.
Sevyron withdrew, arms behind him, and so did Valtron. They could only bow their heads.
"All troops retreat. That is final." Aurelius declared with a shove of the senior lieutenant to the nearest corps, causing him to stumble onto them.
The wall stood looming over all of them. The scrapes of helminths filled the outer walls with their constant graze on corten.
[Helminths Detected]
[Enemy Profile: Descendants of Helminth, the 4th descendant]
[Approximate: 30,000]
[Category: Mutating Helminths]
[Difficulty: Easy]
Valtron's SSC, which consisted of 7 divisions, took the rear, replacing the Harpyja. Seyvron had ordered the corps to recharge and declared HC4 to be under the supervision of the medics as he sent off HC4 to the western border to be treated alongside CC2.
The injured refused the assistance of their fellow comrade out of stubborn pride. The refusal of the injured who insisted on fighting.
Aurelius could only let out a scoff at the play pretend.
Who are you trying to impress?
Aurelius glanced back at the whole of Enarc. The system he had built.
The civilians couldn't help but peek out of their homes; some offered to contribute. But the rule was made clear. No, noncombatant exos will be dragged into war. The only contribution they could make was to collaborate with the HC1-HC3, who are now taking the position of defending the last line of defense.
With a final stand, Aurelius brought his talons to address his people. His exo that now more sleek than his Elysian-built, felt like a foreigner unworthy of a speech.
"At ease."
"My skills are not fond of any of you." He mused.
"The plan is clear."
"You lots have done your duty."
After so long,
"Engrave the screech of the helminths into your mind."
"Before they're gone, the moment I melt them to their death."
I yearned to belong.
"Not one, is assigned to the battlefield."
"I am alone, amount to the whole of you."
The performance is coming to an end.