"Commander." Lina interrupted his thoughts. "Time to go, we're hiking the rest of the way."
"Okay, let's get this over with." Yuren sighed.
As he walked out of the Eisendrache's hold, he looked out at the black storm clouds of the blackout zone. It was an intimidating sight, but the androids showed no fear. They were built to handle things like this, and Yuren envied their bravery.
"Wait, what about the rest? Why only a squadron size?" Yuren questioned.
"The rest of the battalion stays on the ship. We'll change teams every twelve hours until the mission is complete." Jia explained.
"That seems... very dangerous. Wouldn't we do better with larger numbers?"
"This is the safest method that prioritizes your safety. A smaller team can move and adapt more quickly, and has a better chance of survival. With more units, we'd have less chances of survival." Bei answered.
"What about a support team to cover us if something happens? Wouldn't that help us?" Yuren asked.
"Not possible, they wouldn't be able to keep track of us or communicate effectively." Jia denied his suggestion.
"It's not ideal, but this is how it has to be for these operations." Kuno added.
"Let's hurry up and get moving." Garra grunted.
"Let's go then." Jia led the way.
As the 701st descended the plateau, the dark clouds loomed closer and closer. It was an ominous sight, and the atmosphere was unnerving.
Yuren felt uneasy, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. The energy of the area was strange, a prickly sensation all over his skin. The closer they got, the worse the feeling became. He felt nauseous, and his head throbbed.
Once inside the blackout zone, the visibility was reduced drastically. It was almost as if they were inside a thick fog, and it was hard to see more than a few meters in front of them.
The nauseous feeling immediately went away, and Yuren sighed with relief. He felt better than ever. The air felt crisp and fresh, and the environment seemed peaceful. Despite the fog, he could sense everything several meters around them.
It was strange, but he didn't feel threatened or worried. Was this how the Meteorn felt in a black-out zone?
"We need to keep moving, Commander." Lina interrupted his thoughts. "Let's get this cleared as soon as possible."
"Right, sorry. I got distracted." Yuren shook his head.
They continued walking deeper into the blackout zone. After walking for nearly twenty minutes, the visibility increased slightly, and the fog began to thin out.
Red energy arced through the air, and the ground occasionally hummed. Yuren could sense a lot of movement all around them, and the faint sounds of machines echoed throughout the area.
"Is it me or are they getting quieter and less hostile?" Garra commented.
"Under observation." Eri replied.
"Eri is right. We'd at least had a few fights by now. But we're just being watched." Bei agreed.
"This is highly unusual behavior. I've never seen them act like this." Jia frowned.
Yuren looked around nervously. He could feel a multitude of eyes on him, and the feeling made him uncomfortable.
"I don't like this. What the hell are they planning?" Garra growled.
"Calm. Calm." Eri placed a hand on her shoulder.
Garra exhaled and pointed to something in the distance. Eri nodded in reply, then pointed in another direction. Then two sighed.
Were they communicating wordlessly? Yuren wasn't sure what to think; the two seemed to be reading each other's minds.
"Let's keep moving." Lina urged.
"Commander." Eri whispered.
"Huh?" Yuren turned his head to look at her, and she grabbed his arm and pulled him behind a rock.
"What the-"
Eri held a finger to his lips, then put a hand over his mouth.
A shrill sound filled the air, and the ground vibrated slightly.
Heavy steps approached, and the ground trembled.
Yuren tried to look past the rock, but Eri pulled him back down.
A hissing noise was heard, followed by the sound of a low, droning buzz as it walked by.
The sound faded as the heavy steps led away from them.
Eri released her grip on Yuren and slowly looked around the corner. She motioned for him to follow, and the two moved out from behind the rock.
"Eri. What was that?" Yuren asked.
"Helix." She replied.
"Helix?"
"Big scorpion." Eri made a gesture with her hands to indicate its size.
"Right..." the boy nodded. "I see."
"A helix shouldn't be here. They only appear in category eight zones or higher." Lina exclaimed.
"It's a bad sign," Garra growled.
"Why is that?" Yuren was curious.
"They are vanguards of a lord type and will protect their territory viciously. That means the meteorn have a lord class somewhere nearby. This could be really bad." Jia explained.
"Should I contact the ship for reinforcements?" Yuren asked.
"No, if we retreat the zone if could increase in density. We can't let this zone get any bigger than a category six if we want to keep the Empire's southern border." Lina replied.
"Then what do we do?"
"We push forward and eliminate the lord while you destroy the core," Garra answered.
"But how do I know where the core is? What am I supposed to be looking for?" Yuren asked.
"Swirling energy. Very bright." Eri replied.
"Let's move everyone! The helix could be making its way back in this direction." Bei ordered.
The group continued through the fog, and the air grew heavy. The energy around them pulsed and twisted, and the sound of machines filled the area.
Yuren noticed the red energy gathering at his steps; pulses of it shot from his feet. Was this what resonance looked like?
"Hey, do you guys see this stuff coming off me?" Yuren inquired.
All five of the girls stopped and stared at him.
"Commander stop!" Lina shouted.
Yuren froze.
"How did none of us notice?!" Bei yelled.
"I... what's wrong...?" Yuren was confused.
"There's a high concentration of resonance around you." Jia grimaced.
"Damn it! We should've paid more attention to him..." Lina cursed.
"Danger. Surrounded." Eri pointed.
"Not now! Fuck!" Garra roared, firing shots into the fog.
Several alarm-like cries echoed throughout the area, followed by the sound of metallic feet stampeding towards them.
"Engaging!" Bei declared, disappearing into the fog, gunfire ringing out shortly after.
"Eri, go! I'll stay with the commander!" Lina ordered.
A crash behind them shook the ground, a huge claw swung over their heads, and the giant mechanical scorpion reared up on its hind legs and lunged.
Yuren's eyes widened in fear.
"Shit!" Lina swore, grabbing the boy's arm and pulling him away from the strike.
The massive tail smashed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
"Over here you asshole!" Jia taunted, firing shots into the side of the Helix.
The scorpion spun, its tail extended, and took hold of Jia. She fired more shots into the machine as she was flung through the air.
Bei charged from the fog, her arms glowing red. She punched the machine's face, sending it crashing into a building.
The sight of Bei in the mist, standing in front of him, her arms coated in red energy, amazed Yuren. It was a truly breathtaking sight of her strength and power.
Several more Helixes burst through the ground and rushed towards her.
"Shit. I didn't expect there to be so many..." Bei cursed.
"What noisy trespassors, you all are..." A voice from above called out.
A human-like figure landed in the middle of the road, its long silver hair flowing behind it.
"Aren't you far from home, little XMV unit?" She waved her hand, and Bei flew over Yuren's head, slamming through the wall of a nearby building. The helixes chased after her.
"I was resting so peacefully too." She sighed.
Yuren could barely make out her appearance. It was a woman, her body clad in a white and black exoskeleton. Her silver hair hung loosely down her back, and her red eyes pierced through the fog.
Her eyes locked onto Yuren, and he felt his heart skip a beat.
"Huh? You...?" She cocked her head, and a look of confusion crossed her face. "A human...? No..."
The woman approached and grabbed Yuren by the chin. She looked at his face and inspected him.
"Let him go!" Lina charged at her, her arms glowing.
The woman caught her hand and tore off her arm.
Lina fell back, "damn..."
"Get lost, you fake." The woman sighed, waving her hand.
Lina's body lifted into the air, and she flew off, disappearing into the fog.
The woman looked at Yuren once more, her eyes widened.
"After all this time... here you appeared..." she smiled.
"Let me go..." Yuren muttered.
"Oh. My apologies." The woman released her grip.
"Thank-"
Yuren was cut off, her foot slamming into his chest and locking him to the ground.
"As a reward for bringing me this. I will allow you scrap to leave!" The woman announced.
A shot pierced her chest, "Fuck you!" Garra screamed.
The woman looked down at the wound, and her expression shifted. "Tch."
A second shot hit her back; she turned and looked, and a third hit her shoulder. Eri and Garra were firing from different places.
"How dare you! You ungrateful brats!" The woman's expression changed, her red eyes glowed.
"Take Yuren and withdraw!" Jia shouted, tackling the woman and taking the fight into the fog.
Lina hoisted Yuren over her shoulder with her remaining arm and ran.
"Wait! We can't leave Jia!" He cried.
"Yes, you can! Get out of here!" Jia roared, her voice fading.
Lina dashed through the fog, and her legs carried her with incredible speed.
"We're almost there." She reassured him.
The sound of explosions and gunfire faded, and once they were back outside of the blackout zone, Lina stopped. Eri and Garra appeared shortly after.
"Damn, we can't just leave Jia!" Yuren cried.
"Don't be stupid." Garra hissed before heading in the direction of the Eisendrache.
"Bei is in there too!" He pleaded.
"No, I'm here..." Bei's voice called as she limped out of the fog, her body heavily damaged. "Heh heh... I just took on six helixes..." her voice glitching out.
"You look terrible." Yuren sighed.
Garra pointed her rifle at Bei's head, her face somber.
"Garra, what the hell?!" Yuren yelled.
"The termination gun. Use it." She ordered him.
"Don't be like that Garra... I just need a new body..." Bei pleaded.
"I'm not kidding, commander. She's about to transmutate. Kill her." Garra demanded.
"I'm not doing that!" Yuren refused.
"Do it!" Garra roared.
"Don't kill me... Commander... we barely got... to... know each other..." Bei shuffled closer, her hand reaching out.
Yuren stared at her, his heart sank. He couldn't do it.
"Bei, stay away from the commander!" Lina ordered.
"I won't hurt him..." Bei stumbled closer, her hand still outstretched.
Garra fired at Bei's feet, "Stay away."
"I want to... at least once... touch him..." Bei kept shambling forward; her eyes were glassy.
Garra fired again, hitting her leg and making her fall over.
"You have to do it, Commander." Lina insisted.
Yuren's trembling hands reached for the weapon. He held it tightly, his hands shaking.
"Commander..." Bei's voice was filled with longing.
He raised the gun and pointed it at her head. His hands trembled.
"Please..." Bei pleaded.
His finger tightened on the trigger, but he couldn't pull it.
"Yuren!"
The boy's heart was racing, and his body was shaking. His throat went dry.
"Please..." Bei's eyes were full of tears.
The gun was torn from his hands, and a shot rang out. Bei's body jerked.
Yuren watched as her lifeless body slumped over; her blue eyes were still open. Then spun around to a man who was holding the termination gun.
"Sergeant Calif!" Lina exclaimed.
"Don't ever hesitate." The man handed the gun back to Yuren and turned to leave.
"Wait. Why are you here?" Lina questioned.
"I had a feeling the rookie would do something stupid," Calif responded. "This is why I hate androids and the people who get attached to them." He continued walking away.
Yuren dropped to his knees; his body was numb. His vision blurred in rage; he wanted to kill that man. Red energy began to arc around him.
"What the?!" Garra jumped back, shocked by the sight.
"Commander?! But we're outside of the black-out zone!?" Lina exclaimed.
The ground began to tremble, and a loud hum filled the air.
"What's happening?!"
The ground shook violently, and the sky lit up with streaks of red lightning. The air felt heavy and charged with energy, and the hair on Yuren's body stood up.
"Commander! Calm down!" Garra screamed.
Yuren's anger was growing; he wanted to destroy everything.
Eri ran over and embraced him. "It's okay."
"Eri Don't! His resonance will destroy you!" Garra yelled.
The dark-haired android didn't care. She hugged him tightly, "It's okay." She whispered.
The air began to turn to normal, and the sky returned to its peaceful state.
"It's okay. I'm here." Eri's soothing words calmed him down, the red energy receded, and his rage subsided.
"Always with you." Eri gently caressed his head.
"Eri...?" He whispered.
"I'm here."
Yuren felt his strength leaving his body, and he slumped over. Finding it difficult to lift his head.
"It's okay." Eri hugged him again.
"What happened? Is he alright?" Lina asked.
"Exhausted," Eri answered.
"I see. He must've expended too much energy."
"What was that?" Lina turned to Garra.
Garra ignored the question and began walking away.
"Where are you going?!"
"Go back to the ship." She replied as she left.