Chapter 3

Ryan’s eyes slowly opened, awakened by the bright glow of a cyanic light scanning his body. He grunted up to see his surroundings, before feeling a soft hand gently pressing on his chest.

“Relax, tough guy. You’re safe.” Ava was beside him. As Ryan turned to see his surroundings, he’d see operators and troopers flooding the base he and the other two had just attacked. His eyes locked onto Ravage, who was lifting up a fallen pillar to clear a way for troopers to flood in. As he gave a light chuckle, Ravage immediately turned to Ryan. Without hesitation, he approached him.

There was a time his staredown to Ryan was a rivalry that lasted for years. They locked eyes as Ravage came closer. He’d halt just near the bed Ryan laid on, retracting his helmet.

“The deal was to help you finish the mission, not finish the mission.” 

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” Ryan thanked him.

Slowly, Ravage’s suit pried open, letting Aiden jump off. He gave himself a stretch before replying.

“Of course not, you need someone with a better suit to help you.” He’d smack Ryan’s shoulder. Ryan simply chuckled at his statement.

“So, who is he?” Ava broke the small joyful moment.

Aiden looked to Ava, then Ryan. Slowly, he turned to Ashe, who appeared behind them as soon as he turned. He waited for Ashe to come closer before he began.

“He calls himself Syron ‘The Deceiver.’ He’s a Regent representing the Dominion that conducts beyond military level.”

“He’s one of the people Eclion brought to the Front before he kicked us out.” Ashe intervened.

“Hold on, regent to who?” Ava asked, her curiosity peaked upon the name drop.

Aiden turned to Ashe, waiting for an agreement. She’d gently nod.

“Emperor Soulas. He commands the New Galactic Dominion. According to Syron, the Galactic Liberation Front was a paramilitary organisation that was once a part of the Dominion, until Monarch became leader of the Front and was trustworthy of leading it to become a solitary faction. It has an army that makes the Front’s forces insignificant.”

“Why are we only hearing of Soulas now? Despite the years of the Front’s occupation in multiple sectors?” Ryan sat upright, asking Aiden.

“Monarch was Soulas’ golden goose. Heck, I’d assume Monarch would take the throne if Soulas retires. When you killed him, it sent a message straight back to him and provoked him to take precautionary actions. With the Supreme Leader gone, he would want to take control of what Monarch once did before he finds another successor.” Ashe continued for Aiden.

“What else did Syron say?” Ryan asked, standing up to his feet as he wore back his chest armour.

“Besides his own native way of flipping the bird, he said the Dominion will phase in soon and we will be outmatched.” 

“Where’s Syron?” Ryan continued.

“He’s brought to Earth for further interrogation and conditioning. Ajay will take over this base’s operation and find out whatever the hell that is.” Ava replied, continuing to update Ryan while pointing at the structure that stood in the centre of the base.

Ryan stared at the structure as he grew worried by the second. The Allegiance’s streak of victory in favour of war most likely ended today. Once again, they are outmatched.

~~

“Prisoner 774’s weapons have been stripped and examined for possible radiation contamination of internal emission or unknown external modification.” A deep voice spoke.

A table was lit with a singular ceiling light inside a dark laboratory. Captain Ardago, without his helmet, laid Syron’s blades and throwables onto the table. Ardago without his helmet was a regular human male, dark skinned with a scar on his brow. He had an intimidating normal expression even though he was calm. His voice was deep, fitting to his military background.

Slowly, a scientist emerged from the other end of the table, holding a tablet. She’d carefully hover her tablet across the table, scanning the weapons. 

“Anything seem odd here, Captain?” The woman asked, toggling her tablet as her eyes were glued to its screen.

“You’re the genius here, Doctor Frey. You tell me.” 

“Again, Violet is good enough.” She’d continue typing on her screen. “This right here.” She’d point to the curved blade in front of Ardago.

He gave a closer look, squinting his eyes as he made a random guess with whatever he could make out of it.

“That looks…like a Katana?” He answered sarcastically.

“Correct.” Violet replied.

Stunned by his correct answer, he had to clarify. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Your shock is the same as mine. How could this attacker, nowhere near as a subspecies of homosapiens have a Katana?” She continued.

“Are you sure it’s a Katana? Look at the bend on its lower half. A Katana has an even bend throughout the entire blade.” Ardago intervened, not believing Violet’s claims.

“This is a Katana from the Kamakura period. 800 years ago.” She emphasised the numbers as she believed a breakthrough had just occurred.

“It makes no sense. Why would an alien have an 800 year old blade that channelled his energy powers?”

“Maybe…they’ve been here before. To Earth.”

Before she could even continue, the laboratory’s safety alarm had been activated. The darkness of the room was lit up in red flickering lights as a safety drill sequence had been initiated.

“Ms Fr- Violet, I’ll have to extract you out of the compound until the problem has been secured.” Ardago escorted Violet to the hallway doors. 

“What tripped the alarm?” 

“Gas leak, probably. Hurry.” He’d pull her to the hallways in a rush as lab assistants and other doctors alike vacated the building.

The red lights flickering continued. The room was left in silence as the entire building was deprived of workers or security. The streak ended when the hallway doors to Violet’s lab opened, revealing a lady and a man covered in dark armour entered. The lady gently glided both her broadswords on the ground as she strolled into the room. The sword had weird layerings forged onto its handle, alienating the simplistic mediaeval forgery it once had. 

“Has Arasmus reached the supermax compound?” A feminine voice, layered with a devilish tone, called out to the other figure.

“Arasmus has retrieved the Deceiver, Lady Azalea.” The man, Koto Ven, replied so in a devilish tone muffled by his mask.

“Clear a path for a helix extraction. I will retrieve his weapons.” She commanded. Swiftly, Ven made his way to the roof.

As she strolled closer to the table, her blades collapsed onto itself, leaving only the grip left. She holstered her retractable blades on the waist belt as her mask unfolded itself, revealing a face. A humanoid female, brown skinned with dark markings underneath her eyes and crimson pupils over dark scleras. She gave a soft chuckle as she gently picked up Syron’s blade, sliding her finger above the sharp end.

She’d slam down the blade onto the table, leaving a mark. A mark of war.

Fin.