Reincarnation Across the Ages

Chapter 11

The Age of the Worst Squad, Part 2

Eyelids opened after a deep sleep.

In contrast to the darkness of space, a white ceiling filled a child's vision. Enchanting stars were replaced by monochrome lamps, which kept the details of the operation visible. Confined to an operating bed, the birthday girl could no longer celebrate her special day.

A hospital room provided the space for an agonizing wait. The noise emitted by machinery was the only sound reproduced in the quiet room, where a man's ears waited anxiously for a response from a family member.

"'D-dad...?"

Proxie had woken up from a long rest, adequately treated by timeless technologies.

"Honey... I thought..."

"Where are we?"

Sitting next to his daughter, Hawk held one of the girl's hands while a surgeon collaborated with the machines to treat a sensitive issue.

Stroking the girl's fingers, the father was grateful for every second that passed and could still touch her vivid skin. The man's thoughts were intertwined with the fear of suffering a terrifying loss, putting the future of three dreaming minds in check.

"This is an intermediate resistance base. We're still in the middle of space," he tried to get his head together.

"In space, huh? It's a good thing we haven't gone home yet..."

"I didn't do it for the ride, Proxie. We were rescued by the nearest hospital."

"Hospital? Why would we go to a place like that?"

The girl's eyes focused on her body, confronted with an image that would never leave her memory. The cold sweat was accompanied by panting, which made the surgical process more difficult.

Noticing the child's agitation, Hawk placed himself in front of the observing pupils, preventing other traumatic memories from being created.

"Hey, look at me! It's all right! Don't take your eyes off me!"

"D-dad, my leg... what...?"

"Proxie, focus on me! You made an enchantment with a relic, but you managed to undo it before you fell unconscious! It's all right now!"

"I'm not going to walk anymore? I want to go back into space!" Tears add to the anguish of the operated figure.

"I know, child. I know. We'll be able to go back as soon as you calm down! You just need to rest, okay?"

The operating bed shook with growing stress. The girl's emotions collided uncontrollably, generating an outburst full of conflicting claims.

"I should never have left my room. No matter where I am, everything always ends in tragedy."

"Mistakes happen."

"Not like that. It's almost like a curse."

"It's a blessing. Everyone relies on failures to punctuate successes."

"I... I screwed up again! No matter how lucky I am, everything always leads to disaster!"

"Honey, you should—"

"I'm a disaster! Why do you keep trying to save me?"

"You don't need saving!"

The pair's discussion resulted in absolute silence. The surgeon did everything he could to stay focused in the face of the adversities of a room plunged into discomfort. The critical situation compromised not only the girl's physical condition but also her emotional state, leaving them both vulnerable as a double-edged sword.

The professional used the height of his competence to restore the patient's physical health. At the same time, the father clung to his distressed daughter's feelings. In the quest to maintain a connection that could collapse at any moment, unfinished business had to be brought to the surface.

"Proxie, there's something we haven't talked about yet."

"Huh?"

"Do you know why I'm out of my old team?"

"That B-ranked squad? I figured you'd been kicked out."

"My superiors never showed such dissatisfaction with me. Leaving was my choice."

"What!? You're lying! How could you make such a stupid decision?"

"I imposed a condition on my staying. They said it was impossible, so leaving was my only option."

"What would be so absurd that they would rather lose you?"

"I wanted to guarantee your place in the squad. When you grew up, you'd be part of our team. It's as simple as that."

A confused mind rethought all the words that could come from the girl's mouth. Her tongue tangled in search of an appropriate word to express her thoughts; however, no concept in the world could describe such a feeling.

On the other hand, the man dared to challenge previously untouched ideals.

"They claimed it wasn't coherent for the B Rankings to accept someone with a track record full of failures. Rumors about your name could do a lot of damage to the squadron's image for nothing."

"Why are you telling me this?" The girl's lips struggled to pronounce each letter of the sentence, trembling under the burden of the truth.

"In that case, they assumed that your presence would be harmful. Someone incapable of making any notable achievements."

"They're right... that's the right choice to make! So you should—"

Angry eyes penetrated Proxie's innermost senses, choking her with the words stuck in her throat. Uncertainty had paralyzed her, preventing her from continuing her speech.

"It's all a load of rubbish."

"Huh?"

"That's why I created my own team. After gaining possession of a ship, I became fit to be a squadron leader capable of receiving you."

The girl's ears refused the sounds that reached them as if they were being protected from painful facts.

"Why all this effort? Why do you refuse to accept something so simple? I don't deserve all this!"

"Assumption after assumption... Assuming a truth beyond your comprehension is an even greater mistake than the simple act of failing."

Her voice was hoarse as she tried to formulate an answer, "but everyone says the same thing! My friends, the teachers, the people in the resistance..."

"None of them know you as well as your mother and I do. Those are just empty assumptions."

"Stop..."

"If they really wanted to understand you, they wouldn't assume they already do."

No more questions. The discussion didn't need any new directions.

Just as a hurricane dissipated at the storm's end, the patient's breathing stabilized. The physical pain had lost ground in the face of the determined relative's unconditional support.

Machinery accompanied the work of a determined surgeon, using everything in his power to give back what had been taken from the girl. The tranquillity of the place was restored, making it possible to focus entirely on the operation and allowing the child to dream again.

"Hey, Daddy. Can you teach me to fly when we get out of here?"

"Are you talking about flying the ship? That's not a choice. That's the duty of every Sculptor."

"I want to be a Sculptor, please," the tears dried into a warm smile.

"Of course. Let's make it happen by creating the best F-rank squad in the resistance."

"The best of the worst. It doesn't sound as bad as I imagined."

"We already have two members. My old squadron could never achieve that feat so quickly."

"You're lying."

"How many times do I have to prove it to you? I don't lie."

"So, are you going to fix my glider?"

"I never said anything like that."

"Liar!"

"That's your mother's fault, not mine."

The sound of an explosion shattered the temporary peace.

Screams accompanied the moment, which would later usher in an era of terror. Tremors threatened the structure of the hospital, which could collapse at any minute. Accelerated footsteps could be heard in the vicinity of the particular ward. It was a maximum-level emergency.

Suddenly, three doctors opened the doors to the operating room and burst into the room with all the strength in their bodies.

"Evacuate the hospital!"

Preparing for the final stage of the treatment, the surgeon refused to abandon his duty.

"But we're in the middle of a surgery!"

"We don't have time for this! It's a massive attack!"

A flash was seen in the direction of the open door. The facility's corridors faced a threat that had always haunted humankind throughout its countless eons of existence.

Noises, coming from the collision of different materials, took over the environment in profound disorder, having no coherent origin. Gunshots could be heard in the same place as the execution of violent cuts.

Also, about hearing, different animals could be identified. Buzzing sounded like insects, while roars indicated the arrival of a beast. Claws came into contact with the metal of the ground, followed by the flapping of a bird's wings, recognizable by their unmistakable sound.

Fear haunted the medical team, compromising the emergency service. A simple power failure would mean the operation's end, ending the dream of someone who longed to walk once more. If things got worse, the girl would have to endure insurmountable problems.

"Proxie, I'll be right back," Hawk had decided.

"What are you going to do?"

"See what we're dealing with."

"Do you intend to buy a fight?"

"You should only get into a fight when you know exactly what you're up against."

Searching for answers, the worried father made his way through the hospital corridors, leaving the operating room behind. The path ahead of him was preparing him for a challenge on a metaphysical level. Red lights flashed aggressively, a symbol of imminent danger.

Fallen objects made passing difficult as tremors expelled the man's once unshakeable courage. Signs of all kinds seemed to inform him of an inevitable future: something of an unimaginable level awaited him at the end of the path.

After a few minutes of hectic running, Hawk was faced with massive destruction. A hole to the outside gave a comprehensive view of those invading the hospital center. Hovering over the void of space, the enemies could not be classified as human.

They were beings whose physique comprised an unparalleled mixture of living and non-living elements, with a structure covered in every type of atom in the universe. Hair, feathers, and scales created the ultimate image of a freak of nature, bathed in the wreckage of valuable raw materials.

Iron, copper, oil, and countless minerals contributed to an indescribable appearance where nothing seemed to make the slightest sense. Paws provided a second option for locomotion, while thorns conferred a powerful offensive potential.

Faced with the abominable creature, Hawk had stopped moving. His knowledge of the enemy was like a red alert, triggering warnings to every part of his body, preventing his impulses from moving recklessly.

Recognizing the most fearsome beings among humans, the man's cold sweat was lost in the incomparable temperature of space. Not even his suit could completely protect him from the involuntary chills. Frightened lips struggled to pronounce the creature's simple name.

"Remnants!"