18 HOURS LATER - THE DAY OF ESTREVAL’S ADDRESS

LIONSCAPE SKYSCRAPER

EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 5:21 PM

A huge float of a dragon overlooks the city of Nazendel with several smaller floats following suit. Countless guards board these floats, though two key figures in particular can be seen on the largest one. Damon Estreval, as expected, is sitting on a throne on the center of the dragon’s tongue. Seated beside him are two hooded figures, one of which possessed ring tattoos. Indeed, the man Nick had met the previous night was in fact the very same man who thwarted Zack’s assault on Trent, and is currently seated as the right-hand man of South Lavia’s golden boy. Seated on the left is another hooded man, though neither his face nor his body can be seen.

In a skyscraper several miles away, Zack and the Gruff brothers rest in an office on the 27th floor. A huge sniper can be seen beside Zack who is leaning against a desk, the prototype M82 which he had finished building. Entro looks over the city, as his brother sits on a chair in the corner. Above him is a television broadcasting the floats as they pass through the city of Evernight.

“This’ll work, right?”

“How many times do I have to tell you, Tyson? Have faith in me for once,” Zack answers.

“It fucking better. We’re gambling this entire thing on you,” Tyson replies, fidgeting in his seat from uncomfortableness, both from the chair itself as well as the events to come.

“If it doesn’t work, then we’ll continue to find more options until we come to one that does work,” Entro says.

“What, like more spooooky broadcasts? I doubt it, especially since those protesters in Aurus tried to hijack the broadcast tower there and failed miserably. Estreval’s gonna tighten up security for sure,” Zack snarkily comments.

“You think he’ll address that?”

“He’ll address everything like a matter of nothing. The fucker thinks he’s untouchable. But forty minutes from now, we’ll prove the entire world wrong. Estreval’s a mortal man, just like us all,” Zack determinedly says.

“A mortal man he may be, yet his legacy will forever be immortalized, even after his death. You said so yourself, Zack. This whole thing needs to die with him,” Entro replies, turning to the two.

“Oh it will, Entro. But I won’t lie to you, this is more of a personal vendetta. To me, there’s nothing more important in the world than this son of a bitch finally kicking the bucket,” Zack says, picking up the rifle and placing it in front of an open window.

“Part of me wants to hear what he says first.”

“You’d subject yourself to Estreval’s rambling?” Zack disgustedly asks Tyson while setting up the gun.

“I just wanna see his reaction to all the stuff. Is he gonna be mad, or will he keep his cool facade?”

“There’s no time for that. We have a very precise window to assassinate Estreval, and it’s when that float passes right in front of us,” Entro replies as he sits on the desk Zack had previously leaned on.

LIONSCAPE SKYSCRAPER

EVERNIGHT, NAZENDEL - 6:00 PM

“It’s starting,” Tyson states as the three observe the broadcast.

Rising from his throne, Damon ascends a flight of stairs, ending up in front of a podium. He looks around for a brief moment before beginning his speech.

“Citizens of South Lavia, I stand before you today bringing what may seem to be heavy news. I’d like to say that I stand before you as a humble man and an even humbler Lavian, just as you are-”

The three collectively scoff at Damon’s disingenuousness.

“-but unfortunate circumstances have led me to stand before you as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world. As many of you are aware, several insurgents have begun popping up from all over. In Briken, Virtum, Roscher and most recently, Aurus, these savages have tried to change the status quo by starting violent rebellions.”

“Bullshit! They’re the violent ones!” Tyson exclaims.

“Normally I'd agree, but those Aurus protesters wanted to demolish an entire tower,” Zack replies, getting in position to shoot as the float comes into view.

“Brings back old memories, doesn’t it?” Entro says in a petulant tone as Zack brushes his comment off.

“As a result of this insurgence, I am forced to make the following announcement for the betterment of our nation. As of today, the 30th of June, 2017; I, Damon Estreval-”

Zack sets his finger on the trigger as Damon’s float closes in.

“-officially declare the entire nation of Lavia under martial law!”

Zack fires a shot, his makeshift bullet traversing through the air. It makes its way all the way down to Damon’s position, but disappears at the last second right just as it is about to strike his temple. An explosion can be heard from down below, the effect of Zack’s infused bullet.

“What the fuck?” Tyson exclaims, having seen the bullet on the broadcast, yet Damon remains unscathed.

“Again,” Entro commands as Zack frantically reloads a second bullet. He shoots once more, the bullet nearly reaching Damon, however disappearing yet again at the last second and hitting a bystander watching the floats from below, instead. At this point Damon had finished delivering the brunt of his speech and was looking directly at Zack’s position. He raises his right hand as Zack’s rifle gets sliced in half, the front half falling 27 stories below. The three, having not only failed the mission but also having their positions compromised, begin their escape by quickly descending the tower. Several soldiers burst through and begin shooting as Zack and Entro make quick work of them; Zack shoots them with his lasers as Entro uses spectral chains to dismantle their bodies. Tyson, a regular human, is left to fend for himself using the fallen soldiers’ firearms.

“I’d like to iterate one last thing before ending my speech.”

The three continue making their escape, running through countless soldiers, mechs and drones in their path as they descend the tower. It seems hopeless, however. The more they kill, the more they seem to appear.

“Even after this announcement, if you still choose to go against Eternal Drive-”

Entro finds himself in a stalemate with two enhanced soldiers possessing augmented blades. Zack, on the other hand, is occupied with several miniscule mechs that rush him from all sides. Tyson, a mere human, gets overwhelmed from the chaos and is shot in the head by a soldier. Entro and Zack both witness Tyson’s death as he falls to the ground, lifeless.

“-know that you will suffer the consequences.”

To Be Continued…