Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 60 - Godless

5 hours later

As the sun sets in a blaze of orange and crimson, the landscape is filled with pyres of light. Enough to radiate the surroundings in the land as well as evoke the dark and lifeless land that is part of Central California. It's a wonder that a handful could manage to make settlements in this kind of land, less it is a small settlement that's made out of only humans. There are many who are lost within the land but they've all been discovered by those same individuals, and their fate is sealed from the start.

It starts as a few, then a group who begin to wander through the desert, and before long, it forms a land worthy to be uncovered by those who have the guts to survive in the arid lands with almost nothing but the wildlife and other people to encounter. Like the life of drifters, except perhaps with more peril than it should be. 

On the road, there is a desert-camo JLTV transport vehicle, driving on the roads of New Cuyama. While it was a fairly quiet place before the war, it's even quieter now. Camps and houses are all destroyed or abandoned, with the accompanying wreckage of some Human vehicles scattered in the area. The population has decreased considerably as the majority of the survivors went to seek refuge on the other side of the nation. Those not lucky enough to get off before the orbital bombardments dropped, had either joined them upon the explosion or fled into hiding, never to be seen again. Now, everyone remains on the outskirts of what little life was left.

Inside, there are six people, with the driver being Walter Carter with Berat on the co-pilot seat. The passengers include Valentina, Celina, Ji-ae and even Rian himself, with none of the Warriors in sight. Perhaps as a result of the earlier confrontation Rian had. The rays are noticeable enough to make both squint their eyes as they head to their destination.

"Never expected to come to a place like this, right?" Walter asks Berat.

"No, not really. It's so sad to see many pieces of nature torn down like this." Berat shooks in response. His hands grip the door handle on his right while not glancing at Walter.

Walter looks ahead at the vehicles and plane wreckages, many of which were stripped bare, with little to no signs of life. "I don't think we'll find any of our fellow soldiers here though. This looks like a waste of time."

"Have faith, darling. It's always good to have a positive outlook on things," Berat replies. Ever since the assault on AFB Quinn, reports came by about the disappearance of troops who approached the area in the L.A Area. It starts with the signals getting cut off and grabbed, then nothing left, except the sights of bright flashes, explosions or even sounds that resemble giant footsteps. No one else came back alive from each reported mission that attempted to enter the area.

Celina and Ji-ae are seen at the rear of the vehicle, looking out at a device Celina holds on her wrist. She notices the radio wavelengths shifting erratically while she hears static, and she turns to see the rest minding their own business.

"Stick with it, Cely. Stick with it and we'll do it." Valentina implores Celina as she observes her work.

"The frequencies seem to be broadcast from a post that's a hundred kilometers away from our location. It's a signal on an open frequency that anyone can hear, and I'm attempting to get a signal on it. But it's been like trying to catch a ghost," Celina grunts as she tries to focus on the instrument.  She looks out of the window, looking at the dilapidated roads and landscape.

Rian only looks with arms crossed with the saber on his belt and a frown on his face. Not even listening to Ji-ae reloading each of her submachine guns as they get ready for battle. Each reloading has her breathing faster while some sweat pours down around her head. All of this was nothing short of distracting for him.