U.S.S.A HellField

Chapter 28 Reborn from the Ashes

I watched on a security screen, the royal guard had breached the city. Soldiers that I've never seen followed behind them. They had destroyed the door we had entered through. I could see Alice, Artemis, and the hermit speaking with them. I was no genius, but even I could tell this was going to be one short conversation. 

"Where is he, the Crusader?"  The lead royal guard demanded. - "Why are you invading my home?"  The Hermit said, demanding an answer. The head royal guard turned his head to look down on him. - "Your home? This is an entire city. One old man couldn't possibly maintain even a ruined city such as this by himself. Hmm, that even looks like an AI pylon. You wouldn't happen to be harboring illegal AI as well, would you?"  He said, arrogantly.  - "You will not find what you think you're looking for here, now go back to your masters."  The Hermit warned him, in a passive-aggressive tone. The royal guard captain just laughed him off. - "I forgot the Bi'lan of your day lacked the manners your descendants have. Now, show us where the Violet crusader is or I'll show you why the Alsha'Alhi are the dominant race in this world."  He threatened the Hermit with a halberd. It had a yellow energy current running through its axe blade.

I noticed Artemis wasn't visible on the screen anymore. Had she moved away while I wasn't paying attention? Everyone looked tense, a fight was certain to break out at any moment. Alice looked worried, I could probably understand why. A battle here would cause significant damage to what's left of the city. I hated that I couldn't go out there and help them, but Metis's recovery took priority. I had to stay here no matter what. I just hope this works.

- "Enough of this. If you will not tell us where he is, then we'll tear down every building until we find him. You should know that the destruction of this city is on your hands...old man."  The captain said; his voice filled with contempt. The Hermit answered back with nothing but silence. The Captain raised his hand to give an order. When his soldiers acknowledged his signal. The first ones to move were gunned down by sniper fire from off-screen. A round hit him but bounced off harmlessly, a ripple of energy formed around his chest."It's an ambush! I want that sniper's head!"  He ordered angrily, raising his halberd.

Dozens of Alsha soldiers split off in every direction, maybe 20 or so ran down the stairs rushing Alice and the Hermit. - "What do we do?"  Alice asked the Hermit. - "Just hold your ground and wait."  He said calmly. When the soldiers approached with their weapons aimed and ready to fire on them, two large capsules ejected out of the ground, scaring the shit out of the soldiers. They began firing in random directions and at the metal capsules, to no avail. Those machines that attacked us climbed out of the capsules and began attacking the bewildered soldiers.  "Now you may face them."  The Hermit said to Alice.

Alice initially seemed reluctant to go into the fray with the machines, but then she surprised me by jumping into the middle of the fight. She impaled the first soldier who had the misfortune of being in front of her. As he was stuck on the blade of her polearm, she swung and used him as a bludgeon against the other soldiers next to him. She ripped the blade from his gut and sliced through any soldier that came close to her, she was becoming more efficient at killing. I looked at the other screen to see Artemis firing at incoming soldiers. She had positioned herself at the top of one of the taller towers with her anti-material rifle. She had cover but if they managed to get up to her, she'd be in between a rock and a hard place as there is nowhere to go but down.

- "Energy transfer is now 30 percent complete. Please remain in your current position as this is a delicate process."  The green statue said. I'd remove my armor and go help them if I could, but that wasn't a possibility I could afford to explore. I looked back at the screen with Artemis, she had more than double the amount of soldiers after her than Alice had, and they seemed intent on reaching her. It was strange to see her operate on her own without being there. She acted more professionally than I ever did at her age and with far more skill, something that took more than a few close encounters to get to. I could only imagine how she could hold out against the wave of soldiers climbing up to and firing on her. God knows I'd be cracking under that kind of pressure.