Volume Eighteen - The Dragon War

== Chapter 205 - Grief ==
Candice sat on the ground, her face wet with tears, she had been crying for quite a while. "H-he's...g-gone..." She whimpers, as she started to sob again. Jack and Andromeda had tried to comfort her, but understood it wouldn't be that easy. Not after...not after they lost Kasper. "K-Kasper...p-please...c-come b-back..." Candice breathed. Jack and Andromeda said nothing, they didn't know anything they could say, that would heal the wound now in Candice's heart.
"I thought...I thought that was the end of Darkstar...years ago..." Andromeda said, her voice shaking. "I...I should have torn Allen apart when I had the chance..." Jack looked on solemnly, knowing he couldn't deny that. Darkstar didn't even care anymore, they just wanted destruction now...and they didn't care who's lives they destroyed in the process of causing it. They didn't care who's friends were taken away...forever. They were...truly...monsters. And had severely broken the five, making them into four, and carving out the willpower of those four...
"We are sorry for your loss." Rosenstock says, walking into the room with an unreadable expression. "We need you at your best...to stop these threats. This new Darkstar...but more importantly, the Netraxians." Suddenly, hearing that, Candice rushes to grab Rosenstock's neck, shocking everyone in the room, seemingly except Rosenstock himself. "THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW THAN KILLING ALLEN!" Candice screams, before stopping, and letting go of Rosenstock, hearing what she herself had said, as Rosenstock's guards point their guns at her.
"I understand your grief." Rosenstock replies, raising his hand to call off his guards. "But Darkstar is not a higher priority than the Netraxians, who wish to wipe out all humans and take our worlds for themselves. They are unquestionably priority one." Candice just looks to the side, crying even more. "But do not think Darkstar will go unpunished for their countless acts of terrorism. They will be brought to justice." Rosenstock finishes. Candice just looks on sadly, not knowing what to believe at the moment.
== Chapter 206 - Target Practice ==
Rosenstock led the four into a room filled with even more moving targets, these ones being attached to robots holding what seemed like AK-47 rifles. "Your task is simple." Rosenstock says. "Hit the center of those targets, the center of mass for each robot, and don't be hit yourselves." "We'll do our best." Jack replies, as the four are handed laser rifles. The robots got into position, aiming at them, as they get into the same positions, everyone taking in the room's environment to see what could and couldn't be advantageous. Then, the sound of a whistle blowing, indicating it was time to start.
It was the robots who fired first, as the four did their best to evade the bullets and duck for cover, Jack immediately preparing to fire at one of the robots, pulling the trigger a moment later as the target is hit right in the center, the robot powering down. Shunsuke goes to fire a moment later, the laser hitting near the center, but not quite there, the robot of course not shutting down as it fires at Shunsuke, who barely dodges the bullet. Andromeda had even less luck, and Candice only managed to hit the robot's armored skin, which was made of an extremely shiny and reflective metal.
The laser bounced off the metal without damaging it at all, shocking Candice, as it hits the wall, leaving a small scorch mark there. She ducks back behind the cover, feeling the bullet graze her cheek, leaving a stinging pain as a result, causing her to yelp. Right then, she remembers what had happened not long ago. What had happened...to Kasper. She began to cry again, trembling, as Shunsuke finally manages to fire down his respective robot, Andromeda still having little luck. "Dammit...why is this so hard?!" Andromeda roars, beginning to rapidly pull the trigger, rapid-firing the lasers!
All this did was begin to make the room unbearably bright and hot, as the target became more and more burned up, aside from the center, but the robot itself was completely fine, the lasers continuing to reflect off the metal without damaging it. "What is that thing made of?!" She yells, as she finally hit the target of her robot, said robot shutting down as well. Candice' robot was about to fire at Andromeda, but suddenly turned off, as the door opened, Rosenstock walking into the room, looking angered. "I think that's enough training for now." He says, his voice trembling, as he leads them out.
== Chapter 207 - Advice ==
"Jack, Shunsuke, you two did well, and are clearly ready for further training." Rosenstock says. "Andromeda, Candice, you two did not do well. What happened?" "That damn thing just seemed impossible to hit. I got it once I started using that rifle as a machine gun." Andromeda answers. "And yet that depleted it of its battery power. You need to be more careful with your resources." Rosenstock replies. "Candice?" "I...I'm sorry." She says, beginning to cry. "I th-thought of K-Kasper...and I...I-I just couldn't do it anymore!" Rosenstock closes his eyes and sighs. "I understand how you feel." He responds.
"Y-you do...?" Candice asks weakly. "Yes." Rosenstock answers. "Seventy years ago, I met a beautiful woman, by the name of Dorothea Baker. We married half a decade or so later, but not long after that...she was killed. I never married again, and I never will, and we never bore children. Because of my grief, and my promise, I am the last in the Royal Succession. The government will have to change after my death, which I know approaches closer each day. I've vowed to end the war against the Netraxians before that happens." "Oh..." Jack trails off. "We're sorry for your loss." They looked on sadly.
"I know she would be proud of the man I've become." Rosenstock says. "But, if I don't discipline you four, you won't become soldiers capable of fighting off the Netraxians. However, I do intend to offer you advice, as well." "We're listening." Shunsuke replies. "You need to stop dwelling on the past and focus on the task at hand." Rosenstock says firmly. "And you need to apply only the force necessary, no more than that. Focus and skill are far more important in a battle than raw destructive power. I know this well, and I have taught it to all those who serve in the military. We are not wild animals!"
Andromeda seemed to glare for a brief instant, but she simply sighed and closed her eyes before looking on normally. "How do we do that?" She asks. "Use your senses." Rosenstock answers. "Feel and hear the wind, calculate it, watch the opponent closely, look for an opening. And then strike where the opponent will be, unless you are sure the projectile will be faster than they are or they are employing drunken movements to evade. Focus entirely on the opponent, do not let your mind wander, or it is likely you will miss, and on a battlefield this could be deadly." They all nod in understanding.
== Chapter 208 - Group Meeting ==
Rosenstock walked into a room, sitting down at the same table as Grimwald, Dione, Demetrius and Arthur. "It is wonderful to have you four here." Rosenstock says. "Thanks for having us, Sir." Arthur replies. "It's wonderful to sit alongside you legends." "Don't undersell yourself, Disease Killer." Dione replies with a smirk, Arthur chuckling in response. "I think Grimwald needs what you offer more than me." He replies. "No I don't." Grimwald says sleepily, his head buried in his arms. "Well, if we're done with all the fun interactions," Demetrius starts. "I believe the King has summoned us here for a reason?"
"Indeed I have." Rosenstock answers. "We have gotten word that Erwin Buchardt is in need of new recruits, which means that the training of the recruits here will have to be accelerated to the quickest reasonable pace." "Poor Jack and all his friends have just turned eighteen, shouldn't they get some rest?" Arthur asks. "They are resting right now." Rosenstock replies. "They are being taught what is at stake, and knowing them, they will train immensely to be ready." "Yeah, they've definitely come a long way from that swampy town." Demetrius replies with his eyes closed.
"What about that Juggernaut Project We've been working on for the past twenty years?" Grimwald asks. "It's almost complete, just a month, give or take, and it will be operational and ready for testing." Demetrius answers. "That is excellent news, Demetrius." Rosenstock replies. "Soon, we may be able to finally turn the tide of this war in our favor, after the semi-stalemate we've had since putting General Buchardt and Grand Admiral MacDonald in charge of all armies and fleets." "Always good to remember how we got such good strategists from those core systems." Demetrius remarks, smiling.
"Your Majesty." Arthur starts. "Grant?" Rosenstock replies. "If I may, should we start working on cures for any possible bioweapons the Netraxians may employ?" Arthur asks. "Yes, that would be a good idea." Rosenstock answers. "Hold on! I don't want him snooping around my lab!" Demetrius retorts. "Please, work together, you two." Rosenstock asks. "You are two of the most brilliant scientists in the Human Star Realm, with you two together, this war comes ever closer to being a victory for humanity." "I'd rather have Fulke as my lab partner." Demetrius says with his arms crossed and his head up.
== Chapter 209 - The Procyon Researchers ==
A man walked through a dark metal hallway, a man who was tall and well-built, who's skin was fair and who's hair was black. He wore a black leather version of the standard Sciarhiel military uniform, with scientific aspects to it, such as the badge. The man had black stubble, and a black glass and metal visor completely covering his eyes, rather blocky for a visor, and it wasn't shaped at all like normal glasses or goggles. The man also had his hands behind his back at the moment, a large, segmented pistol holstered on his hip, as he walked towards a large door, surrounded by holographic screens.
"Voice required for authorization." A computer voice says. "I am entering." The man replies into the mic on the doorframe with a cold and mildly deep and gruff, placing his hand on the hand and fingerprint scanner while briefly lifting his visor while no one was looking to stare into the eye scanner. "DNA, voice, eyes, and fingerprints recognized. Password?" The computer voice asks. "Revelation." The man replies. "Access granted. Welcome inside, Chief Engineer Yelverton." The computer voice says, the door sliding to the side as Yelverton, Fulke Yelverton, walks inside, the door closing behind him.
He stares upon a lifelike mannequin, clad fully and completely in shiny white metal armor, resembling Medieval and 21st Century armors. From the looks of it, the armor was two inches thick, and had no impurities. "This is the perfect test dummy for our new weapon." Fulke says, unholstering his gun and aiming at the mannequin's center of mass, exactly and precisely at the center of mass, before pulling the trigger, the bullet effortlessly shredding through the armor with a clinking sound being heard. "Huscil armor this thick stands no chance. This will be magnificent for the soldiers." Fulke remarks.
"Sir, we've made the calculations, and it seems the Juggernaut Project will complete 25% earlier than previously calculated." One of the scientists says. "Excellent." Fulke replies. "Continue our contributions to its completion. We want the Netraxian War to end as soon as possible, especially since it is about to reach its fiftieth anniversary." "Yes, Sir." The scientist says, as he begins to walk out of the room, but turns back towards Fulke. "What of the Socqreath Queen?" He asks, as Fulke doesn't turn to look at him. "Her?" Fulke answers, sounding as calm as ever. "We have nothing to worry about."
== Chapter 210 - A New Alliance ==
Karim and Saparbek sat at a table in a spaceship, Karim's spaceship, which was a rather large Strike Craft designed like a bat. The Prodigy was practicing throwing knives at various posters, not making a sound. "It feels so odd, yet fitting." Saparbek says. "The three of us, terrors, legends, myths, working together now." "Don't flatter yourself." Karim replies. "You're nowhere near the level I and Mathieu are at. First you need the experience. "Right..." Saparbek responds, annoyed. It was right then when the ship's radar started beeping, signaling the arrival of another ship. "Eh?" Karim wonders.
Right then, the craft shakes, having been grappled onto by a smaller Scout Craft, but of Netraxian design. "Great, are we being raided at this hour?" Karim demands, the doors opening to reveal Sechsgrad, Bellatrix and Proto walking into Karim's ship. "More legends." Saparbek remarks. "Long time no see." Karim says, right as Bellatrix suddenly fires out glowing orange webs at Saparbek to pin him to a wall, Proto almost seeming to teleport right where the Prodigy was to hold its swords at his neck, and Karim being held in place by Sechsgrad's telekinetic ability, Sechsgrad walking towards him.
"Karim Kouri, I believe it would be beneficial for us six to team up." Sechsgrad says. "Or what?" Karim asks. "Or..." Bellatrix starts, crawling on the ceiling to face Saparbek while upside down. "We tear you three apart." "Is that supposed to scare us?" Karim demands, smiling. "It scares me..." Saparbek retorts quietly, Bellatrix chuckling. "There will be no need for that if you simply cooperate." Sechsgrad says, staring into Karim's eyes with his own, Karim almost seeing a flash of orange beneath those green lenses on that metal face, which Karim thought of as technically a mask. "Hmm..." Karim remarks.
Suddenly, the Prodigy teleported away from Proto to take out two machine guns and aim them at Sechsgrad, who, seemingly just by thinking about it, holds the Prodigy completely in place in the air, the Prodigy's expression now being slightly less unknowable beneath the mask, as Proto slashes the machine guns' barrels off, the vibrating and electrified red swords not meeting any resistance whatsoever. "I think that settles that." Sechsgrad remarks. "What's our first mission anyway?" Karim asks. "That's simple." Sechsgrad answers. "We're going to rescue a potential asset...a Kazuyuki."
== Chapter 211 - The Training Continues ==
The four were once again training against the robots, hitting more accurately than earlier, though Andromeda and Candice still struggled, and the robots didn't show any sign of slowing down. Andromeda kept firing until her rifle ran out of energy, and, frustrated, ran to slash at the robots, her Psychic Weapons bouncing off of the armor like nothing! "What?!" Andromeda shouts, as right when the robots were about to fire at her again, they stop. The door opens, as they see Rosenstock standing there. "You charged in with your Psychic Weapons against Huscil armor?" He demands.
"Huscil? What's that?" Andromeda demands back. "It is an extremely durable and reflective metal that is effectively impervious to light based attacks." Rosenstock explains. "Might you explain why you rushed at the robot rather than recharging your rifle with the battery in your pocket?" "Why do we need to learn how to use rifles?" Andromeda grumbles. "We're Socqreath, we have our own weapons." "You need to be able to use the rifles well, to be a soldier." Rosenstock retorts. "General Buchardt is expecting you four among the other new recruits to enlist in his forces very soon."
"Who?" Andromeda asks. "Erwin Buchardt, the Five-Star General of the collective armies from across the Human Star Realm." Rosenstock answers. "He is a tactical genius, but he cares little for morality. It is thanks in large part to him that the Netraxians haven't already wiped out our species." "Sounds like an upstanding guy." Jack remarks. "How can we learn?" Candice asks. "We've gotten no better than before." Rosenstock sighs. "You will need to train harder than ever." He answers. "We don't have time to waste. For each group of recruits enlisted, a group of veterans perishes out on the battlefield."
"This whole aiming thing is just hard for me. I don't have any prodigious skill in firearms like Jack." Andromeda says. "Perhaps, but you are learning." Rosenstock replies, pointing at the robot Andromeda had been firing at. "You've gotten much closer to the center of the target than before." "...Thanks. But I'm still far off, further off than anyone else here." Andromeda responds. "I'll need to train even harder than the others." "Yes, I do believe that is true." Rosenstock said. "Remember, our country, our worlds, our species, are counting on brave soldiers like you. You may be new, but you are strong."
== Chapter 212 - Nightmares ==
Candice was walking through a dark corridor made seemingly from cracked brick, looking around with an expression of worry. Everything was dark and bleak, the dim yet immediately bright-seeming lights flickering at random times, all the while coughing from all the dust. The entire place felt...wrong, but she kept walking, the area eventually beginning to change to cracked concrete and metal scaffolding, with the same lights. The hallways of...of the warehouse!
Once Candice realized that, a feeling of pure horror overcame her. Her eyes darted around, for any sign of Allen, or Kasper, as she ran through the hallways, breathing heavily. She had to find him! She had to find Kasper! She could save him! She could stop Allen and that scientist! She could--but before her train of thought could continue, she is hit in the side by a whack from Allen, the walls falling apart around her as she briefly sees Kasper falling with her, and tries to grab his hand, but to no use, as she fell to the ground, Kasper seeming to vanish, screaming.
She got up to her hands and knees, and looked around, trembling, as she noticed she was in her father's chambers, seeing the throne her father sat at, but he wasn't there. Then, the most chilling of anything that happened to her. "Go..." A shrill voice echoes from seemingly nowhere, sounding a bit like Candice's own voice. "...go and take the throne, your throne, your birthright." Candice, terrified, begins to stand back up, trembling even more, as her eyes darted around, still no sign of the speaker.
"Wh-who are you?!" Candice screams without any composure, as, behind her, a being of the same shape and color as her, but a bit larger, and draped in torn and burned clothing, appeared, looking a bit withered, as in the place of kindness, compassion and fear, there was only cruelty, darkness and...simply...evil. Candice slowly, but surely, turns around to face the figure, knowing what the answer was going to be, and dreading it more and more with each passing second. "...I'm you." The voice responds.
== Chapter 213 - Shock ==
Candice immediately woke up, breathing and sweating heavily, while realizing almost instantly that she had been crying hard. She, trembling, looks down at her own hands, before up towards a picture of Sciarhiel's Coat of Arms. "I-is that my destiny...?" She wonders, whimpering. "A-am I destined to take the th-throne...? W-without K-Kasper...?" She cried harder for a time, before standing up to walk towards the door, not fully knowing herself what her reasoning for doing so was.
== Chapter 214 - Concern ==
Andromeda woke up not long after, and for a time simply cuddled softly with Jack, who was still asleep. Then, however, she eventually noticed that Candice was missing. A few short minutes later, Andromeda left the room to search for her, trying to feel her presence and hear for crying and the like. Eventually, she senses something, and walks towards the source of what she was sensing. She opened the door to a balcony, and saw that was, indeed, Candice.
== Chapter 215 - Understanding ==
"A-Andromeda..." Candice says, her voice cracking. "Wh-what are you here for...?" "I was worried about you." Andromeda replies. "I know how you must feel, after what happened to Kasper." "I-I can't take it anymore..." Candice whimpered. "H-he was everything t-to me...I-I loved him s-so much...a-and now he's...g-gone..." "I know how you feel." Andromeda replies. "I nearly lost Jack many times, and each time tore me apart. I'm trying to heal from all of those times, and I'm hoping you'll be able to heal too." "Th-thank you..." Candice responded. "...b-but I don't...know if I can..."
== Chapter 216 - Secrets ==
A man woke up in a dark room, confused. He tried to move, but soon realized that his arms, legs, torso and head were all bound, his mouth covered, as a man in a dark outfit stood in front of him, a ring around that man as a glowing light swirled around him. "Listen closely to what I have to say." The man in the dark outfit says. "There is no war in the Human Star Realm. We are not under attack from the Netraxians. We are safe, we are free, we are united, we are one, we are loyal, we are blissful." The man in the dark outfit repeated that sentence many times, the light continuing to orbit around him.