MLSB- Part 2

This is the second Part of "ML:SB". It was released on 08.03.2024.
== Plot ==
Max and the military group under his command come face to face with an army of powerful and determined alien beings. Their leader, a self-proclaimed overlord, plans to turn their home into an alien paradise, welcoming strange creatures from all over the universe.
While this does seem like a noble deed on the outside, turning the planet into a alien metropolis is bound to be a recipe for disaster. The high amount of alien population is going to make it much harder for the surviving humans to endure the constant onslaught. especially since the Dark Angel is still out there.
And yet, this is far from the only threat that the brave general has to face. Aliens are nothing compared to humankind's own arrogance. And soon, everyone shall witness it.
== Story ==
As Max and his militia prepare for the worst, they are joined by Hannah- their superior. Although the situation seems quite dire, she seems to be calm. Nothing is able to break her, and that is a true source of inspiration for the young general.
"I heard the report of your subordinates, Wilson. What happened out there was truly a shame."- She says- "And yet, I can't help but wonder. Those aliens are truly a powerful threat. But do you know what actually endangers our fragile rage?"
Max looks at her.
"Our own ego."
Hannah nods.
"Well said, general. Spoken like a true lawcarver."- She says- "While there are many people who have their own goals, you shouldn't forget about your own duties. You joined this army because you wanted a future, not just for yourself but all of them. I know that this is cruel, but don't show 'em too much empathy. Just say you're sorry, but don't try to help them, People have their own demons, and they must find ways on how to exorcise them... on their own."
Max raises his eyebrow.
"Forgive me for saying this, but wouldn't that drop the morale in the army?"- He asks- "Keeping the warriors in shape is one of our top priorities. We can't just let them do whatever they want, but we can't let them lose faith in us either."
Hannah smiles.
"And whose job is to make sure that doesn't happen?"
Realizing what she means, Max looks down. He seems to be utterly ashamed. Of himself.
"I-it's me."- He says- "I'm the problem here."
Hannah chuckles.
"Taking one for the team, huh?"- She says- "You've always been quite the samaritan, Wilson. Glad that hasn't changed."
Then. she places her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't let the world crush you, comrade."- She says- "You may be a man of steel, but acid can cut through anything."
Max raises his eyebrow.
"But what if we have acid-proof armor?"
Hannah continues to smile.
"Then it means that you're a coward. Wearing armor that makes you invulnerable's just as bad as running away."- She responds- "Real men take the pain on the spot. They don't care if they're guaranteed to survive or not. We strive to protect our King and our Country. Everything else comes second."
Max nods and salutes her.
"Yes, madame."- He says- "I won't forget your words."
Hannah smiles.
"I'm sure that you won't... general Wilson."
After patting him on the back one last time, she wishes him good luck and leaves with her escort. Thus, Max's audience quickly comes to an end. He is allowed to resume his duties, at the cost of knowing how terrible it is to be a coward.
On their way to the battlefield, the warriors come across three spaceships. They start to bombard them on sight, mercilessly throwing down strange bombs and unleashing strange missiles. And, much to the warriors' surprise, those missiles continue to chase them- even as they run away.
"Oh no!"- One of them yells- "They're seeking missiles!"
Coming to terms with the threat that he is about to face, general Wilson starts to search for new ways to take care of it. It does not take him long to realize that the missiles are barely refraining from heading toward the nearby fires. As it turns out, they just need some initiative to go crazy. And that is just what he has in mind.
Thinking quickly, he enters a nearby ruined house and takes two things of importance- a simple-looking frisbee and a torch. Going outside just as the missiles start to get close to his fleeing comrades, he waves the torch at them. As predicted, the missiles sense his intentions and start to head toward him, each of them quickly forgetting about its intended target.
As he flees from the approaching missiles, Max lights the frisbee on fire. Then, without a second thought, he launches it at the spaceships that unleashed them. While the frisbee itself does little to no damage, the missiles quickly change their target and head for the spaceships. As the alien beings within start to scream and swerve their vehicles away, the missiles get faster and faster. Soon, the first ship is blown to pieces, taking the second and third with it moments later.
The soldiers watch, amazed, as the charred bodies of the former aliens, alongside the remains of their ships, fall all around his feet. It is like a scene in a movie, expect that it is quite real. Few could maintain this level of confidence, especially during a situation like this.
"Just as I expected. Whether they belong to humans or not, heat seekers are a good choice for a destructive weapon."- He says- "Merry christmas, alien freaks."
Unfortunately for them, the wreckage manages to attract unwanted attention. Just as they are about to celebrate their victory, Max silences them and tells them to be quiet. They watch as a giant golden spaceship, adorned with all kinds of gemstones, stands well above their heads. This horrifies the warriors, but their general manages to keep them calm. At least for the time being.
"Worthless humans! No matter what you do, your days are numbered!"- They head a loud, booming voice from within- "You are in the presence of Asta- terrior of the galaxy! Conqueror of the universe! Slayer of the filthy-- "
Max shakes his head.
"Yeah, yeah. We get it. You're a very powerful thing."- He says- "Now tell us what you want before we turn your pretty vehicle into a pile of pretty scrap. You killed our comrades and you have a price to pay."
Hearing the world "our" greatly pleases the soldiers under Max's command. They never thought that they could hear their own officer think about them as more than just a simple group of allied forces, let alone a team of united warriors.
"A price, huh? Well, your stinking price matters little to me!"- Asta yells- "You see, I have seen many fools like you! I battled beings from planet to planet! And none of them were able to withstand our wrath! Your so-called "future" is just a bunch of fancy junk when compared to the real arms and weapons!"
Max raises his eyebrow.
"You seem to be quite confident that your futuristic weapons will wipe us out."- He says- "But have you ever thought about the consequences. Studies say that there are human beings outside of the world's boundaries. What if they find out that you murdered our kind? Once the news of that spread outside, there shall be an all-our war. There will be doom, grief and hatred. If we don't take you down today, then the universe will."
The warriors can hear Asta laughing from within the spaceship. It almost seems as if he is taking this whole situation as some kind of a joke.
"As if I could care about your petty human feelings! Truth is- I couldn't care less!"- He admits heartlessly- "Look at you! Everything that you do leads to something bad! Even if your precious heroes manage to save the world, a new threat soon arises! And what are you going to fight for? Are you going to continue with that heroic charade... or are you going to realize how hopeless it truly is?"
Max shakes his head.
"It doesn't matter whether the cycle is endless or not."- He says- "We are human beings. We fight for what we love, for what we care about. And if villains like you stand in our way, there's only one way this will end."
Asta laughs.
"You think that I'm not being serious?"- He asks- "Watch this, you filthy humans!"
As the rest of the group wonders what is going on, Asta fires a ground destroyer laser from the bottom of his spaceship. The soldiers barely have time to escape as five of their comrades are instantly obliterated by the blast. Taking this attack as a sign, a nearby allied spaceship guns down a triple team with a barrage of deadly lasers.
Asta smiles.
"Your petty lives mean nothing to me. And neither do your words."- He says- "Surrender, and become my slaves... forevermore!"
Max shakes his head.
"Your crimes against humanity... no, against the universe, shall not go unanswered."- He says- "Look up at your precious comrades. It won't be long before something bad happens."
Asta looks at two of his nearby spaceships and immediately notices the inferno mines stuck on them. He tries to warn his fellow aliens through the intercom system, but it's too late. Soon, both spaceships are turned into charred ruins, mixed with alien and metallic remains.
"But... how?!"- Asta yells- "How can your pathetic human kind do such amazing things?!"
Max glares up.
"You take the lives of our comrades- we take yours."- He says- "Is this what you want?! Do you really want the universe to hear how you foolishly attacked the human race?!"
Asta shakes his head.
"Shut up!"- He yells- "You don't know what we're capable of!"
Max continues to glare.
"I have met many fools during my time as a member of the army. Me and my boys have cleared out countless freaks."- He says- "You're a bit unusual, alien thing, but you're no golliath. You might be powerful, but you're nothing more than a one-hit wonder. And freaks like you... they fall very fast.'
Asta laughs.
"As if I'll ever be scared of those empty threats!"- He exclaims- "Don't make me laugh, human! You're nothing more than a creature with a counter on its back! Once the timer runs out, it's game over for you and your buddies!"
Max nods.
"I admit it. Nothing's eternal- especially the feelings of humankind."- He says- "But what you're doing right now, it's a pointless slaughter. You claim that all humans are the same, yet you refuse to look at your own kind. Do you think that a tyrant can own every single piece of land? That the whole world needs to fall on its knees? If that's what you think, then you're just another megalomanical wannabe."
Asta looks at him incredulously.
"Foolish human! I'm done with your games!"- He yells- "Now, it's time for you to-- "
Before he can finish his sentence, Max hops on a nearby helicopter, flies in the air, and unleashes a barrage of mega rockets. Though the rest of the spaceship is seemingly unbreakable, the rockets manage to break through the reinforced glass. Asta watches as the countdown on each of them goes down to 0, obliterating the entire spaceship on the inside- its true weak spot.
As Max predicted earlier, the pretty remains of the ship fly everywhere. Asta himself survived unharmed (due to a magical barrier that he casted to shield himself), but the ensuing fall manages to damage his leg. After Max's helicopter is nearly brought down by allied spaceships, Asta limps away and prepares to make his great escape;
Noticing his rival's intentions, Max uses his skill in piloting to swerve away from the enemy vehicles. Unfortunately, the speed that he uses proves to be too high, and he is heading down at beakbreaking speed. However, moments before impact, he bravely leaps out of the spaceship and pushes his comrades away from the inevitable blast.
Seconds later, three more spaceships join the two that attacked Max's helicopter. Alien ground forces cover the ground around the soldiers and surround them with ease. It seems like this is a battle with no escape, and it is clear that the chances for survival are very small.
"Keep it up, comrades."- Max motivates his soldiers- "It's a good thing that we made it this far, but there's still a long way before we reach solid ground. Keep on swimming, and the way forward shall be revealed."
As Max calls the military's HQ for reinforcements. he warns the soldiers that they will be alone for a while. Whatever happens next, they must take care of it on their own. No new warriors to aid them. No prayers and hopes for a better future. Just an army of bright flames, burning inside of their hearts. That is what's going to keep them alive.
The air force grabs the remaining helicopters, striking back at the incoming spaceships. Meanwhile, the soldiers surround their general and protect him from the troop forces. And he grabs a triple strike bazooka, ready to fulfill Asta's destiny...
Soon, the ground around Asta is bombarded by a horde of missiles, fired by the mighty weapon. Though Asta manages to stay unharmed once again, the attack greatly hinders his great escape. This gives Max the chance to chase him down once and for all.
"Stay away from me, you filthy human!"- He yells- "Don't you dare touch me with your filthy hands!"
Max shakes his head.
"There's nothing left for you, Asta. You're under arrest."- He says- "Your fellow aliens will soon hear of your cowardice."
A ground destroyer laser manages to hit the ground next to Max. This brief distraction allows Asta to kick his captor away and reach for a nearby laser gun. Though Max is able to shoot him in the arm, he manages to shoot back. The two of them lick their wounds as they start to chase each other once again.
A few steps ahead, a large group of aliens prepares to enter their spaceship, ready to obliterate more innocent human beings. As they ceremoniously step inside, Asta runs forward and pushes them back, startling them.
"Out of my way, minions! This ain't your time to shine!"- He yells- "Let your mighty overlord do the fighting! You just stand back and watch!"
As the startled aliens watch their own spaceship fly away without them, Max attempts to chase it down. He tries to enter a nearby helicopter, but soon realizes that its controls have been rigged, escaping from it moments before it explodes. It seems like Asta planned more than just the attack on the human race- he also tried to prevent the humans from striking back. Worse, he is actually successful.
Defeated by the alien army, Max falls on his knees. He never knew that he could end up in a situation like this one. Despite the fact that he tried his best, everything is futile. His allies are being erased from the face of the planet by the invaders. His homeland is being annihilated before his very eyes. This is a leader's worst nightmare, and poor Max is in the center of it.
This destruction manages to trigger his PTSD. Once again, he starts to experience flashbacks dating back to the days when Leah- his fiancee- was still alive. The ruins that he sees back there... are the same as the ones around him. People are being murdered without any mercy. And his homeland is crying.
Just as he is about to wonder whether this fight is a hopeless one or not, his sister manages to arrive on her giant hoverboard. She stares at her brother and shakes her head, clearly disappointed in him.
"Max, you're such a disgrace. You're letting all of this happen, and you're doing nothing to stop it."- She says- "Look at what's happening to your comrades. Is this really what you want, big bro? Do you really want to betray their trust in you?"
Max looks up at her, his eyes wild and uncomprehending.
"You don't get it, Abi! This fight was scheduled from the very start!"- He exclaims- "But if you want to save those people, you're welcome to try!"
Abigail looks at her brother, and shakes her head.
"Even if I wanted to do so, I can't. I ain't the hero of this story."- She says- "Everyone's looking up to you, Max. This is your chance to prove that the human army will always last. Are you going to let those heroes fix the mistakes that we made? We're better than our predecessors"
Max stares into his sister's eyes and realizes just how serious she really is. Without a moment of doubt, he swiftly stands back on his feet.
"That's a good boy."- Abigail says and smiles- "Now, hop on. We've got a lotta work to do."
Max shakily climbs on top of Abigail's hoverboard. As he does so, he realizes that it is the same hoverboard that he gave her for her birthday, just a few years ago. It seems like Abigail truly values her brother's gift, and plans to pay him back by letting him see the reason why she's still fighting.
As the board takes off, Max admires his sister's maneuvering skills. Under this much pressure, everyone is bound to make mistakes. And yet, she's still managing to keep her body and soul under control. Is this what it means to be a true warrior?
"Amazing, Abi. To think that I once called you a bad driver."- He says- "It seems like you're getting better with each passing day. Well done."
Abigail looks back at him.
"Thanks, but flattery won't make me love you more. In fact, I already love you more than I ever could."- She says- "Just hug me tight and stand close, okay? Follow my movements and don't be afraid. This thing might be shaky, but it endures more than those fancy helicopters of yours."
The two of them soon soar higher into the sky, cheered on by the soldiers below. They manage to get close to the spaceship. And when they are in the right position, Abigail pulls out a magical rope and throws it at the spaceship. Soon, the large vehicle is wrapped by a self-enlarging trapping device, unable to move. Asta lets out a yelp of surprise as his entire plan comes to a halt.
Taking the hint, Max uses the rope to climb on top of the spaceship. He hugs Abigail one last time, and prepares to put an end to Asta and his alien army.
As Max finally arrives at his destination, everything seems to be normal. And yet, he knows that danger is just around the corner. He leaps away from a nearby spot, and he is right to do so- a hidden laser is launched in the air. Had he stayed in the same spot, he would have been incinerated.
Looking around, he prepares himself for the worst. As Asta arrives via a hidden elevator, he bravely grips his pistol. He knows that there is no time to be afraid- as an esteemed member of the army, they expect no less from him. But now, he is not here to live up to someone's expectations. He is not here to fight for King and Country. Right now, he is as much of a hero as those who saved the world countless times before.
"You humans are such an insolent kind!"- Asta exclaims- "First, you feign cowardice and pretend that you're weak! Then, you show some kind of hidden determination, unseen by beings like us! Why? Why are you so persistent?!"
Max shakes his head.
"This kind of persistence has saved our noble kind many times before."- He says- "And if you think that you're just going to break us, give it a try. Many have tried, and you'll just be of them. Another rock in the river. Another shadow on the wall. You're nothing if predictable, Asta. Human or not, you're all the same."
Asta laughs.
"Foolish human! Nothing has been decided!"- He yells- "My army is already on its way! They are thirsty for vengeance and will completely obliterate your pesky kind! The moment you beg us for mercy is the moment when your kind shall go extinct!"
Max smiles.
"And yet, you failed to see the obvious."- He says- "Just like so many so-called "overlords" before you."
Despite the fact that he is very egotistical and megalomanical, Max's words manage to break through Asta's veil of ignorance. He stares at the young human, barely able to comprehend that he might be on the losing side.
"What?"- He asks- "What do you mean?!"
Max continues to smile.
"Farewell, Asta."- He says- "Your empire may be strong, but our experience on the fields of battle taught us one thing. No matter how big or influential an empire may be, a single mistake could put an end to everything that they believe in. In words that you can understand, your ambitions... end here and now."
Asta stares at the top of his precious spaceship as numerous plasma mines are launched from helicopters above. Max himself plants a plasma mine into Asta's chest, shaking his head as the so-called "overlord" starts to screech.
"If you had stayed in your little galaxy, you may have survived."- He says- "But who knows? Maybe there are more ambitious humans out there. But that doesn't matter. Like it or not, we're the bane of your existence. And there's nowhere you can run away."
Asta attempts to shake off the mine.
"No! Stop it!"- He yells- "I command that you leave me alone! This is an order!"
Suddenly, Max grows very angry.
"You... are not... "- He mutters angrily- "... my superior!!!"
As the rest of the mines detonate, Max shoots the one in Asta's chest with his pistol. The resulting explosion launches him in the air and obliterates Asta, alongside the spaceship that he was using just a few minutes ago. Everything comes crashing down, like fire from the heavens, as Max uses the parachute on his back to land straight into his sister's arms, being embraced by her not long afterwards.
"Little bro, that was so wicked!"- She exclaims- "The fireworks! The spectacular speech! The runaway train! Everything deserves to be on a Hollywood movie! And you need to be the star in it!"
Max smiles and shakes his head.
"There's no need for something so big. I was just doing my job."- He says- "Besides, I'm the star of our humble family. That's more than enough for me, as long as you and everyone else is standing by my side."
Abigail nods.
"Maybe you'll forget about, but I'll keep on telling the tale."- She says- "Such a thing happens once every three centuries. We can't just forget about it!"
Max sighs.
"We won't be forgetting anything. I promise."- He says- "Now, can we get down? My legs are starting to hurt."
As the Wilson siblings descend, they are congratulated by the surviving members of the army. They applaud them as they approach GA Hannah and kneel to her.
"Stand up, my dear friends. What you did today shall be one of mankind's most glorious victories."- She says- "Long have I dreaded that unknown forces have been watching us from above. When they finally decided to attack, none of us knew what to do. Our very own general, however, managed to put a stop to the entire invasion. And his sister was there, too."
Abigail smiles.
"Well, I'm happy."- She says- "I got somewhere. That's what matters."
Hannah looks at Max.
"General Wilson, you have achieved an incredible victory."- He says- "Take a break for the rest of the week. And then, at the end of it, I invite you to the military's grand ceremony. That shall be the time when we award you with the most important reward of all- the reward of humankind's savior."
Max salutes the general of the army, and she salutes him back. The mutual respect is truly invigorating. Then, without another word, she pats both of them on the backs, and takes her leave, allowing them to recover from the glorious battle.
"Well, little bro?"- Abigail asks- "What should we do next?"
Max looks up at the sky, now cleared of enemy spaceships and dark skies.
"We shall enjoy the time that we have been given."- He says- "What happens next... depends on Destiny."