A World With/Out Home

Chapter 7: A parting notice. (Part 4)

0010: Third wave of demons. Type A and B encountered. Eternal Hero joined battle. Impact 100%

The waves continued but with the introduction of the Hero there was no decrease in their impact. Then the time Kyle could remember came.

0100: Seventh wave of demons. Primarch encountered. Range support scattered. Type A and B broke 1st perimeter. Eternal Hero engaged Primarch. Eternal Hero removed Primarch from boundary. Eternal Hero exchanged weapon J for weapon L. Eternal Hero defeated Primarch.

The line caused Kyle to halt. Weapon exchange from J to L. He clearly understood what that meant and as much as he knew the truth had to be hidden, calling them weapons so callously made his heart pound. There was no mention of what really happened and the rest of the report described the Hero's return to the main battle as well as the procedures following it. At the very end was a short summary among which was the line,

Casualties: 1

Special Officer Jana: Retired.

For a long while Kyle didn't move and simply held the closed report in his hands. Along the shelves were hundreds of others. A part of him really didn't want to know any more. He could be like the others who knew and try to ignore it, to believe that the Eternal Hero was still that infallible figure. Still his hand moved to the next report down the line. It started the same as the other but went marginally better with no casualties but several injured. There was no weapon exchange. Then came the one before it, then the next one, and again and again. Kyle took his time to skim through the reports until a sizeable pile had appeared next to him. They were fifteen years' worth of demonic incursions and within them were 32 weapon exchanges. Whenever the word Primarch was mentioned the weapon exchange rate was nearly 90% and the casualties across the Hero's guard also increased, sometimes in the dozens. Looking at the past years it was the highest reason for deaths, though there were others.

"It's bad enough to read about all the casualties and injuries but when you know the truth, it's worse," Mellissa appeared next to him and set down a steaming cup. "We volunteer for the role but they don't have a choice."

Kyle took the cup gratefully, sipping it only to immediately cough as the liquid burnt down his throat. "W-what is this?"

"You've never had it before? It's hot buttered rum."

"As in rum the alcohol?" he stared into the tea coloured liquid.

"Sorry I should have warned you. I guess you are a little young to understand the lure of a good drink." She held her own glass and sipped it smiling, "Really ebbs away the stress."

While Kyle was old enough to drink, the most he had was a glass of beer or wine. The strong spiced taste wasn't bad however, just surprising. "Wait, we're not allowed to drink when we're on duty."

Melissa turned her face acting coy, "I won't tell anyone if you won't. Besides everyone needs a pick up during a hard day's work."

"Well thank you, but I don't think I can finish this. It's a little strong." Kyle placed the cup back on the table.

"More for me then," the older women smiled happily. "You feel better though don't you?"

Kyle paused and chuckled, "Yeah I guess I do. Though I still have a lot of questions."

Melissa sat down beside him, "Ask away. I've been here for a pretty long time. Just don't be surprised if I can't answer."

"Then first, what's a Primarch?" Kyle looked at the pile of reports again and frowned. "All I can get from it is that they're incredibly dangerous."

"That one's easy and complicated. A Primarch is a class of demon, one that is much stronger than the others. Without the Hero we wouldn't be able to win against them without severe losses. They don't appear every incursion but we don't know why or when they will. To be honest when it comes to demons we barely know anything. The typing we give them is based on their combat abilities so we can train to defeat them but that's about it."

Kyle thought back to that night in Tomph and remembered that towering monster that had appeared. The dark fluid creature that caused so much destruction in seconds. If Jana hadn't defeated it, he couldn't think of any weapon that could.

"Have you seen one?" he asked curiously.

"Seen one?" she laughed and shifted her body to reveal one of her legs before pulling up her skirt. From her left thigh down was a metal prosthetic limb. "I wasn't always stuck in an office. Primarch nailed my squad. Three of us died instantly, I went unconscious and then the next thing I knew a Type B was gnawing on my leg."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she waved away his concerns. "I was saved a second later by the Hero. Actually that's why I found out. I was close friends with, at the time, Special Officer Eri. It turned out she was the Hero who saved me and then afterwards... well you read that report." Her eyes misted over in a sad reminiscence. "That was already five years ago now. I used to try invite her to go out the city, she always couldn't find the time. I know why now."

For a moment neither of them said a word.

"Is it always like this?" Kyle asked as he stared at the stack of reports.

"For the most part," Melissa let out a sad smile. "Some years are worse than others. Though some years are better." She stood up and pointed to several reports on the shelf dating back close to twenty years. "From here to here are all one Hero. Though it was before my time I've heard a few things from the Captain back when he was just a regular."

Kyle's eyes widened. From the length of time it was several years, much more than the average. "H-how?" If someone could last that long then it might just give hope for the others.

"It's above my paygrade, if you get what I mean but what I do know was the Hero at the time wasn't ordinary. You'll have to speak to the Captain for anything more." Seeing his eyes had lit up Melissa offered him a tender warning, "It's hard but don't get your hopes up. It hurts more when things go wrong."

"I... we'll see." Kyle stood up with an awkward shuffle, "I should get going. I promised to make cookies for the kids."

"Don't worry about the reports, I'll put them away," Melissa pulled the pile closer to her as he reached for them and began to put them back. Her hand lingered on a certain report tenderly, "Look after them."

"I will," Kyle smiled to her honestly. "Thank you for letting me look around. If the kids don't eat everything I'll make sure to bring you some leftovers."

"I'll look forward to it." She picked up her glass and raised it in a slight cheer before downing the rest. "Fuaa that hits the spot. Feel free to come by whenever. I'll pour you a drink as long as you don't tell the Captain or Reina."

Kyle shook his head and smirked, "Maybe if it's just coffee or tea." He said his goodbyes and once more holding his key, left for the Garden.