Fractured Worlds (Worlds Away #1)

Mae Chapter 24: All the Losses

The unit leaders were speechless when Edoline and Haruto finished their stories, telling of the tragedy that had happened on World 64. I was at a loss for words.

Zyair? Donovan? Both gone? But how? They were some of the best. And Adrianna. We need any eternal blooded now more than ever. To lose even one is hard.

I couldn't quite understand how the eternals had done it, but deep down, I knew it was true; they were capable of something like this, that I didn't doubt. It had just happened all too fast.

Edoline was much better looking than when Haruto had jumped himself, her, Socorro, and Cheryl back to MEPA. The vivifica's breathing was much more even, thanks to Magda forcing Edoline to receive medical treatment, and the soot that had coated her was gone, washed away. Her smoky and ashy clothes were replaced with clean garments, a cloak on her shoulders instead of her usual coat. The only thing that remained the same was the lingering pain in her eyes.

"Thank you Edoline, Haruto," I said, hiding the horror that arose with this news. The vivifica bowed her head before she took her seat with the rest of the leaders of the units. Haruto simply sat down, his eyes staring ahead, not from his blindness, but because of what had happened. He had lost two of his teammates and his home world in one foul swoop.

"How is Socorro?" I turned to Magda, the doctor's hair still up from dealing with the injured.

"I did everything that I could for him; he lost a lot of blood, and is still unconscious, but I expect him to make a full recovery in the end. It will be a long time before he will be able to go out on the field once more. He's lucky he didn't lose his dominant arm, or he would have had that recovery to worry about as well. I suspect that what he was put through and what he experienced will take much longer to heal than his arm. He may be different in the end."

I heard Haruto sigh and watched him rest his chin on his folded hands.

I nodded my head. "And the ones Cheryl and her group saved?"

"A lot of them have extensive injuries, but most will make it. There are a few I'm worried that we might lose."

"When they are well enough to move, we'll figure out if they want to move to the hub or join MEPA."

"Most of them will ask to join MEPA," Haruto said. All eyes turned to the leader of the field agents as he spoke. "They will want vengeance. MEPA will have to watch them to make sure they don't needlessly endanger themselves. Socorro will be the same."

"Very well. You'll oversee setting them up when they recover and transporting those who like to leave."

"I'd also like to have Socorro help me. It will be a good moral for his people to see one of their rulers alive, even if he wasn't coordinated."

I nodded my head. "When he is recovered, you may do that."

"With the extra mouths, we may need to go on another supply run," Raymond said. "Magda was telling me that they're running low on essentials."

"Do what you have to."

Raymond nodded his head.

"Wayne, Averial, how are you two progressing with counteracting Zerbelgrim's abilities?" I asked, turning to the two.

"We're not very far. The video camera didn't give us anything. The only thing we have to work with is everything Zyair—" Wayne's eyes flashed over to Edoline as he said that name, "told us. It's a lot, but it wasn't everything. It would help if we had an eyewitness account of Zerbelgrim's abilities." Wayne's eyes flashed over to Edoline again before he continued. "And those who have fought him have never seen him use his ability."

"Averial, ask around the base and see if you can find someone. Someone must have encountered him when he has used his powers."

I was about to add that Averial should talk to Zyair's close friends and see if he had ever mentioned his time running from Zerbelgrim, but I stopped. The closest friend he had was Donovan. The only other person he would have told anything to was Edoline, but she would have spoken up by now if she knew anything.

I let out a sigh.

"There is some good news," Averial said. "Most of the teams you sent to warn our allies have reported back. They were all successful, no other world seems to be under attack. They are all ready and on high alert just in case."

"Good."

"In addition, my unit has been able to obtain information on the individuals who escaped MEPA's custody. There is nothing new that we have learned about the half-eternals, but we have been able to learn more about the three eternals. Two of them were simply generals, nothing special about them or their history, but one of them stuck out. His name is Athanasios, the right-hand man of the eternal's leader. He is unusual for an eternal, choosing a bow as his weapon, rather than a sword. That was all we know of him."

I nodded my head. "Thank you. Notify me if anyone finds anything else."

"For sure."

"We weren't able to find that many vivifica." The door opened and Gryph entered. "Sorry that I'm late." He took his seat and continued his story. "We found whom we could, which wasn't many, but they promised to send the word around to any others that they find. We're a tight knit society, word will travel fast even if worlds separate us." Gryph looked around the room, sensing the sombre mood. "What happened?"

I rose to my feet, pushing my chair back. "Haruto, fill Gryph in on everything he missed. Wayne and Averial, I want you two to continue working on stopping Zerbelgrim. He's making his move fast, and we must counter it. This must be MEPA's top priority."
And like that, the meeting was over. Haruto was already deep in conversation with Gryph. Edoline swiftly left the room, leaving with no word. Gryph's eyes followed her, sympathy in them. She would hate that, more than anything.

"Mae, should I set some of my workers on making a prosthetic arm for Socorro?" Wayne stepped up to my side, his eyes on Edoline's retreating figure.

"No." I shook my head. "I want everyone to focus on stopping Zerbelgrim. Wait until Socorro has recovered enough. Pushing too much on him at once may do more harm than good." Wayne nodded. "Utilise any tool or method at your disposal to stop Zerbelgrim. He needs to be stopped."

"Agreed." With that, Wayne left after Averial.

"You seem distant." Raymond stepped up beside me, watching the leaders of the units just as I was.

"We lost five people within the last few hours, and I sent them there, all of them to their deaths."

"You seriously believe that?" He shook his aged head. "MEPA just saved how many people? It may have come at a cost that none of us want, but they all chose this life, as you chose them. Don't take this blame, it's not yours to bear.

"Yes. It is."