Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 79 - Freedom

"Well, she's kinda right about that you know. Ever since getting pushed back all the way to California, lots of restructuring took place and everything. Reborn there, training that, all those 'buzzwords' like it means anything. It's really hard to keep the morale up if most of our reserves are either braindead Inquisitors or braindead Reborns. And the fewest table ones may be too busy in other countries too." The main guard only glances around the room,  almost as if there's some sense to make in there. It's true that the last couple hasn't been kind to Zlocans, ever since the shutdown of Wolowitz. All of them yearn for an answer on what could turn things around for them, even a little. 

"It's times like these when I wonder if the Guardians ever thought of how properly their own species, that is, if they do exist after all," the main Zlocan guard replies. This prompts for the other guard to scoff while walking back and forth in the corridor while the guard keeps his distance from him. 

"Sure, you're telling me, it's still a fantasy created by the weakling Committee and their equally weak worshipers. They don't know what a true god is like, but we do." 

"It still doesn't explain how those 'Earth Warriors' came to be. Like, they came out of nowhere. Like if something awakened them or not. It makes me lose sleep thinking about it." The other guard shakes his head slightly while turning to see in the other direction. 

"Eh, probably the same thing. A weird astrological coincidence or something like that." 

"Many said that about the strangest occurrences and turned out to be something even more mysterious. So it's best to not dismiss it." The other guard shrugs in response, still glancing away from his partner. Perhaps conversations like this may not be useful for the other certain type of Zlocan, and from that, the guard sighs in response while checking on his rifle. Another topic for another time it seems. 

"Also, is it true that you were part of the Ranger Hunter Corps?" 

"Yes, I did," the guard replies without turning to face his partner, maybe still in the right mood for this kind of conversation. 

"And how good you were?" 

"Top marksman of all recruits. First place in all training courses." The other guard nods in approval, maybe he's getting the gist of this. And yet, something fells over this story of his. 

"But, if you were that much of an ace, how could get this meager post?" 

"An unfortunate case of weather disturbance back in Fiji. It happened on the worst day in scouting duty when I tried to clear up a rebel compound, I accidentally hit a fuel canister with Zlocan troops nearby. Combine that with an unexpected lightning strike and I accidentally kill both a platoon and the rebels. I was kicked out of the marksman corps after that." 

"Oh... That's a pity." But before they can continue to have their chit chat, the light suddenly turns off, plunging the corridor and presumably the complex as pitch dark as midnight. The two guards look up instinctively at every corridor as the emergency red spotlights turn on. The main Zlocan guard puts his communicator on the wrist near him again. 

"This is Kreios Two, we're reporting a sudden power outage at our perimeter! What's your status?!" 

"All power across our complex is being cut off. We're currently looking at the source of it, but it is likely to be a case of-" But before the commander can finish speaking, an explosion blasts a huge chunk of the wall next to the guards, sending the guards flying several feet away from the blast until they impact to the walls behind them while the alarms blare in the background. The force is strong enough to make dents and fractures in their armors, especially with the cracked visors showing their faces now filling up with leaking blood near their foreheads.