Awakening of Robera

Twelve

Marion fiddled with it for a while with a frown.

"Why do we need this?"

"To kill." Robera grabbed her own pair from the pile and checked for the bullet holes.

It was fully loaded.

But what she didn't bother to take note of was Marion's deadpanned face.

"No. We're not."

"Why?" Robera drawled, brushing past Marion without a care.

Marion grabbed her arm, earning a quick snap of those slightly narrowed amber eyes.

"It's not safe."

"Nowhere is."

"You'll get hurt, Robera."

"I already am."

"I promised Kirex, damn it!"

Silence.

Marion's chest heaved as his breathing turned ragged. He looked away, closed his eyes, and dragged a shaky, deep breath before meeting Robera's stone-cold blue gaze.

"Please…" Marion pleaded with his heart and soul.

Robera's throat bobbed up and down. Her amber eyes turned glossy despite the dead look in those windows to her soul. She licked her chapped lips dry and sighed.

"I… I'm sorry, Marion."

And before he knew Robera snatched her hands away and rushed out of this cramped chamber.

Robera's name was frozen on the tip of Marion's tongue—ready to call and beg her not to throw herself in front of danger.

Not to die while he was still breathing the cursed air.

And so, Marion sprinted through the door, following Robera's flighty, purposeful footsteps toward the elevator.

***

When they walked out of the building for the second time in the night, the chase and carcass of metal had well and truly settled in the front yard.

The smell of smoke, burnt metal, laser, and destruction contaminated the already polluted air of the dying earth.

The flickering circuits occasionally sparked from the debris of broken metal as if to grab the on-lookers' attention and remind them of their proud self-sacrifice. The sacrifice they made to protect the princess and the king of this place.

Or was it knight?

Marion's lips twitched a little at the thought as he tossed a sparking arm away while moving forward.

Funny, just an hour ago these sparks were lighting up to hunt down the same princess and her knight. Life and its cruel jokes.

However, not all chaos had died down yet. The war seemed to be still raging on the outside of this yard.

Marion shared a glance with Robera the second their heard lasers and firearms shooting off in the distance and rushed there with their backs hunched and footsteps lights. They carefully stepped over the metal body parts to move as noiselessly as possible.

They moved toward the right side of the gate wall and edged closer to the entrance with their backs pressed against the concrete. Robera on the front with Marion trudging right behind her.

Just before they reached the opening, Marion moved over Robera and planted himself on the edge just before she could move to the entrance and risk exposure.

He ignored Robera's grumbled mutterings behind him and peeked out to see the flashing lights and raging war.

The loud booms and sickening crackles of machine guns and lasers were deafening from such a close range.