Path of Totality; A TDS Eclipse Event Story

🌘Chapter 15🌒

      "But will you let your emotions get the better of you and prevent you from being the leader they need?" Swordmaster asked. Commander was silent for a moment, his eye glued on the map.

      The room was void of any sound except the gentle hum of the ventilation system. It almost seemed deafening with how quiet the two were.

      Commander huffed, "I've been through this many times before. My towers need me... and I need this. You don't understand..." Commander's voice slightly cracked as he leaned against the table the map was resting on. His fists clenched and he was clearly trying to hold back his emotions.

      Swordmaster offered a comforting hand to Commander, his thumb rubbing against the tower's shoulder. "I offer my condolences a thousand times over. I do understand your suffering, we all do. However, you need to ask yourself if you are truely in the right mindset to take this role. There is always the Swamp and the Totality Tower," Swordmaster offered.

      "I know! But there have been too many things happening to just pawn it off to a different commander! Scout and Gravedigger's death, unknown territory, the hostages-" Commander started up but was quickly stopped by Swordmaster. "Hostages?" he inquired.

      Commander blinked up at him. Didn't he tell them? The realization he never told anyone of this very important detail nearly had him thunking his head against the table.

      "I was visited in a dream, I just know it was real! It was a lady. She told me about her brothers and herself being trapped in different regions. Two of them are in Rotfield," Commander tapped on the map. He hissed in pain as Swordmaster slapped him aside the head, "You idiot! That is serious! How could you just forget!?"

      "I had a lot going on, okay!?" Commander grimaced as he rubbed the back of his head. Swordmaster groaned and began to think. He knew Void Reaver would hate the idea, but they needed someone to scout out the area, even if it's dangerous. They needed to do it now, there was only a few days until the moon was full.

      Swordmaster grumbled, "Looks like Frost Spirit will have a job." Commander was about to ask what he meant, but the titan was already gone.

      Commander sighed and looked at the map. A lot was at stake right now. There was kidnapped towers, revenge, and the world to save. If he messes something up, it was death or enslavement for them all. That was something he did not want. Grabbing the figures, he began to set them up.

      "I respect and see you as an equal, but I am taking charge over this, including you. None of us are going out, especially him," Void Reaver growled as he followed Swordmaster around the camp. His voice was somewhat hushed, but it could still be heard through the cool night air.

      The moon was at an early gibbous, the warning sign it was almost full. Swordmaster was getting Frost Spirit ready to go scout, but Void Reaver was putting a stop to it.

      Molten Boss and Sinister were burning wood, making black ash. Fallen King and Nuclear King helped rub it over Frost Spirit's wings and body suit, making him blend into the sky. The ice titan would cough now and again from the ash getting into his face.

      "Add another layer of ash, I don't want to see a single bit of color," Swordmaster instructed as he ignored Void Reaver. That really ticked off as he grabbed Swordmaster and spun him around, "Look what happened to Sinister! We were lucky it was Sinister, he can grow back his limbs. Frost Spirit can't! You are putting him in danger!"

      Swordmaster growled and Void Reaver and instantly let go. "I know you are very worried, but Frost Spirit will be okay. If something happens, he'll make them regret it," Swordmaster wiped the spot Void Reaver grabbed him and turned to Frost Spirit as they finished rubbing him with ash.