A growing silence envelops the group as the sound of boots striking the earth could only be heard. Jacob was tense, even more so than ever as the two angels move in utter silence. One leading the vanguard while the other bringing up the rear.
Jacob wanted to thaw the silence that had frozen over, though it did not help by the nature of the leading angel. Whenever there was movement, his muscles immediately reacted faster than he could ever blink.
This caught him and the civilian more than once in a panic as the angel seemingly reacted instantly before resuming back to their normal pace. "Brother Keros please calm down, you are frightening the little ones." The rear angel whispered kindly despite the metallic voice.
The leading angel snapped back for a moment as the group froze. "Hiee!" one of the children yelped back in surprise as the angel look down at the child. The crowd hinges away from the angel as the Trans human dread remained in their psyche. "See?" the angel spoke again as the other replied.
"There could be a xeno out there. I am not letting my guard down again." Keros respond roughly before resuming to his natural pace. "But they are-" "I am not taking any chances." A sigh could be heard from the rear angel as he whispered softly.
"Please forgive my companion. He might look paranoid, but I can assure you his prowess and skills are no lesser than mine." The angel whispered as Jacob stiffly nodded back in response. "I-is there a reason why he is so... jumpy?" Jacob whispered as the marine suddenly aimed his weapon to its right before walking once more.
"Aye, though it is a tale that I do not wish to recall." The marine sadly whispered as Jacob hurriedly nodded his head. "I-I understand..." "...Though, I suppose I could tell you mine instead." Jacob turned immediately as the undying curiosity got the best of him.
The same could be said for the civilians as they turned back to listen. "I was born in the world known as Kydien Secundus. The planet was a minor agri world, we ship off mostly grain-like plants known as T'vashk. It was far easier to make and takes little to grow than wheat, though the taste was as bland as I could remember." The marine chuckled as Jacob eyed him in wonder.
"I was a son of a farmer. Tilling the lands with my pa and ma. Even having a girl I liked. It was a short, but blissful life." Jacob could not see the man's face thanks to his helmet, but he could sense the bitter joy as the marine slowly trailed off.
"What happened? How come you become a, erm" "Astarte." "An Astarte right! S-so why did you become one if you enjoyed your previous life?" Jacob asked as he could not understand why he would throw such a jovial life, a life he desperately seeks to reclaim in fighting this war.
"...It's because I can't." Jacob felt his heart drop as the marine stared off in the distance. "...My world was stolen from me." Jacob sealed his mouth tight as he swore he could hear the sound of grief in the angel's voice.
"A xeno by the name of orks had razed my home to the ground. As I flee from my burning world, I swore to hunt down every last one of their hateful kind. And so, I became an astarte. No other worlds shall suffer the same fate as mine did so long as I live."
Jacob could not meet the angel's gaze as he suddenly feels sorry for the giant. He wanted to say something, to ease the man's burden, but what? Jacob never found these words as the static radio soon echoed from the group. It was faint, but they could understand it.
"This is captain Dominicus of the lamenter's chapter. Due to several strategic and tactical circumstances, the planet shall be evacuated before a retaliation fleet could be mustered. I implore to all citizens to gather all your personal belongings and begin evacuation. The mass transport ships, will be arriving soon."
Ivan stared with mouth agape as well as everyone else when the covenant fleet retreated. Their eyes could not believe what actually just happened as within the span of 10 minutes the battle was already over. And it was won by theirs.
A single human ship had broken a fleet on its own as if the table had suddenly been reversed. It was a miracle. No, it was beyond miracle as shouts of joy and relief washed over the masses. For the first time in 10 years of ceaseless and hopeless war, hope had finally appeared.
If they were somehow able to recreate and mass-produce warships of these classes, then maybe just maybe they will have a shot. Are these perhaps forerunners? Amidst the victory drunken atmosphere, Ivan found himself asking some very absurd questions.
Questions no one would normally ask as they were too obvious, questions that would be ignored as it was simply nonsense... questions that would soon stick with Ivan for the rest of his life as the dying need for answers carved into his very bones. For now however, he relished their victory.
"T-they did it! They actually did it! We're alive! We are alive!" Ivan could not help but felt a smile stretch upon his lips. It seemed there really was hope, a chance of driving the war back into their favor. ...Though I wish we have more of those ships.
Ivan mused to himself when it happened. "Several slip spaces detected sir! And there are hundreds!" The report soon stifles down the celebration as the dread news invoked despair once more. "Show me!" Ivan shouted as the screen soon zoomed in.
"Oh my God." Ivan could hear the cries of the civilians as several tears appeared. Ivan clenched his hands in frustration as the sight of victory was immediately snatched away from the jaw of defeat. They were close, they were so close!
Ivan stared in despair and frustration at the tears as he waited for the hated amethyst ships. Though after several seconds pass on, Ivan begun to wonder what is going on as no signs of the covenant ever showed up. And then it happened.
On that day, Ivan would never forget the sight of it. The joy that blossomed from within, the hope that finally unfurled its wings when tens of warships emerges from the tear. Warships that looked identical to the one that defended them.
Warships that stood proud and were made by the hands of humans. Warships that were designed for war. The room fell silent as they watch in utter bewilderment. These behemoths were nothing like the UNSC. Their smallest ships ranged from 1.5 km to the behemoth of 12 km. Not to mention the tens of hundreds of what Ivan could only described as civilian ships, though it looked more armed giant warheads due to their sheer size alone.
And they were all armed to the teeth, even the civilian ships have a MAC canon. Another round of joyous celebration erupted from the bunker, much louder and joyful this time. If one warship was enough to turn the tides, how much if there was a fleet of them? 40 warships prowl across the void, guarding its precious cargo as a signal is being broadcast from one of the ships.
"This is captain Dominicus of the lamenter's chapter. Due to several strategic and tactical circumstances, the planet shall be evacuated before a retaliation fleet could be mustered. I implore to all citizens to gather all your personal belongings and begin evacuation.
The mass transport ships, will be arriving soon." The broadcast soon caught off as confusion sowed amongst the masses. "Evacuate? Do they mean to abandon our world? But where would we go?!" Confusion soon devolved into panic as Ivan quickly tries to maintain order.
"Everyone! Everyone calm down and listen to me!" Ivan shouted as all eyes soon turned towards him. "Commander Ivan, what shall we do? We cannot take everyone with our ships. There is simply no room for us all!" "Calm down and let me-"
"What of the children? We cannot take everyone with us and the children! Are we supposed to be abandoned here while the rest fled? We cannot possibly be- "I said calm down damn it! Let me explain shit before you all panic!"
Ivan shouted louder this time as silence soon engulfed the masses. "Look here, these people have called to us to prepare for evacuation. We are not abandoning our home, we are simply being relocated to a much safer location until the conflict is over.
As for the transport, they did say the mass transport would be arriving soon. Though I am not sure what he means by it, I am fairly certain they had arranged for everyone to leave so there is no need to panic. We're all going through this. Hell even better, we have allies this time!"
Order begins to take hold amongst the masses as Ivan massages his forehead from the chaotic events that happened in less than a day. It all happened so fast, from the harbingers that they dreaded the most to the heralds of hope and salvation they never thought to see once more.
For any mortal man, it was all too much to take in a second. Ivan understood it, but the realization was just beginning to settle down. "Sir?" Ivan snaps out of his focus as he turned to the voice of the marine. His eyes widen in surprise and relief when he saw Jacob smiling.
He was dirty, injured even but he was alive. By God's grace, the kid was alive! Ivan would have run to give the soldier an embrace when two giants in yellow entered the bunker. All noises seemed to die down as they stared at the two demigods in awe and splendor.
These giants, these demigods of death and ruin instilled a sense of strength, fear, awe but most importantly of all, reassurance that they were their allies. That all is going to be alright. "Commander!" Ivan snapped out of his stupor as he embraces the boy.
"I thought you were dead! By the mercy of all that is holy, I thought you died when those bastards dropped a building on you!" Ivan laughed as Jacob responded in kind. "Yeah, I thought I was too! The damn bastards got me good on my shoulder, but my luck had yet to run out!"
The laughed as Ivan soon noticed a small crowd behind Jacob. "You save these people?" Ivan asks in shock and pride as Jacob gave a small smile. "Well, I did try but got my ass handed in the process. Weren't for them I..." Jacob trailed off as his eyes wanders back to the giants.
Ivan did so too as a newfound respect and gratitude assailed him all at once. Ivan smiled at the young man once more before walking toward the giants. "Thank you for saving this kid sir. I thought I had lost him when those bastards separated him from his unit." Ivan said as no words can measure the gratitude he had for the two.
The two turned slowly at Ivan as if they were careful not to frighten everyone when a metallic reply came on. "No, it is we who should be grateful commander. Were it not for his courage and tenacity, we would have never reached in time.
The people would have been slaughtered by these vile xenos if he did not stand and fight. For that, we are grateful for your service guardsman." The giant replied as Jacob redden from the compliment. "N-no, it was not-" "Do not degrade yourself guardsman, you have given us time and for that... for that we..." The reply suddenly stopped as the giant stood still like a statue.
Ivan was about to ask what was wrong when a soft whimper suddenly erupted. It came as a shock to everyone else as one of the giants patted the other on the shoulder. "Please excuse us." The other giant responds as he escorted his brother out of the vicinity.
All eyes trailed on the two when a third giant appeared. It appears he was comforting the weeping giant before allowing the two to move on. "I apologize for that display." Ivan turned to see the familiar face of Adam.
"N-no it is nothing significant really!.." Ivan tried to reassure the demigod when his gaze trailed back to where the two went off. "You are curious I see." Adam chuckled as Ivan snaps back from his stupor. "I-" "No it is alright. If I were in your shoes, I would have been confused too."
The demigod gave a sad smile as Ivan slowly turned back to the door. An undying itch suddenly infects his mind as his curiosity builds up by the second. Soon after, Ivan could no longer resist the call of discovery as he asked. "Do you mind if..." Ivan cautiously asked as the giant nodded.
"He is known as Keros within our ranks or Kade in your version. He is the youngest within our chapter, though the word young are meaningless to us..." Adam trailed off as a flash of tiredness flickered briefly across the giant's eyes. "...What happened to him?" Ivan asked.
"He participated in 76 campaigns that spanned over 300 years." Ivan's eyes widen at the impossible number Adam gave. "On those 76 campaigns, 63 of them contained at least a small civilian force that has been caught in the crossfire. Guess how many times he had saved them."
Adam poses a question as Ivan confusedly replied. "Well... couple hundreds? Maybe thousands?" Ivan gave a small but realistic reply as he did not know why Adam had asked him. "...Zero." Adam whispered but everyone within the bunker heard his reply.
Ivan felt cold as if it felt impossible. A demigod such as he could not even save one civilian?? It was inconceivable and impossible! "He tried everything within his power whenever a civilian appeared on the battlefield." Adam gave a small nod to the door as Ivan listened.
He strained his ears as he tried to listen attentively to every minute detail, even if it was insignificant. "Whether it was an ork wagh or a tyranid invasion, he threw himself into the fray without a single care for his life... just to try to save one civilian. He tried and tried and tried.
...But each time, as if a cruel fate implanted on all of us, they all die." Adam paused for a moment as his gaze looked haunted by the ghost of the past for a second before shaking his head. "Whether it be collateral damage or simply bad luck, they all died.
Even if we were somehow able to reach them first before those filth could, they would somehow still die. There is always, always something that took our luck. For Kade however, it was worse. So much worst.
I once saw his right arm torn cleanly off from his shoulder by a swarm of those bastards. His armor was broken to pieces, and half of his helmet was missing. Despite that though, he clung stubbornly to his blade by his mouth. Even with that injury, he still fights on.
He fought like a madman... just to save a little girl in his left arm... he cradled that little one amidst the tide of greenskins while missing an arm." Adam pauses as Ivan never knew he could hear something so beautiful, so heroic while at the same time so painful and awful. Impossible? Yes but beautiful nonetheless.
"...What happened?" Ivan asked again as Adam could not bear to look Ivan in the eyes. He wondered why he was looking away when a small trace of tear ran down from his cheek. With a shaky breath, he spoke in painful clarity.
"...The little girl was already dead, some forsaken shrapnel pierced the little one in her stomach." Gasped erupted everywhere, but Adam continued. "Perhaps she was crying for help, maybe trying to stifle out the cry like a brave little girl.
I do not know which. It was so loud at that time that it drowned everything else that was not screaming. I saw Kade fight on, how he tried to shield the fallen corpse as if it was the only thing that mattered to him... though he eventually had to notice. Had to wake up to the nightmare."
Ivan and everyone who was listening were preparing to brace themselves. By the tone of dread and foreboding ill within Adam's voice, they prepared for the worst. Though even with all that preparation, they still couldn't handle what is to come.
"When Kade finally noticed the lifeless child, it broke him..." Adam paused again as he bit down his lip so hard that blood ran from them. Jacob wondered how such a man was capable of holding the urge as he continued to tell the tragic tale.
"I could still recall how he smiled that day as he slew the last wave, how he tried to give a courageous smile to the little one to drive off her fears... and how his smile broke at the dawning realization. I could still recall how he tried desperately to provide first aid to that cold corpse... when he finally realized it was too late, he could do nothing but scream.
The next wave was upon him, but it did not matter. He succumbed to the black rage. Reason and reality melted with rage and illusion as he did not know what to do. He was tearing and gnawing at everything, even with his broken body. He threw his life at the massive wave... all the while screaming.
I... apologize, but I cannot tell you how painful and wretched that scream was. It is something I simply cannot share. Anyways, I almost died trying to bring him back as he was howling madly for the lost. It was a miracle by the emperor when he returned to us.
I was so sure he was gone. Consumed by the infernal hatred that dwelled within us all, thank the emperor I was wrong." Adam stifles out the cry as he was forced to recall a horrible memory. The demigods Ivan looked up and feared suddenly felt so human. So relatable.
"I'm... I'm sorry for recalling such a memory." Ivan weakly offers consolidation as Adam nodded. "That is why we are thankful for your guardsman commander." Adam's voice suddenly felt light again as he turned and smiled.
"If we were forced to watch another butcher, another massacre without even having the chance to try to stop it, we would have lost Kade the moment we landed. He would have killed everyone and everything. Rampaged all across the world, until he is forcibly put down.
There is nothing more I can say but thank you. You have given Kade his first successful rescue guardsman Jacob, and there is nothing in the world that you could have given us more precious than what you have given us today." Adam turned to smile at Jacob as tears broke off.
"Eh?" Jacob found himself muttering in shock as he did not even realize he was crying. "Urk!" Jacob blinked as he soon learned he was not alone. The civilians, the marines, even commander Ivan were crying at the tale of Kade.
The soft yet heavy cry soon trickled in through the air as Jacob tried to stifle the cry out but failed. "I-I'm sorry. I-I can't... sorry..." The crowd join in unison with him as they never feel so sorry for the angels as they do so now.
"I-I am so sorry... I didn't know. I... I should have never asked. I-I should have never... I am so sorry." It was all Ivan could say as Jacob cried harder. Jacob never knew the hero's story can be so tragic. He had heard stories how they live and end with their happy ending.
Fairytales that the heroes and their companions somehow manage to overcome the odds and win the day. Jacob had witnessed firsthand how paranoid Kade was. How he seemingly always panicked with every small movement that moved. He thought he was simply too rigid, too serious. Jacob now knew why he had become so in the first place.
The failures, the deaths, the sorrow... it must have been unbearable. Jacob believe if it was anyone else but an angel, they would have gone mad from the losses long ago. It was laughable how he even considered saving a mere 20 to be a burden when an angel himself endured thousands and failed them all.
If he were ever put in his place... Jacob did not want to delve in further as the thought alone terrified him. "It's alright." The crowd turned to Adam as he gave off a smile. A tired but grateful smile. "We have saved you now didn't we? Our luck is finally turning around."
Jacob, Ivan and everyone else blinked for a moment as their brains could not understand, could not comprehend why. Why was the angel thanking them? Why was the angel so grateful from saving them when they should be the one instead. "Urk..." a grunt soon echoed across the bunker as the pain resounded.
A moment passed before another wave of wailing resounded through the bunker. The cries of humanity were something both painful and comforting to hear that no words could describe them. "Sorry. I-I'm so sorry." Jacob cried as they soon followed.
Adam blinked in surprise as the masses simply cried harder. He wanted to comfort them, to stop their wailing when he saw their eyes. Gratitude, sorrow and love. Adam stopped then as he could not help himself but savor the look. For a lamenter, it was the only payment they ever wanted to receive as all their pain and sorrow were rewarded a hundred fold.