August 22nd, 17:00 p.m PST
The city of Tijuana has fallen once more. The sounds of gunfire have stopped as the Zlocan Knights round up the remaining rebels who tried to fight until their last breath. They tried their best to secure their home, a precious place for their families, one shared with a border of a fellow nation that could have helped them out.
Unfortunately, the Zlocans have taken up most of the advantage...at least for now.
Back on Libertad neighborhood in the school, some surviving rebels are crawling around the playground inside, looking for a safe zone from the chaos. They keep crawling while holding on to their exposed parts sustained from the battle. As excruciating as it can be, they still hold on for the best, just to stay alive. Not just their body, but their spirits as well.
That is, until a Knight stomps one of them with his boot. Hard enough to crush the man's skull and head in many pieces, leaving chunks of oozing liquid around the decapitated head.
The other rebel shakes up heavily as his eyes squint from the messy sight of the corpse. He's trembling so hard he can't even speak, and soon knows why as he looks towards a man with blue spiked hair, with freckles around the nose, white leather pants, white titanium body-armor, red heavy gloves equipped with red spiked braces. Near the larynx area lies a long and broad scar, almost looking like a replaced skin that is easily noticeable.
And with his right arm, he carries a pilot helmet, one used by helicopter pilots to be exact.
"Not you...Vladimir the reaper..." says the injured rebel as he continues to tremble.
It turns out that Vladimir is accompanied by Raven and his Inquisitors.
The sight is too much for him to bear, shedding many tears from what he's witnessing, the closest thing to the gatekeepers of the underworld.
Just as he tries to escape, a loud bang blows his left eye off, leaving a huge hole that splatters red liquid across the ground.
The gunshot comes from none other than Jason himself, looking all battered, bloodied, with a smile on his face.
"Now that's some rigorous workout..." he quips as he steps out outside, seeing the massive destruction the abandoned building from the other side has taken. Now, most of the rebels are being taken as prisoners, taken into parts unknown with their hands on their head as they're escorted by the Zlocu.
"Another job well done from the Inquisitors, especially from our good little pilot here," Jason says as he points towards Vladimir. He simply nods while smirking from his response.
"And now, here are some sweet people to look forward to having a chit-chat, that is, if they speak English that is."
Being escorted outside are the three notable rebels who partook in the attempted uprising. Amanda, the old man and Laureano all look battered up and bruised up, some parts of their faces swelled up from aggressive action and lots of cuts found in their bodies.
Whatever happened, it was something out of their control.
Yamja then approaches them, slowly observing each of them who are on their knees while looking down at the ground. She usually likes it when people are in her grip, almost like one precious toy to enjoy.
"Your people really thought that a strike like this will easily beat us? You poor humans in here are so very naïve and dumb, isn't it? What a shame, I really, really thought that your kind of warriors was competent enough to defeat us, but I guess that was hyperbole after all," Yamja says.
"Yes, they have defeated us on this day, but I'm pretty sure...you won't survive the second liberation..." Laureano says while still looking down.
"But with what?"
Laureano's only "word" is to stare at her with his squinting eyes and gritting teeth. For all what he may see or think, there's always something that may get some brave warriors out of a battle. But is it certain for a man like him?
"I thought so. There's much more than you could have done to prevent this. You could have been good boys who would have obeyed everything their superiors told them to because it's the right thing for them. But here you are...all looking like poor little fools who couldn't even handle a simple lightbulb from the inside."
"Whatever you say...the others will come, I'm sure of it..."
"Not if Metis is still operational, foolish Human."
"Metis? Is that...."
Vladimir punches him, causing him to spit some drops of blood to the ground while Amanda and the old man trying to look away from him.
"No one should know a word of our secret "warrior"!" Darkin replies.
"Keep it cool, Yamja. Now listen, young man, please apologize if they were vulgar to you. You at least fought well, but you still would have done a lot better in the name of war," Jeanette says as she kneels down, caressing his hair.
"Why kindness?! Geez, stop acting like a 80s gentlewoman Jeanette! We the Inquisitors do what we like to do, but kindness is one of the stupidest manners you could ever use! That makes you a weak fool on the battlefield!" Dakrin retorts, which causes Jeanette to slap him, which makes him step back from her.
"Watch it, young man."
"Enough discussion you two. You do as you like to do, that's how we roll. Now let's give these "warriors" a last chance," Raven says.
"What do you mean, a last chance?" the old man asks.
"It means that you have two options that will decide your fate. Either you want to seek another chance in life and fighting, then join the Inquisitors, we will strengthen you people and you will cease to be weaklings and become gods to your own world with us. Or you can take the path of inferiority and face your last moments of life in your own wretched land and then take your corpse to our base so it will be for future use. And if you dare to resist, then you'll get the second option as well. Now, starting with you, old man. Time to choose." Yamja says, while holding them tight.
There is a moment of silence between the injured rebels and the Inquisitors as they both glare at each other, with Vladimir clenching his fists and the others readying their weapons.
The rebels simply stare silently at her while the old man looks at the ground, thinking about what he can do.
Anyone who wants to do anything to protect their people is one worthy of trust, one who knows what to gain in the end.
After a moment of silence and scowling, the old rebel finally answers, his eyes all focused on Yamja.
"I'd rather die as a warrior and hero... than live as a traitor and slave..."
"Then so be it," Yamja says.
After this statement, Yamja lifts her other hand, wiggling her fingers slightly in a horizontal and vertical manner, causing the rebel's head then is covered in a dark purple flow of energy. The old man then groans with heavy ventilation.
Yamja closes her hand, forming a fist, which causes the dark aura around the rebel to close in completely, almost forming a knot-like-object around him. This causes the old man to scream in while his body becomes numb with the purple flow of energy getting closer to him.
And just as it will continue forever, the rebel's face explodes in many pieces, spilling a lot of blood to the Inquisitors and the other two rebels, who get startled at the sight of such death while Amanda breathes heavily from the sight of her commanding officer, one whom she served for a long while. She would have done much more to make him proud, but now that's gone. Lauerano growls and pants, his eyes wide open and gritting his teeth much more.
"You...You goddamn bastards!!" Laureano says while growling at them.
Raven and Jason don't react to anything, simply staring at both of them while Jason smiles at them while Jeanette looks shaken at the kill.
"Mother of...Jesus Christ!!"
Yamja, after a moment of silence, user her tongue to lick most of the blood that's on her face, while Vladimir eats one of the dead rebel's eyeballs, causing the others to squint.
"Hmmm, it seems that Human blood has quite a flavor inside of them...So delicious." Yamja whispers.
Laureano then rushes forward in an attempt to tackle Yamja and use all of his strength to fight her.
But just as he's about to, Jason aims his gun at him and pulls the trigger, hitting near the forehead which causes chunks of red blood and brain to spread out as he falls to the ground. Amanda can only try to hold on to breathe a bit more while tears are flowing down from her face. Little by little, her world seems to be crumbling so soon. Will she even continue her battle?
"As for you, young lady...I've seen your tenacity and bravery in battle before we captured you, perhaps more so than them. As such, I'll personally recruit you," Yamja says while caressing her cheek.
Amanda can only growl at her while her tears continue to fall down and trying to get up to attack her, but she's too numb to do so.
"Knights, take this precious lady to border, I think we found another candidate for our beloved Inquisition," Yamja says as she raises her hand and points at Amanda, in which they comply her order.
And before Amanda can do anything, Raven uses his hand to tap on her shoulder, shocking her with electricity that causes her to pass out. The Knights carry her away to one of the transport ships carrying the prisoners.
"We have restored our order once more," Raven says.
"Why did I even..." Jeanette says while turning away from the carnage.
"No need to worry my dear Jeanette. Actions like this are acceptable within our circle you know, you should be pleased about other cowards being killed for not joining our rightful cause," Jason replies to her while grabbing his pistol.
"Inquisitors, Now let's check if my trust in General Kedris wasn't in vain. I'm sure he has the city secure."
"I'm pretty sure that sonovabitch defended that city very well, I mean, what could go wrong?" Dakrin asks.
Raven then taps on his gauntlet, pressing some buttons which make a beeping sound. It lasts for a moment until a hologram of Kedris appear, one in which he's not focusing his attention on him.
"Raven..."
"I must say you're doing well so far, isn't that correct? We've put down an insolent rebellion in Tijuana, and surely you must have done the same for San Jose."
"Well, the thing is...I don't know how you'll take it..."
"What? No...I swear to papa-" Yamja says as she notices what he's implying.
"San Jose and others have fallen to the UEF...."
"You gotta be kidding me!" says the Inquisitors except for Vladimir, Jeanette, and Raven, who simply stare down at him, but Raven, in particular, seems to take much of it, as slowly approaches the hologram from what he just heard.
"We picked the wrong day to go on duty!" Dakrin exclaims.
"And please don't tell me it was those IDIOTIC Earth Warriors!" Yamja says in an angrier tone.
"I'm afraid so, Lady Yamja," Kedris replies. This causes Yamja to growl heavily while pressing her fists hard. It's something she may not have wanted indeed. But before she can do anything, she eventually releases the grip on both hands and changes her gaze to him once more, albeit with still a scowl on her face.
"Impressive, seems like the Warriors just found a way to set aside a common Human thought, and turning the tide of battle with your tactic as well," Raven says.
"Humans are more ferocious than we could imagine. The more we strike at them, the more they find a way to turn the tide. Now, I'll kindly accept my punishment as needed from Zlocan tradition."
"Grrrrr! No wonder that the recent events are making us the laughingstock of the Zlocan armies, we're supposed to be conquerors, not big wussy losers!"
"Calm down, my fellow Inquisitors, it's only a city the Warriors captured. We still have the chance to defend the other cities as well, having better defenses than the ones in San Jose...and that means you'll get a second chance, Kedris. You're too important for us to lose after all."
Kedris' reply is simply silence. For what he could have wanted, he's granted one in which they may test his limits a bit more.
"I hope you're correct, boss, but if we meet the Earth Warriors again, how are we going to defeat them? You know how much they got our asses kicked!" Jason says.
"Well, there's more of us of course, but did I forget to mention Kedris' other vanguard?"
"What?! Yet more secrets!?" Dakrin shouts.
"You know why. As I said, maybe that "vanguard" of yours would surely be useful in future encounters if possible, they'll soon know that there's more to expect from Zlocu."
"As long as they're not harmed, then it will be fine," Kedris replies.
"And last but not least, count on Vladimir and his air squad, his "Lovac" squadron. If they ever encounter them on the air again, then they'll make sure they'll regret taking the skies and stay on the ground forever."
"Yes indeed! These fools will taste the bitterness of death once they face our next challenges!" Yamja exclaims.
"But keep in mind-"
"Shut up! You're the first of our greater army to fail and we won't let any more of you get in papa's conquest here! The vanguard and Lovac will take care of them better than you!" Yamja replies.
Kedris simply bows his head at her. Even if he's older, he's talking to the one who shares the blood of the man he's serving to. Defying her from the Zlocu's perspective would be a pretty bad an idea after all.
"All I can say now is that the conflict on Earth and probably the rest of the universe will change soon, and we'll have to keep our eyes and ears open at all cost, trying more than that will only ensure our defeat," Kedris says.
"We shall see in time. We will see who is the wise man and the jester when it comes," Raven replies.
After his words, the hologram shuts down, leaving the Inquisitors on their own once more.
Each side gained their own victory, but also with a bearing of bad news.
No matter the severity, it shows one clear thing:
The battle has truly begun.