The entire ground seemed to be shaking, the air so cold it almost felt tangible. Lappland felt the rubber of her boots scuffing against the slippery surface, black ice trying to pull her down to the ground. Little shards grew around her feet as if attempting to swallow her whole. The others were in a similar predicament, lifting their feet up in vain to avoid icy capture. They were running over to join their allies even with the danger clearly present. But their situation was nowhere near as bad as the other Rhodes Island members.
Amiya and Doctor stood side by side, flanked by other members she hardly recognized. As a unified force they stared down a women who was seemingly the source of the murderous frost. She was a bunny, visible shards of infection on her skin. Masked men and women flanked her on either side. Their weapons were poised for attack. Signs of battle already littered the ground in defeated corpses and blaster burns scorching the victimized surface.
Doctor Y/N turned first, as though they sensed movement from behind even amidst the tension so thick a sword would have trouble cleanly cutting through it. "You guys! You're here!" She presumed Y/N was relieved, but it was hard to tell with the hood covering their expression and muffling the tone of their words.
Amiya turned too, albeit briefly. Hope shined in blue orbs as dark magic (A/N: I know Arknights call it arts but if they're casters then calling it magic also makes sense lol) sparked at her fingertips like a warning sign. "Good. They can help."
There was definitely relief in her words, no doubt about it. She wondered if Amiya had been worried about them showing up at all. There were some dark circle under her eyes. A faint crust of ice was at each of her fingertips. The blue rings she always wore were glittering the reflection of it the same as it did the dark red light she kept summoning. A weird diamond like pattern was appearing behind Amiya. A ghost of a shape, warning of the power the leader of Rhodes Island possessed.
"Ahh. So I see you've called in reinforcements," The white bunny spoke up.
"FrostNova, what should we do?" One of the enemies asked their leader.
The powerful ice arts user seemed unfazed by PL's intrusion. "We'll do as we've always done. Win and keep going."
"You sound awfully confident," Doctor said.
"Oh, that's because I am." FrostNova murmured. There was a smirk on her lips. Lappland knew she'd made the same face herself in the past, cocky she would come out of a fight with a win. It was rather obnoxious to look at when on the receiving end.
Texas got to Amiya and Doctor first, skidding to a graceful stop. Her bronze swords were already out, poised for the upcoming battle. She regarded the other operators with a reassuring smile, especially the woman who looked a bit worse for wear. Her red garments were dusted with the same black frost littering the ground, her lips tinted blue as she battled with vicious frostbite.
"FrostLeaf! Is she . . ." Texas seemed to be holding her tongue, avoiding the question she desperately needed an answer too.
"Texas now isn't the time—" Sora tried to remind, only to fail with Exusiai clapping a hand on the bunny idol's shoulder.
"Let her be. She needs this so give support."
With that said Exusiai motioned for them all to take the front line. No official battle had started yet —Doctor would have to give the command to initiate it— but it was clearly going to happen soon. Dark clouds swamped the sky blotting out what would have likely been a lovely sunset. Lappland let the cold seep into her skin, grounding her in this dull scenery. Silver was a pretty color but gray was not so much. Not this kind of gray, a void of emotionless dimension where life seemed to up and die like a burned out car engine.
"You don't need to do this FrostNova. We don't need to fight." Doctor was saying, waving their arms around for emphasis. For once the many layers Y/N wore was coming in handy, though Lappland doubted those would fully protect from the deadly chill if FrostNova continued to make things worse. When it came to the powers of an Infected it was best to never underestimate them. Her enemies learned this the hard way. All of them, every last one dead. She was not sorry. The filter of emotions changed in regards to many things, but doing something for the sake of those she loved was never regrettable.
"Ha. Foolish Doctor. Surely you can see that wars like this can only end in bloodshed. There will not be peace without loss." There was anger in the white bunny's tone, dark ice crystals floating around her like the deadliest daggers on Terra.
Amiya bit her lip, azure eyes troubled. "I can't believe this FrostNova. Surely you don't really feel this way?"
How does she feel sorry for the enemy at a time like this? Amiya was one of the few people she'd probably go her whole life not understanding. For a girl so young to be so well-informed, so deeply delved into the essence of war . . . Lappland loved fighting but she did not envy Amiya. This position was coveted by foolish outsiders who sought fame and glory; outsiders did not share the pain, nor the loss that came with this role. We all have to die some time. An expert with inside eyes knew the true pain of this work, of having to lose again and again and again and still keep going.
This Lappland understood.
"Why do you ask me like you do not know? After all my siblings and I have been through I see no other path for us but this." FrostNova explained.
"Amiya." Doctor breathed out the name worriedly, likely aware of those dangerous daggers in a way only a commander could be. Texas, had those same instincts ingrained deeply within from her heritage and learning. Lappland didn't envy the challenges that came with these teachings, nor did she envy those life-changing decisions so often made.
"Because I have to believe there's hope for all of us," Amiya said firmly.
Lappland half listened as she took a protective stance in front of Doctor Y/N. The rest of her attention remained on the woman she loved. Texas had FrostLeaf in her arms, speaking to her in a hushed voice. The two other operators who were presumably in need of rescue too — Jessica and Meteorite from BlackSteel— were with the operators Doctor and Amiya had brought with them for this mission. She noted the their presences and the absence of Ch'en. She had yet to meet the dragon lady of the LGD and found herself caring less about it. Who abandons their commitment in the middle of nowhere? She's no wolf. Wolves don't abandon their pack.
How funny of her to think this. How funny indeed.
Because all those years ago she had abandoned her pack. Had abandoned her Texas.
But no longer, no longer she vowed. Even if Texas didn't let her back into her heart Lappland would not leave her again. For however long she had left she was going to stay by Texas's side.
****
"Frostleaf, what happened to you?" Texas asked quietly. An argument was going on right over their heads. She studiously ignored it, trusting the rest of her friends to protect them from the brewing trouble. There would be a fight very soon. The bells of battle tolled.
Bleary eyes blinked up at her. Frostbite clung to the bunny's fingertips as she weakly reached up to grab Texas's cheek. The touch was the polar opposite of scathing water, a shiver darting down her spine like a ripple effect of a stone skipping across a lake surface. Gavial, the field medic who was working on FrostLeaf, shifted her grip on the operator to allow Texas to converse with her easier. She'd have to thank Gavial later for being so understanding. Most of the time medics refused to let anyone near during their work. But desperate times call for desperate measures I suppose. Now isn't the time to be uncooperative either.
"T-Texas. Didn't realize you were coming." The words were scratchy and raw but a consciousness belied them. She felt another ping of relief. If FrostLeaf was talking then she would be okay, she had no doubt.
"Hah. We didn't either till recently. What led up to this?" She hoped the gentle rewording corresponded with an informative response. There wasn't much time for a conversation.
"We went in to gather information. Just a simple recon really. Well, but not exactly because . . ." She trailed off, gesturing with a hand at the broken concrete. Gavial grabbed said hand and began to dab it with disinfectant. The bunny hissed, blue tinted skin beginning to turn to a reddish-pink.
Texas nodded thoughtfully. "This was a land ravaged recently by Catastrophe."
"Exactly. So we packed the necessary materials and went on our way. Somewhere along the line we began noticing drops in temperature, and we found some suspicious machinery too." FrostLeaf continued.
"Machinery . . . FrostNova's?" She tried out the assumption. It seemed fitting, given the circumstance.
"Yes. It's presumably the reason why the temperature is so low. Her arts are powerful but even she wouldn't be able distribute cold energy consistently across such a large area. It's simply unheard of."
Texas frowned. Sure, this sort of thing was unheard of, but that didn't mean it was impossible, just that it wasn't in records yet. But she's in no condition to deal with contradictions right now. So hold back.
"Maybe."
"Mmfnn. You know. I'm glad you're here Texas. You Penguin Logistic members always bring . . ." FrostLeaf coughed, body racking with the throb of pain.
"Bring what?" She asked.
"The positivity we need in moments like this. Doom and despair never solves anything." FrostLeaf's gaze seemed to sharpen in that brief moment, alighting on something other than Texas. "What's she doing here?"
Texas craned her head to see Lappland standing next to Exusiai, swords brandished proudly in front of her as the tell-tale signs of silver light glowed upon them. There really was little time left.
"Lappland? She's a liaison to Penguin Logistics. Why? Do you know her?" She highly doubted it, considering how short of a period Lappland had been at Rhodes Island to begin with.
FrostLeaf frowned. "No. But I've heard about her reputation. The lone wolf, the one who lost her family long ago and will never get it back."
Her heart stuttered at those words. Anger and despair fueled burning fires that didn't stop until the emotions were nothing but ashes. She remembers a paper, her hand gripping the red ink pen tightly as she wrote in the words to explain her agony. I shouldn't have. I really shouldn't have. The shame was as deafening as a bomb. But still, those files are meant to be top secret so how did . . .
FrostLeaf must have sensed her question. "I heard about it from Kal'tsit."
"Oh." Oh. "I see."
Kal'tsit was the only person who discussed such information, but to her knowledge it was on a need to know basis and she doubted FrostLeaf needed to know anything to do with Lappland. Maybe they consider her more of a loose cannon then I do. But since when did that allow for private information to be passed around? There were too many things whirling around in her head right now. Too bad the answers she sought were an impossible find at the moment.
"Everyone! Mission start!" Doctor Y/N called out, the conversation meant to stall and hopefully stop the fight in the first place had apparently failed. "Texas you're up!"
"I . . ." She swallowed against the lump in her throat. Why did this fight fill her with such apprehension. Maybe it was because allies were injured before the battle had even began? But the foreboding refused to alleviate even with the use of a relaxing breath.
A cold finger tapped her wrist. FrostLeaf was in a daze, pain medication taking in as her breathing slowed. "Go Texas. I'll be okay."
"A-alright. Stay safe."
"You do the same."
And with that said Texas was turning to the battle ahead.
****
Like usual, Exusiai found herself being deployed shortly after Texas. Ability kicking in, the faint outline of golden feathers surrounding both partners. Texas was slashing through each of her opponents with ease, kept from an overload of opponents by the assistance of a hail of Exusiai's bullets. The platform she rested on was crusted with ice. She crouched close to the surface, her favorite weapon whirring away in an assault meant to pin the toughest opponents to the ground. Her only weakness was armor, but a little help from Amiya made a big difference in that regard.
"Keep fighting everyone! Lappland deploy!" Doctor was shouting from the sidelines.
"Hahaha! About time!" Lappland was cheering.
"Be careful!" Texas snapped, seemingly annoyed by the unnecessary enthusiasm. The underlying worry wasn't missed, but there would be no discussing it either.
"Everyone hold strong!" Croissant hollered as she took another heavy defender head on.
Exusiai watched the white wolf touch down. She was on a separate aisle from Texas, facing the direction of the biggest problem coming their way. FrostNova had been wreaking havoc on the third lane. Thankfully no operators had been deployed there. The black shards covering the floor suggested the terrible things that could happen to someone hit point blank by FrostNova. So we have to end this quickly. We can't let anyone else get hurt. She stole a glance Sora's direction, finding the supporter activating her skill. Music notes swirled around several of them as the powerful arts got going. Exusiai felt her own strength increasing, her bullets increasing in attack power.
"Exusia cover me!" Texas yelled. The enemies were starting to pile up again shortly after the dispersion of sword rain.
"On it!"
She cocked her gun to the far left lane. Meteorite and Amiya would provide enough coverage for Croissant and Lappland for the time being. Gavial mediated all the healing, her green eyes steely with their resolve. She looks more like a melee operator than a ranged operator. Wonder why she didn't apply for the other position. Nobody admitted it out loud, but healers were a strange bunch. Half of them seemingly had other jobs or could fight. She supposed it was a good thing, self defense was very important in this day and age.
"Get ready Lappland! Here she comes!"
Doctor's warning was almost entirely drowned out by the screeching sound of ice slamming at the platforms closest to the white rabbit. A fog seemed to fill the air as FrostNova stepped out in her dangerous glory. She had already went down once before thanks to FrostLeaf —who had apparently demanded the Doctor let her fight. Exusiai didn't know whether payback was the smartest thing to be getting in this situation but she admired her determination to keep going. Reminds me of Texas. Speaking of, Texas kept stealing glances to the middle lane. Her bronze swords were charging up yet again. One strapped firmly to her back, the other wielded in her right hand. She tensed up the second the air grew even colder —how FrostNova managed it was a mystery— and snow ghosted over every surface. The flakes would have been beautiful if not for the subzero destruction they signaled.
This was it, the moment of truth.
She hoped Lappland was ready.
*****
Everyone else seemed to fade away in that moment.
Lappland flexed her swords as FrostNova came barreling towards her. Well, barreling might have been the wrong word. Each small footstep was staggered but ominous, the very ground quaking beneath the white rabbit's boots. A red light sparked in her fearsome gaze, a promise of mayhem. Lappland growled as she neared. Her ears were pressed up against her skull to minimize the grating shriek of shards scratching metal and concrete. This opponent was not physically dangerous, far from the most adept at fighting.
But Infection changes everything. I should know.
A whirl of bloodlust pierced the back of her brain. It urged her with all its might to take a run at the Infected rabbit, to use her uniquely designed swords to carve out her likely frozen heart. The imagery was as sickening as it was exhilarating. For a second, Lappland allowed the madness to wash over her, let it take her adrift to the sea of blood she made in her mind. How many lives had she taken at this point? She had counted out all of the people she killed that day in revenge for her parents' —and to a slightly lesser extent pack's— deaths. Those wicked smiles with broken fangs were forever burned into her memory. They haunted her, not because she had killed them but because of what they took from her.
My future with the loved ones I was born too. They took them. I felt like I had nothing left. If not for Texas then I . . . There were so many easy ways to die. There were also painful ways too. And for a child so lost in despair and grief either avenue would have made for a suitable death. It probably would have came down to which won out inside of her: blame or despair? She still didn't know the answer, hoped to never find out. Because she refused to be in that position again. Her years may be numbered however it wasn't going to stop her from living her life. And it's all thanks to her. Does she know? I-I didn't tell her, did I?
How strange to be reminiscing here, considering information that felt like it belonged to an older person considering their life as it came to an end.
And as she looked at FrostNova she realized why these were the thoughts going off in her mind.
Dark eyes assessed her, glinting with harsh, cold light.
"You are the one they send to fight me? An Infected."
Slight disbelief colored her tone. Lappland wondered if it was from disgust or a lack of amusement. Either way, a growl rumbled in challenge at the back of her throat. A strong willed enemy like this one might just require her everything to defeat. Even with her skill about to activate it was going to be a close call.
"Yes. I am."
"Why? Why do you fight for the likes of them? Can't you see Rhodes Island has no future?"
She frowned. What on Terra is she talking about? No future? Lappland had spent a small fraction of time at Rhodes Island so maybe she wasn't the best judge but . . . She had seen so many people getting help thanks to R.I., watched the laughter and cheers from a job well done. It was hard to fine honesty and love in a world like this, something she knew all too well. Rhodes Island was the closest thing she could match to a safe haven. And not just any old safe haven either. No, a place where all people from all walks of life found sanctuary. Rhodes Island was a home for those with and without. They cared for their members and it showed.
"What do you mean? Rhodes Island is a very formidable group." This she attested to from personal experience. Exploding spiders, grunts of exertion, bicolored eyes meeting hers across from their positions in the heated generator room. Their teamwork remained the same regardless of the situation.
"Hah. I could care less for their pointless battles. I'm talking about their presence as a whole." Another menacing step forward, lip curled and eyes blazing despite the freezing arts FrostNova used.
"Oh? And what about it?"
Just a little longer. She took a small step back, a thoughtful move in this game of cat and mouse. For once she was the latter, the reality of the situation she was in not escaping her. The sound of bullets and the shouts of battle were the only things managing to combat the viscous screeching of ice shards on metal. With deadly precision they cut through the material like it was nothing more than flimsy paper. The battle-induced mania in her pictured how easy those weaponized shards could cut through people. Bone, normally a worthy adversary to blades, was going to be absolutely useful during a fight like this one.
"They talk a big talk but at the end of the day they will not reach a global scale. Forever in the shadows they will stay, causing trouble and helping little more than themselves." There was definitely bitterness in her voice this time, Lappland just knew it.
"Huh. I'm not usually one to judge but I think what you're saying is pretty harsh," Lappland said.
A dark smile as ice retracted from metal. Another burst of energy was going to flood out of the Reunion commander. "Oh. It is."
Shring.
Lappland ducked at the last second. Ice blasted out the tiles to her right and left. Sheer luck had been all there was keeping her safe in this moment. If she were anyone else the terror would be setting in. Lappland wasn't however, and this was not a fight she was going to run from. No. Lappland would stay and fight. And when she won everyone was going to hear her battle cry.
"Fine then. If that's how you see things I guess we have nothing to talk about."
"No. We don't." FrostNova agreed.
She wasn't one for negotiations anyways so why bother. Inwardly, Lappland smirked as her skill activated. What would win: magical swords or arts infused ice shards. She was dying to find out. Twirling her swords with deadly precision she raised them and took aim.
"If you want a battle I'll give you a war."
Little did Lappland know just how true this statement would turn out to be. Rhodes Island and Reunion shared interlocked fates. With each strike of opposition they intertwined further.
And as of now, there was no telling how it would end.
*****
A/N: Is this overdue? Heck yes. Will the author strive to update quicker next time: yes (provided exams don't overload the stress train haha). Thank you guys so much for your patience and I'll see you next time! Oh, and another important note! Sometime in the near future there will be a translated version of this story in Spanish! I will let you know the details as soon as I get them! 😊😉👀🤗