16: Nocturne's Edge

"GO! GO! GO! GO!"

"FIGHT TILL YOUR LAST BREATH!"

"DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP!"

Two valiant armies stood on a battlefield stretched vast and eerie across Nocturne's Edge, a once verdant land now scarred by the cataclysm of war between two worlds.

On one side, the forces of Technotopia advanced, they were an army that contained immense metallic might.

Armored warriors clad in exosuits marched in unison. Hovering tanks and mech-suits adorned with energy cannons and missile pods moved forward, casting long shadows across the barren ground. Drones swarmed overhead, acting as a cloud of mechanized surveillance, their lenses capturing every breath of the enemy. The air vibrated with the whir of engines and the crackle of energy weapons charging, preparing to unleash their fury.

Opposing them stood the great Spartans of Nirvania. Clad in shimmering armor adorned with ancient runes and symbols of power, they moved with the grace and precision of trained warriors. Their bodies, enhanced through ancient rites, rigorous training, and the consumption of mythical herbs enabled them to move with supernatural speed and strength. Even their weapons were imbued with elemental forces.

Beasts of legend summoned from the depths of their world roared their defiance. Fire-breathing drakes and behemoths that could summon thunder and lightning moved amongst the Spartans, each ready to clash with the mechanical monsters before them.

BOOM!

BANG!

BAM!

KABOOM!

As the two forces collided, deafening explosions and sounds resounded in the desolate Nocturne's Edge. Lasers and energy blasts met with the shields and armors of the Spartans. Those with elemental abilities created shields of wind, barriers of fire, and walls of earth to defend themselves from the attack of the Technotopians.

Swords of hardened light clashed with blades enchanted with the primal forces of nature, creating sparks that flew with each encounter. The ground shook under the weight of the behemoths, each step causing fissures, while mech-suits leaped and dodged, their pilots executing maneuvers honed in simulators far removed from the chaos of battle.

Above, the sky became a battlefield of its own. Drones and fighter jets darted through torrents of ice, fire, and thunder, weaving an intricate dance of death. Spartans on flying beasts and Spartans that had the ability to fly soared, their arms moved, and their voices raged with immense battle intent as they unleashed countless attacks on their enemies in the sky.

Metals turned to rust, and anti-magic missiles moved and interfered with powerful magical spells with deadly precision. Drones, fighter jets, beasts, and Spartans fell to the ground, adding to the countless casualties on the ground.

Some survived, and some died.

Those who died instantly were relieved, while those who sustained grievous injuries were aghast and had expressions of despair and acceptance. Without caring for their fallen comrades, Spartans and Technotopians ran, fought, and jumped on their fallen comrades, granting them a fate worse than death.

" ARCHERS! SHOOT DOWN THOSE DRONES! "

"FIGHT FOR SPARTA!"

The commander of the Spartan Army roared as he swung his greatsword at a tank. A fiery red light emerged from his greatsword, zooming towards the tank, which was unaware of the incoming danger.

BOOM!

In the blink of an eye, the fiery red light reached the tank and split it into two. Although the resulting explosion killed and hurt both Spartans and Technotopians, no Spartan accused their commander of killing his own people. They all knew that the tank would have killed way more of their people if their leader didn't destroy it.

 "Commander Kael!"

A shout of urgency flowed into the ears of the commander, and Kael frowned. He turned back, and he saw his trusted subordinate running towards him with a solemn expression. In three seconds, his trusted subordinate reached his side, and Commander Kael had a bad feeling when he saw the solemness and distress on the face of his subordinate.

"Speak Dax." Commander Kael said, and Dax inhaled and exhaled deeply.

"Commander Kael, we lost sight of their Commander." Dax's tone was grave, and Commander Kael's expression was the same.

"How did all of you lose sight of their Commander? I thought I told all of you not to take your sights and senses of him at all times?"

Dax shivered slightly as he felt a crushing aura ooze out from the Commander. He knew that their Commander hated incompetence, just like every other Spartan Commander. Although he had an excuse, giving excuses for one's failure was not the Spartan way.

Just as Dax was about to give a reply, he felt a firm grip on his shoulder, and before he could respond, his body moved without his permission.

Bang

The instant this happened, the sound of an object hitting the ground reverberated in Dax's ears. He looked at the source of the sound, and a chill went through his body when he saw a bullet in his previous position.

He looked at Commander Kael and saw an extremely grave expression on his face. He followed Commander Kael's line of sight, and his heart shook when he saw an object coming down at them from the sky. Due to his extraordinary eyesight, he was able to discern what the object was precisely, and when he did, he clenched his fists tightly. With a calm and solemn tone, he said:

"Commander, that's-"

"Major Kade."

Commander Kael completed Dax's sentence solemnly. He let go of Dax, and without taking his eyes off the incoming enemy, he spoke to the brave and battle-ready Dax.

"Take charge of the army. If you need help, meet your superiors for support."

Dax gazed at Commander Kael with immense surprise and shock. In his eyes and the eyes of others, he was still young and inexperienced in war and combat. But his Commander wanted him to take command.

Before he could speak, Commander Kael took off the medallion on his neck and placed it in his hands. Dax looked at the medallion, which was meant for Spartan Commanders, and then he looked at Commander Kael, who nodded at him.

"Take charge. I believe in you."

Without waiting for a response, Commander Kael crouched, and then he jumped with so much force that the ground broke apart. Dax was forced to take a few steps back due to the force generated by his Commander.

As dust and stones flew haphazardly around him, Dax placed one hand in front of his face to protect his eyes. He watched as Commander Kael flew towards Major Kade like a rocket of the Technotopians.

'Why would I compare Commander Kael to one of their abominable creations.'

Dax shook his head to dispel such useless thoughts. He gripped the medallion tighter and made a decision. Just as he was about to run, his Spartan instincts screamed at him. He tried to move, but before he could react, he felt an object pierce through his armor and heart with an unrelenting and deadly force.

Puchi!

Blood spewed out of the bullet-sized hole in Dax's left chest, and Dax glanced at the hole before falling face down with a loud thud. Despite his death, his eyes were on the medallion given to him by Commander Kael, and one could see a deep sense of sorrow and regret in his gaze.