9 Volume One | Chapter - Third Nebula Invasion Part Three

As Chi-Sun and her comrades neared the South Korea frontline, the intense sounds of sporadic gunfire and bombs intensified.

They were getting close so they had to take it slow in case there was Nebula scouring the forests for any survivors.

Yon's spine was eventually healing, and she could just about walk as long as she had the support of another to keep her steady.

The pinked haired girl volunteered to help Yon walk, as both she and Yon weren't in any condition to fight if they encountered the Nebula.

Continuing through the forest they were suddenly shot at from a distance the three of them dropped to the floor, originally Chi-Sun thought it was Nebula until she realised it didn't look or sound like beam weapons, her mind jumped to the possibility of it being North Korean soldiers, if that's the case why are they so deep behind enemy line, she thought to herself.

She heard someone in the distance shouting, "Stop shooting you damn idiots!" it sounded like a man.

The sound of gunfire suddenly stopped for a moment, Chi-Sun, Yon and the pink haired girl weren't sure whether it was safe at first.

Chi-Sun slowly stood up to see South Korean military forces moving towards them.

The South Korean sergeant jogged up to Chi-Sun saluting her, in many cases military personnel viewed Familiars as higher ranking officers than themselves, Chi-Sun had to be honest though being saluted by grown men when she was only sixteen made her feel uncomfortable.

The sergeant didn't waste any time, "Everyone is falling back we're preparing to evacuate"

"What's the word from the academy?" Chi-Sun asked, it had been a dozen or so hours since she left Essentia South Korea Academy, and it was where the first years were still stationed at prior to the Third Nebula Invasion.

"Sorry, we've heard nothing about the academy..." the sergeant turned around to glance at the Nebula Titan Platform in the distance before looking back at Chi-Sun "...when that thing emitted the electrical blast it fried all the systems we have, we've lost contact with pretty much everyone".

The sergeant ordered his men to check the perimeter for any signs of Nebula.

Chi-Sun turned back looking at Yon, the other girl their faces showed a hint of fear at the thought of what might have happened at the academy.

The fact that the academy wasn't too far away from the 38th Parallel Line dampened their hopes, but their strong willpower allowed them to believe that there was a glimmer of hope that those at the academy got out in time.

***

A few miles behind the South Korea frontline, students from the Essentia Academy of South Korea were being evacuated by military transport, as the third and fourth years took up defensive positions with the Republic of Korea Armed Forces who were desperately trying to delay the oncoming Nebula forces on a collision course towards the evacuation site.

Chi-Sun, Yon and their third comrade were redirected along with the small detachment that encounters them earlier by a forward operating base to this location, as they entered the vicinity to see military personnel, Familiars and Coordinators rushing around the base.

The soldiers that had escorted the trio the whole way had new orders to be redeployed to the frontline, they said their brief goodbyes and then left. Chi-Sun hoped that they'd be okay, but she knew she couldn't dwell on such a thing for now.

In the distance Chi-Sun caught a glimpse of the academy Mistress, in a more casual attire, her unkempt short light brown hair showing off her more laid-back approach to life, however right now she was in serious mode.

Chi-Sun ran over to the mistress leaving Yon and the pink haired girl behind, "Mistress, what's going on?" she called out.

The Mistress stopped turning around to confront Chi-Sun relieved to know that she was alive.

She paused for a moment before responding, "We're evacuating the remaining Familiars and Coordinators out of the country to Japan" she swiftly responded.

At first, Chi-Sun was shocked to hear those words, "Why! We should stay and fight!".

The Mistress spun around a look of annoyance on her face as she took a few steps closer to her student.

"We don't have time for this Chi!..." paused for a moment before motioning for Chi to look around "...we were lucky to have these many students make out alive, so we can't risk anymore" the Mistress turned away not giving Chi-Sun a chance to talk.

In reality, Chi-Sun knew that the situation was dire, just looking around her she could see what the ensuing disaster had created.

There were many injured Familiars and Coordinators with missing limbs.

There was one girl in particular that Chi-Sun saw that almost made her vomit, this Familiar had both legs torn off she was able to see where the snapped bones and torn flesh of where it happened as blood slowly oozed out.

Glancing at the girl's torso Chi-Sun could also see multiple deep clawed gash wounds on the girls' stomach, her corset drenched in her own blood, the medics injected a substance to speed up her regeneration as they were getting little to no response from the girl.

As Chi-Sun fought back the urge to vomit, she suddenly was hit by a heavy force from the side, looking she could see that it was a student from her academy, but when she noticed the dark grey hair shaped into twin tails and long side bangs Chi-Sun suddenly realised whom it was.

The girl looked up her red eyes with tears spilling, Chi-Sun clasped the girl's slender face in between both her hands as tears came from her eyes too.

Chi-Sun brought the girls' face in closer their foreheads pressed against one another's as they closed their eyes for a moment, once they parted, Chi-Sun combed the right side of the girls' hair with her hand.

"E-Elizabeth" Chi-Sun quietly said Yon and the pink haired girl walked by the duo with the latter still helping the former walk, not wanting to interrupt their moment, continuing on towards one of the military transports.

As both Chi-Sun and Elizabeth embraced again, the two were interrupted by a military MP announcing the departure of the last transports for the Familiars and Coordinators without further ado, the duo quickly boarded one the modes of transport that both Yon and the other girl happened to just board.

Chi-Sun and her Coordinator sat next to Yon and the pinked haired girl their hands clasped together tightly.

Suddenly something came across Yon's mind, she turned to the pink haired girl, "What's your name, we never asked you".

This too had Chi-Sun wondering even though she had seen the girl around the academy she never actually knew the girls' name.

At first, the girl didn't say anything, "It's Namita" she responded.

"Wait, that's a Nepali name isn't, so you must be from Nepal?" Yon asked Namita nodded to confirm Yon's question.

At that point they could hear the sounds of missiles going off in the distance, the Familiars and Coordinators stood up inside the transport moving to the window hatches looking upon the battle commencing with between the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the Nebula Titan Platform.

As groups of F-35A jet fighters attacked the behemoth with a barrage of missiles, one of the fighter groups were obliterated as the Nebula Titan Platform fired a barrage of purple plasma beams in their direction.

As Chi-Sun sat down, she looked to Elizabeth, "I'm glad you're safe I don't know what I would have done if you were killed".

Elizabeth squeezed Chi-Sun's hand gently, as a kind gentle small smile appeared on her face, "Likewise" was her response.

As the transport took off from the base, everyone onboard was in deep thought wondering what was going to happen from here on out.

***

It wasn't long ago that Eun-Hee had arrived in Fukuoka, Japan with the first wave of evacuated people from the Korean Peninsula.

She stood at the edge of the pier looking up into the dusk sky as it started to near night time, her layered long wavy aqua coloured hair blowing gently with the wind. The stab wounds she received hours had long healed to the point that they left no scarring upon her stomach.

In the distance, she could see the faint flashes of explosions, and the purple, pink and orange combination of lights mixed in with them.

She tilted her head down slightly as she bit her bottom lip, please be safe you have to be, she thought of Chi-Sun and the rest of their friends as she stood there before the light show in the distance.