6 TERA; Mask of Nightmare

Tera was on his knee watching the man before him. He raised his gun and aimed at Tera prepared to execute him. Tera didn't even attempt to move, his leg muscles felt stiff and were hurting and his gun was behind the pillar, he was at the mercy of the black suited man- Almost, his hand moved around his waist to find a light grenade from the belt Ferow gave him, he uncorked it without making a sudden move, the enemy was not looking at Tera's hands but was also hesitating, his gun trembling , Tera immediately grabbed the opportunity and lobed the grenade towards him who was a few meters away he heard a shot but he was already diving in and putting his hands above his head. A scream followed by the fizzing sound of a light explosion. The man turned to dust.

Tera took a breath while warm thick liquid was running down his thigh; the last shot got him right on the leg. He hid beside the machine while trying to decide his next move, his head was hurting along with his legs, he was bleeding and the space suit was compromised. Despair was finding its way in, he felt like throwing up but he held it together.

His first human kill, it didn't feel right. But what did at this point, that was after all the last on the long list of problems he had to face right now. He looked around at the ensued chaos; gunfight and grenade explosions were flying around, his gaze fixed on the lifeless body of Turio. A stray bullet ended him. He took a deep breath and shoved everything down. He was a survivor, and he would survive yet again.

He revised the situation, the black suited men pulled of a surprise attack, and they were better armed and had better armor than they did, but most importantly his squad was exhausted, injured and unprepared to face an organized force like this. Everyone was falling around him one by one; he did not dare to see who each one was but his eyes grasped Keten fell as well; a veteran of the squad, to fall to such circumstances the growing feeling of betrayal enveloped him.

He sensed no eyes on him while slowly dragged his feet to his previous hiding place to pick up his gun, he glanced back to see Reremos looking around, with the same shocked and confused expression as everyone else, he glanced back at Tera nodding off. They jumped forward at the same time to find a cover between them beside another pillar. ''Why the hell is this happening? Who are these guys?'' Reremos said in a tense voice.

''I have no idea, but we need to go, Reremos, and try to take as many with us as we can'' Tera said while bullets were flying around, one shot hit against his armored space suit.

Reremos looked at him like he had gone mad. ''You must be kidding, this is why we are here we are soldiers, we fight when needed, if we leave, our team would be compromised''

Tera clasped by the sides of Reremos's space helmet, ''Look around you my friend, this is not like any other day, this is a fucking slaughter, they were waiting for us. We need to find Ferow and go warn the others at the camp if they haven't gotten to them'' he said with intensity matching the situation.

Reremos paused drawing in everything that he heard and yet he sounded resolved as he said '' Tera'' he said slowly with fires of battle still burning around them '' you were always more often than not the smartest among us, but sometimes you are foolish''.

''What are you saying?''

''I am saying that you are right someone has to warn them, we have no time to find Ferow, I will cover you''.

''No you can't be saying that, we can still make it''

''We can't, there are only a few of us left, most of our team is already down and those that are still up, don't even know who they are fighting and have no strength in them left, you were right I just couldn't see it, the situation is as dire as it can get'' he paused for a moment '' now listen to me, I will provide the covering fire, and you will rush to the entrance we came from, and from then you are on your own''

''It doesn't have to be that way we can still both make it'' Tera said weakly knowing that was not true. The moment one of them stepped out they would be shot at immediately, and even if someone got near the exit, all the fires would be focused on him; he would be a sitting duck without covering fire. Despite that Tera wanted to believe.

But Reremos simply smiled. ''This is it Tera It's a do or die. After so many times that we found ourselves in such a situation, we reached the end, who would have expected it, in this fucked up planet, by our own people'' he said bitterly while picking up his gun and bracing himself.

'' why me? Leave me behind, you are fast...'' he said in a last effort to save him from the terrible fate but stopped midsentence, Reremos was covering the wound on his side as best he could, an injury far worse than Tera's hip one. Now that he was observing him closer, he seemed pale due to the loss of blood and was barely keeping his consciousness afloat. He simply smiled looking at Tera's concerned face.

''You know what to do, and once you figure out what's next, you will have to fight and live as you very well know how to do, but this time for all of us'' he said grasping Tera's shoulder. He picked up his gun and leaned against the pillar, closing his eyes, Tera have seen soldiers give up their lives before on the field, but this was different. After all it was Reremos this time. ''You better run like hell'' he whispered steadying his voice, he turned the corner and started shooting at the black suited figure at the other end of the cave.

Tera didn't waste a moment and sprung to towards the exist, doing as many evasive movements as possible, with his left leg slightly lagging behind, but the adrenaline was bumping him forward, shots were firing left and right he saw many fall before me.

He didn't dare look behind him at Reremos' shooting spot, he grabbed one of the two pillars in front of the exit and using the force from his sprint, he shot forward bypassing the two dark suited soldiers who were put to guard the exit, despite their surprise they tried following after him, but the firing targeted at their positions kept them at bay. He shot passed the mouth of the cave, thinking already of his next move. But in the field the unknown factor is always too great, he saw another dark suit standing in front of him and then the small sound of a dropped grenade slowly passing next to him in slow motion, his life passed before him alongside it. He stopped, accepting what was about to come to him, a flash of light and darkness gripped him.

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''We all feel the sacrifice those men are making for their own planet, for our race. Yet we cannot perceive the gravity of it. They lay down their life and they see friends suffer or even die on their noble mission to protect us. Give a round of applause for those gentlemen and ladies of course'' The sponsor got down from the platform giving his place to another one. The hall was decorated for this occasion, beautiful lights and the tall windows brought a sense of regality to the hall as the full moon night was reigning outside. ''Please kill me'' Reremos whispered to his right. ''Can't they just put us on the middle of Reptilian predators and let us fend for ourselves? It would be way more fun than listening to those twats''.

''You know nothing young man, you fight beasts but we fight a noble fight as well…'' Ferow said with a pretentious accent and burst out laughing when he saw the expression on Reremos and Tera's face that were turned the other way.

''At least someone is enjoying himself, is that a martini you got there?''. Reremos said, he grabbed Ferow by his shoulders on a sideway friendly embrace ''you should really point me in the right direction'', he heard him teasing him, as they were walking away, about the middle aged woman; the previous speaker who had caught Ferow's attention.

Their conversation fizzled out and Tera returned to his thoughts. The time for relaxing was coming to an end. He soon had to go out again. But on the other hand he had nothing to hold him here, his parents were long dead and his fiancé had broken up with him few months ago, she said it was the anxiousness of waiting back home for him while he was risking his life, at least that was one of the reasons. It made sense, yet as much as he wanted to stop, he couldn't. He had to go back out there, life is short after all. A familiar figure popped behind the cliques of people gathered around in groups. She moved towards him clasping a nearby sit. ''It is you Tera isn't it?''.

''It is Mam' '' He gently gripped her arm and helped her settle on her chair.

''I haven't seen you in months, but I hear you have been successful so far in every mission, I am happy for you kiddo''. The old woman said. She turned around showing her profile, wrinkles were formed around her eyelids and the edges of her mouth. Her black grayish hair was pulled in a bun. She had her sensor laid on a table near her chair.

Tera looked at Rammy; the old general, feeling glad to able to talk to her. She was a pillar of trust, ever since his parents passed away.

''Hmm, I might not be able to see but I can feel your concern, talk to me''.

Tera hesitated for a bit.

''I have been inadequate. Nothing for me to do other than continue killing or dying on the field out there; I wonder if that is what I am supposed to do, it's been years since I decided to join the military, was it to spite them? I am not sure anymore.''

The old woman sighed ''There are a lot of things flying around on your mind kid. Well, firstly your parents would have been proud of you'' She raised her hand to silence him as he prepared to protest to that. ''Yes I know you don't care about it, but on the other hand you are too old to be still rebelling aren't you?'' she beamed at him, ''I know they weren't the best parents; you don't have to tell me that. But still they were a powerful asset to Earth, they fought till death'' She took a deep breath cutting her thought short. ''And yet they weren't celebrated as they should have. But you; you can at least honor them by not ending the same way''.

Tera looked at her unsurely.

The old woman laughed,'' again I am blind but you are too easy to read kid, you would expect that a veteran like me would ask of you to continue to serve. I might not have objected to when you first joined with your company, even though I wanted to. I knew it would have the opposite result, you were rebelling. What could an old, blind woman do other than accept that youth can't be contained''. She paused again to gather her thoughts, and Tera was listening to her closely.

''You know what blindness does to a person kid? It's a humbling experience. I have that sensor with me that help me find objects and recognize them and a sound tells me how far away it is or its properties, it feels wrong. I wasn't born blind and yet I don't remember what light looks like.''

''why don't you…''

''why don't I get a treatment for my eyes? I could but I just don't want to see the world I used to see, it was a terrible place''

Tera bowed his head and bit his lip rebuking himself for being so insensitive to the old woman.

''Don't feel bad kiddo, I have seen my fair share of darkness now I am just learning what it means to live in it. But you can still get out, find your path Tera, don't get lost in the business of death. Oh well will you look at me? Rumpling on.'' She moved to get up and tera rushed to help and gather her sensor offering it to her, which she accepted it and put it in her pocket.

''Still, I wonder if I can, this business seems the only thing I am capable of. I feel competent in it. But…''

''Tera, we both know you are lying to yourself; you have always been a bright young man, if only you weren't that stubborn.'' She turned to leave. ''I hope I will still be around when you get back, I think we can find you something useful to do. Just so you know Nevul is not pretty any time of the year'' she whispered conspiringly whilst smiling.

''How did you know?''.

She walked away waving back at him ''I still have my connections, Enjoy the festivities kiddo''. And with that she left him to contemplate further. He saw Reremos and Ferrow make a fool of their selves near the bar; they were waving him to go to them. He didn't hesitate for a second, grinning like a kid at their foolishness.

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It was dark save for the few lights which were set around the cave, in a perimeter around the machine. Tera's body was moving on its own, he was being drugged alongside the pillars, he batted his eyes only to see a black suited individual bringing him within the cave again and dropping him after a few more meters. He finally opened his eyes gruntingly, and gradually his consciousness returned to him completely as did the pain. He felt it at his leg first where the bullet hit, but a burning sensation turned his attention to his shoulder he opened his mouth to scream but no sound came out instead a silent scream echoed inside his mind, his left arm was there no longer, instead half of his side up to most of his shoulder was scorched, along with his suit. He coughed to find another painful sensation within his lungs.

His heartbeat was rising. Stomach rose up tickling his throat while he bended his body as much as he could to let out the puke. He didn't feel better, while straining his neck in an attempt to contain the pain he was progressively experiencing, he knew he was about to go into shock, but a voice turned his attention from the miserable state he was in. ''He is alive'' the man who drugged him shouted, but before Tera turned to the voice the black suited man had already turned his back to him. He saw the captain along with two other black suited men come towards him and to his surprise Ferow was trotting along.

''There you are, unable to die once again, how terribly unlucky of you''. The captain said standing in front of him.

He heard a mechanical sound and saw the machine getting pulled upwards through the hole on the cave and towards the sky. Everyone turned to look as well. Tera coughed spouting some blood around. ''This is the result of our efforts boys, we will return victorious''. The captain said sounding proud, but only he and the woman next to him looked at the process absorbed, Tera assumed the rest were confused but they didn't say anything to the captain's comment.

''why'' Tera whispered in his hoarse voice, everyone turned to him.

''You wouldn't understand, you were always too focused on smaller matters, you were never capable of taking orders, that's why you are standing there instead of next to me. Though your sacrifice was a necessary one.''

''Sir we need to go'' One of the black suited ones said, a woman who Tera did not recognize, but she was looking at him with the same pitying look that the rest of the group were, except Ferow who was trying to look away hiding on the edge of Tera's vision.

''we will in a minute'', the captain squatted in front of Tera. ''You have always been a prickle at my sides, doing whatever you wanted and still the rest of the soldiers could not see the pretentious nature, you didn't want to be like them, yet they respected you. Always playing the hero, always taking the most unnecessary risks and always putting the mission in jeopardy, refusing to understand what was at stake. And so, you stacked your odds against me again and again and then always hiding behind general Ramy's side. And look at you now''. He said spitefully.

Tera only glanced at his steady eyes looking at him, with venomous intentions. ''you are pitiful, you always were'' he managed to whisper.

''Is that so? You will die a dog's death and you dare say that to me?''. He rose with his face becoming red with anger; he was finally showing his real self. But the group was watching him as well, looking stunned and scandalized by the captain's sudden outburst.

He breathed in sighing ''But at least your sacrifice won't be completely in vain, humanity has earned a victory today, despite the looks of it. Unfortunately you won't get to see it''. He said trying to dissipate the tension in the air.

''Do you see any win here?'' Tera whispered seeing the blood and death that had polluted the cave.

''All of this would be worth it Tera, trust me on that. ''Tera turned to the familiar voice only to find the second black suited man; Eros was standing with his weapon to his side and with a hardened expression. Tera shook his head in disbelief and turned to Ferrow who was still facing sideways ashamed to even look at him.

'' Ferow'' He said pleadingly, wishing that it was all a nightmare.

''I am sorry Tera this had to be done, there is no turning back'' he answered without turning to look at him.

What does that even mean? Tera thought with his eyes wet from tears coming on the surface. Animosity rose within him, watching those people who have killed and deceived a sacred oath of brotherhood; Traitors.

''Kill me then too, cause I assure you if I survive all of your heads will roll'' he tried to scream, but his hoarse voice was barely heard.

Captain chucked at Tera's empty threat; he was clearly enjoying his suffering. ''if you survive this, you say. '' he said smiling sarcastically. Tera winced from the pain but still looked straight at his eyes challenging him.

''Captain let's just put him out of his misery, no one deserves that much suffering''. Ferow intervened with a subdued voice.

''are you going soft on me now Ferow? No, let him contemplate on his last moments, besides he is a survivor he might escape, right?'' he said letting out a laugh. Ferow looked back at Tera one last time before they all walked away from him preparing to launch upwards through the hole.

''You will pay for what you've done, and dearly, those men you killed, none of them deserved such fate''. He said with intensity. But shooting pains made him double over. He could do nothing else other than watch them walk away, his eyelids shut close returning him again to the familiar darkness.

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''Tera'', the voice said. ''Tera'' it said again.

''what'' he said annoyed at the persistency.

''Stay with me buddy, you are dozing off and you are losing quite a lot of blood.''

''ah just leave me be I just need to rest''. He felt the slap hit him across the face.

''You ain't sleeping just yet, just help me get you up and stop whining''.

Tera's head was spinning but he took a good look around him, they were in the middle of the enemy's artillery, the crafts were coming back zooming through the air to deploy another carpet bomb towards their position. And the squad was in the worst possible place. He grabbed Reremos shoulder to stabilize himself; the air was hitting him a bit hard.

They were on the less oxygenized planet of Grandez. Few moments ago a shot from a beam blaster hit him on his left shoulder but instead of burning him it hit chunk of his armor pushing it inside his flesh. Everyone around him was feeling the pressure of imminent threat. The bombers were quick to turn and move in a line against their poor fortification they have raised inside the foxhole. ''You better wake up Tera, we need you right away''. Reremos said worrying seeing Tera doze off again.

''Damn it'' Tera said while pulling out his rifle. He fell on his belly and took ahold of his gun; his shoulder was making movements harder so he did something different than usual putting his healthy, left hand on the trigger and using the other hand for balance. He was feeling the intense stares of the rest of the squad, watching him take his time with his rifle while the enemy ships were already turned and flying towards their foxhole once again.

He looked through the scope. He could see them, speeding through the thick air, sending the bang noise forward of the sound barrier breaking multiple times as they decelerated and accelerated consecutively. They were within striking distance. His rifle's long aim of 20 kilometers made it extremely useful on situations like this. But hitting them, that would be unfeasible; for most of them at least. He managed to hone in the left target.

The meteor aircrafts were shaped as a horizontal teardrop, the front of it was made out of a transparent material and Tera could clearly see inside; The Orion pirate did not flitch despite realizing that he was becoming a target. Tera was expecting that his shot could not possibly hit someone so far away with the kind of reflexes the orion race possessed. But he had to attempt it. He took a deep breath and brought down the curver from the left side of the rifle. He knew every side and nickel of that gun, but despite that he hardly knew its limits. He had to curve the bullet ever so slightly, but he barely managed to do that before within a training field and now he had to do it in an even harder position.

He positioned his fingers and without hesitation took a shot. The orion man moved ever so slightly with his speed and reflexes hardly moving from his sit, the shot pierced the protective, transparent material and hit the inside of the cockpit, the orion pilot moved his body in an instant to the left completely escaping the trajectory of the bullet.

Everyone let out a disappointed sigh. Tera did not flatter; he breathed in again and focused on the target, this were his last chance, live or die by a bullet. He pressed the trigger and brought the curver down within a millisecond, the bullet curved at the last meters of its trajectory, the pilot was shocked as his dodge this time brought him within the new trajectory. The ship waved left to right and fell to its side slightly hitting the ship next to it, that did not stop the carpet bombs from falling, but it was off hitting the trench in front of them. Both of the ships fell crushing down behind them. Everyone got up in the air with celebratory shouts and whistles. His shoulder was hurting like hell as his teammates were patting him on the back, laughing loudly. They were safe yet another day.

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