Graveyard

After we returned to base, all the others, excluding Rin, Russel, and myself, got off the truck. Russel then walked over to the driver and told him something in a low voice. Another hour had passed before the truck halted once again. We got out in front of a small shack-like building next to a graveyard filled with marble tombstones. A woman dressed in a nun's fit wandered up to Russel and lowered her head. She then walked past a tombstone that seems to be recent. She clasped her hands together and lowered down to her knees, and prayed. Her presence brought little peace to this lifeless burial ground.

This place we stood in was known as the Lost Children's Graveyard. I have been here multiple times throughout the past few years, and as the name implies, this was a grave for Children. At a young age, the cold-hearted adults had placed us into two groups based on one set of exams: Brains and Brawns. As simple and childish as it sounds, there is a reason for it. Kids who find themselves in the Brawns category scored higher on a physical exam rather than a written one. These exams help rope us into a future the adults want. They sent us Brawns to a high-volume boot camp for two years, where only 40% of the original group survives. 40% of those who die are from accidents that take place during training while the remaining 20% are from suicides. The corpses of those who died are sent here, only to be forgotten, as those who died during training were deemed as weak and unworthy of any kind of remembrance. The nuns that walk this ground are the only ones who mourn the deaths of the children sent here. Although boot camp life was horrifying, those who survive are granted more freedoms than those in the Brain group. Since we do not need to worry about studies, we have more off time than most and are not confined to a dormitory or barracks. Basically, we are just normal adults, just at a much younger age than what was once considered 'normal'.

"Whose idea was it?" I asked Russel. He turned and sighed, as he already knew what I was implying. Being in this place fills me with a wave of uncontrollable anger towards the people who created this system. But as cruel as faith is, I will be coming here every day from here on out. Rin looked at me with a confused look as she started fidgeting with a wench in her pocket. Her distance eyes were fitting for this place.

"Look, I'm just as annoyed as you. But this graveyard has been her for 30 years." Russel walked towards the old shack and rested his hands on the door. A small beeping noise played and mechanical sounds came from the door. "I don't enjoy working near the graves of the dead, but this is the only place where people are willing to stay away." The door then opened, revealing a somewhat spacious elevator.

This building was the only access to the ungrounded base that the Dragon's Talons use for their operations. The base itself was 25,000 feet underground. When I asked Russel why it was, he gave a smug look and said, 'So the world wouldn't know of our war crimes, duh.' As dumb as an answer it was, it held some truth to it. In the containment of the Shargon I killed, there were hundreds of bodies that belong to men and women in prisoner outfits. I was told by Beta 2 that in an exchange for grants and other needs, we are to dispose of POWs and share any information we unearth about Gamma-level threats. The government is kept in the dark about most things magic and was only told that mystical beasts roam the earth and each of them has a most effective means of being brought down.

"Wait," I said. Russel stopped at the edge of the elevator. "If you are punishing me, why are you bringing her along?" Rin rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"You shouldn't question a maiden's resolve like that boy. That is why you are lonely right now." He chuckled.

"What resolve, you asshole?" Rin said in a monotone voice. She hid behind me for some reason after saying that.

Russel chuckled louder, "You know, for such a sharp mouth, you are quick to run. But you are cute, so I'll give you a pass. Nevertheless, rather or not she will admit it, she is quite fond of you. Though, so is everyone you meet."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I raised a brow at Russel.

"Simple really. You have a fatherly aura around you. You may seem like you couldn't care for others, but in reality, you do. It was proven during that battle. You rushed in to save Smith, knowing damn well your body was going to be destroyed." I tried to open my mouth to rebuttal his statement, but he cut me off. "Even if you say to say something along the lines of, 'I was not thinking,' that is more than enough proof. However, while I respect you for doing that, you will need to protect Smith from here on out. The others are not too fond of those who play the hero. I'm sure you saw how Beta 4 reacted. Someone he loved was in this squad and died. He tried to play the hero to save them, but got someone else close to him killed as well."

"So he is envious," I said without a second thought.

Russel nodded. "Yes, he hates you for doing something he couldn't. To add no to it, before you came along, he was the only magic caster in the squad. Well, of course, there is me, but I prefer to not use magic. But yeah, once he found out, his mood plummeted. Honestly, I have a bad feeling where this is gonna led but encase he tries something fishy, keep Smith and Rin close to you at all times. We may be a squad, but we have no trust in one another. Death can happen at a moment's notice." Russel then entered the elevator. Rin and I followed. "Also," he added on, "the others do not know that I'm an apostle of Unity, so try to keep that a secret." He brought his finger to his lips and a small flame came from it.

So hiding under the guise of a fire Sage, interesting. The elevator door then closed, and we were brought down to the underground base.