Battleground

"Pain. Death. War.

"None of us wanted this but the moment the horns of war came blaring, we all geared up and marched out here like brave men and women.

"But here, this field, it reveals things. Every single one of you has endured more than what others can't even begin to comprehend. You've watched your brothers fall. You've watched your sisters fall. You've witnessed the light slowly fade away from their eyes.

"One by one. Soldiers just like you, each one of them had families. Families that stay up all day and night praying for their loved one's safe return. Only to receive bitter answers.

"I know how you feel my brothers, for in your eyes, I see the same fear that strikes my heart.

"That's right. I too am afraid.

"Afraid of humanity.

"Afraid of the atrocities mankind can inflict on one another.

"The cries of the anguished, the cries of the wounded, the cries of dying. They keep me up at night, almost consuming me with madness.

"But I am alive. The morning sun rises and I am still here, I live ... and breathe. And as long as I breathe, I keep fighting.

"So rise with me soldiers and hold your head up high. It doesn't matter how loud the voice of the unknown calls out. It doesn't matter how strong the hands of death grips us. It doesn't matter. We won't look back, we won't falter, we'll march forward.

"We'll march for our fallen comrades. We'll march for our families who eagerly await our return. We'll march ... for our future.

"... And if you ultimately fall unable to see this future you helped shape, you can go with a smile on your face knowing that your comrades will do everything in their power to realize that future. You can die knowing that your parents would know that you gave it your all for their future. We fight together." The speaker walked towards a soldier who looked pale and weary before giving him his hand to help him up.

"... Who are you?" The soldier asked.

"Good question. For some time, I struggled to find the answer," he said. "But now I know, it doesn't matter who I am. All that matters is why I'm here.

"I know why I'm here. I am a hero. I am the main character. I am the chosen one.

"I am the man who would unite the lost, strengthen the weak, and embolden the fearful. I am the man who would lead you to victory. That ... is my destiny.

"SO LISTEN UP SOLDIERS! Glory and honor awaits us. The enemies know nothing of what awaits them. Forge your names into the history books of mysticism and live forever! CHARGE!"

"FOR MYSTICISM!"

"FOR THE REALMS!"

"FOR THE FUTURE!"

"ATTACK!"

The soldiers push forward, led by the speaker who was in front of them for a stride or two before stepping on a landmine.

"Oh shit!" He cussed before it exploded.

BOOM!

Ishani watched with her head poking from a trench, somewhat disappointedly, as the flames settle down. "Did they already make it to the gates?" A voice from inside the trench asks.

The battlemage bit down her bottom lip and looked sideways as the speaker poked their head from the trenches. "Nope, Wade accidentally stepped on a landmine and blew himself up," said Ishani.

"Why I'm not surprised?" Sydney Swan, the young alpha and the speaker from the trench said. "I told him the right channel was filled with landmines."

"At least his speech rallied our troops. Look at how they're pushing," Ishani pointed out.

"I guess," Sydney shrugged. "His pretentiousness finally proves useful."

"Have Hachimura, Aislinn, and Maxine broken the left flank?" Ishani asks.

"Around five minutes ago. Hachimura reported to be inside the fort," the werewolf replied. "We are waiting for their report on the destruction of the group's launchers so we can send the second batch."

"Hey guys, are we winning?" A third head poked out of the trenches - it was Chelsea's.

"Yeah," Sydney replied. "These guys never stood any -- Why is that launcher pointed at us?!"

BOOM!

The trio quickly jumped down from the ledges they were standing and crashed on the ground inside their trenches. "I guess Maxine and Aislinn are still working on it."

"Soldiers, attention!"

The trio quickly stood upright as the commander appeared - it was Skylar, who was accompanied by two very muscular men.

"Captain, status report," she requested.

"The first batch is engaging but the enemy's rare end launchers are still functional."

"Delta one hasn't broken the flank yet?"

"They have. Aislinn and Maxine were supposed to handle the rear launchers," the grey-eyed woman replied. She had tied her long, straight, dark brown hair up into a bun.

"The right flank is also an issue since we can't make it past the channel," Chelsea chipped.

"Yes, I noticed they are moving their launchers there, must be because they've realized we are finding it hard to break that channel."

"What now?"

The group continued their tactical discussion unaware that an enemy drone had made its way, undetected to their trench. It floats above them and scans their face.

"99.9% match!" exclaimed the guy controlling the drone. "Wheeler, this has to be their leader. If we take her out, this battle's over! What do you say I rain fire on them?" He asked. "Call the boss and request confirmation!" He added but still no response. "Oh come on, if we --" the operator turned back to find that there was no one behind him.

'Where the hell did everyone go?' He thought. The operator rose from the crate he was sitting on. "Err ... Wheeler?" He called.

"Aargh!!!!" He got a response in the form of a muffled scream accompanied by the sound of breaking bones.

"Wheeler? ... Are you okay?"

The operator grabbed a rifle and began in the direction the noise was coming from. 'Did the enemy make it this far into our trenches and wipe out all our men? No! That's not possible, someone would have sounded the alarms. So where did everyone go?'

SNARL.

The operator swiftly turned around. "I HEARD THAT!" but there was nothing behind him. "I - I know you're t -there," he stammered despite his attempts to remain cool. "Show yourself, you son of a b --"

The operator heard a noise behind him along with the sound of a tree branch shaking and leaves falling. He froze, unable to move, as if standing still would save him. His iris moved to the top corner of his pupils.

There was something on the tree behind him, but what?

The operator mustered courage and turned around but when he did, he found nothing on the tree behind him.

'T- there was s- something behind m- me ... I f - felt it. Okay, calm down, Law, you're probably just imagining stuff,' he thought to himself.

Law turned and came face to face with a saber-toothed tiger.

"RAWRRR!!"

"AAAAAAAAARGH!!!!"

The noise draws the men who were on the other side of the trenches. One of the soldiers looks around with confused brows. "Why are these trenches empt --" His sentence is cut short when he notices the bloodied sabertooth. "KILL IT!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"RAWR!"

"Aargh!"

"Gah!!!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

And then the shooting stops.

Maxine grabs a torn cloth from the ground and wraps it around her waist.

"Hands where I can see them!" She heard from behind.

The shifter swiftly placed her hands across her chest before turning around.

"I said hands where I can see them!" The soldier repeated.

"I'm pretty sure you can see my hands, they are right here!" said Maxine.

"I meant hands in the air!"

"Err ... No. Can't you see I'm using them to cover my chest? Are you one of those perverts who take advantage of women in wartimes?"

"Of course not! I just thought you were someone else."

"Well, I'm not."

"Right. Who are you?"

"I'm one of you guys?"

"Right. Who are we?"

"... The Ibrahim Group."

The soldier narrows his eyes. "Why are you naked?"

"Er ... Fire-related powers?"

"You're one of the elites?"

"... Yes."

"What's the name of our leader then?"

"Ibrahim."

"Hm ... Anybody could've known that. Since you're a part of the elites, you must have been in our tactical meeting this morning. How many commanders do we have on the battlefield?" He asks.

"Four." He raised an eyebrow.

"Eight?"

"..."

"Thirteen?"

"I knew it! Spy!" He declared. "Hands in the air!"

"You just want to see my breasts," said Maxine.

"You do as say or I swear, I'm gonna put a bullet in head y --"

BANG!

The soldier falls to the ground and Aislinn appears in his place.

"Good shot!" Maxine commended.

"Thanks, I guess we've secured the rear then?"

"Yeah."

"We probably should call this in."

"Yes. You think the others are done?"

"Kara called some time ago to say she and Lucy were done, so ..."

.

.

.

"Sir ... We've received no response from the rear. We believe the enemies have broken through."

"So that leaves the right flank, correct?"

"Yes," the soldier replied.

"Call the commander and have him move back his men into the bunker. Initiate total lockdown once they get here, we can't have the enemy making their way into the bunker," he ordered.

"Sir, yes sir!" The soldier hurries away and Ibrahim rubs his temple.

"It's a bit too late for that buddy," a voice said from behind.

The leader of the Ibrahim Group turned to see a boy with dark hair and teal-green eyes, wearing black trousers and an army green hoodie.

"Who are you?"

"I'm the Huntsman."

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