Chapter 7: Into a New Land

“...No, not yet, Teus.” 

Alberion flatly stated.

“Much to my misfortune, I deeply regret not being able to see what you could have been. I hoped that it would never have to come to this, but it seems like this will be my final service for you, Teus.”

Alberion’s voice had softened, his circuits began humming as he prepared for what would be his next act. The boy had grown unto him more than he anticipated, far more. The energy suit began to surge with more power than before.

“It seems our time together is ending soon…”

“I hope you know at this point that you can’t stay the same. You will have to evolve, evolve past anything that you have ever pulled off before. If you really are to achieve your dream. You must become a bigger force to be reckoned with.”

The plasma surrounding Teus’ drowning and unconscious body began to spin with more and more vigor. Slowly but surely, enveloping his body in a bright blue light.

“...I know you’ll never hear this, but you were quite the protector…Thank you. When nobody else did, thank you for taking care of me…Teus.”

§

“This can’t get any worse!”

On a very distant island, the sound of footsteps echoed through the dense forest’s night, as a group of three bolted through the bushes, running for their lives. 

Behind them, the ground was trembling under the rapid pursuit of their assailants. They were a group of four. Clad in the crimson red battle armor of a giga-hunter, they charged towards them, as black plasma flickered around their formation. Their intent was both clear and deadly.

In the front of the group of runaways, was a boy with a large backpack, a small white rabbit nestled in the bag’s side pouch, worrying for it’s safety. 

To his right of him was a giga-hunter, she wielded a bow and arrow with a distinct blue insignia on it. 

And behind them both was their final member; a big burly man, with a wide frame, his presence much like a mountain of protection.

Same as their other member to the right, he was also clad in battle armor. Half of his face was covered in bandages, covering his left eye. He ran with a giant battle-axe strapped to his back, his weapon the size of two people standing on top of eachother. though most importantly, he was wielding the determination to get his group out of this situation.

He frantically gasped for breath, his eyes darted nervously between the trees, still searching for a way out. 

“...We are not going to make it.”

The man growled. He turned his head back at their scarlet pursuers. The expression on his face was etched with grim sentiment. He looked at his younger companions with solicitude and resolve before continuing.

“Edward, Verva… I need you both to continue without me.”

Still running from the enemy, the boy’s gaze carried surprise.

“What are you talking about!? The only reason we survived this long was because of you! If we don’t have you on this island with us, we’re dead!”

“You can’t be serious, Master Sosei–-”

The archer added, chiming in, before she was promptly interrupted by the burly man.

“This is not a question to discuss, this is an order! They’re closing in on us. I’m going to hold them off for as long as I can. You will need to find your way without me.”

“Let’s try to think about this! I’m sure that if we just keep moving—”

“We cannot outrun them, Edward!”

The rabbit’s ears twitched after hearing his voice trembling. The man spoke after interrupting the boy with the backpack. His eyebrows creased as he shook his head and said. 

“It’s just too late… I’m sorry.”

The archer turned her head back at the man as her eyes widened. The man picked both of them up by the collars and he came to a sudden, abrupt stop, his hand gripping them with massive force.

“No!”

The archer yelled.

“There’s no other way!”

The sound of clanking armor only grew louder as the crimson assailants were fast approaching, only mere seconds away. 

“If no one holds them off, none of us will make it out of here alive.”

“Master Sosei, stop! We’re not going to leave you behind, we can’t—”

The boy shouted, though their mentor interrupted them one last time.

“Edward, everybody is counting on you! You already know what you need to go do, you too, Verva. You guys are our only hope right now…”

The burly man spun around preparing to toss them as far as he could.

“...So stop worrying about an old-timer like me…! And carry the torch that’s being passed to you, like I know you can!”

The boy clutched onto his backpack holding back the tears that were welling up in his eyes. Then with great intensity and power, the two were launched into the starry night sky.

The words of their master still ringing through their ears.

Once they were out of sight their master proceeded to turn around and immediately block an attack from one of the hunters clad in red.

A huge sphere of plasma hurtled towards the man as he pulled out his axe and chopped it in half, just in time.

“I don’t think you understand how pointless what you are doing is. You can’t protect the ‘disease’, not for long…”

One of them said, as the four surrounded him.

“Maybe not, I may have failed as a protector. But my track record as a warrior still has quite the streak on it.”

He then swung his battle-axe in the air and like a crack of lighting he bolted his way towards his oncoming enemies.

§

Soon, with a loud thud the two younger pupils of Sosei fell into a bush. The leaves and branches scraping against them. They tumbled into a stop, covered in dirt, grass and debris. The two scrambled to their feet, still in a daze.

“Verva, we have to go back! I know it sounds crazy, but if we hurry maybe we can save him!”

Edward tried turning in his master’s direction before Verva grabbed him by the wrist. Her voice harsh, stern, but empathetic.

“Are you even hearing yourself, Edward? There’s no time.” 

Her eyes betrayed the emotion she fought to suppress.

“If we go back now, it will be for nothing, you’ll basically be spitting on his grave. We have to trust him and keep going.”

Edward stopped in his tracks as he clenched his fists in anger, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Damn it all!”

He stopped as Verva took her hand off of him, sobbing whilst hearing the roaring sounds of combat from behind. The heavy clang of metal, smashing armor and blasts of plasma booming throughout the forest. He wiped his tears before saying. 

“...Alright, let’s go!”

Then they continued their course and ran the other way. Bearing the weight of their mentor’s sacrifice on their shoulders.

§

Elsewhere was a man who sat on top of a green cliffside. Adorned in red giga-hunter armor as well as a cape, that billowed in the wind as the sky seemingly howled at his presence.

His posture was rigid and imposing, as though the land beneath him bent to his will. He stood up and faced the many people behind him, clad in similar attire, as he said. 

“Fellow members of the Red Mist Dawn. I have received word from our leader.”

Behind him were rows of crewmates, assembled like soldiers, standing at attention. The man unfolded the letter as he began to read it to them. His voice was loud and venomous, sounding throughout the eerie calmness, each word filled with authority and contempt.

“There will be no freedom, there will be no shelter, there will be no peace. Not until the disease is eradicated. Not until we have control, not until the land sees our new order. They will only know conquest. And when we are done… they will realize that they are only prey and we are their true hunters.” 

The man took a slow deliberate step forward, as his gaze swept the land in front of him. He admired the faction’s weapons before continuing with the closing line that was written to him.

“Any protectors who seek to stand in our way, won’t live to stand a chance.”

The men let out a collective war-cry, as it pierced through the sky and echoed throughout the mountains. Ready to bring the ruthless vision of their leader to a devastating reality.

§

Teus’ body twitched as he felt a cold, damp solid surface from beneath him.

He felt a chill go through his body as if frost raced through his bones. His eyelids felt heavy, though he still forced them awake. He then realized it: He was awake.

“I’m…alive?”

He then forced his body up and off the floor, patting himself just to make sure. It was real, all of it. 

He was not dreaming about anything, this was undoubtedly his reality.

“I can’t believe it.”

He thought to himself whilst looking around his surroundings, he found waterfalls and statues with glowing blue markings etched onto them, although he did not know what they were, he still was certain they were real.

“I really can’t believe it, I’m really alive.”

He said to himself still flabbergasted.

Suddenly an unknown voice called out to him.

“Indeed you are, you puny bipedal fleshbag!...”