Chapter Two
Allison Xie, 11, June 30th
Thursday, 7:51 AM
Geo; Kistrea, City Streets
            “Come on, Katrina!” I laughed, running along the sidewalk of the waking city. The warm summer breeze felt good as I spun around, lifting my arms to the sky. In the growing morning light, people and cars were beginning to fill the streets as adults went to work and students headed to school.
            I turned to see Katrina walking behind me, a soft smile on her face. Frowning, I called out to her, “Let’s have a race!”
            She shook her head and patted my hair. “I don’t want to use too much energy. I’m on patrol today.”
            “Why are you on patrol so much?” I pouted, crossing my arms.
            Katrina sighed as we continued to school. “Kistrea is the closest city to Rei territory. This is bound to happen.” She smiled at me. “Don’t worry, though. We haven’t seen any Rei forces in ages, so I won’t get hurt.”
            “Good!” I threw a punch at the air. “If anyone hits you, I’ll hit them so hard they’ll cry!”
            By now we had reached the gateway to Kistrea’s local middle school, which sat in the middle of the metropolis as a sleek, bright building of glass and metal.
            Katrina hugged me tightly. “Just don’t hit people at school, okay?”
            “Okay!” I nodded before running to the school building, waving back at Katrina until I reached the doors.
Crystal Seren, 16, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 7:35 AM
Rei; Goldsky, City Hospital
Dressed in his favorite colors, black and grey, Adam simply raised a hand in response to my greeting.
Just like always.
“How are you today?” I asked, moving away from the window and siting on the bed.
“I’m on patrol,” he answered, pulling the desk’s chair to my cot and sitting down. “Same as usual."
“You’ve never really encountered Geo forces, right?” I asked.
He nodded, frowning. “I wanna cut ‘em down, though.” He made a slicing motion through the air, and suddenly burst into fury. “I’ll drive Geo away from Solera! They’ve been intruding on our homeland for so long, and with no right!"
I sighed. While Adam was very caring for his friends, he was angry with those who would threaten them.
He paused and calmed down. “Sorry,” he mumbled. Then he looked up. “More importantly, how are you doing?"
I looked down at my stomach. “They say I’m recovering. I can eat more, now."
“That’s good,” he replied, smiling. “I’m just sorry that happened to you."
When I was younger, in the beginning days of the Solera Civil War, I was shot in the stomach by stray gunfire. I survived internal bleeding, but developed digestion issues due to punctured organs. Ever since then, Adam had volunteered for the Rei army in order to pay for my hospital fees.  We’ve known each other for years, but never have I truly been able to express my thanks.
“You’re birthday is soon,” he suddenly said, and I began shaking my head.
“Adam, I tell you this every year, but,” I trailed off.
“What do you want?” he finished, and I sighed.
“You don’t need to get me anything,” I answered, but smiled.
“You don’t have to tell me now. You can tell me next time.” He glanced at his watch and stood. “I have to leave now. Sorry for the short visit."
I shook my head. “It’s okay,” I said, holding out my arms. “Be safe."
He came close and gave me a quick hug - too quick, in my opinion - before leaving the room.
I raised a hand to my chest, feeling my quickened pulse gradually slow down and the heat disappear from my cheeks.
General Alexander Collins, 47, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 8:11 AM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
Kistrea’s military base was always bustling. Being the closest armed installation to Rei-controlled territory, this was the main headquarters for the Geo army. Whether there was a training session led by the stronger-than-steel drill sergeants or patrols about to leave to scour territory, the facility was always filled with soldiers.
In fact, one patrol was just about to leave from the hangar, a large, high-ceilinged room filled with aircraft, armories, and plenty of space. The far wall was just an opening, which the impenetrable blast doors had slid open to reveal. Amongst the lined up soldiers, I spotted a familiar face and stepped forwards.
“Hello, Katrina.” I greeted a particular soldier who, despite her thin frame and timid stance, was armed to the teeth. Like other soldiers both in her patrol and wandering the base, she was clad in a bilayer mechanical suit. Over a black, nylon-sewn jumpsuit were several pieces of thin, dark green armor plating. Cylindrical sections were clamped around her forearms and lower legs, while a sleek chestpiece covered her entire torso. On her back and calves were thrusters that provided high-powered propulsion. Finally, a helmet encased her head, exposing her mouth and covering her eyes with a tinted visor.
This standard military equipment was known as ARMOR, short for Automated Reaction Maneuvering On Resolve. Introduced to the world by a now-bankrupt weapons development firm, it instantly proved its use on the battlefield due to the superior movement, offensive, and defensive capabilities it granted to soldiers. Within the thin metal plates were solenoids, coils of wire that conducted electromagnetic currents. By manipulating the numerous electromagnetic fields generated by the solenoids, ARMOR could reduce its own weight to make flight viable.
“Oh, General Collins,” she stammered, shifting the large weapon in her arms to give me a slightly silly salute, hand to her helmet. “How are you, sir?"
Most of the soldiers in the patrol were armed with standard-issue assault rifles. However, Katrina held a sniper rifle, a monstrous weapon with a simple, rectangular body and a long, heavily rifled barrel. Such a powerful and accurate rifle was deadly in Katrina’s hands, as she was one of the best snipers in the Global Front Military.
However, her personality certainly didn’t corroborate this fact.
As the rifle proved too heavy to hold in one hand, Katrina accidentally lost her grip on the weapon, dropping it to the ground with a loud crash.
“I’m sorry!” she scrambled to pick up the weapon, and her squad leader marched over.
“Be more careful, Private Xie!” he admonished, and Katrina squeaked.
“At ease, Sergeant Barker,” I said, and the sergeant turned around, eyes wide in surprise.
“General on deck!” He snapped off a salute.
“At ease, I said.” I smiled and stepped forward. “Everyone, Katrina has helped emphasize why loaded weapons are not permitted within the base, except for the target range. Loaded weapons can cause injury through misfire when dropped, specifically to you fighters. I want you to remember that while we are fighting for the Global Front, nothing is more important than the safety of every one of you. Understood?"
“Sir, yes sir!” The eight soldiers saluted smartly.
“Off you go,” I dismissed them, and Barker stepped up to give orders.
“All right people, same route as always! You know the drill, let's go!” The sergeant turned and sprinted out of the hangar, leaping out to a sheer cliff face. As began falling, his back-mounted thrusters flared white-blue flame, and he began smoothly rising into the sky. The rest of the patrol followed suit, with the more daring soldiers imitating Barker.
Katrina was last to leave, turning around to me and nodding her head before lifting into a hover and dashing to catch up. As they disappeared into the horizon, I gazed upon the ruined landscape between Geo and Rei territory.
“Good luck in No Man’s Land,” I said, saluting their retreating forms.
Adam Erec, 17, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 8:17 AM
20.3 Kilometers West of Goldsky Military Base
“Damn,” I muttered.
Granted, I said that every time I went on patrol, but still…
“Damn,” I repeated myself as my squad soared in our ARMORs above the barren wasteland that was devoid of life.
I had no idea what Geo’s ARMORs were like, but I knew Rei’s ARMORs perfectly. They were designed to push not just the equipment, but also the soldier to their very limits, so that we could fight as well as we could - in honor of our ancestors, who had done so in the face of past globalization. Rei’s standard ARMOR consisted of  a grey jumpsuit beneath sections of silver plating, all streamlined into triangular designs for improved aerodynamics. On the unit’s backpack were two high-powered rocket thrusters for flight. Most notably, the helmets were both ornamental and pragmatic in design, consisting of a simple design with an eye-covering tinted visor, and two blade-like fins covering the ears and pointing backwards that held communication gear.
“You say that every time,” my squad mate, Chris, complained.
“That’s because it amazes me every time,” I shot back. “I mean, Sol had a whole ten million people, and they’re just…gone."
“A testament to the insanity that Geo wishes to impose upon Solera.” Our squad leader stopped us to a midair hover, and we all listened.
“I was there during the last battle,” he said. “I still remember at around twenty-hundred, on December first, five years ago.”
“I remember that date from history class,” Chris muttered.
“The snow was freezing. It was dark, and I could hardly see anything as we flew low to get the wounded medical attention. And then it happened."
“Ka-plooie,” Chris drawled sarcastically.
“At first I thought it was the sunrise, but it was too quick. Then as we turned around, we saw the blinding light and the destruction it paved in its path. We saw Sol flattened in an instant.” Our squad leader finished his story, staring straight ahead at where Sol used to be. He then turned around and looked at us. “Soldiers, I want you all to remember that Geo is ruthless, and will use whatever means necessary to take this nation. But we won’t let them."
“Sir, yes sir!” Five out of us six subordinates saluted, holding a fist to our chests. Chris stayed still.
“Chris?” I turned to my comrade, who was staring at his visor.
“Sir,” he began slowly. “Do any squads overlap our patrols?"
“No,” the squad leader answered. “In fact, we’re the only patrol out right now."
“Dammit,” Chris cursed. “My ranged trackers are picking up distant contacts."
We all stared at each other in silence.
The squad leader immediately began relaying information back to headquarters. “Base, be advised, this is Phoenix Squadron, currently at grid…” As he attempted to establish contact, the rest of us prepared for battle.
Chris hefted his assault rifle, the standard issue weapon of the Rei army, and loaded a magazine into to the firearm.

“Listen up!” The squad leader had finished contacting command and raised his assault rifle, ready for battle. “Grand Tactician Visc has given us unrestricted rules of engagement! You know what that means?"
“Yes, sir!” We all roared.
The war was back on.
Matthew Li, 41, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 8:20 AM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
Patrols from Geo and Rei were heading into No Man’s Land, and whether they liked it or not, they were going to reignite the war that had stood still for a few years.
The small nation Solera had split due to a political schism. Two sides arose from the conflict: the Global Front “Geo," interested in globalizing the nation through invitation of foreign power; and Past Server “Rei,” which wished to maintain the nation’s old culture and traditions without foreign meddling.
Such opposite ideals would obviously lead to conflict; in other words, civil war.
My eyes were focused on a holographic map of Solera, a chain of three landmasses and several smaller islands. Geo and Rei each occupied one side of the island chain, and were currently competing for control of the middle island, upon which Kistrea and Goldsky were situated. In the center of this island was a large, empty expanse labeled: “No Man’s Land."
And it was no man’s land. The territory where Solera’s former capital, Sol, had once stood was now a wasteland from nuclear warfare. The warhead hadn’t been detonated by Geo or Rei, but rather by myself.
Five years ago, a major battle was fought at Sol, and resulted in the deaths of thousands of experienced soldiers. The result was a standstill in the war due to both sides having to rebuild their armies. But these were not fully trained soldiers. Rather, they were the youth of Geo and Rei.
The delay in the war had bought me valuable time, which I had used to develop my armies. I would crush both Geo and Rei, forcing them to their knees.
But simply killing everyone wouldn’t work.
No. I would completely destroy their world.

Chapter Three
Kevin Li, 16, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 8:24 AM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
I woke up in the arena alone. The chamber’s ceiling, with a single dim light, was a familiar sight to my eyes.
“Chloe?”
This wasn’t the first time I had fallen asleep in the arena, but this was the first time Chloe had left me alone.
“Helen, where’s Chloe?” I asked my floating companion, who was backstroking through the air.
“She went off and directed you to stay here,” Helen answered.
I blinked and lay down again, closing my eyes. “Okay.”
Katrina Xie, 17, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 8:29 AM
No Man’s Land
“The first battle in five years,” Sergeant Barker said quietly over the communications channel.
As us seven subordinates loaded our weapons, we all glanced at our sergeant.
“Hey, I thought Sarge would be more excited to shoot down some Rei's,” a fellow soldier muttered quietly.
Silent, I scanned our surroundings through the high-powered scope of my sniper rifle. No Man’s Land was aptly named; even though the sky was blue and alive, the ground was a vast expanse of dry, lifeless ground. Mother Nature could no longer claim this area after Rei detonated the nuclear device over Sol.
I kept on shifting my view from side-to-side until I spotted a number of swift dots moving on the horizon. As they shifted across the sky, I noticed the reddish-orange aura surrounding them, as if they were demons of pure hatred set out to destroy the world.
“Katrina? Are you okay?” Sarge had turned around, and now everyone was looking at me. Then I noticed how heavily I was breathing.
“Your vitals are irregular,” Sarge continued, but I wasn’t listening. I was only staring at the fiery hues through my scope that were quickly approaching.
“They’re going to kill us,” I thought. “They’re coming to destroy us.” I could hardly think or breathe, let alone speak as my mouth moved but formed no words.
The last thing I could remember was a desperate scream full of fear and terror that overwhelmed me to the point of blacking out.
Adam Erec, 17, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 8:30 AM
No Man’s Land
“Enemies fast approaching!” Chris suddenly shouted, and we all raised our weapons towards a handful of silhouettes on the horizon. “Lead hostile is approaching at one-fifty kilos!”
“Defensive positions!” As the squad leader began barking out orders, I stared at the lone unit that charged ahead of its comrades. With its dark green armor the blue light emanating from its backpack propulsion system, it looked terrifying but powerful. It looked strong.
And it was.
We could hardly react as the lone unit raised its large weapon and unleashed a storm of bullets upon us. The large-caliber sniper rounds whizzed past us, some barely missing, and one directly striking Chris through the chest. As the round penetrated his armor plating, I saw the shock in his wide eyes and his mouth barely move as he dropped out of the sky, his ARMOR completely disabled.
Then he disappeared in a fiery explosion as his ARMOR’s power circuits were destroyed.
It was all fast-forward from there.
“Chris!” I shouted over the chaos as our squad began scattering.
“Fall back!” The lone unit didn’t stop charging, and as it grew close, I could hear the screaming of a girl. It wasn’t filled with fear and terror; rather, it was filled with rage and destruction.
I promptly disobeyed orders and counterattacked.
“Die!” I roared and rushed forwards past my retreating comrades. As I neared my opponent at high speed, my armor rattled from the velocity, and my mind was blank as adrenaline coursed through my blood. Letting out another battle cry, I raised my assault rifle and pulled the trigger.
My arms shook from the recoil of the weapon. My vision was filled with the bullets that burst from my rifle, and the high-caliber rounds that narrowly missed me. My heart was full of rage.
“Fighter Novice Adam Erec, I order you to fall back!” Grand Tactician Visc’s voice snapped me from my berserker state as he shouted over communications, and everything was clear again. I was calm for a moment before I realized that I was still in danger, and turned around to catch up to my comrades, never looking back towards the battle space.
First Tactician Rickard Visc, 45, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 9:01 AM
Rei; Goldsky, Military Headquarters
Phoenix Squadron had just returned from the brief skirmish in No Man’s Land, and despite the discipline Adam deserved for insubordination, I had no intention of teaching him any more lessons today.
They had learned enough today.
Only seven of the eight squad members had returned, and were now sitting against the hangar walls in silence. Amidst the wide, vast launching bay that opened to No Man’s Land, they all huddled in a corner, as if they were afraid of the empty space.
I approached the six men and Adam, who was nearest, glanced up at me. His expression was empty, and his eyes were blank.
He looked at the ground.
“Chris is gone,” he reported quietly.
I nodded, and didn’t say a word. Such losses could never be lessened through comfort. They would only be alleviated by time.
“Grand Tactician,” he spoke up again. “Can I ask you something?"
“Speak freely, Novice,” I permitted him to speak.
“That Rei enemy was powerful. I could tell.” He hesitated and bit his lip. “I want to know how to grow strong.”
Normally I would have given Adam a strict response and told him to oversee his ARMOR repairs in the armory, but I could tell he was troubled.
I sat next to him against the wall and asked him a simple question. “Why?”
He sighed and pulled off his helmet before staring up at the hangar ceiling. “There’s someone I want to protect,” he began. “Someone here in Goldsky. I want to be strong so I can defend Rei from the Global Front because I love her.”
Smiling, I turned to my subordinate. “Then go see her, even after what happened today."
“Sir?” He was obviously confused.
“Facing one you love, even after facing pure terror, is an act of true strength. You are showing them yourself, even though you are broken and sorrowful."
The young soldier nodded his head slowly, and I stood up to address the group.
“Phoenix Squad,” I said clearly, and they all turned to look at me. “I am aware of your loss. You are all to head to the armory for maintenance before taking time off.” I paused. “I would advise some of you to talk to someone close during this time. Dismissed."
The seven soldiers all nodded silently. Some stood to leave, while some stayed for a while longer. Adam immediately rose, and I watched as he left for the armory.
Allison Xie, 11, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 10:01 AM
Kistrea; City Middle School
It was my favorite time of day - lunch. Geo’s government had been kind to several orphaned children of the war, providing them with free education and food. Katrina had earned us more money by signing up for the military - although I always worried about this choice.
Although I was hungry for delicious pizza, I was drawn to a commotion at one corner of the cafeteria. A group of students was crowded around one of the wall-hung televisions, which normally showed news that no one cared about.
Today was a different case.
“What’s happening?” I asked a few taller boys.
One glanced down and answered, “There was a battle today."
“What?” My exclamation was drowned in the crowd’s murmurs, and I struggled to see the screen.
“Here,” the last boy said, shifting so that I could stand in front and watch the screen.
“Earlier today, at around eight-thirty this morning, a Geo patrol encounter hostile Rei forces in No Man’s Land,” the female reporter said on-screen.
I racked my brain. Katrina was on patrol. When did she say she was leaving?
“According to General Alexander Collins, the squadron defended themselves and even eliminated an enemy soldier, causing the hostile forces to retreat.” The screen switched to a shot of a familiar face - General Collins - who stood in front of a podium.
“Today, a patrol led by Sergeant Barker of the 1st Armored Division encountered enemies…"
I drowned out the rest of General Collins’ speech as my mind reeled. Sergeant Barker was Katrina’s squad leader! Katrina had encountered enemies!
“Hey, are you okay?” The older boy asked, looking at me, and I slowly realized how weak my legs felt. As if on cue, I fell to the floor, unable to stand.
“Hey!” Everyone turned away from the television to me, all confused but clearly worried.
“Allison! Are you okay?"
Crystal Seren, 16, June 30th, 2115
Thursday, 12:17 PM
Rei; Goldsky, City Hospital
Something was wrong with Adam.
Whenever he came to visit, he was always smiling, even if he was quiet. And today, the hospital nurses had baked a batch of cookies, some of which we were enjoying now. And it was even a beautiful day outside.
“Adam, what’s wrong?” I finally asked. The two of us were sitting on the bed next to each other, eating our cookies in an uncomfortable silence.
He froze, his cookie halfway through his mouth, before he wolfed down the rest of the treat and coughing nervously. “You could tell?” he responded sheepishly.
I nodded. “Of course. You’re my closest friend.” Reaching out to poke his forehead, I asked again, “What’s wrong?"
His shoulders slumped and his lips curled into a frown. He was silent as I finished my cookie.
“We encountered Geo forces today,” he finally said.
Oh, no.
“So that was you?” I exclaimed. “Did anything happen? Are you hurt?"
Time seemed to stop as I turned to him and finally saw the change in his eyes - his eyes that were now filled with an unspeakable terror and fear, which I knew would change him forever.
I couldn’t speak as he lowered his head into his hands and continued. “They got Chris,” he barely stammered, and I could only watch as his shoulders began to shake.
Was Adam, the strongest person in my life, crying? Was this all he had been hiding as he was providing so much for me?
“And I felt so weak!” He choked out as he raised his head, and for the first time since I had known him I saw Adam shed tears.
“I was so scared,” he sobbed, and as he gasped for breath, I felt my eyes water.
“Adam,” I whispered, and couldn’t hold it back anymore. I moved closer and pulled him into my arms, holding him close as he continued to let his tears out.
“Crystal?” He raised his head and sniffed. “What are you doing?”
“Is something wrong?” I asked, and suddenly felt him shift in my arms.
“I don’t…” he trailed off and suddenly burst out of my arms. As I fell onto the bed, he began running out of the room.
“Adam?"
“Sorry, I need to head back!” he shouted, not looking back.
“Adam, wait!” I cried, reaching out only to be greeted by the shutting door.
Matthew Li, 41, June 30st, 2115
Thursday, 9:19 PM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
Things were going better than expected.
“With this skirmish, the conflict has been rekindled."
I spoke to no one, but I knew that I was heard. Even in the empty room, filled with mechanical equipment, I knew someone heard me.
“With this, your wish can finally be seen through,” I smiled, glancing at the photograph frame in my hand. Within the picture was a woman around her thirties with long strands of black hair, holding an infant wrapped in cloth.
“Geo and Rei have torn apart our homeland,” I scowled. “But they will know total and utter destruction as I bring it upon them. I will fulfill your wish, Helen.”

Chapter Four
Chloe Li, 19, July 1st, 2115
Friday, 10:14 PM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
I glanced over my shoulder. Although Matthew had been preoccupied for a while, I still knew he could walk in at any moment. One of many laboratories in the expansive base, the room had a lone computer monitor attached to a large machine.
“Search query: Helen,” I muttered, typing on the keyboard and staring at the glowing monitor.
I clicked “Enter,” and was shown a single result: “Observations of Helen."
My eyes scanned the text-dense file as I read along. Artificial Intelligence Unit One Helen is to function as a combat support unit for Kevin. Between the two, Chloe is the stronger fighter, but Kevin has greater potential as a tactician. I paused, unable to believe this. Kevin requires more emotional support during battle, thus a medium to provide psychological stability is required.
It got worse.
Developing the two into human weapons has been largely successful. The only problem is their relationship. They’re too focused on emotional issues rather than improving their combat abilities.
I smacked the keyboard in anger. “What do you think? We’re not soldiers!"
Creating an artificial intelligence with psychiatrical capabilities requires the use of human DNA. Luckily, I have a perfect sample in my possession.
“A perfect sample?” I echoed the words. “What does that mean?"
Helen’s DNA is a suitable foundation for an artificial intelligence. Not only does her personality make her fit for emotional support, but also she already has a strong connection to Kevin.
I raised my eyebrows in confusion, and scrolled further down the file when I heard footsteps echo in the hallway outside.
     “Crap."
Katrina Xie, 17, July 2nd, 2115
Saturday, 8:51 AM
Geo; Kistrea, City Hospital
“I’m not withdrawing,” I declared, and the psychiatrist sighed. Clearly, we were getting nowhere.
“Can you give us a reason?” General Collins asked, and drove our previously stagnant conversation onto a new path.
The three of us sat in the office of Doctor Tsai, a psychiatrist at Kistrea’s hospital. The grey-walled room was dim as the morning light was blocked by thin curtains. I sat where I always did during my weekly appointments - on the sofa opposite Dr. Tsai’s desk, where he sat in his office chair and took notes. General Collins, who only occasionally visited, leaned against the wall.
It was time for my weekly psychiatric checkup.
“Katrina, we were monitoring you during the skirmish,” General Collins said. “We know the Rei forces triggered your memories."
“Your post-traumatic stress disorder is not a light issue,” Dr. Tsai added, and I frowned as he scratched his grey hair. “I’ve seen enough patients to know how serious your case is."
“And I know enough psychology to know it can be treated,” I answered quietly.
Dr. Tsai seemed interested. “How so?"
General Collins was about to open his mouth, but I cut him off. “Fear conditioning,” I answered.
“So by immersing yourself in battle situations, you wish to lose your fear of Rei?” Dr. Tsai asked slowly, segueing into a clear thought.
I nodded.
“That’s not the only reason,” General Collins added, and I glared at him for a moment as he shrugged and looked away.
“What would that be?” Dr. Tsai asked, leaning forwards.
I frowned, looking at General Collins again before resigning, sinking into the sofa and hesitating.
“I don’t want to let down Mom and Dad,” I whispered.
In my peripheral vision, I saw the two men look at each other, with General Collins nodding.
“I don’t want to cower away from Rei in my current state,” I continued. “And if Rei is a threat, I want to protect Allison. She’s all I have left,” I added the last words quietly.
“And if she loses you?” General Collins asked, but he already knew my answer.
“She won’t,” I stated. “I won’t die. I’ll destroy Rei.” I looked down at my hands. “I already killed one of them."
Silence hung over the three of us.
“It’s your choice,” General Collins finally said. “But take time off for now.” He glanced at Dr. Tsai, who shrugged. “You’re dismissed."
I rose from my seat and saluted him, leaving the room.
Adam Erec, 17, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 11:19 AM
Rei; Goldsky, Military Base
I hadn’t gone back to see Crystal since Thursday.
The thought ran through my head as I watched Phoenix Squadron’s equipment be moved through the hangar. Our ARMORs and weapons were being loaded onto a troop transport ship, whose jetliner-sized hull sat near the hangar’s exit.
The rectangular prism-shaped ship, with its sharp, pyramid nose was designed to support ARMOR units, and its entire lower deck was dedicated to armories and launching bays. Its upper deck held quarters and other facilities, while the bow contained the command bridge. Scattered across its silver armor plating were a few heavy duty turrets, and on the port and starboard sides were painted the emblem of Rei in orange - a loosed arrow piercing the air, the namesake of the Arrow.
“Adam?” My squad mate’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I turned around.
“What?” I asked.
“I said you seem distracted. Is something wrong?” My slightly older comrade, Jake, looked closely at me, and I blinked.
“It’s nothing,” I waved the issue aside, but then hesitated.
“It doesn’t sound like nothing,” he pressed, and I sighed resignedly before staring up at the hangar’s ceiling.
“What if we end up like Chris?” I asked, and turned to face Jake. “You saw how quickly it happened. He was gone in an instant. What if I lose everyone around me?"
He frowned, but I continued. “What if I die? What if I’m not remembered by Crys - ” As soon as I realized what I was saying, I shut my mouth, but he laughed.
“You don’t need to keep it a secret!” Jake patted me on the back, and then became serious. “It’s true. Anyone could die in the slightest moment. And we don’t know when.” Then he split a wide grin. “But that doesn’t mean you can worry yourself to death about it! Focus on staying alive for a single reason."
“A reason?” I said slowly, unsure of his meaning.
“Yeah,” he nodded. “To see that girl of yours again!” Jake pulled something out of his pocket: a photograph of a girl his age.
“She’s my girlfriend,” he explained at my confused expression. “The two of us have always talked about the possibility of me dying on the battlefield.” As he spoke, his eyes grew somber. “We always knew it could happen. So that’s why I dedicated most of my time for training.” He slipped the photograph away and looked straight into my eyes. “I wanted to be so strong that I wouldn’t die on the battlefield so that I could see her again.” He smiled. “I know you want to see your girl again, Adam. That’s why you’ve gotta be strong. Okay?"
I slowly nodded, simply amazed. As he spoke, I could see the sheer resolve in his eyes as he declared that he wouldn’t die.
Jake's eyes softened and me grinned again. “So how long have you known her?"
Taken aback, I stammered, “Well, we don’t know each other too well. I mean, all I do is pay for her treatment at the hospital…"
I trailed off as he stared at me for a moment before snapping his fingers. “So you’re the one Amy has told me about! The boy who uses all of his salary from the army to pay for his dear friend!” He raised his brow and leaned in close. “A tragic, one-sided relationship?” he teased.
“Oh, that’s mean!” I exclaimed, and chased after Jake, who had begun to run away, laughing.
Matthew Li, 41, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 11:41 AM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
I stood at the base’s hangar doors, which were open to the outside. The large, rectangular cavity gave way to an island cove that seemed untouched by human hands. Yet despite its looks, the entire small island was home to an expansive network of underground facilities.
In the distance, three larger landmasses could be seen - these were the main regions of the Solera island chain, home to the warring factions of Geo and Rei.
Little did they know how much was going to change today.
I glanced down at my computer tablet in my hands, which was tracking two moving fleets - one from Geo, and one from Rei. They hadn’t deviated from their courses, which would move them into close proximity of one another.
Naturally, that would mean combat.
“The die is cast,” I said to myself. “As Julius Caesar once said."
I turned around and faced my creation - my army.
Rows and rows of mechanical figures stood at attention. Their figures were developed from the silhouettes of ARMORS, built over skeletons mimicking human bodies. Rather than a jumpsuit, their armor was directly clamped over their grey metallic frames. The plating over their bodies was jet-black, consisting of a basic design - cylindrical sections on their forearms and legs, and a square-shaped chestpiece. Finally was a basic helmet, complete with a tinted, face-covering visor to conceal their mechanical enemies. In their arms were various advanced weapons - high-powered electromagnetic rail cannons, composite-function bladed rifles, and even multi-targeting weaponry systems - all created by myself.
“Today is the day I return from the dead,” I chuckled.
“Today is the day that MALICE returns to the world.”

Chapter Five
Kevin Li, 16, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 11:45 AM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
Chloe had snuck around the base two days ago, but we couldn’t find time until now to talk about our findings until he was gone.
“He'll be gone for at least three hours,” she explained, scrolling through the records she had found in various computers around the base. “Helen, you’ve disabled all cameras in the arena, right?"
Helen, floating around like always, nodded. “Currently uploading false video logs,” she reported. “Matthew and his group are leaving now."
Chloe nodded and turned back to me, holding an interface in which was her collected data. We sat against the arena wall in our jumpsuits but out of our ARMORs.
“Here’s everything I downloaded,” she said, putting down the device and activating it to pull up a holographic screen. Across the interface was a plethora of files, containing information I could never have imagined.
“Design of ARMORs,” I read. “Design of Mechanical Units, Use of Battle Tactics, Observations of Helen…” I trailed off, amazed at Chloe’s accomplishments.
“We have a few hours, so look through these files,” Chloe said, standing up. “I’m going to look around some more. Got it?”
“Okay.” I nodded, turning back to the files that offered their knowledge.
General Alexander Collins, 47, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:05 PM
No Man’s Land
“Enemy units detected!”
“Location?” I demanded, standing in the bridge of the carrier-class hovership. Our small advance force was currently making its way through No Man’s Land to attack a minor base within Rei territory.
“Directly ahead!” the navigation officer announced. “Distance is three-thousand meters. Orders, sir?”
At times like this, my role as General truly weighed down upon me. Was I to fall back or push forwards? Lives were in my hands.
But I had come to terms with this long ago. To end this war quickly, I would have to force Rei to its knees, no matter what.
“Deploy all pilots!” I commanded. “Prepare to engage!”
Adam Erec, 17, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:21 PM
No Man’s Land
I back flipped out of the Arrow’s hangar deck, free-falling for a few seconds before activating my ARMOR and bursting into flight.
“Phoenix Squadron, ready for orders!” Our squad leader shouted as the entire squadron leapt out of the Arrow and shifted into flight, taking up formation next to the ship.
“If Chris were here, he would be to the left of me,” I reminisced until Tactician Visc’s orders brought me back to battle.
“Phoenix Squadron, stay close to the Arrow and engage in long-range combat. The ship will engage the enemy with mounted weaponry. Understood?"
“Yes, sir!” We all moved close to the ship and raised our weapons at the oncoming hostiles, who seemed to have the same idea. Their strangely designed ship had a long, rectangular body attached to a pair of long, thin triangular wings, looking like an elongated trapezoid from overhead. Near the stern was a square outcropping with glass - clearly the command deck. Meanwhile, the ARMOR soldiers had deployed from a hatchway at the ship’s bow.
“Distance to engagement: one-hundred!” As we moved closer and closer to the enemies, the ship’s helmsman constantly updated our time to engagement. “Fifty!"
“Everybody ready?” the squad leader shouted, knowing the answer.
“Yes, sir!”
“Twenty-five!"
“Lock and load!” I shouted for some reason, and then felt the adrenaline that coursed throughout my entire body, just like during the last battle.
“Ten! Nine! Eight!"
“I’m going to see Crystal again,” I thought, and glared at the closing in Rei forces.
“Seven! Six! Five! Four!"
“I’m not going to die like Chris.” Clenching my teeth, I shifted my rifle’s aim and focused the scope on a soon-to-be unlucky enemy.
“Three! Two! One!"
“Fire!” Tactician Visc roared over the communications, but his order was lost as we all unleashed a storm of battle cries and pulled the trigger of our weapons.
Everything was loud.
The two ships’ numerous turrets swiveled to point at each other and unleash a heavy barrage of solid metal salvos, which dented each of their hulls with an ear ringing crash.
I pulled the trigger and unleashed a hail of bullets, grazing the enemy in my sights but damaging his ARMOR to the point of retreating into the Geo ship.
“Hostile down,” I muttered, although I knew no one would hear me over the sounds of battle. But that didn’t matter, because I only cared about one thing - I wasn’t going to die.
Then things got worse.
I heard a familiar sound - the sound of a powerful sniper rifle launching a high-caliber round directly into the squad leader’s chest.
Just like Chris, he disappeared in an explosion.
Another, another, and another. Gunfire. Metal tearing through metal. Explosions.
Death.
I didn’t stop firing or screaming as loud as I could until I heard another crack of the sniper rifle and saw the large bullet whizz towards me.
Time seemed to stop as I realized that it was barreling straight towards me - that I was about to die.
Or not.
With a resounding crash, I was smashed to the side as Jake charged into me, pushing me out of the bullet’s path at the last moment but taking the bullet in his shoulder. With a disgusting tearing sound, his left arm was torn from his body and fell out of sight.
“Jake!” I was horrified at the amount of blood cascading from his shoulder, and he began falling until I caught his free arm.
“What the hell?” I shouted, bringing him closer to the ship, barely away from the battle. “Why would you do that? Don’t you have someone you love at home?"
He cut me off by coughing violently and spitting out blood, which stained his silver armor. Then he grinned.
I froze.
Even though explosions shook the entire sky, and bullets whizzed by, and he had lost an arm, he was still grinning.
“Hell if I know,” he groaned, hovering unstably and sometimes dropping a bit. “My body just moved."
“What about her?” I continued to rant. “What about - ”
Jake suddenly cut me off by holding out a hand and coughing again before saying, “wipe away those tears."
Tears?
I reached up to my barely exposed face and felt something wet through my jumpsuit.
When did I start crying?
Jake barely chuckled and coughed again. “Adam, listen carefully. In my locker back at Goldsky Base is an envelope. I want you to give it to the clerk at the hospital. You know who she is, right?"
I slowly nodded, but stopped. “Why can’t you give it to her yourself?"
He only smiled, and patted my shoulder. “Adam, I know you’re going to be strong.” As he began to fly away, he saluted me with his remaining arm. “I’ll see you on the other side."
“Jake?” I shouted, and tried to chase after him, but he was already too far away. “What are you doing?"
“Phoenix Seven, your ARMOR’s reactor is unstable!” Amongst the radio chatter I could hear the ARMOR support officer shouting at Jake, and as he charged in a rather shaky but quick path, I realized what he was doing.
“He’s overloading his armor,” I whispered, wishing with all my heart that I was wrong.
I wasn’t.
Katrina Xie, 17, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:28 PM
No Man’s Land
“Enemy unit is making a charge!"
Sergeant Barker and I were each situated on the Rider, one of Geo’s ARMOR support ships. I was seated right next to the launching hatch, and Barker kneeled right next to me.
“Katrina, focus fire!” Barker commanded, and I shifted my sniper rifle towards the lone enemy unit as the sergeant began firing his assault rifle.
I unleashed a round, but the enemy unit barely dodged out of the way.
“Again!” Barker shouted, but no matter how many times I fired, the enemy managed to shift out of the way.
“Private Xie, be advised!” an officer on the bridge contacted me through communications. “Massive energy spike detected from the advancing unit!"
“A suicide charge?” Barker was surprised, but we continued firing.
“Plasma core meltdown in ten seconds! Catastrophic damage predicted!” the officer cried.
“Dammit!” Barker stood and leapt off of the ship, activating his ARMOR’s thrusters and rising into the air.
“Sarge?” I was alarmed. “What are you doing?"
“Stay back, Private!” he ordered. “You’re going to see the end of this war!"
“Sarge, wait!"
“Protect your sister,” he added quietly, and for the first time, I saw a smile curl upon his lips before he turned around and intercepted the charging enemy unit, grabbing him and pushing him away in a wide turn.
“Today is a good day to die,” I heard him whisper over communications.
“Plasma core meltdown present,” the bridge officer announced.
Sarge and the enemy unit were enveloped by a bright blue explosion, which erupted from the enemy’s chest and hung in the sky like a second sun.
It was oddly beautiful.
But Sarge was gone.
Matthew Li, 41, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:31 PM
No Man’s Land
“What’s the status of our optical camouflage?” I asked, viewing the battle from a distance in a small hovership. The small jet-sized craft contained a single round chamber, with one wall a large viewing window and the other walls covered in many computer monitors. I stood in the center of the chamber, surrounded by light blue holographic screens that displayed various bits of tactical information.
I swiped through the screens and found one that displayed: “Optical Camouflage - All Systems Nominal."
“Good.” I waved the screen away and pulled another one that displayed an overhead map of the one kilometer-away battle.
The two ships from Geo and Rei - represented by triangles on opposite ends of the screen - were each escorted by a handful of ARMOR soldiers - smaller dots onscreen - and were engaging each other in long-range bombardments. Both sides were already suffering damage and casualties, but the worst was yet to come.
I tapped the holographic map, which zoomed out to display the surrounding area. To the west of the battle was another group of shapes - a single triangle surrounded by a large number of dots like a mosquito swarm.
“Prepare to disable optical camouflage on all units,” I commanded, and began tapping another screen. “Standard Mechanical Units will flank both forces and box them in. Heavy bombardment forces will stay with the command ship and begin attacking enemy units at will."
I tapped a screen that read “External View,” and several other screens began switching their views to outside of the ship, showing numerous mechanical units hovering beside the ship, armed and ready to attack.
“Shall we begin?” I grinned. “Begin the attack." 
Grand Tactician Rickard Visc, 45, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:33 PM
No Man’s Land
“Unknown signature detected!” One of the Arrow’s data analyzers panicked from her seat in the lower bridge, and I rushed from my elevated platform to her side.
“Unknown?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Distance, nine-hundred meters and closing from port side!” I turned and looked out of the bridge’s large, triangular windows to see several silhouettes on the horizon.
“All units!” I addressed the deployed ARMOR soldiers through the communications system. “Unknown contacts are closing in! Do not engage, but treat as hostile for now!"
“Pheasant Squad, acknowledged!"
“Mountain Squad, acknowledged!” Two out of three squad leaders returned confirmation, and I waited for the last reply.
“Phoenix Squad, do you copy?” I asked, and was only met with silence. “Phoenix Leader, reply!"
“Phoenix Eight, acknowledged.” I heard Adam’s voice over the communications.
“Adam?” I asked, confused. “Where’s your squad leader?"
“Gone,” Adam replied candidly and quickly, and the Arrow’s ARMOR support officer tapped my shoulder.
“Phoenix Leader through Phoenix Seven have all been eliminated,” she explained quickly.
The shock hit me like a hammer, but I couldn’t let it hold me down.
“Join Mountain Squad for now!” I commanded him, but another voice cut into the channel.
“We’re under attack!” the leader of Mountain Squad screamed over the communications, his voice disappearing in a storm of static.
“Mountain Leader has been eliminated!”
“Status report!” I shouted.
“The third party enemies are charging us an officer answered. “Oh, damn, incoming!”
I was thrown off my feet as something impacted the ship heavily, the torn armor plating groaning as it was ripped through.
“What’s going on?” I roared, scrambling onto my feet, staring at the new enemies.
“We’re completely surrounded! Long range bombardments incoming! We’re sitting ducks!”

Chapter Six
Chloe Li, 19, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:34 PM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
I was looking around the base again, searching for information in yet another laboratory.
Unlike the last one I had visited, this seemed to have medical equipment. The far end of the long room had a large table surrounded by many robotic arms, seemingly for operations, and next to it were a few large, empty capsules.
I was searching a computer monitor right by the entrance, and typed into the search query, “Helen."
A single result showed up: “Human Brain Sample 01.”
I opened the file.
Human Brain Sample 01 is the brain of Helen Li. My wife.
“What the hell?"
General Alexander Collins, 47, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 12:35 PM
No Man’s Land
The battlefield had descended into chaos.
“The Rider has sustained major damage!” An officer on the bridge shouted, hands typing furiously across various computers.
“Fire control circuits have been cut!"
“Hull integrity sixty percent!"
“Dammit,” I cursed, looking out towards the airspace around us. The Rei ship across from us was billowing smoke, but both craft were surrounded by unknown hostiles. To make matters worse, we were being bombarded from the direction of the only escape path by heavy weaponry.
“Third party craft located!” The communications officer announced. “Attempting to contact!”
I turned to a blank holographic screen that opened up, first showing static, but then showing a man as the channel established itself.
He was aging, but certainly hadn’t seen as many years as I had - that was evidenced by his shadow-black hair, which showed no signs of greying. But his deep brown eyes seemed to say otherwise - they seemed to know what living an eternity was like.
“To the armed forces of the Global Front Geo and the Past Server Rei,” he began. “I suppose you are wondering who is attacking you, and their reasons for doing so. I will tell you."
“Is he mocking us?” I heard Katrina’s voice.
“Ensign, are the ARMOR soldiers seeing this as well?” I asked.
“This is being broadcasted to all units in the battlefield.” The communications officer answered. “The Rei forces are probably getting this too."
     “What’s he trying to do?” I muttered, and turned back to the screen.
     “Allow me to introduce myself,” the man continued. “My name is Matthew Li, former head of Infinity Development, current commander of the MALICE Army, and the to-be destroyer of your world."
“Infinity Development?” the helmsman repeated. “Didn’t they shut down years ago?"
“Destroying the world is rather ambiguous,” he admitted. “But it basically means the destruction of everything you know. The destruction of Geo and Rei as governments."
He paused before his mouth split into a malicious grin. “I’ll start by destroying all of - "
His eyes snapped open and he stopped talking, but only for an instant as evil returned to his expression. “It looks like I’ll have to let you live for now.” And with that the communications channel closed.
Silence hung over the bridge as we all stared at the static screen, until the ARMOR support officer said, “third party units are retreating."
I looked out of the bridge to visually confirm this, and saw that the ARMOR using units were retreating. Sighing, I returned to my perch on the bridge and began to issue orders.
“All ARMOR units are to retreat,” I said. “Prioritize recovery of any wounded."
“What of the Geo forces?” The helmsman asked.
“Prepare to fire flares,” I answered. “Load tubes one through three with white flares."
“White flares?” The ARMOR support officer repeated. “Confirm - fire the issue of surrender?"
“Yes,” I nodded, and lowered my shoulders a bit. “But it will be mutual. They’re smart enough to not go after us."
Kevin Li, 16, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 2:47 PM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
I was reading one of many files that Chloe had left me - this particular one was titled “Design of ARMORS."
Kevin’s ARMOR was designed by Helen, which is why its design differs so radically from Chloe’s. While Chloe’s was built with advanced weaponry and defense systems for heavy assault, Kevin’s was equipped with a few odd systems, such as Neuroscanner Amplifiers, Plasma Manipulation, and Tactical Computers. This allows it to -
Chloe’s entrance into the arena interrupted me. She practically sprinted from the sliding door across the room, and when she reached me I could tell that she was out of breath.
“Chloe?” I was confused at her exhaustion. “What’s up?"
“Never mind that,” she barely coughed out. “Suit up."
“What’s happening?” I asked, standing as she moved to our ARMORs that were in piles.
“Hurry!” She began placing the sections of plating over my body, sealing them with special locks until I was fully suited in my grey ARMOR. Despite its metal material, my ARMOR was very light as its plating was only a millimeter thick, sticking to a simple design of cylindrical limbs and a triangular chestpiece. My helmet was the only fancy part, with two blade-shaped fins pointing backwards from my forehead.
“Now me,” Chloe said quickly, and I helped her suit up and lock down her ARMOR. Chloe’s sky-blue ARMOR was a bit heavier than mine, although it used the same basic design. Once again, her helmet was the only complex section, 
“Come on!” Chloe promptly activated her ARMOR, and her boots glowed faintly as she began hovering in the air.
“Are we training?” I asked, following suit as my boots began to hum and generated faint rings of green light beneath them as I rose off of the ground.
“No,” Chloe answered quickly. “Helen, where is he?"
“Currently returning to base,” Helen, who had simply been floating around, took a seat on my shoulder. “He’ll pass optical camouflage in ten minutes."
“Let’s go, double time!” Chloe commanded, and she began flying to the arena’s exit. I was confused, but followed, quickly dashing just above the ground.
We exited the arena into the small, dark hallways that I had grown so accustomed to after living here for my entire life. Chloe turned left and blasted off down the long corridors, and I struggled to keep up.
“Chloe, what’s happening?” I asked as I tried to maneuver through the cramped halls.
“I can’t explain!” she called back. “We have to keep moving!”
I sighed defeatedly and turned to Helen, who was still perched on my shoulder. “Do you know what’s going on?"
She simply nodded, and I sighed again. “Can you tell - "
“You’re escaping,” she answered, and I almost stopped flying.
“Escaping?” I whispered to myself.
“Kevin, quickly!” Chloe called, and I noticed where we were. We had exited the hallways into a large, open hangar, with silver metal walls and many pieces of equipment hung up on racks scattered throughout the room. Chloe dragged me to the hangar’s opening, which overlooked an island cove. Beside us was a pair of rails mounted horizontally, with clamps between them.
“There you go.” Chloe pushed me into the clamps, which locked around and held me in place. She then reached down and lifted up two large, silver cylinders with rocket thrusters at one end and an opening in the other.
“What are these?” I asked as Chloe fit the cylinders onto my leg armor.
“External boosters,” she answered before handing me two blue, glass-like triangles. “And these are Plasma Manipulators. They’re weapons specifically made for your ARMOR.” She fit one triangle over each of my wrists and paused. “Now, I want you to listen to me."
I nodded.
“Don’t come back here, no matter what,” she commanded. “Not even for me."
“Wait, aren’t you coming along?” I asked, panicking.
“Matthew’s back!” Helen warned, and we looked towards the air above the cove, which was beginning to distort and ripple.
“Head to Solera,” Chloe continued. “Tell them you’re not hostile. And show everything Helen has. Okay?"
“Chloe, what’s happening?” I cried, truly scared now.
“I love you,” she said quietly, leaning in and pulling me into a hug before drawing away quickly.
“Helen, calculations are up to you!” she shouted, and punched a button on the rail equipment.
My heart leapt in my chest as the clamps holding me surged forward along the rails, launching me out of the hangar and into the sky. As soon as the afternoon sunlight bathed my ARMOR, the metal panels began glowing a deep crimson red, surrounding me with a fiery aura.
The rippling air solidified to reveal an army of ARMOR units and a single hovership, all headed back to the base.
“Holy - ” I couldn’t finish my sentence as my visor blinked to life and read, “AI Control,” and Helen took control of my ARMOR. The external boosters on my legs came to life, the rocket thrusters flaring and speeding me right towards the returning army.
“Helen, wait!” I cried, but she didn’t stop my ARMOR, spinning and weaving me through the dense group of enemies until I had passed through the swarm.
“Chloe’s still there!” I shouted, but Helen continued to direct my ARMOR away from the base as we began soaring over the vast ocean towards a landmass in the distance.
“Stop crying,” she flatly said, her holographic form flying beside me, and I realized how wet my cheeks were.
Helen sighed. “Let’s go."
Matthew Li, 41, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 3:13 PM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
Two ARMOR units held Chloe down on her knees in the center of the hangar.
“Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused?” I demanded, standing before her. “You’ve ruined everything! I’ve lost an ARMOR and several terabytes of classified data!"
She muttered something inaudible and I crouched down. “What did you say?"
“You certainly don’t care about Kevin,” she whispered.
I stood and began pacing. “He’s a weak-willed child. He’s not worth any combat value."
“Is that all you think of us?” Chloe asked. “Soulless combat units?"
“Of course!” I exclaimed. “You two are my children! You are to obey everything I say!"
“Children?” Chloe repeated, and began laughing. “We’re not your children, and you’re not our father."
“Is that so?” I snarled. “Well you certainly aren’t in a position to refuse anything I ask."
     “Think again,” she growled. I was confused for a moment, but barely noticed the text on her visor, which I read backwards: “Overload."
“You wouldn’t dare!” I shouted, and turned to run as Chloe laughed again.
“Go to Hell!” she shrieked.
Grand Tactician Rickard Visc, 45, July 4th, 2115
Monday, 5:49 PM
Rei; Goldsky, Military Base
I sat alone in my quarters, leaning back at my desk, and sighed.
After the mysterious army lead by this “Matthew Li” had left the battlefield, both the Arrow and the Geo enemy ship had retreated to their respective territories. The Goldsky military base was on full alert, lest any more “MALICE” enemies decided to attack, but most of the soldiers were taking a rest after such a turn of events.
“Those enemy soldiers were using incredibly advanced equipment,” I thought. “And not only that, but ‘Matthew’ is a fearsome tactician."
I tapped the surface of my desk, which doubled as a workspace and holographic screen, and brought up the tactical map of the battle.
“He utilized a basic pincer attack,” I observed, watching small dots representing enemy units surround two triangles, which were the two ships. “And combined it with a heavy bombardment in our only direction of escape.” Another group of dots appeared at a distance.
“It was a very simple plan,” I muttered. “But it was effective. Truly a fearsome opponent."
Silence hung over my room as I sank into thought, staring at the tactical map.
Then the screen blinked as a new icon popped up, and I tapped it to open a just-received message.
My eyes narrowed. “This message was sent over a secret channel,” I noted as I scanned its contents. “And it’s in a code.” The message was a mess of jumbled letters and some coherent words having nothing to do with military operations, such as “the second summer of military academy."
Wait.
A smile split my face as I realized just what this code was, and I pulled out a piece of paper, setting to work. I eliminated letters and translated sentences of youthful high school days, and eventually cleaned the message up for it to make sense.
“Rick, it’s Alex,” I read, and confirmed my suspicions. “I have no idea what you’re doing right now, but I have no one else to turn to. Connect to the following frequency at eighteen hundred - you should have decrypted this by now. Frequency is Alpha Three-Two, access code is six-nine-three-five-zero. See you then."
I glanced at the clock, which read, “5:55 PM,” and opened a communications window on my desk, connecting to the channel that Alex had provided before patiently waiting.
“He’s going to be wait,” I thought, smirking.
I was right.
At 6:01 PM, the blank screen blinked to life, showing the face of an aging man with slightly graying hair and a goofy, caring smile. This was my best friend - Alexander Collins, who I had attended military academy in my younger years.
“Yo!” he casually greeted, despite the formal military uniform he was wearing.
“Good to see you,” I returned his greeting. “How long has it been since we talked? Twenty years?"
“Something like that,” Alex replied. “Anyway, how are you doing? I’ve been shoved deep into military secrecy, but barely managed to get this secret channel."
 “I’ve been busy,” I admitted, glancing at the Five-Star General badge that was out of my friend’s sight. “Anyway, what is it? I doubt you’re making a social call."
Alex nodded. “I’m taking a really big chance here, Rick. I’m about to give you a lot of classified information. But I trust you."
“Okay,” I answered.
My friend took a deep breath before continuing. “I’m the head general of the Geo army, and we just came back from a pretty big battle. Did you hear about it?"
I reeled in surprise and stumbled to answer. “Um, yes, I did. A third party force, right?"
Alex nodded. “Yeah. I’ve been commanding for a long time, and I know a deadly tactician when I see one. The enemy commander is dangerous. And I don’t think Geo or Rei can beat him alone."
“What do you mean?” I asked, and he sighed.
“Look, Rick, I don’t know what else can be done. But I need to speak to the general of the Rei army. I need to negotiate some sort of truce with him, or an alliance, if possible. I have no idea what happens in Rei - you probably don’t know what happens in Geo either. You’re my only eyes in there. Can you help me?"
I couldn’t speak for a moment. I was lost in nostalgia. This man was someone I had spent two years of high school with. This man had been my closest friend for several years. And now we had been fighting each other for so long?
I swallowed hard.
No more.
“Yes, I can,” I finally answered.

Chapter Seven
Adam Erec, 17, July 5th, 2115
Tuesday, 6:31 AM
Rei; Goldsky, Military Base
Each squadron at Goldsky’s military base had a personal locker room for the squad members’ various belongings during our active service. Due to the current shortage of manpower, emptying the lockers of fallen comrades was up to the remaining squad members.
I stood alone in the locker room, whose cream-colored walls matched the white lockers. Seven cardboard boxes sat next to me, waiting to be filled with photographs and other personal belongings.
“I never thought I would be the one to empty these lockers,” I thought.
Emptying the lockers of squad mates was a tradition in the Rei military, and had been observed for years. It was a way of remembering the fallen when you couldn’t recover their bodies from the inferno of ARMOR destruction, sending those vestiges of memories back to their families.
I opened the first locker on the left, which read, “Phoenix Seven,” and had belonging to Jake. The inside of the metal door was covered in photographs of himself with several other people – the hospital clerk, his younger sister, and his parents.
I reached up to take the photos down but stopped. My hand was shaking.
“Dammit,” I muttered, and reached up to wipe away the tears that were beginning to fall.
“Dammit.”
General Alexander Collins, 47, July 5th, 2115
Tuesday, 6:47 AM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“Look at the time,” Rick yawned loudly through the holographic communications screen, and I glanced at the clock.
“Wow,” I yawned as well. “We’ve been at this for more then twelve hours.”
“Reminds me of our academy days,” Rick grinned, and I nodded. “Pulling all-nighters playing chess and talking about battle tactics.”
I yawned again, but shook the sleep out of myself. “Regardless, we’ve learned just how much of a threat Matthew Li is.”
“Faking his own death and reemerging a decade later,” Rick muttered. “And even deploying an enhanced nuclear device over Sol. He certainly is dangerous.”
“What’s more is that he was the head of an advanced weapons development firm,” I sighed. “When armed with deadly technology and tactics, he’s a formidable enemy.”
“That doesn’t matter anymore,” Rick noted, and I nodded in agreement.
“It’s obvious that neither Geo or Rei can defeat him alone,” I observed. “We need to unite.”
“Easier said than done,” Rick complained.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Not many people will agree so easily to a treaty suggested by two friends.”
“But we need to make them agree.” Rick, said, and as I racked my head for ideas, I paused.
“I think I know a way.”
Crystal Seren, 16, July 5th, 2115
Tuesday, 7:28 AM
Rei; Goldsky, City Hospital
The doctors had said I had recovered enough to walk around the hospital now, so I decided to explore my temporary home after waking up early.
As I stepped out of the elevator on the first floor, I heard a familiar voice and turned to a receptionist desk.
“Are you Amy Haley?” Adam, who stood before the counter, asked the young woman who sat on the other side. I noticed that a box sat by his feet and something was in his hands.
“Yes,” she nodded, and giggled. “It’s a bit strange having known each other, yet not knowing each other’s names.”
I moved a bit closer, watching as Adam slowly nodded. “Do you know someone named Jake Ren?” he asked, and I frowned as he drew the words out slowly.
The clerk, Amy, became more attentive. “Yes, I do. Did something happen?”
I could clearly hear Adam swallow, and he reached down to place the cardboard box on the counter.
“These are his personal belongings,” he said. “And this is a letter he wrote to you.”
“Wait, what?” Amy was clearly confused, as was I. “Has something happened to Jake?”
Adam’s eyes were glued to the floor, and he held the envelope out, which Amy snatched out of his hands and tore open. I stepped closer, curious, but stopped when I saw Adam’s hands.
They were shaking.
A loud cry of despair made me jump and shift my attention to Amy, who had stood up and now gripped the letter in her hands. Her eyes were wide with shock, and her mouth moved as she struggled to form words.
Another nurse emerged from behind the counter and asked, “what happened? Is everything okay?”
Amy let out a strangled wail and threw herself into the nurse’s arms as the dam in her heart broke, forcing her to let loose a torrent of tears as she began crying.
I covered my mouth in shock. I had a pretty good idea of what happened.
Adam, shoulders shaking, whispered, “I’m sorry,” and turned around, almost bumping into me. His eyes were wide and he tried to speak, but his shoulders shook even more.
I shushed him, pressing a finger to his mouth and shaking my head before pulling him into the elevator and heading back upstairs. We were silent as we ascended and entered my room, and I sat on the bed as he stood by the door, unmoving.
I waited.
“I’m no longer part of a squad,” he announced, looking at me directly. “After all, the rest of Phoenix Squad died.”
All seven of his comrades were dead? How could he say that with such a straight face?
 Why wasn’t he crying?
“I’m not going to cower in fear anymore,” he declared, and I could see his eyes harden. “I’m going to be strong. After all…”
He trailed off and hesitated, as if unsure of what to say next.
“I might as well say it,” he smiled faintly. “I’ve got nothing else to lose.”
He moved closer to the bed, and fell onto his knees as he spoke.
“I’ll grow strong so that I can protect the only person I love,” he whispered, barely audible, and stared down at the floor as he held his hands out. “So please don’t leave me, Crystal.”
I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t move. My closest friend was in love with me? How long had it taken me to notice? How long had I been so oblivious?
And why did I feel so comfortable?
“Ah.” The part of my brain that was still functioning right spoke to me. “Because I love him back.”
I reached out and grabbed his hands, and he looked up, eyes wide as he barely breathed.
“Okay,” I nodded, and kneeled before him, pulling him into my arms and holding him close. “Okay.”
We sat there for a moment before he said, “I promise I won’t run away this time.”
I laughed, hugging him tighter. “That’s good.”
Allison Xie, 11, July 6th, 2115
Tuesday, 5:49 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Auran Apartments
I was distracted.
Katrina and I stood in our kitchen preparing pasta for dinner. As I heated the tomato sauce over the stove, I glanced at Katrina, who was busy cutting up beef. The meat in her hands was blood red, and her hands wielding the blade completely severed the chunks apart in one cut.
Deadly. Just like the question I wanted to ask.
She noticed my gaze and stopped. “What is it?”
I stared at the knife in her hands and the bits of meat on the cutting board, torn into shreds, unable to be pieced together.
“Did you kill someone?” I finally asked.
The question was met with silence.
Katrina set down the knife.
“Turn off the stove,” she said, and I obeyed. As she took a seat at the table, she beckoned me to follow, and I sat opposite her.
“I knew we had to talk about this sooner or later,” she said, shifting uncomfortably. “But it’s still a bit hard.”
I nodded, not saying anything. My heart beat loudly against my chest, and my mouth felt dry.
“This is war,” she said. “And I am a soldier. Do you know what that means?”
I shook my head.
“It means that there will be death.” Her voice was low. “There will be killing. And people will change.”
“I don’t want you to change,” I answered.
“I already have.” Katrina smiled sadly. “I’ve killed one person.”
My sister was a killer. I didn’t know how I should have reacted.
After all, who would?
“That means you’re a murderer,” I whispered, unable to face Katrina’s gaze.
“What?” I could hear the shock in her voice. “No, no, I said I’m a soldier – ”
“What’s the difference?” I demanded, leaping out of my seat. “You killed someone!”
“Allison, wait!” Katrina reached out to me, but I smacked her hand away.
“Stay away!” I shrieked, feeling the tears on my cheeks. “You monster!”
Katrina froze, as did I. Her eyes were wide, and she didn't move.
But I did.
I found myself running out of the apartment and into the city streets, which were glowing orange from the setting sun. With my eyes filled with tears and head down, I didn’t see where I was going and bumped into someone.
“Sorry,” I choked, stepping back.
“Allison?”
Dr. Luke Tsai, 51, July 6th, 2115
Tuesday, 6:11 PM
Geo; Kistrea, City Hospital
When Allison had bumped into me on the streets, I knew that something was troubling her.
She sat on the couch, wiping away her tears with a box of tissues, while I leaned against my desk and patiently waited.
“Are you comfortable?”
She nodded.
“I have an idea of what the problem is,” I observed. “It’s Katrina, isn’t it?”
Another nod.
I sighed. I’ve had this conversation with several other people, but Allison was a different situation. After all, she was only a child.
“Katrina is a soldier,” I said, and Allison stiffened.
Looks like I had hit the mark.
“And a soldier’s job is to kill people. It’s true that your sister has killed. And it’s true that she will change.”
 “I don’t want her to change,” Allison whispered.
“This is war,” I shrugged. “People will change during war. I have already, seeing so many traumatized patients. And so will you.”
 Allison shook her head in refusal. “I don’t want to give up everything.”
“Give up what?” I asked.
“Our past,” she explained. “Our memories. But most of all, our hearts. The people that we knew before the war. Not the scarred people after the war.”
 I frowned. This was certainly strange, but interesting.
“Go on,” I pressed, and she continued.
“I always know that Katrina has been a bit timid,” she said. “And that I’m the one who’s normally happy. But what if that changes? What if she becomes cold, and I become scared? What will happen to us?”
She looked down, still speaking. “I never liked war. I never thought anyone had the right to end a life. After all, it takes so much effort to make one – to find two people who love each other, and to create a child, and then for the parents and friends and environment to raise that child. It takes so much time. And for someone else to just destroy that effort? It’s just not right.”
“What do you want to do?” I asked.
“I…” she paused, as if unsure of what to say. “I want to help everyone so they aren’t in despair. I want to make others happy so they aren’t angry. I want to save everyone from war.” She smiled sadly, wiping a tear away. “But I don’t know how to do it.”
I stared at this young girl. Although she was only eleven years old, she was developing thoughts that sixteen year-olds typically expressed. This was intriguing.
Then I noticed the time. “It’s getting late,” I observed. “Are you going home.”
“I don’t want to go home,” she said quietly, and I nodded.
“Come on, then.” I moved for the door. “I’ll get you an empty room and you can stay for the night. Oh, and I’ll also message Katrina.”
“Okay.”
Katrina Xie, 17, July 8th, 2115
Thursday, 11:34 AM
No Man’s Land
Allison hadn’t returned for two days, although Dr. Tsai had messaged me about it. But I had more pressing matters to worry about.
“Don’t be nervous,” said General Collins, who stood next to me. I glanced at him and nodded before turning back to the scene before me.
Six individuals stood in the round conference room – the President of Geo, and the Prime Minister of Rei, each accompanied by their army’s respective general and one soldier as a bodyguard.
It was absurd, really. Both of us soldiers were fully suited in our ARMORs – in other words, we were fully armed in the presence of negotiations. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
I studied the Rei soldier across the room for a second. He wore a strange ARMOR – its metal plating was normal silver, and its jumpsuit was grey. His helmet had several small fins on top like feather-like appendages, and his back seemed to lack any substantial propulsion system, instead mounting a number of sharp triangles across the backpack.
We could see the terrain of No Man’s Land through the glass floor below our feet as we hung high in the sky onboard a passenger ship that had been chosen for the negotiations.
Which, at the moment, were going badly at the round conference table.
“The Global Front has threatened us for years!” the Prime Minister of Rei spat. “You dare tread upon our homeland with promises of industrialization!”
“But you have constantly utilized military force against us!” Geo’s President argued. “Even though we are trying to help your country!”
General Collins sighed quietly. “This is getting nowhere,” he muttered. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him make a barely noticeable gesture with his hand.
Who was it directed at? I looked across the room and saw Rei’s general, Grand Tactician Rickard Visc, also move his hand.
What was going on?
“And now you dare bring a third party to help with your imperialist globalization!” The Prime Minister pointed an accusing finger. “Do you wish to get the entire world involved?”
At the mention of the mysterious third force led we had encountered, General Collins moved.
“Follow my lead,” he whispered, and I quickly followed him down to the round table.
“Adam,” Rickard Visc said from the other end of the room, and stepped down to meet us at the table as his subordinate followed him.
As we faced the two national leaders, they turned in shock.
“What is the meaning of this?” Geo’s President asked, and Collins cleared his throat.
“Gentleman, Grand Tactician Visc and I have researched quite a bit on this third party that has recently emerged,” General Collins said. “And we have arrived at the conclusion that neither Geo nor Rei has the ability to face this new enemy alone.”
“Thus,” Grand Tactician Visc spoke up. “We believe there is only one solution to defeat this enemy.”
“Which is?” Rei’s Prime Minister asked.
“To unite the forces of Geo and Rei in the interest of destroying a common enemy,” General Collins answered.
The national leaders’ responses were immediate and intense.
“This is outrageous!” Rei’s Prime Minister stood up in defiance. “Are you betraying your nation, Grand Tactician?”
 “On the contrary,” Tactician Visc responded. “I am defending my nation by ending this long conflict as quickly as possible.”
“General, why would you do this?” Geo’s President demanded.
General Collins didn’t falter. “I’m doing this for the sake of Geo and Rei,” he declared. “We can’t fight two-front wars, especially not against such a powerful enemy.”
“Haven’t you realized?” Tactician Visc asked. “This war is dragging on for too long.”
“It’s time to end it,” Collins said. “And to fight against something new.”

Chapter Eight
General Collins, 47, July 9th, 2115
Wednesday, 1:47 PM
No Man’s Land
Things were going better than I expected.
After the two national leaders had acquiesced to the proposal of uniting yesterday, a surprising number of people advocated for the action.
“I’m not surprised,” Rickard shrugged as I brought the topic up. “Most people are young these days, and want to see the war end.”
I nodded, turning back and continuing to observe the training of our united armies.
Rickard and I stood on the bridge of the Rider, with the Arrow soaring along starboard. We were performing an inspection of each of our flagships, with the engineers sharing technologies to improve with one another, and with Rickard and I determining the maximum tactical potential of each craft.
Meanwhile, ARMOR-fitted squadrons were performing tactical maneuvers with each other, directed by the several ARMOR support officers on the bridges of both ships.
“They’re very coordinated,” Visc observed. “And very cooperative.”
 “That’s good,” I smiled. “They’ll fight well as one unit, won’t they?”
Visc didn’t respond, and I turned to see him frowning at the tactical map on the holographic screen.
“Visc to the Arrow,” he said, speaking into the small communications device on his collar. “Where is callsign Phoenix?”
“Callsign Phoenix is currently in the hangar, unsuited,” someone responded over the device.
Visc shook his head and sighed. “Sorry, Alex,” he apologized. “It seems one of my soldiers isn’t cooperating.”
“Was he the bodyguard at the negotiations?” I asked.
He nodded. “Adam Erec,” he said. “He’s young, but skilled. A very valuable soldier.” He began moving towards the exit. “I’m going to have a word with him.”
I waved as he left the bridge and turned back to observe the ongoing practice, listening as the officers monitored the ARMOR units until someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“What is it?” I asked, turning to the Rider’s communications officer.
“General, there is a unit from the third party unit approaching Kistrea, but broadcasting on open channels.”
 “What?”
Adam Erec, 17, July 9th, 2115
Wednesday, 1:53 PM
No Man’s Land
I sat in the Arrow’s empty hangar, alone, muttering the foulest words I knew under my breath.
“Language,” I heard someone sternly admonished, and turned around to see Grand Tactician Visc looking down at me.
“Sir!” I stammered, scrambling up and raising a fist to my chest to salute him.
“Why aren’t you following orders, Phoenix?” he asked, and I stiffened as he formally referred to me by my special rank.
I shifted and looked away, not answering.
“I’m expecting an answer,” he said, and I sighed.
“Why must we cooperate with the Global Front?” I asked. “Why must we give in to them? I refuse to work with those who destroyed Sol and tore apart our nation!”
 “That’s enough,” Visc snapped, and I froze. This was the first time I had seen him angry, and the fire in my eyes made me truly afraid. “We already said that Sol was destroyed by a tactical nuke from the third force party. What’s more is that we ourselves have been tearing Solera apart, as well. Ending this war quickly is the only thing that will save this nation.”
I glared at him. “I refuse,” I declared, and his eyes narrowed.
“You must realize that this is for Solera’s own sake,” he growled, and began walking away.
I watched him leave and sat down, cursing.
“I’ll never accept them,” I muttered, closing my eyes. The images of Jake’s death and Amy’s grieving floated into my mind, and I snapped my eyes open immediately.
“I’ll destroy those who caused such grief.”
Grand Tactician Rickard Visc, 45, July 9th, 2115
Wednesday, 1:56 PM
No Man’s Land
After talking with Adam and reaching the Arrow’s bridge, I received a message from Alex.
A holographic screen opened up, establishing a channel between us, and my friend began to speak. “Rickard, there’s an anomaly.”
“An anomaly?” I frowned. “Other than Adam?”
“A third party unit is approaching Kistrea, but it shows no signs of hostility.”
“Shows no signs of hostility?” I repeated. “How so?”
“He’s been broadcasting this on an open channel,” Alex replied, and began playing an audio recording of a young boy’s voice.
“My name is Kevin Li, and I am fleeing from Matthew Li. I need help to rest. Oh, I also have important information from MALICE.”
“He sounds unsure of himself,” I observed. “What do you plan to do?”
“I’ve already sent a squad to capture him non-lethally,” Alex answered. “But for now we’ll treat him as an enemy. Once we get back to Kistrea, we’ll question him.”
 “Alright. Shall we carry on with the training?”
“Of course.” With that, he waved good-bye and closed the communications channel.
Kevin Li, 16, July 9th, 2115
Wednesday, 3:01 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“Let me out!” I demanded, pounding against the black iron bars. Unfortunately, they didn’t give in to my strikes.
Two people stood outside of my jail cell. One was a military officer, fully uniformed with greying hair. The other was a timid-looking girl with black hair who was dressed in her ARMOR jumpsuit.
“We still don’t know who you are, so we can’t let you wander around,” the officer explained. “Once we’re finished questioning you and inspecting your ARMOR, we can let you out.”
Inspect my ARMOR?
“You can’t do that!” I exclaimed. “Helen won’t like that!” But the officer had already turned away.
“Katrina, stay until Dr. Tsai has finished questioning him. Understood?”
The girl saluted him sharply. “Yes, General.” And the officer began to leave, walking down the hallway filled with jail cells and out of sight.
I sighed and sat down onto the uncomfortable cot, which was hardly soft at all.
“It’s better than at home,” I muttered. “At least there’s a bed.”
“You didn’t have a bed at home?” The girl standing outside asked, and I glanced at her through the iron bars.
I shrugged. “Yeah,” I replied. “I normally slept in the arena because I was always in ARMOR training.”
“Arena?” she repeated, and I nodded.
“It was a giant room back at the base where Chloe and I skirmished in our ARMORS…” I trailed off as I mentioned my sister.
“How much did you train?” the girl asked, but I didn’t hear her as a familiar voice rang in my head.
“Kevin!” Helen shouted in my mind.
“Helen?” I looked around wildly. “Where are you?”
 “Who are you talking to?” Katrina demanded but I ignored her and listened to Helen.
“MALICE bombardment forces are attacking the base!” I froze.
“Helen, are there any other defenses between the base and the city?” I asked, remembering the metropolis I had seen just behind the military facility when I had been taken in.
“No.”
I sprung into action.
“Do you have a lock on my position?” I asked.
“Confirmed.”
“Bring my ARMOR here now!”
“Roger. Give me thirty seconds.”
“What are you doing?” Katrina asked, but I didn’t answer as we heard a high-pitched hum. My ARMOR, whose separate plating sections were held together by electromagnetic fields, flew in front of my cell. Katrina stepped back as Helen materialized and waved before directing my ARMOR to tear away the iron bars, letting me out.
“Suit up!” I commanded, turning around, and Helen moved my plating sections to lock down over my body, finally fitting my helmet over my head.
“Okay!” Fully equipped, I moved to Katrina to pick her up in my arms, and she immediately punched my helmet.
“What the hell are you doing?” she shrieked, but I shook the punch out of my head.
“Helen, where’s the ARMOR hangar?” I asked.
“Exit left, then turn right after sixty meters!”
“Acknowledged!” My ARMOR hummed, and blue-green circles materialized around my feet and back as I began to hover in the air and dashed down the hallways.
“Hey!” Katrina yelled at me, but I ignored her obvious frustration.
“You’re an ARMOR pilot, right? Suit up as quickly as you can!” I said as I emerged into a high-ceilinged hangar with large, open blast doors at the far end.
I placed Katrina on the ground and immediately flew through the hangar, rising quickly and entering the outskirts of a barren wasteland.
“Allied forces will be mobilized in thirty seconds!” Helen, who sat on my shoulder, announced.
“Okay,” I acknowledged. “Begin conversion.”
 Helen nodded, and my ARMOR began to glow as the power cells laced within the plating began absorbing solar energy, releasing a fiery red hue around myself.
I paused in the air as several silhouettes began approaching on the horizon. “So how exactly do I use these?” I asked Helen, looking at the blue glass triangles on my forearms.
“Plasma Manipulators,” Helen began speaking very quickly. “Activated through neurological signals. Three commands: shield, blade, and fire.”
“Got it.” I nodded and raised my arms at the advancing figures, and my visor focused on each individual.
“Analysis complete,” Helen announced. “Sixteen standard mechanical units. Seven armed with rail cannons, five with battle rifles, and three with double plasma sabers.”
“Let’s engage,” I said, and Helen nodded, disappearing into a flurry of particles.
“I’m with you,” she said, her head echoing through speakers on my helmet before my visor beeped. “Incoming salvo!”
 I could hear the echoing cracks as the approaching enemies released a storm of bullets, but didn’t move. Instead, I held out my hands and focused on a single word in my mind.
“Shield.”
The Plasma Manipulators on my arms glowed brightly, and a circular field of blue particles formed against my hands. As the deadly bullets impacted the barrier of plasma, they disintegrated into harmless dust.
“I like this.” I grinned, and charged forwards.
The horde of enemies continued to fire at me, but I swerved and rolled through the sky as they bullets missed me by several meters.
I focused on another word as I neared the horde. “Blade.”
My Plasma Manipulators glowed again, this time generating flat, long blades with sharp tips that pointed down my wrists. They were formed from a cyan material, translucent like crystal but shining like gems.
Unleashing a battle cry, I neared the humanoid enemies wielding assault rifles who unleashed hails of lead upon me, but I continued to dodge and closed the distance to them within an instant, slashing my arms out and cutting one in half.
“Reactor meltdown,” Helen noted, and I dashed away to the next enemy as the first exploded, its chest-mounted energy reactor overloading and detonating.
“Next!” I shouted, dashing forwards and plunging a glowing blade into one enemy’s chest before grabbing its writhing arm and throwing the entire construct at a group of its allies. Its reactor exploded a moment later, enveloping the other metallic soldiers in a searing flash of heat.
“Five down,” Helen announced. “Eleven left.” I was about to continue felling enemies when my visor beeped.
“Incoming transmission,” Helen said. “Allowing external communication.”
Static gave way to a communications channel, over which I heard the voice of the officer who had just locked me up.
“Wait! Stop attacking!” he commanded.
“Why?” I asked, shifting side-to-side to avoid the hostile units firing at me.
“We haven’t even attempted to contact the attackers yet.”
I frowned. “What do you wish to gain from communication with machines?” I asked.
A short silence gave way to an exclamation. “Those are machines?”
“Yeah,” I answered. “Mechanical drones armed with ARMORs that can be controlled or automated.”
“How do you know this?” he asked. “And how did you get out of your cell?
 “I’m busy here,” I responded, dodging more enemy attacks. “Are you the commanding officer?”
“Yes, but what do you – ”
I cut him off. “Give all units unrestricted rules of engagement. We need to hurry and destroy them!”
 “Allied forces are mobilizing!” Helen brought my attention back to the base, from which several friendly ARMOR pilots began launching from the hangar. The orange-red and light blue auras emanated from their backs as their propulsion systems lifted them into the air, and their respective silver and dark green plating shined dully in the afternoon sunlight.
“Kevin!” Helen shouted, and I turned back to my enemies. The five armed with long-range rail cannons had retreated to a farther distance, while three more armed with cylindrical handles descended upon me. They raised their weapons, which unleashed two blades of glowing blue energy, spinning them expertly in their hands and slashing wildly at me.
“Helen, broadcast on an open channel!” I commanded, flipping through the air to narrowly avoid two incoming plasma blades, and spun mid-flip like an upside down tornado to cut both of my attackers. Their mangled remains fell out of the air and exploded below as the third dueler stabbed at me, only to have its strike blocked by one of my blades and its chest to be pierced by my other.
“Incoming!” Helen warned, and I spun to avoid a storm of shots from the remaining seven enemies.
“Are those snipers?” I asked.
“No,” Helen replied as she brought an image onto the screen – a close up shot of the last enemies. “They’re equipped with basic ARMORs, but armed with heavy weaponry,” she analyzed, focusing the image on the large backpacks with four long, thin barrels mounted at each corner. “High-caliber rail-mounted cannons.”
“They’re turning around,” I noticed, and panicked as their guns pointed in a certain direction.
“Allied forces are being targeted!” Helen confirmed my fears. “They’ll be sunk!”
“No,” I growled. I wouldn’t let that happen.
With a furious yell, I shot back to the base and the allied ARMOR pilots and stopping right in the line of fire.
“Decrypt all communication channels!” I demanded.
“Done,” Helen answered. “You are linked to all ARMOR units.”
“Please listen to me!” I shouted. “Stay behind me if you want to survive.”
“Who the hell are you?” a male soldier wearing a silver Geo ARMOR with aerodynamic, triangular designs flew up to me. “And why should we listen to you?” He pointed his weapons at me – two long blades with curved tips that he gripped with integrated handles, pointing down along his arm.
“Kevin, what are you doing?” A girl clad in a standard Geo ARMOR joined us in her dark green plating, and I recognized her as Katrina, carrying a long sniper rifle.
“Kevin!” Helen shouted, and I turned around to see the bright flashes of cannon shots that were aimed to kill us.
“We’re going to get hit!” Katrina cried, but I gritted my teeth.
“Everyone, prepare to fire on my mark!” I shouted.
“What are you talking about?” The silver Geo soldier demanded.
I stood my ground and raised my arms while shouting, “If something comes, I’ll protect you. I swear that I’ll save everyone!” As I deployed another plasma barrier, I gave Helen one more command. “Release limiters.”
Although I couldn’t see her, I imagined her silent shrug and smiled. “It’s okay.”
My visor blinked: OVERLIMIT, and my ARMOR hummed even louder. The plating’s surface shone an even brighter hue of red until I was like a crimson sun, and the plasma barrier against my hands began to grow in size as the power cells began converting energy past their nominal capacity. The circular field’s radius grew to several meters, and eventually formed into an enormous sphere encompassing the few dozen soldiers behind me and blocking the deadly cannon fire.
Katrina stared at the cyan light, awestruck. “What’s going on?”
“Focus!” I brought her back to reality. “Prepare to fire!”
 “Ready!” she responded, aiming through the translucent plasma.
“Gotcha!” The Geo soldier also raised his bladed weapons, which had split apart to reveal rifle barrels, identifying themselves as composite gunblade weapons.
More and more allied units began to take arms, pointing their weapons at the enemy that threatened to kill us. But they couldn’t harm us within that haven, and finally the salvo ended.
I dropped the field within an instant and thundered, “fire!”
Katrina, the gunblade-wielding fighter, and every pilot with me fired at the seven steel soldiers who had threatened the base and the city behind us. The mechanical gunners did nothing as they were shot down, disappearing in blooming explosions that burned against the light blue sky.
Everyone was silent for a moment until the gunblade wielder threw his arms into the sky. “We won!”
His cry broke the awe of his comrades, who immediately joined in with shouts and whoops of joy, patting each other and high-fiving, ecstatic with celebration.
I smiled and slowly began falling. My ARMOR was softly billowing smoke as the red hue faded away, the power cells having been overcharged to manifest such a large plasma field.
But someone suddenly caught my arm, roughly stopping my descent. I looked up to see Katrina holding onto me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked, drawing everyone’s attention.
I shrugged. “The ground, I guess. This thing’s drained.”
Helen materialized her humanoid form on my shoulder, frowning. “You’re too reckless, Kevin.”
I didn’t answer, quietly staring at the soldiers who all watched me.
“Katrina.” I heard the commanding officer from before over the communications channel. “Bring him to the hangar.”
She obeyed, carrying me to the hangar as the other pilots followed. As she set me down, a crowd arrived, including the commander from before and another high-ranking officer.
Helen simply hovered next to me as we stood alone at the hangar’s exit, surrounded by strangers. Their weapons weren’t raised, but I could feel the tension in the room as everyone stared me down.
“It can’t be blamed,” I thought. “They don’t know who I am.”
But after an eternity, the silence was broken. Katrina stepped forwards, her metal boots clanking across the hangar floor and making the only sound in the entire room.
“I don’t know who you are,” she said softly. “And what you want to do.” She paused. “But you did well out there.”
 I was so taken aback that I couldn’t speak. She was congratulating me?
“You were really brave,” she smiled. “Protecting us, and even risking your ARMOR. Thanks.”
Someone lightly punched my shoulder, and I turned to see the gunblade wielder. “You didn’t do too bad,” he mumbled, looking away. “Teach me how to fight like that later, okay?”
I simply stared incredulously as more and more soldiers joined in, walking up with smiles and friendly gestures until the hangar buzzed with their thanks.
The two commanding officers also approached, and extended their hands.
“We’ll have to question you later,” one said.
“But you did well,” the other added.
“You’re our ally now,” Katrina said. “You belong with us.”
I didn’t know how to respond, but I felt the corner of my lips tug.
It took me a moment to realize that I was smiling for the first time in my entire life.

Chapter Nine
Matthew Li, 41, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 8:11 AM
Solera, Undisclosed Location
Kevin had escaped with his ARMOR and Helen, and Chloe had helped him.
But his sister had paid dearly.
At the moment, she was asleep within a capsule filled with medical therapeutic fluid, clad in a new ARMOR jumpsuit and connected to several thick cables. The jet-black garb was detailed with several lines of purple wires that glowed menacingly.
I glanced at a computer monitor that displayed a myriad of information, especially a timer that was counting down from five hours, twenty-three minutes, and fourteen seconds. Beside the timer were several open files, such as “Aggressive Personality Node,” “Metal-Fused Bones,” and “Glass-Based Prosthetic Eyes.”
“I was going to test augmentations on Kevin first,” I muttered. “But drastic actions lead to drastic measures.”
A sideways glance moved her still-intact ARMOR into my view, although its previously sky-blue plating was now covered completely black.
Chloe’s attempt to kill me by detonating her ARMOR had backfired. Of course it would, when I had installed an anti-meltdown system onto the reactor. We both still lived – but she would serve me now.
General Alexander Collins, 41, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 11:57 AM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“What do you think?” Rickard asked.
The two of us stood at the edge of the base’s hangar, along with Dr. Tsai. Gazing out towards the ruins of Sol, we contemplated the arrival and role of our new friend.
“I questioned him,” Dr. Tsai said. “And he pretty much checks out. I can tell that he’s on our side.”
 “I know that,” Rickard replied. “Everyone knows that, especially after he saved our lives yesterday. But how broken do you think he is?”
“I don’t think it matters,” I interjected, surprising the two.
“What do you mean?” Dr. Tsai asked. “Did you hear how cruel his father is? Forced into hours of ARMOR training every day, with only his sister and an artificial intelligence for companionship. You don’t have to know psychology to know that he’s broken.”
 “But are people always broken?” I countered, and both of my companions fell silent. “People can fix him. I think people already are.”
“Did you send people to talk to him?” Rickard asked.
“They can do the job,” I answered. “Especially after reading Luke’s psychological reports on them. I think they can help themselves and Kevin.”
“Well, let’s see,” Dr. Tsai shrugged, and I nodded.
Kevin Li, 16, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 12:01 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“I still don't understand why you told me to wait,” I complained to Helen. “Chloe told us to give all of the files you downloaded to Geo and Rei. Shouldn’t we give them to Collins and Rickard? They’re commanding officers, after all.”
I sat on the bed in spare quarters within Kistrea’s military base, a small, high-ceilinged room with a simple bed and desk on the opposite wall, accessible through a sliding metal hatch.
Helen shook her head. “I need to show you something.” As she hovered before me, she pulled up a holographic window. “Read this.”
“Combat-enhancing augmentations?” I read. “What is this?”
“Medical operations to essentially boost a human’s ability,” Helen explained. “But with illegal procedures.”
 “Such as?”
“Implanting machines throughout the body,” she answered. “Injection of dangerous stimulating drugs. Operating on the brain’s nerves.”
“And Matthew developed these plans?”
Helen nodded in response, and pointed at my head. “He’s already operated on you.”
I froze. “What?”
“I could communicate with you in the jail cell because there’s a small computer implanted into your brain,” she clarified. “It’s connected to your auditory nerves to enable mind-talking, for lack of a better term.”
“So I’m part machine?” I barely stuttered, and Helen shrugged.
“Take it how you will. But you’re lucky. These other augmentations practically destroy one’s body.” She simply looked at me as I stayed still. “There’s something else,” she finally continued, waving her hand to pull up another window but stopping.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Someone’s outside the door,” she replied, swiping the window away as I stood up. Crossing the room, I looked down at the unfamiliar clothes I was wearing – a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans. They were certainly more comfortable than my jumpsuit, but I still wasn't used to them.
The entrance slid open to reveal a girl standing outside. She was a head shorter than I was, and although her brown hair and long skirt flowed freely like wind, her expression seemed to be chained to the ground.
“Ah!” Startled at my appearance, she stepped back a bit and looked away, her face turning red. That couldn’t be good.
“Are you okay?” I asked, leaning against the doorway, and heard her mutter something incomprehensible.
“Pardon?”
“Dr. Tsai told me to come see you,” she stammered, staring at the floor.
“Oh, the psychiatrist?” I shrugged. “That can’t be bad, then.”
 She looked up. “Do you really think so?”
“Yeah,” I scratched my head. “I can tell that he knows a lot about psychology. His advice is…” I trailed off, noticing the girl’s gaze that was fixated on my shoulder.
“Oh, her?” I held out my hand as Helen leapt off of my shoulder onto my open palm. “This is Helen.”
“Pleased to meet you,” my holographic companion bowed.
“Pleased to meet you, too,” the young girl answered. “My name is Allison Xie.”
“Kevin Li,” I introduced myself. “Do you want to come in and sit down? I don’t mind.”
She silently nodded, and I moved out of the way to let her in. As Allison looked around the room, I pushed the lone chair to her. She silently accepted the seat, and I reclaimed the spot on my bed.
It didn't take long for her to start talking. “Have you killed anyone before?”
That certainly wasn’t an odd question, seeing as I had just cut down a handful of robots yesterday. “Not a human, no.”
“What do you mean, not a human?” Allison pressed.
“I’ve only killed robots,” I replied. “Like the enemies yesterday.”
“Oh.” Her gaze dropped and her shoulders sagged in disappointment.
I glanced at Helen, who was back on my shoulder. “She wants to talk about something,” she whispered.
“Something’s bothering you,” I observed, and Allison shifted. “What is it? Maybe I can help you.”
“My sister killed someone,” she explained after a brief silence. “She said she’s a soldier, but doesn’t that make her a murderer?”
I was suddenly picked up into a whirlpool of memories as I remembered a very similar conversation Chloe and I had so long ago. My heart nearly tore apart as I remembered my sister – the sister I had left behind, but who had also taught me so much.
“Thank you, Chloe,” I thought.
“I don’t want to kill someone,” I began. “After all, does anyone have a right to end a life? To end so many memories and so much happiness?” Allison shook her head, and I nodded. “No. But there are people who cause pain and suffering to others to an unimaginable extent. What do we do with them?”
“Can we imprison them?” Allison suggested, but I shook my head.
“There’s one person who must die,” I declared. “There is one person who threatens everyone on this nation. That man is my father.”
“The leader of MALICE?”
“Yes.” I took a deep breath, ready to say what I had said to Chloe so long ago. “One person should kill him. One person should take that burden, but also save the world from his wrath at the same time.” I smiled at Allison, who was silent in awe. “That person is me. I’m going to save the world. I’m going to be a hero.”
Allison didn’t speak. She didn’t move. But I saw the slightest change in her expression.
She was smiling.
“Someone’s outside,” Helen informed me, and I sighed.
“Am I already popular?” I asked myself, and Allison giggled as the door opened, surprising the girl with short, black hair standing outside.
“Oh, Kevin, you’re – Allison?”
Katrina Xie, 17, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 12:14 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
When General Collins had sent me to call our new arrival for lunch, I hadn’t expected to find my sister with him.
“What are you doing here?” I asked Allison.
“Someone you know?” Kevin asked.
“She’s the one who…” Allison trailed off, not finishing the sentence. Yet Kevin seemed to understand immediately.
He quickly grabbed my arm and spun around, pushing me into the room as he exited. “You two need to talk.”
“Hey!” I exclaimed. “What are you doing?”
However, the metal door sealed shut, and I could hear Kevin say, “Helen, lock the door!”
I pressed my hand against the device on the wall that would normally slide the door open, but it didn’t react.
Defeated, I sighed and leaned against the door. I glanced at Allison. “Do you know what he’s talking about?”
“It was about you killing,” she replied. She certainly was to the point.
“This again?” I sighed. “Allison, I already told you – ”
“It’s okay,” Allison cut me off. “You’re fighting machines now, right?”
I was surprised at how calm she was. “Well, yeah.”
“Then it’s fine,” she said. “You’re fighting something that is really evil.”
Frowning, I asked, “But what about the leader of MALICE? What about him?”
Allison smiled, oddly. “It’s okay. Kevin said it would be fine.”
 “Why?”
“Because he’s willing to take on the burden of killing for the world.” As she spoke, her eyes seemed to glow with utter happiness. “He’s going to be a real hero and save everyone. So everything’s all right.”
I didn’t say a word. Allison had always been happy, but had she ever looked so satisfied? So peaceful?
The door suddenly opened, causing me to fall backwards as my weight leaned against thin air.
“Ow,” I groaned, rubbing the back of my head as Kevin stared down at me.
“Looks like everything’s okay, right, Helen?” he asked his floating holographic companion and reached down, offering a hand to help me up.
I accepted his help and sighed. “I can already tell you’re going to be a handful.”
“Come on!” he grinned goofily. “This is only the start of shenanigans to come!”
Allison laughed, and I was about to interject when a thunderous cry made us jump. “There you are!”
We looked down the hallway lined with quarters to see a Geo soldier in casual clothes come running our way. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”
“Who are you again?” Kevin asked, and the newcomer nearly tripped in disappointment.
“It’s me!” He pointed at himself. “I was with you during the battle yesterday!”
“Are you the gunblade wielder?” I asked, and he nodded.
“I’m Adam Erec. Anyway, I want you to fight me!” He pointed a challenging finger at Kevin, who shrugged.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
Adam’s eyes practically shone in excitement as he cheered in excitement and began leading us down the hall, with Allison leaving Kevin’s room and joining our group of five – four humans and one artificial intelligence.
Adam Erec, 17, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 12:23 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“Let’s do this!” I shouted.
Kevin and I stood on opposite ends of a large mat, gripping long, thin rods wrapped in soft material.
“What’s this?” Kevin asked, staring at the training weapon in his hands.
“Training rods,” Katrina explained, standing by the side of the mat with Allison and Kevin’s holographic friend. “Don’t worry about the impact. They’re designed to deal soft blows.”
Kevin shrugged and raised the rod at me nonchalantly, standing straight and his free arm to his side.
“What kind of stance is that?” I asked, lowering my body and gripping my training rod in both hands. “Are you taking this seriously?”
“Of course,” Kevin replied, and I frowned. By then, several soldiers milling around in the hangar had crowded around the mat, eager to see the match between us.
“Begin!” Allison cheered enthusiastically, starting the duel.
“He’s wide open!” I thought and lunged forwards, drawing my rod back to unleash a strike onto Kevin.
He blocked at the last second, barely twisting his wrist to direct my weapon away from his body. As I stumbled to the side, I could barely react, awestruck by the blinding speed with which he had moved.
“What was that?” I heard Katrina breath, and clenched my teeth.
“I’m not giving up!” I shouted, charging in for another attack. This time, I carefully feinted, moving in to swing but spinning around at the last moment.
“He won’t expect this!” I grinned, slashing at him with all my might.
A loud soft thump proved me wrong, and I realized that Kevin had effortlessly blocked my attack.
“What?” I gaped at his speed. “How are you so fast?” We lowered our weapons.
“I was taught battle tactics since I was seven years old,” he explained. “Mock battles against expert-strategist computers and a masterful tactician. When I was ten, I was given my ARMOR and put to a strict training regimen. I’ve been fighting all my life.”
 I frowned and asked. “So am I not putting up a challenge?”
“No,” he replied honestly. “But you’re strong.” He smiled. “You have a driving reason to fight, and courage to charge at me. I think that matters.”
A low rumble interrupted our conversation, and Kevin looked down at his stomach, sheepishly grinning.
“Now that I think about it, I’m a bit hungry.”
As everyone began laughing, I smiled. Kevin was someone who could certainly allow me to be strong and protect Crystal.
            I was sure he could teach me a lot.

Chapter Ten
Allison Xie, 11, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 1:15 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
After grabbing lunch, I had decided to tag along our five-person group – well, more like four people and one hologram. We now stood in the military base’s command center with General Collins, and Tactician Visc from Rei.
“Thanks for coming,” General Collins spoke to Kevin, who stood with them at a circular hologram projector. The device was like a large, round table that emanated a soft blue glow. “We’ve considered your request.”
What were they talking about?
“We will grant you full tactical command if you can beat Rickard and I in a mock battle,” General Collins declared, gesturing to his fellow commander.
“Kevin?” Katrina asked. “What’s going on?”
Kevin and Helen turned to the three of us. “The leader of MALICE is a ruthless tactician. I know this myself because I’ve constantly commanded against him in mock battles before. If we even hope to defeat him, we need a skilled strategist at the helm.”
“We’ll see about that,” General Collins grinned. “Let’s see how you do. Ready?”
Kevin turned back, holding out his hand for Helen to stand on. “Of course.”
Tactician Visc joined General Collins at the table. “Then let us begin,” he said.
The hologram projector flashed to life, displaying a three-dimensional environment and several shapes floating in the air.
“You’re assaulting this mountain fortress,” General Collins pointed to an elevated landmass at his end of the table, its cliff face embedded with metal ARMOR plating and large blast doors.
“That’s your fleet,” Tactician Visc gestured to Kevin’s side of the table, where five triangular-shaped hoverships advanced alongside several ARMOR pilots.
“Helen,” Kevin prompted his artificial intelligence, who nodded before throwing her arms out to summon several holographic screens. Each window floated around Kevin, eventually joining with each other to form a sphere of information surrounding him.
Despite the bright light, it was strangely beautiful.
“Analyze our forces,” Kevin commanded.
“Done. Five lightly armored carriers, only with ship-to-ship weaponry. Ten eight-man ARMOR squadrons.” Helen paused. “Enemy fortress is beginning to attack.”
Kevin didn’t wait as the holographic mountain began deploying several large guns from its metal shell, quickly issuing commands.
“All pilots escort ships.” As he spoke, his hands began moving to the numerous holographic screens, tapping several times before swiping away and moving to another screen. “Advance all ships.”
“Understood,” Helen acknowledged, and I watched as the holographic ARMOR pilots stuck closer, which began advancing full-speed towards the fortress.
Past Kevin, I could see General Collins and Tactician Visc frowning. They obviously weren’t impressed.
“Fire all cannons,” General Collins demanded, and the holographic fortress’ cannons unleashed a torrent of fire, covering the air in flak.
“Stall,” Kevin abruptly said, and as if she had been expecting it, Helen nodded. The five ships immediately dropped like rocks from the sky, avoiding the cannon fire yet sinking towards the ground.
“All squadrons provide thrust as engines come back online.” The small ARMOR pilots began moving beneath the five ships, lifting them up with the combined force of their propulsion packs until the ships finally reactivated their engines.
“All ships, fire!” Kevin’s shout was not excited like a child, or cold like a ruthless leader. Rather, it was a cry unleashed from the heart of someone who knew he could win. It was like the cry of a hero.
It was Kevin’s fleet’s turn to let loose a wall of metal, the ships’ long-range cannons destroying the gun emplacements in the cliff face.
“Deploy ARMOR units!” Tactician Visc said, and the fortress’ blast doors began to slide open, revealing a hangar within.
“How many would you say, Helen?” Kevin asked. “One-hundred fifty?”
“I would say less,” Helen answered.
By now I could tell that Katrina and Adam were just as confused as I was, and I frowned. What was this spectacle occurring before me? Determined to make sense of this, I quietly inched forwards to get a closer look at the holographic table.
“You can come closer,” Kevin noted without looking at me. “It’s fine.”
I sighed, surprised by my new friend, before moving up to the table. Soft footsteps told me that Katrina and Adam had followed as well.
“Located,” Helen said amidst the projector’s sounds of battle.
“Got it. Deploy,” Kevin responded.
A swarm of ARMOR units emerged from the fortress’ open doors and began engaging Kevin’s forces. The five ships stayed back as the eighty pilots faced the hundred or so enemies, trading fire and lighting up the sky.
Miniature explosions on Kevin’s side told me that his outnumbered units were fighting a losing battle, and I tugged on Katrina’s sleeve. She looked at me, worried, until Kevin sneezed.
“Bless me,” he mumbled, and I blinked at his abnormal calmness in such a situation. “Distance?”
 “One hundred meters,” Helen answered, and Kevin sighed.
“Okay. Fall back.”
General Collins and Tactician Visc glanced at each other, frowning. As Kevin’s forces began retreating, it was clear that he couldn’t win.
“Is that all?” General Collins asked Kevin, who didn’t respond from his glowing sphere of information.
“Set,” Helen declared.
“Extract,” Kevin replied.
“Aren’t you finished?” Tactician Visc asked.
“What’s that?” I asked, pointing at a small light exiting from the fortress’ blast doors.
Kevin smiled, and his holographic screens finally disappeared.
“Detonate,” he commanded, and Helen snapped her fingers. The mountain fortress immediately began to crumble as explosions rang throughout its stony mass, releasing bursts of searing flame outwards as Kevin’s lone unit escaped the firewall.
The two commanding officers couldn’t speak, staring in shock as it became clear that they were defeated.
“I think that’s a win, right?” Kevin asked, smiling uncontrollably.
“How?” Tactician Visc breathed, and Kevin shrugged.
“I had a single unit infiltrate the base through a minor entrance,” he explained. “It set a charge in the base’s energy reactor, and the resulting explosion caused a chain reaction.”
We jumped as the officers suddenly burst into joyous laughter, excited and almost childlike as the hologram projector dimmed.
“That was brilliant!” General Collins exclaimed. “Infiltration and frontal assault into one attack. You’re truly a genius!”
  Kevin scratched his head in embarrassment. “So is it granted?”
Tactician Visc nodded earnestly. “I think this says more than enough about your tactical skill. You’re granted full tactical command over battles.”
If Kevin was happy, he certainly had an odd way of showing it. He glanced at Helen, who sat on his shoulder and nodded in approval.
Having calmed down, General Collins moved on to the next order of business. “Dr. Tsai mentioned you have data from MALICE, Kevin?”
Kevin was about to speak, but Helen interrupted. “Yes. I’ll transfer them into the projector right now.” As several holographic screens of information popped up over the projector, I noticed Kevin fidget a bit.
“Helen, isn’t – ”
“Anyway, Kevin’s brain is showing a lack of concentration. I think he needs some rest.”
Although he tried to speak, Helen held out a hand to Kevin.
“Is that so?” General Collins didn’t look too surprised. “I guess that’s understandable. You’re in a new environment.” He scanned the information provided by Helen before looking back at Kevin. “Okay, then. We’ll look over this ourselves. You’re dismissed.”
Kevin looked at Helen, who shook her head, and back at the officers. “Thank you,” he said before turning to leave the room.
“You three are free to go,” Tactician Visc added, and I nodded in thanks before quickly following Kevin.
“That was amazing!” Adam exclaimed as we began walking throughout the base’s halls.
“It was,” Katrina agreed, and Kevin smiled sheepishly. Yet I could see something in his eyes – something unsure, and seemingly afraid. I glanced at Helen, who wasn’t saying anything.
Surely they were hiding something. What was it?
Adam Erec, 17, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 3:11 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
Tactician Visc had called me to the command center once again, and I entered the room, unsure of what to expect.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” I asked as he looked over the files from Helen.
“Yes.” He beckoned me to a certain file. “Take a look at this.”
“Nanomachine treatment for damaged organs,” I read aloud. “Wait a minute, is this – ”
“Possible treatment for Crystal,” he answered, and my eyes widened.
“But I couldn’t possibly afford any of this!” I exclaimed. “Look at all of this required machinery, let alone the careful procedures either!”
He raised his hand to stop me. “I’ll provide for it.”
“Sir, I couldn’t possibly – ”
“That’s an order,” he added cheerfully, and I sighed. “I’ve seen how dedicated you are to her. Don’t you want her to be treated?”
Of course. What was I thinking?
I bowed before my superior, barely able to choke out the words. “Thank you very much, sir!” I could hardly contain my excitement. Not only could I get stronger with Kevin, but also Crystal would be healed!
Things couldn’t be any better.
Grand Tactician Rickard Visc, 45, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 5:49 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“How’s he doing?” Alex asked me from across the table.
We had been scouring the terabytes of data Helen had provided us, learning a great deal about the equipment used by Matthew Li and MALICE.
“Adam?” I verified. “He’s changed for the better.”
“It must be because of Kevin,” he noted, and I smiled.
“He’s found someone to take his mind off of other problems,” I said. “He’s focusing on getting stronger now, and putting so much energy into his own growth. He’s changing for the better.”
Alex nodded approvingly, continuing to read another file.
“Enemy movement detected!” An officer in the room announced, observing a computer monitor. Alex and I immediately dashed to his side, scanning the screen.
“MALICE forces are currently moving from central Solera towards an uncertain location,” he pointed out, and my eyes narrowed as I watched the shapes on the map.
“Is he going to the ruins of Sol?” I muttered.
“What’s his goal?” Alex pondered. “Is he challenging us?”
We watched in apprehension, unsure of what Matthew Li would bring us this time.
“Continue monitoring,” Alex finally commanded. “Tell the Arrow and the Rider to fully supply. We head out tomorrow.”
“Understood!” the officer acknowledged, and I glanced at my friend.
“Are you sure about this?”
He nodded. “We’re no longer on the defensive. After all, he’s on our side.”
“Kevin? Do you really put so much faith in him?” In all my years I had known Alex, I had never seen him so sure of anything related to military tactics. But he seemed solid in his faith, unwavering.
“Yes. I think he can help us.”
“Alex has changed, too,” I silently realized, and smiled at my revelation. “Kevin sure is influencing everyone for the better.”
Kevin Li, 16, July 10th, 2115
Thursday, 6:59 PM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“Are you going to explain why you only gave half of the files you have?” I demanded Helen. We were alone in my room now, and I sat on the bed, arms crossed.
“There’s something that could turn the entire tide of the war in here,” she answered defiantly. “Something only we should know.” As she began pulling up a file, I sighed.
“What could it be? A superweapon? A conspiracy?”
 “Bingo,” Helen replied, and I paused.
“Wait, a conspiracy?” I confirmed, and she nodded, showing me a holographic screen of a video recording.
“Recording number one.” Matthew, standing against a blank wall, said to the camera. “The false memories to be implanted within myself are almost complete. Soon I’ll wipe everything and replace it with a new personality.”
“What is this?” I breathed.
“I don’t feel bad about any of this. After all, it’s for the sake of Helen’s wish. I won’t stop at anything for her wish.”
“Helen?” I asked. “What’s going on?”
She shook her head, and I continued to listen.
“No one will know what I have sacrificed, but that doesn’t matter.” He smiled softly, although his eyes practically radiated sorrow. “I’m doing this for the sake of the world.”
The recording ended, and Helen simply hovered in front of me as I was silent in shock.
“Is there more?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Okay,” I said grimly, and swallowed hard. “Show me the rest.”

Chapter Eleven
Katrina Xie, 17, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 7:09 AM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“Your ARMOR is an engineering masterpiece.” The base’s chief mechanic glanced at Kevin. “The conversion of solar energy is more efficient than anything I’ve ever seen. And let’s not even talk about its EM field manipulation; it’s impossibly strong.”
Kevin, Adam and I stood by the hangar wall, where Kevin’s ARMOR sat at a maintenance station.
“It’s been refurbished, of course,” the chief continued. “We’ve replaced the circuitry with stronger wires, so you can use your Overlimit system freely. The energy conversion has been increased, so your powerhouse is even more of a powerhouse. And I fulfilled your request.”
Kevin nodded, and stepped forwards. “I’ll suit up,” he said, already dressed in his navy jumpsuit.
“Still, it’s odd,” the chief wondered. “It’s obvious that this ARMOR has so much more potential, and with the old resources of Infinity Development, it could easily be made into a tactical weapon.”
I watched Kevin, who didn’t respond as he locked the plating over his body. As he fitted his helmet over his head, he looked right at Adam and I, but his gaze seemed to pass right through us.
A glance at Adam told me he didn’t notice.
Helen popped up. “Activated,” she said, and Kevin’s ARMOR hummed to life.
“Conversion active.” Helen continued to monitor the ARMOR’s status as the plating began glowing. Due its the tuned-up energy conversion, the metal surface began glowing a whitish-blue rather than its previous deep red.
Kevin began hovering, and rings of blue-green light formed around his feet and back, slightly rippling the air around him.
“I still don’t know what that is,” Adam mumbled.
“It’s a trick of light,” the engineer explained. “The rings are plasma contained in electromagnetic fields, which allow Kevin to fly. When exposed to such powerful EM fields, the light from them is slightly bent so they constantly refract light in different directions.”
“It’s that powerful?” I asked, and the chief nodded. I frowned, worried about the coming battle. Kevin was on our side; that much I knew. But something was wrong. And when he was in possession of such a powerful weapon, what could happen?
Matthew Li, 41, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 10:51 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
Phase one of the operation was a success. By advancing to the ruins of Sol, I had drawn the combined forces of Geo and Rei. Regardless of their unification, I would be able to defeat them with my superior numbers and firepower.
“Optical camouflage is stable,” I monitored, once again standing in the small commanding ship, viewing several holographic screens. “Ambush point set.”
Within two of the tall skeletal skyscrapers that still stood after ages of dereliction were groups of mechanical units armed with heavy weaponry. Cloaked not only by active camouflage, but by the debris within the buildings, they would be undetectable until the enemy moved into their line of fire to be annihilated in gunfire.
One of the holographic screens blinked, catching my attention and drawing a grin across my face.
“They’re here,” I observed, watching the large force approach. The two carriers from before – one with narrow, triangular wings and one decorated with an arrow – soared above the city ruins, flanked by several dozen ARMOR pilots clad in dark green or silver plating.
I quickly set to work, typing away to hack into their encrypted communication channels when a lone squadron began straying away, veering directly towards the ruins inhabited by my snipers.
“Perfect,” I celebrated quietly. “Destroy them.”
My metal army obeyed, pulling the trigger to consume the five pilots in a storm of lead. Just as they were shredded, I successfully linked to the enemy’s communications channel, waiting to hear the screams.
They never came. Instead, the five pilots didn’t even flinch as the bullets passed right through them like ghosts. Then their ethereal, holographic forms disappeared.
A voice I never expected began issuing orders.
“Buildings at fifteen degrees port and eleven degrees starboard. Fire.”
The two ships’ gun turrets swiveled around and pointed directly at the two skyscrapers and unleashed a storm, tearing through the buildings and dropping them right on top of the steel soldiers. As the dead metal fell on top them, their energy reactors were punctured and crushed, unleashing several explosions and vaporizing every last unit.
“Impossible!” I shrieked. “How could they do that?” I nearly fell over in shock when a holographic screen showed me something I never wanted to see again.
Between the two ships was a lone pilot clad in shining blue plating, surrounded by a sphere of holographic screens as the air around him rippled. Even from a distance, I recognized him and the holographic companion that floated by his side.
“Kevin!” I roared, and as I disabled optical camouflage, a girl’s voice resounded through my communications network.
“Where is he? I’m going to kill him!”
Adam Erec, 17, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 11:02 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
I unleashed a battle cry as I charged forwards into the fray, swinging my gunblades at a group of mechanical enemies and slicing through them with my superheated blades.
“They’re disoriented! Get them!” I shouted, and my companions from Geo and Rei joined in, shooting or cutting down the enemies that threatened our lives.
For the first time, we had the upper hand. As Katrina and I fought side-by-side, shooting down hostiles, I could tell that we were pushing them back.
“We can win this!” Katrina cried.
All of a sudden, Kevin began shouting over the communications channel. After directing us to attack aggressively for a while, his orders were surprising.
“Fall back!” he commanded. “Now!”
“What? Why?” I demanded, and was answered by a crescent-shaped bolt of glowing purple energy that passed between Katrina and I.
“Adam!” Katrina brought my attention to an enemy newcomer who had attacked us. The ARMOR-clad figure was clearly feminine, suited in thin, pitch-black plating and a matching jumpsuit, both of which sported glowing lines of purple wire. The tinted visor on her dual fin-bearing helmet blocked a majority of her face, but I could see the malicious grin across her lips. Combined with the violet, dragon wing-like plasma thrust generated from her back, she truly looked demonic.
She pointed at us with one of her twin weapons, thin, rectangular prisms that emitted slender curved blades of dark amethyst plasma.
“You’re not Kevin,” she noted before grinning even wider. “But I’ll enjoy killing you!”
Slashing her blades out, she flung two more bolts directly at Katrina and I, too quick for us to move. I stared at death as it descended upon us, and Katrina screamed.
Kevin Li, 16, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 11:07 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
I intervened at the last moment.
As I moved in front of Katrina and Adam, I whipped spun the long, cylindrical in my hand as the weapon activated. Its thin, meter-long blade glowed almost pure white, and cut through the searing hot plasma launched by the new attacker.
My new weapon had been developed from my right Plasma Manipulator, creating a plasma sword with a blade of extreme temperatures. Its high concentration of energy could cut through anything – even weaker plasma.
“Fall back!” I shouted, but they didn’t move. “Katrina! Adam!”
Adam seemed to be shocked back into action and nodded, grabbing Katrina’s arm and fleeing back to the ship with her. I turned back to my enemy. Although most of MALICE’s other forces had been eliminated, I knew this fighter was dangerous.
Someone familiar spoke to me over the communications channel, and I narrowed my eyes at his voice. “Well, well, what have we here? You’ve joined Geo and Rei, my son?”
“Don’t call me that,” I growled. “You aren’t my father…Matthew.”
He clicked his tongue, and a holographic screen popped up to display his grinning face through video communication. “Children should respect their parents,” he chided as Helen materialized next to me. “And you,” he continued, turning to her. “Of all the people in the world, why are you opposing me?”
“Because this isn’t what I wanted,” Helen answered, and I nodded.
“We know everything,” I declared. “You have to stop.”
Matthew scowled. “Why should I? This is everything you asked for, Helen.”
 “Is it?” she demanded. “I don’t think so.”
Matthew was silent before he began laughing. Yet it wasn’t a laugh of enjoyment or comedy. It was a cackle of someone who had lost his sanity – and I knew that was exactly what had happened.
“This is a nice family reunion,” he chuckled. “We’re all here.”
“Not everyone,” I hissed viciously, angered by his dismissal of Chloe. “Not her.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, and I frowned before the ARMOR-clad girl hovered closer to me.
“Don’t you remember?” she asked, her voice so low I could barely hear it. “How could you forget?”
“Who are you?” I asked, not lowering my weapon.
“Oh, Kevin,” she whispered, venom seeping into her voice as her visor began to slide away from her eyes. “Did you really forget me?”
Her eyes. Her hair. Her lips. Everything. It was her. But at the same time, it wasn’t.
“Chloe?” I breathed, staring at how changed her face was – the countless stitches like termites, the mechanical eye that was lifeless, and the beastlike snarl of her mouth.
“You forgot who I was,” she lamented, lowering her head. “How could you be so cruel.”
“Wait, Chloe – !” I shook my head and raised my voice to clear her senses, but it was far too late.
“Kevin, you bastard!” she screamed, hefting her plasma blades and charging at me with the hatred of a killer. “How dare you?”
I fled. What else could I do?
“Incoming!” Helen, who now spoke through my helmet, warned, and I evaded the plasma bolt launched by Chloe.
“What do I do?” I cried frantically, weaving through the dusty streets and crumbling buildings.
“Fight her!” Helen responded. “But that will be a challenge.”
“Why?” I asked, dodging another bolt.
“Matthew operated on her,” Helen replied. “He’s made her a machine-embedded human designed for combat.”
I gritted my teeth, glancing back at Chloe who continued to advance at me, never losing my trail.
“Chloe, stop!” I shouted, trying to speak with her, but unable to reach her through her frenzied screams.
“You left me behind!” she shrieked. “You left me to that pain! You left me alone!”
“What’s she talking about?”
“She’s been psychologically conditioned,” Helen answered. “Seeing that Matthew did it on himself, he must be able to do it rather easily. Anyway, you need to stop and fight!”
 “Fine!” I stopped in midair and flipped around, facing Chloe and raising my plasma sword as she swung both of her blades down. The force of her strike pushed me down in the air, but I parried against her as our weapons locked.
“You liar!” she screamed, spinning around and striking again as conflicting energies caused sparks to leap from our blades. “You failure of a brother! You demon!”
“Kevin!” Collins’ called to me over the communications channel. “We’re being pushed back!”
I glanced in the direction of the Rider and the Arrow, its ARMOR escorts beginning to be swarmed by MALICE’s forces.
“Give me thirty seconds!” I back flipped to put distance between Chloe and I, and as she charged to close the gap I issued a command to Helen. “Overlimit.”
“Again?” she muttered, but obeyed as my ARMOR pushed itself to its boundaries once more. Just like yesterday, its high-pitched hum grew louder as the plating’s blue hue intensified, but this time two more rings formed concentrically beyond the glowing circle by my back, rippling the air with strong light refraction.
“Let’s finished this quickly!” I shouted, charging at Chloe and clashing blades, pushing my ARMOR’s propulsion to its limits and slowly beginning to push her back. As she hissed in anger, I managed to completely overpower her plasma thrusters until I was practically pushing her through the air, smashing her through an entire building until she fell out of my grip, crashing through another building and softening her impact onto the dusty street below.
“Her propulsion system’s been damaged,” Helen reported, materializing next to me. “She can’t move.”
“We’ll leave her for now,” I declared, hovering above her before turning towards the Rider and the Arrow to give support. “Let’s help the others.”
“Finish it,” Chloe said over communications, stopping me. “Or are you a coward?”
“No,” I replied, looking back at her. “I won’t kill you.”
She scoffed. “You haven’t changed at all. Always so soft and dependent on me.” As she spoke, she propped herself up. “I always hated your weakness, your sentimentality, and worst of all, your clinginess.” She stared up at me and laughed. “I mean, what was that? Were you perhaps in love with me? Disgusting! Gross! Freak!”
“You don’t mean that,” I asserted. “You were brainwashed by Matthew.”
“I know what I mean!” she screeched. “I always hated being there with you. I always hated talking to you. I hate everything about you!” She raised a fist at me in anger. “So hurry up and finish me already!”
I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped as I heard the harsh clang of metal against metal, and saw the large bullet pierce her side. A quick turn brought Matthew into my sight, floating above his command ship and clad in a blackish-blue ARMOR with two large rifles in his hands.
“Good bye, Kevin,” he cackled before turning to leave.
“Reactor meltdown!” Helen cried. “Kevin!”
“Chloe!” I shouted and reached out to save her, but Helen took control of my ARMOR as “AI Control” popped up onto my visor, raising my left arm and activating the mounted plasma manipulator. The sphere of blue plasma erupted around me just as Chloe’s reactor detonated, the bright golden firewall contrasting against its glowing surface and wiping out anything standing in the immediate area.
The explosion subsided, and Helen lowered the plasma barrier, revealing our completely empty surroundings.
“Matthew’s forces are retreating,” Helen announced. “The Rider and the Arrow are approaching.”
I didn’t answer, staring at the ground where Chloe had been moments before. As allied forces grew near, I could hear Katrina calling me over communications.
“Kevin, are you okay? Kevin? Please respond!”

Chapter Eleven
Katrina Xie, 17, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 7:09 AM
Geo; Kistrea, Military Base
“Your ARMOR is an engineering masterpiece.” The base’s chief mechanic glanced at Kevin. “The conversion of solar energy is more efficient than anything I’ve ever seen. And let’s not even talk about its EM field manipulation; it’s impossibly strong.”
Kevin, Adam and I stood by the hangar wall, where Kevin’s ARMOR sat at a maintenance station.
“It’s been refurbished, of course,” the chief continued. “We’ve replaced the circuitry with stronger wires, so you can use your Overlimit system freely. The energy conversion has been increased, so your powerhouse is even more of a powerhouse. And I fulfilled your request.”
Kevin nodded, and stepped forwards. “I’ll suit up,” he said, already dressed in his navy jumpsuit.
“Still, it’s odd,” the chief wondered. “It’s obvious that this ARMOR has so much more potential, and with the old resources of Infinity Development, it could easily be made into a tactical weapon.”
I watched Kevin, who didn’t respond as he locked the plating over his body. As he fitted his helmet over his head, he looked right at Adam and I, but his gaze seemed to pass right through us.
A glance at Adam told me he didn’t notice.
Helen popped up. “Activated,” she said, and Kevin’s ARMOR hummed to life.
“Conversion active.” Helen continued to monitor the ARMOR’s status as the plating began glowing. Due its the tuned-up energy conversion, the metal surface began glowing a whitish-blue rather than its previous deep red.
Kevin began hovering, and rings of blue-green light formed around his feet and back, slightly rippling the air around him.
“I still don’t know what that is,” Adam mumbled.
“It’s a trick of light,” the engineer explained. “The rings are plasma contained in electromagnetic fields, which allow Kevin to fly. When exposed to such powerful EM fields, the light from them is slightly bent so they constantly refract light in different directions.”
“It’s that powerful?” I asked, and the chief nodded. I frowned, worried about the coming battle. Kevin was on our side; that much I knew. But something was wrong. And when he was in possession of such a powerful weapon, what could happen?
Matthew Li, 41, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 10:51 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
Phase one of the operation was a success. By advancing to the ruins of Sol, I had drawn the combined forces of Geo and Rei. Regardless of their unification, I would be able to defeat them with my superior numbers and firepower.
“Optical camouflage is stable,” I monitored, once again standing in the small commanding ship, viewing several holographic screens. “Ambush point set.”
Within two of the tall skeletal skyscrapers that still stood after ages of dereliction were groups of mechanical units armed with heavy weaponry. Cloaked not only by active camouflage, but by the debris within the buildings, they would be undetectable until the enemy moved into their line of fire to be annihilated in gunfire.
One of the holographic screens blinked, catching my attention and drawing a grin across my face.
“They’re here,” I observed, watching the large force approach. The two carriers from before – one with narrow, triangular wings and one decorated with an arrow – soared above the city ruins, flanked by several dozen ARMOR pilots clad in dark green or silver plating.
I quickly set to work, typing away to hack into their encrypted communication channels when a lone squadron began straying away, veering directly towards the ruins inhabited by my snipers.
“Perfect,” I celebrated quietly. “Destroy them.”
My metal army obeyed, pulling the trigger to consume the five pilots in a storm of lead. Just as they were shredded, I successfully linked to the enemy’s communications channel, waiting to hear the screams.
They never came. Instead, the five pilots didn’t even flinch as the bullets passed right through them like ghosts. Then their ethereal, holographic forms disappeared.
A voice I never expected began issuing orders.
“Buildings at fifteen degrees port and eleven degrees starboard. Fire.”
The two ships’ gun turrets swiveled around and pointed directly at the two skyscrapers and unleashed a storm, tearing through the buildings and dropping them right on top of the steel soldiers. As the dead metal fell on top them, their energy reactors were punctured and crushed, unleashing several explosions and vaporizing every last unit.
“Impossible!” I shrieked. “How could they do that?” I nearly fell over in shock when a holographic screen showed me something I never wanted to see again.
Between the two ships was a lone pilot clad in shining blue plating, surrounded by a sphere of holographic screens as the air around him rippled. Even from a distance, I recognized him and the holographic companion that floated by his side.
“Kevin!” I roared, and as I disabled optical camouflage, a girl’s voice resounded through my communications network.
“Where is he? I’m going to kill him!”
Adam Erec, 17, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 11:02 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
I unleashed a battle cry as I charged forwards into the fray, swinging my gunblades at a group of mechanical enemies and slicing through them with my superheated blades.
“They’re disoriented! Get them!” I shouted, and my companions from Geo and Rei joined in, shooting or cutting down the enemies that threatened our lives.
For the first time, we had the upper hand. As Katrina and I fought side-by-side, shooting down hostiles, I could tell that we were pushing them back.
“We can win this!” Katrina cried.
All of a sudden, Kevin began shouting over the communications channel. After directing us to attack aggressively for a while, his orders were surprising.
“Fall back!” he commanded. “Now!”
“What? Why?” I demanded, and was answered by a crescent-shaped bolt of glowing purple energy that passed between Katrina and I.
“Adam!” Katrina brought my attention to an enemy newcomer who had attacked us. The ARMOR-clad figure was clearly feminine, suited in thin, pitch-black plating and a matching jumpsuit, both of which sported glowing lines of purple wire. The tinted visor on her dual fin-bearing helmet blocked a majority of her face, but I could see the malicious grin across her lips. Combined with the violet, dragon wing-like plasma thrust generated from her back, she truly looked demonic.
She pointed at us with one of her twin weapons, thin, rectangular prisms that emitted slender curved blades of dark amethyst plasma.
“You’re not Kevin,” she noted before grinning even wider. “But I’ll enjoy killing you!”
Slashing her blades out, she flung two more bolts directly at Katrina and I, too quick for us to move. I stared at death as it descended upon us, and Katrina screamed.
Kevin Li, 16, July 11th, 2115
Friday, 11:07 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
I intervened at the last moment.
As I moved in front of Katrina and Adam, I whipped spun the long, cylindrical in my hand as the weapon activated. Its thin, meter-long blade glowed almost pure white, and cut through the searing hot plasma launched by the new attacker.
My new weapon had been developed from my right Plasma Manipulator, creating a plasma sword with a blade of extreme temperatures. Its high concentration of energy could cut through anything – even weaker plasma.
“Fall back!” I shouted, but they didn’t move. “Katrina! Adam!”
Adam seemed to be shocked back into action and nodded, grabbing Katrina’s arm and fleeing back to the ship with her. I turned back to my enemy. Although most of MALICE’s other forces had been eliminated, I knew this fighter was dangerous.
Someone familiar spoke to me over the communications channel, and I narrowed my eyes at his voice. “Well, well, what have we here? You’ve joined Geo and Rei, my son?”
“Don’t call me that,” I growled. “You aren’t my father…Matthew.”
He clicked his tongue, and a holographic screen popped up to display his grinning face through video communication. “Children should respect their parents,” he chided as Helen materialized next to me. “And you,” he continued, turning to her. “Of all the people in the world, why are you opposing me?”
“Because this isn’t what I wanted,” Helen answered, and I nodded.
“We know everything,” I declared. “You have to stop.”
Matthew scowled. “Why should I? This is everything you asked for, Helen.”
 “Is it?” she demanded. “I don’t think so.”
Matthew was silent before he began laughing. Yet it wasn’t a laugh of enjoyment or comedy. It was a cackle of someone who had lost his sanity – and I knew that was exactly what had happened.
“This is a nice family reunion,” he chuckled. “We’re all here.”
“Not everyone,” I hissed viciously, angered by his dismissal of Chloe. “Not her.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, and I frowned before the ARMOR-clad girl hovered closer to me.
“Don’t you remember?” she asked, her voice so low I could barely hear it. “How could you forget?”
“Who are you?” I asked, not lowering my weapon.
“Oh, Kevin,” she whispered, venom seeping into her voice as her visor began to slide away from her eyes. “Did you really forget me?”
Her eyes. Her hair. Her lips. Everything. It was her. But at the same time, it wasn’t.
“Chloe?” I breathed, staring at how changed her face was – the countless stitches like termites, the mechanical eye that was lifeless, and the beastlike snarl of her mouth.
“You forgot who I was,” she lamented, lowering her head. “How could you be so cruel.”
“Wait, Chloe – !” I shook my head and raised my voice to clear her senses, but it was far too late.
“Kevin, you bastard!” she screamed, hefting her plasma blades and charging at me with the hatred of a killer. “How dare you?”
I fled. What else could I do?
“Incoming!” Helen, who now spoke through my helmet, warned, and I evaded the plasma bolt launched by Chloe.
“What do I do?” I cried frantically, weaving through the dusty streets and crumbling buildings.
“Fight her!” Helen responded. “But that will be a challenge.”
“Why?” I asked, dodging another bolt.
“Matthew operated on her,” Helen replied. “He’s made her a machine-embedded human designed for combat.”
I gritted my teeth, glancing back at Chloe who continued to advance at me, never losing my trail.
“Chloe, stop!” I shouted, trying to speak with her, but unable to reach her through her frenzied screams.
“You left me behind!” she shrieked. “You left me to that pain! You left me alone!”
“What’s she talking about?”
“She’s been psychologically conditioned,” Helen answered. “Seeing that Matthew did it on himself, he must be able to do it rather easily. Anyway, you need to stop and fight!”
 “Fine!” I stopped in midair and flipped around, facing Chloe and raising my plasma sword as she swung both of her blades down. The force of her strike pushed me down in the air, but I parried against her as our weapons locked.
“You liar!” she screamed, spinning around and striking again as conflicting energies caused sparks to leap from our blades. “You failure of a brother! You demon!”
“Kevin!” Collins’ called to me over the communications channel. “We’re being pushed back!”
I glanced in the direction of the Rider and the Arrow, its ARMOR escorts beginning to be swarmed by MALICE’s forces.
“Give me thirty seconds!” I back flipped to put distance between Chloe and I, and as she charged to close the gap I issued a command to Helen. “Overlimit.”
“Again?” she muttered, but obeyed as my ARMOR pushed itself to its boundaries once more. Just like yesterday, its high-pitched hum grew louder as the plating’s blue hue intensified, but this time two more rings formed concentrically beyond the glowing circle by my back, rippling the air with strong light refraction.
“Let’s finished this quickly!” I shouted, charging at Chloe and clashing blades, pushing my ARMOR’s propulsion to its limits and slowly beginning to push her back. As she hissed in anger, I managed to completely overpower her plasma thrusters until I was practically pushing her through the air, smashing her through an entire building until she fell out of my grip, crashing through another building and softening her impact onto the dusty street below.
“Her propulsion system’s been damaged,” Helen reported, materializing next to me. “She can’t move.”
“We’ll leave her for now,” I declared, hovering above her before turning towards the Rider and the Arrow to give support. “Let’s help the others.”
“Finish it,” Chloe said over communications, stopping me. “Or are you a coward?”
“No,” I replied, looking back at her. “I won’t kill you.”
She scoffed. “You haven’t changed at all. Always so soft and dependent on me.” As she spoke, she propped herself up. “I always hated your weakness, your sentimentality, and worst of all, your clinginess.” She stared up at me and laughed. “I mean, what was that? Were you perhaps in love with me? Disgusting! Gross! Freak!”
“You don’t mean that,” I asserted. “You were brainwashed by Matthew.”
“I know what I mean!” she screeched. “I always hated being there with you. I always hated talking to you. I hate everything about you!” She raised a fist at me in anger. “So hurry up and finish me already!”
I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped as I heard the harsh clang of metal against metal, and saw the large bullet pierce her side. A quick turn brought Matthew into my sight, floating above his command ship and clad in a blackish-blue ARMOR with two large rifles in his hands.
“Good bye, Kevin,” he cackled before turning to leave.
“Reactor meltdown!” Helen cried. “Kevin!”
“Chloe!” I shouted and reached out to save her, but Helen took control of my ARMOR as “AI Control” popped up onto my visor, raising my left arm and activating the mounted plasma manipulator. The sphere of blue plasma erupted around me just as Chloe’s reactor detonated, the bright golden firewall contrasting against its glowing surface and wiping out anything standing in the immediate area.
The explosion subsided, and Helen lowered the plasma barrier, revealing our completely empty surroundings.
“Matthew’s forces are retreating,” Helen announced. “The Rider and the Arrow are approaching.”
I didn’t answer, staring at the ground where Chloe had been moments before. As allied forces grew near, I could hear Katrina calling me over communications.
“Kevin, are you okay? Kevin? Please respond!”

Chapter Thirteen
Matthew Li, 41, July 13th, 2115
Saturday, 5:51 AM
Solera; Central Northern Islands
This was a major setback.
“Dammit!” I cursed, standing in the ruins of the island facility’s hangar. “Everything’s gone!”
Practically all of the mechanical ARMOR units had been destroyed in the last attack by Geo and Rei, and the base’s facilities had been torn apart by continuous heavy bombardment. Only a handful of combat robots remained, and I was clad in my black ARMOR.
I wiped my scowl away, however, as my thoughts focused on something else.
“No matter,” I dismissed the issue. “There’s still something else.” I brought up a holographic screen displaying a dot a few kilometers north of the island, zooming in on a massive construct.
“They know nothing of the warship,” I noted, waving the screen away and looking back at my mechanical minions.
“We’re heading out,” I commanded, and they began moving as I leapt out of the hangar, red light emanating from my back and lifting me up into the dark dawning sky.
Katrina Xie, 17, July 13th, 2115
Saturday, 8:19 AM
Rei; Goldsky, City Hospital
Allison and I walked through the halls of Goldsky’s hospital, having just completed a medical checkup just in case we had been injured in any way during the last battle. After we had rescued Kevin, our joint force headed eastwards to Rei, where we were now recovering for a few days.
“The war is basically over, right?” Allison asked.
I nodded. “That was MALICE’s only base,” I explained. “And most of their forces were destroyed in the last battle. The leader can’t hope to do anything now.”
“Collins mentioned something about a surrender. What was he talking about?”
“MALICE’s leader should be issuing a surrender anytime, now,” I replied as we turned the corner to find Adam and Kevin sitting with each other, the former struggling to stay awake as he watched the far door that read “Operation in Progress” overhead.
“Adam?” I frowned and stepped forwards. “Are you okay?”
He shook himself awake and nodded. “Yeah,” he mumbled drowsily. “Just waiting.”
I clearly wasn’t going to get anything from his sleepy state, so I glanced at Kevin.
“His friend is in the middle of an operation,” he explained. “Organ repair.”
Helen popped up and joined in. “We used some of the medical information from the old base to assist the doctors, and they’ve determined the operation is practically flawless.”
“It takes a long time, though,” Adam muttered, yawning widely. “She’s been in since midni – ”
The doors opened, and we all turned to face the girl who practically burst out of the emergency room. She was pretty, with golden hair and pale skin, and looked so alive.
“Adam!” she cheered, leaping into his arms as he shakily stood up. “I feel great!”
“I can tell,” Adam laughed, more awake than before. “It’s good to see you like this again.”
The doctors emerged from the doors, tired but smiling widely. “The operation went incredibly smoothly,” one surgeon announced. “Everything was perfect. I am truly amazed.”
Crystal broke her embrace with Adam and turned to the rest of us, eyes wide with curiosity. “Who are these people, Adam?”
“They’re my friends,” Adam answered. “Katrina’s a fellow pilot. Allison is her sister.” He then turned to Kevin. “And Kevin is our hero.”
The “hero” in question blinked before scratching his cheek sheepishly, looking away as Helen sighed at his embarrassment.
“These people helped end the war,” Adam explained. “MALICE is gone. We’re all safe now.”
Adam Erec, 17, July 13th, 2115
Saturday, 9:11 AM
Rei; Goldsky, City Streets
“What do you want for breakfast?” I asked Kevin, who walked by my side.
“Anything,” he shrugged. “If it’s actual food, I’m fine with it.”
I grinned at his statement. After hearing him declare the culinary perfection of a sandwich he had tasted at Geo, it was clear that the supplementary meals he had consumed during his time at the MALICE base weren’t tasty at all.
“She might not look it, but Crystal loves to eat spicy food,” I said. The girl in question wasn’t present, as she still had to spend a few days in recovery at the hospital. Katrina and Allison had decided to keep her company while Kevin and I ventured out to get breakfast.
“Katrina said she and Allison wanted something sweet,” Kevin noted. “Ideas?”
 The mention of Katrina brought the events of two days ago to my mind, and I punched Kevin’s shoulder. “Speaking of Katrina, what do you think of her?”
He thought quietly before shrugging. “She’s a good pilot, and fills an excellent support role. I’ve appreciated her help in battle.”
 I deadpanned before lightly smacking the back of his head. “Are you stupid?” I asked sarcastically.
“What?” He rubbed his head as Helen materialized to join in my admonishment.
“How can you be so oblivious, Kevin?” she chided, wagging a finger at him.
“Is there something I missed?” he asked. “Do I not appreciate her combat support? Is something wrong with her ARMOR?”
Helen and I glanced at each other before shaking our heads quietly as Kevin simply stared in confusion. His attention was directed towards a bakery we neared, however, as the smells of sweet pastries wafted out onto the streets.
“That smells good,” Kevin muttered as his stomach grumbled, and immediately made a beeline for the entrance.
“I guess we’re having pastries,” I shrugged, and followed him inside.
Fifteen minutes later we were back in Crystal’s hospital room, where Katrina and Allison were seated next to her bed, chatting happily. Kevin handed me the bags of food and moved towards the door.
“I’ll find some more chairs,” he said. “Be back in a minute.”
As Helen followed him out of the room, I joined the three girls and patted Katrina on the head.
“He still doesn’t know you like him,” I told said, her face immediately burning red. “Use some more aggression, will you?”
“I think you look cute together!” Crystal piped up cheerfully, and Katrina squirmed in her chair.
“Oh,” she stammered. “I’m not sure.”
We would have continued, but Kevin returned with two chairs, setting them down as I took one of the seats. As we began handing out the food, I noticed his gaze linger over Katrina for a moment. Helen glanced at me and shrugged as I grinned.
“Looks like he’s beginning to think about her,” I thought, entertaining the thoughts of youth and romance before turning to Crystal, who daringly reached out and pecked me on the cheek
Allison squealed in delight as Katrina’s embarrassment transferred to me, and Kevin applauded Crystal’s boldness as Helen summoned holographic confetti to shower us.
I could hardly hold back the smile across my lips. The war was over. And this was only the beginning of our fun.
Our stories together were about to begin.
Crystal Seren, 16, July 13th, 2115
Saturday, 7:39 PM
Rei; Goldsky, City Park
Allison, Adam and I were crouched behind a hedge of bushes, away from the festivities in the large park. The flat expanse of grass scattered with trees was the site of a celebration for the end of the war. For me, it was an opportunity to get out of the hospital. But for the three of us, it was an opportunity for matchmaking.
“Where could they have gone?” Kevin asked, passing right by us with Katrina as many citizens of Goldsky and visitors from Geo cheered joyously, enjoying food and drink and some dancing with each other.
“We were all going to celebrate together,” Katrina said sadly before perking up, seeing a familiar face.
“General Collins!” she exclaimed to the General from Geo as he approached with Tactician Visc. “It’s good to see you, sir!”
The officers smiled warmly at the two soldiers. “It’s good to see you, too,” Collins returned the greeting. “Aren’t you with the others?”
Kevin shook his head. “We lost them,” he shrugged.
Collins glanced at Visc before turning to the two youths. “I think I saw them head that way,” he said, pointing towards a small hill in the center of the park covered in a grove.
“Really? Thank you!” Katrina exclaimed before grabbing Kevin’s hand. “Let’s go, Kevin!”
Kevin stumbled along as he nodded in thanks to Collins and Visc. The two looked on before Visc turned around and crouched down right in front of the hedge.
“You’re welcome,” he said, barely able to see us through the hedge.
“Thank you, sir,” Adam answered before the two officers left. I could barely contain my excitement as I stood to watch Kevin and Katrina run towards the hill.
“Are we going to follow them?” Allison asked, her eyes shining with joy.
“Of course!” I threw my fist into the air as Adam joined in, and we began following our two friends.
Kevin Li, 16, July 13th, 2115
Saturday, 7:56 PM
Rei; Goldsky, City Park
“I don’t see why they would come here,” I mumbled to Katrina as we climbed the stone stairs up the hill.
She shrugged. “Maybe they wanted solitude.”
“I don’t think Crystal and solitude belong together,” I answered skeptically. “If she could pilot and ARMOR, I’m sure she would fry her propulsion circuitry by going too fast.”
Katrina laughed at my analogy, and I blinked as she doubled over, unable to contain herself. It was odd, seeing the normally reserved girl so open right now.
“I like you this way,” I said, continuing up the stairs. Katrina immediately fell silent and caught up, pulling my sleeve.
“What do you mean?” she asked very directly, staring at me.
“Uh,” I trailed off, looking away. “I mean, you’re usually really shy and quiet. But when you let go of everything, you’re a really happy person. I like that.”
She immediately let go of me and smiled. “Oh? Okay, then!” She then dashed up the stairs, calling, “Race you to the top!”
“Hey!” I protested at her head start and began running. “That's not fair!”
Her laughs filled the quiet night as the festivities continued farther away, and as we finally crested the hill we could barely hear the sounds of celebration.
Our three friends certainly weren’t present. Instead, we found a large clearing in the grove with flat stones laid on the ground, leading up to an oddly designed structure. Its four wooden pillars held up a pyramid-shaped roof, under which sat a circular stone carving.
“A ring?” I observed, standing in front of the construct and spotting an inscription on the carving’s pedestal.
“A shrine dedicated to Brelyn, a deity of love symbolized by a ring of never-ending love.” I raised an eyebrow in skepticism. “Rei sure has some strange gods,” I muttered and turned to Katrina, only to find her praying with her eyes closed and hands together.
“Katrina?” She snapped her eyes open, clearly embarrassed as she looked away. “Were you just praying?”
“Maybe,” she tried to avert the question, facing away from me before asking, “Do you know what love is?”
“Deep affection,” I pried the word from my rather limited knowledge. “Right?”
Katrina turned and walked right up to me. “That’s not a bad definition,” she admitted, refusing to meet my gaze. “But it’s more than that.”
“Such as?” I prompted her to continue.
“Wanting to spend time with that person,” she said. “Wanting to know everything about them. Wanting to get closer to them.”
I frowned. “What are you getting at?”
Katrina groaned. “Despite everything else, you can be pretty oblivious.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I pouted.
She finally locked eyes with me, and I could see the deep red across her face. “When you were captured by MALICE, I was so scared that you would never come back and that I would never see you again. Or that you would come back, but you would be changed.” She paused, and I realized how wet her eyes were.
“Why are you crying?” I asked, panicked, and pulled out a packet of tissues for emergencies.
She choked out a laugh and accepted them. “You’re always so considerate,” she said between tears, wiping them away as they continued to fall. “That’s one thing I love about you.”
As she continued to cry, the gears in my mind slowly began turning as I pieced together bits of information: Katrina’s words from two days ago, and Adam’s admonishment from earlier today.
“Does that mean,” I began, trailing off as Katrina nodded. But before she could speak, Helen materialized right between us.
“You finally realized, Kevin!” she scolded me, flying right in front of my eyes. “It’s took you long enough!” She then turned around and faced Katrina, who was obviously startled with her wide eyes. “I approve, just so you know,” she continued. “Take good care of him, okay? He’s a bit of an airhead, as I’m sure you know.” Helen then disappeared, leaving Katrina and I alone once more.
“I forgot that she was listening,” I said sheepishly, and eyed Katrina, who wiped away her tears.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said before pulling me close and pressing her lips to mine.
My mind went completely blank, and I couldn’t think of anything besides Katrina’s impossibly soft lips and the fact that there was someone in this world who loved me so dearly. How long did we stay like that? Hours? Days? Years? I still don’t know. But as she drew away, I knew one thing for sure.
“Um,” I mumbled, my face burning from embarrassment. “This might sound weird, but I love you, Katrina.”
She laughed once more, her beautiful voice filling the quiet night. “I love you too, Kevin,” she said, holding me close in a hug. As the heat in my cheeks faded and my heartbeat calmed down, I felt a strange sense of something I had never felt before.
Then I realized it was safety. Security.
Peace.

Chapter Fourteen
Adam Erec, 17, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 10:13 AM
Rei; Goldsky, Military Base
Today was a sad day.
After three days of recovery, the forces from Geo were returning to Kistrea. The soldiers were boarding the Rider, including General Collins, Katrina, Allison, and Kevin.
Visc, Crystal and I stood before our departing friends in the hangar, having come to see them off amongst teary goodbyes. Crystal was overly sentimental, and hugged Allison tightly as she bawled loudly, drawing much unneeded attention but making the farewell even more emotional.
“We’ll come back,” Katrina reassured me, holding out her hand. “You’re our friend, after all.”
 I accepted her handshake, giving her a quick hug before turning to Kevin. Despite his usual blank look, I could see the pained look in his eyes. Frowning, I punched him in the shoulder one last time. “Don’t look so down!” I scolded him before throwing my arm around him. “I’m not dying!”
He brightened up a bit, smiling sheepishly. “You’re right,” he agreed. “I’ll come visit you soon. And then we can spar together again!”
 I grinned, letting go of him and patting his arm. “I’m looking forward to that day. Be safe until then, alright?”
A tug on my sleeve drew my attention to Allison, who looked up at me with mischief in her eyes.
“Keep it up with Crystal!” she giggled. “You two look great together!”
 I joined in with her laughter, realizing how much I would miss my friends. “I will,” I said, patting her head.
“I’ll contact you soon for cleanup operations,” General Collins said to Visc, who nodded before giving him a salute.
“I’m glad I could fight along your side once more,” he responded, smiling at his old friend.
Our goodbyes were said. Yet the silence unanimously told everyone how much we didn’t want to depart from each other.
“Shall we go?” Kevin finally broke the silence, and we all nodded. Everything had to end, after all.
“Thanks for everything,” Kevin said as they turned for the Rider. “I’m – ”
His thanks were cut off as a second sun rose from the west, the result of a fiery lance dropping from the sky and exploding in the middle of No Man’s Land.
It was only after the blinding light explosion did Kevin ask, “What the hell was that?”
Everything after that was chaos.
General Alexander Collins, 47, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 10:21 AM
Rei; Goldsky, Military Base
“Report!” I demanded, stepping onto the bridge of the Rider.
“A large construct has been detected directly over the ruins of Sol,” an officer replied. “Bringing it up on the screen now!”
The holographic screen switched to a view of the light blue sky that was tainted by a metal monstrosity. The hovering installation had a long, thin bottom and a smaller, thicker top, shaped like a sword pointing towards the ground. Its rod-like section glowed a bright orange, a clear sign of the dissipating heat from its energy release mere moments ago.
“Is that thermal energy?” I wondered aloud before the screen switched to a chilling view – a visual of Matthew Li.
“You’re still alive?” I exclaimed as he grinned.
“Hello you scum!” he laughed, holding his arms out wide. “Do you like my new toy? I must admit that you certainly set my plans back, but no matter. Fear the power of the gods, and bow before me!”
“He’s mad.” I shook my head before asking, “Status until launching?”
“Ninety seconds!” the helmsman answered. “The Arrow will be ready in eighty.”
I nodded. “Continue monitoring the target! Designate it “Sky Station for now.” As I spoke, a holographic channel opened to show Visc. “How are things on your end?”
 “Our long-range scanners have determined the following,” he spoke quickly, spilling through the information. “It utilizes concentrated thermal energy, creating an impact of extreme temperature and kinetic force. Also, it’s too high for our ships to reach safely.”
 “What about ARMORs?” I inquired, and he nodded.
“It’s possible,” he answered. “But we don’t know the station’s defensive capabilities. Either way, we need to get as close as we can.”
“Ships are ready to leave!” the helmsman announced, and I nodded.
“Rider, head out!” I commanded.
“Arrow, launch!” Visc shouted on his end of the screen.
Kevin Li, 16, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 10:43 AM
No Man’s Land
Katrina refused to suit up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, fitting my helmet over my head and already clad in her ARMOR. “Is your equipment damaged?”
“No,” she muttered, looking away towards the other soldiers gearing up in the Rider’s hangar.
“Come on, then.” I held out a section of plating to lock onto her arm when she whacked it away, turning at me with an angry scowl.
“Stop it!” she growled as I stepped back. “Why are you always like this?”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Like this!” she raised her voice and threw her arms in the air, frustrated and no longer holding her feelings back. “Aren’t you scared of dying? Aren’t you scared for those who will die? Why can’t you think about someone’s life?”
Her question didn’t catch me off-guard. After all, I had thought about this long ago.
“You’re scared of losing me?” I clarified, and she nodded before I sighed and began a lengthy explanation. “I’m not scared of death.”
She wiped a tear away and coughed. “That’s not really surprising.”
“And you’ve probably realized how oblivious I am of other’s feelings,” I continued. “But I’m not going to die here.”
“How can you be so sure?” she choked.
I looked at Helen, who popped up and shook her head.
“It’s complicated,” I admitted. “But I need you to know that this will be the end. After this, there will be no more fighting.”
“Are these just empty promises?” Katrina asked.
“No,” I said firmly. “I know things that could change the tide of this war. But this is the path we have to take. We have to kill him. I have to kill him. Okay?”
She frowned but nodded, reaching for the plating in my hand and locking it over her body. “Okay. I’ll trust you.”
“Good.” I hugged her once she was fully suited and we headed to the end of the hangar, where our allies were gathering.
“We’ve arrived at the ruins of Sol,” General Collins announced over the ship’s communication network. “Prepare to launch!”
Katrina Xie, 17, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday 10:51 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
The carnage was unbelievable.
Even from several kilometers in the air, the remnants of the ruins of Sol could clearly be seen. The metropolis’ remnants of skyscrapers and skeletal structures were gone, replaced by a large, scorching crater. The ground seemed to glow from the intense heat that had previously struck, and smoke rose from it like a burning pile of kindling.
“What’s the plan?” a soldier asked as the Arrow’s ARMOR pilots joined us.
“Listen up!” Kevin called over communications. “The station doesn’t seem to have any other mounted weaponry besides its main cannon. Stay clear of its line of fire – it can’t change its aim quickly, either. Expect mechanical units, but for now we shouldn’t have too much trouble. Let’s go!”
No one seemed bothered by his unusual confidence as we all began rising into the sky, towards the sword-shaped station. As we neared the construct, Kevin contacted the Rider.
“Collins, how is it?”
“It’s barely in range!” Collins replied.
“First salvo is a go,” Kevin commanded.
“Got it. Firing!”
As our forces split up and moved away from the line of fire, the Rider and the Arrow aimed their cannons upwards, unleashing a hail of metal at the station and striking it head-on. Despite the several large chunks falling off of the delicate structure, it continued to float above our heads.
“Isn’t it too fragile?” Adam joined Kevin and I, glancing up with an unimpressed expression. “This is too easy.”
  As the torn debris began dropping, Kevin activated his plasma saber. “Incoming! Mechanical units are in the debris!”
He wasn’t wrong.  Adam raised his gunblades and fired, tearing through a metal section as two MALICE robots leapt out and began attacking.
“Here they come!” Adam yelled, and I raised my rifle, preparing for the oncoming storm.
It was completely unpredictable. Numerous enemies leapt out of the countless debris, surrounding us on all sides. Yet we all stuck together, keeping each other’s backs safe. Amidst the battle, a certain fighter charge across the sky with his blade.
One, two, three enemies were downed by Kevin as he kicked apart some debris and cut them down in one slice. He immediately flipped and burst away, thundering towards a few dozen and unleashing wild but accurate slashes, flying away from the following explosion.
“Always a badass,” Adam muttered, downing another enemy with his gunblades.
His comment was lost as a nearby squadron screamed, disappearing in a fiery explosion as a bright flash of red streaked against the soft blue sky.
“Move!” Kevin grabbed my arm at the last moment and pulled me away as another crimson light passed by, and everyone stopped to face the lone enemy.
“It’s him,” Kevin growled as Helen popped up next to him. “This is it, Helen.”
???, ???, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday 11:07 AM
No Man’s Land
Whether my body knew it or not, my mind could feel that the end was near. There was just one more thing to do.
Kevin’s escape had surprisingly helped speed up my plan a great deal. I certainly had never expected him to grow so strong. But knowing his forerunners, I should have expected it.
My death was the key to the plans’ completion. My sacrifice was for the world. My sacrifice was for her wish.
This was the hour of my death.
Matthew Li, 41, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 11:10 AM
No Man’s Land
“You witness the power of the gods, yet you still defy me?” I shouted at the troublemakers. “How far does your idiocy reach?”
I was clad in an advanced black ARMOR, equipped with a plasma propulsion system that glowed red from my back, and armed with a metal staff that sprouted a crimson scythe blade at one end.
“Give it up!” a silver-clad Rei soldier yelled back. “You’re done for!”
“Am I?” I grinned and pointed upwards to the thermal cannon, which was now pointing towards the west. “I wonder what would happen to Kistrea if it was hit by the thermal beam.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” another pilot cried, and I shrugged.
“Shall we have a deal?” I suggested. “You trade one life for Kistrea.”
I was greeted by silence as everyone looked around at each other, clearly uncomfortable until one pilot approached.
“You mean me, don’t you?” Kevin asked.
I grinned even wider. “You’re smart,” I taunted him. “You really are my son.”
“I’m not your child,” he replied, flying closer.
“Kevin, stop!” Several soldiers began crying out as Kevin left their lines. One even approached, but was stopped by an unseen force.
“What’s going on?” she asked, pounding against thin air.
Overjoyed at her desperation, I laughed once more. “It’s an anti-inertial field around the station,” I declared. “It stops any movement. Don’t even try piercing it!”
“Kevin!” Her screams were drowned out as I headed back to the station, Kevin right behind me.
“This is how you wanted everything to be, right?” he asked, and I glanced back at him.
“You know too much,” I muttered.
“And you haven’t told anyone,” he replied as we reached a hatch into the structure. “You never had to do any of this.”
“Oh, but I did,” I retorted as we entered the metal halls. “Only for her sake.”

Chapter Fifteen
Helen, ???, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 11:14 AM
No Man’s Land
Matthew led us through the silver structure suspended high in the sky, the red plasma glowing from his back and scythe ominous like crimson blood. I flew beside, who looked straight ahead with a grim look across his face.
We finally came to a dimly light chamber, round, expansive, and nostalgic.
“You modeled it just like the old base’s arena, didn’t you?” Kevin asked as the two pilots touched down on opposite ends of the room.
Matthew grinned darkly. “Does it bring back memories of her?”
Kevin didn’t falter, activating his plasma saber and aiming it at the scourge of the world. “Let’s be quick, shall we? This is how things are supposed to end.”
“I suppose I should confirm,” Matthew began, unleashing his scythe and pointing it at Kevin. “How much do you really know?”
The two charged, meeting in the middle of the room as their energy weapons clashed, lighting up the darkness as I watched from afar.
“I know that you planned everything,” Kevin said as they leapt away from each other. “Especially Geo and Rei’s unification.”
“Oh?”” Matthew raised an eyebrow as he took a large swing, missing Kevin’s ducking form. “Accurate.”
“I also know,” Kevin continued, “That Helen was developed from the brain of mom.”
The two continued dueling and speaking, perfectly in sync amidst the harsh ringing of plasma blades against each other.
“That’s not wrong,” Matthew mused as he dodged a slice from Kevin. “What else do you know?”
“I know that you planned to sacrifice everything.” The two had taken to the air now, charging at each other while spinning to increase the strength of their strikes as the very air vibrated from their battle. “Your children. Your sanity. Your life.”
Matthew finally paused and frowned at Kevin, who floated across from him.
“And so?” Matthew asked in a low, deadly voice. “What will you do?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Kevin replied, spinning his saber and pointing it upwards. “I’ll see your crazy plan through.” He glanced at me as I approached and sat on his shoulder. “She may not like it, but it’s the only way to end this all.”
The demonic, black figure nodded softly, raising his scythe at us. “Shall we show the world this story’s end?” he asked.
“Yes,” Kevin nodded as his ARMOR hummed louder. One last time, two more rings formed concentrically around his back, and the air rippled violently. Matthew’s ARMOR underwent a similar phenomenon as the red light from his back shaped itself into several leaf-shaped blades, circling behind and granting him a demonic silhouette.
“Let’s do this,” Kevin muttered as his plasma saber’s output increased, extending and widening the blade until it reached towards the chamber’s walls. Matthew’s scythe did the same, and the two fighters sliced open the steel room as it began collapsing around them.
The final battle for the world had begun.
Katrina Xie, 17, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 11:28 AM
No Man’s Land
The sky station was collapsing.
“Holy cow!” I exclaimed as two enormous blades of plasma – one crimson and one blue – sliced through the steel structure, tearing it apart as several explosions tore the frame apart.
Katrina, hands pressed against the invisible inertia barrier that held all of us back, suddenly fell forwards and stumbled in midair.
“Ah!” She broke through the thin air and looked up, eyes wide. “The inertia barrier is gone!”
“We can finish the fight with him!” I shouted, and everyone readied their weapons for the final fight.
“Don’t interfere,” Kevin’s voice cut in over communications, freezing all of us with its unusual chilliness. “I’ll fight him alone.”
I glanced at Katrina, who was clearly worried, as Collins contacted Kevin. “Are you crazy?”
“No,” Kevin replied, and we watched as he clashed with Matthew, the plasma saber and scythe unleashing bursts of energy from the force of their impacts. Each strike was so powerful that we could hear the resounding crash that rang in our ears, even several hundred meters away.
“But this is my battle,” he finished. “This is my war.”
Kevin Li, 16, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 11:37 AM
No Man’s Land
Matthew and I closed our distance again, smashing our blades into another and locking into a competition of strength as we pushed against each other.
“Let’s make this interesting, shall we?” he grinned, and the red, leaf-shaped plasma around his back began to move, detaching from his back before pointing at me.
“Sure,” I muttered, breaking away as the crimson bolts shot at me like arrows. I spun with my arm outstretched, and my plasma blade sliced through the projectiles, dissipating them into blood-like wisps.
“I’m not finished!” Matthew taunted me as he dealt an overhead slice. I dodged to the side, only to be met by more plasma bolts facing directly at me.
“Barrier.” The word in my mind activated my left Plasma Manipulator, summoning a small plasma sphere around me for a brief moment and protecting me from the corrosive projectiles.
As the shimmering light faded, I unleashed a battle cry and slicing out, cutting straight through the handle of his scythe and cutting it in half.
The surprise on his eyes was evident as he dropped the weapon halves, which exploded below from their severed circuits. He wasn’t totally unarmed, though, and directed the remaining plasma bolts at me.
“Is that all you can manage?” I shouted, my saber wildly to cut down the bolts and leave him completely helpless.
Despite his desperate situation, he grinned. “This is how everything is supposed to end.”
Then he cut his thrusters, dropping like a rock.
Naturally, I followed.
We plummeted past my fellow pilots and the two ships, stopping our descent in the middle of Sol’s ruins. We were the only two living souls in miles, and faced each other for one final confrontation.
“Do you regret anything?” I asked as we stood in the crater.
“No,” he answered slowly. “After all, it was Helen’s wish.”
Said hologram materialized beside me and floated between us, crossing her arms. “When I asked you to make this world a better place,” she began, speaking slowly and hesitantly. “I didn’t mean this.”
Matthew smiled sadly and fell onto his knees, arms falling limp. “You told me to bring peace back to Solera,” he whispered. “Isn’t that what I accomplished?”
Helen approached and floated right in front of him, and could barely choke out her words. “I wanted a world that you would enjoy.”
As I walked forwards, I could see the shock across Matthew face. His arms shook, and it took me a moment to notice the droplet rolling down his helmet-covered face.
He was crying.
“Looks like you do have a heart after all,” I muttered, and Helen turned around, looking up with sorrow in her eyes.
“Are you sure this is the only way?” she asked, her voice almost breaking apart from grief.
“It is,” Matthew answered, closing his eyes and lowering his head in defeat. “Despite my intentions, the world will punish me for my crimes.”
“But we’ll defend you!” Helen protested. “Kevin and I can vouch for you. And we have evidence!”
“Not anymore,” Matthew grinned weakly. I didn't understand what he meant until Helen gasped.
“The files are gone!” she exclaimed, and I could see that the terabytes of data she had downloaded from MALICE’s base were gone. That meant the evidence of Matthew’s plan, and the last piece of information that could possibly save his life.
“Why would you do this?” Helen began to cry, and for the first time I saw that she truly had the soul of a human. “Why would you give everything up for this?”
“Because you asked me to,” he answered simply. “I told you that I would do anything for you, didn’t I?”
“You idiot!” Helen screamed, and completely broke down, her holographic form sinking to the ground as she cried into her hands.
I stepped forwards, still gripping my plasma saber, and knelt before Matthew.
“Deactivate your reactor, would you?” I asked. “I don’t want a meltdown.”
He laughed sarcastically. “What, do you want to desecrate my remains?”
“On the contrary,” I replied. “I wish to bury them.”
He stopped laughing and stared at me, clearly surprised. “Even after everything I’ve done?”
I shrugged. “Children should respect their parents,” I muttered. “Or something.”
He smiled, clearly humored by my answer. “I didn’t expect this.”
“I didn’t expect my father to be a hero,” I countered, and he laughed. But this time, his laugh was hearty and warm. It was the laugh of someone satisfied.
“Alright,” he said as his ARMOR stopped humming, its reactor deactivating. “It’s time to end it.”
“Are you sure?” I asked as Helen looked up.
“We’ll defend you,” she offered weakly, but Matthew shook his head.
“This was all for your sake,” he said. “Not mine.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before looking straight into my eyes. “Do it.”
I nodded. “Got it.”
Then I moved my arm forwards and stabbed his chest with my plasma saber.
His eyes weren’t wide from the shock or pain, but they were slowly beginning to close. His mouth was shut and curled into a smile. He was slowly dying, but peacefully.
“I’m so sorry for everything,” he barely whispered as I deactivated my saber, and he began to bleed out.
“It’s kind of late for that,” I shrugged. “But I forgive you. Rest in peace, dad.”
His smile widened. His eyes closed.
I sighed as Helen began crying once more, and reached down to lay my father’s body onto the ground.
Matthew Li died on July sixteenth, year two thousand and fifteen.
Katrina Xie, 17, July 16th, 2115
Tuesday, 11:57 AM
No Man’s Land; Ruins of Sol
The Rider and the Arrow followed the ARMOR squadrons to the crater that used to be Sol, where we found our friend.
Kevin stood before the ARMOR-clad body of Matthew Li, which lay flat on the ground. A gaping wound in his chest pointed out his death, but the odd smile on his face was confusing.
I stared in shock as Kevin silently looked upon the body of his father, with Helen crying by his shoulder.
“Kevin?” I whispered, slowly stepping forwards and reaching out to tap his shoulder. He shifted, and I drew back, unsure of what to do.
“It’s over,” he barely breathed.
“What?”
“The war is over,” he clarified, turning around and taking off his helmet.
“All my life, I’ve known nothing but war,” he whispered, falling onto his knees. “And it’s over.”
I knelt before him and placed my hands on his shoulders. “Are you okay?”
“Are you kidding?” he immediately asked, and I drew back once more until I saw the smile across his lips. “I’ve never felt better.”
  Collins, Visc, and Adam had joined us by now, and Kevin stood up while Helen took a seat on his head.
“What’s this strange feeling?” he asked, closing his eyes and raising his head towards the sky to take a deep breath. “Ah.”
I stood to join him as his eyes snapped open and he looked at the four of us before smiling widely.
“It’s peace.”

Chapter Sixteen
General Alexander Collins, 48, July 16th, 2116
Wednesday, 11:21 AM
New Sol
“To the citizens of Solera,” the former prime minister of Rei and one of Solera’s current leaders began to speak.
“It has been one year since the War for Sol,” the previous president of Geo, the other leader of Solera joined in. “Rather than the six years of war, this has been a year of peace.”
As they continued, my mind drowned out the speech and began to wander. After Matthew’s final attempt to destroy us had been stopped, Geo and Rei had continued their alliance. The two governments began cooperating economically, improving stability on Solera, and eventually unified into a single government. A new capital for the nation was built on the ruins of Sol, and was aptly christened “New Sol.”
Visc tapped my shoulder. “We’re up soon.”
I snapped out of my daydreaming and nodded, and as the two leaders finished their speech, Visc and I stood up.
We stood in the government’s headquarters, where the several officials and important figures had gathered in an auditorium. Visc and I stood next to each other behind a large podium and looked out towards the audience, which included several television crews.
“I am Rickard Visc,” my friend introduced himself.
“And I am Alexander Collins.” I did the same. “As the leaders of Solera’s military power, we are proud to declare that our nation will not use military force to attack the other nations of the world.
“However,” Visc broke in, flawlessly continuing the speech. “We shall establish a peacekeeping force in the interest of preserving Solera in the case of invasion or insurrection. We hope to maintain stability and avoid conflict as a nation…”
Crystal Seren, 17, July 16th, 2116
Wednesday, 11:29 AM
New Sol
“…and pave a way to a future of peace.” Visc and Collins finished their speech, which was being broadcasted across all of New Sol. Adam and I walked through the streets of the new capital, surrounded not just by shining silver buildings but also lively green grass of trees and parks.
“I never imagined a city like this,” Adam mumbled, and I nodded.
“It’s amazing how Geo and Rei worked together,” I noted as we arrived at our destination.
“You’re sure this is everything, right?” he asked, hefting the groceries in his arms.
“Of course!” I grinned, also holding a bag. “Maybe,” I added afterwards.
“That’s not reassuring!” he exclaimed, but I simply grinned and kissed him on the cheek. His face immediately burned red, and he quickly made his way into a building.
As we ascended the apartment complex on the lift, I bounced on my toes every few moments.
“I’m so pumped!” I exclaimed, hopping a bit. “A picnic! Good food, good people, and good, um,” I trailed off, searching for more to say.
“Good memories?” Adam asked, and I glanced at his amused grin.
“Yeah! That!” I nodded as the elevator stopped and we hopped off, stopping in front of apartment number five zero one. A small whiteboard was taped to the wooden door, and upon its surface was a childish scrawl.
“Apartment of Awesomeness! Kevin, Katrina, Allison, Adam, and Crystal live here!”
Adam sighed contentedly. “I never thought Collins and Visc would actually provide a home for us.”
 “It’s a good thing!” I shrugged, kicking the door lightly. A moment later, the entrance cracked open to reveal Allison’s wide smile, and she let us in.
“Katrina, they’re back!” she announced as we stepped back into our home, which was a two-story apartment that Collins and Visc had bought for us after the war. The spacious living space was where we slept, ate, and laughed, and was the site of our shenanigans and friendships.
“Welcome home!” Katrina called, standing in the kitchen and packing a picnic basket. “Is that everything?”
“Juice, cookies, and ketchup,” Adam confirmed as we placed the bags onto the counter. “We can’t forget Kevin’s obsession of French fries.”
“Speaking of Kevin, is he awake yet?” I asked. “He hasn’t come out of his room, has he?”
 “I’ll go wake him up!” Allison volunteered and charged down a hallway, where the only first floor bedroom was. She returned mere moments later, frowning and holding a slip of paper.
“I found this,” she pouted, puffing her cheeks as I read the note.
“I’m going early,” I read the words. “Please don’t worry about me.” The four of us stared at each other before sighing in unison.
“Oh, well,” Adam dismissed our friend’s escapade. “It’s been a year since then.”
“Yeah,” Allison agreed, looking at the ground sadly.
I frowned and tapped her on the head. “Come on, cheer up! Today is a celebration!”
“Crystal’s right,” Katrina said, packing the remaining food into the picnic basket. “We shouldn’t dwell on the past. Shall we go?”
“Yeah!” I shouted enthusiastically, leaping up with a skyward fist of triumph.
Katrina Xie, 18, July 16th, 2116
Wednesday, 11:49 AM
New Sol; Outskirts
Joint efforts of terraforming the crater had transformed the center of the island into a lively environment, with the once barren landscape replaced by fertile soil and fields of grass. The outskirts of New Sol were reachable by a metro line, which stopped by a large knoll that was our destination.
The slightly lengthy metro ride had lulled Allison to sleep, even more so because of the rather empty train car. Not many people visited the outskirts other than hikers, so we enjoyed a rather quiet journey. Even Crystal, who was normally charged with energy, was slowly nodding off.
“She’s gone,” Adam mused, sitting across from Allison and I as Crystal surrendered to sleep and set her head on his shoulder.
“Such a rare sight,” I smiled. “She looks so peaceful.”
“So do you,” he commented, and I raised an eyebrow as he quickly clarified. “I mean, you’re different from during the war.”
“Am I?” I asked, and he nodded.
“Back then, you were always so timid,” he explained. “You never smiled either. But now, you’re always smiling.”
I blinked, surprised at how much change Adam had seen in me before looking down.
“I’m sure it’s because of him,” I said quietly, and Adam nodded.
“A lot has changed thanks to him,” he observed. “Not just the nation, but the individuals, as well.”
“And the funny thing is that he doesn’t realize it,” I giggled.
“Well, he’s clueless,” Adam sighed, looking out the window towards the vivid, vermillion sea of grass.
“We are nearing the outskirts of New Sol,” an automated voice called throughout the metro. “Passengers to the outskirts of New Sol, please prepare to disembark.”
“Allison.” I poked my sister’s cheek to wake her up. “We’re here.”
She opened her eyes and immediately sat up, yawning and stretching. Adam, however, had a harder time.
“Crystal.” He prodded her again. “Crystal, wake up.”
Said sleeping girl responded with soft breathing and closed eyes as she continued to dream until Allison leapt up, reached forwards and pinched her cheek.
“Something bit me!” Crystal yelped, abruptly waking up and looking around wildly. “Wait. What?”
“Good, you’re awake,” Adam said, patting Allison’s head. “Good job!”
Allison grinned with a thumbs-up. “Yeah!”
“Let’s go!” I called, holding the picnic basket as the doors opened, and my friends quickly followed me off of the train.
Our destination was only a short while away, and you could see the hill from the station. Atop the knoll was a large tree, its long strands of leaves hanging around it and shading those under it from the sun – a weeping willow.
As we trudged up the hill, my eyes suddenly caught a figure standing beneath the waving leaves, looking out over the endless fields of the peaceful nation.
I smiled as my heart skipped a beat. It always did.
“There he is.” I pointed to our friend, and Allison’s eyes widened with joy as she began running up the hill. Adam immediately caught up to her with a challenge of a race, and the two charged up the hillside.
“Things are better now,” Crystal said quietly, and I glanced at her wide smile.
“Yes,” I agreed, looking back towards the one who had saved the world.
“Because it has a hero.”
Kevin Li, 17, July 16th, 2116
Wednesday, 11:58 AM
New Sol; Outskirts
Despite Collins’ and Visc’s commendations, I had refused all awards related to military service. It was natural, as I was not the hero of this conflict.
“Dad erased all evidence,” I spoke as Helen floated in front of me, holding up a holographic screen that read “Audio Recording in Progress.” “But Helen and I know the truth.”
She nodded, closing her eyes solemnly as I continued. “His plan was to unify Geo and Rei. That was mom’s wish. But he found the only way. That was self sacrifice.”
I paused, thinking of what to say next. “By presenting another threat to the world, he forced Geo and Rei to unite against a common enemy. Of course, that meant he would need to be that common enemy. And he was. But he wasn’t really as evil as we thought him to be.”
Helen looked at me, and I could see tears forming in her holographic eyes. “He sacrificed his own sanity by implanting memories and a personality into himself. He changed himself psychologically, turning himself into a war master who simply desired to lord over Solera. By sacrificing his own soul and erasing his memories of the plan, he took the role of the war’s villain.”
The weeping willow’s leaves swayed side to side, as if they were crying with Helen, and I smiled sadly. “He unified Solera by giving his life and soul.”
My monologue was nearing an end, but I still had more to say. “The real hero of the war wasn’t me. It was Matthew Li.”
I nodded at Helen, and she stopped the audio recording before immediately pressing, “Delete.”
“No one will know,” I said. “But that's the way he wanted it. Right?”
She nodded and hopped onto my shoulder. “What will you do now?” she asked.
“Kevin!” I turned as Allison called me and saw her charging up the hill with Adam. Behind the two racers, Katrina and Crystal followed.
Slowly, a smile crept across my lips as my friends drew closer.
“The war’s over,” I answered, looking at Helen. “I don’t have to fight anymore. The world is at peace.”
She nodded, twirling in the air and holding her hands behind her back. “Will you join them?”
“Of course,” I answered, beginning to walk down the hill. “After all, I don't have to fight anymore.”
As I neared my friends, my heart pounded in excitement as I looked forwards to the fun we would have: laughing with Crystal, sparring with Adam, teaching Allison about the world, and spending time with Katrina. I couldn’t wait for it to start.
I couldn’t wait for the future.