Chapter 50 No Room for Delusions

Aria took a single step toward Harry. She could see in his eyes that delusional, maddening determination. Her fists trembled at her sides wound tight with fury. Her face was a mask of rage - teeth clenched so hard she could snap steel, eyes blazing like molten lava.

“Harry... I am done listening to you!”

He opened his mouth, starting to plead again, but Aria was past hearing. Her hand tightened into a fist, her gauntlets groaning in strain. She could feel the energy coursing into her grip, the suit’s glow intensifying, until it was vibrating, thrumming with the same anger blazing inside her. She squeezed her fist tighter, her rage reaching a boiling point, and the glow around her gauntlet shattered in a blinding burst of sparks as the gauntlet burst.

“GET. OUT. OF MY WAY!”

With a single, devastating swing, she unleashed her fist, her entire body following through, every ounce of her strength channeled into that one, earth-shattering punch. Her fist slammed into Harry’s helmet with explosive force. The metal crumpled under the impact, cracking, buckling - until her fist broke straight through, shattering his visor as her knuckles connected directly with his cheekbone. The shockwave of the hit rippled through the air, a sonic boom that made the rubble around them tremble.

Harry rocketed backward, his body launching across the field, hurtling like a missile as he crashed into a wall, obliterating it on impact. Bricks and debris rained down around him as he lay sprawled, stunned, against the wreckage.

Aria wasted no time and threw her knife, cutting the tentacle that was dragging Lisana, letting her get away safely. Just as Aria was about to go finish the mutants, three Combelt MK3 landed from the sky plowing their tank knives into the mutant, killing it.   

"Is everyone alright? We can't stay for long, more mutants popped up!" One of the pilots shouted through comms.

Aria responded, "Seems clear, all pilots accountable, no losses. No additional mutants in sight! Proceed to the next target!"

With that, they disappeared just as fast as they appeared.

As Aria came close to Harry, he lifted his head, his vision swimming, blood trickling from the side of his mouth, but still, he tried to push himself up, refusing to back down.

Aria’s fist still smoldering from the sheer force of the blow. Her eyes locked onto Harry, her expression full of fury that seemed to radiate from her entire being.

“Do you even realize what you’re doing? She almost died, Harry! While you were standing in my way, preaching, Lisana nearly died!” She pointed toward girl, who was slowly coming their way.

 “You’re not saving anyone. All you’re doing is getting in the way.”

Harry coughed, still dazed, but his eyes retained that same glimmer.

 “Hale… we don’t have to fight. I can make them see… I can make them understand…” he murmured, his voice shaky but stubborn, clinging to that last shred of his delusion.

Aria’s fists trembled at her sides. Every fiber of her being wanted to shake him, to make him see the carnage around them, the mutants that had wiped out half of humanity, and the lives they were fighting so hard to protect. She had no more words, no more patience. She’d tried reason.

"I've had enough of your nonsense..." The words tore from her lips. And as they echoed in her ears, she froze, a sudden, dawning realization seizing her. Nonsense. It wasn’t just her voice - everyone had said it. She could hear it now, the frustrated echoes from every lesson, every whispered complaint, every lashing remark that others had thrown at Harry ever since she joined the academy.

It all crashed down on her like a tidal wave of understanding. The annoyance in her teammates' voices, the snide comments in the academy halls, the rolling eyes, and the muttered curses "We’re sick of it, Harry. We’re sick of your nonsense." She’d watched others shake their heads and storm away and had seen the quiet, simmering resentment on everyone’s faces. But she hadn’t understood, not until this moment.

And now the truth hit her with brutal, unflinching clarity. This was the nonsense they’d all meant. The refusal to listen, the reckless idealism, the selfish devotion to a fantasy that he clung to above the reality around him.

Suddenly, West's voice erupted through the comms, louder and more furious than ever. 

“What the hell is going on down there?! Are you all trying to get yourselves killed? Abort the training immediately! Everyone, return to base, now!”

The damaged tank mechs staggered back, supported by those still functioning, and the suppression squad closed in to protect the retreating trainees. 

After the nerve-racking journey, everyone finally made it back to the holding bay. Aria hadn’t even had a moment to breathe before she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned to see Lisana, the girl from the academic group with the ponytail.

“Thanks for saving me back there, Hale. If you ever need anything, just ask. I owe you my life.”

 “Don’t worry about it. It was a close call, and you handled yourself well, despite that fool Harry putting us all at risk. Just glad I could help.”

 “Yeah... still, you made it look almost effortless out there. I don’t know how you kept it together with that monster. I was so scared. I thought for sure I was done for.”

“That’s natural. The truth is, I was scared, too. But not of the mutant. I was scared to lose you.”

Lisana gave her a small, grateful smile.

 “I’ll remember that. And… thank you again.”

As Lisana walked away she noticed West striding into the bay, his face twisted in frustration and anger. He scanned the group, his gaze stopped on Harry, who was still visibly shaken.

Without addressing the students directly, West muttered something under his breath. He approached Aria.

“You did well out there, Hale,” he said in a low enough tone that only she could hear.

 “Didn’t expect a mutant, let alone a full-on confrontation. But you kept them together.”

 He glanced back at the other students, his eyes narrowing as they landed on Harry.

“Now, I’ve got to deal with some disciplinary issues,” West added, the edge of irritation creeping back into his voice. 

 He slammed his fist down onto the nearby tank mech armor, the sound reverberating through the hangar like a gunshot.

"Attention!" 

The students stood even straighter, feeling the weight of his anger.

"Harry Rowen, step forward!" The room was silent as Harry reluctantly shuffled to the front, head bowed and shoulders hunched.

“This incident was more than a lapse in judgment. It was a complete defection of duty, a violation of trust, and a disregard for the safety of your peers! You abandoned your assigned tank mech in the middle of a live drill! Rule 4-16 of pilot conduct! Never leave your post without explicit orders. You knowingly left your partner, Hale, to handle an escalating situation alone! Rule 5-03! Partners must remain together and provide mutual support in all operations. And, worst of all…” West’s voice darkened, filled with disgust, “…your reckless actions directly endangered another pilot, Lisana, who almost died because of your selfishness! Rule 1-01! The safety of your team is your top priority.”

Harry flinched, his face pale as the words landed like blows.

 “You deliberately defied orders, disregarded training protocol, and risked lives! This is not just insubordination. It is criminal negligence!”

"You are no longer a part of this academy! Effective immediately! You are hereby dismissed and stripped of all pilot student privileges. Your actions have proven you are unfit to serve on the surface or anywhere near combat operations!"

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but West slammed his fist again, silencing him.

 “Don’t even try it, Harry! You’re lucky I’m not sending you to the detention level! Instead, you’ll be reassigned to the farm level of the Beehive. You can spend your time hauling equipment and tending hydroponic crops!”

“This academy is not a playground! You put lives at risk! Lives that we cannot afford to lose! Now get out of my sight! Report to the farm overseer on Level 7 within the hour!”

Harry shuffled away without a word, his head hanging low. The doors slammed shut behind him, and West turned back to the remaining students.

“Let this be a lesson to all of you! There are no second chances out there. None! If you can’t follow orders, if you can’t prioritize the lives of your team, you have no place here! Dismissed!”