The Louvre

“This fight, was it really your first? I have seen newbies cry or have panic attacks. But you…” Anya began to say in the open chat, her Mech facing Waterfall while walking sideways. ”You deal with this surprisingly well” she continued while Waterfall was floating on a cloud of metallic jellyfish.

“Oh! Than you. I have seen the red ones from a distance before, but never fought any until now” Kaya replied as some of her drones surveyed the path ahead.

“I also like to keep my panic, um…, inside. I very much wanted to scream the entire fight. my mech warned me that my vitals were all over the place…” she continued, sending the map her scouting drones made of the surrounding streets.

As they walked the ground around them changed with each step, from asphalt of old roads to the uneven terrain of craters and missing buildings, every step cautious for an attack.

“Well. Now that I know how hard it was for you, I am more impressed! I like you. Stick with me, I will teach you how to fight.” Anya said to Kaya as Undying gave a friendly slap to Waterfall’s back, sending a wave down the jellyfishes

“I had a feeling you were going to do just fine.” William said, pointing at a building to Louis while the scout took to a higher ground. “You know you are overqualified right?” he continued with a chuckle.

“How so?” Kaya’s said, sounding awfully honest.

“Well, among the people with military careers only one precent get to drive A ranked mechs like us. The training for which usually takes most of someone’s will, focus and time. Do you agree?” William said while dropping the humor. ”yes” she replied.

“Do you know how many of the people who can step into an A ranked Mech have a degree at all, let alone one in engineering or the sciences?” William said while signaling Louis to jump to another building “No.” Kaya said truthfully.

“ten percent. And I am being very generous here.” Ward continued trying to not be misunderstood “And among the small group of people who do have a degree and can step in to an A ranked mech do you know how many people studied medicine and are also trained doctors?”

“One precents?” Kaya asked hopefully.

“Four people, worldwide.” William said stressing the last word “and among them you are the only one who has a degree other than medicine.”

Nomad almost missed a step, leg hanging over one building, hovering with a get in the last moment to prevent a fall. “Wow“ Louis managed to say after a long pause, as if this explains everything.

The sound of Anya coughing mid laughing was heard through the voice chat, as Undying stopped moving for a moment while holding a huge piece of rubble it was just about to toss aside.

Ward understood in a moment Kaya was not one to enjoy the attention, sensing a fear in her voice, so before the awkward silence could begin to form ward tried to divert the topic.

“Louis where to next?” Ward called with a hopeful voice.

“The Footprints go all over but it seems they originally were intending to go to the Louvre” the scout replied.

“Oh! Mon Frere! Before I forget.” Louis said, his voice finally indicated to Ward that he registered Kayas embarrassment. “I know I don’t use a Cascade, but you said your Mech has one. What is it?”

“It’s called let there be light.” Ward said while his Mech pointed to one of the fifty stars on Oath.

“When I use it, these shoot lasers, big ones. This is why this Frame is called the Stars and Stripes “ Ward said with a chuckle.

“Mon Frere, that is the most American thing I ever heard.” Louis said while he got down to street level. “How about you two?” Louis asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

“Mine is simple, the machine produces more power and speed, pushing itself to the limit, but the Mech cant handle more than one activation without long difficult maintenance.” Anya said as her mech turned to face the group walking behind her.

” It overclocks the nuclear reactor in Undying, a second use risks blowing it up ” one of Undying’s thumbs were pointing at its stomach.

“Your Mech is Atomic? I thought all modern Mechs were run on those blue Tartarus Crystals” Louis blurted out “Yes, it is built so that I have the option to take them with me if I so choose”

“How about you Kaya?” Anya asked, barley noticing the sight of the Louvre stretching behind her in the distance.

The building was almost unharmed aside from a few broken windows and some debris here and there. But the whole courtyard in front of the palace looked to William like Swiss cheese as craters filled the ground around the glass pyramid.

“ I Do have –“ Kaya started to say as the ground beneath Nomad’s foot cracked with a loud rumble.

Nomad Jumped up and twisted, reaching for the edge of the now open hole threatening to swallow him to some underground tunnel.

Before William managed to draw out his gun, a yellow crystalline human shape darted out of the hole and bit Nomad right in the foot.

In the time it took for Ward’s bullet to pierce the Devourer’s chest, it had already torn something from Nomad’s leg.

Something that Ward thought looked important.

The shot rang through the open space, echoing through the empty plaza they just now entered.

The Monster let out one last screech as it bled out before being smashed flat by Undying’s hammer.

A cacophony of Laughter and screeches filled the air as every hole in the ground suddenly sounded like a portal to hell.

“They are coming from the catacombs! “ Louis shouted.

“To the Palace” Ward Commanded.

Time stood still for William as they ran. He could feel the enemy coming closer with every rumble of the ground. He could see the fear in his team’s reaction.

‘Think! Think! Think! What edge do you have?’ William’s mind shouted at him.

“Nomad! bomb anything that comes out of those holes until I get to the top of the Palace” Ward said while splitting from the group towards the closest wall.

“Waterfall! protect Nomad, try to fixt his leg if possible.” Ward continued in the same breath

“And Undying-“ Ward started but was cut off as the ground shook violently While Anya started to speak.

“Undying requesting cascade” she said, holstering her gun to place two hands on her hammer.

“Granted! Don’t die!” William commanded as Anya’s Mech started to let off steam, loud music emanating from hidden speakers he completely forgot about.