Act 1, Chapter 4: Dark Blue

0538 hours, 30 June 2004…

The briefing room is fuller of energy than previously. Despite my sleepiness, that’s even electrocuting my nerves even further; their cheering deafened the entire briefing room like a taser to keep me awake. Maybe it was like what we’ve ever done back in the 1940s, successfully repelling the Imperial Gumanese force despite our massive casualties.

The commander then halted all the cheering with a raise of his hand as he debriefed in a solemn but crystal-clear voice.

"Mission accomplished. While Valoria Harbor sustained approximately 45% damage, our swift action ensured the safe evacuation of civilians and prevented the Valusian Royal Forces from causing further devastation. This was a hard-fought victory, but make no mistake—this war is far from over.

"We've gained an opportunity to shift the tide, but we’re up against an enemy that is far more resilient, relentless, and prepared than we anticipated. This battle marks only the beginning of a much larger conflict—one that will test our resolve, our strategy, and our will to fight."

"But more importantly, this is our first real step toward uncovering the true orchestrators behind this unsung war."

"Stay sharp. Stay ready. Dismissed."

After the mission debriefing, all of us left the briefing room in satisfaction and gratitude because we made it out alive after this bloodbath mission.

I was hoping this day would be better than yesterday, after our massive shitshow against the invading Valusian Royal Forces that relentlessly set our protected harbor and our fleets into the hellish fire.

I can’t stop overthinking about what we did wrong?! And who the fuck is responsible for this monstrosity?! There’s no way that our troops were that stupid to commit such stupid genocide! It was as if history was repeating itself.

Dear Mother of Christ… My mind can’t stop melting down like the nuclear reactor, all due to my sleepiness. I need a little space to cope with my overthinking, by taking a sleep, of course.

Unfortunately, Gordon Yucatan Browning (Rexus-2), with his signature jockiness, slapped my back and just worsened my sleepiness.

"Hey, Wyvern kid! Got a jetlag? Wanna puke?"

His slap on my back flinched me back into my reality’s sense. His tall, muscular posture and tanned skin pretty much showed how jocky he is. And with a growing frustration, I keep my walk as I briefly respond, which is likened to a cat slapping the predator’s face.

"Fuck off!"

But Gordon suddenly gets his arms right on my shoulder as tight as possible. All the while, it keeps teasing me even further.

"What do you mean with fuck off, huh?! How many Gs have you eaten on the previous mission, huh?!"

His jocky laugh increased my desire to mutilate him even further. As I can’t hold it any longer, I had to spout it.

"I said, GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY FACE!!!"

SLAP

It was such a rare occasion that he didn’t defend himself right after I harshly slapped his face. With a stinging red mark on his left cheek, he just froze in place in surprise, with no resentment or fear.

With that wrapped up, I continued my walk and headed back to my dorm room to continue my sleep. And hoping that his squadron leader wouldn’t ground me for such a laughable matter.

***

The night was cold, like the freezing horizon of the northern polar circle. But it thankfully has not frozen me into ice yet.

It was the continuation of my previous dream where I woke up in the small pond with a small waterfall, surrounded by the garden of flowers at night. As I get up slowly and look at the flowers, all the flower petals are in blue color. I could feel the gentle softness of each flower I’ve caressed, like a soft blanket that gently hugged me during the winter.

My mind was glued right at the beautiful flower and the calming starry night, likened to a heaven. Until I heard a gentle young woman's voice, the gentleness of her voice gave me a sense of serenity that was like a mother's cradle.

“You have finally shown up.”

I then glanced back and forth with a sudden surprise, trying to find the voice’s source and the true form of the one who spoke it. But the more I think about it, it was very much in vain, as if I was speaking to the fairy goddess. Or even… one of the guardian angels that was blessed by God himself?

Just as my mind was about to melt down like a nuclear reactor, the gentleness of her voice was like cooling down my anxiety.

“No need to worry about me. You are completely safe and sound. I’m here to give you a message.”

But it wasn’t helping with my cautiousness, worrying that it could be a nightmare in disguise. Like a nemesis in the mist, shrouded with a deceiving beauty that’s ready to devour me as I lowered my guard in a slight. I couldn’t help myself but stutter at her response as I couldn’t stop glancing back and forth, wishing to find the pieces.

“W-what message?”

Out of my surprise, the sudden presence of a woman behind me jump scared me. She had long, but slightly wavy, brown hair. The gentleness of her blue eyes solaced my sight like I was staring at the guardian angel like in the fairy tale.

Her bare feet slowly walking through the soft grass, with gentle thuds like walking through the soft carpet. She gets close to my face, lowers her hand, and reaches into my right hand with a gentle caress.

She then clasped it as she lifted my right hand, giving me a gentle smile and a softened gaze into my sight. And thus, the gentleness of her voice was like a mother cradling her child with such unwavering affection.

“You have to live, no matter what.”

“But… why?”

But it is such a shame that there was no response on her mouth, just as I begged for a clearer answer. Her entire body glowed brightly with a gentle blue that almost blinded the surroundings like a flashbang. But simultaneously, it gives me a hint of gentleness, like a mother’s cradle, protecting her kids from further threats.

I have no idea if this mysterious guardian angel was the spirit of my deceased mother or someone I used to know.

But maybe… God will show me the way to find the true form of this mysterious woman in my dream.

***

I had no idea how long I had been sleeping in my dormitory as I slowly opened my eyes after my minor hibernation. I got up from my bed, stretched my body to refresh my muscles, and went back to the purgatory of the demiurge.

While I clean up my face and get dressed up in the restroom, I still can’t take my mind off the mysterious ‘Guardian Angel’ in my dream. Don’t know if that would be just a mere dream, or it could be some kind of sign.

“Huh… that was weird…”

With an uncertainty lingering in my sanity, I still had to shrug it off as I was spraying deodorant all over my body and combing my hair. While I opened the curtain, turned off the AC, and opened the window to get some fresh air, someone knocked on my room in a sudden way that flinched me to death.

“Rayburn Yorkshire, this is Robin Markovic. Dude! Are you still sleeping?”

Thank God it was Robin. Because if it was the drill instructor, he would plunge my sanity further into the nine circles of hate with tiring daily morning workout sessions.

“Hold on! I’m coming.”

I then reached for my door, unlocked it, and welcomed his entrance as he entered my room whilst carrying his skateboard.

“Dude! Did you know—GOD! Your room is like a freaking freezer! What are you?! A polar bear?!”

Well, that’s the risk of entering my room, as I usually set the AC to 68 Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) so I could sleep better, like a minor hibernation. All the while I jested in a slight.

“For a better sleeping experience!”

“Anyway, why did you come here? All because I slapped Gordon’s face hours ago?”

His face suddenly went serious as he glanced at my face whilst putting his basketball on the side of my desk. Afraid that he might have nodded on my question where I had to apologize to the Rexus’ leader for my misbehaving 6 hours ago.

But with a gentle shake of his head, he then elaborated.

“No, Major General Jacob Vanderhall had come home from Sauveterre, and he summoned you.”

His answer piqued my curiosity as I raised my right eyebrow. Wanted to know more.

“For what?”

”I dunno, ask him directly.”

Just as I picked up my bags on the way to Major General Jacob Vanderhall’s office room and wished to find the impossible pieces I craved upon, Robin then stopped my step as he bounced his basketball with a jesting offer.

“Hey Ray! Want to go for a round after that?"

"No thanks. Duty calls."

So sorry that I must turn down your offer and be the boring high-ranked kid in the class, dude. But this is the harsh way that I must face. Being the highest-ranked military in the most elite air force's headquarters is not a pushover. Where each loss would be devastating to us.