The Fight for the Future

The Imperial Army quickly moved into the city. They tried to be as non-intrusive as possible. However, they did demand that the citizens near the legislative building evacuate to try and avoid unnecessary casualties.

Once the area was sufficiently cleared out, they set up shop, hunkering down in buildings as well as wherever else they could find cover and waited.

Kaiser’s plan was simple. While their enemy had a strong defensive advantage, if they could force them to go on the offensive, the scales would shift, and deadlocking the battle in such a manner was the first step.

***

Adam watched the Imperial Army with his binoculars, and as he realized what their plan was, a pit formed in his stomach. Lily Aranea was incredibly impatient. She probably wouldn’t even wait a couple hours before ordering a full-assault.

“Damn it!” he cursed to himself and put down his binoculars. He had to come up with something, anything to resolve this mess.

“General Gray.” Ava had come up to him. A look of concern plastered her face. It looked like she had come to the same conclusion as him.

Adam sighed. “Prepare for combat.”

“What!?”

“They’re still preparing. If we attack now, we’ll catch them off guard.” He fiddled with his collar. “It’s the only chance we have…”

***

Kaiser watched the legislative building closely, waiting for any signs of activity. He figured it’d still be several hours until Lily ordered an offensive, but he was shocked to see them already begin their attack. Unfortunately, they were still not fully prepared, but the battle was happening now. He gave the order to initiate combat.

“You ready for this, Akira?”

“Of course, Kaiser.”

The two jumped down from the second-story of the building they were in. Their job was to lead their troops and face Adam and Ava on the battlefield, cutting the head off the snake.

“We’re going in now?” Felix and Velvet had come up beside them. They were to serve as their backup.

“Yeah, follow close behind us!”

The four rushed into a city square, stopping as their targets came into view.

Adam and Ava, Kaiser and Akira, and Felix and Velvet had all met in the middle of the battlefield.

Each side stood still, silently sizing up their opponents.

Finally, Kaiser looked over his shoulder and said to Felix and Velvet, “Cover us, we’ll finish this.”

With just a nod from each, they jumped away.

A fierce battle burned around them, but it was like they were in their own world. This fight would decide the fate of the Republic, the Empire, and perhaps even the entire world.

“Adam Gray!” Kaiser stood righteously, drawing his rifle. “It’s time we finish this!”

“You don’t need to tell me that.” He looked away and drew his weapon, a similar model.

Between Akira and Ava, there wasn’t a word, just Akira’s burning gaze tearing through her.

As an explosion rang out, Kaiser and Akira leapt into action. Kaiser fired off a torrent of bullets as he slid into cover. Akira drew her sword and teleported right in front of Ava using Telos.

Adam avoided the bullets by rushing into cover himself. Ava set a trap using Vinea, tying up Akira’s upper body and using the opportunity to strike, but Akira managed to break her hand free and parried the attack, blocking with her sword before leaning far back and delivering a kick that just barely missed.

Ava called back Vinea and retreated.

Akira widened the distance too. “Ava, do we really have to fight?”

“It’s too late to be talking like that, isn’t it?” She sent out a volley of spells, each one missing and hitting the nearby buildings as Akira dodged.

“Maybe, but it’s worth a chance!” She kept dodging. “I can tell, not even your own heart is in this anymore!” As those last words were said, she sent out a powerful spell of her own.

Ava jutted out of the way and casted her own spell, but Akira teleported right in front of her and slashed. Ava barely had enough time to draw her blade, blocking the strike and locking their swords.

“Come on, Ava! Think about all the men who were sent to their death! Think about the dolls and men still fighting! We can end this! Please!”

Ava gritted her teeth, she felt tears start to form, but she shoved off Akira and charged up a powerful magical blast, sending it to her sister with a painful cry.

Akira dodged yet again, but instead of counterattacking, she did nothing. Ava wildly hurled spell after spell at her, but all she did was calmly dodge each one. Eventually, Ava became too tired to keep going and fell to the ground.

She gasped for breath, her body trembling. Everything she had fought for, everything she did, it was all for nothing. Before she realized it, the ground had become wet with her tears.

“Ava…” Akira stood before her. “It’s not too late. Please.” She held out her hand. “Join me, join us, we’ll build a better world and fulfill Father’s dream, together.”

Slowly, Ava raised her left hand, carefully taking her sister’s.

Akira closed her eyes and tenderly smiled at her, happy to finally have her sister back.

Ava smiled too, but as the new ring on her finger glowed, her arm moved on its own. As if being controlled by puppet strings, she drew her blade, driving it right through Akira’s chest.

Akira looked down, seeing herself pierced by Ava’s sword. Horrified, she just stood still for a few seconds before looking back up at her sister and staring at her right in the eyes, completely heartbroken.

She then collapsed onto the ground.

***

Kaiser and Adam’s battle had been slow but fierce with each trading shots from cover while trying to flank the other. However, as soon as Kaiser saw Akira fall, he immediately ran to her.

“Akira!” He dropped to his knees and picked her up, cradling her in his arms. “Come on, Akira! Speak to me!” He raised his voice louder and louder as his tears kept flowing. “Akira!”

Ava was stunned, she couldn’t believe what she had just done.

Adam watched the scene in dismay. It was sad to see a man breakdown like that over losing his love. Of course, this would be the perfect time to kill him, but such an act was against his own code of honor.

But then his new ring started to glow…

And he felt his arms rise. It was as if his body wasn’t his own as he involuntarily lined up Adam in his sights and pulled the trigger, executing him and splattering blood across the ground.

Adam lowered his gun in abject shock. He couldn’t believe he did something like that. How did he do something like that? It was like his body moved on its own!

But he didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Adam was shot at, and as he ducked into cover, he got hit twice, once in his stomach and once in his arm.

Meanwhile, a torrent of spells were fired at Ava from above. She managed to dodge them, making it out with only a graze.

“You two really are the lowest of the low.” It was Felix who emerged, quickly reloading his revolver.

“I knew you had lost your way, Ava, but to do something so underhanded.” Velvet descended, her eyes filled with contempt. “Disgusting.”

Ava and Adam had nothing to say. They were disgusted with themselves too. They couldn’t pretend that they were the good guys after such actions.

In the blink of an eye, Velvet launched a magical blast and Felix fired his gun.

Their rings glowed yet again, so Ava dodged and Adam retreated deeper into cover.

Neither still had the will to fight, but their bodies acted on their own. Ava fired a burst of magic, missing, and Adam unloaded his rifle into Felix who had retreated into cover.

However, it wasn’t just their will that was gone, their energy was depleted too. Ava’s spells were getting weaker and Adam’s aim was getting shakier.

Felix and Velvet continued avoiding their attacks. As both Ava and Adam fired their last shots, Velvet charged up a magical blast of her own, firing it directly at Ava.

The spell slammed in Ava’s chest, shattering her torso.

Meanwhile, as Adam fumbled his reload, Felix drew his revolver, and quickly but perfectly aiming, he fired, hitting Adam square in the chest.

Both were spread out face up, staring at the sky.

Ava regretted her decisions. She wished she had made peace with Akira and Velvet. Wished they could’ve gone back to how things were.

Adam closed his eyes, he had hoped his last moments would be better than this.