Atrocity

The AMDO base has walls as high as three story buildings. They’re reinforced to take hits from missiles, and are equipped with cameras able to detect an ant at a great distance. Breaking into the building is a foolish dream for most, but the defenses of Earth have yet to adapt to powers beyond their imagination.

Cato approaches the base, his steps silent and body invisible due to a simple spell. Back home, the spell wouldn’t get him far into any protected space, but it works wonders as he strolls towards his target.

The tall walls mean nothing as well. Scaling is simple enough, though he worries that touching them could alert the guards and decides to jump over. His body floats in the sky for a second, the area inside is just as protected, but there is nothing that worries him within eyesight.

“They’re up in arms about losing another one. All in a short period, should we be worried?” A guard said to his partner.

They stand by the door, both leaning against the wall after a long shift on position. Years of the same routine bore them, but they believe their job simple and this world lacks lunatics willing to break in.

“Did you hear me?”

Looking over, the guard finds his partner unconscious on the ground. Disbelief slows him, allowing Cato to deal a blow that steals the wind from his body. Even a controlled strike from Cato leaves the guard in incredible pain. Unable to scream, the guard rests on his side until the pain sends him to sleep.

“Hmm, I saw them use these small cards to enter.” Cato snatches a key card from the guard and presses it against the panel as he saw before.

The door opens, alarms screeching and guards yelling about an intruder as they do. Guards from outside the walls rush for the main door as Cato walks inside. They take aim and fire, a wall of stone summoned by Cato blocking each bullet and the door itself.

“Inform those inside now!”

Deeper inside, Cato continues his slow descent into the base. Every soldier that attacks him is met with the same fate, a quick defeat by a blow of unbelievable power. Some are left with broken bones, other groaning in pain, but none have been killed.

“Hyahh!”

Cato grabs the next attacker.

“Wait! Ahhh!”

After breaking their arm, Cato kicks way their weapon. The guard squirms as Cato pulls him, hitting him with his free hand but unable to do any damage to his opponent. Each pull drives pain up his arm and elicits another scream; after the tenth, the guard gives and follows Cato without resistance.

“Here. You can use those things to access information, correct?”

“We can. But I can’t do that.”

“Do it.” Cato pushes the guard into a room with a computer.

The guards logs in, looking behind him every so often in search of a way to escape. The large man with dog ears has no opening however, his only chance will be to alert the others using the computers. But, as he attempts to do so, his body refuses.

“W-what do you want to know.”

“How are those glowing suits powered?”

“The Mas series? Here, this file explains some of it.”

“It’s a single page?”

“Yes! I’m sorry, not everything is kept on the server.”

The suits are powered as Cato imagined. Magic is siphoned into small batteries capable of storing the resource, but the supply is finite. Mas suits are to only be used for missions requiring the power of magic.

“The issue with siphoning so far is that it has adverse effects, including death.”

The guard’s breath quickens, the anger in the voice behind him is enough to pick at his skin. He doesn’t dare move without command, even breathing is difficult to do.

“What else is magic being used for?”

“Um, that’s broad. Here, perhaps development files. The engineers and scientist are bad at keeping secrets.”

The first page to appear on screen is a blueprint of a gun. Only a theory, researchers have begun work on creating weapons that use magic as fuel. They hope to create weapons far more powerful than what they have, or with an endless supply of ammo.

Cato is angered, but it is the next page that confirms his greatest fear. Another developing project, a plan to make soldiers of those captured.

“I need to get them out of here.”

“Cato!” Aimi arrives with five solders at her side.

The leftmost soldier catches Cato’s attention. As much he attempts to hide it, Tenki is under the armor. He convinced Aimi to bring him along, warning her that an angered Cato could destroy the entire base.

“Did you know about this?” Cato said at he points to the screen, “Soldiers of my people. Weapons even at the cost of their lives. The very suit you wear is empowered by their deaths.”

“Only a few have died. We stopped with the extreme siphoning at my request. But… I did not know about the rest.”

“Aimi, I wanted to believe you because of your connection to my friend. But this place, their goal is not to protect this world. They wish for power, it blinds them. I’m going to take my people and leave; this world will not welcome them. I’m sure you understand that as well now, my friend.”

Cato walks for the door, the guards next to Aimi raising their guns.

“Let him go.”

“But Aimi!”

“I said let him go. Look at what he has done, we can’t beat him.”

Cato stops next to the Tenki, “I’m going to grab my people and send them home. Come with me, we must protect our people.”

“I… I will find a way for us to coexist.”

Cato shakes his head. “Your ideals blind you to reality.”

“Everyone aid in recovery, warn the others not to interfere with the intruder or they risk being killed.” Aimi said as Cato left.

“Aimi! We should hold him until the captains returns as well.”

“And then what?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Even we are not powerful enough to stop that man. And what are we protecting? If this is true.” Aimi looks to the screen, “Then keeping those people is wrong. Leave.”

Tenki waits for the other to leave before approaching Aimi.

“You’re in danger here, go home. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I have to investigate. These are files only accessible through these computers. Tenki, all that I do is to protect our people. You still believe me, right?”

“Not everyone is as kind as you.”

“You’re right. I hope you’ll be home when I return, I wish to run into your arms like the old times. Even if just one last time before I must answer to my sins.”

“Aimi, if I asked you to leave with me, would you?”

Aimi turns to Tenki, wiping away tears before looking him in the eye. “What if I were to do the same? We’re both too kind. We can’t tear away what we have worked for, what we care for.”

“I’m strong now. I can protect our worlds.”

“The world is not ready for your protection. I will do it. Even if I must start with protecting it from this.”

“Very well. I will be home, ready for what you decide.”

“Thank you… Tenki.”

“Yes?”

“Nothing. Go, the others will arrive soon.”