Forced Resolution

Nerine stood exposed waiting, wishing Simonides answered her. She made her play. The weight of it left her legs a little shaky. If everything failed, she destroyed the last bridge back for nothing. ‘Come on, sir! Please, I know there has to be more to what you’re doing!’

The move from Nerine left the fighting stalled. A pause gave them time to work out everything. Seiji leaned back to look at Yumi and the others, much the others wanting answers as well. “The hell’s going on?”

More concerned about the battlefield, Chiharu’s eyes scanned the soldiers. She noticed it immediately. ‘Most of them weren’t even real. We didn’t have a chance of winning with odds like this.’ The far distant figure of Simonides came a little more into view for her. ‘You didn’t even commit all of your forces, holding back even more reserves. Damn, we were completely out maneuvered.’

“She’s using her power to cancel everything,” replied Yumi. It wasn’t something she considered. She looked over at Nerine. An end of the fighting could be in reach. She hoped. ‘I wasn’t sure if she was on our side or her own. If I knew she would help us…’

Seiji stared at his hand. He felt the fatigue in his muscles. Nothing seemed different. “You’re saying we have our power back?” The look in his eyes clearly wanted to test our Yumi’s theory. Yuki’s power and Field things never made a lot of sense to him. It was more complicated than it needed to be for him.

Yumi tried to reach out for him. “Seiji, let this play out first. Don’t do anything to take action yet.”

“Eh? …sure.”

Chapter 215 – Forced Resolution

Simonides’ expression remained stone-faced, impossible to read. The soldiers all looked on at their Captain with curiosity in their eyes. Everyone expected a certain action from him. However, it left them surprised to find one of their own siding with the enemy. Some hesitation only seemed natural.

“Abeiron.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Why have you not reprimanded the men for stopping?” Simonides turned a little at the waist to look at Abeiron. The way it came out seemed as though Abeiron forgot something basic.

“Sir? Our Fields won’t reach them with Second Lieutenant Nerine’s Field up.”

“Push in closer. They’re already surrounded, nothing will reach them when they enter our Fields.”

“Yes, sir!” The Commander turned and barked out to the officers to get their troops moving. ‘This is a dangerous game you’re playing, sir. I hope it works.’

“Looks like they aren’t planning on backing down, Yumi!” remarked Seiji. The remaining soldiers marched towards them. Dirt disappeared slowly, but reached a point where it fought over with the grass. The line blurred greatly and mixed making everything seem patchy for nearly a meter of a perimeter.

Nerine saw her hopes falling apart. “Captain Simonides! They aren’t our enemy! I believe they have information that will make it clear, sir!” It was her last chance. She pulled down her sights on the troops. Any sign of them slowly or stopping was all she needed. Seconds ticked off quickly, mounting her tension. She hoped he wasn’t so stubborn to ignore reason.

Chiharu and Seiji remained defensive, keeping behind the line. The push on their field of influence still shrank, but it was harder. Nerine did everything to keep her Field alive against the forces coming down. However, the longer time passed the more it became clear to them.

“I don’t think he’s interested in talking this out!” yelled Seiji. “He wouldn’t have brought all of his men if he wanted to talk.”

“But…it…I just…”

The situation changed enough for Yumi. Recalculations to her plans had to start factoring in Nerine. She became an unknown variable. Suddenly new tactics presented themselves to her. ‘There’s options…we can do this!’ Yumi could see everything laid out before. Each became a piece in her mind and a grid to move each on. “Miss Nerine! Can you follow me? Seiji, Chiharu keep pace while holding defensive positions on the flanks!”

They all quickly understood that Yumi came up with something to get them out of their present dilemma. No questions followed, just movement. Yumi led Nerine along into the line of soldiers. The change altered the field at their feet. She forced a choice upon them. As expected, the line drew back. However, behind them the Atlanteans followed. The circular mass of humans marched.

“Yumi?” Seiji saw nothing changed. They might have been moving, but it meant nothing if the enemy kept their formation. “You got something better than this?”

Chiharu glanced over at Yumi, carrying the same suspicious doubt about her plan. ‘She’s got something planned.’ The look in her eyes didn’t waver. It almost seemed like she planned it, expecting the course of action to happen. Chiharu searched the area for answers. She needed to understand her plan. Nothing revealed itself to her. ‘I don’t see her next move. How far ahead has she seen? Does she have any contingencies?’

Simonides’ forehead drew down, a little, watching the strange synchronized march. He had the view to make Yumi’s actions clear. ‘Clever…’ Lowering the binoculars, his head tilted back towards everything they set up. ‘This one move disrupts everything, most importantly communications.’ Focusing back on the stalemate, he zoomed in on Yumi. ‘I’ve underestimated you.’

Awkward minutes passed. No one knew the distance they covered. Everyone’s attention stayed on the silent war fought through defensive positioning. Tension reached for a never-ending peak that continued to grow with no sign of it stopping.

It was then that Chiharu’s situational awareness finally filled her in on Yumi’s plan. She looked in the distance at the hill where the Atlanteans made their temporary base. They were significantly closer to it. ‘You’re planning to smash their own offensive line into their defense. If they don’t want it to happen they’ll have to retreat or hold the line, forcing our way through. Either way, they lose!’ Chiharu stared at Yumi. A complex expression filled her eyes that Chiharu could not explain.

Yumi stared onward at their destination. ‘What will you do? I’ve foreseen your angles.’

Chiharu watched the certainty and confidence in Yumi’s face increase. It seemed everything went to her plans. She watched a physical change start to occur. ‘What’s with her eye?’ No longer were there two soft brown eyes, as common and generic as possible, her right eye turned lighter suddenly. Another color mixed in with the brown until it completely dismissed it. The eye was a bright, fierce green that leapt out of her face dominating everything as the single focal point. Chiharu drew attention closer, concerned what the sudden change meant for Yumi.

The soldiers continued to hold their formation. An expected course for Yumi. ‘You want us badly, protect the line and sacrifice the command position. But I won’t give you enough time to react anymore. The pieces are all set up.’ Yumi called out, “Seiji, how’s your strength and body holding out?”

“These scratches mean nothing!”

“Good to hear it! Move in behind us.”

“You got it!”

Desire to know overcame Chiharu, she looked forward at what the next move could be. Then she saw something she didn’t expect. ‘Their formation is collapsing?! We haven’t done anything. Fatigue? No…’ She answered her question quickly when she considered their surroundings. ‘It’s the terrain. We’re going up the hill he used to watch the battle from. Their high ground advantage is being used against them!’

The change in elevation wasn’t extreme, but was enough to throw off their movements. A few soldiers stumbled, however most caused the line to thin with everyone bunched up. She forced a weakness into their formation.

Nerine stared up at Simonides. He was so close it seemed like she could reach out to him. ‘Why, sir?’

“Chiharu,” Yumi motioned to the young girl to approach. “I’ve got something I need for you to do.”

Abeiron directed the retreating soldiers. They carried off mobile communication devices, but it required a MP to remain with them at all times. Everything was makeshift, adapting to the changing field. He stared back at his Captain, who stood unmoved from his position.

‘Everything’s falling apart,’ he thought, watching as they drew closer to him. If it bothered him, he kept it hidden. Waiting until the last moment, he walked off the peak. The eminent danger seemed unimportant to him.

He barely made it off the hill, no more than two hundred meters away, when a loud roar erupted from the hill. Simonides glanced back, actually surprised. It managed to crack the stoic expression he managed recently. “What!?”

Seiji surfaced at the top of the hill charging through the line he just smashed. Yet him charging was the only part that was normal. On his shoulders and back, he carried all of his friends, even Nerine. It kept the Field around him regardless of the speed. None of the men could stand against the brute strength he brought.

‘They broke through…’ Simonides started to turn away to link back up with Abeiron, but something stopped him. “You again.”

Chiharu appeared behind him holding his arm behind his back and her sword at his neck. She couldn’t understand what he said, but assumed from the look and tone. “You’re not getting away this time. None of your soldiers are around to protect you this time.” Words wouldn’t get through to him, but intentions still could be communicated. Her blade pressed against his skin. “Order off your troops or you’ll die.”

Glancing through narrowed eyes, Simonides felt her words more than understood them. He had a good idea of their plan. His hand squeezed around the receiver, back to Abeiron. Staring into the distance at his men retreating, his face drew sharper and the shadows seemed to become solid black painted in harsh lines. ‘Abeiron…’

‘Captain?’ Something felt off. Abeiron turned around in search of Simonides, but didn’t find him. Changing his sight, he pulled up to see where his Captain remained. “Captain Simonides!” he shouted, drawing all of his men to stop and turn. The soldiers froze with their Captain as a hostage. “…Captain…” Wrinkles of pain dug through his face.

Narrowing her face, Chiharu tightened up her hold on the man. ‘She was right, about everything…how did she foresee all of this? What is she?’ The sword pressed up against Simonides’ neck demanding an answer. “It’s time.” She motioned his arm holding the receiver to act.

“Impatient…but yes…” He lifted his arm to his mouth with the receiver ready. His eyes fixed on the Commander in the distance. “Commander Abeiron.”

“Captain Simonides! I’m moving MPs in now to rescue you!”

“It's checkmate, friend.”

“But sir!”

“Follow the plan, Abeiron.” Simonides tightened his hand around the metal. “Initiate beta-four contingency. You’re in command now! Don’t let any of them escape! Do whatever you must to keep Atlantis—“

Abeiron fumbled with the device, hearing Simonides suddenly cutoff. “Captain! Captain!” He couldn’t hear anything more. The last sound he was left with echoing in his ears was the deadly cough of his Captain. His face turned blue and then white almost instantly.

Blood sprayed out of the wound in his chest where the sword poked through. Simonides’ eyes drew wide while his pupils shrank. The pain of the blade yanked out of him made him cough in pain. All of the strength in his body suddenly fled him. He fell to the ground.

Standing over him, Chiharu’s face dripped loosely with blood and the cold stare of her eyes. “It’s over now.”

“Good, Chiharu,” smiled Yumi, watching from a distance, “Everything played as expected.