Ink Chain

-Barak Waraen-

I changed my form into an impala and skipped my way over rocks and out the crumbling school doors. Glass was shattering, the ground was shaking, diamond flakes were flying from the falling walls.

"Angelique! Where are you?!" I ran up and down my neighborhood. Taking each twist and turn with careful intent, hoping to whatever god there was that I wouldn't be crushed by any falling rocks, bricks, or debris. "ANGELIQUE! CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

I was getting tired, I couldn't hold out much longer. I needed to find my sister, and soon. The streets were cracked from the harsh tremors of the earth. What was even the cause of everything? An earthquake? A major storm? A bombing? As far as I knew, nobody had any clue.

I looked down on the ground, a major crack had been made in the road, which made an opening to the underground sewage systems. The wastewater in the tunnels thrashed from side to side. I saw small objects, like clothes and rocks being thrown around. 'How many people got thrown down there...?' My thoughts echoed like an acoustic bathroom, the words ringing through my ear.

I saw a small child running for his life, rocks flying towards him from a building crashing to the ground. If he moved any closer, he was at risk of falling into the pipes. And he wouldn't survive.

"KID! Stop! You won't-!" I was too late. He tried to jump over the crack, a little superhero. But he failed, off by less than a hair. I looked down as he fell, unable to reach out far enough. He fell into the water with a shrieking cry for help. But he was gone.

I sat and stared at that hole for what felt like hours, but from what I could hear around me, was only a few minutes. The screams of families running from debris, the footsteps of children being dragged by their parents, it all hit me at once.

Why am I thinking of Angelique?

Why am I thinking of HER?!

She couldn't care less about me. I'm a dog on a chain, I don't matter! I'm just her pathetic henchman, the only one she could remotely call a friend. But she didn't care about me, I cared about her. I'm nothing to her.

And now she's nothing to me.

I turned back around and changed into a large hawk. I flew above the sky, above the clouds of smoke. I whipped through the air, fast as I could muster out of my wings. I watched the devastating scene below me. Our corner of Lunaris, our beautiful little piece of this world; engulfed in flames.

     Where do we go from here? Any of us? This was our home, my home! I've lost everything and everybody. I shouldn't have left the girls in detention, I should've stayed with them. At least I wouldn't be alone.

     I guess that's my next mission, to find them.

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     I made my way back to the school. Maybe they're outside or nearby trying to find cover. Maybe they already split up as well. I mean, why wouldn't they? They both have families to find, people they care about.

     I landed on top of a fallen cement beam that was originally located outside, now half-way smashed through the school walls. The pillars' job was to hold the sign. A large and beautiful diamond-encrusted sign to draw in students and teachers looking for work. The symbol of Lunaris, simply beautiful, sitting above the name of the school; 

- Basal Technical University of Defense -

     I looked around the ground, cracks, rubble, and ash were thrown across the ground. You could barely step anywhere without the risk of losing your life. But luckily, no matter where I looked, I couldn't see the girls' bodies.

     I flew through a shattered window, soaring through holes and cracks of the classrooms to see if they hid somewhere, anywhere. Under desks, like the earthquake drills from the Young Classes. Or in the hallway, against the wall like the tornado drills.

     Nothing. After searching for a good but short while, I saw nothing. I saw broken AI's. Shattered janitorial bots, and clobbered projectors and screens. It was clear, the girls left at the same time I had. Maybe at the Basal house? I'm sure they would have a bunker or protected basement for times like these.

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     As I flew above the sky, I was trying to wrap my head around what was going on. Was it a bombing? There's no possible way to actually know what's going on. I remember one thing from when everything started. Somebody said something very distinct, I couldn't have misheard it;

I heard; "It's Ramshorn!"

     Ramshorn... Were we being attacked by Ramshorn?! I know they were our opponents in The Inked Wars but that was over 100 years ago, is it possible that after all this time, they hold a grudge against us? Nobody from that time is even still alive!

     Is it even Ramshorn? Was that just a persons' first guess? No. They wouldn't have said it was Ramshorn without reason for it. Maybe a piece of metal or somebody said something. Something made someone think it was Ramshorn's doing. And I need to find out who. After I find the girls, of course.

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     I began flying up Knob Hill and towards the Basal Manor. Another diamond-smothered building. This time, with many more windows, many more towers, and an easy-too-see war room on the bottom floor.

     Monitors, guns, a war map on a table in the dead center, and hazardous suits hanging on the wall. Basic war room, right? My dream is to be stationed in one.

     I slammed my wings into my side and flipped in the air. I landed on my feet and before I knew it, I was human again. I stomped up the large set of stairs to the house patio. There were lots of steps, and after the day I've had, I stopped to take a few huffed breaths.

     I slammed my fist against the door. Again. And again. And again. It took a few minutes for an answer.

     "Who are you? Are you here for the tact team?" A hushed voice growled through the now cracked door. His eyes were silver, his pupils small. "You'll have to do, get your ass in here." He grabbed my arm and yanked me inside.

     "Hey, hold on! I'm looking for someone! What're you doing?!"

"Who Are You, People?!"