Ace Combat: Shadow War

Chapter 24: Into the Great Beyond

Warfare's POV

I climbed down the ladder of my aircraft in frustration and in a fit of rage I slammed my helmet against the planes nose and yelled in outrage. I tried to push myself once again like I did yesterday but again like last time... failed. "Warfare you need to stop before you kill yourself" Remo said and my blood boiled at what he just said and I hope Remo caught his mistake, I swung around to face him. "You don't think I've seen or felt what it's like to almost die!" I yelled at him, but he retaliated back "In case YOU have forgotten, I was shot down during the circum-pacific war defending the Aegir Fleet you useless runt" he said and his words hit me like a brick. I looked down and couldn't feel anything, to avoid everyone and everything I started to walk back to the barracks.

3rd Person POV

The rest of Outcast watched the entire short argument, when Warfare started to walk away, Remo's face softened, and he realized what he said to Warfare. "Wait Warfare I didn't mean-" Remo tried to stop him by placing a hand on his shoulder, but Warfare shook it off and sternly said "Leave me alone". Remo listened to him and walked backwards away from him, "You need to apologize to him Remo, were so close to taking down Megalith we can't have a rift between any of us" Laura said and Remo nodded in shame, he hesitantly walked to the barracks and knocked, hearing nothing he didn't want to jump to assuming so he opened the door letting the bright sunlight from outside in. He saw Warfare sitting on his bed with his back facing him, "Warfare?" Remo called out, "What do you want?" his voice was stern but full of pain, Remo walked over to his bed and sat down next to him. "Warfare... I'm really sorry about what I said earlier, I was just caught in the moment is all" Warfare looked at him and Remo could see the abyss where happiness and full of energy once thrived, "It's okay Remo, I didn't really think either".

Warfare said and he stood up and so did Remo, "Come on, everyone's probably worried for you and me their probably thinking you killed me" Remo said and Warfare chuckled which made Remo smile, "There he is, the one boy we all know and love" Remo said patting Warfare's back.

Outside, the rest of the Outcast were waiting, and their waiting stopped when Remo came out with Warfare behind him, with a slight smile on his face. Somewhat walked up to Warfare and placed a hand on his shoulder, "How are holding up, my friend" he asked him, and Warfare exhaled "I feel better, I suppose" he said and that got a worried smile from Somewhat. "Anyway, you guys want lunch?" Warfare asked them and Zilla challenged them, "Last one there is a rotten egg!" he yelled, and he took off running, "Oh hell no, get back here Zilla!" Star yelled and he took off running after Zilla, Remo and Somewhat started running at the same time but Somewhat pushed Remo and said, "Move bitch". Remo recovered and ran after them finally Laura and Warfare started running after them, the entire race was filled with, betrayal, laughter, and yelling.

The race ended with Laura winning as she pushed Somewhat into Zilla who was in first place they both slowed down and gave Laura an advantage. "You cheated, Laura!" Zilla said catching his breath and she laughed "I won fair and square" she smiled, and they laughed. "Come on let's go, I'm starving" Somewhat said and Somewhat held the door open for them. Getting all their food and sitting down to eat, they laughed and told jokes and stories to pass the time, they got to know more of Laura's childhood and time before she joined Shadow Organization even though she had said it several times they were still amazed that she was the daughter of Larry "Pixy" Foulke. While they listened to her stories unknown to them, Warfare wasn't feeling like himself.

Warfare's POV

I stood up from the table and before I could walk away, I was stopped by Zilla calling my name. "Warfare where you are going?" he asked and I turned to and saw them looking at me, "I'm just going outside really quick, I'll be back" I said and quickly left the cafeteria, outside I pressed my back up against a wall and took deep breaths, inside while Laura was telling her stories, out of nowhere I got flashbacks to the day, Peralta, Digital, and Wolf died. I got uncomfortable and needed to leave to calm myself, now that I was outside calming myself and very relaxed, I put pressure on my left leg and felt nothing, I nervously pulled up my pants and saw the prosthetic and I chuckled, "I forgot I had you" I said to myself. Feeling relaxed and myself again, I walked back inside to see my friends again, upon sitting down and again they looked at me and I knew, "Guys I'm fine, I just wanted some fresh air" I somewhat lied to them, but it was basically true, "So what did I miss?" I asked, "Eh not much, I was listening to the story of you guys before I came along" Laura said, and I nodded with a smile because it's an interesting story and long so it will kill plenty of time. She listened close and carefully as we started with me and Zilla in high school, to meeting Remo, Somewhat, Star, Digital, Wolf, and Peralta, to everything else we've been through.

(Song: War from Pearl Harbor)

While in the middle of the part where we described the attack on our old base where we would eventually meet Laura, the moment we have been eagerly waiting for and hoping would happen soon... the bases scramble alarm starts blaring, everyone looked around and thought they were hearing things but upon seeing that everyone else could hear it people started jumping out of their seats and dashing for the door, we stood up too and there was a stampede of people getting through the door. We were lucky enough to get outside first and myself looking around could see hundreds of pilots running to their planes and were shouting things like

"MOVE YOUR ASSES!"

"GO, GO, GO DAMNIT!"

"IT'S TIME EVERYONE LET'S GET THEM!"

I was filled with adrenaline and excitement; I will finally meet D00M in the skies and kill him. We sprinted inside our hangar and remembered our training, we put on our stuff as quick as possible and after that we went to check our planes and we could hear the engines of other aircraft taking off into the sky, each plane I heard takeoff made me more anxious to get in the sky. I checked my plane and saw it was all good before I could climb my plane, I was stopped by Zilla placing a hand on my shoulder, "Warfare be careful please" he said with worry and I nodded "I will... now let's move" I said, and I continued my climb, and he ran for his jet. Our engines turned on in unison and the roar of the engines was a sound I believe we've been waiting for. I looked ahead and saw jet after jet taking off, I started to move first and one by one they pulled up behind one another creating a single file line.

As we were taxing to the runway, I couldn't help but pray and pray that we are successful and we rid of them from the world but before we could move towards the runway, we had to stop at an intersection where there was a squadron waiting to go and I recognized those planes as... Strider squadron.

I switched frequencies "Strider Squadron go ahead" I said, "Thank you, Outcast squadron" Count's voice said and as they were pulling ahead, I saw Count put up a peace sign as he passed me and in return I saluted. Next it was our turn, and my heart was pounding like a war drum it got worse now that we were on the runway itself now, I waited for a second and then pushed my throttle to full and I was speeding down the runway, reaching the speed I needed I pulled up gently. I circled around the island waiting for my friends to takeoff too, I took the time to look at the Island and saw hundreds of aircraft taxing around the airbase and at docks I was shocked to see a massive fleet.

I had no idea we had this large of a navy here at Tyler Island and I amazed to see that we had battleships here, those will come in handy when the land invasion comes around.

"Outcast 2 behind you Outcast 1" I looked back and saw Zilla, Remo, Somewhat, and Star forming up on me. "Well now that you guys are here, lets go to Megalith" I said enthusiastically, our jets spun around to face the direction of Megalith, "Into the Great Beyond!" Zilla yelled and he went full throttle and that peaked our adrenaline, "Into the Great Beyond" I and everyone said and with that we were speeding towards Megalith, where the fate of the world will be decided.