Who is the real monster

Chapter 28

"Today may seem like everything is hopeless because we have lost everything. Captain Zane is in a coma and squad Divine has gone missing. We are unsure if any of us will live and see tomorrow. The hunters are becoming worried and morale is extremely low" I said as I threw more wood into the fire I had made. "I don't blame them as Zane was the best leader and biggest supporter of everyone. He always knew what to say whenever someone was down or when they lost all hope" Commander Nathan said as he sat down next to me. "Commander Nathan do you really believe that we can win this war" I asked with concern. "I believe with every fiber in my body that we will win. Even without Zane we can still deal significant damage to the monsters. Sure none of us are as strong as Zane but when we work together then we can be. Humans are a species that works better together rather than alone. Sure Zane is one of those cases where my logic doesn't make sense. But then you look at his broken heart and realize that his squad has truly helped him realize that he isn't alone" Commander Nathan said as he looked up into the night sky. "Agreed, just because we lost Zane doesn't mean that we can't deal a harmful blow to the monsters" Zander said as he sat down next to me. "Hey Commander Nathan, do you think squad Divine is even alive?" I asked, despair in my voice. "To be honest I do believe that squad Divine is alive. But Zane I think has finally lost all hope as his eyes were full of despair and anger. After all these years of fighting Zane is slowly but surely giving up. To be honest I don't think we have much longer before Zane finally just goes berserk and annihilates the monsters and himself in the process" Commander Nathan said with despair. "I really hope that one day Zane can finally see the light of day as he has suffered the most this past year. None of us could understand the pain and suffering he's endured. I just hope that we can find squad Divine before he wakes up and have them be by his side again" Zander said as he threw some wood into the fire. "I hope you're right Zander because without his squad then the chances of Zane finally breaking are at an all time high" Commander Nathan said as he looked into the fire.

"How many people have we been able to save thus far?" I asked as I walked over to Mia. "So far we've saved hundreds if not thousands of lives. The monster hunters are still losing morale but their willingness to protect the innocent hasn't wavered. Zane truly has left an impact on them all as he is the beacon of hope and strength" Mia said as she turned her head towards me. "I agree with you Mia but I believe that Zane is finally giving up hope and is losing faith in winning the war" I said in despair. "I know we've all seen the look in his eyes. He truly believes that his squad has been killed. But I don't think they are as they are the most powerful squad Divine in the history of the monster hunter core. Still convincing Zane of them being alive is nearly impossible" Mia replied as she put a hand on my shoulder. "I just hope Zane doesn't die otherwise he leaves behind more than this earth. As he will be leaving all of us to fight alone because if it wasn't for Zane many of us captains wouldn't be alive today. Zane has always known the words to say whenever one of us was feeling down or worried. He always took his time to hold our broken hearts and treat them with the utmost care. All well he just let himself come crashing down. Not letting a single soul see inside as he thought that his battle was for him and him alone. To me Zane is more than a comrade, he is a mentor, someone who would try his best to do the right thing and bring closure to those who had lost those they hold close. He taught me that everyone has meaning in this life that every life is sacred and worth protecting. His goals have never wavered; he has always guided me on the path of protecting the weak. If it weren't for him and the monster hunters I might as well have just killed myself all those years ago after the loss of my wife and unborn child" I said in frustration. "I agree with you after the death of Jason I nearly killed myself. I would have left my daughter Elizabeth without her parents. In fact I remember that night as if it were yesterday. I had just gotten back from a mission and sat down on my bed holding my sword in my right hand. Elizabeth was sleeping in her crib next to me. As I put my sword to my heart Zane entered my room and sat down next to me. He said that he knew what I was trying to do and took the sword from my hands and put his arm around my shoulders. That night he told me what would happen if he hadn't come into my room unannounced. I would have left my daughter without her parents to guide her through this life. He told me that Jason would be furious that I had even considered taking my own life. Tears just ran down my face as I thought about what I was doing. If Zane hadn't entered the room that night I wouldn't be here today. So I agree with you Austin if Zane gives up then there is no hope for us to win this war. But that will only ignite the flames in the monster hunters and make them work even harder. As the most kind and caring hunter lost his life because he used his own body as a shield to protect the weak. He picks up every hunter and gives them special care that proves their life is worth living even if it means they don't have the thing they lost" Mia said as she as a small tear rolled down her cheek. "Thank you Mia" I said as I pulled her into a hug. "You're welcome Austin," Mia replied through tears.