Nightmare Fantasy 2: A soldier's story

Chapter 27: Ending Things

In the morning, the group gathered to set forth toward Tribrinka. It was time to confront the last imposing Great City. Chaos looked at the masses of soldiers for their cause that came to meet them. Estrinkans settled in the barrens waiting with Soein. Hydyn tankers with Hiesuians technicians that had long been enforced for Tribrinka's training at a young age. All the best of the best, it was humbling knowing the Great Cities were taking this seriously and swiftly.

These troops had been waiting in anticipation, probably when Marix spread the data discovered about his mother as they traveled to Hiesu. Chaos even observed Nariasen among them. The people, not the leaders, were taking a stand.

Soon each in the group would take their place, and they all had a path to follow. Sky would infiltrate the inside with Orionna and Guard as both she and Marix would split each side of Sirakui's outer defense. Secure and maintaining the perimeter was her goal. She had the inside intel of the terrain, a vast many of soldiers, even support from the soldiers opposing. The Runlines were buzzing with the topic to follow orders and defend Nevar's Tribrinka, or if they ought side with the original monarchy, Orionna's right to rule.

There was so much confusion. Even the normal structure was breaking as the soldiers were as an aggressive swarm of bees, their Nest in shatters. What was home, who was ruler, what were the orders, how was one safe? Many vocalized frustration in this and sought peace in seeking this Great One the rightful Queen spoke of, whether it was in secret, in confidentiality of a few others, or openly.

Chaos commiserated with her fellow soldiers. Had she not met Orionna, she would have been equally bewildered.
She had been raised in purposeful confusion, never to question orders since youth, disobedience meant death, or what you cared for was ripped from you. That way of life had to stop. She thanked the Great One that her path opened her eyes. Though she never knew what steps she'd take, looking in hindsight, there was a clear, purposeful, and well designed path to where she was today.

Orionna looked apprehensively onto the masses near Tribrinka. Strangely, Nevar kept passive and silent, Chaos pondered whether this was because the witch was nursing her gunshot wound within Sirakui, Tribrinkians refusing to follow the hated ruler now, or just some sort of mysterious direction of Great One. She didn't have an answer but to move forward.

Marix and Sky were busy behind in the vehicle, conferring the battle plans on coms with various companies of soldiers sent in response as an honor guard while Orionna strode into Sirakui. She would confront Nevar as the Great One's Final Judge. That wicked Sanction Leader Acruetae would be handed punishment by the Great One for her foul, unremorseful ways.

Chaos, in turn, studied what squads and resources she might use to implement that everything went smooth as it possibly could. It was a bit of smashed up chaos, but she was used to the insane orders of a mad ruler already, so Chaos managed in her normal form.

It was a peculiar thing to have a large convoy with some one else driving them, she hadn't done that in ages, but what with the Elites and commanders so consumed with building the orders to set things in motion safely the best they could, they needed focus to conference video together to organize. Many things had been massed since Ori's message in Hiesu. They now scrambled to address the Great Cities' final decisions as their headships offered their resources.

At the impromptu base before going into the city in separate divisions, Chaos looked around at the efficiency. Everything settled in order, Marix was key to this type of mass people organization, being a sociological tactician and genius. Knowing his past now, he had mastered the mind at an early age like no other. The Great One used his painful past for something grander. The Locksmith would strategize with Nevar, pulling tactics carefully like the genius he was. Sky accompanied his measures in an affable way, which soothed the allies well. He was great at translating Marix's innocent motives.