He Who Hears Voices - 86

Battle Delta - To (Be) Free

Grey POV

I was strapping a trailer to someone's juggernaut, I was relegated to combat since I was stronger than the others, yep, it was time to begin our final recon mission. My leg felt far better, but I still needed a cane to walk since I have no idea how to do proper physical therapy, even if the leg healed properly. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it was Shin, "I think you should be part of the support group, you're still pretty injured." I would shake my head, "I can fight, injuries be damned, I'm going to fight and ensure my comrades can finally reach their end of the line." I put my fist to his heart, "Just don't lose yourself this time, Shin. Cause I'll be damned if these injuries stop me from decking you again to free you from your trances. Now, go get ready, I have something I want to grab before I leave." Shin would sigh and pass me my journal, I knew he read it, or tried to. I took it, then said, "Thanks Shin, this was what I wanted, you peeping tom." I chuckled and began to prepare my unit, my goodbyes with Lev were likely going to be short. 

The next day came along, we were saying our goodbyes to Lev, and we had begun our march to the battle before our freedom. The voices were getting louder, but I didn't care, our fight was coming and all they were doing was trying to make us paranoid. I took a calming breath, and steadied my resolve, today was the day, and I wasn't dying here. But... something felt off, and I couldn't put my finger on what was off. That was when the voices died, and a shout rang out, "Shiiiiiiiin!" Rei, we were finally here, the edge of the known boarders of the republic. I said, "Steady your resolves everyone! This is it! Our wall separating us and freedom! Go!" We all let out a battle cry and began to rush forth into the new sea of Legion. I joined up with Shin, as per my mental plan, we would tag team the forces Rei and Cronus would throw at us, hopefully drawing attention away from the other members of Spearhead. I began to rush the forces in the back, Shin was quick to charge Rei, and I just let them have their solo chat. But I still felt like something was wrong, even as the first bombardment from Lena rained down upon the Legion to make our lives, and hers by extension, easier. 

That was when I heard it, or rather, the lack there of, Cronus was completely silent. I chuckled, "So he was a no show." I took my gaze to the uninvited members of Shin's welcome party, my Juggernaut screeching to a halt before running full speed to Shin to back him up, that way, his brotherly reunion could end as he saw it fit. I took aim and fired, one of the many grunts were blasted away from the shot, I said, "Keep fighting you two, as an unwelcome guest myself, I'll take care of your unwelcome guests." Shin would say, "Thanks Grey." Monotone, but focused upon his current objective. I put my hearing to the test, but I heard nothing, no voices aside Rei held familiarity in this hellhole of a battle. Looking to Shin, he was flying around Rei like a gnat doing its best to bug the hell out of a human, so much so Rei was using those crazy liquid metal hand things. 

Back to my own fight, Legion units were surrounding me, so I whipped my blades out, extended them, and shouted, "Let it rip!" as I spun like the metaphorical Beyblade I was. Legion were being taken out, but it was like fighting a hydra, cut one down, two take their place. Lena would say, "New force moving in!" Theo would shout, "Again!? We have too many people, our ammo is gonna run dry before the mission!" I would reply, "Those who's aim haven't been so good, stop firing and rely on blades! If you don't have blades, hang back for a bit! We just need to hold out until Shin beats Rei! Once Rei dies, the region will be safe!" I began to hear voices, "Unit damaged! I'm bailing back to the salvage point!" One said. "Me too, pulling back, my gun no longer works!" Another added. It seemed like the legion forces were too much, and my plan was going to work, I'd salvage what I could for future repairs I could pull off. But this was also bad, we'd have to put everyone into the trailers, and who knew how many Juggernauts would fall here.

Bombs exploded upon the new wave, Lena would say, "Take out the stragglers from the initial group! I'll deal with as much of the second group as I can!" With how many orders and reports were coming in, I could barely focus on what I was doing in taking out a major chunk of the rearguard before they made their way to the new group. I think if I heard correctly, half of Spearhead bowed out due to major damage or horrible aim. But the good news was our supplies were safe, at least they could guarantee that. One, two, three, four, I kept blasting, my count for my movements to ensure I didn't get blasted due to keeping my movements the same. I looked to Shin, and I realized that Rei had covered the vent with the liquid metal, he was struggling. I shouted, "Lena! The thing! Shoot Rei!" I planned to do it before, back during our first fight with Shin and Cronus, but I didn't have the time as they fled. It was now or never, and I chose now so we had the fire support Lena could grant us. 

Lena shouted, "Grey! I'm borrowing your eye!" Suddenly, that was when it happened, I could see our battle on her screen, but more than that, I saw Lena herself. Just out of the corner of that view, I noticed her friend Penrose. But I ignored that, I began to take in as much of the data on the screen as I could, I needed every inch I could be given. I had a smile on my face, I knew we'd win, we'd make it out of here, to freedom! Leaping from one enemy to the next, I managed to wipe out the uninvited guests, Lena shouting, "Grey! Look to Shin!" I did as she asked, and I gave her her view. I noticed she sent a lot of duds, luckily for Shin and I, they seemed right on target. I heard them, the impacts, they rattled my ears, and my eyes was soon returned to me. Shin was quick on the draw, I heard, "They were... duds!?" Rei was speaking, but Shin was fast enough to leap above Rei. The metal hands reached out to grab Shin, but I heard the faintest of words from Shin, "Goodbye, brother." Shin's juggernaut fired, the battlefield suddenly silent in it's entirety. 

Shin's juggernaut was released, and he backed up quickly, right before Rei exploded, his unit up in flames now. I looked to my left, the legion was retreating. I said, "Lena, thanks. Tell your friend we were thankful for her assistance. But you might want to disconnect for now, I don't think Shin's gonna want you to hear what comes next." Lena was quick, "Alright, I'll wait for you to connect again." With that, Lena was gone, and Shin began to cry his heart out. I looked back to our supplies, a smile on my face but tears in my eyes. We had all survived, but the loss of Rei seemed to have made a lot of us begin to cry. To see the one they all knew as a reaper shaking what made him so, even if only for this brief moment, and crying was a big thing. I began to return to the supply point to begin salvaging what I could, better to do this than wait for Shin to stop crying.

After some time, and a major stripping of other units scattered throughout the field and near the supplies, we had ten units for combat, along with five others we used for the movement of our supplies, and Fido. Shin was speaking with Lena, of course, but I slapped the side of my juggernaut as I boarded it, everyone knew the signal. We all approached Shin, luckily, he finished speaking, so I spoke, "Welp, that's that. All the cargo is ready and everyone's loaded up." Shin responded, "Got it, let's go." Theo would say, "Man! I never thought this was possible!" Anju would say, "Well, lets find a place to rest and repair first before we say anything we regret." Everyone was talking up a storm, but I could hear Lena shouting, she didn't want us to leave. 

As we walked, I saw things I hadn't seen in years, a cathedral, flowers of red, ruins from a bygone era, we were truly leaving the place we survived to enter a place where we could truly live. I knew Shin was supposed to say this line, but I managed to get everyone to agree to do it together. So, once we about hit the line where our communications would cut, I said, "Major." This seemed to get everyone to understand it was time, so I said, "One, two!" Then, in unison, we all said, "We're going on ahead, Major!" With that, the signal on our pararaid to Lena had cut, from here on, we were free from the place that tormented us for so long. I felt sad to leave Lena behind, but I knew we would one day see her again, but in a place where we'd be truly equal.

Cronus POV

Cronus stared out to the marching line of units, his voice evident of what he believed, "This is Cronus, Baleygr and Datenshi survived, Dullahan failed." Cronus began to turn and march forward, his path wasn't to take on Spearhead, but to move ahead of them while they rested. A voice, one crackling, spoke, "Cronus, this is Tethys, report received. Will pass it on. What is your current objective?" Cronus, despite everything, smiled, "I will bring down Datenshi, he will return to us." Tethys, silent for a moment, then said, "Good luck Cronus, we shall soon be whole again." Cronus began to climb a hill, but keeping away from Spearhead so he wouldn't be detected. He was confident he could get Grey all alone, and take him down, who knew if he was correct with that statement however...