"The Half-Blood Arc: Ashes of War - Volume 1"

Part 14

Although Matthias could not tell the victor of the shouting match, Matthias couldn't help but notice the rest of the men were of eerie quality throughout the ordeal, almost as if the shouting match was not happening.

After a brief pause, Sikorski finally emerged from the room, his expression laden with disappointment. "Alright, gentlemen," he began with a heavy sigh, "It seems I can no longer indulge in my darker inclinations in your presence. I've tried my best to entertain and uplift your spirits, but, as Heydrich suggests, I may be disturbing some of you and I am being an asshole." His words carried a touch of melancholy. Heydrich, finally happy that he had some sort of Victory on took a deep breath and then asked Sikorsky, "You're an expert when it comes to Weaponry, right, you can get that machine gun working"?

Turning to Heydrich, he nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am indeed well-versed in weaponry," Sikorski replied, his voice taking on a mysterious undertone. "If you desire assistance in handling that machine gun over there without causing harm, I suppose I could oblige." His words darkened, and a sly smile danced upon his lips. "And if there's nothing else for me to do... well, I might explore other, more enigmatic pursuits," he added, casting a knowing wink in Heydrich's direction.

The machine gun was much larger than anything Sikorsky had seen previously; the gun quite impressed him. He looked at it as though it was the wedding ring he was going to buy for his daily beloved.

"Ooooh," Sikorsky exclaimed, "Let's get this magnificent sexy gun working." Sikorsky grasped a wrench and diligently began to work on the imposing gun.

Meanwhile, another heated conversation erupted as MacArthur raised his voice, yelling at a young man with a distinct British accent over the radio. "What the hell do you mean, just stay in place? We'll get slaughtered. Is that what the high command told us to do"? The young man responded, "I saw the Allied command post go up in flames. We're lucky to have made it onto this boat. And that's the last thing the General said to us". MacArthur exploded with rage" Why aren't you following his orders!?" the young man paused, then continued with conviction, "Take your wife, take the cargo ship, find an island..., populate humanity like Adam and Eve. That was the order the general me gave me"

The young man began to falter, his composure breaking. "You outrank me, sir. As far as I know, you're high command. The whole idea sounds futile. The world has ended, and we can't fight these creatures." The young man was on the verge of losing his sanity.

MacArthur responded with authority, "What do you have on that ship?" The young man questioned, "Why does it matter?" MacArthur persisted, "You could build underground, find an obscure island, and start over. As far as I know, it's worked for us so far; perhaps it will work for you too. It's all we have to do, so be it. Just hold onto a glimmer of hope, kid. Maybe your children will carry the torch and beat these things, who knows?"

After a significant pause, the young man asked, "Do you believe in God?" MacArthur pondered for a moment, then replied, "No, not until she tried to kill me. So, I don't know what to believe anymore."

Curiosity got the best of MacArthur as he inquired, "Hey kid, what's yours and your wife's name?" The young man answered, "Adam and my wife's name is Eve, and believe me, I've heard all the jokes before. And maybe there's hope; as far as I know, none of these monsters can swim. There are a few thousand of us with plenty of food, weapons, and even construction materials. Perhaps we can build something new."

MacArthur's voice softened, "I don't think I'll be around for much longer. Good luck, kid." Adam replied, "Likewise," as the radio feed faded for one of the last times.

MacArthur, his gaze fixed on Heydrich, asks Heydrich, "Can you tell me about this woman? Is she truly eight feet tall, with a single touch capable of scorching men by mere contact? Heydrich responded, "Yes and I have a feeling she's far more terrifying than we can fathom. It's as if she's a multitude of majestic angels, all speaking in unison, accompanied by an eerie song when she talks. Yet, despite her formidable powers, there's an odd sense of calm about her."