Pilot and Angels

Chapter 55: Ill-Fated Flight

CRAAAAASH!

An Arius soldier was thrown with such force toward the wall that it cracked loudly. "Haarg!" She coughed up some blood underneath her gas mask as she sat up. Despite her injuries, her training dictated that she retaliated. And so she did, by grabbing her rifles and firing into the darkness wildly.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Every one of her trigger pulls was accompanied by her muzzle flash lighting up the area, and banishing away the darkness for the briefest of moments. A grim and deathly silence soon followed when she stopped firing her weapon and did not hear any response whatsoever. After all, she only hit empty air with her rifles...

And he was already standing beside her.

"Grrgg!" She gurgled as a hand suddenly grabbed hold of her neck and lifted her up. It hadn't tried to crush her windpipe... yet. The trooper's view was turned to the culprit. A cold shiver traveled down her spine as she saw-

His gleaming visor staring at her with a grim menace.

He slowly closed his palms around her neck, depriving her of air. "Aaack..." She tried to hit his arm, but it was no use. To her, it was akin to hitting a concrete wall.

He loosened the grip, allowing air to return to her. "Your allies." His rough and heavy voice echoed in her ears. "You have been running around. Frantic, but not without a purpose." He continued as his cold gaze kept its target. "You are not fleeing, you are searching."

"Who?"

He tightened his grip on her once more. "Grrrg..." And once again, her struggles began anew. Her psycho-conditioned mind was strong, strong enough for her to utter defiance right in front of him. "Die..."

"...Of course."

But just before he could do anything, a footstep echoed close to them. It caught his attention enough to cause him to loosen his grip for a bit, allowing his victim a momentary reprieve. "Hm." He let out a curious hum as the figure revealed herself.

It was Saori, the captain of the Arius Squad.

She was badly wounded, with her clothes tattered and a bit of blood and dust covering her. The Pilot in White took a glance at her, before returning his gaze to the one in his hand. The man made the connection quickly as he understood that for some reason, Arius was hunting the Squad down.

"I see." He quickly threw her far away with great force, unheeding the distant crashing that took place soon after. He brandished Ash's blade from his back, letting it savor the taste of fresh air. His movements were slow and deliberate as he closed in on Saori who was only watching him with some sort of hidden intention in her eyes.

As he stopped right before her, the grip on his blade tightened as if he were about to strike her down. Saori closed her eyes as she visibly shuddered, gritting her teeth in the meanwhile. But suddenly-