[On Hold until more story chapters release] Long awaited is humanity's salvation from the Raptures, and only one man has proven capable of making any progress. With the Counters by his side, follow the Commander as he battles the mighty threat that...
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The Commander opened his eyes and sat up swiftly. The first thing he was met with was someone's hands on his abs. He looked down, then back up to see the familiar Pilgrim Rapunzel beginning to blush furiously.
"I-I can explain—"
"Where is my team?" He asked with a glare.
She gulped and pointed out of the tent they were in. "They're trying to see if this is a suitable place to camp. But they're taking longer than expected..."
The Commander stood up but soon cried in agony at his wounds. His chest was on fire and his entire body felt like it had been ripped to shreds.
He fell to his knees, but Rapunzel quickly helped him back up. "You shouldn't up just yet! It's a miracle you're even awake this soon..."
"Yeah, that's kind of my thing... Now, let's go." He looked around for his coat, but saw that Rapunzel was wearing it.
He squinted his eyes as she slowly began to remove it. She laughed nervously as he put it on.
•
Stumbling against Rapunzel, the two spotted the Counters looking around the hill they were on for surveillance. It was clear by their bickering that the five were at odds on what to do from this point forward.
It didn't take long for them to spot the Commander behind them and freeze on the spot.
"You guys healed up nice. Faired better than me." He said with a hoarse chuckle.
They could only stare at his sorry state solemnly. There was a nasty scar diagonally across his nose and dried blood all over his forehead and eyes.
"You guys okay? Fully expected you guys to swarm me." He mused.
"Do we go back to the Ark or proceed, Commander?" Anis asked sternly.
Off put by their lack of attention for pulling through a near fatal wound, he frowned. "Well, what do you all want to do—"
"There you go again! Thinking of us above yourself!" He was surprised that Neon was the one to shout at him.
"Did you expect something else? I value you guys more than anything." He said with a smile, but feeling a snowball hit his chest he winced at the force.
"I can't keep seeing you like that." Anis replied. "None of us want to see you like that."
"And you think I want to be like that? See you all the same way?" The Commander knew what was going on.
"We're Nikkes, Commander, that's our job—"
"And what the hell do you think mine is?!" He shouted over Rapi.
Silence befell them.
The Commander pushed off of Rapunzel and balled his fists.
"That's the same mentality Exotic expects you to have. It's exactly what they want you to think— that I'm the only one." He glared at Rapi specifically.
