[August 30, 2025] 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 stole the surface from man...
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Rapi stared down at the elevator shaft in horror. The Commander was on his own with a volatile Heretic, plummeting lord-knows how many miles down into the earth, and she hadn't done much of anything to help the entire mission.
Once more he had been left to handle everything, literally carrying the others on his back throughout the entire venture.
Her core— her heart welled with feelings of helplessness and desperation.
If it wasn't for Guilty keeping her in check, she'd have leapt down after the two in a moment's notice.
"Shifty..." Rapi weakly called.
"He's alive! Surprisingly there's stable connection. He's..." Shifty hesitated. "Ordering you all to retreat. No negotiating..."
Rapi balled her fists and clicked her tongue. She felt like she was running away from responsibility, but the last thing she wanted to add to his list of worries was her own wellbeing.
"Understood... When we get back, patch us through, Shifty." Rapi's gaze grew distant, colder than ever before.
"Roger."
•
The Commander thrust out his arms as the elevator continued to fall, breaking apart his confinements and grabbing Nihilister in his arms. He jerked his body towards the wall and tried to slow their descent by creating his sword.
The sparks flew and nearly blinded him, the force counteracting their descent nearly breaking his already weak arms.
Nihilister helped, clawing into the wall and finally slowing them down to get a grasp of their surroundings.
The two gazed around in exhaustion and skepticism.
"This... ain't the Ark, is it?"
The Commander's weak pant was all she could hear until he caught his breath. "Don't think so. It wasn't the only attempt to avoid the Raptures."
"You sound half dead. You holding up?" Nihilister probed.
He shook his head. "On my last leg, if I'm being honest. Left arm's cold, right's nearly dislocated, the stabs in my abdomen need attention, and I can't see straight."
Nihilister's leer grew sharper hearing the damage, not unnoticed by him.
"I'm not even going to try and hide it. This is honestly your best shot. Kill me, leave me here, you're more than capable of getting outta here. Wouldn't even blame you... I won't take your freedom so long as you promise not to hurt my friends."
Before she could respond, his grip on his sword was faltering. The nano- machines creating the sword slowly slinked back into the armor as he nearly plummet from the wall.
But she caught him.
In his daze, he saw a fierce glare on her face, one full of frustration and defiance.
