Wolf Heart

Chapter 47

Planet: Kestra, Elite Training Grounds

First Insurgency War

MAIA

Her nerves refused to settle from the darkness of her podbunk. No one had the heart to celebrate their last day of training — not with the knowledge that for some it'd be their last day of life. Maia clutched her churning stomach, but she long since steeled herself for whatever life threw at her. Onto the other side of her bed, she tried to ignore the passing steps which faded.

I know she said the odds have improved, but by how much? It's not certain if she felt the need to bring it up...

The UC embedded into her unit ticked the next moments.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She ignored everything to ease her jaded nerves. Hours passed, and a knock on her door jolted her out of her last minute doze.

"Maia Urtanes?"

Out of bed to face her ultimate fate, Maia came face to face with General Falae, who kept her promise — but not alone. Black Wolf stood beside her, arms crossed and gaze trained on the ground. He dug his face into the jacket he wore before, freshly laundered from the lack of dirt.

General Falae asked with a smile, "Are you ready, Maia? You indicated that you wished to go through with this."

"Ready as I'll ever be..."

When General Falae's smile softened, a stab of homesickness struck her through the heart. Maia held her arms rigid at her side and stepped out of the pod bunk for the last time. "Come on," General Falae said. "It's best to get this over with as fast as possible. I don't want you stewing over this for long."

Maia wandered out of the D-5 bunk, with her back turned to the semblance of normalcy, they entered the domed elevator. General Falae took out her ID and slipped it into the slot on the button panel. "Are either of you scared?" she asked while golden light hushed past in slow bursts. "You can be honest with me."

Maia hugged her sides. "Yes, I'm sorry."

"Why apologize, Urtanes?" General Falae asked with a turn. "Why apologize for the fact that you are afraid?"

"Well... before we entered B.T for Elites, the Instructors drilled into our heads that we're not supposed to feel fear," she pointed out.

General Falae closed her eyes with a small shake of her head. "I'd actually advise the opposite, Urtanes. Hold onto that fear," she observed. "If you weren't afraid of what was to come, I'd call you foolish. Fear isn't bad." She eyed Black Wolf, who refused to acknowledge either of them. "Ignoring fear makes people act rashly. Accepting your emotions strengthens you, and I consider it true bravery if you stand against the unknown despite the fear." Comfort chilled her boiling blood when General Falae turned back to the buttons. "This process will help you face the fears of those you'll be tasked to protect. Bravery in the face of terror will save more people than you and I will ever know." One more tip of the head, she smiled. "Smile. Stay strong, even when the black hole seeks to take that one small act of rebellion away from you."

Maia grinned at her wise words, but stopped when Black Wolf's brow creased in pain and he dug his nose deeper into the collar of the jacket — not afraid, but deep-rooted grief. In a moment, she wanted to reach out and understand him, but she stopped herself when he broke into unshakeable steel when the elevator slowed and came to a daunting stop.

General Falae led them through the dark corridors, where no noise rang through her ears save for the heavy footsteps. Around a curved bend, Maia shivered at the large, metal doors which lined the walls.