CHAPTER 32 | RETURN TO DEXYS

Adira was silent as she locked eyes with the angel standing before her. "I cannot allow that," she stated after a tense moment passed between the two. "You are needed in Heaven."

"I am needed by my unit." Rae's voice was strong as he restated his desire.

"Grand Colonel Hendry has agreed to take on the hangel, not Unit R itself," Adira clarified. "This matter has already been resolved. The hangel will go to Dexys with Hendry and his unit."

"Axel is a member of Unit R-"

"No, Rae, he's not," Adira cut off the blue-eyed angel before adding, "I approved the transfer this morning."

Rae closed his eyes and released a breath in reaction to the news of Axel's transfer to Unit K. Rae was no longer Axel's commanding officer, so keeping him from being shipped off to Dexys was now out of his range of influence. There was now only one other way to ensure Axel's safety, and Rae did not hesitate to pursue it.

"Send me to Dexys." Rae's voice was stern as he told Adira what he wanted. Considering Adira's reluctance to send him to Dexys, Rae knew he would need to show a bit of force if he was to get what he wanted. "Unit R will fight alongside Unit K."

Adira's brow twitched slightly in reaction to Rae's demand. The general's eyes slanted as she studied Rae before replying, "Hendry has more than enough support to go with him to Dexys. Now that he has the hangel, all he needs is to unlock Angel's Landing. Unit R would be wasted in the fight at Dexys."

"That is not guaranteed."

Adira released a sharp breath when Rae continued to push back. "I understand your point, Rae, but-"

"There is not a thing in this universe that can drag me back to Heaven while soldiers are still dying in Dexys as we speak." The angel then took a step toward the general before adding, "Do not overestimate your influence over me...General."

With that, Rae turned from Adira and marched out of her office. Adira watched with slanted eyes as Rae exited the room before reaching down and picking up her cup of tea that had gone cold. As the general watched Rae leave her, she was reminded of her ardor for the man. She admired Rae's resolve to protect those he loved. He loved his unit and was willing to do anything to protect its members.

However, Adira was bothered by the colonel's attachment to Unit R's newest member. She had yet to see Rae be so fond of someone. Even when Kilo and Castyr returned to Heaven to care for Rae after his near-death incident, Rae was not as caring toward them as he now was to the half-angel.

Who is he to you, Rae? Adira sipped from her cup as she contemplated the hangel's relation to the colonel. Why do you care for a mere half-angel?

+++++++

Two soldiers continuously escorted Axel as he was assimilated into Unit K. Hendry had officially assigned the two soldiers to care for Axel and assist him should he require aid. But Axel sensed that the underlying reason for the continuous presence of the two soldiers was for another purpose. Hendry feared that Rae would persuade Axel to return to Unit R, so he ordered the soldiers to keep an eye on the hangel and ensure he remained with Unit K.

Nearly immediately after joining Hendry and becoming a member of Unit K, Axel was placed on a speed ship and sent over to Dexys. Since he had not been able to telepathically connect with anyone after his conversation with Rae while Nature's Preserve was being attacked, Axel was unable to receive updates concerning whether or not Kilo and Castyr had been released. He could only hope Hendry kept his word and set them free.

As Axel sat between the two soldiers stationed on each side of him, the realization dawned on him that it had been only one day since he left on a speed ship heading to Daedoeshi. And now he was on a ship heading back to Dexys where it all began. The thought of returning to the war-torn city that was once his home caused the traumatic memories of the first week of the war to resurface.

The weight of those who had died at the hands of Hades pressed down on Axel. So many had lost their lives. Can I really end this? Can I really put a stop to this war? ...Is this even a war...?

In all honesty, Axel never thought of this seemingly never-ending battle as a war. It was more a slaughter. A pillaging of Earth and all its inhabitants.

After Grand Colonel Hendry had announced Star Ellessi's prophecy, Axel was approached by several soldiers from Earth who pleaded for him to save them, to save their planet. This caused Axel to ponder his actual abilities. Although he had been dubbed the "Key to Angel's Landing", Axel's powers were not extraordinary. He had worked tirelessly to unlock what powers he had, and they were not more astounding than any other angel's abilities.

He knew he was the key to Angel's Landing, but how could he unlock such a powerful thing when he could not even connect with other angels telepathically? And, to make things harder, no one was able to give him a straight answer of what Angel's Landing really was. He knew it was something powerful enough to end the war, but how? Was it a weapon of mass destruction? Was it an ability that one could wield?

Axel had so many questions that no one could answer. How was he going to be able to unlock this Angel's Landing when he did not even know what it was?

As these thoughts filled Axel's mind, the hangel's sense of time was skewed, and before he knew it, he was being escorted off the speed ship and into the lifeless jungle of steel and concrete that made up the metroplex city of Dexys. The speed ship had landed on the very outskirts of the vast city, and the unit waited until nightfall before beginning the dangerous trek into the city where their base of operations lay.

Grand Colonel Hendry had remained in Daedoeshi to wrap up some last-minute negotiations, so Axel was placed under the command of Team K-5 in Unit K until Hendry reunited with the unit. Unlike Unit R, Unit K was comprised of two teams: Team K-5 and Team K-6. When each unit is created, it begins with fifteen teams, and it operates until all teams have been exasperated. Once all the fifteen teams have been spent, the unit will assume a new commander and will be refreshed with a new set of fifteen teams.

Like every other unit, Hendry took command of Unit K when it was refreshed with fifteen teams, and its previous commander retired. After three hundred years of operating, Unit K had been reduced to two teams.

Unit R operated much like the other units, however, Rae acquired command of Unit R when the unit's commanding officer passed prematurely. Rae inherited the unit with five teams. Two-hundred-and-fifty years later, Unit R now had three teams remaining.

The ten remaining members of Unit K surrounded Axel as the group began making their way into the war-torn city. Major Eyrik, leader of Team K-5, held a finger to his lips to signal to Axel that it was of the utmost importance to remain as silent as possible. Catching the major's drift, Axel nodded in understanding before carefully following the major and his second-in-command away from the speed craft that silently took flight and disappeared into the darkening sky.

The sun had completely set by the time the group was deep into the city. Unlike how it was when Axel left, there were no fires, no explosions, no guns firing from every direction. The city was completely silent. It was as if its soul had been sucked from it.

Not a single light source was visible throughout the dark masses that used to be vibrantly lit skyreachers. Axel's heart ached as he walked through the skeleton of his home city. Recalling walking down the bustling streets of Dexys and standing in line to grab delicious street food from the vendors lining the sidewalks caused Axel to grow nauseous when he compared his colorful memories with the shattered skeletal remains strewn across the streets.

The group continued silently trekking through the city until they came to a massive building that was once a popular theater. Since the holographic cinematic experiences played in the theater were extremely loud, the entire building was designed to be soundproof making the theater a perfect base of operations. Demons had sensitive hearing, so utilizing the soundproofing design of the theater allowed the units to discuss operations freely.

If the base was only operated by angelic units, there would be no need to stay in the theater as angels could resort to having only telepathic conversations. However, since soldiers from all regions of Earth, Jupiter, and Neptune were aiding in the war, verbal communication was required. The thick, windowless, walls of the theater also provided ample cover and enabled the soldiers using the base to move about freely so long as they were not in the lobby or back entrances where there was ample glass.

Once inside the base, Major Eyrik assigned Axel to his second-in-command before splitting off from the group and meeting up with the senior officers of Earth, Jupiter, and Neptune's forces to update them on the results of the summit. Captain Joi, Vice-Captain of Team K-5 and Eyrik's second-in-command, smiled at Axel gently before gesturing for the hangel to follow her.

Axel followed Joi down the long hallway of the base where she led him into one of the closer theater rooms. Unlike classical-style theater rooms where the audience all sat in chairs facing a widescreen, the experience rooms in Axel's lifetime were circular with a variety of beds, chairs, sofas, and other lounge items spread throughout. The variety of lounge devices was to provide customers with choices of how to relax while experiencing their full-immersion, cinematic pieces.

Thanks to this, there was plenty to choose from when it came to 'bed' options.

"No cots required at this base," Joi joked, breaking the silence between her and Axel.

Surprised at Joi speaking so comfortably, it took Axel a moment to remember that the entire building was soundproof. "Ah...yes." Awkwardness quickly replaced the silence, and Joi gestured to the multiple lounge items as she said, "Make yourself comfortable," before scurrying toward the room's entrance. "Someone will be here with food and some supplies in a bit." After giving a quick nod at the hangel, Joi disappeared through the doorway, leaving Axel alone in the experience room.

Letting out a sigh, Axel looked around the room before deciding on what he would like to sleep on during his stay at the base. Choosing a piece of furniture resembling a daybed, Axel walked over to the lounge item and sank into its cushioned surface. Pleasantly surprised with the comfort of the daybed, Axel put his feet up and lay on his back. The moment his head hit the cushion underneath him, Axel's eyes began to droop, and his tiredness caught up with him.

However, instead of being able to fall into a light nap, Axel quickly shot up on the daybed when he heard his name being called.

"Axel?"

He recognized the voice. Turning toward the entrance, Axel saw a young man around his age holding a bundle of supplies and military rations. Surprise covered Axel's face as he voiced the man's name, "Hakken."

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top