At first it seemed like a dream. The alarms kept blaring madly throughout the whole complex waking the inhabitants of the Keep. Dioha struggled to wake up. He was still very sleepy when he staggered off the bed. A loud explosion shook the building throwing Dioha off balance. He got up fully awake, alert and wondering what the hell was going on. He rushed out of the room and bumped into someone else in the passageway that was running to God-knows-where. The person picked himself up and continued running without so much as a glance at Dioha. Another explosion shook the place, breaking off huge chunks of rocks which fell dangerously from above. Some cadets were killed in the process while some were wounded. Evacuating the entire building seemed like the best option at the moment but the cadets didn't look like they wanted to run to safety. Many of them were using the elevators and the stairs in a bid to get to the top of the mountain. It looked like the explosions were coming from there and these men, women, and youths of the Elite force weren't known for cowardice. Dioha joined the cadets as they surged as one body with one sole purpose, defend the council's headquarter.
There were three elevators in the entire building but since explosions started two elevators went down, killing trapped cadets inside. Everyone avoided the last elevator instead choosing to use the stairs. After a long winding run up the winding stairs, Dioha came out into the open with other cadets to meet a nightmarish sight. There were bodies strewn all over the place, mangled bloody corpses littered the whole place. Two machine guns rattled off from separate helicopters, cutting down cadets by the dozens. Dioha immediately tried to return into the depths from which he'd just emerged but onrushing cadets blocked his path. One of the helicopters launched a missile towards the stairway. Since Dioha was backing the choppers he didn't see the projectile coming, but those blocking his path saw it and surged against him trying to get out of harm's way. He was carried away from the strike point but they were all thrown around from the impact of the explosion as the missile detonated. The impact and loud explosion disoriented Dioha as he got up and struggled to focus his gaze. He looked back at the entrance and point of impact, hoping everyone was able to avoid serious damage. It was utterly destroyed and unrecognizable.
Dioha's brain instantly went to work. First, he looked around the entire surface. There were a few vents and structures that could serve as blockades and shields. Dioha yelled at the fallen cadets who were gradually getting back on their feet instructing them to use the vents as cover. The choppers were killing off some cadets who were fighting back not paying attention to the side Dioha and some other cadets were. Dioha ran, followed by cadets, to a vent as others spread to other vents. One of the choppers turned and started firing at the vents after seeing some cadets run and hide behind them.
"DOES ANYONE HAVE A BOW OR SOMETHING? WE NEED A LONG RANGE WEAPON!" Dioha yelled.
A cadet signaled from across, behind a vent. Another signaled from Dioha's far left. One signaled in front of Dioha though he was under a lot of pressure as the bullets from the helicopter tore at the vent, chipping it off gradually. The cadet under pressure was the only one with the most suitable weapon, a bow and a quiver of arrows. The other two were with long spears and in a fight such as this, it would be almost useless. But if coordinated well, those with the spears could cover the one with the bow enabling him to take out the soldiers manning the two machine guns.
"WE NEED TO TAKE OUT THE GUNMEN BUT WE WON'T HAVE TIME TO GLOAT. ANOTHER WILL TAKE HIS PLACE SO WE NEED TO GET SOMEONE INTO THAT PLANE AFTER THE GUNS STOP." Dioha said.
"I WILL FLY WITH THE ARROW," someone volunteered.
Dioha understood immediately what the girl had in mind although he would have preferred if the girl turned into an insect. But Scavengers couldn't turn into anything smaller than a rat or anything that wasn't of the mammalian family. The girl who spoke instantly transformed into a raccoon and scurried across the ground to the boy with the bow. The raccoon climbed up the boy's shoulder and sat there waiting. Dioha looked at the boy at his far left and nodded to him. The boy nodded back and sprang up immediately. The boy threw the spear at the gunman in the first chopper who was firing at them. The gunman saw the boy step briefly out of hiding, take aim, and throw the spear. The gunman was preoccupied with redirecting his gun towards the boy instead of dodging the airborne spear, probably thinking no one could make such a long throw. The spear impaled him, piercing through his vest, chest, and back. Immediately the boy with the arrow stood up and fired an arrow into the chopper as another gunman was taking the place of the former. The arrow didn't get into the plane as it lost momentum and flight due to the raccoon hanging on to it, but the raccoon got into the chopper as it jumped off the arrow as the arrow dovetailed. Immediately the raccoon hit the seat of the chopper it transformed back into the girl, daggers at the ready. She chopped and sliced, making only critical hits as she reaped lives on the chopper within seconds. Dioha was impressed but didn't dwell on it for long, now was not the time. The other chopper was heading towards them. Dioha looked at the other cadet who was holding a spear.
"YOU READY?"
The cadet didn't bother to answer. He stepped out into the open, arms down. The helicopter started firing immediately the boy stepped into view.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS HE DOING?!!" Dioha yelled.
He was furious. Three bullets hit the boy but all he did was flinch as he steadied himself and flung the spear. The bullets that hit him greatly affected his throw as the spear flew a long way off target. The boy screamed in rage and began running towards the chopper. Dioha immediately ordered the boy with the arrow to take out the gunman. The boy got up, notched an arrow on his bow and let fly. The boy who was running towards the chopper crumbled to the floor as the bullets riddled his entire frame. The arrow pierced the gunman's eye making the shooting cease momentarily. Dioha quickly looked at the other chopper hoping the girl would be done with that one and switch her attention to this new one. She was struggling in the cockpit trying to bring the chopper under control. Dioha knew they had a few seconds to get someone into the second chopper before another soldier took the place of the dead gunman. He looked at the cadets by his side, there wasn't any Scavenger amongst them. No one to transform into some weird animal or bird and get in there, he himself couldn't tell how he was going to get up there. Dioha ran out at once yelling.
"SOMEONE SHOULD GET ME UP THERE! I NEED A SPRINGBOARD!!"
Two cadets immediately dashed out after him. He slowed down, letting them overtake him. They got close to the chopper; one knelt on the floor while the other stood a few meters in front facing the oncoming Dioha. Another gunman was just taking the seat of the previous gunman. He aimed at Dioha. Dioha sped up, switching into his Watcher speed instantly. The world seemed a little slower as Dioha ate up the distance, stepped on the back of the kneeling cadet, placed a foot in the palms of the standing cadet, and launched himself into the air. His momentum plus the force of the standing cadet throwing him up propelled him to the chopper's entrance where the gunman's finger just began squeezing the trigger. Dioha instantly found himself staring down the nozzle of a machine gun. He reacted spontaneously inserting his finger into the trigger hole blocking the gunman from being able to press the trigger fully. The soldier pressed hard but Dioha pressed back not allowing the trigger to connect with the bullet chamber. The soldier pulled out a big blade from a sheath tied to his leg and swung it at Dioha who swat his hand away and moved into the chopper. A rifle fired off some rounds but Dioha was quick enough to shift the gun, making it face the soldier who'd tried to stab him. The soldier with the rifle pulled out a pistol and aimed at Dioha's head. Two shots yet he couldn't hit Dioha at such close quarters as Dioha was simply too fast. Three quick downward stabs in the neck left the pistol wielder gurgling as blood spurted out from his wounds. Another pistol fired, hitting Dioha in the left shoulder. This was fired by the co-pilot, who took aim and squeezed again but Dioha didn't give him the benefit of hitting him again as he threw the knife in his hand at the soldier. The knife embedded itself in the face of the co-pilot killing him instantly. Dioha picked up a pistol and placed it to the pilot's temple as it remained the two of them.
"TAKE THIS THING DOWN, NICE AND GENTLE." Dioha said.
The pilot guided the helicopter down, landing on the plain. The pilot got out of the chopper guided by Dioha who still had a gun aimed at him. The raccoon girl had somehow managed to land the other helicopter safely and joined the others on the ground while Dioha was busy fighting in the air. A little scuffle ensued as the cadets on ground tried to vent their anger on the pilot. Dioha did his best to bring the situation under control because he wanted to interrogate the pilot to know the reason for the attack. The pilot was human like his other comrades that were now dead. Dioha needed to know if there were more of them scattered all over the territory. After much yelling, the five surviving cadets quieted down basically out of reasoning with Dioha's theory that there could be more humans invading Ngamé territory.
"AFTER YOU TRIED TO ENTER OUR TERRITORY AND FAILED, WE DECIDED TO REPAY THE GESTURE." The pilot directed at Dioha.
The cadets looked confused and turned to look at Dioha questioningly. They asked the pilot to explain further.
"HE AND OTHERS OF YOUR KIND BROKE THROUGH OUR BARRIER WHERE WE WITHSTOOD THEM FORCING THEM TO BEAT A HASTY RETREAT."
The pilot went on about how they'd mobilized and decided to know where these freaks who'd tried to invade them came from. When asked if there were more than just two helicopters invading, he kept mute. They decided they didn't need him again and decided to kill him but Dioha wouldn't let them. Then they turned on Dioha.