"Stop!" A familiar voice reached out. Kirin lost focus, fading the laser from her eyes. As soon as she saw the face, she quickly shouted at the squad to fire. "Don't! I didn't come to fight!" Karuga extends both her hands at them. The squad froze, unsure of what to do. However, Marve still fired his Silverline, but he missed his shot. Karuga glared at him.
"That's unusual, coming from a Loyalist" Kirin said, pointing her Resolver at her head. "As we talk, my people are being slaughtered by these menaces everywhere! The portal is this outpost's only chance of survival! Without it, my soldiers here will die!" Karuga shouted. She then turned around. "Soldiers! Form a circle around me!" She barked an order to the soldiers and the command immediately went around the outpost. The soldiers from the outlines of the outpost have retreated inside to encircle her and the squad.
"Kirin, you know that this is not an argument!" Karuga focused back on Kirin. "That portal is staying for our survival!" She added. "Why don't you just 'phase' out or something? Your portal is being a threat to our base and a nearby civilization! We are tasked to take it down, no matter what!" Kirin shouted. "Are you indicating that we are to fight each other right now?!" Karuga shouted back. Kirin fell silent.
"I thought you Arkula believes in such thing as peace between our civilization?" Karuga's words surprised the squad. "If you destroy that portal, you're going to break your promises! My people will remark this day as the Arkula's most dishonorable and betrayal act!" She looked straight at Kirin's eyes. "Such lies from the Arkula will never be forgotten, we will carry that hatred until to the very end of our lives, Kirin Solana" She took a step forward. "What it's gonna be?" She asked.
Kirin took a while, the squad and Karuga waits for her answer. Once decided, she called in Lonara. "Kirin! We detect a Loyalist right in front of you! What's going on?!" Lonara's worried voice came through. "Calm down. This same Loyalist has asked us something" "What?!" They can guess Lonara is surprised and confused through her voice. "The First... I mean the Second Loyalist has asked us not to destroy the portal" Kirin glared at Karuga. "W-what...?" Lonara fell silent for a few seconds.
"The Zakana is increasing dramatically as you second-think your decision, Lonara Hamarya, if you truly believed in our peace, you would have given me an answer the moment you heard my request" Karuga said. Lonara was hit hard. After a second, Lonara spoke up. "Let's make a deal, then. We help you in any way we can, but you will abandon every outpost you have in this region once your soldiers are saved" She struck a deal. "That's a promise. You have my most gratitude, Lonara, Kirin" Karuga smiled. The squad is glued to her expression.
"The Zakana, as I said, is everywhere in the sands. This outpost is not the only one that is under attack. The rest of our outposts around here are being surrounded by them" Karuga said. "I-I think we should help those outpo-!" "What?!" Niela spoke but Kirin raised her voice over hers. "Are you nuts?! We already agreed to help here! The other outposts are none of our business anymore!" She shouted. "Kirin, when I said help us, I meant not only here in this outpost" Karuga said. "Your soldier speaks of helping others and you berate her like that?" She added.
Kirin grunted. "With the portal giving us reinforcement, we can hold out. But the portal is not enough to cover the rest of our outposts. Please, go help the others, we can handle this one from here" Karuga said. "Damn it..." Kirin cursed under her breath.
"Hey, where's your oh-so-great fleet? Why aren't they here?" Kirin asked her. "We made a promise to Lonara that our fleet will not get too close to the planet" Karuga answered. "Now ain't that a bull? You had Demon Eagles the first time you met us, and there was one after we finished one of your outposts!" Karuga was angered but held it in. "That is not a fleet. And some of the Eagles are assigned to one of the outposts as their aerial defense" She said.
"Argh! Whatever, let's go!" Kirin shook her head in irritation. "Once again, I thank you" Karuga thanked her again. "You're welcome!" Both Niela and Sterling spoke together. Karuga was surprised but gave them a smile in return. "Come. I will guide you out of here" Karuga jumped on the rubble and started walking ahead.
"Let's go" Kirin ordered the squad. They follow Karuga from behind. "Follow me" Karuga instructed the soldier she walked past by, and the soldiers slowly followed her and opened fire at any Zakana comes. "Guard our six" Kirin and the squad faced their rear as they slowly advance. As the group exited the outpost, Karuga charged ahead, leaving a dark mist mix of black, red, and white mist
"Whoa! Guys!" Chirlin called, the squad looked behind them. They saw Karuga going from one place to another within seconds, leaving traces of dark mist. "What is that?" Sterling asked. "She's... fast!" The squad froze in place, distancing themselves from the Narukh'za soldiers. Karuga dealt with a number of Zakana in such a short time. The once-dust-filled air by the stomps of the Zakana is now filled with dark and mysterious mist by Karuga.
"What in tarnation is that?" Kirin being surprised hits the squad. "M-Miss Kirin? You never...?" Niela tried asking but Kirin was lost in words. "Arkula, stick close" One of the soldiers called them and they quickly catches up. Before they knew it, the path ahead is already cleared. "Kirin! Now!" Karuga called them and they are snapped out of it. The squad ran ahead without a word.
"May our combined strengths save lives of hundreds and thousands in this day!" Karuga shouted a last goodbye before fighting their way back inside the outpost.
As the squad runs up to the dune they were on before, they saw the Porter carrying the Gallant towards the outpost. "Averthos! Divert from the outpost! We will drive to any Narukh'za outpost we can see other than that one!" Kirin called for the Gallant. "Roger that. Can I ask the situation?" Averthos responded. "Everything has changed! For now, we are helping the Narukh'za fight the Zakana's attack on their other outposts!" Kirin said. "Roger that, deploy us anywhere you need!" Averthos agrees.
"Come on, run, run!" Kirin gestured at the squad. Later, they arrived at their Lancers and drove away. "This is such a mess!" Kirin shook her head. All of a sudden, her eyes received a call from Lonara. "Kirin, this isn't good! They have started attacking the base as well!" "What now?!" Kirin shouted. "Goddamn Zakana!" She slammed the Lancer's handle. "We're coming! We-!" "We can hold, Kirin! You promised that Loyalist! Go and do it! I will give you the directions" "Lonara, you're crazy!" "Kirin!" The two argued. "The base can hold! That Loyalist is relying her soldiers on you!" "Lonara!" "That's an order!" Kirin greets her teeth in anger.
"Don't give me tha-!" "Do it!" Lonara raised her voice over Kirin's. "I will let you command up to three companies, go and let them help every outpost I can give you!" Kirin didn't bother answering and terminated the call. She glanced behind her.
"So, care to give me your thoughts about what's happening right now?" She asked but no one gave an answer. "None of this is our plan! Zakana is everywhere, we failed to destroy the portal, there are more Devastators near us than ever, and Lonara agreed to help them big time!" She said. "Oh, not only that!" She raised a finger.
"I believe I just saw a superhero movie villain that moves around, fast as hell, with their evil fog all over the place! Tell me I didn't get that Xatholorna gas to hallucinate like that!" Kirin glanced at them once more. "I think... we all knew what we saw" Niela responded. "So we all hallucinated then" Kirin scoffed. "Miss Lonara made a deal that if we help them, they go away from here, right?" Niela asked. Kirin sighed. "Yeah, I know... I just..." She looked ahead in the distance.
"I know that this is going to like, improve their opinion on us... but this is too sudden. What if this is just that second Loyalist's plot all along?" She asked. "I don't think leading the Zakana to their soldier is a good plan" Marve said. Kirin laughed. "Will you be surprised if I say that they actually do that?" She said.
Marve gasped. "Sacrifice is one of the things that make the Narukh'za dangerous at battles. It's like they have nothing to lose and are always willing to take all the risks just so they can have their victory" Kirin sighed. "You can call them stubborn, but it's more than that. It's a crazy dedication" She said.
After a while, Kirin decided to change their direction. The squad was heading back to the base, but Kirin made a turn to the left. After a few seconds, Lonara called in. "I can see that you're now going to the outposts" She said. "Alright, listen carefully. I can't send you any images to your eyes, we are very busy here. So I will just lay it all out here in this call" Lonara started to list down.
"The first outpost you destroyed, outpost B. Do you remember where it is? We have detected small Narukh'za forces in that outpost. We can assume they're back there to scavenge whatever's left of the place, but that is not relevant anymore. They are fighting off a small number of Zakana. You can help them if you like, but it looks like they can hold off for themselves"
"Just north of that outpost is a squadron of Demon Eagles. The Ravens are overwhelming them. Kirin, I don't know how that happened but Ravens started to appear in every sand in Kryok" Lonara sounded afraid. "Yeah! I saw them at outpost C! I thought we isolated them at Caladorna?!" Kirin shouted.
Caladorna is a volcanic planet. Its surface is covered with volcano ashes and its grounds are naturally brown to dark red colors. It is believed to be the Zakana's Ravens' new home. The Ravens were forcibly driven to this planet by the Arkula and the Narukh'za. With their former homes destroyed, the Ravens are forced to horribly adapt to the harsh environment of the planet. Up until the present, it is unknown if the Ravens are able to live on the planet.
"It seems like there are some who escaped and live somewhere" Lonara answered and cleared her throat. "Nearing to those Demon Eagles are a convoy of their soldiers and armors. I assume they are from outpost A responding to the distress call from the small forces from outpost B"
"Now, Outpost A, just like C, is under heavy attack by a horde of Zakana. It's as dangerous as the Zakana in C. I can see that they can hold for themselves, but there is no decrease in Zakana's activities. I fear that they will not hold forever, we don't know when it's gonna end. I suggest you send one of the companies in there until they can safely evacuate"
"Lastly, they have a convoy of armors retreating up northeast from outpost A. I took a quick scan with a Skybot and there seems to be an unidentified Narukh'za outpost out there in their direction with a fairly large Zakana activity. That's all we can gather for now, standby" Lonara finished stating every place they can go.
"So, Niela. You're with me on this one" Kirin looked at her. "Did you catch all the places she said?" She asked. "Yes!" Niela replied. "Good. Which one should we head first?" She asked. "H-how about we do it in order? I've noticed that she listed it in order from closest to farthest distance. I suggest that we should help that small group in outpost B" Niela responded. Kirin nodded.
"Sure. In order then" Kirin then started heading to the direction of outpost B. As Niela has stated, the outpost is the closest to the squad than the other Narukh'za forces Lonara have listed. It didn't take long until they arrive.
They stopped from a distance. "So, have Karuga told her soldiers that we are here to help them?" She asked. No one answered. "Lonara..." She mumbled as she used her eyes to call back Lonara. "Can't you just call her straight?" Chirlin asked. "Who, Karuga? Our suits and theirs have a unique device that blocks off radio waves from unknown sources. Even with our technology in that base, it will take time to break through" As she was speaking, the call went through.
"Hey, send anyone or anything to outpost C and tell that Loyalist to be on a shared frequency with us? Now that we are helping them?" Kirin asked. "Sure thing" Lonara briefly replied and the call is quickly terminated. "Alright, whatever she sends in there will take time. The moment the Narukh'za fires at us, we retreat, alright?" Kirin told the squad.
With the squad ready, Kirin charged through the Zakana, shooting anything in front of her. With the squad behind her, they used the same formation which covers all sides from any Zakana. They made it inside the ruins without trouble. They quickly got out of their Lancers once inside. The Narukh'za is still shooting from all sides. Some of the soldiers saw them and stopped. "Arkula! We heard from the lord that you have agreed to fight for our side!" One of them, seemingly the high ranking of their squad, shouted.
"Yeah! We will stay here until you guys are able to move away from here!" Kirin shouted back. "Good! We came from another outpost just north of our position. We've contacted them for exfiltration but the convoy that was sent is under attack. We can hear the convoy from here and it seems that they have sent some Demon Eagles as well. The Zakana has disabled the lead vehicle and forced the convoy to stop. They are stationary somewhere up there and fighting. If you want to help us out of here, I will ask you to help the convoy reach this place before we are overrun" The soldier said.
"You heard them! Let's go to that convoy!" The squad rode their Lancers again and drove up to the north to meet up with the said convoy.