I finished helping with bringing some supplies that recently arrived. Food and equipment, handed from the truck to personnel on the ground who started bringing them to the tents. As i continued, a large transport ship started descending down behind one of the tents. My team headed out, staring at the arriving ship.
"That's our ship." Sebastian notified.
"Let's go." We all started walking to the ship, leaving the area we helped in, from saving people to bringing back dead bodies. Personnel were still bringing back body bags through the tunnel, constantly going back and forth to bring in more bodies, placing them inside a smaller tent. It didn't stop, the sheer number was too much.
The road behind the tent was barricaded as officers with gas masks stood around in long layered uniforms. A few others were already walking towards the transport, others like us. Parabellum mercs.
The ramp descended down, showing empty rows of seats. We quickly got onto the ship, still wearing our suits.
Strapping on, the last of the mercenaries got onto the transport, which closed after.
Vibrations soon stopped and we were off, the ship has ascended upwards and we left.
Hopefully what we did has done enough to help this city. And what of our academy? Hope it's still standing when we get back. Along with the city it resides in.
The trip went on silent, nobody talked, not from our communications to speaking loudly out the suit. We were all just.....Silent....
The subway must've been what messed up all of us, but it certainly messed me up.
Everyone's faces were dejected, their eyes still void of any emotion, even if we already started leaving, the feeling of dread never left. I sat on my chair, not feeling a sense of joy nor relaxation in leaving, instead feeling empathetic, dejected, and just dead eyed expressions.
I attempt to rest, rest from the exhaustion of my mind and my body. The constant thoguhts of what we went through repeatedly looming around in my head. Different scenes of what i witnessed. From the piles of corpses i nthe subway, to the destroyed city deep in the affected area. To think this is just one of many cities that were affected, this may be small compared to what another city must have endured. We have killed and purged so many in our war against the insurgents, and yet it led to something as catastrophic as this.
It took a painful few minutes as my mind can't stop thinking of what i have witnessed, something not like anything before. From fighting insurgents and killing the enemy to having to bring out hundreds of bodies of civilians.
Finally, as if everything just suddenly ceased in moving.
An image began forming up through the dark. Slowly forming from blurs to a clear image.
The one i was looking through was inside a suit, similar to what we wore. Walking forward on a road, the road was filled with military and law enforcement vehicles, soldiers to offfiers walked around with gas masks as a menacing large cloud of green was forming in front. The sky wasn't as bright as where we were. Is this Aregalia? or somewhere else? The person's eyes panned away to a large building....The Parabellum building, from where the person is standing and the gas cloud. The building seemed to be at a good distance. High rise buildings reflected the remaining orange light of the sun from the sun. The person stopped moving, eyes darting in front once more. Now standing in front of a large truck with others donning suits already inside. The person quickly got on, the ramp sealing them off from the outside world.
They all sat inside, silent, as the truck was moving, none talked with their heads looking down making it impossible to see their faces. The eyes shift to a pile of body bags, all stored at the end of the truck's interior. Unused....But about to be used.
My vision blurred and my vision felt as if i was being rapidly pulled away, seeing the image now getting smaller and smaller. Once it was all gone, i was left in darkness.
Just as i thought around on it, i began remembering my thoughts. My eyes opened wide as i jolted hard in my seat. The rest stared at me.
"Damon, you alright?" Sebastian asked, concerned.
"Yeah, i just....Had a dream." I felt my head ached while the thoughts continued.
"Don't worry, the staff told us we were nearing the academy." He continued.
The ship's descent began, feeling it as it hit the ground. I started taking out the straps as the ramp slowly went down. With weapons in hand, i started exiting the craft, it's ramp now fully open. The others went outside as well.
As i stepped out, a mist engulfed me as people clad in masks and protective suits sprayed us. Stopping shortly after. In front of us, the strategist stood, wearing a gas mask, standing near the elevator. After the misting, he started approaching.
"The academy was rapidly searched for any contaminants, it is safe. But we'll need to have everyone go to the clinic in case of any injuries, be it from the gas or from other reasons. After your examination in the clinic you may head to the cafeteria and get something to eat. What you went through must've been too much, i was radioed of what happened. All of you deserve this rest." He said.
As i looked behind, i saw it, next to the dawn sun, a massive green cloud loomed over a part of the city as it was already swalloed up by the fumes, no longer seeing it from a distance. The others looked at it, their faces filled with horror.
"We brought any remaining mercs to join the fight, but since you're most likely exhausted and not in the right moods after what you all endured. You need to get examined and rest. Don't worry, the situation there is under control, only the gas lingers there." He added.
Behind him, I, my team, and other mercs who were on the transport walked to the elevator.
Descending downwards, it stopped. Opening it's doors to the clinic floor.
A small booth stood on the side. "PLEASE DISPOSE OF YOUR SUITS IN THE BIN INSIDE THIS BOOTH BEFORE ENTRY INSIDE THE CLINIC AND THE FLOORS BELOW." Written in large text above the doorway of the booth.