The beluaman fell lifeless on the Gray Figure's feet. He sheathed his vibrant blade beaming with ether energy. He did not have the skin of the etherians. He did not have the signs that only the etherians could see. He did not look like an Etherian. Not a layer of their famed 'etherian layers' could be fine in that Gray Suit.
"Etherian Killer," Damon said.
The Gray Suited figure looked over. His one-eyed well-fitted helmet eyed them. The group felt their heart skip a beat in fear as he walks to them without a worry. No, how can they not fear the man who had taken down the fifth layer beluaman within a few strikes?
"It seems that you people are safe?" he spoke and froze at the sight of Mei. The silence made Damon unable to speak. It was as if the man was in contemplation.
"So, it seems that I am not too late. Sanctum has commissioned me as reinforcements. Is that all the Beluaman here?"
"Do you want more?" Karl said, focusing his eyes on the vibrant blade that the man had.
"No. I do not have any spare batteries. It would take a lot of effort to kill one."
"Batteries huh," Karl said. "So, you were commissioned by Sanctum, but your gear is different."
"I am an Outrider," the Gray Figure said. "But I am an Outrider that works for Haven. And I do not have a reason to divulge more than this."
He closed anything that they could ask. Karl opened his mouth slightly before shutting it. He turns his attention to the outside world. The Commander of the Recon Korp was smashing his weapon on the beluaman. The area around Gharasu was in tatters and behind the spires was the hive of Belua. They have noticed the explosion. A legion of belua was coming their way.
"We can't take them down, there are too many of them. So what are we going to do now?"
"Leave, all of you," The Gray Figure said. "I'll have my flyer tethered so you can all get out of here. Look, there are beluas who are capable of firing ether. You should all go."
���You're going to fight?"
Damon asked. His eyes shivered. There were too many of them. Too many that it made the ether on his skin shiver. They could not possibly fight while surrounded by ether-consuming beasts.
"That's what I am here for."
"Please, you can't possibly."
"I can handle them," the Gray Figure said sternly. "I was here as reinforcement. I am not an etherian who cannot fight while surrounded by the belua. That is why we are here. To slay the pack so that you etherians can unleash your powers."
He sets his palm on the vibrant blade he wields. The rain did not go away. Because of the battle between the fifth layers that the rain was disperse and the clouds cleared and the sun seen entirely.
"You people go," he said while controlling his flyer to their location. They tethered their harnesses on the flyer while Karl handled the pilot's seat. Four of them could only hold tightly in hopes that they could escape from this nightmare.
"Flatline was it?��� Damon asked, holding on the tether.
"Flatline," Flatline said. "What a terrible nickname they give me."
He draws his vibrant blade. He pulled on the trigger of the blade. The blade hums into a vibrant purplish hue. The blade's hue was lesser than what they saw earlier.
"What is that?"
"Ether energy," he said. "Energy can be conducted, the same you coat your blades and make weapons of them. This energy is expensive and since it is a special occasion. They have decided to allow me to use them."
"We have not heard of this," Damon said.
"You don't because it is far too expensive to wield. Look, I only got seven batteries in me. Two used to take down a fifth-layered beluaman. So instead of chitchatting with me, can you people go?"
Karl starts the flyer. They start flying in low attitude. Ares conjures a shield to protect the flyer while keeping the able to fly. From the view of above, they saw Flatline rushing to the heart of the pack.
He rushes to the pack wielding that blade coated with ether. His blade sliced through multiple foes. His gray one-eyed suit functioning without rest as he indiscriminately slaughters his way to the ether-using beluas targeting the flyer.
The sight of a single Outrider commissioned by Sanctum gave the hearts of the group a great fight. In their eyes, the etherians were powerful, but if a well-prepared monster could do this then what would that mean for them who in their hearts underestimate the humans as lesser?
They were etherians and yet a human was protecting them. They did not feel an irrational sense of shame. Neither had they felt disgusted by the sight of a human stealing their spotlight. What they felt was the admiration of those of their older species showing their might.
Damon had always asked what happen if that Outrider did not save him in that day. Could he have lose his team and joined the Organization that wanted to become greater than the humans they were being paid to protect? Alternatively, could all of them had been lured to that sweet lie that they were greater?
Damon did not know what to think, but in the end, he choose to believe in the humans who could fight. A sympathy that he got from seeing those men turned into cattle. They humans may call them monsters, but in the end, they did not want to see their former allies become cattle. Damon doubts that those who have seen the cattle-humans would want to be turn them like that as well. Etherians share humanity's form. If they could berate the race they were from, then what are they? They would be men lesser than the people who would fight despite not having any power other than relying on tools.
Damon held the harness, mutter to himself.
"Good luck, Outrider."
The flyer heads to the crawler transporters, leaving Flatline in the midst of the belua pack.