Zegi and Thawed huddled around each other, trying to keep who they could safe from the never-ending winter of the mountain range. Troopers and icicles shivered, hugging their parents for warmth.
A Sky Beast landed in the middle of the city, green ribbons attached onto its top set of wings. It lowered itself, allowing the riders to dismount without any issue.
Scorched earth crumbled beneath their feet. It was dry, too dry. Despite the cataclysmic explosion from earlier, no one died. Only mass destruction wiped away the city.
No one understood how or why this happened, but the Thawed believed it was because the Nine did not allow it to happen. Completely unaware of the tortured maiden that watched over them.
Downed bodies still lingered, unable to get back up after the attack. Valiant reached a struggling Zegus, her breathing was heavy. A broken gap in her face plates allowed the stale air to flow in.
He reached down for her hand, grabbing it and gently pulling her up. After sitting straight, he brought an arm beneath her knees and used his other arm to lift her from the back.
"Keep breathing, you will be fine. This was a bloody battle, yes, but you survived. You are a natural force, sharpened by your family and beloved by our people," he whispered to her.
She tried to turn and face Valiant, but couldn't. Something was stuck, maybe her helmet or her body itself. No matter what she tried, she couldn't move.
"I can't... I can't feel m - my legs. Sir, I... my arms, I am not in control. I'm broken, sir," she muttered.
Valiant lowered her beside a Thawed couple. "It's okay, that's fine. You don't have to fight anymore. These Thawed here will help you." He turned to look up at them. "Try your best."
Yazzo followed in Valiant's steps, carrying injured forces into the mourning groups. They held onto each other, trying to keep what remained of their home intact.
Before Yazzo pulled back to the scorched field, a trooper reached up for her. A cheerful smile was missing from her face, something that Yazzo noticed.
"Excuse me... ma'am," the trooper's innocent voice spoke out. "Will my overseer be okay? My commander and I have been searching for her, but we can't find her."
"My dear trooper," Yazzo got on one knee. "It is not a certainty you will ever seen those you love again. But because of that reason alone, you must strengthen yourself so you could always return to your family and friends."
The trooper hugged herself, trying to find the spot where her overseer used to hug her from. But it wasn't there. She understood the reason it disappeared was because her overseer did as well.
While she frantically tried to find comfort, Yazzo backed up. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, what the invasion did to those living here.
Deep down, she wanted to reach out and rip Infinus apart with her metallic claws. She felt them weigh her hand down, unable to retreat back into her nails because they weren't real.
A Thawed removed the helmet of a downed Zegus, who desperately tried taking in air. Yazzo watched them both thrash around like wounded animals.
Memories of Cemtrin and Yinmars kicking and punching nothingness as their strength was drained from their very bones returned to her. She was not going to allow it to happen now.
"Quick, can you carry him?" Yazzo asked.
The Thawed struggled to scoop the Zegus into his arms. "Maybe, hopefully I can."
"Here, let me help. You hold on to the upper body, I'll secure the legs," Yazzo replied.
She helped carry the Zegus to the crowd of struggling Variants. They flinched at the sight of a transformed warrior.
Bodies moved away, allowing the downed figure to rest alongside them. The Thawed placed his hand over his friend's chest.
"Listen to me, you're going to be okay? J - just let me know if you need anything," the Thawed said to the Zegus. "Also," he turned to look at Yazzo. "Thank you so much."
"Yeah, you're welcome. Try to see if you can perform some kind of ritual to ease it up for him," Yazzo concluded.
Her mind instantly returned to the field. Scorched homes and statues decorated the once-beautiful Hail-Heart. It disheartened Yazzo, she did not like seeing the city like this.
No one did, but in moments of strife, voices had to speak out and encourage those that feel discouraged. Detrass was the one to do that. He watched Yazzo run back into the charred area.
Ash kicked up behind her feet as she went looking for more bodies to bring back. He felt the weight of the axe on his back, it felt like a burden.
So he removed it from there, getting ready to say his speech to those left out in the cold. Troopers and icicles ceased their weeping, they instead turned to the ray of hope before them.
Zegi and Thawed did the same thing, they were eager to feel something other than sorrow and rage. Each one had the urge to invade Digon, kicking off all the parasites that infested the mountain.
"Hail-Heart," Detrass' voice thundered. "You hear of that name and think of the city, the statue, the culture, the homes. But what you don't think about is yourselves."
He stepped forward towards the crowd, opening his arms up for all to see. "My calling you by the name of the city suggests the city wouldn't have been what it was without you."
"Look around you, no one died. But many were seriously injured, some may never be finally healed. But we know this, through the struggles we endure now, the Variants will propel a better, bigger city."
Faces looked up at him, seeing the hope and courage of a better future. He was right, they had to propel for a better shelter. One that made the previous one seem puny.
That day wouldn't come by itself, they needed to get there. Starting now.