News of the warded off assault reached across the Legion in a matter of hours. Both Ophus and Infinus did their part in the conflict, leaving Encur to go in and aid where it was needed.
Finely decorated Sky Beasts descended from the orange skies, the banners that represented Encur's pride and the entire Legion's elegance danced freely in the winds.
Corpses mangled, charred, battered, and shot polluted the air with their decaying smell. Twisting the stomachs of every incoming Variant.
The smell was putrid, enough to make even the most starved Ferals gag. Especially the freshly scorched ones. Their bodies burned to fine crisps, with steam still coming off the dying flames.
Weavers danced idly overhead, unsure of what to do next. They continued to circle one another, sometimes clashing and merging into one.
A lowly elite by the name of Oniyin planted his foot on the ruins of Volknair. Dust from the crumbled buildings drifted in the wind, sticking to other mounds of destroyed property.
Seeing such a beautiful city reduced to nothingness felt like a kick to the gut. He remembers bringing his parents over after dragging them onto a Sky Beast and flying them out to meet the rest of Infinus.
Hearing their laughter as they admired the world around them still lingered in his ears. Other warriors that arrived alongside him felt the same way.
Volknair was beautiful, a lively city next to the sea. Now it's an eyesore with ruined souls still hiding throughout the entire mess.
Oniyin ordered his men to search for survivors, then he ordered two to stick by his side. Together, they got to work on clearing out debris.
Scorched wood still warm to the touch pressed down against their palms and shoulders. Reminding them of the old Zegus war tune, 'Little, Little Pawn.'
Which caused them to sing in unison as they worked. Making them more efficient and distracting their minds from all the heavy lifting and weary they felt.
Stone bricks crumbled when they touched them, but the rare few resisted. Allowing the group to move them aside, placing them into neat stacks so they could be reinforced and reused.
By the end of their gathering, they had a stack of bricks that went up to their knees and several logs that were darkened to the core. They rested for a bit, not daring to say a word to one another.
Cool winds washed over the area, letting their black hair flow slightly. Sweat built up over their brows and between their pact muscles, causing Oniyin to take off his shirt and tie it around his forehead.
He let out a calm exhale, then got right back to work. Together, the trio extracted smashed fruits and dirty carpets that were once neatly folded up.
It was clear this was a shop, meant to give whatever the owners could get their hands on. One of the warriors stumbled up a hand with shards of glass dug right into the back.
Whoever it belonged to got mangled and crushed by the crumbling building. The other warrior helped the first clean out the area, so they could safely extract the body.
Oniyin started a small fire, meant to help them properly honor the deceased Variants they'll encounter as they go on. The air went still, leaving the fire to get as warm as it wanted.
Leaving the trio to take in the smell of amplified decaying flesh. It was even worse than before, this time, their eyes were beginning to sting from the bad air.
But they didn't let up. They continued to extract what they could. Placing them in their respective piles. With the recovered bodies being put the furthest away from the fire, letting them breathe easier.
A small caved in door caught their attention. Oniyin pushed rubble aside, then pried the door open. Moonlight entered through the opening, letting them see inside.
"Commander?" an innocent voice called out to them. A trooper emerged from the shadows, eyes full of innocence and hope. Which turned into sadness upon seeing the trio. "You're not my commander!"
Oniyin reached inside. "We're not, but we're here to rescue you. Is your overseer there with you?"
"No, she ran out to force my commander inside. She was screaming and crying a lot. It was very scary for me. I saw the door open a little before a big boom happened and something fell on it."
The warriors exchanged looks, knowing what this meant. Like one of the many truths about being a Zegus was death didn't care. It just took whoever it wanted.
Even if it was a mother only steps away from her son. Just thinking about it caused them to flinch. All warriors agreed to one rule: no matter where a conflict is, they must never die near their offspring.
It wouldn't sit well with them. Often times, those offspring would grow up to be undisciplined and brutal for no reason at all. But if they didn't see their parents get slaughtered, they would live with the wishes of fulfilling their role in life.
Oniyin held is hand open so the trooper could grab onto it. "Well, are you hungry? Let's get you some food and water. How does a nice apple and a little tale sound?"
The trooper hesitantly smiled at the idea, he wanted to hear some of the cool stories warriors had to share. Each one always brought lessons left in odd places for those listening to figure out.
Oniyin plopped the trooper onto the destroyed floor. Dents and broken planks littered the area. He turned to his warriors, then firmly nodded. Letting them know to continue working without him.
From there, Oniyin was responsible for getting the little one somewhere safe. That and to also care for him until someone wanted to adopt him.
He thought about a couple who wanted offspring, but couldn't get any. The male wasn't trained to mate earlier in life, so his body completely shut down that aspect of itself.
"Volknair was so pretty the last time I was running around with my friends... are they still alive?" the trooper asked.
"I... d - don't think about that. So, would you like a story before I tell you a meal time story?" Oniyin tried to change topics.
But the trooper was focused on the destruction around them as they walked through the streets. "Are grown ups always so destructive?"
Oniyin sighed. "Yes, that's the truth about us. One day you'll understand what fighting for an ally, family member, or home feels like. But for now, you must grow big and strong."