After all this, Lionel's vision started forwarding in a great speed, until the moment he was caught in the blast, along with Zedd. He suddenly felt his father, Killian caressing his forehead, and saying, "You are not going down son, not yet, not so soon. It will take more than this for your fall. Remember son, we are Shiroganes. Our backs never hit ground. We are those who if are downed by the enemies, they start praying that we don't get up. As they know, once we get up, they are going down. Rise my son! Rise! the Bat! of Shirogane Family!" Lionel opens his eyes. It seems he was in some sort of dream or nightmare.
Madelyn looked back at gasping Lionel. "Captain? What happened?" Madelyn asked hurrying towards him.
"I'm fine. I'm fine." Lionel said, trying to catch his breath.
"Are you sure?" Madelyn asked.
"Yes." Lionel said, changing back to his straight face expression.
"As you say Captain." Madelyn said, and started going back to arrange Lionel's suit.
"Madelyn, can you pass me then pen and notepad?" Lionel said.
Madelyn was happy on hearing this. She quickly went near Lionel's desk and took a pen and notepad and gave him. Lionel took the notepad and pen, and wrote something on it, tore the page and gave it to Madelyn.
"These are the list of items I need. Give them to Poppy and tell him to transport these to my house in the village." Lionel said.
Madelyn nodded her head.
"And no need to re-arrange my suit. You tried your best, but now I'll take care of it." Lionel continued, while Madelyn nodded. "And yes inform Parker I am here, and tell her to meet me. Tell her to come alone."
"Ok Captain." Madelyn said, with a sudden change in her emotions, she couldn't understand herself what it was. She felt a sudden irritation and a mixture of sadness. She left quickly to inform Parker. After knowing Lionel has called her alone, Parker left quickly. Madelyn wasn't liking this, so she went to sleep, since either ways she was tired.
Parker enters Lionel's room, and saw him sitting on his couch, shirtless, holding on his Bat necklace.
"Come. Sit here." Lionel says without looking towards Parker's direction.
Parker obliges. "So why you called me?" she asks.
"Tell me, what happened to me?" Lionel asked.
"Well, you see, your left arm elbow joint got dislocated, your right leg cartilage got torn, and you have a slipped disc. Feeling good?" Parker replied with a straight face.
"I see." Lionel said with a thoughtful look. "I guess I'll have to make some changes in the list I gave to Madelyn."
"List?" Parker asked.
"Don't worry about it. I want to ask what's the status of soldiers? How is there training going on?" Lionel asked.
"Not that well. Everyone is training, but some lack confidence, some lack enthusiasm. Everyone's scared, seeing you down." Parker said with some concern in her eyes.
Lionel thought for a while, and then said, "Tell them to train well. I have returned. I'm not leaving the battlefield. Upcoming time won't be so easy. They have attacked us once, we need to give a proper reply to them."
"But we won't include you in this battle anymore." Parker said, trying to have a stern look to intimidate Lionel.
Lionel glares at her.
"Your glare won't work on me Lionel. This time I'm dead serious. I don't want you to die. The doctors have stated clearly that if you don't care about yourself, you'll die." Parker said, trying to not lose.
Lionel continued to glare at her.
"What?" Parker asked.
"You know about my promises and responsibilities. Emmett made me in-charge of fulfilling his dream of Tyrant-free World. Moreover, many dead soldiers of our Squad, their families couldn't even get to see their bodies. I can't fail them." Lionel said calmly. "And in our clan, if we can't keep our promise, we are as good as dead. I couldn't fulfill my promise with someone special, so I am as good as dead. I just chose an honourable one. So if I die, or not, I have nothing to lose. But if I won't step in the battlefield, I may lose myself."
Parker started looking at the ground, trying to stop tears to flow from her eyes.
"Come out Madelyn." Lionel said looking towards his room entry gate. "I know you are there. Come out. You still need to polish your skills."
Madelyn enters Lionel's room, trying to control her tears as well.
"Were you eavesdropping on us?" Lionel asked.
Madelyn was silent.
"Madelyn. Tell." Lionel asked again.
"I was just-" Madelyn begun speaking when Parker cut her off, "Madelyn, right time it is. (To Lionel) Give her the list you were about to give."
Lionel glared at both, but let them go.
"I'll leave for my village tomorrow morning. Everyone has one week from tomorrow. I need an army who are willing to fight alongside with us. It must completely be their will. Even if no one comes, it doesn't matter. But if an army comes, less casualty will occur, and chances of loss would be less as well. A great help. But only if they are willing." Lionel said, while writing the new list.
"Understood." Parker said.
"Now I shall go to rest. You two go to rest as well. This week's going to be a lot hectic." Lionel said.
"Oh ok. Shall I help you go to your bed?" Parker asked.
"Sure. Thank You." Lionel said.
Parker stood up, with wide eyes, started looking towards Lionel. "You? Asking for help? Saying thank you? Are you sure I'm not dreaming?" Parker asked.
"Yes you are dreaming. Now help me or else I'll ask Madelyn." Lionel said.
Madelyn stood there silently, trying to control her jealousy. She wanted Lionel to ask her for help, instead of Parker. She somehow remained calm.
"No no no no, I am coming, I am coming." Parker said, while Madelyn looked at her with a jealous look, which she almost hid well.
After Lionel went to sleep, Parker came out with Madelyn.
"I don't know whether I should be happy or sad, seeing Lionel's current condition. The man who never needed help from anyone. Even when he needed it more, he never asked, always stayed alone, worked alone, lived alone. Now he asked for help, for such puny things. The amount of courage he put on that, might've been insane." Parker said to Madelyn.
Madelyn nodded in affirmation.
"Though it felt nice to help him." Parker said with a smile.
Madelyn again nodded in affirmation.
"Well, we have a huge task ahead of us Madelyn, so I guess, we should leave." Parker said.
Madelyn nods and says, Thank you for covering up for me."
"Covering? Oh you mean that? Well, I understood your concern for him. However, I can't let him know we are in love with him. You know how he distances himself from people who loves him, right?" Parker replies.
"Yes, you are right." Madelyn says with a nod.
"Alright Madelyn, go to sleep. You have many tasks tomorrow. Moreover, you still haven't taken rest in a while, you need it." Parker says.
"Yeah, you are right." Madelyn says, and takes her leave.
Next day, Lionel leaves for his village in the morning, leaving behind a note for the soldiers. Everyone was summoned in the Assembly Hall, by orders of the Commander. She would read the note to the soldiers.
"What do you think is written in the letter?" Ciaran poked Selena and asked.
"How would I know that Ciaran?" Selena asked back.
"Right right." Ciaran said laughing.
"By the way, why did Captain leave early?" Jacob asked.
"Yeah, even I have the same question. Of all the people, Captain would never run away from the battle field." Erik said.
"You know something right?" Naomi asked Parker.
Parker didn't reply.
Madelyn enters the Assembly Room a bit late. Aaron notices Madelyn and calls her to their group.
"Where were you Madelyn? Why were you so late?" Erik asked.
"Yes, its so unlike of you to be so late." Jacob asked.
"Sorry, I went for a task given by the Captain before he left. I was too focused I lost track of time and when I realised, I was already late." Madelyn said.
"What work did Captain give you before leaving?" Erik asked.
"So you might know what is in the note." Jacob asked cutting Erik.
"Note?" Madelyn asked.
"You too don't know about the note?" Jacob asked.
"No." Madelyn replied.
"Oh, its alright then." Jacob said.
"Everyone listen!" Parker says going on the stage, in front of everyone. "It seems everyone has arrived. So now let us begin.
As you all might know, Lionel left for his village this morning for some rehabilitation and we don't know when he'll return."
"Captain left for his village?" one of the soldiers asked.
"Yes." Parker replied.
"That means even he abandoned us? Even he ran like a coward?" the soldier said in panic.
"Of all the people, Captain?" another soldier said.
Slowly there was a chaos in the Assembly. No one was listening to Parker who was trying to silence them. Parker looked towards Madelyn with a helpless look.
Madelyn nodded to assure her, and went towards the soldier who created the chaos. She pulled the soldier from the collar and threw him on the stage. The soldier was silent due to the shock and fear. Looking them, everyone went silent.
"Captain never abandoned us. If he had abandoned us, he never would've left a note, neither we might've known about his whereabouts. So stay silent and let the Commander speak." Madelyn said with a poker face and threatening voice, heavied the same way Lionel does, when he interrogates or instills fear in the enemy. The fearful eyes of hers, resembled those of a Shirogane clan ninja, like Lionel's.
"Thank you Madelyn, but ease down now, please will you?" Parker said. Madelyn suddenly realised she went overboard and went back quickly.
"Yes so where was I?" Parker resumed. "Yes so in this note, Lionel has given a few set of instructions to us, but before that, I would like to ask who all want to join us."
Everyone appeared confused.
"From today, we are going to prepare for a war. Whoever, shall join us in the war, must know that our chances of returning is near to 0 percent. We may not return. But be rest assured that, we shall win the war, and end the Tyranny for once and for all.
So whoever is willing to join us in the war, shall stay and whoever is unwilling can leave." Parker said.
Many soldiers were getting up to leave when Parker resumed from her pause. "After reading Lionel's note, non willing soldiers are allowed to leave."
Soldiers stopped, with an irritated look on their face, but no one dared to do anything against the Commander.
"So the note begins with Lionel saying that in a week, we have to attack the Kingdom of Tyrants, in the forest, from where we found him in his injured state.
This fight needs a lot of strong willed, less afraid soldiers, who even will to sacrifice their lives. So those kitties who don't want to join, can leave. We can fight this battle alone. All your service till this time is appreciated, now we no more need you." Parker said this line from the note, while looking at the soldiers who wanted to leave.
Then she continued, "For those who want to stay, its no more a bluff, or a joke now. Many of our soldiers perished in the war if you remember. We need to avenge them. Those soldiers were not only your comrades, but were family, friends and whatnot. We need to fight for them, avenge our fellow fallen soldiers, and end the Tyranny for once and for all."
Everyone started remembering the soldiers who were deceased. The former Spec Ops, Former Commander Emmett Grey, the other soldiers.
"Speaking about the family, many joined Operation Squad for their family, friends, future generations. Have you all forgotten that motivation why you joined?" Parker continued, while everyone were having visions of their dear ones, some of who are lost, some for whom, they joined the Squad.
"In this war, we don't need much from you, just a determined, well-trained army of fierce warriors, who can even make the Tyrants tremble.
So those who are staying, you all are tasked to train well, for this week. We are going to attack next week in the Kingdom of Tyrants, capture the Father, end him for once and for all, freeing humans from this plague called Tyrants." Parker completed.
"So who all are leaving?" Parker asked.
Everyone who were leaving stood with their heads down. Curling their hands, making a fist.
"I'll ask for the last time. Who are leaving!?" Parker asked.
The soldier from earlier screamed, "No one Commander!"
Another soldier screamed, "Even after falling, Captain didn't give up!"
Another soldier cried, "Back broken, ligaments torn, but they couldn't break our Captain. We are his soldiers! How can we back out now!"
Slowly all the soldiers, except Madelyn, Erik, Jacob, Naomi started screaming in unison, "We shall fight! We shall wipe out Tyranny! We shall win!"
"Lets train harder everyone! Are we ever taught to stay behind!?" Jacob screamed with a smile.
Everyone screamed "Yes!" in unison. Some soldiers, including Aaron and Ciaran, started crying at this moment. This scenario brought tears to Parker's eyes, while Madelyn started smiling, both proud of Lionel. However, Erik was normal, probably thinking something, but no one noticed.