Brow Gattling
The Humvee driver kept us waiting for what felt like an eternity. We had been on the road for thirty long minutes since we left the underground camp in Bronzel City, and yet, our destination seemed nowhere in sight. The driver was cautiously avoiding Empire guards and posts, which had increased in number due to the upcoming Dragonoid Festival. This city had always been friendly to dragonoids, given that 95% of its population consisted of our kind. However, the recent passing of Amphere Harrison's bill in the congress had led to a celebratory fiesta, but they were oblivious to the truth.
Amphere Harrison, the so-called hero, had perpetrated a grave betrayal. He was responsible for the death of Commander Estoff Wraith, a fact that I could never forgive. He had managed to manipulate and brainwash Airelina and Richard, making them pawns in his schemes. While he held the bill as a convenient cover, his true intentions remained shrouded in mystery. I was convinced that this "hero" had no genuine desire to fight for our freedom.
For that reason, we, the Arcadians, had placed our trust in ex-Duke Yuri Dragunov. Over the years, he had provided us with funding and supplied us with the necessary weaponry. His leadership was unparalleled, with plans and actions that far surpassed any human I had encountered.
Tonight's plan was top-secret, known only to the three of us and the driver. We would disguise ourselves as normal guards and infiltrate the center of the city. This was Neo-Arcadia's most crucial mission, and we couldn't afford any leaks or missteps along the way. As we continued on this perilous journey, the weight of our task and the gravity of our decisions hung heavily in the air. Our resolve was unwavering, for the fate of our people depended on our success.
"Remember. Kill them all." Dragunov patted my shoulder. Then he wore the helmet of an imperial guard to hide his identity to the public. As soon as he left the Humvee, Nox and I followed with our perfect disguises.
I was taken aback by the ruthless display before me. Dragunov's words and actions revealed a side of him I had never seen before. His determination to incite a revolution through bloodshed shocked me to the core. Nox seemed to be following Dragunov's lead, unquestioning and ruthless in their actions.
"Weapons free!" Dragunov's command rang through the air, and the deafening sound of gunfire filled the festival grounds. Human guards dropped lifelessly to the ground, their lives cut short by the onslaught. It was a grim and horrifying sight, and the screams of the innocent dragonoids added to the chaos.
As soon as I confirmed the human guards were dead, I ceased my gunfire, unable to bear the thought of taking more lives. But Dragunov and Nox continued without mercy, now targeting the civilian dragonoids. The helpless screams of our own people echoed through the festival, shattering any illusion of righteousness.
I couldn't stand idly by and watch this carnage. I tapped Dragunov's shoulder, attempting to reason with him. "We should stop this, Dragunov. This is not the way to gain support for our cause."
But Dragunov's response chilled me to the bone. "A revolution requires sacrifice, Brow. It's the same principle as Estoff Wraith's plan during the Crimson Dragonfly Incident. By shedding enough blood, we can blame the Empire, incite anger among the Neo-Arcadians, and rally them to our cause. I trust you, Brow, that's why you're the only dragonoid we brought here."
I was torn between loyalty to Dragunov and my own conscience. The weight of the situation weighed heavily on my heart. This wasn't the path I had envisioned for Neo-Arcadia, and I struggled to reconcile my beliefs with Dragunov's ruthless methods. In that moment, I knew that the choices I made from here on would define the future of our people.
The scene before me was a horrifying nightmare. The sounds of endless gunshots and the sight of countless fallen bodies were too much to bear. Each life lost weighed heavily on my conscience, and I could feel my heart breaking with every pull of the trigger.
"What's the use of a freedom bill if there's a war going on!?" Nox's shout rang through the chaos, a desperate plea amidst the cacophony of violence.
I tried to find some sense of justification, reminding myself of Airelina Frembell's actions and the potential choices Estoff might have made in similar circumstances. But even in the midst of such desperate rationalizations, I knew that this was fundamentally wrong.
As the gunfire continued, I found myself closing my eyes, unable to face the reality of what I was doing. I had come this far, and now I felt trapped in a web of violence and ideology.
For the sake of Neo-Arcadia's ideals, I pressed on, believing that our anger could be used as a weapon against the human race. The number of fallen dragonoids kept increasing, and the guilt inside me intensified with every life lost.
Among the chaos, I noticed a woman crawling towards me. Her one eye had been plucked out by our bullets, and the remaining eye glowed crimson, a clear sign of her dragonoid heritage. She pleaded for help, her mouth filling with blood.
Before I could react, Dragunov showed no mercy and put a bullet in her head, ending her suffering without hesitation. I felt a mix of horror and despair, torn between my loyalty to Dragunov and my own moral compass.
The weight of this night would stay with me forever. No matter the cause or the ideals we believed in, the cost of lives and the destruction we brought upon our own kind was a burden I could never fully bear. Deep down, I knew that the path to freedom could never be paved with so much bloodshed.
As the chaos continued to unfold, I couldn't ignore the unsettling feeling that had been growing within me. The realization hit me hard; Dragunov seemed to derive enjoyment from the bloodshed, reveling in the destruction of both humans and dragonoids alike. Nox, too, displayed a malicious smile as he ruthlessly cut down anyone in his path.
But in the midst of this mayhem, a strange and otherworldly presence caught my attention. A flying lizard covered in rusted metal armor and live wires emerged, its steampunk appearance making it an odd and intimidating sight. This was the Scrap Dragon, and atop its head was a fully armored knight – the Dragon Knight.
"Dragon Knight!" I shouted, warning my comrades of the new threat.
Nox, ever confident, responded swiftly. He summoned a dimensional disruption of darkness, and from it emerged a massive magma claw that belonged to the resurrected Magma Dragon, Gilliard – Estoff's former dragonoid. With his machine gun discarded, Nox unsheathed his buster sword and leaped onto Gilliard's head, soaring toward the enemy dragon and knight to engage them in battle.
"Keep firing," Dragunov ordered me, snapping me back to the harsh reality of our mission.
I hesitated for a moment, torn between my loyalty to Dragunov and my conscience, but I knew that my actions had consequences. Reluctantly, I resumed firing, feeling the weight of every bullet that left the barrel of my gun. I couldn't help but question whether the path I had chosen was truly just or if it had led me down a dark and treacherous road.
In the midst of the chaos, I realized that this night was not just a test of strength, but a test of my convictions and the choices I had made. It was time for me to find my own path, one that aligned with my beliefs and the values I held dear. As I continued to fight, I vowed to search for a better way, one that could bring freedom without the cost of innocent lives and endless violence.
The police force's arrival did little to deter us; they were ill-equipped to face the firepower of our machine guns. We held the advantage, and they stood little chance against our surprise assault. With ruthless efficiency, we neutralized them one by one, and even the formidable Scrap Dragon was no match for the barrage of bullets and the burning rock projectiles from the resurrected Magma Dragon.
As the firefight continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that what we were doing was inherently wrong. The ease with which we were taking lives left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I struggled to reconcile the violence with the ideals I believed in.
Finally, our machine guns ran out of ammunition, and Dragunov quietly declared, "This should be enough."
The Humvee, our getaway vehicle, came into view, drifting forward to collect us. The doors opened, inviting us to return to the Neo-Arcadian camp.
As I stepped towards the Humvee, a sudden wave of doubt washed over me. I couldn't ignore the unease in my heart any longer. The path we were on, guided by Dragunov's violent methods, felt like a dark and twisted road to freedom. I couldn't shake the feeling that there must be a better way, one that didn't involve senseless killing and destruction.
My mind raced with conflicting emotions as I boarded the Humvee. We were on our way back to the Neo-Arcadian camp, but I knew that my journey had just begun. I needed to find a new path, one that would lead to a true liberation for our people, without the heavy burden of needless bloodshed.
As we returned to the camp, I resolved to search for a different way, to challenge the violent methods and find a path that upheld the values of peace, compassion, and true freedom. My heart ached for a brighter future, one where we could live in harmony with both dragonoids and humans, united by the common goal of a better world.
Suddenly, Nox spoke with a smug grin, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "We're missing something. Why wouldn't we send a message to the Chevalier Unit? Especially Amphere Harrison and Airelina Frembell."
"There's no need for that," Dragunov sighed heavily, his voice tinged with weariness. He then withdrew a sleek pistol from his jacket and, without hesitation, fired a bullet directly at my forehead. My body crumpled, and I lay helpless on the floor, my mind unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation. The searing pain in my brain seemed never-ending, drowning out all other thoughts, yet I could still hear Dragunov's rough voice.
"When the world discovers that Amphere's friend is the one responsible for this mess, all the dragonoids will cry out for war."
[Brow Gattling – K.I.A]