C102 - Return
Khan didn't put everything in the back of his mind at that time. Paul and the others continued to manage the camp and take care of the injured, but he ignored them. He isolated himself in the previous gathering point and resumed training after changing his uniform.
Complicated thoughts ran through his mind during his meditation. Khan had grown so used to that exercise that he could lose himself in his reasonings while his flesh opposed the expanding mana.
The sharp pain that spread inside him from time to time didn't break his concentration and didn't interrupt the conflicting feelings that he experienced. He could think about his current situation, and everything appeared dark except for a few light shades.
That wasn't his first time experiencing that internal conflict, but he still couldn't grow used to it. The training camp on Nitis had been a heavenly place in his mind before the hunt since it helped appease Istrone's memories, but everything had vanished after Glenn's death.
Khan opposed his realizations at first, but he couldn't lie to himself. The Global Army had revealed its true nature during the hunt, and he couldn't ignore how its image changed in his mind.
Living in the Slums for eleven years had made Khan quite cynical toward human nature. He had never once trusted the Global Army, but Ylaco's training camp, Onia, and Nitis had given him memories that he treasured dearly.
The relationship with Lieutenant Dyester and the respect showed in front of his achievements were commendable behaviors that left Khan positively surprised. The disregard for his background even made him believe that the Global Army could be an overall good place at times.
The issues with the bullies and the Blackdell girl were inevitable problems that existed in every organization. Khan could go past them and believe in the Global Army as long as everything else was good.
However, the hunt had proven his cynical approach to be on point. The recruits on Nitis were nothing more than cannon fodder meant to solidify the foundation of the relationship with the Niqols.
It didn't matter what happened to that cannon fodder. The Global Army would be happy as long as the recruits seized benefits from the Niqols. The greater good of humankind was above the frail lives of those young soldiers.
Khan could vaguely justify that point by considering humankind as a whole. He knew that people could have strong ideals capable of making them forget about individuals and only see humanity as a whole.
Yet, he couldn't do that. Khan couldn't even come close to caring about strangers after what he had experienced in the Slums.
His reasoning led to a sad realization. That idea had always been in his mind. Still, the tragic events that he had to overcome had reinforced it and had turned it into a power that he couldn't ignore.
Khan couldn't believe in the Global Army, but he needed it for his personal goals. Hence, he decided to see it only as a tool. He would help and complete tasks, but only the missions that could grant him real benefits would deserve his best efforts.
Truth be told, Khan didn't feel good about that decision. He liked Paul, Captain Erbair, and some of the other recruits, but a wall appeared in front of his heart after he made up his mind.
Paul and the others partially stopped being human beings. They transformed into figures with a specific value that depended on how much Khan could benefit from them.
That dirty feeling grew stronger when a whole day passed and Khan decided to help with the injured to improve his value in the eyes of the alien species. Still, seeing Liiza created a stark division inside his mind. Part of it became cold, dishonest, and manipulative, while the other struggled to remain warm and hopeful.
'Improve without getting used to it,' Khan reminded himself. 'The world sucks. You have always known it. Use it without letting its filth taint your core. You have endured almost twelve years of nightmares. This is nothing.'
Only three people in the entirety of the camp noticed the faint changes in Khan's mindset. Paul sensed that his face had grown slightly colder, George's mind sent him back to Istrone whenever he saw Khan's expressions, and Liiza felt something ache inside her when she glanced at him.
The rather difficult situation in the camp didn't give the time for personal interactions or talks, so everyone simply focused on completing their tasks and getting all the injured ready for the return.
The treatment with the ointments eased most of Khan's burns, but his left hand and waist remained quite serious. Yet, the day of rest made him suitable to ride Snow again, and the other recruits also improved enough to start the preparations for the return.
Paul couldn't hide Glenn anymore once everyone was ready for the long travel. The revelation left both recruits and Niqols stunned. The death of a peer was tough to handle at their young age, and seeing Khan helping secure the corpse on an Ugu only made the scene harder to endure.
Khan knew that Liiza was watching him while he tied Glenn to the creature. She saw how uncaring he appeared when he ordered Snow to make the Ugu stay still and handled the figure covered by the brown blanket as if it were a simple item. The ache inside her intensified, but she made sure to divert her eyes before anyone noticed her behavior.
The group eventually departed. Chief Alu led the group of Niqols inside the forest after exchanging polite salutes with Paul, and the latter ordered everyone to move after handling those political necessities.
Khan and Liiza flew on their Aduns and guided the recruits back to the training camp. The travel lasted a bit less at that time, and everyone could only feel glad about it.
Paul and the Ugu that carried the provisions were in the lead. All the recruits could see Glenn's corpse going up and down during the entirety of the travel. The brown blanket that covered his figure became a hideous blade that cut away all the na?ve feelings that had managed to survive until then. Everyone even started to hate that particular color after staring at it for many hours.
Khan and Liiza were hard to see from the ground, but they played it safe anyway. They didn't exchange glances at all and focused on sleeping or training during those long hours.
The familiar camp eventually appeared in the distance, and Liiza's Aduns gave voice to a loud screech before turning to fly toward the nearby city. Snow partially translated that cry for Khan. Liiza had was simply saying that he could handle the rest of the travel on his own now.
Khan made Snow descend toward the Ugu to notify Paul and his companions that they had to follow him from that point onward. The eagle hovered right above the group and made sure that everyone could see how easily Khan kept his balance. He didn't even grab the creature's neck while he informed Paul and returned in the sky.
The group returned to the camp after spending a bit more than two days away. Their free time was already coming to an end, but everyone felt too tired to complain.
Paul sent everyone to their rooms or the medical bay depending on their condition. Khan silently returned to his habitation after sending Snow away, and his mind notified him about his exhaustion when he saw his bed. He had only taken naps during the past days, so his body desperately needed rest.
Khan woke up as soon as the afternoon ended. His stomach growled, so he made sure to stuff it with the best meals that the canteen had to offer. Then, Paul announced a mandatory meeting through the network, and all the recruits able to stand gathered at the center of the camp.
Paul, Lieutenant Kintea, and Captain Erbair wore serious expressions as they waited for the class that had joined the hunt to gather in front of them. Less than ten recruits created a row in front of the leaders, and a heavy mood soon fell among them.
"You won't have mandatory lessons for the next month," Captain Erbair announced once everyone took their position. "You can still attend them, but you won't receive demerits if you decide to skip them. I won't even keep track of your behavior, so be at ease."
Captain Erbair cleared her voice before scratching the side of her bionic eye and continuing. "Glenn Padlyn's death is a tragedy that the Global Army will make sure to honor properly. His family will receive great benefits, starting from the name of the new pact sealed by the superiors of both species."
Captain Erbair took out her phone and activated holograms that materialized between the recruits and her. Those images depicted a sheet written in two languages and carrying two very different marks that made it official.
"The Niqols have agreed to grant us access to the Aduns," Captain Erbair explained while the recruits read the sheet. "Humans will also receive other benefits, but you don't have the clearance to know those details.
"Anyway, good work out there. You have brought honor to the Global Army, so the Global Army will honor you. The Niqols will also hold a formal event next week, and they have invited all of you. Congratulations. You have officially become part of the historical records of two species."
Captain Erbair's words inevitably brought happiness into the heavy mood that had fallen on the recruits. Glenn was still dead, but the survivors had become a core part of the relationship between the two species. Their profiles had instantly gained immense value, and they could only rejoice when they learn that.
Khan decided to wear a fake smile only when he noticed that George was searching for him with his eyes. The two nodded at each other, but they both sensed the faint sadness that lingered under that happiness.
"Go back to your rooms now," Captain Erbair ordered. "Delay the celebrations for when your injuries are completely healed."
The recruits performed a military salute before turning toward their building. Their phones quickly appeared in their hands since they couldn't wait to notify their families about the recent events, and Khan followed them while planning his next move. Still, Captain Erbair's voice suddenly resounded again and made everyone turn.
"Khan, I need to have a word with you," The Captain ordered, and Khan didn't hesitate to follow her toward her office under everyone's curious gaze.
Captain Erbair sat on her large couch and pointed at the armchair. Khan quickly took his seat there and remained silent while she played with her phone to activate a few functions of the room.
A few images quickly appeared on the wall. They depicted a series of reddish figures immersed in a dark-blue environment. Most of them had a human shape, but others showed Tainted animals that Khan found familiar.
"Did you record the hunt, ma'am?" Khan asked as some surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Wait a second," Captain Erbair said while activating more functions on her phone.
The images slowly gained a few details. Trees, leaves, and other features appeared on the scenes as soon as they started moving. Faces appeared on the various reddish figures, and Khan could soon recognize himself when staring at the wall.
The images played the scenes of the entire hunt while Captain Erbair changed the point of view to focus on different sites. The various details appeared vague once she zoomed on certain battles and spots. It was clear that the program had only built those pictures by using data stored by the Global Army.
The scenes stopped moving after Khan killed the monster, and Captain Erbair even clapped her hands a few times after turning off the program.
"You live up to our expectations," Captain Erbair suddenly revealed. "You even surpass them actually. Great job out there. Now, tell me what you want."
"I'm sorry?" Khan asked in surprise.
"I'm talking about a reward for your feats," Captain Erbair explained. "You don't have any backing, so it's up to the army to nurture you. Tell me what you need, and I'll make sure to get it. Of course, try to be reasonable."
Khan felt that everything was happening too quickly, but he didn't take much to come up with a request. "I need a training knife, something suitable for the Divine Reaper."
To be continued