William roamed the campsite as Sventia and Shinta went to aid the wounded in the Ravenian camp. He could see it in the soldiers of Ravenian, each of them staring at William as he passed by. They all knew of the T-33's dark history, which ignited the Great Runic War. He would leave the camp to find some place of peace to rethink before someone approached him—a general of the Imperial Ravenian military with his guards.
"Oh great, what'd I do now?" William asked, waiting to be apprehended.
"I must thank you." As he bowed in respect to William, he said, "My name is Yue Fei. My family has served the Ravenian Empire since its founding. Once again, I must thank you as lord Aitian is unharmed, and Lady Shinta is safe and well, thanks to your deeds and courage."
William's look changed; he didn't care or need time and space to think.
The veteran looked at William's troubled face and signaled his guards to leave them alone as he took William on a walk around the camp's outskirts.
"I can see it in your eyes, although you're a drone. before we talk any further, what is your name, if I may ask?" Yue asked.
"You can call me William…" William replied with a disturbance in his voice.
"Well, William." Yue said as he put a hand on William's shoulders, "No matter how everyone or anyone looks at you, do know this…"
"What should I know?" William asked.
"You should know that you're doing something that the predecessor of the T-33 would've most likely acknowledged with your actions today. Not just them, but I'm sure many people in our Empire appreciate what you've done today; you've saved our lord and thousands of lives with your deeds today." Yue explained as he drank out of his canteen. "Ah, sorry, old habits die hard, haha."
"How is it that anyone can live with it after seeing so many people lose their lives and be burned beyond recognition?" William asked.
Yue accepted the question rather well; he's a veteran of the Ravenian Empire and has participated in many battles along with Aitian. He was, in fact, no stranger to death and war all around him. "This is the way it is, William, my friend. Either we're the ones burning them, or they're the ones burning us to death. If you ask me, this war has been going on for too long, and the people are all tired." Yue explains as he almost mistakenly hands a drink to William. "Ah ha ha, sorry, William, you're making me forget you're a drone! My apologies!"
"What would you do to forget all the pain and people that you've seen die or suffer?" William asked.
"You know what, William?" Yue replied with his question.
"What?" William answered.
"It doesn't matter what I think. To everything in the world, I'm just a small individual trying to make a living and a change that I believe someday would happen." Yue poured another drink for him as he guzzled it down, "But," he continued, "But if I could exchange my deeds to save the lives of millions or even hundreds of thousands of people by my actions…I'd change nothing. To be an individual alive matters most, my dear friend."
To William, it made sense. He began to reflect on the time he and I fought in Eagles territory, with Jenma stopping the fight. He remembered my answer to why I did it. William remembered me saying I had done it to save his life.
Just then, a soldier, who seemed to be a messenger, approached Yue, who was finishing his drink. The messenger knelt and reported, "Lord Yue, we've suffered around 6000 dead and confirmed and 2000 or more still wounded and still unaccounted for."
"Have we finished gathering our fallen brothers and sisters?" Yue asked.
"We're working on it as fast as we can. Unfortunately, the dead outnumber our unit now, my lord." The messenger stuttered while trying to hasten his reply.
Before Yue could relay another order, a second messenger approached. This messenger had a different Ravenian feather color, and he knelt while his soldiers knelt alongside him, "Lord Yue, our lord Aitian is seeking a war council; I propose that you attend."
"Fang, I told you before, my son, stop calling me lord," Yue replied while laughing.
"Father, I believe this war council is important. If anything, you're one of the veterans who's seen the Empire rise until now. Your presence, if alone, makes up more than what it is." Fang confirmed as he held his ground in confidence.
"Fang, my son..." Yue said as he stood up and went to help raise his son to meet him with them both standing. "Your mother would be proud of you today...however, I believe that this war council is not for me." Yue removed his helmet's feather and replaced it with Fang's. "Today, my son, you shall command the entire wing of the Ravenian left wing of Aitian!" Yue declared in front of the soldiers.
Father and son stood eye to eye as they hugged one another. "Well done, Fang. Don't let me and our lord Aitian down now." Yue whispered to Fang.
Before Fang could reply, however, multiple bullets flew at everyone in the area. Chaos ensued, and the soldiers rushed to protect Yue, but a stray bullet hit him, and he was severely wounded. William stood up in defiance and fought before Yue dragged him away from the battle, followed by Fang and a few soldiers left to protect their rear.
"Wha!? Let go of me, Yue!" William declared.
"No! Y-you must not fall here, for you are the future of the Empire now." Yue said in pain as he constantly spat out blood. "Either the empire burns, or the enemy burns...you of all people should know this..."
"Father!" Fang shouts as he returns fire to suppress the enemy along with his troops.
"Fang! My son..." Yue shouts as he gushes out more blood. Fang then crawls to where Yue is lying on the ground to avoid being hit, "Fang, y-you have to..."
"No-no, I- I won't leave you here, no, no, father..." Fang said, shaking his head while Yue's blood-soaked hands touched his face.
"Lord Yue, please have faith in us!" One of the soldiers shouted over the chaos.
Yue continued to touch his son's face with his blood-soaked hands from his wound. Knowing in all his years of service, he knew he wouldn't last even if he made it out of the encounter. This would be his final service to Aitian. As Yue envisioned it, he couldn't help but break down.
"Jinxu! (Jinsu)" Yue shouted with his last breath.
"Yes, Lord Yue!" Jinxu replied dignifiedly, ready to carry out his lord's last order.
"Take the young master and our soldiers...make sure he gets to the war council..." Yue stated his order.
With that, Jinxu, along with several soldiers, dragged Fang away from the dying Yue's body as he yelled and cried for his father and for them to let him go. William, who was nearby Yue, would experience his breakdown.
As he watched the soldiers and Jinxu drag Fang away with bullets still flying all over the place, Yue couldn't help but start crying in tears, "Daddy doesn't want to leave you too, my son Fang...Daddy wants to stay and see you get married...Daddy wants to drink at your wedding..." Yue then spots William in his breakdown and gives William one more command, "You make sure...they burn for me, okay? I'm going to see my wife now..."
As Yue's last command with William fades away as the bullets stop firing, Yue slowly rests his head back and bleeds out with tears running down his sides and his eyes still wide open. William was going to engage the enemy, but he remembered Yue's words and ran to follow the rest of Fang's soldiers.
The Ravenian camp was in disarray as it was a surprise night attack that had followed up with William's massacre of the drones. After regrouping from their losses, the entire Ravenian army reformed and tightened their security as they struggled to gather their fallen and their armaments that were abandoned during the night raid. Fang and his group, along with William, arrived at the newly formed campgrounds at the border edge of the Ravenian border.
Each soldier under Fang was exhausted; they'd run for miles without rest. The pure adrenaline rush taxed them with exhaustion as they rested at the gate of the newly constructed camp. William looked around and studied the mayhem. He had more urgent matters to attend to as he left the group to enter the campgrounds to look for Shinta.
William didn't have to go far before Shinta and Sventia found him. Shinta ran into his arms as he didn't expect her to do so. He quietly patted Shinta's head without hesitation as he and Sventia exchanged nods.
"How's everyone?" William asked.
"Not good." Sventia replied, "The Ravenian military was completely caught off guard by the night raid, and things are not looking good."
"Least you're still fine, though..." Shinta said as she blushed, hiding herself in the moonlight.
"What is lord Aitian's plan?" William reformed. "I thought the Ravenian military has never been defeated in battle?"
Shinta smirked as she replied, "William, do you honestly think that this is the might of the Ravenian Empire?"
Before William could reply, Aitian approached them. It seemed things were beyond tension, and morale was low. All the camp soldiers were demoralized and didn't expect a victory.
"Go on...I'm listening." Aitian said. "Weren't you going to say something, William?"
"I'm concerned for your safety. If anything, it was wrong of you to march with the weakened and sick soldiers to fight in combat." William specified. "Don't you know of the consequences of your actions? They can result in devastation within ranks and also the entire army."
Aitian sighed as he went and leaned against the tent next to them. He then looked up at the moonlit sky, filled with stars, as he gazed upon the vast emptiness of the sky and landscape they were in. He then took out a device and began talking to it.
"Jenma...Deploy my frontal Ravens to my location." Aitian commanded.
The group can hear the pleas from Jenma and the warring council through the device.
"My lord! Have you lost your mind!?" One advisor yelled.
"The 8 Ravens of Ravenian are the Empire's military might; you mustn't use them unexpectedly, Lord Aitian!" Another minister yelled.
"ENOUGH!!" Jenma commands as it falls silent. "My dear Aitian...are you sure you want the 8 Ravens dispatched to your location?"
"Yes, Jenma, if Titania exists on this planet...I'm sure the one who destroyed your hometown and mine, AND the creator of Titania, is here on this planet." Aitian said with resolve. "How soon can they be here?"
"For you, they'll be there within 3 minutes," Jenma said.
"Good...end request," Aitian stated as the device destroyed itself.
Everyone who was there stood there in shock. They couldn't believe what Aitian had just done. William was perhaps the only one who knew no better about what he had just tipped Aitian to do. Aitian slowly walked away from the group while helping the wounded soldiers.
"Shinta?" William asked.
"Yes, William? Are you hurt anywhere or need any assistance?" Shinta asked in hesitation while studying his armor and frame for damages.
"I'm fine, says Shinta...Who or what exactly are the 8 Ravens of Ravenian?" William asked in pure innocence.
"Well, take a seat, and I will explain who they are and why everyone in the Ravenian Empire fears them," Shinta said.
As they sat in one of the tents, Shinta explained the 8 Ravens. "William, you were originally a drone made in Eagles Territory with the knowledge and background from the Idiot and Lena, correct?"
"That's right." William agreed.
"The 8 Ravens are like you, William..." Shinta said, "Drones who've retained their past predecessor habits, feelings, and skills. They were once the backbone of the kingdom. Knights and loyal adversaries who've sacrificed a lot to see Ravenian become what it is today."
"So basically, they're drones like me!? Got it. But what makes them so special?" William exclaimed, thinking he'd figured things out.
"No, silly." Sventia corrected him. "See this T in front of your 33? That makes you still a Titania model...However, those 8 Ravens-"
"They have no letters nor numbers to identify themselves as. Consider them the grandfathers of your predecessors and mine." Shinta finished.
"Meaning?" William exchanged looks with Sventia, who both now looked clueless.
Shinta didn't answer. Instead, she gestured with her index finger, slicing past the neck. "They're the Elite in the Ravenian Empire is all you need to know. They were established by Aitian himself when he took the throne. Even Jenma fears them, for she has no idea where or who they are. Rumors beforehand did speculate that those 8 Ravens were Aitian's long-dead siblings during the Great Runic War. What's also big that you shouldn't speak against them is that their armies have fought on different fronts and planets and haven't lost yet."
Before William could ask more questions, a bullet flew right past his head through the tent, and they could hear the chaos from outside. As the group scrambled to get on their feet, they left the tent as more bullets flew around.
Soon, they were outside, and chaos was unfolding; Eagle drones were surrounding the entire camp with their armed miniguns and rocket-propelled launchers aimed directly at the campgrounds. As William was going to arm his cannons, Shinta stopped him. As she halted him, she pointed up.
"Look. It's them... they're here..." Shinta stated as she pointed to a lone Ravenian Aircraft no more significant than the size of a small boat.
The enemy, the Eagles, spotted the ship as William did and readied their weapons to shoot down the small Ravenian aircraft. However, they slowly lowered their weapons as they realized the tiny vessel hid the TRUE threat. When revealed beyond its camouflage, a Ravenian armada was floating in the skies right above the Ravenian camp.
Above the clouds hid an armada of Ravenian Ships as large as the cities of New York and Tokyo, spread about like a raven in flight over the campgrounds. As the chaos slowly halted, the Eagle troops stared all in wonder at the sight of the large armada above them. The ships were enormous, perhaps too huge to describe, and contained lights resembling stars.
The huge Ravenian ships were compared to floating castles, with cannons on their wings and thousands of turrets mounted on almost every side of the vessel. Each cannon rotated to point directly at the ground where enemy troops were located along with the enemy aircraft. If anything, the Ravenian Ship made the Eagle aircraft ships look like a joke compared to them. William was going to make a move when Sventia stopped him and shook her head.
"How do we know they won't hit us?" William asked.
"Trust them...they know what they're doing. These Ravenians conquered planets and fought on the frontier with lord Aitian. They know what they're doing." Sventia said.
A voice came through a loudspeaker, "Eagles, you're all surrounded. Drop your weapons, or else we drop the Eagle nation!"
An Eagle commander then retaliated by yelling, "We are Eagles. Eagles don't surrender to the enemy army! Everyone CHARRRGGGEE!!"
The chaos erupted as the Soldiers of Eagle Nation descended upon the camp of the Ravenian Empire. As Sventia fired multiple rounds into the enemy who took behind covers, Shinta was busy making clones as she was back-to-back with William, who had engaged his cannons now.
"T-there's no end to them!" Shinta cried as one of her clones was decimated by bullets.
"Keep firing, don't let them overwhelm us!!" Sventia shouted as she unloaded more rounds onto the incoming enemy.
"William!" Shinta signaled as she again connected her spinal cord to William's memory core.
William's cannons' hieroglyphs lit up, and William fired multiple shots after absorbing the bullets that would, therefore, have hit him or Shinta or Sventia. William would end the retaliation with his final outburst of flare-like particles. Upon the explosion, the cannons fired flare-like particles that dispersed into a million flames, engulfing allies and enemies alike. William was losing it; he couldn't control the power of the cannons mounted on his back. All he could hear was, "Either we're burning, or we're burning them."
His cannons fired uncontrollably; Shinta was flung away from him by the impact of the cannons as she tried to regain control of William. Sventia switched her target from the enemy troops, engulfed in flames, to William, who fired indiscriminately. Sventia couldn't fire a shot as she was horrified; something had happened to William; no, it was Thunder.
William was no longer in control; Thunder was in command; one could tell by the hieroglyphs on the cannons that were no longer white and pure; they were blazed with murky purple-like corruption as they were like a volcanic eruption, going off every second with William shouting.
"Burn! BURN THEM ALL! THE WORLD WOULD BE CLEANSED IF THEY ALL BURNED!" William shouted hysterically.
Shinta and her many clones tried to restrain William to no avail, "William!! Don't let him win!! WILLIAM!!"
As Shinta was thrown aside from William, something had to be done to stop him. Suddenly, a massive hunk of Earth descended from the Ravenian Ship and dropped before William. The chunk of Earth then moved, standing on two legs, revealing itself as an Earth dragon.
"You must be the Drone of Revolution; allow me to introduce myself as Maka, one of the eight claws of Ravenna. It shall be my honor to stop your flames from causing further chaos!" Maka declared as he readied himself.
William didn't hesitate; he fired the particles at Maka, and Maka deflected the particles with his Earth-hardened scales. Though he deflected the particles, you can witness the flames that he deflected the particles within the cracks of the earth scale patterns across Maka's arm. Upon seeing this, Maka realizes that he straightens up and gets serious.
Maka then fires three rocks shaped like spikes toward William. At the same time, he imprisons William using one of his substantial earth scales. William dodges the three barbs but gets detained by the massive scale of the Earth. He melts the Earth's scales using his cannons to free himself. William would fire an endless stream of flare particles at Maka.
These, however, would be vaporized by air and controlled to hit elsewhere. To which Maka grinned, and William wondered who was behind the trick. A portal would open with a minor lady the same height as a regular average person would walk through with her scythe. Her attire completely resembles Jenma's but in a more formal setting. She looks like a black widow funeral dress with her face hidden behind a net dress hat, and her light silver hair under her dark outfit stands out. She had pale skin and was entirely in gothic make-up on her eye shadows with a dark-toned lip. In summary, she looked like someone who had just recently died.
"Move Maka, you're too slow." The girl said, annoyed.
"As if you're any faster, Vinja (Inja)," Maka smirked.
In annoyance, the girl snapped her teeth to Maka, "So this is the Drone of Revolution?"
"Careful Vinja...he's not to be underestimated..." Maka replied.
"Unlike you, I don't plan to play with amateurs..." Vinja said as she began casting right away.
Before she could finish, William fired another barrage at both. Vinja countered by redirecting the shots into a portal and firing them back at William. William would dodge them and arm himself with a Halo ring above his head, with blades dangling down from the halo.
"Say Maka, I don't recall the Drone of Revolution using the Angel's halo..." Vinja said in concern.
"Nor do I..." Maka replied.
As William shot the laser blades at Vinja, Maka blocked them using his tail with hardened earth scales with rocks and soil. William then would use the halo as a target sight as the blades rotated to reveal barrels as they aimed at Vinja. To make matters worse, William's cannons rotated 30 degrees, directing like an artillery gun.
"You're finished now, Drone!" Vinja said as she finished the spell that she was casting under her breath. "Gravity Bomb!!!"
The area was being absorbed into a blackhole matter as everyone clung onto something not to get sucked in. Maka shielded Vinja as the suction increased. When the suction was finished, the area erupted as millions of stars were launched in multiple directions. Maka, however, observed that William was not harmed in any way or sort. Maka shielded Vinja even more, seeing that the cannons had absorbed the stars.
"H-How?" Vinja questioned.
"I don't know, Vinja, but I felt bad about those cannons..." Maka said, "And with your stars added to the pile of firepower, we're in for a nasty surprise..."
William charged up his cannons and fired them directly, aiming at Maka this time and ignoring Vinja. The cannon's rounds were flare particles mixed with stars and laser blades this time, and it seemed like it would penetrate Maka's defenses. Suddenly, from in front of Maka, a colossal tower of ice sheets blocked all the projectiles and melted the flare particles.
William was stunned this time, wondering who it was this time around. Maka and Vinja are glad to see that they're still among the living. They recollected themselves as they realized a lance stuck on the ground entirely made of ice in front of the tower of ice.
"Took you long enough!" Vinja yelled angrily.
"I would've been barbecued if you showed up any later," Maka said in relief.
Next to the lance stuck on the ground was a knight completely dressed in teal. His armor was made of ice, and he carried a shield that fitted a mini version of the tower of ice that blocked the attack earlier. He had a stern and severe look that of a person who can't make jokes. His hair was slicked back with a lovely braided low ponytail; hidden amongst his helmet, you could make out an ice horn, like a dragon with its tip broken.
The knight grabbed his lance and propped up his shield to declare his intent onto William, "You must be the Drone of Revolution. My name is Deeka, and I am one of the eight claws of the Ravenia. And seeing that Maka and Vinja couldn't put a scratch on you calls forth my attention."
"You must be careful, Deeka, he's not to be underestimated..." Maka reminded Deeka.
"He absorbs things-" Vinja is about to explain more as Deeka silences her.
"Oh, I'm quite aware of his threat, and I'll make sure he's not going to get a chance to fire." Deeka confidently said.
Before William could fire, Deeka threw his lance like a javelin right at William, missing it and landing behind him. William would fire once more before Deeka appeared behind him with his ice shield, this time reflecting the shot directed at him unto William. This time, William would be able to slice the shots, which would result in both a draw. Deeka would, however, notice a part of his shoulder-padded ice had a crack on it, which he scoffed at.
"Normally, I wouldn't use this...but it seems you've rampaged on long enough without a clear path and someone to guide and reassure you. So, I'll be your judge and your executive." Deeka said as he slammed his lance deep into the ground to cast his spell. "TUNDRA GROVES!!!!"
As he finished, a glow of bright white pure light erupted from the ground. Icicle trees sprouted out with them, raining icicles and hail unto William. This would extinguish the cannon's fires and hieroglyphs while causing William to stumble with smoke coming from his back. However, This icicle storm would also decimate the nearby flames to all nearby allies and heal them. Once it was over, William returned to the same position that once was when Thunder was first found, kneeling on one knee.
The three claws of Ravenia gathered around William, along with Sventia Shinta and Aitian, who had witnessed the clash. It seemed the battle was over with the Eagles, and recuperating and regrouping would be necessary.
"Well done, Deeka." Aitian congratulated Deeka.
Deeka didn't say anything. Instead, he just bowed respectfully to Aitian. Maka and Vinja both followed suit and turned as well.
"What better timing if you three have not been here..." Aitian said. Aitian then noticed Shinta caressing William's face once again.
"Shinta..." Aitian remorsefully replied.
"I saw them again, my lord Aitian...the eyes of destruction and mayhem. Is there no way for us to stop what's happening to him? The corruption is influencing him and his system..." Shinta cried.
Nobody said anything, and there was nothing to be said. Everyone feared William and how he had gone out of control, not recognizing ally or foe. They all feared the Drone of the Revolution and how he could reignite another Great Runic War. Suddenly, Vinja stepped up while still holding her scythe.
"I don't know if this would help. But you can try taking him to Sister Jeanne (Jean). Perhaps she's the only one to guide him out of corruption?" Vinja said, unsure of her words.
"It's worth a shot, Shinta," Sventia said, agreeing to Vinja's suggestion.
Shinta cried as she embraced William's body, which was in stasis. In conclusion, the battle had been won, but not without casualty. It was just another stalemate that prevented all three nations from advancing or retreating. Ravenian Military would still retain their undefeated streak.