Zach Woulfe sat on the floor, looking at a powered armor that was being built by several workers. The current version is similar to the previous one, but with added giant claws on both sides and gold accents on the armor plate.
It uses more robust materials, and they claim it has a much greater output.
The question is: can Zach handle that?
Regardless, he had to be prepared. Failure is not an option.
Seeing the king coming towards him with his aides, Zach stood up and saluted him.
The highest leader of Zashrend nodded, looking at the armor, then brought his face closer to Zach.
"This is your last chance, kid." The king hissed with wide eyes. "Or…."
Instead of continuing his sentence, the king made a gesture like slitting his own throat.
Zach's body shook. This is the real deal. Escaping is impossible. The Zashrend government will find his family and slaughter them.
After that, the king just walked away, as if nothing important had happened.
***
"We are ready to receive training from you, ma'am!" Nathaniel salutes his sister in front of the garage.
"Fuck, this is so weird. You wouldn't say that at home, Nat." Trish sighed, then looked at the troops who were a few meters behind her brother. "Why are they looking at me like that?"
Nathaniel turned his head to the troops. They all looked at Trish with various expressions, shy with red cheeks, lowered their chins like someone who saw an angel, and some even grinned.
Lance chuckled. "They're smitten with your charm, Trish."
The female warrior grabbed some of her long hair. "Is it because of my hair? It was still short the last time they saw it."
Lance believed it was more than that. Since meeting Trish again, the engineer feels she is more attractive. Apart from her body being a little more curvy, she radiates more aura.
Before returning to base, Trish barely did any meaningful work other than cooking. Lance had strange thoughts because of that. Did Trish's friends give her something without her knowing? Is that why she had become more stunning?
"Don't lose your focus, soldiers!!!" Sheila shouted at those people.
"Yes, ma'am vice-captain! We apologize!
"Sorry, there are only a few women here. Even then, sometimes they treat women like men. Sheila, for example." Nathaniel whispered. "So a beautiful woman like you will amaze them."
The female warrior sneered. "Ooh, you think your older sister is beautiful? Even though you used to call me dragon feces?"
"Don't start, sis."
Lance cleared his throat. "I think they're waiting, Trish."
"Alright!" Trish walked past her little brother, bypassing existing protocol. "As we know, all of you will do training using upgraded powered armors."
Nathaniel closed his eyes and raised his head. "This bitch."
"The one who will train you is me." Trish took off her right glove, then moved her fingers upwards. "Whoever shows excellent results will get the food I made with my own hands. Those in the first batch of special forces must have experienced it."
"Is that true!? You will cook for us!?" Someone's scream echoed in the middle of the army line. Nobody had the courage to glance at the culprit.
"Of course!" Trish shouted back. "It will be so good you'll feel you're in heaven!"
"What an idiot." Nathaniel sighed hard, then shouted at the top of his lungs. "Who said that!? Run around this field twenty times, or all of you won't get any dinner!!!"
"Yes, sir!!!" Someone stepped out of line and carried out Nathaniel's orders.
Lance chuckled again at all that. Maybe this is a good sign. These soldiers are quite relaxed before fighting. That's a plus. They will be able to focus when needed.
***
After Trish gave a brief filled with humor, they conducted tests for several soldiers. Nathaniel was the first and had no issues. Then, the others followed, one by one.
"At least they have high spirits." Trish bit into the sandwich in her hand just as one soldier fell while sliding.
Nathaniel, still wearing his armor with no helmet, looked at his sister. "You eat at times like this?"
"What?" Trish took another bite of her food. "Sometimes, I eat when monitoring something. Do you want it?"
Nathaniel was about to protest again, but Lance stood next to Trish while also eating a sandwich. So, the captain refocused on supervising his subordinates.
"No one has done it smoothly yet," Trish muttered, just as the next soldier rolled on the ground. "Am I made the wrong adjustment?"
"This is not your fault. Those upgrades are fine. It is their duty to adapt." Nathaniel responded. "Besides, I doubt we have time…."
A soldier accidentally applied an instant brake, causing him to stumble hard, fly several meters in the air, and fall head first.
Nathaniel and several of his men approached the motionless soldier. Meanwhile, Lance and Trish remained where they were. According to the protocol Lance has made, those not wearing powered armor should not approach such an accident. They don't want another disaster to happen. Like getting struck by an armored hand swing.
"I hope he's okay." Seeing Trish's expression change, Lance asked. "What is it?"
"For a long time, my friends and I have faced danger in our adventures. But I'm not too worried about their safety. I know their abilities." The female warrior lowered her sandwich. "However, I was afraid something would happen when I let my brother go. I've never lost anyone in my life, you know?"
Lance concludes Trish wants to protect Nathaniel. Maybe it happened because of her instinct as the captain's sister.
"He'll be fine." Lance patted her shoulder. "He is your little brother, after all. He also has superb partners."
Trish looked at Lance. "I don't know what to say to my parents if he dies."
"That won't happen. Trust him."
The soldiers clapped as the injured person got up.
"Yeah… You're right." Trish sighed. "Maybe I'm worrying too much. I've never experienced something like this before... Fuck."
The female warrior put the rest of her sandwich into her mouth.
Lance couldn't help but wonder. Is that why Trish does those absurd things? To cover up her worries in front of her brother?