The next day dawned clear and bright upon the kingdom. The air was crisp, and the garden was alive with the sounds of birds and the gentle rustling of leaves. I strolled along the a gravel pathway, savoring the usual peaceful morning. In my hand was a steaming hot cup of coffee, the rich aroma mingling with the fresh scent of the flowers around me gave me comfort and peace.
I took a slow sip, letting the warmth spread through me. It was a rare moment of tranquility after the outing of the previous day. The garden has become a sanctuary for my soul, a place where I can gather my thoughts and recharge my energy.
My peaceful morning became short lived though as Sarah walk up to me as I took another sip of my coffee, her breath coming in desperate gasps. "Ace, you have to help me," she pleaded, her eyes widen with worry. " I just got words that another group of my people is still out there somewhere, we got split from them. My brother, Miguel... he's with them too. I don't know if he's still alive to be honest, but the though of him being out there... Please, will you help me bring them back."
Her desperation was crystal clear, her face was written in fear with a tinge of hope. Mary, Pam, Hiro, and Emi sat nearby, their eyes silently urging me to act, even though they didn't say anything.
Before I could respond, Liam stepped forward with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Ace," he said confidently. "Leave everything here to me."
I nodded at him, and I am truly grateful for his support. Then I turned to speak to Keinan. "Keinan, I need you to gather fifty of our best men and prepare ten cars for the journey. We're heading out as soon as possible."
Keinan nodded sharply. "Alright, Brother. I'll get on it, right away." He then began barking orders, his voice carrying over the courtyard as he mobilized our forces.
As the preparations unfolded, the once peaceful morning now quickly changed into an atmosphere with tension in the air. Our elite troops, trained for this exact moment, moved out with practiced precision. These were no ordinary soldiers; they were equipped with high-tech military gear purchased in bulk from the system shop. The sight of them in their advanced combat suits, each carrying a Plasma Repeater and a Shockwave Grenade Launcher, was both reassuring and awe-inspiring. Their armor, made from Reinforced Nanofiber, gleamed under the harsh light, giving them an almost otherworldly presence.
Sarah's looked at them in amazement and a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes evidently. "I'm coming with you," she said, her voice slightly shaking. "I know where they might be, and you don't know the way."
"Alright, Sarah," I said firmly. "You go gear up to just in case."
Sarah's eyes welled up with tears in happiness. "Thank you, Ace. Thank you so much."
I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't you worry we'll find them, Sarah. I promise."
The vehicles were swiftly prepared, their engines humming in the back ground. Weapons were checked and loaded into the car, each one is a marvel of modern technology. The Plasma Repeaters, capable of firing bursts of high-energy plasma, were lethal and efficient, while the Shockwave Grenade Launchers could clear entire areas of undead in seconds. Supplies were loaded with meticulous care, every soldier knowing the importance of this mission.
The community buzzed with activity, everyone aware of the urgency of our task. Hiro and Emi clung to Pam and Mary, their faces a mixture of excitement and worry. Pam held her newborn son close, her eyes never leaving the flurry of activity.
"Be safe," Mary said softly, her voice barely audible over the commotion.
I gave them all a confident nod before turning to the assembled team. Keinan stepped forward, his voice booming with authority.
"Hut! One! Two! Attention!" he commanded, and the soldiers snapped into a perfect formation. "Move out!"
With precise movement, they sprinted in sync towards the cars, it was like a scene straight out of a high-octane action movie. The convoy began to move out, engines humming loudly as we drove toward the gate. As we passed by the busy streets, people cheered and wished us a safe journey.
Hiro and Emi clung onto Pam, their faces slightly worried. Pam held her newborn son, a little blonde bundle of energy, watching everything closely. As I approached, the baby reached out and grabbed my thumb with a surprisingly strong grip. I couldn't help but smile by the sight of him.
"Agugi gugi, who's Daddy's little fella, huh? Yes, you are, Ace Jr.," I cooed, looking into his bright eyes while tickling him gently.
Ace Jr. let out a delighted giggle and, to everyone's surprise, said his first word, "Dada," with a cute smile.
Pam's eyes widened in surprise and a hint of jealousy. "No way, his first word was supposed to be 'Mommy'! Ace, you mean ol' rascal!"
I laughed, gently bouncing Ace Jr. in my arms. "Looks like he's a daddy's boy, Pam."
She playfully swatted my arm, though she couldn't hide her own smile. "We'll see 'bout that. Just you wait, Ace Jr.'ll be sayin' 'Mommy' all the time soon enough."
Ace Jr. continued to giggle, his tiny fingers gripping my thumb tightly. It was a precious moment, one that made all the hardship and danger I'd faced until now worth it. For a brief moment, everything felt right in our little kingdom.
"Stay safe, Ace." Pam said, her voice tinged with concern.
"Don't you worry, Pam. I'll bring them back and be home before supper honey" I assured her.
The preparation was intense and precise. The tension in the air was palpable as weapons were checked and rechecked, and supplies were loaded with meticulous care. Everyone knew how important this mission was, and no one wanted to leave anything to chance.
Keinan finished organizing the troops and walked over to me. "We're ready, Ace," he said, his voice steady.
I looked over at Sarah, who nodded, a mix of determination and fear in her eyes. "Let's move out," I commanded.
Keinan stepped forward, his voice strong and authoritative. "Hut! One! Two! Attention!" he commanded. The soldiers snapped into formation. "Move out!"
The convoy rolled out of the gates, engines humming with a low, powerful growl. The sight of Ibliss and Chronus guarding the gate was enough to make Sarah gasp once again. Their towering forms and menacing auras was enough warning to anyone that might get any funny ideas.
As we set out, the tension only increased among us. The soldiers sat in their seat while checking their gear once last time, their high-tech military gear made them look like a futuristic army. Plasma Repeaters hummed with energy, and the Shockwave Grenade Launchers were ready to unleash their devastating power.
Keinan took his place at the front of the convoy, barking out final instructions through the radio. "Bzzz" "Stay sharp, everyone! We're heading into dangerous territory. Remember your training and watch each other back. And remember we don't leave anyone behind." "bzz"
Sarah sat next to me in the back of the convoi, her eyes scanning the horizon anxiously. "Miguel is everything to me," she said quietly. "He's all I have left."
"We'll find him," I assured her. "We'll find them all."
The journey led to a rocky terrain, the landscape around us was rather bleak and desolate. We encountered a few stray zombies here and theree, but they were no match for our well-trained troops. Plasma Repeaters lit up the night sky with bursts of blue energy, and the Shockwave Grenade Launchers cleared out groups of undead with ease.
Keinan's voice came over the radio. "Eyes open, everyone. We're getting close to the area where Sarah last saw the survivors."
Sarah leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she peered into the darkness. "There," she said, pointing. "That's the spot."
We stopped the convoy, and Keinan gave the order. "Hut! One! Two! Attention! Move out!"
The soldiers began to move out in perfect sync, spreading out smoothly to secure the area.
"Echo One, this is Fox Leader. What's your status, over?"
"Fox Leader, Echo One here. No sign of tangoes in sector Alpha. Moving to Bravo, over."
"Copy that, Echo One. Echo Two, report."
"Echo Two here. All clear in Charlie. Proceeding to Delta, over."
"Roger, Echo Two. Stay frosty. Fox Leader out."
Sarah and I followed closely, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The air was thick with tension, every sound amplified in the stillness of the night.
Suddenly, a cry for help pierced the silence. "Over here!" a voice shouted.
Keinan grabbed his radio, his voice calm but firm. "Echo One, Echo Two, we've got a situation. Move to cover the source of the cry. Secure the perimeter. Echo Three, provide overwatch. Echo Four, hold position and be ready to assist."
"Copy that, Fox Leader. Echo One moving to cover the source, over."
"Roger, Echo One. Echo Two, securing the perimeter. On the move, over."
"Echo Three here. Providing overwatch from elevated position, over."
"Fox Leader, this is Echo Four. Holding position and ready to assist, over."
Keinan nodded, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "Good work, team. Stay sharp. We don't know what we're dealing with yet. Fox Leader out."
We rushed toward the sound, weapons at the ready. A small group of survivors huddled together, their faces pale and terrified. Among them, I saw Miguel, his eyes wide with fear and relief.
"Miguel! Thank god" Sarah cried, running to her brother and hugging him tightly.
"Sarah!" Miguel gasped. "I thought I'd never see you again."
Miguel's eyes widened in panic. "No, you don't understand! This is a trap! Hurry, you guys need to get her out of here!"
But our relief was short-lived. Mutants surrounded the group, snarling and closing in fast. Without hesitation, I summoned Reaper. He spawned from the abyss, his scythe flashing with deadly precision as he began to cut down the mutants in menacing precision, his movements was too fast to follow. The air bathed in blood, sounds of sickening flesh being slashed apart by his scythe.
"We have to get out of here," Miguel said in fear as we began to regroup. "There's a horde coming. A thousand zombies, mixed with more mutants. They're using us as bait."
I looked at the approaching horde with excitement. It had been a while since I had some real action, and my boys were hungry to hunt. I raised my hand, summoning my own army. Reaper stood ready, and I called forth Demoniac along with my 1000-strong zombie army.
"Stay behind us," I ordered the rescued survivors. "We'll take care of this."
Keinan rallied the troops, his voice booming. "Hut! One! Two! Attention! Make your stand!"
He scanned the area, assessing the situation with quick precision. "Echo One, form a defensive perimeter! Echo Two, cover our flanks! Echo Three, get the civilians to the car and secure the rear exit!"
As the soldiers moved into position, Keinan's commands continued. "Echo Four, take the high ground and keep an eye out for hostiles! Medics, stand by for casualties! We hold this position and back Ace and his summons!"
The troops snapped into action, their movements smooth and coordinated. They formed a defensive line as the horde approached. Plasma Repeaters fired in unison, blue energy bolts tearing through the ranks of zombies. Shockwave Grenade Launchers sent mutants flying, their bodies disintegrating upon impact.
Reaper and Demoniac charged into the fray, their combined power was like a whirlwind of destruction. Reaper moved like shadows, his scythe slicing through zombies with terrifying speed as usual. Demoniac the commander leading my undead as he incinerated everything in his path, and my undead held them back as Keinan and his team fired a barrage of devastation upon the horde.
The battle was totally one sided. But the horde seemed endless, our forces held strong either way with my summon leading the frontline. Sarah and the survivors watched in shock and disbelief as we showcased to them that humanity hasn't fallen yet, the power and precision of our combined attcks left them speechless.
I stood at the center, directing the flow of battle. My summoned army of undead clashed with the enemy. Reaper and Demoniac were unstoppable, as they slice and dice through the rank of undead I notice that each kill was like a competition to them.
"Keep firing!" Keinan shouted, as he joined into the fray with his riot shield and shotgun. He began to charge in shotgun blazing as he push to the front line, his shield block and then BAM! Zombies corpses began to pile up before him.
After a grueling battle, the horde lay in ruins—a total massacre. Only one zombie remained, which the reaper dispatched with ease.
"Good job everyone. You guys was flawless! Now time to head home." I ordered
We loaded the survivors into the vehicles, and Keinan ensured everyone was accounted for.
Sarah looked at me, her eyes filled with gratitude and awe. "Thank you, Ace," she said, her voice trembling. "I don't know how to repay you."
"Well i could think of one," I replied. "You guys joining us, I reckon is a good start."
Her eyes lit up as I said it, in response she start to sob "Thank you everyone, for everything you have done for us"
Keinan's voice came over the radio again. "Bzzz" "Hey that's what people used to do before all this shit, so don't sweat Sarah. You are one of us now"
***
As we drove our way back to the kingdom, the tension now vanished completely. Instead laughter and chatter filled car with banter as the odyssey came to an end. The sight of the huge walls and the thousands of survivors bustling inside was a welcoming relief. Hiro, Emi, Pam, and Mary greeted us as usual on the parapet, waving excitedly toward the car I rolled out the windows to wave back at them with a happy smile.
Balance Update:
Good Karma Points:=(10 billions gained for rescuing survivor-5 billions spend on bulk of weapons and military gears) = 25B
Bad Karma Points:=1B
Ace Lackey's:
Ibliss: Guarding Kingdom gate, cant be summoned.
Cronus: Guarding Kingdom gate, cant be summoned.
Reaper: Can be summoned.
Demoniac: Can be summoned
Dawn Jester: Can be summoned
Undead Soldier: Can be summoned, 2000 unit
Samael: Can be summoned