Can I really lead these people? Sera's mind wandered as she sat in silence, her eyes gazing up at the overcast sky before she had a flashback. Clouds hung heavy above, casting a dull light on the landship and the forest surrounding it. It was a question that had plagued her for days—whether she had the strength to lead, when so many stood by, watching silently, waiting for her to falter. They're just waiting for an opportunity to snatch the crown from the sidelines, she thought bitterly.
Why must the Beings Above watch in silence? Can they see how flawed I am? How I barely know what I'm doing? The uncertainty of leadership gnawed at her, especially after everything that had happened two weeks ago. It had been the hardest decision she'd ever made, and the consequences weighed heavily on her even now.
Two weeks ago marked the start of it all—the moment when Sera had been forced to make a choice she had desperately wanted to avoid.
Tensions had been brewing for weeks. The growing factions within the landship, all with their own ambitions, had started pushing for control. Some wanted to turn the landship into a mobile fortress, a weapon against Kjera and other oppressive forces. Others wanted to use it as a vehicle to explore the uncharted lands of Terra II, seeking wealth or safety. The arguments had grown more intense, and Sera, despite her best efforts to mediate, knew that it was only a matter of time before things turned violent.
The breaking point had come when Dmitri brought her a report that several factions had begun arming themselves. He had found her pacing the command center, her mind racing with possible solutions.
"They're not going to back down," Dmitri had said, his voice low. "They're ready to fight for control. If we don't act now, they'll tear this place apart."
Sera had felt the knot in her stomach tighten. She hadn't wanted bloodshed, but the factions refused to listen. Those who sought to use the landship for war wouldn't be swayed, and the safety of everyone else was at risk.
The original crew—Alaric, Zyra, Ava, her twelve engineers, Dmitri, and his group—had gathered that night to plan their next move. The tension in the air was thick as they discussed their options. They had no choice but to confront the rebellious factions head-on.
"I don't like this," Sera had admitted, her voice quiet yet firm. "But we have to protect what we've built. We offer them a chance to surrender. If they refuse, we have to end it."
The weight of the decision had pressed down on her, but there was no turning back. The next morning, they would face the factions who sought to take control of the landship.
The fight broke out in the lower levels of the landship, near the barracks that the rebellious factions had claimed for themselves. Sera stood at the front, her heart racing as she faced down the leaders of the rebellion. The air was charged with tension, the possibility of violence hanging over them like a storm.
Behind Sera, the original crew stood ready. Alaric was calm, his years of experience evident in the way he held himself, his rifle steady at his side. Zyra, sharp-eyed and focused, watched the surrounding hallways for any sign of an ambush. Ava and her engineers, though visibly nervous, clutched their weapons tightly, ready to defend the landship they had fought so hard to secure.
Dmitri, his crossbow slung over his back, stepped forward to address the leaders of the factions. "You all know why we're here. We've come to offer you a choice: lay down your weapons and walk away, or fight and face the consequences."
There was a brief pause, a moment where hope hung in the air that maybe, just maybe, they could avoid violence. But it didn't last.
One of the faction leaders, a tall man with a scar running across his face, sneered. "We're not giving up this ship, Dmitri. It's a weapon, and we're going to use it to take back what's ours."
Sera felt a chill run down her spine. She had known this would be the outcome, but hearing it said aloud still stung. The factions weren't interested in compromise. They wanted power, and they were willing to destroy everything for it.
Without another word, the fighting began.
Chaos erupted as the rebellious factions charged at Sera's group. Dmitri and his group fired first, their arrows cutting through the air with deadly precision. Alaric's rifle cracked loudly, the sound echoing through the metal corridors as he took down the first wave of attackers. Zyra moved quickly, her knife flashing as she took out anyone who got too close.
Sera stayed at the center, her mind focused on controlling the battlefield. She issued orders sharply, keeping the original crew coordinated as the factions tried to overwhelm them. Ava's engineers provided support, using their improvised weapons to hold the line, though many of them were unused to combat.
The halls of the landship became a battleground, the metallic walls echoing with the clash of steel and the sharp crack of gunfire. The factions fought fiercely, desperate to take control of the landship, but Sera's group held their ground.
Sera herself waded into the thick of the fight, her skills as a fighter on full display. She used her sequences with precision, flames erupting around her as she created barriers of fire to push back the enemy. With her natural resistance to most physical and magical damage, she was a force to be reckoned with, cutting through the attackers with grim determination.
It wasn't long before the factions began to realize that they couldn't win. One by one, their leaders fell, and their morale crumbled. Those who had initially charged with bloodlust in their eyes were now backing away, fear replacing their earlier confidence.
"Drop your weapons!" Sera shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "You've lost! Surrender now, and you'll be spared!"
There was a moment of hesitation before one of the faction leaders dropped his sword, the clatter echoing down the hallway. One by one, the others followed suit, laying down their arms in defeat.
By the end of the day, the Predecessor Conflict was over. The rebellious factions had been defeated, and those who surrendered were spared. Out of the original crew, Sera, Alaric, Zyra, Ava, her twelve engineers, Dmitri, and 41 of his group remained standing. And 38 members of the other factions, those who had surrendered were now prisoners, their fate to be decided later.
But the victory felt hollow to Sera. She stood in the aftermath of the battle, the metallic smell of blood still heavy in the air, and wondered if she had made the right choice. The landship was theirs again, but at what cost?
Can I really do this? she thought, her eyes drifting back up to the sky. The weight of leadership pressed harder than ever, and the silence of the Beings Above offered no answers. I'm so unsure. But I had to protect the people who believed in me, right? Sera closed her eyes, letting out a long sigh.
The landship had been saved, but Sera knew that this was only the beginning. Leading these people, flawed as she was, would be an even greater challenge than the fight itself. The Predecessor Conflict would be remembered in the annals of history, a defining moment in the journey of those who followed her, but for Sera, it was just another burden she would carry.
I just hope I can live with the choices I've made. She opened her eyes as she looked up at the bright sky as the flashback left her mind for now.