Chapter 24: The Battle Starts
The evening was especially silent, as though the earth was waiting to exhale. The shadows of the abandoned city hung over the base of Jax Ryker and his crew—a converted municipal structure. Inside, the group was anxious, every member ready for the last confrontation.
Jax stood next to the reinforced windows, staring horizonward. A regular hum connecting him to the flow of time and space, the Echo of Eternity pulsed gently in his thoughts. Though he had already mapped out the most likely paths of the approaching enemy, battle always had some element of surprise. His senses cautioned him this would be a trial by fire.
The battle leader, Victor, moved fast across the base, giving the fighters last orders. Though with a hint of desperation, his voice sounded cool. "Stay low; keep your head down; remember your command. Assume the worst; we do not know their precise count."
He drew Jax's attention, and the two guys gave a quick respectful glance back and forth. Notwithstanding their differences, they realized they needed one another to survive the approaching invasion.
Usually calm, Alina was finishing last-minute medical preparations. She had arranged items she and Miguel had painstakingly gathered into a makeshift infirmary in the safest section of the building. She nodded reassuringly at Jax after catching a quick look at him. She totally believed his assessment; they had gone through worse.
Marcus, always the wary scout, was on the roof tracking the distance with a pair of old binoculars. "Movement!" he shouted, his voice clear with consciousness. "They're arriving!"
The comments sent off a wave of anxiety throughout the base. The fighters tightened their grip on their guns, and their faces grew austere. This is it. The fight for life had begun.
Jax experienced the Echo of Eternity surge while the system evaluated the approaching danger. He briefly closed his eyes so the knowledge might flood his thoughts. More enemies than predicted, and their actions were erratic but coordinated. This was a targeted attack, not a haphazard raid.
Jax called "Victor," his voice steady. They are splitting into two groups. One is flanking us across the alleyways; the other is advancing from the main road. "We had to change our defenses."
Victor nodded and started to move already. "You heard him! Split up: half of you remain here and the rest pursue me rearward. Before they can surround us, we will cut off them.
Reacting fast, the fighters split into two teams. Once a hive of activity, the inside of the base felt like a coiled spring ready to unleash its fury.
Jax joined the front lines as Victor led the second unit into the rear. Now he could see the enemy: a mixed crew of survivors turned marauders, their faces twisted with hate and misery. Jax's team was more ready, even if their count was higher.
Like a hurricane, the first wave struck with marauders running wildly up the street. Jax's squad started fire, bullets shooting over the night. Jax's every movement was guided by the Echo of Eternity, which also let him foretell the enemy's strategy. He precisely led the fighters, pointing out targets and positioning them where they would most be useful.
Though there was chaos, the fight followed a brutal dance for survival. Moving as a group, the fighters displayed discipline and training that reflected Though it was balanced with determination, Jax could see the horror in their eyes. They were not ready to give up their hard-earned fortress without struggle; they knew what was at risk.
As Jax fired his gun, each shot directed by the Echo's soft presence slammed in his chest. The power of the system coursed through him, sharpening his reflexes and concentration. It was not all-powerful, though. The Echo might advise and counsel, but the split-second decisions and ultimate decisions rested still with him.
A warning flashed across his thoughts suddenly. The echo sharpened his gut sensation, which pushed him to move. His eyes then turned left, where a young man called Eric was firmly resisting two marauders. He was carrying his own, but Jax saw something Eric missed: a third assailant slinking up behind him, knife glinting in the darkness.
Jax moved in impulse. Cutting through the chaos, he ran across the battlefield. His voice cracking over the chaos, "Eric, behind you!" he cried.
Eric turned just in time, startled by nothing. Jax was faster than the marauder, almost on him. He knocked down the assailant by slamming against him. Though Jax's experience and the Echo's direction gave him the edge, the two men battled. He promptly disarmed the marauder, therefore stopping the menace.
Eric studied Jax, his face pale. With a shaking voice, he said, "I didn't even see him."
Jax reached out his hand and got him standing. Eric, keep sharp. "This is far from over."
The young fighter bowed with fresh respect in his eyes. Jax did not linger; he went back to his spot exactly as another wave of attackers surged in.
Victor's crew was battling valiantly in the rear of the base. Little passageways meant horrible close-quarters fighting. Victor's command was obvious in how he led his troops, making best use of the limited area. He was a natural power; his martial skills grew over years of survival.
The opponent were stubborn, though, and despite their best attempts, they were forced back. Having substituted scavenged firearms and explosives for their handmade weapons, the marauders were better armed than expected. Gunpowder smoke and the pungent stink of panic permeated the air.
Gritting his teeth, Victor ducked behind a crumbling wall to just avoid a gunshot assault. "We need to hold this position!" he yelled, just heard above the roar of fighting. "We are done!" should they break through.
Tom, a heavy fighter, nodded sharply. "We're doing our best, Victor, but they just keep coming!"
Tom was right; Victor knew. Their outgunning and numerical count were low. Should they lack fast reinforcements, the rear defense would crumble.
A voice erupted from the communications as if on cue. "Hi, Victor. Jax, here is what I have. Backup your way is what we are sending. Maintaining your line for a bit longer.
Victor felt relief flash through him. He had to agree that Jax timed things perfectly. "Roger that, Jax," says "We'll have."
When reinforcements showed just a few minutes later, Victor was overjoyed. The front-line fighters went back to support the rear after turning back the first wave. Their combined might launched a counterattack that drove the marauders back.
The fight went on without any one side giving up. Jax kept getting information from The Echo of Eternity; its soft nudges guided him over the whirl of violence. His instincts were acute; he moved like a man driven. Every choice, every instruction, was a calculated risk—a gamble with lives on line.
The situation stayed dire even with the Echo's help, though. The marauders were relentless, and their numbers looked infinite. Two more started to show for every one they removed.
As Jax looked for a fix, his mind flew. Though not omniscient, The Echo was strong. It might predict and evaluate, but it cannot cover every possibility or change, of course.
Then suddenly he had an idea. Given such a disorganized crew, the marauders' attacks were too well coordinated. One had to be in charge. Should they be able to remove that commander, the assailant could become disorganized.
"Victor, I need you to cover me!" Jax cried out across the intercom.
Still in the rear, Victor answered fast. "What are you going to do?"
"I am after their chief." If we remove him, the rest might disperse."
There was a moment, then Victor's resolute voice emerged. "go. We'll hold them off."
Jax nodded, his resolve fortified. He rushed forward, scanning the ground with the echo. Not long it was clear who the enemy leader was—a towering, commanding man guiding the marauders from the shadows. Far enough from direct action yet close enough to command his troops, he was positioned at the fringe of the battlefield.
Jax inhaled deeply and started his approach. He blended in the chaos unseen like a shadow. The echo sharpened his perceptions and turned his attention more toward Every motion flawless, every stride deliberate.
He felt the strain in the air as he drew in on the leader. This was the turning point that would define the outcome of the struggle.
Too late, the leader saw him. By the time Jax knew he was in danger, he had already addressed him. Their locked eyes let Jax identify the man. This was no typical marauder; he knew the stakes and had been engaging Jax in the same lethal game.
Jax did, however, have a benefit. The echo guided his every action and quickly, forcefully knocked out the leader. The man dropped silently, folding to the ground.
Everything seemed to stop for a little moment. Once their leader fell, the marauders stopped. Their ranks erupted in uncertainty as the coordinated strikes fell short.
Jax wasted not a moment. His voice resounding over the battlefield, he said, "Now! Push them back!"
The fighters pushed their advantage with fresh intensity. Without a leader and unorganized, the marauders started to separate. What had started as a hard, evenly matched struggle soon turned into a rout. Their morals shattered, and the assailants left.
Jax watched them go; his chest was heaving from effort. While the war was over, the expenses were great. Though the foundation was strong, they had lost fighters—decent people who had given all to protect their country.
Victor came forward, his face covered in filth and perspiration. Exhausted but relieved, he said, "We did it."
Jax nodded, surveying the battleground. "We did. Still, we have to keep alert. "There will be more like them."
Victor gave a grunter of agreement. "We'll be ready.".
Jax's success owed in part the Echo of Eternity, which gently guided him to turning points. Still, the fighters' will and skill prevailed finally. Jax understood this and saw that the forthcoming conflicts will need even more from all of them.
Jax stopped to unwind as the first hint of morning started to show on the horizon. Though the immediate danger had passed and the base was safe, the fight for survival never stopped. Though the struggle for the future was just starting, they had won this one.