He clenched his injured arm and repeated to himself,
"I promise you I'll be better."
Aku has given him new strength. He felt his pain no more. He got on his feet and wiped the tears off his face and continued his self-acclaimed mission.
"The Lieutenant, how do I expose him?", Darko thought to himself.
He thought hard and the answers hid with the same effort. He was at a standstill. If he told his fellow soldiers, would they believe? Hell, they might even think he is the traitor. He didn't know what to do anymore but then an idea struck him. What if he makes the Lieutenant himself confess by threatening him.
Yes, it was a stupid plan not he had no other choice. Once Darko had assured himself that his plan would work, he dazed out to exhaustion. His naked rock-tight abdomen exposed to the chill breaths of the bushes.
Whilst Darko was taking a nap, the Lieutenant received orders from his master which confirmed his fears just more. They had camped there for days without any feedback from the troupes they sent out. He went around the camp whistling loudly in a weird manner and wherever he went, impish eyes followed.
The Lieutenant went straight for the Commander's tent. The Commander was busily writing when he got there so he let himself inside with calculated quietness. He drew out a battle dagger and stabbed the Commander in the back, literally. He stabbed the Commander in so many places so many times and left him bloodied on the floor.
The Commander turned to see his assailant in writhing pain. The man got another stab in heart when he discovered who attacked him.
"You, but why?"
"Don't be a dummy. You saw it coming. You knew the country was in ruins and yet you chose to be neutral. You could have part of his greater plan. The plan for Gaja."
"You fool. You think he has you in mind. He doesn't. Every benefit goes to him and him alone. He will get rid of you once you're useless.", the hemorrhaging man managed to say, taking huge breaths after every sentence.
"Just shut up and die", the Lieutenant scolded. He raised his gun and pointed it at his Commander but he couldn't shoot. He couldn't kill his only companion even though he wanted it to go deeper than that. The Lieutenant's emotions for his friend was unrequited but he still couldn't pull the trigger.
"Your plans will fail. Someone will stop you. Your contribution will be futile", the Commander spoke fast. He didn't want to leave anything unsaid before he dies.
"And who is that? Lucy? I'll just need to wring her neck and that's all."
"You're welcome to try."
The Lieutenant couldn't shoot. He couldn't even watch his friend die so he turned around, heading outside.
"In another world, Gray. In another world."
Before the Lieutenant stepped in the sun, he straightened his face and when he was outside, he was met with a massacre. The Gajan soldiers that resisted were mostly dead. The others switched sides when the opportunity was offered.
The Lieutenant left the scene with his soldiers, not into the country of Raine. They had ditched that idea. They were marching back to their master, back in Gaja.