As they made swift progress in exterminating the rat king, a young woman gave herself the codename of Phoenix could be heard pouting and grumbling. Axel, noticing her discontent but unconfident about his understanding of women's emotions, repeatedly inquired about her feelings, unaware that she was upset that he hadn't stood up for her when she was simply trying to help earlier. Each time he asked, he received a different response.
"Go away! I don't want to see you!"
"I hate you! don't talk to me!"
"I thought we were on the same side! Humph!"
"I hope your horse throws you, and you faceplant on the ground!"
Axel could only sigh at her responses. He was not dense, he knew the young lady wanted to take her side, however he was assured when Fairy 001 even explained to Phoenix that the equipment they were using were made specifically for this occasions, they were on a job that could attract attention and potentially cause chaos, particularly because of the fire she had started earlier, he wasn't a man who would take the side of the wrong just to please a woman. Seeking guidance, he looked at Fairy 001 with pleading eyes, but the fairy merely replied with a teasing 'Humph,' mimicking Phoenix. This only fueled the young lady's irritation at their seemingly 'lovey-dovey' interaction. Axel, for the first time in his life, found himself caught in such a dilemma with women, much more on a mission. However, recognizing the need to focus, he adjusted his mental state, remaining vigilant for any circumstances that might arise.
The twenty individuals, roughly halfway to their destination in the fortified city of Rouen, abruptly stopped when the two leaders, Axel and Fairy 001, signaled for a halt. The Arcanists, who were not soldiers to begin with, looked confused and attempted to ask for explanations but were met with silence. As the quiet settled over the area, Axel and Fairy 001 focused intently on the communication they had just received.
"This is Spearhead 001! I need any available Operatives to assist! We are surrounded! We never encountered them at this checkpoint during any of our iterations! I repeat, the enemy—bzztzztzzz… bzztzztzzz … bzztzztzzz …" The transmission cut off abruptly, leaving a heavy silence in the air.
Axel's heart raced as he exchanged frantic glances with her. Her expression was oddly nonchalant, as if she were merely observing a passing storm rather than the chaos unraveling at their comrades hands. An unsettling curiosity tugged at him, but he chose to hold back, sensing that this was not the moment to pry into her thoughts. She then signaled her team to continue as if ignoring the cries of his allies. Axel, about to call Mission Control was slapped by Fairy 001 on the back of his head, she then spoke.
"Radio silence. No commands from now on. The Command Center might be compromised, communications jammed... Or we might just be left here to rot while the shadows close in on this timeline, this will last for about a decade to a century, give or take." The words hung like a thick fog as it shrouds what lies ahead before them.
The four Operatives exchanged uneasy glances, and the gravity of their situation weighed heavily upon each of them. Luc's face turned ashen as he broke the silence, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and desperation. "What about my family? They're waiting for me. Perishing out here is part of the job, an occupational hazard, but what about my children? Will they be alright?"
"They will exist." Fairy 001 said as she does not wish to speak more.
Hearing this, Luc felt a wave of relief wash over him. However, as a father, the thought of his children growing up without his care was something he could not stomach. He even contemplated ending it all right there, but deep down, he knew that would not fix anything. Taking a deep breath, he steadied his thoughts and fought to regain his mental clarity.
As he watched the newcomers compose themselves, Fairy 001 addressed them, saying, "We'll proceed with the mission. We cannot assist blindly with Spearhead 001, they are called spearheads for a reason."
Axel nodded, finding her argument somewhat reassuring. He was familiar with the radio silence that often accompanied covert operations. However, he had never thought that large-scale operations could still function effectively with a broken command center. This realization reinforced the idea that his military strategies might be outdated and too rigid. He recognized that he needed to educate himself further and learn more to adapt to the evolving landscape of this futuristic warfare. A healthy body alone wouldn't be enough to keep up with the times, he needed to evolve his mindset and knowledge as well.
They then heard trees tumbling like dominoes at an alarming speed. Fairy 001, familiar with what the adversary might conjure in such scenarios, quickly retrieved her cache. To the surprise of the Arcanists and Team Comet, it transformed into a larger version capable of accommodating them all and concealing them for a while.
As it began to float slowly in the air, they were treated to a panoramic view of the forest below. It resembled a scene from a natural disaster as a landslide had occurred, but there were no mountains in the vicinity, so how could that be? Then they caught sight of something unusual. A huge worm that oddly resembles the tail of a lizard, enormous in scale. Eyes resembling those of a fly that is scattered all along it's body and a huge one on the end, glowing with a radiance that seemed to analyze everything it can see.
Below, they could see people wielding melee weapons, reminiscent of a medieval fantasy story, yet their strikes were devastating, decimating acres of land with each blow. The operatives of humanity worked diligently to contain the insurgents, ensuring no civilians witnessed the chaos. Meanwhile, their reconnaissance team disseminated information about a dragon slaying quest taking place in the forest, a tale that echoed the adventures of people from the Middle Ages.
"See, the Spearhead team is fine, but they might already have casualties. That worm is the thing jamming our signals, and it can even alter the memories of people, distort their perception, and brainwash those with weak mental fortitude into believing they are a part of its race." Trying to lighten the mood, she added, "It isn't too bad to talk with our mouths like the old days, is it?" Then, with her melodious and enchanting voice, she commanded, "Everyone, remove all your items from the inventory. Comet 01, I advise you to do the same. Someone might mess up the spacetime, and you'll be sitting ducks if that happens."
Trusting her completely, he followed her orders and made his team do the same. As he surveyed the combat on the ground, Axel noticed the worm locking eyes with him. For a moment, he felt as if he weren't human, as if he had been born from an egg and raised to conquer the universe with mandibles and pincers. He envisioned himself as the king of all insectoids, worshiped by his peers, while all his fellow countrymen bowed beneath his feet.
A shiver ran through his entire body as Axel snapped back to reality. It felt as though centuries had passed in his mind. He broke out in a cold sweat and felt overwhelmed by the brainwashing. Glancing at his dazed men, he quickly slapped them to bring them back to their senses. They stirred slightly, but the Fairy team remained unfazed, making the soldiers feel inadequate. The men could not help but compare themselves to the women who seemed to have time for skincare even while training day and night. Determination rose within them as they vowed to be better prepared for the next mission.
Suddenly, Fairy 001, always playful, broke the tension by asking, "My King, shall we take off our clothes for you to see?"
The question left the five operatives dumbfounded. The other operatives of the team Fairy bowed in unison, and some even began to strip. A wave of disbelief washed over them, as if their lives as humans had been a lie.
Axel steadied himself and held Fairy 001's gaze. "I am no king. I am just a man. The clothes you wear may be alluring when removed, but it would be better if no one is around. We still have a mission to accomplish and we need to focus on that."
A collective sigh of relief escaped the team Fairy Operatives as if this was a test to the men, as though they were checking if they were tempted or not. The thoughts of their humanity churned within the five soldiers of team Comet, and they felt moisture in their eyes. They had lived a life that seemed like a test from the Apex of all insects in this universe who had dubbed them the chosen ones, the prophesized humans destined to become the kings of insects. Lavish, luxurious and life full of bliss assaulted their minds, showing them what they yearned for and what had been promised.
In the midst of it all, Axel was haunted by a vision of suburban streets in Los Angeles. He saw himself buying a house with his savings, Elise waving her hand to him with her round belly and their Newfoundland dog, Sandy, resting at their feet. They gazed at the stars through a skylight, lying on the floor and whispering names for their future child.
It was all too much, he was almost tempted to jump into this dream and just close his eyes and rest in its eternal fantasy. He knew it was a lie, but this lie was something he dreamed of, he wanted to relish it a little more, even for a second.