Lance dreamt about Nicole that night. A sweet, lucid dream about how they would embark on a 4-year odyssey around the world, ultimately ending on the moon, just like how he’d promised Nicole.

            Then, an alarm went off and all of his ephemeral dreams died. As if incessant noise wasn’t enough, the alarm triggered a cascade of lights to glow warmly from the recessed ceiling. The darkness and silence vanished, leaving behind an elegant, spacious room with creamy white walls and polished hardwood floors.

            Lance yawned and fumbled around for his phone on the nightstand. He peeked at his phone. The numbers 8:30 were etched boldly at the top of his phone. With a quick swipe, he set down the phone and laid back down, throwing an arm over his eyes.

            “Lance! Get up already!” Nicole leaned against his doorway, legs crossed. “You know what’s happening today.”

            Lance sat up and stretched, slowly swinging his legs over the side of his bed. He looked at her for a moment with blank eyes, but his lips clamped firmly, too afraid to admit he had no clue.

            “You forgot, didn’t you?”

            “Yeah. Oops.”

            “It’s the day of the concert. You’re playing your flute concerto first, and I’ll be the accompaniment. When you’re done, we switch, and I’ll be playing violin with you at the piano,” she reminded. “Hurry up and get into your tuxedo. I was waiting since 5.”

            “Oh, it’s just another concert. I’ll be down there at 8:45.”

            “It’s not just another concert. I’m there too! Don’t mess it up.”

            “I won’t.”

            Lance gathered with his friends backstage. “Your sister sure is an interesting person,” Paul said in a hushed voice. “She doesn’t look like the audacious adventurer type. I mean, how in the world is she so slim yet so athletic? I would expect a girl with her looks to be at the library studying or something.”

            “Nicole is definitely special,” Lance agreed. He glanced over across the room at Nicole, who was talking to her group of friends. “The doctors said she has some superhuman mutations or something. She’s a super sleeper, so she gets by really well with 2-3 hours. If she’s feeling lazy, she sleeps like 4, maybe 5 hours at most. And this isn’t confirmed yet, but the doctors are speculating she has some mutation that allows her to be way more athletic than she’s supposed to be. All this and a prolonged life expectancy, jeez.”

            “What the hell?” All the boys turned to glance at Nicole silently. “Your sister is the future of humankind. Don’t let anything happen to her,” Spencer laughed.

            “Yeah 2 hours? Imagine the productivity with that!” Frederick added.

            “Damn. You guys are so close too. You have it all set, Lance,” Paul grumbled.

            “Well, just imagine how painful it is to listen to Nicole all night long since she’s always awake,” Lance fussed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

            “Hey, Lance. Keep it down. She’s coming over here. You guys better get ready,” Frederick said, tipping his chin in her direction.

            “Oh right.” Lance felt a shiver of sweat as Nicole glided over, cradling a violin in her hand. “You ready?”

            “I guess,” Nicole answered half-heartedly, rubbing her wrist and looking down. “First time I’m going to be on stage with you at the same time.”

            “Don’t worry, Nicole. You’re amazing,” one of her friends yelled.

            “It’s going to be great,” Lance assured. “After all, we have great repertoire as usual.”

            “As usual,” one of the girls laughed. “Every one of your concerts is amazing.”

            Then it broke out into a wild commotion of the time Lance did this, or he did that. All Lance could do was smile confidently, absorbing in the fame.

            “How does my dress look?” Nicole asked frantically.

            “Great.”

            “My hair?”

            “It’s okay.”

            “Just okay?!”

            “It’s good. Don’t worry about it, Nicole.”

            “Gosh, you’re so daft sometimes, you know?” Nicole complained.

            Lance pretended not to hear anything and buried his head in his music as if he hadn’t memorized the entire thing months before. Nicole sat down at the table with him and fidgeted with her violin silently.

            At last, the moment came when the announcer took the stage with his booming microphone. Nicole glanced up at Lance, and he met her eyes with assurance.

            “You’re awesome, Nicole. We’re going to do great,” he whispered.

            Nicole nodded. They stood up and walked to the side of the stage, waiting for the curtains to fall. Lance rolled his flute over in his sweaty hands, feelings the ridges press into his skin. With an abruptness, the curtains pulled apart smoothly, and they entered the new realm. Lance grinned confidently as he strolled onto the stage with Nicole.

            They bowed, and Lance took the center stage while Nicole sat down at the grand piano. As silence washed over the crowd, Nicole played the first few chords of the piano accompaniment of the flute concerto. Then Lance joined in, weaving together a beautiful tune with his rich, lush sound. He let his mind take over.

            Every virtuous passage flew by with ease. Like a songbird singing a lyrical melody, he let the emotions of the composer mix with his own, formulating an ethereal concoction representative of an angel flying away to heaven.

            Finally, the last note came, and the audience cheered mightily. They bowed, and then Nicole took the center stage. Lance set his hands on the piano and ran his fingers over the smooth ivory-white keys silently. He glanced over at Nicole. She smiled brilliantly at him and nodded her head.

            Lance let the first few chords drop. Softly, the violin joined in. The piece had a sort of happiness and sadness mixed in it, like the bittersweet grief for a loved one who was now gone. As the music progressed, the music grew more and more animated. Nicole swayed to the music, vigorously drawing her bow and transporting everyone to a new, magical frontier.

            Lance stared intensely at the keys, the sweat running down his chin as he struggled to keep up with Nicole’s ever demanding performance. As soon as he got a chance, he peeked over at Nicole. She glanced back at him, and their eyes locked for a moment. She smiled back at him again and turned around, filling all 3 floors of red velvet chairs with color. Her sound resonated all the way up to the grand crystal chandelier, which casted shimmering bright light on her brown hair.

            Culminating with a scintillating flurry of notes, Nicole finished the piece and held her bow up in the air dramatically as the audience erupted into massive cheers. Lance could make out people in the balconies standing up and whistling. The entire world seemed to swirl around Lance, the sparkling lights, crimson chairs, and light golden walls all fusing together into one huge orb of infinite color. It was a new experience for Lance, and he intended to savor the great taste of it with Nicole by his side for as long as he could.

            “Woah dang, Lance! You outdid yourself again,” Frederick complimented.

            “Yeah definitely! What were the two pieces again?” Spencer asked.

            “Oh! I have it written down. I was taking notes,” Paul noted.

            “You were taking notes?” Nicole said anxiously.

            “Yeah. Need to learn from you masters. Oh, here you go.” Paul handed a crumpled piece of paper to Frederick and Spencer.

            “What is this chicken scratch? Is this a B, D, or E?” Frederick laughed.

            “That’s a C, genius.” Even Paul couldn’t contain his laughter.

            “I played Cécile Chaminade's Flute Concertino in D major,” Lance said.

            “And I played Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor,” Nicole added. “It’s the piano arrangement, not the one with orchestra, obviously.”

            “Dang, Lance taught you well. You were amazing, Nicole,” Paul complimented.

            Lance laughed as she pouted, her face immediately turning dark.

            Nicole was quiet in the car on the way back.

            “Hey Nicole, you did an amazing job today! The critics might’ve thought Lance had the better performance, but I thought you had a stellar performance today. To me, you’re the real winner,” their dad consoled.

            “Yeah sweetie, don’t get too upset. You’re both amazing,” their mom added.

            “Lance,” Nicole grumbled, her voice hurt. “You’re an awful accompaniment. You’re always used to solo performances, so you have no idea what you were doing. Stop trying to steal my show all the time.”

            “Me? Steal your show? You’re the one who completely threw the music out the window! I don’t remember à volonté being written everywhere in the score! You can’t just play whatever you want!”

            “Like what? During the cadenza?!” Nicole bit back.

            “Of course not! I'm not talking about the cadenza! I’m talking about the entire piece in general.”

            “Accompaniment is supposed to follow the soloist!” Nicole yelled caustically.

            “Not when the soloist is some trash scum like you who has no idea about how music works!”

            To that, Nicole flared up and shoved Lance over in his car seat before slamming open the car door and stomping out.

            “Hey now, stop it,” their mom cautioned.

            “Whatever Nicole. I don’t want to make you cry.”

            “I’m not crying!”

            Lance knocked on her door.

            “Go away. I’m sleeping,” Nicole mumbled from inside her room.

            “No, you’re not. You’re never sleeping.”

            “I am now. And go away.”

            “I just wanted to say sorry.”

            No response.

            “I asked Mom and Dad, and they agreed that I was playing way too loud at some parts. I was also a bit behind. Sorry.”

            Nicole refused to move. “Whatever Lance. I’m actually tired.”

            Nicole woke up early the next morning, planning to annoy Lance while he was still in bed, but he was already up. Of course he was. It would be his 16th birthday tomorrow. Well, her birthday too. Their birthdays were on the same day, but she was two years younger.

            When Nicole came downstairs, she found him bouncing around the place, setting up decorations. Nicole sighed and went back to her room. She flopped onto the bed and turned on the TV.

            “Aren’t you going to help?” her dad asked, peeking in.

            “No.”

            “What’s wrong?”

            “Nothing.” She still felt agitated, just not sure what she was upset about. Probably still Lance.

            Her dad walked over and put a hand on her leg. “I’ve got some bad news. War is about to break out. There was a big scuffle between rival asteroid mining companies in the 5th space sector, and now there’s a huge fight up there.”

            Nicole clapped her hands twice to mute the TV. “War?”

            “Yes, war.”

            Nicole looked up miserably. She slammed her face into a pillow and kicked her legs up in the air. “What are we going to do?”

            “Mom and I are going to sign a petition to urge the government to send in the army here to defend us. It’s gotten nearly all the signatures required already, so maybe we’ll be fine.” He shook her by the shoulders.

            “Go away.”

            Her dad finally left her. She waited a few minutes and then bolted out to tell Lance.

            “Nicole?”

            “Did Dad tell you what’s happening?”

            “Yeah, I know.” Lance sighed. “Want to help me build the new PC?” He tossed Nicole a piece of candy.

            Nicole glanced curiously at it. “I’d love to. What’s with this?”

            “Someone gave it to me.”

            “Oh, erm, thanks?” On the way up to Lance’s room, she dropped the candy in her unsuspecting dad’s fingers. As she went into the room, she ran her finger across the control panel on the room, and the lights dimmed as the closet door opened itself with a soft mechanical whirl.

            “Is this what we’re building?” Nicole stood over the heap of boxes.

            “Yeah.”

            Nicole worked swiftly with Lance, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as Lance helped her assemble it. “Celeste was there at the concert,” she blurted out randomly.

            “Oh really? You must’ve really impressed her with your performance.”

            “Honestly, Lance, I don’t really care about trying to woo people. I just wanted to be on the same stage as you for once and have some fun while I’m at it, you know? Didn’t expect things to get bitter,” she murmured sadly.

            “Yeah, well, you naturally leave a good impression.”

            “You’ve been talking about me, haven’t you?”

            Lance looked up in surprise and found Nicole smiling mischievously at him. “Only good things,” he defended.

            “Yeah, I don’t believe that. You’re a reputation hog, you know that? Not that I mind being related to the most popular guy in school,” Nicole whistled.

            “Wrong RAM slot.”

            “Oh yikes.” Nicole flipped the stick of RAM around and put it in its proper place. “Anyways, what was that movie you were watching yesterday?”

            “Oh. Uh, it was rated R. Lots of scenes with men and women sharing the bed.”

            “Lots of violence?”

            Lance laughed heartily while Nicole shrugged innocently, bewildered.

            Nicole was bent over the glass wall of their terrace when Lance found her. With her two arms resting flatly on the top of the wall, she watched over the peaceful city with a quiet, subdued expression. She let the breeze gently blow her chocolate brown hair, enjoying the kiss of the warm sunshine. She didn’t turn around when Lance approached her.

            “Hey.”

            “How was your swim? You know, with Paul and everyone but me.”

            “Dang, that was a blast! We did all sorts of crazy things,” Lance laughed.

            Nicole smiled weakly. “Well, I guess you had fun. That’s all that matters.” She drifted away, her arm hanging dejectedly by her side.

            “Want me to tell you what happened?”

            “No.”

            “Everything’s ready for the party tonight, right?”

            “Yeah. I finished the last of it when you went swimming without me.”

            “Cool. Nice.”

            Nicole tossed her head back and opened her mouth as if she was about to say something, but she closed it and headed inside. Lance shrugged and glanced over at the horizon. What was she looking at?

            At night, their house was lit up brightly like a beacon. It was a massive party, and nearly everyone who knew Lance in some way or another came.

            “Anyone going to dance?” Lance asked.

            “Where are the girls?” Paul asked.

            “Yeah, of course that’s what you care about,” Spencer scoffed. “They’re probably all with Nicole, singing their throats out with that karaoke.”

            “Not interested. Oh, wait! Frederick, where’s your date?”

            “Woah Frederick!” Lance applauded.

            “She’s hiding in the bathroom,” Frederick grumbled. “Honestly, I think I should just hide in the corner now. Can’t show my face.”

            “There’s a lot of girls in the karaoke room. No one will see you there,” Paul nudged.

            “That’s the worst possible place I could be. What if she comes out and sees me with another girl, you idiot?”

            “Hey now, the dance room is pretty packed too. And it’s dark. Hopefully, the adults aren’t slow dancing in there, but I can try to change the music in there if you want,” Lance suggested.

            “That’s fine,” Frederick answered coldly.

            “Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Lance!” A familiar voice shouted.

            “Hahaha. It’s your sister again,” Paul laughed. “She’s fun. I like her.”

            “Okay, Paul. But don’t get your hopes up too high. Remember, she still hates your guts,” Spencer shot back.

            Nicole and her group of 7 friends crowded around them.

            “Lance, your sister did an amazing job setting up the dance room!”

            Nicole blushed and waved her hand dismissively.

            “Course she did. Hey! It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t pay homage to Nicole’s hard work. Why don’t we all go to the dance room? We can all dance our heads off, and you can sing along to the songs anyways if that’s what floats your boat,” Lance suggested charmingly, shepherding an army of boys and girls to invade the dance room.

            “So Lance, what’d you think of the decorations?” Nicole said, bouncing up and down.

            “Love it. It’s actually so ingenious, I’m glad I never went into this room before the party started so I could get such a good surprise.”

            Nicole laughed. “You’re going to have to repay me.”

            “How?”

            “This is how.” She grabbed him by the arm and shoved him into the center of the room. They were both laughing way too hard to be able to dance, anyways, but at least Lance hadn’t seen Nicole so happy in such a long time.

            After the party subsided, Lance’s parents decided to leave for town to sign the petition in person. “Can we tag along to see the petition? Why do you have to sign it in person?” Nicole asked curiously, tilting her head.

            “I don’t know, actually. But it’s a good learning experience for you two, I guess,” their dad replied.

            “Honey, I don’t think they should come along,” their mom replied.

            “Why not?”

            “I don’t know. I just have a gut feeling things might get rowdy. People do have pretty strong opinions on this. Besides, it’s past midnight.”

            “Oh come on, it’s just a petition. What can happen?” Lance asked.

            The only nearby booth to sign the petition was at a small empty square sandwiched between two towering office buildings and the back of a warehouse. A long, serpentine line ran from the booth at the end of the square and weaved for blocks. Lance stood patiently in line, counting only 5 more people in front of them. He could already see the digital screen for the petition glowing with the handprints of everyone who had already signed it.

            Nicole gestured for Lance to come closer and leaned into his ear. “Regrets now?”

            “Nah. We’re almost there.”

            There was a loud crack, and then Lance instinctively pulled Nicole behind him. She pushed him away fiercely and stood by his side.

            “What was that?” she growled.

            “I think some fireworks?” their dad speculated.

            The crowd was running around in circles now. Hysteria had spread over them like a swift blanket of disease. Meanwhile, Lance and his family cowered into a small corner, where they bumped into Frederick’s and Paul’s families.

            “Those were shots!” Frederick screamed.

            “Yeah, we need to get the hell out of here,” Paul acknowledged.

            Then, the subtle movement of a red dot caught Lance’s eye. “Celeste!” he waved her over, pulling her over to them amid the massive stampede.

            “Nicole!” she sobbed, running past Lance’s arms and straight into Nicole’s. “I’m so scared. They’re making their way in from the exits.”

            “It’s alright, Celeste,” Nicole comforted.

            “We need to do something!” Lance urged. He stood up. “We can’t just stand here and get slaughtered like pigs. After all, whatever they were after, we’re just civilians exercising our right to petition. The divine angels of serendipity are on our side, and all we have to do is exercise our blessings. Find something to fight with!”

            “Lance, sit down!” Nicole ordered.

            It was too late. The terrorists had already identified Lance, and they were heading straight for them. A loud silence fell over the crowd, as survivors trembled, cowering before the waving banners of the 33rd mining faction.

            “So you’re here to sign the petition,” one of them said. “Funny. Rich, spoiled fools like you would, of course, want the army to come and fight us. It makes sense since we’re at war with you. But have you ever considered that this is all about poor people coerced into playing a rich person’s trouble? The entire galaxy up there is in ruins, overflowing with chaos. You nasty one percent people hoard all the money and leave the miners up there to eat space dust. It’s about time for a new empire to rise.”

            The knife in his hand glittered darkly with the tainted blood of others. “You’re a fool,” he snarled. “The angels are cruel. They want sacrifice. Weaklings offer money and words. True sacrifices require blood.”

            A great spurt of warm blood blinded Lance’s vision as the shots rang out. He stumbled backwards, agonized with the bone-chilling screams. Lance shook his head and opened his eyes. His parents.

            With a huge roar, Lance rushed forward, only to be brutally knocked back against a brick wall. As he gasped for air, he felt the demon of death run across his neck.

            “Luckily for you, we don’t kill children.”

            Lance fell limply against the wall, barely able to make out the shapes of the disappearing terrorists. Sirens rang in the background and drones hovered around them.

            “Lance!” Nicole ran around the cadavers and hugged him tightly. He simply cowered in the corner, face streaming with blood. A crimson river ran down from the tips of his hair and fell onto his shirt. Shaking violently, Lance suppressed his cries and pulled himself tighter to Nicole, hoping the tears would wash away the blood.

            “Oh my gosh,” someone said faintly in the background.

            “Hold still, Lance. You’re going to be okay,” Nicole comforted.

            Her hands ran towards a wound, intending to apply pressure. But Lance shoved her off, slamming a nearby broken piece of wood into the ground. He kicked a bullet casing and pounded his foot on a knife someone dropped. Then his eyes moved to his parents.

            His breath caught in his throat. He tore his eyes away and focused on Nicole. “We were helpless,” he murmured softly, like a confession.

            “What do we do?” Frederick asked.

            “I don’t know. Lance?” Paul continued.

            “Lance? Help us. Never mind. You’re hurt,” she whimpered.

            “I don’t care. I’m enlisting in the army. Pain is fuel if we choose it to be. Mark this day, because it will serve as our point for vengeance. Who’s coming with me?”

            The last few survivors had run off, leaving just Paul, Frederick, Nicole, and Celeste.

            “Hell, damn these people,” Paul shuddered. “My parents are dead. You better bet I’m shoving lead down their throats with you.”

            “Yeah, same here,” Frederick said.

            All eyes turned to Nicole. “Why Lance? You’re only 16.”
            Lance’s voice turned soft. “I’ll always be with you Nicole. Don’t worry.”

            Her eyes fell into a dreamy gaze. “Promise?”

            “Promise.”

            “Stay safe, Nicole. My parents are still at home.” Celeste hugged Nicole tightly. “Keep in touch. Please. I love you.”

            “I love you too, Celeste.”

            “Alright, comrades. Farewell. Perhaps we shall meet again.” Lance clicked his heels and saluted.

            As Lance was leaving, Celeste called out to him quietly. “Happy birthday, Lance.   Bye.” His heart thumped, stopping him in his tracks. He turned around and saw her waving to him briefly before she disappeared. Then, he turned around and plunged into the darkness.

            Lance pressed his army helmet against his head, still uncomfortable with the deafening sound of gunshots around him. “Ready?”

            “I’m always ready,” Nicole answered confidently.

            A shrill whistle pierced the air, and Lance raised his rifle. He emptied his clip and looked over at Nicole, who was leaning casually against the wall with her shotgun in one hand. “I won again.”

            Lance sighed and swiped his fingers over the screen next to him in the shooting range. A tiny blue hologram popped up in front of them.

            “That’s 7-0 now, Lance. Come on, I hit more targets at long range with a shotgun than you did with an assault rifle,” Nicole announced. “You know I’m the best shot out of everyone in the entire fort.”

            “I don’t know how a young girl like you can even hold a shotgun.”

            “Excuse me?” Nicole growled. “For the record, I’m 14. And this is your stupid idea.”

            “Whatever. Honestly, I didn’t expect them to accept us. I never knew there was a wartime mandate to accept recruits of all ages.”

            “It just means the war is bad,” she noted. “Maybe Mom and Dad weren't alone in the suffering.”

            Lance fell quiet and glanced down at his feet.

            “Hey,” Nicole probed softly. “Are we going to the party tonight?”

            Lance made his way into the crowded room, with Nicole, Frederick, and Paul at his side. Almost immediately, a huge crowd of people turned to them and laughed.

            “Well well, looks like the children can read an invitation.”

            “Ssh you'll hurt their feelings. Welcome to the party.”

            “Did we just get invited to get laughed at?” Lance whispered angrily.

            “Hey let go!” A group of drunk recruits grabbed Nicole. Lance tried to shove his way through, but he was stopped by a few soldiers.

            “Let them have their fun,” a man said laughingly.

            “What do you mean by fun?” Lance growled.

            “They won't hurt her. I'll see to that,” he replied, pointing to his Sergeant insignia.

            “I don't trust you,” Paul growled.

            The man's eyes gleamed. “Fight me then.”

            Lance clenched his fists, watching the men dump wine on Nicole’s head.

            “Come on, let's not make enemies already.” Frederick tried to drag Lance away, but he was already tangled up with the man.

            “You idiot,” Nicole spat angrily, rubbing a towel over her wet hair. “Why did you pick a fight with a sergeant?”

            “I was trying to protect you, jeez.”

            “It’d be great if you could just protect yourself first, so I don’t have to go in and rescue you like I did today, you know.” Nicole took a bandage from the first-aid kit. Lance sat obediently as she wiped a wet towel over a large gash on his left forearm. He tried to make a brave face for Nicole, but as soon as she sprayed the antiseptic, he flinched.

            “Sorry, forgot to say this would hurt.”

            “It’s fine.”

            Frederick swung his legs over his bunk bed. He glanced around uncertainly at the homogenous, gray walls of the barracks as if something would suddenly pop out and attack them. “Damn. That’s a nasty cut, Lance.”

            Lance shrugged as Nicole wrapped the bandage around his wound. She stood up and gave him a pat. “There. Hope you get better soon.”

            “Thanks, Nicole.”

            “Oh um, thanks for like trying to save me anyways, even if it didn’t go too well.”

            “Of course. Always. What division did you get assigned to?”

            “1st Infantry Division,” Paul announced from one of the upper bunks.

            “Yes! Same here,” Frederick cheered.

            “Alright! We’re all in the 1st Infantry Division, right?”

            Nicole’s lip quivered. “N-no. I’m in the 3rd Infantry Division.”

            The boys looked at each other and Paul cursed.

            “It’s okay. Celeste sent a message yesterday saying that she was safe, along with Spencer and everyone else,” Lance soothed.

            “No! It’s not okay!” Nicole screamed. The door slammed thunderously against the wall as she bolted out of the room.

            Lance sprinted after her. “I’ll go after her!” he yelled back to his friends. Now, he was burdened with what he thought might be an irreparable regret.

            Lance found her on the outskirts of the camp, standing near the lake in the forest. “Go away. I hate you. It’s all your fault! We trusted you. Why did you have to join the military? We could have lived our lives in peace!”

            The tears burst out like a dam, spilling down her face like waterfalls. Her entire body trembled. Nicole lowered her head until her chin almost touched her chest.

            Lance approached carefully and lifted her head by the chin. “I’m so sorry. You’re still so young. We’re both so young. I was impulsive, but there's nothing we can do about this now.”

            “Le-Let’s” She choked on her words. “Run away.”

            “To where? Desertion is punishable by execution.”

            Nicole clutched at Lance’s jacket. “You promised me you would always be with me.”

            Lance lifted her head until he looked her in the eyes. Who knew those two spheres could be so powerful? In an instant, Lance recognized her pains. She had lost her parents. Now her friends and finally her brother. The glistering brown eyes emitted waves of loneliness that even Lance could feel.

            “I will always be with you, Nicole.” Lance turned her around and pointed to the celestial bodies. “No matter where I am, we will always see the same stars and moons.” Suddenly, Lance was hit with a pang of sorrow. His muffled sobs rang out in the silence as Nicole stopped crying.

            She hugged her brother.

            “What if I become a cold-blooded killer? What if I become a psychopath, a “sadist? I would do anything to protect you, but what if‒”

            Nicole pressed her hand into Lance’s. His breathing slowed. “Lance, you gave me your everything you could. You would never become that.”
            His voice turned soft. “Power corrupts people. What if one day I could shoot whoever I want?”

            Nicole shook her head. “As Oskar Schindler said, ‘Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don’t.’ Power is the ability to control yourself, to pardon others. You’ve always been good at that, Lance. You’ve always been in power.” Under the brilliant stars, Lance hugged his sister. The moonlight cast a reflection onto a nearby pond, where even the heavens could observe their story.

            Nicole was gone. Lance’s heart was not the same without Nicole. It could never be, but Frederick and Paul were still here, so he had to command some leadership at least.

            Lance walked up to his friends and slapped the side of a truck. “So the time for our first real combat mission is here. How are you guys feeling?”

            “Not so good,” Paul moaned. “I think I ate something rotten yesterday so now I’m feeling sick.”

            “Yeah, not that great either. I got a sore throat,” Frederick added.

            “It’s all right, guys.” Lance forced a smile. “We’re just going through some pretty hard times. A victory is all we need to cheer us up. According to the Sergeant, this is a simple mission. We’ll find confidence after we ace this thing.”

            Frederick unhooked the water bottle from his backpack and took a sip. “You’re right,” he replied, lowering his canteen. “Success will boost our morale.”

            Paul nodded. “True.”

            A sharp whistle rang out. “Well, I got to get back to my fireteam. Good luck, but I know you guys have enough skill to not need luck.” Lance waved goodbye and prayed that his teammates would do all the killing.

            There was a short screech as the truck stopped suddenly and the doors burst open, flooding Lance’s eyes with blinding brightness. Instinctively, his team leader hopped out first with a heavy clanking of his gear.

            Then, the troops poured out of the truck, filling the streets like a swift river. Lance spun around, taking a good look at their location. It was a gloomy, run-down urban area littered with half-broken vehicles and random debris. Giant spider web style cracks dotted many of the streets as if the city had suffered a meteor storm. Dark clouds of pollution hovered over the sky, isolating the city in eternal darkness.

            Lance gasped. “So this is a normal urban city?”

            The other soldiers laughed. “Kid, you’ve never stepped outside home, have you?”

            Lance shook his head. He traced his gloved hand over the grimy walls of a building, leaving a clean, gray streak of clean concrete behind him. “The more you know.”

            He followed his fireteam around a labyrinth of winding paths. Lance could’ve sworn that they were going in circles since he saw what he thought was the same glowing, pink neon sign with the words “market” etched on it.

            “Hold it.” The team leader crouched down beside a large glass door. He held up 3 fingers.

            Then 2.

            Then 1.

            “Flashbang!”

            Lance turned away as the small cylindrical object rolled through the crack in the door before exploding with a loud pop. They kicked down the door, the lasers on their guns running ominously around the dark area.

            “This place is in ruins,” he whispered, crushing a few fragments of glass underneath his boots. The twisted base of a chandelier lay nearby.

            “Shush.”

            A faint but distinguishable noise emanated from the heap of crumbled wooden planks across the room. Four lasers pointed there like the eyes of a demon, ready to hunt its prey. Someone emerged from the rubble. “Help!” he screamed. But Lance had already pulled the trigger.

            His hands instinctively ran through the precise mechanism of firing a rifle, dumping round after round. When Lance’s rifle clicked with the sound of an empty magazine, he lowered his arms and glanced around at his teammates. No of them had fired a shot.

            For a while, it seemed like everyone was confused. Then, everyone started yelling and cheering. High-fives flew around. They were alive. Had they survived a firefight?

            As the surge of exhilaration dried off, Lance walked towards the person with his heart thumping uncontrollably. It was a young boy, with chocolate brown eyes and hair. Crimson droplets ran down the side of his head, but the bullets had only skimmed the side of his skull, so the boy was still alive.

            The team leader cussed vigorously as they crowded around him. Lance watched in alarm as the boy’s onerous heaving sliced through the silence. Someone wrapped their hands around the boy’s head to stop the bleeding, while Lance tore open his shirt to find another bullet hole.

            “Am I dead?” the boy gasped. “It feels so ... so dark. And ... and cold.”

             Lance towered over the dead body in silence as his teammates covered their mouths in horror.

            Lance didn’t reply. He could still feel the boy’s limp body in his arms. His dying gasp, sticky blood, and innocent eyes. Nicole’s words rang in his ears. “Power is when we have every justification to kill, and we don’t.”

            Half a year had passed since Lance was promoted to sergeant. Nicole called him every day, and even though he rarely answered her, he could tell she was clearly glad he would talk to her. She was doing fine. Better than any normal 14-year-old girl could do in the military anyways.

            Lance shifted in his seat. The truck bounced along the rough road, jerking the sleepy-faced marines up and down as they sat idly in the dark. He closed his eyes again. It was too dim to see anyone’s faces.

            He felt a small vibration on the floor next to him. Suddenly awake, he rummaged the surfaces around him and locked his hands on his phone. A message from Nicole.

I’m transferring to your platoon next week!

            The screen ignited an orb of light blue light around Lance, disturbing the shadows around him. As a result, the other marines awoke with small grunts and yawns. He grinned uncontrollably, prompting the people to glare suspiciously at him.

            “What is it?” Paul whispered.

            “Nicole is coming. She’s going to be in our platoon.”

            “That’s great!”

            Frederick crab-walked over, patting Lance on the shoulder. “What’s happening?”

            “Nicole is joining our platoon,” Paul said enthusiastically.

            “Oh. Nice.”

            “Yeah, you have no idea how relieved I am,” Lance sighed.

            “Your older sister?” The woman across from Lance asked.

            “Younger.”

            “Younger?!” the other men spluttered in amazement.

            “I’ve been trapped in the back of this stupid truck for so long I think I’m going mad. Someone open the door. I need fresh air. Did I just hear younger?” one of the men groaned.

            Frederick crawled to the side and open the back of the truck door, letting in a fresh draft of alpine air. Lance gazed through the pentagonal opening into the far horizon, counting an endless forest of towering pine trees covered with lichen.

            “Yes, younger,” the woman replied. “Although I swear if I find one more baby-faced recruit, I will jump off this truck.”

            “That would be perfectly fine,” Paul replied. “We’re here.”

            “Where is here?” Lance asked.

            Frederick murmured, “That is a great question. Where are we?”

            The dense trees formed an ellipse around a small clearing paved with concrete. Thick storm clouds hovered over the region, holding the area hostage in a state of semi-darkness. On the Eastward side, where Lance was facing, a small stone wall jutted up to mark the start of a small building. The building seemed quite innocuous to Lance. The sloped roof made of faded yellow tiles and the crumbling brick walls all seemed to indicate it was a vestige of ancient civilization from a hundred years ago.

            The truck was parked in one corner. The squad of soldiers, with Lance at the vanguard, moved deliberately up the stairs to the structure. Lance rubbed his chin. “Anyone know where we are and why we’re here?”

            “It’s a secret nuclear bunker left over from way back when they still used ICBMs. Now, it’s just an embassy,” the driver responded.

            Paul kicked the bricks. “Isn’t this pathetic? Why would anyone think about using huge missiles that could easily be shot down by an orbital particle-beam interceptor?”

            “You kids seem to forget that particle-beam cannons have only been around for a few decades. Even then, the first few prototypes were hardly reliable,” the woman scoffed, putting on a scarf. “It’s starting to rain.”

            Lance held out his hand and felt a drop. “Yeah. Still, no one answered my question why we’re here.”

            “I thought everyone knew. We’re here to protect the Secretary of State,” one of the men proclaimed.

            “I presume he’s hiding inside? I bet all this is a facade; the real bunker is underground,” Frederick hypothesized.

            “Correct.”

            “Let’s go then.”

            “Do you guys have anything to do to pass the time?” Paul whined.

            “Go dance in the rain. You smell like trash anyways. Take a nice shower there. We’ll watch you,” Frederick joked.

            “Not funny.”

            The patrol made its way around for the third time. Lance stood on the porch with a mounted machine gun in his hands, watching over them. “Paul, stand guard on the Northern flank. We have a blind spot there right now.”

            “But I just finished walking around in circles for half an hour!”

            “We,” Frederick corrected. “Since Lance is watching the West, I’ll watch the South.”

            Paul growled, “Lance, stop trying to command everyone around. I get it, you’re a Sergeant, but so are we. There are secret service agents underground for you to bully. We’re not them. Get off your high porch with your stupid machine gun and switch roles with us for once. They said we were going to patrol, not just Frederick and I.”

            “Fine, I’ll switch with Frederick.”

            “Are you kidding me?” Paul burst out.

            Frederick took the machine gun and swiveled it around aimlessly. “I don’t care.”

            “You’re nothing more than a tyrannical bully, Lance! You’re exactly the type of person the miners want to kill.”

            Lance snapped. “Paul! You have no idea what you’re talking about. Shut up. I keep you as sentry because you have absolutely no talent. You can’t do anything. You’re stupid, dumb, and deluded. You’re senseless, and that’s going to get us killed someday! Always chasing after girls too. When will you finally realize that no one loves you?”

            Paul’s face morphed into a vicious monster as he opened his mouth, but he closed it in a show of defiance and surprising self-restraint.

            Lance closed his eyes and lowered his head, letting the rain drip off his face. It was pouring now, and all his good moods went down the drain. He sighed and tapped the play icon on his phone. The melodic sound seeped through his headset, ringing out in the against the abnormally quiet surroundings. Better yet, it was Nicole’s favorite piece.

            All this time, Paul was silent. Maybe he had shed a tear, but it was impossible to tell whether that was just rain. Suddenly, a loud crack echoed from the forest.

            Lance instinctively hit the floor. “RPG!”

            An orange fireball bloomed from the convoy truck parked in the corner. “Get back in the shelter!” Lance leaped into the building as another explosion rocked the machine gun nest where Frederick was a few minutes ago.

            “Come on. Someone has to have heard that,” Frederick hoped.

            Paul retreated behind them, slamming the door shut as they descended into a maze of gray corridors and rusted pipelines. Everyone from scientists dressed in hazmat suits to politicians in dark suits grabbed guns from the armory.

            “They’re in!”

            Abruptly, the radios were bursting with chatter. Lance tensed, glancing at the wave of people running down the long corridors. He brushed his damp brown hair with a trembling pale hand, using his other hand to press on his olive-green army headphones. Lance tapped his headphones a few times to make sure it wasn’t malfunctioning.

            “Dirty bomb.” Lance recognized the voice. It was from the woman earlier.

            “Guys, stay back. Fortify the place and protect the Secretary of State. The civilian casualties don’t matter,” Lance ordered. He stood in front of the small conference room, where the Secretary of State was hiding, along with a few other people.

            “The civilian casualties don’t matter. What did I just hear?”

            Another tremor rocked the place, breaking all the nearby pipes. Water sprayed onto them like rain.

            “Fine!” Paul roared between sobs, the water from the pipes streaking down his drab green uniform. “I’ll show you! I’ll show you that you’re not always right!” Paul swallowed down his tears as he got up and stormed towards the exit.

            “And there goes the Neanderthal.”

            Then, another thunderous crack pierced the air. Even at a distance, Lance knew that the thud of the body hitting the ground was all too familiar. He took one look of the Secretary of State and ran towards Paul.

            Outside, Paul laid on the ground in a pool of blood, the downpour forming a vicious crimson river. He gasped in agony. “Shoot me!” Paul cried out in a raspy voice, diminished to a whisper.

            “I-I can’t,” Lance whimpered.

            “Shoot me! And that’s a command.”

            Lance hesitantly took his hand off and pointed his barrel at Paul’s heart. The dying boy’s face twisted with a last pang of sorrow. “Pack up my bags, Lance. Rummage through the last pictures I have. I had an actual girlfriend that I kept secret from you. Tell her I love her, and that I took a bullet in hope that I could do something to save her homeland. I know you don’t approve of me. Forgive me. I’m sorry.”

            Lance’s hand trembled, his sweat mixing in with the blood and rain. A flash sparked from his smoking barrel and suddenly there were only two men next to a dead body. He fumbled around Paul’s corpse and retrieved a photograph. It was a picture of one of Nicole’s friends at Lance’s birthday party. The picture, bloodstained and wet, was almost unrecognizable.

            Lance felt a hand on his shoulder.

            “Leave it. He’ll die with his girlfriend beside him. It was the right choice,” Frederick reassured. Lance looked back at Frederick. He was completely oblivious. Suddenly the world became cruel and bitter. What would he tell his sister next week? That he killed her friend’s boyfriend? Moments ago, they been arguing. Yet, Paul’s death was wretchedly soon. Heartbroken. Tortured. Lance never had a chance to even say goodbye.

            He looked up at the sky. A patch was free from the clouds and the stars from the night sky shone through. He lifted his bloody hand to brush his hair away from his eyes. The remnants of the picture, resting on his outstretched palm, slowly washed onto Paul’s body, still oozing blood. He yelled defiantly and sprinted back inside, eager to join the fight. But he was too late.

            “All survivors regroup at the conference hall,” Lance yelled into the radio. He kept his head down as bullets whizzed past him. The small bits of metal clanged against the walls.

            “Retreat! Air support is coming,” someone complained.

            “Yeah, I didn’t sign up to die,” yelled another soldier.

            “Mutiny! Your superior officer demands you to regroup!” The shaken survivors ran towards Lance, panting and wide-eyed. “We can't let ourselves get humiliated like this. Do you know what air support means? It means they’re going to blow the whole place up! Boom. Secretary of State is dead. Killed by us!”

            Lance continued, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life rotting away in a prison, known as the person who left the Secretary of State to die. We can still win this. The room behind us is secure. Only one way leads to it and we’re blocking it. I’ve set up a choke point up ahead, fortified so that the enemy can’t see us coming from the left and right flanks easily. I’ll need some volunteers to act as bait to lure in the enemies. Frederick, you take the rest of the troops and sweep in at the choke point while I retreat.” Frederick nodded.

            With a roar, Lance led the charge, strafing across the concrete as machine gun fire rattled. Inspired by his bravery, the men's defiance became compliance and their fears became cheers.

            The men thought Lance was fighting for vengeance, for honor and dignity. Frederick thought he wanted to avenge Paul. They were all wrong. It was for Nicole. To show her that she had a brother who wasn’t a loser, someone who she didn’t have to pretend she never knew. To show that he was not a barbarian, but a hero.

            Lance’s plan worked brilliantly. The invaders found themselves trapped, surrounded by an angry, relentless killing machine.

            Suddenly, Lance felt a fiery spirit engulf him, imbuing his every movement with energy. He wanted to kill. To destroy. The world was his sandbox and he could kick it however way he wanted. Lance was no longer fighting against men. He was fighting against life, the very enemy that took away everything he loved.

            He became vicious, merciless, inflicting on others the pain he had felt his entire life. It was a hurricane of metal and flesh, led Lance's unfaltering rage. When he stopped,the intruders, along with with scores of civilians and soldiers, were all dead.

            Frederick limped over to him, the left leg of his pants rolled up to reveal a thick bandage. “You’re beyond human, Lance. That was some next level fighting and leadership.”

            Lance looked at the carnage around him. Here he was, standing in the midst of a clearing in the forest with bodies all around him. It was his greatest battle of all time, yet he had committed the same crime that took away his parents. He fell onto his knees and started sobbing uncontrollably. His tears left a clear trail on his dirty and bloody face, falling onto the barrel of his rifle and creating small puffs of smoke.

            “It's all right. The fighting is over, you did really well,” Frederick said soothingly.

            Lance shook his head. He had failed. Would Nicole approve of this bloodshed? Perhaps she would forgive him for that. But how could he ask for forgiveness when he threw a friend onto the altar and eviscerated him in homage to the devils of success? Paul was gone, and he had left a bigger impact in his heart than any other soldier. Far from a nobody, and Paul was irreplaceable. No one else would understand. He was still sobbing and shaking as the helicopter lifted them away.

            With the silvery rays of moonlight hugging her, Nicole hummed to herself the same music Lance played on the battlefield. A small smile crept across her face as she lifted her new uniform to the star-lit night. Perfect. She combed her hair as she gazed at the moon, her eyes twinkling with excitement. Then a notification rang on her phone. It was a message from Frederick.

            Frederick had sent a picture of Lance, dressed in civilian clothes, crying as he faced the moon. “Last time I saw Lance,” Frederick wrote. “He just left in the middle of the dark without any warning. Maybe the last time any of us see him.”

            Nicole dropped her phone, tears forming in her eyes. She waited so long to see him, only for him to disappear. Her heart broke as she remembered her brother as the cheerful, energetic young boy he once was. What happened to him? Perhaps he was a prisoner of war now, or he was convicted of some terrible crime. No matter what he was now, he was still her brother. Nicole once again raised her head to look at the moon, sobbing as she peered into the same stars and moon her brother had gazed at.

            Moonlight shone through the reinforced windows on Lance’s right. Two immense military police officers stood at Lance’s sides, motionless and unnerving. Their black carbines were held across their strongly built chests so that tip of the barrel pointed up across the black and white brassards. Lance scanned the room around him. One locked, bomb-proof door stood at his left, while dull desert yellow walls encased the rest of the surroundings. A large, flat screen hung in front of him. Lance focused on the large white words on the top of the screen.

October 23.

            It was the day Nicole was supposed to transfer over.

            In front of the screen, a middle-aged man with a proud face and neatly shaved beard sat in front of a wooden table. He held his head up high with dignity while two other generals flanked him.

            “What’s your name, young man?”

            “Sergeant Lance, sir.”

            “How old are you? You look quite young, although I must admit my duty as Secretary of State has taken a toll on my body.”

            “16, sir.”

            The Secretary of State nodded, biting his lip. “Regardless of your age, you’ve been offered a lucrative opportunity to be the first in our super soldier division.” He proceeded to list out a plethora of abbreviations and statistics.

            Lance shook his head. “Thank you, sir, but I’m not interested.”

            “Oh, and why is that?”

            “I’m eager to return to my regiment.”

            The man chuckled. “Such loyalty. Well, you know nation comes first. What do you say about the offer?” he asked again, his voice razor-sharp.

            Lance knew he didn’t have a choice. “I’m honored to take such a position. Sir.”

            The man’s keen eyes gleamed as he leaned forward. “In recognition of your exceptional performance, you have been promoted to Sergeant Major. You have also been awarded the Army Commendation Medal.”

            A general stepped forward with the medal as everyone in the room clapped lethargically. Lance resisted the urge to slap the man in the face.

            “One more thing. Do not tell anyone that you’re leaving.”

            A solitary cylindrical tube stood in the center of the circular dimly lit room, filled with heaps of wires and machinery. There was a whoosh of smoke as a glass door on the tube slid open and Lance stepped out, his damp brown hair swinging loosely across his forehead. He walked with body twisted into a lethal hunting position, his head slightly lowered as he glared viciously with hatred.

            “What do you think?” A voice said cheerfully.

             “I’m still human.”

            “Boy! Of course!” The engineer laughed. “That was just the VR training. I didn’t do anything. It’s the suit that’ll make you invincible,” she gestured grandly.

            “So, I just went through that intense VR training for nothing? I had to massacre an entire army! I expected some genetic modifications or something. Surely you could perform live experiments on the prisoners, right? Edit their genes and pit them against each other. Survival of the fittest.”

            The scientist leaned back. “There are certain ethical concerns with that approach. Sorry, the VR training seems to be pretty disturbing. Everyone who’s been through it has been unnerved.”

            Lance’s fierce gaze crumbled. “Whatever. As long as it makes me a better soldier. You’re just doing your job anyway. Where’s the suit?”

            “Follow me.”

            Lance followed the engineer down a small corridor, purposely kicking his boots harshly against the metallic floor in protest. The lady abruptly stopped, and he tripped over her.

            Before she could reach out her hands to help him, Lance jumped to his feet. He looked up at the wall and pointed. “That. That isn’t just cool tech. Yeah, it’s a bleeding edge exoskeleton and all, but this is art.”

            Lance weaseled past the scientist and snatched up the suit with one hand. A black body with orange accents. His favorite. As soon as it got close, the armor automatically assembled itself around Lance.

            “You said you had a sister. I bet she thinks you look pretty cool right now.”

            Lance held up the helmet. With a shaky breath, he swiveled his head around and glanced at himself in the reflective glass walls. Human or cyborg? Hercules or Terminator? Lance lowered the helmet and stared into his reflection in the orange translucent goggles. Was he worthy to wield this ethereal monster?

            “Something wrong?”

            “No. I was just thinking about the specs.” Lance slipped on the helmet. No, the problem was never about the suit, or even about what he would do with it. What would Nicole want him to do? As the suit automatically assembled itself like the gentle wrap of a blanket, Lance turned to the engineer and tried to force a smile, but it came out as a grimace. Was it too late to still be her idol?

            “Sir, what’s the name of this special forces group?”

            “Raze. At least that’s what everyone calls it.”

            “What is the official one, sir?”

            Lance paused and looked the recruit in the eye. “Army’s 1st blah blah blah division. Honestly, I couldn’t care less.”

            The young man shrugged disappointedly and resumed his usual march. “Have you heard? Treton just declared war on Utril.”

            “I’m aware. Their special forces are unloading at the cargo bay right now.”

            “They are?”

            “I hope so.”

            Lance threw open the door with a loud clang. Immediately, Lance caught the whiff of recently active afterburner. Cargo crates lined the walls neatly, but two raucous groups of soldiers were scattered across the perforated metal floor, yelling each other. One side donned the Raze uniforms.

            “Looks like the Tretonian cowards are here now!”

            “Hold it!” Lance roared, imposing a silence as he walked into the center.

            The group of Tretonian special forces glared at them. For some reason, Lance’s eyes fell straight onto one particular soldier in the center of the pack. Even with his face hidden behind a mask, the figure had an aura of power around him, almost like he pulled everyone in towards him like a magnetic field. His presence filled the room with a brooding silence, his tall, well-built body standing in front of them with a surprising amount of casualness.

            Was it even a man? A woman? A robot? Lance couldn’t tell since the figure was clothed head to toe in light armor, similar to his own.

            No. He or she was holding a bottle of wine, and Lance doubted robots had discovered alcohol yet. A human.

            The person held back some of his men and flashed a quick glance at Lance, which he hoped was conciliatory. Then someone tossed a projectile across the room and all of their hard work preserving the order went out the window.

            “Stop!” Lance yelled. The bottle of wine whizzed past Lance’s ear and slammed into one of the Raze soldiers.

            The Raze soldier lunged at the Tretonian, but after a quick skirmish, the Tretonian man was able to throw him back to their side of the room.

            “Very unimpressed by the so-called prestigious Raze squadron.” The figure had an incredibly rich voice, and if he wasn’t using a voice filter, Lance guessed he was a young man. “I didn’t know they were desperate enough to employ little boys.”

            Lance growled, blood surging into his clenched fists.

            In a flash, the Tretonian drew his combat knife and flicked his hand. The knife flew straight between Lance’s legs. “Fight me,” he challenged, sounding half-bored.

            Lance was not particularly interested in causing trouble with their new allies, but he supposed he had a valid reason to do so. “Filthy scum,” he murmured. Lance ran forward and planted a flying kick on the man’s stomach, sending him flying.

            Just as Lance jumped up to pounce on him again, the man swept up to his feet, anticipating Lance’s moves. He slammed a hard fist into Lance’s ribs, leaving him winded. Lance staggered backward, ready to fight again when a shrill noise pierced the air.

            He knew it was game over for both of them. Everyone held their hands up as military police and menacing drones swarmed the area like a filthy cloud of mosquitoes. But he had to try very hard not to laugh when he saw the General’s distorted face.

            “Sorry about what happened,” Lance said to the Tretonian soldier. He glanced up to look at the Tretonian’s face, only to find it nearly completely obscured by his helmet. An integrated mask covered the lower half of his face, but Lance couldn’t even see his eyes through the reflective goggles.

            “I mean it. It's not a trap,” he insisted.

            The man grunted in acceptance.

            “What's your name?” Lance asked, letting out a cordial smile.

            The man turned towards Lance and the reflective property of his gogglesdisappeared, revealing his eyes. “John. Sorry about what happened too.” His voice was surprisingly warm and welcoming.

            Lance figured the man was friendly enough. “Nice to meet you John. I'm Lance.” John extended his hand naturally, and they shook hands.

            “You have any siblings?” Lance asked.

            He shook his head.

            “Oh. I have a younger sister.”

            John nodded his head but didn’t press further.

            “You smoke?” Lance offered a pack of cigarettes.

            John shook his head again, politely dismissing the offer with a wave of his hand.

            “OK. Cause I don't either. Guess I'll have to find someone else.”

            “I know many people who would trade for that.” John pressed a button on his wrist and the mask retracted backward, revealing a brilliant smile. He nonchalantly slipped out two pistols and reloaded them with an adroit flip in the air.

            “Woah,” Lance gasped in admiration.

            John covered his mouth with his hand, hiding his smile. “It’s not bad,” he answered modestly. “Looks kinda cool, I guess.”

            “Looks super cool!” Lance corrected. “Instant respect winner right there. Oh. Hey, want to join my small party? We’ll get a campfire going. Most of the Raze guys are nice; I don’t know what was happening today. What do you say?”

            The stoic trees stood still in a semi-circle around three men, temporarily sheathing them from all the atrocities. The dancing flames from the bonfire casted hazy shadows across the dark camp. Lance sat with his back against his backpack, his legs stretched out. John sat beside him, drinking from a canister filled with what Lance guessed was wine. Two other men sat opposite from them.

            “Hey, I’m Zach. Nice to meet you.”

            “Hello, I’m Felix,” the other man said. “Is there anything that we missed?” It was the very same young recruit from this morning.

            “No, nothing too special,” Lance lied.

            “I heard there was some fighting going on,” Zach started innocently.

            Lance and John shot each other mischievous looks. “We just tried to kill each other, no big deal,” John replied sarcastically. A sheepish grin crept up his face.

            “I see you guys both failed,” Felix said with a smile. Lance let out a hearty laugh while a strange warm sensation ran through him.

            “John! You’re coming on this mission too?”

            The man turned around and nodded silently. “Cool,” Lance replied, admiring John’s composure on the battlefield. No one knew what he really looked like, so Lance and Felix had fun speculating what he actually looked like. They settled on a battle-scarred man with tons of epic body tattoos.

            “Dang! You’re part of Platoon Phantasm? That’s awesome, dude,” Felix admired.

            “Platoon Phantasm?” Lance questioned.

            “The Tretonian super soldiers,” John answered coolly. “We’re like your long-lost brothers from a different nation.” He strode up to them, leaning casually against a steel beam. The letter ‘T’ on his uniform glowed dimly.

            “Is it part of your job to be super quiet? Cause your guys are usually talkative,” Felix stated bluntly before Lance could stop him.

            To his surprise, John let out a faint smile. “Nah. Anyways, mission is commencing. See you there.” John waved goodbye and ran off. Lance put on his helmet and took a deep breath. Time to gain another follower.

            Lance dropped onto the roof of a skyscraper. “Enemies below us,” he muttered, peering down at the crowded night scene. He wiped his goggles free of the rain and glanced down at the sidewalk. Small puddles of lakes gathered around to reflect the lights coming from the vibrant neon street signs, occasionally disturbed by the trampling of a few humans. He narrowed his vision down onto two individuals entering a nightclub.

            “What now? They’re inside,” Felix complained.

            “Drop a canister of GT32 nerve gas and pick off anyone who leaves,” Lance growled. “We’re not here to leave survivors.”

            Felix gulped. “What about collateral damage?”

            “I couldn’t care less.”

            Lance unclipped a small object from his belt and prepared to prime it. Felix glanced apprehensively between him and the civilians. Before Lance could even raise his arm, two sharp projectiles flashed past him.

            He spun around quickly, only to find a confused Felix. John materialized in a faint blue light like the slow genesis of a newly woken deity.

            John tilted his head up in a silent greeting. For the first time, Lance noticed the electric blue highlights on his otherwise black armor, almost glowing in the dark like energy beams. He held a rifle in his hand, customized to match his color scheme. A dim screen displayed a few numbers, probably kill stats. John stood calmly on the dark edge of the roof, unwavering under the torrent of harsh wind and rain.

            Lance stood in silence, facing John with nothing but unspeakable awe.

            “Instead of nerve gas, I marked them with a tag and used AI to identify them through walls. After that, it was a simple matter of pulling the trigger twice,” John explained, fiddling with his gun.

            “That’s genius,” Felix exclaimed.

            “Thanks.”

            They faced other in an awkwards silence for a while. “Well, good luck with your part of the mission!” John waved goodbye cordially and vanished once again. Suddenly, Lance felt small and vulnerable.

            “Let’s get going. Clear the buildings of  hostiles.” Lance gritted his teeth and leaped off the building, smashing through a window on the opposite side. Felix followed right behind him. Lance crept slowly as the shattered glass crunched beneath his boot, his breathing heavy.

            He landed in a small conference room, clad with typical white walls and a low roof. A large executive table jutted down the center, lined with black office chairs.

            “Watch out for hostiles,” Felix warned in a husky voice.

            “Understood.”

            They crept on opposite sides of a large executive table, the dim blue light from outside casting long, sharp shadows behind them. Faint gunshots rang out in the distance.

            Lance reached his hand out to lean against the wall when was suddenly flung around. It felt like he had been hit by a jackhammer. His head rang for a while, and Lance only realized what had happened when he saw Felix shooting back.

            He gingerly touched the side of his helmet and felt a thin streak where the bullet had him. “Fall back!” Lance ordered, flipping the table over. “Damn it! How did this happen?”

            “I don’t know! We were careful too.”

            “Apparently not careful enough,” a voice said. With a short crackle of gunfire, the enemies dropped dead, and John materialized on top of the dead cadavers, his rifle slinging casually over his back.

              The part of his goggles over his left eye glowed blue as he scanned over the bodies. “You can’t fool me.” One of the supposedly dead persons got up and jumped for a gun lying on the ground, but John fired a quick shot from his pistol and the person dropped dead.

            “Rookie mistake. The wall was a hologram that they were waiting behind. You could tell since the shadows seemed to disappear once they hit the wall,” John answered, gesturing to the empty space.

            “That. Was. Amazing,” Felix gasped. “Quantum stealth is so cool!”

            “Yeah. You’re a legend.”

            John shrugged, leaving the other two laughing.

            “Well, what are we waiting for? Mission isn’t over yet,” Felix exclaimed.

            “Hold up. What happened to you guys?” Lance asked.

            “Oh, nothing much. Mission is over. I finished early, so I did your part as well, sorry.” John held up his hand for a high-five.

            “Yeah, why am I not surprised?” Lance stepped forward and swung, but John pulled his hand away at last second. John held out his fist this time.

            “Jerk,” Lance growled.

            “Okay, I’ll stop,” John chuckled. “Hope we get to see each other again.”

            As a member of Lance’s squad, Felix grew so close to him that Lance felt a strange dedication to protect Felix. Without a doubt, John was another key figure in Lance's life. As the relationship grew, John became more and more cheerful, even ditching his alcoholic addiction. Lance soon found out that John was actually energetic and even somewhat talkative, but he always remained composed during battle. Lance still had never seen John without his helmet.

            Lance, John, and Felix became so close that they would often team up to prank the other troops or break protocol altogether. Despite all their mischief, they were all awarded a month of leave time. “Some newbie probably thought that a leave was a dishonorable discharge,” Felix had joked. Either way, Lance was excited to reunite with an old friend.

            “Frederick!” Lance shouted, waving vigorously. The soldier turned around, revealing a deep gash on his cheek.

            “What’s up, Lance? I heard you are part of Raze now. Congratulations.” Frederick had a lot more facial hair now and his voice became deeper.

            “Hey Frederick, this is John and Felix.”

            “Hello,” Felix greeted brightly.

            “Hi! Nice to meet you.” The Tretonian soldier extended his hand for a handshake.

            Frederick gave him a hive-five.

            “No,” Felix replied, politely stifling a laugh.

            “Huh?” Frederick asked, confused.

            “Idiot. Shake his hand,” Lance reprimanded.

            “Oh.” Frederick shook hands, nervously. “My bad.”

            “It’s all good,” John replied.

            “Where do we go?” Lance inquired.

            “I’m fine with anywhere you want to go,” John replied.

            “I want to go back to our old city. Everyone probably moved away though. I just want to pay my respects,” Frederick suggested.

            Felix smiled excitedly. “Sounds cool. Where are you from again?”

            When they got there, Lance realized all the suburban houses had been bulldozed down to make way for new skyscrapers. Life here was tranquil, as if nothing had ever happened. Lance’s old house had been turned into a hotel.

            “Let’s stay at that hotel for a night,” “Felix proposed.

            Lance winced, glancing around at the dim, gray city. John gazed at him sympathetically. “It's a place that still haunts you, huh?”

            “Yeah, how did you know?”

            “Just a hunch.”

            “Okay.”

            “Hey guys, maybe we should choose a different place,” John suggested softly.

            “Yeah, sorry about that,” Felix quickly apologized.

            “No, it’s fine.” Lance looked over at Frederick. Frederick gave a subtle nod, and Lance pushed open the chrome doors.

            “You sure?” John questioned.

            “Yeah.”

            “I don’t have money though,” Felix complained.

            “Don’t worry.” John lowered his mask.

            “Soldiers?” A young lady dressed in a work uniform sauntered toward them with a clipboard in her hand. Within seconds, John was chatting along amicably, his charismatic smile and gestures easily flattering the hotel staff.

            Lance plopped himself on the bed. “That was impressive,” he complimented John.

            “Can’t survive without kissing up,” John replied, smirking.

            “Does it happen to work on commanding officers?” Felix questioned with a spiteful grin. He leaned back against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

            “Not really, but I’d be happy to give some tips if you guys want any,” John answered. He caught Felix sniffling and handed him a box of tissues.

            “Thanks,” Felix responded.

            “No problem.”

            Frederick was abnormally silent the entire time.

            “So, what’s up with you?” Lance asked Frederick.

            “Terrible.” Frederick traced his scar. “I’ve been ordered to clean out the Utrilians. Incarcerate them and then dispose of them.”

            “Huh?” John asked.

            “Do you know what I’ve had to do?” Frederick’s voice became steel cold.

            Frederick took a deep breath, his hands trembling. “Remember my date at the party? Her parents were Utrilian. I had her brought to me as a servant to save her from execution.”

            Frederick walked over to the sink and washed his face. “One night, I was about to ask her to go on a date and set her free. Just when I was about to approach her, my lieutenant stormed in and ordered that I kill her. At first, I refused. But he didn’t care. He took out his pistol and was about to shoot her, but the gun jammed. Know what I did?”

            “Attacked the lieutenant?” Lance guessed.

            “No. I beat her. Beat the living hell out of her. I killed my dream girl with my bare hands.” Frederick trembled. “While defending herself, she was able to throw a kitchen knife at my face. That’s how I got this.” He pointed to the scar. “Every day, our troops slaughter the Utrilians. And we feel good about it when they die. Even better if we kill them ourselves. Did you ever realize this? You’re literally giving your best years of your body and mind to a damned country run by people on a suicide train to hell. Sometimes, I wonder why we serve a country like this only to be cast aside like boney, orphaned puppies left alone on the sidewalk to freeze to death in the arctic wind.”

            They sat quietly, their heavy breathing disturbing the silence. Lance’s stomach lurched uncomfortably, but every muscle in his body tensed up like the buildup before a fight. “You’re just tired. Let’s sleep,” Lance suggested.

            His eyelids drooped, and he yawned. John left solemnly, retreating to his own room. Not too long after, Lance fell asleep to the sound of Frederick murmuring.

            Frederick took the staircase to the rooftop, making sure no one was around him. Meticulously, he used the wire-cutters to cut a large hole in the barbed-wire fence. He ran a grimy hand over his cheek, knowing it would be the last time he could feel. The morning sunrise came like a canvas of gold and ruby, ricocheting off the glass of the skyscrapers.

            “How could this happen to me? Why me? Why not anyone else?” Frederick’s voice was like the whimper of a baby, small, timid, and afraid.

            Frederick hopped off the building, plunging down with his arms spread. As he fell, the caught glimpses through the windows of the apartment building opposite to the hotel.

            On the 9th floor, he saw the cheerful Mr. Summers taking antidepressants.

            On the 8th floor, he saw the dream couple he’d always remembered arguing over a divorce paper.

            On the 7th floor, he saw Elsa, one of the smartest people he remembered, getting beat by her parents over bad test scores.

            On the 6th floor, he saw Mrs. Winter, staring at a picture of her husband, who never came back home.

            On the 5th floor, he saw Mr. Adams reading another newspaper, desperately trying to find a job.

            On the 4th floor, he saw an old man, deaf and blind, who could never experience the sights and sounds of life.

            As Frederick plunged down, everyone turned to look outside. Now, as he neared the end of his fall, they were watching him. Frederick thought to himself, “Maybe I was wrong. Everyone has a secret life of pain and suffering. At least I have a position where I can make change. I have great friends like Lance. Perhaps as they watch me die, they feel a little better about their own lives.”

            Lance awoke the sound of screaming sirens. He frantically looked around and saw Frederick missing. “Felix, wake up! Frederick is missing!”

            Felix woke up immediately, and they rushed to knock on John’s door, only to find him already dressed. Together, they rushed downstairs to the lobby, where they found a confusing mess of ambulances and police.

            Apprehensively, Lance walked over and jostled his way through security. No. His heart sank with dread. It was Frederick. His face was stuck in a grimace and his legs were detached from his body.

            “What happened here?” John interrogated, stiffening. Felix clenched his hands.

            “He jumped off from the roof after cutting the fence,” a police officer said. “Move along, we’ll clean up the mess.”

            Lance dropped to his knees and put his hand over Frederick’s forehead. It was still warm. Felix put an arm around his shoulder, while John gripped his hand.

            “Family member?” someone asked.

            Lance shook his head. First, it was just the trembles. Then the tears came, growing until Lance sobbed violently. The crowd watched in bewilderment as the super soldier wept fearlessly for his childhood friend.

            “Is this his last bag?”

            “Yeah. Lance, you’ve been unusually quiet,” Felix noted, pounding away furiously at the paperwork.

            “We’re here for you if you need us,” John reminded softly.

            “Okay.” Lance slung the duffel bag over his back. A storm of thoughts pounded away relentlessly at his skull. Then he collapsed onto the bed. “Nicole, I can’t do it! The person you always thought I was never would have let him die, wouldn’t have let Paul die, wouldn’t have let you into the army. I thought I could withstand every vicissitude, but I just can’t. I can’t. Nicole…”

            Lance buried his head into his legs and curled up into a ball.

            John slowly set down his bag and sat down next to Lance, just waiting in silence with him. Finally, he whispered, “Lance, you have to realize you can’t please everyone in your life.”

            “Easy for you to say! You’re the quintessential legend. I throw myself at victory blindly, and then I lose everything important. I don’t want to please everyone. Just Nicole. The others are dead.”

            “Maybe Nicole is asking too much of you,” Felix suggested.

            “No. She’s too sweet to ask me to be anything but myself. I haven’t even talked to her in years. No. I just want to. I’ve always been her idol. Been everyone’s idol. Now…”

            John retracted his mask and beamed innocently. “But you’re my idol. Smile. Stand up. Make a change and let everyone witness your greatness, because it’s already in you. I’m one-hundred percent sure Nicole agrees.”

            Lance and Felix spent a week filing paperwork for Frederick, trying to explain what exactly happened. Although John couldn’t help with the paperwork, he still stayed around and gave encouragement. Felix and John made the task somewhat enjoyable, with their humor and positivity. When they finally finished all the paperwork, they decided to go out and explore. Lance decided to visit his favorite virtual reality cyber cafe again.

            “Hey, is this empty?” Lance asked a brown-haired man.

            “Yes, go ahead,” he replied in a slight accent. The man sipped his coffee while the three surrounded him.

            “So where are you from?” Felix asked, suspicious.

            The man leaned back. “Why would you need to know that?”

            “Identified as Utrilian,” John noted in a tone of blasé. The man glanced in fear at John’s armor, not knowing that John wore that everywhere.

            Felix and Lance glared at him. “Take him outside,” Lance suggested.

            The man got up in a defensive position as the two super-soldiers stood up. The loud screaming of enthusiastic screamers distracted everyone around them.

            “Can’t we be friends?”

            John sighed. “I guess we bullied the Utrilians enough already,” he told Lance. “Let’s leave, you’re not safe here.”

            They escorted him away to a private room in the cyber café. John whispered in Lance’s ear, “don’t be hasty on judging this guy. He could be very dangerous for all we know, but he could just as likely be some innocent civilian.”

            “Anyone up for a co-op?” Felix spewed ecstatically, holding up a virtual reality headset. Lance and John shrugged.

            “Sure,” John replied cautiously.

            “Count me in!” Alexi strapped on a headset, and everyone soon forget the war even existed in the first place.

            They played as a four-man team against other people, but still dominated larger groups anyways. Alexi was an expert, and although he was a novice, John was a master strategist. Lance and Felix didn’t do too much, not that they really needed to do anything. They had excellent synergy: clear communications and fast responses, nearly like they were telepathic.

            “Good game. That was a great team.” Alexi high-fived the others.

            “This was the dream team. You guys are pretty good,” John admitted.

            “You guys are god-tier,” Lance admired.

            “Nah. It’s teamwork,” John reflected, shaking Lance’s shoulder gently.

            “Hey, we should exchange contacts,” Felix advocated. He glanced down at his phone and lit up. “Wow Lance, you’re turning 18 soon!”

            “Happy early birthday!” everyone said in unison.

            “Thanks!”

            They spent the last few days with Alexi and soon forgot their nationalities. Alexi had to leave early, so they all accompanied him to the airport.

            “Here’s the most expensive box of chocolates I could buy,” Alexi offered modestly. “It’s pretty peasantry, but I’m broke.”

            Lance took the box, eyes wide open.

            “This is ridiculously luxurious!” Lance exclaimed. “I can’t accept this.”

            Alexi pushed the box back into his hands. “Keep it as a parting gift. I’m eternally grateful for your friendship.” Alexi disappeared through the doors. Lance put his right hand over his heart and blessed his friend.

            Lance leaned against the wall, panting hard. The bright flash of the choking boy ran through his head like a flashbang again, blinding his vision and leaving his ears ringing. Then, he clenched his fists.

            With a deep breath, he holstered his pistol and shouldered his rifle before putting on his helmet, goggles, and mask. Even without a mirror, Lance knew he was dressed in black and orange. Later, they would have a third color: red.

            Lance stepped outside the armory and glanced around at the makeshift fortress. Raze and Phantasm had been deployed to this small base in the middle of the wilderness, preparing to launch a large joint-forces invasion on a nearby Utrilian base.

            “Lance!” John was waved to him and the two stepped outside the camp. “Take off your mask. The wind is nice today,” John suggested, taking off his own mask.

            With a steady hand, Lance took off his mask and goggles. Like John promised, the cool breeze and fresh air pressed against his skin, invigorating him with an energy he could only compare to his sister. Together, they sat down next to a stream, covered by a dense canopy. Lance looked around at the crystal-clear water, the lush green vegetation, and the multicolored flowers. The tranquil sound of the running water and the sweet fragrance of the forest felt extremely soothing. The night sky shone through a small circular opening in the canopy, illuminating the enchanted area. Lance glanced up at the night sky. The full moon and twinkling stars stood still and serene.

            “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Amazing how nature could be so peaceful while us humans hiss and hate. It’s a pity this picturesque moment can’t last forever,” John remarked. Lance looked over. John too was staring at the stars, with a sort of sadness like he was searching for someone who was gone. The nearly fluorescent streaks of blue lightning stood out against his uniform, his helmet still tightly secured.

            Later, Felix sat down silently besides them and gazed at the night sky. “It’s this clear night sky that imbues brings you back with the people you love, but I guess one day I’ll be up there and not down here.”

            Suddenly, the air was filled with grappling hooks and gunfire. One by one, the super-soldiers scaled the cliffs. Over at the beach, the gray faced, sea-sick marines rushed out of their amphibious assault ships. The assault had begun.

            The weather seemed to match their mood. A strong storm came in, delaying all reinforcements and air support. The waves crashed mercilessly against the shore. Line by line, a huge cascade of humans piled onto the beach.

            Hundreds of marines running for cover were mowed down by the machine guns, turning the waves a crimson red. Everywhere, corpses and limbs were flying into the air. The new recruits cried for home. The veterans gritted their teeth, cursing the officers and politicians. As the remaining soldiers trudged through a thousand feet of viscous mud and blood, tens of thousands of mines detonated, creating what would’ve otherwise been a spectacular firework.

            As Lance hoisted himself up the rope, John noted calmly, “I already scouted the sector. The anti-aircraft guns have been moved. There’s a spy.”

            Lance thought for a moment. “Reinforce Sector Trident,” he said.

            The soldiers rappelled down the cliff in an instant. Lance turned his head towards the beach. He watched the pale-faced troops, covered in mud and blood, heroically clench their guns as they rushed to their doom. Lance shuddered. The sight of thousands of the mouthless dead etched itself into his mind.

            Lance ducked behind a broken tank, observing the deadly firefight between the drones in the air above him. He tore his eyes away from the sky and glanced around the beach. One thing was clear. They were losing.

            All Lance could see were corpses. He held his hand together and blessed the people who would count the casualties later. But the mission was not over yet, and Lance still had to get out of this alive.

            Lance looked over his shoulder and his spirit wilted. It was Alexi, running back to a bunker. Suddenly, the entire mission seemed like a trick. It seemed as if Lance could no longer choose who his friends and enemies were. Lance clasped his hands around his face and took several deep breaths for a moment. An explosion rocked his feet and shook him clear of his thoughts. It had to be done.

            The sky exploded into colors. Low-flying jets made a pass over the defenders but missed all their targets. Drones swarmed the complex but anti-aircraft fire was strong. Army medics ran onto the field and even more marines stormed the beach. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw tiny dots in the sky, unlike anything else he had seen today.

            Cheers rang out. The 182nd Airborne Regiment come! Lance ran over to John. Together, the two men, covered in sweat and blood, sat panting together.

            “The paratroopers are here.”

            “I know.”

            “What happened to your quantum stealth?” Lance asked.

            “Doesn’t work when I’m running around.”

            “Well damn it. This might perhaps be the last time I see you,” Lance whispered.

            “Then let’s make it worthwhile.”

            Lance sprinted across the beach, ducking behind fallen drones. He threw a grenade at a bunker and impulsively stormed in. Alexi was waiting for him.

            Does he remember me? The question floated through Lance’s mind as he raised his gun. But the answer didn’t matter now.

            “Forgive me,” Alexi murmured as he lunged at Lance. His speed surprised Lance and he managed to pierce Lance’s armor. Lance crawled away in terror, his face soaked with blood and rain. His mind flashed with memories. The same bloody face, the fear, the horror, the cowering. The little boy, on the verge of death, shrank back in helplessness. That very boy later shot his best dying friend. But it was the same boy that mercilessly killed others in horrendous ways just to win. Suddenly, Lance came to a dark understanding.

            Lance’s heart thundered. In a desperate attempt, Lance summoned the last of his energy and lunged at Alexi, but Alexi was too strong. He slammed his elbow into Lance’s rips and slashed at Lance’s face, drawing a fine line of blood across his chin. Lance fell onto the ground, turning the concrete a gruesome red. The fluid felt warm and sticky as Lance clutched the handle of his gun. His insides revolted as Lance puked up blood. Alexi placed one foot on Lance and raised the knife, ready to deliver the killing blow. Lance watched mindlessly as the line of silver got closer and closer.

            Suddenly, Alexi turned limp and fell forward.

            Someone had saved Lance. But who? Lance’s eyes caught a small figure who had jumped through a hole in the roof. He pushed the corpse off him and stared at the person who saved him.

            Nicole smiled at Lance. She crouched behind cover and massaged her ankle. When she saw her brother in danger, she mindlessly jumped 30 feet to save him. She scolded herself for being so impulsive, breaking her ankle in the progress. She peeked around the corner and couldn’t find Lance again. Where did he go? Was it just an illusion?

            Abruptly, Lance appeared besides Nicole. He stared at her uniform. 182nd Airborne. The best light infantry division in the world. He looked up at her and grinned. Nicole smiled back. Lance remembered the large, innocent brown eyes, the tender cheeks, and natural brown hair. She was bleeding from a cut on her cheeks. Lance forced back a tear. He turned around and pulled out his pistol. Once again, his eyes and ears were full of dead bodies and gunshot sounds.

            With the reinforcements, they were able to defeat the Utrilians. But at what cost? Lance retreated to the military camp, suddenly remembering he was not finished. With a grimace, he quickly radioed the survivors of Raze and disappeared into the wilderness.

            Nicole stumbled around the courtyard, glancing hopelessly at the mess of signs. While she wasn’t looking, she bumped into someone else and landed painfully onto the ground.

            “Sorry,” she said, clutching her ankle tightly.

            The figure turned around. Nicole’s eyes widened in fear as she slowly recognized the sharp, geometric design of the Tretonian super-soldier armor.

            “It was an accident!” she added quickly.

            “No worries,” the person replied warmly. He extended a hand towards her as he took off his mask and goggles. “Are you okay?”

            “Yeah, I’m good. I broke my ankle. Where’s the infirmary?”

            “It’s over there.” The man pointed to Nicole’s left. “You’re out of luck, though. They’re too busy treating gunshot wounds.”

            “Oh, whatever. Guess I’ll just have to wait it out,” she sighed. She grabbed his hand and pulled herself up.

            The man smiled at her. “I can help, if you want.”

            “Really?” Nicole beamed. “That’d be great because a broken ankle is, you know, kind of painful.”

            “Yeah, I know,” he laughed. “I got a med kit right here.” He swung a large backpack onto the ground and took out a cast.

            She sat down obediently and propped her leg out.

            “It’s going to hurt.”

            “Okay.” As the cast automatically assembled itself around her swollen ankle, needles of pain flared up her leg. Instinctively, she reached out and gripped his hand tightly.

            “There. The worst of it is over,” he soothed, smiling.

            Nicole blushed embarrassingly and let go. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to grab your hand.”

            “It’s fine.”

            He helped her up again. “I need to find my brother. I’m going to leave the camp for a while.”

            “Desertion is punishable by death. Don’t try it.” He scrunched up his eyebrows in an adorable frown, and Nicole couldn’t contain her smile.

            “I’m not deserting. I just need to find him. He ran off somewhere.”

            His lips parted slightly as he took a small breath. Although she could only make out part of his face from the helmet, she could tell he was strikingly young. The diffused glow of sunlight through the cloudy twilight sky cast a mysterious and dangerous aura around him. “Are you Nicole? Isn’t your brother Lance?”

            She retreated a few steps, unable to keep her hands from trembling. “Ye-Yes. How-how’d you know?”

            “Whew. Recognized you from a photo that Lance showed me. We’re best friends. He talks a lot of about you.”

            “Oh, thank goodness! Actually no, that’s awful.”

            “Huh?”

            “What does Lance say about me?”

            He burst into laughter. “He misses you a lot, don’t worry. I can tell he really loves you. It’s really sweet, actually.”

            “Huh.” Their eyes met and suddenly there was a mischievous flash of recognition. She looked deep into his dark brown eyes and wondered what sorts of things they could do together. “Are you going to stop me?”

            Then with his glorious, spiteful grin, he replied, “No. Actually, I’m going to help you. We won’t get in trouble. I’ll make sure of it.”

            She laughed warmly and pressed her hand against his arm. “Thanks. I love your spirit. By the way, what’s your name?”

            “John. Here, lean on me since your ankle is still bad.” Nicole swung an arm around his shoulder and not long after, they disappeared into the horizon.

            Lance held one arm held against his chest, the other tightly clutching a pistol. Felix sat in the back of the autonomous jeep next to Lance, while Zach stood vigilantly in the front, waving around a machine gun.

            “Why do we have to clean out this village again?” Zach complained.

            “Because the higher ups said there might be spies,” Lance answered.

            “Can’t they send other people?” Felix moaned. “You’re half-dead.”

            “Well, if we don’t do it, they’re gonna yell at me and that means I have to yell at you.”

            Felix and Zach grumbled the rest of the way, but they made their way to small, rustic village filled with vintage wooden buildings. A gleaming hotel stood in the center with the white-tipped mountains hovering in the distance.

            Zach and Felix opened the doors with a slam and hopped out, immediately shouting orders. Lance slowly limped out, making his way to Felix’s side.

            “Lance! We got everything under control. Why don’t you rest in the jeep?” Zach offered.

            “I’m fine.”

            “It’s been a long day, sir. It’s important that you rest,” Zach insisted. Despite the weary battle, Zach’s eyes gleamed with excitement and vitality. Lance’s shoulders sagged as a pain rippled through his body again.

            “Alright. If you need help, give me a call.”

            Felix twirled around, glancing between Zach and Lance. He frowned. “No. Stay.”

            “Felix, it’s starting to hurt. It’ll be a short moment.” Lance put an arm around Felix’s shoulder. It would be fine leaving Felix and Zach alone, right?

            Felix remained silent.

            “I’m going to rest,” Lance stated, lowering his eyes to the ground. He shifted his back to Felix and clenched his fists. Couldn’t Felix understand the pain from the injury?

            As Lance started to leave, a soft voice whispered into his ear. “Stay. Please.”

             Lance shook his head one last time.

            Lance’s eyes closed as he leaned against the seat of the jeep. Something was wrong. An eerie silence blanketed the village as if everyone had boarded the vessel of death. There was a quick scuffle and then Lance heard a groan. His eyes snapped open.

            Felix was on the ground, his blood trickling through the veins of the cobblestone like crimson tears. Zach stood over him with a cocky smile. In his left hand, a sparkling knife hung tightly, still dripping with sanguinary fury.

            Lance forced himself to be calm. “So you’re the spy.”

            Handcuffed, the villagers stared in horror as Lance stepped out and faced Zach in the open heart of the village. There may have been many choices Lance could take, but he was only focused on one. Fight.

            After reviewing her map for the third time, Nicole asked, “Is this the right way?”

            John nodded quietly.

            “You know, once we find Lance, I’m going to drag him out to dinner. There are some rather fine restaurants in Utril, if you’re bold enough to wander into town. You should come along too! Lance has gotta like you if he shows my picture to you, right?”

            He stumbled abruptly and turned to look at her with a confused smile. Nicole laughed softly at his embarrassed expression as he trudged ahead without talking.

            “How do we know we’re going in the correct direction?”

            John bent down and traced his finger in the dirt. “The tire treads are fresh. They match the patterns of the Raze jeeps, usually used for short distance maneuvers.”

            “We shouldn’t be too far off then!”

            “Yeah.”

            “Awesome! You can walk a bit faster. I’ll keep up.”

            Nicole eyed the pretty scenery as they marched on. She was counting the number of birds she saw when John suddenly spoke.

            “Have you been talking to Lance recently?”

            “I’ve tried, but I can’t get to him. No idea what’s been happening with him the past few years!” She tossed her hands up in confusion.

            John let out a light grin. “Darn. I was hoping you were talking to him.”

            “Why?”

            Nicole’s happy thoughts fluttered away as his face grew serious. “I think you’ll find Lance different now. He’s been having troubles. When I said he loves you, I meant that he’s always afraid of himself because he’s thinking about how he would appear to you.”

            John looked surprised when she giggled. “You were right. That’s sweet, but what do you mean he’s different?”

            That seemed to disturb him. He searched around for words, gesturing his hands around, but he ended up shaking his head. “I don’t know. I guess you’ll find out soon.”

            “There! I see Lance!” Nicole cheered.

            “Something’s wrong,” John muttered, putting on his goggles. He crouched down into a sniper position and unfolded a large, marksman rifle from an uncannily small chunk of metal in his pocket.

            “Oh. He’s in combat, right? Maybe we should go help him!” Nicole suggested.

            “No.”

            “What?”

            “This is unusual. Two dozen townspeople are held in handcuffs while two Raze soldiers are fighting each other.”

            Nicole’s eyes widened. “One of the soldiers is dead! What do we do?”

            John’s terse answer was surprisingly appealing when spoken in his voice. “Don’t worry. I got this.”

            She observed the scene carefully. Lance held a pistol and the other person held a knife. Surely, a pistol would be an advantage. Then, Lance let out a primitive yell, something so savage even she recoiled in fear. A small canister dropped and a vast white cloud blanketed the entire area. Through bright flashes of flare through smoke, Nicole identified Lance scrambling after the other person.

            “Smoke grenade. Can you see through it?”

            John nodded his head.

            “Can you shoot him?”

            “Yes, but I only have high explosive incendiary rounds right now and they’re so close I would risk collateral damage.”

            Nicole clenched her hands tightly, listening to the scuffling of feet. A dark silhouette ran towards the jeep and Nicole turned around to alert John.

            “John-”

            With calm, steady breathing, he shifted his position and put his eye to the scope. His hands flew over the rifle methodically as he fired a single round into the belly of the vehicle, sending it in flames. “They’re still too close together, but at least now he can’t escape. I’m going to get closer.”

            He swung his rifle over his back and twirled a pistol into his hand like a cowboy.

            “I’m coming too.”

            He looked back at her and smiled, knowing she wouldn’t give up. “Don’t worry. Lance is a good fighter.”

            Just as they reached the edge of the village, Lance rolled a small circular object into the center of the hostages where the assailant was hiding.

            “No way!” John exclaimed.

            It took Nicole a while to realize what Lance was doing, but by then, John had already hopped on top of her to shield her from the blast.

            “Sorry. You okay?” John asked.

            Nicole blushed wildly. “I’m okay. Don’t protect me next time. Just save yourself.”

            “Sorry. It was just an instinct.” John’s lips morphed bitterly at the sound of those words, seemingly discontent with himself.

            “It’s okay. Go help Lance,” she whispered. After they got back to their feet, Nicole could see Lance towering over the other person.

            “You’re crazy, Lance. Those were civilians,” the person whimpered.

            “I don’t care, Zach.”

            “They’re all dead now. Look, let me say something,” Zach sobbed. “It wasn’t my choice. I had to do it. They were forcing me to, just like they forced you to go on this mission. I’m sorry. Please. Can I live just one more year?”

            At this close distance, Nicole could make out Zach’s pitiful face, streaming with tears. Lance put one foot over him and pressed down.

            “Never.” Lance grabbed the other person’s hand, still clutching the knife. “As you die, remember your pathetic end will be by a blade with tainted with Felix’s blood, grasped by your own hand.”

            Lance grabbed Zach’s hands together and pointed the blade downwards. Nicole nearly screamed when the blade plunged downwards, ending with the chilling screech of metal ripping through flesh.

            Lance emerged through the dissipating smoke, his helmet and goggles cracked. A wicked red line ran across the abdominal area of his armor, still dripping wet. His body was twisted into a lean hunting position, his eyes glaring with an intense inferno.

            Nicole reached for her side and found John missing. “Lance!” She shuffled backwards.

            “Nicole?” Before anyone could react, a small projectile hit his side and he dropped to the ground.

            Nicole held her hands up and glanced towards the direction of shot. A small blue image slowly flickered into existence. John walked over with a pistol in one hand. “Non-lethal tranquilizing round.”

            “Holy! Where did you come from?” Nicole squealed. “And what happened to Lance? He’s crazy. What have they done with him?”

            “Take it one step at a time, Nicole. Let’s get him fixed up first.” John tossed her his rifle to use as a crutch. He picked Lance up and made his way to an empty hotel in the village. Nicole could barely control her breathing.

            “Does he always do stuff like this?”

            “No.”

            “He needs help.”

            “Yeah,” John sighed, kicking open a door. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to say it, but Lance really needs our help.”

             A booming silence fell upon the graveyard once again as John quietly closed the wooden door behind him. Nicole rushed to the elevators and stabbed at the buttons, but nothing happened. The doors were locked.

            “Why don’t we set up camp in the lobby for now?” Nicole suggested.

            “Okay.”

            “It’s too far from camp and I can’t get a radio signal through. Too bad we couldn’t find a room because, you know, they’re a lot more comfortable.” Nicole shrugged playfully, keeping her gaze down at the floor.

            John chuckled. “Yeah. Don’t worry, I’ll make this lobby comfortable from what we have. You’ll see.”

            Nicole looked up, surprised he understood. “Thanks.”

            “Let’s get Lance settled down first.” He gently laid Lance down on the couch and propped Lance’s head up with his blanket roll from his backpack.

            Nicole limped over to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, how about you take a rest for a while. I can tend to Lance.”

            “That’d be great, thanks, but I’ll make the lobby nice and comfy like I promised.” He turned around slowly and brushed her hand off. So, he was a man of his word. She admired that.

            John flipped on the lights and lowered the blinds, warming the room with a cozy glow. The hum of a heater kicked on in the background. “Any preferred temperature? I’m fine with regular room temperature.”

            “Yeah, that’s fine with me as well.” Nicole unzipped John’s backpack and sifted through his items for a med-kit. At the bottom of the backpack, she felt a small rectangular box and pulled it up. The sacred  red cross symbol appeared on the center of the white container. She flipped open the two metal hatches on either side and opened the box.

            John appeared next to her with a white flower in his hand. “Uhm,” he started, cheeks red. “There was a nice jasmine flower on the receptionist desk and I thought you might like it.” He kept his eyes lowered and clutched his neck with one hand.

            “Aww, I love it. Thank you!” She took the flower in her hand and set it down gently in her palm. With one hand, she slipped off her helmet, tossing her hair down. The flower fit nicely besides her ear. She beamed at John, who was now smiling sheepishly.

            “You’re welcome.” He pointed behind him at a bed made out of several cushioned chairs fastened together. It looked surprisingly comfortable, but Nicole didn’t want to take it all to herself. “I tried to make a bed, but I dunno how it turned out.”

            “It’s great! Are you going to sleep there?”

            “I’ll sleep on the floor. You can take the bed.”

            “Aww no. You can have it.”

            “Nah. I’m used to sleeping in awful conditions.”
            “I’m pretty sure we’ve all slept in awful conditions. Besides, I barely sleep.”

            John grimaced. “I’ve slept in conditions worse than the military could offer me since I was a little child. It wasn’t good. I’m probably not going to sleep.”

            She drummed her fingers against her leg curiously. A soldier was refusing a good bed during the middle of combat? Everything about Lance’s best friend seemed surprising. “You know, we should–”

            Lance suddenly shifted around and opened his eyes. “Nicole? John? I’m so happy to see you. What happened? My head feels all groggy.” The edge in his voice was gone.

            Nicole tried to talk. “We–”

            He gasped suddenly. “Felix is dead. And Zach. My god, I’m so sorry,” he spoke treumously, his eyes wet.

            “It’s okay, Lance. Not your fault.” Nicole nearly choked on the last few words, remembering Lance’s expression as he killed Zach.

            John nodded. “Don’t worry. War is pretty from afar but always ugly up close.”

            “I had a sweet dream last night,” Lance announced. The randomness of the statement caught everyone off guard.

            “What was it?” Nicole probed. She wrapped a roll of bandages around Lance’s injuries. He didn’t even wince.

            “I was sleeping in this beautiful room with the mountains in the background. The birds were chirping, the sky clear, and all my pain gone. And when I closed my eyes, all the darkness in the world faded away to blissful happiness.”

            Nicole grabbed his hand in shock, glancing around. “No no no.” Her mind flashed back to the outside. There was a mountain top outside. The sky was clear. And maybe the birds were even chirping. She caressed her brother’s cheek.

            Lance started singing Nicole’s favorite song. “Sing this with me, Nicole,” he begged. “You loved singing.”

            She tilted her head curiously as a small smile crept onto her face. Then, they sang. Their voices weaved together, creating a colorful tapestry that reverberated through the grand space like a holy incantation. As if a blessing had fallen upon them, the horrors of life and their pains vanished. It was a magical moment, the 2 siblings once again together smiling and laughing.

            “I like the flower, Nicole.”

            “Oh, erm, thanks.” She flashed a look at John, who was pretending to suddenly be interested in the ceiling.

             “You sound angelic when you sing, Nicole,” John replied, trying to switch the topic.

            Nicole blushed as she clasped her hands on her chest. “Thanks.”

            Lance smiled warmly. “You’re going to grow to be a fine champion, Nicole. Better than I could have ever been.” He closed his eyes.

            “Lance, don’t sleep just yet. I want to tell you something funny.”

            John fiddled with the screen on the first aid kit, deciphering Lance’s vitals. “Nicole,” he said in an undertone. “Look.”

            She took one more peek at Lance. His lips were tainted rose red with blood and his skin was still soft, imaginably easy for the knife to slice through. It was all too much for her. She lowered her head and wept.

            Lance opened his eyes and sat up from the sofa. His arms no longer ached. The wound across his chest was gone. His face darkened as a sickening thought struck him. He stopped attending church after middle school, so was this heaven or hell?

            “Hello, Lance.” It was a familiar voice from his high school.

            “Celeste, is that you?” Lance leapt to his feet.

            Two identical figures approached him. Even now, the cheerful white faces and fiery red hair were exactly the same as Lance remembered. The one on the right wore a white dress that flowed gracefully as she ambled across the floor, holding a milky colored crystalline bow in her left hand.

            The being on the left had a hood pulled over her head, so that a shadow obscured most of her face except for her piercing gaze. A black scythe waved back and forth in her hands.

            The ethereal one spoke. “Lance, you love Nicole, don’t you?”

            Lance pinched his lips.

            “I know you do. That’s why you sang with her. It was your last gift.” An arrow materialized into her right hand. Celeste notched the arrow.

            Lance froze.

            She pulled back the bow and let the arrow fly, but it melted into a warm-bluish-white glow. “You’ve got affections for a lot of people, don’t you Lance?” she coaxed. Lance smiled uncontrollably.

            “I know. You’ve gotten really close with John.”

            “Celeste‒”

            “But Lance, will you let the same fate that befell Felix, Frederick, and Paul overcome John as well?”

            Lance’s pulse pounded through his head, his chest heaving up and down.

            The angel spoke once more, “Lance, you’re evil. You’re dead because John shot you. So crazy that even they felt scared. The greatest kind of evil. You build up all that trust and admiration, and you crash it down upon them as you drench your hands in blood. You’re no protector; you’re a child of the devil.”

            “Well, I have come to save you.” The dark figure raised her scythe. “Overcome these hesitations. Forget John. Forget Nicole. Just kill. Destroy. These emotions are getting in your way. Fragments of a useless past. The future is yours to raze.”

            “Stop!” Lance’s voice cracked. “Leave them out of this. It’s not fair.”

            “Not fair?” They spoke simultaneously.

            “What do they have to do with the terrible choices I’ve made? It’s not right that they should be tied to my fate. I’m sorry. I made terrible choices, but I’ve went through terrible things. I watched my parents die.” Lance fought back the tears as he stood up. His knees buckled. “I watched them die,” he whispered through sobs.

            Silence.

            “I’ve always thought that high school would be the hardest thing I had to go through. Maybe college or my future job had life gone normally. But now I’ve seen guts spilled out of people I love, my entire hometown ransacked, and you know what’s the worst thing of all? No matter how hard I try, I can’t do anything anymore. It’s this overwhelming feeling of weakness. All these awful things unfold in front of me, and all I can do it stand there. Do you know what absolute helplessness means? This is it. Life is so cruel. It shouldn’t have to be me sending the bags of a comrade to her family who will never see her again. It shouldn’t have to be me wiping the blood off my dead friend as I set a flower across his chest. I’m broken a million ways over, and now it seems like fate isn’t done until it has seen my complete obliteration. Have mercy,” Lance whimpered.

            “Nicole and John still look up to you,” the angel said.

            He stared at them with wide eyes. “They shouldn’t.” He sat down and hugged himself tightly. “Letting down someone is heartbreaking, even more so if you love them. You feel so guilty. Empty. You find that look of betrayal in their broken eyes and you just want to beat yourself up. I’ve tried to slit my wrists once or twice, but I still wanted to see Nicole. I didn’t expect it be this way. Life isn’t fair. Why does it have to be you, Celeste?”

            “Life isn’t fair. The problem is what you expect from life. It’s not a one man journey, Lance. You don’t always have to pretend you’re the best at everything. Admit it. You need Nicole’s help,” the devil snarled.

            The two figures smirked simultaneously. “You know the answer to the last question.”

            “What is it?”

            “It’s because you love me.”

            The two figures disappeared, leaving behind an empty room. Suddenly, everything became clear to Lance. It was a test.

            Nicole ran into the lobby, a wild grin on her face. “Lance!” she squealed, leaping at him and embracing him in a hug. Was she real? Lance ran his finger over her smooth face and let his hand linger there.

            Nicole stepped back abruptly and glanced around furtively. She smiled again and tossed her hair back, a bluish-white light reflecting off her chestnut brown hair. “It’s been nearly 3 years, Lance. 3 years! That’s how long I haven’t seen you!” A gentle breeze blew besides them, Nicole’s hair dancing around cheerfully.

            Then, with a maddening rage he couldn’t control, Lance felt his lips unconsciously mutter, “I need to kill you.” The light shifted so that Lance was left in the shadows.

            Nicole’s lips were closed, her head lowered, and her hands hugging herself. Lance could make out the still hairs on her skin. Then her lips moved, softly and slowly like the dance of a ballerina. “I know.”

            The light sparkled on her hair, her eyes twinkling with a sort of sadness. “There’s another option,” Nicole whispered.

            “What?”

            “I kill you.”

            Lance let the words sink in. “I’m not here by my own will,” Nicole continued. “I was hired by the angel to take you down. I’m sure you know. You’re a war criminal. But still,” Nicole faltered. “Still, I couldn’t kill you by my own will. I-I can only assist in your suicide.”

            “It didn’t have to be this way.” Lance’s subconsciousness told him the demon had chosen him. So he didn’t even get to pick. That’s how it was. It was a test though, and Lance excelled at tests. A dagger flashed into Nicole’s hand. But he had a scythe. The scythe.

            “I don’t want to hurt you,” Nicole whispered. Deep in her eyes, glossy with unshed tears, there was a tint of the fire someone could only see if you had known her for life.

            They circled each other. Nicole let her dagger hand heavily, nearly scraping the ground. “Lance, I can’t do it,” Nicole whimpered.

            A feeling suddenly clicked into place for Lance, a feeling opposite to the one he had felt before. He knew how to play the game now. He could shoot for the stars and hit, because finally, he knew how to cheat life.

            “It’s too late now,” Lance said with an apologetic smile. As Nicole’s hand clenched the knife the same way she held her violin bow, delicate, deliberate, and careful, Lance knew exactly how the fight would end. And he understood, with bitter irony, that he would never have the chance to explain how to her. Nicole shifted her stance ever so slightly, and Lance beamed, having finally decrypted the goal of this unspoken mission.

            “I’m so sorry,” she murmured. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “I love you,” and struck. They moved in sync with each other, lunging forward and pirouetting away like their last dance together.

            When Nicole came within killing proximity, Lance stopped. He stood still and looked at her, just her, trying to eternally wash her appearance into his mind. The dagger plunged into his heart. The blood was not red but rather bluish-white.

            “Oh my, I’m so sorry,” Nicole cried. Suddenly, she was crying, biting her own lip and drinking her own tears. With her breath shaking her ribcage, Nicole cuddled closer to him. Lance looked down at his feet. There was a thin crevice in the ground.

            Lance smiled and peered into his reflection in Nicole’s shiny brown eyes. “No, thank you.” He took a step forward to hug her, emerging into the light.

            Lance abruptly felt a sharp pain on his chest and gasped, springing his eyes open.

            “You’re awake!” Nicole squealed delightfully, her face morphing into a wide grin. “I can’t believe it. We’d almost lost you for a while. Your pulse died off for a scary second, but John did something to revive you. How do you feel?”

            Lance rolled his head around groggily. He took a look at the room and winced.

            “What’s wrong?” She grasped his hand.

            Was it all a dream? Lance clenched his fist and felt the sore muscles in his arm resist. He was determined to change the world, but he had to start by changing himself.

            Lance sat up.

            “Lance, you need to rest. Lay back down,” Nicole pouted, pushing Lance down.

            “No. I have a confession to make,” Lance announced. He hesitated, looking at John’s and Nicole’s curious faces. “I joined to fight evil, only to become the very thing I vowed to destroy.”

            Lance proceeded, “I’ve done terrible things. I’ve taken away happiness from too many people. Everything their tears and laughter built destroyed in an instant. Remember the spy I killed? His name was Zach. He was 23 years old and had a girlfriend. He likes cars. That’s what Felix and I would usually talk to him about. He was a loyal member of my squad, or at least I thought he was. But when I had him onto the ground, watching him plead for mercy, I couldn’t stop myself. I inflicted all the pain I ever felt in my life onto him.” Lance sobbed quietly, hugging his knees. The fire crackled as Nicole waited patiently, intermittently patting his shoulder.

            Slowly and deliberately, John took off his helmet and mask, revealing a regal face that looked like it belonged to a prince. He was strikingly young and handsome. Lance took in a sharp breath of air and made a note to ask about his family. Even Nicole gasped.

            With a shaky breath, John announced, “Then I have confession to make too. I joined the war, not for a just cause, not for glory, not for self-preservation, but to die.”

            John continued slowly, “The day I met you, Lance, I was about to commit suicide. You won’t understand, but your simple act of friendship stopped me.”

            Lance swallowed and spun to look John in the eye. John smiled half-heartedly, running a hand through his well-groomed military style hair.

            “Perhaps you might forgive me, but I can never forgive myself.”

            John shook his head. “Life is a snow globe. Sometimes it’s fun to shake up the snow. The snow is your problems. It is tempting to continue shaking, watching the small white flecks swirl around, but unless you let the snow settle, you’ll never see the real picture.”

            “Woah, nicely said,” Nicole admired, smiling and nodding her head subtly. Slowly, Lance reached out and held Nicole’s hand. Then, with steadfast determination, Lance embraced Nicole in a hug.

            “If you’re hungry, the food is ready,” John said, helping Lance and Nicole get up. As the party ate together, they began to joke, gossip, and complain. Just like the old times.

            The stars were still shining when John got up. Lance was curled up in a fetal position, one hand held out towards Nicole. Nicole laid stretched out on the floor, one arm resting over her abdomen and the other laid by her side. Her delicate lips parted slowly as her eyelashes fluttered, glancing at John for a moment before smiling.

            “Sorry,” John whispered with a reluctant smile.

            “No, it’s fine. You know how I told you I don’t really sleep? Well, I’m a super-sleeper. I only sleep two hours a night.” Nicole bounced up and strapped a pistol to her belt. She left her helmet on the ground. “Let’s go exploring!”

            John glanced uncertainly between her and the doors.

            “Come on,” she coaxed sweetly. John smiled and followed her.

            “So what’d you want to ask me?”

            Nicole’s eyes twinkled with energy as she giggled. “Wow, you’re smart. Found me out right away. Guess not all boys are as daft as Lance.”

            “He’s not the worst.”

            “Not far from it,” she taunted. “I just wanted to ask what happened with Lance. He just suddenly disappeared right before I was about to transfer to his platoon.”

            John blinked and put his hand to his chest. “Oh ow. That must’ve felt just awful when that happened.”

            “Thanks. Someone else finally understands.” Then, lowering her head, Nicole continued, “So I guess you don’t know then?”

            “Not really, but I’m guessing it’s because he moved up to Raze. Or whatever the real name is. Everyone I know just calls it Raze.”

            “Oh, that must be it! Can’t believe it took me this long to find out,” Nicole beamed appreciatively. The leaves rustled softly as they stood in silence.

            “So, what happened to you? You said you were about to commit suicide. You don’t have to talk, but if you do, I’m here,” Nicole spoke gently.

            John gazed softly at the blend of brown hues swimming around in the reflective pools of her irises. “Oh. I had some troubling times.”

            “Huh? Did you break up or something?” Nicole tugged. John knew she was looking for the answer.

            “Yeah, kinda. Actually not really. No. Not at all.”

            Nicole tilted her head and made a cute noise. The moonlight bounced off the golden undertones of her smooth cheeks, wrapping her cheerful face in a soft aura. “You just went from 100% to 0% in 8 words. Which is it?”

            There was something so soothing about her presence that John couldn’t figure out. He eased his shoulders. “Actually, why don’t I just tell you the story?”

            “Go ahead. I’m here for you.”

            John took a deep breath. “My parents died tragically early and I ended up living with an abusive uncle. Basically, I was mortally depressed, but I ended up dating a nice girl called Destiny. She was pretty much the only person keeping me together. I don’t know how to explain our love. It was that type of innocent love, when you fall head over heels for someone.” He sighed, trembling.

            Nicole stiffened. Her eyes ran over John’s figure, trying to decipher his intentions. “Sorry, I am making you sad,” she finally said after a moment of quiet.

            “It’s okay, I’m over it.” John’s voice cracked. “Destiny died gruesomely.”

            Nicole gasped. “I-I don’t know what to say.”

            “Well, I found out the heart makes no sound as it shatters.”

            Patting his shoulder, she whispered, “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I were you. I could barely stand my parents’ deaths, let alone going through an abusive childhood and losing another loved one. But I do know, it takes incredible courage to continue like you did. The fact that you’re standing here talking to me is a miracle.”

            Nicole brushed her hair back and gave him a supportive smile. “Just know the only reason we can feel happiness is because we have felt pain.”

            The words lingered in John’s ear. Her mellifluous voice was like a chord, each note slowly blending in harmony with each other. “Thanks. That’s the best thing anyone has ever said to me in my life. I needed to hear that.”

            Nicole twisted around shyly, flustered. “Aw, thanks. But I meant what I was saying. You’re an amazing person and life deserves to treat you the same way. So, why don’t we go exploring? What do you say?”

            “Hell yeah.”

            Nicole galloped along the path, humming happily. John sauntered alongside her, chatting endlessly. He walked with impossibly perfect stature, smiled charmingly, and laughed a lot. “You’re young, aren’t you?” she asked.

            “Yeah.”

            “You’ve never shaved, have you?”

            “No,” he laughed. He rubbed the faint outlines of emerging facial hair. “Maybe soon, but I’m already 18.”

            Nicole sputtered. “You’re only 18?”

            “You’re 17, right? My birthday is exactly 11 months earlier than yours. Do I look super old or something?”

            “No! You look younger than you are.”

            “Wow, thanks for calling me out like that. I’m sorry if I’m not a man yet,” he replied sarcastically.

            “No, that’s not‒”

            “Not what you meant. Yeah, yeah. I don’t care because I think you’re the first person in years to ever see my face.”

            “What?”

            “I keep my helmet on all the time. Never take off my goggles either.”

            “How do you sleep?”

            “Carefully.”

            “Yeah, yeah,” she mimicked.

            “I sleep with the helmet on.”

            “Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

            “I feel most comfortable when people can’t see me. I don’t know why I took it off. I haven’t even seen myself in the mirror for years. I’m scared to look.”

            “Let me show you then.” Nicole grabbed his hand and dragged him down a hill.

            “Uhh, no thanks.”

            “No, you have to!” She pulled him next to the edge of a lake and pointed at his reflection. “Look!” She smiled, waiting for his excited response.

            “Oh.”

            “What? You don’t think you look hot?” she muttered disappointingly.

            “I don’t know. The robots do a good job of cutting my hair, I guess. I look mediocre. I don’t look bad, do I?”

            “When a girl tells you you’re hot, it means you’re damn hot, got it?”

            He paused. “Oh what? Who ever said I was hot?”

            “Me!”

            He flushed and turned away. “Oh yeah, I think I heard other people say that before.”

            “Hey, don’t feel bad about your looks. It’s normal for people to be insecure about your looks. If you loved the way you look, you’d end up like Narcissus. Maybe if, you know, you took off that helmet once in a while so people can actually see you people would actually say that.”

            “Good suggestion, but I’ll put that on hold. How good are you at climbing trees?”
            “Pretty good. Sorry, but I’m not too interested in sitting idly in some tree like a monkey.”

            “No!” he chuckled. “I wanted to dive into the lake from the top of a tree. The lake’s deep enough and I’ve swum here before.”

            Nicole smiled spitefully. “Ah, that’s more like it. But my ankle is still broken, so I’ll say no this time. Just to be clear, I’m not scared. It’s just that Lance would definitely not let me do something like this. He’d say the Leviathan would pop up and eat me or something.”
            “Oh yeah, damn. My bad. Let’s just head back. Hell would freeze all over if Lance found out I let you climb trees and dive into lakes in the middle of a warzone.”

            She poked him playfully. “We should go on more of these random adventures more often. So far while Lance is sleeping, we’ve found a lake, spotted an owl, and carved a poem into a tree. I feel accomplished.”
            “Yeah, me too.” They walked in silence on the way back. Nicole fought the urge to grab his arm. “So,” he said softly. “Were you serious about how I look?”

            “Of course!”

            He nodded silently. “Hey, do me a favor.”
            “Yeah?”

            “Don’t tell anyone about anything I said tonight. You’re the only person I’ve told so far. No one else. Not even Lance.”

            Nicole tapped her feet against the bottom of the rescue chopper, listening to the constant hum of the rotors. They had been lucky. While they were tending to Lance, a surgical strike against the camp left the place in ruins, and most didn’t get out. But the question on Nicole’s mind wasn’t how the enemies found the location of the camp, or even how the rescue team found them, but rather why John had chosen to tell just her.

            He sat quietly in the seat across from her with his head tucked down into his chest. It was not accidental, for sure. Nicole could tell he was an extremely careful person. It was all super confusing and made her head spin. Was this what love was like? Confusing and convoluted? Weren’t men supposed to be easy to understand? At least it was like that with Lance. John was the opposite.

            “What are you thinking about, sis?” Lance whispered.

            “John.” The words slipped out of her mouth. Luckily, Lance didn’t make the connection yet.

            “Oh. John’s a really nice guy. Awfully quiet though. He has this way of blending into a group even without using his armor. It’s sometimes comical when he speaks because you have no idea he’s even there. Always listening though, so he understands your complaints.”

            “The taciturn type, huh?”

            “Yeah. But I think if he likes you, he actually gets pretty energetic with you. Have you gotten him to talk yet?”

            Nicole thought about their conversation the past night. It seemed so spontaneous, she never would’ve guessed he was shy. “Yes. I wonder, is he naturally talkative or quiet?”

            John made a cute noise and glanced up. “I’d say I’m in the middle, maybe leaning more towards the quiet side.” He smiled. “Thought I was asleep?”

            “Uhh.” Lance and Nicole glanced at each other nervously.

            “It’s hard to tell if you’re sleeping because you’ve got the goggles on all the time!” Nicole complained. “I can’t see your eyes, and you’re so quiet!”

            “I guess. Do you guys find me socially awkward? I know I hide my face all the time.”

            “You’re okay. You were pretty talkative last night, actually. Seemed normal.” Nicole shrugged.

            “Didn’t hear you guys,” Lance said.

            John swiftly looked at Nicole. “That’s good. We were trying not to disturb you. How did you sleep?”

            “Pretty well. Can I confide something in you guys?”

            “Anything,” Nicole assured.

            He looked at John. “Absolutely,” John agreed.

            “Thanks. I don’t know who else I could talk to. I’ve made the last pledge. It’s going to be the thing guiding me through life for however long I live. I’m going to try to find purpose in my life while giving purpose to other people’s lives. But I can’t do that alone. I need help.”

            John sat his table, sipping tea. It was May now, and despite only being a week past Operation Omaha, the war only lingered in his mind like a faint memory.

            They were certainly still fighting, but the special forces had been put on hold until they could restructure. John wasn’t disappointed. It was a leisure now to simply sit and collect his thoughts. He had forgotten how great it was to ponder the mysteries of life.

            A soft drizzle covered the blooming flowers. He listened to the sound of raindrops clatter onto the gutter. Something tugged at his mind. Nicole. John knew with absolute certainty that by approaching her, he was undertaking a huge gamble.

            What a privileged problem, he thought! Lance was in the emergency room struggling to survive and here he was trying to find ways to date a girl. John closed his eyes and listened to the sky-blue pearls of rain drum onto the pavement.

            He opened his eyes again and caught a glimpse of brown hair outside the window. Could it be her?

            “Hey, Nicole.”

            “Hello John! You were expecting me?” Nicole stood politely outside the doorway, her olive-green army uniform dripping wet.

            “No, I just saw you coming.”

            “Oh okay. Do you mind if I come in?”

            “Go ahead and take a seat.”

            John closed the door behind her and pulled a chair next to his desk. What did he have? The dim lights outside shone through his crystal window, making all the glassware sparkle. Usually, it would be an easy decision. He would set two identical bottles of wine, one filled with vodka and the other with water. Take the bottle of water and give the guests the wine. Not too long after, the guests would be drunk, and he could listen in on all the rumors circulating behind his back. But Nicole was different, and she was evidently under the drinking age, not that he followed that rule.

            “I heard you liked these,” John said with a faint smile. He set 2 bottles of mango flavored soda on the table, sliding one to Nicole.

            Nicole beamed. “Yeah, I do. May I take one?”

            “Of course.”

            Nicole sipped her drink slowly, silently studying the room. John swiveled his head towards the outside. The faint fingers of fog crept up onto the window one by one as the spring rains washed away his burdens like an angel’s tears.

            “So how is he doing? Lance, I mean.”

            “He’s doing much better,” she answered. “He’s gotten multiple blood transfusions by now.”

            “Guess it wouldn’t be too much of an understatement now to say you gave him life. Lance was wrong about which sibling was taking care of the other.”

            Nicole laughed. “Well, we both wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you, you know.”

            “Nah, I didn’t do too much. You two would’ve been fine on your own.” John gulped down the last of his soda. “What brings you here?”

            “Actually, I have an official announcement to make.”

            “What? Why didn’t you say so first thing?” John chuckled. “You can’t just randomly stroll in and chit-chat while you’re on official business. That’s dangerous.”

            “Oh, I’m a dangerous girl. You’ll find that out soon enough.”

            John smiled. “Alright. Give me your official title and state your business.”

            “On behalf of the 1st Battalion of the Falcon Brigade under the 182nd Airborne, I’m delivering a statement regarding the joint-forces training with the Tretonian paratroopers. Please deliver this to the highest Tretonian soldier here, preferably an officer. Oh, and this is Sergeant Nicole,” she announced triumphantly.

            “Alright, Sergeant Nicole.” John slung his medals around his neck and watched her eyes widen. “I will gladly take that written statement as the Major in charge of the Phantasm, the number one elite super-soldier paratrooper force in the world.”

            “You’re awake!”

            Lance’s vision was still hazy when he heard Nicole’s gleeful voice. A second later, Nicole was hugging him, and he still had no idea what was happening. “What day is it?”

            Laughter rang out through the room. “Stupid. You start sleeping 24 hours a day in the hospital for one week and you can’t get be bothered to check the date yourself anymore,” Nicole mocked.

            “Dang Lance, you’re going to set a new standard. Looks like I don’t have to sleep like a baby anymore. I just have to sleep like a Lance,” John teased.

            “Well, I guess I can’t make you two jealous anymore.” Lance sat up and ruffled his hair. “It was a nice beauty sleep, I guess.”

            John grinned slyly. “By beauty sleep do you mean waking up looking like a troll?”

            Lance frowned while Nicole burst into laughter. “Okay, shut up now.”

            “Do you know when you’re going to get back into combat?” Nicole asked.

            “Now.”

            Nicole was staring absentmindedly out the window. John sauntered over to her quietly. “What’s up?”

            “Oh hello.” Nicole flipped her hair back and grinned widely at him. “Your smile is awfully contagious, you know?”

            John laughed light-heartedly. “No, I did not know that. But thanks, Nicole.”

            “I like it when you leave your mask off. You should take off your helmet.”

            “You’ve said that every time you met me.”

            “Yeah, I want to see your face.”

            John’s breath stopped for a moment. “Okay. I haven’t changed though.” He watched Nicole’s eyes widen as he slipped off his helmet. “What is it?”

            “You look awfully fine without the helmet. Keep it off when you don’t need it.”

            “I don’t know,” John answered half-heartedly. He glanced down at the floor and rubbed his neck. “Ever since Destiny died, I don’t feel comfortable with people looking at me anymore. Everything is just so much easier when you’re hidden behind sunglasses, and nobody can ever tell when you’re secretly crying.”

            “But John,” Nicole said softly. “Emotions are what make this world beautiful. If you truly want to move on, then you can’t hide forever. Besides, if people don’t know you’re hurt, how are they supposed to help you?”

            “I guess. Maybe I should admit something.”

            “Go ahead.”

            “Nicole, I lie a lot. Not to other people, but to myself. I tell myself that I’m happy. Truth is, I’m not. I’m exactly sad either. I just feel…” John waved his hands around, searching for the word. “I feel lost.”

            “You know what? Me too. I feel lost, just like you. I miss my friends dearly, and my parents maybe even more.” The smile on her face was gone now, her eyes shattered. “But I found something to live for. Lance. What do you to live for?” she coaxed.

            “You,” he wanted to say, but he stopped himself. “Redemption.”

            “Redemption,” Nicole repeated quietly. She sat down on the floor and rested her head on one hand against her knee. “That’s beautiful. Let’s help each other. I’ll take the first step and tell you to leave your helmet off.”

            “Uh okay. I’ll try my best.” John sat down next to her and hugged his knees together. He could catch a whiff of the scent of her shampoo at this distance. He let his mind wander happily for a moment. “I think I’m good now, thanks Nicole. I just needed someone to talk to, perhaps. I hope you’re better now too.”

            “Strangely, yeah.” Nicole beamed at him. “You know, I was just thinking about Lance before you came in. He wanted our help, so we should help him.”

            “I know. How?”

            Nicole gestured for him to come closer, and she whispered so close to his ear that he could feel her gentle breath.

            “Oh wow,” John murmured quietly. “That’s really good.”

            “So, you approve?”

            “Yeah. I hope we can achieve that some day.”

            Victory Hill was the nickname for the place where Nicole would always meet in the morning. John was always there before she arrived. He would stand there, feet spread apart, arms crossed, his entire stature radiating power. He kept his helmet off. Sometimes, he would turn to glance at her from behind his polarized sunglasses, but it was obvious he was competing with the other officers to see who could be the least approachable.

            Victory Hill was also where the duels were. It didn’t really matter what the duels were about, or even who was fighting. What mattered was that John would be always be there to stop them.

            He wouldn’t give out any disciplinary actions. Instead, in the middle of the fight, John would walk up to the two in his supreme officer gait, his shades always on, even if it was pitch black. Then, he would join the fight. And he would always win. After the fight, he would get all casual and brush off his shirt like nothing ever happened.

            “Thanks for the blood donation!” he liked to say. He would smile invincibly and then walk off with his hand tucked into his pockets, something taboo in the military.

            John tucked on his only pair of jeans and slipped into his black military jacket. He had agreed to meet Nicole at the hill tonight. With one last look in the mirror, he headed out into the breeze.

            “You’re early.” Nicole tossed aside a blade of grass and stood up. The hood of her white hoodie was lowered to rest on her shoulders, while a knife was clipped to the belt of her jeans. Even without armor, she looked incredibly lithe and lethal.

            “You summoned me here for a fight, didn’t you?”

            “You are king of the hill, you know?”

            John shook his head vigorously. “It’s just my way of punishment. I don’t want to fight anybody, let alone my best friend’s sister.”

            “Yet, you came here knowing that,” she countered. The grass waved back and forth like flags in the wind as they waited in silence. “Hurry up and make a decision! No blood or broken bones this time.”

            “I’m not even supposed to put my hand on a girl’s shoulder, let alone fight one.”

            “Pfft, you’re no fun.” Nicole leapt at him and struck an open palm onto his left shoulder. Instinctively, John reached out and pushed away.

            He felt something in his hand. It was her knife. He hadn’t meant to grab it, but his brain overpowered him.

            Her eyes widened for a second. Then, a dangerous smile played across her lips. “A challenge, huh? I like that.” She slammed her palm against his solar plexus and twisted his wrist with her other hand, forcing the knife out of him. He stumbled backwards as his vision blurred, gasping for air.

            “Damn. What the hell?”

            Nicole ran over and put her hand on his chest. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

            “Sure you did.”

            “I didn’t! Really!” She looked up at him with desolate eyes, pleading with him.

            John smiled. “No. You’re a good fighter, that’s good. Like you promised, no broken bones or blood. Glad to have you behind my back.”

            She looked uncertain. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’ve knocked people out cold with that move before.”

            “Yeah.” He slipped the knife back into her sheath. “Didn’t mean to take your knife, but I acted by instinct. Anyways, my uncle hit me harder than that when I was a kid.”

            Nicole laughed, then stopped abruptly when she saw his face. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

            “Don’t worry.”

            “I’m worrying. You never talked about what your childhood was like, yet you get so depressed every time I bring it up.”

            John laid down on the hill with his arms spread out. “Why don’t I tell you a bit then?”

            Nicole sat down with her legs crossed, listening intently to his story.

            “My uncle taught me nothing should ever be taken for granted. When I came back from the hospital after my parents’ death, I found two strong bullies standing by the door of my uncle’s house. He made me fight them to get in, and I got hurt badly. A black eye, a broken nose, and multiple cuts on my arms. I slept on the sidewalk that night.”

            “That’s child abuse!” Nicole yelled out in rage.

            John shrugged indifferently. “The next morning, I came back with a plan. They were defending the place, standing still. Of course, that meant that I could attack first. I swung a heavy stone at the first guy, then smashed down the other with an improvised weapon. My uncle was surprised. I had won too easily. He let me into the house, and by then, I was starving. I asked for food.”

            “Let me guess, he didn’t give you any.”
            “Yeah. Food was to be earned too. But that night was the most brutal moment of my life. Have you ever been scared of the dark as a child?”

            “Yup. It’s pretty normal. Why? He locked you in the dark?”

            “Worse. I soon learned that people feared the dark for a reason. At night, he had someone break through the window and attempt to strangle me. I prevailed, and the person ran off. I went to my uncle and couldn’t find him, only to be suddenly hit in the back. I was tied up and whipped. Then thrown in a closet, gagged and bleeding.  Morning came and he beat me again, chastising me for being so unattentive. I never slept in the darkness for years after that.”

            Nicole covered her mouth and grabbed his arm. “No way. That is so cruel. How old were you?”

            “About 9 or 10.”

            “No way. Why?”

            “It’s turned me into the person I am now. I went 5 days without food, only drinking water out of the faucet. Never slept for more than 10 minutes at a time. I positioned myself all the time so that no one would be behind me. I carried two pocket-knives and a lighter. He wouldn’t give me food at all. I was starving to death, literally, by then. I took to the streets, begged for food, ate out of trash cans, did whatever it took. Eventually, I had to turn to crime. I learned to be a master thief. I hacked into Treton’s national bank and stole a few hundred dollars for food. Now that I think of it, I should’ve took more.” He laughed bitterly.

            “You? A thief? Honestly, I don’t believe you.”

            “Why is that?”

            “Because you act like a gentleman. Saying thank you and you’re welcome all the time, holding the door for others. There’s no way.”

            He sighed. “That’s why I don’t like talking about it. No one understands. I’m the way I am now because I know what not to be. No one told me to dress nicely. No one told me to be polite. I chose to do that myself, because I don’t want to stay a ruffian on the streets.”

            Nicole ran her eyes over his figure. “I’m sorry.”

            “Don’t worry, everyone does it.”

            “Doesn’t make it right. Go on.”

            He plucked a handful of grass and threw it at her playfully. “You’re awfully interested in my life story. I guess I’ll talk, because it just feels good to finally have a decent conversation with someone. My uncle taught me how to fight. But I learned from experience. For everyone mistake I made in school, whether it’s homework or on a test, he would beat me. He told me to fight back. I never did. But I was always watching, observing the way he would lash out, probing his response by reacting differently. For some reason, I never dropped out of school.” He traced his cheek. “Funny. I can still feel the blood running down my cheeks as I went to sleep every night back then. Cried myself to sleep at first, and then the day came when no tears dropped. It was simply life.”

            Nicole clenched her fists. “You couldn’t have possibly accepted that! That’s horrible, what he did! Why didn’t you kill him?”

            “Why do you think I didn’t?” he answered softly. “I needed him. It was a shelter, even if I had to dodge random arrows every once in a while. I had a place to nap, even if I often woke up with a blade pressed against my neck. And he paid for my protection. The police service in Treton are paid on a subscription service. The more you pay, the better protection you get. No uncle means no protection. It was miserable, but I couldn’t die.”

            “That’s not right!” She fell onto his chest and started weeping.

            “Hold on. Why are you crying for me?” He laughed.

            “You don’t deserve a childhood like that! I ... I thought you grew up as a prince in a royal family. I thought you joined the war, seeking for adventure until things turned dark and then you wanted suicide. Things like this still happen in this world?”

            “They do, Nicole.” He lifted her head up. She looked into his eyes. Absolutely dazzling. Dark brown crystals with shiny tints, emananting intelligence and compassion. His young face belied his unimaginable maturity inside him. “Don’t cry. You’ve been through incredibly hard times as well. We all made it through, so it’s all okay.”

            She traced her finger over the outline of the jacket. “You’re so good to have by my side, you know that?”

            “Well, I try.” He grunted and got up, wiping his jacket clean. “We should go. Don’t want anybody seeing us alone together.”

            “Yeah, I guess. The rumors might go crazy.” She grabbed his hand and stood up. “Umm, sorry again for hitting you.”

            “Nah. I love your combination of energy and kindness.”
            Love? Nicole hoped he used the word literally. “Well, see you tomorrow.”
            “I’m not going to be here tomorrow.”

            “What?! Where are you going?”

            He smiled apologetically. “Can’t tell you. Nice hoodie and jeans though. You look pretty in them.”

            Of course, John went on some covert mission that he couldn’t tell anyone. She had trouble sleeping ever since he complimented her looks. She waited for him at the airport in the base everyday, waiting for the day he came back. Today, he finally arrived.

            He flew in on a helicopter carrying rugged soldiers, chain smoking so hard that they would have served as smoke grenades. She was dismayed at first, disgusted by their drug addictions and poor clothing. Then, he emerged from the back, riding a horse in his dress uniform. An antique sword hung from his hand and the medals glinted on his uniform. She learned later that he had been awarded the highest medal in Treton.

            She tried to talk to him at that point, but she couldn’t force out a sound. He laughed and offered her a place on the horse, which she eagerly accepted. She got on awkwardly as he explained how he enjoyed horseback riding from time to time, being the only officer in the world to still do so. He dropped her off at the barracks and then galloped into the distance. After that, he never talked to her in person again, only speaking to her when giving instructions during drills.

            This afternoon, Nicole was studying at the library as usual. She sighed and angrily put down the book she was reading. “This is impossible.”

            “Hi, Nicole.”

            She looked up and found John waving to her. “Hello!”

            John smiled back sheepishly, timidly looking around. “Do you mind if I sit here?”

            “No, go ahead!”

            He sat down into the seat next to her and glanced at her notebook. “You spend so much of your free time studying. That’s real dedication there.”

            “I’m dumb, that’s why.”

            “No, you’re not. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone as hardworking as you, and that includes Lance,” he complimented.

            “Uhm, thanks.” Nicole smiled, feeling the warmth creep up into her cheeks. She still couldn’t believe he was sitting here. Spark a conversion, she thought to herself. “Why’d you kick the shark today?”

            “What?” John laughed. “Oh, during the dive. It was an accident!”

            Nicole shrugged her shoulders and lifted her hands flatly in ridicule. “Oh, my bad, I just accidentally kicked this oversized fish swimming around me,” she mocked sarcastically in an altered voice.

            “Technically, that type of shark doesn’t really harm humans.”

            “Yeah, no duh! It should be ashamed of itself, succumbing to human bullying.”

            “Maybe it’s just smart and wants to not die.”

            Nicole sat silently for a while, her pulse thundering in her head. John stood up and stretched, twirling his muscular build around. “Oh, do you need help on that?”

            “Huh?”

            “Your economics coursework. I can help you.”

            “Oh really? That’s be so nice.”

            “Yeah sure, no problem. I still self-taught myself a lot of things.” For the rest of the afternoon, John patiently explained everything to Nicole. Maybe he was just as smart as Lance.

            Almost immediately, Lance begun to feel lonely, separated across an ocean from Nicole and John. In the meantime, he had gotten close with a new squad mate, Kyana. Kyana was one of those girls who was always quiet but trustworthy. He felt safe around her. Besides, she reminded him of Celeste.

            The storm of butterflies exploded as Nicole handed the ice cream to John. “Happy 19th birthday! Thanks for teaching me how to do the pistol flip and helping me with the coursework.”

            John’s cheeks turned red as he looked away and cleared his throat. “Aw, thanks Nicole. You’re so sweet.”

            “It was nothing. I still can’t believe you’re one year older than me.”

            “You’re crazy young, though.” They sat in silence for a while, finishing up the remains of their ice cream.

            “It’s beautiful today,” Nicole started. “The orange hues of the sun fades with the sky like a drop of paint in water.”

             “You know what’s so amazing about you, Nicole?” John spoke softly.

            “What?” Nicole gradually turned around to face him.

            “You manage to see all the beauties in the world I never see.”

            Nicole slowly put her hand on top of his. Beyond the facades of his beautiful, large eyes, there was a subtle intensity coupled with warmness. He was legendary, awe-inspiring, and humble. He was so amazing to the point that he never needed to brag and show off, because everyone knew he was otherworldly.

            Nicole ripped herself out of the trance. “You see things I don’t see either. Together, we see twice as much,” she answered gently. “I don’t think you realize how amazing you are.”

            He brushed his hand over his neatly groomed hair. His lips parted for a second before closing. The last of the sun rays enveloped his regal features as if he were a shining statue of a famous hero. “Want to go for a walk?”

            John walked down the street, the dim yellow street lights illuminating the otherwise dark city. The sidewalk was dirty, and the buildings were rundown, covered in graffiti. Nicole bounced along his side, whistling as she walked.

            “That’s a nice jacket. Where’d you get it from?” Nicole asked.

            “Oh, it was from my old school. Bittersweet times,” he mused, glancing down at his windbreaker. John rolled up his sleeves. “I just realized you barely started high school.”

             “Huh. I never really thought of it, but yeah. Wait! When did you join the army? You never told me?” Nicole exclaimed.

            “Same age as you.” John covered his mouth to suppress his smile.

            “What?!”

            He shrugged innocently, showing a wide smile.  Without breaking his confident gait, he took out a ribbon bar and held it out to Nicole. “I think everyone knows by now, but the highest medal in the land was a big deal back then when I received it.”

            “Yeah, it’s a huge deal! Dang, I already knew but seeing the medal in person is completely different.”

            “Don’t pass out,” John teased.

            “Stop! I’m not hyperventilating or anything. This totally seems like something you would achieve.”

            “You really think so?”

            Nicole beamed brightly at him, her palm resting on top of his. “I really do. You’re just naturally the type of person.”

            Something pulled inside Nicole’s gut. She spun around rapidly and found a group of drunkards trailing, armed with glass bottles and knives.

            “Damn it! I’m off duty,” John moaned.

            “Hey, it’s a soldier!” One of them shouted.

            “Guess I’ll have to get in trouble for messing with civilians again,” John groaned.

            Nicole frowned as John stepped in front of Nicole and slammed one of them down quickly. What did he think she was? John jumped away narrowly from the frenzy of knife stabs, but Nicole knew he wasn’t getting anywhere.

            A faint smile creeped up her face. Nicole rushed in and slammed his assailant to the ground. As the second person stepped forward, she twisted around and planted a firm kick in the man’s chest. A swift elbow jab to the last one ended everything.

            Nicole picked up a knife and spun it around her fingers. “Hey, if you’re going to get in trouble, at least let me join.”

            “Wow.” John straightened his shoulder and smirked, glancing at the fleeing criminals. “Thanks, but I can take care of them next time.”

            Nicole grabbed his hand and pressed it against his own chest. His flesh was surprisingly warm in the bitter cold night. “How about you play the damsel in distress and I play the knight in shining armor? It’s about time for my turn.”

            “You say that as if it’s a question, but I know that’s an order.” Pointing to the scattered knives, he responded, “Guess distress comes naturally to me.”

            Nicole threw her head back and laughed, a warm cry of delight in the desolate alley. John’s eyes twinkled with energy, reflecting the bright moonlight. They spent the rest of their leave together. All this time, Nicole had almost forgotten Lance. Almost.

            John felt a hand brush against his arm.

            Nicole walked up beside him, leaning against the balcony fence. Everything from her shorts to her socks suggested that she was going for a morning run again. “Nice sunrise, isn’t it?” she asked, humming and smiling.

            “It is. Come on, let’s take a jog down by the shore.”

            Nicole grinned and bounced alongside him. John glanced around the shoreline, the rhythmic thud of their footsteps on the sand and misty morning air washing over him. “You know, I’m actually not much of a morning person, but after meeting you, it just seems refreshing to wake up earlier.”

            “Well, there’s just something nice about the dew and breeze at this time of day.”

            “Yeah,” he responded softly. As their strides weaved together like silk, John found himself dissolving into the bliss.

            “You’re a lot more talkative than I imagined. You were so shy when I met you. You still have this sweet shyness, but maybe now I just get to see the more active, mischievous side of you.”

            “Is that a bad thing or a good thing?”

            “Neither. It’s a great thing. I like your personality.”

            John must’ve blushed or something, because Nicole took one look at him and chuckled, “That’s so you, John!”

            After a bit of silence, Nicole asked, “Isn’t it great being a commissioned officer? Especially a hero. The cessation of criticisms, the unbounded reverence. You’re living the life nearly every soldier aspires.”

            “Sometimes, it’s not always great being the idol of your troops.”

            Nicole laughed, shaking her head from side to side. “What do you mean?”

            “Have you ever wondered what being prominent leader felt like?”

            “I do every day. I’ve always wanted to live a life where I wouldn’t wake up with dread and fall asleep with low self-esteem.”

            “Nicole, you have plenty of things to be proud of.”

            “I guess.”

            “Sometimes, as a leader, you’re thrust upon the spotlight in a harsh way. Imagine going to bed the night you hear your best friend just passed away during a mission you ordered him to go on, knowing full well that your best friend would never come back alive. Everyone expects you to slay the demons with your enchanted officer sword, but truth is, victory comes at a consequence. And sometimes those consequences are hard to swallow, even with the water of fame.”

            Nicole nodded slowly. “I get it. I’ve never thought about it that way. That’s awful. How did you cope with that?”

            “I guess the old adage is true. Even if people can’t stay in your life, they can still stay in your heart. But I know one girl who has a special place in my heart,” John declared, leaving Nicole blushing.

            “Was it just me or did last night feel different? Not a single star was shining yesterday,” Nicole mused. “There were no clouds either.”

            “Yeah. No moon either.”

            “Right,” Nicole responded half-heartedly, her eyes glazing over as she stared into the infinite horizon. She stopped suddenly. “Can you do me a favor?”

            “Sure. What?”

            “See if you can get to Lance. I haven’t had any luck.”

            “Okay.” John tapped his fingers while he waited for the military to authenticate his call. “Requesting communication with Sergeant Major Lance in Raze.”

            “That’s a negative, sir. Sergeant Major Lance has been missing for over a week.”

            John found Nicole sitting at the beach, dressed in civilian attire. She sat next to the shore, the waves sometimes washing up to her running shoes, soaking her white sports socks wet. She faced the full, white moon, staring at it absentmindedly. A crystal blue wave washed up and the white sea foam piled up at her shoes and disappeared. She sifted the soft sand between her fingers. There was a slight breeze tonight and the air was surprisingly fresh, the smell of the sea absent. John stopped himself, caught up in her beauty. The moonlight sparkled on her brown hair. Her eyes twinkled with some sort of sadness.

            “Nicole.”

            “I’m not in the mood for a conversation right now. Please.” Nicole didn’t bother to face him.

            “I know what you’re planning.”

            Nicole didn’t answer.

            “They’re not just dangerous. They’re suicidal. Why would you try to run off to find Lance in the middle of enemy territory?”

            Nicole stood up and waded into the waters, letting the waves splash her knees. “Leave me alone. Lance is my brother! I’m doing what I want.” The waves pounded around Nicole now, as if she were angry Poseidon.

            “Stop for a second and think what you’re doing. I canceled the search squadrons for a reason.”

            “That’s cause you’re a cold-hearted traitor!” Nicole screamed, her voice cracking. “It’s all your fault. You ended any good chance to find Lance.” Nicole lowered her voice. “It’s my last chance to fight for the person I owe my life to.”

            “What makes you think you could find Lance?” John replied angrily.

            “Get out of my way.” Nicole’s voice was deadly soft. “I need to do this.”

            “Nicole‒”
            “Shut up!”

            John took a deep breath. “Nicole. Hear me out. I canceled the search squadrons because I know where Lance's last location is. He might still be alive.”

            Nicole’s heart raced uncomfortably fast as her vocal chords swelled up in pain. The salted tears ran down her slash would with a bitter pain, almost a punishment for her actions. “I almost ruined everything,” she sobbed, bending over the sand. “I’m so stupid. So stupid.”

            “Don’t be so harsh on yourself. I intercepted the message that Lance sent.”

            “I-I knew it. You knew something but you wouldn’t tell me,” Nicole trembled, her lip quivering. “Why?”

            “I wanted it to be an awesome surprise. I commanded your regiment to land at the place where Lance is. Now it’s all ruined,” John murmured.

            “All ruined,” Nicole repeated. She laughed bitterly, choking on her tears. “No. You’ve taught me to not be rash. It’s a great a surprise. Lance might still alive, you said.”

            “I hope.”

            Nicole’s heart bloomed, and a new energy surged inside her. “We know where he is.”

            John sighed. “The official reports list him as dead, although I’m not sure where they got that information. It could be a fake message. It didn’t have the proper digital signature, but I wouldn’t expect anyone in trouble to be using a proper military radio. You think he’s still fine?”

            She glanced up towards the sky. “I have a strong feeling he is. If he’s following his pledge, he has to be. Life wouldn’t do this to me.”

            Lance crept down into the ravines to hide from the constant shelling, the thick, malicious vines slapping at his face. The viscous mud tugged at his boots, seemingly pulling him to Hell. Kyana and his second in command Bill crouched beside him.

            “The stars aren’t shining tonight,” Lance whispered to himself grimly.

            “How long are we going to wait here?” Bill interrupted impatiently. “It’s your call, leader.” He glared at Lance menacingly.

            “Until the shelling stops.”

            “What kind of a plan is that?” Bill fumed, with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “You understand that once the shelling stops they send a patrol. These filthy scums. We should’ve dropped the nukes when we could. Wipe their sorry, pathetic lives of this planet.”

            “Look! I’m making the calls, not you,” Lance rebuked.

            “Mutiny,” Kyana muttered in his ear, cautiously glancing away from Celeste.

            Bill grumbled and sat back.

            Lance leaned forward, his rifle retracted into the darkness. “They’re coming,” he announced. “Before the shelling stops. We’ve been outplayed.”

            They were a flurry of motion as Kyana raised her gun, its volley of bullets slicing a figure in half. Suddenly, the forest burst into chaos. There was an eerie presence, as if the Grim Reaper were waiting nearby.

            Bill laughed wildly, a roar like the sound of a drill smashing against metal. “I don’t remember ordering a squad of wimps! How do I buy more?”

            “Damn. Good thing she’s on our side,” Kyana said under his breath.

            Lance frowned. “Is she though?”

            “We’re out of ammunition,” Kyana noted duly. “And they’re still on our trail.”

            “Can’t they just give up? What’s in it for them to chase down 3 ragtag soldiers?” Lance pondered.

            “I thought you would have an answer to that.” Bill smirked at him, crossing her arms. “Funny. Our leader seems to be out of ideas.”

            “You’re welcome to help,” Kyana castigated.

            Bill pursed her lips. “We’re going to die if we keep running.”

            Lance rolled his eyes. “Thanks, I totally needed the reminder.”

            “But what if I stop running?”

            They turned to look at her. “I’m going suicide bombing. The chemicals in the cartridge for my gun are extremely toxic when released. It’ll stop all of them.”

            “You can’t be serious,” Lance whispered.

            “Run. Run Lance. Run Kyana. Goodbye forever. I’m going to sleep and never wake up.” Bill turned around and disappeared into the mist.

            “Stop him!” Lance ordered, only to have Kyana pin him down.

            “No. Let her go. Someone has to do it.”

            “I’m not letting it happen! I want to see everyone out of this alive. Everyone.”

            “But you know that’s impossible.”

            “How long have we been missing?” Kyana took off her backpack.

            Lance responded, “I think about a week. It’s been 6 days since Bill ran off, and ever since, we haven’t had any visitors. No doubt they think we’re all dead now.”

            Kyana grimly nodded. Lance viciously tore into the carcass of the dead animal he slaughtered until he was completely covered in blood. He wiped his bloody hair off his eyes and lit a dim fire. Dinner was ready.

            He grabbed the roasted meat and sauntered over to Kyana, who recently broke both her legs. Her eyes watered with appreciation. She accepted the generous offering and the two survivors devoured their meal.

            “Do you have any siblings?” Lance asked.

            “Yeah, a few. I’ve got two older brothers and an older sister.”

            “Youngest in family, huh?”

            “Yeah, I hate that.” Kyana grinned. “What about you?”

            “Got a younger sister. Her name’s Nicole.”

            “Nice.”

            “What are your siblings’ names?” Lance studied the boy curiously.

            “The oldest sibling is James, he’s a doctor now. Then it’s my sister, Celeste. She’s the weirdest one, but she’s a nurse now, so that's cool, I guess. Finally, it's Felix. I don't know where he's been.”

            Lance choked on his water, nearly spitting it onto Kyana.

            “Careful.”

            Lance shook his head and eyed the boy in shock. “Your brother is Felix?! And your sister is Celeste?!”

            “Yeah do you know them?” She fidgeted with her gun.

            “Kyana, do you want to know what happened to your brother?” Lance’s voice dropped to a whisper.

            “Yes?”

            “He was with me. Felix was in the exact same squad as us. He was one of the last survivors of Operation Omaha.”

            Her jaw dropped. “Wow that’s amazing! Where is he now?”

            “He died a true soldier by my side.”

            She closed her jaw and looked away. “Oh.”

            Lance’s breath grew shaky. “Kyana, can I ask you something awkward?”

            “What?”

            “No. I just wanted you to know I kinda have a crush on her.” Lance blushed.

            “Uhm. Does she like you?”

            “I think so?”

            “If she really meant that much to you, that shouldn’t be guesswork.”

            “Wait no! I meant yes.”

            Kyana laughed. “That’s so sweet. Tell Celeste I love her. I won’t be a nuisance anymore. You need to get back to her.” She smiled and locked eyes with him.

            Lance understood immediately. “No.”

            “Remember this hidden broken wire we were following?” She brushed her hand over the dirt in an arc, revealing a thin black wire. “I figured it out. It’s powering a secret underground antenna, but it’s snapped right here. That’s why transmissions couldn’t get through. We had there was nothing long enough to reconnect it, but I have a solution. Actually, I am the solution. Love you, Celeste. I’m sorry we didn’t get along so well.”

            There was nothing Lance could do as Grim Reaper swung his scythe again, this time harvesting one of the ripest fruits.

            Tears ran down Lance’s silent chin, facing the corpse of a young girl leaning back against a tree. It started snowing. A thin sheet of white, soft snow covered the corpse. The sun was setting, casting a magnificent orange glow around the dead soldier. Lance grabbed his ammunition and recomposed himself.

            Lance held his hand out a grabbed a snowflake. Soft flakes of ice blew around, but the night sky shone a majestic navy blue, the stars merging high above the blanket of snow covered trees.

            Lance knew where he was. And he knew what he had to do.

            Heroes didn’t need to impress people. Indeed, many of them were forgotten, cast aside, lost. But that was fine.

            With his hand shaking violently, he raised his phone up. “Nicole?”

            Nicole had invited John over for coffee, promising it would be special this time. He wasn’t so sure about the coffee, but he knew Nicole had planned to tell him something. An apology perhaps? Maybe it was too narcissistic to think that.

            “Hello, Nicole.”

            Nicole glanced up. “Hey, you came!” she remarked, surprised.

            “Of course.”

            Nicole nodded vigorously. “That’s great! It’s special,” she insisted. Nicole held open the door for John and smiled modestly.

            John entered hesitantly and sat down at a table. She glided in and took the seat across from him, observing him with happy eyes. “I never thanked you,” she started. She paused. She twirled her hands in the air, searching for the words.

            “There’s no need. I think you found something valuable yourself, and I’m just glad to witness it.” John shrugged dismissively and nervously took a sip of coffee.

            Nicole slowly set down her coffee. “I just thought you should know.” She leaned forward and gripped his hand.

            “I guess I never told you the rest of what happened.”

            “Huh?”

            “About my past.”

            Nicole softened. “I’m here for you if you ever want to talk about it. I really don’t think you should hide that pain forever.”

            “I know. It just hurts so much.”

            “Why don’t you pretend I’m her? Destiny.” Nicole tilted her head and smiled sympathetically, a smile that seemed to embrace all his worries and concerns to show her support for him. He let the words linger in the air.

            John took a sharp breath. “I actually grew up in a happy family. My father was an annoyingly handsome businessman who married my mother, the beautiful valedictorian. Things didn’t peak there. They treated me with the utmost affection, and when my younger brother came into this world, I always had three other beings I could not only call family, but also friends. Growing up in the same backyard, my brother and I had developed a fond relationship with each other. By the start of elementary school, we had stopped fighting altogether. We lived in a modest town, never poor but not quite rich either. My parents were never contempt with our economic status. It wasn’t ever like that with your parents, was it?”

            “No. I never realized it since everyone in my neighborhood was really rich, but I guess we were pretty comfortable.”

            “Pretty comfortable, huh? Wow, what an aristocratic background,” John teased. “My favorite class in school was always the bourgeoisie.”

            “Shut up,” Nicole answered playfully. “We weren’t like that. Stop looking at me like that! I’m not a secret princess from some tiny, abstruse country that probably got bombed to hell.”

            John laughed and choked on his coffee.

            “You okay?” Nicole asked through chuckles.

            “Yeah. Anyways, things took a turn when both my parents decided to work abroad, leaving my brother and I alone. Perhaps it was genetics or perhaps it was sheer luck, but I graduated top of my class in elementary school.”

            “Maybe it was genetics or perhaps it was sheer luck,” Nicole repeated tauntingly, smirking. “So elite! Just casually graduate top of your class. Next thing I know you’re going to say it was an accident.”

            “Hey! Aren’t you a top student too?”

            “Yeah, well. Okay. I concede. Go on.”

            John rubbed his chin uncomfortably. “Now this is where things get dark.”

            I shuffled my feet across the cold wooden floor, hazily opening the door.

            “We’re back!” My parents greeted ecstatically.

            “Yay!” My little brother leapt into their arms, quickly exchanging hugs and kisses. But I held back.

            “Okay,” I said coldly, jostling between them and jogging down the street in the dark night. I reached into my pockets and slipped out my earbuds, determined to drown out their cries. A small fire burned inside me. So, what if they came back? I worked day and night trying to impress them, each test scoring higher than the next until I hit perfection, but they were always too absorbed to pay attention. Were they too absorbed or too apathetic? I flirted with the question in the mind as I plunged down the freezing street, my nose damp and runny. I wiped my eyes and ran faster and faster until my legs were burning like acid, the night wind stinging my face. No. Go even faster. If you work hard enough, you’ll never feel the pain.

            “Come home at 9:00 p.m. tonight,” my father ordered.

            With a mutual defiance, I shrugged and grunted an “eh.” Half out the door, I already knew I wouldn’t be home. I pulled up my hood as I sauntered down the street, scanning the street signs to find the meeting spot Destiny had designated.

            “Destiny?”

            She whirled around. “John!”

            I nearly cried. A surprise birthday party! Even my family had forgot. Her eyes gleamed with happiness as I spent the evening alone with her. We sat together by the calm seashore, her head resting on my shoulder as her sweet fragrance blooming in my nose. We stayed there until it started to rain, and I parted ways with Destiny.

            A text message. John. Where are you?

            I sighed angrily. My family was frantically searching for me. With a damp mood, I plodded down the wet sidewalk, kicking puddles as I walked. As I neared my home, I saw them across 1st avenue, searching for me.

            “Mom! Dad! Can I talk to you? Come here.” A rare genuine smile crossed my face. Perhaps it was time to tell them about Destiny. I was in a good enough mood now  to apologize for what I had done anyways. Hopefully it wasn’t too late to accept a happy reunion.

            They spun around. “John!” In a brisk, happy gait, they galloped across the street. Then, out of the corner of my eye, a large truck pummeled towards them. It seemed like time had frozen, and the Earth stopped its orbit. In an instant, nearly everyone I loved was in the air until they landed with a sickening thud onto the pavement. Crimson piled layer after layer until the concoction was jet-black. The world faded before my eyes, my ears filled with the cacophonous screech of the truck’s brakes. All I could remember later was Destiny’s hand tightly gripping mine at the hospital, but nothing could wash out the caustic chill down my spine.

            Dark thoughts crossed my mind. It was my fault. They had turned around to answer my call, and they did so with love, even though I treated them with scorn all the while. I put my hand on the brass doorknob and slowly pushed open the door. I gasped.

            A surprise birthday party. I thought they had forgotten. No. It was just all a secret. In the middle of the dining table, I found an apology and various diary entries from my parents, promising to quit their jobs.

            Suddenly, everything became lucid. Why couldn’t I understand earlier that they weren’t chasing after some materialistic dream? Why couldn’t I understand earlier that they were working for a brighter future for me, mailing back home the nice clothing and sending us the best schools. Why couldn’t I understand earlier that they understood my pain? But I knew it was too late.

            No matter how hard I scream, how hard I cry, they will never hear me. They could never feel my gentle hug every again or see my doleful face. I tore out of the room, the tears drenching my shirt. I ran far and fast, until I collapsed onto a hill and was brought to the hospital.

            “Destiny came to my house one day. Somehow, my uncle knew I liked her. When Destiny came into my room looking for me, I locked myself in the closet. My uncle followed her and closed the door, determined to test me one final time. I ... I saw everything through a crack. He really did what you thought he did. I didn’t want to play his game anymore. I ran away and hid, determined to never see my uncle ever again. Afterwards, I thought about jumping off the top of the movie theatre on Main Street, but I knew I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t disgrace my family even further like that, and I knew I didn’t have the courage for it. But just because I didn’t want to kill myself didn’t mean I didn’t want to die.”

            Nicole glanced at him with sympathetic eyes, nodding for him to continue.

            “So, during a raid on a terrorist hideout, I saw a chance to finish my journey. When my squad was cornered, I ran out carrying a few pounds of explosives and detonated myself, not because I wanted to be a hero, but because I wanted to die. It was all a freak accident. They put me in a cryostasis for two years, but I ended up showered with medals as a war hero, my face restored to before with the most advanced plastic surgery and stem cell therapy. Then, I went back to find my uncle.”

            I emerged out of the canvas, dark and raw. The paint had not congealed yet, so I was still a malleable monster, hammered by the vicissitudes of life. And there I was, standing in front of the evil artist who had done everything. “Uncle.”

            He stiffened. “Why, John?”

            The knife in my hand hung heavily like an oversized chisel. “I know what you did to Destiny. No. I saw it.”

            He sighed and wiped his hands on his apron, leaving red handprints. “I’m sorry. I ruined it all for you, didn’t I?”

            “No. You ruined it all for her. Not me.”

            “John. Does that one mistake wipe out every good thing I ever did?”

            I kept silent. Not because I didn’t know how to answer, but simply because I was not Destiny, and that was her canvas and only she could draw on it.

            He sighed sadly, glanced at me with large, yearning eyes, and lowered his head. He picked up a silver paintbrush and drew a red line on himself, pressing deeper and deeper until the paint was viscous. Then, there was no paint remaining, and I left, alone, uncertain, and afraid just like I was when I came in.

            Nicole purred softly, “No one should have to go through something like that, yet you’re still here smiling and laughing today. It wasn’t your fault, and like you said, you have to let the past fade at some point. I wish I could’ve helped you back then, but I can’t. But you’re an inspiration, taking life by the reins like that. Hold your head up high and be proud because you’re the damn strongest person I know, and I don’t mean just physically.” She glanced at him with gentle, coffee brown eyes, the aroma of her drink slowly expanding inside his nasal cavities.

            “Thanks,” John answered, his cheeks turning red. “You helped me so much. I-”

            “Hold up! It’s a call from Lance.”

             Nicole took a deep breath, then exhaled, before tightening the last strap on her parachute. The paratroopers, faces smudged with cocoa colored camouflage, tightened on their oxygen masks, sitting back rigidly in their seats. There was a mix of uneasiness and comfort in the air. Some brought personal belongings, like an antique fountain pen. Others joked around the stupidity of carrying a knife.

            “Hey Rambo! Gonna bring that knife to a gunfight?”

            “Nah. Thug life dude.”

            “Stupid Joes are going to end up stabbing each other,” John laughed. “It’s all fun and games until you’re the game.” John bid a quick farewell to Nicole and promptly ran off, his military medals glistening in the dark. She sighed sadly. He was a high ranking officer, so he probably wouldn't come with her.

            A subtle beep and there was a whoosh of air as the masks popped off. The door slid open with an incessant flash of green light, and every soldier swept to their feet, jumping out of the helicopter like a smooth stream of water. With the wind screaming by, moving so fast it felt slow, Nicole felt a vigorous bubble of vitality rise inside her. If she couldn’t avenge John for his horrible past,  she could at least avenge Lance.

            Nicole landed with a light thud on the dirt with the parachute billowing behind her like a cape. She slid underneath low-hanging branches and made her way to a small camp in the middle of the forest. “Lance!”

            “Ohh, I’m so happy to see you!” He smiled at her and picked up his rifle.

            “What happened to you? You look like a bear thrashed you in its jaws and then spit you out!”

            He shook his head and gestured to his gun. “Later. Give me ammo.”

            Nicole tossed him her backpack. “My squad is supposed to be attacking the convoy a few minutes South of here. They only sent one platoon to attack the base.”

            “What?! They wired the connection to the Ion Cannon they recently sent into orbit in that base.” Lance pointed his gun in the direction behind him. “Those idiot officers! They didn’t listen, did they?”

            She shook her head dejectedly. “Why can’t we just shoot it down?”

            “We’re losing the space war.”

            “What’s so special about this Ion Cannon? Aren’t there multiple?”

            “This one has enough power to obliterate entire countries. We have to stop them. For all we know, they could be planning genocide.”

            Lance held his breath as he crouched along the walls, his heart racing. Acrid smoke slithered along the corpses and frayed wires, engulfing the area. In the middle, a disfigured cadaver lied in a pool of blood, still clutching a knife. “They’re all dead. What the hell?”

            “Damn it. I’ve never been so scared. Both Utrilians and our troops are gone.”

            A chill ran through Lance’s spine. “Nicole! Put on your gas mask right now!”

            “Why?”

            “Do it!” He roared at her until she slipped on a gas mask. She looked at him with anger. “They were testing biological weapons in here too. It must’ve gotten leaked.”

            “Great. Just as I thought things couldn’t get any worse. Let’s get out of here and call for backup! I don’t care if I get court-martialed. I like living!”

            “Who doesn’t?” Lance grabbed the corner of the wall and lunged forward, sprinting through the labyrinth of rooms. “Which way?”

            “I thought you knew!”

            Thud thud thud. Wheezing painfully through his mask, Lance leaped into a room filled with computer terminals. Even after years of combat, he was still unnerved by the cacophonous screech of bullets flying by. He turned around. “Hey, Nicole‒”

            She wasn’t there. He shoved a magazine into his rifle and dropped to the floor. With a shaky breath, he peeked into his scope. He recoiled and bit down on his tongue. A girl was lying prone on the floor.

            Savoring the taste of blood in his mouth, Lance pulled the trigger again and again. His hand was trembling as retreated behind cover again to reload. The fast click of heels against the steel corridor approached him. He tried to get the magazine in, but his hands wouldn’t cooperate. Clenching his fists, he held his gun like a bat and listened to the tack tack tack of boots get closer and closer. Sweat dripped down inside his helmet as he waited inside the room, the terminals flashing with white text behind him.

            The person spun into the room faster than Lance anticipated and knocked him down with a flying kick. His vision spun. He closed his eyes tightly and listened to the mechanical sounds of the mask filter, breathing in the highly artificial air. Goodbye.

            “Get up!” A hand grabbed him by the shoulder and jerked him forward. He gasped. Nicole stood over him triumphantly. “I’m not dead, moron.”

            A shadow loomed over them. Lance shoved her aside as an enemy soldier scraped past them and plowed the chairs behind them.

            Nicole landed a shot into the person’s gut. The soldier groaned and flailed his arms wildly on the terminals. “The virus is crazy! Earth will be overrun! Humans can colonize Mars. Blast this place into oblivion,” the soldier muttered. An unmistakable window popped up. A single, white rectangular bar suddenly flooded the every screen. Four digits hovered over it. Ion Cannon initiating in 5 minutes.

            “Shoot him!”

            Nicole fired another shot and the person stopped moving. “Damn it! Did he actually trigger a countdown?”

            “Apparently. Let’s just stop it.” Lance fumbled around the screens. A dark red lock symbol waved in his face menacingly. “Iris identification?”

           “Get someone to hack this! Quick!”

            “No one has ever been able to crack the Utrilian security systems.” He glanced at Nicole. “I hate to say this, but we’re doomed.”

            “It possibly can’t be! You know there’s always a way.”

            “No. I’m sorry, Nicole. It’s the truth.” An air of melancholy enveloped them. Lance pulled her close and hugged her, wrapping his hands on her helmet. She sobbed softly.

            A soldier materialized behind them. “What’s up?”

            “John? What are you doing here?” Nicole gasped, pulling away.

            “Well, you got to play the shining knight last time, so I thought it was my turn.” John teased. He nonchalantly waved a hand around the place. “Base is boring. I wanted some action. What’s with the screens?”

            “Someone initiated the Ion Cannon!”

            John cursed under his breath. “Well guys, you know what we have to do. Glad to have you beside me,” he proclaimed, and Lance knew he was smiling under that mask. A strange warmth of confidence burst through Lance. “You’re not going to hack into the system, but you can stop the signal from being sent out. Destroy the satellites.”

            The siblings shot each other looks. “I thought of that,” Lance said.

            “Don’t just think! Do something!” John urged.

            “Right. If we die, it’ll at least we’ll have done our country proud.”

            “Only an idiot would want to die proudly for their country. I'll live humbly for mine,” Nicole refuted. She smiled at everyone. “Let’s go.”

            Three silhouettes emerged on the horizon, with a spectacular wasteland filled with hellfire behind them. Nicole growled at the monstrous nest of metal around them. “Destroy all of this.” They ran around smashing every wire and circuit, but the countdown still continued. Her muscles ached as she pounded her rifle again and again into the metal.

            “Incoming.” John climbed atop a small metal tower and took aim. Her face distorted in fear as a thunderous crack rang through the air, and John spun around awkwardly and fell down. Before she could react, she was thrown to the floor with a sickening crack. She laid her hands over her lungs and moaned.

            She could see Lance shrink in fear as he tossed aside his gun. John crawled to her, blood streaming down the inside of his visors. He choked for breath as he pulled off his mask and goggles, reaching out his hand. Nicole rolled over and felt a sticky fluid on her hands. They grasped hands and grinned. They could only watch as death ticked closer and closer.

            Lance struck at one of the troops. Suddenly, a grenade rocked the area, sending Lance flying backwards into a wall. John brushed his lips on Nicole’s ear. “Don’t worry. I still got one last plan,” he murmured, his voice fading.

            “All right. What is it?”

            “See that truck behind them? It’s carrying aluminum dust.”

            Her eyes lit up. “So we can let out the dust‒”

            “And it’s flammable so we can ignite it‒”

            “And eliminate them.”

            Nicole reached for the pistol strapped to her belt and felt a maelstrom of pain kindle in her chest. She dropped it in John’s hands. “Do it.”

            “I can’t.” For a second, he looked small and afraid, just like a tiny 10 year old boy sitting through whippings, replaying the same horror movie of his parents’ death over and over again in his mind.

            “I can’t shoot, John. I can’t twist my arms; the bones are broken. You can do this. I believe in you. Pretend you’re shooting for fun.”

            John held out the pistol with one hand and fired twice. A cyclone circled the truck, but the dust diffused too quickly to ignite. When the area cleared, five troops stood with their rifles raised, pointing at them. Then, she screamed, because there was nothing else left to do.

           Nicole’s scream echoed forever in Lance’s mind. He licked the blood in his mouth. Make other people’s lives better. Find a purpose in life. His last pledge. Everything in his life flew by like an infinite replay. Tyche Park. The concert. The dance. His hearing faded away until there was only the thud of his parents falling onto the ground. The night sky seemed to flicker on his armor like a broken light. “No. I refuse.”

           In slow motion, Lance pulled himself up, listening to the clacking of rubble around him. As they turned to face him, he leapt at the closest person. The soldier brought up the bayonet on his rifle instinctively. But he grabbed the bayonet with one hand and snapped off the blade.

           Nicole and John whimpered quietly in the distance. With a roar, Lance swung the blade again and again. There was a renewed inferno in his eyes as he realized he was slowly killing himself. His left foot was swinging entirely the wrong way, and he coughed up so much blood that it started leaking out of his mask. For every drop of blood he could taste, he lashed out with the serrated blade, leaving a clean path of decimation in its path. It was a marvelous dread, because every swing he took lacerated his own flesh.

           He fought until he couldn’t feel his right hand anymore, and he knew he had cut himself down to the bone. His vision turned red as he reminisced every happy moment he had spent with Nicole and John. That was what he fought for. His last pledge. Finally, he collapsed onto the floor with the skeleton of his hand still gripping the blade. Nicole called out his name. He couldn’t hear it.

            Nicole was alive. John was alive. Lance, well, was different. He had sustained so many injuries that they threw him in cryostasis like John. But he had stopped the countdown and saved the world. He was a hero.

            Today, John took Nicole out to the beach. She was a few strides ahead of him, humming the same song she always did when she was happy.

            “You’re in high spirits today,” John greeted cordially.

            “Yeah!” Nicole beamed back at him. “Today is a special day.”

            Nicole continued to bounce along the beach, sometimes bending down to splash the waves. The sunset shimmered across the orange shoreline, casting an angelic glow on her.

            “You were right telling me to leave the mask and helmet.”

            “Mask and helmet?” she repeated quizzically, giving John a blank look as if he were speaking a foreign language. “Oh. You always concealed your face when I first met you. Yeah, you’re definitely a girl-stealer, don’t worry.”

            John was taken off-guard. He struggled to find a word, so he just smiled. “So, Nicole, anything you want to tell me about what happened today?”

            “Something incredible,” she mused. “I’m going to save it for the last though.”

            John stood quietly on the shore, hoping the soft breeze would somehow tell him what to do next.

            “What do you want to do now?” she asked, noticing his discomfort.

            “I don’t know. Whatever you’re up for.”

            She smiled sweetly. “Up for a water fight?”

            “I hate to admit this, but I’ve never had a water fight with a girl before.”

            “Come on, you’re never going to get anywhere if you still think I’m one of those shy, quiet girls. You know I can pulverize you.” Nicole jumped into the ocean and splashed him, her brown hair waving around wildly. He ran after her, laughing and playing like a little kid.

            At the end, Nicole dropped to the sand, panting hard. She trudged sadly by his side. “I was no match,” she said dejectedly. “You’re too good of a swimmer. I’m not a very good swimmer, despite receiving military training and swimming in my childhood.”

            “No. You’re incredible. The effort and determination you put into everything is something about you that is unparalleled.”

            “You really think so?”

            “Yeah. I’m sure of it.” John smiled charismatically. They walked together in silence, with Nicole tugging at his shoulder sleeve behind him. Her smile never seemed to fade.

            John didn’t really know where he was walking to. All that really mattered was that Nicole was beside him humming, her gorgeous skin glowing with jubilance. He couldn’t even smell the sea anymore, ever since Nicole’s fragrance had intervened.

            “The sea is so beautiful.” She stared off fondly into the distance. Watching her cheerful face was almost enough to make him forget her burdensome past. He even found her voice to be adorable in a way. Suddenly, Nicole jerked her head up and looked him in the eyes with her large, crystal brown eyes. “Oh right, I never told you the good news!”

            “I’m dying to hear. Tell me.”

            “Okay, ready for this? Lance is alive.”

            John waited in the empty room with no one but Nicole and another girl with them. The two girls chatted along nicely, and he supposed that they were good friends. Footsteps rang out as the doorknob slowly turned.

            “Nicole! John!” Lance ran into the room and gave them each a hug before turning to the new girl. He gasped suddenly. “Celeste?”

            “Hello, Lance. I was the nurse taking care of you.” She beamed shyly at him. “You’re a hero now. I heard what you did.”

            “I heard we won the war, so we’re all honorably discharged. Have the newspapers been writing about me?” Lance boasted, pounding his chest.

            John shook his head sadly. “No. In fact, they didn’t even give you a medal. All because we broke protocol. We even got court-martialed, but I got us out of trouble.”

            “Are you kidding me? At least we’re safe. I heard the virus got contained.”

            “You don’t care?” Celeste exclaimed.

            “No. I don’t care about the medal. I just want to live life normally as a civilian.”

            “Wait Lance! What happened to your hand?” Nicole pointed to the gloves Lance was wearing. “Are you okay now? You were a literal skeleton when we rescued you.”

            Lance took off his glove and held up a mechanical hand. He wiggled his fingers. “I lost my right hand. It’s all good, though. What about you two?”

            “I broke my ribs and shoulder. Some internal bleeding, but I’m okay,” Nicole stated.

            They turned to look at John. “Bullet narrowly missed my heart. I just broke my leg, fractured my skull, and dislocated a shoulder.”

            “Just?!” Celeste said in disbelief.

            “He’s always like that,” Nicole laughed. “Celeste, tell Lance what you’ve been waiting to say.”

            “Uhhm Lance.” The shy girl looked down at the floor and twisted her feet around anxiously. “I want you to meet my parents.”

            It turned out that Celeste came from a long line of prestigious doctors, so it was no surprise she was one too. Lance got on a rough start at first, awkwardly explaining how he knew Felix and Kyana, but soon everyone was chatting along nicely. Everything seemed foreign to John. The hugs, the kisses, the smiles, the food.

            Nicole caught him poking at his food. “What’s wrong?”

            “I’m bewildered. So this is a family atmosphere? I wouldn’t know.”

            “Oh no. What did they do to you?” Celeste grieved.

            He kept his head down, avoiding the curious stares of medical industry moguls. “Nothing. They just passed away when I was too young. I think we were rich. I went to a private school for the wealthy,” he added quickly.

            “I offer my condolences,” Celeste’s father said. “How are you faring now?”

            “Fine. I was awarded the Supreme Exemplar of Heroism a few years ago, so that was exciting. I’m also a commissioned officer, so I got a nice pension.”

            The room suddenly burst into a fast paced conversation about how amazing the medal was, how they were pleased to meet him, and how they were willing to offer him sponsorships. John huddled close to Nicole, confused and embarrassed.

            “I shouldn’t have told them,” he whispered.

            “Why not?”

            “Because then no one sees me as a person anymore.”

            “Maybe. But I still see you as a person.”

            Nicole pressed her hand against the window as she glanced towards the lake outside. “Celeste’s house is cool. I always liked coming here when I was young.”

            “Yeah. I like the neighborhood. Is this where you lived?”

            “Mhm. So kind of them to let us stay for the night.”

            “Indeed. They thought we were married though.”
            “Haha. Is that why they made us share a bed?” Nicole turned around and rubbed her hands. “That’s cool. Shows that we have a natural affinity.”

            John hesitated at her mischievous smile. “What are you planning?”

            “You know, you’re still pretty shy. So I thought it would be a good idea if I planned a sunrise party tomorrow morning. You have to come,” she pleaded.

            “Who’s going to be there?”

            “Us.” She gestured around at the house. “Including Celeste’s parents.”

            “Okay. I’m in. What do I do?”

            John tied the bandana to his head and swung on his favorite pair of sunglasses. Nicole stood in front of the mirror, twisting around and admiring a nearly identical set of clothing. He couldn’t help but notice how her body was gracefully built like a dancer, but he knew she had the strength of a wrestler.

            “How do I look?”

            “Like a model. What more do I have to say?”

            She blushed and turned away from the mirror, heading towards the door. “What are we cooking?”
            “Oh, I wanted to cook some more traditional Tretonian dishes.”

            “You can cook?”

            “You said we, right?”

            “Oh that’s good. I bet you’re amazing. Now I’m excited. Go go go!” She cheered, pumping her fists in the air. They laughed wholeheartedly before heading out.

           “Ooh, the air is nice!” Nicole’s calf muscles shifted up and down as she breezed through the sandy shores of the lake. Her eyes darted around curiously, but always came back to focus on John. A pile of sticks hung in her hand.

           “Yeah, and now we’re going to ruin it by building a fire,” John chuckled. He took a lighter and lit the pile of wood on fire. Before long, a scintillating bonfire burned, casting an orange reflection on the surface of the lake. The blaze exuded a fervent aura of celebration in the air on a winter day.

            The rest of the party members approached them from behind. Lance yawned. “It’s so early and cold. Couldn’t you choose a better time?”

            “But then you can’t see the sunrise!” Nicole countered.

            “Lance, stop complaining. She even cooked food.” Celeste pointed at a nearby table.

            “That’s wonderful,” Celeste’s mother acknowledged.

            “He helped.” Nicole poked John in the side. “Let’s wait for sunrise. It’s about to start.” John wrapped his arm around Nicole as they stood in awe, waiting for the ritual to commence. As the tapered ends of the flame flickered back and forth, John listened to the to the soothing sound of rippling waves.

            “Nicole, have you ever thought about the future?”

            “The future,” she repeated. “I want to buy a nice mansion and travel the universe.”

            “No money,” Lance warned. “We’ve all skipped out on proper education, so it’ll be nearly impossible to get a good job. I’m planning to go back to school.”

            John sighed. “Nicole, you’re going to burn through money real quick. At least I have a money left over in the bank.”

            “How?” Nicole questioned.

            “I’m a profiteer,” he laughed spitefully. “Ripped off the miners during the Great Asteroid Mining Rush. Invested at the right time. I told you, I did anything to survive.”

            “Smart,” Lance acknowledged. “I think I want to live on the moon. There are great job prospects there.”

            “No,” Celeste pouted.

            “Why not?”

            “I have a job here, and my family is here.”

            “Why don’t I go to the moon, make some cash, and then come back?”

            “I don’t want your money! I want to spend time with you, Lance. I've been thinking about you ever since you left. I've only gotten to text you for years and now that I finally see you in person, you want to run away?” Celeste complained.

            “Let’s stay on Earth,” John said.

            “Yeah, I agree,” Nicole affirmed.

            Lance didn’t say anything, but he nodded at their comments. At last, the sun rose as a canopy of crimson, gold, and blue stars bid their farewell. Darkness surrendered to a new world of vibrancy. The inauguration of a new day came with silent music, a melody only the soul could hear.

            The honey colored undertones of Nicole’s skinned glowed with the newfound light. She ran a hand through her hair and tilted her head, revealing a wide grin that exposed the tips of her white teeth. “Can we at least go on one vacation?”

            “I didn’t say we would never do anything fun. Just in moderation. Why don’t we head to the moon then?”

            John had been serious about his promise. Before long, all four had landed on a man-made resort on the moon. Lance was happy. His long-time promise to Nicole was finally fulfilled.

            With his neatly cropped brown hair flowing in the night wind, Lance meandered along the glowing path, surrounded by nothing except the blades of grass waving around his ankles, the whisper of footsteps in the sand, and Celeste, her red hair glinting in the starlight like a victorious flag. The faint echoes of laughter rang closer.

            “Hello, Nicole.” Celeste’s private eyes glanced at her friend before shyly darting to acknowledge John.

            Nicole turned around, a brilliant smile inscribed on her face. “Hi. You finally found us,” she said. Lance’s heart skipped a beat listening to Nicole’s radiant voice. He had never seen her so happy before.

            “Hello, Lance. Hello, Celeste,” John greeted warmly, catching a deferential look at them both.

            Natalie seemed to relax at the sound of her name. “Hello John,” she purred. John nodded back in acknowledgement.

            Then silence. Lance scanned the vast galaxy in front of them. “I finally fulfilled my promise to take you to the moon,” he said nostalgically, looking at Nicole.

            “Yeah.”

            Their eyes met, and a warm glance of remembrance fell between them. With the dim chirping of the crickets and the hug of a gentle breeze, Lance felt a transcendent peace enshroud them, a tranquility that only existed because of the dark violence in his life. Natalie gripped his hand.

            “The stars,” Celeste and John said simultaneously.

            “The stars,” Nicole repeated, nodding her head. “You know, to Mom and Dad, we’re amongst the stars now.”

            “Yeah, you’re right.” Lance glanced up at the stars. The stars were shining brightly tonight, but Lance knew even in the darkest of times they were always there. They would fall, only to rise later in an infinite oscillation. And they shined only because they were encompassed by darkness. Yet, some stars implode, collapsing into an unbounded void and cannibalizing everything in its path. Others etch their legacy, outshining the galaxy. They morph into a cornucopia of colorful cosmic dust to be reincarnated by the future like a phoenix. But Lance also knew that even the strongest star, who danced the brightest and bent the will of everything around it existed only because of the pull of other stars.

            “Guys, you know something? John and I‒” Nicole started.

            “You know we know that you say you know a lot,” John taunted.

            She flushed as John cuddled sweetly with her. “You got me. But Lance, you asked for our help and so we gave you a sort of blessing. It came true.”

            “Aww, thanks. What is it?”

            “We hoped you would find love.”

            “Yeah. I found Celeste again. And you two as well. Thanks. I don’t know what to say.”

            Celeste sighed happily. “So not all heroes have tragedies.”

            Then, the group broke into distinct chatter. John whispered to Lance, “Do you know a good jeweler?”

            “Yeah. Check out the one here on 1st Avenue.”

            “Thanks.”

            Nicole smirked and suddenly announced to everyone, “Happy times call for happy pictures,” she taunted. “What do you guys say?”

            “Of course!” Everyone agreed spontaneously. And so, in a universe where entropy reigns supreme, Lance and Nicole victoriously finished one full cycle of fulfillment. From the point they were standing at, Lance could see Earth, imagining Tyche Hill all the way in the distance. He remembered the night where Nicole sat next to him, talking about their dreams and goals. But now, reality was just as sweet as his dreams. He had thrown away his ticket to hell for friendship and traded in his gunpowder for love. That was what it was like to be human and not play God.