Chapter 19: Retaliation

September 6, 2053

5:13 AM

Dear Diary,

Lucy is dead.

I cried myself to sleep last night. Well..."sleep". I only fell asleep about an hour ago, but I kept waking up. Everytime I close my eyes, all I see is red. 

I'm stuck in a loop. I close my eyes. I fall asleep. Everything goes red. I see Axel and Lexa crying over Lucy's rotting corpse. Haine pushes me away. Then I'm back with Shenbad and he's perfectly healthy...but I'm still holding a gun up to his head. I can't stop myself. I have no control over my body. He's still smiling though. I pull the trigger. I wake up. Repeat.

I can't even cry, I'm all dried out of tears.

How could something so awful happen?

First Shenbad...now Lucy... I'm going to go mad. The only thing keeping me going is Shenbad's words to keep fighting. Shenbad...I feel more alone than ever.

At least we were able to give Lucy a proper burial.

Haine is a shadow. He says nothing. Doesn't react to anything. He just silently follows us from behind. Axel is the same. Lexa is just as shaken up, but she's putting on a brave face to try and cheer up Axel.

Braun and Leon didn't know Lucy like we did, so they're unfazed by her death. I think their strengh probably has something to do with living on that pirate ship. Still, they're quieter than usual.

I want to give up.

I want to stop trying....

But Shenbad's words are keeping me going. I don't know how long this fire inside of me will last, though. Even though Haine, Axel, Lexa, Leon, and Braun are still alive...I feel so alone.

I'm...alone.

~~

September 7, 2053

5:32 AM

Dear Diary,

I tried to fall asleep, but I had the same nightmare again....The stars are out.

~~

5:41

Dear Diary,

I'm not sleepy anymore. I found all of the stars and constellations Haine showed me. All except for Sagittarius. Will I ever find that one? 

I finally fell asleep, but this time I didn't have that nightmare. Instead I was lying in that lavender flower field in Hokkaido, Japan. The one Mom and Dad took me to when I was little. Back when they were still together. It was so...vivid. The smell, the sights, the temperature...everything. Say,...

Will I ever see those fields again?

~~

"Sorry." Leon mumbles quietly. I look over at him, early morning light just barely rising over the horizon. "...I read your diary." To my surprise, I'm not the least bit angry. Or...annoyed. Or anything. I just nod my head.

"It's okay." I reply. Then I remember back to the day Haine and I went stargazing. How when we came back Leon had my traveling bag with him.

"...Aren't you going to say anything else?" He asks. 

"...I can't think of anything else to say." I answer. He stares at me for the longest time and I hold his gaze.

"Your  eyes are different." He says, a frown on his face. Before I can ask what he means, everyone is already starting to wake up.

~~

"Okay, listen up!" Leon barks, that air of authority surrounding him like a moth to flame. "It's time I explain our next move." Slowly, Leon's gaze moves from one person to the next.

"Playtime is over." He continues. "You've only just witnessed the start of what's to come. If you're not up for it...if you feel like you can't go on, get out of my sight right now. I'm not babysitting you anymore." Again, Leon waits and moves his gaze from one person to the next. 

"If you've been paying attention, you would've realized we've been heading east instead of north. I said this so no one would panic. Now we're almost to the point of no return, so I'm revealing the truth. Our destination is western Russia...The heart of Zaroff's bases."

My blood turns cold.

"We're to meet up with every single organization fighting against Zaroff in just a matter of weeks. It's war."

"What...?" Axel pips. "So...we're just going to dive in and fight? That's it?"

"Of course not, idiot." Leon growls. "We have plans, but I'm not revealing them until we reach our destination. The things you've witnessed so far are cakewalks compared to what's about to happen. If you feel you're not up for this...now is your chance to turn back. I won't hold any hard feelings against you if you do. I don't want soldiers that aren't ready."

"...You're not scaring me away." Haine says quietly, speaking his first words in days. Leon glares at Haine who returns an even more menacing look.

"I want to help too." Axel says, fists clenched tightly. "I'm tired of crying and being so weak. I'm coming."

"If Axel is going, so am I." Lexa says, holding her brother's hand.

"You think you're up for it?" Leon challenges.

"Yes." They say in unision.

"Yes what?!" Leon barks loudly.

"Yes sir!!" Axel and Lexa cry at the top of their lungs. Leon turns to me next, his expression softening drastically.

"...Miss?" He asks. I unhook Shenbad's katana from my hip and hold it up for everyone to see.

"If you'll have me," I begin. "I'd like to fight alongside you all."

"Well..." Leon says, locking eyes with everyone one last time. "If your minds are set...welcome to the army, soldiers. Training begins once we reach our destination."

"We've only got a few more miles of walking," Braun smiles. "Then we'll be flying to Ukraine." Instinctively I look over at Haine and I can't help but smile. To my astonishment...the side of Haine's lip twists upwards ever so slightly into a grin.

Couldn't find any pictures that looked like Leon, so I drew my own. :)

I actually meant to make his shoulders wider, but this was just a sketch. 

Thanks for reading! :) I'm not completely satisfied with how this chapter turned out, but at least we've got some plotline progression.