The metallic smell of dried blood and rotten flesh turned the group's stomach upside down. Few hours in the dreaded twelve hours of hell, a gruesome sight of corpses and broken vehicles littered the streets and roads.

Gangs of screaming teens, raising their weapons as a sign of superiority. Screams of agony echoed horrifically through their ears.

Who was dead? Who was alive? From this point, the questions plagued their mind. Is it their fault for their friends to die? Or is it not..?

It conflicted the tall male who was carrying the heaviest backpack among all of them. Not because of the bag's weight, but because of the burden he felt with remorse. He was over thinking– yes, but.. why now?

"Josh..?" his blonde friend called his name, causing him to snap out of his trance. "Are you alright, or that bag is too heavy? Should I carry it?"

"Ah! No, I can carry it all by myself..!" he stammered, caring confusion to the most of them.

For some reason, he doesn't know what to do from now on. Will they try to survive? What if they'll be murdered? It's just twelve hours but why does it feel like an eternity..?

The only one who was leading the way knows the plan for them-- Josh hoped that it will be the safest way-- but he wouldn't doubt his blonde friend, she seemed experienced with weapons and survival. Not to mention, she showed a good use of a pistol she stole from the school guard as she threatened the store's workers.

But.. what if she will turn against them? No--no! What are you thinking?! She's probably the most trustworthy here since she knows a thing or two about surviving for longer.

Yet, he couldn't forget the thought of his friend's possible betrayal. There was something off– he knew– but he wished it won't happen..

"That is not how you hold a gun, dipshit! For a gamer, you sure are idiotic." the blonde's remarks caught his attention like how two other of his friends did.

"Reality and games are completely different!" the brunet male argued back, holding another pistol on his hands. The tall male wondered where did he get it.

"But you should know how they hold it since your face is in front of a screen everyday."

"I can hold it whatever I want!"

"Yeah, and shoot yourself, it should be pointing away!"

"..oh.."

❇Demise Army; The Second-in-command's Office❇

"Fucking hell.."

Being that person with luxury— fame, power, freedom of choice– doesn't seem to flatter the young woman who was in distress. Sure, she has the power of an entire army (with her Leader's consent) but personal things bond with their personal favorite target.

As someone who assist the person who leads the highly feared, sophisticated powerful army; the world gets boring sometimes, as much as weird it sounds. She hummed at the memories of such adrenaline rushing to her veins as well as blood splattering on the ground below her.

It doesn't sounds good–morbidly attractive is the term– but she never refuse to admit that she does missed the feeling of dying nearly or feeling the power as her army reigns.

But in this scenario, it was something very unusual, yet it irritates her very well. "Darren, for the last time, women are not property."

The mentioned brunet with dark orange ends seemingly beamed, his eyes twinkled in denial. "Yes, yes they are. They are property."

"No. They're not." the second-in-command of the Demise Army bickered back. "And you can't just simply take three young female soldiers away from their posts, you're in a patrol for goddamned sake."

Her heterochromatic cousin rolled his eyes, averting gaze away with a childish pout. "Hmph, every girl needs to be in the kitchen only."

Wendy Clovette let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose at the process. She couldn't understand her ignorant cousin, Darren Greaves. He's a pain in the ass, she would always end up in trouble because of him and she would suffer while trying to persuade the Leader not to execute him. As much as she want him dead, she couldn't let him die.

"Just.. go back to your post. Once I hear another complain, you'll face another harsh punishment."  threatening him wasn't enough as he only shrugged it off and waltz outside of her office.

..what a bitch..

For some moments, when she's all alone with her paperwork all undone and only sat neatly on her desk, she would always doze off. Probably thinking about some topics deeply, and ending up getting out of her daily trance because she doesn't have much spare time for leisure.

A slow and painful torture session to one of their prisoners could entertain her delightfully. Sadist or insane, she wouldn't care less. She only find comfort to see someone in pain because it gives her the sense of authority--that someone was feeling greater pain than her. Eventually, her emotions will fade out of her mind.

The thoughts were eating her slowly.

But she found herself going back to her old notebooks, scribbling scenarios in her head. She would call herself an artist– some title she wanted to achieve when this war was only just a sadistic and stupid dream. Yet reality offered her the title of a traitor, something she childishly wanted but felt horrible about it.

Drawing was one of her stress-relievers. No one really knew about her skills since no one did care in her army; all they see was her strict and manipulative profile she built herself, acting as walls to cage herself in. 

    Is she good or bad?

She doesn't know the answer, it conflicts her so badly that she would stay up all night if she got herself trapped with her thoughts.
Funny how she would entitle herself as a star or rain..
Every title she claimed herself to be has different explanations yet same message---

ting..!!

What was that...??

"Where the fuck are you Clovette..?"

Holy shit, the meeting!

"I'm heading towards the meeting room..?" her lie quickly escaped from her lips, even though it sounded like a question.

Evelyn-- her secretary-- let out an annoyed sigh. "You only have two minutes tops. You better not be late, the Leader is in a bad mood, better not tick him off." then, she placed her radio on her pocket and immediately stormed off.

She doesn't want to die because she's late, it's too early.

The walls were bluish grey, and there was enough light to poorly illuminate the cold room. There in the center lies rows of tables formed into a rectangle form; the desk that stands out differently was the tables on the opposite side of the entrance.

As much as it could fit so many people on how big the room is, it was oddly silent. The deadly silent ear-piercing noise made the soldiers felt uneasy and anxious.

"Are you sure about the information you have gathered..? Is it updated, I don't want another failed attempt of raid because of it." the Leader of the Demise Army spoke in such a hoarse voice, it send chills to the person he questioned, he felt a pair of eyes weighing him down.

The soldier stammered as he replied: "Y-y-yes.."

"Dismiss." at the cue, the shaken soldier stumbled his way back to his desk. Wendy can't blame him, her leader is very intimidating and serious. But for some reason, out of all loyal generals and recruits, she was personally picked as the one who will take the role of the second-in-command general if the army, as if he trust her. Trust, that words leaves her a bitter taste on her mouth.

"With all settled down, our goal for now is to infiltrate the Northern Dusk. Their army is said to be camping in the shadows of the unopened land we still haven't marked as our territory. I want the Main Sector to form a draft of the plan, the due will be tomorrow. Generals of the war force, you will meet me later again at 7:30 after dinner. Any further announcements will be received by your secretaries. You are all dismissed."

Shuffling of pages of paper, the screech made by the chair rubbed against the floor, and faint mumbles and conversations broke out. All was left was Wendy and her secretary, and the Leader himself, he asked her to wait for few minutes–to provide her questions to give out some clarity.

"As you already know, almost 70% of the army forces will decrease and used for the raid. And you were planning to take over that Battalion again, huh..? With 30% in your hands, are you sure it will be okay?"

Wendy only nodded in reply as she looked at him straight to his eyes. Cold and dull gray eyes, how rare, yet how dead it was. Some may thought he was blind but he wasn't, the mystery intrigued her, but to her dismay, she's couldn't know what happened.

"I have my ways.." she added. "I'm not planning to rush it, I still have few days to do the phase one."

"Hmm.." the leader hummed. "You are now dismissed."

"So... Wen.. you have to go and meet up with the reds, Abby has something to tell you, something about the Battalion's status." Eve started the conversation on their way to her office, looking at her notes at ease. "The kid is confused right now."

"Sure." the blonde sighed. "Maybe she was persuaded by some speech she found while hacking or something."

"Yeah, it's the fifth time. She's getting personal issues, even though she was made by the Demise Army, she couldn't help but to seek the truth."

The dirty blonde girl chuckled. "What a curious cat she is."

"She is not a cat."

"Well, duh--yeah. It's a figure of speech. Razzy is the cat one."

"Razz isn't either. She's a wolf, Eve."

"Oh."

The door creaked open, cold winds from the AC escaped the very cold room. The walls and ceilings are painted with cream and maroon, there were no windows, yet it was filled with monitors and other techs on the right side of the room. The other was filled with galaxy related stuff, white christmas lights hung above the bed of the galaxy loving owner.

The two kids inside of the room looked behind them at the doorway, where Wendy and Eve stand as they entered the room. Well, the other is physically not a kid, but she is.

"Hi Wendy, hi Evie!" the wolf howled a warm greeting, placing her sketchpad down as she waves.
"Hello!" the caramel blond haired kid beamed with an endearing wide grin, her purple ribbon gracefully flew along the small winds as she moves.

"Hey Abby and Razzy." the two smiled as Eve closed the door of the room of the two experiments. "What seems to be the problem Abby? I heard another complain from Eve--"

The said blonde flinched. "It's not a complain–"

Abby nodded and started talking. "There's a program from the Battalion that I saw during hacking through their First System. The firewall wasn't present so it was suspicious, but there was a single program there, it was said that it was made by someone who has the title of Spades.."

"It only contained a speech; its very well-written and very persuasive indeed."

What is that idiot up to..?

Wendy ignored her thoughts and smiled. "You do know it's just a hoax, right..?"

"Razzy helped me to understand the situation, and it's weird that a speech is there. As if it's for the hackers.."

The blue haired wolf nodded. "Hm."

"Radio 5. Come in." the blonde general flipped her walkie-talkie and pressed the button.

tsshh...

"Radio 5 is online. What are your orders, general?"

"Any news about the Battalion?"

tsshh..

"Only attempts of hackers trying to get pass by the firewall, miss."

Wendy starts pacing back and forth. "Detonate the Project V. Don't let it alarm their system."

tsshh..

"As you command, Hearts."

"It's time.. huh..?"