Aryu still had a deep and unwavering fear of the technology of the Old, and this place was almost a shrine to it. Nothing was natural. Everything was a harsh reminder that this was not the beautiful Valley of Smoke.
Their part of the plan was both simple and complicated at the same time: find a cure for the loss of Crystal and Sho’s Power. They knew there had to be one somewhere, and here seemed like the most obvious answer. Izuku, being an Embracer of the Power himself, never would have allowed it to be around him if he didn’t have some way to reverse its terrifying effects. He prized his power too much to let something happen to it.
Crystal seemed unfazed by such a small thing as the reality of their current situation. She ran ahead, rushing past alternate hallways and other paths without a glance, leading Aryu to believe that she had some kind of crude plan.
Soon, the illuminated non-eyes of the soldiers around them began looking in their direction as they passed and Aryu surged forward, taking the lead from Crystal and pulling the Shi Kaze out. Their fleeting moment of relative invisibility was about to come to an end. They came to another ‘T’ intersection, though it hadn’t always been that way. The hall in front of them had collapsed in the impact and now there was only left and right to go. Crystal told him “Left!” and Aryu went, readying himself for the first sign of confrontation.
What he got was something he never expected.
They pushed through a large, circular door into a dome-shaped room. Tables lined the area, chairs tossed about as if many people had left in a great rush. To their right, the perfect dome shape was caved in, the exposed main hangar bay and the remains of the plane that had brought them here lay beyond, fires still raging in places and debris made up of huge pillars and metal columns scattered around like twigs.
Do robots need tables and chairs? Suddenly his face went white. There were people on this ship, and he may have just helped kill many of them.
The reason behind their being here didn’t matter. He had no desire to kill anyone, despite having done it already.
Crystal saw his face as the truth struck him. It was more than just a few odd low lives that got their hands on an old Ark 1. There were people, apparently hundreds of them, which were helping the Army, either by their own choice or by (a shudder through his body before he thought the words) being forced into it somehow. He may have just killed untold numbers of innocent people.
Crystal came to him, guiding his eyes to hers as tears filled his vision. “I doubt he tricked them or enslaved them somehow, Aryu,” she said, though he knew she couldn’t know that for certain. “This is war, and war has two sides. You can’t dwell on the choices of others. You’re a good man, Aryu. Not many others I’ve met can claim the same. You feel the pain of your enemy. I hope that’s a characteristic you never lose. These people are your enemy now. War has its casualties, and like it or not, they will be suffered by both sides.
Her eyes, strange as they were, became soft. Comforting. “I know what you did on the plane. I know how much it scares you. Don’t be afraid. Not many people can tap the Power so easily. You can use the Power as you see fit, either to destroy your enemy or save them. Let that choice guide you the next time the situation calls for it.”
He wiped the tears away from his eyes, half hearing what she was saying. He was still lost in the horror of what he may have done. She was right, though. It was easier to believe these people were here of their own free will.
As they crossed the room, past the tables and toppled chairs, the first of the enemy forces appeared in the doorway. It was a combination of robotic soldiers in the lead and some humans behind them, with large rifles similar in looks to Ark 1s. They weren’t glassy-eyed or sad to be there. They were angry, with scratches on their faces and blood on their hands. They were the enemy.
Crystal fell back, taking cover behind Aryu as she left him to do what he must. The men behind began screaming as the rifles came up and many took aim. The first sound of the shots they fired rang out into the domed room as the leading mechanical soldiers rushed at him, iron hands grasping wildly.
There was no more time to worry about the consequences of his actions. These soldiers, both real and artificial, were here to kill them. Nixon’s words came to him.
I don’t punish what they could do, I punish what they have done.
If you chose to side with the enemy, you were no better than they were. Crystal was right. This was war. War has casualties.
With that thought and the bloodcurdling scream of “For Tan Torna Qu-ay!” that was so fierce it made the human enemies stutter, the Shi Kaze flashed like lightning. One by one the enemies, both living and autonomous, fell before its power and the thirst for revenge from the user that drove it. With every stroke, the bond between weapon and wielder grew stronger.
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There wasn’t time to explain to Aryu the joyous wonder that was Makashi armor. Hopefully Sho would get the chance to tell him about it. As it was, he would just have to wait for that opportunity; because right now there were much larger and nastier fish to fry. A giant fish named Izuku was here somewhere, and it was Nixon and Sho’s job to find him.
They reached the base on
