The ground is arid, and there's dust in the air that hinders visibility. Kazakhstan's armed forces and new CRITON control units are deployed across the rugged terrain where the battle between the district and their forces occurred.
"This is a disaster"
The person who proclaimed those words while contemplating is a man of seventy-two years who doesn't look less, as if the years of stress hadn't given him rest. White hair cut close, weathered skin, back still straight. Tall, square jaw that time hardened instead of loosening. He wears the CRITON uniform without unnecessary insignias: only the three golden lines on the shoulder indicating his rank. He doesn't need more.
Victor Aldren Sorel, Franco-British, rank marshal, commander of all global military operations. Third in the chain of command.
"We didn't find the battalion commanders"
Who was at his side was one of his highly trusted subordinates who learns directly from him.
Kasper Veil, twenty-nine years old and a rank tribune and field commander, leads active operations.
Sixth in rank, one above commander.
He has the face of someone who still hasn't quite fit into the uniform he wears, not from insecurity but from age: shaved jaw, dark brown hair without a single gray hair, and thin but defined complexion. The scar under the right cheekbone is the only thing that doesn't match how young he looks, and probably that's why he never explains it.
One of the talents alongside Monica of his generation, being in that position at 29 years is an achievement that is scarce among their ranks; only a few anomalies carry a position equal to or above his.
"Any clue among the rubble, or idea of where they went with the 4 commanders?"
"No sir, upon crossing the formation that was planned, they arrived at points in nearby cities where insurgents hid them and dispersed them through the territory. At this point they may already be several cities away or in the district's territory"
"...To think that after so much time we're still not capable of finding any of their main bases"
The districts' territories vary according to the countries where they're located; until now they only had theories that they're found underground. Above all, it still remains like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"Don't worry, sir; this time we were close, and it's likely we'll find something among the remains. It won't be easy to hide the evidence"
"Put out an announcement for the news, give the commanders' image. Only inform them that we'll give a generous reward for information, but don't specify their rank; we don't want more inconveniences and questions toward CRITON"
"As you order, Marshal"
There are various perspectives: that of the citizens themselves, who are afraid of a possible new massacre; that of the countries associated with the organization, who expect results and who left, by their own influence and pressure, the operations in the hands of the great elites.
And lastly, the organization's own leaders, who, unlike others, already established where those of greater influence and power command; in CRITON, the most capable commands, the one with the most results and who can offer a realistic change of the panorama.
The older man decides to weigh his future actions and stratagems; he would have to render a complete report on the findings, and nothing more gave him disgust, repulsion, and tiredness than encountering any of the consuls.
If there was one thing that terrified him, it was how subnormal the high ranks were.
***
The previously lustrous and precious grass of the training field had turned into footprints, left crushed and torn, with plucked blades and exposed earth in irregular patches.
Small potholes and furrows marked the ground, evidencing the violence of the confrontation.
'That girl sure has problems'
'By the way, what's the date today? It must be early December… Let's go over there first and see how our new partners have treated them'
{This will be fun}
{Hey #4, don't you think you've been very playful lately? Look at intervening, from saving them to helping them with training. #2 has his somewhat conceptual reasons, but you?}
Suddenly someone else joined the chat; that's #7.
{Don't butt in, idiot. I do it because I want to}
{What a nice way of saying you're still a sentimental}
{Shut up, you damn addict}
{Make me, you disgusting lunatic}
A faint fight formed in my head; shouts and growls were heard between both, as if they had every right to be angry with the other; and worse, as if their discord didn't interrupt more important things.
Better I ignore it.
The large training field was enormous, enough to have 2 football fields side by side. The area where Kalika's things were was a mess of paperwork, possibly from her unexpected decision to stay longer in Colombia.
While her brothers were controllers, the idea that a possible nuisance doesn't interfere in each brother's plans was attractive at first sight, even for the second brother, Takeshi, who wanted to have control of each one. He has no choice but to focus on not losing ground with the first heir.
I keep approaching in a thin line that points to Kalika's back. Her smooth black hair falls in a cascade to her waist, undoubtedly a beauty.
Another beauty is sitting on her heels, everyone equally, waiting for the criticism Kalika will give them about their encounter.
I admire them from a distance, with a smile.
'How long did I feel like this? Free, loose, at peace'
I didn't remember how long I had these shackles weighing on me. For the first time the voices in my head became faint; I didn't even know exactly why I had recruited them. I had heard #2's advice... Even at the time, the first personality had a hint of attention, so maybe I should take them into account.
'...No, not #2, but Aurelius, that's right, I must say it by their names'
At one point I'm ten steps away. Still none can see me, but as I take the next steps, the first eyes try to focus on me. Maybe from the tiredness or the beating they take time to realize, or maybe it was because I had lost a lot of weight.
'Would they have visited me?'
Why do I ask myself such silly questions? Does it even matter? I was the one who partly forced them into this commitment, without a clearly strong excuse. Some are older than me, one is younger, and still I consider them almost smaller than me.
Their potential?
No. It's something else, the look on their faces of doom when they were close to death by my hand... neither, it's probably because their lives were out of place without my intervention, lost and asking for help.
'Yes... maybe that's it'
Sky crystal-colored irises are the first to see me clearly, her character at first doubtful, and in less than a second, "impact." There was no other word; for some reason her eyes were brighter than the last time I saw her.
'It must be the light refraction'
The others finally notice me at 5 steps; having their gazes on the ground prevented them from seeing me at first. It must have been a complicated training.
'My trainings weren't easy either; in fact, they were hell itself'
At this point I'm only two steps away when I finally stop.
Kalika must have felt everyone's gazes a while ago; she must have even heard my soft steps a few steps before arriving.
Added to that, I believed I saw for a moment that her hand trembled.
I decided to speak first; for some reason I felt that if I didn't, I would receive a very painful blow for some unsettling reason.
However, throughout the whole path, I didn't know what I could say.
'Hey guys, did you miss me? How has it been?'
It's like an answer that is correct but that is unique, and you have to try to find it.
Maybe it's simple. And a simple greeting is what's indicated.
"...Hi everyone..."
Everyone's attention was on me; their looks, before dimmed from the recent defeat, vanished, mainly my subordinates', and one more gaze that didn't stop watching me from the start.
However, Kalika didn't move.
I felt strange, 'Maybe she didn't hear me', although everyone else seemed to.
At one point the others exchanged glances between Kalika and me; they had uncertainty about why she hadn't answered, probably from another question I was unaware of.
From Cloe's fixation from the start, it seemed something had happened while I was unconscious.
Suddenly I saw how her hand trembled slightly; this time I do believe I see it for real.
"!"
Without warning, she tenses her bare feet. That figure made her look really attractive to any man observing her. Despite that enchanting figure and uncovered skin, I felt something else: premonition.
Her figure turned quickly, her left foot drove into the ground, positioning herself.
At this point I didn't understand why her kick was heading toward my face.
I felt light enough to easily evade that kick, one that came with doubts, not with true murderous intention. Nerves? Fright? I didn't know, so the answer is simple, isn't it? Dodge it.
But for some reason I felt it wasn't the right thing; maybe what Aurelius did could have affected her. Would it be right to receive the blow for the way I treated her? She would realize I didn't dodge it on purpose, which would result in another response I don't know.
'How difficult'
Despite the considerations, I decide to dodge it; there would be no need to receive a blow. Besides, being seen as weak would help nothing; it would possibly make them see me as a weakened piece they could use.
So I decide to lean to avoid her.
"Paf!"
The kick hit my face with such force that it made me stagger.
Surprisingly, it couldn't move me from the spot, and although my will said to move, I couldn't avoid the kick directed at me.
At first I didn't understand what happened, then I heard some soft words in my mind.
{You must not dodge the blow of a woman who worries about you, my foolish and dear Heiss}
'Athena!'
It was the same person who had played with Cloe by the pool who had fought in the first fight against Kalika. She was the candidate for codex #16, a former member of my squadron, and... the woman I once loved.
{Don't let yourself go, and resolve it like a man. I always told you that we women like that you can face us}
'One thing is to face, but this!' How am I supposed to act after receiving a kick?
My words came true. Kalika's face, which had a slight determination when she launched the kick, now broke, showing a face of nerves and concern; not even she knew how to act.
The guys observing us were more astonished at my response. Especially Cloe and Rudolf, who saw something was strange about not dodging, although they didn't understand what it was; their intense gazes passed between Kalika and me.
"...Why didn't you dodge?"
'And how would I know', the girl I once loved performs an act that puts me in a predicament. Since I met her, she never acted with what one would call reason; it was always with a type of woman's intuition and another type of sight I never managed to understand.
"...Because it was the right thing?"
The others stare at my face as if I had said such a stupidity.
That's why I hate feelings; it's so difficult to understand the heart's intention.
I straighten up slowly and decide to correct myself before there are more misunderstandings.
"It's my way of saying sorry for what happened in the last fight"
"...."
The features that before showed unease relaxed a bit, but the visual flash said something else: her eyes opened wide, as if something of what I had said had affected her.
For Heiss it was unknown what she thought at that moment; besides being ignorant of feelings, he was also so with women.
For Kalika, she never had someone apologize for having won in a fight, even if that wasn't the meaning, and if perhaps she should feel a bit of anger at those words, for trying to say it's bad that he faces everything in a real confrontation they agreed to.
She was surprised by his apologies; nobody who had truly trampled on her by their own merits had worried about her integrity, and above all, nobody had ever shown her such respect after losing.
If you're the strongest, you don't have to forgive or feel indebted; however, he is different. Although Kalika didn't ask her subordinates about the abrupt changes in his personality with the hope of being able to ask him one day face-to-face, she didn't expect him to apologize first and take the first step.
A tumult was felt in Kalika's stomach; she never had this sensation. It was inconsistent with previous opponents or today's ill-mannered standards.
For the first time she felt she was respected as an opponent. And by someone who is stronger than her.
At that moment she takes seriously the decision she had already thought of when she lost against Heiss.
"...Thank you for your concern"
Kalika bows in a gesture of gratitude.
Heiss on his side doesn't quite understand what just happened; only when night arrives and he's in bed will he manage to realize what happened today and what Athena meant.
"Don't mention it"
"Boss!"
Ending that misunderstanding, someone comes running and hugs Heiss. It's Jesús, and behind him the others approach with faces of relief, as if they could finally rest from a weight they didn't know they were carrying.
Maybe today can be the first day he speaks with everyone sincerely, not only from his own personality but with the resolution to tell them everything.