Bab 26: Like toy soldiers

Before the warrior could answer Charm's question their conversation was eclipsed by a loud heartbreaking wail coming from a girl closeby.

Just like many other students that day she had watched friends, relatives, sweethearts die that day.

"Leave us…I can't take it.. Why is this happening to us?"

Right now that girl was sobbing and stubbornly holding onto for dear life the hand of her boyfriend who had died protecting her, willing to risk his life for her own.

She felt alone, desperate and afraid of the unknown, the young girl in her grief wished she had died alongside him.

Brian, mentor and student advisor, tried to comfort the teen, "hush now Melissa."

She lashed out at him, "I… I don't understand…make me understand Brian…"

He managed to get Melissa to let the hand of the corpse go, she turned and clung to his chest her tears soaked his bloodstained shirt.

"Why!?...Why can't I understand it," Melissa asked as she pounded Brian's sturdy chest with her right fist.

Brian didn't try to stop her, he just allowed her to vent, "We can always get answers later Melissa."

"Will those answers bring my dead boyfriend back to life?" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "What good is knowing the answers when it changes nothing."

For everyone on Isla Serpiente that survived that day life didn't stop, they continued breathing.

The quicker they could get on with daily lives the better for a sense of normalcy.

Many felt that the only way they could cope with the anomalies of that day was to treat it like a natural disaster.

All were looking to a higher power to to supply the cause behind all of this and hopefully it would all be resolved soon.

That's when the SDA stepped in.

They provided leadership at a time when it felt as if the world they embraced and loved had crumbled.

The trumpet sound blared again for around five minutes before it died down.

"Looks like my fellow warriors finally killed the last of those locusts demons, this location should be quiet for now. It's time for us to go."

"Wait… where are you going when you have not fully explained the situation yet?"

"Oh, don't worry young miss, you'll get your answers soon enough since I have every intention of bringing you with me."

Zinc who had been silent at this time to the point where you would think he was comatose from recovering his strength snapped to attention after hearing this.

"Over my dead body," snapped Zinc.

"That can easily be arranged," said the warrior while he poked him in the chest making Zinc wince from the pain. "Relax, we are taking you as well, we already know young man that you are suitable to be a warrior with the spirit power you displayed while protecting your girlfriend today."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend."

They both blurted out at the same time while blushing.

Zinc shrugged, "I see. I thought you were going to leave me behind."

"Not at all," said the warrior without a shred of remorse. "Our leader said to bring those of you that showed an aptitude for spirit power with us. He wants to talk and run tests on your abilities."

"What if we refuse," growled Zinc.

"We aren't above using force, we'll take you by any means necessary," replied the warrior.

Seeing the conversation rapidly deteriorating before her eyes Charms sought to diffuse the situation before it escalated and unnecessary words were exchanged.

"Sorry to interrupt but why would your leader want to talk to me?"

"Isn't it obvious, the truth of the demons is out now, there is no hiding the fact that humans are at war with the supernatural," the warrior said. "There is no reason for the SDA to remain in hiding when the time for the rapture is at hand."

"The rapture?" she repeated. "What is this rapture you are speaking about? Also, you are taking us to this base to turn us into something like toy soldiers to fight these demons?"

"There are many different opinions regarding the rapture," said the warrior. "What we at the SDA believe is that the rapture is the time to gather and train the best humans that are able to manipulate spirit power to prepare them for the fight against the demons in the last and final battle called Armageddon."

"The best humans," Charm echoed. The disbelief could be heard in her voice, "Don't you mean delusional people like you, those that claim to get rid of demons, what are they called again?"

"Exorcists," volunteered Zinc.

"The SDA and the Exorcists don't exactly get along but that's a story for another time," the warrior answered snarkily.

Sounding a bit miffed about being placed in the same bracket as Exorcists, "how can you still deny the existence of demons after what you have seen today?"

"Easy, for all I know those locusts that we saw today could be by products of some scientific lab experiment gone wrong, you know scientists working illegally in some secret lab under the pretense of curing cancer and the locusts just happened to escape in some nearby bushes."

"Don't stop there," the warrior scoffed and shook his head. "How do you explain how rapidly they grew in both size and intelligence after gorging themselves full of human flesh and blood?"

"I'm sure there is some scientific explanation for that too," Charm fired back rapidly.

"Right… of course there is," the warrior muttered under his breath. "Be it demons or test tube locusts gone wrong you can't dispute the fact that something needs to be done about it."

"I'm not disputing the fact but what does that have to do with recruiting us? Are you ignoring the fact that we are underage, where is the paperwork for consent and won't you need permission from our parents and guardians?"

"Whoa… It looks like someone didn't read the fine print when you signed the contract to Isla Serpiente, this is a self governing island, an independent entity, the moment you stepped foot on this island you become a ward of the government. As such you can consider this training if you qualify for it as part of the curriculum."

Charm couldn't believe her ears, the nerve of this warrior, she snapped indignantly, "are you threatening me?"

"My apologies if it sounds that way," the warrior responded. "Look, our leader should be able to put your mind at rest and clear up any misconceptions you may have when you meet with him in person."

"What you've told me so far doesn't help your case," Charm took a defensive stance by folding her arms, "let your leader come to me then. There is no way I'm leaving this school unless it's with my guardian."

The warrior's eyes darkened, "I can just tie you up like a trussed turkey or you can come willingly, it's your choice."

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