The Purge
Chapter 7: Halley

“A margin of life is developed by nature for all living things—including man. All life forms obey nature’s demands—except man, who has found ways of ignoring them.”

~Eugene M. Poirot

I was tempted to hurt Tyron Vitalis. Actually, I almost hurt him. I had my hand on the flesh of his arm as he grabbed me by the collar. I felt the surge of power in my veins wanting to unleash the devil in me.

But then Conleth came. Game over. The power surged back inside my body.

They exchanged a brawl fight that involved flames. This resulted internal and external damage of course. It’s hard for me to identify who really won that fight. But I taught Conleth that technique of procuring fire through aura threads to avoid physical harm and contact from his opponent. He would have won the fight if not for the commander of the Manticore Army who took the trophy and tortured him into a pulp.

It was also the first time I saw our commander. Bri Tyranica felt like a legend among the crowd until she stepped in the feud and dismantled parts of Chivas Cantemir without ever touching him. Maybe girl commanders are bad ass. They could kick big time. I know it’s bad to tolerate such actions especially if it involved hurting others but when I saw her, I felt at awe with her. I felt like I wanna be like her.

Anyway, I didn’t manage to get another tray of food from the counter. I was just lucky that Sigourney was feeling friendly and she decided to feed me. All the while, I watched Conleth follow Bri out of the canteen.

“That was smoking hot than our barbecue grill.” I turned to Sig who took a big bite out of her bologna. “I’d cower into submission if I was Chivas.” She shivered in her seat.

Athren smirked at her. “There’s no one like Bri. She’s like the Goddess of War and Strategy.”

Sig propped up her elbow and rested her head on her hand. “So… you like her? She’s very pretty.”

Athren lazily chewed his food on his mouth as he turned to Sig. “Conleth thinks so too.”

“He’s in love with her.” I found myself saying. Both of them were looking at me. I decided to play with my food. “He talks about her every time.”

Athren snorted. “Con has a weakness for women, especially beautiful girls like Bri.” He leered at me and I felt my stomach turn. “Be careful, little girl.” He winked at me and I thought my eyes fell on the table.

Sig whistled. “She’s a live one.”

“Get up.” I flinched at the sound of Conleth’s voice behind me. The words barely went out of Sig’s mouth when he appeared.

I turned to him and he looked more beaten than he already was. I wanted to shrug my shoulders. Maybe he and the commander had a “Lover’s Quarrel” about the damsel saving the distress.

Athren cocked an eyebrow at him. “Are you giving me an order, Con? Remember, I’m the—”

“Bri has asked for us to meet her at the Training Room.” Con cut him off immediately.

My heart hammered inside my chest. What does she want now? Does she want to punish me because I placed her boyfriend in danger? Does she want me out of her army because she thinks I’m a weakling? Questions filled my head like a school of fishes.

As we made our way back to our station, I only felt dread. Sigourney was as calm as ever. I wonder if behind that care free facade is a terrified girl. We all saw what our commander can do. I wonder what else she could do.

Bri was standing at the center of the Training Room with her hands behind her back. She watched us earnestly with pale eyes. I realized that the blue in her eyes were more dominant than the normal Addonexus eyes. Everything will be all right. I said to comfort myself. But as my eyes reached for the gun on her belt, I was ready to back up and run for my life. I was caged in the hands of panic.

“I’m sorry.” I began to say. Conleth’s eyes snapped at my direction. I saw him frown at me. I bet no one apologizes in this group.

Bri leaned her head to the side and she regarded me skeptically.

“What are you sorry for, little soldier?”

“I placed one of my comrades in danger.” I tried not to shudder before her but my knees started to buckle the instant I looked up and met her eyes. “I didn’t mean to.”

Disregarding my apology she nods her head behind her. “Stand at the center. Both of you.”

Sigourney and I exchanged looks before she finally found her initiative first and she started to step forward ahead of me. I followed suit.

Bri took a step towards us. Con held her back. She turned to him at the instant.

“They’re not ready yet.” He told her. Bri dodged his hand and she shut him a look.

“We don’t have much time to wait for them. All must make sacrifices.”

With one swift move, she pulls out her gun and shoots Sigourney straight in the chest.

In my frantic state, the sound of the gun firing dumbed my ears like deafening screams of humanity. I stood in place with my knees shaking. My eyes sought for Sig who now lay on the ground, bleeding. My legs gave in immediately. My trembling hands reached out to her but I was then blocked by a sudden force I cannot see.

“Please,” I found myself begging as I turned to Bri. “Let me help her.”

“No.” Bri retorted and it snapped me out of my reverie. My comrade was dying beside me and yet I could not use my powers to save her.

Rude tears started to fall down my cheeks. “But she’s dying!”

“She will help herself.”

I gasped. I could not believe what I was seeing. I could not believe what I was hearing. I turned to Athren who stood his ground like a live statue.

“You’re her mentor!” I yelled at him when he met my eyes. “Do something! Don’t just stand there!”

Athren took a step forward but Bri narrowed her eyes at him. Athren flinched like a cowering dog.

“You can’t just do this, Bri.” He told her in plea. “Sig needs help—”

“Regenerate.” Bri commanded Sigourney. Athren grabbed her wrist but Bri pried his hands off of her immediately like she was disgusted of human touch.

“She can’t do that!” Athren said through blind anger.

“I know.” She prompted bluntly. I gaped at her. What? She wanted her soldier to die like that? Murderer! My infidelities screamed at her.

“Regenerate.” She commanded Sig once again. “Fight your way out of death.”

Athren took a step forward. For a moment I thought he’d provoke her but Conleth held him back and shook his head at him. There was something in Con’s eyes that told me of measures I could not understand. As if reading his mind and understanding him, Athren took a step back and tightened his jaw. He looked at the ground like he wanted to slice it open.

“Please,” I beseeched Bri despite the fact that Conleth was trying to catch my eye. I don’t want to look at him and bend into anyone’s will. I don’t like following orders from people who left their humanity out of sight. I could not let myself ignore the fact that my comrade is dying and I couldn’t do anything to help. “Let me heal her.”

Beside me, Sig’s breathing was slowing.

“We are Addonexus. We are tied to energies beyond this world.” Bri said without looking away from the image of a dying soldier. “Heal yourself if you want to live.”

Sig gasped and she squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to obey Bri.

I wanted to hurt Bri. Commander or not, she can’t do this to us. I hated her lack of human emotions. Beyond me, I could almost hear the slowing beat of Sig’s heart until finally she gave in and she stopped breathing.

I was too stunned to think and act. All around me went into slow motion. I couldn’t feel the wall blocking me from ever saving my comrade. There was only rage. And I felt it consuming me.

“You killed her!” I bared my teeth so hard to the point they almost shattered. Bri looked at me with eyes that lacked human emotion.

Sigourney suddenly gasped as if the air somersaulted back into her body by force. Athren and I ran to her side immediately.

“Fair enough.” Bri told her. “Congratulations. You just passed the test.”

Sigourney has tears in her eyes. She grasps on to her heaving chest.

Bri turned to me. “Check your emotions and put them in place. I don’t need soldiers who act on impulse. Intuitive.”

I met her stare levelly before I looked away with a heavy heart and a burning face.

“Remember that we are different. We are Addonexus. That’s what makes us stronger than anyone else. We wield any weapon and bend energies at will. We can specialize in anything. We should not only stick into one stigma.”

I bit my cheek from the inside as I looked down at my pride dying on the ground. I looked back at her and I never felt more ashamed in my life than I already did now. But as I looked back at her, I made a promise to never again back down. I promised not to be like her. Next time I’m not gonna let her hurt me.

“Your powers might be the only thing that can save you in this dying world.”

And next time, It’s my turn to hurt back.

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