“That’s the signal, we’re on the move.”- ????

RE:volt! Chapter 43: Raid

Sitting on his coat, Ark frowned as he thought about what Ninety-Nine had said. 

Irelix materialized, the dragon empress standing on the side and observing Ark.

That old monkey is right you know. Irelix said. What are we doing here anyway? We have spent years here with little to no progress being made. Forced under the thumb of the inferiors, and made to play nice or suffer beatings when we possess enough raw strength to tear the pathetic monkeys limb from limb.

Shut up.

Think about it rationally. If you stay, you'll be carted off to fight in a war where the chances are high you'll die trying to be a bleeding heart-

“I SAID SHUT UP!” Ark roared, turning all heads in the barracks towards him with a silence flooding the room.

“Are… are you ok? What's wrong?” Thirty-Four asked, approaching Ark slowly with her sister nearby. He turned to the two sisters. Both slaves he had originally considered nothing more than pawns to further his goals now people he cared about. 

His original goal has been to gather data and cultivate slowly, concealing his strength until he was finally ready to break free and exact his revenge on the people who had stolen everything from him. 

But here he was… years down the line, thinking about their futures and the lives they could have. Even Isa and Axel had grown on him, the duo reminding him of Aem and Xon. At least the Xon Ark remembered as a friend.

Ark's head dipped into his palms, his mind in turmoil. 

On one hand, his mission, the other, his people.

While his heart and mind told him, nay! Screamed at him that Roland had to pay, a voice in the back of his mind kept nagging at him, asking him over and over again the same damn question.

What would Liana do?

The answer was simple. She would stay behind and fight fire these people, just like she'd done for Ark, just like she'd done for the slaves of the mines. 

Irelix looked down on Ark, staring at him at Forty-Four hugged him as he wept, his face contorted with fury as his jaw clenched so hard an audible crack sounded. 

Pathetic. Irelix said, her eyes darting between the humans who crowded the one in pain. The dragon frowned, an odd feeling blossoming in her chest that was akin to… jealousy? 

No. That was absurd. Why would she, a superior species be jealous of an inferior one?

Irelix cast the thought aside, fading away and leaving Ark to his struggles. After all, it wasn’t like he listened to her anyway…

****

Day soon faded into night, with Ark laying in his cot being cuddled by Thirty-Three and Thirty-Four as he stared up out of the hole in the roof that had been his window to the night sky for the last seven years. 

“What am I doing?” Ark muttered, staring at the constellations that brought back painful memories that Ark could barely remember. Flashes of who he was, memories of the things he did and the life he led as Liana’s slave then partner then husband.

Ark wanted freedom. More than anything he wanted to throw off the shackles and finally live. Not only for his own hatred of being shackled but also because of Liana’s desires. Her wish.

The one thing she had made abundantly clear, was that she would work to free mankind. Not only from the dragons but also from humanity. Now she was dead, gone without her dream realized and a hundred years passing with everything she and Ark had fought for, had bled for, and spoke on for hours fading away into memories scattered into the sands of time. 

The books he stole spoke nothing of her ideals, the works of art, the paintings, nothing he saw in all of his sneaking about gave credence to the fact that her ultimate goal was freedom for all mankind. 

No. That information was buried, destroyed by those on high who now lived in luxury and acted as gods.

He turned his head to Thirty-Four, the long-haired girl fast asleep in his arms before he turned over to Thirty-Three, who was… awake?

She was staring at him, her hazelnut eyes clear to him under the moonlight. 

“What are you thinking about?” Thirty-Three asked, the muscular girl shifting and propping herself up on her arm.

“Nothing.” Ark said, turning away to look at the stars.

Or at least he tried to, but Thirty-Three wasn’t having it, she grabbed his face with a rough hand, turning his head to face her.

“What are you thinking about?” The short-haired girl repeated, narrowing her eyes at Ark as the lay nearly face to face.

Ark blinked, turning his gaze away from the girl.

“The future.” Ark replied.

“Whose? Look at me. Hey, look at me.” Thirty-Three said, shaking Ark’s face until his eyes settled on her own. “Ours or yours?”

“I don’t know.” Ark replied, the two staring at each other long and hard.

“If you do something that hurts my sist-”

“I wouldn’t.” Ark said quickly, interrupting the girl before she could finish her threat. “Not her or you. I promise.”

Ark couldn’t see it due to the darkness of the room, but Thirty-Three went flush, the girl’s eyes widening at his words before the next ones made her eyes narrow.

“At least not in a way that would be detrimental.”

“Whats that supposed to mean?” Thirty-Three said, cocking her head with Ark sensing he’d made a mistake somewhere.

“I-” Ark went to open his mouth to respond but suddenly stopped. The sky above was flickering with an orange glow, a color that had no place mixing with the night sky. 

Something was wrong. Ark immediately got up, staring up at the sky as his ears twitched with Thirty-Three asking what was wrong and Thirty-Four complaining that had pillow had moved.

“SHHHI!” Ark spat, placing his palm over Thirty-Three’s mouth as he focused his hearing and heard… screams.