Calexsis told his story to his fellow contemporaries, but no one believed him.
15 hours later, five kilometers from the base, in an abandoned restaurant, the guards idled away their shift.
Aspera rubbed Osprey's head, pushing it between her legs as she grunted in slight discomfort. She slowly stopped and signaled him to get up from under the table.
She scoffed. "You're so bad at this."
Osprey rolled his eyes, his feelings hurt. "Whatever. I'm no good at anything outside of fighting anyway."
Aspera now felt guilty. "Aww, baby, that's not true..."
Crash.
A massive explosion tore through the building, the shockwave obliterating everything in its path.
Osprey instantly threw himself on top of Aspera, shielding her. Concrete slabs and broken cement slammed into his body as he guarded her with his life.
The entire front half of the building was blown to pieces. The structure had already been falling apart, but this...
This was different.
This level of firepower was something serious.
Through the smoke and rubble, a man walked forward. A strangely pitched voice mumbled,
"He's right. He's not good at anything outside of fighting."
Coughing up dust and cement, his body coated in debris, bruises, and blood, Osprey gritted his teeth as he lifted the column off his back, still shielding Aspera.
"That voice… it has to be... Mori."
The man leaned against the rubble, waving lazily.
"Hel lo, stranger.Itsbeenawhilehasn't it?"
Osprey let out a strained breath, holding back laughter despite the pain.
"You still space out your words like a child?"
Mori smiled, almost playfully, spinning his weapon as steam released from it, cooling it down.
Aspera, still in shock, had never seen such destructive force in her life. She reached for her weapon, but Osprey stopped her. Taking a deep breath, he signaled for her to stay back.
This wasn't a fight he could win. Not yet.
Mori squinted at Aspera, lowering his weapon slightly as he smirked.
"Judging by his fighting style, you'd think he'd be good at protecting people."
His smile twisted.
"But he's never been any good at that either."
Mori stepped forward slowly, the sound of his boots crunching debris filling the silence.
He knelt beside Aspera, raising his weapon and pressing it gently, almost thoughtfully, against the center of her head.
Her body froze.
"Has he ever told you about his sister?" Mori whispered, his voice low and mocking.
"What a tragedy."
Mori glanced at Osprey, waiting for a reaction.
But Osprey didn't move.
He didn't break.
Mori leaned closer to Aspera.
Then something shifted.
His amusement faded.
His eyes narrowed.
Disgust.
Why does she look just like his sister?
Mori stood up slowly, putting the pieces together.
He walked toward Osprey and poked him in his overly muscular chest, looking up at him.
"You are a sick, sick man."