From a Different Angle

Living The Dream

We walked outside to be met with the same soldiers walking around and attending their duties, there was an odd sense of belonging that sparked by just being around these people. They were fighting for a cause that they were willing to risk everything for, these men were the true meaning of a warrior. Many years had passed since I felt anything of the like, a group of people working together for a shared goal. A group of people who were prepared to lose everything from the get go. If earth was lead by selfless man like them, then maybe things would have been a lot different. Maybe even earth would be here defending and fixing this war for the better, however that is not the case nor will it ever be for as long as I live. Amidst my thoughts I felt a small tug on my shirt, I turned around to see Grim still holding my arm and then make a sound as he looked at it

"Hey there kid, you wanna see if we can get that fixed? I am pretty sure I saw an armory on the way here."

He nodded a little excitedly, if it was not for the small scars throught his face along with the Karana by his side he would seem like an innocent child. I felt anger flow through my body as I thought about the many things that the woman made him go through to become the way he is right now. I only knew Grim for a very brief amount of time but my heart could not help but feel sorry for him and a need to protect him.

"Alright then let's go do that, helps to see what sort of technology we will be working with. You coming Gabriel?"

I asked as we began to walk towards our destination.

"If you don't mind there is something I wanna see for myself about the people we will be working with. You two go ahead, let's meet here after sun down and check where we will sleep"

"Sounds like a plan to me, let's go Grim. Be careful Gabriel."

Grim made a small sound as if to say goodbye before he began to lead the way to the armory. Maybe it was the first time someone treated him with respect and did not wish to harm him, which is why he wished to pay me back for my kindness.

He looked at my arm curiously then back at the stump that was left behind. I could feel his questuon popping up without needing him to speak, then again if he spoke it would be nothing but pain for him as far as I could tell.

"The arm? I lost it some years ago, it was in a lab accident. It was rather painless to be quiet honest, and the new arm I made comes in handy too. Glad i don't have to make a new one though, thank you for picking it up. I honestly thought it was too broken to be fixed."

He gave this little sad look, and for the first time I noticed his peculiar eyes. They were a serene blue, his eyes had this sort of long lost spark that was snuffed way many years ago. Yet as he looked up at me there was this feeling within me that felt like everything would be alright, that sooner or later that little boy would be in a place where no harm would come to him.

"I am alright now kid, I promise it doesn't hurt. Lets get it fixed up so I can help around more"

I said to him with a soft and tender tone that could cover the hurtful lies I spoke to him. The stump in my arm was a constant reminder of what happens when I choose to chase a dream or a wish. Everytime I would look at it I was reminded of the limp body of my little esposa lying on the floor, I was reminded of every single day I spent locked away in my own thoughts as I wondered the universe tryjng to forget everything. I tried to forget for the pain to leave but it only made it all the worst, the human side of me cried endlessly as it moarned the death of the life it once had. I ache for the pain to leave but I know it will never leave my side, and so I learned to live with the pain. A pain that I never wish anyone I care for would go through.

He simply looked up at me then hid behind me once more, his hands to himself as he surveyed our surroundings. It made it easier to lie to him if his eyes were facing away from mine. We walked into a small building with a beat up sign saying "Armory" at the entrance. The smell of metal and chemicals filled the place, may have been a bit too strong for Grim as I felt him flinch a bit behind me. A man stood behind the counter as he held the hilt of a sword, it had several wires plugged into it as he looked at it carefully.

"I haven't seen your faces around here before. If you need new gear I am sorry but I am all out, can't assign any more to anyone."

He said without looking up at us, the hilt began to glow where some symbols were engraved and then it made an audible tink sound as the glow went from a fiery red to a bright white.

"We are new but we aren't here for new gear, I was wondering if you could help us in fixing up a robotic arm."

I said as he gently placed the hilt down and began to disconnect all the wires, he finally looked up at us as Grim walked forward and showed my arm to him

"Doesn't look too complicated to fix, simple cybernetic augmentations I am guessing?"

"Yeah, its nothing too fancy. Pulse canon, grappling hook, and general other uses."

He reached over and took it from Grim with a sigh and began to look at it a bit further, saying something in murmurs as his face lit up with this rather odd madman like smile

"You think you can fix it?"

In all reality I could fix the piece of metal on my own but to do so I require materials I did not have at my disposal, this was also a good way to see how far their technology reached and ask some general questions about their combat strategies.

"Fix it? I could probably upgrade it a couple of times over, I can see you have space for some augmentations you never used. It'll take me a while but it should be ready for tommorow morning. That sound alright with you?"

I nodded at him as Grim returned to my side and hid once more.

"Yeah no problem. I just have some questions beforehand, you see I am with the backup that was sent to help you win the war. I am Lucifer, this is Grim and my other partner is Gabriel who is out and about elsewhere"

He began to get some tools out, connecting wires to my arm as it came to life while he tinkered with it.

"Three man to win an entire war? I've heard about madness before but I believe this takes the prize. However if the queen sent you as Hector claims she would, then we may stand a chance afterall."

He was far too busy and entertained in this alien technology and modifying it to his pleasure for me to notice the pistol I had placed in the counter in front of him.

"I need to know how far your technological advances are. You guys done or used gun powder? Or any projectile based weapon that can take anyone out beyond a bows range?"

The man looked away from his work for the first time and looked at the pistol with what seemed to be disgust

"Guns. Pistols. Muskets. Yeah we know about them, they are considered a banned object within battle. They bear no honor to the battlefield. You pull a trigger and the mechanism within the weapon does everything for you, leaving an uneven fighting ground for even the most hardened warriors. A single bullet can kill our greatest warrior with no effort, no training, no nothing. Thus why we see these things as an object that should never touch the battlefield. Whether it may be a duel or a full scale war we take pride in the battles we fight, we may kill a brother and shed our tears as we use our swords and spears to do so. However, we will make sure they die a warriors death if possible. Only a coward shoots a gun, or scum worst than earth deserves to be shot with it. To answer your question, Lucifer. We have developed swords, spears, bows, and shields with technology able to cut through the hardest material but we only use hand to hand combat. Anything beyond that is considered taboo"

I was not expecting such profund answer to be given to me, however it also gave me a greater insight to what Hector mentioned earlier. No guns, and only close quarters combat all can be used in our favor but their technology is good enough to be an issue. He returned his gaze to my robotic arm, not even glancing back at the gun as I grabbed it and hid it on my side holster.

"Thank you for answering that for me sir, I just have one more question."

I said softly, trying not to end up pissing off this guy any further than I already have.

"Shoot"

He said quickly as he kept working

"I have heard reports of Amazonians attacking along with the enemy. Is there a certain one that's sent, a brigade of sorts? any information at all?"

I asked as he took a deep breath then responded

"I personally do not know too much about what's going on with that. The rumors I've heard goes as follow. It's only one that's sent to the battlefield and it's always the same one, she has been stabbed, and dismembered in battle but never flinched. When she shows up a minute later she is unharmed and stronger than before. People say that she is the only one who can fight amongst men because of some impurity within herself, others say she is too bloodthirsty for the Queen to control which is why she switched to the other side and so on. That is truly all I can say, if you wish for more information you may want to ask around the camp."

I listened closely to him, some sort of power was at play here without question. The question was what type of power was being used and what weaknesses does it hold. Amazonian or not, she was still a mortal she could still be killed.

"Thank you sir, I'll come back for the arm tommorow in the morning then. Thank you for all your help, come on Grim let's be on our way"

The man looked over at us then halted us quickly

"Leave the blade too, even without unsheathing it I can tell its rather dull and an upgrade is in need. Come on Muzzle boy, it benefits you"

He said as Grim looked at him then back at me for an answer, unsure of how to evem respond

"Let's leave the katana here Grim, fighting won't begin until two days from now. You won't need it until then I promise. If something happens I'll protect you okay?"

He slowly nodded at me and then went over to hand over the blade that was almost his size, the man took it and set it aside for the moment. Grim came back to me, hiding once more behind me shyly as we walked outside the small building.

As we stepped out of the little armory I felt the way his small hands began to clench onto my shirt, he was far too afraid to attempt to hold my hand but he knew I was not a threat of any kind to him. I knew if I reacted upon his actions he would let go and maybe not do it again so I kept walking. I took a look around, it was still a while before sundown came meaning Gabriel could be anywhere right about now. I heard a small growling come from Grim's stomach, I realized then that I was also just as hungry. Whether it may be a military style meal or these people have a feast any food would be fine by me at that point to be quite honest.

"How about we get something to eat Grim? After that we can find where we will sleep and find Gabriel"

Grim responded with a small yet excited little noise, I did not see it but I could feel he was warming up to me and begining to trust me more and more. It made me feel oddly happy to know such thing, it reminded me of a simpler time before any of this was even a dream to think about. Maybe it could all happen again, or maybe I was setting myself up for another sad and tragic ending that would break me further.