Chapter Two

[Quantum Rain]

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As the forum auto-splits topics every 50 pages, the next topics will be named further chapters accordingly. This is chapter two, guys, KEEP IT UP!

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Reeds just kept on whistling as guards and crew cleared out of his path. Eventually, he stopped at a door, the label addressing it as 'Science Lab 2A.' He smiled as he opened the door and Lae saw that the science lab was not small by any means. It was massive, in fact, taking up at least five rooms and two floors entirely on its own. It also seemed to host a massive range of equipment, some of which were entirely foreign to him. With all of the technology, equipment, and stores here, one could only wonder what Reeds' intention was with this lab.

He rolled the cart up next to two others and then proceeded to rummage around for a datapad. "Sit down, my fine lab rat." He said friendly still as he finally found his desired object, turning it own and turning toward Lae, a mischievous grin on his face.

[Wynn]

The leader stared for a further moment or two, then motioned to pick Lae up, and carry him away, towards the infirmary, if possible. The third soldier lingered, still, covering their rear flank, and still ensuring that all of the enemy were eliminated.

---

Rain breathed in heavily, his muscles were pained and tired, and it felt like he had just torn down a steel wall with them. But at least the enemy was decimated, for now, and their advance onto the spire should be far more easy, given the failed raid on the demon's part, and the relatively low losses on the allied side. He turned, surveying the losses as he walked calmly, feigning that he wasn't injured or tired, as he counted the wounded and deaths. ... that kid, earlier... what was he doing up on the rooftops then... it felt like... He thought to himself, suddenly distracted by his memory of that instant outburst of energy he felt from a short distance away.

---

When Lae awakens, he would be lying atop a medical bed, a metalic shelf with flashing lights on the bottom, and several beams of energy emitting from it into him, hovering over him. There was no nurse or doctor checking up on him, but if he were to look to either side, he would understand why. There were several dozen wounded soldiers alongside him, each with a varying degree of burns or wounds in variable places on their bodies.

Lae would not try to get up. He could still feel lingering pain and was worried it would just come back if he did so. He looked around at all the soldiers he could without sitting up, trying to find one who looked able to talk. When he saw one a couple beds away, he would call to him, "Hey, how long have I been out?"

[Quantum Rain]

The soldier turned over to see where the voice came from, but Lae was met with something of a horrifying appearance. As he turned, one side of his face was charred black, and he seemed to be entirely dulled and pacified with pain relievers and muscle relaxants.

[Wynn]

The soldier turned over to see where the voice came from, but Lae was met with something of a horrifying appearance. As he turned, one side of his face was charred black, and he seemed to be entirely dulled and pacified with pain relievers and muscle relaxants.

Lae would hold his tounge, but would stare blankly for a moment. He looked at himself and saw he was still burnt, he wasn't charred at all. He sat up and ignored all the pain that surged through him and got out of the bed, and began looking around for an actual doctor or nurse.

[Quantum Rain]

Reeds walked in at that precise moment and pushed him back into his bed. "Now now, don't move. Hellfire burns can be very fickle to repair." He said, ensuring that the device was operating correctly, and turning a dial back a few notches. "So, hellfire burns on your back, arms, hands, and torso. I bet you had an enthralling party with our demon friends!"

[Wynn]

Reeds walked in at that precise moment and pushed him back into his bed. "Now now, don't move. Hellfire burns can be very fickle to repair." He said, ensuring that the device was operating correctly, and turning a dial back a few notches. "So, hellfire burns on your back, arms, hands, and torso. I bet you had an enthralling party with our demon friends!"

Lae would shove Reeds away as he tried to push him. "Get off me!" He exclaimed. "I might be scarred, but I can sure as hell walk." He didnt seem to care about the burns, for whatever reason. "What happened?" Lae inquired. "Last I remember, i was in the path of a fire bolt."

[Quantum Rain]

"I'd love to answer all of your many questions, but I must insist that you lay back down, otherwise I will be forced to use more unpleasant and inefficient treatments." He looked around for a moment, taking in the medical stock. "... I may have to improvise the materials I'd need, too." He commented.

[Wynn]

"I'd love to answer all of your many questions, but I must insist that you lay back down, otherwise I will be forced to use more unpleasant and inefficient treatments." He looked around for a moment, taking in the medical stock. "... I may have to improvise the materials I'd need, too." He commented.

Lae stared at him with an almost bored expression on his face. "I can walk, double your efforts on that man over there." He would gesture to the soldier he tried talking to when he initially woke up. "Don't waste resources on me." He would walk out of the room.

[Quantum Rain]

"... I wonder how long until the hellfire poison sets in..." Reeds says to himself, thinking to himself for a moment, then shrugging and turning toward the doctor. "Hey, make sure the devices are on full power, Rain wants these poor souls up before the day is out like an authoritarian maniac!"

---

Lae was met with busy hallways, some of which seemed familiar due to his run through them some months back. The soldiers that were shuttling through the hallways and elevators were carrying various supplies, weaponry, and other tools.

[Wynn]

"... I wonder how long until the hellfire poison sets in..." Reeds says to himself, thinking to himself for a moment, then shrugging and turning toward the doctor. "Hey, make sure the devices are on full power, Rain wants these poor souls up before the day is out like an authoritarian maniac!"

---

Lae was met with busy hallways, some of which seemed familiar due to his run through them some months back. The soldiers that were shuttling through the hallways and elevators were carrying various supplies, weaponry, and other tools.

Lae would walk down the hall, the short sleeves of his shirt revealing the burns on his arms. He looked around the place he was in trying to get his bearings. "Where the hell am i?..." He muttered to himself as he went to look out a window.

[Quantum Rain]

He was met with an oceanside view out of the window, and being elevated several stories at that. He would also see one of the assault ships of the Farseer battle group lying in wait close by, hovering far above the water. A loud noise was soon heard and two squadrons of fighter drones flew past the building, on patrol for another potential assault.

"Are you okay, sir?" One of the soldiers stopped to ask Lae. He looked very curiously at Lae, recognizing him as the same person that went oddly berserk on the rooftop, but coincidentally saved his life at the same time then.

[Wynn]

He was met with an oceanside view out of the window, and being elevated several stories at that. He would also see one of the assault ships of the Farseer battle group lying in wait close by, hovering far above the water. A loud noise was soon heard and two squadrons of fighter drones flew past the building, on patrol for another potential assault.

"Are you okay, sir?" One of the soldiers stopped to ask Lae. He looked very curiously at Lae, recognizing him as the same person that went oddly berserk on the rooftop, but coincidentally saved his life at the same time then.

"...I dont know..." Lae replied. "Last I remember, I was in the path of a fire bolt that was going to be the killing-blow. I know you and I were on a mission in an abandoned city... and yet I cant remember any of it..." He seemed very disoriented. He looked out the window again, then asked, "Where am I exactly?"

[Quantum Rain]

"The recovered military base, sir. You passed out in the battle, shortly after you went berserk on the demons. Probably saved our lives with that, thank you." He replied, still curious, concerned, and cautious of Lae all at the same time. "Maybe you should return to the medical ward, sir?"

[Wynn]

"The recovered military base, sir. You passed out in the battle, shortly after you went berserk on the demons. Probably saved our lives with that, thank you." He replied, still curious, concerned, and cautious of Lae all at the same time. "Maybe you should return to the medical ward, sir?"

Lae shook his head. "There are people in there beat up a lot worse than I am." He responded. "Besides, It'll take more than a few second and third degree burns to keep me down. So why waste the resources on me?"

[Quantum Rain]

"Alright then, sir. I need to continue preparing for the assault on the spire tomorrow. That attack earlier today pushed back our plans." He picked up his crates of supplies again. "Thank you again, sir." He said, then walked off.

[Wynn]

"Alright then, sir. I need to continue preparing for the assault on the spire tomorrow. That attack earlier today pushed back our plans." He picked up his crates of supplies again. "Thank you again, sir." He said, then walked off.

Lae chuckled at the second thank you. "You welcome, I guess." He would walk around and head into the cafeteria and get a small plate of lasagna and sit at a table and eat it quietly.

Lae: WHAT THE [censored] DID YOU DO, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF [censored]!?
Xaldius: I saved you.
Lae: WHY DONT I REMEMBER ANYTHING THEN!?
Xaldius: ...

After eating it, Lae would stand up and walk out as his injuries began to get a faint icy burning sensation. He walked around the building to try and find someone who could make rhyme or reason of what happened for him.

[Quantum Rain]

Rain, and two more lieutenants, were walking by. Rain was also burned a little, but not nearly as badly as the others, and he seemed tired. "That demon attack did more damage than I'd like... I want suggestions on how to recover from those losses." Rain announced to the two, whom looked at eachother, sighed, then turned back to Rain. "Our troops are not ready to assault the spire at any point today, or even tomorrow, if we want to be safe." "I asked for suggestions, not appraisals." Rain interrupted. "Any minute we waste, more die for it, and it gives our enemy more time to regroup. That spire is coming down tomorrow, or not at all." He stated clearly, then stopped when he saw Lae.

"... You shouldn't be up so soon." He stated, glancing at his burn marks.

[Wynn]

Rain, and two more lieutenants, were walking by. Rain was also burned a little, but not nearly as badly as the others, and he seemed tired. "That demon attack did more damage than I'd like... I want suggestions on how to recover from those losses." Rain announced to the two, whom looked at eachother, sighed, then turned back to Rain. "Our troops are not ready to assault the spire at any point today, or even tomorrow, if we want to be safe." "I asked for suggestions, not appraisals." Rain interrupted. "Any minute we waste, more die for it, and it gives our enemy more time to regroup. That spire is coming down tomorrow, or not at all." He stated clearly, then stopped when he saw Lae.

"... You shouldn't be up so soon." He stated, glancing at his burn marks.

"Look, could everyone just forget the burns? I was probably the least injured person in that room." Lae replied somewhat bitterly as he put his hands to his sides as if to say 'enough'. He would calm down slightly however to go on to ask, "Now I'm in a fog right now, what happened and did we succeed whatever mission we went to do?"

[Quantum Rain]

"If you're talking about the demon attack, we repelled it... whether or not we can succeed past our losses is another matter. As for what happened to you, I was rather hopeful that you would answer that for me." He said, a little spiteful at the last part of his statement. That spite turned into curiosity, however, as he thought for a moment. "..." He turned to one of his lieutenants. "... Stealth." He said simply, as if gaining a new idea.

[Wynn]

"If you're talking about the demon attack, we repelled it... whether or not we can succeed past our losses is another matter. As for what happened to you, I was rather hopeful that you would answer that for me." He said, a little spiteful at the last part of his statement. That spite turned into curiosity, however, as he thought for a moment. "..." He turned to one of his lieutenants. "... Stealth." He said simply, as if gaining a new idea.

"Great..." Lae remarked sarcastically. He would stand there and cross his arms to hear out what Rain had in mind. He felt the icy burning begining to intensify slightly.

[Quantum Rain]

One of the lieutenants looked at Rain, confused. "The enemy knows how many of us there are, we use that to our advantage. We have camo belts to hide our numbers, and they'll hold theirs back. We kill them off one chunk at a time, and reinforce ourselves consistently, with sniper strike teams rotating through the ruins." He explained to them. They looked at him curiously, thought, then nodded their agreement. "The enemy may just swarm us in the end, though." The first commented. "But that doesn't matter, as long as we take out enough beforehand, we can cover our losses." The second lieutenant rebutted. "And we win the battle." Rain nodded, then motioned for them to leave, to prepare and brief their soldiers.

Rain turned back to Lae, sighing to himself. "..."

[Wynn]

One of the lieutenants looked at Rain, confused. "The enemy knows how many of us there are, we use that to our advantage. We have camo belts to hide our numbers, and they'll hold theirs back. We kill them off one chunk at a time, and reinforce ourselves consistently, with sniper strike teams rotating through the ruins." He explained to them. They looked at him curiously, thought, then nodded their agreement. "The enemy may just swarm us in the end, though." The first commented. "But that doesn't matter, as long as we take out enough beforehand, we can cover our losses." The second lieutenant rebutted. "And we win the battle." Rain nodded, then motioned for them to leave, to prepare and brief their soldiers.

Rain turned back to Lae, sighing to himself. "..."

"I suppose I'm expected to stand by and do nothing like a helpless crippled man?" Lae asked plainly. The pain was actually starting to become intense and it was becoming visually apparent in Lae's posture he was in pain. He stood up rather straight and his jaw was clenched tightly.

[Quantum Rain]

"... No, you should go to the medical ward, get healed, so then I can trust you with evacuating the civilians, as per the original plan." Rain replied sharply sarcastic, already noticing that Lae was in pain.

[Wynn]

"... No, you should go to the medical ward, get healed, so then I can trust you with evacuating the civilians, as per the original plan." Rain replied sharply sarcastic, already noticing that Lae was in pain.

Despite his posture, he sighed as if he were annoyed or disappointed. He said, "I said it once, and I'll say it again: why should resources be wasted on me when i got out so minor injured... when there are men in there that literally had their faces burned off?" He would walk away, still trying to hide his pain. He walked some ways down the hall, and slowed down bit by bit as he walked. As he reached the opposite end of the hall, he leaned up against the wall, suddenly feeling very fatigued. He sat down on a bench in the hallway, and sat there trying to catch his breath. It never came back to him. He stood back up and started to walk toward the elevators and pressed the button to call it up. He stood there for a few moments, and collapsed, his muscles giving out. He tried to pull himself back up, but his body felt like it weighed as much as a car. "Damn it..." Lae grumbled.

[Quantum Rain]

"Should I answer that question now, or should I just say that you should listen to your commander more instead of back-talking him?" Rain said bitterly, standing over Lae. This kid is simply infuriating... He thought to himself, clearly annoyed with Lae's attitude as it is vice versa.

[Wynn]

"Should I answer that question now, or should I just say that you should listen to your commander more instead of back-talking him?" Rain said bitterly, standing over Lae. This kid is simply infuriating... He thought to himself, clearly annoyed with Lae's attitude as it is vice versa.

Lae rolled his eyes enough to see Rain, but didn't move his head. He was breathing slowly and deeply as if he had run a marathon. "You [censored]..." He grumbled back at him. "Saying 'I... told you so'... Is not the way... to get on my good side..."

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