"What. Is that."
Val looked down at the letter that was murderously given to her.
Val has an idea of what it is, but just chose to look the other way.
"It's not more work… right?"
Val glanced at them and pretended otherwise.
"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck."
"Aughhh after yesterday?"
"I wanna die."
-_- man and -_- woman silently vowed to remember what Valorie Division members were: a bunch of lazy dumbos.
"So what's in it?" Derek asked.
Val just walked to, or rather just handed the letter to, Salder.
Her partner.
Proclaimed by not her but everyone else.
"Uh."
The suspense was killing them.
Salder read the letter.
"Should I read it out loud or abbreviate it?"
"Peh, make it shimple."
Salder looked elsewhere. "...Sure."
"Ahem. Come to the Game Show studio."
"What."
"Now I want to hear the long version."
"You damn… fine." Salder sighed. "...I would like you of Valorie Division to come to my game show. As a fun sketch to both for dunking on Derek and Selena–"
"Hey hey!"
"The hell did we do?!"
Salder looked at them with dry eyes.
"...With the adding of notable people who helped with previous assignments. AKA Val and her sorry…. So get over here before I delist your butts from the menu. P.S I do mean all of Valorie Divas… compensation will be told if you come… optional."
"Whats written there?"
Salder flipped over the letter.
With each drifting of his eyes to the next line, his face turned grimmer.
"Hey. You two."
"Wuh."
"Did you offend Them by any chance?"
"No."
"Absolutely not."
The look Salder gave was indescribable.
"Why the hell is my name written here."
The duo just looked at each other. Then to Val.
— —
"The lines are being breached!"
"The wall can't hold much longer!"
"Support can't break through!"
"We're blocked off from all sides! Commander, we need to do something!!"
Shits fucked.
'In what way are we supposed to fight against those demons?'
Right outside, those driven by life fall, yet their numbers fill up twicefold as if nothing was gone.
"Commander please! Issue an order!"
The color of the sky turns red as the light falls into darkness.
Despite being well defended, those demons penetrated so quickly that it didn't even last ten minutes.
Hours.
Not even days.
Just hours.
Better than before?
Maybe if those fanatics said their god was coming to relieve us.
…It doesn't change the fact that soldiers are turning into chunks of meat recognizable only by the fact of their weapons and armor.
Even those barely look like scrapped metal.
–Boom!
And then there's that.
"The wall has been breached!"
Ah.
Some sort of big projectile that looks like the dwarves made.
…
Those guys didn't make it though.
Even now, they're tightening their grip.
Arrows do nothing, the infantry can't even get close to those long range bastards, somehow if we do they excel in close quarter combat, use a wide arrange of tools–
It's all screwed.
I'll be damned in hell for failure.
"Commander, something is flying in the sky!"
I see it.
From the window to my right.
A massive thing reminiscent of a dragon. Spewing breath that shakes the earth.
Smoke coming from its side.
The very same projectiles that fell soldiers so quickly.
"Commander!"
The glass shattered as an explosion combusted indiscriminately.
From the harrowing red sky, the end reigned.
The massive structure loomed with death.
— —
"I have a question."
"Shoot."
"What's the deal with her?"
Zanert pointed to Val, who understandably felt mixed about it.
"How should I know. I just read it."
"Well, she's "Important"... sure. But how much?"
"Shouldn't. You know?"
"Ehhhhh I wasn't paying attention."
Salder's face frowned slightly.
"Where are the others…"
"Barbeque."
Salder slowly faced him.
"Even that woman..?"
"Yup!"
"Why are you here then fatass..?"
"Piece of shit I'm your senior!"
Salder's face said otherwise.
Val just kept pace as these two bickered oddly.
It has been a while since the letter. Though it was like, two days ago.
Since then Val has thought of one thing.
Will I be in pain?
The answer: Probably?
[ — | ]
_
[ — — ][1]
—
…She isn't sure.
As she contemplates, a brick wall stops her. By that, it's meant as a person.
"Oh. You arrived."
The one who flatly looked down at her, a dark haired and skinned woman greeted them.
"I see the grease around your lips!"
"I'll twist your spine."
"How lovely!" a coquettish voice by the senior.
"It seems a dog still needs training."
"Ah but the human has slaughtered and tamed the ram?"
A deadlock of nerves floated between the two.
"Uh. Who else is here? I need to make a decision. Or rather she will."
"Mostly those two days ago plus some stragglers from other areas. You know pretty much all of them anyways."
"Ah, well. Okay."
"Ever heard of flaying?"
"My bet is on the deceased."
The random chatter behind the stalemate talked about random things.
"KUAHHH!!!!!! DAMN IT'S TIGHT!!!!!"
"Dude."
"TIGHT!!!!!!"
"Man."
Val thought about names.
The trio of Acarnic, Vampire, Lecarnic.
Uh…
Um…
Val must be blanking. Or rather, those names must not be listed right now.
"Oh Salder! How are you!"
"Fine."
"Seems the fine lady is cozying up?"
This… The Lizard in front of them is Gisk.
An old timey from the days when Salder had his cranium opened by a bullet.
"Hoho… the b–"
"Alright I'll stop you there."
"Tsk."
"Where's…"
"Had business. Old man can't let go of his guard."
"For what?"
A surprisingly easy answer.
"Dunno. But also." Gisk scratched his throat.
"Chiefs been grumblin too much! Action isn't every day!" what an inspiring npc like words.
A grievance of being under his command.
"...I see. Can I ask you to do something?"
"Go ahead."
"An announcement regarding the letter."
"Ah. Heard bout that."
"Can you help gather them?"
"Pssh. Nothing I can't do."
"Thanks."
"Eh." Gisk merely waved his hand and moved on.
With that, Salder got to work.
Meanwhile Val blankly watched.
As he did she realized… she wasn't doing anything at all!!!! She promised to keep going forward.
Sometimes she just forgets in a basic manner.
After such a realization, embarrassed, she slowly helped.
Though by the time her courage caught up, it was done.
Deflated, she slumped in the chair.
"Hey. It's uh, time… to…"
Salder fumbled his words as he tried to get his point across.
"Your decision. Choice."
Salder finally looked at Val.
"Are you ready?"
A momentous step in Val's life! If she wasn't so hesitant.
Slowly with small jerky movements filled with lessened hesitance, she took his hand.
With that, they walked together.
A smile for his help.
In response he smiled back.
"Oh looky!"
"Well, what do they have to say?"
And now, together bound by touch, they stood in front of them.
"You don't need to do it alone."
Val… nearly gave in.
"It's your choice. I'm here if you need me."
Valk blinked. And nearly cried.
But she bobbed her head up and down as if it was reassurance.
Once by herself with so many pairs of eyes staring at her, it was nerve wracking to say the least.
Still she pushed on. Slowly.
"I…."
[1] This better be the same or I'm shanking someone later today