Hours later, Vincent is interrogating the captured prisoner.
Vincent: ("Let's try this one last time.")
(He delivered a brutal punch to the beastman's jaw, the sound of the impact echoing in the room.)
Vincent: ("Where is the Shadow Emperor?")
The beastman spat blood onto the floor, his sharp teeth bared in a mocking grin.)
Beastman: ("Naive humans! Capturing me is no use—")
Another punch silenced him, this one harder than the last. The beastman's head snapped to the side, blood dripping from his split lip.)
Vincent: ("Stick to the question, furry!"
Vincent: "Your army falters as we speak! The blades are within our grasp, and there's nothing you can do about it! It's over, beastman—you've lost.")
Vincent slammed his fist into the beastman's face again and again, blood spraying from his shattered nose and split lips. "Tell me where the Shadow Emperor is, you filthy animal!" Vincent screamed, his voice raw with fury.
Vincent grabbed a rusty knife from the table and held it to the beastman's throat, digging the blade into his flesh until blood welled up.
The beastman laughed, a gurgling, agonized sound. "you just don't get it, human. My job here is done, I was only bidding for time."
Vincent: (leaning closer) What do you mean, "bidding for time"?
Beastman: (calmly) Keep me chained, or execute me if you want. It doesn't matter. You cannot stop what's going to happen next.
Vincent: W-what?
Vincent steps back, his fists clenched, his voice rising.
Vincent: (shouting) What happens next? You're not making any sense!
Beastmen: oh, hairless monkey.. this world... It's not ours to conquer, it never was.
The beastman coughed up a mouthful of blood and broken teeth, his eyes glazed with pain. "You... you're wasting your time, human."
The beastman spit out blood then a sudden serious expression on his face begins to show. "You'll see... soon enough. Our great King will soon rise from his slumber, and your world will be consumed."
Vincent plunged the knife deep into the beastman's chest, twisting it savagely. The beastman let out a gurgling scream as blood poured from the wound, staining Vincent's hands crimson. Vincent withdrew the blade and stabbed the beastman again and again, his fury blinding him to all reason.
When the beastman finally fell silent, Vincent stood over his lifeless body, chest heaving. He wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand.
Vincent muttered to himself. "But who's pulling the strings? The Shadow Emperor... he's not the real threat if he actually dead... but if not. Then there's something bigger at play here."
Vincent's mind raced as he contemplated the beastman's final words. A great King... rising from slumber. What the hell did that mean? He needed answers, and he needed them now.
Commander Cooper stepped into the room, his boots splashing through the puddles of blood on the floor. He surveyed the scene the dead beastman, Vincent's bloodsoaked hands, the twisted knife clutched in his fist. "Well?" Cooper asked, his voice calm and level. "Did you get anything useful out of him?"
Vincent whirled around, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and desperation. "What do you think, you fucking moron "he's dead, isn't he? But not before he spilled some interesting bullshit."
Cooper raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by Vincent's outburst. "Such as?"
Vincent: "I was trying to extract information from this piece of shit, but he was more interested in spouting about their great King will rise from his slumber and our world will be consume."
Cooper's expression remained impassive in the face of Vincent's outburst. "Calm down, soldier. I'm just trying to gather"
"I don't give a fuck what you're trying to do," Vincent growled, storming towards Cooper. "Every second we waste standing here is a second closer to whatever the hell this King have planned. So if you've got something useful to say, spit it out. Otherwise, get the fuck out of my sight."
Commander Cooper grabbed Vincent's arm in a vicelike grip, his fingers digging into the soldier's flesh. "I am the Commander of this outpost, and you will show me the respect I deserve."
Cooper squared his shoulders, his voice cold and commanding.)
Commander Cooper: ("Watch your tone, soldier. You're out of line.")
(The tension in the room snapped like a taut wire. Vincent lunged forward, shoving Cooper back. Cooper retaliated, grabbing Vincent by the collar and slamming him against the wall.
Cooper's face reddened with rage, his hand instinctively moving to the gun at his hip. "You will watch your tongue, soldier, or I'll have you court-marshaled for insubordination."
Finally, Cooper point his gun at Vincent while pending him against the wall, his forearm pressing against Vincent's throat.
Commander Cooper: "Enough!"
Vincent struggled against him, unable to speak for a moment.
Vincent: "You don't understand! They're planning something—we're running out of time and if we don't change the way we fight and do things, we will never win!"
Cooper released him, stepping back and catching his breath. He wiped the blood from his nose, his expression softening slightly.
Cooper released him, stepping back and catching his breath. He wiped the blood from his nose, his expression softening slightly.
Commander Cooper: "Then I guess you change how the frontier fights and how we operate."
Cooper gave a curt nod, his voice firm but calm.
Commander Cooper: "Clean yourself up. We've got work to do," We heading back to HQ to talk to the council about your idea, I will support you but to get the council to agree with your idea will fall on you.
As Cooper left the room, Vincent remained behind for a moment, staring at the beastman's lifeless body.
2 weeks later a helicopter blades arrived here descended onto the makeshift landing pad. Dust and snow swirled in the air, forcing the soldiers below to shield their eyes. Commander Cooper stood at the edge of the pad, his arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the incoming chopper. Vincent leaned against a nearby post, his usual scowl etched into his face. Beside them stood Elysia, her radiant presence contrasting starkly with the grim surroundings.
The helicopter touched down, its doors sliding open to reveal two pilots motioning for them to board. Elysia's white, feathered wings shimmered faintly in the dim light as she adjusted the golden circlet on her head. Her crimson eyes flicked to Vincent, who was still brooding.
Elysia: ("Is he always this... pleasant?")
Her voice carried a melodic tone, but there was a hint of sarcasm beneath it.
Commander Cooper: ("You get used to it.")
(He smirked slightly before gesturing for them to move.
As they climbed aboard, the helicopter's interior was cramped but functional. The hum of the engines drowned out most ambient noise, leaving only the occasional crackle of the radio. Elysia settled into her seat.
The tension in the helicopter was palpable, but Cooper ignored it, focusing instead on the map displayed on a tablet in his lap.
Commander Cooper: "HQ wants a full debrief the moment we land. Elysia, I hope your people have some insight into what the beastman prisoner said."
Elysia: "I don't know."
The helicopter began to ascend, leaving the battered outpost behind. Below, soldiers waved them off, their figures growing smaller as the chopper gained altitude.
As the helicopter disappeared into the horizon, the ominous words of the beastman echoed in their minds: "This world... it's not ours to conquer. It never was."