Before the enemy could do, what he was ordered the ground trembles again, this time a broad man appeared from the ground, tossing everyone with strength as the private militia struggled to gain hold of their lines.

When he finishes the leader off, he walks towards Alastor.

“You pretty screwed up, eh.”

Alastor recognizes the gruff voice.

“Meil? Why are you here?”

“My business is down and it’s because of that madman. So, here I am, helping to take down his ass.”

“Everyone, this is my friend, Meil.”

“Hi.” Linda greeted, “I’m surprised Alastor has a friend.”

“Let’s keep that to ourselves,” Alastor said.

“Thank you, for saving our ass-es.” Ken expressed his gratitude.

“Don’t sweat it. Rod paid me to assist you all. Although I am a resign Glade mercenary, I’m more reluctant on staying my nose from this mess.”

“Glade, what?” Linda asked.

“I’m an ex-rank A Glade mercenary, well, back in the old days. So, tell me, what’s the plan?”

Linda explained, “Well, our plan is to sneak up while waiting for the mercenaries to distract the private militia and assassinate Theo when he least expects us.”

“That’s it?” Meil asked, eyes reflected on disappointment. “That is the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard.”

“Allow us to hear your wisdom.” Alastor provocatively said.

“Well, uhm…” Meil was dumbfounded. “Anyway, since you already have one, let’s go with your plan. My job is only to assist you, not to lead.”

“Yeah, I thought so.” Alastor dismisses. “Cid we’re waiting for Cid to commence the attack and after that, we’ll sneak up behind.”

“Great, so, where are they?”

“I don’t… they’re supposed to be here at any moment.”

Just as he expunged the air out of his lungs, a shadowy figure came past them.

“What the hell is that?” asked Ken.

Above them, a giant bird in a form same to the kin of comodo and few other species, it has a face of bird but its beak is sharp as a bee, the brow was solid as molten rock. Its pale blue feather illuminates under the moonlight. It glided down as the wings became steady, it graciously made its way to the Kelby Hives.

They were pretty sure that they saw ten or more people riding the giant bird.

Everything will be clarified as the man they’ve been waiting for finally came with a hundred more mercenaries charging.

“What the…?” Linda was astonished.

Liber carrying Cid stopped and jumped down.

“Pretty neat, huh? Is this enough?” Cid asked them.

“Well, yeah,” Ken replied.

“Alright, then.” Linda began to explain. “This is where the hardest part begins. We have to make sure that their attention will focus on the front.”

“Not to brag, but, with this force, Theo won’t see us coming.” Ken confidently said.

“I reckon to set aside that false hope, we’re not sure what we are dealing here,” Alastor said. His stern face strikes fear to Ken, again.

Nevertheless, he knows what will partakes will put them to the test. The man itself is the epiphany of mystery. The only thing they know is that the man itself poses a threat that likely would cause a war, but until now, the goal remains a mystery. To what end does this conflict he drafted will gain him, power, money, or perhaps status?

Such questions revolve inside their mind, the Glade wants to know what does Theo wants, but time is a luxury that they could no longer afford, death is the only thing they can grant now to him. The question is, who will succeed?

Perhaps Alastor was underestimating them, but certainly, after watching how things unfold, he can’t seem to imagine how they’re going to succeed like this. The last thing Alastor wants to witness is how the mercenaries are going to be able to pull it off, something that will surpass his expectation. But it turns out, they flunked. Well, they’re not completely overwhelmed with force, but the barrier the enemy made makes it’s harder for the mercenaries to charge as the enemies fortified their positions with no means to bring them down.

Even though they managed to gain a foothold on the wall. Add to it, the enemies have the higher ground, their blasters make it harder for them to breach.

Alastor gazes from his position away from the wall that the big bird monster destroyed.

“Cid, I thought they’re going to help solve our problem? I can’t see that they’re doing it right now. You guys are completely doing the opposite.” Said Linda through comms.

“Hey! Spare us the lecture.” Said Cid as he glanced at the Leader who conjured an earth wall to protect them. “I thought that you would make things easy for us.”

The Leader spared him the glare as he countered the attack of the enemy.

“We are. Just shut up and watch.”

The silhouette of the bird monster passes, behind them. It stretches and flies away up in the sky. The Leader whistles and the birds glide down with its mouth opened wide. The wings produce blue flames.

“Take cover, kid. It’s going to be a blast.”

Cid deliberately gets inside the protective wall along with the other mercenaries.

“What are they doing?” asked Alastor. “We’re not fucked up, aren’t we?”

“No, have faith kid.” Said Meil. “I’m pretty sure Rod would be proud of you guys deciding to let another third party to mixed on your mission.”

“Really?” Ken asked.

“He’s being sarcastic, Ken,” said Alastor. “Look, spare us for being a judge-e. That’s the last thing we want to hear for now.”

The birds dive as their glowing body began to form and launches their energy towards the enemy’s direction. The building of the army’s fortress explodes and the walls crumble down, making way enough for the second party to sneak in.

The enemies were helpless against the attack of the creature. The only thing that set them aside is now the impending path they have to follow. Kelby Hive is much larger than the Chemical Factory they infiltrate last time. That would mean this place would prove more dangerous.

The wall that the mercenaries created crumbles down. The Leader looked at the surroundings, enemies were fell swoop at one strike.

“This is the chance that we’ve been waiting for. Tell your friends, they gotta do what they have to do because we won’t last long to see this end.”

The second party made their way on the far side of the wrecked wall and sneak past through the buildings.

They’ve noticed that the atmosphere changed. The ground was shaken by something.

“What the hell was that?” One of the mercenaries asked.

“The big guns.” Said the Leader. His face became serious. His tone changes as his men turn their attention to him. “Listen to me, just like the previous routine, we hit the knee, and attack all that we’ve got. We may be scum, but we’re not going to bend to an oppressive bastard. Spare no one, if you die then you die, it is what it is. But we will die as a warrior with pride!”

His words lifted their spirit as they raised their weapons and a war cry began to emit as if their lungs know no tiredness.

The tanks along the modified soldiers and weapons began to emerge. They steeled themselves as they charged on one another.

The battle entirely wrecked the environment. Both sides displayed impressive skills, but the mercenaries proved to be superior to the modified soldiers and the machines they used.

“You may use every machination you have, but a talent with no proper tactic to used would befall to naught.” The Leader said. His sword swung down to the arm of the soldier, ripping it off. He shifted and attack another one, he mercilessly cut off every piece of their body.

His reactions were fast as lightning, if the enemy would be able to get behind his back, he would use the dead body to shield himself, if not he will conjure magic to blow the head off.

Unfortunately, not all of his men were talented as he is. It was estimated that the initial men he has been three hundred, and now, they were scarce by ninety.

If it weren’t for the monster they have, the Blue Klitz, they wouldn’t manage to keep the death toll at a minimum.

His compatriots began to change their tactics and began to charge to tanks in more erratic movements to confuse it.

“Take this.”

The mercenary conjured magic, that shook the ground and had the wheel stuck, immobilizing the vehicle. The others cut down the submachine gun attached to it and throw a fireball at the nose of the tank.

They watched the tank explodes into pieces as they take cover by the magical wall they conjured. Hell breaks loose when the bird launches another set of attacks against the enemy.

“Forward!” He shouted. “Let us show those bastards what we’re made of!”

They showed a valiant effort, and with their unforgiving strength, they managed to sway them off from marching forward and were beginning to hold the fort on their position. The Leader glances at the party and grins.

“Good luck, kids.”