The screeching of the creature’s metallic neck ruptured the battlefield, slicing through my helmet. My ears continued to throb.

“X-15, come in. Report.”

A muffled voice reverberated in my helmet, causing the lines in my suit to flash with blue as it connected with the System.

“Coming in C2. Advised to abort. This world is finished.”

The helmet cackled with silence as the earth trembled beneath me. I could hear the screams as my comrades fell in battle.

“C2?”

The gear cackled to life. “Continue onslaught. We aren’t leaving.”

A wave of icy fear crashed over me, the strength leaving me gasping, “Sir! If we continue, we -!” A click. And then the blue lights dashing through my blackened armor flickered out.

We were alone.

Some one screamed, this time in my unit. I turned in time to see the metal shard sticking through her body, and that’s when the explosion went off. To say I watched my comrade fall would be false. No. I watched as their bodies were torn apart with the force of the blow and shivered as I realized in horror that the droplets falling like a torrent of rain were blood.

We were not fighting a war. We were lining up for a massacre.

The beast wailed, a hellish red glow coming from it’s beak as it tossed back it’s head. Was there any way to defeat it?

I aimed my gun at the underside of its neck, imagining the reddish glow was from its own blood. I could hear more screams now… or were they mine? All I knew was that we would die. Run? Pointless. This world was dying. Die? Definitely. But how to die, that was the question.

“X-15!” My heart stopped, and my thrummed with cold. I couldn’t see his face. But I could hear the frenzy in his voice. Was he looking for me? Or did he already see me? Allowing this world to die was no longer an option. If the world died, he would die with it.

I swallowed, suddenly set on my path as I dashed behind a pathetic excuse of a barricade. There was only one thing that could turn the tide. And that was information.

“C2, come in.” The blue lights flashed from my suit again, faintly catching the eyes of the beast. Fear and anger raged through me. I would finish my mission at least. Then it could have me.

“X-15, report.”

“We need information.” No response. My suspicions confirmed, I issued my death sentence. “I’m going in. Will report later with needed information.”

“X-15, stand down! I repeat. Sta-!”

I shut off the communications and stood, slinging the large gun across my back. “X-15!” I heard his frantic cry behind me, but I could not falter. Not for him.

I charged.