Legend

Hunter raised his eyes to one of the giant screens and couldn’t hold in his scowl.

It was the same thing again. And it made him sick watching yet another interview about Serena.

Was it really all that necessary to milk the news how the woman sacrificed herself to save the Empress?! Or was it because she did just that – and the Laithorians decided to show their people how loyal Serena really was, even though she had been wronged so much?

“I don’t think she even knew how wonderful she is, you know?” Pher’s face was solemn and eyes sad. “When I met her, I never even suspected how kind, selfless and brave she is. I mean… at the time she was just a woman like any other I’ve ever met, just a stranger… but as soon as I started getting to know her better, I understood that behind her beautiful face and her demeanour there was a woman of intelligence, wit, honour…”

Hunter took a sip from the bottle, feeling irritated hearing those words. Like all that mattered at the moment.

He continued his way, still hearing the interview continuing.

They all went through a series of interviews after the battle that happened on Garmfrig. And those were sent all over the known human Universe, while the war continued and the Company failed again and again to seize their own colonies under their power. MSS Lyssandra and alongside it – the SS Growler, fought on even without Serena helming them in the war.

For two long weeks the fights continued here and there. Two weeks after the failed assassination attempt that was aimed to kill Empress Alathea.

Hunter still remembered the day that happened, like it was yesterday.

He probably had the best vantage point, having landed on one of the balconies above the square on his Dragon hover bike, and keeping an eye out for any dangers. The Empress and her Royal Guards were there, by the podium that was usually a place for advertisements and public speeches made by whoever was leading the colony at the time.

This time the speech was being delivered by the Laithorian Empress herself.

Keeping an eye out, Hunter wasn’t really looking at the Empress and her Royal Guards, understanding very well that trouble could come from other places.

“People of Garmfrig!” Empress Alathea shouted when the gathered crowd fell silent. “The Company has long lied and misled the colonies just like yours! And yet it has come to my attention that you were in need of help, because the Company was wreaking havoc. The Laithorian Empire heard your plea and came to help you overthrow the greedy men and women that benefit from your hard work, while you crawl and seek other means to get necessities! Your hardships are over!”

Before the Empress continued her speech, Hunter saw Serena tensing up in the front rows of the crowd. The woman suddenly glanced around, and only then Hunter heard the Royal Guards moving closer to protect their Empress.

The cyborg looked up, seeing a very fast and agile projectile heading towards the podium.

“Rocket!” he screamed, alerting everyone and jumping to his hover bike to fly off.

He saw Serena activating her armour and jolting towards the podium as the rocket flew by. The jetpack on her back was fast enough to catch up, and – barely – get ahead of the projectile. As the Royal Guards and the Empress began shooting at the rocket that swirled away from their shots every time, Hunter was already heading to aid them.

But then a bright, warping field burst out of the rocket, immediately deactivating Veluthian armour, Serena’s jetpack and Hunter’s hover bike altogether. When he tumbled down to the square, he could see everyone frozen in shock and his beloved landing in front of the Empress just as the rocket exploded in a ball of fire, captivating the whole podium.

Hunter didn’t waste time jumping to his feet and hurrying to the podium as the crowd was erupting in screams and orders – people already moved to capture whoever shot the rocket and were fighting with a group of Company militia that managed to sneak into the square unnoticed.

The cyborg remembered how he landed next to Serena, as she fell down – her back mangled and burnt from the explosion. In an instant he gave her a shot of her stimulator meds he had on him, but he could see that the damage her body sustained was too great.

He wasn’t really hearing the Empress and her Guards – at least, the ones that got away relatively unscathed – screaming orders and organizing a transport ship off Garmfrig. But when medics arrived and tried to take Serena away, he almost fought them, because he wasn’t sure if she was alive or not.

If it weren’t for Wolfin and Lindon – he could have caused harm to the people who were trying to help not only Serena, but other wounded as well – both of Laithorian blood and ones from Garmfrig that were harmed during the assassination attempt.

Now… Hunter couldn’t really think at all and tried his best not to be seen anywhere.

Ever since that day they were all praised for their efforts in the battles, and they tried hard to stay a crew and fight even after Serena was no longer with them.

When the battles finally came to a halt – with the Company accepting its defeat and some of its colonies being freed from the tyrannical rule of the Company administration – MSS Lyssandra and SS Growler returned to Velutha, where they were praised as heroes of the Laithorian Empire.

But all that meant nothing without Serena by their side.

They accepted the Laithorian citizenship that came with their own apartments and everything else that was offered with it, but neither Hunter, nor others felt it was right.

And then came the PR campaign that forced them all into the bothersome routine of speaking to representatives of the Empress and the public relations specialists. Hunter hated those days. He tried to make himself scarce, but failed every time, because everyone knew who he was and where he came from. The man that fought alongside the Hero of Velutha, the Crimson Blade’s loyal Officer – he was recognised wherever he went.

Hunter thought about the interview he was persuaded to give. Lindon and Wolfin were almost begging him to give his side of the story about Serena. So did the others.

He accepted defeat and the Veluthian reporters gathered to hear him speaking about Serena.

Yet, he never finished the interview. It was too hard for him to talk about the woman he loved.

He walked out, because it was excruciating for him to talk about Serena and her heroic act that allowed the Laithorians to rise up, frenzied, and crush all Company efforts in a matter of days.

None of this mattered to him. He wished he could hold her in his arms and tell her how he loved her. But the sight of her back – burned to pitch black, with her bones shattered – kept crawling into his mind, not allowing him to forget the desperation he felt in that moment, when he saw her then. Unmoving, charred and mangled, she barely looked like herself.

Hunter gritted his teeth, trying hard not to allow tears bursting again. Veluthians do not approve of emotions. And he learned the hard way – everything you feel, should be kept behind closed doors.

The cyborg sipped some more alcohol out of the bottle and headed home, feeling hollow and alone. He took a deep breath, stepping a little faster to reach his cold, lonely apartment that he received for everything he was a part of thanks to Serena.

Everything seemed so wrong without her.