Day Two

"The war between the Zenra and the race of Batsheva's now nearing its end. President Crisanda's request for Batshevas to surrender was rejected by the latter. 1 of the last 3 gems are now located at an unspecified location." - words spilled by the TV News.

It's 5:20 in the morning. Cold wind's passing by the city. The sun will rise soon to brighten Eumo's Utopian City. At the sky, Jet-1601, a HYPERION jet is heading to Vaanasa Rainforest, located up north, near the country's border.

In the jet, Jon and Jack, sitting quietly, mentally preparing themselves and their swords are resting next to them.

"We'll be there in 35 minutes. You still got plenty of time to prepare, heroes." said by the pilot.

"Noted." Jack said while holding and smiling at his and Helena's picture.

"Gotta say.. Martha's a nice woman." Jon said.

"I know. But Helena's better. No offense pal. Hehe" Jack replied. "Hey. I'm sorry if I can't stop them from assigning you to join this task." He added.

"It's okay. I promised my Mum that I'll get her a flower once this is over.."

Jack nodded.

"You're the only family I have." Jon added.

"I'm always with you, brother." Jack replied. "Don't you think it's unfair?" He wonders.

"Mm?" Jon while giving Jack a curious but serious look.

"The Batsheva's completely outmatched by us. It's unfair. It's like bullying someone you know you can because nothing will happen." Jack murmured.

"What are you trying to say?" Jon asked.

"I don't know but this war? I mean I'm kind of curious why other countries aren't reacting at all like trying to stop the war? I have a feeling once this war is over and all these gems are collected, another one will rampage the planet." Jack answered. "We fought side by side. We fought many wars, Jon. This war gives me a different feeling." He added while trying his best to keep his voice low.

"I fully trust the President... he knows what he's doing. We all know that the gems can create energy that can improve our environment. Which is why the President is after them. Besides, the High Council will not allow such things to happen. I'm pretty sure he consulted them first." Jon assures.

"I don't care much about the High Council. Clearly, they have agendas."

"There will be no war after this. Zenra will share it with the rest of the world. Our country's the top supercountry bud."

Jack shook his head while looking at the pilot wondering if the latter is listening.

"For thirty-minutes, Jet-1601 will be at the landing site.." the pilot reported.

Convinced that the pilot isn't listening, Jack turns his head to Jon, he crunches slowly and slightly, looking straight to Jon's eyes.

"We'll find this one out. We'll get the job done. Get the gems but secretly investigate. As much as possible, don't kill. They're an indigenous race. They're, a piece of history." He said.

"Alright, brother..." Jon said.

Meanwhile, at Howlettville, a suburban area of Eumo, Martha is sitting right at the steps of her house. She's looking at the dark sky as it slowly transform into morning yellow-orange. The sunlight starts to shine, touching her almond eyes, highlighting her long wavy auburn hair. The sign of concern and care are vivid to her beautiful face.

Her father, James, an old man comes out of the house, only to find her sitting at the stairway.

"Morning, daughter.."

"Morning dad!" Martha greeted as she stood up and approaches her old man. "You want some coffee? Breakfast's ready!" She added.

"Oh my.. calm down.. I uh.. I want to talk to you. You're a bit different last night..."

"Is it bad?"

"No, not at all." James said as he looks at her. "That boy.. Jon Randall, is it?"

"Uh-huh, what about him?" Martha curiously asked as her cheeks turns red, her eyes looks for more answers from James' eyes, and her body leans forward.

"You sure about him?"

"I don't know. He seems a great guy, a gentleman. He's a HYPERION dad. Pretty cool right? He's still grieving for his mother who recently died 2 months ago.."

"Yeah.. I know.. Arya's a friend of mine.. piece of advice.. don't get your hopes up. He's a government man.. pretty much everything he does involves a life-threatening situation. I don't want you to be like his mother. His dad's Steve, a soldier like me.. got killed during the last war. He never knew his father personally.. Steve's death is what made me retire from duty.. couldn't afford to see you growing up without a father. I heard they're after the gems.. oh boy.. Batshevas are indigenous, they're dangerous!" James said.

Martha pats her father's back, comforting him. "I'll be fine dad.. just let me try this thing. I've been single my whole life.. just let me plus Jack's with him, I'm sure he'll look after him."

James nodded. He looks to her daughter's face and smiles. "I hope he will.."

"Jet-1601, dropping HYPERION Randall and HYPERION Forza." reported the pilot as Jon and Jack jumps out of the jet, landing in the grass.

The jet immediately flies away leaving the duo around a remote forest. Jon and Jack observes the surroundings as the pair walk deeper into the forest, searching for clues. Around them, tall and old trees, different forms of plants, and some rock formations, Vaanasa Rainforest has a beautiful ecosystem..

Birds chirping, some animal growls from not very far distance, a sound of boots stepping on grass or rocks, winds blowing the trees, the 2 soldiers listens carefully.

"Hey. Turn on your shield." Jack said to Jon as he commands his armor to project a holographic shield on his left arm and Jon did the same. Jon uses his holographic shield to scan the environment.

"Tell me if you get something. I can sense an ambush.." Jack murmured.

As the A.I. scans the environment, both soldiers slowly crouch. They grabbed the handle of their swords that hangs on their back, while not letting their guard down.

"I got 4 big heat signatures coming from the right and at the left, they're slowly coming at us." Jon murmured.

"A predator in stealth huh?" Jack said. "I'll take the left you go for the right." He added.

"Roger."

"Remember, as much as possible, don't kill." Reminded Jack as he sharply stares at his left, waiting for the batshevan natives to attack.

As Jon nodded, a 7 feet tall Batshevan Native screams for signal, his slim body is yellow with brown spots, has a tail and antennae, his eyes are slightly tilted. His scream's followed by a huge tribe, charging at the 2 soldiers. On Jon's side, a group of batshevan archmen forms a formation and fires arrows at them.

Both Jon and Jack separate from their position immediately, charging at their attackers.

As Jon jumps mid-air, his huge sword cuts frontal which enables a second sword to rotate at the opposite direction of the default sword, making it double-edged. Jon threw his double-edged sword like a frisbee at the arrows before landing near the batshevan archmen, using his peak human strength and his holographic shield, he disarm each hostiles while knocking them out.

On the other side, Jack uses his Forza Sword to block spears, his shield, and martial arts skills to fend off the natives, beating them one by one.

Both soldiers are holding back to avoid killing the natives.

A few minutes later, as more natives are getting knocked out by the 2 super soldiers, an improvised cannon caught both Jon and Jack off guard. The cannon fires, sending the soldiers to the ground, scratching their heads.

"Ugh!- They're killing us now Jack!"

"I know! Knock them out!"

Jon rushes to his double-edged sword while using shield to defend himself from the attacks. The cannon fires and Jon, using his shield, blocks the projectile which sends him impacting an old tree, breaking its trunk.

Jack tries to cover him by charging at the natives which caught the attention of the natives firing the cannon.

As the native fires at Jack, the latter is fighting other natives while also saving them from the cannonballs by throwing them to a far distance.

Jon successfully reaches his double-edged sword and aims it at the natives who were firing the cannon, he threw the sword which caught the natives off guard, the double-edged brutally hits the two natives behind the cannon which sends them to the ground, killing them.

As Jack saw this, he telepathically commands his sword to transform to its final form. The sword expanded its size, nearly as tall and wide as Jack, with electricity running through its blade.

Jack jumps mid-air, aiming at the ground, near the cannon. The native who's responsible for reloading cannonballs fled and Jack struck the ground with his gigantic sword which sends small shockwaves of lightning to the cannon, destroying it.

A relief, the duo looks around.

"All of them are alive! *deep breathe* except for two.." Jack giving the what-the-f look to Jon.

"I tried.. *deep breathe.* I can't help it man." Jon replied

"Control it man. You're a superhuman and them? They got nothing. Look! Spears and circular shields. Totally unfair right?!"

Just when Jon was about to reply, a huge tree trunk was thrown at them.

"WHAT THE?!"

Both soldiers jump and succesfully dodge the huge tree trunk.

"WHERE DID IT COME FROM?! WHO THREW IT?! Jack while scanning the forest.

"I don't know I can't see a damn thing!" Jon said.

Unknown to them, a next one hits them in the back and sends them to a far distance. Jack recovers immediately and saw few big trunks and rocks coming to him. He charged against them and used his swords to cut each rocks and trunks in half, making his way to Jon.

Unfortunately, his sword unnaturally slips from his hand and it seems like that an unseen force threw it away. Confused, Jack looks at his front only to see a huge rock's about to hit his face.

Jon heard a loud impact and as he recovers, he saw Jack hit the ground, unconscious.

"JACK!" Jon rushes at Jack but was pushed by an unseen force, sending the latter to the ground. Jon stood up immediately and continues to fight back but he was completely outmatched by the unseen force, repeatedly sending him back to the ground until it threw him to a huge rock formation, knocking him out.

Meanwhile, Helena and Martha are hanging out at the 150 year old tree on the hill that overlooks the city.

"I'm wondering if the boys are okay.." Martha said. "Honestly, I'd really love to have them here again." She added.

"HYPERION ain't no kiddies. They're superheroes, right? It's just they don't fly with capes." Helena assures. "I'm thinking about coloring my hair into grayish silver to match Jack's.. What do you think?" She wonders.

"I think Jack loves your hair being black. Come on. Don't pressure yourself. He kept calling you beautiful yesterday." Martha answered.

"You miss him don't you?" Helena as she looks straight to Martha's eyes.

"I really hope Jon's okay. Like he's not hurt or something. They can still die."

"Well. Jon's got his old bro. I'm sure both of them are doing great." Helena assures as she turns her head to the city, smiling.

"They said it's an easy one. I'm sure they're kicking ass!"

"That's right Martha!" Helena giggles.

At the city center, President Crisanda visited the headquarters to check if an update from the duo is available. The president is sitting on a sofa, patiently waiting at his director's office. His eyes are locked but is searching for answers, his right hand is twitching, his lips are clenched. Seconds later, a tall young man enters the room. His face has handsome features, dark short wavy hair, his eyes are sharp, and has a perfect pointed nose. "Mr. President." the young man said.

"Shepard.."

"Any updates from Randall and Forza?" The President asked.

"We're currently tracking the duo at Vaanasa Rainforest. Their GPS chips got destroyed or removed from their suit, making it harder for us to track them sir." Shepard reported.

"Do you think they're dead?" President Crisanda looking straight at Shepard's green eyes

"No Mr. President but if there will be no updates within the next few days, I'll lead a rescue team to search for them." Shepard said.

"That's right.. you get the job done. Don't waste my trust on you, Kunsel. We need that gem. Let's end this war."

"On it, Mr. President."

President Crisanda nods as he stands up. He taps Shepard's right shoulder before going out of the office.

Shepard stares at the Zenra flag hanging behind the director's chair.

"I'll end your war." He whispered to himself.

It's 6pm in the evening. Jon wakes up from getting knocked out only to find himself as a prisoner. His hands are tied, a white sterile gauze wrapped around his forehead. He's lying down on a wooden bed next to a small bonfire.

His double-edged sword's resting at a nearby trunk. He can hear voices, not very far from him. He looks around and seconds later, footsteps on the grass are getting louder, someone is coming to him. Jon, looking right where the sound came from, he prepares to defend himself. He unties himself by force and rushes at his sword.

Grabbing his weapon, a voice of woman called out. "Calm down soldier!"

"WHO ARE YOU?!"

Suddenly, a tall batshevan woman wearing a royal necklace appears from the dark. Her violet eyes are slightly tilted, has a small cat-like nose and a human-like lips. On her forehead, antennae stands. Her whole slim body is covered by knitted clothes, she has bracelets on both arms, and has a calm-look on her face.

"Who are you?" Jon asked the batshevan woman.

"Lucia, daughter of Kramos, our tribe leader." She answered.

"What are you going to do to me? Where's Jack?!"

"Your comrade? He's safe, although still unconscious. Calm down."

"Where's the gem? I need it. Give it to me!" Jon replied.

"That's not going to happen, soldier."

"Give it to me and we will leave you alone."

Lucia shakes her head, pissing Jon even more.

"I can kill you right now." stated by the soldier.

"We need your help soldier. My race is dying and the world doesn't care. We need your help. Please calm down, we want to understand the situation. Please try to listen!" Lucia tearfully said. Jon's expression went from a cold hearted killer to a confused man who have no clue about what's going on.