Charlotte

"How did your talk with the Old Man go?" Alexander said slurping away on his dinner trying to pry some information out of the quiet man sitting across from him.

Hesitating for a couple of seconds before looking up at the young man before him. "We were talking about your future as the Colonel sees that you have some potential. I don't know what to do as you may have to leave here to go travel away and I know you must grow, but I will not be able to see you for a long time if that happens."

"I want to explore more of the world. I have been told so much about the world around us but have only gone as far as North Lake City to visit Aunt Cynthia. You all tell me of how amazing the world is." Alexander said wide-eyed trying to convince the Captain.

"I agree and which is why you will be training under the Colonel. I have also decided that although you are young you will be traveling with me from now on when I head to the North Post. Lastly, we decided when you turn 8 after your awakening ceremony when you merge with your soul partner you will represent the northern encampment. The army is putting together a new team of the younger generation and you will be our representative." Captain Collins sighed staring down at his food mixing it around in his bowl.

Standing up from his chair Alexander smiled and walked over to the Captain and began to hug him.

'Even though you are not my real dad you will always be my father.'

The Captain was surprised by the sudden change in his son's emotion who since being found in the box has never shown too much emotion for anything.

The both of them stood there as Alexander broke the silence between the two. "Can you tell me about my mother you have yet to tell me anything else about her?" As he returned to his seat to continue eating.

"Your mother... she was a beautiful woman with black hair much like yours. She was a Captain while I was still a lieutenant...."

.

. 11 years previous

.

"Honey are you excited tomorrow is your promotion ceremony. We will finally be able to get married and live together. Then who knows maybe I can tie you down and we can start our own family." A beautiful young Captain Charlotte said in a cheerful manner.

"Finally, after all of these years, we can start our family." A smiling Lieutenant Collins leaned on the floor holding the gorgeous young Captain in his arms.

"I want us to have a boy first. So, they can get your good looks and charm." Charlotte chuckled to herself pushing her head further into the Lieutenant's arms.

The pair laid in the moonlight waiting for their units scouting shift to be over.

*BOOM*

"We need everyone back to the main camp it is under attack by a rank A creature." A voice came over the Captain's relay crystal.

"Under attack! Chris, we need to gather all of the men from their posts. I need you to call everyone then head back to the main camp. I will leave first so I can aid everyone in repelling the creature. We need to save the camp so you can get that promotion tomorrow." Charlotte chuckled to herself as she ran off in the direction of the camp disappearing into the darkness.

'I need to be fast in having everyone find my location. It is a rank A creature we will need all the help we can get.' Collins put his hand into the air shooting out a condensed ball of fire.

*Shhhhhpt* *POP*

The flare-like ball popped into the air alerting all of the soldiers on standby in the area. Men and women started appearing out of the forest area assembling before Collins. Before a group of twenty men and women stood around with confused looks on their faces.

"The main camp is under attack by an A rank creature. We have no time for anything else we have to get back to reinforce everyone at the camp. Everyone follows me lets go." Lieutenant Collins ordered the other soldiers around him.

Bursting through the forest were twenty soldiers along with the lieutenant running as fast as they could to reach the camp that was 30 minutes away from their current position.

*BOOM* *BOOM*

Smoke could be seen in the direction of the army camp along with screams of people of all ages.

"Everyone get yourselves ready for battle. All support soul warriors help the wounded when we arrive and all attack types on me so we can support the vanguard warriors."

'I need to get to her side as soon as possible.'

What came into sight scared the young soldiers. The encampment was engulfed in flames as soldiers of all ranks were running out of the camp with burn marks all over their bodies.

"Don't go in there run we can't stop that thing. Forget about the camp we can always build a new one." An older man wearing a Major rank with his hair falling out onto the ground.

"How are the warriors on the vanguard? Is there anyone still fighting the creature and what is it?" Lieutenant Collins stopped the Major before he could run away from the scene.

"It is a Queen Magma Leopard we can't fight it. We have to retreat to the city the Colonel already gave his life for so many people to escape. There is only a Lady Captain still out there who was fighting with the Colonel allowing me to escape to lead the retreat back to the city."

'No! Why does she have to do this? No, I still have time. I have to get to her side as soon as possible.'

"Everyone falls back with the Major to the city to defend it to the death if necessary. I will go alone to reinforce the vanguard to buy you more time." Lieutenant Collins ordered everyone present sending them all away.

"Yes, everyone follows me to the city so we can reinforce it." The Major ordered the rest of the soldiers after hearing Collins's previous words.

Rushing forward into the camp deeper into the camp lit by flames. Towards the sounds of fighting ahead. Coming crashing through a building was a battered young lady Captain. As Collins got closer to the young lady, he saw the same beautiful Captain he was holding in his arms a mere couple of hours ago.

"Charlotte!" Collins ran over to where her body was lying in the rubble picking Charlotte up into his hands.

Charlotte turned her face that was smeared black by ash towards the man calling her name. "I was hoping you would take longer getting here. That dam Major Stark I let him escape so he would stop you from coming." The ashen-covered face threw a gorgeous smile as she lay between rubble with claw marks all over her small body.

"You really think anything could stop me from getting to you." Collins gave a saddened smile to the severely injured Charlotte in his arms.

As these words were said a roar was bellowing from deep in the camp.

"You need to stop the Queen from getting past this camp if she gets into the forest, she will burn it all down before she gets anywhere close to the city. With the forest being set ablaze the city will stand no chance against the built-up flames." Charlotte coughed out with little bits of blood spilling out after every word.

"I can't leave you. You will die." A now teary-eyed Lieutenant Collins grasped Charlotte tighter in his hands.

"Do not worry I will be fine. Go be the man I fell in love with. Now go protect everyone I will be here waiting for you when you get back just leave me your coat it is getting a little cold." Charlotte barely managing to smile wiped the tears coming down Lieutenant Collins's face.

"Don't worry my love I will be right back just stay awake please no napping, please. I know how tired you get just like when we would go on our morning runs." Lieutenant Collins said while covering Charlotte with his coat placing her back on the floor where some grass had yet to burn off.

Lieutenant Collins prepared himself to leave when he suddenly heard a voice call out to him from the ground where he had just placed the battered young Captain.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Collins said looking back at the beautiful woman lying on the floor smiling wrapped in his coat. Collins turned back around more determined than ever to kill the creature that hurt the person he loved.

Running deeper into the camp the heat started to increase as Collins saw more and more charred bodies covering the floor. A burning red creature appeared in the distance emitting flames from every step that was taken. The Queen seemed to be severely injured as she walked with a limp through the burning camp.

'There you are. I am going to make you pay for harming Charlotte.'

The Queen Magma Leopard instantly noticed the human before her. She let out a deep roar that emitted a bone-scorching heat. The Queen leaped forward towards the man in armor that impeded her current path.

'No, you don't.' Collins's hands started exerting heat from them as two fireballs were being thrown from his hands. The two fireballs flew towards the Queen Leopard.

Dodging around the fireballs the Queen Leopard started closing the distance between the two down to a mere 5 meters. Throwing her claws forward to kill the soldier in one strike.

'I got you. For Charlotte, I have to make sure this Leopard dies.' Collins thought to himself as his body started to glow a dark red color emitting an even hotter temperature than the magma.

The Queen Leopard now getting closer to the soldier in front of her became wide-eyed as they noticed their body start to be affected by the heat around them. Feeling an unsurmountable pressure fall upon her body.

*BOOM*

The scene around the two exploded into flames encapsulating both their figures with bone-chilling heat. Collins's vision turned dark as he fell to the floor seeing a bloodied leopard lying dead in front of him.

.

. Present Day

.

"Father are you okay?" Alexander with a confused look on his face asked with a big piece of meat in his mouth.

"Huh, yes. About your mother, she was strong and always smiling no matter in what situation. Don't forget in the future you need to become strong enough to always protect those you care for." Captain Collins said tearily eyed mixing his food.

"She sounds amazing. I wish I could have met her."

"She would have loved you. Also, for the rest of the week, you will train with the Colonel then we will leave for the Northern Post. So, take your training very seriously when you see the Colonel, he has a lot of insights that will make it easier to merge with your soul partner when it becomes time."

"Of course, I will not take this for granted. I know how much you had to endure to get the Colonel to train me."

"I would do it again for you. Now finish eating so we can go to bed."

.

. The next afternoon

.

"Today we will see how good you are in archery to see if you should even continue using this weapon." The Colonel said to the young boy in front of him carrying his wooden bow.