Daunt Base: Phase 2 & 3

Elliot and his team finally find the security room and locate the controls for the prison doors.

"Should we have left them back there? I have a bad feeling." Amina says, following Elliot.

"I trust Captain Owen. He'll take out any enemy in his way. If he says he's fine, then he's fine." Elliot responds confidently. "Nash, you lead the medical team down to the cells and prepare to evacuate them."

"Right! Let's go!" Nash leaves the room and heads to the cells. Elliot and Amina begin to hack the system. Elliot sits at the control panel, and Amina is behind, directing him to unlock the doors.

"Almost there. And. Gotcha!" Beep!

Elliot unlocks all the security doors in the prison cells. "Let's catch up to Nash and help them out."

Amina nods, and the two head out.

"Team A, you there?" Elliot radios to Cora.

"Team A here," Cora responds, hiding behind a broken wooden table with a brawl behind him.

"We have successfully unlocked the doors and currently heading to the prisoners now. There are about 23 of them in total. Keep them distracted a little longer till we're out."

"No problem! Over and out. Alright, Team A, Phase 2 is a go. Keep 'em busy!" Cora forms an ice sword and pierces through a Daunt's chest with ease. Behind them is Kai battling more Daunts.

"You hear that? We can play a little longer," Kai says, stepping on a scared Daunt soldier. "Hahahaha!"

"Get off of him!" Bang! Bang! A Daunt shoots a heka gun at Kai. Nora puts a shield of water over him. Kai sees the Daunt shooting at him and says,

"You wanna turn to play? Fine by me." He points a finger gun at the Daunt. "Blaze Shot!" A blue fire beam shoots out his finger and right through the Daunts heart.

"These guys are no challenge. They're just ants," Nora says, walking over the bodies of Daunts on the ground. "At least you're having fun."

"This is the only time I can really let loose legally," Kai expresses. Nora looks at him, admiring his fierceness. Multiple Daunt's charges toward the two.

"Let's see what you got!" Kai yells with excitement and continues to destroy more Daunts.

At the cells of the Daunt base:

The walls are constantly shaking due to Team A's attack. A 5'7, slim physique, fair skin tone, black eyes, and long red-haired girl named Rue is lying on the ground in extreme pain. Boom! The prisoners hear a loud noise close by.

"You think they're here for us?"

"Yeah, right. No one's coming for us. It's hopeless," Rue says, discouraged. Click! Click! Click! One by one, the prison doors begin to unlock.

"The doors… they're… opening!" Another prisoner says with excitement. Rue looks up in confusion.

"Impossible," she walks to the door. Crash! The roof above her collapses, and three men fall into the cell.

Rue gasps as she sees a familiar face. Shura stands up and spots Rue. Zeke rushes to Owen.

"Owen! Hey Owen! Wake up!" Zeke says desperately.

"This is my fault. Owen trusted me, and I failed. Again…" Zeke stands up and sees Shura limping away.

"Hey Ruin, why don't you give me a hand with these people? Make them see their worst nightmare." Shura says.

Rue backs into the wall, terrified.

"Don't give me that look. We're buddies aren't we?" He continues.

Zeke uses quick speed and stands right in front of Rue. Rue's amazed at Zeke's speed.

"I'm not done with you yet!"

Shura begins making another heka circle.

"Oh no, you don't," Zeke says as he makes Shura's heka circle evaporate.

"H-How is that even possible?" Shura's confused by Zeke's abilities. Zeke uses Crystal Demolition and knocks Shura to the floor with expositions.

"Crystal Push!" Zeke throws many sharp crystals at Shura. Shura runs in a zigzag to not get impaled. He makes a heka circle under Zeke and Rue. Zeke picks Rue up and dodges the explosion.

"Crystal Cage!" Zeke yells and traps Shura. "Now, detonate!" Boom! The cage explodes, and it seems Shura is defeated. Zeke runs over to Owen.

"Hey, Owen!" He tries to wake him, but Owens doesn't respond. Nash and the medical team arrive at the scene.

"What happened? Is Captain Owen okay?" Nash rushes to them and begins the healing process. Owen opens his eyes and tries to sit up.

"Take it easy, Captain," Nash says while healing Owen.

"Your health depleted about 75% that could've kil-"

"Thank you, Nash," Owen says, interrupting him.

Nash takes a deep breath and continues to heal Owen. Rue walks towards them.

"Excuse me, sirs? I want to tha-"

"Don't even think about it. We still gotta get out of here," Zeke says bluntly, cutting her off.

"Still, you have no idea how much it means to me," she tears up. Zeke turns to face Rue. He has never been thanked for saving a life before and never wants to be thanked for it. He quickly spots a heka circle behind Rue. It's Shura. Zeke pushes her out of the heka circle, and it denotes on him. Boom!

"80% Depletion! Haha!" Shura laughs as Zeke falls to the ground. His health starts to drop quickly.

"NO! Please stop this!" Rue cries out. She runs over to Zeke. "Are you alright? Hey!" she says, panicking.

"Oh, Ruin you, poor thing. No one has survived 80% depletion before. And this boy has over 90% health depleted after that blow. It's hopeless."

Everyone is horrified. Will Zeke live after that blow? Amina and Elliot finally catch up with Nash and are unsettled by what they find. They see Zeke and Owen down.

"What the hell is going on!" Elliot yells.

"I-I don't know. Zeke just took him out, but now-" Nash says, shaking and confused.

"Dammit, how are we gonna protect all these people and defeat this guy? Think Elliot think!"

Suddenly, Zeke slowly stands up as if no damage has been done to him.

"Hey, Princess! Make sure all the prisoners escape and tell Team A we're done here," Zeke commands, whipping the dirt off his clothes.

"H-How are you even alive?!" Elliot stutters, seeing Zeke standing.

"Is that really important right now? Do as I say and go!"

Elliot pauses and listens to Zeke.

"Nash, get your medical team along with all the prisoners and follow me," Elliot commands Nash hoping it's the right thing to do. Nash nods and signals his team to wrap it up. They start rounding up all the prisoners, including Owen.

"Do you believe I'll let you leave with my test subjects?" Shura says, sprinting over to Elliot.

"Crystal Wall!" Zeke shields Elliot. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Are you sure he'll be okay? You can't leave him with that monster!" Rue desperately says with tears running down her face.

"Don't worry, he may not look like it, but he is one of our strongest," Elliot says with a serious look in his eyes. "Come on. We have to get you out of here." He picks Rue up and runs to the exit. Rue stares at Zeke in amazement as Elliot carries her out of the cell.

"Now that everyone's gone, you wanna tell me about the Raca Forest?" Zeke asks again, attempting to be patient.

"Why are you so interested in the forbidden forest?" Shura rolls his eyes and crosses his arms, annoyed at Zeke.

"I have my reasons. Now tell me what you know," Zeke walks closer to Shura.

"You purposely told your people to leave so we could talk? HAHA! Alright, let's make a deal then." Shura smiles with confidence.

"I don't have time for this. Either you tell me, or you die. It's your choice."

"Hold on 'kid' just hear me out! I'll tell you what I know then in return-"

Shura proceeds to try and convince Zeke to make a deal. Meanwhile, Team B finds the exit Zeke created and takes all the prisoners out safely.

"Team A, come in!" Elliot radios Cora while running.

"This is team A!" Cora responds, freezing a group of enemies simultaneously.

"Mission accomplished Phase 3 is a go. Over and out." Elliot ends the radio call.

"Okay, Team A, Phase 3. Are you ready!" Cora shouts across the battlefield to his team.

"This is my favorite part! But also my least favorite. I don't wanna stop playing with you bugs!" Kai says, holding a Daunt upside down by the leg and burning him to a crisp.

"I've planted all the bombs. Let's get out of here!" Dori yells. She runs up the wall and leaves through the hole Kai created.

Team A finishes up and follows Dori out of the base.

"Ah!! We couldn't play any longer?" Kai asks, disappointed.

"I think you played enough. Haha!" Dori responds, laughing at Kai. They continue to run and eventually make it back to their vehicle safe and sound.

"Team B, we have safely exited the base. We need confirmation that the prisoners are out before detonation," Cora radios Elliot. Before Elliot responds, Rue grabs his hand.

"Detonation? What about your friend? He's still in there!"

Elliot has no emotion and confidently says, "Confirmed, blow it."

"Wait! No!" Rue grabs the radio and tries to tell Team A Zeke isn't out yet. But she doesn't know how to use that technology, and it's too late. BOOM!! A loud eruption is heard and echoes throughout the land. The entire Daunt base is blown to pieces. Rue is appalled. She turns to Elliot in horror.

"How could you! Wasn't he your friend? Why did you do this?" She retorts. "You're a monster…." She pushes off Elliot.

Team B looks out in the distance waiting for Zeke to appear.

"I-is he really gone?" Amina begins to tear up. "This isn't happening. Zeke can survive anything!"

Amina swings a punch at Elliot, but he easily dodges. He walks to their vehicle. As he opens the vehicle door, he sees Zeke in the passenger seat.

"Sup Princess," Zeke says nonchalantly. "Took you longer than I thought to blow the place." He smirks at Elliot.

"HOW THE HELL?" Elliot shouts in disbelief.

"ZEKE!" Amina yells, pushing Elliot out of the way and tackling Zeke while crying, "I thought you were gone!"

Rue looks over in relief and walks over to Zeke. suddenly sees white and passes out before making it to him. Elliot rushes over and catches her before she hits the ground.

"Nash! We need you here!"

Nash rushes over and begins to give her treatment.

"Just hang on. Everything will be okay now," Nash reassures her, and Rue closes her eyes.

Elliot takes out the radio and tells Cora they're all ready.

"We'll meet you back at home base. Over and out. Everyone all set?" Elliot asks Team B. Everyone loads up in the vehicles. They all head out back to the Lost Haven association. Nash is in charge of taking the prisoners with critical conditions over to the Lost Haven hospital while the Great Council officers, also known as the Stalwart Soldiers, question the other prisoners. After all the prisoners were done being questioned, they were released later on to live their own lives peacefully.

Meanwhile, an unknown councilman watches the events unfold on a video recording. He watches the fight between Zeke and Shura. He pauses the recording on a frame of Zeke. He zooms in on his face. The unknown councilman sits on a throne that looks built for a king.

"Zeke Herlana, how interesting."