Chapter 61: War or Peace?

Goerld

I walked out of the based and sighed. Commander Wilneth said that we would have a big mission in the next few days. We were to go to a planet in a universe known as Soleon. I hadn't even left my planet, much less the universe. 

But the worse part was that I would have to leave my girlfriend and sister for who knew how long. We already spent only a little time together. Now even that would soon be gone.

Going to Soleon also brought another issue. I had joined the Titanos army in order to uncover who was corrupting our world. If I left, I couldn't do that.

Soleon was apparently a dangerous place, filled with alien creatures and treacherous terrains. The mission would be risky, and the chances of survival were uncertain. But that wasn't all. We had to fight rebel forces on that planet. How could I fight people who wanted their freedom? I would be a hypocrite if I did so.

Maybe my best choice was to abandon the Titanos army, but the price of doing so was death...

I really should've thought things through before joining...

"Goerld!" a voice called out. I looked up and saw Nera. She had a basket full of food in her arm.

"Out shopping?" I asked, forcing a smile.

She nodded, her eyes scanning over my face, clearly noticing my troubled expression. "Yeah, just getting some things for dinner. What's wrong, Goerld? You look...distressed."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Commander Wilneth...he's sending me to Soleon."

Nera's eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise. "Soleon? But isn't that..."

"Another universe, I know." I finished for her, a bitter laugh escaping my lips.

Her grip on the basket tightened, her knuckles turning white. "Goerld, you can't..."

"I don't have a choice, Nera." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's either this or...death."

Nera's eyes filled with tears, but she quickly blinked them away. "There has to be another way, Goerld. You can't just...leave."

I reached out, cupping her face in my hands. "Nera, I..."

I didn't know what to say. How could I ease her fears when I myself was terrified? How could I promise her that everything would be okay when I didn't know if I would even survive this mission?

"I love you, Nera," I said, my voice choked with emotion. "And I promise you, I will do everything in my power to come back to you. To Lyra. To our world."

Nera's tears finally spilled, trickling down her cheeks. But she nodded, her determination shining through her fear. "And I'll be waiting for you, Goerld. We'll be waiting for you."

I pulled her into my arms, holding her close. Her words gave me a flicker of hope, a beacon of light in my impending darkness.

"I love you, Nera," I whispered again, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Wait for me."

She sighed. "But, doesn't Titanos already occupy all of Soleon? Or was that all propaganda?"

"It seems it's a rebel force that they want us to keep an eye on." I sighed. "That makes things tougher for me. I can't fight people, especially those fighting for the same thing I am."

Nera hugged me. "Your plan appears to have backfired Goerld. Listen to me, don't go." She began to shake. "If you do, I fear I will lose you. And I don't mean in the physical sense. War is something that changes people. We Uto have long despised war. If you go, the current you will surely die."

I feared she was right. But how would I get out of this?

"Maybe there's another way," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Maybe... maybe you could negotiate with them, the rebels. Or find a way to expose Titanos's corruption from Soleon."

"Nera, it's not that simple," I said, pulling back to look into her eyes. "Titanos holds the power, they... they can control the narrative."

"But you would hold the truth, Goerld," Nera countered, her gaze fierce. "And the truth has a way of revealing itself, no matter how much people try to hide it."

"But the risk," I murmured, my heart heavy. "If I fail, if I'm caught... The punishment is death, Nera. I'd be leaving you... leaving Lyra..."

Nera shook her head, her grip on me firm. "And if you go and lose yourself in the war, you'd be leaving us too, Goerld. Only in a different way."

Her words struck me hard. She was right. Going to Soleon, fighting a war that I didn't believe in, it would change me. And not for the better.

"But what can I do, Nera?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice. "I'm just a soldier, a pawn in Titanos's game."

"You're more than that, Goerld," Nera said, her voice strong. "You're a man of principle, of courage. You joined Titanos to protect our world, to expose the corruption. And you can still do that, Goerld. You just have to find another way."

Looking into her eyes, I saw the unwavering faith she had in me. It gave me strength, a glimmer of hope. Maybe there was another way, a way to expose the evil ones amongst Titanos without losing myself in the process.

"I... I'll try, Nera," I said, my voice stronger than I felt. "I'll find a way."

Nera gave me a small, brave smile. "That's all I ask, Goerld."

We held each other close, our bodies entwined, our hearts beating in sync. It was a moment of peace, of love amidst the looming chaos. And it was a moment I would hold onto, a beacon of hope in the dark times ahead.

"I love you, Nera," I whispered again, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll find a way... for both of us."

She nodded against my chest, her arms tightening around me. "I love you too, Goerld. And I believe in you."

Her faith in me, her love for me, it was the fuel I needed to face the challenges ahead. I would find a way, for Nera, for Lyra, for our world, and for myself. I had to.

But where to begin? I had walked into a jail cell and had the door closed and locked behind me. No, I had to remain positive. I couldn't give in to negative thoughts that wouldn't help.