He wasn’t here

The sounds of the approaching mecha echoed through the base

"Sister in law... the soldier's, they're arriving" Athena called excitedly as the children rushed to the window

It had been several days of acid rains and with the sun now shining brightly over the horizon

Everyone was in high spirits

"He'll be fine" Lebron patted Zosia's shoulder, he had no idea what the kid was thinking with her always holding a passive look

It was hard to decipher her emotions

But as a father he knew she needed that

"Dad... is the tides over?" Laura asked as she stared up at the approaching mecha

"Who knows Laura, but you need to prepare your husband for this" Lebron warned

He didn't want anyone to be careless at this critical moment

"If nothing goes wrong we'll be safe but if something happens... you all have to be strong for the children" he added and both Athena and Laura clenched their fists

"George... he and his family aren't elemental users" Laura bit her lips anxiously

She knew her in-laws too well to know what they are capable of and if things went ugly she'd have to suffer protecting the whole family for the sake of filial piety

"You make your own choice Laura, I've always taught you that! No one has the right to force your hand into something you're unwilling and you have the right to make your own choices" Lebron sternly reminded her and she weakly nodded her head

It wasn't in his place to like his noise into his in-laws business yet she was grateful her father still held her at heart

In everything she was still his precious daughter

"Thank you daddy" she sank into his embrace, reveling the rare warmth of her father

"You're still so spoiled, you brat" Lebron laughed happily as he patted her back

"Miss Zosia" Ellie knocked softly and Athena walked over to the door to open it "ma'am Ellie" Athena smiled as she stepped away for Ellie to walk in

"Thanks Athena, it's freezing cold out here" Ellie smiled gratefully as she walked in "madam Ellie" Zosia glanced at the middle aged woman, her cold eyes fixed on the thermo's flask in Ellie's hands

"I made some pastries and brought some over" Ellie opened the thermo's flask quickly revealing several cutely shaped pastries

"Are this healthy to eat?" Lebron asked as he fished out a silver needle from his medicine box which he pierced into each pastry to check for poison

They were poison free

"They are healthy sir, I figured miss Zosia loves them" Ellie smiled as she fished out a few which she handed to Zosia who took a quick bite

"do you need something from me?" Zosia asked lazily, her sharp eyes taking in every flicker of emotions from Ellie

"Rivana, she might cause a scene! I just came to warn you before hand" Ellie answered honestly, her eyes lowered as she stared at Zosia's beautiful hands

Her guts had never been wrong

Getting close to Zosia just might guarantee the safety of her and her family

Though staring at Zosia, she knew it was impossible for this small body to be able to fend off monsters

She'd rather believe the wolf incident was an accident

"Isn't that woman tired of trouble!" Laura frowned as she glanced at the large wolf nibbling on the pastries Zosia threw its way

She knew Rivana all too well to keep a grudge for a life yet seeing Zosia's mutant beast she wondered if Rivana had eaten the gall of a supreme mutant beast!

"She wouldn't act rashly with wolf around….. now let's wait for the good news, sister have some tea" Athena smiled warmly as she poured Ellie a cup of tea

~

"The mecha's are approaching" Seraphina sighed as she stared out the window in anticipation "aren't you a married woman? Yet waiting on another married man" Irene mocked staring at Seraphina in disgust

She wondered where Seraphina got the idea she was a better match for Riezekiel

Even comparing herself to the beauty of the base Irene

"You should be asking yourself also why you're single at your old age, do you still think he'd want you" Eleanor laughed as she walked into the green house

Her green floral dress fluttered in the wind giving her an outwardly look

Her thin frail figure made one want to cradle her in their arms and pamper her.

The perfect example of a frail beauty

"Why are you here Ellie" Irene frowned and Seraphina snickered

Seeing two mortal enemies fight had to be the best thing ever

Eleanor glanced at Irene smugly, a low chuckle escaped her lips as she took in Irene's pathetic form "I'm here to pick up some flowers" Eleanor rolled her eyes and began checking out the flowers in the green house

The base was soon in chaos with the arrival of the soldiers in their mecha

"What happened?" Marshal Nicolas frowned as he grabbed Simon's collar angrily

His eyes scanned the several soldiers present yet the familiar faces he knew well were not here

What exactly happened

"Let's go in and talk" Simon said flatly, his jaw hardened and his muscles tended

He was the only sane soldier in the group

Ryker had aged overnight

The several other soldiers were already graaveky traumatized

"What happened Ryker!" Anthony snapped and Ryker's shoulders strembled

"They disappeared mysteriously once we arrived the Zerg's nest! We were all together yet they kept disappearing noiselessly" one of the soldiers yelled with tears and snot in his eyes

Some had long wet their pants

"No body was recovered?" Nicolas frowned

The weight of the news weighed down on him

"No body was seen" Simon lowered his head and his fist clenched subconsciously

His sworn brother's were all gone!

The most strategic minds of the soldiers were all gone without a fight

It was unacceptable and bizarre

Yet this was the truth

"Where is my husband?" A group of women gathered with tears in their eyes as they frantically searched for their husbands

Screams soon erupted as several women fell to the ground sobbing heavily

"We need to see our husbands!" They continued to cry

What should have been a joyous event!

They had come to hear the good news of their man's return yet now....

Zosia's fists clenched and unclenched as her eyes scanned the rows of soldiers

The biting cold didn't nothing to curb her anxiety

He wasn't here!

"I'll talk to the soldiers" Lebron patted her shoulder and walked forward to speak to the soldiers, Athena held Zosia's hand with tears in her eyes

Riezekiel was amongst the best soldiers, yet even he was no match for the zergs

What then was going to happen to them?

And her heart ached for Zosia