True Valerians

[7 minutes earlier]

"Wake up, wake up," Henry heard Racheal's voice urging him to rise. He rose unsteadily, immediately noticing Racheal's panicked expression, which alarmed him at once.

"What's the problem, Racheal?" Henry inquired, standing up with a frown.

"Micheal's gone; he left this," Racheal replied, holding up a Walkman with a note attached that read, 'Play me.'

"Dammit, he's gone back to the zone," Henry cursed, memories flooding back as he recalled how Michael had zapped them all to sleep.

"Come on, what's all the commotion about?" Hei awoke in a state of confusion and promptly smacked his brother on the arm, which roused him from sleep as well.

"Micheal is gone," Henry said to the brothers who were about to start fighting. Once they heard him, the drowsiness in their eyes disappeared instantly, and they also remembered what had happened.

"We need to return for him. But wait, where is Yoshi?" Hei rushed over to them, then paused and asked.

"Forget about him, let's go back for Michael. How do you get this thing to move?" Bai said, attempting to rouse Trevor, who was sprawled lazily on his belly. All he received in response was a slow yawn, indicating Trevor's lack of interest in leaving.

"Micheal must have directed it to remain in place." After observing Trevor's attitude, Henry spoke, realizing that Michael must have commanded it not to move so they couldn't follow back to the zone. He was contemplating his next move when he saw Racheal disembark and head towards the zone. He called out, "Racheal, wait up!"

"Let's go" Bai said, setting off with his brother. Henry took one last glance at Trevor before turning around to follow the others. However, they hadn't gone far when a strong pulse of energy from the zone made them pause.

"It's Michael," Racheal recognized the lightning and quickened her pace, eager to arrive swiftly to discover what was happening. Before she could take two more steps, an explosion erupted from the base, shaking the ground like an earthquake and unsteadying the team.

"NOOO! MICHAEL!" Racheal cried out in terror, her hands shaking at the scene unfolding before her. She attempted to move ahead, but Henry swiftly caught her, aware of the peril in getting any nearer.

"Let me go! We have to save him," Racheal said, struggling to break free from Henry's grip. He held on tightly, even though a significant part of him wanted to rush over to Micheal. He understood that he needed to remain level-headed.

"He's gone, Racheal, he's gone," Henry said, his eyes reflecting the depth of his sorrow. He was reluctant to acknowledge it, knowing it would cause more pain, yet he had to confront the truth.

"We need to go check; perhaps he survived," Hei said, his expression dazed. He wanted to move, but his body remained frozen in place, unable to summon the strength to act.

"This can't be happening; he must be alive. He can't... no, he's still there." Bai fought to maintain his composure, his eyes brimming with tears, his expression vacant. He looked down at the ground, grappling with the reality that Micheal was...gone.

"Micheal...." Racheal, finally released by Henry, attempted to rise to her feet but lost her balance and fell back down. Fortunately, Henry caught her just in time. As he observed her, he realized her face had gone pale, her eyes were vacant and still as tears streamed down.

Understanding that it was best to give her some time to process the news, Henry turned his gaze to the brothers, who were equally motionless, their eyes fixed on the ravaged area. From their vantage point, not a single building remained standing; everything had been obliterated, leaving no chance for survival.

As Henry glanced down, he noticed his hands trembling. He clenched his fist in an attempt to suppress it, but this only intensified the sensation. A solitary teardrop escaped his eye, and the emotions he had fought to contain surged forth. He felt the pain within him, and his heart ached.

This was the moment they all understood that losing Michael meant losing a piece of themselves. Memories surged through their minds: their first meeting together, Michael's rap, their initial arrival here, Michael's unwavering heroism in saving their lives, the day they stripped him of his leadership, and their countless encounters with death. So much had transpired, in such an unexpected location random strangers had forged an unexpected connection, how intriguing destiny was.

Seeing the walkman that had fallen during the earlier quake, Racheal reached out with her shaking hands and retrieved it, gazing at the note as more tears streamed down her face while she compelled herself to press play.

"Cough, haha, hello everyone, Micheal here, sharing a few final thoughts before I go. I understand that there is a significant possibility that I may not come back after this, and if you are hearing this, it probably indicates that I am....gone. I have reflected deeply on what I am about to express, and to start, I want you to understand that despite everything we experienced, the brief time I shared with you all has been among the most cherished moments of my life. I've learned a great deal in a short period. Throughout much of my life, pain and sadness have been ever-present. For over 12 years, I pondered the reason behind the constant loss in my life. It felt as though anyone I allowed myself to get close to would inevitably pass away, leaving me trapped in a hollow shell of loneliness. In recent days, as I've gotten to know you all better, I've come to understand that everyone encounters challenges, with some facing more than others. It was enjoyable to discover Henry's affection for cats, Bai's aspiration to open a restaurant, Hei's dream of marrying the girl of his dreams, and Racheal's desire to pursue a career in medicine. I discovered that life continues even after a loss; each breath and moment we have is an opportunity to create something meaningful with our lives. And the most significant contribution I can make to the world is...." Micheal's voice emanated from the walkman, eliciting a range of responses from the team. Racheal, clutched the walkman tightly, seemed fearful that it might vanish.

"The most significant contribution I can offer to the world is to empower it to make its own choices and to provide you with the opportunity to pursue your dreams. I firmly believe that humanity is not lost. As long as individuals like us are present, there will always be those who rise to the occasion during times of crisis. This is precisely what we need in the days ahead. The danger posed by Dr. Grey may have dissipated, yet a more formidable threat looms on the horizon, one that surpasses anything we have ever envisioned. A powerful force that could wipe out the earth for good, the same force that destroyed Valerion," Michael continued, then paused at the end, his words causing all heads to turn toward the Walkman in shock. Did they just hear this correctly? Just when they thought everything was over, they were now learning that something else was on the horizon—something that posed an even greater threat than Dr. Grey.

"I may be away for the time being, but I'll send a trustworthy friend, James, your way. He will assist you. For humanity to stand a chance against the challenges ahead and protect our planet, the formation of an army will be essential. Stick close to one another and place your trust in a select few; the military is not your ally. Keep this in mind, as your adversaries may be nearer than you realize. I regret that I won't be present to witness your growth in strength, but please understand that I will always be with you. When you need me the most, I will be there for you. Take care, my team, my friends, and my family. I love you all, haha! Oh, I nearly overlooked mentioning that my brother was under the influence of Dr. Grey's mind control, so I kindly ask for your forgiveness on his behalf. I entrust the team to you, Henry. You're the captain now. Please do your best to manage those twins; you know how stubborn they can be. Also, look after Racheal for me, and don't forget to take care of yourself as well. With that said, I'm heading out to save the world. See you guys soon! Mike out." As the recording drew to a close, the team found themselves smiling with a touch of sadness. Despite Micheal's efforts to appear calm and relaxed, it was evident that he was deliberately suppressing his emotions.

"So, what now?" Hei inquired after a complete 5 minutes of silence.

"Sigh, now we..." Before he could respond, Henry was abruptly interrupted by the whirring of a military chopper's rotor blades. Turning around swiftly, the team was taken aback to witness several choppers descending.

"WHIRR" The choppers descended to the ground, and almost instantly, the doors swung open, allowing heavily armed soldiers to leap out. They hurried toward the group, encircling them with guns drawn.

"What is this?" Bai frowned as he stared at the soldiers; it was evident that they were severely outnumbered, with a ratio of 50 to 1.

As they continued to grapple with their current situation, the team observed the door of the helicopter in the center swing open, as several figures emerged. Four figures led the way, their faces obscured by masks and their bodies cloaked in dark garments. Behind them stood another, also masked, yet distinguished by a suit and a sword at the waist, a trace of silver hair peeking out from behind. As they approached, the group recognized the first figure when she removed her mask, revealing her striking red Hair.

"Doc Elena" Henry exclaimed in surprise, instantly recognizing her as the Scientist from the main base. She was the one who had introduced them to Yoshi and provided them with the mission details.

"That would be Milena to you. From his absence, I would assume that the Lightning Cat brat is no longer around." With a disdainful smile, Doc Elena reintroduced herself, scanning the team for any sign of Michael. She smiled upon noticing that he wasn't among them.

"You traitor!" Racheal charged forward, intent on reaching Milena, but Henry swiftly restrained her, casting a wary look at the guns pointed in their direction; any reckless actions would lead to their demise.

"Traitor? Your predecessors are the true traitors, neglecting the cause for the sake of those pitiful humans. Naturally, I'm not surprised to see you follow in their footsteps." Milena approached them and spoke, her gaze fixed on Racheal's furious expression.

"Hold on, you are..."

"Valerians, true valerians unlike your father. Grav must have informed you about us. I would have loved to have a conversation with you all and reconnect, but we have more urgent matters to attend to." Milena completed Bai's statement and turned around. As she did, Hei, who had been waiting for this opportunity, rushed forward to attack. However, he hadn't taken a single step before he fell to the ground, clutching his head in pain.

"Weak...pathetic half-bloods, should I kill them?" One of the men standing next to Milena stepped forward and removed his mask, revealing his glowing blue eyes and a ponytail that held back his hair.

"Hei!" Bai and the others hurried to him, seeking to understand the situation. They cast a glance at the man who regarded them with disdain and mockery.

"Hmm, no, secure them for now; we will address the situation later." Milena replied, causing the man's eyes to return to normal, resulting in Hei being released from his pain. After sparing a last glance at the team, Milena turned to one of the soldiers and said, "Bring out the quads."

"Yes, general, some of you knock them out and secure them, the rest of you, prepare the quads, we're heading to the site." One of the soldiers, who seemed to be the captain, gave a slight bow to the four and then turned to the other soldiers to issue commands.

"Don't resist; we have no options right now. It's wiser to focus on survival and consider our next steps later. We must ensure that Michael's sacrifice was not in vain." Henry addressed the others, who glared at the soldiers in frustration. Deep down, they understood he was correct; they were outgunned and outnumbered, and resisting now would be tantamount to suicide. They observed as the soldiers doused them with a gas that rendered them unconscious. The final sight that met their eyes was the soldiers advancing towards the ravaged area.