Shifty's voice crackled through Arthur's Omni-Tool, laced with urgency. "Commander, we've got a spike in Rapture activity—up 321% in the last hour. Ant-types swarming, Wallers deploying energy shields, Moon Eyes crawling with rocket payloads, and a Master-class Hexagon leading the pack with its six-barreled arsenal. They're converging on Area H like moths to a flame."
Scarlet halted, scanning the horizon where dark shapes skittered amid the debris. "They're not just patrolling," she said, her voice low and steady. "Look at the patterns—coordinated, purposeful. Those fragments from the Heretic battle... the Raptures want them too. We're in a race now, and we're not the only players."
Maxwell peered into the haze. "Something valuable must lie at the heart of Area H. More than just remnants. Heretic tech could rewrite the rules—enhance Raptures, or worse. No wonder the surge." She glanced at Arthur, a flicker of concern in her eyes. "You know, most commander fatalities happen in large-scale engagements like this. Overwhelmed, outmaneuvered. It's a grim statistic."
Arthur met her gaze, unflinching. "Statistics don't account for faith." He turned to Scarlet, placing a hand on her shoulder, feeling the warmth of her beneath the tactical gear. "I've got the best at my side. Monarks have faced worse and come out stronger."
Scarlet's lips curved into a rare, genuine smile, her eyes locking with his. "And we'll do it again." The words carried weight, a vow forged in battles and quieter moments alike.
Laplace, overhearing, paused her advance, turning with a quizzical tilt of her head. Her idealistic fervor burned bright, undimmed by the ruins. "Hold on. Scarlet, you and the Commander... there's something more there, isn't there? Beyond the chain of command." She gestured between them, as if piecing together a puzzle. "I've reviewed Monarks' mission logs—impressive, I'll admit. But observing you now, it's clear. You act like equals, comrades-in-arms. Not a Nikke shielding her fragile human superior."
Maxwell sighed, a hint of disappointment creasing her brow. "Laplace, this isn't the time for philosophy."
But Arthur stepped in, his voice firm. "You're right, in a way. I see Scarlet—and all of Monarks—as comrades. Equals in every fight, every decision. That's our strength."
Laplace's eyes widened, then narrowed in rebuke. "Equals? That's absurd. Nikkes are built to be heroes—vanguards protecting humanity from the abyss. We stand above, unbreakable, so you don't have to. For a Nikke to... to need aid from a human, to be seen as anything less than superior? It's laughable. Weak."
Drake burst into laughter, a booming sound that echoed off the metal walls, ill-timed amid the tension. "Oh, that's rich coming from you, hero."
Scarlet faced Laplace squarely, her posture unyielding. "I'm no almighty hero. And I don't aspire to be. What I am is part of something real—a team where strength comes from trust, not hierarchy."
Laplace shook her head, unwilling to yield. "You can't mean that. It's our purpose—"
"Enough," Maxwell interjected, stepping between them, her tone authoritative. "Laplace, scout ahead. We need focus, not debates." She pushed her nominal leader forward, casting an apologetic glance at Arthur and Scarlet.
As the group resumed, Scarlet fell back slightly, her voice a murmur for Arthur alone. "Maybe she has a point. Nikkes are engineered for protection, bound by duty from the start. Humans command, we obey. Equality... it might be an illusion, inherently impossible."
Drake's laughter rang out again, even more inopportune as Rapture silhouettes grew nearer. "Ha! Keep telling yourselves that."
Scarlet shot her a sardonic look. "Thanks for the liveliness, Drake. Really brightens the apocalypse."
Arthur stopped, turning to Scarlet with a conviction that silenced the group. "No. Our bonds make Monarks the strongest squad in the Ark. Heroes or not, we've toppled six Tyrants—more than anyone. That's not illusion; it's proof." He smirked at Laplace, who had paused to listen. "Strength isn't about standing above. It's standing together."
Drake grinned, wiping a tear from her eye. "Now that's a villainous comeback. Cutting right through the hero nonsense. I like it."
Laplace frowned, puzzled. "How can that be? Bonds over superiority... it doesn't compute." But she pressed on without further argument, the words lingering like unresolved echoes.
The air thickened as they neared Area H, the Rapture presence palpable. Ant-types chittered in waves, their segmented bodies surging from crevices. Wallers erected shimmering energy barriers, shielding clusters of Moon Eyes that launched rocket volleys from all fours. At the forefront loomed the Master-class Hexagon, its six gun-arms whirring to life, unleashing a barrage of plasma fire.
"Form up!" Arthur barked, diving behind a fallen beam. His N7 Typhoon responded in kind, rounds punching through an Ant's carapace. Scarlet flanked right, her SMG a staccato rhythm, shredding shields and exposing the Moon Eyes behind.
Maxwell analyzed on the fly. "Target the Wallers first—collapse their defenses!" Her own weapon, a precision rifle, cracked with calculated shots, felling a Waller and sending its barrier flickering out.
Laplace charged with heroic zeal, her laser cannon sweeping in arcs that vaporized swarms. "For humanity!" she cried, but a Moon Eye's rocket grazed her, sending her stumbling. Drake covered her, smashing through Ants with powerful shotgun rounds. "Not so superior now, eh?"
Arthur's prosthetics gleamed as he vaulted debris, omni-blade extending from his arm. He sliced into the Hexagon's flank, sparks flying as alloy met machinery. The beast roared, pivoting its guns toward him. Scarlet intercepted, a burst from her SMG diverting its aim. "Not on my watch!"
The battle raged, a symphony of gunfire and explosions. Arthur felt the strain, his goddesium legs absorbing impacts that would fell lesser men.
Laplace, recovering, blasted the Hexagon's core, her beam joining Arthur's assault. The Master-class shuddered, collapsing in a heap of smoking parts. The remaining Raptures faltered, retreating into the shadows.
Panting, the group surveyed the carnage. "We did it," Laplace said, confident grin on her face.
Maxwell nodded. "The fragments are close. But if the Raptures are this desperate, what's waiting at the center?"
Arthur holstered his rifle, eyes on the crater's edge. "We find out. And we do it as one."