My Shard Bearer System - Elias's Legacy
Chapter 52: Punctured Skies

Chapter 52: Punctured Skies

Kikaru nodded, her face impassive. "Understood."

Jiece’s eyes narrowed slightly, then swept over the group again. "Good. Do any of you have other questions?"

Colby opened his mouth but hesitated, deciding against pushing further. Paul leaned back against the side of the vehicle, muttering something under his breath. Kikaru stood firm, her expression unreadable.

A few hours passed as the soldiers prepared, the rhythmic hum of equipment and muffled chatter filling the air. By the time the clock struck noon, the squads were gathered in an open field, sitting in small groups. Laughter and quiet conversations rippled through the ranks as the soldiers eased their nerves.

Kikaru, Colby, and Paul sat together off to the side, their posture more tense than the others. Colby broke the silence, chuckling nervously. "Really hoping they don’t actually need us for this."

Kikaru glanced at him, her expression neutral. "I suppose," she replied, then tilted her head upward. Above her, a faint text shimmered, visible only to shard users.

Quest: Defeat 10 people.

Reward: 100 Soul Energy.

She sighed, crossing her arms. "Barbaric."

Paul leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow. "We don’t even know what we’re supposed to do with soul energy yet," he said. "But I guess we’ll find out. Lucky us."

Before the conversation could continue, the low hum of engines filled the field as three Arclight-class dropships descended, their sleek, angular frames cutting effortlessly through the sky.

As the ships touched down, their landing gears extended with smooth mechanical precision, the soldiers around the field rising to their feet in practiced unison.

The three squad leaders barked orders, moving their teams into tight formations. Captain Jiece strode toward Kikaru, Colby, and Paul, his sharp gaze scanning them briefly.

"Alright, you three," he said, stopping in front of them. "You’ll be with Platoon Juliet as planned. To avoid standing out, you’ll wear these."

He gestured toward a nearby soldier, who handed them sleek black tactical utilities.

The uniforms were reinforced with lightweight poly-alloy plating, integrated with adaptive camouflage systems that shimmered faintly with their movements.

"These will help you blend in better. If a shard user does show up, they might target you for your shards," Jiece continued. "It’d be awkward to save one high-value target only to lose another."

Kikaru accepted the uniform and gave a crisp salute. "Thank you, Captain. We’ll make sure not to get captured. Anything else?"

Jiece’sgaze hardened. "Just remember: you’re not needed here. Most of these soldiers have spent their entire lives working to be where they are, only to have ’randomly chosen’ people show up with shards. Don’t expect a warm welcome."

Paul opened his mouth to respond, but Jiece cut him off. "That said," he added, his voice lower, "if push comes to shove... prove your worth. Don’t make me regret bringing you."

With that, Captain Jiece turned sharply and strode toward the nearest ship. The trio trailed behind him, adjusting their black utilities as they moved. Ahead of them, the Arclight-class dropship loomed—its sleek, angular frame giving off an almost predatory presence. Kikaru couldn’t help but notice the plasma cannons mounted along its sides.

Kikaru glanced at Colby and Paul as they boarded. "Well," she muttered, her tone dry, "guess this is our big chance to impress everyone who doesn’t want us here."

-----------------------Meanwhile------------------------------------

Elias pushed himself off the ground, his arms trembling as he muttered through gritted teeth, "197... 198... ahh... 199... 200!" With a final burst of effort, he collapsed onto his back, breathing heavily as his senses flipped and momentarily disoriented him.

Tidwell and the others, still struggling to sit up, offered a weak round of applause. Faye sat off to the side, her focus on her singing practice, her voice faltering as she tried to maintain control. Elara, sitting nearby in a chair, crossed one leg over the other and watched Elias with an amused expression.

"Wow, you actually managed to finish it," she said, glancing at the clock. "And just in time—noon. Those three are probably just heading out for their mission."

Elias barely had the energy to lift his head, but a soft ding above him caught his attention. A green highlight and checkmark appeared, confirming the completion of his task. He let out a relieved sigh.

"So, what was the mission, anyway?" he asked, his voice strained.

Elara leaned back slightly. "They’re attempting to rescue—or eliminate—Dr. Anders. Well, Warden Anders now, I suppose."

"Hmm," Elias murmured, wiping sweat from his forehead. "That name sounds familiar for some reason... but I can’t quite place it."

"Strange," Elara said, shrugging. Her gaze swept over the others. "But you three need to keep up with Elias. No excuses for letting an almost-crippled old man outpace you."

Tidwell groaned and rolled his head back. "I’m almost at fifty, but anything past three or four pushups and I just feel like throwing up. My stomach can’t take this."

The other two nodded in agreement, their faces pale with exhaustion. Elara sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Well, I guess it can’t be helped. Just do what you can, but you really do need to push through. What if the next punishment is worse? Like losing a limb?"

Tidwell grumbled under his breath but reluctantly threw himself forward, managing a few more shaky pushups.

"I’ll go grab some lunch while you all handle this," Elara said, rising from her seat. She was halfway to the door when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she paused mid-step, her expression tightening as she answered.

Elias, now back on his feet and stretching, watched her closely as she spoke.

"I see," she said into the phone. "Two? You want me to investigate?" A pause. "You want me to capture them both? ... I mean, I can do my best, Sir, but that island has a lot of civilians. What if they become hostile?"

Another pause.

"Understood. I’ll bring one of my subordinates along from my strike team in case things get messy. Any identifying features?" She nodded again, her face set in a grim expression. "Got it."