Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Chapter 20: Orders and Instincts_1

The sound of metal weights clanking and soldiers hitting training dummies reverberated throughout the large Dragon Unit Training Center. There was a faint smell of sweat and iron in the air, and the steady thud of fists, kicks, and the sharp clang of metal hitting metal could be heard.

On one side of the hall, a group of soldiers sat cross-legged on the cold, tiled floor, eyes closed, focusing on their breathing.

Their were a faint trace of pressure around them as they tried to sense and gather the spiritual energy around them into their body and tries to regulate in the circulation they were taught in an attempt to awaken themself.

While Manas and Billy leaned against the wall in a nearby corner, arms folded and faces etched with deep thought. Both individuals were attired in the Dragon Unit’s elegant black and grey tactical uniforms; however, their postures indicated the burden they carried.

“This doesn’t feel right, Billy,” Manas muttered, running a hand through his short, sweat-damp hair.

His eyes darted toward the comm tablet in his hand, re-reading the mission order from Vice-Chancellor Renfield for the fifth time. “Why are we suddenly being pulled into an escort mission? We’re supposed to be backup, not substitute for this mission.”

Billy sighed, glancing at the soldiers behind them still training. His sharp, hawk-like eyes squinted with frustration. “You think I don’t know that? They knew Captain and Ezzie weren’t here, that’s why they’re pushing this on us.”

He leaned forward, his eyes locked with Manas’s. “It’s an order from the Vice-Chancellor and a Military command. You know what happens if we refuse.”

Manas frowned, his jaw tightening. He hated being boxed into corners like this.

“Then we Contact Ezzie. She’ll know what to do.” As he was ready to go by himself to communication hub to tell.

“No time, man,” Billy snapped, grabbing Manas’s wrist before he could leave. His voice was low but firm. “The mission’s already on the clock. You think Rienfeld’s gonna wait for us to ‘check in’ with big sis? No. They’ll report us as ‘unfit for duty,’ and you know where that lands us. We take the hit, not them.”

Silence. Manas’s fingers hovered over the button for a moment before he sighed deeply, letting his arm drop.

“Fine, but we send a runner to inform Ezzie,” Manas said, rubbing his temples. “I’m not letting them drag our names through the mud for this. I want Captain to know.”

“That’s smart,” Billy agreed, his eyes narrowing in thought. He glanced toward one of the younger recruits, a short but fast-footed soldier named Niko.

“Niko! Front and center!” Billy barked.

The young soldier jogged over, face alert but confused. “Yes, sir?”

“Run to the communication hub and get this message to Ezzie. Tell her we’re being sent on an escort mission by Vice-Chancellor Rienfeld and that we’ll send updates as soon as we’re clear. Got it?”

“Yes, sir! On it!” Niko gave a quick salute before darting off, his boots thudding against the floor as he sprinted.

“Alright, let’s get this done.” Billy turned toward the squad. “200 of you, suit up. We’re heading out.”

Arrival at the City Defense Base

The ride to the base was fast but tense. The helicopter’s blades chopped through the sky, the old analog system rattling with every gust of wind. The seats were cramped, and the roar of the engine made conversation almost impossible.

Manas leaned against the wall of the aircraft, eyes closed but his senses on high alert. His fingers tapped his knee in a slow rhythm.

Billy sat across from him, eyes locked on the skyline, jaw set like stone. Occasionally, his gaze flicked to the other soldiers, checking their posture, their readiness.

“We good, Billy?” Manas’s voice crackled through the comm link inside their headsets.

“Yeah, just thinking about how much I hate these old birds,” Billy muttered, tapping the metal wall beside him. “This thing feels like it’s held together with duct tape and luck.”

“Luck’s all we’ve got, apparently,” Manas replied, his eyes still closed.

They both chuckled, but it wasn’t out of humor. It was the laugh soldiers make before things go sideways.

After sometime Manas leaned his head against the cold metal wall, his eyes darting to the small window beside him. The land below was a blur of green and brown patches, but something caught his attention. His eyes narrowed.

“You seeing this, Billy?” he asked, tapping the side of the glass.

Billy shifted in his seat and glanced out the window. His eyes widened. The sight below was surreal.

The once well-maintained highways of the Central Province were now overgrown with wild vines and creepers. Trees that had once been thin and spaced out now stood tall and clustered like soldiers on parade.

The wildlife reserves, which had once been controlled ecosystems, were no longer contained. Animals roamed freely, crossing highways and venturing near human settlements.

“That’s… not normal,” Billy muttered, leaning forward to get a better look. “This is Central. They don’t even have forests like this here.”

“Not anymore,” Manas said grimly, his eyes scanning the scene below. “The surge changed everything. It’s like the whole planet’s been put on fast-forward.” He glanced toward Billy, his face set with unease. “If this is Central, imagine what it looks like out there in the Valdara and Borealis Province.”

Billy leaned back in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck with a deep sigh. “Yeah, I’d rather not imagine it, thanks.”

As the helicopter’s path took them past the natural border of the Central Province into Valdara Province, and the change was immediate.

The lush greenery of Central gave way to something far more chaotic. The wild looked untamed. Massive roots burst through cracked asphalt. Trees towered over once-clear roads, casting deep shadows across the landscape.

“Look at that,” one soldier muttered, craning his neck to see a pack of mutated deer-like creatures bounding across a four-lane highway, their bodies larger, leaner, their antlers twisted into dangerous points.

“Those used to be stag-horns,” Manas muttered. “Now they look like something out of a nightmare.”

The soldier nodded in agreement. “Ain’t no hunting season for those things.”

When the helicopter finally touched down, dust and loose debris kicked up around them, mixing with the faint stench of smoke.

The engines sputtered, coughing out a rough mechanical groan before shutting down. Old analog systems, barely functioning.

Billy hopped out first, his eyes immediately scanning the surroundings. To the left of the facility, he spotted a small collection of buildings—a makeshift settlement, more like a shantytown.

“Shanty town,” Billy muttered. “Probably families of workers from the research center and others nearby. They set up shop close to work.”

Manas stepped out, his eyes darting toward the distant figures of people moving in the settlement. They looked frantic, some dragging bags, others moving hurriedly as if preparing to flee.

“They’re spooked,” Manas said, clicking his comm. “Looks like something stirred them up.”

Billy glanced at him but shook his head. “They’re not our problem. Our mission’s the facility.” His voice was firm but cold. “Focus. We’ve got work to do.”

Manas didn’t argue.

“Tactical formation. Move in squads of ten. Sweep the perimeter. Call out every contact.” Billy’s voice echoed with authority as the Dragon Unit soldiers moved with precision.

They entered as shadows, low and deliberate, weapons raised. The area was silent except for the distant calls of birds and the rustle of unseen movement in the underbrush. They all felt it—eyes watching from the trees.

“Contact!” one soldier called. “West ridge. Movement. Multiple targets.”

“Eyes on, eyes on,” Billy said, raising his rifle. He focused his sight. “Hyenas. Pack of ’em. Coming in fast.”

“And they’re big. Real big.” Manas muttered, narrowing his eyes.

The first one emerged from the brush like a phantom, its body twice the size of any normal hyena, its eyes glowing faint red. Its jaws dripped with saliva, its fur patchy and uneven, almost like bark.

The beast’s shoulders rolled with every step, its muscles visibly flexing beneath its skin. Then came the next one. And another. Eight in total.

“Fire at will! Take them down in teams! Move!” Billy roared as he fired the first shot. The crack of the rifle echoed through the forest, sharp and loud.

Bullets whizzed through the air, cutting into the charging beasts. Two hyenas dropped instantly, their bodies tumbling forward into the dirt, but the others darted sideways, moving like shadows in the underbrush.

“Watch your flanks! They’re circling!” Manas barked, spinning toward one of his squads.

One of the hyenas shot out from the left, aiming for a younger soldier, but Manas was faster. He lunged forward, spear in hand, and drove it into the beast’s neck with a wet crunch. Blood sprayed across his armor, and the hyena let out a choking snarl before collapsing.

“Too slow, rookie,” Manas growled, pulling his spear free with a sharp twist.

“My bad, sir!” the soldier gasped, raising his rifle and snapping off shots at another hyena.

Three soldiers pushed forward, rifles raised, firing in bursts. Their shots peppered one of the hyenas charging from the center.

The bullets hit its legs, slowing it down just enough for one of the squad members to rush forward, a tactical knife in hand. With a fierce shout, he plunged the blade into its neck, pulling it sideways as the beast thrashed before going still.

“That’s how you do it!” he yelled, chest heaving with adrenaline.

A sharp scream from behind.

“On your six!” Billy spun, his heart racing.

A soldier lay sprawled on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. One of the hyenas had torn through his side, dragging him back toward the underbrush. His screams were sharp, desperate.

“Not today!” Billy growled, sprinting forward, his rifle raised. He fired once, twice — each shot hitting the beast square in the side. It howled, releasing the soldier and whipping its head toward Billy.

But Billy didn’t hesitate. He pulled a tactical knife from his belt. The hyena lunged, jaws wide. Billy sidestepped, slashing upward as it passed, catching it under its jaw.

It yelped started spinning around just as Billy grabbed its neck, and drove the knife straight into its skull with a sickening crunch.

He pulled the blade free, breathing heavily, his eyes sharp with rage. He looked down at the injured soldier. Blood soaked his uniform, his face pale and eyes wide with shock.

“Medic!” Billy barked.

Two medics darted in, pulling the soldier away, applying pressure to the wound.

As the last of the hyenas went down with a bullet through the skull, everyone regrouped, catching their breath.

“Status,” Billy said as he wiped his knife clean.

“Three down, four injured. Nothing fatal. Still combat-capable.” Garry responded, breathing heavily.

“Patch them up. We’re securing this perimeter as we push forward.”

As they were fighting and clearing any obstacle in their path Grant who was lead of the team sent by Rienfeld was just looking at their skill, tactical formation, discipline and their strength. As he and his team followed them behind in a secure distance without doing anything.