The Scrap Tamer - Chapter 165

Chapter 165: Holes In The Sky
“Breaking News!” The anchor announced

“Multiple vortexes have appeared across various regions, including major cities and Scrapyards.” He continued. Above him was one of the rifts that just opened.

“Citizens are urged to remain indoors as authorities assess the situation. So far, no official explanation has been given. However—” before he could complete his words, a loud rumbling from above interrupted him.

“Wait, there seems to be some form of activity above the vortex!” the anchor said, his voice shaking slightly as the camera tilted upward.

The clouds around the rift churned violently, flashes of unnatural lightning cracking through the sky.

Then, without warning, something massive emerged—a colossal creature with armor-like scales and glowing veins of molten energy trailing along its limbs.

Screams erupted from the nearby crowd as the camera feed shook violently, trying to keep focus. The anchor ducked instinctively, the mic picking up his panicked breathing.

“It’s… it’s a Primal!” he finally managed to say, voice barely audible over the chaos. “We have a confirmed Primal emerging from the vortex! Authorities—”

The feed abruptly cut out, replaced by a buzzing static and then a government-issued emergency broadcast screen:

{All citizens are to remain in their homes. Do not approach the rifts. Repeat: Do not approach the rifts. This is not a drill.}

______

“What the hell is going on with our world?” Commander Gareth stood at the window of the Nexus, watching the chaos unravel below “first Malrath, now this?”

“Sir, your team is ready” his assistant informed.

The higher ups were at it again.

In times of danger, they preferred taking as many soldiers as possible to keep them and their families safe while the people remained in danger.

Gareth could only gather the few personnel the left behind and they were not the most experienced either.

Heck, some were barely past their early twenties and therefore have limited experience.

“Good, I’ll meet them soon” Gareth answered and the assistant nodded and turned to leave, but as she got to the door, Gareth spoke again.

“And get my resignation letter ready,” he said “when all this is over, I’d like to take a rest.”

“Yes Sir ” the assistant answered.

She was a bit surprised hearing that the commander wanted to quit, but the more she thought, the more sense it made.

Besides, after fifty years of servitude, he really did deserve a rest.

The assistant proceeded to walk out the door leaving Ajax alone in his office.

Commander Gareth turned back to the window for a second, before he moved towards the door and started walking to it.

“Alright, let’s do this one last time.”

He took the elevator and descended to the ground floor, where the team was waiting for him.

“Commander,” a voice called out as soon as his elevator door opened.

It was Captain Shira, a former squad leader who had returned to assist with evacuations, she was one of the few people the higher ups had left behind.

“We’ve evacuated Zones 4 through 6. All of the civilians have been taken to a reinforced underground bunker.”

“Good” Gareth nodded before asking. “What about the air support we requested for?”

“Denied. The higher-ups are pulling back aerials to guard the Council Retreat. We’re on our own.”

Of course they are, Gareth thought.

He looked around at the ragtag group of soldiers, first responders, and volunteers. These were the ones who stayed.

The ones who didn’t run. Young, undertrained, scared but at the same time brave.

Although most of them were only foolishly trying to play hero, Gareth could only work with what he currently had.

“Alright, listen up” he called them to attention “I know most of you are scared, terrified even, after all, you’ve never had to face something like this before.”

Gareth paused and scanned each of their faces, each one carrying a different kind of fear.

Some tried to mask it behind stern expressions, while others couldn’t hide the tremble in their limbs or the occasional darting of their eyes everytime the sky rumbled due to the descending primal.

“But fear isn’t weakness,” Gareth continued. “It’s proof you’re human. Proof that you have a beating heart and emotions, emotions that you fought against to stand here today.”

He let his words hang in the air for a moment.

“You’ve suppressed your fear and have chosen to stand and fight, to protect your homes and the homes or many others, to defend those that cannot defend themselves and for that, your names shall forever be known as humanity’s defender.”

Silence followed his words but this was not one due to fear, no, this was one backed by the fire that lit in their hearts due to the commander’s words, a silent storm of determination brewing in their hearts.

“Now, let’s go out there and protect our city from whatever that abomination descending is.” Commander Gareth ordered.

“Sir, yes sir” the soldiers answered.

Gareth nodded in satisfaction and started walking towards the Nexus’s main door while add.

“So here’s the plan,” the soldiers followed behind him, each with their weapons ready and forged beasts summoned.

“You’ll be split into two teams,” he continued “team alpha will be responsible for making sure all the civilians have been evacuated while team beta will be responsible for securing the perimeter, making sure no other primal had snuck in while the big one attacks.”

“Sir?” Captain Shira asked “what about the primal coming from the rift?”

He glanced at her before looking forward again and said “I’ll handle it.”

Commander Gareth was unwilling to let another soldier die on him again.

Besides, he knew he wouldn’t be facing it alone, after all, three of the four great families lived in this city so they wouldn’t let anything happen to it.

When the got outside the Nexus, Gareth ordered “Teams, move out!”

“Yes Sir” they said and immediately split into two teams and spread out.

Commander Ajax looked up the sky, facing the the descending primal.

“Alright Ignis, let’s do this” he called out.

Out of his inventory came his dragon dragon forged beast.

He hopped on it and immediately took to the skies.

The primal above was halfway through the rift now, its long tail crashing against buildings as it descended.

Its head turned slowly, glowing eyes locking onto Gareth and Ignis.

“So you noticed me, huh?” Gareth muttered, gripping the handle embedded on Ignis’s neck. “Let’s see if you’re as tough as Malrath.”

Ignis, floating mid air, it’s chest region started glowing red hot and without warning, let out a blast of flames so hot, it bent the space around it.

The searing inferno blasted through the air, a beam of crimson-white flame that lit up the sky like a second sun.

The sheer intensity of the attack melted windows, scorched rooftops, and even caused the clouds to part as if terrified of the heat.

The Primal let out a deep, thunderous roar that shook the very ground and raised one of its colossal arms, blocking the incoming attack with it.

The flame collided with the beast’s forearm and exploded outward in a fiery shockwave, engulfing several blocks in a wave of heat and force.

Smoke and flame danced in the sky as Gareth shielded his eyes.

“Did we get it?” he muttered.

But as the smoke cleared, his heart sank.

The Primal was still descending, almost unfazed. Its arm bore blackened scorch marks, the plating cracked and almost melting off, but it didn’t stop.

If anything, it looked… excited. Like it had found a worthy opponent.

It also opened its mouth and a wave of heated air started gathering within.

“Dive!” Gareth shouted.

And Ignis took a dive just in time to avoid a blast of lava.

The molten breath flew through the air and hit multiple highrise buildings, melting them completely to slag and leaving molten craters where solid structures once stood.

The city trembled as the attack hit.

“Damn it,” Gareth growled. “That thing’s breath could level the entire sector if we’re not careful.”

“You look like you need a hand old man” a sound suddenly came from behind him.

Gareth turned back, and sure enough, his student Gabriel Blackwood floating towards him on a Griffith.

“Well, I only have one to offer though ” Ga said causing the old man to chuckle.

His arm, cut off by Malrath, couldn’t be healed anymore and he preferred to not use a robotic one.

Gareth couldn’t help but laugh, the sound bitter and tired, but it was still there.

This young student of his was always cocky and losing a hand hadn’t dampened it a bit.

“Well, I’m glad someone’s showing up to the party,” Gareth said, his eyes narrowing on the approaching Gabriel. “Though I didn’t expect it to be you, kid. Thought you’d be forced to stay at home by your wife to heal.”

“Well, he was too stubborn to stay in bed” Another voice came from behind Gabriel.

Gareth hadn’t noticed that someone was behind his student earlier.

But the voice was really familiar so he immediately recognized it.

“Julia Blackwood” he said with a smile.

“It’s been a while old man.”