Bloodstained Rose

Prologue

Nomad was still very young when he left Kashmir with Shirow and Shift. Life in the city had come to an end, leaving the three to begin their trek across the outskirts. Although Nomad was still unable to comprehend the events as a child, he found himself continuously looking back to this point. The images of the snowy mountains stretching above the trees remained etched into his thoughts.

Fog covered the land, leaving the three to continue walking blindly through the wilderness. Even with the beautiful scenery, Nomad could not ignore the aching of his feet. The wind continued biting at his face. The pack over his back continued to grind against his old, textile shirt. Every day in the wilderness was more grueling than the next while the weight of the load seemingly increased.

The continuing sound of the snow crunching under his feet was becoming even more distressful. However, he marched on determined with Shift and Shirow, awaiting for the new life ahead. Shift lead the two further across the snowy landscape, soon reaching a small encampment in the hills. After a few days of walking through emptiness, the three were ecstatic to find an old stone cabin.

It was just as run down as the many ancient cities scattered throughout the land, serving as a relic of the old world. Nomad was too young to understand what happened to the world before them—as with most of the descendants of the survivors. He was too young to grasp their situation and was unable to put together why they had gone their own way. The inside of the cabin smelled of mildew, dried planks of wood began to crack as they stepped on it.

“Are we staying here tonight?” Nomad asked as the putrid and sour air graced his nose.

“We won’t be here long,” Shift said while he started to explore the room. There was not much left inside, and every step felt as if they were going to fall through. “As soon as we get through this, we can go start going to Ural Vale.”

Shift had told them a lot about Ural Vale. It was a small town near Kashmir, one that was considered a demilitarized zone. There, they would not have to worry about being pursued by the forces of the G.E.I. or worry about hunger. Nomad would try to remain optimistic about the journey. However, he was not sure if they would ever see the town. With each day, it seemed as if they were covering less ground. The thoughts of living in a world free from the chaos that consumed his childhood was more than fanciful.

Through the dirty windows, he could see the L-District in Kashmir still standing in the distance. The large, curved tower was barely visible through the fog. Its presence, even from hundreds of miles away, cast a spectral gaze upon them. The intricate design, a blend of advanced architecture and organic motifs, created an unsettling feeling as it bore witness to their every move. It resembled a large sprout, rising from the earth and towards the clouds above. Though they travelled farther from the city every day, the shadow from the silent sentinel lingered across the landscape, leaving a mark on their journey.

Shirow stood behind them, holding his nose as he gazed at the rotting boards on the floor. His bangs of snow-white hair drooped over his face, slowly starting to become damp with the thick and smelly air. While he started to swipe in front of his face, he began to walk back towards the front door. Shift took another breath of the air before letting out a long-winded cough.

He was weaker after every cough.

“Well boys, either we try to make do with this for now or we set up camp outside, your decision.” Shift’s voice carried a faint wheeze as he spoke.

Nomad and Shirow dreaded another night in the cold, but just a few minutes inside the old cabin had been unbearable. So, they began to set up camp outside, quickly going through the steps. The nights of spring in Kashmir were still cold, the city seemingly cast a chill through the valleys around it. Nomad sat inside of the tent, staring up towards the vinyl tapestry while the wind continued to bite at his face.

Shift and Shirow gathered in front of the flame, passing around a small flask of some distilled liquor left over from their journey. Their throats burnt as they sipped, only causing Shift’s cough to become more severe.

“What happens when we get to Ural Vale?” Shirow asked while he presented the bottle to him.

“We try to start over again,” Shift replied. His breath continued its dry heave, weak tears streamed down his face.

“I thought we would have done that if we went west with Mizumi and the others.”

“There’s no life back west,” Shift quickly replied. He cupped his hands over his mouth, trying to catch the moisture as his coughing continued. Once he pulled his hand away, he stared at the droplets of blood in his palm, defeated. “I’ve been in this fight for a long time now, and sometimes I have second doubts.”

Nomad listened in, hearing the distress from his father. He grew restless after the weeks in the woods watching Shift’s health starting to decline. Before this, the family had lived inside Kashmir trying to get through the endless cycle of city life. The G.E.I. had not always been the ruling class of the city.

The party before them had tried to maintain order as the city plunged into famine. When the people of the city grew weary of the ruling class, a few had risen to lead a revolution. The people of Kashmir quickly overran the government and installed a new system. Instead of a system where the proletariats vote in leaders, they had chosen to put the most brilliant minds in power.

The systems in place made sure that the descendants of the land were at the forefront. However, it was not long before the same corruption that seemed to tear apart the city before started to take root again. Shift took part in the group Liberation, a small paramilitary operation that was slowly starting to gain ground throughout the land. He fought hard, but the Global Eurasian Initiative fought harder.

“I don’t even know if Liberation has the capabilities to even put an end to the G.E.I.,” Shift continued. “It seems like everything we’ve done to try and weaken them seemed to gain them more support from the people.”

“Do you think Mizumi and the others will ever return to Kashmir?” Shirow replied.

“I don’t know,” Shift murmured, his voice to trail off. He began to wipe the blood built up on his palms on the snow below. Nomad looked over to him, sensing regret in his demeanor. “I think there’s another way forward. I don’t have much time left here.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Shirow, I’m going to need both of you to stay strong. I think the best method forward is to try and take down the G.E.I. from the inside.”

“After all this fighting and traveling, we’re just going to give in?”

Nomad pushed himself off the ground, startling the two as he approached. Shift looked back to him, distress emanating from his frown. With a sigh, he turned back towards the fire and leaned in closer.

“I made a mistake, and I don’t think Liberation can stop them. To be honest, I don’t think the Global Eurasian Initiative is something that can be dismantled,” Shift said. “I was hoping in Ural Vale we could try and start a new life. The next step forward is having you two make your way through the ranks. You’re both still young, and according to them, you’re still just young enough to be made into one of them.”

“Does this mean we’re going back?” Nomad asked.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Shirow cut them off, tone becoming much more aggressive as his frustration built. “After all this fighting, how do we know that will even work?”

“I know it will,” Shift continued. “The people at the top of the chain will not be there forever, and with what I’ve instilled in you, I know your both can bring change.”

It was too much for Nomad to comprehend, but he was not aware that these words would stay on his mind for years to come. Such a risky plan would take a lot of mental fortitude and time to pull off. He was not sure what it would be like trying to go through the many institutions to get a shot at being an officer. It was something he was going to have to figure out on his own, but he was apprehensive.

“Why can’t we go west with Mizumi?” Nomad spoke up, starting to feel broken up over the thought of living in Kashmir again.

“There’s a whole team there counting on us,” Shirow added. “Someday they’re going to regroup, and we’ll be ready, we’ll both be ready.”

There was much he wanted to say, but they knew that he was in agony both physically and mentally.

“Liberation is a dead end,” he said, still trying to keep him composure. Nomad could see sweat starting to bead down his face in the cold. “Dismantling one global superpower to let another take its place is not the solution. The people at the top of the G.E.I. will not be there forever, and that’s where you come in to take their place.”

Shirow’s face seemed to become filled with disgust seeing Shift’s tone starting to change. He stood from the fire, unable to face the two as he started to walk towards the cabin.

“You’re dying,” Shirow said after coming to an abrupt halt. He turned back to them, revealing the tears on his face. “I didn’t think that you would let Liberation die with you too.”

Shift called out to him, unable to deter him from stepping away. He looked back down to Nomad and reached out to stroke the hair on his head.

“Do you really think Mizumi and the others won’t be able to stop them?” Nomad asked, still trying to understand Shift’s reasoning.

“We’ve tried everything and we’re now here,” Shift replied as he pulled his hand away to cover his mouth once again. The next cough had caused him to let out a grunt. “I think this is the best shot we have.”

The three spent the next few days outside the cabin. Shift had been unable to move while Shirow started to search through the forest for anything they could ration. His hunt for any of the animals in the woods was unsuccessful, leaving the two unable to salvage anything outside berries from plants throughout. After less than a week, both boys started to realize the futility of their situation.

Before they could get used to the ways of the forest, Shift had finally passed away. The loss had been profound—something neither of them could have prepared for. The most they could do was to bury him in the woods in an unmarked grave. Nomad knew well that this would be an event that would stay with him for years to come. Within a few short weeks, the two found themselves not able to go any further.

The only close civilization was Kasmir, and the haunting stare of the L-District on the horizon. The shadow looming over Nomad as the sun set behind it reflected the emptiness inside of him. He sat in front of the cabin, staring at the empty fire pit. In front of him, the dirt on the ground slowly began to scatter as he tapped his fingers against it.

While he continued to rhythmically tap out “dash dot dot dash”, he started to notice the sound of trees cracking in the distance. Initially, he brushed off the disturbance and continued. However, with every passing second, the sounds of the forest being torn apart became harder to ignore.

After a quick pause, he stared ahead into the forest, noticing several of the trees in the distance beginning to tumble. Further through, he could see a large rectangular vessel in the distance—a Mobile Carrier, another one of the G.E.I.’s many machines tearing through the brush. It rumbled closer towards him, trees crushed into chips under its mechanical treads. Nomad immediately recognized the danger and jumped to his feet. He looked away from the machine and back further into the woods towards the mountains.

“Shirow!” Nomad shouted.

He stumbled away from the cabin in a panic. As he approached the tree line, he finally spotted Shirow with a bundle of sticks in his arms. Just like Nomad, the sight of the Mobile Carrier brought him to a panic. He threw the sticks to the ground, signaling for Nomad to follow.

The two dashed into the woods, trying to make their way towards the mountains. It was clear that the vehicle was being flanked by some foot troops and that going into the rocky terrain would be their best shot. The side of the Mobile Carrier had been fitted with several sensors, watching their every move. Shirow continued to lead Nomad towards the base of the rocky behemoths ahead.

However, as they reached the mountains, they found themselves faced with another obstacle. The slopes of the mountain were far too steep to climb by hand. Shirow looked up to the side, seeing cliffs far out of reach. Frustration etched on his face while he lowered his head to try and weigh the options.

“Nomad,” Shirow spoke as he turned to face him. “We have to use the Deep. It’s now or never.”

“I don’t know if I can do it.”

Shift, along with Mizumi and the other fallen resistance had possessed this power. Throughout his life, Nomad had been aware of such a force. He had been told of the power that people could grasp from channeling the Deep—an infinite power source beyond comprehension. With the Mobile Carrier nearing, he found himself struggling to keep focused. His teeth began to grind while he continued to try and block out the sounds.

“You can do this; we all can do this. You have to reach inside,” Shirow continued. He leaned down to Nomad and rested his hands on top of his shoulders to try and calm him. “I know you can do it. Reach in, grab it, and jump.”

Nomad started to peer inside, trying to find that energy. Every direction he looked inside had been met with fear. There was no reaching the Deep. He knew it existed but was not sure if he could find it. A chill started to greet him as the wind from the valley started to blow through his hair. He looked back up to Shirow, and watched his face start to droop.

“I can’t do it.” he whimpered.

Shirow lowered to the ground, resting his knee against the dirt as he looked back into the trees. The Mobile Carrier and the platoon were getting closer. Their chances of escaping together were seemingly impossible now. He turned back to Nomad, trying to keep composed while the anguish started to consume him.

“You have to be strong.” He said, gently raising his hands to his shoulders.

“What are we going to do?”

Nomad could feel the tears beginning their icy trek down his face. The distant chills and the haunting sounds of machinery felt as if it were tearing the two apart.

“One way or the other, we’re coming out the other side.” Shirow lowered his head for a moment, struggling to keep his eyes on Nomad while he spoke.

“I don’t understand.” Nomad muttered.

“Dad said that we can change the G.E.I. from the inside. You have to go through with it and be strong—stronger than you’ve ever been.”

“It’s not going to end like this.”

Shirow pulled him close, embracing him once more before leaning into him. He gently kissed Nomad on his head while fighting the tears. Nomad clenched onto Shirow’s shirt and tried to keep him from leaving but was unable to keep his grip. Finally, Shirow pulled away and turned back towards the mountain to gather what energy he could. In an instant, his body leapt up off the ground and high up the side of the mountain, reaching the cliffs up ahead.

As Nomad watched his brother disappear over the peaks, pride and worry filled his face. Once again, he took a deep breath to try and summon the energy within. Despite his efforts, the Deep remained elusive, and he was left at the base of the mountain. Within minutes, the Mobile Carrier along with the troops had stormed his position. He barely managed to navigate around the base of the hills before being taken captive.

I just had to jump, Nomad thought to himself. The events of this day were foggy, but he found himself reliving every painful moment. The present started to blur through his reminiscing of watching Shirow walk out. He found himself back in the Mobile Carrier, but many years had passed. Now, he was far away from Kashmir and still on the outskirts of the town of Nojiri. The battle inside the town was nearing an end, and they were ready to deal the final blow.

Behind him, he could hear Paxton’s drawl starting to pull him away from the memory. He kneeled by Mezrich, trying to keep him conscious. Before Nomad showed up with Paxton and Megumi, the entire area was struck by the G.E.I.’s soon to be destroyed weapon, Delta. The machine was unable to take out the Mobile Carrier, but had struck it with its Gravitron Reactor.

The energy from the attack had amplified the gravity in the surrounding area, crushing most of the scenery. It was miraculous the frame and machinery of the Mobile Carrier survived, however, Mezrich was left wounded in the crossfire—both legs smashed. To his left, Megumi kept the vehicle steady while it moved towards the town. Nomad in that moment realized his situation, trying to focus on his thought over the crunching trees, Mezrich’s groans of pain.

He had since moved his way through the ranks of the G.E.I. and found himself outside the wire once more. This time, he was going head on against them to finish what his father had started. Whether or not he would be able to finally defeat the machine was irrelevant. He reached out towards Megumi, thankful that he would not be going through the next phase alone. She turned back to him and hesitantly reached back, finally locking hands with him.

“Are you ready?” Nomad asked her as he felt her warm grip.

“Let’s send this thing to hell.” Megumi replied.

The Mobile Carrier finally reached an opening in the forest to get pointed towards the target ahead. From here, they were able to see the town burning. The sight of smoke pillowing from the houses lit up across all the monitors in front of them. Above the fire, the Delta unit continued its rampage. Its black spherical shape hovered ominously over Nojiri, flattening every building in its path. Nothing in the path of its feared Gravitron Reactor would be able to withstand the disruptions. Paxton leaned in between them and grabbed hold of a small joystick on the center of the control panel.

“I’ve overridden the automated defenses, it won’t target friendly aircraft,” Megumi said to Paxton while she nervously pulled her hand from Nomad. She looked up towards the display ahead of them to see a cross hair starting to form over Delta, finally saying, “Just aim and pull the trigger.”

“Yeah, I figured that out,” Paxton said before politely correcting himself, “thanks anyways.”

With every movement of the stick, the massive railgun attached to the side of the Mobile Carrier followed. Its deadly payload could send a projectile at speeds nearing light and would easily be able to obliterate Delta. After getting locked on and sending a final taunt through the comms, he pulled the trigger. The cannon let out a screech, sending the payload into Nojiri. On the monitor, they watched the weapon pierce through Delta with satisfaction.

“Direct hit!” Nomad shouted gleefully, his face cracking a smile at the sight.

The three watched on, seeing Delta begin to finally go down. Paxton was enthralled, howling with excitement as the last of the G.E.I. forces in Nojiri had been wiped off the board. He reached out to the two and gently placed his hands on their shoulders—the sudden outburst a contrast to their previous encounter. It was not long before this they were in the town jail being held up by his men.

However, the situation was proving dire for the Liberation troops, so Paxton relented. Now that they had pulled together and defeated Delta, they hoped that he would warm up to them. Paxton turned away from the control panel and immediately rushed to Mezrich’s side.

“This machine has a medical bay, correct?” He asked with the usual drawl.

“We can boot up Control and patch him up,” Megumi said. After getting another glance at Mezrich’s legs, she turned away, face twisting with disgust. “I’m not a doctor, but I think he’s going to lose the legs.”

Mezrich let out a groan after the revelation, trying to use what little energy he had to push himself off the ground as he finally commented, “Boot up the damn machine already.”

Paxton gave him a soft nudge and rose to his feet. He then started to walk towards the side hatch, determined to finally get back to Nojiri.

“Can you two take care of him while I go back?” he drawled.

“That’s easy enough,” Nomad replied before taking a moment to regroup. He looked back towards Megumi again, thinking long and hard about the last few days together. He called out to Paxton again, halting his advance. “So, is that it, are we going back behind the bars or are we going to break bread?”

Paxton looked back to him, recognizing his determination and resilience in the previous battle. He gave him a nod, finally willing to extend an olive branch to him as his expression softened with a hint of understanding.

“I’ve been backstabbed before, and I’m a man who follows his gut,” Paxton addressed them before finally flashing a smile. “You guys are alright. Don’t give me a reason to change my mind.”

Nomad smiled back, nodding in acceptance as Paxton stepped towards him and lifted his hand. They shook, finally acknowledging their new alliance and marking a new chapter in their journey.

It’s time to hit back.