The Earth After Rebirth

Chapter 419 We're Here

For the first time in his life, Nikolai willingly accepted help from a grown up. It was unlike him as he didn't trust them but there was just something about Kiro's father that made one want to spill their guts.

He stopped himself more than once wanting to tell him about the actual reason he hated his father, the abduction, the way his mother died, being sold to slavery, killing a man, everything.

But every time, he managed to stop himself. He was still contemplating, trying to calm himself down. Everything that was coming to him overwhelmed him now, he wasn't used to it.

Nikolai wasn't used to himself feeling so many emotions, it made him vulnerable. He felt like that ten year old who snuck into an enemy's camp, a trap. He would be lying to himself if he said that didn't scare him.

'I really thought I'd locked these kind of things away. I didn't know I could still feel, I hate it if I'm being honest.'

Yet another thing he wasn't used to, a male model figure. That promises him green pastures, he had no reason to not believe Sekani but he had never put his trust on another man ever since he went through what he went through, especially older men.

Felix was just about the only one.

He shook himself out of his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to dwell on things he couldn't change, he knew that much, his focus, entire focus should be on Arnold Black.

"Well crew, we're here." Sekani announced as the train screeched into a stop.

The tracks from civilisation were made from the material mined in that slave mine, they were just two lines on the ground allowing the train to hover above them slightly.

But as they were far from civilisation, the government of Sanctauri didn't see it necessary to extend the futuristic tracks to places like that. So as far as they were, they had normal train tracks.

The train was designed to travel on both, when it sensed the old train tracks, it automatically produced wheels to accommodate itself.

None of them had ridden a train on old tracks before so the sound it made when it stopped shocked everyone in the coach.

"I hope I never hear that again." Jesús complained.

"Tell me about it." Grey agreed.

"Yeah, it was pretty bad." James said something too.

But their transportation was no longer moving. They had arrived at their destination and that made them have strange expressions, most of them were a little scared. Some of them hid the emotion through a stoic face.

Nikolai wasn't feeling any better. But he managed to get his legs to carry him to the doors that now hung open. There was greenery as far as his eyes could see.

It was as though he was back in Asgard. For as long as he was alive, he'd only seen the forest when he ran from home, but for the most part it were only buildings and technology. This place was a really nice change of pace, for all of them.

But they couldn't enjoy it properly knowing what was happening on the other side of the forest. The tranquility, the unpolluted air up here was amazing to say the least, Nikolai found himself being calmed by his environment — something that never happened before in his life.

Every environment that ever surrounded him didn't offer something like this. Instead it was constant fear, caution and anxiety. This new change was very welcomed to him.

They all got out of the train. Taking out their small backpacks and enlarging them to take out the weapons from within.

"Does everyone have a vest one?" Sekani asked as everyone was stashing weapons all over their bodies.

"Yes!" They all said almost at the same time.

"Don't take more than you can carry. Your agility will be much more important to dodge the bullets and ensure they don't hit you on the head no matter what!"

Sekani only had the baton and laser gun on his person. Anything else and he was sure it would slow him down. The backpack could be enlarged anyway, if he needed something he could always take it out.

At his words, James took off some of the weapons he'd put in his pockets. They were grenades, he took out one and started jumping when he could tell that he was still being weighed down more, he took out some more.

Nikolai only had the laser gun on his person, he had two knives in his hands. He wasn't sure whether the game had an influence on him but, this felt most comfortable with two in his hands.

The knives were military, large and extremely sharp. One could cut the atmosphere in half if they so pleased, that's just how sharp they were.

He was preparing himself, moving around, cutting the air up into a billion unseen pieces. It felt like such a long time he'd had a fight, with Kiro going to other worlds to find soldiers for the war everything about Asgard had turned into a large training field.

Nikolai's fear was replaced with the familiar feeling of bloodlust. He had to remind himself that this was real life, if he could spare their lives he should take that chance.

"Remember, every guard there will kill you without a seconds thought. Don't hesitate, or you will be killed." Sekani had never been in battle before, taking the lead here was purely natural.

"Do you remember your maps?"

They were huddled together in the forest. Now that they were there, they needed to cement everything into their minds, ensure nobody forgot anything because any lagging could mean their life taken away.

"There are three gates to enter the mine, all protected heavily. We are going to wait for the sun to completely disappear from the horizon, the darker, the better. Please put on your night visions."

They were the same as contact lenses but instead of helping them see better, they were supposed to allow them to see in the dark.

"Nikolai, you'll be with me at the west gate. James you can go with Wilfred at the south gate. Dean Whitmore, I mean, Grey and Silva, I mean Jesús, you can go together at the north gate. Please have your partner's back, let's meet at the heart of the mine when done."

They immediately dispersed.