"Congratulations to the units that have been promoted today. Tomorrow begins your new training and that means new assignments."
General Saffron's voice boomed through the rusted mic. Standing atop of an abandoned building was a pristine white figure. The fur around his collar seemed to glow as the Cradle Sun shines down.
"WLV-R units will Report to Captain Nuice tomorrow, he can be found near the Cinder training grounds. He will be your newly assigned CO. DSK-R units are asked to report directly to me. I expect to see all of you at the SKLV-Barracks no later than 0500 hours. Have I made myself clear?"
The two large groups stood in attention as the snowy white figure left the podium and disappeared from view in a group of ASH-T elite soldiers. The small faction had turned into a large army in a matter of months after the Drain. All of them fighting the thirst. This was the day I was pulled into it. This is my story.
<1 month earlier>
My name is Henly. I dont remember my last name. I don't remember if I ever had one. I landed on cradle like everyone else, but the memory unit in my pod was said to be wrecked on impact. I arrived as a miner, a mere worker for the Divine Order. I accepted my job, with very little options. without and identity, I was a no one, which means I had to work, and work I did. The Crowns were low, and the mist was steady, but it was no life anyone would want to live. For three years, i went down those elevators with the same goal. Come back with the crystals. The workers had very little to defend themselves, but we made do with the mining equipment. Shovels as melee weapons, and mining explosives as makeshift bombs. Coming back up those elevators wasn't guaranteed.
I remember one of those trips down the elevator like it happened yesterday. A small group of us went down into the clockworks, tools in hand. The man I was grouped with, his name was Mayn, he was the usual leader for the mining groups. Mayn was an ex soldier of the Cobalt Arms, under direct rule from the Divine Order. It was their duty to explore and scout the lower levels of the mines before it was authorized for mining, and to fight the Cradle Natives like the gremlins. We are invaders. Mayn realized this and committed treason. He would never tell me what he did specifically, but it had him demoted to a mining slave for the order. No pay, just mist.
We touched down on the first floor and Mayn would usually survey the scene. That day was different. Mayn was silent and hesitant to press forward, but eventually started to march forward in search of what we came for.
"You all be careful today. Something isn't right in the clockworks."
He usually never speaks, and never tells us to be more careful. Immediatly I knew something was wrong. I never held that shovel harder than I did that day. My hands can still recall the pain of the handle digging through my gloves.
It felt as though we walked for hours, with no sight of a crystal. only teltale marking on the metal ground. Scratch marks. No ordinary scratch marks made from the wolver claws, but large scratch marks. As if they were made by someones struggle. The marks led to other things. Equipment, shattered crystals, and broken vials. Mayn stopped mid stride.
"Some one is here"