Once everyone had departed Syra turned and watched the bodies get buried. It was in no means a glamourous funeral for the departed but that was "war".
All that had happened recently kept reminding her of her time in the war. She fought for no side, only to avenge her home that had become a battleground between Seed and Oblivion's army. Ships pierced through the atmosphere of her peaceful world and the two armies fought, not for control but simply to wipe out the other side while Syra and her people were simply collateral damage.
She shook away the memories as goosebumps covered her body in spite of the desert heat. As she averted her eyes from the burial, she caught a glimpse of an armored rider strown atop an ant mount. She recognized the armor, Azure. Syra sighed as she made her way to meet the woman.
"So, this is where you've been hiding?" Azure said with a small chuckle, however, seeing Syra's somber look and the handprint on her cheek, Azure's playful tone dropped in an instant, "What happened here?" She asked.
"We-we conquered Last Rest," she began, unable to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes any longer. Azure dismounted her ant and put her hands on Syra's shoulders, "Conquered?" She asked, overly forceful, worried that the Lords of Rock had slipped into the ways of the Warlords.
"We came for the women the Waste Witch used as her muscle, to free them," She started, pulling from Azure's increasing grip. "When we got here, we planned to simply negotiate, to get them back without all of this," She gestured to the bodies being buried, "But they fought, and we fought back. Then we forced them to surrender in a standoff involving a kid," She fell to her knees as the tears streamed from her eyes silently. "He turned over the settlement so we wouldn't harm more of his people, the others are taking stock of the place, but I just can't stomach it all anymore. I'm tired of this, all this death, all this senseless violence all because of that stupid cannon!"
"Why not destroy it?" Azure asked quietly, removing her helmet and tucking it under her arm as she knelt in front of Syra. "My people wouldn't mind that cannon being out of the picture, and I'll help if you want. My job is to protect you, to keep you safe while we navigate this political firestorm, but if you say the word, I will help you find a way to destroy the weapon."
Syra thought for a moment, contemplating the offer, but simply shook her head, defeated, "What would be the point? As awful as that is, its the only reason we are alive, and the only thing we have to bargain with. Destroy it and who knows what happens next. Whoever it belongs to likely has others, and if we can use it to resist some forced occupation then we should...even if the people on this hit hole of a world don't care," She rubbed her cheek gingerly, "It's a lawless world, and you should just go. This is my fate, and it doesn't have to be yours. I'm nothing special and your organization can't possibly think differently. I've been here for nearly thirteen years, I haven't mattered at all during that time, and I can't believe I suddenly matter now simply because I stepped into a ship and was talked to by some man from who knows where."
Azure sighed, "You and I should talk more, but you need rest and a good drink," She pulled her pack from the side of her Ant's saddle. "Let's go inside, this place is nice, and with a group like yours, might begin to live up to the positive connotations of its name."
The two young women made their way to the homestead, Syra's mind filled with negative thoughts of her past and fear for their future.
***
"And here we are, Blacksun, home sweet home," Theory began, throwing his arms wide as they stopped on the dunes overlooking the Holy Land. "You understand I must leave you to walk the rest of the way," he smiled smugly as Blacksun dismounted. "Arubak should welcome you home I'd imagine, but I fear since your party had gone so awry that he will learn I'd been staying with you after his goons were kind enough to take my eye and leave me for dead after that bitch tried to escape me." His hand went to the ornate eyepatch he sported. "I'll have to return the favor someday, once that Cannon is mine that is," he chuckled, "I digress, please feel free to contact me if trouble arises, my men will begin advancing soon, and we will begin our conquest of the region." With that, he turned his mount and Theory and his men began riding back towards their encampment, and the remains of Shittle.
"Take care old friend," Blacksun shouted as The Remnants rode off. "Bunch of bastards...that man taking control of The Rock? Gods help us all," he scoffed as he made his way down the dune and over the battlefield, glassed earth crunching under his feet.
"Welcome home, Master Blacksun!" His butler exclaimed as Blacksun stepped through the door. "I was quite worried that Master Theory would not keep his word, what with his aspirations of becoming the next big Warlord of The Rock and all," He took Blacksun's tattered coat and poured the man a drink as Blacksun sank into a plush chair in the parlor just off his foyer. His staff had remained through everything, and he owed them a debt of gratitude, "Thank you all, for maintaining my, no, our home during my absence. I've learned a few things while I was gone, and one of them is to not trust Theory. He is no longer welcome here, and we will not be providing his soldiers with any more of our products, send word to cancel all shipments, we will find better buyers, but first, we will throw an event here and invite Arubak and his staff, to thank them for keeping the Holy Land safe, in addition, you will all be paid double your normal wages for the remainder of the month," Blacksun drained his glass as his staff shared happy gasps.
"Sir, it is only the third of this month, are you certain?"
"Of course I'm certain, you are all I have in this world, and I wish to show my appreciation. Now please begin making the arrangements for the gala."
"Of course, sir! Straight away!"
Blacksun's butler then motioned for two of the maids to follow him to the staff wing of the house to begin the preparations and invite list.
"You will rot before you take this world Theory..." Blacksun muttered, a maid pouring him another glass of whiskey. "I'll get that bitch of yours to pull the trigger too," he said with a wicked grin, his maid striding off with the empty bottle of whiskey before another footman replaced it seamlessly.