Promise

Atlas, Selene and Syl were outside of an Imperial Compound in Demi, the smog had begun to life and the air was once more safe to breathe, after the resistance had destroyed half of the smoke stacks in the city.

The Imperial Compound was surrounded by a large concrete wall and a big steel gate, flood lights shone to the building in the center of the compund.

"Right, we get in here, take out the Commander, then this part of the city is under our control" Selene explained.

"Got it" Syl nodded.

"They're going to be pulling out all the stops now, we're starting to gain the upper hand, so be careful" Atlas warned. Syl and Selene nodded.

"Right, here goes nothing" Selene whispered as she placed a gravity charge on the gate and ran clear.

The gate shattered as the gravity charge shrunk the centre of it into a small singularity. Syl ran in with his Celestial Warhammer and knocked several of the soldiers flying across the courtyard, Atlas ran in after and swung his blade at one of the Elite Troopers, shattering their shield.

Selene walked into the compound and summoned her Celestial Weapon - The Celestial Scimitar. She charged at the building in the centre of the compound as Atlas and Syl made short work of the other Troopers. Suddenly, the door of the building burst open, and the Commander walked out in an Exosuit.

"Hahahaha! I've long wanted to do battle with the legendary Scourge of Skarlit!" The Commander laughed. Atlas looked over to him.

"If that's you want, then sure, but be warned, I will make short work of you" Atlas shrugged as he got ready to fight. The Commander charged Atlas, but Atlas dodged and swung his blade at one of the joints in the armour, but the blade bounced off. "What the..." Atlas gasped.

"Behold, the Imperial Power Suit, powered by a small shard of the Steel Crystal" The Commander continued to laugh.

"This guy is doing my head in" Syl grunted, as he charged at the Commander, his weapon knocked the Commander to his knees, but caused no damage.

"Impossible! What is this strength!?" The Commander asked. Syl shrugged, Selene swung her Celestial Weapon at the suit and the power field went down, and the scimitar pierced his armour.

"Say goodnight" Selene grinned as she tossed a gravity grenade in front of the commander, it exploded and sucked him into a singularity. Atlas and Syl stared at Selene in surprise.

"Remind me never to make an enemy of you" Syl chuckled nervously.

"Just behave yourself and you want" Selene winked. At that moment, a loud crash came from the building in the centre of the compound. Selene turned to look to see a huge steel fist punch through the wall.

"Um..." Syl backed away.

The building turned to rubble as a huge mechanised robot stood up, as Atlas looked closer he noticed there was a pilot in the head of the robot.

"Is this a new weapon?!" Syl asked.

"I've never seen anything like this..." Selene replied.

"Greetings, Headmistress" The pilot laughed. Selene looked closer and gasped.

"Gaspard?!" Selene shouted.

"Gaspard?" Syl asked.

"He... he was the Deputy Headmaster, he basically taught me how to run the Academy..." Selene frowned.

"Oh! That's not all I did, is it, Selene?" Gaspard chuckled.

"What's he talking about?" Syl asked.

"He organised the resistance..." Selene sighed.

The mech knelt down, and looked down at Selene.

"If you listen carefully, you might hear the dying screams of your little rebellion" Gaspard whispered. As he said that, explosions detonated across the city, as a fleet of small winged mech suits began attacking the resistance.

"No! Gaspard! Stop this!" Selene shouted.

"For the Glory of the Araneian Empire!" Gaspard shouted, as the mech stood up and made a break for it.

Selene fell to her knees and cried as her plans of liberation went up in smoke.

"We can't let this all be for nothing, Selene" Atlas stated. "Even if it is just the three of us, Demi will be free, this I promise" He said as he took Selene's hands and pulled her to her feet.

"Right, I agree" Syl nodded.

"You would both do that for me?" Selene asked, as she looked at Syl and Atlas.

"For you, and for Ruby" Atlas nodded. "For her, I would tear the whole Empire down" He added.

"Hmm, Ruby?" Selene asked.

"My mother, and Uncle Atlas' sister" Syl nodded.

"They've walked all over this continent for too long... I'm going to tear them apart" Atlas growled as his eyes glowed red.

"But what about Abyssia?" Syl asked.

"She doesn't care about the Empire, they're a tool to her" Atlas shrugged.

"She might be pissed, still" Syl warned.

"Let her be" Atlas shrugged. "I honestly don't care what she thinks" He added.

"As long as it doesn't make things harder for Roisin, I'm in" Syl nodded.

"Death to the Empire" Atlas said as he looked into the red smog filled skies.