Valkyrie Smash

"C'mon! Would it hurt you to relax a little? We just finished the biggest project of our lives! If that's not a reason to celebrate then what is!?"

Though he tried to ignore him, Dean found being shaken by his drunk colleague quite unpleasant. Pushing him away, he glared at him and the others, his expression telling of how sick he was of them acting as if nothing mattered.

"Can't you take this more seriously? We might die any minute now!"

The hall went silent for a couple of seconds but then the laughter erupted again.

"And what would stressing over it do!?" One of them retorted.

"If we're going to die, the higher-ups will be the ones who order it!" Another added.

"They can't risk us spilling the beans!" Another followed.

Watching the scene before him unfold, Dean couldn't believe these were the same people who spent the last decade trying to pull humanity out of the grave it fell in.

"Listen, buddy." Placing an arm over his shoulder again, the same guy from before spoke, the look in his eyes carrying both confidence and faith. "We are Jotunn. We have survived this far and will continue to survive no matter the odds. We will crush our enemies and avenge our people. That's what we have dedicated our lives to, remember? Be it those aliens or Primordials or whatever, every last one of them will be nothing but fodder in front of our brilliance!"

Talking to a bunch of schmucks high out of their minds was a mistake. Dean's face contorted as he came to that realization, and with a scoff, he turned away and left the lounge. He could still hear the laughter even with the door closed behind him.

A lot has changed over the years. Those who had some good in their hearts couldn't accept the way things were moving and took the shortcut out of this world, leaving only the worst to take the reigns. Dean had contemplated doing the same for years, but after everything he found himself unable to. Even with everything he had been forced to endure, he still had something to live for. Someone who helped him keep going. Now that his death was approaching, the only thing he could think of was how it would affect that person.

"Nat..."

As the face of his beloved came to mind, his phone rang.

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[Professor Norris. Your presence is required at Hangar 23.]

"Understood."

The call ended just like that.

"Hangar 23..." He muttered to himself, staring at his reflection in the screen of his phone. "That's the…"

Alarm bells began to ring in his head. Not wasting any more time he got on the first tram he could find and rushed to the location he was summoned to. As soon as he arrived, he spotted a familiar face and felt his heart almost stop entirely.

"Nat… what are you doing here?"

His shaky voice drew the gaze of everyone gathered in the lobby, though the only one he cared about was the woman standing at their center.

"Dean…"

The woman, Natalie Anderson, fixed him with a stern look. The bags under her eyes had become a constant ever since her brother's death, but her face looked a lot paler than usual. He remembered her informing him about what happened in the award ceremony the previous day.

Overwhelmed with grief and anger, she had tried to unload some of it on the otherworldly visitors. The aliens from the forty sixth base had pulled her aside and demanded that she keep her mouth shut. It was to be expected; that the event was a celebration of the peace treaty between the human world and the Nephilim world. Having someone ruin it for any reason could have quite the serious ramifications. That said, almost no one on the human side cares, especially those who are the last remaining members of their families.

"Nat, what are you doing here?" He felt an unpleasant sensation at the back of his throat.

"Ms. Anderson has agreed to pilot the Hrungnir."

The one who responded to his question wasn't his fiance but one of the men in black suits. He recognized him and the others as representatives of the higher-ups. They were a group of inspectors usually sent to supervise the testing of projects. Their authority was second only to the General, meaning a meager scientist had no way of opposing a decision they already made.

"... why?" He asked. "The project is indeed completed, but… we have yet to perform a single test run!"

"Professor." The man in black shook his head. "This is not a matter for you to concern yourself with. You are here to help Ms. Anderson with her preparations."

As he listened to the man's cold, emotionless voice, Dean could only hang his head. A brief silence ensued after which he heard the shuffling of feet. One by one, the men in black left the lobby. Only the one who spoke to him remained, and after a few seconds, he moved to leave as well. He took a few steps then stopped by his side.

"This is war, Professor Norris." Placing a hand on his shoulder, he spoke in the same emotionless tone. "If we lose here, it will be the end for the Resistance. The true Resistance." Giving his shoulder a light tap, the supervisor continued on his way. "Our survival rests in your hands. Prove to the world that we do not bow down to anyone."

Soon enough, silence enveloped the lobby. The only two remaining were Dean Norris and his fiance, Natalie Anderson. As the seconds continued to pass, the reality of the situation became apparent. The decision has already been made and he was powerless to stop it.

"... Did you make up your mind…" He asked.

"... yes…" A soft voice replied.

The silence lingered once more. Remembering the events taking place at the moment, emotions steered in Dean's heart.

"Did they… did they order you to fight the intruders?"

"... yes…"

"You will die…"

"... yes…"

Looking up with a start, the professor gritted his teeth.

"What… what about our future…?" He asked, his voice tinged with pain. "Why didn't you talk to me first!!? You… you didn't have to do this…"

Betrayal. That was the only way to describe what was happening. Although he wasn't on board with the direction the new Head General was taking them in, the prospect of peace was something he didn't mind. His beloved had lost every member of her family, but it wasn't like he had it any different. His wish was to build a new family with her once things settled down a bit more, but from the looks of it, she no longer had any intention of walking down that path.

"We are Jotunn, the true Resistance." She spoke in a cold voice, slowly driving a knife through his heart. "We will rid this world of those filthy invaders and reclaim what is ours. No matter the cost."