Colours of War
World War I began in 1914, World War II began in 1939. Now 81 years later, in the year of 2020, World War III was beginning. The first offense that began tensions between countries was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It sparked a fuse that slowly began to burn down to the explosion; the final act that plunged the whole world into war. That final act was the rise of Centennial. Centennial is an organization whose main goal is expansion through the act of war.
After the end of World War II, everyone was wary of the Germans and the rising of a new offensive military frightened the already terrified people of Western Europe. Within Centennial there was one unit that stood out above the rest. It was deemed the “Colour” Unit, which is an appropriate name for a unit where every soldier held a name that meant a color.
The Colour Unit was led by Marshiro, whose name translated to white from the Japanese language. His co-commander was Kuro, whose name translated to black from Japanese. But this unit wasn’t a group of simple human soldiers. It was a group of supernatural beings that were created by the organizations main Doktor and Scientist Garret Wesley, who most simply referred to as Papa. Their training began not too long after the Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.
*****
“Alright. Senko, Orenji, and Murasaki, you are on team one. Sora-iro and Midori your on my team, team two. Kuro, Kokai. You two are on your own. Now I need you all to listen up. This is training, but failure is still not an option. This simulation with make you feel the pains, strains, and tensions of being at war. If you are hit with a bullet, you will feel the bullet. If you are killed you will be paralysed until the simulation is completed. Team one are Russians. Team two are the English. Team three are the Germans. Now, suit up,” Mashiro said. He was a perpetually grumpy person who took training almost too seriously. But what wasn’t serious about a training to go into the upcoming world war?
The three groups jumped into action, each grabbing simulation guns and stepping into their section of the simulation. They were immediately dropped upon a battlefield in their designated uniforms. This time, the battle was placed in a frozen-over Russia. The simulation began with a loud bell sound that resonated throughout the whole simulator. Senko took the lead of the Russian’s, a natural leader, her voice sounded out, translated to Russian by their opposers as she struck up a strong defensive plan, securing a retreat option. Kuro led the Germans on the offensive and defensive, advancing and against the Russians and fending off the English who were throwing stun grenades at the backs of the offensive Germans.
The three teams fought for hours, Senko was down with a bullet in the shoulder, Mashiro had lost a leg but was throwing stun grenades to help, Kuro and Kokai were already “dead”, both shot by the English. It was down to Orenji and Murasaki for the Russians and Sora-iro and Midori for the English. They were all beginning to feeling the hunger pangs and the scent of blood was driving the vampiric Murasaki crazy. The Russians began advancing, Murasaki launching forward with reddened eyes and sharpened fangs, only to be hit in the temple with a grenade fragment and fall. Orenji backed down before ordering for a retreat, the anxiety of battle too much for the young Clairvoyant. Then the simulation wavered out, leaving the English as the victors.
“That was good, Sora-iro, Midori. You both go on to dinner. Kokai, Orenji, Murasaki, Senko, Mashiro, and I have to run twenty laps,” Kuro said. Sora-iro and Midori went off to dinner while the rest readied for their laps.
“Hang on…Orenji. I have to speak with you,” Mashiro said, eyes flashing and fierce. The Clairvoyant looked at his commander with nervous eyes, his hands shaking.
“I’m sorry, Mashiro…it was too much for me…I was afraid I was going to go mad,” Orenji squeaked lowly as the Phantom Wolf grabbed the front of his uniform and dragged him close to whisper menacingly, his nails making their wavering change into claws.
“You listen to me and listen to me good, boy. This is WAR. This isn’t a game on your XStation 4. This is real. People are really going to die if you don’t buck up and grow a bloody backbone. I don’t care what you see in that little Clairvoyant mind of yours. You retreated. Retreat, as well as failure, is NOT an option. Do I make myself clear?!” he asked the smaller, trembling man.
“Yes, sir,” Orenji squeaked.
“Good,” Mashiro growled, tossing him to the ground and moving away to join the others.
*****
Only days later, the realness truly set in for the members of the Colour Unit. They were boarded onto the aircraft, that was a J38 Halkgrain, which resembled a helicopter without any walls, and flown off to the nearest battle ground deemed, Fire Storm. Each soldier had a total of 16 stun grenades, two fire orbs, 28 stun rounds, 200 kill bolts, two small laser guns, and one large stun rifle. Seems a little light on the ammo for the battlefield. But it isn’t because each one, as you’ve started to realize, are certain supernatural beings.
Marshiro is a Phantom Wolf, which is a werewolf who can materialize and dematerialize like a phantom. Orenji is a strong Clairvoyant paired with a smoke demon, making him disappear into puffs of smoke and reappear. Murasaki is a pureblood vampire, moving from one place to another in a millisecond as well as controlling the minds that have been affected by grief. Sora-iro is an Iceren, a creature whose very touch can freeze someone. Senko is a fire demon who was believed to have been born from the erupting of Vesuvius.. Midori was a terrakinetic with the ability to break the ground open like an eggshell. Kokai was telepathic.Last but not least is Kuro. Kuro is a master illusionist. She controls all that you see and hear
*****
The Colour Unit was dropped upon the already bloody battle field, sent in as assurance of German victory. Not that they were winning. The Germans were slaughtered, Centennial felled by Russian steel and English bombs. There was no chance of winning, but the Unit separated out anyway, forming their strategy from nothing.
“Murasaki, I need you to search for those with grieved minds. Senko, find all enemy equipment and melt it down. Kuro, you need to blind as many as you can as soon as you can. Take away their hearing and sight. Kokai, I need you to manipulate the Russians into turning on each other. Orenji. I need you with me, I’ll cover you while you locate the bomb landing sites,” Marshiro said.
“Midori, Sora-iro. I need earthquakes and frozen ice slicks beneath our enemies’ feet,” Kuro added. Then all fell into action. But there was a problem.
“Sir…We can’t get into anyone’s head…they’re blocking us some how,” Murasaki said, eyes panicked as kill bolts hit the ground to either side of them. Orenji suddenly cried out, falling forward as blood seeped from a wound in his back. Marshiro swore, wavering into his wolf form and launching into a head on attack.
“Looks like we’re resorting to human methods,” the normally silent Midori said, loading kill bolts into his laser guns, one for each hand. He stepped to the side just in time as a kill bolt grazed past his arm.
“So be it,” Kuro said, pulling the clip on one of her stun grenades, counting to ten and throwing it into the midst of the English. The explosion sent them sprawling. An agonized howl echoed into the chaos of the battle field and Kokai looked solemn as Marshiro went down. Murasaki took off at top speed to use the bolts but was halted by some invisible force the seemed to electrocute him, sending him on his back, twitching and burned.
“We’re losing guys here, Kuro. We need to think of something…They seemed to have come prepared for us,” Senko said, holding his arm, blood seeping from beneath his fingers.
“I know, Senko! Just shut up!” Kuro exclaimed. She was hit also, a ring of red circling a hole in her shirt.
“I called the commander…He’s sending back-up. Who could he possibly be sending?” Sora-Iro said, the only one unharmed. A kill bolt had hit her but had no real effect. “I’ll start freezing in the mean time,” She added, before moving into the fray, her touch freezing weapons, but not soldiers. There was only one way their enemies could have known what they were…There was a traitor within the Unit. Kuro realized this, blinding the women who had once been her friend.
“Senko, use your fire upon Sora-Iro. Now!” Kuro cried. Senko hit her, making her scream and shatter like stone hit with a sledge hammer. A tear fell down Kuro’s face. Sora-Iro’s death would always be in the back of her head.
The sound of a second J38 Halkgrain burst through the music of war and a figure fell from it, landing on their feet and hands. The figure was a girl, not much older than twelve. She had blue-green bi-colored eyes and bright crimson hair. Project X had joined the fray.
“I will take care of this, children,” she said in a thick, French accent. Fire erupted in her hands and grew to the size of a nuclear bomb. Then, with a grin, she released it and it exploded around their enemies. When the smoke and dust had dissipated, the battle field was scarred and destroyed.
“H-How,” Kuro choked out.
“Magic,” was Project X’s reply as she walked back toward the Halkgrain. After a moment of silence, the remaining members of the Colour Unit followed, tears falling down their cheeks. Their silence more pronounced than any words any of them could have ever said.
