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Desorock Highland
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(JEFF'S POV)
The atmosphere of this place is suffocating. The once-living highland had been reduced to a wasteland of cracked shits, some blackened stone, and twisted vegetation that looked like it had tried—and failed—to crawl away from whatever horror had taken root here.
The sky above was a sickly gray, as if even the sun refused to look directly at the devastation below.
Yangyang slowed her pace, her usual gentle composure replaced by something visibly unsettled. Her hand hovered near her blade, fingers twitching.
"The Threnodian's revival has done significant damage to the environment nearby…" she said
Jeff scanned the horizon, No Shit, as he took in the ruined landscape the warped trees, the red-stained soil, the air that felt thick and wrong in his lungs felt disgustingly familiar.
"This place looks like shit," he muttered bluntly but his hand instinctively tightened around Rover's.
Rover didn't pull away. Her fingers were colder than usual, though her grip remained steady despite the scenery. She stared at the horizon where the land dipped into darker terrain, eyes reflecting the faint golden glow of corrupted Streams.
This battlefield unsettled her.
And that unsettled him.
Yangyang stepped forward carefully. "Things have gotten even more dangerous out here. The closer we get to Norfall Barrens, the worse it gets."
A violent gust of wind swept past them, carrying whispers—broken echoes of battle cries long gone.
Yangyang inhaled sensing something we can't perceive with her abilities. "The Streams feel heavy with dread… and the smell of blood." Her voice trembled. "There must be a brutal fight going down in the Desorock Highland."
Jeff scanned the cliffs, thumb brushing over the grip of his pistol. "Yeah, the longer I'm here the more I want to puke."
Yangyang nodded. "The Tacet Field Director Taoqi mentioned should be right up ahead. We must pass through it to reach our base and find General Jiyan."
At the mention of the general, Rover's gaze sharpened.
Yangyang exhaled. "I wonder what other anomalies await us ahead…"
They didn't have to wait long to find out.
Three figures stood in the distance.
Silhouettes of soldiers. Armor cracked. Helmets tilted and dented at unnatural angles.
Jeff's grip on Rover's hand loosened as his other hand slid down to his pistol.
Yangyang squinted. "Is that one of our soldiers ahead?"
Rover didn't answer. Her eyes narrowed at the sight. Something about them was wrong. They weren't breathing. They weren't moving naturally. They were swaying—like puppets held up by invisible strings.
Jeff slowly drew his pistol, the soft metallic CLICK was heard gun ready to fire at moments notice.
"Rov," he murmured under his breath. "Tell me you see that shit."
Before she could respond, the figures jerked.
That's right—jerked.
Their heads snapped upward in perfect unison.
The air suddenly distorted.
Yangyang's eyes widened. "The soldiers—watch out, they're not real! And the Tacet Discords are coming at us!"
The ground ruptured. Blackened Resonance surged upward like a tidal wave as the phantom soldiers split open, their forms unraveling into jagged, shrieking Tacet Discords.
Rover stepped in front of them instantly.
"Get behind me."
Jeff didn't argue. He moved slightly to her flank instead, pistol drawn, stance steady. "Yeah, yeah. But I'm not letting you hog all the fun."
Despite the chaos charging toward them, he thought fleetingly—
Her back is reliable as always.
First Discord lunged. Rover moved before it even finished forming. Her blade flashed into existence, golden light carving through the battlefield.
She pivoted on her heel, and sliced clean through its midsection. The cut was terrifyingly precise. The creature split apart before it even realized it had been hit.
Another one leapt from the side.
She ducked low, hair brushing her cheek, and drove her blade upward through its skull. Golden energy erupted from the wound.
"Disperse!"
Resonance detonated outward in a controlled shockwave, shredding the nearest Discords into fragments of dissolving black mist.
Jeff exhaled sharply, impressed despite the situation. "Shit," he muttered, raising his pistol. "I'd hate to be on her bad side."
A phantom soldier broke from the haze and charged him.
Jeff's expression hardened. He stepped forward instead of back.
One breath. Two.
He fired his gun.
BANG!
The shot cracked through the highland like thunder. The bullet pierced straight through the phantom's forehead, golden energy fracturing outward as his replicated Resonance infused the round. The illusion shattered instantly.
Another came from behind Rover.
Jeff's eyes widened.
"Left!"
She didn't even look.
She spun, blade intercepting claws inches from her shoulder. Sparks exploded.
For a split second, their eyes met.
Hers burned bright.
"Still got me?" she asked breathlessly.
Jeff smirked, firing again. "Always."
Two more Discords charged in tandem.
Rover dashed forward, closing the distance in a blink. She slid between them, blade carving twin arcs that severed both at the waist. Black ichor sprayed across the cracked stone.
Jeff pivoted, taking down another phantom with a clean double tap to the head.
BANG! BANG!
The battlefield fell silent. Black fragments dissolved into nothingness. Rover stood in the center of it all, chest rising and falling steadily. A streak of dark residue stained her cheek. Her hair had slipped from behind her ear, framing her face.
Jeff walked up slowly. "You good?" he asked, She nodded once. "I told you to stay behind me."
He shrugged lightly.
Yangyang approached carefully, relief washing over her features. "That Tacet Field was stronger than expected… If this is the condition of the outer Highland, I can't imagine what awaits us deeper in."
Jeff holstered his pistol, scanning the horizon again.
Yangyang stopped mid-step, eyes fluttering shut as if listening to something only she could hear. When she opened them again, there was urgency behind it. "The Phantoms contain a lot of Remnant Energy…" Her fingers tightened around her sword. "These Tacet Discords might be coming after it."
A distant rumble answered her words.
Dark clouds churned overhead—not natural storm clouds, but streaks of distorted Resonance bleeding across the sky like ink dropped into water.
"The Rain is spreading across Desorock Highland…I can feel chaos growing in the Streams. We must hurry."
Jeff adjusted the grip on his pistol.
"Then we better hurry our asses up."
Rover shot him a look. "Agreed. Let's go."
They moved. The deeper they went, the quieter the world eerily became. Then the battlefield revealed itself. Broken weapons scattered across the dirt. Torn banners half-buried in mud. Blood—old and dried—stained the rocks in dark rust patterns. And standing among it all…
Phantoms of Midnight Rangers.
Frozen in moments of desperation.
Yangyang's breath hitched.
Rover's expression shifted. The strength in her eyes dimmed just slightly. Jeff didn't say anything. He was unbelievably quiet and his eye distant.
Two phantom soldiers flickered into motion ahead of them.
Tough Midnight Ranger: "Our loved ones are counting on us! If we fail, Jinzhou falls!"
Timid Midnight Ranger: "Easy for you to say! We're just ordinary folks with no powers!"
Tough Midnight Ranger: "We have our will and bodies! Those monsters aren't going anywhere—not when I'm still alive!"
The words echoed unnaturally, looping in his head. Jeff's gaze locked onto the tough one. Broad shoulders. Chin lifted high. Fear hidden behind the bravado. He'd seen that look before.
In men who volunteered first.
In men who died first.
I knew people like that.
Sad to say… courageous bastards like them are always the first to go.
His fingers twitched. "Let's go," he muttered, voice flat.
They walked past them.
The phantoms dissolved into mist.
By the pond, two more figures shimmered into view. The water reflected their broken forms like fractured mirrors.
Tired Midnight Ranger: "Ugh… When will we ever see the end of this…"
High-spirited Midnight Ranger: "General Geshu has already brought us this far. We'll be over this soon!"
Tired Midnight Ranger: "That must be the lair of the damned Ova-something. We just need to get rid of it, and that's all."
High-spirited Midnight Ranger: "Yeah. Let's not drag our General's feet at least. Gotta step up our game…"
"When will we ever see the end of this?…huh".Jeff's throat felt dry. I've been asking the same question for years. And the answer is… it never fucking does.
Rover noticed the look on his face. She didn't speak but she moved a little closer to him.
Yangyang's voice cut through the haze.
"Those soldiers… They are Phantoms too. Watch out!"
The ground ruptured. Three Tacet Discords tore free from the mud, bodies jagged and malformed, faces split into shrieking voids. "More Tacet Discords! Be careful!"
The first lunged straight for Yangyang.
Jeff moved before Rover did.
His pistol was already up.
Bang!
The shot vibrated through the air. The bullet tore clean through the Discord's skull, Remnant Energy fracturing outward like shattered glass.
The second leapt from the side.
Jeff pivoted smoothly no wasted motion. He fired twice mid-turn. Both rounds struck center mass, then climbed to the head.
BANG! BANG!
The creature dissolved mid-air.
The third split into two smaller forms and rushed Rover.
She stepped forward.
Blade flashed. She spun low, slicing through the first one's legs before driving her weapon upward through its torso. Golden Resonance flared, illuminating her face in warm light.
The second tried to flank her—
Bang!
Jeff shot it inches from her shoulder.
It disintegrated before touching her.
Rover looked back at him.There it was. That look. Soft pride and unmistakable admiration. A look that says
That's my man.
Yangyang blinked in awe. "Your aim is… incredible."
Jeff lowered his pistol slowly, face unreadable.
"Years of practice," he said flatly.
He didn't look proud. He didn't even look shaken. In fact he looked quite empty, and then he walked forward like nothing had happened.
Near a jagged rock formation, the final phantoms appeared. Their voices weren't as brave and optimistic as the previous one. They were terrified. It was quite a disturbing sight.
Devastated Midnight Ranger: "Who… Who are you?! Are you human?! Answer me!"
His blade shook violently in his grip.
Shocked Midnight Ranger: "What… what are you talking about? I'm Jun!"
Confusion and panic was written all over his face.
Devastated Midnight Ranger: "No… you're not… Aghhhh!"
Shocked Midnight Ranger: "Jingyang… you…" The phantom staggered back, clutching his chest.
Devastated Midnight Ranger: "You… You are… Jun! No… No no no, what have I done?!"
He dropped to his knees.
Hands covered in invisible blood.
"Sorry… I'm so sorry. I can't tell the difference… I really can't…"
Jeff's breathing hitched. Friendly fires.
Rain and blood soaked uniforms that all looked the same. A hellscape that erodes your sanity over time. "What a fucking shitshow this is," he muttered.
Rover turned to him immediately.
Her expression softened worry overtaking her sadness.
"Jeff…"
He didn't meet her eyes. "Don't worry about me," he said, swallowing the bitter thoughts he can't voice out. "Just getting sick of this, is all."
Yangyang cleared her throat gently.
"The Retroact Rain's effects are worsening… We must proceed with caution."
A weak groan broke through the air.
"There—another wounded soldier!"
Yangyang focused, sensing carefully. After a tense moment, relief crossed her face. "The Streams are stabilizing. I don't feel anything unusual about him… He's not a Phantom. Let's go help him out!"
Jeff inhaled slowly. Exhaled. Shoved everything back into the locked box inside his chest.
He holstered his pistol.
"Alright," he said quietly. "Let's move."
Rover stepped beside him. For a second, she hesitated. Then she slipped her hand into his.
He stiffened—
Then squeezed back. And together, they walked toward whatever waited next.