Rhivera

~Chapter Twenty-Six~

~Juaquin~

We followed Miro’s army through the night. Perhaps it’d be more accurate to say Arturo’s army. There was nothing I could do to slow them down. When finally had them in our sights, they clambered up a hill to escape. But then, reinforcements appeared from over that hill to aid Miro. The sheer unexpectedness of the attack caused General Victor to order us to withdraw. There were too many of them for us to challenge at the moment. At the very least I was glad that Arturo got away.

The military was supposed to be waiting outside the woods for Miro, and we were at a loss for where they were. When we returned to Norino’s base, we learned what had really happened.

Last night, there were four simultaneous attacks launched by Miro’s forces across the country. The four corners of Rhivera - Illesto, Tolesta, Joldair, and Uneva’s bases were attacked. Illesto’s base fell sometime last night, giving Miro’s army enough time to establish themselves in the region and save Arturo. By the time we reached Norino’s base, Joldair’s base had fallen as well. There’s no telling what the state of things are in Uneva and Tolesta. Was this all a part of Arturo’s plan?

General Victor moves to establish defenses in Norino while General Felix mobilizes to defend Tolesta. Head General Elian worked to retake the regions Miro captured to ensure no others fell prey to him. Raul is defending Uneva now. I take the train south with Ilyana and her forces in hopes that we’ll help be able to help Raul defend Uneva.

There’s a deafening silence aboard the train as we ride through the night. Soldiers use the train ride as a brief respite from the fighting. We know we’re in for a fight as soon as we get home.

Are we at war now? In all the years that the RLA was active, it had never escalated to war. Yet in just a few years Miro’s revolution had... Arturo had...

Day breaks and we reach Sotra, and news comes that Tolesta fell as well. The capture of Joldair in the Southeast shut down the southern train line, so we use the shorter distance tram lines to travel into Uneva. They drop us off near the border of Uneva and Sotra, and leave us to travel into the region ourselves.

It’s quiet in Uneva; all of the homes and settlements untouched. They’d never harm civilians. Nevertheless, I stay close to Ilyana in case an ambush is lying in wait for us. It isn’t until we near the base that we see scars of a battle, with bodies scattered all around the perimeter of the base. The first thing I look at is the flag hanging over the base, still bearing white and blue. There’s no sign of Miro’s forces.

Once I get a closer look, I can see most of the bodies are in black uniforms, Miro’s soldiers. One of the perimeter gates is smashed terribly, and a makeshift barrier is setup in its place.

“Halt!” The guards overlooking the perimeter yell as we draw near. Many other soldiers take up positon over the perimeter’s wall, guns aimed down at us. They look exhausted.

Ilyana makes her way to the front and removes her helmet, “I’m Lieutenant Ilyana Ferzo, returning from Norino. We’d like to come inside.”

The prospect seems to terrify them, “Wait a moment!”

In a few minutes, Raul comes forward. He looks even more exhausted than us. When he sees Ilyana and I he gives us a small nod, “Have them line up and inspect them one at a time before letting them in,” Raul says.

After a lengthy process we’re all given rigorous inspections and are let inside. The perimeter guards remain on high alert. There is damage to a few of the structures around the base.

Raul throws himself around me as soon as he sees me and I hug him back. We say nothing. We don’t need to; we’re just glad that the other is okay.

I learn that when Miro’s forces attacked here, some of the soldiers inside the base turned on them. After a lengthy battle, the base of Uneva was able to repel Miro’s forces, presumably disappearing into one of their exit points.

“Even after all this, there’s no sign of Melissa.” Raul says. We hadn’t seen her in months. Knowing her, she’d be with Arturo. Meaning she was with Miro... But I can’t tell Raul that.

With a couple of rough days behind us, Raul and I head home, only briefly though. He believes that it’ll be too dangerous for him to stay home now. Although I knew Miro, or Arturo, wouldn’t attack him there. The same way he didn’t kill Lena or the other Veran Royal Family members back in the Equality Zone. I have a feeling if Melissa is with him, she’d convince him to leave Raul be.

When we reach home, I see Yolanda sitting on the porch of the Rios household, her head in her hands. She perks up when she notices us, rising to her feet to meet Raul. She looks distraught as she throws herself around Raul.

Raul softly smiles, “Don’t worry, we’re okay.”

“They took them!” An exasperated Yolanda cries, “Some of Miro’s soldiers came here and took Maria and...”

I burst through the front door of my house to find it empty. I check each and every bedroom, but they’re all gone. They took mom and Eugenio. Raul grits his teeth and orders the soldiers in his company to search the area. Normally I’d be panicking, but they should be safe with Miro. With Arturo. In just a few days, Miro’s Revolution has turned to war.