—Kathrin General POV—
Kathrin would be lying if she said she was fine with the actions she was doing. However, she also didn't stop herself nor Laura from committing their atrocities. It's been about a month, and they've managed to take down four cities, five towns and several farmlands.
These towns incurred far less damage than the cities thanks to their smaller buildings and spread-out nature. Meaning more witnesses. Kathrin frowned as they watched their latest work go up in flames. A small older city that definitely had a ton of history behind it from before the five factions split from one another.
"This is our last target. We'll be heading back home after this for a well deserved break." Laura said, after a while.
"You're not going to check the city?" Asked Kathrin with a tilt of her head.
"I will. You guys can go on ahead of me and I'll meet you at Gold Base."
Kathrin nodded and stood up to gather the Elites. She needed to make sure they wouldn't expose anything once they've returned. After a month of such actions it wouldn't be unreasonable for them to start to crack under the pressure and guilt.
It's one thing eliminating targets. It's another to bomb multiple civilian cities with your own hands. They saw the consequences of their actions with their own eyes too. The rabbit sighed with mild annoyance.
"Miss Laura has ordered us to head back home ahead of her. We'll meet her at Gold base before returning to the capitol." Kathrin said.
"Yes Ma'am." The three Elites answered.
Kathrin watched them closely. The youngest one who looked to be twenty five looked tired. Bags were underneath formed underneath their eyes, but their gaze was sharp. The oldest one, a man in his forties seemed the least affected. They didn't talk much however and it was hard to get a read on them.
The last Elite, a wolf Arves in his thirties, looked the worst out of the three. Like the younger one he had bags underneath his eyes, but they had a far off look to them every once in a while. This didn't mean they'll turn traitor, but it did mean they were at their limit.
It probably didn't help that they once accompanied Laura on one of her trips into a city after they blew it up. They managed to get through it fine without wavering, it wasn't easy seeing civilians crying out for help due to their own actions.
"How is everyone feeling?" Kathrin asked.
"What do you mean Ma'am?" Asked the youngest.
"I want to get a read on your emotional state." Kathrin said simply. "There's a good chance you'll need some leave once we're back."
'Though we're going to kill you anyway.' She thought with pity.
"I'm holding up okay Ma'am. No need to worry about me." The twenty five year old named Tony answered.
"... I'll survive." Said the oldest one whose name was Fredrick.
"Nothing a cold beer won't fix." Joked the one who looked like they were somewhere else half the time. "Come morning I won't remember a thing…."
"You sure you're okay Kent?"
"We need to be." Kent replied. "It's our job.
This was the Zari Legion indoctrination working over time. Despite how it may seem on the surface, this country heavily indoctrinated their citizens. They would die for their Queen and country without a second thought. Even when they were at their mental limit they still wouldn't forgo what they're supposed to do.
This wasn't something taught from their time in the military. No this was something done to them as children. Kathrin visibly remembered how much their education stressed the importance of nationalism, and the importance of their Queen.
She thankfully was able to see the signs thanks to her circumstance. Still she did pledge loyalty to the wolf, so maybe she was still gullible in her own way.
"I see." Kathrin said carefully. "We'll rest here for five minutes then we're moving."
"Yes Ma'am."
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—Laura general POV—
Laura walked through the old city that was made from brick and mortar. Well, it used to be made from brick anyway. They were old buildings mixed with new more modern buildings. Toppling the much taller modern building helped speeded the damage much further than if she had to rely on the older ones.
Just like she's done with every city, she came there to help and spread rumors. Though at this point the civilians were well aware of their government 'burning' their towns and cities. They were even yelling and attacking the city's mayor when they evacuated him earlier.
There have been less casualties than the first few times they did this. People now understood they needed to evacuate when their leaders were escorted from the city. Of course so many people trying to leave at once would cause congestion, so casualties were still very high.
What surprised her though was the lack of a visit from Allan. She figured he would show his face at least once after she started killing innocents.
"What a delicious taste in the air we have." A female voice said behind her suddenly. "Was this your doing?"
Turning around she was heated with a woman in a simple black dress, the back of the skirt reaching her calves while the front was just above the knee. Her black hair was in a bun, while her dazzling smile felt out of place in the still burning city.
Void energy flooded Laura's system as she prepared herself for a fight.
"Why are you asking me?"
"That coin you're carrying." She said, "It might fool mortals, but I can sense the core of one of my own coming from it."
Laura frowned and looked the woman up and down suspiciously. She wouldn't get any real information by doing such a thing, but it made her feel better.
"By the by, if you try to play dumb I will attack."
Laura smirked. "You got me in a corner here." She started. "If I comly it would indicate I was catiouse of you and don't think I can win, but If I refuse it'll mean I'm confident I could handle you even if you attack."
The woman didn't say anything, but her smile did grow slightly wider. She was trying to gather information about Laura through subtle manipulation.
"However I do have my own engagement to attend to." Laura said with fake regret in her voice. Then it lowered in a threatening manner as she said her parting words. "I'll see you in that sad excuse of a city this country calls a capital real soon."
Laura then teleported away and into their bedroom where a surprised Zenesha was in the middle of changing into their sleepwear.
"What happened to you?" The fox asked, looking at the soot and grime cothered….
"Wait, are those raccoon parts?"
"Oh… yeah, sorry I was disguising myself and had to teleport away suddenly." Laura explained as she changed back into her original wolf form.
"Did something happen?"
"Yeah, one of the two Forsaken had found me somehow." She started. "I don't think she realized it was me, but she was clearly looking for my team."
"Did you leave them behind?" Inquired the fox.
"No, they had already left by the time that Forsaken found me. I escaped easily enough thanks to you~."
"Don't hug me till you had yourself a shower!" Zenesha screamed while holding back a laugh as she scolded the wolf.
"Please! It's been so long!" Laura whined as she chased the fox around the room laughing.
Spending time with Zenesha always had a way of making the world seem much brighter.