(Sanfe City, Central mand Square)
The skies above Sanfe were cloudy, dull with streaks of gray, as if the heavens themselves mirrored the emotion felt by the soldiers assembled below.
Thousands of men and women in uniform stood at the Central Square, faces hardened from past 48 hours of taxing conflict, some standing with eyes hollow from the deaths of friends and manders.
And in front of them, stood Su Pei.
He was still in his armor, its once-pristine plates now scorched and scratched from his duel with Dupravel, but his posure remained as regal as ever.
He looked at them, his soldiers, his people, many of whom had followed him since the earliest days of Koral’s planetary defense.
And now, with his decision already made to surrender, he stood before them with his head hung low.
"My soldiers, you do not need to die for a cause that is already lost."
He began, his voice calm but powerful.
"There are no reinforcements ing from the Su Clan. They have deemed planet Koral to be a lost cause, and without their support, it’s impossible for us to hold out against the vastly superior Cult Forces." Su Pei continued, walking slowly across the front line, his eyes meeting those of Captains, medics, field scouts, and snipers alike.
"I have carefully considered all courses of action.
I have considered staying back and fighting till my last breath.
I have considered running away from this planet on a private jet.
And I have considered surrender.
And after thinking all of the options through, I have arrived at the conclusion that the best course of action is for us to stand down."
No one moved. No one breathed.
"I’ve spoken directly with the Cult’s leader. I’ve looked into the eyes of the Shadow Dragon himself, and made my vow as a soldier and a Monarch," he said, voice growing louder now. "I have secured a binding contract that guarantees safety. Every soldier who surrenders now will be treated with dignity. They will not be harmed. They will be allowed to leave this planet as civilians."
Still, the silence held.
"I know the stories you’ve heard. I know the fear that lives in your bones. But I am not asking you to trust the Cult. I am asking you to trust me."
His voice softened at the end, but its weight did not.
From within the front line, a murmur started. Low, uncertain, as a young woman lowered her head and bit her lip, tears quietly falling down her cheeks.
Then came the backlash.
"LIES!" a voice screamed, hoarse with rage. "You expect us to believe the Cult will just let us go? They’ll kill us like dogs the moment we kneel!"
A man pushed his way to the front, face red with fury, insignia of a Lieutenant on his shoulder.
"They brainwashed you," he yelled, finger pointing at Su Pei. "They broke you in battle and now you want us to follow your cowardice? We’re soldiers! Our duty is to fight for our homeland till our last breath!"
He turned to the men beside him. "If you have any spine left, you’ll fight! With or without orders!"
A few heads lowered. Others clenched their fists. But then, someone else responded.
"Shut up, Kiran."
The voice came from the left flank. A grizzled Corporal. His voice was hoarse and his stare was cold.
"You want to die? Then die alone. But don’t drag the rest of us into your delusion."
Kiran blinked, caught off guard, as the Corporal stepped forward and placed his weapon on the ground.
"I trust the mander. And if he says it’s safe to surrender, then I believe him."
He raised both his hands above his head and began walking slowly toward the city’s border checkpoint, hoping that he wouldn’t be killed along the way.
One by one, others followed. Some silent. Some in tears. Some staring at the ground as if they could not believe this was the end. But they followed.
Weapons clattered to the floor like thunder, one after the other, the sound echoing across the base like a final salute.
Not everyone moved. Some stood frozen, trembling with shame or guilt. Others stayed rooted in place, their pride still too strong to bend. But the tide had already shifted.
Even the loudest skeptics felt their words fade into silence, swallowed by the sheer number of those choosing to live.
Su Pei did not smile.
He simply watched them walk. Shoulders slumped, hands raised, weapons abandoned.
They were not deserters. They were not cowards.
They were survivors.
And he, above all, had given them the permission to live.
—-----------
From a nearby rooftop, Leo stood with his arms crossed, watching the steady stream of surrendering soldiers walk toward the checkpoint, as a quiet respect stirred within him for Su Pei.
The man had chosen to bear the burden of shame so his men wouldn’t have to, and that humility he displayed made Leo appreciate him as an ally.
"He’s a good man.... Unlike you Viper, his heart is not actually black...." Leo said, as Dupravel who stood behind him in guard chuckled at his words.
"Aww man... does this mean I won’t get to fight Lord Father? I was really looking forward to letting loose today...." Dumpy plained, as Leo silently tickled the underside of his chin, but said nothing.
He continued to observe the situation, and just how many men chose to leave, as he decided to give them a few more hours to make up their mind.
"Don’t worry Dumpy, I can already spot a few stubborn fools who are picking up the weapons dropped by others.
They’ll receive no mercy from us if they continue to walk down this path...." Leo said, as he promised Dumpy a battle with the fools who chose to stay back.
"Alright then.... I too was itching for a fight." Ben said beside him, as Leo looked towards his robot master and smiled.
In the end, it seemed like only he and Dumpy were secretly hoping some soldiers would choose pride over surrender, just so they’d have a reason to kill them themselves.
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