CHAPTER TWO: THE BEFORE

"Jeno"

He got startled and turned but he couldn't see who called his name. He hears his name again but this time it was louder.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, look in front of you"

"I can't see you"

"You have to snap out of it" the voice shouts.

A hand protruded from the ground grabbing him by the leg, "Ahhhh!!! Let me go" he continually kicks until he was able to run free. A few yards away was the main camp. He kept on looking back as he was running, a ghoul was reaching for him as he screamed for help and his sword was not with him. General Hutch advised that the sentinels should always be with their weapons, but he left his tent without his sword.

He tripped against a rock. Thump! He fell grabbing a root with all the strength he had but the ghoul was stronger. It dragged him to the graveyard and started burying him. "Noooo!"

It was just a dream. Jeno has been sitting there for hours, he sighs and stands up. He looked around and saw someone coming toward him. He was happy, it was a familiar face and he came in full armor.

"Jeno"

"Jacobs, I am so glad it's you."

"Yeah, Morach isn't the best but it has what we need. "

"Do you still hear their voices?"

"Every time. Closing my eyes is a nightmare and I don't know..." Jacob sits on the ground and placed his sword across a tombstone.

"I don't feel like the living, I belong to them up there." Jeno squeezes his hand.

"We are going back to Endock."

"When?"

"At Dusk."

"Huh! And I thought I would never go back to that dead planet. What's the mission?"

"We are to search for an artifact... A god-killing type."

Jeno raised his eyebrow "What?"

"Yeah, I know it's hard to believe but the Council has found its location. Meet us at the grounds for a briefing" He walks back to the camp while Jeno kneels to say his prayers.

At the grounds, the sentinels gather for the briefing. Everyone was eager to hear what the General had to say. There was complete silence as he walks up to the platform.

The sentinels lined up, saluting the General and back at ease.

Captain Jacobs stands beside him in his shining armor as he gazes through the crowd and locks eyes with Brooks.

"Entra! " The General shouted.

"To all those who desire it!!!" the sentinels echoed as they raised their swords.

"We have lost our lands and homes but we haven't lost our pride. Wherever the sentinels roam, we create Endock. But we will reclaim what is rightfully ours..." he collects a tablet from Jacobs and presents it to the people through a hologram "... We have a new power. When we harness it, we would not only win the war, we will avenge our lost people and go to The Beyond to bring back our forgotten souls. Captain Jacobs' team has a mission. He will be in command of a fleet to Endock to retrieve an artifact that will change the course of the war" A hologram image of the artifact was magnified in front of the General.

The sentinels stood in sheer awe at the image. "It is glorious" whispered a sentinel amongst the crowd. And they all began to make noise and scatter their lines as they all gathered for a closer look at the image.

The General leaves and Jacobs stood in his place restoring order in the place.

" Our squadron has been tasked with this mission. The council has decided that the fleet will orbit Endock's moon while a special team will enter the planet to get the artifact. We leave in two hours and get ready for the departure."

He steps down from the platform and Brooks comes running to meet him.

"What do you need Brooks?"

"Am I part of the special team?"

"No" Jacobs replied.

Brooks then stopped and rushed back to him, pressing on and trying to find a way to convince Jacobs but he was reluctant.

From afar, a person standing by an aircraft looks around hoping no one would see him, he cuts the fuel pipe.

Inside Jacobs' tent, Brooks presses on.

"Why won't you let me on the team?" Brooks said.

"It's not my call."

Brooks sighed and was about to leave when Jacobs called him back and he hands him a knife.

"Here, put it on your armor."

"Thanks"

"Look, General Bizmah doesn't think you are ready yet."

"Of course, he does not." Brooks kicks against a box.

"You just need to prove you are capable. This is your chance, at least you get to be in the fleet." Jacobs encouraged him.

"That's not the front lines, I need to be in the middle of the action"

"It's not that simple"

"Speak for yourself, you're the Captain and now you command a fleet."

"What does that suppose to mean?" Jacobs turns to look at him.

"The General is your Uncle and you don't do anything for what you get."

"Get out!"

"What?"

" I said get out!" Jacobs pointed to the exit.

"If that's what you want." Brooks said

Jacobs sits on his bed clenching his fist and puts his head down. Why? He thought.

Everyone kept on calling him the favored son but he continuously tried to prove them wrong and every attempt became a setback. What should he do?

It was dusk. Quibs was frustrated trying to figure out what was wrong with the aircraft.

"What's wrong?" Jeno spoke.

"Someone messed up the ship, there is no fuel, and the pump is gone. Obviously. " Quibs responds.

"Does the Captain know?"

"No. I think I have a spare in the bunk. Can you help me get it?"

"Sure"

Jeno enters the ship and notices the upgrades. He walked into the bunk and found it empty but a note was dropped on the floor.

LET'S PLAY CLUES, the note reads with a smiling face drawn at the bottom. He brings it to Quibs.

"Is this a joke?" Quibs said.

Jeno shrugs.

"Ahhhh!" Quibs stomps his foot.

"What are we going to do?"

"Come, we'll find the miscreant" he spoke as he walks out of the hangar.