Summer's Sweet Lullaby: Part Five

by nefertimonchild

Carmen was tied up to a little chair with tape around her mouth in the cargo space of the tank. "Fire one!" She heard. The tank rocked a bit, her chair fell over and she tried to say something but remembered her restraint. A spotted Gelert was driving the tank and firing the cannon. Rowen was shouting orders in his ears, she wondered if that annoyed him. But what really mattered now was Dolphin, would this be his demise? Greyhound had caught Delta off guard, how vulnerable would they be?

The squad ran in all directions, looking for weapons that they stored away. Dolphin got equipped fast and scurried out to fight. He wouldn't be hindered now. He fired, a little off aim at first but getting better each second. No use, the bullets just scratched the paint on the tank. He dropped his guns and fled to another tent for more weaponry. None to be found! The tank was coming, and fast!

Strife couldn't take it anymore. Sweat poured down his face, Rowen kept screaming in his ears, what if he messed up? This was it his mind was made. He was to kill the new General, even though the poor guy was unaware of that. He despised lying, and he knew he had to do it. There he was, standing in clear view of the tank's path. What was he doing? That was the last straw, the pressure had gotten to him. Nearing the blue Wocky, he let go of the controls and jumped out of the tank. Rowen boiled with anger, what was Cole doing? He grabbed the stick and jammed it forward. He was going to make sure Dolphin was gone, with or without Cole's help.

Shock had overcome Dolphin. 'Déjà vu' came to his mind, he had been in a situation like this before. The roaring of the tank, the massive body it held, it made time relapse in Dolphin's head. He stood there dumbly, when Strife had leapt out of the tank and bolted to his side.

"Strife?!" he yelled. Strife had given him a look of guilt, but stood by his side. Right as the glowing lights of the tank fell upon his face, and the impact could have crushed his meek body, Strife jumped in front of him and gave his life for Dolphin. He heard a shriek of pain, as he lay there helpless. In unison, out of sadness, anger, or whatever may be, all the souls at the Delta camp cried out "Strife!" even Rowen himself.

Upon collision with Strife and the tents, the tank exploded , leaving no trace of Rowen.

Afterwards, Carmen was found near the woods, she had escaped while Rowen and Strife were busy. She met with Dolphin at the deteriorated site. They gazed into each other's eyes and she told him what she heard.

"Dolphin, before we met, you were to be the General of Delta, Greyhound, and the other Neopian armies in Neopia Central. You and Strife were caught raw by a tank and you were given a concussion in the head, and your coma lasted for many days. Strife didn't make it. He died, and the Gelert you met was Cole, a worker for Rowen. Strife was to be second-in-command, and the Rowen's plan stopped there. He wanted both of you dead, you see, because Rowen would secede you and Cole would secede Strife, you all look EXACTLY alike! Rowen and you are blue Wockys, while Strife and Cole were spotted Gelerts. The people of Neopia would never guess because no one else was to know of your death except the Delta troop, who would have seen the tank incident with you and Strife. Afterwards, the Delta squad would be persecuted, and the big lie was that Rowen would say that Delta had lost to another platoon. Dolphin, you were to be the glorious general, leading us out of the battlefield and into peace, but Rowen had different plans. He wanted global domination, with your identity, since he was a lowly colonel. But now, it's all over, and we can go on living our lives, without fear and you can be General, and I would stay by your side..."

She looked at him with a shine in her eye, a tear rolled down her face. "I will become general, but I won't make any mistakes. I'm going to lead Delta, and Greyhound, into a pact with the other side. Prosperity will come over the land, again! And you, you will be with me always. So many were destroyed in these past couple of weeks. But no more victims will arise, even though I did not know Cole, he sacrificed himself for me. He was even on Rowen's side, but he did it. I will always be grateful." His tone lowered, and his head descended. Carmen peered over to look at Dolphin's comrades rebuilding the camp.

"C'mon, let's go," she said. Together they walked down to the settlement to start a new day, and Carmen singing the song that had brought both Wockys together, this time forever.

The End