A Thrall In Equestria

The Retreat

Back with Ghalt with his eye scratched from the right up, to the bottom left, stood where he was when told Attikus to leave him there. He walked to his guns, and stopped in his tracks. He remembered Attikus's words.

"Never *Sniff* die a-alone *Sniff* with an empty h-heart, *Sniff* old friend," Attikus's voice repeated in Ghalt's head.

"I won't,... old friend," he said as he picked up his guns, ready to face a horde of varelsi scaverns, skulks, hunters, and beserkers.

Trevor Ghalt let out a loud, "FOR SOLUUUS!" as he went and shoot the varelsi.

Meanwhile, back to the front with the battleborn...

"Grrragh! WHERE. ARE. GHALT AND ATTIKUS!" Mellka yelled to Deande as she got blasted at her left thigh. Deande ran over to her.

"Montana! Oscar Mike! Boldur! Protect us!" Deande yelled to the three while she carried Mellka and Boldur used his greatshield to block projectiles, and Montana and his buddy, Oscar Mike released heavy fire on the varelsi.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!" roared a very familiar battlecry.

It was Attikus!

ATTIKUS! I SPOTTED ATTIKUS!" yelled Montana. Attikus charged through the horde all... charged up.

"HEDRONIC ERUPTION!" he yelled as he hurled electrifying shock waves. "Get on the ship, NOW!"

All the Jennerit, Rogues, LLC, Peacekeepers, and Eldrid battleborn all boarded the ship. They got all survivors. Then, they retreated.

Later on the ship...

Everyone was attending to the survivors. Alani was attending to Mellka's wounded leg. Montana was speaking to his buddies, O.M., Boldur, Kleese, El Dragon, Kelvin, Foxtrot, Toby, and Caldarius, about what they need to ask Attikus about.

Kleese hovered to Attikus, who was sitting at a table, all alone. "Um, Attikus? Where's Ghalt?" he wondered.

Everyone looked to Attikus. He sighed and turned to his left, and then back down at his normal hand that was balled up.

"Ghalt... told me to get back to the ship," he said.

"That, still doesn't make any sense. Wait. I have something that could help us hear what happened between you and Ghalt." Kleese said as he used his past voice box researcher recording box, pressed his buttons so everyone could hear. Then, they all listened to Attikus's and their captain's past discussion. They heard it all.

Kleese stopped it when Attikus spoke, but still had his head down. "He... stayed behind, to hold off the upcoming wave of the varelsi. He also gave me this," he said while opening his balled up fist. Everyone was in shock.

"His... belt buckle.," Toby said.

"He sacrificed his life... for ours," Oscar Mike mentioned.

"I should've stayed. He's dead... and it's because Of ME!" Attikus yelled as he slammed his bionic glove to the table.

"Attikus. That is not your fault," Ambra said as she placed her right hand on his left upper arm.

"I don't know what to believe, Ambra. He said this belt buckle will be for someone worthy. A talisman, for a new leader to rise," he paused after that.

"So.. that means," Mellka started.

"Ghalt, made me the new captain of the battleborn," he finished before looking up to his fellow battleborn. They were now fully shocked.

"But how can I believe to be a captain, or a leader if I didn't stay to protect mine. To protect ours," he said. "I need to be alone now," Attikus requested as he put his new talisman on the table and walked to his dorm, with no one to stop him.