July 9th, 2702 - Soldiers (part 3) - Adele Samson, French Militia

The French Army was devastated. The Demigods had taken most of the country and obliterated the French forces but there was still resistance. Every able-bodied man and woman took up in arms to fight back the Demigods as they formed a militia.

The militia suffered terrible consequences however, running low on ammunition and weapons along with the manpower. They suffered terrible losses every hour of everyday but they continued to fight, even when others could not. Many fled the scene at the sight of the opposing forces. Everyone suffered mentally. Many had someone they knew who had fallen in action with the death toll rising without stop.

The militia wasn't organised but not for lack of trying. They were spread out thin across the country. Any organised hit was a generalised attack, participants knowing as far as what they were attacking and when but not how. There was no leader either. France was the one country that was heavily focused because Arcadeus had chosen it as his base of operations.

On this day the French militia had one last order before everyone fled the country. The order came from Adele Samson and she wanted to attack Arcadeus's fort in the middle of Paris. It was heavily guarded and a suicide mission but there were still many who responded the call. Many had lost their families, their desire to live. For them, there was no turning back. There was no purpose in fleeing the country to continue living.

Adele was a history teacher before the war. Just two days after war was declared she had already lost her husband and two daughters to the Demigods. Joining the militia wasn't a choice, it was duty. She had sworn an oath to protect her family just as her husband had done in marriage. The Demigods had to pay for the lives they took and the families they tore apart.

Adele Samson was no longer a history teacher. Today she was a commander. The last of the French forces. She had a small necklace with a picture of her late family which she peered at before giving her speech. Her friend, Melody, gave her an assuring touch on the shoulder, reminding her of the one last duty she had to carry out.

"My dear, they expect you," she whispered. Hundreds were patiently waiting for the order. The militia was amassing their forces in the underground systems of the metro on the outskirts of Paris. People of all ages, colour and race were in front of her and on the other side of the comms.

Adele finally took the podium and held a microphone with one hand and an encrypted phone in the other.

"People of France!" she addressed. The crowd responded with a brilliant roar, fists in the air. She was suddenly breathless and in tears. The moment was too surreal. She lost control of her lower lip as it trembled. Seeing the many faces stand in unison was beautiful beyond belief. She couldn't speak and they saw it but the people of France did not blame her. This was their last stand. There was a silence but everyone was in the moment. Like a reflex action, the militia placed their open hands on their hearts and began to chant 'La Marseillaise' in unison.

She finally joined in while the tears kept on coming. Towards the end, she raised her fist in the air.

"People of France!" she repeated once more. "Today is the day!" The militia roared in unison. "Today we take back what is ours!" The people roared once more. "There is no France without the French! We the people make France what it is! If Arcadeus and his Demigod people want to take France it will have to be over our dead bodies!" Once again she was met with a roar. "We will remind them that they bleed! We will remind them that they are no God! There is only one God and he protects us! To all of my Christian, Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters, let us unite tonight and show these monstrosities where they really belong!"

"Tonight we attack General Arcadeus Mara. We cut the head off the snake! We will give him our blood, sweat and tears! But we will not give our country, our honour, our hearts! Who are we?!"

"France!" the people replied.

"Who are we?!"

"France!"

"WHO ARE WE?!"

"FRANCE!"

"VIVE LA FRANCE! VIVE LE PEUPLE!"

***

The French Militia attacked Arcadeus' fortress but they were quickly overwhelmed. The militia were simple people who were poorly trained and poorly equipped. Although a majority of the Demigods were also poorly trained in their powers, their sheer strength and durability were enough for one Demigod to handle several of the militia.

The militia lost the battle drastically. Many fled, some simply walked forward to meet their death. Adele Samson fought hard once the fighting began. The militia never saw the face of the General. They never even came close to the fortress. Adele was now waiting for her turn. She was severely bleeding from her dislodged knee and ankle. Taking refuge in a small bakery, Adele tried to stop the bleeding with her jacket. She wanted to continue fighting but there was no possibility when she could barely move. She immediately started shouting when she saw two militia retreating but they never came for her.

The muscles of her jaw began to ache. She was trying to hold back her tears and the fear. Suddenly she heard the sound of crushed glass being stepped on. Someone was near. Adele quickly searched for her rifle but realised that she had left it outside on the street. The fear inside her grew terribly. She began to whimper uncontrollably. A man in a ripped and bloody denim jacket with long blond hair walked in front of the bakery and stared at her. The Demigod realised that she was unarmed and proceeded towards her.

"Demon! Monster!" cried Adele. "Go away!"

"You have no right to hate us." the man said calmly.

"You are abominations! Only God can have the power you have!"

"We did not choose this! The God Particle chose us!"

"You wish! It isn't yours! And neither is France!"

"It isn't is it?" asked the man angrily. "What? Just because we have powers we are no longer French? We are not people? This is our land too! You people pushed us out!"

"Demigods killed my family!" Adele yelled. "You are monsters!"

"And humans killed mine! Shamelessly! We are innocent! We are people!"

"Go to Hell!" The Demigod lost his nerve and grabbed Adele by her injured leg and slammed her across the wall. Dust filled the room as the Demigod towered over her. Adele began to mutter something to herself. The man picked her up and pushed her against the wall.

"What did you say?" Adele continued to mutter under her breath. "What are you saying?!" Adele finally raised her voice, clearly singing 'La Marseillaise'. The Demigod shook his head. "You don't get to own that. It's not fair. We too are the people of France! People of the world!" The man forced Adele through the wall, killing her in an instant. "We too are people! We too are people!" he roared in French.