Episode 12: To Push You

They group were able to gather inside a plaza, where the Suburbs meet the city. This place is where the esteemed individuals of every sect of Terra Prime come to delegate on the minor to the direst of situations. In here, the citizens found refuge around the plaza with the Military and Thiadigm securing the area around.

The building has been made as one of the Forward Operations Base.

Individuals gather inside the hall to conduct their operations. One of them is the commander who is a beastman of the Canine factor.

"It's become increasingly difficult to locate and evacuate the denizens," the commander in charge said his thoughts after giving more thought about the situation.

"The blight has been spreading at an exponential rate," his subordinated reported. "There have been other statements saying that infected have been a major influence."

"A single drop of their blood can raise the dead like a necromancer."

"The rift in the sky has been pouring non-stop either ever since it appeared at the break of dawn."

"More reports coming in sir!" Another officer barged into the tent.

The commander took a deep breath before reading the papers. He had no time to react anymore as more updates seem to have stunted his heart from being surprise.

"Shit," he sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"It seemed that evacuation efforts are at near halt. More of those things have begun to evolve and are taking drastic forms to oppress our efforts."

He leaned back on his seat and pinched the crest of his head.

There was a lot of chatter outside as the number of refugees recover. There was barely any support from the military as their attention was placed in sustaining the threat. It was up to the local enforcement and guild's cooperation to aid the citizens of the planet evacuate before things escalate too far. It seems that they are at a brink of utter defeat.

This was already too much of an operation than intended. Handling a little scuffle between continents have never been so bad. Compared to a race ending threat, that was mere fodder.

The chief of enforcement was killed a little earlier forcing the position on the commander to take the lead.

"I need hands to wherever we can reach." He began barking orders. "There is no point in worrying about the things we cannot control but instead focus on what we can do."

The men around him stood up in a salute.

"If our location was to be compromised by the enemy, then we will need to focus on bringing the citizens to safety. Have the Thiadigm know that we will be executing a final ditch effort in evacuation before it's too late."

"YES SIR," they said in unison.

"What of John?" He spoke to his subordinate next to him.

"He has been keeping the enemy at bay along with Sir Karl's effort. We've been able to secure two sectors for a safe LZ but their numbers are still limited."

"Good, that's more than enough. Makes sure you let everyone know that we need to converge around those two safe zones in the next 3 hours. Inform all Operation bases that we need to put in a defensive line around there as well."

The subordinate saluted the commander before he left the room.

There was a bit of silence in the room. The sounds of endless fighting can be heard at least a bit beyond the building. This was their only chance of survival and it rang deeply in the commander's head.

This was the best he could do. "May the celestials give us grace in this dire time," he said quietly as he went for his weapon to walk out of the building.

The site beyond was vast as tents and makeshift barricades laid out in front of him. Enforcers, military personnel and Thiadigm ran about aiding the populace who were continuously swarming through the main gates.

The sounds mixed with the chatter of the enforcers and cries of the populace present. The smell of blood, sweat and sulfur filled the air around them.

Beyond the cluster of tents and people was a large metallic wall, made for emergency situations like these. You could hear the sounds of screaming and gunfire just beyond that, momentarily silencing the building safe behind this wall.

The sounds of buildings toppling and explosions setting off in the distance accompanied by the screams of horror and roars of the unknown. It was unsettling to know that there was nothing they could really do but watch as everything unfold before them.

To the Commander, who had not expected this to happen to humanities haven, this was the greatest blow to Kasipeia and its populace since the aftermath of the Third Crusade.

To interrupt their fears, a man dawned in bright light flew into the sky carrying what seemed like a giant. Those things that could topple skyscrapers by merely walking through it, was being carried by a small figure. It helplessly flung about, trying to tear away at the man, but he was relentlessly lifting the giant of the Blight, whose face was contorted through mutation and a hole in its chest.

In a split second, a wave of light exploded in the sky, where the man of light lifted the giant. It rushed a gust of warm air in a radius so large that it eventually met up with the people watching below. It blew about the tents almost lifting them from its foundation. They had to cover their eyes as the wave of dust rushed about the area.

Despite the shock, the populace felt a warmth enveloping their bodies, casting away the pain they had felt. Whether it was magical or psychological, they felt something they had never thought they would.

As the dust settled, the figure hovered in the sky for a bit before descending on them. His armor was lined with a silver glow, plated from neck to toe. An aura was fuming out of his body, like the heat of his presence was steaming through the coldness of the city.

He had a sharp feature with a bearded chin. His hair indicated an age of experience they don't quite understand as it only lined white from the parietal ridge to the back of his crown. His silver eyes were bright as it was lined with a tinge of gold at the edges of his iris.

They were so enraptured by his appearance that they didn't notice the stork that followed him had landed next to them. A company of 6 got out of the vehicle, making their way to the commander. The figure in the sky followed the troop by landing so fast that they weren't able to follow his movement as he disappeared only to reappear right in front of the commander.

"G'day to ya, commander!" The man spoke casually.

"John," the commander replied. "As flashy as always."

"Worth it to see the look on your face," John burst into laughter.

"Jackass," the commander snorted.

"Please, there are children present."

"After everything that has happened so far, I thinking swearing is the last thing on their minds right now."

It was quite a shock to the witnesses. They had seen this man take on a giant right before their eyes, exhibiting a vast amount of power doing so. They didn't expect him to be so casual and informal. This made the people feel a sense of relief.

"John," the commander then spoke in a serious tone. "I heard that you cleared one of the sectors."

"Yeah, it's safe for now."

"That's good." When he felt at ease, the commander finally noticed the troop that was behind him. "And them?"

"Oh, these are my temporary band of misfits."

A straight jab hits John in the ribs making wince a little bit. "We ain't misfits."

The commander was a little shock by the act. The young adult actually punched John on the side. He had the same dark hair as John but none of the silver in his appearance. They did carry a sort of resemblance to one another, one being a little more serious than the other.

"I'm guessing this is your brother?"

"Yes, as unruly as he is, this is my brother by blood, Allen." That earned another jab to the arm.

"If anything, you're the unruly one," Allen said in turn.

"He's right about that," the commander agreed.

"C'mon at least have my back a little," John pleaded. "I even took out that giant for ya'll. Wasn't that impressive"

"Then clear the whole city," Allen shot back.

"Even I can't do that!"

"Then I'm not impressed."

'Wha-"

Allen didn't have high expectations but he didn't want to inflate the already large ego John had.

As the two bickered with one another, one of the soldiers who seemed to take the reins for the group approached the commander.

"Commander," he spoke up. "Time is of the essence. It won't be long before that rift releases something beyond even the military's control."

He looked desperate, as if he had seen too much in this short amount of time. It was understandable as everyone was going through the same thing but he noticed that there was a little girl that was gripping on the soldier's side.

The commander kneeled before the little girl. She retreated a little bit before taking a little peak from the soldier's leg.

"She must have been through a lot."

"Yes," the soldier replied with a dark look on his face.

"So have you." The words stunned the soldier. With a better look, he saw his nametag written in a bold font. "Gaver."

Gaver wanted to shed a tear but he wanted to look strong for the little girl. He stifled his tears and stood in a proud salute. "Anything for the protection of the denizens."

"Good." The commander took a piece of candy that he stashed in his pocket and handed it to the little girl who seemed more comfortable seeing as he gave Gaver a little closure.

"PREPARE ANY AND ALL AVAILABLE VEHICLES!" He barked. "IF THEY CAN RUN, THEN IT CAN WORK!"

The soldiers began to move in a quicker pace.

"THOSE WHO CAN'T WALK WILL BE USING THE STORKS AND THOSE WHO CAN WILL FOLLOW THE COMPANY! ELDERLY, INJURED, AND CHILDREN ARE OUR TOP PRIORITY!"

The medics who were present began to help those that were also injured during the disaster.

"LEAVE ALL BELONGINGS AND BRING ONLY NECESITIES!"

They were all hauling whatever supply they can bring for the trek that they were about to embark, especially ammunitions filled with imbued rounds.

"John," he looked towards the duo who were amazed by his leadership skills. "I need you at the front. Can you hold out the line for us to cross?"

John grinned as he placed his fist together which began to light up in the same glow he portrayed before. "Who do you think I am?"

The commander nodded and then went back to conducting the people around him.

~

It took a bit to prepare for the trip. This was a larger group than the commander had anticipated as the crowd gathered in a compacted formation. Most of the denizens had already taken their places inside different kinds of vehicles from school buses to aerotrans.

They stood in place waiting for the right time to move.

Enforcers gripped their weapons close to their chest, almost shaking at the thought of going back out there. Sweat beaded down from their brows. Their breathing was heavier than before.

The military personnel that were present were less anxious but from they had witnessed so far had made them more remorseful than afraid, accepting whatever fate wills. Their eyes had lost its shine when they accepted the idea of death or the worse.

The Thiadigm left in his command were silent and unmoving. When the moment was right, they were ready to mow down whatever was in their path. Their tattoos that were visible on their body, with what little armor or cloth they had on, represented their experience that they respected so. There was an unwavering will instilled in them that made them complete whatever task they had received.

The citizens had made their prayers and kissed their loved ones that they had to separate with. They were unsure of the plan but they do hope that they can make it out of this alive. This was too sudden for them to experience. They had never expected this to happen in such a peaceful place as Kasipeia. They have lost too much in this chaos and did not want to lose anymore. They were afraid.

The silence among them was deafening. The only sounds were the relentless scratching behind the walls of safety, barely holding back the horde of blight behind it. It was accompanied by the wails and screeches of the creatures damaging it.

"TODAY!" A huge roar came from the front, where the commander stood. "IS THE DAY WE REMEMBER WHO WE ARE!"

The eyes of many glanced towards the commander who stood on top of one gate.

"WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH STORMS AND EXPERIENCED HARDSHIPS!"

The soldiers felt it in their heart that this reality was too much but they still listened attentively.

"WE HAVE BEEN MET BY THE WORSE POSSIBLE FATE THE COSMOS HAS TO OFFER!"

The enforcers, who had only known local conflict, felt that the universe has been too harsh.

"WE HAVE BEEN DRIVEN TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION!"

The people couldn't help but carry the overbearing weight on their shoulders.

"BUT WE, THE MORTALS OF THE LANDS, KNOW NOTHING BUT STRUGGLE!"

This was the truth.

"WE KNOW NOTHING OF THE WORLD BEYONG OUR COMPREHENSION!"

The commander lets those words sink in. He knows that this moment would be the most difficult moment for them. Giving them time to hear his words will allow them to fully grasp the situation they are in since they had never had time to.

The chief, who was a veteran during the 3rd and ongoing crusade had told him that in the minute there was nothing else that matters. All concepts of emotion, memory or even thought was to be brought down into that single minute, where nothing but everything matters.

"SO, I SAY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW OF YOURSELF!?"

The crowd looked at the commander with a complex expression.

"WHAT ARE YOU IN THE EYES OF THE INFINITE!? WHAT ARE YOU IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THE UNIVERSE?!"

Despite knowing time is solely against them at the moment, he wanted it to turn time on itself to allow the people to muster up a sense that they had never pondered yet. There have been individuals who fully grasp their existence but not everyone can do the same. They were all mortal after all.

"IN THE DARKEST OF CAVES, IN THE DEEPEST OF THE ABYSS, IN THE TIME WHERE WE ARE PUSHED TO THE BRINK I ASK, WHO ARE YOU!?"

The commander then slammed his weapon to the ground.

"SOLDIERS? NAY I SAY!"

He then continued to repeatedly beat his weapon down on the ground resonating a sound on the metallic floor like that of a drum.

"GAURDIANS? NAY I SAY!"

His voice started to become harsher and louder as he spoke with more confidence.

"PEOPLE?! NAY I SAY!"

The enforcers remembered this speech during their coronation as police as the image of their chief flashed in their heads.

"YOU ARE THE UNIVERSE! YOU ARE THE FATE THAT BINDS THE STRING! YOU ARE IMMORTALS GRACED IN A MORTAL BODY! YOUR LIFE iS WORTH MORE THAN WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF ALL THINGS!"

It started with the commander's beat but now the beat began to grow as the enforcers began to beat their weapons on the dusted grounds.

"BE IT SOLID AS THE GROUND BENEATH OUR FEAT OR FEASIBLE AS THE TRUTH OF THE INFINITE, YOU ARE WHO YOU CLAIM TO BE!"

The crowd gathered in cheers that overlapped the sounds of the screeches beyond the gate.

"SO, SURVIVE, STRIVE, AND OVERCOME!"

The gates slowly opened letting the dismembered arms of the Blight infected.

"TO BE WHO YOU ARE!!"

The commander with a last resounding roar that echoed the entirety of the area pointed his weapon towards the sky.

John, who at the lead of the group, stood in front of the middle gate. He was still in the starter position, focusing his essence to wrap around his joints.

"CHAAAAARGE!"

It was a glimpse but people saw the Hero of Eons at the start of his run. He had a bright golden glow that wrapped his arms and legs. His eyes were shining fiercely with a silver light that etched the outline of his body.

When it fully enveloped his body, he yelled a mighty "CHEEEEEEE" before he rushed forward leaving a trace of dust with a golden streak behind him.

The infected that were covering the entrance were blown away in an instant. Their bodies flew about as he paved a path through them.

The rhinos then followed his lead as John's aura attracted most of the blight's attention.

The plan was simple.

"We've discovered that the Blight are attracted to sources of dense essence," the commander pointed out.

"That's why they were swarming populated areas around the city," John replied.

"If we can attract their attention away from the gates, we'll have a possible chance of dampening the oncoming onslaught once we open those gates."

"That's why you called for me here?"

"It was mere coincidence, but a welcomed one."

"Huh," John was wondering why he was attracting so much of their attention whenever he arrives on the scene.

"I need you to lead them far enough for our force to immobilize them, especially those flyers."

"Roger."

As John was rushing through enemy forces, while taking out any aerial threats, the group of enforcers made their move by setting off runed explosives.

"Will you guys handle the onslaught though?"

"We have our ways," the commander lifted a rune shard. On it, there was an inscription of a volatile element.

John laughed, "You're insane."

"It's all we have against such large numbers."

The volatile inscription was meant for storing various energies graced by the elements. It was said to be enough to power a city block that would last a decade.

"Considering the infinite source of energy," the commander continued, "We have a lot of these thanks to efforts of the military."

The explosions that set off behind the walls were strong enough to rumble the ground beneath the people gathered inside the makeshift sanctuary. The walls trembled as each explosion was enough to possible topple them.

The anxiety of the people grew as they heard numerous booms beyond the protection. It was lucky that they had mages with them. They were able to inscribe a quick duration on the walls that will hold off the blast for a bit before the operation commences.

Once the bombs settled, they began their rush as well. The numbers beyond those walls dwindled to a manageable number.

The Thiadigm were the first to make their way outside the gate as they had more skill in dealing with the threat than the rest.

Despite the numbers, their formation was solid. They had a few feet in between them but the group did not faulter nor did they allow any of the infected to pass through. They continued to stretch outside the gate, leaving a little gap for the vehicles to pass through.

The military were focused on the aerial threat. It was easy for them to pick out from the flocks as John took out large numbers as he continued his attack. Their tracers of various elements lit the sky, turning the enemy into ash.

Traces of his fight left soft glows in the sky giving them an indicator of where to go.

As the convoys passed on their perspective paths, Enforcers kept close to their sides to take on whatever was left over from the onslaught. This was turning out better than they thought.

There weren't any major threats around them and the numbers were manageable so they made their way with ease.

"We're passing the first Checkpoint!" One of the vanguards said over the close-range intercoms.

"Do not stop!" The commander yelled from the side, riding on a motorbike. He had a glaive with runes of power inscribed on the blade. He slashed away at the larger enemies that escaped John's grasp, slicing through it like butter. "Keep moving!"

The commander then rode away to meet up with the next group positioned on the left of their flanks.

When he got there, there was a blockade of rubble obstructing the convoy. They were being swarmed by a mass of infected. He noticed that some of the enforcers were turned. They bit and clawed their way through the people guarding the vehicles.

"Damn!" He rode his bike closer to rush through the mob and hacked his way deeper.

There was almost no end to the infected forces. He had the skill to hold his own but to push through was seemingly impossible.

"Commander!" One of the enforcers cried out to him. The urgency in his voice caught his attention before realizing there was something behind him.

The commander didn't notice but he was being loomed over by a huge figure. One of the beastial infected had gotten behind him too quick for him to react. A single slash won't be able to cut the creature down as it was already within the range of his glaive. It was also too heavy to bat away. He watched as the jaws snapped open to the commander's snout. The breath accompanied by its flesh had an overwhelming smell as it leered closer to him.

In that split second, a bullet passed by his jaw and into the infected's head. It writhed in pain behind him as the flames engulfed its body before it turned into ashes.

The commander hacked at the nearby infected before tracing the bullet's path to its source.

Sticking out of the front rhino's hatch, Allen, the young lad John had brought with him, was holding a gun pointing towards the commander's direction.

Allen had picked up a gun from the facility and a couple of the runed bombs. He tossed a couple over to a group of infected, giving way to a wide alleyway.

"Drive through there!" Allen pointed towards the new path.

The enforcers didn't have time to think about the young man's actions so they turned the convoy to a different direction.

"GO GO GO!" One of them yelled.

Allen hopped out of the hatch and stuck close to the enforcers that were clearing the front of the convoy. The people that accompanied him followed his actions and shot about at the wave.

"Commander!" One of the subordinates shouted out, "We can take it from here. We'll take the Subdistrict!"

"That's dangerous, who knows what's down there! You won't be able to use your rune bombs either!"

"It's okay," another responded. "We know the city inside and out."

"Like the back of our hands."

The commander was a bit stunned by their course of actions but relieved that they still had the heart to move through the odds.

"Communications will be cut," he said to them. "I hope you, safe travels."

"May the stars guide the path commander!"

The commander grunted them off as he finished off what was left on his side, giving the group more breathing time. As he did, he couldn't help but wonder. Allen's eyes weren't as dark as it was before. It was a glimpse but there was a shimmering silver to them.

~

Allen's group was able to make it to the Subdistrict. There wasn't much struggle as the infected weren't as dense on their way here. They were probably focused on the other densely populated areas.

This was where vehicles go through the underside of the city. Most of it was a vestige of the beginnings of Terra Prime. A dark and desolate area that was left to the people that had just enough welfare to stay inside the city.

The area was tight and the surroundings were quiet.

The convoy decided to split the hovering crafts with the land ones, ensuring a safer route since the cramp space made it impossible to maneuver oncoming assault.

Allen had joined the group on land since one of the vehicles had the group, he was familiar with.

A little girl clutched Gaver's arm tightly as they slowly made their way through the dark area.

"This used to be where I grew up. It was a nice place despite the inflated prices for living here." One of the enforcers said.

"Shh," another hushed him. "We don't want to attract any more unnecessary attention."

"C'mon, the silence is killing me."

"There's no point in wasting our only chance of surviving."

"Bickering won't do us any good either," their captain spoke up. "Stay vigilant, who knows what lingers here."

The enforcer began reminiscing about his time as a young boy that used to run down these streets. He noticed a store that used to sell his favorite lemonade. He walked towards it and peeked inside the barred doors. It was dark.

There wasn't anybody inside but he remembered that there used to be a young girl that he used to play with here. As he thought that, he noticed a little movement inside. He wasn't sure so he decided to take a closer look. He puts his face closer to the gate almost catching what was rummaging about.

"What was it like," a voice caught him off guard. He had to stifle a scream before turning his head towards the young man standing behind him.

The enforcer lets out a sigh of relief before speaking, "Don't sneak up to people like that. You startled me."

"I'm sorry," Allen said pointing his eyes downward.

The enforcer looked around just to be see if they were safe. He peered back into the store and noticed that it was just a rat scavenging for food.

He then turned to Allen and saw that the hint of curiosity in him.

"It was harsh, living here," he took a breath, remembering his childhood. "But it was lively. The streets would fill with a crowd of people. Everybody knew everybody here. Even the most hardened of individuals made their home here."

"This was your home," Allen asked.

"Yeah," he touched the metal bars. "What's left of it."

"Where's your family?"

"They moved on, fortunately. Far away from this prison beneath paradise."

"Prison?"

"Ya one curious little guy huh?"

"I'm sorry," Allen apologized again.

"An apologetic one too."

"We'll leave ya'll behind if you don't keep moving," the enforcer's friend called out.

"C'mon, we have to move."

Allen followed quietly behind the enforcer.

After a moment of silence, the enforcer spoke up again. "The economy was booming. The city flourished beyond comprehension."

Allen looked up to the enforcer who was a few inches above him.

"However, it can't house everybody. Eventually, prices went up and livelihoods were scarce."

The enforcer looked up at the tall structures that surrounded them. The city expanded to a great length and towers rose so high that you need to stretch your neck to its peak to see the top of them. The buildings obstructed almost all of the light that were graced from the sun.

"Moving anywhere else was a hassle too," he chuckled.

"You were trapped," Allen stated the obvious.

"Yeah, but I was able to make it in the harsh world that I lived in." The enforcer looked down towards the curious boy, seemingly innocent to the hardships of life. He realized that this boy was thrown into a pit of despair without realizing it. "You will too." He hoped those words encouraged the young lad in the dire times.

Allen only looked at him with a complex expression, trying to gather his thoughts.

A sudden gunfire was shot by the leading group. Allen and the enforcer rushed to see what was happening. They find that one of the military personnel that joined them had shot a rat.

"What do you think you're doing?!" The captained yelled.

"That thing is infected!"

"How do you know?"

"That liquid," the soldier pointed at the body. From the wound, a black substance oozed out of it. "I've seen it every time!"

"You could have stomped it dead," the captain argued.

"And have it turn me into them?! No wa-"

A sudden noise caught their attention. They turned with their arms pointed at the source, finding a box that fell on the ground. They kept their eyes on the box until they heard scuttering. Another box fell beside them then more objects started dropping about from pots to Air Conditioners.

It was the same noise the enforcer heard from the shop but this time, there was more. There was so much more as the noise of scuttering began to grow louder and louder around them.

"Captain?!" One of the enforcers called out.

"RUN!"

The vehicles ran at full speed. The people guarding them hopped on the sides, gripping on the handles of the rhinos and rushing into the vehicles.

The box that fell next to the group opened up and a swarm of rats jumped out.

They swarmed one of the unfortunate individuals who didn't hop on their ride on time and started to bite down on her body. She screamed in pain, yelling for help but it was soon muffled by the rats biting at her throat, tearing away at her flesh till there was nothing left but bones.

More rats flooded the streets through the doors and windows of the subdistrict. There were millions upon trillions of rats eating at whatever was in their path.

They began to gnaw away the tires of the common vehicles, making them immobile. The unfortunate souls that were inside had their interiors covered by the rats as they entered through every crevice of the car.

Allen and the enforcer were lucky enough to be at the frontmost of the convoy, riding on one of the rhinos.

Gaver had taken position on the mounted gun and shot at the tsunami of rats. The others began to use their guns at the swarm but their efforts did not put a dent on its rush.

"What do we do?!" The enforcer next to Allen spoke to the captain over the intercom.

"Keep driving!" The captain couldn't think as the overwhelming wave of rats began to engulf almost half of their convoy.

It was then that Allen began chucking his rune bombs towards the swarm. The explosions were so close that it rang through their ears, almost busting their eardrums.

"What are you doing?!"

Allen didn't say anything as he kept chucking grenades into the buildings where more rats keep coming from.

"Do you want to bury us alive?!"

"That's the plan," he said calmly.

The enforcer stood there in fear of the young lad's words. He didn't want to die that way. It was then he realized that the infostructure around them began to crack. He looked up at the enormous building above them began to sway about as the force made them tremble.

Gaver who was on the helm followed Allen's example and chucked a belt of rune bombs in the rats' direction.

"You all are mental!"

"USE THE BUILDINGS TO BURY THESE LITTLE SHITS!" Gaver yelled to the enforcer. "IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE, KEEP SHOOTING!"

The enforcer was stunned but he realized that they weren't chucking aimlessly. He was aiming for the buildings behind the swarm. This was a dangerous move for it could bring the whole district down on them but there was no other choice. He cussed internally before grabbing a bomb for himself and threw it towards the swarm as well.

The captain did not complain. The bombs lifted him out of the state of depression allowing him to have more determination to find a path to the landing zone.

"Take a right here!" He ordered to the driver.

The vehicle was large and heavily enforced but it had so much horsepower that when turning, it drifted.

"Go straight till we hit the main street!"

"Captain!" The enforcer next to Allen called out. "There is a shortcut on the left!"

"That's a school!" The captained didn't understand the point since there was no street.

"Through the field!"

The captain hesitated for a second but this was no time to worry about anything. "IMMEDIATE LEFT!"

The rhino turned its hood towards the fence and rammed straight through, dragging a piece of it on its bumper. The other vehicles followed the lead rhino and through the school property over the large grassy field. The property was large and didn't have any buildings around it. Beyond it was a large street that led straight to the main street, where they can meet up with the rest of the convoy.

Allen's vehicle hadn't reached near the school. "Toss the box!" The person who had been handing him the bombs looked at Allen with a terrified took. "Now!"

She didn't hesitate and pulled a pin on one of the rune bombs as she lunged the contents out of the window.

The box fell on the ground and rolled on the ground towards the rats.

Gaver noticed the box and ordered the others to do the same. As they tossed their boxes of rune bombs out of the vehicles, the swarm of rats rushed over the objects.

The detonation time was more than enough for the vehicles to pass safely through until it exploded. It sets off a chain reaction within the swam and into the buildings around them. In that moment, the towering structure collapsed to the ground burying everything that was under it.

They all watched as the buildings toppled over the swarm of rats. The rubble crushing whatever was under it. When they finally processed what happened, they all cheered over their fallen enemy.

Allen and the enforcer kept their eyes on the scene as they spoke to one another. "How'd you know about the shortcut?"

"I used to hop the fence when I was late to school," he replied.

Allen looked back at the enforcer with wide eyes then laughed. "You must be insane."

"Not like you," he ruffled the young lad's black hair. Allen almost tripped from the act but held his grip. He nudged the enforcer who apologized.

They drove through the field and into the parking lot. There, they made their way to the main street where they were able to meet up with the rest of the convoy.

"I'm glad you made it," the commander's voice sounded over the intercom.

"Had a little trouble," the captain replied.

"We heard it from here."

It took a while before the captain to continue, "We lost some sir."

"We did too," the commander replied in a deep tone.

The captain noticed that there was even less vehicles that were present. It seemed to him that they had also gone through a lot.

"But that is okay," the commander then said with a strong but calm voice. "As long as we are alive, that is all that matters."

"Thank you," the captain didn't want to admit it but he didn't feel as good as he would like.

There were too many lives that were taken this day and it's weighing heavily on their shoulders. However, when he looked into the mirror, he saw the two who were hanging on to their vehicle laughing with one another. That was enough to put a smile on his face.

Gaver climbed back into the vehicle and sat back down, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Is it over?" The little girl was underneath the seat waiting for his return.

"Not yet," he said sullenly. "Soon though."

He tapped on the seat next to him, gesturing the girl to take her place next to him. "I promise," he held her closely in his arm. "I will keep you safe until then."

The girl quietly trembled in his arm. She was too young to have face such hardship. He could have taken her to an immediate extract but knowing that there wasn't a likelihood she would be safe, he decided to keep her close.

As he thought for the next course of action, he looked out the window to see the streets climbing. They were close to the landing zone since it was on an elevated complex above the city. The structures that once stood tall began to shrink in the distance. He could even see the carnage they did in the subdistrict as the towering buildings continued to topple.

Allen was able to hop to the top of the rhino and took a seat. His legs were giving out after what just happened and he wanted to take a little breather. The winds brushed on his sweat beaten face since the vehicles were going at a cruising speed.

The infected did not infest the area like the rest of the city since John had cleared most of the area. This was a good time to look around and take in the sight.

It was still sad to see how much of this great city had gone through. He was looking forward to seeing what it was like during the day, where life was flourishing like how the enforcer, whose name was Brent, had explained.

He felt a lingering sense of life though, like all the suffering inflicted on the people still held strong. It was prominent as the untouched fields and parks were scene with little damage from the assault. The grass still retained its bright colors as the flowers continued to pollinate its surroundings.

It was like he knew that after all that's happened, life will continue on and the opportunity to rebuild.

"To push you through this," Brent spoke up in concern for Allen's wellbeing. "I wonder what the Hero of Eons is doing."

It didn't add up as to why John had brought Allen into the fray of chaos. There was no benefit to see how much of an overwhelming force the blight can be. To everyone who knows, the blight is the most feared being in the cosmos, almost unmatched. Wouldn't you keep a loved one away from disaster, especially on this level?

"I think," Allen took a second to hold his thoughts. "It's to see the strength in others."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know but I feel like every second of this has made me understand that there are some things even John can't do." He looked to the sky, where John was still fighting with the blighted army that are trying to get close to the convoy. The bright explosions he sets of shone with a sphere of light as his attacks hit. "And there are some things that others can do."

Allen looked at Brent with a calming expression as if through his eyes Brent could see a shimmering light that reflected the rays of the sun. Brent burst in laughter shocking Allen. He took a seat next to him on top of the rhino. "Can't beat the Etruem brothers it seems."

Allen was perplexed by the statement. He felt like he hadn't done anything and he wasn't as prominent as his brother is. He was about to ask something until a commotion began. He turned his attention to the crowd and saw that they were also looking to the sky.

When he traced their gaze, it wasn't John that they were looking at. It was the giant hole at the center of the city. It seemed to glow softly. After, a humming noise echoed in his head. Allen instinctively covered his ears but to no avail. The humming began to grow louder and louder, giving him a migraine.

Brent noticed that Allen was in pain. "What's the matter?"

"Something is...." At this, an amalgamation of thunder sounded throughout the city. Lighting struck around the area where the rift was. Something was happening and no one knew what was happening.

The ground beneath them began to tremble and everyone started hearing that humming noise like Allen did. They wailed in pain and the convoy had to come to a stop.

"Allen!" Brent called out. "Allen!"

Allen's migraine grew into a headache and the entirety of his body seemed to heat up. He didn't know where to grasp since the pain encompassed all around him. There was something wrong.

"Something is," Allen eyes cracked open and he stood from his place. The pain was gone but the sense of impending doom lingered. "EVERYBODY RUN!"

In an instant, the convoy was surrounded by large tendrils that looked like the roots around the city towering over them. It moved so quickly that no one had time to react.

Gaver held on to the little girl who was crying over her migraine.

The commander lunged himself towards the tendrils that were thundering down on them.

Brent was reaching towards Allen who was standing there watching as the things came over them.

John, who was in the air, didn't make it time.

The tendrils smashed down on the convoy and took the street with it.

There was nothing left after but a crater, the only thing that was left of the convoy. There was no cry, no wail, nothing.

Edited and Reviewed by

Aces Association and Friends