(Luna’s thoughts) F … F …

She couldn’t even open her eyes properly.

(Miles) C-Coach … C-C-C-C-Coach…

He couldn’t even speak properly.

Having her body rest upon the chimney that released the industrial air from a normal workday, Luna laid her arms motionless on the aluminum roof of the building. Unable to even flicker her eyes open, the swords that she held onto were laid onto the roof near her hands, her fingers not even feeling the metal batons.

As for Miles, he also rested his back upon the brick chimney, but he had his knees up more compared to Luna. Placing one of his arms on the ground while the other was on his knee, he stared into the abyss as his vision blurred in front of him.

(Miles) Oh … I shouldn’t have run…

His mouth slightly opened, and he tilted his head to the right at an angle, his throat stabbing his vocals as they started to fight against each other. He let out raspy breaths of air.

(Miles) Why did I run…? Why did you make me run…?

Turning the camera to Luna, her breathing became frantic, the gasps that went forward out of her mouth turning into wheezes, her face as pale as a lich.

(Luna) Dad…

A teardrop rolled down her right eye, it dropped onto her right leg, the tear splattering on her pants. Her eyes still locked out by her eyelids, she then felt a mysterious presence coming from not behind her, not from the side of her…

But right in front of her.

Followed by Miles too.

Slowly opening her eyes, Luna saw a burly and giant man right in front of her, the man folding his arms as his biceps were shown through his green camo t-shirt.

His vision unblurred, Miles saw an overweight man wearing a big puffed-up jacket, holding in his right hand a wooden clipboard.

(Luna) Dad I…

(Miles) Coach … Please give me an answer.

Both men looked down on their disciples, as both of them slowly walked toward the two adults that were on the brink of fainting. Towering over them, the two figures then decided to crouch down so that their eyes were face to face with theirs, their hands motioned on the aluminum roof.

Clearing their throats, both of their eyes gleamed in the artificial light dawning from the creature from behind, their irises reflecting both adults' faces in those pupils.

(Coach) Live Miles. Don’t think this is just the end.

(Luna’s Dad) Just rest mija. You have done so much.

Both Luna and Miles jerked their heads up, causing them to feel a cold shiver run down their backs. Their eyes started to water up, they both tried to move their hands and arms, but even those weren’t responding.

Having no choice but to roll down a few tears from their cheeks, both men stood up as they lit up cheerful smiles.

(Coach and Luna’s Dad) Don’t change. Grow.

Both of the men then slowly started to wither away, the light that they were forged upon being swept away into the evening sky.

Their lungs continued to pass in more air, they clenched both of their jaws shut.

Gripping the roof of the building, they forced their weight on their shaky arms.

(Luna’s thoughts) Get up!

(Miles’s thoughts) Come on work!

Blood dripping from both corners of her mouth, Luna bit her cheeks with the sharp edges of her teeth. Miles moved his body upward with the way of the chimney, putting all of his strength onto his lower and mid back.

Both of them saw the trapped monster thanks to Diego’s successful ambush, both glared at the creature.

(Luna’s thoughts) I’m strong! I don’t need help!

(Miles’s thoughts) You got to help them! Come on, please work!

With wobbling legs, both managed to hunch their bodies forward as they had their hands on their knees.

Their ears perked up as they both barely heard the sounds of a helicopter blade near them, which caused them to slowly turn their head to the right. Both of them managed to finally stand up straight, despite their body wobbling from either side.

Out of the left side of the helicopter, four medics hopped out and placed their feet firmly on the aluminum roof that they shared with the two out-of-breath adults.

Pushing against the aluminum roof, the metal echoed with each step they took, creating a radiance and vibration of radiant noise.

(Medic #1) We have to tend to their wounds now!

Reaching toward the two of them, all four medics saw Luna and Miles on the verge of collapsing, their knees buckled onto the roof. Two medics each placed their hands on both Miles and Luna.

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(Medic #2) She’s ice cold! She must’ve pushed herself when using her blessing.

(Medic #3) The man here is the complete opposite! He has a high fever!

(Medic #1) Let’s treat them here! Let the soldiers now do their part! These two did theirs!

Both Luna and Miles looked over toward the fiery monster that remained standing.

As both of their breathing continued to intensify, all four medics then got out medical supplies, placing them on the ground as they decided to treat the two of them standing up.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Lieutenant) Way to go men! Let’s finish this bitch once and for all!

All of the soldiers of the platoon aiming down their advanced weaponry right at the bringer of death, Diego let out a mischievous grin, the corners of his lips reaching to the height of his ears.

Tilting his head upward, he folded his arms and slanted his eyes.

(Diego) Suck it!

(Sergeant) Don’t celebrate yet, geek. We still have to figure out a way for it to kill it.

(Lieutenant) What do you mean figure out? We already have the weapon we are looking for.

Extending both of his arms and hands outward, he showcased the high-tech rifle that he wielded. Smacking the right side of his head, the Sergeant let out a huff as his lungs kicked out an abundance of air.

The rifle was coated in a dark waxed metal that shined under the burning light coming from the bringer of death. As the barrel of the gun stuck out like a sore thumb, a bluish light emerged from the glass tube that replaced the typical metal wooden extension.

With every soldier having their rifles glow a soft blue, the Lieutenant let out a gentle smirk, turning his head and body toward the beast that struggled.

(Lieutenant) Now I’m going to pay back one of my best Sergeants who died during the holdout for the complex…

Raising his palm high, his eyes beamed a death glare.

The rest of the soldiers raised their weapons high, lifting the heavy metal of the grip as they aimed down the reticle with their right eyes. Placing their fingers on the trigger, all of them waited for their cue to strike.

Followed by the many special tanks that had tall and sharp barreled mana turrets, they all remained stationary as their rubber wheels molested the debris that surrounded the street.

(Lieutenant) Ready … And!

Diego and the other Sergeant that was near the Lieutenant also aimed as both were also given the special weapon, their grips holding the weapon as the metal stabbed their shoulders. Inhaling in and exhaling at a snail’s pace, Diego had his right lens touch the top of the gun, his breath hot as his feet were spread apart.

(Diego’s thoughts) Fred would’ve loved to participate in this…

The sergeant next to Fred gulped and tapped the trigger of the gun.

(Sergeant’s thoughts) He was a good soldier. I pray to God that if I hadn’t saved the hostages from the industrial complex, I would’ve been there right by his side.

The soldiers watched the monster turn her body toward the rest of the convoy, her legs and ankles still caught in the nylon rope. The flames upon her eyes started to dim down, and her entire body seemed to be in a relaxed state compared to the soldiers.

(Lieutenant) Fire!

A barrage of light shined through the street.

Having her body in front of them, the monster’s chest and stomach were soon pelted by the many mana-compressed bullets that went straight through her skin.

Arching her head back, no smoke was emitted from the bullets as the clean strikes to her body made visible holes upon holes in her. Her hands spread outward, followed by her head avoiding the barrage of bullets, magma, and fire emitted from her scaly body.

Still firing, the soldiers kept a steady glare at the monster, making sure that the beast would drop dead off the face of the earth.

(Lieutenant) Hit her with everything you got!

Not even bothering to check their battery status or status, no soldier checked underneath the chamber as a glowing red light shined on the bottom of the cartridge.

Diego, the only one who noticed the blinking red light, stopped firing as he squinted his eyes at the meaning behind the blinking light. He went back toward firing out of his gun.

(Diego’s thoughts) If they overheat, they overheat.

At long last, the firing stopped as all of their guns overheated at the same time, followed by the tanks stopping as the engine started to smoke. Aiming their weapons down, they put their undivided attention on the monster that was still trapped underneath the nylon ropes that held her ankles to the ground.

Widening their eyes, all of the soldiers that shot through the monster took a step back, seeing the hideous state the monster was in.

The monster had no flesh or skin on its chest and stomach, nor was there any muscle or fat that was left standing after that attack. To make matters gruesome, her internal organs were all wiped out as a heap of Magna surrounded her feet, leaving a pool of hell right near where the trucks that held her down were.

Or rather the pool of magma was caressing the wheels of all the trucks around it.

(Diego) Oh no…

(Lieutenant) What happened?

(Sergeant) Those trucks are starting to flame up … and if we lose those trucks …

Several trucks ended up in flames. All the lieutenant and Diego could hear were the operators’ shouts. They watched as the monster slowly lifted her feet, the weight of the trucks now beginning to weaken.

The only thing that was shown in her chest and stomach was her ribcage and spine while her legs and head were intact.

Noticing that the monster started to move backward, the Lieutenant turned his head toward the other soldiers who started to flinch back.

(Lieutenant) Make sure your weapons are not overheated! If the creature is planning to charge, aim for her legs!

(Sergeant) Our weapons are too overheated, sir! We can’t fire even if we tried!

(Lieutenant) Damn it!

(Diego’s thoughts) We aimed for her heart, didn’t we? Do the same rules for zompires don’t apply to her?

Shaking his head back and forth, he aimed down his weapon again as the grip began to stab his right shoulder. Letting out a hissing sound, his left hand that gripped the center of the gun started to tremble, leading to his right eye not taking in the reticle’s position.

Trying to straighten his back and neck, he took in a heap of ash and dry air into his lungs, leading to him coughing inside of his mouth rather than out.

(Diego’s thoughts) Either way, I don’t think she’s going to attack us…

The monster slowly took a couple of steps back, her attention being on the building that held the two adults.

Turning her head to the right of her, her sturdy ribcage and spine managed to hold her head up high. The heat upon her body drastically dimmed down, and a slow and tolerable dry wave of heat circled the two adults who were getting medical treatment.

Their eyes gazed upon the stomachless and chestless monster. Few flames flickered in her eyes as she looked right at Luna and Miles. Her mouth was slightly opened as her vocals reverberated within her throat.

(Bringer of Death) I am … free …

She turned her body away from the platoon that still aimed their reticles down at her and began to walk northwest.

The two adults, as well as the four medics near them, all widened their eyes and opened their mouths agape.

(Luna) W-What…

(Miles) She spoke…

But Luna and Miles looked up toward the scarlet sky.

(Luna’s thoughts) She sounds feminine … is she an actual zompire?

(Miles’s thoughts) Is someone controlling that thing? Why do I get the feeling that it isn’t an undead like the rest of the creatures we faced…

Not even bothering to look toward the walking monster, Luna and Miles remained standing as they turned their stares to the platoon below. Seeing that the platoon was still aiming down at the creature, both Luna and Miles clenched their teeth as they enclosed their fists.

As for the Lieutenant, he then noticed something amiss about the way the monster had been walking. He rubbed his jawline as he wielded his weapon on his left hand.

(Lieutenant) What is she doing…

The monster that started to be less seen in the distance started to summon magma upon the empty area where their stomach and chest were.

As the Magna soon started to make the needed organs of a regular human; the heart, liver, lungs, intestines, colon, and stomach were made. Following, the muscles and fat soon covered up the entirety of her chest, the magma that was trapped within her insides caused her to open her mouth wide.

With steam escaping from her mouth, nose, and ears, scales upon her skin were formed.

Putting his right hand into his pocket, the Lieutenant pulled out a walkie-talkie in front of his mouth. Clearing his throat, he straightened his back and put both of his feet right next to each other.

(Lieutenant) This is Lieutenant Kuzo here. We stalled the monster but only for about several minutes. Requesting orders from Fenix, please.