(Prominis 22, 58 / 11:04PM)

A couple of days after The Array.

(Loraine’s thoughts) It was my fault…

Hurdling herself in a bunch of blankets, she quickly took in the other world she resided in.

In this world, she escaped from all responsibilities and consequences that should’ve dawned upon her, her feelings letting loose as she wept her sorrows away. The humidity within these blanket walls caused her body to heat up, creating a rainstorm of emotions inside her mind.

(Loraine’s thoughts) I got Ryan killed…

Curdling herself into a ball, she put her knees straight toward her stomach, her hands tightening the grip on them as she wept.

(Loraine’s thoughts) If only … if only…

A huge pound came from the other end of the room, butLoraine did not bother to look.

She bit the inside of her cheeks.

(Loraine’s thoughts) If only I wasn’t born.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Libertatem 1, 59 / 4:50AM)

(Benn, Loraine, Eren, and Ada)

(Benn) Oh man…

As the three adults and one child saw the horde of zompires approach them slowly, they took in the fresh uniforms that they were cladded into.

Taking a step back, all of them had their weapons on standby, as Benn, Eren, and Ada put their hands onto their hips or back as they caressed the metal of their guns. With all of them seeing the unholy sight in front of them, they all swayed their heads from side to side, their mouths slightly agape with some of their teeth sticking out.

Eren dropped down to his knees, placing both of his palms onto the many shards of wood, stone, and glass that pricked his skin.

(Agent Eren) Oh … oh…

His fingers gripped the asphalt as his nails were sharpened by the cement. Not bothering to look at Ada or the others, his nose started to sniffle, causing Ada to look down at him.

With her right hand, she grabbed a hold of his left shoulder, pulling him up as she tightened her fingers onto his suit.

(Agent Ada) Get your act together! Do you wanna be dinner for those bastards!?

(Agent Eren) But—

(Agent Ada) They’re not human anymore! If we leave them like that, you’ll know what they’re capable of!

His face stiffening up, he arched his head back as he held in the mucus from leaving his nose.

Placing his hands motionless to gravity, he turned his head toward the zompire platoon. His right hand trembling, he placed his left hand onto his right wrist, his fingernails digging themselves tightly onto his skin.

(Agent Eren) T-Then what do we do to them…?

(Agent Ada) We have no choice, Eren.

(Benn) She’s right.

Both agents turned their attention toward the shark-human that now wielded a heavy-weight machine gun, having both of his hands gripping the gun with ease.

Eren, who puckered up his lips into his mouth, used the right sleeve of his suit to wipe away the lingering water from the corners of his eyes. Clearing his throat, he straightened his back as he put both of his feet together close by, his eyes unwavering at Benn.

(Agent Eren) Then … What do you propose we should do?

(Benn) You guys are going to deal with the horde. Me and Loraine will deal with the lich.

(Agent Ada) Who decided that?

Ada took a step forward toward where Benn stood, placing her hands on her waist as she kept her head straight. Her face scrunching up, she sharpened her eyes at the shark-human in front of her, clicking her tongue as she clenched up her body.

Benn, who noticed the negative demeanor of Ada in an instant, only stared at her with his hands and arms to his sides.

(Benn) I decided that. Me and Loraine have blessings, you guys don’t.

(Agent Ada) So you think you’re better than us Sharky?

(Benn) I’ll let you decide that.

(Agent Ada) What did you say?

(Agent Eren) Enough Ada! He’s right. We have to do what we are told…

Placing his right hand onto her right shoulder, he gripped the edges of her suit as the fabric glistened through his fingernails.

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Her head turning toward the pony-tailed silver-haired agent, she continued to have that glare on her face, her eyes staring right into his gray pupils. Rolling her eyes, she took a step back as she let go of her waist, turning her hands into fists as she looked away from him.

(Agent Ada) Tch … Fine! As long as we do this, I don’t have to be near that Sharky!

Ada stomped her way toward the front of the zompire horde that continued to slowly grovel their way towards them, their feet dragging along the pavement. Seeing the unusual behavior from the undead, Ada rubbed her pointer finger with her thumb, her fingernail scratching away the skin of her finger.

(Agent Ada’s thoughts) Why are they walking so slowly? It looks as if they are under someone’s control.

Stopping to the right of her, Eren took in the sight of the undead with his own eyes, letting out a sigh as he soon opened up his all-black suit. His suit opened wide, and he placed his right hand into his suit’s pocket, scouring through the inside as his fingers traced along a metal that he was most familiar with.

His lips forming a smile, he pulled out a light-sized sniper rifle, the barrel of the sniper having a suppressor as he wielded it with his right hand.

(Agent Eren) So how are we doing this?

For Ada, she placed her left hand into her black pants pocket, pulling out a Mauser pistol as it was coated in brown paint. The leather grip glued onto her left palm, and she turned her head toward the agent next to her, her cold frown continuing to remain on her face.

(Agent Ada) Same as always. Shoot and run, and don’t leave any behind.

(Agent Eren) Got it, ma’am.

______________________________________________________________________________

Both Benn and Loraine ignored the two agents that were dealing with the zompire horde.

Pedro, who was standing still with his palms opened wide against the air, had with him an abundance of white gas clouds circling his wrists. Seeing this, both Benn and Loraine took a step back as Loraine then emitted a piece of nylon rope from her right hand, holding it with her callused fingers.

(Pedro) Are you ready to rock and roll? I ain’t going to go down that easy.

(Loraine) David kicked your butt!

(Pedro) And unfortunately, he won’t be able to save you this time.

The cloud that circulated his arms and wrists then spewed out toward them.

Having no choice but to widen their eyes, they both lunged to opposite sides of one another, making them separated from their little group. Pedro, who continued to spew out the deadly oxygen cloud, turned his hands toward the girl as he noticed the rope that she held in her hand.

(Pedro’s thoughts) Got to take her out. She’s a real pain in the ass if I leave her alone.

Extending his left hand onto Benn, the gust of white gas that resembled a normal cloud barreled again at him, leaving Benn with no option but to dodge and run. Meanwhile for Loraine, the cloud of pure oxygen managed to barely scrape her right arm, feeling the burning sensation of the gas hitting her elbow.

Pulling back her right arm, she continued to run as she avoided the incoming barrage of deadly clouds, feeling the spiritual evilness emitting from the gas. Thrusting her rope forth, Pedro raised his right eyebrow high, leading to him lunging to the left as he narrowly avoided the rope.

(Pedro) That annoying girl… I hope whatever happens it won’t backfire.

Stopping his attacks on Benn, he focused his undivided attention on Loraine, causing her to let down a bead of sweat from her forehead. Pulling back the rope, she wielded it with both of her hands, clenching her teeth as she focused her attention on the lich.

Putting his right hand and palm onto the dusted and ash-ridden floor, his fingers felt the graze of the sharp ashes that fell from the sky. Crouching down, he put his left hand onto his knee, his face and body making a stance like he was an Olympic athlete starting a relay race.

His own bare feet clenching down onto the sharp glass and wood, his heels started to pour out tar that was trapped from within. Tilting his head upward yet despite his body on the verge of racing, he then lifted his own feet off the ground, leaving him to barrel his body at the poor girl.

(Pedro) I ain’t backing down now!

Seeing the putrid and foul face coming closer and closer toward her face, Loraine put away her nylon rope as it was gobbled up by her right hand. Quickly, she used her left hand to pull out a Swiss army knife, the weapon that she used during The Array.

His fist made headway right toward her right cheekbone, Loraine braced herself for the impact, but then felt herself being lifted from the ground.

(Loraine’s thoughts) W-what…

She widened her eyes.

She turned her head upward to find many black flying creatures digging their claws into the edges of her shoulders and neck. Their feathers fluffing through the wind, she slowed her breath down as she noticed the black iris from the big birds alone.

(Loraine) Benn…

Looking down toward the shark-human, her eyes softened at the man below her, his eyes remaining shut as he continued to point his gun at the lich. Having his finger on the trigger, he then started to fire many rounds toward the undead, the bullets trying to lodge into the dodging lich.

While the three birds looked down toward the ground, moving Loraine away as she then tugged her shoulders and head.

(Loraine) I want to fight!

Her hands were enclosed into fists, and her body tightened as the birds flew her away more and more from the area.

To retaliate, Loraine moved her head close toward the large bird’s feet that flew, opening her mouth wide as she bared her sharp and rigid teeth. With no avail, she had no choice but to succumb to Benn’s wishes, her eyes letting out a few tears as she then was pulled back toward the ground.

Unfortunately for Benn though, Pedro didn’t hesitate to strike back, as Benn still shot his machine gun with his eyes closed.

(Pedro) Well … looks like I’m going to have to kill him first.

Pushing his heels off of the ground, he then pulled back his hands as clouds of gas formed once again all around his arms. Extending both of his hands, the clouds that were well-ventilated around him opened fire right onto the vulnerable Benn, who despite shooting his weapon, had his feet on the ground.

Unable to coordinate the movement of his legs because of the movement of the big black vultures that held Loraine, one of the vulture’s eyes widened.

(Benn’s thoughts) What should I do now?

Setting Loraine down many feet away from the fight taking place, the five vultures noticed the beam of gas coming right toward the shark-human.

Flapping their wings, they used them to push the air, gliding through the wind as they replicated the speed of a bullet. And as Benn’s perspective was in the eyes of the middle vulture of the group, the middle vulture turned his head toward either side of its comrades.

Seeing that the vultures were all eyeing the same lich in front of them, all four vultures that followed the leader smacked their beaks, as their legs and claws shook with intensity.

(Benn’s thoughts) Am I going to make it?

Unfortunately, the vultures weren’t fast enough to reach Benn on time.

As the white beam of deadly gas slammed across his entire body.

Raising his right arm and hand upward, he couldn’t breathe inside of the deadly gas, allowing himself to be swallowed up. His skin burning from the gas cloud, Benn’s right hand then slowly came back toward him in the gas, his lungs burning up from the inside out.

(Benn’s thoughts) Ack! Ah!

With his eyes closed, Benn turned his head around the deadly cloud and he then changed his vision back toward himself.

Opening his eyes, the pain then started to double more as some of his senses were on hyperdrive. Because of this, Benn arched his head back, gritting his teeth as it started to chip away the enamel of his teeth.

Pedro however, continued to blow the deadly gas of air into his direction.

(Pedro) Sorry, but a fight’s a fight.

His legs were unable to push his body forward, his arms unable to keep him from falling, Benn remained still as both of his hands dropped his gun. The metal landed on the asphalt, it cracked as bits of cracks formed along the pavement, but Benn kept his face straight in the direction of the gas.

Barely able to enclose his hands into fists, Benn managed to curl up his fingers so that his nails were punching the skin of his palm. Not knowing when the gas may stop, Benn’s eyes started to water from not just the toxic cloud, but—

(Benn’s thoughts) At least I protected Loraine…

Pedro pulled back his hands, the cloud of gas ceasing its deadly air.

In front of him was nothing more than a shark-human breathing through his open wide mouth, his throat parched with his chest slowly upheaving. Followed by the way his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his feet were the only ones that kept him standing.

With his right hand, Pedro scratched underneath his chin, his fingernails creating scratch marks that left red scars on his pale skin.

(Pedro) Are you still standing? I guess killing you with oxygen isn’t going to be a walk in the park huh?

As soon as he started to slowly walk toward the unconscious yet standing shark-human…

A small nylon rope wrapped over his waist, stabbing the insides of his lower abdomen as the tightness began to crawl up beside him.

Turning his head to the left of him, Pedro then noticed a teenage girl holding a nylon rope with her right hand. The girl tightened her grip on the rope with her curled-up fingers, she didn’t convey a smile or a goofy face, but rather…

(Loraine) You’re dead…