(Prominis 21, 58 / 5:28AM)

Two teens were walking closer to the last gate.

(Jack) Are you sure this is going to work?

(Luke) Trust me on this.

(Jack) Trust you? I know you’re the luckiest out of all of us, but that doesn’t explain why—

(Luke) Quiet. Follow my lead.

Both Luke and Jack took cover behind a stone wall, their backs rubbing the wall as their breathing increased. Giving each other a nod, Jack, who was nearest the gate, looked over to see what laid beyond the final stretch.

(Jack’s thoughts) What the actual hell…

Blocking the door was a militia of steaming zompires, the steam creating a mist cloud around the little section that they needed to cross.

The section was composed of many dead trees and little ponds, and ground was replaced with dead grass and soil. It was almost like a garden, but without the flowers and bees.

Despite popping his head out, the zompires didn’t notice Jack looking at them. Not only that, but it didn’t sense or sniff any human that has body odor.

(Jack’s thoughts) Luke was right on the money. Water does give us a great advantage.

(Luke in Jack’s thoughts) There’s a little hose right next to us, I want everyone to hose themselves down!

(Jack’s thoughts) I hope the plan goes through.

After analyzing the monster, Jack looked around to see that there were many wooden crates, with black and white skulls labeled on them around the little section.

(Jack) Hey Luke. There’s a shit ton of wooden boxes scattered around the garden.

(Luke) How many?

(Jack) I would say around 30 to 40 of them.

(Luke) So Loraine was right …

Luke switched places with Jack, looking inside of the little section. Upon seeing the garden with his own eyes, Luke gave out a little smirk as he put his hands on his hips.

Giggling a bit, he turned towards Jack, with his cheeks turning red.

(Luke) hehe … so I’ve been worrying for nothing huh.

(Jack) What are you saying?!

(Luke) You see those crates?

Luke pointed to the crates. Noticing them, Jack tilted his head, scratching the back of his scalp.

(Jack) What do you take those crates for?

(Luke) Those black and white skull and bone pictures are meant to be a symbol for cryogenic gas.

(Jack) What?

(Luke) Those crates contain deep freeze gas that can turn anything to hard ice. What do you think the black and white skull and bones logo stood for?

(Jack) I thought it meant poison or something…

Looking away, Jack kept to himself as he put his hands in his pockets, his ears turning red.

(Luke) Alright, let’s get to the second stage of our plan. Let’s go Jack.

Signaling Jack, both teens walked towards the gate, seeing all the skinned zompires walking in a programmed walking pattern.

As soon as they crossed the gate, all the zompire turned their direction to the two teens, as well as the tar monster noticing them. Feeling deathly stares at every corner of the section, the two boys continued to sweat profoundly as their legs started to shake a bit.

(Jack) Are you positive you know what you’re doing?

(Luke) Yeah … just need luck that’s all…

Luke then both hands to point towards the crates from both sides of the opposite sections, his pointer fingers barely touching them. With the help of Jack, Jack shot his sniper near their area, causing a major disturbance for the zompires which instantly turned towards the two of them.

As the tarred creature noticed Jack, the zompires quickly sprinted towards Jack, their peeled stomachs and chests letting off steam, indicating that it was about to…

(Luke) Fire!

On the sections walls, there were two walls on the left side and the right side of both Luke and Jack. On both the left and right side, five candidates took to the top of each one to get a clear view of the section, waiting for Luke’s signal.

As soon as Luke pointed to the wooden crates, all the rest of the candidates had their heads popping out of the top of the walls, causing Luke to sprint as well back, dangerously behind as the zompires were reaching up to him.

Miles' group, who climbed the left side, had Luna, Hope, Loraine, and Sean.

Stan’s group on the right had Fred, Gary, Diego, and Cameron.

All wielded their weapons and pointed towards the wooden crates, and in a flash, a deadly rain of bullets dropped all over the dead garden. All candidates punctured the holes of any wooden crate they found, firing off all the ammo that they’re guns held.

Loraine was the only one who held an RPG, firing shell after shell towards the zompires that were after the two teens in the bottom. The force of each shot violently shaking the girl’s body as the recoil was enough to discombobulate her for a split second.

For Luna and Miles who had close range weapons, both of them wielded something different.

Both of them found a fucking gattling gun!

Firing hundreds of bullets per second amongst the crates, Miles’s hands and arms were utterly exhausted as the old machine gun had enough recoil to make him lose focus when accurately shooting the crates.

Luckily, Luna took most of the recoil, as she was the one that gripped the gatling with the most force, sending her most of the motion as Miles focused on aim.

(Luke) Jack, get back!

As Luke and Jack ran, Luke looked behind and saw with his eyes the absolute peak of destruction…

As explosive, near absolute zero temperature gas that was let out.

(Jack) Shit, don’t let it touch you!

Jack took cover by the same wall that they used to spy on the zompires. With the zompires and frozen gas behind him, Luke pushed his legs with all his might to get to the same cover that Jack was in. As the cold gas managed to spread throughout the dead garden, it wasn’t just perfect.

(Stan) Everyone get down!

The gas quickly managed to spread on top of the walls of both sides, rising to where the candidates could see the gas with the naked eye.

(Miles) Shit! Use the poles!

One by one, each candidate slid down a metal pole to escape the gas, gripping the pole tightly so that they wouldn’t fall off.

(Stan) Don’t slip off! You won’t be able to walk if you fell down thirty feet!

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The gas managed to reach the top and even cover the places where the candidates originally were at. Looking up as the gas barely missed them, all of them held in their breaths as they try to slid down without falling.

But one of the metal poles managed to be damaged…

(Stan) Shit!

Stan’s group pole managed to break loose from the top, sending Luke’s friends halfway to the bottom of the wall. Despite it being 15 feet, it was enough for them to lay on the ground irritating with pain as some of them sprained their ankles.

For Miles’s group, their pole was fine. Once the group was down, they looked at each other with little smiles, their faces finally relaxed after a brutal exam.

Until they remembered two important people.

Well, mostly one.

(Luna) Oh shit, Luke!

(Hope’s thoughts) Please be alive!

Both girls ran towards the gate, their feet colliding with the concrete. Pushing themselves to run faster, it caused them to breath in heavy breaths, with their heads starting to create sharp headaches, but that didn’t matter.

(Miles) Wait, Luna! Hope! … I guess we’re following them.

(Sean) I wish I had that type of concern for me.

Miles and the others ran to get Luna and Hope who were much farther away, with him, Sean, and Loraine barely catching up. As soon as they catched up, Miles and the others saw Luna and Hope, and surprisingly, Luke and Jack were seen with them.

(Miles) They’re still alive! Hurry up Sean!

(Sean) Hey man … pants … I’m barely breathing …

As Sean grudgingly made his way towards Luke and Jack, the elf looked at Luke as he was in between Luna and Hope.

(Sean’s thoughts) Damn…

Sean noticed that Luke had minor freezer burns on his hands, mostly because as soon as they turned the corner, their hands were placed on the wall that quickly became one of the ice. In turn, his palms were sunnish red, with blisters already forming beneath their fingers.

(Jack) So this is the price for doing things the easy way…

(Luke) Better this than to fight all those creatures. Good thing that Loraine told us about that little wooden crate spoiler.

(Jack) What spoiler? I thought you said you knew it was frozen gas?

Luke remained silent, his eyes avoiding any eye contact with Jack.

(Jack) Did you really just freaking gaslight me?

(Luke) … I had to make you trust in me, otherwise—

(Jack) You manipulative bastard!

Jack then gripped Luke’s collar angrily, his hands shaking violently as he eyed Luke with vicious pupils.

(Luke) Woah, hold on! I chose you because you’re an expert at eyesight! Also, I’m the one who risked my life the most!

(Jack) Don’t think just because you’re a leader doesn’t make you the boss of—

(Luna) Get your smooth hands off of Luke!

Luna punched Jack’s head, causing him to squeal as he let go of Luke’s collar. Putting his hands onto his head, he started to massage the redness and pain that he received. Using his fingers, he pressed against his scalp, eyeing Luna with a couple of tears in his eyes.

(Jack) But … but he used me.

(Luna) Are you an idiot? He used you because you were useful to him! Dumbass!

(Jack) D-Don’t call me a dumbass.

(Luna) Idiot!

(Jack) Stop calling me curse words!

(Hope) Nincompoop.

(Jack) Not you too Hope!

As Jack kept being verbally assaulted, Luke stood up and put on the bandage himself. Finding a piece of cloth, Luke wrapped it gently onto his palm, hoping to cover the irritating burns of his hand.

(Luke’s thoughts) It ain’t much, but it will do.

As Luke was about to enter into the gate, he noticed that Sean was running into the little section, which was completely taken over back by oxygen now, with the zompires still frozen. Seeing the frozen dead garden that can still be walked on without slipping, it looked more alive than dead.

The trees had lethal icicles on its branches, followed by the dead grass having a loud crunch when crushed on, as well as the soil being permafrost.

(Luke’s thoughts) Why is Sean running towards … oh no…

Luke then put a hand to his right eye, as he looked down onto the ground.

(Luke’s thoughts) There’s only seven white bananas!

Luke then ran to Sean as well, his legs kicking off the ground. As Luke ran off, the others saw him off, and even they had that same realization.

(Miles) The bananas!

(Luna) That fucking dork!

(Hope) Wait Luke!

(Jack) Sneaky bastard! Damn, even Loraine is far gone!

As Luke ran towards the exit, he heard a number of shouts reaching out to him, the voices causing Luke to look back. Upon seeing those faces, Luke made an unamused face as he looked again forward, still keeping his same speed as before.

(Luna’s thoughts) Hmm … What if I do this?

Luna then side pushed Hope hard, causing her to fall on the icy soil. Hitting the earth, Hope landed on her right arm, causing immense pain as her body weight pressed onto it. Getting up slowly, she looked towards Luna, who was still running, not looking back.

(Hope’s thoughts) Why did she push me?! I didn’t do anything … Yet …

(Hope) … whore…

(Luna) Catch me if you can bitch!

Hope then used her legs to catch up to Luna, but compared to Luna, Hope’s legs were not as fast. Seeing the difference in height, Hope continued to push her legs forward, her eyes focusing not on Luna but to the door.

Meanwhile, Sean and Loraine were the first ones to reach the door that leads to the main building. As they stood in front of the door, the metallic door slowly opened up, leading them inside.

(Sean) Not waiting for anyone!

(Loraine) Piggyback!

Loraine ran and jumped onto Sean’s back, with Sean taking a few steps forward as his face looked back to see Loraine smiling at him.

(Sean) Listen Loraine, I’m not into little girls.

(Loraine) Don’t care! Charge forward!

Punching his back, Sean decided to run to keep Loraine on his back, his eyes looking back at the rest of the candidates trying to keep up.

(Sean’s thoughts) I don’t care who’s in my team, as long as Luke isn’t here.

Sean, with Loraine on his back, went onward into the building, not looking back.

Luke, the third person to reach the door, stopped to look back on the candidates that were trying to reach the main building, his eyes looking for someone, or rather a group in particular. As his eyes noticed Luna, Miles, Jack, and Hope catching up, he barely saw…

(Luke’s thoughts) I see Stan and the others! Why did they take so long!?

As Luna saw Luke stop at the entrance, she quickly ran up to him. Upon swiftly taking his hand, she dragged Luke so that—

Luke pushed Luna’s hand away.

(Luna) What are you doing?

(Luke) There’s something I want to say to Stan and the others…

Luna tilted her head as she focused her eyes on Luke. Folding her arms, she got close to Luke, looking up at Luke with eyes as sharp as daggers.

(Luna) Get moving.

(Luke) Just let me talk to them.

Luna then grabbed Luke’s hand, firmly tightening it as she placed her body more aligned to the building. As she was doing this, Miles and Jack managed to both make it inside the building too, but both looked back to see what Luke was doing.

(Jack) Come on you guys, your goals are right there!

(Miles) You guys better make it before they do.

(Luke) Don’t worry Miles, you and Jack could enter through.

(Luke’s thoughts) And if Luna and Hope enter, then there would be one person to eat that banana…

Miles and Jack were swept inside the building, not looking back. Hope, who was panting and breathing hard as she exerted herself, soullessly looked at Luna, her eyes not having a shred of humanity as she continued to glare at her.

(Luna) What? Going to cry?

(Hope) … slut.

(Luna) Take that back!

Luna then grabbed onto Hope’s hair, pulling it hard as her grip on her made it so that Hope had tears in her eyes. As the pain of Luna’s abuse was present, Luke saw the group of boys that he called friends.

As Stan, Fred, Gary, Diego, and even Cameron were on the footsteps of the door, they saw Luke, Hope and Luna, their eyes looking downward onto the icy floor.

(Stan) So I guess this is it…

(Luke) I know you guys really wanted to pass, you all really do.

Stan then looked towards where Luna and Hope were beside him, his eyes focusing on primarily Luna.

(Stan) Tell me Luna, remember that conversation we had at the van?

(Luna) pfft … can’t remember.

(Stan) Hey Luke, tell Luna what I talked about when we all crossed the border—

(Luna) Shut up!

(Stan) Heh, always feisty huh?

Luna’s cheeks started to fluster, as her fists began to clench and shake with vigor.

Stan then directed his attention to Luke, his eyes gentle yet serious as he put his hands in his pockets.

(Stan) Gary and Diego overheard something a few days back. If someone managed to fail The Array, they’ll still have connections to The Dark Angels, but they wouldn’t be in the frontlines, so…

Stan then thumped his left side of his chest twice, then gilded it to his right side, showcasing The Dark Angels salute. Seeing the salute, Luke’s eyes began to water, a tear dropping from his dirtied face.

The morning sun started to rise from the east, dawning upon the five candidates from their backs.

(Stan) Remember, don’t do it on your own. Because you’re now in good hands!

Stan, letting a teardrop from his face, didn’t want to wipe it away, rather let it sink into the frozen pavement. Not only Stan, but the rest of his friends took a couple of steps forward.

(Diego) We’ll keep you guys in check, we're actually going to be picked up at around noonish.

(Gary) Yeah, so I still have another four years to train huh.

(Cameron) In those four years, maybe I’ll become much stronger…

(Fred) Hey Luke!

Fred’s arms started to shake, his body quivering as his eyes focused solely on Luke.

(Fred) I’m … sorry for what happened back at the storage room … I don’t know what got over me…

Fred arched his back to bow down, his eyes looking downward as his ears perked up. Seeing Fred in a state of guilt, Luke rubbed the back of his head with his left hand.

(Luke) I’m … sorry too. I don’t blame you for overreacting …

(Fred) Come on …what type of best friend does that?

(Luke) Because of my mustard gas trick, Gemma paid the price of it, so I guess I was the one that caused you to mentally break. What type of best friend does that too?

(Fred) Hey Luke!

Fred pointed a thumbs up towards Luke, smiling at him as he took a couple of steps back.

(Fred) Live for me okay.

And by then, the five boys walked off, knowing that the three that were on the doorstep were the ones that will be dubbed elite soldiers.

(Stan) Take care of Luke Luna, and take care of Hope Luke!

Hope’s cheeks flustered red, followed by her taking a couple of steps back into Luke’s arm. With Luna, her face reddened with many veins popping out of her forehead.

(Luna) He’s my pet!

She grabbed Luke’s hand, forcing him to go with her.

(Luna) We’re going in!

After six hours of survival hell, seven candidates were then chosen as …

The Dark Angels.