(Quintiles 29, 59 / 7:35PM)

(Benn and Hope)

Blood trickled on the floor around the soles of their boots.

The only source of light was from the front door, the light unable to showcase the reflection of human blood. The smell of the putrid blood created a scent of manure, rotten egg, molded cheese, and worst of all…

(Gemma) sniff sniff … hmmm … I just love the smell of death, don’t you agree?

With the amount of heads missing, Benn and Hope tried to look away as much as possible, their eyes focusing on Gemma whose cheeks were stained with red blood.

Benn’s gagging reflex started to come back, crouching down again as he put his hand onto his stomach. Opening his mouth, he waited for the foul liquid to shoot out again.

But he can’t.

(Benn’s thoughts) I can’t take this smell anymore. If I don’t get out of here, I might faint. Hope is horrible in terms of combat, yet she’s considered our little cheat code. If I let her die here or get injured, I’m going to get so much shit on me, especially Luke.

Despite his stomach gurgling, Benn placed himself in front of Hope, placing his hands into the back of his jacket. Placing both of his hands onto a heavy metal object tucked inside of his jacket, Benn thrust it out with full force.

Displaying the heavy machine gun, he placed his right hand on the grip, the horrible stench continued to linger deep within his lungs. And with his left hand, he held the gun steady underneath the center.

Pointing the gun at Gemma, Benn narrowed his eyes as his nose continued to flare upwards, his throat pulsating as his eyes began to water.

(Gemma) Oh, you're using that gun huh? I don’t understand the reason for guns, you know? They’re loud, they cause nothing but harm, and yet…

With an opening in front of her, Gemma took a couple of steps back as her legs were quaking with strength. Her legs felt a rush of adrenaline, she stopped to see Benn putting a whole round of ammo into the chamber, and after he put the cartridge into the chamber…

(Gemma) Society continues to use them.

Pushing her left leg off the blood-covered ground, the little pool of blood splattered in all directions as she made her way towards Benn. Creating little shockwaves of air, her body became one with the wind.

(Benn’s thoughts) Dammit… I don’t think I could dodge this…

Making a fist, Gemma pulled back her arm, bony and frail as she was mere inches away from Benn’s face.

A gunshot was heard.

But Gemma continued to exert her strength anyway.

The ripples of the air that was brought with her fist, slammed into Benn’s right cheekbone, his face being fully enveloped in a multitude of pure agony as the punch not only made him fall.

But it sent him flying, his body landing a few feet away from where he was at.

Despite his body being sturdy, his right cheek was bruised as the area around it started to swell. Laying on the floor that was out of the blood’s reach, Benn placed his right hand on his cheek, grinding his teeth as he felt like someone hit him with a hammer.

(Benn’s thoughts) What was that punch?

Another gunshot was heard.

(Gemma’s thoughts) Why does my body feel light? I wonder who … hmmm…

Gemma turned her head towards where Hope was, wielding a combat pistol as the smoke of the barrel continued to pile out.

The gun in Hope’s hands shook followed by the amount of unneeded sweat pouring out of her forehead and cheeks. As the dreaded body odor that leaked from her body, Hope had her eyes wide open as her chest continued to heave irregularly.

(Gemma) Come on Hope, you know you could’ve just left Benn you know? I never thought the timid girl, the girl that doesn’t like conflict and fighting, is shooting me with her gun, to save Benn of all people…

Gemma walked closer to where Hope was. Putting her hand onto her breast, Gemma noticed two holes leaking black tar from her body, the tar causing Hope to take a couple of steps back as the smell started to make its way into her nose.

Hope’s legs continued to shake, her feet barely handling the overall situation she was in. Still clutching the combat pistol, Hope placed her finger on the trigger, feeling the contents of the black metal ring.

(Gemma) Are you going to shoot again? If you were aiming for my heart, then your aim sucked. You did always have mediocre aim—

Hope pulled the trigger again, pressing the trigger three times in a row.

The three bullets traveled at a rapid speed right towards Gemma’s left chest, the bullets already making contact as Gemma…

Moved at the last second, using the middle of her chest to take in the incoming hot burning metals.

(Hope’s thoughts) W-W-W-W-W-W-W-

(Gemma) Hahaha … you think I would be taken down that easily?

The bullets that were lodged from the center of Gemma’s chest, quickly fell out, landing onto the little pool of blood on the floor. With the black tar oozing out of her chest, the tar started to pour onto the blood down below her feet, the colors mixing as it formed an eerie color.

Gemma widened her eyes, her hands shaking as she made a smug smirk towards Hope.

(Gemma) You almost got me there, didn’t expect you to have the intent to kill. So tell me Hope, how is that cute brown-haired nerd doing? Is he still hanging out with that swordswoman?

(Hope) W-W-What are you trying to say?!

Gemma then towered over Hope, her eyes hungry and full of desire as she licked her lips to moisten them. Hope, who saw Gemma in this hungry state, took a couple of steps back as her gun reached contact with Gemma’s stomach.

(Gemma) Because once I’m done with you and Benn, I’ll pay him a little visit. You know Hope, you, me, and Luna all have that same thing in common.

Instantly, Gemma pushed her right arm onto Hope’s neck, wrapping her entire frail and bony hand around her sticky neck and nape. Squeezing her neck firmly, Gemma then lifted her arm upwards, causing Hope to be lifted off the ground as her feet dangled in the air.

Pulling her right arm back slowly, Hope’s body began to move closer and closer toward Gemma, the gun that she wielded with both arms being trapped in between both of their stomachs. With her gun trapped under the meatless stomach of Gemma, Hope’s hands couldn’t make her way towards herself.

(Gemma) We both just love our men shy, timid, and weak.

Opening her mouth widely, Gemma’s hot and putrid breath launched itself onto Hope’s face, her face growing deathly pale as her eyes widened evermore.

The sounds of a heavy machine gun can be heard.

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(Gemma’s thoughts) Oh shit!

Gemma slammed Hope to the ground. Hitting the little pool floor, the smell of rotten eggs and molded cheese hit her nose like a freight train.

Quickly getting up from the ground, she noticed her entire left side of the body was covered in blood, her left hand that pushed herself off also was covered in the tint of death.

(Hope’s thoughts) Oh no! Blood is on—oh my goodness!

Meanwhile, Gemma was bombarded with the rain of heavy bullets that Benn longed to use. With no smirk present on his face, Benn’s eyes remained focused as he aimed straight at Gemma’s heart. The barrel of the gun radiated smoke and fire as the bullets continued to lodge themselves onto Gemma’s chest and stomach.

Finishing off his barrage of bullets, Benn pointed the gun down as Gemma looked downwards onto the ground, her chest and stomach riddled with tiny holes with black tar drenching down onto the ground.

(Benn’s thoughts) I don’t think I shot her heart, but maybe losing a lot of tar would probably drop her to her knees. If tar is blood to them, then doesn’t that mean they aren’t immortal? If the same logic applies, then we just have to—

Gemma’s body sprung dozens upon dozens of bullets that were all lodged in her, a rain of dead metal clinking and splattering onto the little pool of tar that came out of her. Continuing to keep her head down, her back hunched forward, steam started to come out of the regions where the bullets were originally lodged, black burning tar forming on the holes upon holes that riddled her body.

Hope, who was near Gemma,took a step back as the hot tarred steam was too much for her to take, causing her to place her head away from Gemma.

(Hope’s thoughts) She’s regenerating … Ow! The steam is too much! It’s too much!

(Benn’s thoughts) I should reload now that I have the chance. Why couldn’t I hit her heart during that barrage? Liches can’t move their own heart, can they? Unless they have some broken blessing that allows them to do it…

The heat being too much, even Benn felt his body moistening up as the white pigments of her frail body started to form again.

Spreading her arms wide, her palms faced outward as her eyes remained hungry for her dessert. Licking her lips again, this time with a look of ecstasy, Gemma’s hands started to form…

(Benn’s thoughts) Is that mist coming from her hand? Does this mean she has a blessing? Come to think of it, every lich up until now had some sort of power to them…

The mist that Gemma radiated managed to slowly cover her arms, the mist slowly making her arms seem invisible. Steadily, Gemma used her mist to cover her chest and stomach, reaching down to where even her legs and feet were at. Lastly, she started to cover her face in the mist as well.

(Gemma) Time to get frisky~

Benn’s face had beads of sweat on both temples, his stomach clenching as the smell continued to dampen his senses. His stomach gurgling violently again, Benn had no choice but to crouch down and gag out anything from his stomach.

A stomach that didn’t have anything in it.

(Benn’s thoughts) Why was I cursed with such a strong nose?

Hope started to pant as her breathing continued to heave irregularly, her eyes wide opened as the unruly sight bestowed upon her. Her hands cusping themselves together, Hope’s hands shook followed by her cheeks and face flourishing with paleness.

The mist that enveloped Genma’s entire body started to condense onto her skin, so much that Benn and Hope couldn’t see her.

Instantaneously, Gemma then started to spin, her body twisting and turning as her feet started to steam from the friction on the tar-blooded puddle on the floor.

(Benn’s thoughts) Just what is she doing? Is she going to attack us right now?

The mist then slimmed down even more, revealing Gemma’s body outline as she started to squeeze into the little mist sphere. Yet despite feeling trapped, Gemma put both her arms outwards, her arms now out of the mist armor.

(Hope’s thoughts) Benn is still gagging, so let me at least go near him.

Hope, still having her legs shaking from fear, rapidly made her way towards the area where Benn was. Running across the pool of tar and blood, her boots splattered with it as she made her way towards Benn. Placing her hands onto his arm, she put herself in the back of Benn, her head peeking out as Gemma continued to have her hands out.

(Hope) What is she going to do?

(Benn) I don’t know, but I don’t want to find out.

Turning back, Benn held Hope’s hand as he pushed his legs off the blood-ridden floor, the trickles of splatters echoing across the two-story bar. Looking back at Hope’s face, Benn’s eyes widened as he noticed far in the distance that…

Gemma stopped spinning, and her hands that held onto the armor started to quickly loosen as the wraps of the armor, the shield that covered Gemma’s condensed mist body.

Exploded.

The mist that contained Gemma’s unyielding power, managed to instantly spread across the room, traveling through every corner and inch upon the now barely visible bar.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Benn) Just hold on tight.

(Hope) How are we going to find her in this state? She has a complete advantage over us!

(Benn) Don’t worry, I’ll think.

Hope held Benn’s hand as they looked all over the bar, which they couldn’t see as the mist crowded their visibility. With no way of knowing what was in front of them, Benn’s breathing started to roar as his throat continued to create gag intervals.

With their four senses more steady, Benn closed his eyes, breathing in and out as his breaths were sort of relaxed.

(Benn’s spiritual voice) Lend me a mosquito’s vision from the roof of the bar.

Benn’s head warped instantly, as his vision darkened by the sudden change of eyes. Slowly, Benn happened to be using the mosquito's eyes for vision, looking around the bar on the top of the roof.

The mosquitoes' two eyes picked up two bodies sending off infrared light, both Benn and Hope’s bodies sending off waves of heat as the mosquito continued to look around the room.

Hope, who saw Benn relaxed and focused despite both of them being in the midst, placed her hand on his shoulder, her voice quivering as the sudden coldness of the mist was causing her body to shiver.

(Hope) Do you see her?

(Benn) Not much. I’m only seeing both of our infrared heat. Don’t tell me…

(Benn’s thoughts) Do liches not have infrared heat? They’re dead humans so it would make sense that they wouldn’t radiate body heat. Wait, then what about steam? Steam is how those liches regenerate so if steam is heat, then…

Continuing to see in the vision of a mosquito, the little insect buzzing around the top of the ceiling, Benn in his physical body turned to the direction of where his hand was being held.

(Benn) Hope. If you see Gemma, shoot her on sight.

(Hope) But what if I miss her heart?

(Benn) Even if you shoot at her body, it’ll work.

(Hope) Benn, what are you planning—

(Gemma) Sorry, but I don’t want any funny business from both of you.

Benn searched everywhere as the mosquito seemingly roamed free around the room, its eyes catching a slight heat popping out from her mouth rapidly coming towards the two infrared people.

Steadying his aim towards the incoming Gemma, Benn gripped the gun tightly as he put his finger on the trigger. Nonchalantly, Benn raised his voice gently as he turned his head towards the barely visible Hope, his throat trembling as his chest contracted.

(Benn) Gemma coming at 2 o'clock—

Benn then crouched down again, his gag reflex hitting him yet again.

(Benn’s thoughts) Why out of all times?

Turning her head slightly to the right, Hope pointed her combat pistol towards the incoming lich several feet from where they were standing, despite the mist clogging up their visibility. Her hands trembled as the grip on her gun loosened slightly at the sight of not being able to see in front of her, the mist clouding her eyes like a blindfold.

But unexpectedly, Hope remembered a line, a significant line that caused her eyes to widen.

(Gemma in Hope’s thoughts) Because once I’m done with you and Benn, I’ll pay him a little visit.

(Hope’s thoughts) She shouldn’t have talked about Luke.

Her arm steadied, and her chest stopped heaving as her finger pushed the trigger all the way. Hope’s body became one with the gun, her head having no thoughts or hesitations as the barrel lit up, six times in a row.

The bullets rained down into the barely visible mist, going into the unknown as they hit…

(Gemma) Curse you Hope!

(Benn’s thoughts) Good thing I gagged…

Barely seeing Gemma in the mist, Hope and Benn barely saw her figure as she barrelled her way towards Benn, her eyes tarshot black as the crevices of her eyelids creaked into hard wrinkles. Seeing her chest being riddled with bullet holes, Hope took in the fruits of her labor as she slowly backed away.

(Benn’s thoughts) And now for the fun part.

Placing his right hand on the grip, and his left hand in the middle, Benn turned right in the direction of where Gemma was.

(Benn’s thoughts) You shouldn’t have talked.

Feeling the roughness of the trigger, Benn pushed it, opening hell for the lich girl.

The bullets from the heavy machine gun created many holes again in Gemma’s body, her chest and stomach being riddled again as Gemma’s head arched upward.

(Gemma) No! No!

As black tar dripped not just from her chest and stomach, but from her left chest as well, Gemma collapsed as the weight of the bullets slammed her onto the ground.

(Gemma’s thoughts) Fred…

Both Benn and Hope stopped shooting and lowered their guns as they heard a loud thump, their eyes focusing amid the mist.

(Benn’s spiritual voice) Take me out of the mosquito’s vision.

Opening his eyes, Benn’s vision returned to his original body as he looked around, finding nothing but mist and smoke as his hand held Hope’s. Walking a couple of feet into the dead of the mist, Benn's boots were being drenched with tar as he walked through a puddle, and managed to hit something with his foot.

Almost tripping, Benn pulled back his foot to barely see Gemma, lying down on the dirty floor surrounded by her tar and many teenage boys’ blood.

(Hope) What have we done…

(Benn) It’s for the best Hope.

(Hope) But … we haven’t bring Gemma back to us … we couldn’t save her—

(Zompire #1) Save Us!

Benn instantly pulled back with Hope, jumping backward as he heard a familiar line. Looking around the mist, he heard many footsteps touching the helm of the puddle. It wasn’t just a pair of feet, it was like…

(Benn’s thoughts) Don’t tell me the boys that had their heads eaten by Gemma are now zompires too…

Benn’s body shook as he heard many other voices coming from the mist, their footsteps thrusting themselves toward—

(Benn) Retreat!

Clinging to Hope, Benn sprinted his bulky body in the opposite direction, not wanting to be sushi.