(Harold) My turn!

Another lich popped out from the driver's side of the van, its white pigmented body barreling towards Luke and Miles as its eyes honed not at Miles, but at…

(Luke) Miles! Use your shield!

With a quick nod under Luke’s command, Miles extended both his arms in front of him, using his rigid shield that was in his right wrist to sprout out towards Luke. The shield transforming to that of a normal wall shield, the shield instantly teleported towards Luke’s direction, as if it was moved at light speed by the user’s declaration.

The lich, seeing in front of him the fast shield popping out of nowhere in front of Luke, had no choice but to slam his body onto the blue shield, his entire body and face squeezing itself.

(Harold) Come out of theeerrre! I got a supprrrriiiise for you!

Having the palm of his bony hands placing itself onto the blue shield, Harold’s face was made into a goofy one as he tried to push his way onto Luke, but with no avail.

Miles, his legs slowly starting to feel numb as his blessing was getting the better of him, started to sweat profoundly from his left and right temples. His arms slowly started to fall to the ground, he began to dent the metal with the way his feet were steadied, his heels stabbing the roof of the van.

(Miles) pants … Don’t let him get you!

(Harold) Oh, what an absolute joy the two of you are! Can’t you guys just fight like normal men!? The way men are supposed to fight!?

Pulling back his face from the shield, he turned his head towards where Miles was, the wind blowing against his light black hair that was on the edges of his forehead. Noticing that the blue shield started to lose its blue radiance, Harold let go of his right hand that was placed on the shield, placing it up high up to the sky.

Both noticing Harold’s hand, they all focused their attention on the weird stance that Harold was doing, his legs spread out as he had his face looking high on the orange smoke sky that plagued the city.

(Harold) Then again, I’m not a man, just a shell of it.

Harold then spoke in a low tone, his voice dark and sundered as if the entire aura around him completely changed to that of a middle-aged man.

(Harold) Hallowing of Lupus.

Despite his voice and stature being that of a teenage boy, his aura for that one single moment was enough to straighten both Luke and Miles’s backs, gulping loudly as their throats were parched with thirst.

And then…

(Luke’s thoughts) What is that sound?

Luke turned his head towards the direction of the sound, the sound being in the back of the van. Squinting his eyes into the darkness in front of him, he saw the pounding of dust on the highway pavement in front of him, a group or pack of animals chasing after them.

Opening his mouth softly, he put his right hand onto the helm of his right eye, covering it as he noticed the familiar animals that were after him.

(Luke’s thoughts) Oh come on … wait … why are they coming now? Weren’t they in back of us the entire time?

The undomesticated bloodthirsty wolves smelled the two men on top of the van. Drool and saliva sprouted from their mouths, causing Luke to turn his head towards Miles.

(Luke) Get your weapons ready, Miles!

(Harold) Stop being a snitch, you bastard!

Harold started to bang on the blue shield, his hands pounding the wall that started to cause Miles to let out many droplets of sweat that trickled down onto the metal floor. With each bang that Harold reverberated on the shield, his legs began to feel more numb and his breathing began to become rapid.

(Miles) Luke! I can’t take it anymore!

(Luke) Just wait a little longer!

Withdrawing his arms towards him, the blue light that emitted from his hands ceased to exist, the weight of his legs loosening as his breath returned to normal. With the shield being withdrawn…

(Harold) Hehe, you’re mine!

Thrusting himself towards Luke, he pushed his bare feet against the metal of the van, extending his hands outwards as he eyed Luke’s throat. His eyes sharpened towards the brown-haired boy, Harold clenched his jaw shut, his fingernails sharpening at the sight of Luke’s youthful and pretty face.

In slow motion, Harold was about to make contact with Luke’s throat, his fingertips and nails slightly touching Luke’s Adam’s apple. In one small push, Harold could’ve ended Luke easily, but…

Luke dodged it.

Arching his back to his very limits the fingernails and hands that were about to lodge into his throat merely missed him by a couple of millimeters.

(Harold’s thoughts) What the fuck?!

With the balls of his feet pressuring into the van, Luke had both of his hands motionless on the ground. His hands formed into fists as his face and Harold’s face were grazing upon each other in the slow motion of time. And with his fists, he raised them upward to where Harold’s stomach was, his feet on the verge of slipping.

(Luke’s thoughts) I just hope this is enough.

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Expanding his slim muscles on both of his arms, Luke punched Harold’s frail stomach as hard as he could, his knuckles touching the cold skin of the boy. Hemanaged to raise Harold’s body not much, but just enough for him to be carried out of the van itself.

(Harold) Damn it you!

Luke’s feet that were holding him down firmly weren’t enough to keep him up.

The world now in present motion, Luke fell as his body rested on the metal roof of the van except for his head. The blowing air bursted against his face as he had his head looking up.

(Jack) Just to let you guys know! We’re heading into the McLain Tunnel!

Miles turned his head to where Jack shouted, as Jack’s hands were still edged onto the wheel as he thrust the engine to its very limits. Pushing the pedal to the metal, his hands continued to remain sweaty as he saw the pitch-black tunnel getting nearer, and from the right of him, was the brownish-ginger-haired elf on the side of the van.

(Jack) Get inside Stan!

(Stan) I’m trying but I can’t reach the passenger! Also, Miles and Luke were busy dealing with Harold!

Miles walked to the passenger side of the van and looked down, his eyes seeing the still clinging Stan as he remained still so that he wouldn't fall off. Crouching down, Miles had his knees on the edge of the van, gripping the edge with his left hand for stability.

Extending his right hand, he placed it on top of Stan’s head, his palm wreaked with sweat as his eyes remained focused on the man looking up at him.

(Miles) Here, let me help you up.

With a silent nod in agreement, Stan extended his right hand upward, clutching onto Miles’s hand. Using all of his right arm’s strength, his muscles bulging from the pull upward, he slowly and carefully pulled Stan to the top of the van’s roof, with Stan having his arms and knees holding his body up as the air around them started to loosen.

Turning their heads to the tunnel that was starting to get nearer, the rushing air that pelted their faces now becoming nonexistent, Miles motioned his body still, his body feeling the familiar air that he felt long ago…

(Miles’s thoughts) How long ago was it when I was in a tunnel?

But that question soon sunsetted quickly, as an animal lunged itself at the three men that were too busy looking at the tunnel.

Turning his head, Luke first noticed the presence of the animal behind him, a hearing of a reverb service bell dwelling inside of his heart as he saw the bloodthirsty creature bearing its sharp teeth. Opening his eyes wide to the sight of the wolf about to lunge onto the roof of the van, Luke glanced his eyes toward the two other men near the front end of the van.

(Luke) Hey, we got a wolf!

Both men turned their heads in the direction of Luke’s shout, noticing that the jumping wolf’s trajectory was right towards the center of the roof of the van they were standing on. Pulling their weapons out, the men managed to pull them out just in time as the wolf smoothly landed, and in an instant.

All three men focused fire at the wolf, filling it with lead as the bullets landed themselves all over the black wolf’s body.

Their bodies shook with intensity as they shot the wolf without hesitation, their hands shaking from the brittle shockwaves of the recoil of their rifles and shotguns. Finally putting their pointer fingers out of the trigger of their guns, they all took a breath in as tar poured out of the wolf, an unfamiliar sight to their eyes.

(Luke’s thoughts) Wait a minute…

Luke turned his head to the left of him, only to find…

(Luke) Uh, Miles…

(Miles) Yeah? Oh … uh Stan?

(Stan) Yeah? Oh … uh Jack?

(Jack) Yeah? Oh … uh Luke?

(Luke) Yeah?

(Jack) It’s been nice knowing y’all.

With the four men, even Jack included as he looked through his side mirror, saw dozens upon dozens of wolves lunging themselves in the air, their trajectory being…

(Luke, Miles, Stan) Oh damn.

And as soon as they saw the wolves, their vision darkened, the tunnel that was edging near earlier was now being plowed into by the brown van.

______________________________________________________________________________

(Solmonath 28, 56 / 6:48PM)

On the day that Ticia fell.

(Speaker) And now let’s turn our attention to our beloved sons!

Many male teens awaited inside the dark and fresh air tunnel, feeling the grizzly cold air blowing at their faces as their ears heard the sounds of clapping and shouting. The tall male teen in the front, a teen with a dark-skin tone and medium-length light black hair, held in his right hand, a brown helmet.

Sweat started to drip down onto the stone floor, the echoes of the audience's shouts and screams plowing through the small compacted tunnel.

(Speaker) These boys are the shining light in our little country town!

All of the teens gripped the helmets with their right hands, their eyes focusing on the light that shone at them from the front. The teen in the front turned his head towards the other male teens wearing black jersey uniforms and football gear.

Putting his right hand in the air, his arms showcased his burly shoulder and arm, having all his team’s attention as he stood tall.

(???) It’s time!

(Speaker) They have secured themselves as the Tundra’s champions of Kepputha! With this game being their last!

Putting his right hand down, he quickly strapped on his brown helmet with ease, hearing the click from underneath his chin as his forehead started to sprout out beads of sweat. Following his example, the other teens as well strapped on their helmets, as the sounds of clicking vibrated the tunnel, making an echo across the old aluminum walls.

Rubbing his hands with his gloves put on, the teen’s hands started to tremble, causing him to put his hands onto his sides.

(Speaker) You know them! You love them! Please give them a thunder of applause to our mighty football champions, The Bruins!

The roar of applause rocked the stadium, followed by the noise shaking the thin walls of the tunnel. With their cue now in place, the teen in the front led them outward, jogging out of the fresh tunnel as they made their way onto the grassy field.

And out in the field was a massive audience filled with many people, as families, teens, kids, seniors, adults, and couples, all filled the seats of the stadium. As the audience had their eyes on their hometeam coming out of the small aluminum tunnel, the cheers around the field started to dawn on them spiritually.

The teen leading the team saw an overweight man wearing a black fluffy jacket holding a wooden clipboard, their legs jogging towards the man across the field. Jogging in full gear, it was pretty soon that they all managed to get right in front of the man, their faces inside of their helmets blocking their facial expression.

As the man had his eyes focused on the team beforehand, the man set his clipboard down, his body shifting towards the boys in front of him.

(Coach) Alright boys. Just remember like I said in the locker rooms. Do your best, try your hardest, and you’ll never lose. Do I make myself clear boys?

(Football Team) Yes coach!

(Coach) And Miles…

The coach stumbly walked forward to the frontman, or rather the quarterback of the team that was in front of everyone. His breathing was loud as his chest upheaved irregularly, the coach softened his eyes at the dark-skinned teen, giving the teen a gentle nod.

(Coach) Be the best man you could be.

(Miles) Got it, sir.

(Miles’s thoughts) And I’ll beat the enemy no matter what…