Heading toward the passage leading north, the rain became more potent and noticeable as they had difficulty walking up a slope with the water flowing down. The zone they had just left was being cleansed as the pit with the corpses was flooded, slowly killing the flame that served as their only light as the sky was now completely covered in dark, heavy clouds that seemed to be descending and engulfing the entire gorge. But as Crisis and the Heartaches followed Frost up a small rocky hill connected with the passage, the closer they got, the louder the gunfire and chaos grew. It was to the point where they could hear the screams and unintelligible shouting from the soldiers behind a wall they were facing, which appeared to be the last barrier between them and the turmoil found past it.
The rookies were visibly gathering courage and focus, even though all the noise around them was beginning to stress and overwhelm them. They remained composed thanks to being protected by Crisis at the front and the Heartaches at the back. But even when they were safe in the middle, their fear wasn’t leaving, as nothing could prepare them for what they found after turning the corner to reach the end of the hill. They were in the dark until they peeked at the opening of the battlefield in front of them, where there was plenty of light for them to get a good view of the fight taking place, although it looked to be too much for them to handle.
Not only was the size of the place menacing, but seeing enemies and constant carnage everywhere around them stunned the rookies and pretty much everyone else for a brief moment. They had reached the end of their path, now standing on the ledge of the hill, where they stopped to take in all they were witnessing as the battle was displayed in its full glory just a few feet below them. They were above another intersection, but it wasn’t like the narrow corridors they had traversed; it was way more spacious, though it still looked just as claustrophobic with how crowded it was.
They were still surrounded by mountains, but there was a clear path to take as they found a trail between two mountains that spread as wide as they could see. The wide pass in the middle was long, gradually rising to the very top, which was too far away for them to see. The mountains on the side were too big and steep to climb, almost taller than the one at Rysemery, so they could barely see what was found at the top. So, with the only viable path found in the middle, the team focused ahead and saw the obstacles in their way. A sturdy wooden gate covered the entrance, remaining closed to keep everyone away as the factions were found clashing right in front in what looked like another huge passage that intersected with the path ahead.
It took some time for the rookies to realize, but it became clear that they were in the heart of the gorge as this pass in front of them cut across its entirety, extending endlessly on both sides. It was the main route from the west and east, providing a direct line for antipunks and ravagers, respectively. And it looked like they were trying to use it to their advantage as both armies kept pumping soldiers from each side to take over the middle. Hundreds of troops fought outside the gate, tearing each other apart to gain control of the pass, allowing Crisis and the Heartaches to stay back at a safe distance and watch them battle in the intersection amidst the rain.
–Alright, this is it… There they are, rabid dogs and filthy rats…– Frost announced with an impish grin, not hiding his eagerness since the enemies were too busy fighting each other. The ravagers were ruthless and daring, charging in hordes to flank the line of antipunk infantry, all while having to dodge ballista bolts and catapults, which only resulted in waves of bodies dropping one after the other, all while the next in line kept pushing through, trampling their own men to push the antipunks back. While all of Crisis were amused by the slaughter, most of the rookies, including Saint, were appalled by the brutal conflict unfolding before their scared and curious eyes.
–This is probably the first shower they’ve ever taken…– Nitro quipped, trying to break some of the tense silence from the immersion, but he did not succeed at all, seeing as only Kiwy reacted with a smile while his other teammates stared derisively. But his comment did bring something to Saint’s attention, as he had to cover his head from the rain to look past both armies clashing in the middle and focus on the gate.
–Where are the omens? Weren’t they here as well?– Saint asked suspiciously, sparking curiosity in his friends and the rest of the team, especially Crisis, who couldn’t get much of a view but could still notice that no omens were present in the fight despite encountering an army of them not too long ago. The team kept watching the fight, with the Heartaches coming closer to the ledge while trying to spot another enemy faction, but it was only Crisis who managed to distinguish the omens from the rest.
–Good question… I see they have taken the gate and are probably gonna block the pass until it’s clear, but there should be more coming from the south. They are said to be already at the base, so they must have taken another route to get up there, probably past the west mountains…– Frost replied thoughtfully, staring at the gate in front of them and looking up at the left mountain, drawing everyone’s attention to the rest of the army above.
It looked like the gate was only a tall wall that blocked the entire width of the pass and wasn’t guarded well. There were only four small watchtowers on the sides, connected by a catwalk with omens on top. However, the actual gate appeared to be reinforced with rocks, spiked on each side to make it troublesome to climb, and they had mounted machine guns on the towers, ready to shoot down at anyone who got near. Seeing the size and strength of the gate prompted everyone to think of ways to penetrate it. And while some already seemed to have ideas, they weren’t too certain, and before they could give suggestions, Panda’s radio started to ring.
–Panda?... What’s your status? Over– Indie asked hesitantly, pausing repeatedly due to the shaky connection. Panda immediately handed the radio to Frost since he was the one in command now, but with the rain muffling the sound and cutting the signal frequently, he gestured for Tricky to hand him one of her devices to attach to the radio. Afterward, the connection became stable, but only slightly, so Frost focused on listening in, and despite not hearing Indie, he didn’t waste time reporting the current situation.
–We’re at the feet of the Pacific Pass. Both antipunks and ravagers are on their way. They are too many to take on, so I think we'll just have to rush through and not look back. I’m not sure where the omens are, though. I only see a few up the west side, but-...– Frost responded, almost shouting but not taking a breath to talk rapidly, though it seemed like not all of his words were coming through. For a brief moment, the gunfire and screams surrounding them started to fade right as he stopped speaking to wait for a response, but it was only because of the ambiance. The rain began drowning out everything else, alongside a strong breeze in the past that dragged the sounds of battle down the west side, so the team stepped back to be able to hear each other.
–There’s nothing pacific about this…– Chappy muttered sarcastically but was genuinely concerned as he watched the enemies below being drowned in blood and buried in mud as they were fighting around mostly dirt. But as he was also muted by the heavy rain and only Ace laughed nervously at his comment, the entire team waited eagerly for Frost’s response, though he started to worry after Indie fell silent for a few seconds.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
–Yes, they have set up a base there. They repurposed the old bunkers and stored their ammo caches and arsenal on the west mountain. We’ll see what we can do to take them out…– Indie informed with a strained voice but cleared up Frost’s doubts, nonetheless. He stopped to think about the omen base nearby, but since they had a main objective already set, he complied and only focused ahead.
–Don’t worry, we’ll just get to the base and defend it no matter what… I’ll be waiting on the backup, though…– Frost responded in a staunch but lighthearted manner, making a few people around him skeptical, including Indie.
–Didn’t you say you didn’t need it?– Indie asked with a mix of concern and distrust, to which Frost turned to his squad for a quick glance before admiring the battle in front once again with the smallest smirk.
–Well, I can’t let you miss out on the action, so you better get here quick…– Frost replied teasingly, almost smiling to himself as he heard a faint snort from the other side. He couldn’t figure out if he heard the wind instead, but his playfulness quickly vanished when Indie stopped talking, prompting him to stare at the countless enemies waiting below. For a moment, a glimmer of doubt in his eyes drew concern from his teammates, and whether it was his comment or the task at hand, they couldn’t tell. And before they knew it, he was back to his determined self, though still waiting anxiously for an answer.
–Alright, I’m counting on you. Good luck…– Indie finally replied earnestly and with some slight care, which brought optimism to Frost, but he only nodded without saying anything before ending the call. He kept staring ahead for a few seconds, which only fueled more anxiety in the team until he noticed Panda giving him a weird look as if he was taunting him for his previous comment with a suggestive smirk.
–What? You think we are going to leave anyone alive?– Frost asked provokingly, but he was only mocked back by Panda scoffing at him and turning to Candy, who also seemed slightly suspicious of him. But despite them not saying anything, Frost got the hint and tried to focus on something else, suddenly flipping his attitude to become overly courageous.
–Soooo? What are we doing? Please tell me we are blowing something up– Nitro asked curiously, now asking what everyone was thinking for once as they were becoming impatient when Frost stepped on the ledge and faced the warzone fearlessly in silence. He appeared to have something in mind already, but despite being positive towards the question, he kept quiet for a while before thinking his plan through.
–Yes, definitely. But not yet, right now we have to get through there and let the others do the rest…– Frost explained decisively, remaining collected and assertive to give clear commands but giving in to his enthusiasm for battle. However, before he could turn around to address the plan, Zayn stepped in and tried to come up with some ideas of his own.
–We can distract them while your squad sneaks up through the sides and opens the gate to us, so we-...– Zayn started suggesting, with other Heartaches backing him up and already being on board with his plan. Crisis seemed to think otherwise, though, as they all reacted indifferently, turning to Frost to give him the word, but it seemed like they only opened the discussion for everyone to have their own take.
–Can’t you use that thing to get over there? We can lure them here while you go over there and take them o-…– Ace asked Frost in a mix of excitement and shyness, but he was rudely interrupted by him without a second thought after a harsh rejection.
–You wouldn’t last a second down there…– Frost responded with a belittling stare that made Ace cower and step back, but that’s when the other rookies tried to step in with their bright ideas.
–We leave one behind as bait and just run for it…– Shade suggested mockingly as he stared at Ace, though he did get a few Heartaches and even Tricky to agree, with the latter slowly turning to Nitro with a dubious look.
–Now that might actually work…– Tricky said pensively, starting an argument with her sister and Nitro, all while Panda laughed as everyone was now trying to argue for their own idea. But as the discussion turned more into a shouting match without anyone making sense, Zoey and Saint took some time to actually elaborate a plan, and they whispered to each other during all the bickering until Chappy opened his mouth.
–Maybe we can climb the mountain and get to the high ground…– Chappy proposed impassionedly, turning ecstatic as he saw that the top of the mountains adjacent to the pass looked mostly empty. But after everyone glanced back and saw the fifty-meter climb, they all shut up and just let the disapproving silence speak for them. Chappy immediately kicked himself out of the conversation to not deal with the embarrassment, but while everyone realized their ideas were either unrealistic or too risky, Zoey urged Saint to speak his mind now that he could.
–No… We help the antipunks gain some ground and then sneak behind to steal those catapults. We can use them to destroy the gate and maybe even block their path if-…– Saint asserted, almost taking command as he stood up in the middle of the group and pointed at the targets below to make himself clear. It looked like everyone was taking him seriously, as his plan actually made sense, with even Frost listening to his instructions and seemingly agreeing. But right in the middle of his explanation, the rest of Crisis turned to Nitro, who had only grown cockier with every bad idea he heard, and as promising as Saint’s plan sounded, he cut him off without much thought.
–Nah, I know a simpler solution…– Nitro interfered with a smug attitude, stepping forward in front of Saint, almost pushing him aside to be next to Frost and take charge. The latter surprisingly allowed it, even commending his silence, while Saint just indignantly returned to his place with Zoey now that everyone was eager to see what Nitro had up his sleeve. However, while it was pretty obvious what he had in mind, the Heartaches immediately tried to deflate his ego once they saw him grab his grenade launcher.
–Is that the toy Miss Priscilla didn’t let you play with?– Ryu asked mockingly, but his sarcastic attempt to discourage Nitro failed to get the usual response from him, as he was now fully committed to the cause. Nothing seemed to bother him now, not even the fact that everyone was actually paying attention to him. He didn’t pay attention to it as he had a clear task ahead, and with only one motive at the moment, he was for once taking it seriously.
–Yes… Yes it is…– Nitro replied quietly, almost threateningly, as he gave Ryu a cold, snide stare before turning his back to him and the rest of the Heartaches. The rookies watched in awe as he calmly walked over to the ledge next to Frost and aimed his grenade launcher at the gate. A smile began forming on his face, slightly mischievous, slightly excited, but remaining focused to not fold under the pressure of everyone watching him.
Nitro tried to glance back, but that would have only thrown him off, so he kept aiming forward, adjusting his sight, and trying to raise it a couple of inches and a few degrees to the left. Finally, after locking his target, he reached for a knob on the side of the grenade chamber, turned it up to the max, took a big breath, and closed his eyes before pulling the trigger. Everyone braced themselves behind him, except Panda and Frost, who stood proudly right next to him while grabbing their weapons tightly in anticipation of the moment he shot. Nitro placed his ear close to his weapon to concentrate on the sound of his grenade charging up, heating, and glowing brighter the longer he pulled the trigger, all until his gun began shaking, prompting him to let go. And only a split second later, he fired.
| JUST QUIT YOUR BITCHING, BITE YOUR TONGUE
SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY, SON |