With no choice but to wait, all three squads were cornered in a cramped space, their sanity fraying as the enemies overwhelmed them. Instead of blocking the windows to the bunker, EchoForce left a clear line of sight to the Heartaches, who now faced the pass, leaving their backs vulnerable as they waited for the antipunks to get close enough to attack. Just as the omens were about to enter the bunker from behind, they instinctively turned to defend themselves as the enemy charged in. But the moment the omens aimed their guns and entered the antipunks’ line of sight, they were met with a barrage of bullets from their own allies. Unable to see who they were shooting at, the antipunks fired indiscriminately, and in response, the omens fired back.
The Heartaches ducked and let both groups eliminate each other, while EchoForce stayed at the sides of the entrance and avoided the stream of bullets from both directions. Seizing the opportunity, the two squads sprang into action. The rookies quickly grabbed the fallen omens’ guns and began firing back. They stayed low, aiming for the legs, helping take out the omens to lure the antipunks closer. The Heartaches followed the same strategy as they waited for the enemy to aim into the bunker. As soon as the antipunks poked their makeshift rifles inside, Ryu, Pan, Nolyn, Kayden, and Faye jumped out, snatching the weapons and using them against them while the other Heartaches kept an eye on the omens coming from the tunnels.
With their stolen weapons, both squads now had a fighting chance. Cookie took the lead, standing in the middle of the tunnel entrance with a rifle in each hand. He fired relentlessly into the dark, only seeing his targets in the brief muzzle flashes. The omens could only advance in a single line due to the tunnel’s width, and they were mowed down one by one by Cookie’s surprise assault. Meanwhile, the rookies used the rifles they had picked up to assist the Heartaches against the antipunk, securing the bunker while Tricky checked the time in anticipation of the explosion.
The antipunk army halted to aid their teammates, no longer running into the main battlefield and bringing overwhelming numbers against the Heartaches and rookies. Despite their efforts to defend the bunker, they couldn’t prevent the enemy from setting a perimeter at the pass and throwing everything they had as they pushed harder. Since they were cornered at the bunker, the only way to retreat was through the tunnels. Cookie wasn’t trying to push the omens back, only preventing them from getting in the bunker, making the rookies anxious as they could only shoot forward.
–There are too many of them!!– Chappy shouted in panic, struggling to shoot his rifle effectively with one good arm. The rookies were inexperienced with firearms, and as much as they tried to keep a steady aim, they missed many shots due to the recoil.
–Just keep shooting!!– Ace shouted back, his aim slightly better, though he still wasted a lot of ammo. The rookies tried to mimic his shooting, firing in bursts instead of spraying mindlessly, but they were burning through their ammunition either way. The Heartaches, though conserving ammo better, also lacked experience and missed most of their shots.
As the bodies piled up outside the bunker windows, more guns became available, allowing them to keep firing back. The antipunks recognized the futility of their approach and suddenly stopped shooting. The Heartaches took the opportunity to stock up on more rifles and bullets, but the enemy decided to engage in close combat instead. Caught off guard while reloading, the Heartaches gave the antipunks an opening to charge and swarm inside. A fierce melee struggle broke out, forcing everyone to drop their guns and grapple on the ground.
Cookie, realizing the enemy was inside, couldn’t turn his back on the tunnel and asked Tricky for help. She was right beside him but unsure how to help as she couldn’t pick up a rifle properly. She began throwing spare parts from her backpack at the omens in the tunnel, but it wasn’t too effective at distracting them until she found a grenade shell and scared them off momentarily. Tricky’s makeshift projectiles did little more than stall the omens, but it was long enough for Cookie to turn around, take cover at the side of the tunnel entrance, and aim at the antipunks squeezing through the windows.
Cookie couldn’t risk shooting the enemies wrestling on the ground without hitting his teammates, so he focused on blocking the way for the antipunks outside. He managed to push them back briefly before they surged forward again, now targeting him. Tricky was running out of junk to throw and began panicking, and now that Cookie wasn’t laying suppressive fire, the omens quickly charged into the bunker and surrounded the team with no way to fight back. The rookies’ whimpers, screams, and dreadful silence filled the air as they were overwhelmed from both sides. But everything fell silent when the entire bunker and the mountain they were in began to tremble.
Accepting their fate as they were surrounded at the top of the tower, Crisis braced themselves for the inevitable. The Cloudstars kept stepping back, giving the ravagers more ground until they reached the roof, where they had more space to attack in mass. But Saint wasn’t ready to surrender. Mustering the last of his strength, he grabbed Dominion, stood up, and approached Crisis, attempting to pull Panda away so he could address everyone. His yells went unheard until he squeezed into the tight circle the squad formed, managing to separate them and forcefully grabbing their attention.
–What are you doing?? We ought to keep fighting! Can’t you see we’re so close?– Saint shouted, his voice raw with rage. His teammates turned to him with indifferent expressions, trying to calm him despite his frustration.
–It’s okay, you don’t have to… Just come here and-..– Candy responded soothingly, reaching out to hug him. But Saint, unwilling to succumb to their despair, shoved her away aggressively, startling the nearby Cloudstars and making even Frost hesitate.
–NO! We got this! Who cares about backup? We can do this by ourselves!– Saint continued to yell, his hostility now directed at each Crisis member in an attempt to provoke them into action. He managed to convince Panda and Frost to reconsider their situation, but half the squad had already given everything they had.
–You’ve lost it…– Nitro replied with a nervous chuckle, discouraging Saint momentarily upon noticing the distant stares from his teammates. He almost dropped his sword, but a quick reconsideration fueled his determination.
–No, you all don’t see it… I thought you would fight till the end… What about protecting others at all cost??– Saint argued, adopting a judgmental and almost spiteful tone. His breath quickened, his face reddening like his sword as it briefly glowed before dimming, his energy too depleted to sustain it. His arms were too heavy to lift, but despite lacking the strength to fight for himself, Saint doubled down and used the last of his energy to scream and plead for a change of heart.
Crisis, however, remained unconvinced. They were apprehensive and avoided looking at him, guilt beginning to set in. They realized they were letting him down but couldn’t find the will to act. Doubt spread among them as they exchanged stares, but before they could resign themselves, Frost had a spur of the moment idea. His demeanor suddenly sharpened, becoming resolute once more, finding the strength to hold true to his words, and giving Saint a humble nod before taking charge.
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–He’s right, it’s not over yet. We’ll fight our way out of here…– Frost declared with a dutiful stare, silencing any dissent. He stubbornly ignored signs of disapproval or negotiation and began formulating a plan to escape alive, or at least try. Saint’s tenacity had rekindled his fighting spirit, and the rest of Crisis tried to gather their courage to stand up and listen, knowing they would be convinced by force otherwise.
–Panda, keep them busy. Get ready to push forward… Kiwy, on me…– Frost ordered with conviction and an increasing thirst for action. While not sharing his enthusiasm, Panda immediately followed his command, struggling to lift his shield but adopting his defensive stance. The rest of the team stayed close behind him as they headed to the front line to confront the ravagers. Frost and Kiwy took a different path, heading to the edge of the tower, planning to reach the lower one in front. The Cloudstars, noticing their formation, cleared the way for Panda and Crisis to begin their fight for survival.
As midnight approached, the entire battlefield was disrupted by an event that instantly shifted the attention of all parties involved. Crisis was preparing to make their move, the omens were readying a massive charge against the ravagers to take over the base after taking down their heavy artillery, EchoForce and the Heartaches were on the verge of being slaughtered in the bunker, and the Cloudstars were giving up on protecting their base to prioritize their safety. Among the various adversities and struggles, they were all suddenly shocked by a distant rumble.
No matter how far away they were, everyone felt the shockwave from the top of the left mountain, previously housing the provisional omen base. Deep within, out of sight from most soldiers, Tricky’s EMD had finally detonated successfully after the omens’ attempt to disarm it only delayed it. Their mistake triggered the explosion, causing a massive detonation right next to half their army. The explosion’s impact instantly changed the landscape of the gorge. The entire base disappeared in a flash, engulfed by an immense fireball that rose to the top of the mountain, eradicating everyone nearby from the intense heat even before the full force of the blast hit.
The initial explosion expanded to a size visible across the entire gorge, gaining energy as it fed on everything it absorbed in its path until it was strong enough to blow away the surrounding fog and clear much of the sky. The top section of the mountain was obliterated, consumed by the blast centered at the omen base. Though the explosion’s epicenter was closer to the mountain’s back, sparing the edge facing the pass where EchoForce and the Heartaches were located, the aftermath was catastrophic as it created a chain reaction that trickled all throughout the battlefield.
The omen army was marching towards the battlefield up the west route when they were caught by the collapse of the mountain’s backside. Massive chunks of rock broke off, triggering a landslide that forced the omens to flee for their lives. The west route was entirely blocked as the mountain’s top side crumbled onto the advancing units. Nearly half of their army was crushed before even entering the battlefield, trapping those who managed to reach the Cloudstar base between the mountains and the ravager army ahead.
The ravagers at the east side, unaffected by the explosion, were elated to see their enemies decimated. Despite losing their teammates at the mountain’s summit, they charged at the now-limited omen soldiers already chanting victory. They only needed to pick off any remaining omens to secure a strong perimeter around the Cloudstar base. Inside the headquarters, the ravagers shifted their focus to defend the first floors, preventing the omens from advancing further. In response, the antipunks had to rush through the pass to aid their allies before they were all slaughtered by the ravagers.
With fewer enemies to face and the focus shifting away from them, Crisis and the Cloudstars seized the opportunity to make their move. Panda led the charge down the main tower’s staircase, pushing aside any ravager in their path. Inspired by the squad’s plan, the Cloudstars regained hope, following suit and fighting to reclaim ground bit by bit until every threat was purged. Meanwhile, Frost and Kiwy leapt to the third tower, facing south, catching the ravagers by surprise as they turned their backs to focus on the omens.
Frost and Kiwy mindlessly slashed through the crowded corridors while trying to scope out the lower floors, but they focused their efforts on clearing a path for the rest of the team. The south wing, dominated by ravagers, and the north wing, controlled by omens, converged at the central hall, where Crisis and the Cloudstars were heading. Gradually, they cleared the staircases on both towers, with the Cloudstars growing stronger with each enemy defeated. Frost and Kiwy were ahead and reached the second floor but continued clearing space as Crisis returned to the roof to look outside, stunned by the sight that had granted them their chance.
–YES! SHE DID IT!– Nitro exclaimed excitedly as he stared at the massive smoke cloud rising from the left mountain. The entire top section was obliterated, and the landslide had reached as far as the southwest corner, making the antipunks think twice before leaving the pass to join the battle.
Taking a moment on the second-floor balcony, Crisis admired the destruction caused by Tricky, their faces reflecting a mix of pride and relief at EchoForce’s success. Candy, in particular, seemed overjoyed by her sister’s achievement, her smile unwavering despite the chaos around them. Though uncertainty about Tricky’s escape lingered, the urgency to help the Cloudstars in their descent propelled them forward. Joining forces, now properly equipped and eager to shed blood, they fought through hordes of enemies. Despite their low numbers, they became unstoppable with Crisis at the helm, as they weren’t battling out of need but driven by the hope of seeing Tricky and the rest of the team safe.
At the bunker, the explosion shook the entire structure, causing it to begin collapsing. EchoForce and the Heartaches, while aware of their circumstances, could only cower to protect themselves from the falling debris. But as their enemies were caught in confusion and fear, they took advantage of the chaos to flee. The antipunks at the pass moved on and rushed to back up their allies, but the omens in the tunnels quickly gave chase after the team. Barely escaping through the small windows, EchoForce and the Heartaches made it out just as the tunnels and small bunker within the mountain crumbled, crushing everyone else still inside.
There was no time to catch their breath. The dust cloud from the collapsing bunkers filled the pass, and the lingering sounds of the mountain falling apart drowned out the screams and cries of those caught in the collateral damage. The team used this temporary cover to run past the antipunk army, with the Heartaches heading down the right side of the pass to reassume their positions. EchoForce, however, torn between retreating and seeking out Crisis at the base, hesitated until the dust began clearing.
The team found themselves once again surrounded by antipunks. The majority of the army had passed by them, but some of them, already on edge, turned around to attack on sight. With no other choice, EchoForce was forced to run down the pass with the Heartaches, dodging bullets with no protection. The barrage seemed inescapable, and with the entire left side of the bunkers having collapsed, they couldn’t go back into hiding. They ran blindly, not realizing they were heading straight into another army as they looked back to predict the enemy’s aim.
The massive battalion approached rapidly, their superior gear and weapons glinting ominously in the dim light, resembling another wave of omens ready to cut everyone down.
It seemed like another insurmountable threat ready to cut everyone down. Fresh and eager for battle, this force had the potential to decisively tip the scales, given the current circumstances and each faction’s condition. EchoForce and the Heartaches, bracing themselves for yet another desperate fight, felt the weight of their exhaustion and fear at the mere sight of another faction joining to steal the victory from those who fought all night. However, as they prepared for the worst, the team noticed something different about this approaching battalion. In a sudden wave of relief, they realized these were not enemies but true allies. The New Saviors had arrived, coming to their rescue the moment they needed it most.
| FLY! FAR AWAY DON’T LET THE WORLD PASS YOU BY
LIVE! FOR THE DAY WEN WE MUST STAND AND SURVIVE
NOW WE FACE THE JUDGEMENT DAY OUR SOULS WILL FEEL THE PAIN
NEAR THE SCREAMS OF MY WORLD THROUGH THE RAIN |