Staring down the monstrous creature, time seemed to stretch into an eternity. Every instinct in my body screamed at me to run, to flee from the unholy beast. But my legs felt frozen in place, my gaze locked with the monster's abhorrent eyes floating around on antennae stalks.
The thing shrieked again, its call cutting through the chilling silence. My heart pounded in my chest like a wild drum, my breath coming out in ragged gasps as the creature started towards us, its multiple legs clicking on the concrete.
"Run!" Black Star finally yelled, breaking me out of my stupor.
We bolted.
The once quiet streets echoed with the sounds of pursuit. Behind us, the monstrous moth creature gave chase, its hideous shrieks amplified by the chorus of other hellish cries in the distance. There was no doubt about it - we'd been found out. And now, we were being hunted.
We darted down the streets, making as many turns as we could to lose our pursuers. My legs burned and my lungs ached with the strain of sprinting, but there was no time to slow down or rest. Each glance over my shoulder revealed the terrifying sight of the moth monster, flanked by an ever-growing horde of hideous, staggering figures that seemed to pour from the buildings around us.
Zombies. Zombies by the boatload. More and more of them appeared, stumbling out of the ruined shops and shattered apartment buildings. Their ghastly snarls filled the air, a chorus of horror that echoed through the deserted streets.
Black Star was a few steps ahead, his lithe figure dodging around debris with an agility that was both impressive and infuriating. I wished I had his confidence, his fearlessness. But all I had was fear and the haunting image of Twilight Aster, waiting for us back at the shelter. I couldn't afford to slow down, not for a moment.
Danny, Noah, and Leo were behind me, their heavy boots thudding against the pavement. Their faces were set in grim determination, their shotguns held in ready stances. Despite their bravery, I could see the fear in their eyes, reflected in the garish glow of the monstrous moth creature. None of us had taken an excessive amount of medicine. Just whatever we could each pack into a small backpack. But, it was just enough to be encumbering.
"We've gotta lose them!" Leo shouted, looking back at us over his shoulder.
Easier said than done. The network of alleyways and streets we were threading through seemed to only draw more of these hellish creatures toward us. Every corner we turned, every doorway we passed seemed to spawn another creature, their decaying forms a grotesque parody of the people they once were.
The corners of my vision blurred as adrenaline surged through my veins. I was only vaguely aware of Black Star at my side, his breath coming out in ragged gasps matching my own. I was scared, terrified even, but there was no time for it now. Fear and panic was a luxury we couldn't afford.
"Left!" Danny barked, leading us around a sharp corner and into another dark alleyway. The narrow path would slow down the swarm, at least for a while, but the moth creature could probably fly over it.
Panic gripped me as we reached a dead end, a chain-link fence blocking our path. I skidded to a halt, my heart sinking in despair as the distant echoes of the monstrous horde grew louder and closer.
“Shit! What do we do?!” I shouted in fear.
“Gee, I don’t know. Are you a Magical Knight or what?!” Black Star shouted back in frustration.
Oh. Right. Yeah. Um.
I raised a hand and summoned my Luminary Beam, a radiant light emitting from my palm. I could feel the magic pulsating within me, a sensation that was both exhilarating and terrifying. This was a power I barely understood, a power that was suddenly thrust upon me. A power that, right now, was our only hope.
I aimed at the fence and released the beam. The force was so strong it nearly knocked me off balance, but I held firm. The Luminary Beam cut through the fence like a hot knife through butter. There was a sharp clanging sound as the links fell apart, leaving a gaping hole for us to pass through.
"Move!" Danny shouted, his voice slicing through the ringing in my ears.
I didn't need to be told twice. Clutching my bag of supplies tighter, I sprinted forward, the others hot on my heels. Behind us, the monsters' ghastly shrieks echoed through the alleyway, their chilling sounds intensifying the raw fear that was pumping through my veins.
The three firefighters unleashed bursts of gunfire at our pursuers, buying us some precious seconds to make our escape. The echo of the shots was deafening, adding to the chaos and urgency of the situation.
One moment we were in the grimy alleyway, the next we were bursting out onto an open street, the morning sun casting long, harsh shadows across the deserted pavement. Every nerve was on edge, every sound making my heart jump.
We raced across the street, but not before I threw a glance over my shoulder. The monstrous moth creature soared above the buildings, leading a swarm of zombies in pursuit. I swallowed hard, pushing my legs to move faster.
Black Star ran beside me, his gaze fixed ahead. For all his sarcasm and flippant attitude, I was grateful for his presence. His grit was infectious and it helped keep my mind focused on our objective.
"We need a Plan B!" Danny huffed, catching up with us. "We'll lead the monsters straight to the station at this rate!!"
I didn’t reply, couldn’t reply, the pounding of my heart and labored breath stole my words. Black Star glanced back, an edge of concern seeping through his typical cocksure facade. His voice sounded like it came from miles away, barely audible over the rush of adrenaline ringing in my ears.
"We split up," he declared. "Two groups, confuse them, then meet back at the station."
Danny looked like he wanted to protest, his brows furrowed and lips pressed into a grim line, but he bit back his argument. He glanced at Noah and Leo and nodded.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“Sienna and I will lead them away. You guys head back straight and get Twilight Aster treated with the supplies you have," Black Star said, pulling me to the side.
Danny hesitated, obviously not keen on the idea of leaving us behind. "Are you sure..."
"We'll be fine, Daddy Danny. It's not like it's our first run-in with these things. We have a hat trick or two that should work," Black Star reassured him, attempting to keep his tone light, but the fear was visible in his eyes. I nodded, trying to look more confident than I felt.
After a moment, Danny agreed, his hand heavy on my shoulder. "Be safe. We'll see you back at the station."
And then, they were gone, sprinting down a side alley while Black Star and I veered to the left, drawing the attention of the pursuing horde.
“Yoohoo! Over here, uglies!” Black Star shouted as the first zombies rounded a corner.
Our breaths came in ragged gasps, each pounding footstep a desperate plea for survival. The buildings around us blurred into a streak of grays and browns as we fled.
The streets were a maze of abandoned vehicles and debris, each twist and turn a gamble. But Black Star guided us with an uncanny sense of direction, leading us deeper into the city and away from the fire station.
The monstrous moth creature shrieked above us, the terrible sound filling the air. I could hear the swarm of zombies closing in, their growls and roars a cacophony of dread. But the fear was drowned out by the pounding of my heart and the single, all-consuming thought in my head.
Run.
And so, we ran. Past abandoned shops and houses, through more narrow alleyways and over fallen fences. Every turn we took was an attempt to lose our pursuers, to confuse them and delay them enough to find a way out.
The dawn’s light was a harsh, stark illumination on the scene of decay that had consumed the city. The buildings loomed overhead, their battered facades casting eerie shadows that played tricks on our adrenaline-filled minds. My breath hitched in my chest every time a sheet of tattered newspaper rustled or when a rattle echoed from the direction we'd come from.
This city, once bustling with life, was now a nightmarish labyrinth, its once familiar turns now foreign and threatening. Time and space twisted in a grotesque dance as we dashed through an abandoned playground, past boarded up stores, and over an upturned delivery truck.
“Hold up a sec,” Black Star rasped, skidding to a halt. I followed suit, my breaths coming out in short gasps. He doubled over, his hands on his knees as he panted, a sheen of sweat on his forehead catching the cruel morning light.
“Tired already?” I chided, despite being just as out of breath. My legs felt like lead, every muscle screaming for a respite we couldn't afford in spite of the significant bump to my constitution. “This is your plan, remember?!”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t remind me,” he retorted, leaning against the graffiti-ridden wall of a closed electronics store. His gaze flitted back the way we came, eyes narrowed.
We were in what used to be a bustling city square. The once vibrant area now lay in ruin. Abandoned cars littered the roads, their windows shattered and doors hanging open. Patches of dried blood marred the worn cobblestone ground, a haunting reminder of yesterday's horror.
“Sienna, You can still do your light trick to hide us and make clones and stuff, yeah?”
I nodded, glancing at the dilapidated clock tower at the edge of the square. “Yeah, I think so. Luminary Mirage, right?”
His eyes were on the clock tower, too, but then he turned to me, giving a weak thumbs up. “Right. Luminary Mirage. It's gonna be showtime, Sienna.”
I swallowed hard, casting a glance back the way we’d come. “Here? Are you sure?”
“No, but it's the best shot we got,” he shrugged, managing to look nonchalant despite the situation. “We’ll lure them here, you cast your Luminary Mirage, and we use the confusion to book it back to the fire station.”
“Okay…” I agreed, trying to push down the fear rising in my throat.
“Hey, look at me.” I turned to Black Star, my heart pounding as he stared at me, his gaze serious and intense. “You can do this. You're a freaking Magical Knight. These ugly mugs have got nothing on you."
I took a deep breath, nodding. His words were a reassurance against the tide of panic that threatened to overtake me. I had no idea how I was supposed to do this, but I was going to try. For Twilight Aster, for Danny, Noah, Jacob, Jennifer, and Leo. And for Black Star.
And I was going to live to find that damned goof Albert too.
I just hoped there was still an Albert for me to find and go back to.
As Black Star ran around the square, drawing the attention of the monstrous moth creature and the zombie horde, I lifted my hands, channeling my power. I could feel it building, a surge of energy that radiated from deep within me. I concentrated, picturing multiple versions of us, illusions to confuse and distract our pursuers.
And then, I let it out. The Luminary Mirage burst forth, filling the square with brilliant, blinding light. As the light subsided, the square was filled with our mirages, running in every direction, creating chaos and confusion.
The zombies snarled and lunged, passing harmlessly through my illusions as a dozen of us took off into the nearby streets.
In the meantime, Black Star and I used the opportunity to slip away, sprinting towards the back exit of the square. The undead horde was momentarily distracted, chasing after our duplicates while we disappeared down a side street. I spared a quick glance back, hoping our ruse had worked.
It had. For now.
Just as we were about to turn a corner, Black Star pulled me back, pointing upward as we hid underneath some scaffolding. The moth creature was hovering above, scanning the area with its hideous eyes. Its shrill shriek echoed through the air as it noticed the identical figures running amok. Then, it flew off in the opposite direction of the Fire Station.
“Whew. I’d say that went pretty well, all things considered,” Black Star muttered, a small grin playing on his lips despite the looming threat.
We pushed on, the worn pavement under our feet a stark reminder of our grueling escape. Yet, as we neared the fire station, a new wave of fear gripped me. The thoughts came out of the blue, but they were intrusive and I couldn’t shake it off.
What if another one of those faceless things snuck in the bunker with Albert? The upstairs area had been overrun. What if those monsters figured out a way to get into the basement? What about all our respective families? What if they… what if we…
“Stop overthinking, Sienna,” Black Star interrupted my spiraling thoughts, his voice firm. “We did our part. They firefighters will do theirs. We just gotta get back and help Twilight Aster.”
The rest of our journey back was a blur. My mind was focused on one thing - getting back to the fire station. And when we finally saw the familiar building looming ahead, relief washed over me.
The firefighters were at the front, their faces lit up with relief as they saw us. Jennifer quickly ushered us in, her gaze falling on the small bag of supplies in my hand.
"Thank God you're okay," she murmured, taking the bag from me. "We were so worried…"
Black Star simply patted her on the shoulder, offering a smug grin. "Worry not, Nurse Jenny. Your knights in shining armor have returned!"
We were safe. For now. But as I looked out at the still dangerous city, I couldn't help but think of Albert, my family, and the world as we knew it. Gone.
Seeing my desolation, Black Star dropped a line that would have made me roll my eyes on any other day.
"Hey, at least it's not a school day, right?"
But that did cheer me up, just a bit.