The ruins of Washington weren’t as decrepit as Victor had remembered them. There were many less blockaded roads, and he could actually find a path through. That didn’t mean they could be hasty though.

They’d parked a Tesla they’d rode all the way to the outskirts of the city. Victor and the rest had changed out their socks and blemished clothing for the road ahead, throwing it away to lose the weight.

Once inside of Washington proper, they’d stuck to alleys and shops, working across the city until they reached the orphanage. It was in this endeavour that someone finally noticed them.

It was a simple Metamorph they’d forgotten to account for. It sucked in breath— not to scream— but to create bubbles. Those bubbles would pop louder than a megaphone and alert people to their position.

Amadeus raised his hand to fire at the Metamorph before it could get it off, but Victor grabbed it Victor pointed his other palm towards the Metamorph and a sword fired off from his skin, impaling the creature. Lillie ran in and encased it in light, crushing it into a cube.

In but a few moments, they let out a collective sigh and lowered their guard.

“I didn’t see that one coming, sorry,” Lillie said.

“It’s fine. Come on,” Amadeus replied, moving past her and closer towards the orphanage.

Victor stopped him again with a hand on the shoulder.

“Your lightning is too loud. You should be more careful,” Victor advised, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“Yeah, whatever. Get off, man,” he shrugged, but Victor’s hand stayed on. Amadeus sighed and stood straight in front of him. “What now?”

“Am, if something happens in there, and you don’t find what you’re looking for, can I count on you to keep it together until we get out of the city?” Victor asked.

“I… I can’t promise that, Vic.”

“Heh, at least you’re honest,” Victor said, then continued along with Amadeus.

When they reached it, the orphanage yet still stood. But it wouldn’t for much longer. A window broke, and out fell another Metamorph. It relayed a few orders in bubble-speak and turned to run back up the stairs.

Before it could take the first step, Amadeus calcified its chest. He ran forward and jumped up to the window as Victor followed.

Lillie created steps for them so they didn’t have to jump as high, reaching into the room to see it filled with chaos. Two young brown children who looked to be twins were hiding behind a pudgy blonde haired teenager. A gauntleted hand held a shortsword while his other hand hung limp beside him.

Crowding around the three of them was a dozen Metamorphs, all Basic but dangerous in the face of them all.

“Am!” the pudgy boy shouted in relief when he spotted his big brother. The Metamorphs turned their headless bodies towards Am, who was charging up a ball of lightning.

In an instant, arcs of lightning shot out from the sphere and destroyed the Metamorphs while leaving the children untouched. When all was said and done, Amadeus was the only one standing with a scowl on his face.

Victor and Lillie had barely even made it up to the window by then.

Amadeus rushed over to the orphans and wrapped them all in a hug so tight it bordered on suffocation.

“Jared, Max, Minnie, I’m so glad you’re all alright!” Amadeus only stopped the bear hug when he noticed Jared patting him on the back feverishly.

“Sorry! You guys good?” he said, looking them over like a concerned parent. He looked at the cut on Jared’s arm and furrowed his brow.

“Oh! I’ve got something for that!” Lillie offered. She ran over and brought out medical supplies from her bag.

Victor didn’t know how to introduce himself. He awkwardly shuffled up next to Lillie and stared in amazement at the kids. They were really alive now, right before him. it wasn’t a mirage or an illusion, but the real deal. Or so he hoped. But if Lillie didn’t raise any alarm bells, then that was good enough for him.

“I don’t think I’ve mentioned these three before, have I, Vic? Well they’re-”

“No need. Think I already know.”

And boy did he. Ten years of stories before he could see the real deal. It was a wonder putting a face to those names he’d heard repeated on end.

“But where are the rest?” Victor asked. At that, Jared’s mood darkened and he clenched his gauntleted hand.

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“T-they took them. Yvette, Jaune, Tiffany, all of them… I hid out in the city, but when I came back to get some things they’d set a trap and I… I fell right into it,” Jared replied. He’d begun tearing up a little. Victor thought that the kids would join in loudly, but somehow their quiet whimpers were worse to him.

Amadeus wrapped him in another hug as Lillie finished her bandaging. She shot a quick smile to the twins and ruffled their hair, but they remained insensate.

“Where did they take them?” Amadeus asked.

“I…into the portal. They just up and vanished. B-but I heard some of the Vintarics say he was going to kill them. I thought I could go in there and… rescue them,” he said it as if he was embarrassed by the fact. “I’m so sorry, Am. I’m sorry,” he repeated.

Amadeus smiled at the little guy. “Nothing wrong with that, Jared. You were brave, you should be proud!” He then looked over at Victor.

“I know what you’re going to ask, Am.”

“I know you’re looking for your own family, Vic. I can’t ask you to choose mine over them,” Amadeus replied.

“You won’t have to, Am. Because I’m not going to let either die,” Victor said. “Now let’s go find a safe place for the kids so we can rescue the others,” he added.

“I heard there were others in the city. I-I don’t know where though,” Jared said. He dispersed the gauntlet, which disappeared in a puff of light along with the sword.

“I’ve got a few ways to find them myself,” Victor said.

****

Victor perched atop the Washington Monument and looked down over the fields of grass and buildings beyond. His hair was billowing in the wind but he wouldn’t tip over from the spot.

Amadeus’ probably jealous I got to do this before him. Or maybe he’s too busy with those kids. The view was amazing from his spot. He could see out far and wide, and that let him spot the monsters patrolling the streets. None of them were chasing humans, which meant Victor had to spend even longer.

He’d gotten bored with the scouting, and pulled out his phone to listen to some music. Regrettably, he hadn’t prepared for the end of the world, so his Samsung only had a single song on it. One that he’d been sent as nothing but a joke.

♪ A wonderful, beautiful life

Full up with joy, misery and strife

Doesn’t dull or smudge

Like the edge of a knife♪

The Things of Life. He hated it. But it was better than the silence punctuated by popping clay bubbles of noise.

Victor rested atop the monument for a while longer, until he saw movement in the distance. Beside one of the streets he couldn’t name, there was a group running together. One of them turned around and Victor saw a tiny speck of flame leap onto the Metamorph horde chasing them.

Finally. He tucked away his phone once more and jumped off of the Washington monument. The speed he was falling at would hurt him, so it was good that Victor popped a blade out in response. It dug into the stone and arrested his fall before he could be turned into an Amadi pancake, and the Wielder took off towards the group of survivors.

He arrived right in the middle of the group, just as they were shuffling together into a Ford Focus at the end of the street. The Metamorphs had grabbed the car by the rear and were holding it back from accelerating away.

“Go! Go! Go!” the woman in the shotgun seat shouted. She must’ve been the leader, but the driver couldn’t help it.

They must be decently strong if they can do at least that much. But it didn’t matter in the face of his pistols. He fired them off together. Though the Frigustone pistol missed, his Ignistone one enflamed its target immediately. The Metamorph let go and tried to douse the flames that were drying him out.

Victor fired at the second Metamorph and its hands broke off at the elbows. Below them, the rest of the arms were still and frozen.

It was a great discovery that the pistols used nothing more than normal bullets. It meant that Victor didn’t need his Weaponsmith Heart to keep a steady stock of ammo.

Another Metamorph tried to slash at Victor from behind. He shot out a blade from his back, ripping through clothes to cut the Metamorph apart. Then he created a sword arm and cut the Metamorph down to chunks.

“Hey! Get in! There’s more coming!” the woman shouted at him as he kept slashing down. she had a dark complexion and curly hair tied up in a ponytail.

“You’re not going to outrun them. Better to deal with them here and now!”

“You don’t get it! There’s a big one at the end that-”

The popping screams spoke for themselves and Victor turned to face their source. It was a Metamorph Brute with crystals hanging off of its frame. It looked tough, but lesser than the ones Victor had faced in the past.

“You’ve got powers, right?” Victor asked without turning his back to the Brute.

“Y-yeah? Some of us do,” Ponytail replied.

“Good. Bring them out. Give me some cover fire and take care of the smaller ones. I want to take it out as fast as I can,” Victor told her.

He cracked his neck and strode forward to meet the giant Brute. Though it had no mouth, Victor thought he could see it grinning.

The monster swung one club-like arm outwards. It swung like a wrecking ball but Victor ducked underneath it. The corner store to his left wasn’t as fortunate, the entrance collapsing upon the impact.

When the Brute tried to recall its hand, Victor fired his Frigustone pistol right at its chest. The bullet found purchase but the ice was slow to spread. Another swing of the arm and Victor jumped over it. He fired again but missed. When he landed back down on the street, the Brute swung its other arm as well.

Victor dodged to the side and held out a palm. He popped a sword onto his skin, enlarged it and then fired it with a Blade Burst. The giant sword embedded into the monster’s shoulder and knocked its next swing off-course.

A Metamorph tried to grab Victor while his attention was away. Thankfully, the survivors seemed to listen to him and shot it down before it could even stain his clothing.

Victor continued his dance with the Brute even as it broke open new entrances into the buildings around him. His blades did well to slow down the monster and primed it for the coup de grace.

Victor slid underneath another swing and came within kicking distance of the monster. He pulled up his Frigustone pistol and emptied the magazine into the monster’s chest. The Metamorph recoiled but the clay around its chest refused to react.

Victor then used his Ignistone pistol to break apart the icy shell to reveal the Brute’s core. He placed a hand inside of its chest and popped enlarged blades in ever direction, turning it into an inside out pin cushion and cracking its core in the process.

The Brute shook one last time, bubbles popping across its skin in what Victor assumed was a death throe. But eventually, the monster collapsed and Victor stood alone. A Seed shined within the remains of the monster, another Stonewarden Gem like Leo had in his previous loop.

Victor shoved it into a pocket and turned to face his rescues. They’d done their share it seemed, and much sooner too. Around them lay more puddles of clay, a sight to which Victor nodded.

“Anyone up for a little exchange of information?” Victor asked.