CHAPTER XXXVIII
OCTOBER 28TH, 11:35 A.M.
BATTLE OF ST. GRAD, PART I
Tommy stood on the wall, rallied with the rebel troops as they awaited invasion. Soldiers adjusted their rifles, armed and ready for the incoming enemy, who was marching through Los Angeles. Hordes of troops, some military, some militia, banded together with the goal of razing the fortress to the ground. Tommy scanned through what he could see. He had his sights on one person, though he couldn’t see him yet, but he would be here. And he’ll be after Tommy specifically.
“What do you see, my friend?” Frank asked, positioned nearby.
“A lot,” he answered. “No Rayshe.”
“He will appear.”
Lieutenant Reeves joined him, observing the incoming attack.
“Lieutenant…”
“We don’t have enough men to hold that.”
“If we play our hand right, we do,” Tommy disagreed. “Keep your head on your shoulders and play it safe.”
“You have your team ready?”
“They’re ready,” he assured. “Keep hold of your guys. Use the high ground to our advantage. Good luck Lieutenant.”
Reeves nodded, jogging away to resume command of his forces. Tommy turned to look back upon St. Grad. The streets were empty with the refugees hidden away, taking shelter inside the buildings. What remained was formations of troops and heavy armor, trained on the main gate, ready to attack if they pushed through. Tommy collected himself before giving one last announcement to his team.
“They’ll be here in a few minutes,” he began, speaking through a telepathic connection Laurel set up with everyone. “Last chance to prepare. Remember your responsibilities. Frank and I will stay on the front lines and hold the outer wall. Leo and Laurel, you guys keep your Pieces safe. No matter the cost. Leo, keep the command tower from being overrun. That’s what keeps the automated defenses up. Laurel, you stay with the refugees. The ships will be here any minute. As soon as they dock, load them onboard. If we get pushed back, we’ll retreat to the inner walls with the rest of the refugees, so be prepared to take them too.”
“The inner city isn’t big enough for all of them,” she mentioned.
“We’ll have to hold them until the ships arrive,” Tommy said.
“What if you can’t?”
“We have to,” he stated. Tommy turned back to the front, refocusing on the incoming assault. An army marched on them as he spoke. He was a good fighter, but this was beyond what he knew. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous. It’s like he said. If they play their hand right, they can win.
“Listen,” he said. “If this is the end of the line for us, then let me say that… I have some regrets in my life. But I wouldn’t want it any other way. Meeting you guys was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I couldn’t think of better people to call my friends.”
“Don’t get soft on me now, Tommy,” Leo joked.
“Yeah, yeah,” he dismissed. “Be smart. And stay alive. Please. There’s still more left for us in this life.”
/
Leo stood on a rooftop from just outside the inner wall, overlooking St. Grad and watching the invasion approach from Los Angeles. Behind him, a large control tower with glass windows all around it hummed, keeping the air defenses operational. He wanted to be at the front, meeting the attackers head on. But he understood his responsibility. One of the Pieces was hidden underneath his gear on his back. Its safety, and obscurity, was crucial.
Laurel levitated up to the roof, touching down beside him.
“Do you have yours?” he asked. She pulled up a corner of her sorceress robe, revealing her Piece hidden in her waistband.
“Be safe, okay?” she said. Leo nodded.
“We’ll talk when this is over.”
“Right,” she agreed. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She stood on her toes, planting a quick kiss on his lips before gliding away.
Leo unholstered his axe from his back. The black blade glinted in the sunlight. The golden runes glowed with power. This was it. From that morning at Laurel’s house when they set out on this journey, and all that happened in between. Everything led up to this. He had people to people to make proud and promises to keep. He was ready.
/
Laurel arrived where the refugees were hiding. An armory building near the dock, repurposed into civilian housing. Only a small portion, however. The fortress was overcrowded, leaving many others on the outer circle of St. Grad. Once the ships arrived, then they could start evacuating everyone. For now, it was up to Laurel to keep them safe.
She peeked through the door, seeing the mass of people huddled on the floor. Quiet whimpers of terrified children, followed by the comfort of their parents was the only noise she could hear. When they saw her in the door, however, some grew anxious. The young pregnant girl, Emilia, and her partner she saved a few days prior broke down in tears.
“It’s okay honey,” Laurel knelt and comforted her. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Please just stay here,” she cried.
“I won’t go far, okay? I’ll be nearby-“
“No, no, please don’t go!”
“I have to help,” Laurel said. “You’ll be fine. We’ll get you out of here. All three of you.” She kissed the girl on her head before exiting the building. She levitated up to a nearby rooftop with a high vantage point overlooking the city. She saw the attackers, far in the distance. They had fully encroached on St. Grad, only a few hundred feet away. They held their position. Waiting…
/
Tommy unholstered his hand cannon, inspecting the chamber one last time.
“Should I go down before the wall?” Frank asked.
“No, stay here. If they break through, we need to hit them in the bottleneck.”
“We should be trying to keep the barrier up as long as possible.”
“It’s going to come down,” Tommy dismissed. “It’s only a matter of time. What’s more important-“
IMPACT IMMINENT
Tommy darted his head to the warning. A roaring missile with a plume of smoke in its wake screamed towards the wall. He quickly raised his weapon and fired. His round struck true, intercepting the missile in flight. Its detonation, however, was still too close. The blast wave pummeled over him, ricocheting him over the railing and off the backend of the wall. He tumbled over it, latching on with one hand last second to catch himself. His body dangled over the high concrete partitions, with the empty expanse of St. Grad below him. He needed to get back up.
Before he could hoist himself, another explosion rocked the wall. Tommy lost his grip, plummeting to the ground. His frame impacted the stone street below, creating an indent. He now found himself on the wrong side of the wall, with not enough time to return to the top. Soldiers rallied beside him, but despite their enthusiasm, they couldn’t help him.
“Frank!” he yelled, hoping he was still at the top. Another impact reverberated in response, this time sending fractures spiderwebbing through a section of the massive concrete. The wall was failing. Echoing over it were barbaric roars, fighting the attackers directly on the outside of the wall.
“Motherfucker…” Another strike on the wall. The cracks deepened. It wouldn’t take another hit. It wasn’t supposed to go down this fast. They would have to improvise. “Back up!” Tommy yelled at the troops. “The wall is coming down! Get setup, their about to start pouring through-“
A blast much bigger than the previous shattered the wall, sending concrete debris hurling at them. Tommy was leveled by the force, skidding on his front as dust and rocks rained over them. Several soldiers weren’t so lucky, meeting their end from stray debris. Reorienting himself, he saw through the dust cloud a rapidly encroaching force. Frank stood before them, shifted into a hulking giant, clad with metal and stone skin. He swung and stomped, but there were too many. Bullets sparked as they connected on his body, making him stumble backwards through the breach.
“Guard the buildings!” Tommy commanded the troops. They began to return fire as the robot rose to his feet, loading a new slug into the hand cannon. He fired through the thick of the mass that flooded through the gap, tearing through the invaders. The shockwave from the railgun was so immense that it sheared people in its vicinity. But as a tally of forces were cut down, even more took their place. Frank fought valiantly, and Tommy advanced to join him.
Mortar fire boomed overhead. The automated defenses shot down incoming artillery in the air, shielding the forces on the ground. Rayshe was keeping a light foot on the bombing, but he was still rather wanton with accuracy, not caring for the safety of the refugees as much as they predicted. He knows they want the Pieces as much as he does.
Something struck his torso, propelling him into a nearby building. He smashed through the wall before coming to a stop on the floor. It was the dining hall they ate at a few nights ago. Luckily, no refugees were hiding in it. He slowly pushed himself off the ground, recovering his poise and yanking a piece of debris from himself.
“Hey you.”
“What the f…” Tommy spun, darting his head back and forth, searching for the source of the voice. It sounded… synthetic. Like his.
Eventually, he located the culprit. A woman. A robotic woman. Short, black hair with bangs. A white button up shirt tucked in a black skirt and heels that were built into her feet.
“Who in the fuck are you?” Tommy loaded a new round into his hand cannon, taking aim at the adversary.
“You’re just as I remember,” she said, prancing towards him. “Maybe even better.”
“I think you got me mixed up with somebody else.”
“I never forget a face.” The android lunged at him. Tommy quickly stopped her advance, grabbing hold of her neck and forcing her to her knees, planting the barrel of his weapon to her forehead.
“The fuck are you talking about?”
“That one fateful night,” she purred. “Such an elegant ball it was. I wish I could’ve talked to you, but you know. I had the leader of the free world to dispose of.”
Tommy lost focus, losing aim on his opponent.
“Regis?”
In his distraction, Ahnko uppercut him, launching him through the ceiling and onto the roof. Twisting onto his back, he saw her just as she jumped through the newly made breach. She flew through the air, ready to pounce on him. Tommy punched from his position, the acceleration so great it lifted him off his back and propelled him upwards, striking the android. In the brief moment of advantage he had, he scoured the roof for his hand cannon. He found where it landed, sprinting to retrieve it. Ahnko recovered before he arrived, sliding across surface and scooping up the weapon before him. Tommy grabbed her arm, holding it back from taking aim at him.
“So particular about your toys.”
“Can you shut the fuck up?”
Tommy delivered a swift elbow, striking her face and disorienting her. He quickly spun her around and put her in a headlock, trying to dig through the metal exterior behind her neck. Ahnko, still possessing the hand cannon, pointed it backwards over her shoulder. Tommy clenched her wrist, staring down the barrel of his weapon. He squeezed, crunching the limb, causing components and wires to spark. Her hand lost function in the process, expanding until her finger stretched off the trigger. His firearm sat upside down in the open palm, ripe for the taking.
He retrieved it, sticking it to the side of her head. Before he could fire, she slid free, spinning around and pushing his head back. Tommy blind fired; the slug hit her cheek at an angle, deflecting off into the distance but still causing damage, nonetheless. Part of her face plate was destroyed, falling away and revealing the innerworkings. A partial row of teeth and a human eyeball stared at him. Real blood dripped from bits and pieces of gum that was plastered within the robotics. This was a person, rebuilt into a machine.
Ahnko panicked, touching her face to realize the damage.
“My face…” she whimpered. Tommy was disgusted by the revelation, loading a new round into the hand cannon.
“My face!” she screeched, lashing at him. He ducked, letting her fly over him. She slid along the concrete rooftop on her hands and knees, growling like a feral monster.
“Look what you did to my face!” she screamed. Her teeth chattered as she spoke, vibrated by the voice box hidden behind it. More blood began to stream out.
“An improvement if you ask me.”
Ahnko leaped again. This time rather than ducking, Tommy delivered a powerful left punch, completely reversing her momentum and sending her tumbling in the opposite direction. He seized the opportunity, jumping on her, striking her chest again to stop her from getting up. He stuck the hand cannon under her chin, primed to relieve her of her head. She swiftly deflected his aim, clawing at his arms like a maniac. Tommy beat her down, landing punches square into her face, cracking the concrete behind her head. Teeth flew from her mouth as he didn’t relent in his strikes.
Again, he tried to take aim with his weapon. Again, she knocked his arm away. She kept on recovering just in time to prevent the kill shot, meaning Tommy had to wear her down more. He holstered the firearm, delivering a steady beatdown of punches. Ahnko flailed her arms, trying to block his strikes but to no avail.
With an ear bleeding screech, she forced her broken hand into where his shoulder connected with his chest. The already mangled limb shattered on impact, but lodged metal shards deep into his frame. Tommy jerked, trying to get his arm to move but it was fully locked out, impeded by the foreign objects.
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“How do you like that, bitch?” Ahnko remarked, her voice glitching and distorted. She kicked him off her, regaining her feral stance with only three limbs this time. She was damaged beyond her missing arm. Her face bled like a river. Her eye twitched, bloodshot and swollen. She wouldn’t dodge a shot this time.
Tommy drew the hand cannon and pulled the trigger with lightning quick reflexes, striking her square in the body. She was catapulted away, flying off the rooftop and even beyond the wall, disappearing over the other side.
Tommy tried to correct his disabled arm, clawing at the shrapnel lodged in his shoulder. He couldn’t get a hold of any of them, and the overbearing volume of the battle just below him didn’t provide any room for concentration. He doesn’t have time for this.
With a single operable arm, he loaded his weapon, jumping back down to ground level. Frank raged against his aggressors but was starting to receive injuries.
“Frank!”
/
Laurel stressed as she watched the battle ensue. They grew closer, pushing the forces back to the inner wall. They would soon be inside, and the ships were almost there. She looked out to the water, where she could see them approaching, maybe five minutes away. That might not be enough. She desperately wanted to help, but she couldn’t leave the refugees alone. Not when they were so close to escape.
“Tommy! Frank!” she called. They were too preoccupied to answer. “Shit… I coming to help.” She turned, getting ready to depart the rooftop she was watching from. A figure stood in her way. Lanky, dressed in a black suit, with two blades for arms.
“Fuck!” she yelled, standing ready with magic emanating from her hands.
“I know you have it.”
“Have what?”
“Don’t play coy with me,” Rayshe demanded. “If you give it to me now, I may let you live.”
He was too close to the refugees. She needed to distract him, at least for a few minutes.
“Leo! He’s here!”
Rayshe lunged at her with a broad swipe of his blades. She evaded with an air dash as her feet hovered just above solid ground. He dashed again, this time coming closer. He was too fast. She couldn’t keep relying on her reflexes.
Laurel clasped her hands together, spinning her palms against each other. A clear, distorting presence formed. She pushed it outwards, extending her arms fully. The environment around them seemed to stretch. The noise of the invasion deafened. The air seemed to thicken, grow heavier, like they were underwater. All around them looked like a distorted landscape of mirrors, refracting light into overlapping rainbows. Rayshe struggled to move, while Laurel was at full speed.
“You fucking witch,” he growled. “I always hated you.”
“Feelings mutual.”
He reared back to strike her, but with lethargy this time. Laurel was able to subdue his arms, taking control of them with a spell. Her hand flexed into a fist, and suddenly, his arms were pinned to his chest. He struggled against it, trying to break free, but Laurel had him. She started throwing attacks from where she stood, striking him with wisps and bolts of pink magic.
They stung him as they assaulted his body, all while he stood unable to block and barely able to move. Eventually, his arm began to budge. He swiped at the air around him, making a tear through the pocket she put them in. The effect on him waned, which allowed him to slash again. Another shred, and it all came crashing down. It shattered, dissipating into the air like shards of broken glass.
Laurel looked out to the water. The ships were to dock at any moment. She needed just a little longer.
Rayshe roared in anger, gearing up to attack her, now free from her spell. The concrete roof upon which he stood suddenly liquefied, turning into a puddle of wet mixture. His legs sunk in, stuck in the thick mud as he grunted, trying to pull himself out. Laurel controlled his head telekinetically, slamming it onto the hard ground. She zipped through the air by him, towing him in the process.
Rayshe was yanked out of the muck and thrown through the air, flying across buildings before cascading through a window, skidding into the interior of one. Right as he regained his footing, he looked up and saw the sorceress for a split second. She stuck her palms to his face, unleashing a blinding flash.
His brain felt like it was on fire. His ears rang and his eyes were blinded. Rayshe stumbled, shaking his head and clenching his eyes shut. It soon passed, but now she was nowhere to be seen.
He found himself standing in the middle of a set of couches. The room had a wall of windows and a small snack bar, like a lounge area. Up a set of stairs, he saw rows of doors, all leading to rooms. At the top of the stairs stood the witch. They made eye contact, which prompted her to immediately flee.
Rayshe bolted up the stairs, looking down the hallway in the direction she ran. Laurel was already at the end of it, standing by an open door. She ran through, slamming it behind her. He followed, barging through the door, sending wood splinters everywhere.
He was where he started, standing between the set of couches in the lounge. Rayshe looked behind him. No door. The witch stood at the top of the stairs again, just like before. In a fit of rage, he chased after her once again, led down the same path she ran last time.
Rayshe opened the door properly this time, seeing that it led to the longue once again. A loop. He shut the door, which prompted a popping sound behind it. Like something was broken. He reopened it, finding a regular room dispelled from the loop.
He smirked, satisfied by outsmarting the sorceress. Inside the room, he saw the object of his desires. The Piece glowed. Its power was palpitating. It was perfect. This is where they were hiding it. That marks one down.
Rayshe walked in, approaching the small desk that it rested upon. It was brilliant. He had almost forgotten how intoxicating being in its presence was. He won’t let this one out of his sight again.
His fingers reached out to grasp it. They grew close, eager to feel the enchanted material. They never did. His fingers passed through it, like it wasn’t even there. Rayshe pulled his hand back and tried again. They didn’t touch. An illusion.
The room began to melt away, like a canvas of watercolors. He found himself standing in the lounge once again.
His head went hot, enraged by the witch tricking him again.
“YOU F-“
His wrath was interrupted as he was struck squarely by the head of an axe. Rayshe launched backwards, shattering through the wall of glass before crashing down onto a lower rooftop nearby. Leo landed down across from him; his axe glowing with power.
Rayshe shook his head. “All of you are making a grave mistake.”
“Spare me your lecture,” Leo boomed.
“We don’t have to do this,” Rayshe suggested.
“You’re not getting the relic.”
“I am. Getting the relic,” he said, rising to his feet. “But you still may live. Let me handle my business with the machine and I’ll let you go.”
“You know that won’t happen, Rayshe.”
He chuckled. “I know. I could never resist choking the life from you.”
Leo hurled his axe towards Rayshe. He blocked with his blades, but the axe buried into it. He grunted in pain as the weapon cut into him, slicing a small piece away. Suddenly, he was yanked forward onto the ground, pulled by the force of Leo recalling his axe and dislodging from the swords. Leo wound up and swung into Rayshe’s body just as he got onto his knees, chopping into his torso. The axe penetrated his skin but failed to push deep. The pain ripped through his body regardless.
Leaving the weapon buried in his abdomen, Leo clubbed down on Rayshe’s skull with clenched fists. The blow rattled him, making his jaw snap down from the force.
He removed the axe, gearing up to swing again. Rayshe reacted quickly, slicing his leg and retreating. He hissed in pain as his leg began to bleed. In the blink of an eye, Rayshe dashed at him, attacking the same spot on his leg. Leo couldn’t avoid it in time as he continuously sped past him, cutting a new part of his body each time. Rayshe barreled towards, impaling his sword deep into the alien’s leg, piercing all the way through and out the other side. Leo fell to one knee, clutching onto his leg, still unable to stop the flurry of attacks as Rayshe zipped by.
Finally, he predicted his path, chopping his axe through the air to intercept him. The broad axe head buried into his thigh, cleaving deep and greatly inhibiting his ability to run. Rayshe tumbled across the rooftop, nearly sliding off the edge before stopping himself.
In the sky above him, his artillery popped in clouds of smoke, shot down by the base’s automated defenses. Nearby, in a tall tower with glass windows all around it, Rayshe spied the controls. It was emptied, running on its own automation. An easy target. Off in the distance, the rebel ships approached.
Leo noticed his attention divert to the control tower. If it was destroyed, the ships would become vulnerable, and the refugees would be trapped. Rayshe jumped to his feet, ready to leap across buildings to get there. Leo threw his axe, striking him on the ankle. A shot of pain went up his leg, but the weapon didn’t pierce. He powered through the pain, leaping to the adjacent rooftop. Leo chased after him but was considerably slower. Eventually, Rayshe dove through the windows, shattering them and crashing down inside the control room.
He stood before a panel, ready to smash it. Leo arrived just in time, wrapping his arms around him from behind, lifting him in the air and slamming him into the ground. Standing over him, we readied his axe but was stabbed through his lower abdomen. It ripped through his flesh, but luckily didn’t make it very far before Leo was able to deflect it away. Another slice nicked his face, making a shallow but long cut along his cheekbone.
Rayshe lunged at him, tackling him into a board of technology, destroying it. An array of weapons went offline.
“This would all be so much easier if you just accepted what you can’t control!” Rayshe yelled as he repeatedly smashed his head into the electronics. Leo managed to kick him off, sending him flying to the other side of the tower, right next to another control panel. Rayshe quickly smashed that, deactivating another array of defenses.
Leo retaliated by hurling his axe at him, which he swiftly ducked, letting it fly off into the distance. Rayshe stabbed towards the alien, aiming for his throat. He caught it with his bare hands, holding onto the blade, straining to keep it away. The edge sliced his hand, making blood drip from them as it slowly crept closer. Rayshe’s eyes lit up, thirsting for the kill.
The axe returned, striking Rayshe in the back. He howled in pain, falling to his knees as Leo, still holding onto his sword, twisted and snapped his elbow just above the blade. It cracked, echoing through the room as his arm fell limp.
Leo grabbed hold of his head, spinning around his body so that he was behind Rayshe. He wrapped his arm around his neck, pulling tight, attempting to starve him of oxygen. Rayshe bucked, but Leo held strong. The president used his good arm to slash at Leo, cutting along the length of his tricep and around his shoulder. Leo growled, relenting in his submission attempt. Rayshe immediately tried to return to his task, reaching for another control board.
Leo grabbed him by his suit jacket before he had the chance and threw him out of the control tower. He bought himself a brief respite, allowing him to examine the devices. The damage was already done. Too many defenses were disabled now. He looked out the window behind him at the dock of St. Grad. The ships had just arrived. At the same time, they were now exposed to attack.
/
Frank took shelter behind the heavy armor of a tank, allowing himself a moment to catch his breath. His body had sustained immense damage. Blood started to flow out through cracks in his monstrous façade. Bullets clanked against the vehicle as the enemy grew closer, pushing them deeper into St. Grad. Tommy sprinted and slid behind the tank, joining Frank in cover.
“We need to pull back to the inner city!” he yelled.
Frank heard his command but neglected to answer. Instead, he leaned his head back, taking in a deep breath as he looked up to the sky. His heartbeat rapidly. His body ached. He fought valiantly and would continue to do so, but they couldn’t win. Something had to change.
“Do you hear me?!” Tommy asked.
“Yes, my friend,” Frank answered.
“The ships just arrived! Laurel will start loading in refugees, which means we need to start moving them to the docks! We have a wall of armor here that can cover the gunfire while we move the refugees inside! We need to be quick! Get the gates open and get everything through! We can’t leave them open too long so they don’t push through!”
It would take far too long. There are too many civilians to funnel in and not enough time. It would expose the inner city to the invaders and allow them to take up position on the interior, which is just about the only advantage they have left.
“I’m going to get them moving! I need you to help keep us covered!” Tommy said. Frank silently worked through the process in his head. It still was cutting by too close. The chances of them pulling it off were next to none. All those people would die, and they would lose St. Grad. Even if they did make it through. Even if they escorted every refugee to the inner city and got the gates closed in time, the second wall was much thinner than the outside. It would topple over nearly instantly, and they would be lambs to slaughter. If they stop their attacks for even a moment, it gives the enemy too much time to advance. Frank knows what he must do.
Frank thought long about these next steps. The deafening screaming of battle faded away. In the calm, he could only think of one thing: Sienna. He felt her presence smiling down on him. She saw her father, flaws and all, and was proud. She’s seen the journey he’s been on. His growth as a person. His battle against grief and regret. Frank conquered it.
He’s seen the journey he’s been on. His introspection has shown him progress he never thought possible. Once, it seemed unending. Unbearable. Not worth the suffering each day brought in. Once, he thought about leaving it all behind, putting it to rest and running away from his pain.
Now, he sees the life he’s made. The people he’s surrounded himself with. He looked down at Tommy. His metal face was incapable of making an expression, but, after knowing him for as long as he has, he can see the thoughts that churned behind those glowing blue eyes. He saw focus, he saw stress, he saw determination. Frank expected nothing less out of his friend. But most importantly, Frank saw someone that wanted to live. Frank wanted him to live. He wants to see his friend survive, keep going.
Frank’s seen it. Sienna’s seen it. The path he’s taken to be the man he is today. They see what he’s done, and what he’s doing now. How he’s put his life on the line to save others. Now he needed to do it one more time. It’s what she would want. It’s what he wants. Frank’s ready.
“I’m ready.”
“Okay, on my signal, I’ll start the run over. Keep us covered as long as you can.”
Frank exited from the safety of the vehicle, leaping into the battle. Gunfire focused on him, trying to wear him down, but he resisted. He roared, slamming and stomping at his aggressors. Droves of them swarmed to him, many without a firearm, swinging bats, pipes, whatever they could get their hands on.
He fought them off, powering through the injuries. Just a little longer. Just a little longer. A powerful shotgun began firing at him, knocking him to his feet. The Survivors jumped on him, pounding on his body. Frank shieled himself, turning over onto his back to absorb the impact.
Bullets continued to pour over him. They deflected off his body, but still shot pain through him. It tore down at his resilience, eating away at his stamina. Some well-placed shots began to break his skin. His strength was waning.
Frank smashed the ground, dispersing the attackers that had swarmed him. He reached down, digging his hand into the stone and ripped a boulder from the ground. Lifting it high above his head, he launched it at the attackers, ending the shotgunners assault on him.
Behind him, Tommy hurried the civilians through the gates to the inner city. Just a little longer. Just a little longer. The allied troops that supplied long range support behind him began to fall. Frank pushed on.
He jumped, soaring through the air and slammed into the ground. No matter how hard he fought, how many he defeated, more kept coming. They never wavered, never showed fear as they ran at him. They won’t back down, so neither can Frank.
More allies fell behind him. Less and less gunfire came in from the rear as the Survivors began to focus them instead. They were pushing them back. Frank held up his hand, blocking his face from bullets as he stumbled backwards. The enemies sensed their growing victory, pushing up and gaining ground towards the inner wall. Tommy still had more refugees coming. Just a little longer. Just a little longer.
The tank fired its cannon, splashing away a chunk of enemies. More piled in their place. Soon, Frank was pushed all the way back to their barricade. He had no more allies in support. They swarmed him, attacking him with all manner of weapons. They mounted the tank, crawling over it like ants. The hatch was pried open, and the crew was invaded. His support was completely gone. It was just him.
Frank rallied his strength, roaring at the adversaries. Their attacks hit deeper with each one. He ignored it, fighting on. Behind him, the last civilians were making the run through the gates. Just a little longer. Just a little longer.
The pain began to fade away. The noise began to fade away. Frank found himself in a different world. His motions still acted true. His might still impacted great. But his mind drifted elsewhere. Before him he saw what he could only describe as his end. They advanced, pushing him back further and further. They would not stop until they brought down the monster. But Frank would not let them. Not yet. Just a little longer. Just a little longer.
“Everyone’s inside! Get over here!”
Frank’s mission was complete. He turned, seeing his friend stand in a small gap behind the open gates, awaiting his arrival. Frank walked over slowly, absorbing a hail of gunfire against his back. Frank continued at his pace, seemingly uninterested in making it quickly. Tommy noticed. His posture went stiff. He stared blankly, waiting for his friend to meet him beyond the gate. They both knew he wasn’t going to make it. It was time. It was time.
Frank grabbed the metal gates, his fists making indents in their structure as he began pulling them closed, with himself still on the outside.
“NO! FRANK WHAT ARE YOU-“
The doors slammed closed before Tommy could make it through. He slammed on the door, driving his shoulder into it, but to no avail.
“FRANK! FRANK!”
His pleading was muffled through the partitions. He made up his mind. It was time. It was time.
He continued to fight. He felt nothing. He heard nothing. His head filled with its own thoughts, separated from the chaos he found himself in. It wandering to a place of serenity. A place of peace. His fists slammed into his attackers. His stomps warded off their advances. His eyes saw everything, but his brain registered none of it. Time ticked by. Minutes felt like seconds to him. All that matter is that he fought until he couldn’t anymore and gave these people a chance to live on.
His right knee gave out. He fell on it, immobilized but still fighting strong. Their attacks began to penetrate. The bullets ripped through his body. He felt none of it. He was happy with himself. He was accepting of his fate. Sienna smiled down on him. But most importantly, he smiled on himself.
Tommy’s yells faded. Frank was upset he couldn’t say his final goodbyes. He may not understand why he had to do it now, but he will eventually. Tommy would accept his decision just as he has. He knew he would.
His other knee gave out. He lacked the strength to continue. His body slumped. His arms fell limp. Frank sat on his knees. His head hung low. No pain flowed through him, no feeling sparked in his body, but the light began to fade. His eyes grew tired. His heart stuttered.
Frank fell back against the wall. His body reached its end. He fought bravely and he fought well. He accomplished his goal, but now this was it. His life for theirs. A worthy exchange.
The Survivors cheered, trampling over him, still working to finally end him. Fine by him. They may kill his body, but his soul was at peace. He was satisfied. That’s all that mattered. That’s all he ever wanted.
Frank’s breaths became shallow. His eyes were fluttering. His body had been devoid of feeling for some time, but now, his brain began to falter. His thoughts grew shorter, quieter. It continued to fade. It continued to fade. It was time. It was time.
Frank exhaled, releasing the air in his lungs one last time as he passed away.