Bale swiftly interrupted their sprint, his voice filled with determination. "Go! I will do my best to hold them back for a few precious seconds!" Zander glanced back at him, concern etched on his face. "Who's absolutely necessary for our escape?" he inquired, seeking clarity amidst the chaos.
Ren turned her gaze towards them, her eyes assessing the situation. "Aqua is my primary concern; she holds crucial knowledge. Lando is the next priority as we rely on his skills for our future endeavors." Ren locked eyes with Lando, emphasizing the significance of his role.
Bale nodded resolutely, his hand instinctively reaching for a peculiar device retrieved from the lifeless guard.
As he pressed a button, an electric current crackled and danced along the surface of the stick. He swung it around experimentally, feeling the energy coursing through it, before turning his attention to the encroaching guards.
"Alright, I'll hold them off," he declared with unwavering resolve. Zander swiftly slid to a halt and joined Bale's side. "Count me in," he proclaimed, showing solidarity with his friend.
Lando's eyes widened in disbelief, his voice filled with urgency. "No! We have to stick together!" Bale shook his head, a faint smile crossing his face.
"Priorities, my friend," he replied firmly, before swiftly striking a guard on the side with the electrified stick. The guard convulsed as the powerful shock coursed through their body, ultimately collapsing to the ground.
In a sudden turn of events, both Bale and Zander were struck by dart-like projectiles that emitted debilitating electric shocks. Bale grunted, his attempt to swing the electrified stick thwarted as his strength gave way, and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
The same fate befell Zander, their bodies succumbing to the shocking effect of the darts. Lando's anguished cry pierced the air as he witnessed his friends fall. In a surge of rage, he unleashed a rapid flurry of shots, his aim true as the bullets found their mark, ending the lives of three guards in an instant. The grisly aftermath painted the nearby wall with splatters of grotesque brain matter.
"Turn left!" Ren's urgent scream jolted Aqua back into focus. Nodding with determination, Aqua swiftly changed course, veering left down the dimly lit corridor.
Lando, caught in a momentary pause, continued to unleash a barrage of bullets, each one finding its target with lethal precision. "FUCK YOU!" he bellowed, his voice tinged with defiance and fury. Aqua spared a fleeting glance at him, concern etched on her face.
However, her attention was quickly diverted as a dart whizzed through the air, piercing Lando's chest. His eyes widened in shock as the painful electric current coursed through his body.
Grunting in agony, he collapsed to the ground, his grip on the gun loosening. "Go," he managed to mutter weakly before succumbing to unconsciousness.
A bullet skinned Aqua's cheek. With a surge of determination, Aqua propelled herself forward, her feet pounding against the floor with urgency. Aqua, though injured, maintained her resolve and trailed closely behind, intermittently firing her weapon to fend off the approaching guards.
The exit loomed tantalisingly close, a glimmer of hope within their reach. But in an instant, a bullet found its mark, piercing Ren's side, eliciting a gasp of pain and causing blood to spew from her mouth. Aqua's eyes widened in horror as guards materialised at the end of the hallway, their presence threatening to snuff out their chances of escape.
Reacting with instinctive resolve, she unleashed a relentless barrage of gunfire, each shot finding its mark and swiftly eliminating the imminent threat.
Blood trickled from Ren's wound, her strength waning, as Aqua rushed to her side. "Come on, we're so close!" Aqua urged, her voice filled with a mix of determination and desperation.
Ren managed a faint smile, her voice laced with frailty. "You're so close," she corrected, her words laden with a sense of finality. Yet, Aqua refused to accept defeat, her determination unyielding. "No, we are!" she screamed defiantly, applying pressure to Ren's wound and summoning every ounce of strength to support her towards the exit. But in an unexpected turn, Aqua's own energy betrayed her, her body giving way. She collided with the wall, her back sliding down its surface, leaving a trail of crimson in her wake. The battle had taken its toll.
"You must find your people," Ren's voice wavered, intermingled with strained coughs and the taste of blood on her lips. "Sneak back in, locate Lando and the others. Ensure their survival." Despite the pain etched across her face, Ren managed a faint smile, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and determination.
"They took my parents from me, years ago," she whispered, her voice laden with a heavy weight of grief. "That's why I am doing this. They are all long gone, lost in a futile battle." A frown creased her brow as she locked eyes with Aqua, her trembling hand reaching up to cup Aqua's tear-stained face. Streams of tears flowed down Aqua's cheeks, mirroring the anguish etched upon Ren's features. "You can come with me..."
Aqua's heart yearned to save Ren, to drag her away from the impending darkness that loomed. But Ren's body, ravaged by wounds, became an insurmountable burden.
"I'm sorry," Ren's voice carried a hint of regret, intertwined with a painful chuckle and winces of agony. "I had plans to overcome this, but they got me...got me real bad." Blood seeped through both sides of Ren's lips, staining her words with a macabre undertone.
With a trembling hand, Ren retrieved a card, its surface marred by her own blood. "This will open the door," she murmured, a glimmer of pride shining in her eyes.
"I programmed it that way. Live for me, and next time...next time, rouse as many kids as you can, ignite the flames of rebellion within them." Aqua's vision blurred through a veil of tears as Ren's words sank deep into her heart. "But what if I fail?" she whispered, her voice tinged with doubt and vulnerability.
Ren's hand cupped Aqua's face once more, a motherly tenderness enveloping her gaze. She gently wiped away Aqua's tears, smearing traces of blood on her own face.
"You've already succeeded," Ren's voice held a note of conviction. "You managed to gather four of them to your cause, instantly. That's a gift, a talent that only a select few possess." A sly snicker escaped Ren's lips, accompanied by a tinge of bittersweet amusement. "So...I believe in you," she whispered, her voice weakening.
"Believe in yourself, to guide them...to free them." And with those final words, Ren's breath ceased, her hands falling limply from Aqua's tear-streaked face.
Aqua's heart shattered, tears cascading down her cheeks like a relentless downpour.
She heard the approaching footsteps of more guards, their presence snapping her back to reality. Rising to her feet, she cast one last sorrowful gaze upon Ren's lifeless form. A mixture of grief and determination swirled within her. She dashed toward the exit, card in hand, and swiftly inserted it into the slot, activating the mechanism. With a resounding thud, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the path to freedom. Aqua cast a final glance at the guards, her eyes filled with a potent mix of defiance and sorrow, before slamming the exit shut behind her.
The guards, consumed by the urgency of their pursuit, raced past Ren's motionless body. Even in death, a smile graced Ren's face, a testament to her cunning. Blayne approached, her gaze fixed upon Ren's lifeless form. "Clever bastard," she muttered, a mix of begrudging admiration and bitterness in her voice.
"Do we pursue her?" one of the guards questioned, casting a doubtful glance in the direction Aqua had fled. Blayne, a mix of weariness and resignation etched upon her face, shook her head in response. "No," she replied solemnly, her voice carrying a tinge of regret.
"The storm will claim her. It's one of the most treacherous storms we've seen in decades." The guard nodded, understanding the peril that awaited Aqua beyond the fortress walls. Their attention shifted to Ren's lifeless body, lying motionless on the cold ground.
"So she was a traitor?" the guard inquired, his voice laced with a hint of disbelief. Blayne's lips tightened into a thin line as she nodded curtly. "It appears so," she affirmed, her gaze fixed upon Ren's lifeless form.
"Dispose of her body in the pit of fire. We will need to find a new Undertaker to handle those kids." The guards, acknowledging Blayne's orders, solemnly lifted Ren's body and began their somber procession towards the pit of fire. Blayne trailed behind them, her steps heavy with the weight of her responsibilities.