Third Person POV
The journey to Bridgeport was treacherous, but thanks to the strong team and Spica, they managed to overcome the monsters that tried to hinder them.
— Mother of God!! Brother, be careful, — Emma hugged Liam's back as the whole group watched hundreds of zombies devouring another group of survivors.
The group, consisting of Victor, Liam, Samuel, Emma, Evelina, and Spica, took cover behind large crates. They carefully scanned the area towards the port and the strait. Along the entire coastline, there were hundreds of undead creatures deliberately guarding the territory to prevent the escape or infiltration of helpless commoners.
The group also noticed small squads of goblins communicating with more intelligent zombies. Right before their eyes, they witnessed an exchange: the goblins traded corpses of women and children for a live woman whose mouth was gagged, and her limbs were bound.
— Looks like someone else had the same idea about the ferry crossing, but their attempt didn't succeed. They fell into a trap, and the live woman will be handed over to the goblins for their amusement, — Victor stated, pulling out his AR-15 automatic rifle.
Liam and Samuel were also armed with similar firearms. They were ready to fight for their lives.
— Who knows how to operate a ferry? — Evelina asked a logical question.
Everyone shook their heads, and Evelina slapped her forehead, — So, what do we do? How do we start the engine on a sea vessel? Maybe we should take the motorboat as I suggested earlier?
— What if Montauk military base falls under the onslaught of monsters? We'll need to ferry a large number of people, including your beloved sister, in a short amount of time. So, I'll start the ferry's engine myself, and you all will hold the defense. I love learning new things, — Spica said with a smile, stroking the fluffy head of the blue parrot.
Evelina was the only one who understood that Spica wanted to test the whole group's resilience. She wanted them to go through hell. To ultimately strengthen them, develop critical thinking, and make them stronger.
The small boat would indeed be a safe and fast means of transportation, but in the event of the Montok base being destroyed, they would have to panic and search for a ferry or a large vessel to save the surviving military personnel and Agatha.
— Alright. I'll quickly explain each person's role, and then we can begin, — Victor said, starting a rapid explanation of what each person should do.
Ten minutes later, the group of people began their operation to escape on the ferry.
*Gunshot*
As Victor started killing zombies with his firearms, he, along with everyone else, approached the dock and gave advice, — Aim for the head when shooting zombies, and if they get too close, aim for their knees.
Within ten minutes, they managed to secure defensive positions in front of a large ferry at the dock. Meanwhile, Spica focused on learning how to start the engine and operate the vessel during the battle.
Second by second. Minute by minute. Hour by hour.
The battle raged on - it was a terrifying symphony of chaos and despair. Victor, Samuel, and Liam held their ground, unleashing a relentless hail of bullets from their automatic rifles. The deafening roar of gunfire filled the air as they fought to halt the advancing zombies and goblins.
— Keep shooting! Don't let them get close! — Victor shouted, his voice strained with fear.
Driven by some unholy alliance, the monsters acted in unison, their ravenous hunger uniting them in a macabre dance of death. Their eyes gleamed with malevolent intelligence as they closed in on the group of survivors.
Emma's hands trembled from exhaustion as she struggled to aim her regular pistol. Each shot she fired was a prayer, a desperate attempt to protect her comrades.
— Hold on, guys! We can do this! — Emma cried out, her voice mingling with panic and terror.
They would have long perished under the onslaught of zombies and goblins, but it was Evelina who unleashed a power that seemed both awe-inspiring and terrifying. With a wave of her hand, acid materialized, hissing and bubbling.
— Kill the cultivator! Focus all your forces on her, — the intelligent zombies ordered, trailing behind the horde of monsters.
Evelina splashed acid on the decaying flesh of the zombies, killing dozens of corpses with a single strike. The creatures writhed in agony, their grotesque forms dissolving before their eyes.
— It feels so amazing to be damn powerful! — Evelina exclaimed with enthusiasm. Her voice was filled with a mix of triumph and fanaticism.
Victor, Samuel, and Liam relied on their rifles, tirelessly shooting to destroy as many zombies and goblins as possible.
While the battle raged on, Spica struggled with time and uncertainty. Her hands fumbled with operating the ferry engine, and her heart pounded with each unsuccessful attempt. Doubts about her own mental skills gnawed at her, but she refused to let them consume her.
— Come on, you piece of junk! Start already! — Spica growled through clenched teeth. She was disappointed that she couldn't handle such primitive technology.
A blue parrot watched the Hostess's painstaking work, flapping its wings.
«Damn it, this technology is too old and incomprehensible. How can people tolerate such inconvenience?» Spica cursed to herself.
The hours stretched into eternity as the relentless horde closed in, their numbers growing with each passing minute. The survivors teetered on the edge, their ammunition nearly depleted, but the zombies and goblins steadily amassed in a thousand-strong horde.
— These damned monsters won't stop! We won't be able to hold them off much longer! — Liam shouted, his voice filled with despair.
For the past ten minutes, the horde had been breaking through the positions in a geometric progression. Ammunition was completely exhausted, and Liam and Samuel's strength had nearly vanished. Meanwhile, Emma ran up to Spica and warned her that they would soon lose the battle and their own lives.
«Ah, my muscles! I can't even lift or clench my hands,» Emma thought with fear. Firing the regular pistol had completely drained the girl.
The only defender left was Evelina, but a horrifying and, at the same time, inevitable encounter was about to take place.
In the midst of the battle, Evelina found herself face to face with dark figures resembling creatures that embodied pure evil. Her heart raced as she confronted the horrifying truth of their existence, sending a shiver down her spine.
«They look so much like that horned monster that was behind Morena! Are they Liches, perhaps? Could it be that every dead and undead creature serves such a wicked empress?» Evelina wondered.
*Growling*
— You are too weak to serve our Queen!— the dark figures shouted in unison, sharing a single voice and opinion. They, along with goblins and lesser undead, encircled Evelina in a tight circle.
It was a moment of desperation for Evelina, as Spica was not by her side, and her fate once again depended on her actions.
Realizing that no one could hear her, she spoke the following words to the dark Liches, — You're all idiots! Your Empress needs me, you can't kill me.
— You are right. But if you become undead, then you also stay alive! Ha-ha-ha. Even though we don't have genitals, we'll give you to hungry goblins to take some erotic pictures on an energy mirror and sell to a magazine publisher on our planet.
«What delirium is this? Is there really a peaceful corner for the undead somewhere beyond our galaxy? Damn them! It turns out we're not just another conquest to them; we're a planet invaded for their amusement and the training of lesser undead!»
Evelina became incredibly enraged when she realized how insignificant they were in the eyes of the monsters and other extraterrestrial races.
As hope for the survivors faded, Spica took command and ordered everyone to board the sea vessel, —Everyone to the ferry! We're leaving soon.
— Fall back, I'll take them down! — Evelina shouted through the horde of zombies.
Emma, Liam, Victor, and Samuel were forced to leave the green-eyed brunette to the mercy of fate in order to save their own lives. They were powerless in the face of such a severe power imbalance.
The group made their way to the salvage ship, but Evelina tried to fire a projectile of acid at the dark Lichs.
— Ga-a-r, you fucking human bitch, you ruined my clothes, — the living dead man said sarcastically.
None of the dark Liches felt any pain from Evelina's acid, as their bones were incredibly durable and dense.
Goblins, zombies, and dark Liches rushed towards her, intent on capturing her. Evelina gathered all her strength and created a sphere of super-concentrated acid, the most powerful attack she was capable of at that moment.
As her group climbed onto the ferry, Evelina let out a sphere of acid, — Transmit my words to Morena: I AM NOT afraid of you, fucking BITCH!!!
She spoke those words without thinking about the consequences.
*Explosion*
— Squa-a-a-ash! — The goblins and zombies let out their dying roars.
— Damn it, the acid is corroding our bones! — the group of dark Liches cried out in panic.
The acid explosion drained Evelina, but it managed to seriously wound the resilient monsters. Only a few Liches died, while the rest retreated and fled from the battle.
— Oh... Fucking... we need to run to the ferry! — Evelina mustered her remaining stamina with difficulty, limping towards the dock. Most of her clothing remained intact, except for her shoes and a part of her pants.
The ferry's engine roared, its thunderous sound drowning out the cries of the approaching horde.
— We're getting out of here, — Spica shouted, her voice tinged with triumph and relief. Finally, she had deciphered the ancient technology that was not used in her galaxy.
Spica managed to navigate the controls in time, and the whole group escaped the clutches of death, leaving behind a sea of monsters. Although they stood on the brink of death, the battle made them stronger, more experienced, and wiser.
Evelina's knees weakened from exhaustion, but Emma supported her and led her to the captain's cabin.
— Oh... my legs don't listen to me, — Evelina muttered, exhausted.
— I'm tired too, but we did it! — Emma exclaimed joyfully as she laid Evelina on the bed, — Rest, my girlfriend. I'll go check on my beloved brother.
— Wait!
— What's wrong?
Emma turned questioningly to Evelina, who struggled to speak the following words, — If you love him, forget about the stupid morals that hold you back from deep feelings that you both hide from each other...
Evelina removed her protective mask and immediately fell asleep, while Emma, her face red, left the cabin, pondering adult foolishness, «Oh my God, does Evelina know how I feel about Liam? Does it mean that my brother also loves me more than just a sister? Should we start moving towards something forbidden and sinful...»
After a few minutes of contemplation and walking, Emma stumbled upon her brother, who was inspecting his abdominal muscles.
He was trying to figure out how to discreetly bandage the wound, — Bloody HELL, I can't tell them that I got bitten...
— B-brother? — Emma gasped, covering her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the bite on Liam's side.
Liam realized with horror that his sister had discovered the truth so quickly.
He didn't want his sister to suffer any more, so he tried to hurt her and push her away from him, — EMMA fuckin' hell! Get out, please! I don't want to hurt you.
— BROTHER! No, no, no! — Emma burst into tears and threw herself into Liam's arms, realizing that she was about to lose the one person she loved most in the world: the blonde's face was red with bitter tears, and her body held up only by Liam's efforts.
— Forgive me, sister... You'll have to continue... You'll have to go on without me, — Liam couldn't hold back and cried into his sister's tender hair. He tried to remember her scent and voice for the last time.
*Screams*
Emma screamed throughout the ferry, unable and unwilling to contain her anguish, which was nothing compared to the horrifying tortures they had faced, — Waaaaaah, I beg... waaaah, don't leave me! You promised... you promised that we... that we would always be together.
— And we will! Sooner or later, we will be together.
— I'll die with you! — Emma screamed with fanatical love, about to kill herself with the dagger.
But Liam slapped Emma on the cheek. She was taken aback by this determination, and also by the fact that after the slap, her brother kissed her passionately on the lips. With tongues mashing together in the first kiss, Emma temporarily stopped crying.
After the two-minute kiss, the lovely girl pressed her chin deep into herself, gazing with infinite love into her lover's determined gaze.
Knowing what awaited him, Liam gave a strict order, — I'm sorry, but no! You will go ahead, knowing that I'll always be somewhere behind you... I love you, Emma, and I wish you happiness. Even if that happiness is not with me, but with another man...
Emma sniffed her nose, trying to wipe her tearful eyes and see Liam's happy smile, — B-brother, I won't love anyone s-stronger than you! But w-why is the world so cruel... I hate everything and everyone...
Sailing away from the crucible of battle, the group was forever changed by the horrors of the monsters: Victor and Samuel hardened their minds, Evelina discovered new possibilities in herself, Spica learned something new, but Emma...
Emma is the only one who will have to go through a stern ordeal. Namely, the death of her own brother, for he was bitten by a walking dead man.
The echoes of the battle will resound in their souls, reminding them of the price they have paid and the power they have discovered within themselves.