The sinkholes and roots had come out of nowhere. Bringing destruction and mayhem in their wake. Even the trained soldiers couldn't do anything but hold the evacuation point with most vehicles.
Using the help of those with meaningful powers to stand their ground like them. Hordes of monsters appear out of nowhere to attack them. The roots had mangled and broken the damage, separating the soldiers in many small squads, if not outright killing them in their growth.
While sizable groups tried to come back to the point that should've most defenses, many failed. One such group, led by Lieutenant Colonel Markus, had meaningful supplies and ammunition to bring to their doomed resistance.
Yet they never came. Meanwhile, others succeeded in bringing some civilians back with them, reaching the defensive perimeter set by their fellow soldiers, led by Major Anthony. The forest had overgrown, blocking their way out, and dooming everyone inside the base to a slow death by attrition.
Mothers hugged their children tightly, while fathers gave their last goodbyes, taking in whatever arms they had ready to help with the resistance against the monstrous horde. Despite constant attacks, the army of the dead seemed to never end, never have their numbers diminished despite their best efforts.
Belongings, toys, and cell phones are littered on the ground, broken, and forgotten. Bodies… Civilians, grandpas holding their grandsons in a vain attempt to shield them from harm, men who sacrificed themselves to let others survive and run away back to safety.
Soldiers, mangled beyond recognition, fighting in the line of duty, fulfilling their role to the end. Looking around, the last soldiers with him retreat, their defensive line being pushed back and tighter to the vehicles.
They couldn't hold this place anymore, needing to retreat, letting monsters get even more of a foothold over their defensive line, while they fell back, some strangled monster followed suit, before being blown up by grenades. While the shrapnel could be a problem, after everything that happened, a grenade shrapnel would be the least of his worries.
Their numbers are never-ending, fit for an army of those who already departed. No matter how many you kill, there will always be more. "They are no different from specters in that regard."
Kill them, and they will come back angrier and in search of vengeance. Even Spencer's lightning couldn't do anything but slow down their inevitable advance, killing some, who were quickly replaced by more monsters.
His flames could make a tent on them, but not enough to give a definitive stop to the bulk of their advancing force, like Spencer's has been able to for the last few hours. Their best wasn't enough to stop them. Even with the flames of a Barghest, their numbers seemed to never end.
While having more things to kill would signify he got stronger by the second, more so against the dead, this wasn't true in this situation. There were simply too many, too many appearing out of nowhere, never-ending.
How can one hold himself together and not tire after facing an endless army? An army that doesn't need to rest, or care about casualties? How is this even possible to do without being an undead yourself?
Worse, they were coming from every side. They were surrounded and without a way to escape. Inevitable, Cain sighs, tired. "They are too many…" How many hours had passed since the start of that mess? Four? Five? Maybe six?
Instead of screaming or panicking, people had accepted their end, the only noises being of their ongoing fight. Death was deemed as a matter of fact, they were only starving it as long as possible. Ironical, given the role of a barghest.
There is no hope of escaping this siege. They are doomed. Yet, the faint voice of someone screaming Keraunos Spear echoes from far behind him. The roars of a teenager and James. They are all fighting.
"I should give my best too." More undead monsters appear, led by a giant wielding an axe. The soldiers had already retreated, Cain being the last one standing there. "Oho? You have a spirit of defiance, human."
The giant aberration says with amusement and surprise in its voice. "Defiance, you say?" The bone claws in place of his fingers tickle a little. This thing looks strong, too strong for him to kill normally. Not in a tired state like he is in. "Why are you guys doing this? What did we do to incur this wrath?"
Maybe it is a fan of peeptalk, maybe Cain can buy time. The giant raises its mighty fist, signaling for the undead monsters with him to stop. One, however, doesn't obey his command. The giant merely squashes it like a mosquito. "We may be working in tandem, spirits of warriors, but don't forget your place in the hierarchy."
The giant grunts. "You are a polite human who understands me, so I will humor you before your death. Why are we destroying this place? Because Loki rigged the Ragnarök. We went behind Odin's back. While it hurts me to serve under him, what Loki and Surtr did is unforgivable."
The giant grimaces, feeling disgusted after speaking. "Loki has something there, something the father wants to be destroyed. He can't come here personally, so it falls on our hands to destroy you."
While it speaks, Cain tries to think of a way to end it. Trying to kill it from outside its own body will not work. Not with him tired. "We—" The giant opens his mouth to speak again, an idea jumping into his mind.
"I can kill it inside out." Like how the first attempt at the wyvern's life that worked was clawing its eye until it reached the brain. The giant starts to monologue, walking towards him with an axe raised high, his words don't matter right now, just the fact he speaks.
Out of nowhere, an old feeling comes back, black fire bursting through his body once again, revitalizing himself. "K.J!" Somehow, he is still alive. For some reason, the black fire had come back to help him.
"Face your death, human!" The giant downs his axe, screaming with ecstasy and happiness. Using the black flames, Cain shoots his body forward like a missile, claws pointing towards the giant's mouth, black fire covering his bone protrusions.
Hitting the giant's mouth with force, Cain breaks through its teeth, entering it and going down its throat. "I will rip you inside out!" Without losing time, the barghest starts to tear the giant's inside, starting with its throat.
"Even if I have to defend this area alone, I won't retreat while I can fight!"
(...)
Blood drips from his eyes and mouth. Every muscle, every fiber, and even his sane mind was tired and hurting. At first, trying lightning bolts was easy. Just throw them at a good point and watch enemies fall.
However, they had been fighting for hours, the roads blocked by roots and the forest that had grown out of them. Holding out a place for so long in a grinding battle. One charge of electricity was no longer enough to put a horde down.
Then just throw two, but soon enough two wasn't enough either. At first, he thought he could just use the energy recklessly, using it at the maximum output for maximum damage, but the energy has to come out from somewhere.
If not a power line, then himself. His stamina. He never had to use the energy to the maximum, test his own limits, but now? It was showing. Spencer barely had any energy left to use his powers.
If Cain had not destroyed the trees under their vehicles before they could fully sprout, the battle would've already been lost. Looking to the side, Cain is getting medical attention— the best their precarious situation can give.
Both of them are in no shape to fight… from behind, to where the vehicles were supposed to go to exit the base, two roars echo. James and Konrad, are the only two left in fighting shape. Muscles start to give away, forcefully shooting themselves down due to exhaustion, forcing the metalhead to his knees.
On the horizon, more monsters; Worse, not only undead creatures started to appear, but giants as well. As if they came directly from the roots… but now is too late, even if it wasn't, they wouldn't have energy left to deal with so many of those malignant plant growths.
The soldiers' ammunition wasn't in a better spot, if he could see Major Anthony's face, his poker face would be broken by this point. A bitter laugh escapes. They truly have no way to defeat this predicament.
At his side, Lily is still there, lying down, crying. It is to be expected after everything they have gone through. Forcing every part of him to stand up, Spencer opens his hands, trying to channel more energy.
"Fighting only ends in death." Every muscle stings in pain. More energy is being drawn from them. However, the energy starts to dissipate as soon as it is drawn. There will be no fighting to the death— stamina and power will run out long before life does.
Forcing the energy to condense, a spark of pain screams in every part of his body, more blood falling from his mouth, eyes, and ears. "Guess this will be my last attack…" Not the strongest nor the fastest.
"Keraunos… spear." Energy is shot toward a group of undead approaching their makeshift defenses, hitting them. The undead falls to the ground, but the horde continues onwards.
With no more energy to spend, Spencer fell to his knees, one last time. "This is it." The end of the line. The soldiers too start to break their composure, starting to shout and despair over the monsters coming closer and closer.
The only sounds besides weapons fire, and those who can still fight waging a losing battle, being of prayers. Not only soldiers are praying, but people as well, breaking the eerie silence that had installed itself, of those who accepted demise.
People are praying. "Truly, only a miracle can save us now." Anything less than one wouldn't work. Even Cain had reached his limit, and he should be one of the best suited to fight this type of fight.
However, the worst information of what's to come only reaches his ears now: "The Lieutenant Colonel is dead. We are the last ones standing." Major Anthony says, being anywhere near the vehicles, but with his fellow soldiers, helping defend them.
No supplies or sudden reinforcement either, nor that normal weapons and ammunition could be of any help right now. Everything else would only push the ending away a little more. "We did our best…" They fought with everything. There shall be no regrets over it.
Looking at the horizon one last time, it is already dusk, the skies being painted purple. A great bonfire of black flames burned there, mixing its dark red color with the purple of the sky, making a magnificent view. "Guess you too fought to the end, K.J."
Even dying, he went down with defiance. "Wait! A massive heat source is coming near us!" A soldier screams, using binoculars. Looking in the same direction as him, the immense bonfire is indeed coming closer and closer.
If it is coming closer— Kyrie still is alive, and still fighting! "I would want to give a last volley to not be outdone by you… but I guess I already reached my limits…" Lily moves to stand by him, hugging him tightly, crying.
The monster horde halts, starting to turn back to meet the black bonfire. From there, a familiar visage makes itself present. Humanoid, accompanied by the black flames. A lean form covered in dark ashes, with no trace of hair or even clothes, appears like a dark silhouette on the horizon. Carrying a flaming sword in a pitch-black arm… no doubt charred.
Who was there? K.J. There is no doubt about it… "Soldier… please, pass me the binoculars." While not enough to attack, to see, to check his friend— he should have enough strength. Confused, the soldier abides, throwing the binoculars atop the bus.
However, a meter or two away. While not something meaningful in any other situation, right now this distance seems infinite, impossible to be crossed. "Let me do this, mister…" Lily moves out, trying her best to not fall off the bus top, quickly snatching the binoculars and bringing them to him.
"Thanks…" With the little strength left, Spencer grabs the binoculars, focusing on the figure leading the wildfire. The top of its head was charred, almost revealing the skull, lips cracking down and turning to ashes. The hand holding the sword was no better, being like he thought.
Burnt to almost carbonic state. Despite the damage, its form is undoubtedly still human, with enough flesh on most stops to be a "human". Zooming on his eyes, his brown eyes almost hollow, if not by a thin, very thin, glimmer of light. Their friend—
"— — —. —— — —." His crumbling lips moves slowly, trying to pass out a message. He doesn't know lip-reading… and even if he did, is there a way to properly read his lips in that situation? Before any conclusion could be drawn, K.J gives a last smile.
The fire in the forest condensates at one point, in K.J's sword, being absorbed with frightening speed, the heat starting to reach them, despite K.J still being on the horizon.
Like a divine judgment, the energy of the black flames is shot forward, not aiming towards them. It passes in parallel to their holding point, some parts of it branching to strike down the monsters in fiery explosions.
Instead of hitting them, the black ray reaches the forest, blocking their path. The roots, the trees, everything being blasted to ashes and rising to the skies. The blockade has been broken, they can move out—
"Start our evacuation! Let's go, everyone gets inside a vehicle! And don't dare to forget Spencer and the girl, you hear me! Everyone! Move out! Somehow, the blockade has been broken!"
Major Anthony screams, Spencer's body finally giving in to exhaustion and falling atop of the bus. The last thing on his mind was his friend's last smile…