I was starting to feel tired. Everyone was to an extent. Rocks continued to fall, spheres of black energy zipped by and crashed into the entities with explosive force. Of my bullets, Piercing rounds pierced shield types, normal bullets took out knees, limbs, or exposed heads, and scattershot rounds impeded groups by both pushing them back and perforating them with smaller shards.

  We were making progress. As were they. Also, I was glad I wasn’t afraid of heights, but after today, I might just have a new fear for them.

  The first sign of trouble was a larger, multi-limbed entity cresting the edge. Large claw-like limbs found purchase on the stone steps. It was just ahead of me, pinning down the voice and rock girl. I couldn’t go forward, nor could I afford the distraction to turn and shoot.

  Above, more spheres rained down on the creature, but all it accomplished was having the already precarious stairway begin to collapse under the combined weight of the entity and the force of the explosion. It held, if only because of the rock girl doing her best to shore up the rapidly disintegrating ledge.

  What followed was a streak of aluminum, the girl wielding the aluminum bat swung, only for her extended bat to shatter on impact, doing little to nothing to the larger entity. The failed swing’s recoil had her flailing forward with her feet just at the edge of the stairs.

  A rock jutted out by her feet, giving her a foothold, but she didn’t back off. She dived. She leapt down, pulling her bat up behind her, and swung down as hard as she could on one of the legs.

  A loud ping echoed through the space, the bat she held vibrated, blood burst from her hands. The bat swung away, but she tensed, the vibrating bat came down once again with even greater, unstoppable force, cleaving right through a trunk sized limb planted into the wall, spraying ruby red blood everywhere.

  It squealed in pain. I took the chance to shoot a penetrating bullet right at another other limb’s joint. It pierced through on contact with a squelching whine. A lance of rock then finished the job, shunting the entity off the ledge and into the abyss, where it knocked down more of its kind on its way down.

  Victory was short, but bittersweet. My momentary shift in attention had the horde closing in. I gripped my now empty rifle, and I felt another pulse, as if it was reading my intent. Almost against my will, I yelled out.

  “Affix bayonet!” Just below the barrel, a blade appeared with a snap. The blade was silver, like the barrel, and seemed to shimmer and glow in the dim lighting.

  Without pause, I shot forward. Bayonet forward. It thrust into the chest of the leading entity, like a hot knife in butter. With a push, and shove, I sent it over the ledge with more of its kin. I pulled back and thrust again. Skewering another entity’s head. Its body made for a fair obstacle, but even then, they were pressing in.

  The stairway was maybe two men wide. Even then, it would be precarious. It made it easy for me to hold the line, thrusting the tip of my bayonet to hold them at bay, skewering and throwing them aside with bursts of enhanced strength. Every time the blade sliced or cut, I could feel energy leaving my body, flowing into the blade as it hummed with excitement.

  With mechanical efficiency I retreated, doing my very best, but they were not machines. They were rabid creatures, slavering for my flesh and blood. They went over each other, threw aside their slower kin when possible. A shielder burst through the lines, tossing its kin into the abyss. I thrust my bayonet, only for the blade to stick fast in the hardened flesh covering the entity’s arm.

  I tried to pull back, but the shielder twisted and turned. Despite the ice making me heavier, despite my ice empowered strength, I was thrown from the stairs. My feet leaving solid ground and dangled over the abyss.

  There was no fear. Not even as I felt my stomach drop. Not even with the abyss below me, or with the sudden shift in weight causing the shielder to tip, threatening to bowl over and send us into the yawning abyss below.

  I followed through or tried too. I went with the movement, my hand shot out for purchase, only to miss the ledge by mere centimeters. Claws formed on the tip of my fingers and dug into stone, managing to halt my descent before I fell too far. However, failed motion threw the shielder off the edge, nearly wrenching my rifle from my grasp as it fell into the abyss, nearly taking me with it and pulling me even further down, and away from the group.

  Above me, more entities leapt down to meet me, falling upon me like a waterfall of bodies. I threw myself aside, losing precious feet when I tried to dig back into the wall, this time using my bayonet as an anchor, the blade dug deep, and arrested my motion after a bit. Spikes of ice formed at the tip of my shoes and let me dig further in.

  I tried to climb. Using claws at the ends of my fingertips to claw, and my bayonet as an anchor, with my spike covered shoes propelling me up. It worked, but just behind me a larger entity sent a claw lancing right for me, only to be redirected by a well-timed extended bat swing that shattered on impact. The wall quaked. Shaking loose the bayonet blade from the rapidly disintegrating wall.

  It settled, then finally gave way just as the redirected limb slammed into the wall. Rock and stone peeled away from the wall. The entire lower portion of the stairs flowed away like mud. For a brief moment, there was nothing below me once again, save for the endless drop below.

  I let go of my rifle, the sling keeping it near. My hands snapped out, grabbing what I could of the sloughing wall. Feet dug into rapidly shifting earth and pumped me up the quickly dissolving wall above. The falling wall seemed to solidify briefly underfoot. Above, I witnessed the rock girl sweating profusely, her hands on the ground.

  Using the chance given to me, I continued to bolt, gaining on the still dissolving wall, but it wasn’t enough. The earth fell away underfoot. In a final act of desperation, I leapt up. Hand extended. The bat wielding girl stood above, bat aimed down. It extended out. My hand grasped it, the moment it was before me. My frozen hand stuck fast to the metal bat.

  I felt it crunch in my hand. The extended metal being exceptionally weak and brittle. Even then, it held. I clawed my way up. Shimmying as I went, careful not to break it. The girl above held the bat with all she had. Sweat pouring down her face. Once I met a ledge, I leapt for it, and the stone firmed under my grasp. Pulling myself up, I rolled onto the safe ground and let the ice recede.

  Air flooded my lungs. My entire body burned. Terror gripped me for a few seconds as the experiences of what I had just witnessed came crashing in.

  I allowed myself a moment. A single moment before it was buried under ice. There was still more to go.

  The creatures below were stymied by the sudden avalanche. We had time yet before they followed. Unobstructed we climbed the rest of the way; I nodded my thanks towards the rock girl and the girl with the bat. With no threat on the horizon, I allowed the ice to recede. Letting my body rest. A wave of nausea hit. My entire body shook with delayed panic and fear.

  None of us spoke as we went through the door at the apex of the shaft and closed it behind us, the girl with the bat even sealing it shut with her magic. On the other end, was what looked like catacombs. Just a glance was all I needed to know where the undead had come from. Bodies littered the ground. Long shafts threaded the city and connected to the various sewers throughout.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  However, what caught our attention was another sent of stairs, spiral stairs that led up. At the top, was another gate like the one below. One that hummed with power.

  Voice girl walked up and dealt with it. Her new megaphone made it all too easy to shatter the metal, rending and twisting it into pieces.

  Exhausted, we made our way up another set of stairs a set of doors lay. Thick, ornate wooden doors. With a kick, it was opened up. The lock and wood both giving away under our strength.

  We walked on and into…

  “City hall?” I muttered. Recognizing where we were. We were in the main hall. The large antechamber that was the central part of the administration center.

  I remember the reception desk that had directed me towards the customs office. There, I’d been interviewed, given my job, and assigned my apartment. Behind me, were a set of curling staircases that led to the second floor, where massive double doors towered. Beyond those doors was the council chambers, and further beyond that, the mayoral office.

  When I had first arrived, I hadn’t taken the chance to properly notice everything. I had just arrived and was still reeling from all the changes. Even now, I found myself at a loss.

  “We should keep going.” I looked over towards the speaker, the girl with the bat. “Don’t know how long it’ll take those freaks to catch up.”

  Nobody argued but… I suppose it was time for introductions.

  “Sounds like a good idea, by the way, my name is Prima.”

  She looked at my extended hand and shrugged before grabbing it fiercely. “Ruth.”

  “Pleasure working with you Ruth.”

  “Yeah, you too.” She let go and started heading for the door.

  The girl stepped up next, hands held close to her body. “My Name is!” With her microphone so close to her mouth, the speakers of her stereo cracked and hissed, cutting her off.

  “S-sorry…” Then she put it down and adjusted a few dials on the stereo before trying again. “Diva…” She said, the voice came out of the speaker sounded a little too soft.

  Her name was Diva. It looked like she was still trying to control her power. Plus, it looked like her microphone and speaker helped her not only control but bolster her power. An interesting design…

  “Ho, what about me! Forgetting about me!” The rock girl came up. “You very nearly sent me to the abyss when you leapt onto my spike earlier, but you did save my ass.” She continued. “But you’re a real badass, ain’t ya?”

  I had no idea how to respond to that. She waved her hands before her, puffed out her chest. “You can call me Terra!” She then let out a big, WAHAHA!

  “Well, nice to work with you Terra.” She lunged forward and grabbed my hand, enthusiastically shaking it up and down.

  “The pleasure was all mine! Not every day I meet someone like you!” She yelled again, exposing fang like teeth. Then just as quickly, she disengaged and ran for the exit.

  “Faust.” I looked up at the final speaker, the young man with the ponytail.

  “Prima.” I respond back, he nods.

  That was it. Diva was still by my side, but the others had hurried towards the entrance. I didn’t delay and followed. The doors were shut, but they opened easily enough. We made our way down the main steps, and we all slowed to a stop near the street.

  Before us was the main street. Following it, we would eventually hit the suburbs and beyond.

  Why we had stopped was evident. We weren’t alone.

  “So, you’re the ones that sheep was talking about!” A rather vocal fella stepped up. “We were all getting ready for the next wave, when suddenly they all dropped dead.”

  We could have denied it. His evidence was circumstantial at best. Not only that but getting into a fight right this moment wouldn’t be smart. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one here. Men and women both were standing before us, barring the way. All of them looked ready to throw down, as it were.

  “Yeah, we did. You got a problem with that?”

  Of course, the one to respond was Terra. Stepping forward to confront the speaker. Chest puffed out, arms at her side.

  “Of course I got a problem with that! How are we going to get coins now!? Not just that, but you even got those gold coins, whatever the hell they were! Don’t you think there are people who tried hard to earn their coins!? Don’t they deserve some sorta compensation!?”

  It looked like a fight would break out, but… I wasn’t too concerned about that. They were posturing. Looking for some kind of gains or concessions. Just… poorly.

  I didn’t blame them though. If I were in their position, I’d probably do the same. Only, I wasn’t sure if this was the right time for this… After all, we…

  A noise attracted our attention. A very loud noise. A loud crack. Every head snapped towards the city hall. We all stared when the front of the building appeared to vibrate and shake. A few smarter people realized something was up and started to run down the street.

  I’d like to say I was one of them… I wasn’t. I stared in horror as the front of the building exploded out. A titanic creature pulled itself out of the city hall, as if emerging from an egg. At its feet, countless more entities poured out from a gaping hole in the ground. A hole that rapidly enlarged, bringing with it the entire city hall.

  I wasn’t sure who broke the stunned silence. It sure wasn’t me.

  “FUCKING RUN!” But it was most definitely whoever just yelled that. I bolted; the linear movement further bolstered by the ice I let course through my veins. We made good time, but the entities were on our tail and gaining.

  I didn’t think we’d make it out of the city at this rate, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. The linear road was both a detriment and a boon. Allowing us to run without obstacles, but that also meant the entities were unmolested as they came.

  Nobody bothered to stop and use their abilities. Not when the creatures could work around, climbing the various buildings ledges and eaves that were common for gothic architecture. We’d quickly be overrun.

  We needed a place to lock down. A place to barricade and hold them off. To dam the oncoming flood of flesh and get our bearings.

  “THE BRIDGE!” Someone screamed, coming to the same conclusion as me, and everyone else. The bridge. That same bridge near everyone had seen on their bus ride in. The bridge that separated the residential district from the suburban district.

  With those words, hope blossomed. Everyone pumped their feet faster.

  A few tripped, but even with my enhanced strength and speed, combined with me being at the back, I couldn’t get them all. I helped who I could. A few, however, were either too far for me to reach, or plain unlucky as I saved another in their place.

  Some caught up. Others… Even when the creatures caught up, they went down with a fight. Slowing down the oncoming tide with their lives on the line.

  Just when it felt hopeless, the bridge came into sight. I grasped the sling and brought the rifle back into my hands. It almost purred in my hand. I could feel its growing excitement, even as the cold drowned away all emotion and unnecessary thought.

  I glanced back, made plans. The big one needed to die, but how. Piercing rounds could hurt it, but the limbs were too thick and meaty. A single bullet would leave needle sized marks along its body. Hardly enough to do damage.

  Scattershot, I doubted it could even pierce its thick hide. Normal bullets were much the same. As if to answer my question, my rifle responded…

  That could work.

  I formed the bullets in hand. Wincing at the absurd cost. The cost of piercing and scattershot rounds was about the same, just barely more than a standard shot, but these new rounds were simply extravagant. It nearly bottomed me out, just to form five of them. I slotted them in and readied my gun.

  No sooner had I finished, had we reached the end of the bridge. Everyone worked together without a word. Ground shifted and jutted out, forming into a barricade. Obstacles formed and covered the road. The air itself seemed to shift and change as so many different ability users came together.

  There were perhaps two dozen of us here. Probably about half of the total participants left alive. Barring those that had died to the sudden incursion. Whilst facing us, were countless stark white creatures. Whose white bodies reflected the moonlight, making them even more eye catching.

  Even then, the moment I hit behind the barricade I didn’t worry. Not just because of the ice in my veins, but also because. I wasn’t alone. I aimed my rifle. I waited and tensed. Taking in a slow breath, my heart slowing to a stop. Every part of me becoming still as a frozen corpse.

  I waited and waited. Until the beast opened its mouth, loosing a terrible roar. Then I shot, it sang high, then low, right into its gullet. The explosion ripped free multiple razor-sharp tongues, and chunks of frozen meat that went everywhere.

  I ejected the casing, the moment it hit the ground I had already chambered a new round and pressed the trigger. Still reeling from the explosion, the creature had its maw wide open. Another round shot out, right for that open maw. It blew a chunk of its face off.

  Another round. Another little tink of frozen ice on concrete, not unlike the tinkle of glass. The third shot blew away another chunk of the creature’s maw, the fourth shot dug into its skull. The final shot, blew out its brains.

  Each explosion was unlike any I had seen before. Instead of fire and smoke, the explosion was more like a snap of frost that shattered and concussed everything around. Like I had compressed nitrogen into a liquid form and shot it out. Perhaps the analogy was wrong, but… it felt right.

  My energy was low, but I loosened the hold of ice on my body. With it, reducing the upkeep and cost to my reserves. Then, I began to conjure bullets at a steady pace.

  The titanic creature crumpled down. Crushing countless members of its kin. Its body acted as a barrier, forcing its kin to climb over its body. I continued to shoot. Aiming for crippling blows. Taking measured shots. Timing expenditure with my recovery. Breathing in and out. I focused entirely on my task.