The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 75: Cruelty of the Gods, Part One

"How can you tell?" Russell asked. Salem pointed a finger forward, towards the city, the swamp, and the castle.

"That."

The armies followed her finger, their bodies tensing. From the city a dark sea rose, fast approaching. Abominations, thousands of them. Monsters of pure nightmares, unfathomable entities. Slowly, they drew their weapons. Salem gritted her teeth, raising her sword.

"... This is it," she said aloud. "Our backs are pressed into the corner. But we have a chance now. If we can win, we can restart the Timeline... Have our happy ending."

Yin and Vao took her sides, Sasha and Verde joining them along with Jasper, Sapphire, and Midori. "Yeah. Together, then?" The healer asked.

"Together, lads," Vao agreed.

She had their full support. Salem looked around her using her peripheral vision. The armies were waiting on her orders. They were willing to follow her in the final battle against the ones who started it all.

She swung her sword down. She didn't need to shout a command. They were already charging, with Salem leading them in the final stretch of their horrible adventure.

The unintelligible gurgles of the abominations echoed around them as the two forces crashed into each other like opposing tidal waves, the forces of Salem pushing back against the monsters. It was apparent that the abominations would win in normal circumstances; just one was stronger than a dozen normal people, and every abomination had the power to drive them insane. But with the power of a Celestial at their side, and the drive that came with finally being offered the chance to rebel, they held their own.

An abomination dropped from the sky when Ironwood shot it down in his jet, the beast crash landing in front of Salem, Yin, and Vao, separating the demigod from her allies. The abomination twitched, Salem driving her sword into its face and blowing it to pieces with her magic.

"Our goal is that city!" Salem shouted. "If we can reach it, we can set up a defense base!"

Yin and Vao shared a look before the healer nodded. The healer jumped into his brother's hands, the dullahan gripping his ankles and beginning to spin. Soldiers leapt back in surprise when Yin drew his katana and channeled his magic into the blade slicing through the abominations and sending golden arcs of Light searing towards the monsters. As Vao reached his maximum speed, Yin felt sick.

"Vao! NOW!"

"Nyahahaha!"

Vao began to hop as he spun, and with his laughter and a final spin he threw Yin sky-high, the healer soaring through the air. Yin curled into a ball, gripping his katana in two hands before driving it through a tumor-like lump of a massive abomination, pumping it full of magic. The creature shuddered and exploded into a gory mess, revealing Poppy trapped underneath its claws. The one-legged harpy struggled to her feet, flapping her wings. "Thanks, Yin!" She shouted.

Yin didn't get the chance to answer. An abomination loomed over him, catching him off guard. The healer shielded himself, bracing for the painful blow.

But the only thing that came was the roar of an engine, followed by gunfire. One of the Cult's trucks had been hijacked by a band of drunk elves, the alcoholics arming themselves with the guns they found inside, leaning out the windows and holding down the triggers. Nikita was behind the wheel with a bottle of vodka in his lips, popping it from his lips and letting out a drunken cry.

"СУКА!"

Yin dove out of the way as the reckless elf stomped on the gas pedal, running the abomination over. The healer let out a shaky breath of relief. "C-crazy elves," he muttered. "Communism really drives you nuts, huh?"