We arrived at the location but the corrupted has gone off the radar. Something is off. There's corrupted ash everywhere from the soldiers who turned. We all split up into partners to find the target...
We roam around the wooded area next to a large mountain. I sure hope it's not up there...
"Corn, have you spotted it yet?"
"Nope. It seems to have gone somewhere harder to detect with our scanners. I'm thinking if there's a cave or something in that mountain, that's our best bet."
Damn. I was hoping that wasn't the case...
"Alright, Corn, let's just start searching the mountain."
"If you say so."
We proceed around the mountain and find nothing out of the ordinary-
"Nathan?"
"Yes, Corn, what's up?"
"I think I found the Corrupted."
I make my way toward Corn. He's not too far away from me, however, the direction he walked toward is pouring down rain and thunder!
"Corn! What's going on, how is it raining?"
"We're close Nathaniel... This Corrupted is stronger than we expected."
"What do you mean?"
"When the Corrupted is strong enough they possess the abilty to control the weather even through a time freeze. These are the kinds of corrupted only high tiers go up against. The crystal powers we have is the powers they use. The thing is, they are meant to have it. They use it to a much more powerful degree."
*Boom!*
"What was that?!"
There was a sudden explosion from the field just down past the mountain...
"Pozhar and Riveck... T-They're fighting the C-Corrupted."
"Why are they here?"
"We need to leave, Nathaniel... I can't contact the squad at this position!"
"Corn, we have to take out this Corrupted. It's our mission. The others will find there way here."
"That's not such a good idea, dude."
"We can easily get the jump on it."
"Dude! Are you nuts? Pozhar and Riveck, the two wanted criminals who tried to kill you, are right there!"
"It doesn't matter who it is. We have a common enemy! They need our help. They're still our squadmates."
"It's different, man... They... They will be fine."
I look toward them... Pozhar throwing flaming arms at the beast. Riveck shooting it down with lightning... The target doesn't seem affected...
Fuck...
I can't let them fight it alone...
"Dude, where are you going? Please, stop! You'll die!"
Corn grabs my arm...
"I'll be better off with your help, Corn."
He stares at me almost in tears seemingly. The rain pouring down his face makes it hard to tell...
He sighs...
"I am only going so I won't be the monster who left you for dead."
We make our way down toward the Corrupted. It's a twelve-foot. It has a large seven fingered claw and a cudgel for a hand in the other. It looks heavily armored in bone and not with thickness, but with multiple layers of disfigured bones.
Corn shoots a shot straight through the corrupted's back with his sniper...
"Hell yeah! Nice one, Corn."
Oh shit.
The monster turns around facing right toward me.
"Get out of here!"
"Pozhar?"
She connected to my endoskeleton somehow...
"Nathaniel, for fuck's sake just listen. You have no idea what you're getting into!"
"We're killing this thing with or without you. And after, we are coming for you two."
The monster swings his cudgel arm right past me! I jump back and start shooting the thing...
Show me a weak spot... Come on... Show me!
Suddenly, a portal?
"Ack!"
Riveck hit me with the butt of his gun sending me to the ground...
"With this earth's heart, I shall not let you consume it whole!"
"Aghghgh!"
He electrocutes me...
In an instant moment, he is shot straight through his chest...
"Oh my god!"
He collapses slowly. His body making a pool of blood where he lies. It's horrifying...
Pozhar combusts and fights the monster impaling it over and over with her flaming arms. Corn continues to shoot at the beast... How? How do they keep going? He tried to kill me but, he was still one of us. To just kill him without any hesitation...
Fuck! I need to kill this monster. I charge in and slide between the thing's legs and get up behind it. I jump on its back and blast the thing with a grenade while jumping off. I then follow up by shooting the Corrupted down with bullets. I start to reload and that's when I see his opening. It lifts its gigantic foot to turn around...
"The weak spot is at the bottoms of his feet!"
Pohzar and Corn don't respond but they freeze their fire for a second... They then proceeded to attack it. Pozhar hitting the Corrupted with powerful fire blasts from shoulder to shoulder. Corn then shoots the Corrupted straight in the head. The target falls over and goes limp...
Is it...
Dead?
"Nathaniel, what are you doing, man? Attack it!"
"Right!"
I run while shooting a foot and arrive toward the other as I empty my magazine. I then get my m9 Bayonet out and stab the other foot. The monster starts to roar and move fast.
It finally dies...
We...
"We did it!"
"Nathaniel, you must leave! Now!"
"And you are coming with-"
*Rooaaar!*
Suddenly we hear distant ear-piercing roars...
"Holy shit!"
"What do you see, Corn?"
"C-C-Claw!"
"What?!"
"Nathaniel, take Corn and go... If you don't leave-"
"I'm not leaving without you. Not even just to catch you, but also so you are safe. Come with us. This isn't our fight."
"You don't understand, Nathaniel. You need to leave because you're in dange-Ack!"
"Pozhar!"
She was shot and went down weak... I'm not too sure as to why, but I'm only seeing now how injured she is. It's as though she had fought here for a while. Her armor is torn, but she wasn't cut from Corrupted. However, she has cut and burn marks all over her. Whether it was trees or rocks or even her melee... It just wasn't from the Corrupted for sure...
"Nathaniel! Did she hurt you?"
"Lizzie!? What are you doing here?"
"We found out their location and got rumors of them intercepting your mission to get you."
"W... Why would they-"
"Woah! Is that... Calling for backup, we have an attack! It's Claw!"
The Warriors and Special Forces come up following behind Lizzie, securing the area...
"Hey, let's go, Nathaniel. We need to get out of here."
"Yeah... What about them two?"
"They'll be taken back to medical bay to make sure they are alive and hopefully put away or killed. We will have to see."
"Hey! Get down!"
Riveck teleports into a force field around Pozhar. He seems weak as he is still lying on the ground. He puts his hands over her and he starts to glow...
"Fuck them, let's get out of here. Our chopper is about to arrive, let's move!"
The force field suddenly breaks and Pozhar combusts into a huge flame! Riveck slowly lies on the ground and his glow dims down slowly. I think he's really dead this time...
"Pico, Holly! Get Special Forces outa here! Everyone else attack E7707! Permission to kill has been granted."
Everyone starts shooting her. However, the bullets seam to melt just before they touch her. Zander throws his battle-axe straight toward her. She uses her flames to push it and redirect it toward me! Lizzie jumps on me and pushes me out of the way. Narissa puts her hand up and does a motion... A transparent gold-tinted shield appears around her and she pulls out a mace in her right hand. Lizzie starts pulling me away toward the chopper. I pull away...
"Lizzie, we can't kill her!"
"What? Nathaniel! Seriously, this is not the time. She is trying to kill us and we have to get out of here before those Corrupted arrive. It's a horde of them!"
"Lizzie, I don't think she is hurting people willingly."
"Look... We'll just leave in the chopper once you get in. We won't take her, but we won't kill her."
"So you'll just leave her with these Corrupted?"
"Ugh! Shut up! We need to-"
*Boom!*
The chopper exploded! A Corrupted... No, multiple Corrupted!
"Fuck! Dammit, Nathaniel. Everyone fall back to the group and stick together! We are going to have to hold it down here and fight."
The Warriors are fighting Pozhar while Lizzie, the Special Forces, and I proceed to fight off the Corrupted. Pico and Holly are missing. A few members of my squad die and turn... It's horrible... I feel sick, but I keep my head up and alert, shooting down every Corrupted with Corn and Lizzie looking out for each other's back. Marcus and Joceline are killing tons of Corrupted with Joceline using her range and Marcus protecting her from any Corrupted that come close... I'm terrified... They're everywhere...
"Nathaniel, I need to help the Warriors. The Corrupted are getting to their side. We need to kill her, Nathaniel."
"But I... I-I can't."
"Nathaniel... If the time comes that you have a moment to eliminate her... Promise me I can trust that you will. It's her or all of us. Do you understand that?"
I sigh...
"I... I do... But... There has to be a way."
"Well if it comes that we can save her, we will, okay? Corn! Group with Marcus to stay protected and shoot from there. We are going to help the Warriors."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Nathaniel, I need you. I need your help. You're my partner... and I don't want another one."
I hold her close with a hug...
"I'm so sorry for leaving you."
I grab her by the shoulders and look into her eyes...
"Let's do this."
We make our way toward Pozhar. She's hovering and the flame has gotten larger. Rosalin is lying on the ground, closer to us than she is to Pozhar. She has cut and burn marks all over her and she's bleeding pints of blood. Narissa seems to be using some kind of magic to heal her. She has her hands hovered over her wounds and they seem to be slowly healing. There is a light green mist coming from her hands into the wounds. It looks like the regeneration fields aura...
"Oh no, Rosalin... Fuck! Is she going to make it."
"Yes, this one's soul still has light. I fear the worst has yet to come considering the demon you long for is still present."
She starts running toward Pozhar...
Becca, Zander, Siberus, Vadice, and some other guy I don't know are the only ones left over here. I assume that's Lizzie's new partner...
"Alright everyone, let's synchronize and attack. Although she seems to just be getting stronger, she's more tired out than before. So-"
*Boom!*
One of her flaming arms slams the ground right next to Lizzie as she dodges...
"Vadice and Zander! Do circles around her and keep her distracted. Switch off and on with agro."
"Got it!"
They answer in sync...
"Becca, C1010-"
"Thank you!"
Siberious respondes...
"Do you're defense tactic with Becca while she aims for pressure points. Nathaniel and I will punish any opening we get."
The plan goes accordingly. However, she doesn't seem to be focused on them at all. She's only striking toward me. Why am I such a target? I feel preyed upon. It feels like everyone knows something I don't...
"Lizzie... I... I can't-"
"Nathaniel!"
.......
"W-what... What just-"
"Come on, Nathaniel, get up!"
Did I blackout? Fuck! My arm is burned. She must have hit me after I blacked out. I feel so sad and drained... Hopeless...
"Lizzie... It's... It's over, huh?"
"No, Nathaniel. Backup is coming we just have to hold them off a bit longer."
We're back by the destroyed chopper. Everyone remaining is grouped up here. Pozhar is gone but her body isn't anywhere. What happened?
I suddenly have a jolt of energy and feel refreshed...
"I've restored your health. How do you feel?"
"Great, Narrisa. Thanks!"
"Come on, the chopper can't pull in here. We have to move, everyone!"
Lizzie helps me up and we start running over the hill. A couple of us turn and shoot down a couple Corrupted. Sadly a couple of people from my squad get killed and turn... Fuck... This is horrible. How did this happen?
Zander is carrying Riveck's lifeless corpse, Narissa is carrying Rosalin. She looks dead... Oh no... Fuck, fuck, fuck! Everything has gone to shit. Pico and Holly are gone and nobody has a clue what happened to them...
Fuck...
Tears...
Tears are falling from my face...
I cared for these people. And even the ones I didn't even know... They were still one of us. My heart hurts...
I need to focus. I have to make sure we stay alive. I can't lose anyone else... not even Zander...
"Lizzie."
"Yes, Nathaniel, everything okay? We are almost there."
"People are getting killed back there."
"I know... But we have to keep moving."
We get to where we can see the helicopter... Fuck! It's Pozhar!
"Okay, everyone, hit her with whatever you got! We have to move past her to get to the heli, that's our priority. Let the Corrupted catch her after."
"Lizzie-"
"Nathaniel, this is life or death right now. I won't try to spare her for our soldiers!"
I keep quiet. I hate that we must leave her to die... I just know she's not a bad person... She's under control, she has to be!
Pozhar, surrounded and covered with flames, impales the last few members of my squad that I never got to meet...
They just go limp...
Their bodies...
Holy shit...
Nobody goes back for them...
We just keep moving...
This is so-
"Ack!"
She hits me with a fire tentacle. Damn! It hurts so bad... Fuck! I collapse... Oh no! I can't help the tears. I'm going to die! The Corrupted are catching up and fast. Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Fuck! I'm going to-
"Uck."
I'm being lifted up by Narrisa...
"Young one, you better not turn on us now! Resist those demons. Especially with our young one, the one you desire most."
"I... I."
Damn... I'm too weak to get the words out...
"Zander!"
Zander turns to Narissa and runs back toward us. We are nearing the heli-
"Ack! Shit!"
Narissa dropped me... Wait... Where is she?
"Narrisa, oh no!"
A Corrupted got her! Oh my god! This can't be happening! Zander lifts me up with his arm around me to help me walk...
"Come on, man. Don't look back."
"But s-s-she-"
"She's gone, man. There's nothing we can do about it."
Her painful shrieks pierce my ears but come to a sudden stop. Everything blurs as my eyes fill up with tears... Fuck!
"Dammit, Nathaniel, get up!"
"C-can't... move."
Why am I freezing up? This isn't the time for this! Oh no! He's going to leave me to die!"
"Come on, hurry up!"
Siberius picked me up with the help of Zander. The Corrupted are starting to surround the helicopter...
"We should've just left this fucker!"
"Siberius, bro, shut the hell-"
"Argh!"
Siberious was impaled by a Corrupted. Zander does some kind of rocket jump to get farther faster.
"No! Ahh! Stop! Fuck! No-"
"..."
He gets torn to pieces by the Corrupted... Claw... Claw seems to be less interested... It seems to be... looking at me...
*Roar!*
It lets out a roar and the Corrupted start to charge toward us. Holy shit!
We approach the helicopter...
"Get in, hurry!"
Zander tosses me in and jumps inside as it starts to fly off...
We made it...
"Becca, no... It's not him."
Rosalin softly whispers as she is weak...
Becca jumps off!
"What the hell are you doing!"
"Quade... Is that... It's you! It's really you!"
She looks to a Corrupted and walks to it slowly... The Corrupted are running past her as though she isn't there... Except for that one Corrupted. But it isn't attacking her. She hugs the Corrupted... It really is-
"No!"
Rosalin cries out...
Claw...
It impaled what I assume was Quade and then Becca on the other side of him...
Oh my god. I feel so sick. She turns into a Corrupted...
Fuck...
Everything is so fucked!
...
Hang on a second...
"I see Holly!"
"Nathaniel... We can't go back for her."
She's running to the helicopter killing Corrupted back and forward, making a path toward us...
"We can make it! Zander can use that jump of his to get her up here!"
"Nathaniel! Don't be a fucking idiot!"
"Lizzie, we have to try!"
I jump down... I can't just stand around and do nothing anymore. I can't just sit there and let my friends die!
"Lyra!"
"Nathaniel, thank fuck! Please help me!"
Zander slams down next to me...
"The jump is getting pretty high so hurry up!"
Lizzie and Corn kill off Corrupted that get close to us, from the helicopter. They drop down a rope ladder for us to climb however, it's only in reach if Zander jumps us there...
"Holly, come here."
Lyra gets in Zander's arms and he jumps up the helicopter. He jumps back down to get me next...
"Come on, dude."
I grab him and hold tight... He jumps up and-
"Woah!"
He dropped me and grabbed the ladder with one hand and just barely grabs me with the other...
"Whew, I almost-"
"Zander, look out!"
"Huh, Lizzie?"
He looks down and his face overwhelmed with fear. Claw jumped! Zander swings me-
"Ack!"
"Nathaniel!"
Lizzie cries...
I'm...
Falling...
My...
Back...
Burns!
*Thump!*
(A very low evil monstrous voice begins to speak.)
Mmm, the smell of a young soul...
My favorite!