//------------------------------// // 17. Amaryllis' Story Ends // Story: A Wilting Flower // by Terran34 //------------------------------// What had once started as a reconnaissance mission had turned into a nightmare. Major General Wallace hadn’t known what to expect when the brass reported a complete communications blackout in New York City, but the hellscape he could see from the co-pilot’s seat hadn’t been it. The Major General gazed down at the burning city, his lips set in a frown. He was an older man, with a clean shaven face and short cropped hairline colored a shade of silver black. His face was well lined with age and stress, and his rigid expression was a testament to his discipline and training. His eyes traced along the cityscape, noting the clogged streets littered with the wreckage of cars, the blood of the fallen, and the ashen debris of the burned buildings. While there was fighting still taking place deep in the city, even Wallace had to admit that the city was lost. There were simply too many of those twisted creatures roaming through the streets. Attempting to count them proved fruitless; there had to be thousands of them. “Major General, I can’t bring her any closer than this,” the pilot spoke up, angling the stick such that the helicopter ceased its path forward and circled in a parallel path. “If we go any further, we’ll be in range of those AA guns.” “Circle the area, staying just out of range,” Wallace ordered without looking at him. Sure enough, he could see the guns, clearly Russian in design, set up on the tops of still intact buildings, their gleaming barrels pointing directly towards them and tracking them as they moved. “Yes sir. Adjusting our course.” Wallace noticed something odd, so he retrieved a small pair of binoculars and zoomed in on a particular gun to see not a human manning it, but rather a strange armored quadruped with large eyes and a short muzzle. He shook his head, unable to make any sense of what he was looking at. “Complicated indeed.” Wallace looked over his shoulder at the soldiers remaining in the vehicle. There weren’t many of them; the helicopter could only hold ten passengers at the most. While they’d had a full complement when they left, more than half of them had to be dropped off due to Raul’s urging. The Major General still didn’t understand what was going on. If he was to give his superiors a satisfactory report, getting Raul and his VIP out of the city safely was his top priority. A sudden burst of movement caught his eye. Wallace immediately turned to see a small school bus zooming across the streets by a baseball park. Behind it was a horde of those creatures that were madly pursuing it, but they weren’t fast enough to keep up with the vehicle. Before long, the bus broke away from the horde and made its way onto the main highway that spanned the majority of Brooklyn. Following it would take them directly to the Brooklyn Bridge. “I believe I’ve just spotted our VIPS,” Wallace alerted the rest of the crew. With his binoculars, he followed their path forward, finding it clogged with crashed cars. However, as he followed it further, he spotted another full sized horde of monsters forming up and surging up the highway in an attempt to cut the bus off. “All hands, alert! The VIPs are in danger and need support. Equip those rifles, and prepare to fire on my command.” “Sir, we can’t get any closer than this. If we do…” the pilot protested immediately as the soldiers in the back moved to do as they were directed. Wallace cut off the pilot with a wave of his hand. “I know, you don’t have to tell me twice. You’re not experienced enough to fly in a hot air zone, but I am. Switch with me,” Wallace ordered. The pilot blinked at the order, as they were several meters above the ground. Wallace’s brow wrinkled with annoyance. “Did I stutter? Switch with me right now.” The pilot scrambled to do what he was told. Despite flipping a few switches and pressing a few buttons to keep the copter stable, the vehicle briefly lurched as the two men switched places. Once Wallace was in place, he grasped the stick and immediately stabilized the copter and steered it directly toward the highway, kicking up the speed a notch. “Everyone prepare for combat! We’re not losing those VIPS!” Wallace snapped. “Sergeant, we’ve got an incoming horde!” Raps called out as he maneuvered the bus as fast as he could through the maze of crashed cars and scattered debris. It didn’t take long for the screeches of the Oppressed to reach their ears from ahead. They’d had a short reprieve, but considering who was after them, they’d all known it wouldn’t last. “Damn! We’ve no way forward except through them! Keep going, and don’t slow down!” Raul commanded. The soldier rushed up to the front of the bus and planted his feet atop the stairs that led to the door. “Amaryllis, take the emergency hatch and give us some covering fire!” “It won’t do a damned thing, but whatever.” Amaryllis didn’t argue more that. She moved away from the windows and turned the red knob on the roof hatch. A firm shove later, and the hatch popped open, the built in alarm sounding off. She hooked her arms on the edge of the hatch and hoisted herself up. She winced in the face of the pounding wind. It was a hassle, but she now had a clear three-hundred and sixty degree view of the highway surrounding them. “Raps, if you crash this thing, I’m gonna fly right off!” “I know that! Somebody watch her so that doesn’t happen!” Raps shot back without looking away from the road. “I’ve got her! Here, stand on my shoulders.” Aven moved to stand beneath her, grabbing onto her legs and giving her someplace to stand. Amaryllis found that sensible, so she did as he suggested, finding his shoulders to be broad and steady. “I’m nothing if not sturdy. Trust me, I won’t let you fall.” “You better not, or I swear to god I’ll take you with me,” Amaryllis grumbled. She took a look around the highway, easily spotting the wall of undead cascading over the highway towards them. They would be upon them in no time. She braced her rifle against her shoulder and loaded in a fresh magazine. “We’re so close!” “Here we go! Hold on tight!” Raps warned everyone, and then he drove the front of the bus directly into the horde without hesitation. Amaryllis stumbled as the vehicle shuddered beneath the sudden impact; any Oppressed standing directly in front of the vehicle were pulverized in a cacophony of snapping bones and tearing sinews. The other Oppressed began to try and climb their way up the front and sides of the bus. “Everyone, open fire!” Raul ordered. The Oppressed were already trying to tear open the doors of the vehicle, but Raul wouldn’t let them. He’d preemptively shattered the glass in the door, such that he could fire unimpeded into any Oppressed clinging to it. As for the other survivors, any with access to a weapon shoved the barrels out through the windows to rain bullets into the undead. Yet, despite their best efforts, it was like attempting to drive into the ocean while keeping the water out. Forcing the bus through the Oppressed slowed them considerably, allowing the undead around them to claw at the windows. The height didn’t stop them, as they simply climbed atop one another. Before long, Amaryllis was shooting down the faces of the Oppressed as they emerged above the edge of the roof. “Agh, I can’t see!” Raps growled as the Oppressed started to climb up the windshield. The monsters forced themselves against the glass, their claws beating relentlessly against it. One Oppressed threw its whole body against the windshield, forming cracks that steadily spidered their way across its surface. “Sergeant!” “I know! Travis! Get up here and help me cover the front!” Raul ordered. Travis moved out into the aisle and stood beside the sergeant as he was directed, his rifle clutched tightly in his hands. “How much ammo do we have left?” “Running very low!” Fabian called up to him in response, earning a tirade of curses from him. The Oppressed at last forced their way through, their claws slipping into the gap in the door and wrenching it open. Several of them jammed together in their haste to get through, disregarding the rifle fire Travis and Raul sent their way. An Oppressed made its way through and leapt at Travis, the two of them tangling together briefly. Travis let out a cry as the Oppressed’s claws sliced into his leg and arm before he could beat it back. When Raul gave him support, they managed to hold the Oppressed off long enough for the sergeant to kick the monster out of the bus. Then, as the Oppressed encroached upon the bus and threatened to halt its momentum entirely, the anti-air guns on top of the buildings suddenly opened fire. A fully armed transport helicopter zipped through the air several meters above the highway to their left, staying parallel with them. While executing evasive maneuvers, the vehicle turned, its rotary machine guns starting to spin. “Wallace here, providing air support!” the voice crackled from Raul’s radio, hardly audible over the cacophony of battle. The machine guns opened up, hailing hot lead into the ranks of the Oppressed, tearing them down like wet paper. Additionally, two pods on top of the helicopter opened and released powerful missiles trailing white smoke into the undead, blowing them to pieces and freeing up their path forward. “Major General, with all due respect, are you insane!? Every single AA gun within miles is going to have it out for you!” Raul roared into the microphone. “You’re our only ride out of here; you can’t afford to take that much fire!” “And you’re our only chance of figuring out what the hell is going on! My bird can take a few dings, no problem!” Wallace snapped back. Despite his words and his frantic attempts to avoid taking fire, some of the rounds flew true, blasting holes in its armor. “I’m giving you an opening; now move!” Raul cursed and hit Raps on the shoulder with a fist. The soldier winced, but knew what the Navy Seal was asking him to do. He gunned the engine and took the opportunity to weave his way through the pockets of open road wherever the helicopter’s missiles landed. As they went, Wallace made their path much easier by targeting cars with his weapons, blowing their engines and taking several Oppressed with them. However, just as the bus made it through the horde, a lucky round of anti-air fire slammed into the helicopter’s side, causing it to wobble in the air. “It’s too hot up here; we’re pulling back!” Wallace finally said, the helicopter swerving up and out of range of the anti-air guns. “We’ll stay out of range and be your eyes in the sky.” “Understood!” Raul sighed and looked back towards the horde they’d just escaped. “Amaryllis, get back inside and reload. The rest of you, take a moment to rest. It’ll likely be the last we get before the bridge.” Amaryllis leapt down from Aven’s shoulders and walked towards the dwindling pile of remaining ammunition. There wasn’t much at all; if they had another encounter like the one they’d just had, they’d run out in an instant. Despite this, Amaryllis ejected her spent magazine and refilled her weapon. Aven groaned and stretched his shoulders, and then he returned to Avil, who was tending to her weapon as well. Mary and Emma were sitting together in the middle of the bus, where it was the safest. Fabian was patching Travis’s arm and leg up. As for Amaryllis, when she was done reloading, she sat down next to Jennifer and attempted to catch her breath. “Here, let me,” Jennifer addressed her, resting a hand on her shoulder and exerting a little pressure. Amaryllis shifted and turned her back to her, curious as to what she was going to do. “I’m no expert, but I’ve had a lesson or two in shoulder massages.” “Shoulder massages? Rea… oooh…” Amaryllis cut off in the middle of her incredulous remark as Jennifer’s hands got to work, her fingers finding her tensed muscles and relieving them. Amaryllis couldn’t help but release a pleasured sigh. “I didn’t know I needed this.” “It’s the least I can do. I’m not a good shot, nor am I smart enough to come up any good ideas,” Jennifer revealed with a rueful smile. “I’m not all that useful really. I’m barely out of college, and I never got a decent job. Heck, you know what I was originally coming to this city to do?” “What?” Amaryllis asked curiously. She realized the moment after she responded that she was genuinely curious about these other people now. If Jennifer had asked her that back when they were on the train, Amaryllis likely would have told her she didn’t care. “You said it was some kind of convention, right?” “A furry convention,” Jennifer corrected her. Her face flushed with shame immediately after she revealed that. Amaryllis gave her a strange look, as she knew exactly what that meant, as well as the connotations of being referred to as such. “Right? So I really have nothing much to offer.” “Okay yeah, that’s a little weird. But fuck if I’ll judge. I had a friend that I’m pretty sure is now living in a world of ponies, so it’s whatever,” Amaryllis returned. “But I don’t want to hear that negative shit from you. If you’re not gonna let me talk shit about myself, you don’t get to talk shit about yourself.” “I wasn’t really trying to. It’s just… I don’t know,” Jennifer cut herself off with an uncertain sigh. “I’m just saying this is crazy, and someone like me is not meant for this.” “Pfff… preaching to the choir on that one,” Amaryllis retorted, earning a chuckle from Jennifer. “I guess I also wanted you to know a little bit more about me. We’ve been too busy trying not to die… we haven’t really had time to get to know one another,” Jennifer revealed. “Yeah well…” Amaryllis didn’t really know how to respond to that. She eventually shrugged. “Whatever. Tell you what. I’ll buy a drink if we get out of this and then we can have a ‘girl talk’ or whatever the hell it is that women are supposed to do when they’re friends.” “Have you not had any female fr…” Jennifer began, but then she was suddenly cut off by the crackling of Raul’s radio. “I’ve got bad news for you, Sergeant. Every single horde in Downtown Brooklyn seems to have been alerted to your position; they’re all converging on you. If I had to guess, I’d say they number at least ten thousand in total.” Wallace revealed. “The good news is, if you hurry, you might be able to make it to the bridge before they reach you.” “Copy that. Anything else?” Raul responded, gritting his teeth and doing his best not to curse. “One last thing. A strange creature with dark fur is tailing you from behind. It has a strange means of keeping up; it seems to be disappearing from one position and reappearing in another position closer to yours. It’s been doing this repeatedly,” Wallace revealed. “Fuck!” Now Raul cursed, not caring that he was on the line with a superior officer. “That’s their leader, Vanta Pallor. He’s the one likely in control of these hordes. Don’t bother shooting him; I doubt you’ll hurt him.” “Pallor? Any relation to Valeric Pallor, the Russian scientist?” Wallace was well informed, the major general putting two and two together easily. “They’re the same person. These bastards have been planning this attack for a long time. Now you see why I had you drop off those men,” Raul answered. There was silence on the other end of the line for several seconds before the major general spoke again. “Understood. I’ll have this reported back to command. Just make sure you’re ready to be picked up. We’ll be waiting at the end of the bridge, just out of sight. Wallace out.” With that, the radio went silent, and they were left alone once more. “You heard him. We’re in a race against time, trapped between Vanta and a sea of undead. If we make it to the bridge, we’re home free,” Raul reiterated for the benefit of everyone else in the bus. “If we’re caught, we’re dead.” “Well, isn’t that just lovely,” Amaryllis grumbled. “Any other grim news you have to give us? I’m sure this situation can’t get any worse.” “You’d be wrong,” Raps spoke up. “We’re very low on gas. The bus was likely parked where it was because it needed refueling; we were running on reserves when we left the school.” “I had to open my fucking mouth,” Amaryllis grumbled some more, slapping her palm to her forehead. “How much further can we get?” Raul demanded, eyeing the needle on the gas meter that was already touching the top of the “E.” “I’m not certain. We may not make it to the end of the bridge,” Raps admits. “We’ll have to push her as far as she’ll go. If we run out of gas before reaching that helicopter, we’re dead,” Raul pointed out. He slammed his fist into the back of one of the seats. “This is just going from bad to worse. I’ll try to come up with an alternative. The rest of you, get ready to move in case the worst happens.” With that, everyone loaded up the remainder of their weapons and headed to the exits of the vehicle, such as near the back or the hatches on the roof and sides. As Amaryllis neared the windows, she spotted the Brooklyn Bridge rapidly approaching in the distance. She’d never seen it before, but she knew that it was one of the oldest bridges in the country. It was a hybrid cable and suspension bridge made from limestone, granite, and cement that separated both incoming and outcoming lanes with a grid of criss-crossing steel girders. The majestic towers of the bridge cast their shadow on the city and the bay below, giving it a surreal appearance. As the bus boarded the ramp leading to the bridge, the engine began to stall. “Son of a-...not yet! Come on!” Raps cursed loudly, kicking the baseboard hard as though to rouse the dying vehicle. The bus lurched forward as if it was trying to hold onto its momentum, but there was no doubt that the vehicle was out of gas. “Sergeant! We’re not going to make it. Do you have a plan?” Raul looked towards the back of the bus for any sign of the Oppressed. When he didn’t see any, he looked towards the front next. Eventually, as the bus began to slow, he released a heavy sigh. “I… do have something in mind. But you won’t like it,” Raul started to say in a halting voice, his expression becoming strangely calm. Amaryllis had never heard him sound so uncertain; it worried her such that she stood and moved to stand with him. “I’ll take anything at this point! If those Oppressed catch up to us, we’re done for!” Raps snapped back, the desperation evident in his voice. “I don’t want to die here, Sergeant! Tell us what you’ve come up with!” “We’re going to blow the bridge,” Raul responded simply, much to the shock of many of the other survivors. He reached into his vest, retrieving a small black metal device from a zippered pocket. It was bulky and covered with buttons. Amaryllis had no doubt that she was looking at a high yield explosive. “We’re going to bring down the Brooklyn Bridge.” The Brooklyn Bridge; Amaryllis had never been to New York before, but even she knew of the majestic bridge that spanned Brooklyn and Manhattan, if only from her own education. Not only was it one of the oldest roadway bridges in the entirety of the United States, but it was also the first steel-wire suspension bridge ever created. It was more than just a simple bridge; it was a National Historic Landmark as of 1964, and an icon of New York City. There was a silence after Raul’s words, the gravity of the situation sinking in upon them. “Holy hell,” Raps breathed, rubbing his forehead with one hand. “I can’t believe that’s even on the table.” “That’s the same as losing the city,” Fabian emitted with a shake of his head. “Sergeant, are you sure?” “Hey, if it means we get out of here, I’m not too broken up about it,” Amaryllis interjected with an uncaring shrug before Raul could answer. She knew how important the bridge was the American culture, but such thoughts fell flat before the extinction of humanity. “So how are we going to bring this monster down?” “I have one idea, but it’s a last resort. I do have one alternative, however.” Raul retrieved the radio once more and reached out to Wallace. “Wallace, this is Raul, come in.” “I read you, Sergeant. We’re circling above the bridge, waiting for your arrival. What’s the situation?” Wallace’s voice crackled from the radio. “Bad, sir. We’re nearly out of gas; we can’t get much further than we are now,” Raul related. “Do you have any missiles left in the batteries?” “Negative. We used our full stock in the prior skirmish,” Wallace returned. Raul’s expression turned grave. “How long until the Oppressed reach us?” Raul requested in a hollow voice. “No more than two minutes at the most. Vanta appears to be bringing the entire horde to bear against you,” Wallace estimated. That was a grim number. Two minutes hardly even gave them time to think. “Keep in mind that we can only make one pass. Any longer and the mobile AA platforms in Manhattan will detect our presence.” “I see. Then I have one request for you,” Raul said in a shaking, yet determined voice. What he said next caused chills to run down Amaryllis’s neck. “I’m sending the civilians your way. Please save them; they’re our last hope.” “Sergeant, what are you…?” Wallace started to say. “This is Sergeant First Class Raul Pearson, signing off,” Raul said with an air of finality, and then he shut off the radio. At the same time, the bus rolled to a halt, having barely reached the center of the bridge. There was still a good third of a mile until the end, where Wallace would come to extract them. “Sergeant, what the hell was that?” Amaryllis demanded. “Why are you talking like that? Weren’t we going to blow the bridge?” Raul opened the door to the bus and stepped out, motioning for everyone to follow him. Amaryllis and Raps headed down the stairs first, followed by Fabian. Travis was close behind, though the soldier was limping heavily from the wounds he’d taken from the Oppressed. The others weren’t far behind. “That’s right. But I’m going to be honest; there’s no way we’ll be able to set and arm the charges in two minutes. The bridge is sturdy; it’ll take everything we have to bring it down,” Raul admitted to them. “Alternatively, if we run, the Oppressed will run us down; we’ve all seen how fast they are. Do you know what this means?” “Son of a bitch!” Travis swore, the realization hitting him. What he said next caused everyone to exchange looks of horror. “One of us has to arm the bomb, and someone else has to buy them time!” “That’s right. As the most trained and most experienced fighter in the group, I’m the natural choice to stay behind,” Raul admitted. Despite what his words meant for him, he seemed to have an air of calm acceptance about him. “It’s okay, though. I’ve been prepared for this moment ever since I signed up to become a soldier. Dying to save the rest of you… I couldn’t ask for a better death. But… that makes what I’m about to ask even harder.” “I know, Sergeant. You don’t have to tell me.” Fabian walked up to join Raul, the soldier heaving a sigh. “I’m the only one here who has any training in demolitions. It has to be me that arms the bomb. Don’t worry, I’m with you.” “Glad to hear it, soldier,” Raul said with a somber nod, placing a hand on his subordinate’s shoulder. He removed from pockets on his vest multiple blocks of explosives, along with the black metal device, and passed them to Fabian. “Get to work. You have all of our explosives at your disposal. Plant them on the cables and beneath the bridge; I want the biggest bang you can muster.” “Yes sir. It was an honor, sir,” Fabian returned, and then he headed for the edge of the bridge, unfurling a rope from around his waist. Amaryllis stood there silently, watching the two of them accepting their death. She felt almost numb, her heart pounding dully in her chest. They’d come this far, but she still couldn’t manage to save those she was starting to consider friends. She clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms. “Don’t you give me that shit!” Amaryllis was suddenly furious. She stormed up to Raul and grasped him by his collar, pulling him towards her. “What the hell are you thinking!? We’re supposed to escape the city together! We’re supposed to be the ones to warn America and lead the fight for humanity’s survival! How can I do that if you’re dead!?” “Amaryllis…” Raul emitted softly. However, before he could voice his thoughts, the shrieks of the Oppressed sounded in the distance. They didn’t sound far away at all. Raul’s eyes hardened in response, and he pushed away from her. “We don’t have time to argue. It’s either this or everyone dies, and I’m not about to let that happen.” “You think you can hold off an army of Oppressed ten thousand strong alone?! You won’t buy any time at all! There has to be something else we can do!” Amaryllis snapped back. “He won’t be alone,” Kristoff joined the two soldiers next, holding a shotgun over his shoulder. When everyone looked at him, he gave a wry grin. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m just an old soldier who’s long past his prime. If I can save somebody when I go, I’ll consider my life well spent.” “Me as well,” Raps added, the soldier reloading his rifle. “Well, isn’t that noble of you? It won’t do any good, you morons! There’s still three of you against an entire army! They’ll run you over and kill the rest of us!” Amaryllis raged. “You’re a Navy Seal, Raul! If you’ve got all this training and experience, find another way!” “There is no other way! This is the only chance you and the other civilians have to get out of this city alive; don’t you see that?!” Raul shot back. He turned and indicated the mess of cars and the torn ground that stretched back the way they’d come. “There’s plenty of cover to stagger their approach, and I still have a few grenades up my sleeve. It doesn’t matter what they do to me; I swear I won’t let them pass.” “You…!” Amaryllis couldn’t accept what they were doing. It doesn’t matter how they would fight or how heroic they were waxing; it wouldn’t make a difference. There were around ten thousand Oppressed; such a force was simply unstoppable. Amaryllis looked back towards the others, and then back towards the bridge, where the sounds of the Oppressed drew ever closer. They had no time to think, and little to no chance of getting out of this alive. She didn’t know what to do. She could run with the others and trust Raul’s suicidal plan to save them, but simple logic raged against that concept. She glanced towards the edge of the bridge. She could take her chances and leap over the side, leaving the others to their fate. At the very least, she’d have a chance of getting to the other end of the bay in one piece, or even to the helicopter if she was lucky. But, as Amaryllis’s gaze passed over Mary, Emma, Jennifer, Kent, and everyone else, she knew in her heart that she could never do that. She shook her head; she’d gone just as soft as Seth. She just knew that she’d never be able to live with herself if she let them die now. But then… that only left one option. As the idea came to her, Amaryllis’s shoulders slumped. Her rage hit its peak, and then it ebbed away, to be replaced with a grim acceptance. There was only one way that had the best chance of saving the others. “I… you’re right,” Amaryllis finally admitted, her voice coming out just like Raul’s had before. Raul nodded, and then he moved to turn away, but she stopped him with her next words. “But I’m not wrong about your odds. Everyone who can fight needs to stay behind… including me.” “What!?” “Amy no!” “Amaryllis, that’s insane!” The outcry from the other survivors was about as intense as Amaryllis had expected. In particular, Raul stared at her with surprise and respect. “Absolutely not! I’m the soldier, so I should be the one dying!” Travis limped up to them, giving her a defiant stare. “You need to escape with the others; they need you.” “Yeah, and what are you going to do in that state? With your arm and leg hurt, you’ll make a decent snack for the Oppressed!” Amaryllis shot back. “No, you need to escape with the others.” “I agree. Travis, you’re injured. Retreat and protect the others,” Raul ordered. Travis’s face fell, but he did step back. “However, he’s right about one thing. Amaryllis, I respect that you want to stay, but you’re the VIP here. We can’t afford to let you die.” “That’s not true,” Amaryllis pointed out. She gestured to the other survivors emphatically. “I told every single one of them everything I know; about King Sombra, about the state the world is in, and about the Oppressed. They’re all VIPs. Besides, if I don’t stay and fight with you, we’re all dead anyway. You know as well as I do that I’m one of the best fighters here. I won’t let anyone else die.” “...Are you sure?” Raul asked softly after a moment. Amaryllis took a breath. She could feel her body shaking. She didn’t want to admit it, but she’d seen the way the Oppressed killed their victims, and the thought that she’d perish the same way terrified her. Despite her fear, she nodded firmly. “I see… you’re a hell of a girl, Amaryllis.” “But Amy, I don’t want you to die!” Emma’s shriek cut across their conversation. Amaryllis turned to see the young girl walking towards her, tears already squeezing out of her eyes. “Please come run away with us! Please!” Amaryllis turned and met the girl halfway. She knelt down in front of her, resting a hand on her shoulder. She knew she shouldn’t, but Amaryllis felt somewhat amused by Emma’s feelings. The idea that anyone would care about her as much as this girl seemed to was still rather ludicrous to her. “You’re one strange girl,” Amaryllis finally said. “I don’t know what it is about you; you’re just a brat. But you’ve never once given up, even when I did. Hell, you’re an inspiration to me, and… I cannot believe I just said that. Dammit, I’ve gone soft.” “But I guess that isn’t such a bad thing,” Amaryllis admitted despite years of built up cynicism telling her otherwise. Amaryllis gave a bitter chuckle. “It’s funny that I’d only realize that now, here at the end.” “Please don’t go… I want to know you more… I want to be your friend!” Emma pleaded, tears now streaming freely down her face. Looking at her, Amaryllis started to tear up as well, her emotions starting to get the better of her. Just then, a sudden thought struck her. Amaryllis unclasped the chain of her necklace and took it off for the first time since she’d received it. It meant so much to her that simply taking it off made her feel naked and exposed. Then, she leaned forward and hugged Emma tightly, clasping the necklace around the young girl’s neck in the process. “Stupid girl. You already are my friend,” Amaryllis expressed in the most sincere voice that she could muster. When she retreated, Emma noticed the necklace she was now wearing. She recognized it immediately, causing her to look up at Amaryllis with wide eyes. “You like it? My old friend Seth gave it to me forever ago. The idiot always was a romantic.” “It’s yours now. Keep it safe,” Amaryllis said, and then she stood up and looked at Mary. “You take care, Mary. Keep Emma from coming after me, would you?” “Amaryllis, we’re running out of time! They’re coming!” Raul alerted her from his position in front of the bus. Amaryllis sighed, and then she began to walk back towards what was going to be the site of her death. “Amy… Amy please! Don’t leave!” Emma tried to come after her, but Mary stepped forward and held her daughter back, the mother unable to do anything other than nod. Amaryllis smiled thankfully. “Don’t do this!” As Amaryllis walked, she addressed each of the survivors in turn. “Jennifer, I’m gonna take a rain check on the girl talk for now, yeah?” Jennifer was unable to keep her emotions from spilling out, the girl openly sobbing. Even though Amaryllis didn’t share the girl’s interests, she decided to throw in one last tease. “And by the way, the fox is the best species.” “Aven, Avil… do me a favor and don’t ever change. Your levity is one of the only reasons I haven’t gone insane already.” “We won’t. We promise,” Avil returned, doing her best to put on a smile despite the situation. “Give ‘em hell, girl.” “Kent… take care of yourself, and thanks for standing by me all this time,” Amaryllis said at last. She at last reached Raul, Kristoff, and Raps; when she arrived, the Sergeant passed her a fully loaded assault rifle. She grabbed it and held it in one hand. With the other, she gave the others one last wave. “Thanks for everything, you guys. When we meet again, drinks are on me.” “Hell!” Raul cursed when he heard the sounds of the Oppressed getting ever closer. He turned and threw his radio to Travis, who caught it with his good arm. “That’s enough wasting time! Travis, get them out of here right now! Run!” “Kick some ass, Sergeant!” Travis gave Raul a powerful last salute, and then he began to limp the other way. Aven grabbed his good arm and let the soldier lean on him, making their movement faster. Mary, giving one last look at Amaryllis, picked up her crying daughter and ran the other direction, Kent and Jennifer following her close behind. Before long, they had entered the maze of cars and disappeared from view, leaving the four of them alone on the bridge, an army of Oppressed surging towards them in the distance. “Well, this is it,” Raul emitted as he finished loading his weapons. He possessed a shotgun on his back and a rifle in his hands, as well as two handguns. He and the rest of them were now equipped with every last weapon they had left, each one filled with every last piece of ammunition. “Yup…” Kristoff stood at the far left, his rifle clenched in both hands and his shotgun strapped to his back. With one hand, he stuck a cigarette in his mouth and then lit it, inhaling the smoke and then sighing. “I guess so…” Raps stood between him and Raul, a handgun stored on each leg and a rifle clutched tightly in his hands. He looked less calm, shaking each time he heard the roars of the Oppressed. Yet he never wavered, not even moving an inch from his position. Amaryllis stood on the other side of Raul, a handgun at her side and a rifle in her hands. She’d only learned how to use these weapons recently, but she knew it was far better to have them than not. She couldn’t keep her thoughts from drifting. She remembered when she’d first met Seth, and the fun she’d had exchanging jabs with him as they’d steadily grown closer. She remembered meeting William for the first time, the timid man always watching her from afar. She remembered spending time with Seth’s family after he’d disappeared, and the joy she’d felt when Seth confessed his feelings to her. She even remembered the plans they’d made to fight this apocalypse. All of that felt like another lifetime. She knew that Adam and Gerome were counting on her to return to them, and she felt bad about abandoning them like this; she couldn’t imagine how they’d feel once they heard she’d died. She once again glanced at the edge of the bridge. If she jumped now, she might still be able to reach them. She slapped her head and sighed, knowing that she couldn’t leave her friends to die. “I want to thank you all for being here with me,” Raul expressed sincerely, bringing her out of her thoughts. “...and apologize that I let it come to this.” “Heh, I should be thanking you,” Kristoff grunted in response. “I’m just an old man whose wife left him, and whose son is already married and with kids. I’m okay dying here, if it means none of them have to deal with these monsters.” “You’re the best CO I’ve ever had,” Raps returned without missing a beat. “We’ve accomplished every mission we’ve been on together. I’m terrified… but I’m glad getting to die under your command.” “You’re the one who said you shouldn’t regret your decisions,” Amaryllis reminded him. She sighed heavily. “Though I have to admit, I never thought I’d die like this.” “To the undead, you mean?” Kristoff emitted with a rough chuckle. “No, dying for someone else,” Amaryllis admitted. When the others looked at her, she continued. “All my life, I’ve always been out for myself. From birth, I thought that everyone else was beneath me, and that the world was cruel and unforgiving. I couldn’t stand people. I’d thought they were all out to use me for their own ends, and that friendship was a gamble too dangerous to take. If someone had told me that this is where I’d be in the future, I’d have laughed until I cried.” “But now… after talking with Seth…. after leading these people… I think I understand a little bit about what this whole trust and friendship thing is about,” Amaryllis expressed. “It’s… a good feeling... to know that someone will stand by you when the world’s going to hell. Maybe that’s why the idea of dying to save them… it doesn’t seem so bad.” “Heh. Life ain’t easy to figure out. Yet it sounds like you’re on the right track,” Kristoff responded, an approving smile crossing his face. “I don’t suppose I can be counted among those friends of yours as well?” “Really?” Amaryllis asked incredulously, haven’t not expected that in the slightest. “But we haven’t known each other that long.” “That doesn’t matter at all. I mean, you’re willing to die together with us, even though you have no obligation to. Someone like that… sounds like a friend to me,” Raps adds, earning a nod from Kristoff. “So what do you say?” “I… fuck it. You guys have had my back,” Amaryllis gave in with a genuine smile and a shake of her head. Just then, the first Oppressed appeared above the top of a car several meters away. “Well then, friends. Are you ready to do this?” “Hell yeah!” “Let’s take a few of them with us to hell!” “I’m with you!” The horde wasted no time in coming over and around the maze of cars, the sheer number of them concealing the very road below from view. The four of them leveled their weapons and steeled their nerves, and opened fire the moment the Oppressed came within range. Amaryllis lined her eye up with the sights of her rifle, aiming for the head of the first Oppressed and squeezing the trigger. She fired in small bursts, knowing that she had limited ammunition and that only a few well-placed shots to the skull or the legs would bring one of them down. She danced from target to target with each pull of the trigger, hardly even pausing to confirm if she’d downed her target. Kristoff and Raps were much better shots; as they fired into the incoming undead, they toppled their targets swiftly and consistently. As for Raul, his accuracy was frightening; a testament to the extreme training he had underwent as a Navy Seal. Amaryllis was once again reminded of why the Seals were considered the best of the best. Raul pulled the pin on a grenade. After giving it half of a second to cook, he hurled it towards the Oppressed as they weaved through the cars towards them. The resulting explosion was much larger than usual, fire racing across the street and searing the flesh of any Oppressed that dared to pass through it. Judging from the way the flames persisted, Amaryllis guessed that some gasoline had spilled from the crashed cars surrounding them. Yet despite their best efforts, the Oppressed steadily advanced, coming over and around the cars faster than they could put them down. Additionally, their rifle ammunition was nearly spent. There was no preventing the advance of the Oppressed into melee range. Amaryllis shoved the muzzle of her rifle deep into the mouth of an Oppressed and squeezed the trigger, blowing its head away instantly. She kicked it away, dodged the swipe of a second Oppressed and bashed in the head of another with the butt of her rifle. The Oppressed she dodged took a shotgun blast to the side of the head courtesy of Raul, and then the both of them stood shoulder to shoulder and unloaded their clips into the wall of undead coming their way. Kristoff’s rifle was spent, so he tossed it aside and retrieved his shotgun. He leapt into the charging Oppressed like a whirlwind of steel and fire, his shotgun blowing away any undead that came close to him and his boot viciously kicking away any that stepped within his effective range. Raps covered his sides and his back with his own rifle. When he had a free moment, Raps bit the pin off of a grenade and hurled it into the enemy ranks, blowing apart several at once. The three soldiers and the lone woman fought with everything they had against the unending tide of the Oppressed, their weapons tearing through the undead flesh. The bodies of fallen Oppressed littered the ground around them, showing just how hard they were fighting. Yet ten thousand was an insurmountable number. Despite using the cars as cover and the clever use of grenades, the tide of undead coursing across the bridge was unstoppable. They took injury after injury, and fatigue was beginning to creep in. “Well now, isn’t this quite the sight?” The reason as to why that is soon made itself apparent when Vanta himself appeared atop the wreckage of a nearby van, a smug grin on his face. “Look at you, throwing your lives away in one last heroic stand. It’s almost as if you think you’re making a difference in the end!” “What, did you come here to gloat?” Kristoff demanded as he blasted apart two Oppressed one after the other as they attempted to reach Raps, who was using his remaining grenades to arrange some of the crashed cars such that a choke point was created. “No, I came here to watch you die in vain,” Vanta expressed, the unicorn relaxing on the van as he observed the four fighting against his horde. “Don’t insult my intelligence. I know full well what you’re trying to do.” “Oh yeah? Then why haven’t you killed us yet?” Amaryllis demanded as she tangled with three Oppressed at once. As she bashed one to the ground, another took its place , its claws clashing against the handle of her rifle. She cried out as a claw from another Oppressed sliced into her side, staining her shirt with blood. “Because it doesn’t matter. You can run all you like; you’ll never get out of this city alive.” Vanta waved a hoof dismissively. He was clearly bored, and confident in his victory. “Still, I’m disappointed in you, Amaryllis. If you’d taken my offer… if you’d accepted your cynical beliefs as truth… you wouldn’t be dying here right now.” Amaryllis didn’t answer. She had no time to rest; the tide of Oppressed never broke. Just finding a moment to catch her breath became a struggle, and she began feeling weaker and weaker as she bled steadily from her many wounds. The others weren’t faring any better. Raul’s vest had long since been shredded to pieces, and a gash on his forehead oozed blood over his eyelids, making it difficult for him to see without wiping his face. Kristoff was clearly tired, and an ominous click signalled that his shotgun was out of ammo. He withdrew his handguns and fired rapidly towards the Oppressed, but the damage he dealt was minimal compared to his other weapons. An Oppressed climbed over the top of the makeshift barricade of cars, leaping onto Raps with a roar. Raps had enough time to fire into its belly once before it was upon him, its claws ripping into his rib cage. The soldier screamed and fell to the ground, multiple undead lunging onto his body at once and biting into his flesh. “Raps!” Kristoff yelled, turning his aim onto the undead digging into the fallen soldier. Yet even as he fired, he knew it was too late. “Dammit!” Raul cursed, slamming an Oppressed to the ground with his arm and unloading his handgun into its head. He glanced towards the bridge, praying that Fabian had almost finished arming the explosives. “This is the fate that awaits the rest of your kind,” Vanta declared smugly. His horn lit up briefly, and a small violet flare shot into the air. It wasn’t hard for Amaryllis to tell that he was signalling to someone. Before long, a wave of living pegasi equipped with swords and heavy machine guns soared overhead, heading directly to where the helicopter was supposed to pick up the survivors.. “Your friends and your escape helicopter will fall to my forces, and your deaths here will mean nothing.” “But, let me tell you something interesting. Once New York has fallen, I intend to strike directly at your military leadership in Washington DC,” Vanta revealed with a confident grin. “How many of the Secret Service do you think have already taken my vaccine? I can bring down the White House with a single spell. How does that make you feel?” “Like you talk too much.” Suddenly, Fabian was there, having climbed up from beneath the bridge. The soldier spotted the remains of Raps, as well as Kristoff, who was quickly being brought down by the relentless jaws of the Oppressed. Even Raul was starting to succumb. “So, Vanta, was it? Seems like you’re making a rather grave mistake.” “Oh, and just what might that be?” Vanta questioned, his tone gaining a slight edge and his eyes narrowing. “Don’t underestimate the human race. If you think it’s gonna be as simple as all that, well…” Fabian gave a small shrug, the soldier smirking despite the situation. “Just look at us. You’ve got all that fancy magic, but look at just how much we’ve resisted you.” “You think you’ve resisted me!?” Vanta suddenly snapped, and in the blink of an eye, a bolt of magic shot a hole directly through Fabian’s chest. The soldier abruptly coughed up blood, his eyes widening with surprise. “You’re all but insects, existing solely to dance at my feet! That you still draw breath is due only to my mercy! Mercy you no longer deserve!” “Funny… I was… just about… to say the same… about you…” Fabian choked out. He lifted his hand, where he clutched a thin black stick upon which a single blinking red button rested. It was clear to both Raul and Amaryllis that he was holding a detonator. “Are you… ready…?” Amaryllis stood there beside Raul, her vision blurring and her head swimming. She could do nothing to stop the Oppressed that rushed her next, its jaws clamping down around her collar bone and painfully tearing the flesh away. Even as her life drained away, she reached towards Fabian with all of her strength. “Do… it…!” she croaked, the Oppressed pinning her down and tearing into her flesh. Vanta spotted the detonator and his eyes shot wide, the clever general recognizing it for what it was immediately. “Don’t you dare…!” Vanta teleported directly in front of Fabian, his frame blazing with dark magic. “I’ll rip you limb from…” With the last of his strength, Fabian lurched up and grabbed hold of Vanta’s neck, wrapping his arms around the pony in a tight bearhug. Grinning into the general’s face, he lifted the detonator and pressed the button. “Burn, you sons of bitches.” The last thing Amaryllis knew was a burst of blinding white light and a swift burning sensation. ~ Travis ran with the rest of the survivors, leaning heavily on Aven in order to keep up with them. They ran in silent desperation, the decisions of the rest of their squad as well as Amaryllis weighing heavily on their minds. Every one of them knew that the others were dying for their sake, and that wasn’t a pleasant burden to shoulder. They pushed themselves to the very limit to put as much distance between the Oppressed and themselves. By the time they reached an area of the bridge that was open to the air, they were running on fumes. The silence was soon broken by the chopping of the helicopter swooping down to land on the ground not far in front of them. The side of the vehicle opened to reveal a man that Travis recognized as Major General Wallace, as well as a few other soldiers. Wallace stared at them and beckoned to them with the urgency clear in his body language. Travis rushed to him and climbed aboard, a sigh of relief leaving him now that he knew he was safe. Yet, even as the others climbed aboard, the major general noticed the obvious lack of Raul. Yet he had no time to ask about it. “Major General! We’ve got multiple hostiles inbound! We need to move now!” the co-pilot hollered from the front of the vehicle. “Understood! Everyone strap in, this is going to be a bumpy ride!” Wallace commanded. He swiftly made his way to the front and took the controls, gunning the engine and forcing the helicopter into the air. Once they were in the air, Wallace turned to see enemy forces closing in on them from all sides. From Manhattan itself, anti-air vehicles rolled out from the streets, their guns already rising and and orienting on the helicopter. From the skies of Brooklyn, small forms swooped through the air towards them, raining machine gun fire towards them. Wallace cursed. “All men, prepare for combat! Give me some cover!” Wallace ordered. As they were ordered, the few soldiers in the helicopter made their way to the open panels of the copter and leveled their rifles, counteracting the pegasus charge with a hail of gunfire. “Hold on! Taking evasive maneuvers!” “We have to go back and help the others!” Travis demanded, the the wounded soldier heading up to the front. He grabbed onto a safety bar as the major general maneuvered the helicopter through the firefight. “Raul needs our help!” “Why are they not here? Where’s the rest of your squad, soldier?” Wallace demanded.he closed the panel of the helicopter and made his way back to the front. “They… they stayed behind to buy us time to escape,” Travis answered in a hollow voice. “Even… even our CO, Sergeant Raul. They… they’re facing a whole army...” “That’s…” Wallace paused, jerking the stick to the side to avoid a missile flying from the ground below. “That’s damn heroic of them. But we can’t afford to go back. The resistance is too great.” “So we just leave them to die!?” Travis shot back furiously. Just then, a tumultuous explosion tore through the air. The gust of wind hit them moments later, forcing them to cease firing and hold on to the nearest fixed object. Everyone looked to see Brooklyn Bridge engulfed in a mighty ball of fire and smoke, the cables ripping from their bases and the roadway collapsing beneath its own weight. Nobody said a word as the once proud icon of the city disintegrated before them, sending chunks of debris and thousands of Oppressed hurtling into the bay below. As the force of pegasi were blown off course by the shockwaves, Wallace took advantage and broke away from the fight, soaring out of range of the anti-air vehicles and leaving the city behind. “It’s too late son,” Wallace said to the survivors softly. “They died making sure you all could get to me. They knew that your intel could mean the difference between victory or defeat for America, and for that… I’ll see if I can’t get them the honor and remembrance they deserve.” Everyone fell silent at his words. That explosion told them everything they needed to know; Raul, Kristoff, Raps, and Amaryllis… they were gone. “So what happens now?” Mary asked hesitantly. “You hang tight. We’ll take you to a military bunker beneath Niagara Falls; I promise you’ll be safe there,” Wallace answered. With that, there was nothing standing between them and their long-awaited escape from New York City, the first casualty in the war between King Sombra and the United States of America.