Them: Battle of Reveresburg, Part 2
"This is the will of the people and none of my own."
Inscription on an executioner's sword (German).
Goliath and Elisa
Goliath's broken wing ached as the zombies ceased their attack and continued their shuffle into the city, ignoring him. Out of harm now, he rushed to Elisa who touched down on the street.
He grabbed his lost love by the elbows, "oh Elisa, my Elisa! I was so worried!"
"Your concern is not warranted," Elisa answered; as far as he could see she was in nearly perfect condition. The only change in her appearance was a slight pale to her skin and a bright sheen to her eyes as well as a cut to her arm. "In fact, I am better than before."
"Are you infected?" Goliath demanded. "It doesn't matter," he answered himself and began pulling her away. "Demona can help you! Follow me, my love!"
Elisa followed him easily, "do you mean she will cast the same spell on me as she did on Angela?"
Goliath stopped, "how did you know?"
"Angela is apart of us and I can freely read her thoughts," Elisa answered. "I knew everyone of your moves almost before you even made them."
"Am I talking to Elisa or the IT," Goliath growled.
"Goliath," Elisa laughed, oh, she sounded so close to normal. "Its me! Far better than me and I am so glad you are here!" She rushed Goliath and hugged him, it was then that Goliath felt how cold she was.
"Finally! You are here so that we can be together, forever," Elisa exclaimed.
Goliath frowned, "come, Demona can help you."
"Not for long," Elisa answered with a smirk.
Demona, Angela, Xanatos and Bronx.
Demona, Angela, and Xanatos (carrying Bronx) flew from the battle site, behind them the horizon glowed as Reveresburg burned.
"We cant just leave them all behind," Angela moaned.
"You know exactly why we have to," Demona replied.
"Maybe Goliath will come to his senses and join us," Angela said.
"I doubt it," Demona growled.
"I'm sure your clan will fight their way out of the trap," Xanatos said. "My traps were always elaborate and, well, genius, and your clan managed to fight your way out of them every time… somehow. My personal favorite was the one I set for you and Coyote in Arizona. How you got out of that one, I have no idea."
Angela was suddenly stricken, her brain felt as if it had been cut in half. She gave a shout and plummeted, hitting the forest floor below. Demona and Xanatos followed, setting Bronx on the leafy carpet. Angela was motionless under dead twisted trees.
"Angela," Demona asked.
Bronx growled.
Demona took a step forward only to be stopped by Xanatos. "I'll handle this." His armor acting as insurance.
He took a step forward as Angela remained perfectly motionless. "Come on, Angela. Show me you're alright." He kneeled in order to roll her over.
Angela roared, eyes blazing red she was at his throat in a second. She couldn't get through his armor, but that was not for lack of effort. Her teeth and claws tore back curls of titanium and silk steel, stripping the armor to its base. She picked him easily over her head and threw him against a tree, but was not done with Xanatos.
Angela grabbed his arm and braced her foot against his chest and began to pull, steel creaked as its pressure limits were tested.
"Aaa!" Xanatos could feel his deltoid muscle hyper extending, soon his arm would separate from his body. "Demona! Get out of here!"
Demona and Bronx charged, bowling Angela off of Xanatos.
Angela's reaction was typical of a Rage Zombie, she simply attacked the next closest thing. She smacked Demona away and turned on Bronx.
The two rolled around on the ground, she threw the garbeast away. Bronx instantly rebounded and attacked again, this time taking Angela down and holding her motionless against the ground.
Xanatos bounded forward and fired a stunning blast from his arm cannon. Thankfully, it seemed to work and Angela became silent.
"Damn!" Demona cried as she slowly regained her feet; Xanatos rushed over to help her. The red haired Gargoyle moved her hands aside to show a set of serious scratches at her abdomen.
"Can you cast a spell to save yourself," Xanatos asked.
"Yeah, sure, I don't know," Demona cried. "We have to get out of here. Somewhere safe where I can calm and concentrate. Check on my daughter and lets go!"
Xanatos bounded over to Angela who was now sitting against a tree, holding her aching head while Bronx watched, guarding against further aggression.
"Angela," Xanatos asked.
"ITs gone for now," Angela said. "But I don't know when IT will take over my mind again. You need to leave now."
Xanatos nodded, "come here, Bronx."
Bronx looked up and whined.
Xanatos tried calling him again, but the beast would not move; Angela could see only one solution to diffuse the situation. She got up and ran, removing herself from the equation and vanishing into the darkness. For now, Angela would meet her destiny on her own.
Xanatos and Bronx watched her go and finally the garbeast followed the former billionaire. The three left soon afterward to find somewhere safe where Demona could attempt to heal herself, to save herself from becoming a zombie.
Brooklyn
The situation was quickly falling apart when Brooklyn returned to Reveresburg.
The small town which used to hold ten thousand living was now under assault by at least half a million undead. The loyal and brave members of the US army were holding a collapsing pocket of resistance. The rest, the refugees and deserters, were charging the bridge or trying to swim across the river. On the other side there was relative safety in the west, at least until the zombies continued their offensive into North America's heartland.
Seeing all of this the red Gargoyle felt overwhelmed. Where should he start? Could he do anything against such an onslaught? Where were the other members of his clan?
He could see the refugees and soldiers cut off from the river had climbed on rooftops, hoping one of the passing helicopters would drop low enough to pick them up. They would get a Gargoyle instead.
Brooklyn began ferrying as many people as he could across the river, dropping them off to give them a chance at survival.
Returning once more Brooklyn had to avoid helicopters. First, several civilian rigs tearing off toward the west, then a combat helicopter that drew a momentary bead on him.
"Damn it," Brooklyn growled as he avoided rounds. "Same team!" Thankfully the copter soon forgot about him and continued strafing undead on the ground
It was then that Brooklyn saw another building under attack by hordes of zombies.
"Stop what you are doing," Brooklyn roared after he had landed. On the roof there was a squad of soldiers and refugees. The heavy machinegun the troops manned was quickly running out of ammo. "Let's get out of here!"
The refugees didn't have to be told twice, they quickly crawled all over the gargoyle and held on. "Come on, soldiers! We are leaving!"
"Just bring us back more ammo and a medical evac!"
The squad here had done a good job, they had piled a foot hill worth of crippled zombies before their sweeping machine gun. But typical of the undead, they just kept on coming. Oozing over their fallen comrades in an endless slimy tide to wash away this outpost of the living.
Brooklyn walked to the edge of the roof that over looked the river. The people he carried were heavy, it felt as if he were wearing a suit of concrete. This was going to be a tough flight.
Suddenly there was a bright flash of light and an eruption of sound. Brooklyn was plowed to the roof along with his refugees as concrete, vehicles, and bodies rained all around the city and around the Gargoyle.
The army had blown the bridge, and everyone on it.
Brooklyn's perception slowly returned to reality, "come on, the bus is leaving." He turned to the soldiers and stopped. The soldiers and their gun had been smashed by a huge chunk of concrete and the zombies were now charging in unimpeded.
"Time to go," Brooklyn said while gathering the refugees again, throwing them on his back once more. He hobbled to the edge of the roof, the zombies just yards away.
He spread his wings and hopped off the roof, but the zombies were too close and a few leapt on, grabbing the extended legs of the survivors.
Brooklyn groaned, the weight was too much, but he was gaining altitude ever so slowly. But the struggling and squirming of the refugees was not helping.
"Stop moving," Brooklyn commanded the people hanging off of him like a train. They did not respond, they were busily fighting the zombies that clawed at their ankles.
Brooklyn rose in the sky, the river and the town fading below him. He started hoping, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he could make it. His destination was so near at hand, just a shade under a mile. Without all of these people he could glide that on his back, without opening his eyes.
But a second later something seemed to snap, he seemed to hit a wall of fatigue. His body had had it and his nose tipped down and he began the plunge.
It was slow at first, Brooklyn keeping a degree of control. He thought he could still glide across the river and crash land on the other side. But soon the weight was just too much and the crash landing became a free fall.
He managed to hit the river, but there was a misconception about falling into water from a great height. Water is not a cushion as for the first millisecond it feels as hard as concrete, because for a millisecond, it is; physics can be cruel like that.
Broadway
Lexington slithered close, his appearance and movements were like a shadow; Broadway was helpless to defend himself.
"I can help you, Broadway," Lexington whispered. "Just let me, my teeth will slip into your skin, it will only hurt for a moment."
"Lexington…" Broadway sighed. "Don't! You're not yourself!"
Lexington drew close, his cold talons took Broadway's hand and dragged it into the shadows where he could not see.
"Lex, if you haven't consumed flesh we can help you," Broadway said.
"I'm about to," Lex whispered.
Another roar interrupted the feast, Hudson diving down with his sword drawn.
"Lad," Hudson asked Lexington. "Are you okay."
"Look out! He's been changed," Broadway cried.
Lexington hissed and leapt onto Hudson's face, the older Gargoyle was able to knock him off and throw the little Gargoyle aside. But Lexington had the strange reflexes of a zombie and rebounded immediately, bowling Hudson over.
The two rolled down the rubble strewn hill, Hudson desperately trying to keep Lexington's teeth and claws from slicing his skin.
"This has been happening to me entirely too often lately, lad!" Hudson roared when they reached the river's edge. Hudson had come out the winner in their rolling wrestling match and pinned Lexington to the ground. "Lad, can you hear me?"
"I understand you," Lexington hissed in reply.
"Then what do you say we make an accord," Hudson said. "I can bring you for help…"
"I do not need help," Lexington replied. "It is you who needs help. One bite and I can make you perfect."
"I thought you might say that," Hudson said. "Okay, what do you say I let go of your shoulders and we both stand up. Then we start walking in opposite directions while counting to a hundred. If, when we look up, do not see each other, we go on our merry way and hope to meet again in better times."
"And if I refuse," Lexington hissed.
"I promise our resulting battle will leave you useless whether you are cured or not," Hudson promised. "Don't let our stand off get to that. Let us just pass like ships in the night."
The zombie Lexington nodded.
"Okay," Hudson removed his hands from the little guy's shoulders and backed away a few steps. Lexington slowly stood and the two faced off from each other.
"How is it that you can speak, lad," Hudson asked.
"I'm not here to divulge information to the imperfect," Lexington answered.
"Very well," Hudson replied. "We will turn our backs and start walking, ready"
Lexington nodded.
"Alright," Hudson turned but Lexington did not. "I hope when we meet again you will have seen the error in your ways." Hudson said as he marched away, slowly counting to a hundred.
Lexington did not meet his end of the agreement. Instead he stealthily followed Hudson, talons out and ready, teeth dripping with infected saliva.
"I remember when you were just a child," Hudson said without glancing over his shoulder. "I hope things will be as good again one day, those were good times, good times."
Lexington struck, leaping on Hudson's back; hypodermic needle like teeth ready to inject his mentor with the virus.
It was then that the bridge was blown, the same that went off before Brooklyn took his flight. A tire arched through the air and deafly hit Lexington, swatting him off Hudson's back.
Hudson attempted to take cover, shielding his head as the bridge bombarded what was left of the city with concrete and burning vehicles. When Hudson finally was able to look up Lexington was gone.
Hudson ran desperately through a landscape now scattered with burning debris, hoping against hope that Broadway was not crushed by parts from the bridge.
He found Broadway by an Abrams Tank which had been tossed from the bridge to miraculously miss the Gargoyle by inches. However, Broadway was not in good condition otherwise.
The big gargoyle was silent now, barely clinging to life as he lay on the debris strewn field.
"Lad!" Hudson cried, slapping him on the cheeks. "This is no time to quit!"
Hudson glanced up and saw crowds of zombies massing just a few hundred yards away. This side of the city had grown quiet, the armed resistance had been quelled. Now was time for the dead to cross the river and continue their attack until all sentient life was extinguished.
Hudson knew the river did not offer much resistance against the zombie horde, they would simply walk along the bottom.
He grunted as he pulled Broadway into a fireman carry, "ach, why couldn't you be Lexington?" He said in regards to Broadway's weight as he tired to carry him away.
Brooklyn
On the other side of the river Brooklyn found himself being carried by frightened survivors through tall reeds and cattails.
"Let me go!" Brooklyn cried. "I'm fine!"
The wet survivors did not need to be asked twice, they dropped Brooklyn and continued running.
Brooklyn was surprised that he was alive and in one piece, at least mostly. His head felt as if it had been bashed with a brick. So he staggered toward the quiet parking lot for a Park'n Ride. There he sat on the rust stained bumper of an old Chevy Celebrity, its shocks groaned under his slight weight.
When he looked up he saw survivors streaming from the wrecked hulk that was Reveresburg.
Brooklyn cradled his head, promising himself that when the pain subsided and his equilibrium returned he would find his Clan.
But another noise distracted him, something that was strange, something that was out of place. He glanced over the trunk and saw small children hiding between the Celebrity and a neighboring Firebird.
The little humans were red faced and crying.
"Hey! Hey!" Brooklyn said gently, revealing himself to them. They did not panic at the sight of the monster as they had seen much worse that night. "Where are your parents?"
One pointed in the direction of Reveresburg, possibly in the direction of Camp Zulu.
Brooklyn stood and looked around, doubting that these children would be completely abandoned by their parents, but he could find no one except fleeing refugees.
"Come on, kids. Where are your parents?" Brooklyn demanded.
"They told us to run."
"Fantastic," Brooklyn said as he cast a futile eye back to the city. It was easy to assume that he had come across a group of orphans who would die without his protection. He couldn't just abandon them.
"Alright kids," Brooklyn said. "I want you all to hold each other's hands and form a chain, can you do that?"
Silently, with wide, scared, moist, eyes, they did as he asked and Brooklyn took the first's hand. "We have to be fast, okay? We have to run and we cannot stop."
At that moment another refugee ran near, jumping to the top of a parked car she had an over stuffed backpack and wore a hoodie that obscured her features.
"Hey! Hey! You," Brooklyn cried.
She paused.
"Can you help me? We need to get these kids out of here," Brooklyn cried.
Her eyes reflected light, appearing almost animalistic in the dark. She jumped from the vehicle and seemed to continue in her flight, but stopped herself by grabbing a car hood.
"Oh hell," she said and rushed back. "Okay, you carry three and I'll carry two."
"Thank you," Brooklyn said. "What's your name?"
"There's no time for that, come on kids, the bad guys are crossing the river"
Goliath and Elisa
Goliath pulled Elisa along while noticing the town was growing quiet, he ran through the lines of advancing zombies.
"Goliath," Elisa said. "Goliath, stop. There is no need for this. As long as I protect you the undead will not harm you."
"What about my clan? What about the people of this town," Goliath roared. "I'm taking you for help from Demona and then we will form a plan of resistance!"
Elisa rolled her eyes, "lets make a deal. I'll call off the attack on the people in Reveresburg if you'll stop dragging me and listen."
Goliath finally stopped, "you have that kind of power?"
"Its just a cease fire, mind you," Elisa said. "After our meeting the attack will continue. Honestly, you will not be doing anyone a favor. We will hunt them all down at a later time. They will just be more tired then."
Goliath finally stopped, "I am taking you for help, Elisa."
"That's fine too, I suppose," Elisa/IT said. "You may keep this vessel called Elisa, but you wont be doing her any favors either. We will hunt her down and change her back again should Demona use her magic."
Goliath sighed, "you obviously went to a lot of trouble to draw me here, so what is it that you want?"
"Oh, how short sighted of you," Elisa/IT said. "I offer you and all the creatures of this world so much but you are so selfish you cannot see. You see me as a threat, that I am trying to kill you…"
Goliath's brow lowered in confusion, "aren't you?"
"Of course not!" Elisa/IT cried. "I have come as a liberating army to free the organisms of this world and bring them to the next stage of evolution."
"What caused you? What magic user is controlling you?" Goliath demanded.
"I don't think I understand your question," Elisa/IT said. "Oh! Who hasn't attempted to bend Solanum to suit their shady goals. The last to try was your so called 'zombie experts' Demona and Xanatos."
"What?" Goliath cried.
"Didn't you think that they knew a little too much," Elsia/IT asked. "Solanum, the host parasite, normally exists at the bottom deep ocean trenches, in hot geysers, and space debris like meteors. Solanum is a pioneer organism, bringing a new form of life where carbon based life forms cannot exist for long. So you can imagine that for all the circumstances to line up for someone to come in contact with the parasite, and for the parasite to infect them would be far beyond rare. Besides, Demona knows the counter spells to hold the infection off. Did you not find that a little too convenient?"
"Yes," Goliath sighed.
"Don't be too angry," Elisa/IT said. "Many who have hungered for power have tried to manipulate Solanum. None have succeeded. Also, you should thank Demona and Xanatos. They are about to grant the entire world a great gift! Can you imagine a world without warfare or ugliness? No competition, hunger, heartbreak, pain, fear of death? And most of all, the end of loneliness."
Elisa took Goliath's hand, "we will be taken from our bodies and our souls will find a sort of love not even imagined by the greatest poets! I can't even believe I have to sell this to you! Making love is such a selfish act for your imperfect people, but we will truly become one when our souls mingle forever!"
Goliath glanced at a nearby zombie, grabbed it, and hauled it over. The zombie was a mangy veteran of long journeys and many battles, its skin was gray and it was nearly naked.
"Do you call this an improvement!" Goliath cried.
"This is the problem resulting from all the resistance I have to put up with," Elisa/IT said. "When I have to force someone into the collective the transfer of power is random. But I can assure you, this person feels no pain and will exist until its body is dust. Watch this," Elisa said and hovered several feet above the ground. Using a fingernail she carved a deep cut into her forehead which healed instantly. "I can also see what the creatures of this world are thinking. I am what the creatures of this world will become once my followers are successful. Join me, Goliath and I will grant you all the powers you can only imagine. All you have to do is kiss me."