A/N: It's been 100 years since World War I had ended.
Angels in the Dark
-1-
Cold Start
Somme, Gallia
November 1918
Lorelei fell out of the rear seat the Fokker C.1 reconnaissance aircraft and landed face-first into the dirt of No Man's Land.
Wind whistled across the abandoned battlefield, carrying dust, rags, bandages, and other light debris. The ominous swirl of dark clouds of the Hive blocked the sun, drowning everything in monochrome and cast grim across the land.
"Emmett," Lorelei walked to the pilot. "Are you alright?"
"I'll live," the young pilot strained.
"Come on," Lorelei said. She wrapped her arms around Emmett and hauled him out of the cockpit. They both fell onto their backs.
"I think my leg is broken," Emmett said.
Lorelei shifted around, and started gently feeling down Emmett's left leg, repeatedly asking if it hurt. He repeatedly said no until she reached his ankle. Lorelei reached over and repeated the process on his right leg. Nothing.
"Let's hope it's nothing serious," Lorelei said as she gave a quick look over Emmett's legs to make sure nothing looked unnaturally bent.
Lorelei went back to the C.1. A large, smoldering gash cut down the side of the fuselage indicating where a bolt of lightening struck their plane, possibly cutting some control wires. The plane bobbed as Lorelei gingerly climbed up the fuselage. She reached into the rear seat and grabbed the camera before gently making her way back onto the ground. She gave the camera to Emmett and slung one of his arms around her to pick him up. Lorelei guided the hobbling pilot to the closest trench. She had him set the camera on the ground. Holding his arms, she gently slid Emmett into the trench. Leaving him to lean against the trench wall, Lorelei jumped down, but she didn't land in the dirt.
The trench was deathly silent. Bodies of Karslandian soldiers lined the trench. Many had gasmasks on, but were riddled with holes. Some without masks lay contorted on the ground, frozen in their final vane attempts to gasp for air. Some were nowhere to be found. An arm here. A leg there. A head there. Not even the rats were spared.
Then there was a high-pitched, inhuman screech.
Looking up, Emmett and Lorelei saw a dark shape emerge from the swirl of clouds. It flew over the battlefield trailing a dark fog.
Panic flashed in the Karslandians' eyes. Lorelei shoved the camera into Emmett's hands. She went to the nearest corpse and tore the gasmask off its head. She rushed back to Emmett and quickly pulled off his goggles and helmet.
The fog quickly fell into the trenches, and it was heading right for them.
Lorelei pushed the mask against his face just as the fog engulfed them. Lorelei tenderly wrapped the straps around Emmett's head and fastened them.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
Lorelei stood in front of Emmett. She stood there without a gasmask. Her helmet and goggles were off, exposing her short brown hair. A pair of black wings stuck out from the top of her head and a black feathered tail emerged from beneath her jacket.
Emmett nodded.
Lorelei nodded back.
The witch unholstered her C96 and wrapped Emmett's arm around her.
Slowly but surely, they made their way towards the Western lines.
The trek through the trenches was slow and arduous. The series of winding trenches was bad enough, but then there was the dark fog that was trying to kill them. Navigating through the corpses was like a playing a morbid game of hopscotch. The uneven floor of the trenches added to their problems. With one wounded and combined exhaustion of the pair, each drop was a ravine, and each rise was a mountain. The setting sun only added insult to injury.
At least there was some good news. The trench signs were now in English and they could see the stars in the twilight.
Lorelei put Emmett down as they caught their breath for the seventeenth time.
"Is it okay to take this off?" Emmett muffled through the mask.
Lorelei ran her hand through the air. Traces of the fog swirled around her fingers.
"Keep it on just to be safe."
A couple minutes had passed and the stars shined brighter
The sound of dirt sliding sent alarms down their spines.
Lorelei raised her C96 and pulled it off safe. She slowly stepped towards the T-intersection in the trench, aiming towards the left. She paused a step away from the corner. A few rapid heartbeats later, she dashed into the intersection, ready to pull the trigger-.
Standing in front of Lorelei was a young woman. She wore a Liberion uniform and her brown hair was cut short, like Lorelei. A Winchester 1907 SL was in her hand, and a M1911 was in her holster. A pair of brown wings stood out from her head and a white feathered tail came from beneath her jacket.
"Jesus, Rickenbacker!" Lorelei let out her held breath. "I thought you were a Neuroi."
"You startled me, too," the Liberion said, lowering her weapon. "Now, if you can stop pointing your pistol at me, I'd be grateful."
"Sorry!"
"You're too uptight. Life's too short to be super formal all the time. Especially on the front lines. And I did tell you to call us-."
"Eden!" a new voice said. "Looks like you found them first!"
Lorelei turned around to find another young woman running towards them. She wore a Britannian uniform and her blonde hair, like Eden and Lorelei, was cut short. A Pattern 1914 MKI W(T) sniper's rifle was slung over her shoulder, and a C96 was in her right hand. The folded ears of a Scottish Fold sat on top of her head and a fluffy tail swayed behind her as she ran.
"Yes!" Eden smiled. "That means you're buying the drinks tonight."
"Boo! I hope it's not the expensive stuff."
"Edwards-." Lorelei was interrupted when Eden slapped her shoulder. Glancing at Eden, she flashed a smirk at Lorelei before helping Emmett to his feet.
"Minnie, let's worry about drinks when we get back," Lorelei finished.
"Sounds fine," Minnie said.
Minnie took the camera, and Lorelei helped Eden support Emmett, and they continued to walk West.
Lorelei grew an exhausted smile when she saw the flickering lights of kerosene lanterns in the distance.
A/N: I shouldn't start another story with all the unfinished ones I have, but this is the centennial to the end of World War I! It's literally a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I want to mark it in some way!
Also, technically, there is one official character in this story. She just goes by Minnie Edwards instead of Minnie Bishop because of marriage and name changing.
I will continue this story, but it won't be my number one priority at the moment. Reviews and comments are welcome.
Take care, guys and gals, and I'll catch you later.