Angel Beats!

What We Die For

chapter 12

Against the Darkness

Opening the window, i took a peek inside the classroom next to the barricade. At the moment, i had taken three other SSS2 members, Len included, out through the window of the classroom the second barricade was using. It was unfortunate that i couldn't bring another two along, but these three were the only ones willing to step out onto the thin ledge that lined the walls for us to creep over to the next class. Not a lot of people were daring to use a thin ledge two floors above the ground to cross classrooms.

The first barricade on the third floor was depending on this barricade to clear out the second floor in order to contain the outbreak of Shadows coming from the science lab. I don't know what the situation is on the ground floor, but i would have to trust that some other squads were there to take care of the situation. I dare not look down, since i was already losing all feeling to my legs from sheer nervousness. I didn't think walking on this thin ledge would actually frighten me this much. Climbing through the window into the next classroom, i sort of landed hard on my back.

"Ow!"

"Quiet! Do you want them to hear us?"

Len glared at me as she jumped through the window. Sorry i can't be as graceful as you. The other two SSS2 members climbed in and almost immediately readied their weapons. I guess they weren't part of the assault division for nothing.

"Lead on. It's your plan."

Len nudged me on. Sure, it was my plan, but even i wasn't sure on how well this would work. Creeping up to the door, i could see the Shadows lumbering towards the barricade while the machine gun placement tried to cut them down. At this moment, this barricade was running out of ammunition. They have two machine guns to guard one entire hallway and using each one to watch a different side was distributing what little fire-power they have.

This plan would allow the barricade to shift their machine gun placements to focus on one end. But it would also require the assaulting team to completely clear out the second floor corridor to the South stairwell where i came down from. Only then can we be sure that we have done our work. Len took out a strange cylinder from her belt, and seeing it for the first time made me think. Where have i seen that before?

"What's that?"

I ask, pointing at the thing Len just pulled out.

"This? It's a grenade. What else?"

"... Huh? ... Wait... grenade? ... GRENADE?"

Len immediately capped my mouth shut.

"Don't shout! Do you want them to hear us?"

"... Sorry."

Len sighed, releasing her hand off my mouth.

"But... does that actually work?"

I really can't believe they can make grenades. Well, since there are guns in this World, i guess grenades wouldn't be take far fetched.

"Want to see it for yourself?"

Len smirked, the kind of smirk that tells you that something extremely dangerous was going to happen and you would probably need to evacuate the area immediately. Len checked her watch, as though waiting for something, then nodded to the other assault members who were stationed at the other door. At the same time, they slid the doors open slightly and rolled their grenades through the small opening. Shouldn't they be running for cover? The explosions shook the ground and i actually shook my bones as well. However it was strange that the doors actually held. Weren't the explosions just outside these doors?

"Do you know that everything in this school regenerates at certain times?"

Len asked, grinning from ear to ear. Ah, Yuki did say something like that. Did that mean Len timed her grenades at exactly the same time as the regenerations? Just how long had they been fighting these things that they could even time something like that explosion so well? Something tells me that there was something else at work besides perfect timing.

"Let's go."

Len slammed the door open and rushed out into the smoke filled corridor. I pushed my questions about that explosions aside, rushing out after Len. The corridor was filled with smoke, but Len seemed to know her way around, rushing into the thick of the smoke and firing her weapon. I readied my rifle and charged in after her. The smoke was dense and was hard to breathe in. The smoke was starting to clear as we pushed our way through the hallway, cutting down the Shadows that stood before us. I noticed that the assault members were holding their weapons and moving in a way similar to military soldiers.

I had to wonder what sort of training did that colonel Shrewerz guy give to them. The first assault member stopped, using hand signals to tell us of something ahead of us. The second assault member rushed in, aiming his weapon around the corner at the stairwell, firing at the first enemy he spots. Len rushes in, giving covering support to the attack. I must say that i'm rather impressed, but really. Who actually gives students military training? I need to make a mental note to avoid that Shrewerz fellow no matter what.

"Let's go. Kurogane, stop day-dreaming and hurry up."

Len shouted. Sighing, i decided to push that thought aside for the moment. It wasn't important. I hope.

As the last Shadow disappeared, i started to relax, lowering my weapon. Len and the other two assault members were also letting down their guard, each trying catch their breaths. The last few Shadows were the most intensive of all the others. Mainly because the goal was so close to us that we felt each second was like a minute. We wanted it to end quickly, therefore pushing our bodies harder than normal. But at least for now, we can relax. For now. Len took out a walkie talkie from her belt, radioing in to the barricade we left behind that we were clear. One of the assault members dropped onto the floor against the wall to take a rest while the other checked his ammunition levels. As for me, i leaned against the wall, looking out of the window into the courtyard below.

"Looks like they're wrapping things up downstairs."

Len said, clipping her radio back onto her belt.

"Good. I was just running low on rounds."

One of the assault members sighed, slinging his rifle. As for me, i'm nearly out. Half of this clip left. I looked around the corridor of the third floor, seeing each and every single bullet hole that we made while fighting. This was the hallway i left Fujihara in. It seems like he was helped out by some medics after all. Wait. Fujihara. That reminded me. How were things at the first barricade?

"Amatsu-san, can you contact the first barricade?"

Len raised an eyebrow at that, but complied, taking out her radio once more.

"This is assault squad 5, come in barricade one."

Len waited for a reply, but received none. That was somewhat disturbing.

"... This is assault squad 5, come in barricade one. Can anyone hear me?"

This was really disturbing.

"AAHHH!"

The suddenly scream made me and Len turn, only to see the assault member who was sitting down being devoured by a Shadow.

"Holy shit!"

The second member aimed his rifle, but his rifle suddenly jammed. He looked down to his rifle, a fatal mistake as a second Shadow split off from the first, engulfing him in its dark mist. I jumped back, bringing up rifle up to aim. But they were still human! I couldn't shoot!

"Kill them! It's better to kill them than to let them become NPCs!"

Len shouted, aiming her rifle and shooting at her own team-mates. At that moment, i felt lost. Shooting your own comrades, your own people. It was... wrong. My heart pounded hard against my chest. I couldn't breathe, i couldn't think. My mind was blank. Killing your own. Blood. Better to kill them. They are useless. I am useless.

"Kurogane! Snap out of it!"

Len's voice made me look. More Shadows were appearing. Death, the end of life. An endless void. The darkness. No. I didn't want it. Don't let it touch me.

"No... NOOO!"

I couldn't think, my body just kept pulling the trigger. My ears went deaf. I could not hear the rapid fire of the gun, couldn't hear the shouts of Len. I couldn't even hear the sound of my gun going empty. I dropped my rifle, purely out of instinct, pulling out my pistol and firing away. I couldn't remember what i was screaming about. I couldn't remember what i did. All i knew was that my body kept shooting. It was as if my mind and soul had become detached from my body. But wasn't this the afterlife? Was there a body to be detached from? But i noticed something. A Shadow was coming on on Len from behind. She didn't notice, but i did. And yet i still could not control my body. Move dammit! Why won't i move? Len is going to get taken! If i don't do something-

'You were always the kind one, looking out for everyone else even if it meant your own life. You haven't changed one bit, but that's the one thing that's great about you, Kou.'

What? Who said-

"!"

I suddenly regained my body and my senses. But now wasn't the time to waste just thinking about that. I jumped at Len, pushing her aside, out of harms way. But that meant that i was the one in the Shadow's path. The dark mist swallowed me, my body started to feel cold and everything went black.