Chapter 22

The sirens of the city still ring as Alec aims down the sights of his weapon single shots leaving the barrel, beside him the cadets and other members of his unit fire their weapons in single shots trying to keep the beasts back. "When they start coming our way again Huntsmen to the front, we will thin them out up close. Save you ammunition for what gets through." Alec keeps firing as he gives the order.

The Cadet next to him looks up from where they are leaning with their rifle against the ruins of the building, "Can you take that many?"

"Do we have a choice?" Raven replies walking up staring out at the growing black horde. "Alec there looks to be a few minutes before they start pushing. We sh…."

"Civilians incoming!" A Cadet yells.

Alec looks at a group of twenty or so civilians in ripped clothes, a few of them are holding small babies and even fewer are holding rifles. A Cadet runs over, "Is everyone alright?"

"Ah- uh we were with a – a police officer and um then we heard shooting we thought it was the military. But you are, Uh um."

Another one of the Civilians steps up. "We came this way because we thought this was a safe zone, but…"

Cadet Lieutenant Gregory Smith steps up his rifle still smoking, "Private back to your post." The cadet salutes and runs back. "Folks let me get you up to our safe room." He points them up the stairs as the barricaded door is unblocked.

One of the people holding a rifle stops and leans over to Gregory, "Can you keep us safe?"

"I can Guarantee every one of us will be dead before the Grimm get through that door. Now get up there we have to re-barricade the door." One of the medics Squeezes out the door as it is closed up and salutes. "What are you doing out here Kim?"

"There was no room for everyone."

"And you were chosen as the one to leave."

"I was just the first one to make it to the door sir." The Medic smiles. The Lieutenant stares back his face looking stiff at the woman in front of him. "Look Gregory if I am going to die, I am going to die with my family."

"Set yourself up and get ready to take on wounded." The Lieutenant turns on his heels and lifts his rifle. "Alright everyone the monsters are in front of us, and the Civvies are behind us. Nothing gets through. Fix bayonets."

"You know those are not meant to be used."

The Lieutenant smiles clipping the blade to the end of his rifle, "Huntsmen take the lead."

The horde begins to move forward as Alec, Mimi, Beethoven, Raven, Rita, Paul, Tina and Danny step in front of the building forming a cliffside for the waves of black creatures to shatter on. Behind the cliffside the huntsmen make are the Cadets the glistening clean, sharp bayonets on the end of their rifles. The first Grimm that reaches the Huntsmen is cut in half by Ravens whip, the horde slams into the evenly spaced huntsmen. Each one of them cutting dozens of the creatures down.

For what seems like hours the four cut and rip and tear the horde down. In truth it is maybe a minute. The Cadets watch their fingers on the triggers of their weapons.

The sound of the fighting is deafening the whip's cracks are almost overwhelmed by the drone of the Grimm roaring and dying. The clanging of blades echoes back to the Cadets as they wait.

The flashing of the eights Aura is all that shows they are being hit. It seems the Horde is thinning though at least for a moment it seems the eight first year huntsmen might hold; that the cliffside might overcome the tsunami. Then there is a step back and another, the Cadets fire at the horde as the Huntsmen break pulling back before the Monstrous horde overwhelms them burying them like pebbles on the beach.

The wall of fire the cadets put up overwhelms the brutal drone of the beasts as the war of sound ripple down the street. With a signal a pair of rockets rips from their launches exploding in the middle of the horde. A building starts to collapse. The Huntsmen add their fire to the wall of fire.

For a second time that day the withering fire pushes the Grimm back. The Surviving Grimm knowing enough that they must join their slowly gathering brethren to push again. Something tells them that their target can't last for much longer. Every enemy break sooner or later and these one is not like the big threats during the good times long ago. They are weaker. They are fresh, more tender.

Alec stares at the regrouping horde as he checks his weapons, "Well Lieutenant how are your men holding up?"

"Ammunition is low, and we only have a few of those rockets left. And we are scared. How are you all doing?" The young man wearing the Lieutenants rank looks at the tiring Huntsman with worry as his eyes turn to the other seven each leaning or checking something.

Rita joins the pair of with worry. "Alec you are seeing what I am right?"

"Yeah," Alec gulps, "Gregory we are all down below twenty percent aura, Raven is almost out of dust and the rest of us are low on ammo." Alec stares at the wrecked building they are in. "We are not going to survive the next wave. If we had time to set up traps make positions even have breaks of more than five damn minutes maybe." He takes a bite of an energy bar, "Look if you think your people can make a safe withdrawal you probably should."

"Not with the city as overrun as it is we would be torn to shreds by the first Beowolf we run into." Gregory rubs his head, "Our best shot is the to hold a defensive position we can full back up stairs and make a stand there but without any defenses or position we are fucked anyway. And those civilians wouldn't be able to make it."

Rita looks between her two companions, "Danny," the bird Faunus jumps at the call, "You have a bottle of whisky in your pack right." She states not letting her friend reply, "Pass out a ration for everyone and make it quick."

Danny quickly starts pouring the liquid into the many offered cups, not much goes into each one hundred eight cups stretches the excessively large bottle of excessively expensive whiskey to its max. Rita smiles as Danny passes her, Alec and Gregory cups. "You know help may make it in time. We really thinned them out." She downs her cup in one gulp, "She stole this from one of the professors' stashes."

Gregory thinks for a moment before downing his cup. "For the next wave let my machineguns and rockets run dry before stepping out. That will maximize what we have left."

Alec downs his cup, "We can do that."

"I will have Paul get the Aura boosters ready," Rita says as if continuing a thought, "Should keep us fighting a bit longer, doesn't seem like we will have to worry about the side effects."

"Our main goal is those civilians."

"Agreed."

Alec walks over to his team, then turns as Gregory looks at the everyone, "Alright so the plan hasn't changed we are going to hold this position till we get reinforced. We will use the machineguns and rockets before AMBR-RPTD engages the Grimm. This will thin out the horde and make it easier to clean the mess up. After that we will use our rifles to provide cover fire, I want single shots for as long as possible no panic firing. Wounded are to be brought to Kim in the back."

Raven looks at Alec, "We should make this an official fight."

"I know, but I am bad at it." Alec turns to Beethoven, "You are very good at preaching."

Beethoven looks at his friend, "If, you are sure."

Mimi smiles and taps her friend on the back, "Of course we are friend."

Team Riptide stare at their friends confused. "Uh guys," Paul asks.

Alec looks at his four friends and squad mates, he smiles with a worried look. "You are going to take the second line with the Cadets." His voice is serious and does not give a chance to argue. He turns to the Cadet Lieutenant, "Can you make sure that Beethoven's preaching goes over the radio."

"Of course."

Alec rejoins his team, "Ready everyone?" The nods in reply calm him for a moment.

"Alright here comes the next wave, rip them to shreds." Machineguns and rockets tear into the new horde cutting their numbers down.

Beethoven stares out as he begins his prayer,

Oh, Brother Gods of Light and Dark.

Today we march into battle,

I ask not that I survive,

I only ask that if I am to fall my blade is coated with the blood of my enemies,

And those behind me live.

The Machineguns click dry, and the last rockets explode. Team AMBR steps out in front of the building again as Beethoven continues preaching.

Oh, God of Darkness let the fires of my anger guide my blade.

Inside Bullhead twelve and over a dozen armored personnel carriers everyone catches a radio message sent out on all frequencies. "Oh fuck." Calls out one of the Huntsmen riding in the aircraft as Beethoven's voice crackles of the radio.

Let my sword drench itself in the destruction of my foes.

Let my last breath leave me as the death of my final enemy.

Inside of a small collapsing police precinct a half dozen police fire their rifles out of the holes made in the precinct chiefs office while the horde of Grimm crawl over the collapsing outer walls. Sitting against his desk the Chief fires out the door blood pooling around him. Officer Jenkins throws another magazine for his rifle away and slams another home. The radio on his hip playing the voice of a young Huntsman.

Oh God of Light let the fires of my hope guide my shield.

Crying and sobbing echoes through the hospital, a security guard watches the locked security gate as it keeps shaking. Grimm trying to break in drawn to the fear and sadness radiating out of the building. Her almost worthless pistol in her hand as the radio plays a voice of a man younger than her.

Let my sword clean itself in the defense of my friends.

Let my last breath leave me as life for my friends.

I ask not to live Brother Gods
I only ask that my life is sacrificed well

A middle-aged man is sitting in a well decorated room as the radio plays the young huntsman's voice, a dozen or more guards in ornate uniforms stand around him as he talks. "Gather the Guard force."

"Your…." One of the men in uniform obviously an officer starts.

"My city is burning Captain, Gather the Guard."

A stiff salute from the Captain, "Yes sir."

The middle-aged man stands up and walks over towards a hall, "Daddy what is happening?" A young child looks at the man, "Azul is worried."

The man picks up his child with a forced smile, "Oh Arthur, you don't need to worry. I just have some official business to take care of." The young boy nods his head. "Now I need you to find Grey tell him to bring me my armor and weapons. Then find your mother and the rest of the service staff and go to the bunker." Arthur confused still heads to the door. His father looks at his son running off, "Arthur," the boy looks back, "I love you so much no matter what, you are the best thing that has happened to me." Arthur looks even more confused. "Go find Grey."

The captain returns, "Sir the House Guard is ready."

"Good my armor and weapons are on their way."

As he finishes those words a man appears behind him with the ornate weapons and armor. "Sire as you requested. Will you please allow me to join you in battle Ecru, Sire?"

Ecru shakes his head, "No my friend you must join the staff and protect the family."

"Sire, every maid, butler and secretary in your service is trained in the arts of combat. Would one more matter."

"You are the only huntsman back that will be with them."

"I am retired Sire."

"Does that really matter?"

"No Sire."

Amen

The end of the prayer reaches General Augustus Leonard Pincter's ears the electronic map in front of him is getting redder by the moment. Known positions of resistance are falling faster than hoped.

One of the soldiers runs up, "General word from the House Guard. The King and his knights have taken to the board."

As the soldier lets the code words slip from their lips the room goes quiet. The General looks at the soldier and nods, "Alright, see if any units are nearby can meet up with them. What is the status everywhere else?"

"Sir forty eight percent of the huntsman squads have engaged Grimm forces fifty two percent are still mobile but not all of them are going to make their targets. The staff of Beacon has deployed also but are a few minutes out. The Frigate Beacon has deployed mechanized forces in Crowhide park and is using its weapons in a close air support role. Beacon's Airborne forces are engaging airborne threats along with our Air forces. Over half of the deployed Armored forces have been bogged down while they tried to form up with huntsman forces. The shelters are holding, and our military losses are currently low."

"And Civilian losses?" The General asks with knowing sadness.

"Unknown but estimates are not good."