Chapter 23
Alec stabs into another one of the black beasts of the Grimm, to his side Mimi slashes with her sword. The pair grimly continue cutting, their weapons dry on ammunition. A Lapin's foot long claw slashes at Alec, his scroll yelling a warning as his aura drops below safe levels. Mimi looks at him out of the corner of her eye. She purses her lips as Alec slams the vial of Aura booster into his veins. The alarm stops as Alec Grits his teeth and keeps fighting.
Mimi follows her leaders after she is hit by yet another monster. The thin line of huntsmen is beaten and battered but unlike before they do not back away only taking steps back when pushed by the wall of death. Somewhere underneath the horde are four crushed vials that held Aura booster at one time.
As they are being pushed back to the building the four take more and more hits. Their movement are slowing, swings are sluggish, and slashes are becoming weaker. Finally, some of the Cadets pull them back.
The Lieutenant steps forward a sword in one hand and his pistol in the other, to both of his sides rifles with foot long bayonets point outwards, "Make every shot count," He yells as he fires his pistol.
Paul looks into Ravens eyes, "Shit, those boosters are cooking you."
Raven pushes Paul away as she stands up and moves towards Beethoven, "Thanks for the Prayer Bet, it was a good one."
"Of course, I know how much it matters to you."
Paul stares into Alec's eyes as they react slowly, "Alec you need to lay down."
"Paul, you and I both know it doesn't matter." Alec pushes himself up against the nearest wall fragment. "Get over there and help the soldiers." Checking his scroll tells him what he already knows, the red blinking bar telling him that his body and soul had already given everything it had to give. Checking his weapons, he finds one weapon jammed and the other locked open with an empty magazine. Quickly he fixes the jam and prepares his one loaded weapon. The throbbing in his head and weakness in his muscles is ignored. He drags himself over to his partner, who is loading three shells into her weapon; her ammunition belts are empty and these three are her last ones. "I am sorry," Alec says quietly to the tiger Faunus.
"Don't be Alec," She looks at him seriously the last shell finding its place in her weapon, "I always enjoy our walks."
"I do too," He reaches down offering his hand to help Mimi stand. "Another one then."
"You always do know what to say." She stands up with Alec's help, "Three shells and that is it, I can't use my semblance and my Aura shield is gone." Mimi leans against Alec, "One more walk it is then." She looks over to her friends, "Hey Raven how are you holding up."
"Doesn't matter." She straightens her torn dress and kicks off her damaged heels. She looks over at Beethoven, "We have your back." Her whip uncoils as she starts walking towards her teammates with Beethoven partially limping after her. "Out of dust and usable aura, I need to start carrying a gun."
"Wouldn't matter much I think we all used up all of our ammo," Beethoven butts in as he limps to catch up using his weapon in its Warhammer form. "Two rounds."
The fighting meters away collapses into a melee as the cadet's ammunition runs out. The Lieutenant at the front of their battered formation, the wounded are being treated by Kim near the back of the building, his sword in hand Gregory tries to lead his men in the melee as most of them use their fixed bayonets to fight off the weak Grimm. Gregory knows they are doing well against the foe they are facing, and they are losing.
Team Riptide is trying to help keep the Cadets safe, but they are as low on resources as the cadets. Paul pulls another Cadet back to the aid station and starts bandaging the young man with the cloth bandages that quickly become crimson with his blood. Rita stabs through one of the beasts with her spear and leans against it. Danny gets slashed by one of the Lapins and Tina grabs her and starts dragging her back.
"Paul," Tina calls as she lays down Danny. She dashes away to the battle line.
Paul kneels by Danny; the cut is jagged and horrible as it shattered her aura. "Fuck, Danny why didn't you pull back."
"Because it didn't matter," she tries to shift but the deep cut opens more.
"Stop moving," Paul pulls a medical tool out of his kit, "Fuck, Danny this is going to hurt without aura, but I have to stop the bleeding."
"Just get me back in the fight," Danny lays back as Paul moves her shirt.
"You aren't getting back in the fight." The glorified staple gun clicks as the deep cut is forcefully sealed.
"Getting back in the fight is all that matters." She smiles in pain, "There is no way out of this one, get me back over there."
"Look I get it, but you are out of this fight, even if you had your aura at full power, you would be down for weeks." He sighs as the last medical staple is embedded into his friend, "I am stapling your stomach closed to hold your intestines inside you." He puts away the tool, "And you know it is bad, I just lifted your shirt, and you didn't make one joke about it or flirt with me."
Danny coughs, "What the hell, you knew I was flirting with you."
"Yeah," he hands Danny a knife, "Focus on keeping your guts in." Danny's wings shift as she tries to follow the young man with her eyes.
The melee is collapsing as the over matched cadets armed with nothing more than a glorified spear that was once their rifles. Team Amber steps into the fight again, all four barely standing use the last few rounds of their ammunition and then throw themselves into the melee. The group falls back into the building and the cadets and huntsmen prepare to make their stand between the Grimm and the Civilians. Everyone bleeding, out of ammunition and already exhausted from the near constant press of the monsters in front of them.
The Grimm charge again as the huntsmen and soldiers try to stop them. With no aura left and ammunition only a hope in their still beating hearts they fail and find themselves separated and trying to keep the beasts back. As they are fighting for their last minutes and deafened by the screams of their friends and the growling mashing maws of the beasts.
Alec stabs a monster as it tears his arm filleting his skin from his arm. Next to him Lieutenant Gregory Smith stabs at another creature but loses his sword as the dying beast falls backward and begins to dissolve. Alec slashes with one of his weapons in his good arm and passes his other to the cadet leader.
"We have to make it to the stairwell." The Lieutenant says with a grunt, "Can't let them through there." He starts working his way toward the stairs where the civilians are hidden. A massive explosion tears the street apart. The store front is torn out of existence. "What the hell are they bombing us?" He yells as the rubble tears everything around them.
Alec stares at the impact zone, "I don't think that is a bomb," the gunfire coming from the dust rips the remaining creatures of death in half. The heavy thumping of heavy cannon fire and rapid ratta-tat-tat of machine guns from a Bullhead transport makes him smile.
"Secure the building. Kill every Grimm left." An angry sounding woman's voice, "secure the Cadets and Huntsmen."
Keller Pointer steps into the building her mace and shield up as she smashes the remaining beasts, "Fuck, Alec status."
Alec collapses and leans against a wall. "Great timing, we need medical evacs for a lot of people."
"Danny!" Everyone looks over towards the small triage area as Danny steps forward. One of her arms holding her guts in, in the other the knife she was given by Paul.
Tears in her eyes she stares forward Danny keeps taking steps as she stares forward, "I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry." Paul grabs her as Keller runs into the room. Danny keeps mumbling, "I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry."
"Fuck, Medic, Medic." Keller yells as the three cadet medics that had been left with the civilians run into the triage."
Alec drags himself into the room, and what he finds waiting for him is not pleasant. Half a dozen Cadets lay on the ground. Blood is everywhere, Gregory runs towards some coughing, he grabs Kim who is bleeding out. Kim looks at him, "Alright Lieutenant you need to make sure that the doctors you take the men to get the information in my bag it has all my notes about their medical information. The code for the lockbox is twelve twenty-two."
"Kim, you need to worry about yourself."
"No, I don't, I have a full lung penetration and my lung is filling with blood. I am going to die. So, listen to me, we need to make sure everyone gets a full check. The Grimm had something on their claws, and it will lead to infections. Real doctors Greg not us medics." She looks at him and tries to smile blood flowing from her lips, "I am glad to have met you and had you as my commander. Thank you for giving me a family." She sighs as she dies with her last breath.
Gregory stands up his medic in his arms. He places her on the ground and straightens his bloodied and torn uniform, "Get me the radio." He picks up his sword and returns Alec's weapon, "Thank you." The radio operator salutes and stares at his commander. "Call us an evacuation flight and get any wounded ready for removal. Prepare the dead for movement." His face hardens as he walks over towards Danny.
She stares through the man as he walks over still whispering, "I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry, I am sorry." The staples in her belly are straining as they tear her skin.
"Come on Danny lay down." The Lieutenant says reaching out to her. Pushing her down onto a flat area. "You are going to be alright."
"I am Sorry."
"Shhhh shhhh its okay Paul is going to get you out of here. We will talk when you are better." Gregory looks at Paul with a nod.
"Medical Evac is thirty seconds away. Evac for the rest of us is two minutes out." The radio man yells across the building.
"Alright Huntsmen and Civilians on the Med Evac." Gregory looks at Alec who looks like he is going to argue. "All of you are barely standing and if I understand what Paul explained to me you all burned out your aura and cannot heal or use your semblance, and if I understand correctly you need to get to a hospital now." He sighs, "I will see you all at Beacon."
The bullhead lands hard as the evacuation pilot yells out, "Load up now I need to get in the air before the next flock of Grimm come there are Lancers coming in from the East." The civilians and wounded are hurried in as the heavy lance beams from one of the Battleships fires tearing the ground outside the walls of the city. "Alright everyone, hang on we are going to play some tag with the beasties." The Bullhead arcs and turns as Grimm attack it being cut down by the weapon fire from the aircraft itself and fighters dashing around the airspace of the city.
One of the engines gives out as claws rip into shreds, "This is medical evacuation shuttle seven we have been damaged. I have eight huntsmen and a two dozen plus civilians onboard, we are going down." The pilot speaks slowly into the radio. The second engine blows out and the bullhead begins to drop. "This is medical evacuation shuttle seven we are going down. Please deploy rescue forces." The pilot begins flipping switches shifting the engines around and moving the weight to control the crash. The pilot sighs as they touch a picture on the dashboard shifting the direction of the disabled engines. "Figures this is how I go down." The pilot slams their hand onto the panel in front of them, "This is medical evacuation shuttle seven we are going down a block north of Crowhide park, there will be survivors. May the brother gods guide us." The pilot fights with the controls launching the bullhead's flares and dropping everything that can be launched.
The wrecked aircraft digs into the pavement the empty fuel tanks don't explode and the emergency beacon starts playing a message. The sounds of explosions and small arms fire can be heard a block away at Crowhide park where the Mechanized unit is fighting their own battle.
A pair of women stand on top of a stage staring at a map, "Lenny take thirty men and secure this location save as many civilians and police officers as you can; bring medical supplies and heavy weapons." One woman explains to a man in a red, black and white suit.
The other woman smiles, "Oh and Lenny dear," The man snaps back around his red glasses covering his eyes, "Make sure they know who is doing this, and keep our word to the dear Police Chief."
"Yes ma'am."
The first woman again smiles as she turns to another hundred similarly dressed gangsters, her white suite still pristine with its blood red trimmings, "Now you all have your assignments, make me proud and surprise the bastards."
The second woman looks at the same goons, her blood red dress with white accents shakes, "Now my dears it is time to be big damn hero's."
The men rush out of the building and the white clad woman looks at the red one, "Do you think the Chief thought we would hold up our end."
"I have no idea sister; I hope he knows he chose well."
"Lesson number one from our uncle."
"We may be criminals."
"We may be killers."
"But we are still people." They both say as they start to walk out of the building rifles slung over their shoulders.
"Anyway, its good PR."
In the remains of the first floor of a hospital four security guards walk through the abandoned emergency room. "All the doors have been breached."
"Where are the Grimm?"
"Shut up we need to get that medicine and get back to the second floor. The doctor said they needed it."
"Here fill the bag with everything you can." The leading security guard orders in a whisper, her pistol at the ready. "Five minutes."
A bed flips over as a massive Beowolf pushes in the security guards pistol aims and fires the shot it doesn't even phase the creature. She stares at the beast as it roars. "Get back to the second floor I will distract this one." She rolls as the creature of death smashes down, "Now!" Her compatriots run towards the only way up to the second floor left, she runs the other way. Her pistol yells out two more shots as she runs. The beast follows her.
"Just let me kill this one." She turns a corner and aims right where the beast will be turning a single shot into its eye only angers it. "Fine." She slides on the tile floor turning a corner to see another Beowolf. Her pistol fires again as she runs down another hallway. Heading towards what she knows is a dead end but about as far away from the way up to the second floor as she could get. "I really was hoping to escape from you little beasties. Her pistol aims up as she takes aim at the pair of monsters that are going to kill her. The last three shots leave her pistol as it clicks dry.
A rush of adrenaline or maybe that all to terrifying capacity of the thinking being to become a beast its own when faced with the inevitable death staring at them causes the security guard to pick up stool and charge the pair of Grimm.
Ecru runs down the clean hallways as he hears the weapons fire his Captain close behind him. The ornately armored group runs turning down another hall. Ecru's spear lashes out at a black beast as he sees it his weapon is not designed to face the monsters of the world, but it does its job and his Captain and Guard open fire with their weapons and finish off the pair of monsters.
As the beasts evaporate a lone security guard with no weapon bar a stool in her hand stares at the ornately dresses saviors before she drops to one knee in a bow.
"No need for that my friend, what happened?"
"My King," The Security Guard stands as she told, "I had to distract them while a few others got medicine to the second floor."
"There are others?" King Ecru of Vale sounds excited. As the Security Guard nods, "Let us go check on them, Captain Gather our weapons and check to see if we can secure this first floor again." The King turns to the Security Guard, "Let us check on everyone." He stops himself, "What is your name, I am so sorry for not already asking."
"Do not worry sire, my name is Justinia Long Umbra, my friends just call me Tin. My King why are you here."
"Just call me Ercu, I was not going to let my people die and my city burn as I watched from a bunker."
"What about the leadership of Vale if you were to die, Vale needs it king."
"My son would take my place as his mother lead as queen, my staff would keep them all safe."
They reach the single remaining access point to the second floor. As the Captain joins the group, "First floor is unable to be secured too many holes."
"Then we will secure the rest of the hospital until the army gets here."
"Hey guys open up I need to get in and I have help."
"Tin how did you escape that monster."
"I can explain up there, the first floor is fu…..." She looks over to the King as she stops herself, "uh first floor is screwed, we have no way to secure it but there are like twenty people down here that can help they have real guns."
"Yeah, come on up."
A single security guard stares a pistol in his hand as the ornately armored group works their way up as they all reach the top the Captain of the Guard turns to his men, "Unload those weapons and make this entry way a killing zone, get these poor guard something that can kill the Grimm." The eighteen other Guards Salute and start fixing the entry point.
"Uh Tin who are these guys. They look a bit too fruity to be army."
"Max, shut up they are here to help us."
"They look like they came from a comic book convention."
"Max."
"It is alright Justinia," The King turns to Max, "They are my Personal Guard I brought them down to the city when I saw the city under attack."
"Well thank you but who are you…." Max bites his tongue too late, "Fuck," He catches himself too late again, "Fuck." Realizing his mouth was only going to get him in more trouble he drops to his knee, "My King I am so sorry."
"Stand up," King Ecru of Vale says reaching to pick up the man from his kneeling position. "We have to keep these people safe until the huntsmen and the military get here."
Sirus looks up at the crashing Bullhead, the fires of the destroyed Crowhide park put up smoke, "We need to start working our way, towards that crash." He yells out to his unit. The heavily armored mechanized force starts heading over towards the massive crash.
Another wave of Grimm begins to assault the group. "Incoming fire." The voice of Maximillian ripples over the land from the Frigate Beacon and fire from the airship slams into the ground. The Mechanized Unit begins to blast through the oncoming wave of black monsters.
"Alpha one, break left," A fighter pulls right as a wing of Nevermores dive at the fighter another fighter chases them in a dive firing at the beasts with machineguns and missiles.
"Alpha five, pull back and take formation."
"Copy."
"Alright can anyone make it to that downed medical evacuation transport to buy them time."
"Negative we are being swarmed cannot break off."
"This is the VMAS Hope we are being overwhelmed by Grimm. Requesting air support."
"VMAS Hope there is no available support, increase altitude and bring the ship over the anti-aircraft weapons of the wall."
"We are unable to follow that order. We will bring the Hope outside the wall lifting engines are giving out and we have deactivated the safeties on the reactors. It has been a pleasure."
General Augustus Leonard Pincter stares at a map of the city of Vale. "Report."
The generals second in command stares at the map, "The VMAS Hope is out of the fight they are leaving the area over Vale to avoid the damage from the ship exploding. The Huntsmen have been fully engaged, only ten percent reached their objective points. All armored forces have been engaged. The King has taken a position in one of the hospitals with his house guard. We have air equilibrium with the Grimm. Losses are growing and we do not know where the Grimm are coming from."
The General stare at the map, "If this had happened in two years the Academy would have had enough trained Huntsmen to push this back."
"The army will be able to eject the Grimm sir," The Colonel says confidently. He sighs, "there is one other thing sir."
"What is it."
"The Grimm seem to be organized sir."
"What are you suggesting Colonel?"
"I am only stating the observation that the Grimm seem to be organized." The Colonel gulps, "but I would ask our Huntsmen allies for information on the matter."
"I do not have time for politics."
Another soldier runs in, "sir one of the larger organized gangs are engaging the Grimm."
"I am not going to complain about people fighting on our side."
"Sir they have military hardware."
"Problem for another day." The General says staring at the map. "The Airships are Green lit to fire into the city with their main guns."