Chapter Twenty-Two: Semper Invicta
Burke was wrenched violently off his feet, the straps of his backpack biting into his shoulders. The road rushed up to meet him like a concrete fist and he barely managed to shield his head before he struck it, the air knocked from his lungs. He rolled a few feet before stopping, his hands skinned, pain flaring all over his body.
The boulder smashed into the road where he had been running only moments before.
He flinched, squeezing his eyes shut as he curled up into himself. He could taste blood in his mouth, hear the rain hissing as it fell, drumming on his hood.
His breathing was shallow and ragged, too loud in his ears.
The ground shook beneath him and he imagined the giant approaching, ready to finish him off.
His eyes snapped open as a shadow blotted out the weak light, only to see a hulking figure standing over him. He recoiled with a gasp, his sore hands clawing at the concrete until a familiar voice cut through the all the noise.
"Burke! You have to get up!" Nora shouted, seizing his coat and hauling him back onto his feet. "We have to run!"
Her face was ashen, her eyes wild and reflecting his fear.
"Hart! Helmet!"
They turned to see the Paladin rushing towards them, laser pistol in hand and helmet equipped.
Cursing, Nora released Burke to fumble for her own.
The air was rent by another earth-shaking roar.
Burke's head snapped up, his eyes honing in on the colossal figure that was almost at the bottom of the hill. He could now make out the sickly green hue of its flesh, the twisted knots of bulging muscles and it's bared, rotting teeth exposed by a lipless mouth.
"Get moving!" Danse shouted, breaking Burke's trance as he turned and opened fire.
Flashes of ruby light cut through the grey and the monster screeched as it was seared by the shots.
Burke turned, stumbling down the road with Nora hot on his heels.
His legs felt weak beneath him, threatening to buckle with every step. He couldn't tell whether the ground shook because of Nora's power armour, or the enemy behind them.
They had almost reached the city when a large shadow materialised in the haze ahead of them, emitting an ugly growl.
Burke skidded to a halt, staring as a mutant hound prowled through the rain towards them, its lips peeled back to reveal swollen gums lined with jagged yellow teeth. It fixed its molten glare upon the Squire and lowered itself into a crouch, snarling.
He heard laser fire and flinched, watching as red bolts of light shot through the air and scorched the hound's head.
It howled in pain, charging blindly forwards only to be intercepted by Nora.
It reared up, its remaining eye blazing with rage and hatred as it raked its claws down the Knight's armour. It locked its powerful jaws around her right bracer and began wrenching its body violently, attempting to bring her down.
Cursing, Nora gripped Righteous Authority in her left hand and clumsily bludgeoned the beast with the butt of the rifle.
"Hart!"
Burke turned, staring as the Paladin abandoned his target to rush to her aid.
Behind him the monster continued its advance. Patches of its skin had been blackened by the laser fire, but it had done little to slow it down.
It seemed to only have made it angrier.
He watched as it slowed to a halt, one arm reaching behind its back. He saw the boulder grasped in its hand as it pulled its arm back, and the reality of what was about to happen dawned on him.
He turned back to his guardians in time to see the hound fall away from Nora, its skin flaring scarlet as it began to disintegrate into ashes. In the street ahead of them, shadows were emerging from the murky haze as the mutants that had attacked Hardware Town began to advance.
"INCOMING!" Burke screamed, racing towards them. His hood fell as he ran, but he paid little heed to the icy rain, as numb to the sensation as he was to his pain.
Danse turned to see the behemoth and suddenly he was shoving Nora ahead of him.
As soon as Burke was within reach, Danse snagged him with one arm and began to sprint.
The Paladin held him too tightly, the metal arm almost crushing him against the breastplate. Burke struggled to breathe, clutching at Danse's pauldron to elevate himself and escape the vice-like grip.
It was just as Danse loosened his hold and Burke raised his head over the pauldron that he caught sight of the boulder arcing towards them.
He could hear laser fire as Nora and Danse fought to clear a path through the mutants.
He could smell the ozone cleansing the air of the city stink.
He felt like he could see everything in startling clarity, like the world had slowed down to let him count the raindrops. He could see the behemoth watching the boulder fall, its mouth opening to roar in triumph.
Danse veered sharply to the right, taking them down another street.
The boulder struck the road behind them, crushing a number of mutants who had been too slow or too focused on their prey to see it coming. It continued to roll out of sight, and Burke heard human screams and splintering wood as it collided with the Diamond City fortifications.
Danse loosened his hold and leaned down, placing Burke back on his feet.
"Get moving, Squire!" He barked, pushing him forwards. "That's an order!"
The road ahead was crowded with the rusted skeletons of pre-war vehicles. He could see narrow paths between them, but recognised immediately the fact that they were too small for power armour to fit through.
"You're coming, right?" Burke pleaded, turning to stare at the Paladin. "You're both coming?"
"Get moving!" Danse shouted through his helmet, causing him to flinch.
"Burke, hurry! I promise we'll follow you!" At the sound of Nora's voice, he bit down on his lip and turned, forcing himself to run past the Knight and between the cars.
"You next, Paladin!" Nora commanded, gesturing with Righteous Authority.
"Get moving soldier!"
"I'm the one with superior firepower, so I'm covering our tail!" She practically snarled. "You need to keep up with Burke!"
"SOLDIER –"
The behemoth roared again, the sound near deafening as it echoed through the city ruins.
"There's no time so get your ass in gear!" Nora shouted, stubbornly maintaining her position.
"You are officially on report, soldier!" Danse fumed, charging towards the cars. He used the augmented strength of his power armour to shove the husks of vehicles aside, forging an escape route. "Keep up!"
In spite of their grim situation, a small smile curved Nora's lips at his useless threat. She began to follow his retreat slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on the road behind them.
She could feel the vibrations of the behemoth's tread through her power armour and knew that it was almost upon them.
Part of her hoped it would be drawn towards the officers guarding Diamond City and she hated herself for it.
The left leg of her power armour was still damaged and slowing her down, jarring painfully with each step.
If the behemoth came after them, she didn't have a hope in hell of outrunning it.
Which is why Danse has to keep going. She told herself firmly. He can get Burke home. He'll save Shaun if I can't.
The behemoth stepped into sight, looming at the end of the road. Around her, the cars shuddered in time with its tread.
She drew a deep, shuddering breath as it turned its bulbous head in her direction.
"Ad victoriam!"
The battle cry rose unbidden to her lips as she opened fire, her laser shots searing the behemoth's hide.
The monster howled, raising an arm to protect its head from the concentrated fire.
She could hear Danse shouting for her to keep moving and obeyed, backing up as she drained her fusion cell. The moment the cell was depleted she turned tail, sprinting as fast as her armour allowed and grinding her teeth against the pain each step inflicted.
Her armour squealed against the sides of pre-war vehicles and she could only hope that they would serve to slow the behemoth down.
As she ejected the spent cell and pulled a fresh one from a pouch strapped to her armour, the ground began to shake as the behemoth gave chase. She heard the screech of tortured metal and glanced back over her shoulder, only to discover that the behemoth had uprooted an old streetlight.
It began to advance, hatred blazing in its eyes as it gripped the streetlight like a club.
She was about to turn and face it again when Danse began to lay down suppressing fire, prompting it to lash out with its new weapon. The cars she had hoped would slow it down were swept aside like toys, crashing into the buildings either side of the road.
"Keep moving soldier!"
Danse's shout was only just audible above the behemoth's onslaught. She told herself it wasn't out of cowardice that she followed the order, continuing her flight rather than standing her ground and buying them time.
The rain was becoming near torrential, the droplets running over her visor and distorting her vision. She resisted the urge to wrench the helmet off, focusing instead on reaching her companions in one piece.
She could hear the behemoth advancing behind her, could feel the vibrations as it gave chase, swatting the cars aside. Red flashes illuminated the street as Danse continued firing, attempting to slow it down when he should have been running.
Why does he have to act like such a god damned hero? She wondered bitterly, discerning the silhouette of his power armour through the rain.
She also spied a smaller shadow, waiting between some cars a short distance behind him.
And why does Burke have to be so god damned disobedient!
As she drew closer, Danse finally turned – and began to shout at Burke, who startled out of his horrified trance.
Nora dared to glance back over her shoulder, only to find the behemoth swiping the cars directly behind her aside with bloodthirsty glee.
It's going to get them.
Her breath hitching in her throat, she forced herself to stop and faced it, activating her V.A.T.S. as quickly as she could.
The behemoth roared in triumph, raising the streetlight as the system began to calculate the trajectory of her shot.
She fired off a quick volley as soon as its head was marked with a 72% chance of a direct hit.
The behemoth reeled backwards, covering its face with its free hand as it released an agonised scream. It lashed out blindly, missing her by inches and taking out the car beside her instead.
Her heart pounding wildly in her chest Nora turned, resuming her painful sprint. She could hear the behemoth smashing the street light against the road and cars, causing glass to shower over her armour like hail.
Danse had Burke in one of his arms, the boy's pale face staring at her over the shoulder of the power armour.
He was shouting at her, but his words were drowned out by the behemoth's fury.
Danse was shunting his way through the cars, forcing a path between them, but she was moving too slowly, the damaged leg of her armour hindering her progress. She was tempted to abandon the suit, but instinctively knew that doing so would prove fatal.
Ahead of her the Paladin turned sharply, making for a narrow alleyway that was barely wide enough to accommodate his armour.
Where's he going?
Nora turned and followed his lead, instinctively ducking as the behemoth took another swing at her.
No sooner had she entered the alleyway then she heard the whir of a turret somewhere ahead. The splintered remains of a door lay on the concrete on the far side, where Danse had evidently bulldozed his way through.
Flashes of gunfire illuminated the grey up ahead, the staccato of bullets accompanied by frantic shouts.
The buildings either side of Nora shook violently, shards of glass falling from the windows above to shatter upon her power armour.
She turned to find the behemoth at her back, trying to force its way through the narrow gap to no avail. Its laser-charred face twisted in fury as it snarled, slowly drawing back from the entrance.
Thank God.
She turned and began to advance, only to be struck from behind. She grunted, staggering forwards from the force of the blow.
She turned to face the behemoth again, only to discover that it was using the mangled streetlight to try and swat at her.
By some small miracle, it had shunted her beyond its reach rather than crushed her.
Frustrated, the behemoth began smashing the streetlight against the ground, the metal crumpling from the trauma.
An explosion from the other end of the alley brought her back to her senses and she turned away, hurrying to aid the Paladin and Squire.
She passed over the splintered door and entered a firefight.
Danse had charged straight into a cul-de-sac, fortified by raiders.
She could see turrets flanking an impressive pair of gates at one end, their fire focused upon the Paladin. Raiders were hiding within the buildings, shooting from broken windows and doorways as the turrets drew his attention.
Burke was nowhere in sight.
One of the turrets exploded as she stormed to his side and as he reloaded, she opened fire at the one that remained.
Danse's armour had taken damage and she could hear his ragged breathing from beside her.
She grunted as bullets struck the plating of her own armour, trying to ignore the HUD in her helmet that depicted most of her suit in red. As the second turret exploded, the right arm of her armour went dark on-screen, the steel bracer and pauldron falling onto the concrete.
When the next bullet hit the exposed frame, she felt the shock of it reverberate through her body, pain lancing through her arm from the shoulder.
Damn it!
Her breath hissing through her teeth, she turned her attention to the raiders infesting the buildings.
"Find cover!" Danse shouted, raising his pistol to fire at a hooded raider in one of the doorways.
He made a clean shot and the man crumpled to the ground.
Together the Knight and Paladin hurried towards the nearest building, Nora firing at any raiders daring enough to shoot at them from the surrounding windows.
Danse surged through the doorway, activating his headlamp to scan the room as Nora brought up the rear.
The space inside was cluttered and chaotic, but other than the now dead raider, there were no hostiles in sight.
The floorboards overhead groaned as raiders on the floor above panicked, no doubt scrambling into defensive positions.
As Nora ducked through the doorway, her breathing laboured beneath her helmet, Danse turned to face her, the glare of his headlamp reflecting dully against the battered steel of her power armour.
He began to walk back towards her, only to freeze when dust streamed from above them, plaster flaking from the ceiling as the ground shook.
Even before they heard the roar, they knew that the behemoth had returned.
Danse turned off his headlamp as Nora pressed herself against one of the walls flanking the door, peering warily around the empty frame.
"Do you have a visual?" Danse whispered hoarsely, moving into the adjacent position.
"The gates," Nora replied, watching as the behemoth's bulky shadow began to loom through the rainy veil, its head and shoulders towering above the raider's defences.
It paused a short distance from the gates, as though considering the barricade.
The world had become eerily still and silent.
Even the raiders seemed to be waiting with bated breath, undoubtedly praying that the monster might move on.
It didn't.
The behemoth began to charge, lowering one mountainous shoulder like a battering ram.
The gates smashed open at the contact, splintered wood and pieces of metal flying across the ground.
The raiders began to panic, opening fire.
"Danse! Where's Burke?!" Nora demanded, shouting to be heard over the gunfire and roaring behemoth. "We need to move!"
Outside, the behemoth had turned its back towards them, focusing its attention upon a building at the opposite end of the cul-de-sac.
"Follow me and don't fall behind!" Danse ordered, raising his pistol before surging outside.
Steeling herself, Nora followed.
He led the way back towards the alley, keeping one eye on the behemoth as he moved.
It was currently smashing a boulder against the walls of a building, too intent upon its new prey to pay them any heed.
Danse paused beside a dumpster near the alley entrance, throwing the lid open and hauling Burke from inside.
Carrying the boy in one arm, he sprinted back down the narrow passageway, Nora following close behind.
The lobby of the Dartmouth building was hardly ideal cover, but with the sounds of conflict echoing throughout the city ruins, it was the best they could find. Danse followed Nora into the thick gloom, stepping through one of the empty window frames and out of the rain.
Burke was still clinging to his armour, visibly shaking. He was drenched to the bone, his hair plastered to his scalp, clothes sodden and soiled. As Danse moved towards the lone counter in the lobby's centre, it occurred to him that Burke had lost his backpack during their flight.
As he set the boy down, he heard the familiar hiss of power armour and turned, watching as Nora stepped outside her steel shell. She was unsteady, favouring her right leg as she took a moment to lean against her armour, massaging her right arm.
"Is Burke alright?" She asked hoarsely, straightening up with a wince as she moved towards them.
Upon reaching the counter, she began checking Burke over, her lips pulling into a thin line as she registered the numerous cuts and bruises. He made no effort to swat her hand away when she gently turned his head this way and that, studying him in the glare of her armour's headlamp. He just stared at her with haunted eyes, sniffing and shaking.
"Burke, I'm going to get some water and a stimpak and we're going to wash the grit from your hands first, okay?" she asked him with a reassuring smile. "Then I'll apply the stimpak and you'll feel better."
Burke sniffed again, nodding mutely.
"Hey, hang in there for me," she said gently, grasping his shoulders. "We're getting out of this, don't you worry."
As she moved back towards her power armour to retrieve her supplies, Danse kept his eyes on the windows. Although they were out of the rain, he couldn't help but feel vulnerable in the lobby.
It was a wide open space with no cover but the counter upon which Burke was sat. The lights of their headlamps were beacons in the darkness, undoubtedly visible from the street. The fact that the north, east and western walls of the lobby consisted entirely of large, empty window frames did little to bring him comfort.
He watched the rain continue to fall outside, puddles forming on the worn floors beneath the windows, rippling in the weak light.
Knuckles rapped against his power armour and he turned to find Nora beside him, offering a stimpak and water bottle.
"This might be the only rest stop we have, so you'd better make the most of it." She said wearily, shaking the bottle.
"At least one of us should remain in our power armour at all times," he said firmly, returning his gaze to the streets. "Tend to Burke and yourself first."
For a moment she remained in his peripheral vision and he thought she might argue, but then she sighed and turned away, returning to Burke.
He listened as she spoke gently and winced when Burke hissed in pain.
He shouldn't be out here in this mess. None of us should be here. We're supposed to be aboard the Prydwen. His jaw clenched and he began striding towards the nearest windows, unable to keep still as a knot of anger began unravelling in his gut.
It's my fault. I should have made us leave the day we arrived at Diamond City. If anything happens to either of them, their blood is on my hands…
Faces flashed across his mind unbidden; Keane, Dawes, Worwick, Brach...
Lost to the Commonwealth because of me.
Cutler.
Killed by me.
He halted at one of the windows, his breathing loud and shallow in his helmet.
Is this going to end the same way? Am I leading them to their deaths?
He saw Burke on the ground at County Crossing, staring helplessly into the maws of the mutant hound.
Nora, small and insignificant in her battered power armour as the behemoth bore down upon her.
A metal sphere seemed to have lodged itself in his throat and beneath his armour, he was shaking.
No. I have to keep it together. If I fall apart…
"Danse?"
He blinked, the ghosts clearing from his vision at the sound of Nora's voice.
He turned, startled to find that she was back in her power armour. From beneath her helmet, he could feel the weight of her gaze.
"Your turn to get patched up. Water and stimpak are on the counter."
Fearing that his voice might betray him, Danse turned and walked towards the counter, stepping from his armour when he was a few feet away.
Burke watched him silently, a half-empty bottle of water grasped in his shaking hands.
Taking a deep breath and clenching fists, Danse moved to the counter and picked up the stimpak first. Once he felt the familiar warmth seeping beneath his skin, easing his aching muscles, he reached for the water and practically inhaled it.
He glanced up when he saw Burke move in his peripheral vision and found that the boy had moved closer to him, holding out the remainder of his water.
"I.. I don't want any m-more." Burke mumbled, his teeth chattering.
Danse felt a tightness in his chest as he shook his head, attempting to clear his throat.
"You should drink it, Squire."
"I don't want it." Burke said quietly, placing the bottle on the counter beside him. He folded his arms and hunched over, as though trying to keep warm.
Danse dropped the crushed remains of his bottle to the ground and moved back towards his power armour. The pack strapped to it had been battered in the fighting, but when he wrenched it open, the contents were still whole and dry.
He reached inside, groping for the bomber jacket and pulled it free before returning to Burke.
"It's big and it doesn't have a hood, but it'll be warmer than your current coat." He said, holding it out to the Squire who stared at it blankly.
"But… I m-might ruin it –"
"That doesn't matter." Danse said firmly, fixing him with a stern look. "You're more important and I'm not about to let you freeze to death."
Burke's eyes flickered between Danse's and the jacket before he reached up and unfastened his coat, letting it pool on the floor behind the counter. The shirt he was wearing beneath was wet around the collar and shoulders.
He took the jacket from Danse's hands, taking a moment to study it before draping it around his shoulders. He slipped his arms inside the sleeves and raised them up, the ghost of a smile playing across his lips when he saw the way his arms barely reached the elbows of the sleeves, the overlapping leather hanging uselessly in the air.
"I-it's a b-bit big." He mused, turning to look at the Paladin who managed a faint smile in response.
"You'll grow into it someday." As he spoke, he moved forwards, rolling the sleeves back until Burke's hands were visible.
In truth, the Squire was drowning in the jacket, but he was pleased and distracted by it.
"Feeling warmer?" Danse asked, watching as Burke zipped it shut.
He nodded, snuggling into the woollen collar.
"…I feel a bit like Elder Maxson." He mumbled, shoving his hands into the pockets.
At that Danse's smile grew a little wider.
"You're certainly as brave as him, Squire." He said sincerely. "You're making me proud."
Burke stared at him for a few moments before a shy, genuine smile pulled at his lips.
An explosion echoed through the ruins. Burke jumped, fear shattering his fleeting happiness. Danse stared at the windows before turning back to him, reaching up to grasp his shoulder.
"We need you to be brave for a little longer, Squire. We'll get you to safety, I promise."
Burke nodded, taking a deep breath as he slipped off the counter, the jacket dropping past his hips.
"I know."
Danse returned his nod before moving towards his power armour and pulling himself inside. The suit had barely closed around him before Nora was at his side, her eyes fixed on the eastern windows.
"That came from Layton Towers, a raider den just around the corner." She said quietly, her voice urgent. "We need to move before something heads this way."
"We need a plan, first." Danse insisted, glancing to where Burke stood at his side, anxiously scanning the streets beyond. "We can't run blindly through a warzone. We need a destination."
"Diamond City's out of the question," Nora replied heavily. "They'd have shut the gate at the first sign of a mutant."
"Do you have any other suggestions?" Danse pressed urgently. "Another secure settlement? Or somewhere we could safely call a vertibird?"
"Goodneighbor." Nora replied.
Beneath his helmet, Danse's face screwed with distaste.
But what choice do we have?
"Very well," He sighed, putting his prejudice aside for their safety. "How's your fusion core?"
"Down to 46%."
"Then now would be the time to –"
A shrill scream rent the air outside, followed by the staccato of gunfire.
"FUCK IT! RETREAT! RETREAT!" A man's voice yelled nearby.
Burke's eyes grew wide with terror as he turned to stare up at them.
"We need to go!" He cried, his voice beginning to quake. "They're really close!"
"Alright, follow me!" Nora growled, raising Righteous Authority as she turned to face the main doorway. She broke into a jog, gritting her teeth with each painful step. Burke fell in behind her without question.
I'll protect you both. Danse swore silently as he began to follow. If it kills me I'll save you.
Nora thundered towards a narrow alleyway, bottlenecked on two sides by walls of wood and corrugated tin. She hastily scanned the area ahead, breathing a relieved sigh when she found that it was clear.
A ransacked hovel to her left suggested that the area had come under attack earlier that day, and with its proximity to Dartmouth and Layton Towers, she was reluctant to linger.
She emerged onto the road beyond. It was deserted, littered with the husks of pre-war vehicles and rubble. To the left, the road led back towards Diamond City, whilst to the right the pale grey walls of the Boston Public Library reared up against the sky.
She paused, consulting the pip-boy map that flickered on her helmet's visor as Burke and Danse caught up to her.
"We go right," she ordered, turning towards the library that loomed at the end of the road.
She set off, clanking through the rain with Burke and Danse following in her wake. A blue storage container lay at the street corner and as Nora advanced towards it, she began to hear voices echoing through the streets.
She held her breath, moving as quietly as her broken armour would allow.
When she reached the container, she edged along it warily, alert for the slightest hint of danger.
The road to her left was deserted, littered with bricks from a collapsed building and a few pre-war vehicles before it turned a corner around the library.
Licking her lips, she reached the corner of the container and warily peered around it, towards Trinity Plaza and the tower beyond.
She felt the blood freeze in her veins as a strangled sound escaped her throat.
From her vantage point, she could see a good deal of the square and the church, which meant that she could see the large number of mutants milling around them. A large fire blazed in front of the church, the orange flames illuminating the hellish scene before her.
Mutants were everywhere, some brawling amongst themselves whilst others butchered the remains of their prey. Bloody nets were strung up from trees or lampposts, some left on the ground where the monstrous hounds could savage them.
But the worst thing that Nora could see was sitting in front of the fire, pulling something apart in its massive hands.
The behemoth…
She couldn't help but notice the wide berth the smaller mutants gave to their mountainous brother, those few brave enough to seek heat from the flames keeping to the opposite side of the pyre.
Slowly, Nora withdrew behind the container and turned to face her companions.
Burke was huddled in Danse's jacket, staring up at her with terrified eyes. Behind him, the Paladin kept watch on the streets around them.
"The behemoth's nearby," she said, her voice eerily calm.
Danse's helmet snapped to face her and Burke gasped, his eyes emerald pools of despair.
"It's in Trinity Plaza, along with a horde of mutants…" She turned away, peering around the corner towards their enemies. "If we move now, quickly and quietly, we might avoid a confrontation. The other end of the road seems quiet."
Here's hoping it stays that way…
"Very well," Danse acquiesced. "I'll watch our six. You lead."
"Understood."
Warily, Nora advanced into the road, keeping the container between herself and the mutant's eyeline for as long as she could. With each clank of her armour she cringed, steeling herself for the mutants to raise the alarm, but they continued to remain oblivious to her presence.
She was careful, using mounds of debris and the rusted cars for cover.
Burke was her shadow, keeping himself as small a target as possible. He ducked behind any cover available, keeping to the deepest shadows he could find.
Deacon would be proud.
Somewhere behind them, a mutant screamed.
Nora froze, blood roaring in her ears as she turned, crouching as low as her armour permitted. Burke was at her side and Danse a little ways behind them, sheltering behind the remains of a car as he watched the plaza.
The behemoth had risen to its feet and was holding a mutant aloft, dangling it over the flames by one arm. The mutant was howling, thrashing wildly, only to be dropped into the flames.
The other mutants kept a respectful distance, watching as the behemoth reached into the flames to grab its 'toy', snarling in pain as it burned its hand. It became enraged, bellowing at the fire before grabbing one of the small boulders from the shopping carts affixed to its back and throwing it at the pyre.
Embers flared upwards and a number of mutants shouted in alarm as the fire partially collapsed, sending tongues of flame into the crowd.
This is our chance.
"Burke! Come on!" Nora ordered, her words snapping the Squire from his horrified trance.
They moved as quickly as they dared, Danse following a short ways behind.
When they finally rounded the corner, beyond the mutant's sightline, Nora heaved a sigh of relief.
The road ahead of them was deserted, though the grisly nets of meat hanging down from Police Precinct 8 building warned them not to tarry long.
Firelight flickered at the end of the street and Nora's eyes narrowed as she continued leading the way forward, Righteous Authority raised and ready to fire.
"Oh no…"
The way ahead was blocked by a blazing wall of tyres and pre-war vehicles. The rain hissed and steamed as it fell upon the inferno, a cloud of filthy smoke billowing up to taint the sky.
"Dammit…" Nora hissed, glancing along the only road left open to them… which led back towards Trinity Plaza and the mutants.
She could see the behemoth's silhouette in the distance, swiping at a couple of brave – or stupid – mutants who had taken issue with it.
The one benefit of the behemoth's proximity was that it served as an excellent distraction.
She returned her attention to the street immediately before her, noting the fire barrels illuminating the dark stone archways that led to Copley Station, concealed beneath the library. Nets of raw meat were suspended from the metal canopies above the cavernous openings and she shivered, advancing cautiously along the road, scanning for another route.
"Hart!" Danse hissed from somewhere behind her. "You're getting too close to the plaza! We need to fall back and find another route!"
"Wait!" Nora hissed, sighting a narrow side street ahead. "There! If we go that way, we'll only have Boston Common and a couple of roads between us and Goodneighbor!"
"It's too close to the mutants – Hart!"
"They're distracted!" Nora insisted her voice low as she turned to face him, noting the fact that Burke was now staying at Danse's side rather than hers. "We might not get a better chance than this! This is the fastest way to Goodneighbor!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"It will be if we stand here arguing about it!"
Danse drew himself to his full height, the flames from the blockade reflecting dully against his battered armour.
"Fall in li –"
Bullets sparked from the pauldron of his power armour and Danse gave a pained shout, one metal hand flying out to push Burke behind him as he turned to face his attacker.
A lone mutant stood at the entrance to Copley Station, leering at them with a pipe rifle grasped in its hands.
"Let's play, bucket he-"
A shot from Righteous Authority had the mutant falling backwards, disappearing down the station steps with a smoking ruin for a face.
Angry voices began to echo from the station and when Nora turned to look back at the plaza, it was just in time to see the closest mutants racing for their weapons, shouting to alert their brothers.
"We have to go!" Nora shouted, turning to face her companions. "There's too many of them!"
"Get moving!" Danse barked, pushing Burke ahead of him. "I'll cover the retreat!"
"But-"
"GO NOW SOLDIER! GET BURKE TO SAFETY!"
Beneath her helmet, Nora nodded and began running towards the narrow street.
A pair of mutant hounds surged away from the plaza to meet her and she slowed to open fire upon the twisted creatures.
The first fell at a distance, its flanks already bloodied from a previous battle, but the second survived several shots before it collapsed mere feet away.
And more were coming.
"Ma'am! What do we do?!" Burke screamed, skidding to a halt behind her.
"NORA! GET HIM TO SAFETY NOW!" Danse roared, clanking to her side. "I'LL COVER YOU!"
A Molotov arced through the air, sailing over their heads to shatter on the concrete behind them. Liquid fire sprayed through the air and Danse moved to shield Burke from it with his armour.
"MOVE IT!"
At the Paladin's shout, Burke turned and began to sprint along the road as fast as he could, his arms pumping at his sides so fast, the sleeves of Danse's jacket slipped down, flapping uselessly in his wake like broken wings.
"Burke! Wait!" Nora shouted, racing after Burke as he disappeared around the corner.
She emerged onto a wide street, a tree-lined island running down the centre, overgrown with sparse patches of dead grass.
As gun and laser-fire began to roar behind her, she veered to the right, pursuing the small shadow that was charging blindly ahead.
She struggled to catch up to him, her power armour's jarring step both slowing and paining her simultaneously whilst terror spurred his flight.
The shadowy forms of mutants burst onto the street directly ahead of him.
"BURKE!"
She heard his panicked shriek as he tried to skid to a halt.
One of the mutants swung a plank covered in razor wire, and it was only by sheer dumb luck that Burke fell, the wood missing his head by centimetres.
The street was bathed in bloody light as she opened fire, a primal scream tearing from her throat as she charged towards them, desperate to reach the Squire.
As lasers scorched the mutant standing over him, Burke rolled onto his front and made a desperate effort to crawl away, his eyes desperately seeking cover. He spied a lone concrete plinth set in the centre of the island, beneath a cluster of skeletal trees.
Thankfully, Nora's relentless assault was distracting the mutant's from his escape.
When he reached a broken stone balustrade, he used it to pull himself to his feet and raced on shaking legs towards the plinth, ducking behind it and out of immediate danger.
He could hear Nora and Danse shouting, the Paladin laying down suppressing fire when the Knight's fusion cell ran dry.
Then an almighty roar drowned out all other sound.
Burke's hair stood on end and he felt like his heart had stopped.
As the echoes faded away, the mutants panicked, their cries of 'run away!' growing fainter as they disappeared down the road. Armoured footsteps charged towards him as a booming tread began to draw closer.
Hardly daring to breathe, Burke sidled to one of the corners and dared to peek around the edge of the plinth.
Directly ahead of him was a street that led back onto Trinity Plaza and there, advancing towards him was the behemoth.
He stared, eyes bulging as it drew closer, its hands snapping pre-war telephone lines as though they were nought but frail vines.
The ground shuddered underfoot as Nora and Danse reached his side, crouching down. Through their helmets, he could hear the harsh sound of their breathing and when he turned, he saw that Nora had lost the plating on one of her legs and the Paladin the plating from one of his arms.
"You need to keep moving." Danse panted, reloading a fresh cell into his pistol. "I'll buy you time."
No! Tears began to blur Burke's vision as he stared between them, anguish strangling his voice so he could only scream the words in his head. No! Don't say that!
"No." Nora snarled, snapping a charged cell into her rifle. "I'm not going without you!"
"There isn't time!" He barked. "You need to get Burke to safety!"
"No!" Nora insisted, leaning towards him to glare through his visor. "I won't lose you, Danse… I can't lose you… Please." Her voice cracked and she bowed he head, raindrops pouring over the steel helmet like tears.
Danse sighed heavily, raising one hand to grip the remaining pauldron of her armour.
"I have to." He said quietly. "I won't fail anyone else and Burke is our priority… Shaun is your priority."
Beneath her power armour, Nora winced, blinking away the tears that were burning her eyes.
Fighting the sob that was rising in her throat, she shoved her laser rifle at the Paladin with one hand, reaching up to grip his laser pistol with the other.
"You'll need the extra firepower," she insisted in a trembling voice. "But you better bring it back to me, understand? You have to come back to me!"
The behemoth emerged onto the street and began to bear down upon the plinth. Danse released a shuddering breath as he accepted her rifle and surrendered his gun.
"You're one hell of a soldier," he said thickly, watching her through his visor. "It's been an honour to be your friend…"
"Don't!" Burke choked, shaking his head. "Please don't stay!"
"Be brave, Squire." The Paladin replied gently. "Make me proud."
The ground beneath them quaked as the behemoth loomed closer, and just like that Danse pulled away.
"Ad victoriam!"
Burke felt Nora's metal fingers grip his shoulder through the jacket as the Paladin opened fire on the behemoth, standing tall and resolute as he backed up along the street.
Snarling the behemoth raised one arm to shield its head as it turned to face him.
Burke began to sob as it stepped away in pursuit, a mountain bearing down on a lone man.
Then Nora was pulling him back, dragging him towards the opposite end of the street.
"No! We can't leave him!" Burke shouted, his hands clawing uselessly at her steel fingers.
"We have no choice –"
"We can't leave him!"
"Listen to me!" Nora cried, turning him to face her. "The sooner you're safe, the sooner I can fall back to help him! But we have to keep moving! The longer we stay here, the more danger he's in!"
Her voice held an edge of hysteria and he didn't have to see her face to know it reflected his pain. His shoulders shaking beneath the jacket, Burke forced himself to nod and this time when she ran, he fought to keep up with her.
He could hear the behemoth's roars and guttural snarls, but each blast of the rifle gave him hope.
As long as the rifle fires, he's alive, he's fighting…
It was as they ran past a flickering neon sign announcing 'Shenley's Oyster Bar' that he heard wood splintering. He slowed down, daring to peer back over his shoulder, only to wish that he hadn't.
The behemoth had uprooted one of the trees from the island, wielding it in both hands like a club.
Danse had ceased firing, hastily trying to reload the rifle… which was when the behemoth struck.
Burke watched the scene unfold in slow motion, staring in horror as the monster swung the tree like a swatter – and Danse, the stalwart Paladin, his guardian and friend – was struck with enough force to send him flying through the air. He was like a toy soldier swept aside by a callous child.
Burke heard the metallic crash as he struck the wall of a building on the opposite side of the road, the bricks caving inwards at his back before falling on him in a deluge of dust and mortar… Then all was silent, save for the incessant hissing of the rain.
Burke stared blankly at where Danse had fallen, his mind refusing to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
"No…" Nora whispered faintly from beside him, seemingly frozen in place. "Please no…"
The behemoth began to move forwards, the tree dragging on the ground as it closed in on the rubble where the Paladin lay.
One large hand reached towards the pile and Burke watched helplessly as it stepped back, raising a limp form in power armour aloft…
The ground shook as a Nora lurched from his side, her anguished scream shattering the eerie silence.
The behemoth turned to look at her, its breath clouding in the cold air, Danse clutched like a ragdoll in its fist…
She opened fire, her aim erratic and guided by grief.
"NORA! DON'T!" Burke screamed, staring in horror as the behemoth let Danse fall to the ground with a clash of steel. "NORA! PLEASE! DON'T!"
She drew to an abrupt halt a short ways ahead of him.
The behemoth began to advance with a leer, raising the tree from the road to clutch it in both hands.
Nora turned and rushed back towards him, inciting the behemoth began to charge at them with a bellow, drowning out all other sounds.
Burke began to run as tears clouded his vision, the image of the fallen Paladin burned into his mind.
A/N: I'm going through a bit of rut irl that is making it hard to write, and I'm sorry this chapter is so late! D: (recurring theme, I know :( )
Honestly though reading back through the reviews and PM's I've received have really helped to encourage me to keep writing, so seriously guys, thank you!
& a /HUGE/ thank you to MrNinjaPineapple for being so patient while beta-ing this! C:
On a random note; I spent so long listening to the Attack on Titan soundtrack for inspiration on this chapter and the next, I think that I've worn them out XD (such beautiful music though!)