As they stumbled into the gym, they found a scene seconds from carnage. A tide of the monsters was rapidly encircling the other 2/3 of the Battlefront. They desperately sent a storm of bullets at their attackers, but the wave was crashing forward.
Fred never stopped running. Slipping her weapons from her pockets, she dove into the fray, pistols flashing.
The rest of the combat division stepped back in shock as the air around Emily was suddenly charged with energy. Code flashed, and then came together. A pair of sweeping, brilliant white wings blossomed from Emily's shoulders. She beat the appendages, and she flew forward.
Mike was snapped out of his awe by Harry's shout. "Come on, guys! Hit 'em with all we've got!"
Fred's ears rang as she heard her fellows open fire. She didn't pause, darting to the left to attack a Shadow from the side. The beast shook as her bullets found home in its chest, and quickly dissipated.
Fred crouched as one flew at her. 5 shots later, its shattered form crashed down at her feet. She smiled grimly. "What do you know? They die, like anything else."
But scores and scores of the anomalies remained around her. The creations paused in their assault of the diversion and tech divisions, and swept over the combat division.
Mike's breath came ragged; his limbs shook with adrenaline and fear. The twisting shrouds of darkness kept drawing near him; they didn't dodge his shots, but he had to literally tear them apart to make them dissipate. He took a hasty step back, and froze. Icy cold was suddenly spreading over his neck.
"Careful, man!" Harry tackled the Shadow, finishing it as it was pushed back. He winked at Mike, and they looked at the fight around them in unconcealable awe.
Their friends fought with the violence of tigers, but their enemies had no end. The churning pillars of darkness surrounded them, merging into one overwhelming surge.
The doors snapped open. Kyle and other members of the student council waltzed in. "Now, what's all this ruckus?" Kyle demanded. "I'll have you know that classes are proceeding… ah…"
The NPC's gazed at the battle in incomprehension. Then, quickly, their faces went pale.
With the sound of a ripped paper bag, the NPC's blew apart, shadows gliding forward. Kyle clutched his throat. "Oh, why does this always happen to me…." He moaned, before his programming bloated, shuddered, and changed. A shadow moved forward from where Kyle had stood, sent to reset the system.
Mike blinked in horror. He could see NPC's in the hallway, and then shadow's bursting through the doorway. How could they stop this?
The Battlefront had not allowed their enemy's numbers to slow their assault. Hannah was airborne, flitting from one beast to the other. Just as the sludge began to crawl up her legs, her knives would flash, she jumped to the next target before the first crashed to the ground. Jake screamed his battle cry, his halberd cleaving chunks and slashes as he charged through the enemy.
But they kept coming. The line of black moved forward, and suddenly people were on the ground, thrashing against a blanket of darkness.
The leader of the Battlefront struck, Fred flying to her fellows. She helped them to their feet.
Asher shook himself off. "Thanks, Fred. Now I remember why I don't like coming to the surface."
Fred didn't smile. "Save it. We're surrounded." Her jaw tightening, she held up her weapons to the wall of sludge sliding forward.
A small flash of white was witnessed, and the shadows exploded. Angel beat her wings again, and dove into the next wave of 20. Her blades invisible, Angel spun, and slices of sludge flew in all directions. The others turned to watch in amazement as their Angel caught the last two groups of monsters in each wing, drawing them to her chest. When the wings opened, the beasts had vanished, and Angel's wings dripped black.
Metal clanged. With a grunt of effort, Mike succeeded in slamming the gym's door shut. His muscles strained with exertion, and Richie hurried to help him as the door shook.
The Battlefront took a breath. As they watched, the puddles and stains of black evaporated off the floor, strands of code disappearing into the air.
They looked at each other, faces pale. Some struggled to their feet, while others slumped onto the cold floor.
After the door had been temporally jammed using Jake's halberd, Mike hurried to Angel's side. "You… you…" he coughed. "Uh, where'd the wings come from?"
"I planned them to make me look more frightening, to aide in my image as a demon," Angel explained. She examined them critically. "However… they didn't turn out quite as I expected. I think I look more like an awkward bird." She glanced at Mike. "Do you like them?"
"Uh… well, they're really… amazing."
"They were damn useful," Emmanuel groaned. He kicked at the ground. "But just what do we do now?"
Fred turned to the head of the Tech division. "Asher, you got anything? Like, have you developed anything similar to The Tormentor, that we might be able to use?"
Asher paused in a head count of his men, and gazed at her quizzically. "…What? What the hey is The Tormentor?"
Fred's breath caught, and a shadow passed over her face. Without another word, the Battlefront's leader walked a few steps, and stood by the Guild's entrance, gazing down.
Emily glanced around nervously. "I'm sorry it took me so much time to send them away, but I had to figure out how to use the wings. They are a bit clunky." She shook herself, and the canvases of white faded way. "Is everyone all right?"
"We've been incredibly lucky," Asher growled. "Everyone's shaken up, but they're all still here."
The combat division literally slumped with relief. Quickly, they filled in the others on the Elly's fate. By the time they finished, the air was taught with tension.
"Trip through your wires, man," TK whispered.
"But, this school's massive, it has thousands of students," Kate mumbled. "Every time the shadows come, they'll be more." Faces of fear spread as she continued. "We won't be able to stop them every time… eventually; they'll start taking people… They'll cover us up, and drown us, until we're all gone. We're all going to-"
"Shut up." Fred strode back to her friends, eyes narrowed. "Don't you morons remember what I told you when you joined? I said that I'd protect you. As the leader of the Battlefront, I told you could rely on me. I won't let anyone else get hurt."
Harry stepped toward her, hand out. "Fred, are you-"
"I'm fine," Fred said. Planting her hands on her hips, she smiled at her team confidently. "Have you ever known me to let something trivial like this get to me? We're going to win this. The Battlefront shall win."
She gestured at the entrance to the Guild. "Now, I've got a very good guess who's behind this. The Creator. God. I know he's hiding down there somewhere. Apparently, he's finally decided we're too dangerous to let survive." Her eyes glinted. "Fine. I'll give him the fight he wants."
This is it, she thought, breathless. Finally, I'll have my chance.
Her friend clutched their weapons, Jake grinned. "Excellent! It's time we showed that old man just who he's messing with," he crowed.
Fred's eyes widened. "No! No, none of you can come. I want- I order all of you to stay safe at HQ. Do you hear me?" she barked, as heated complaints sprang at her. "This is something I'll handle alone."
I'm going to defeat him, she thought. I'll end this threat… but I don't know if I'll be able to come back from it.
Her fists clenched as familiar faces attacked her. Sophie, Harriet, and little Michael. No, never again. They depended on her. I will never again let the people I care for be hurt.
"Fred, we can help you. We want to help you," Harry entreated. Behind him, the others nodded.
"No. I need you all to stay here, and guard the others. We can't allow the shadows to take anyone else from us. Do you got me? I am ordering you to ensure their safety."
The jaws of the combat division members clenched, but they only nodded.
Winifred swallowed the tension filling her stomach. "Right. Well, I'm off to defeat the Lord of all. If you guys see any massive floods or swarms of locusts, then you'll know I've managed to get on his nerves." She gave a short laugh. "I'll be back soon. If not, then I'll leave you to elect the new leader. I trust you to make the right decision."
With one final brisk wave, Fred strode to the hole in the gym, and flung herself down into the pit.
A/N. And thus ends Mission Twelve. We're right up on the ending now. Arg. Decisions, decisions. Again, thankyou, everyone who has taken the time to give me feedback. You don't know how much it has helped. I hope I'm managing to add something worthwhile to this awesome tale.