Hello, I finally updated again.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

TW: Gore and mild cuss words

Within These Walls

Chapter 9

They sky was burning.

The seething plumes of smoke raining down their smoldering ash like snowflakes. The fire that lit the tops of the highest skyscrapers illuminated the sky a deceptive orange glow casting flickering shadows across the devastated streets below. The very asphalt was hot beneath my touch. It trembled with every distant roar. It shook with every blast, while everyone just kept screaming. A cacophony of buzzing voices through my com asking the same question over and over again.

Why why why?

Even through the haze of destruction and death I could still acutely feel the setting sun casting my own terrifying shadow over my mind. With every minute that passed its laugh only grew more clear and it only loomed further.

My muscles jumped underneath my torn jacket drenched in sweat and grime. I found myself once again drenched in blood, but at least this time it was my own. Few things I was absolutely certain of but this I knew with sinking dread: the city was going to bleed. Whether from my own hand or the EVO that has already destroyed so much. I laid among the ruined city and my fellow Providence troops that died for this never ending fight. I closed my eyes releasing a shuddering sigh that morphs seamlessly into a growl as another tremor shakes through the ground beneath in tandem with a blast in the distance.

This is Hell

"Rex, status? Hello, Rex are you still with us? Has anyone seen Rex?" My eyes snap open as Six's voice cuts through the screaming; even with a voice warped by static I still hear his concern. Through his com I can hear the burst of gunfire and the words of the damned losing their lives to the rampaging EVO. I know exactly what the situation is on the other end, having already witnessed the destruction first hand. All of this for what? All of this was pointless, if the EVO did not kill everyone then I surely will. Nothing was keeping me here to fight this losing battle, nothing was making me stay here to put my family's lives on the line. I could leave all this behind let the EVO do my dirty work for me. Not give the shadow the satisfaction of having me kill my family by my own hand.

Kill them.

Just as the dark thoughts invaded my mind I mentally recoil. When did I start being afraid of the monsters I was trained to fight? I was the only cure for the creatures that were the subjects of many people's nightmares. To wake up one morning to become a mindless beast bent on destroying everything. My family is stronger than that. They defeated me once they could do it again. I knew that when it came down to it they would make the right choice of putting me out of misery. Holiday or Caesar would come up with a cure just they had before I know they will. Defiance burns through me I will not let this thing control me. It can hurt me but I will not let this thing hurt my family.

Are you so sure?

"I-I'm here," cough my throat burning from the ash and my previous screams of pain. I hope Six can't here the pain laced through my tone as I swallow blood and blink back my tears. I close my eyes again trying to find some respite from the pain praying that Six was still fighting on the other line. A shudder once again rips through my body but this time accompanied by the familiar burn of my eyes changing to the feral blue of the wolf hiding beneath my skin. I grit my teeth in fear only feeling the change growing closer. I bring my hands to press my palms into my clenched eyelids trying to will away the beginning changes. The wolf roars and thrashes against my mental bonds. I just need more time.

"Rex? Are you down? Is there a medical team in his vicinity? What do you mean the entire area has been cleared? Rex, I am heading to your location—" Six bites out to someone in the background with the gunfire only continuing. Even without my sensitive hearing, it is easy to pick out the strain in his voice. To hear the added effort he is putting in to make his words sound authoritative, to carry a weight that was simply sham. Things were worse than I thought if Six is scared. Please don't be scared for me, because you have seen what I can become.

"No…" Go to him, "No. I'm on my way," Rip him to shreds or the beast will. Never. Even through its bonds the wolf snaps it jaws in mirth. I roll to the side once again feeling the brunt of the damage my body sustained facing the EVO and failing magnificently. It cast me aside as if I were a mere annoyance. My mind too clouded and my body too spent to be of any good. The wolf roared its disdain at my own short comings I pushed aside its advice and guidance remembering the battered child I fought yesterday as testament to its ruthless nature. But even with the wolf's forewarning it had not been nearly enough to give me the edge needed to fight this abomination.

I jumped from the Providence ship on my own accord knowing full well the situation I was putting myself into; knowing full well the risks to my own sanity and to the safety of everyone involved while the wolf laughed. Holiday said nothing about my useless nanites. Nothing after all the attempts to cure the EVO were futile and I was shaking from the strain. Nothing every time I was thrown to the ground until I was spitting up blood. I was desperate and scared leaving my builds to fall away into useless scrap, but she remained contemptuously silent.

She wants you dead.

One again I cough to rid the ash from my lungs and wipe the bloody spittle on the sleeve of my jacket. The task of standing up seemed so much more arduous than I last remember. I stagger to my feet while I blankly scan over the corpses laying scattered across the street. I try to ignore them as best I can, but some are to horrific to remain passive; most are crushed, ripped apart or otherwise maimed. To my revulsion it makes my mouth water.

What sixteen year old should ever be accustomed to this? I break into a run trying to put as much distance between me and the carnage before I summon my RexRide. Six's location flickers into the display in my cracked goggles along with the rapidly diminishing life signatures of the other Providence agents. They were trying to defend the last occupied section of the city where many of the citizens were being evacuated out. If the EVO breached their location then many people within the city would be trapped without a means of escape. Six's voice breaks through my com again while the torn city flies by without a sideways glance.

"Orders are to the lure and coral the EVO to already destroyed part of the city where or ships will be waiting to target it with the Javelin," The Javelin is the strongest weapon in Providence's arsenal just shy of flat out wiping the entire city with the Bleach Bomb. The situation was worse than I thought if White was resorting to this but I can't help but wonder if even the Javelin will even be enough.

The answer comes like a slap to the face as I finally reach Six's location to see the EVO doesn't even have a scratch on it. After rushing through every one of the constructed barricades, taking thousands of rounds from Providence agents, and tossing aside their assault vehicles as if they were toys the EVO is completely unscathed. It should not be this much of a struggle the EVO was barely tall enough to reach the fifth floor of the surrounding buildings but its impervious, scaly hide deflected all their attacks. The creature also possesses a surprising amount of intelligence allowing it counter our moves and understand that we were stopping it from wreaking havoc anywhere else. All of this coupled with its long, sharp claws and bladed tail made it easy for it to cut through our ranks.

Six's eyebrows are furrowed above his glasses but I can tell he's relieved to see me only looking a little worse for wear. The EVO continues its rampage swatting its deformed claws into a nearby buildings as it makes a swipe at the dwindling troops. Before Six can even get a word out the flying pieces of concrete are like shrapnel to those troops still left standing. I build my smack hands to provide as much cover from the falling debris. I throw a punch of my own more to make some space between us rather than actually intending to do damage, as expected the EVO leaps back clicking its exposed teeth in agitation obviously remembering our previous encounter. I openly growl in return ready for another fight.

"Rex we need to distract and draw the EVO to this location. Are you ready?" Six's shouts as troops once again open fire on the EVO. His question is the closest I am going to get an 'Are you okay?' given the situation but I feel Six's concerning stare behind his shades none the less. However, anger boils unabated my gut and I want to snap at Six over something childish like, 'I heard you the first time.' with an echo of a growl reverberating in my mind. Not knowing where the anger comes from I turn away attempting to distract myself from my misplaced fury through an experimental roll of my shoulders. With grim satisfaction find that my elevated healing has only increased since my transformation soothing the pain of my wounds to only a dull ache. Even so, the shudders that wrack my body serve as a reminder that my fragile reign I has over the beast will be soon coming to an end and that I am still in the wolf's grasp.

You're mine.

"Yeah, let's make this quick," I respond to Six. I knew full well my double meaning was not lost on him going by his deepen scowl. We were running out of time— I was running out of time with the sun only sinking further. There was a howling behind my teeth that let me know I wasn't long for this world.

"Hey, ugly! Remember me?" I call giving a cocky smirk as I slip back on my goggles. The EVO redirects its attention from the troops to turn just in time for me to build my Slam Cannon and fire several pieces of asphalt into its face. It dodges the last few projectiles. Shooting of several more the creature roars out in rage, spittle flying.

"Let's dance!" I call back as it charges forward giving chase clipping several buildings in the process.

Building my RexRide with Six on his jet board following suit we rocket off with the EVO hot on our heels. Despite swerving to avoid falling debris and dodging swipes from razor sharp claws I find the chase strangely exhilarating. Thrill of the hunt. I swerve trying to right myself quickly at the headache that erupts behind my eyes; however, the distraction lost me distance between the chasing EVO and I have to push myself to remain out of the range of those claws.

"Rex, stay focused!" Six snaps while once again something ugly rears its head in my gut. A snarl rips from me before I can stop it, my teeth sharpen and my claws dig into the handle bars.

"Or what Six? You're going to smack me around and drag me back to Providence again?" Why should I even listen to you? You have no right to be giving orders; I'm stronger and faster than you, after all, we have a score to settle. Blurred images of the wolf lunging for Six's throat only for his sword to viciously slice into its bottom jaw. Snarling across a dirt clearing, the taste of blood fresh in its mouth. I snap back to reality with a jerk just as the anger floods my system it recedes leaving me hollow. I feel nauseous all over again and I double over my handle bars trying not to throw up.

"Rex!" Six calls but I realize my mistake too late as the EVO's claws rip into the back of my build. I'm suddenly hurtling through the air the smoke filled sky coming into view. I slam into the ground hard enough that it jars my back to my senses and see the huge claws quickly approaching. Thank god for Six, because I probably would have been cut to ribbons if he didn't swoop down in time to sweep me out from the EVO's claws. Still our victory is short lived as the EVO instead uses its tail to swat us out of the sky like flies. The creature is relentless in its attacks and we barely have enough time roll for cover as it brings down another arms on top of us. Finding respite behind a piece of upturned concrete Six barks into his com.

"Target in the designated area! Bring the Javelin!" once again we are forced to duck behind more cover as concrete collides with where we once were.

"Confirmed t-minus six minutes to your position." The ships begin to congregate on the evacuated section of the city to readying their last resort before flat out nuking the entire area.

"We need to clear the area. Our ships are on the way," Six says but I can't even bring myself to look at him. My eyes are clenched shut to hide pupils turned to feral slits. Every muscles is tensed trying to hold on for just a bit longer. I just need more time.

"The sun-the sun has set," I bite out all sharpened canines and glowing eyes. My claws slide through my gloves easily to rake across the concrete with every clench of my fists.

"We need to get you out of here now," Six yells but I am more concerned with what it happening behind us. I quickly snap up because things have gone deathly silent from the EVO. We both peer over the piece of rubble we're currently hiding behind to see the EVO staring up at the congregating ships above our heads. It clicks its teeth in agitation before suddenly bring long claws into the street beneath. Huge slabs of the road are hefted into nearby buildings. It eventually rips into the underground sewer and subway tunnels and I realizes a split second before Six what the EVO is trying to do. The creature somehow knew that the ships above meant nothing well so it was trying to escape underground from whatever was coming.

"NO!" I all but roar building my SmackHands to grab the tail end of the EVO as it tries to dive beneath. Like hell am I going to let this thing get away that easily.

"REX!" Six yells making a grab for me as I leap over our cover.

"1 minute remaining. Clear the immediate area," a pilot calls into my com, but I ignore him in favor of grappling to pull the EVO back above ground. Everything hurts the wolf is roaring and snarling at its bonds. Just a few minutes longer.

"Six, get out of here!" I shout voice hoarse before suddenly I am weightless. I am being lifted off the ground to then be suddenly slammed back down. The EVO whirls around angered at its failed attempts to flee. I leap back to his feet stumbling away with huge claws chasing my retreating form. I see a flash of green in the corner of my eyes to see Six rushing at the EVO distracting it from my prone form. He isn't running.

He's brandishing his swords.

Six isn't running.

He's slicing at one of the EVOs stubby legs. Six isn't running!

I scream until the sky opens up and my vision is engulfed in a flash of white hot agony.

Low key hated this chapter. I don't really know where this story is going

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