Hello everyone and welcome back to HellFall!
I apologize for the late chapter, it kept slipping my mind yesterday until it was too late.
But anyways, let's get right into it.
I rode the elevator to the top floor alone, making sure no one made it up with me. At the top I walked out through the shattered glass of the door and into the battlefield full of corpses.
"Gazini!" Petunia called from behind me as I scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of Steam.
"Where is he?" I demanded, turning around. Hail was here now too.
Petunia didn't reply.
"Come with me" Hail said, striding ahead. I followed after, jogging lightly. Petunia followed close behind.
Hail stopped at the end of a street leading between two rows of rubble that once were homes. We picked out way through the bodies carefully, making our way down the road. Normally I would have been horrified at how many Heishi there'd been, how many civilian bodies I saw among the dead soldiers, but instead I was blinded by the determination to find my elderly teammate.
I saw it ahead pretty quickly. One body stood out from the rest, slightly different from the Heishi but still very similar.
Dennis.
"That's Dennis." I said pointing, "Was he fighting with you guys?"
Hail squinted, "Yeah he was. I guess that is him. Steam's around there too"
Suddenly I took off running, expending all my energy jumping between each body. I came to the ones I was searching for, seeing Dennis lacking two arms: one forearm and the other a whole one. His back was littered with bloody scars and bullet wounds. I grabbed his shoulder and flipped him over, looking into his face. His eyes were slightly open, but his body was still. Dennis was dead, that much was for sure.
Underneath him however, was Steam.
"Steam," I said, looking down at the man, "Steam! Wake up!"
He coughed hoarsely, his eyes flickering open and closed. He looked up at me, a weak smile bending his hairy lips.
"Gazini," he croaked, "Your back"
"Don't get used to this" I said, smiling.
"You aren't keeping it?" He asked, referring to my attire.
I shook my head, smiling, "No, not again"
He sighed, "Thank goodness" He groaned.
I laughed a little, unsure how to feel. He was in bad shape, but he was breathing. I worried that I was going to watch him die right here.
"What happened?" I asked, "Why was Dennis on top of you?"
"He jumped when the Heishi brought out the big guns." He replied, "For some reason he decided to save me, despite losing both arms prior"
I mentally thanked Dennis for his sacrifice. It seemed like lots of those happened today. First Roy, then Dennis. Who else died for another?
"Let's get back to the base," I said, "we'll stitch you up, just like new"
He nodded slightly, "Okay" he said.
I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and lifted him up off the ground. He was somewhat buried under the rest of the bodies, so I had to push past them.
"Can I get some help?" I asked. Hail came and took up Steam's other side. "Petunia, can you bring Dennis too?"
She nodded; lifting the man's destroyed body over her shoulder. Together we trekked back through the sea of bodies. Just as we returned to the base several more hunters from the taskforce filed out in search of those lost. They watched us as we passed, often looking away when they saw Dennis.
Down in the infirmary we laid both bodies down on beds. They weren't alone amongst all the other dead, most of which already had sheets placed over them as they were prepared to be buried.
"Oh shit," one doctor said upon seeing Dennis. "Is he still alive?"
"I don't think so," I replied, "but if you can do anything, we'd appreciate it"
He nodded, "Of course. We'll get on it"
I turned to Steam, "We'll be back soon"
"Go ahead. I'll be fine" He said, understanding.
With the remaining members of team PHGG, we returned to the surface and joined the search parties.
As the searching wrapped up all the lost bodies were found, save for Roy's, which had been completely disintegrated. Blake Belladonna was found, already dead with a slit throat and several more bloody cuts in her body. Nicole Rozovyy, however, was found still holding on to life. She was brought to the infirmary and deemed barely alive. She was completely exhausted, having almost killed herself by expending too much energy. Cinder and Rain were found, both very dead. Cinder had a massive hole in her gut, not as big as Pyrrha's, but pretty close. Guenianne Radiance, however, was also not found. Veil Fairfax revealed that she had begun fighting with a woman who was later identified as Livie Sasha, the one who'd been shot down in the infirmary when I'd arrived. Guenianne and Livie had fought in the tournament arena, but when we went looking she was nowhere in sight.
As we gathered in our room once again we decided not to take our seats at the table, but instead huddle together as we shed tears for those we'd lost. Blake, Pyrrha, Roy, likely Dennis, and perhaps others. I couldn't even remember anymore.
The short man who'd killed Livie stood at the head of the table, talking with Thunder. I approached them, determined to find out who this guy was.
"Hey," I said. Both men turned as I reached them. I looked down at the short man, "Thanks for what you did earlier"
"Just doing what I was called to" He replied.
"I'm Gazini, by the way, Gazini Nikos" I said, holding out my hand to shake.
He gripped my hand firmly and gave it a good shake with loose arms. "Norton Timberwolf." He introduced himself, "Call me Timberwolf. Team STEW, I'm sure you've heard of us"
The name rang a bell, but I wasn't entirely sure which bell right away. Then it dawned on me, "Oh," I said, "you're from the team that was in prison"
"That's right" He replied.
"Your leader is Sockeye Odell, right?" I asked, "The wolf lady with the pocket watch?"
"That's her" He replied.
I nodded, "Okay," I said, "Well next time you see her tell her I said hi"
He smiled, "Will do" He replied.
"Nice meeting you" I said after a brief pause, then returned to my own team.
I awoke to Petunia and Hail, both standing in my room in the base. Hail was shaking me awake, and both stared right at me.
"What is it?" I asked, sitting up and yawning.
"It's Steam," Petunia said, "he's dead"
I froze, "What?" I asked.
"His body was already dying. He couldn't take the exertion of all that energy during the battle" She replied.
I stood, going straight to the infirmary. Hail and Petunia followed closely.
Outside I found an empty room. I was suddenly filled with nostalgia, remembering the days before recruitment had started. Back when it was only Thunder and I and an unreadable folder.
As quickly as the nostalgia had come, it was replaced by closure. The room was empty now, the operation had ended. I almost found it hard to believe. I'd been at this for so long that I simply couldn't accept this sudden ending. What would I do now? What would we do now? Just go back to normal? Taking jobs off the board, hunting Grimm? Doing odd jobs around the city? It was too much to think about.
In the infirmary I found both Steam and Dennis lying dead on their beds. I went to stand by Steam's bed, having expected him to survive. And yet, I was full of peace, of closure, of sudden acceptance. When I started this taskforce and recruited my team I'd accepted this. I knew anyone could die at any time, I just hoped they wouldn't, especially when it was all over.
"I'm so sorry." A doctor said, pulling me from my thoughts, "He couldn't do it. His body was too spent to hold on any longer"
I smiled politely, "Thank you for everything, doctor"
He nodded, "As for the other, he was long dead when you brought him in. There was nothing we could do. However," He paused, making sure we were listening, "we pulled out his brain." he gestured to Steam, "We figure that, if you're okay with it, we could perform a brain transplant into Dennis's head. He'd have to have his arms replaced synthetically, but he'd be both alive and younger"
I looked down at Steam's face again, trying to decide whether or not this was a good idea.
"Let's do it" Petunia said.
I turned, "Hold on a second, let's talk this over" I said.
"What's there to talk about?" She asked.
"Look at his face," I said, turning back to my teammate, "See how peaceful he is? He was ready for this. I get the feeling he accepted it too, maybe even wanted it"
Petunia shook her head, "No, I think he would want this. He'd want to stay with us" Her voice started to shake.
"Petunia's right, Gazini. I think we should do this" Hail said.
I sighed, "Okay," I replied, "yeah, I guess so"
We turned back to the doctor, who still stood motionless. "Go for it" Petunia said.
He nodded, turning away and walking in another direction.
We, too, walked in another direction. We rode the elevator to the ground floor. As we left the building we saw several groups of people had started piling up the dead bodies and burning them.
Thunder jogged towards us from a pile nearby. "Gazini!" He called. When he reached us he stopped, looking right at me, "We're piling up the dead and burning them. Hopefully building repairs can start tomorrow"
"Good," I said, "getting right in to it"
"Well," he started, "I think most people want to forget about what happened." He hesitated, "Not everyone can, though." Again he fell silent. "So, anyways, if you guys could help out with the bodies that'd be great. Also, Gazini, I have something to ask you"
Petunia and Hail started towards one of the unlit piles while I waited with Thunder.
"What is it?" I asked.
"You remember the hunters who disappeared, right?" he asked.
"Like Octavia and them?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Yeah, why?"
"I'm thinking we should assemble a taskforce to find them. Who knows, maybe Gale's still alive too. How would you feel about leading that force?"
I felt a slight smile curve my lips, and realized that he was having trouble letting the taskforce go too. "I'd love to, so long as I can choose the members."
So there you have it. It's finally over. After nearly 2 years of writing, HellFall has drawn to a close. I'm quite happy with how it's turned out, and I hope all of you have enjoyed it as well. It's been a great couple years, and I'm so happy that the 20 or so of you who actually consistently read this amateur fanfiction have done so. Thank you again so much, I can't wait to share more stories with you. I'm not entirely sure if I'll continue fanfiction specifically, but who knows? Maybe I'll actually write a few of the things listed in my profile for a change. (I stopped watching anime a long time ago, which is what most of my ideas were based around, so we'll see).
Anyways, as usual, favorite, follow, review, tell your friends, tell your enemies, or don't if you don't want to, and I'll see you all...in the next chapter...
The wind whipped and pulled at my hair and torn clothes. It was strong, threatening to throw me off my own feet. My brown jacket swayed back and forth with frantic movements. My orange hair obstructed much of my vision.
My whole upper body ached as I dragged Octavia across the rocky terrain of the mountains. Dust flew into my eyes and mouth. I struggled to blink the bits out, but as for the dirt on my tongue, there wasn't much I could do without my hands.
Through my flickering vision caused by my hair I saw the maddened, torn face of Gale Sheng pulling her destroyed body across the dirt towards us.
Jaune knelt by the grave of Pyrrha Nikos, staring into the stone of her gravestone. He didn't say a word, though his thoughts were filled with anger. Anger and sadness. Hatred for Gazini Nikos, the brother who'd foreseen her death and let her go anyway.
He punched the ground with a gloved fist, watching his tears soak the rain-drenched grass. Drops of water poured heavy on Jaune's neck, not as hard as the night she'd gone, but the drops were round and large, and each one had a distinct feel on his skin. He was soaked to the bone, but he felt nothing. Nothing physical, anyway.
"Careful, you may catch cold" A man said from behind. The voice was unfamiliar to him.
"Please leave me alone" Jaune said, trying to be polite but frustrated regardless. Couldn't this man tell that he was mourning?
"I don't think she'd appreciate you catching cold on her behalf. Especially after she's dead" Another voice, also unfamiliar.
Jaune spun around, "I said piss off!" He screamed, looking up at two men he'd never met, or even seen before. One was dressed in neon purple, the other in neon orange. Who wore such bright clothes to a cemetery? Have these people no respect?
"We're so sorry, Jaune Arc." The purple clad man said, "But we just need to talk to you"
"About what?" Jaune asked, ignoring the fact that they'd known his name.
"You worked with Gazini Void, correct?" He asked.
"Nikos," Jaune replied, "Gazini Nikos. Yes, I did"
"So, you wouldn't happen to know a certain woman he worked with, do you?"
Jaune hesitated, "Depends on who"
"Azure Blaze."