Arc 3 - Chapter 57: Above and Below

(Reverence 6, 59 / 7:50PM)

Eleven people made up the main group. Busting straight through the 15th train cart, their combined power made anyone opposing them falter. Specifically for anyone who was in the same cart as them…

“What the—”

Bullets roared through the train cart. Making it collide against their ears, all of their attention was on the group of agents and guards… who tried to quickly draw their weapons. Taking out any guard or agent before they could land a hit, they were all in sync.

“Come on! We got more train carts to go through!” Yelled Stan.

But the door to the 14th bursted open.

Charging out, was a group of agents all ready to fire. Their fingers on the barrels, they quickly aimed—their eyes blurred. One agent, then two, felt their eyes roll into the back of their heads. Hitting the ground, or the wall, a tanned woman pulled back her fist.

“Got 'em.”

“Copy! Let’s move move move!”

Dishing out the guards, along with several agents, they all resumed their charge. Reloading as they ran, some bullets clicked the floor, but new ones shifted. Filling all of their chambers, they barely reached the 14th cart…

“They’re coming!”

This time, the agents were ready for them. Most of them taking cover, melee fighters like Luna and Jenny both dashed forward. With Jenny near her, Luna teleported, her blessing taking her to the other side of the cart. Although she had no swords, her fists fulfilled her duty.

Jenny, whose spiked frying pan glittered under the sunlight, found herself deflecting away bullets. Seeing it strike against a couple of guards, she jumped back, once the two women heard a barrage of lead.

“Shit they—” Unable to finish, blood gushed from the guard’s mouth and nose.

More and more thumps trickled through the metallic train cart. Rows of seats being fluttered with lead, bullets dumped on opposite sides. But of course, victory belonged to the charging rebels. Running and gunning, it was as if they borrowed some of Luke’s luck. Strolling through the guards and agents with ease, it wasn’t long before they reached the door.

“Alright! Just like last time!” Stan, who gripped his assault rifle with digging fingers, sprang his foot forward like a spring. The door bursting open, he was the first to waltz in, until—

“Fire!” Stan and his group were the first to enter.

Taking position near a row of seats, they quickly reloaded the weapons they wielded. Diego, who spun his revolver like a toy, clutched his chest as lead whistled overhead. “Think we’re biting off more than we can chew!?”

“We’re not giving up! We just got to repeat like last time!” Yelled Gary.

But this time, the agents fired first. Aiming at the door, along with the group whose only solace was a row of seats, Stan flexed his mind. Taking note of the typical passenger cart, Stan looked at luggage compartments from above. They still held luggage, bags or suitcases that were pushed up there. If they were to somehow drop…

“Diego! Gary! How good are you two with aiming!?”

“I’m decent, why!?”

“Can you two pinpoint the above those seats!?”

Gary peeked his head up, and he took in the luggages for one to two seconds. Hunkering his head down, those couple of seconds was all it took, as he began nodding with narrowed eyes. Feeling his grip soften under his sweat, he rumbled his throat with a growl.

“D-Don’t blame me if it doesn’t work!”

Both Gary and Diego aimed at the luggage compartments, but they needed a couple of seconds to aim. Stepping out of cover, Stan sprinted toward the opposite row of seats, and fired from the hip. Luckily for him, not a bullet grazed him, and it pushed the guards to slow down the rain of lead.

The main group sprouted from the door, and took cover near the rows in which Stan and his group were in. Because the agents had their eyes on Stan, and now the main group, it left Gary and Diego to finally take aim.

‘Bullseye.’

Hearing the air ricochet, two bullets struck at two different compartments up top. When they heard the bullets roar, it didn’t take long for those agents to look up. Striking right where Gary and Diego needed, those luggages binded by locks…

“Ah!”

Their heads mashed in, the agents crumbled with blurred eyes. Struggling to even grasp their rifles, they tried to pull, tried to blow the barrel of their rifles. But at last… liquid gushed from their mouths. Some wallowing in their own blood, on the ground, the main group sprinted toward the train cart door.

“Open sesame!” With his right shoulder, Stan tackled the door open. Hearing the metal slam against the wall, he was the first to lay eyes—on gold lavished walls.

Three high-rising chandeliers, all giving birth to light upon every crevice. Seeing a bar on the left wall, it held stocks full of wine and beer. Everyone treaded the ground slowly, before noticing a woman emerging from the shadows. Wearing a tuxedo, she wore sunglasses and a fedora, and her height and chest were above-average.

“Sorry, but the bar is closed.” She pulled her hands out of her pockets.

Taking two steps forward, Stan swallowed saliva down his throat before reloading his rifle. Seeing that she was eyeing him, gazing at him like he was prey, he heard the chamber click.

“Does it look like we’re here to party? It would be nice if you don’t fight us.”

“Oooh~ Trying to give me an order?~”

“I call it a command. But yeah, whatever you think works best.”

They all heard cracks and pops, all from her hands that released stress. Hearing every bit of her bones, many of them held their breath, once the spartan cocked her head to the right.

“Unfortunately, I don’t take orders from men. I’m not submissive you see.”

“Yeah that figures…”

From behind Stan, Fred, Gary, and Diego all honed their weapons with sweaty grips. They shuddered, as if cold icicles had run down their spines. But to the right of them, Lorraine snickered a grin.

“I think you guys need help.”

“You sure? That woman is pretty strong. I don’t think—”

“I fought that stupid lich Pedro, and he injured Benn badly. If I can handle him, I could handle her.”

The four men looking at each other, Stan was the only one who shrugged at her willingness. Looking toward the smug-grinning spartan, Stan exhaled air through his mouth.

“Johnny, make sure that everyone pushes onward.”

“On it.”

Treading the metallic ground, each step felt like they were walking on ice. She dashed forward. Having her hand ball into a fist, she had a devilish grin plaster her face.

“Eat my—”

Right as she was about to strike, she felt her whole body be smudged with gravity. Rolling right in front of the group of five, the person that had her binded… began to laugh.

All the while Johnny led the others forward. Seeing them all go through the door, she clenched her teeth, until noticing a particular monolid woman. Jenny gave her the middle finger, before following the rest of the group.

“Damn you! I’m gonna beat the monolid out of ya!”

Having both of her hands grip the rope, Loraine felt her muscles strain by Alexandra’s wiggling. Grinding her teeth, it felt like she was playing tug-of-war with a tiger. But it allowed the four men to point their weapons at her.

“So what now?”

“Don’t know, never thought we would get this far…”

________________________________________________________________________

(Reverence 6, 59 / 7:50PM)

A single man emerged from the ladder. As soon as his head faced the wind, his hair ruffled and whipped his forehead. Finding footing on the roof, he pressed his soles deep, although balance was all that he needed. Walking forward, it was not so that he would charge, but to give space.

Behind him, three men and one woman climbed up the same ladder. Feeling the same wind blow, they did their best to not get sand in their eyes, their hands shielding their faces.

“Try not to fall! I’ll be first, so you all shouldn’t worry!”

“That’s if this wind cooperates!”

Like a game of conga, they tread the center of the metallic roof. Feeling pecks of sand pinch their cheeks, they hardened their foreheads, while staring forward. But Jack stared to his right, and saw the dunes shift with each passing second. Being hypnotized by the sight, his legs felt wobbly, and his feet—something grabbed his collar.

“What are you retarded!? Stare forward!”

“H-Holy shit! Thanks bro!”

Jack’s right foot hung off the edge.

Pushing him back into the conga line, they continued their stride forward. For many minutes, they felt the wind carry razor blades hidden in the sand. Feeling like they were walking for eternity, it all changed when Luke stopped walking. And Jack felt a shiver run down Luke’s back, because his hands were clamped onto his shoulders.

“Shit.”

A gap separated the train cart they stood on, and the next. Hearing the wind whistle louder, the tip of Luke’s boots hung in the air, and his knees buckled in place. Pushing air into his lungs, he let the hot sand strain his airways, before pushing it all out through his nose.

“Looks like we're jumping.”

“Are you sure about this!?” Yelled Sean.

“We have no other choice! Our mission is to reach the train carts before the main force does! We’re the spear in this operation!”

With the four of them taking a step back, it was so that Luke loosened his hold on the train. Feeling his boots unclench, he hunched his head forward, and allowed a trickle of sweat run down his cheek… before leaping forward. Being a second in the air, his luck got him to the other side. Landing on his two feet, his body weight bent his knees, and he turned around.

“It’s okay guys! It’s not that bad!”

Miles shut his eyes, and he quickly breathed in and out before hunching his body. Feeling his own lungs excrete air, he leaped, and like Luke, he landed firmly on the metallic roof.

The two of them turned toward Jack, his red-hair whoosed again and again on his face. Preparing his stance, Jack squinted forward.

‘Let’s do this.’

Sprinting with all his—he forgot to jump.

“Ah!”

But a miracle came for him. Extending out his right hand, he grabbed on the ledge. Dangling, it wasn’t long before Luke and Miles pulled him up.

While the two got Jack to safety, Sean shook his head. Ignoring the nervousness that tried to bottle him up, he dashed forward with the intent to jump. Holding his breath, it felt like the longest second in his life… before he landed on the roof. With all the men on the other side, they all turned toward Hope.

“It’s okay Hope, I’ll catch you.”

She saw his hand.

Taking in the small gap between the two carts, she inhaled air through the corridor of her nostrils. Feeling the sand prickle her nose hairs, her eyes were closed, and her breath was silent. Luke was waiting for her, they all were. She took that leap, with the tip of her toes springing her forward. Extending out her hand—

—Gravity dragged her down.—

Luke caught her instantly, but he too began to feel pulled forward. Luckily for him, Miles was by his side, as he caught her other hand as well. As if Hope was carrying something, the two men strained their cheeks, and checked behind for—they saw a hand, its fingers digging deep into her ankle.

The two men trailed the figure, but it was mesmerized in shadow. Their arms bulging, their biceps strangling, the two men did their best to pull her in. But they heard pops, crackles that came from—

“Ah! Ah ow!”

“Damnit! We can’t pull her any further!” Yelled miles.

“What the hell is going on!?” Yelled Sean.

“Someone’s trying to pull her down!” Yelled Luke.

Sean and Jack took out their weapons, and Sean was about to walk forward until he heard a thump. So did Jack.

The two of them turning around, they noticed a dark figure that gripped the roof with dress shoes. Wearing a tuxedo, along with a fedora, his pale skin and silver hair reflected against the evening sun. But within his arms, was a sniper rifle that had an automatic firing mechanism.

“You guys are pushing our limits.”

Sean and Jack felt the train wobble in motion. Feeling the grip on their guns loosen, it was only for a split second, before Eren took a step forward.

“Last chance to surrender.”

“Are you giving us a choice?”

“Choose wisely.”

“Alrighty then. Well, here’s my answer.”

The back of his hair rose. Quickly turning around, Eren leaped back, but not so much as his footing slid through the roof. Barely having stability on the train, Eren flicked the trigger, and shot out two to three bullets at the… it melted into wax.

“Huh?”

His world sank down. Feeling his lungs and chest exalt out air, Eren landed on his shoulder, his arm bruising and swelling from the impact. Hissing through his teeth, he groaned through a mumbled throat. While the man that tackled him, shook his head through the discombobulation. Without looking at Jack, he spoke through a coarse throat.

“C-Come on down Jack.”

“Sure thing.”

While the two dealt with Eren, Luke and Miles felt the strength increase from the person. But Luke heard a bell, a reverb click that soured his ears. Upon following its command, he immediately loosened all hold on Hope’s hand… but Miles did the opposite.

He pushed himself toward the gap.

“Miles!”

The shadowy figure, who was about to catch Hope, noticed a black dot coming near. Growling within her throat, she side-stepped to the right, and saw the burly yet slim man crash onto the metallic floor. Seeing him fall, Luke called out to him once more.

“Miles, what are you doing!?”

“Go on Luke! Me and Hope will handle her!”

“But—”

“You have to reach the first train cart! That is your mission! So go!”

Luke took a step back. Wanting to help, he could only push his fingers into the soft tissue of his palms. Yet he knew Miles’s strength, and the will he had as the shield of the group. It was his duty, his job to defend those who were weaker than him.

“You better protect her with your life!”

Luke turned around, and dashed toward the opposite way. Sean and Jack keeping Eren company, it left Miles and Hope to handle the only person who could’ve grabbed her ankle.

‘I already plan on doing that.’

As soon as Miles got up, he thrusted his shield outward. By instinct, the woman who tried to sneak attack him found herself plunged onto the wall.

“Ah! You…”

Before she knew it, another shield rammed into her, her chest and face being the first to scrunch. Small lines of blood riveting from her nose, she tried to buckle her knees, but she crumbled. Her butt slamming to the floor, the bluish light faded from her dark irises.

Rising up, Miles made his way toward Hope, who cradled her knees as they bruised from the fall.

“Hide Hope.”

“H-Hide? But what about Luke?”

“He’s going on ahead. We’ll take care of her for—”

Miles felt his eyes blur.

Feeling like a giant spider had clung on his back, Miles quickly raised his hands to his throat. He tried to pry out the fingers that dug deep. Gurgling, gasping, he relentlessly clawed his throat with dull nails. His knees gave out, making his shins slam onto the floor. His cheeks and forehead turning purple, he could only stare down at the floor… a floor that began to grow white.

“Good thing I’m still young.”