Chapter 12: Retreat
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"I was late, but even if I wasn't would I have been able to do anything if I cant even do anything now"
—Amelia
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As Amelia ran, dodged and jumped, a thought echoed in her mind—
(Amelia's thoughts):
"How do I use the Echo powers? I don't know how I did it before, damn it!"
Cyantra focused her assault on Amelia, bombarding her with arrows. Though still cautious of Zephyra, she noticed the heroine had vanished.
Amelia, consumed by her rage, didn't give her time to check.
Amelia's attacks grew faster, her dodges even more frantic as the cycle continued—
Amelia began to wear down. Her speed faltering, her breathing ragged, no longer from anger, but from sheer fatigue.
Cyantra (laughs):
"Is someone getting tired? Ha ha, I've been missing on purpose. I just wanted to see how long you could keep this up—"
Amelia (running towards her):
"Shut up!"
Amelia raged, ignoring her and continuing her desperate charge.
Cyantra jumped back, out of the way, but not too far from Amelia. Amelia didn't immediately pursue her; she was too exhausted, taking slow, panting steps.
Cyantra (mockingly):
"Awww, little Amelia is too tired to run? You know who else couldn't run?
Sarah."
Amelia froze, her eyes widening in horror.
Cyantra (laughing):
"Sarah stood there, frozen. Then Iron Maw unfroze her."
She cackled.
Amelia's panting grew louder, her heart a frantic drumbeat against her ribs.
"Iron Maw picked her up and took a bite out of her! She was a juicy, juicy apple."
Her laughter dripped with cruel mockery, taunting Sarah and igniting Amelia's fury.
Tears streamed down Amelia's cheeks. Hearing how her friend had been violated tore her apart, but it also fueled the burning anger within her.
Amelia:
"Yo-you."
Her voice cracked, raw with emotion.
"I WILL KILL YOOOOOU!"
She shrieked and screamed, as she began to sprint towards Cyantra, her fists clenched tightly.
Cyantra simply laughed. As Amelia closed in, Cyantra prepared to leap away as usual, but—
SMACK!
Zephyra's foot slammed into the left side of Cyantra's face from behind.
Swoosh—BAM!
The powerful kick sent Cyantra flying into a massive pile of debris. She crashed into it, impacting hard on her side. Her body bounced off the rubble with a sickening impact.
But before she could even hit the ground—
Whoosh!
From above, Zephyra descended. The moment she'd kicked, she'd followed, leaping high into the air. One leg was extended, the other folded behind, her body leaned back, arms flared out for balance. A whooshing sound of compressed air accompanied her high-speed descent.
Then—
"Die!"
She screamed, as her other leg slammed into Cyantra's head.
BOOM!
Cyantra's face was driven into the ground by the brutal impact of the kick. Shockwaves erupted.
Zephyra landed cleanly, one foot down, crouching.
But she wasn't done; in fact, she was just getting started.
She grabbed Cyantra's hair at the back of her head and furiously threw her, back-first, at the large pile of debris again.
Cyantra coughed up blood, but before she could fall, Zephyra unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks. She pounded Cyantra relentlessly, as if she were a mere punching bag, slamming her before she could even recoil. Her hits were blindingly fast and heavy, their power comparable to that of a seasoned soldier.
She finished with a brutal knee to Cyantra's stomach.
Cyantra coughed up more blood as she slumped. Zephyra retracted her knee, and Cyantra finally fell to the ground—knocked out cold.
Zephyra turned and walked towards Amelia, who stood still, staring. Amelia's head was bowed, her fists still clenched.
Amelia:
"Damn it! I couldn't even touch her!"
Zephyra approached her.
Zephyra:
"Are you o—"
Thiwp—
She paused, her breath hitched. Zephyra and Amelia's eyes widened in horror as they saw blood gush from Zephyra's midriff, and the head of Cyantra's crystal arrow poking out.
A chilling silence fell as Zephyra gasped, reaching for her belly. But before her hand could even rise—
Whsssh—Thunk, Thunk, Thunk!
Three more arrows sank into her back with wet, solid snaps.
Zephyra gasped, arching her back violently. She stumbled forward, collapsing into Amelia, who caught her and screamed.
Amelia:
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Zephyra (coughing up blood):
"Ru- run." She struggled to let out a single word.
Amelia looked up to see a battered Cyantra, clutching her bow, struggling to stand.
Cyantra:
"No… you die, Bitch!"
Amelia was frozen, she remembered Sarah in her arms, and now was another person bleeding in her arms. It was too much for her to handle. She didn't know what to do.
Cyantra staggered, walking towards Amelia and Zephyra. She forms a green crystal on her palm as she approaches Amelia.
Ready to slay her on the spot!
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The cloud of smoke from Joe's explosion earlier is clearing up, but it's still too much to see Igris from. Joe zips up his coat and begins walking away, assuming that he knocked out Igris he heads to Zephyra and Amelia's location not far away.
Igris:
"Bastard!"
Joe pauses from the sound of Igris's voice. He turns around, and as the smoke clears—there he was. Igris was limping and staggering, walking from behind the smoke, the explosion had pushed him into a huge debris of the school.
Blood was dripping from all over his body. Most of his right hand had been blown away, and part of his face was disoriented.
Igris parried the explosion at the last second with a huge burst of flame from his fist, but of course it wasn't enough.
Igris:
"You're one dangerous bastard... Look what you did to my face, you blew my right arm away, ruined my favorite Jacket." His voice harsh and cracked.
I'll kill you.
I'll kill you.
I'll kill you, I'll kill you, I swear I'll kill you!" He whines, crying out to Joe.
Joe:
"Stay down." Joe's says nonchalantly, his voice cold.
Igris:
"Shut up! My girlfriend's gonna leave me, Damn it, I'll kill you bastard!"
Tears roll down his eyes.
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" He shouts
CRACK—SPARK!
His only intact knuckle begin to spark, an angry flame-like aura surrounds him. He shouts, gathering all his energy.
"Aaaaaaaaagh!"
Swish—
In a flash, Joe was by his right side, in motion he spun and chopped the left side of Igris's neck with his hand—
Thump!
Igris immediately fell unconscious and dropped to the ground.
Joe stands over sleeping Igris, looking at him. He coldly says one last thing before walking away.
Joe:
"Sorry about your jacket."
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At that same moment...
Iron Maw has been and still is slamming Backlash all over the place, the field, the bleachers, it even smashes his hand together with Backlash in the middle. Backlash was smiling all through enjoying the beating a little too much.
Backlash:
"Yes... Yess... Yesss! I can feel he's punching with much more force now, seems like three times the force, no four times the force. This feels so freaking good!" He drools like an addict to pain.
BAM
Iron Maws lands the final blow on Backlash. Dust filled the whole school field. Backlash uncontrollably laughs like a mad man, lying on his back.
But Iron Maw had other plans, he use the dust cloud as camouflage to retreat. Immediately after landing the last blow, he jumps and runs away toward the direction of the others.
Backlash (laughing):
"Hahaha, Woo! You're so much fun, Big guy." he says as his laugh fades away, but his whole body is vibrating and shaking. Aura spiralling out of his body.
Backlash gets up to his feet, unhurt.
"Well once again... It's my turn, but sadly this is the end of our battle." He says but as the dust clears, he notices that he can't find Iron Maw.
Backlash:
"Huh? What's this, where are you!? Where'd you go?!" He shouts, looking around for Iron Maw.
Iron Maw had retreated, on his way, he picks up the unconscious Igris in his left hand and just ahead was Joe heading towards Amelia, Zephyra and Cyantra.
Cyantra was standing over Amelia with her hands raised with a sharp crystal shard formed in her palm. She was about to stab at Amelia who was just on her knees staring at her.
Joe from afar saw them and shouted:
"Zephyra!"
But before he could take the first step, he heard a loud thud behind him and he noticed the shadow of a figure towering over him from behind. Iron Maw had taken a huge leap and landed directly behind Joe.
Joe (turning around):
"Shi–"
BAM!
Before he could react, Iron Maw smacked him aside with the back of his hand. Without wasting anytime he headed to Cyantra and Amelia.
Cyantra thrusted her hand towards Amelia's face.
Krsshk!
"Uh-ahhh!"
Zephyra coughed out more blood as she groaned in pain. At the last second, with her last strength she rose above Amelia, receiving the crystal directly to her back.
Cyantra:
"Tsk! Just die bitch!" Cyantra pulled her hand out and smacked Cyantra away.
She immediately rose her hand again about to thrust at Amelia once again.
But—
Swish
She was picked up by Iron Maw from behind.
Cyantra:
"wha- hey! What're you doing stupid beast!?" She protested hitting his hand as he carries her away.
Amelia still staring upward, locks eyes with Iron Maw one last time before he jumped away, he ran and leaped onto a building beside the school, then onto another.
Backlash arrives, energy spiralling out of his body, his whole body shaking. He looks towards the direction of Iron Man.
It wasn't there.
Backlash:
"It must of have transformed back to human form. Smart guy, he knew I wouldn't be able to chase after him because I'm overcharged and the SSS should be here any moment. " He looked at Amelia.
"Are you okay Citizen?" He picks up Zephyra, carrying her on his back.
Amelia doesn't respond.
The police finally start pouring in.
Backlash:
"I've got to go, don't worry the authorities will take care of you. You're lucky to still be alive" He instantly zips of to Joe, carrying him and disappearing.
The chatter of police and medics running into the rubble, sirens wailing in the distance—all muffled in the background to Amelia.
Shs slowly rised to her feet and started walking back to where Sarah was.
Amelia:
"Sarah. Martin. Sarah."
Two police men, came to take her away, leading her to the ambulance. She didn't struggle this time. She just stared back at where Sarah was in the distance.
The Nightmare at Stonebridge Highschool had finally ended.
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To be continued...
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Chapter 13 Preview:
Amelia finds Martin in the hospital, but he is not in good shape. She flashes back to when her and Martin met Sarah for the first time and how they became best friends.
Don't miss this flashback episode tomorrow: Sarah.