I'm awake I'm alive
Now I know what I believe inside
Now its my time, I'll do what I want cause this is my life
Here, right now, I'll stand my ground and never back down
I know what I believe inside... I'm awake and I'm alive
-Lyrics to 'Awake and Alive' performed by Skillet
Crimson Ties Part 102
The old oil refinery trembled from the rumble of the fierce battle taking place on the rocks and beach that supported it. Down in the lowest level of the facility, the shaking was especially prevalent. Meiran, however, never paid any mind to the hissing and screeching protest of the long-unused pipes or the vibrations of the walls as she kept her mind focused on her goal.
While the Runners were about to make a second attempt at charging the cliffs, the immortal beauty was in the middle of her own race.
A blur of herself, she traveled from one thick door to the next. Unhitching the heavy beams that secured the cells in her passing, she crossed the whole length of the basement. She did remember in her hurried efforts to skip the very last door at the furthest reaches of the facility. Nothing good would step from that prison.
Finishing her work, Meiran materialized from where she had begun to watch the Wilds that had been trapped push their barriers away. Their wide, silver eyes blinking, the brooding creatures stared at each other and craned their necks around to take in their dimly lit surroundings with a sense of wonder over their new-found freedom. How the space was occasionally rocking was paid no mind when they were as surprised to be out of their prisons as they were.
At the sharp whistle that echoed from the walls, the dozens spun to take in the smirking Vampire at the end of the long stretch. And instantly, that initial surprise died into burning rage.
Enlarged eyes narrowed with the thirst for blood... namely the blood of the lovely Infected that was now waving at them. Snarling, their fists clenched at their sides and the whole of their tense frames shook with their desire to rip her apart limb from limb.
In that brief glimmer of a moment to appraise the Wilds, Meiran's smirk only spread across her face. This was exactly the army of her own that she wanted. Long lost to their madness, these beasts no longer had as strong a handle on their abilities as they once did. But what they lost in that they all made up for in brute strength and drive. Even the haggard young women looked ready and able to rip flesh from bone.
Then the real race began when the closest of the silver-eyed brutes snapped forward in a headlong charge, the rest of his counterparts fast on his heels. Only all the more pleased in seeing how the whole band was after her, the eternal beauty spun around to dart around the corner that had been just behind her to lead the pack in a blur of herself. Screaming and growling in their frantic rush after her, the Wilds pushed each other in the middle of the chase to be the first that would have the Vampire.
At least, all but one had gone off after her. The drooling creature that had been at the back of the fray had his attention focused on the door that remained locked up. Head tilted in confusion and a hand running through his short brown hair, the muscular young man threw the beam blocking the cell away with a frustrated grunt.
One swift punch rendered the lock panel completely useless as it crumbled to the floor. Content with his work, the Wild smirked and turned to run after the hoard that had vanished around the corner in hopes of still being able to have a piece of the Infected that had dared to show herself in their presence.
When all had fallen silent, the only sound to rise up after a long pause was the creaking of the metal hinges working to open the door that was pushed from within by the last prisoner to be liberated.
* * * * * *
Trowa was lying on his stomach in the sand of the beach, his visible gold-and-emerald eye staring through the round scope of his rifle. The weapon's butt secured beneath his shoulder and against his side, the eye beneath the Infected's long bang was closed so that he could have perfect aim on the ridges and caves looming over the line that he could see his cousin preparing to take across the shore. Already having a good idea to where some of the Others might reveal themselves, he kept a silent vigil on those marks.
Down on one knee to the Original's right, Rosshe balanced a large cannon on his shoulder, staring through his scope in silent wait. At Barton's left, Trent stood with cold-sensory binoculars held to his eyes. Waiting for a shift of blue and deep purple hues belonging to the creatures hidden in the rock formation, the Hunter was prepared to give off the location should his friend and brother not catch onto a potential threat to Anna's run.
Already busy holding off the attacks being made against the rest of their army, Wufei watched the back of his wife as she took a few practice pushes from her short trenches by pumping her legs back and forth beneath her raised body. Holding up a hand to the back of the sea, he called forth a massive wave of water up to take the form of a large, outstretched hand like his own that extinguished a wall of fire that was coming down on the domes.
When that danger was handled and he righted himself, the scaly Infected looked back to see the calm that had settled over his Anna. Her hips raised and head craned forward, he could tell by her stance that she was ready to go any second. Closing his gold-and-onyx eyes, Chang said a quiet prayer for both his Chosen and their baby to come through safely.
The Khushrenadas looked on their long-time friend anxiously. Still coping with the tragic demises of Amara and the first team of Runners, they struggled with their conflicting emotions of having her go off into the furious crossfire.
"Give them hell, Red," Noin muttered under her breath, afraid to send her thoughts to her focused comrade and break her concentration. Zechs had dropped his double-barreled pistols to his sides as he bit his lip in worry.
Catching their slip in watching over what was being rained down from the cliffs, Treize frowned over his shoulder at them, "Bring your focus back, cousins. We need to make sure we give her a wide berth to pass through." Instantly, the Merquises' raised their weapons at the same time that their co-Commanders raised their right hands while keeping the tingling of their gifts at their fingertips to be released.
Just behind the protective dome's filmy wall, Anna bent her extended arms to sink closer to the sands beneath her. Gold-and-blue eyes narrowed in her concentration, she saw her opening. Beyond the gaping hole in the explosions, she spotted a thick crevice that would carry her high in the rocks at an easy scaling when she made it there. Determined to make it there, she released a deep breath slowly through her parting lips.
"Alright. Here we go," she told herself quietly. After a brief pause, she added, "Hang on tight, tiny one."
Burying her fingers into the ground, she pushed forward with her feet and she was off.
In catching the blur that darted beyond the shield, Trent shouted, "Anna out!" Raising his head to scan the binoculars, he murmured in wonder under his breath, "Holy shit she was off fast." Now drawing his attention to the cliffs, he waited for a cold spot to appear in his radar that he could call the spot to his friends.
Teeth gritting in her headlong charge, the Irish Vampire's hood remained in place as she pumped her arms along her sides. Coming into the first thick patch of trouble before her, she kept her legs from having any time to sink into the granules beneath them by picking her knees up higher for better speed. Overhead, dozens of the Others carefully peered out enough to see their approaching target.
Unmoving in his stretch out across the sand, Trowa was able to catch his cousin's movement from the corner of his eye. There was a considerable difference in the speed between Anna and Amara. Relieving as that was, there was still quite the distance for the redhead to travel before she was out of harm's way. "That's it baby girl," he whispered. "Keep those legs up."
Gripping his shoulders, Wufei chewed on the inside of his cheek and breathed, "Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon."
From her high perch, Kristin smirked down at the blur coming for her line in the rock formation. "This'll get her," the petite Other smirked. Her long, dark hair whipping behind her from the find, she stepped out onto her ledge and held her opened hand out to aim at the opening just ahead of where the Vampire was running.
"Straight up and just to the left!" Trent hollered over the loud crashes that bounced off the top of the dome miles over his head.
Rosshe quickly snapped onto the called out spot and narrowed his eyes on the slight young woman in his scope that was locked onto Anna. "I have her," he replied softly. Taking aim, his finger on the trigger pulled back to fire a spray of baseball sized pellets at the Other from the cannon on his shoulder. Those round spheres shot past Anna in their true direction for their target.
Able to get a wide beam to come from her hand, Kristin only had a couple seconds to hold it together before she cried out at being pummeled back by the projectiles. Stumbling back into the cave, she fell onto her backside in her mid-spin away from the pain that took her.
On the ground, the redhead could hear the high-pitched squeal of something incoming that was about to fall what was not a few feet ahead of her. Allowing her feet to move ahead of her, she tilted on her side until she was parallel to the beach beneath her.
Gripping onto the sand on a tight grip, the rest of Anna's body swung forward and around. In that turn, she narrowly avoided the brilliant light that shot up a powerful blast at the heels of her feet that were spinning in the earth during the harsh spin. When she came back upright, she had only been knocked from her original line by a small margin and she was screaming forward again.
A new explosion filled the air, this one being the cheers and elated cried from the Vampire army beneath the shields. "Come on, then!" Perry shouted to the rest of his teammates. "Let's not leave all the fun to her!" Hurrying down to his runners crouch, he pushed forward from his foot trenches and was gone in the blink of an eye with the remaining dozens leaving their posts up and down the length of the shore.
Trent hollered over the noise, "Left of the crater near the center of the wall!"
His finger already on the trigger of his laser rifle, Trowa found the wiry young man that was taking the next attempt at his cousin. "Mark," he replied quietly before sending off the stun ray that had the surprised Other collapse inside his hiding place at its impact.
Now making yet another round before the rocks, Heero's narrowed eyes focused on a slew of Wilds that were working around the treacherous ravines in the stone to where they knew his sister would be climbing if she made it to the cliffs. A long blast at the points where they were about to climb rendered the smoldering gaps impossible to move across.
Smirking at the fists and curses that were thrown into the air in frustration, the Original brought the wings at his back to shift so that he could spin around again to secure the way for Anna. Dodging attacks thrown at him, he watched the purple streak that was dancing and weaving around the onslaught that tried to stop her. "Just a little further, sister," he urged quietly.
Another large blast managed to fall a few feet ahead of Anna, this one a wall of flames that she had to dig her heels into the sand to slow just enough to avoid it without actually stopping. As close to the fire, the heat melted the ties to her hood and it fell from her head when she turned her whole body on point to whirl around the obstacle.
Her hair whipping violently behind her from the sheer speed of her movements, the Irish immortal just managed to twirl herself gracefully around to the safety on the other side of the burning tongues. For the whole entire remainder of her charge, the Infected back under the security of the domes unleashed everything that they had to hold off the majority of the Others that were also trying, through their hands to keep her away.
Cupping the sides of his mouth, Zechs cried, "Dig deep, Anna! You're on the last stretch!"
"Oh no, you don't," Barton growled in finding another silver-eyed being that was taking aim on his cousin. Making quick work of taking them out of the picture with a perfect shot to the chest, he moved along to Trent's direction.
Another series of twists, turns and a hurdled leaps later, Anna was so lost in her run that she did not realize just how close she was to the base of the cliffs. Wide-eyed, she gasped, cocked her whole body and burrowed the sides of her feet into the earth. Kicking up sand, dirt and rock in her wake, the redhead just managed to stop in time before colliding with the stone that had seemed to just appear before her.
With a hand resting against the cool rock, she blinked her enlarged eyes in disbelief at it before an elated smile spread across her face as she released a howling round of laughter.
The thrill running through the rest of the army ran rampant through the soldiers. Raising their fists into the air and crying out, the allied force of Vampires and livings exchanged handshakes and embraces at having their first chance to scale the wall.
High in the heavens, Heero shook his head, laughing in amusement, "That's my girl." As soon as those words were out, he narrowly weaved past a series of blasts that had been aimed at him.
For Wufei and Trowa, they remained reserved in their reactions in knowing that the Irish Infected still had to climb herself high into the slopes before they could begin transporting anyone. However, Chang did allow himself a second to close his eyes and release the deep breath that he had been holding in a loud puff. Trent and Rosshe also remained at their posts in preparation to continue their aid.
Safe for the moment beneath a canopy of stone, the redhead growled as she tore away the bottom halves of her black running pants just beneath her knees. Now that she reached half of her goal, she would need all the mobility she could get to finish the job.
Quickly reaching into the pockets of her hoodie, she slipped on the Gundanium handgrips Catherine had given the Runner. When she removed her hands and opened her palms, sharp and long spikes of the unbreakable metal shot out. Similar toe slips that slid on over her sneakers went in place.
Resting her back against the rocks behind her, Anna drew a deep breath and pushed out into the open again to begin her climb.
A blur of herself once more, the grips on her hands and feet easily took hold when they came down against the wall. Scaling the wide crevice with the agility of a cat clambering up a tree, the strikes being made against her became easier for the forces on the ground to intercept since the only Others that could try anything had to be in range to see her. Only occasionally did she have to slow enough to send an arrow from her arm crossbow through an arm or a leg to still any immediate danger to her.
How far up she traveled wasn't in the forefront of the Siren's mind. All that she wanted was to reach a ledge that she had picked out for herself before she left the security of the shields. And until she got there, she was not about to stop to consider anything else.
The Others were beginning to fall into a panic. Not only had one Infected managed to breach their hold on the shore, but now the rest of the team that had soon followed were also reaching the cliffs. Attentions were divided between keeping the masses that were on the beach and in the water back or knocking down the immortals that were scaling up at incredible speed.
In the confusion and desperation, more Vampires were heading off on foot to only add to the offensive. Tension flared, many of the Wilds were yelling and cursing at their counterparts over the frustrating turn of events. Out of maddened rage, they knocked their own from the caves and ridges to have them fall to their deaths.
Finally reaching the flat perch that she had made her target, Anna materialized. Back to the wall, she panted from her efforts in a rare feeling of the fatigue that her changing body had not experienced in centuries.
Only in that pause did she notice that there were bleeding nicks along her arms and legs from the close calls that she had faced. Along the middle of her chest, there was a perfect diagonal line through her clothes to reveal just a peek of silver from her bodice underneath.
Perhaps another time the Irish Infected would have looked to those markings a little more closely, but there was no time now. Forcing a deep breath, she closed her eyes and rolled her head back in releasing a piercing scream that her gift amplified into a deafening shriek.
As it echoed its way along the crest, her voice shook the highest reaches of the already trembling rock formation. The tremors only worsening, large chunks of stone and gave way in landslides up and down the stretch.
Whilst the Vampires that in the middle of their ascension could maneuver around the falling obstacles in blurs of themselves, many of the Others and Wilds hidden in their caves and ridges were not as fortunate.
Some of Solo's army was forced back into their secured nooks to be trapped inside, making their allies lose even more of their numbers by shifting their attention to freeing them. That only gave the remaining Runners all the time and space that they needed to reach the highest ridges of the cliffs.
"That's it!" Treize yelled as he spun to face the soldiers behind him. "Let's move!" Pointing to the Teleporters that he recognized, he ordered, "There are injured Others as well as our own out there. Get everyone here on those rocks and then get those wounded back to the estates so that they can be treated!"
Heads nodded in agreement and arms were linking in large masses for the first waves of troops to be sent off.
Up on her ledge, Anna had managed to catch her breath enough to lean back with a deep sigh. In her recovery, she never saw the dark shadow that was creeping out into the open a few feet away from her until she heard the shot of the beam that was fired upon her. Spinning in time to see the blinding ball of light that was coming on too fast for her to escape, she cried out and turned her head as her eyes squeezed closed.
Just when she was sure that she would feel the impact from the intense energy, strong arms wrapped around the redhead to pull her tightly against a strong chest instead. Gasping, her eyes opened wide when the side of her face rested against a shoulder at the same moment that the light shot at her filled her vision but did not touch her.
Once the danger passed and the world returned, Anna looped her arms around her husband's waist and burrowed deeper against him as her shimmering eyes closed. "Are you alright?" Wufei asked softly, his voice thick with worry. Unable to trust her voice, the Irish Infected hummed a broken affirmative and nodded against him.
Keeping his body securely around his lover to shield her, Chang turned his head to kiss the back of hers. "I am so... damned proud of you, Anna," he managed in a breath as relieved tears rolled down his scaly face.
The redhead sniffled and faced him just enough to claim a much-needed deep kiss that they were able to pour all of their adoration into. Only happy to return the gesture, Wufei sighed against her mouth. When they pulled back, he cupped her face into his scaly hands to brush away the drops from his bride's face.
Looking out over his shoulder, Anna was able to see the results of her charge. Hoards of teams were materializing in the cliffs and on the ledges of the rock to engage in hand-to-hand combat now that they were in close enough proximity. Perry and the majority of the other Runners that had survived the storm onto the cliffs had reached their destinations. All along the length of the rocks, Vampires and Hunters were being brought into the fray.
Pained cries and wails became as loud as the explosions from the fight itself. That gut wrenching sound resonated especially deep into the Mimic's soul since he had the ability to help those wounded. Torn as he was to stay where he was with his soul mate, he knew that she would not only understand his going off to help but she also had her own agenda to carry out.
Reluctantly loosening his hold, the scaly Vampire peered up and estimated that there was still another five miles to be climbed before the top of the cliffs could be reached. Focusing back on the Irish immortal, he questioned, "You'll be alright going the rest of the way?"
Anna smiled brightly and gave him a firm nod as she reassured, "Yea. Get the injured home to Sally and her team." Kissing the top of her partner's nose, she winked, "I'll see ye up there, me love."
"Damn right I will," Chang replied with a smirk and light shudder at her accent. Before they separated, he kissed her soundly once more, and gave her rear a light slap. Smiling proudly, he ordered, "Get going, soldier." The redhead giggled, raising a hand to her forehead in a smart salute before the spun around and resumed her climb.
His head raised so that he could watch her off, Wufei finally felt content to trust her enough to let her go. "See you soon," he whispered just before he disappeared in a haze of color.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sally went from wondering whether or not she was ever going to see patients to being a very busy doctor in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Transporters were bringing in handfuls of injured Vampires, Companions, Hunters and Others. For the latter, sedatives were immediately administered to keep the silver-eyed creatures down so that they would not give their caregivers a difficult time.
Moving from estate to estate, the braided doctor oversaw the treatment of the most difficult cases. The fortunate thing in working with the Infected was that they healed quickly... especially those that had been of the few to drink directly from Duo's donated blood. Little really needed to be done aside from closing up any cuts and gashes that were too large to seal up on their own right away.
It was the Others and the livings that were of the biggest concerns, but Po could not have been happier in how well her crew was handling everything. Then there was the happily accepted addition of Midi, Relena, Quatre and Catherine. Thanks to all of those hands at work, IVs were installed, broken bones were wrapped and bleeding was stopped at a fast pace.
With a sigh, Sally pulled a white sheet over one of the less fortunate Companions that was beyond any help when they had arrived. The first fatality that she had seen. And she knew it would be far from the last.
Brushing the back of her hand against her sweat-covered brow, the doctor straightened herself just in time to see Trowa appear in the doorway of his living room. An unconscious Other slung over one shoulder and a Companion supported against the spare, the Vampire smiled weakly in greeting to the familiar faces that were rushing up.
"Over here," Relena urged as the first to reach the Original. Quatre and Catherine rushed in to aid in moving his charges to two of the spare beds.
Biting her lip when the patients were secured and checked over by the nurses, Midi hurried to her husband and asked worriedly, "How is the fight fairing?"
"We're taking to the cliffs now," Barton answered. As Peacecraft's anxious gaze met his, he added, "Last I saw, both our families were still in tact." Everyone in association to the clans physically eased a bit.
Kissing his wife's cheek, the Latin Infected frowned, "I have to go." Gesturing to the filling room of patients, he warned, "There's more where this came from."
Sally nodded as she neared, "We'll be ready for them." On that note, Trowa and Midi exchanged soft smiles once more before the Teleporter faded away once again. Spinning to face her staff, the doctor called, "Be ready for more incoming, everyone."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Deep within the confines of the oil refinery where the walls were the weakest and deteriorating to leave great holes that were open to the world, another side of the war was raging on.
Shinigami delivered a blow across the face of a Wild that had been of very little challenge to him. When his would-be challenger collapsed at his feet, the braided hybrid grunted expectantly as he turned his head side to side to see if there were any more attackers coming up.
In finding the catwalks around him empty spare for himself and the haphazardly strewn bodies on the floor, those shining violet eyes widened at the muffled ring of a scream in the distance just before the whole facility shook ever so slightly. Blinking widely, Shinigami's mouth fell open with a startled chirp of a sound.
He would have recognized that voice anywhere. It had sung his wielder to sleep many nights since they came to know the Vampires. It was a sound that came with fond memories and warmth. Knowing how relieved the sound would make his master, the monster pulled back for the time being now that they were both safe for the moment.
At the next blink of his eyes when the glow in them faded, Duo breathed, "Anna." There wasn't a single doubt in his mind that the scream had come from his sister. Based on the shaking that he felt, that cry must have been her using the gift in her voice as a form of attack.
That could only mean that the rest of his family was close.
Running along the more rickety stretches of elevated catwalks, Maxwell made his way to the closest gaping opening in the walls. When he reached a nearly collapsed section of the structure, he leapt onto the hand railing of the riser he was standing on to use it as a spring off post. His feet touching the crumbled brick of the fissure, he stared out beyond the ledge of the cliffs.
From his altitude, the braided Companion was able to see the crests of the domes from Shields on the beach. Dark shapes were stepping out of the ocean, most likely more Vampires coming to reinforce the troops that were already engaged in a battle so intense that it was nearly impossible to believe that it was actually real.
Everything from the skies to the sea was being used as weapons from the enhanced abilities on both sides of the struggle. It was something born out of the worst of nightmares... incomprehensible to anyone who was unaware of what a Reformer's blood could do to Vampires and livings.
Then something flashed high into the atmosphere, glistening in the light of the sun and lightning bolts that danced across the swirling clouds that hovered only above the shore and start of the cliffs. Frowning deeply in confusion at the sight of it, Duo's eyes thinned enough to make out the shimmering wings just before the being maneuvering them swooped below the line of the rocky ledge again.
A strange sensation had the Reformer staying in place to wait and have another look at the flying creature. For some reason, his slowed heart was beginning to beat faster in anticipation when the winged avenger returned to the great heights of over the cliffs once more.
Moving swiftly across the skies, a sharp spin revealed the pilot of the unique armor and Duo froze with a gasp. Violet-and-silver eyes growing even as they shimmered with tears of relief, he breathed, "Heero."
Sure enough, the angel before him was none other than his Vampire.
If his own eyes were deceiving him, the tingling that ran down into the Companion's core through their bond was all the proof he needed to know that he was so close to being with Yuy once again. Not only was the Original well, but he was armed with a remarkable weapon and raining down fury on their enemies.
Laughing through the tears running down his face, Maxwell let out a loud cheer for his lover as his braid whipped behind him from the wind that had picked up. And just like that, Heero vanished from his sight again.
But that glimpse had made a world of difference in Duo. Somehow, the darkness that had surrounded him for the last few days seemed to brighten. The insurmountable odds that were stacked against him had fallen to a far more even plane. When there was doubt for the future, now he could see himself back with his loved ones where he belonged.
Shoulders rolling back so that he could stand taller, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of sea air. Releasing it slowly, he peered back out to the ocean as a small smile curled his lips. "Alright, buddy," he muttered. "Our family's doing everything they can out there. Let's take care of our end in here."
Grunting in agreement, Shinigami's lips curled back in a wicked grin as the violet of his irises glowed anew.
* * * * * *
Thirty minutes later...
Anna was not the only Vampire to set foot into the oil refinery. However, she was the first from her family to do so. The Others and Wilds inside were relatively easy enough work for the pack that set foot within the facility. Once they made their way into the maze of catwalks, risers and corridors, the breeches split off.
One of the many wonderful things for the redhead when it came to her pregnancy was the enhancement of her already sensitive sense of smell. It was thanks to that she was able to pick up on the scent of young blood... childrens blood. That smell carried her to a small pile of toys that had been discarded in a deserted hallway.
Picking up the teddy bear and plastic car, Anna brought them to her nose to sniff out what she wanted to confirm- another wretched smell that she would have known better than any other creature. In picking up that vile, familiar scent, her eyes narrowed.
Her hands clenching tight around the toys she lowered to her sides, her fangs grew in as she hissed under her breath, "Meiran."
In a blur of herself, she shot through the halls to follow the trail.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Coming up from the basement, a recently released Wild craned her head around to witness the many fights that were unfolding throughout the refinery. Her arms spreading to her sides, she closed her eyes and rolled her head back. Slowly straightening herself as her silvered eyes opened.
Her head tilting, Celeste whispered, "I want all of this to burn."
TBC...
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