HEROES
UNTOUCHABLE (KRYBER)The hallway was empty that time but Amber knew that the shaking on the ground meant that an Even is nearby, looking for them.
"It must've felt us when I came banging at your door, or maybe the vibration of your loud music," whispered Amber as she slowly leads Krystal out of the room. They were walking cautiously, trying not to make sound with every footstep.
"Maybe I should not listen to music anymore when showering," mused Krystal.
Amber secretly smiled at that. "You can still listen to music, just lower down the volume a bit so you would know if something is happening outside."
"Okay. Where are we going, Amber?"
"To the Center Sanctuary. The alley is the shortest and safest way to go there."
"How come there no students around here anymore?"
"We already warned everyone in Dorm A to evacuate."
"What? So, you mean you came back for me?"
Amber stopped to look at Krystal, unable to make out a word. She turned her back on Krystal and continued dragging the lady silently, her face blushing. "I knew you were taking a bath and doing your routine at this time."
"Gosh. I really shouldn't listen to music anymore…"
Dorm A is a three-story building with staircases on both left and right side of the building. Amber and Krystal's room is located at the center of the second floor. They started tiptoeing toward the right side of the building. Eventually, theirsteps became faster, until they are almost running, trying to make it to the staircase.
As they turned around the corner, the pair was shocked to see the monster, whom they were trying to avoid, silently waiting there.
Amber and Krystal immediately stopped dead at their tracks. However, it was a wrong move as Amber's shoes squeaked on the slippery floor, making an eerie sound that alerted the creature.
"Creeeeee!"
"Eeeeeee!" Krystal squealed after seeing the monster.
"! Run, Krys! Run!"
The two ran back to where they came from, with Amber dragging Krystal by her hand. Amber looked back and saw the creature tailing them. Even though adrenaline has already heightened their speed, Amber knows it's no match compared to the innate ability the predator behind them possesses.
Amber tried to think of other ways they could escape. She keeps pushing her mind to think because she knows that a few seconds from now, the Even will jump at them, kill the other, and will web the other alive.
Jump from the second floor? Not a good idea.
Hide in one of the rooms? Worse than the first one. The Even will just easily crush the door and/or break the wall.
Amber's palms are getting sweaty now. It's getting more challenging to keep a hold of Krystal's hand. But she doesn't know what to do yet. Her main concern is to make sure Krystal will get out here alive. Should she just push Krystal away and give herself in?
Amber is already entertaining the idea when a gleam of hope appeared ahead of them.
"Amber!" Yuri shouted. She jumped up to get a hold of the vertical sliding gate and pulled it halfway down. "Quick! It's coming!"
This gave Amber new hope, new energy. She ran faster to set up the momentum.
Few more steps.
A little bit more of adrenaline.
They will make it.
Krystal will be safe.
"Now!" shouted Yuri, dragging the gate down to close it.
At the cue, Amber grabbed Krystal by her waist, pulling her closer. She positioned Krystal on top of her as Amber slides herself down across the floor, making it to Yuri's side before the gate totally hit the floor.
BLAG!
"Creeeee!"
The creature let out a loud sound after hitting the gate.
Amber opened her eyes at the smell of Krystal's hair on her face. They were still lying on the floor, with Krystal hiding her face in the crook of Amber's neck. Amber didn't want to move yet but Yuri disrupted the moment.
"Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks, bud. You just save us," said Amber, fist bumping Yuri. But then she noticed that Krystal hasn't been moving. "Krys?"
There was no immediate response from Krystal until the sound of her sobs became evident. "Can we stay like this for a bit?" she asked, tightening her hug on Amber. "I feel safe like this."
Amber and Yuri looked at each other, the latter giving Amber a devious smile.
"Creeeee!" The creature slammed itself on the gate repeatedly, making marks on the other side.
"Krystal, we need to move now," said Yuri, assisting Krystal to stand up. "This Even will break the gate sooner."
Krystal obeyed, and Amber stood up as well. Amber cupped Krystal's face with her palms and wiped the latter's tears with her thumbs. "You're fine. You'll be safe, okay?"
Krystal bit her lower lip and simply nodded.
BLAG! BLAG! BLAG!
"Oh. !" said Yuri in surprise. The three of them stepped backward, with Amber hiding Krystal behind her back. The creature is persistent. It keeps banging on the gate until its one arm finally penetrated the steel gate.
"Oh, my gosh!" shrieked Krystal. The arm keeps on moving like it's stuck in the gate.
Amber grabbed Krystal by her hand again. "Let's go!"
The three was about to run but stopped when the movement from the gate stopped too. Amber and Yuri looked at each other, unsure of what happened. Not long after that, the arm fell on the ground. Yuri picked it up.
"It cut its own arm?" asked Yuri, observing the arm which is about the size of a shotgun.
"Maybe because it was stuck," said Amber observing the whole on the gate. "There's no way this could've cut an Even's limb."
"Anyway, we should keep going. I'm sure it's finding another way to get to us." Yuri carried the arm as she leads Amber and Krystal to the stairs going down. "!" She stopped after spotting another Even waiting for them below. She turned to Amber and Krystal. "Up! Up! Up!"
They went to the third floor this time and run to the right side of the building, aiming to take the stairs down. But as they reach the mid part, the Even with a missing arm appeared from the terrace and jumped right into them.
Krystal screamed.
The attack separated Yuri from Amber and Krystal.
"Yuri! Rooftop!" Amber shouted. Because of that, the Even turned its attention to them. They run up quickly, the Even following them.
Reaching the rooftop, Amber looked around the edges to see if there's an escape they could do. She can't find anything.
"Creeeeeee!"
Amber immediately hid Krystal behind her. They are stepping backward as the Even slowly takes steps towards them. Krystal's grip on Amber's shirt tightened. They keep on stepping backward until somebody shouted.
"Ahh!" Yuri jumped up the back of the Even and stabbed its arm on its head.
The monster started going berserk. Amber immediately hugged Krystal and led her to the corner. Yuri, who's on the back of the monster was holding tight for her dear life. The decapitated arm was thrown on the other side of the rooftop.
The Even stood up on its hind legs, making Yuri fall on the ground, instantly knocking her down.
Amber knew that Yuri's life is already in danger but she doesn't know what to do yet because she wants to protect Krystal as well.
"Amber. Distract it. I'm going to get Yuri away from there," said Krystal.
Amber looked at Krystal, making sure that the latter is serious.
"There's no time," said Krystal, letting go of Amber's hand. She pointed on the left side of the rooftop. "The arm's over there."
Amber nodded quickly and dashed into the arm, grabbing it within a roll. Then she shouted, "Hey, ! I'm here!"
The Even turned to Amber right away. It was mad and was running this time now.
Amber, run with all her might towards the wall. She ran up the wall and flipped, landing at the back of the Even. With all her might, she stabbed the monster’s head with the arm she's holding repeatedly, causing the Even to go berserk again.
Amber fell on the floor and was nauseous for a bit. The Even is now frantically stabbing the floor with its remaining arm. Amber keeps on rolling her body away to avoid getting hit. However, due to the frantic movement of the monster, Amber's leg was hit.
"Ahhh!" screamed Amber. She felt her bones crushing at the impact.
"Amber!" Krystal was about to stand up bit Amber gestured her hands, signaling Krystal to stop.
"Stay right there," whispered Amber, as if Krystal could hear her. But the latter was able to get the information and stayed with Yuri instead.
Luckily, the Even was too distracted to focus on killing them. It continued berserking towards other direction, a sign that it’s close to dying now.
"Please..." said Amber looking at the monster, hoping it'll die now.
The monster stopped moving. Slowly, it turned to Krystal and Yuri's direction. Seeing that, Amber crawled towards the two in an attempt to still protect them even in her current state.
The Even, who's now weakened by the multiple stabs on its head is now walking towards its prey like a drunken person. The steps are slower and heavier. Amber, with her last strength, stood up in front of Krystal and Yuri on one foot, making sure that the two will be safe in case this monster still tries to capture one of them.
The Even took one step.
Another step.
Amber is feeling more nervous now, thinking if this is how she'll die.
Krystal is crying hard now as she hugs the unconscious Yuri.
One more step.
"Blag!"
The Even finally fell lifeless on the ground, just a few meters away from Amber.
Amber was finally able to breathe after that. All the strength she used for standing up was now washed away by relief. She lay back on the ground, looking at Krystal who's got a relieved face like hers. But before they could even celebrate, the ground moved again. From the stairs, another Even showed up.
"Ah. ." Amber was too exhausted to move now. She looked for the arm she used to kill the other Even and found it already destroyed too.
Amber took a deep breath. She knows that's the end of her capability. But she won't let Krystal or Yuri die. She's ready to sacrifice herself to save her friends. Although she somehow regrets not living her life fully, sacrificing it for the ones who truly cared for her is all worth it.
Amber closed her eyes. Her heart beating faster now.
"Captain! We found them!"
"Commence attack, now!"
Amber opened her eyes and saw shadows of people dancing around the Even. They weren't really dancing, they were merely gliding through the air faster than a human eye could even comprehend. Amber knew that it was the effect of the booster.
Seconds after that, the Even went down lifeless. There were three people visible in front of them now. The shortest one of them approached Amber and held her face.
"Amber, are you okay...?"
"C-Captain Taliw...?"
"Yes, it's me. You're safe now."
Amber's body is shaking uncontrollably. She used her last strength to look over Krystal and Yuri who are now being assisted by the other two SAU members.
"We're safe now..." whispered Amber. After that, she collapsed.
Comments