Doomsday Pillars

Barricade

SLASSH! SLASSH!

SPLATT!

Tratatatatatatat!

"Watch out to your right, Maxine!"

"Thanks!"

"Christina! More are coming from behind! We're getting surrounded!"

Jennie's warning only made Christina feel more despair. Ever since they had entered the forest, the attacks from the wolf-like creatures didn't cease. They had experienced four waves of attacks including this in the last two hours.

The number of creatures seemed to increase with each wave. They had just finished defeating the fourth wave of beasts but a dozen more approached from behind the trees.

Jennie, Christina's second-in-command and also a former special force soldier, immediately gave an order to divide the troops into three lines. The melee troops guarded the front and rear, while the firearm troops stood in the middle, standing on an elevated ground.

"Fire!!!"

TRATATATATATATATA... 

Blazing bullets escaped the muzzles of the machine guns and rained down on the advancing beasts. They knew these bullets were only capable of external injuries but bombarding these beasts with enough bullets still caused them to fall in pain, and as a result, the peak mortal realm fighters had an easier time finishing them off.

Maxine stood on one side, leading at the front with her two giant maces. And as the beasts reached their front line, she waved her maces and slammed those beasts as big as a tiger against the trees.

BAAMMM!!! BAMMM!!!

"AAARRGGGHH!!! You vile beasts!!! Die you! Die!"

On the other end, Christina with her flaming swords started piercing and splitting each monster that approached the front line.

SPLAATTT!

Christina stabbed a beast's head and flames blazed out from its ears, eyes, nose and mouth. She tried to pull back the sword but...

CRANCCK!

One more of Christina's swords shattered. Although she had managed to control her power to the point where the sword wouldn't melt immediately after its capabilities, the sword nevertheless still melted. Christina grabbed the last sword hanging on her back, brandishing a sword in the right hand and a handgun in the other before shouting "Attack!!!"

TRATATA!! BAANNGG!! SLASSHH!! 

A few minutes had passed and finally, they managed to finish the remaining monsters.

With a gasping breath, heart beating fast, and sweat pouring down her forehead, Christina looked over what's left of them. The repeated attacks of the beasts downed them to no more than 40 fighters. A lot of their fighters had been injured and Corrie was one of them.

"Corrie, how's your wound?" Christina asked.

"Calm down, sis. I'm fine..." Corrie said with difficulty.

Although Corrie said 'she was fine', Christina could clearly see how pale Corrie's face was. In fact, not only Corrie, but everyone had devastated faces. Only half of them had survived the ongoing attacks but what about the next one. Christina bit her lips, but she didn't have enough time to regret her actions, she needed to think of ways to save everyone.

"What's the plan, sis?" Maxine asked.

Christina grabbed the scribbled map she had made from her back pocket and said, "If we continue heading west, we'll arrive where the smoke was rising, but if we head north, about 15-20 minutes we'll be out of the forest."

Christina had planned to approach the smoke area in hopes of finding more people, but as she looked at her people, she decided to find a way out of this dangerous forest first.

Chicken approached Christina and said, "Let's go back! Maybe some of my brothers have survived!"

Ever since Chicken saw the corpses of his brethren, he couldn't get back to his normal sense. Thoughts of his brothers and that monstrous thing kept on running around in his mind.

Christina was also hoping to return and find Nam and whatever was left of the triad gang. But she knew she couldn't risk it, not with their current state. They needed to get out of this forest first. 

As Chicken and Christina argued, a sound from a distance entered their ears.

Hoowwwllll!!!!!! Hooowwlll!!!

"!!!"

It hadn't been five minutes since the last attack, but it looked like another wave of beasts was about to arrive. And based on the howling, it seemed to be more than last time.

Everyone stood up but morale was at an all-time low. Christina knew if they fought, they might all die or at the very least suffer massive amounts of casualties. 

"Ugghhukk!" Corrie coughed blood. She wouldn't last long if she doesn't receive medical attention or rest. 

"We have too many injured people, we can't stay here," Jennie said. She then went over to Christina and whispered.

Christina closed her eyes before looking at everyone and said, "Very well, I guess that's the best we can do." 

Maxine observed her two sisters and said, "Don't tell me you're planning to—No! I will not let that happen! Let's all run right now!"

"Look around, Maxine. You know this is for the best. Bring Corrie and those who are injured out of this place right now. This is an order!" Christina said with determination.

Corrie and Maxine wanted to protest but with the very little time they had, they accepted with a heavy heart.

Christina went over to Maxine and hugged her before saying, "The longer you're here, the more dangerous it becomes for those who are left. Don't worry, we'll see each other again."

Maxine wanted to burst out but held it to herself. She lifted Corrie with a heavy heart, looked back at her sisters one more time before, and ran with the others who were also carrying the wounded. 

Christina let out a big sigh as she watched them leave. After they had left, there were only Christina, Jennie, Chicken, and ten more people from the Firebirds waiting for the beasts to arrive. The snow on the trees was starting to fall as the rumbling, gnarling, howling grew stronger. Not long after, Christina turned around, drew her last sword, and swung it with all her might.

SLAAASSHH! SLAASSHH! SLASSHH!

Dozens of trees fell forming a barricade. The others helped and created a barricade of trees that stretched for almost 100 meters except for the few meters gap in the center to funnel the arriving beasts.

"We'll focus our fire and defend this gap with our lives!" Christina said.

Chicken looked at their strategy and voiced out his thoughts, "But those monsters can jump these trees easily!"

In response, Christina raised her sword high. Bzzzzz. Blazing fire filled the sword and Christina began to burn the pile of trees.

"Great idea!" exclaimed Chicken before adding, "But what if those monsters decided to turn around the tree and attack us from behind?"

Christina and Jennie fell silent. They knew that was the biggest weakness of this strategy. But this was the best they could come up with and prepare with limited time. 

"Let's hope they aren't that smart..." Christina said.

"..."

Hooowwllll!!! Howwlll!! HOWWllllll!!

The beasts were close. The branches of trees in the distance were wobbling. At least a dozen of those wolves came this time.

Christina's heart was beating against her chest. At this moment, Christina thought about Caleb, her son, who was waiting for her in Singapore. As she imagined his hopeful face, her fear vanished. Christina took a deep breath and gripped the burning sword in her hand.

"10 minutes. We only need to hold on for 10 minutes. That should be enough to give the other a chance out of this forest," Christina said.

Not long after, dozens of wolf-like beasts appeared behind the flames.

100 meters...

50 meters...

30 meters...

"Fire!!!"

Tratatatatata Tratatatatatata

Jennie and two firearms troop began firing their machine guns at the beasts who tried to jump the flames. Fortunately, most of them indeed made their way through the open gap in the center. 

Pa!! Pa!! Paa!!

The first two monsters passed through the gap only to be met by a line of spears from the firebirds. Although the next monster managed to dodge the spears, Christina was waiting in front and split the monster in half.

SLASSH!!! SLAASSHH! SLASHH!

In an instant, the three monsters had collapsed on the ground.

"!!!"

Without a moment's rest, several monsters slammed to the barricade, setting themselves on fire and only two managed to enter the gap.

Christina managed to stab the first with her sword and the others directly struck the same monster from the side. But the other managed to pass them and was about to pounce on Christina.

BANG!!! SPLATTTT!!!

The head of the monster shattered as blood splattered in all directions.

Jennie was walking up to her while firing a high caliber sniper weapon.

BANG! SPLATT! 

One more victim of hot lead bullets from her rifle.

This long-range gun required precision and special preparation before firing from the handler. And because it had a strong recoil, it wasn't suitable for short-range engagement. But since Jennie was a former member of the special forces with her telekinesis ability that allowed her to guide her bullets, she managed to hit the vital areas of ​​this monster.

BANG!! BANG!!

Chicken joined the fight using a machete and started brutally hacking the heads of the beasts. "OFF WITH YOUR HEADS! Hah! This is for my friends! Die! YOU PUKK GAAI!!"

 The wave of beasts kept on coming.

"Dozens more are coming!"

Jennie and Christina noticed the new arrivees splitting toward both sides, it wouldn't be too long before they got flanked and surrounded.

"It seems we've underestimated them. They're not an ordinary beast."

It hadn't even been 5 minutes and yet, it looked like their strategy would soon collapse.

"Aaarrrrghhh!"

A beast caught one of the fighters off guard and pounced him on the ground. The person beside him tried to help but another beast had bitten him on the shoulder. 

Their situation was becoming dire, so Jennie immediately shouted, "Christina! Retreat!" She pointed to two firebirds members and added, "You! You! And you, Chicken, immediately go after the others!"

"No!" Christina said, "We'll retreat together.'

"I'll bait them away for a few minutes!"

"No, Jennie, we'll be safer together!"

Jennie held Christina's shoulder and said, "I owe you and your family a lot. Let me do this. It's my duty. Remember, Caleb is still waiting for you."

Christina felt as if she was doused with cold water. Her son was waiting for her in Singapore.

"Go, now!" Jennie insisted.

Christina's heart and mind were in conflict but before she knew it, she had already turned around and started running.

Running, she was running as fast as she could along with Chicken and five other Firebirds members behind her.

The two injured, as well as Jennie and her two shooters, stayed behind to buy time for them.

As Christina ran, the sound of the never-ending gunfire behind gradually faded. She could only pray now Jennie and the others had time to save themselves.

But not long after, the sound of gunfire suddenly died. Christina stopped her tracks and looked back. Their distance was about 300 meters apart, but she could clearly see how the beasts had surrounded the area where Jennie was.

"No! Jennie!" Christina gasped.

Suddenly...

A bright light exploded from where Jennie was last seen standing.

KAABBBOOOOOMMM!!!!!

The loud explosion shook the ground beneath Christina's feet. She fell to the ground; she just realized Jennie had planned this from the start.

Not wanting to make Jennie's sacrifice in vain, Christina picked up herself weakly and ran with tears flowing down her cheeks.

Jennie was a woman in her 40s, she grew up with Christina and had been her family protector ever since she had been discharged from the army. Christina regarded her as a friend; an older sister. Countless times she had been saved by Jennie, and without her, there was no way Firebirds would have been formed.

Christina kept on running, her mind was in chaos. And due to that, she didn't realize the beast on her tail until it jumped at her!

BAMMMM! 

Christina fell and hit her head on a stone.

"Christina!"

Christina groaned, her vision was blurry, but she could make out a silhouette of a man wearing a hat.

SLASSHH! SPLAATT!!!

The man killed the monster that crashed into Christina before approaching her.

"Miss Christina, are you alright?"

"I-I-Inspector... Tang..." said Christina with difficulty, barely keeping her eyes open.

"You're bleeding and appear to have a concussion. Come on, you must stay awake!." The person lifted her up and said, "Keep your eyes open, I'll bring you to where the others are."

"The others?"

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