“Anything?”
	The petty officer paused for a moment before looking up from his screen.
	“No sir, communications are still down. Cause is unknown.”
	Radio static filled the room, accented by raindrops landing on the hard metal roof above. The captain stood in the center of the room, surrounded by personnel attending various terminals. Looking out the window in front of him, he observed the movement of patrols below. He had ordered security be heightened not too long ago.
	The captain let out a puff from his cigar, sighing as he did so.
	“Of course,” he muttered under his breath.
	He turned towards the radio operator.
	“Petty officer, alert the Knight and his men. I want them here ASAP.”
	“Aye aye, sir.”
	The captain returned his attention to the window. Opposite the runway ahead of him was the barracks, and further beyond that lay the outer perimeter, a dark and damp forest surrounding them for miles in each direction.
	Across the base, three men stood watch outside the barracks, sheltered from the rain inside a small, rusted metal shack.
	“Lovely weather tonight, right Kyle?”
	Kyle had propped himself up against a wall, arms crossed, and uniform untucked.
	He scoffed and leaned his head back.
	“Tell me about it. Just my luck to get stationed in the ass end of Stenheim.”
	“Could be worse, we could have been sent to Etovsika. There’s always something going on over there.”
	Kyle slowly slid down the wall till he reached the wood floor. He could hear the creaking tracks and whining engine of an MT-41 Adulator tank passing by.
	“I guess, but it seems like things are going to be just as bad tonight. Not like they tell us grunts what’s going on. I’m just ready to get out, I’m tired of this shit.”
	Lee fiddled with the straps on his chest rig as he swung side to side in his rolling chair.
	“What are you going to do when you get out anyways?”
	“Can’t say I’ve given it much thought. Figured I’d just find a girl, settle down, have some kids or something. Nothin’ special. What about you? Gonna start that sewing club, Lee?”
	Lee chuckled as he reclined further into his rolling chair, resting his arms behind his head.
	“Very funny.”
	Kyle shrugged his shoulders. “What? I’m not judging, some guys are into that kind of stuff. Not all of us are cut out to make it with the ladies.”
	“You’re right, some of us like sewing and others like getting dirty with their sister.” 
Lee began howling with amusement. Kyle smirked in response.
	The third trooper, who sat on the ground with his back against the wall and cover obscuring his face spoke up.
	“By the Flame, can’t you guys be quiet?! I’m trying to sleep!”
	Kyle and Lee both turned to look at the drowsy soldier.
	“You’re gonna get written up if they catch you snoozing like that, Thorne.” Kyle said.
	“Isn’t that what you two are supposed to be keeping watch for?”
	“Only cause I’m so nice” Kyle said with a shit eating grin.
	Lee immediately jolted out of his seat, to the others’ surprise. Frozen still, he motioned to the others with his eyes and whispered.
	“Get up!”
	The other two rushed to attention, both trying to fix their garments as quickly as possible, as though they hadn’t been half asleep a second earlier.
	A trio of armed men approached from the opposite side of the runway. Clad in jet black coats and kit from head to toe, the golden gleam of their goggles was their only defining characteristic in the darkness of the inky night. 
	They stopped just in front of the shack, now illuminated by the fluorescent droning light hanging outside the barracks.
	The leader of the trio methodically scanned the men inside; laser rifle firmly gripped in his hands. Thorne and Lee tried their best to maintain their composure.
	A light nod, and he holstered his weapon to the side.
	“You’re relived” said the leader, in a deep synthesized voice.
	The three soldiers glanced at each other, dumbfounded at what the sailor had told them.
	“Captain’s orders, alert the Knight and report to the command center.”
	“Wait, you said the Knight?” Lee inquired.
	“Good to see your ears work, trooper.” 
He signaled to his rear with his off hand. “Now fucking move.”
	They stepped out of the shack, and the three sailors stepped in to take their place. Taking one last glance behind him, Lee swung open the door to the barracks and stepped inside, with the others following suit. 
	A long sterile hallway stretched across the length of the building to both the left and right. The eerie hum of overhead lamps and muffled sputters of rain echoed though the building. Distant thunder broke up the quiet. A door at the far end of the left side is what they sought. A faint golden glow emanated from beneath the door frame, and the rolling gust of incense clouded the way.
	“Wow, it’s really quiet in here.” Said Thorne.
	Kyle looked towards him. “No shit.”
	Kyle stepped forward to Lee’s side as the trio proceeded towards the door.
	“Who the hell were those guys anyways?” he asked.
	Thorne spoke up from behind.
	“Gunmen, they’re the Navy’s elite. I heard they’re the real deal. If they’re involved, it must mean things are pretty serious.”
	Lee chuckled. “You think the Gunmen are the real deal? Wait until you see a Knight for the first time. If they’re calling on him, then shit’s already hit the fan.”
	“Good thing he’s with us then.” Kyle said.
	They stood outside the door. They could hear a faint hum and what sounded like the rustling of a wind chime. A piece of paper was hung to the door by tape, reading Please Knock. It ended with a smiley face.
	Kyle scratched the back of his neck.
	“You know… I heard its bad luck to walk in on a Knight like this. We could probably get someone else to do it.”
	“Shut up Kyle.” Lee retorted.
	Kyle shrugged his shoulders. 
“Just saying.”
	Lee knocked three times.
	A grizzled and muffled voice responded from the other side.
	“Come in.”
	Pushing the door open, Lee stepped in first and the others followed with trepidation.
	In the center of the small, dark room was the Knight, kneeling in front of an altar covered in prayer beards and wax sealed inscriptions. The altar portrayed the image of a figure made of fire adorned with a large magnitude of eyes and clothed in extravagant white, red, and gold robes around the waist. The only light in the room came from the pink and yellow flames he held in his hands. Over his shoulder was a diminutive golden figure with feathered wings. 
The Knight wore a pearly white suit of armor that speckled like stardust, with an oily black undersuit beneath. Strewn across his back was a silver-colored fur cape. The arms were made of interlocked sections, hard enough to protect against gunfire, but still flexible enough to allow great freedom of movement. An antenna adorned each side of his helmet, with large cables and tubes running from the back of the helmet towards his suit.
He turned his head towards the trio, revealing the neon blue visor that shimmered from the burning ashes.
“What is it?”
Lee shifted and straightened his posture, hoping to at least show some semblance of military bearing.
“Uh, sir, excuse us, but the captain has ordered us to report to the command center.”
Kyle nudged Lee’s shoulder.
“Sir.” Lee said as he stared blankly ahead.
“I see. Any details?”
“No sir, but it seemed important, sir.”
The Knight closed his palms, extinguishing the flames in his hands. He stood up, retrieving a sheathed blade and dagger from in front of the altar as he did so. Grabbing a sidearm from his side holster, he released the cylinder to inspect the weapon before returning it to its resting spot. 
The golden figure turned towards the trio, revealing a blank void where its face would be with nothing but four glowing yellow eyes. It faded into golden dust, the harmonious sound retreating as it did so, and the particulates flowed towards the Knight.
“Let’s go.”
The four men exited the building to the storm once more. The roar of helicopter blades howled overhead as its searchlights panned past them. More patrols and armored vehicles spread out across the length and breadth of the facility.
Thorne piped up from behind the Knight.
“Excuse me sir, I don’t mean to bother you, but do you know what’s going on?”
The Knight turned his head to acknowledge the soldier while continuing forward.
“No, I don’t.”
“Oh. I just figured you might know.” Thorne replied in a hushed voice.
Boone took notice of the man’s worries.
“I wouldn’t concern yourself trooper, as far as I’m aware tonight is supposed to be relatively uneventful. We’ll be fine.”
Thorne smiled.
“Yes, thank you sir.”
Entering the command center, they were greeted with the sight of personnel rushing in every direction, much livelier and more chaotic than the barracks. With communications down, they had resorted to sending information in the old-fashioned way. Cutting through the crowds, they made their way up a staircase at the back end of the atrium.
The farther up they went, the fewer and fewer people they saw. At the summit they were met with a singular open doorway, two Gunmen to either side.
“Knight Commander Boone, it’s about time.”
It was Captain Sanderson, the commanding officer of the Navy personnel on the base. 
A crack of lightning pierced through the sky behind the captain, the sound of thunder breaking up the monotony of rain and whirring computers. The three soldiers would salute as they entered, the Knight would not. Boone could feel the displeasure in the Captain’s voice and annoyance on his face.
It seemed most of the personnel had left already, no point sitting around if the radios weren’t functional. All that was left was the captain and his Gunmen guards.
“At ease.”
The troopers dropped their salute in response.
“I’d like to get this done within a timely manner, Knight. So, gather around the tac-screen, I’m not going to go over this twice.”
The four men stood in front of the command table and a holographic display of the local area appeared. Though normally there would be indicators for local forces, the communications blackout only allowed for the map data to be shown. The blue glow of the screen highlighted the captain’s cleft lip and scarred cheeks.
“As you are already aware, tomorrow was meant to be the start of the yearly joint branch training exercise, though as you might have guessed, that is no longer the case. At about 0200 hours ago, we received a message from ANRCOMM moving all stations to high alert. Since then, a communications blackout has prevented any further responses. I’ve ordered all personnel return to the base until this issue is resolved. All of our patrols have reported back. Except for one”
Boone looked up from the screen.
“And that’s where we come in, sir?”
The captain glared at the knight as he put out his cigar.
“Real intuitive, aren’t you? Refrain from making any more unnecessary comments. But yes, that’s what you’re here for. Search Sakra squad’s last known position and report back here with any findings. Dead, alive, or otherwise, doesn’t matter. I want to know.”
The captain glanced side to side as he looked over the three men.
“Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir!” said the troopers.
“Good. Now move out.”
The mortals left and proceeded down the stairs and back outside, though the Knight stayed behind, standing eerily still, attention still fixed towards the screen.
The captain pulled out another cigar from inside his coat. 
“What is it, Knight?”
Boone lifted his head up, focusing his attention on the captain.
“Sir, are we expecting an attack? There’s been no insurgent activity in this area for months, why the concern now?”
The captain scowled “Everything is on a need-to-know basis. I already told you everything that you need to know.”
“If this was just a simple search and rescue, you wouldn’t be calling on me. I need to know why. Is it the rebels? Or something else?”
The captain slowly stepped forward, one foot at a time towards the Knight with his arms behind his back. Reaching up, he placed his hand on Boone’s bulky shoulder pad, who stood at least a foot taller than him.
The captain spoke in a low and serious tone. 
“I don’t know what you were before this life, Boone. Farmer, teacher, politician, who knows. You might think that you’re special cause of that little shard in you.”
The captain brought his face closer to the Knight’s visor.
“But you’re not. 
Not here. 
Here, we have a chain of command, and while you are on these premises you will respect that chain of command. You Knights think you mean something, that you know everything, and that the secrets of the universe are at your fingertips. But you know nothing. Just children playing with fire.”
He removed his hand and walked back towards the other side of the tac screen.
“Do as you are ordered, commander, or I will be sure to let your masters know of this insubordinate behavior. I’m sure they don’t take too kindly to those putting their nose where it doesn’t belong either.”
Boone looked to his side, noticing one of the Gunmen tightening his grip on his pulse laser rifle.
“I trust that there will be no further issues, Boone?”
A thin veil of steam seemed to rise from the Knight’s clenched fists.
“No, sir.”
The captain smirked. “Good. Now get out of my command center.”
Boone turned towards the stairs to reconvene with his men. As he did, he heard the snarky remarks of the captain echoing behind him.
“I’ve got a feeling that your kind will get what’s coming for them, sooner than later.”
The Knight returned to the outside where his men sat waiting. The drops of rain sputtered and evaporated as they struck the Knight’s armor.
“Something wrong, sir?” asked Lee.
“I expressed some concerns to the captain. He had some choice words to share.”
The trio had grabbed their armaments while waiting for the Knight, the standard issue R-53 impulse rifle, a long rifle with a carry handle and built in ammo counter. Kyle held out one for Boone, who grabbed it before heading towards the gate. The men followed closely behind.
Boone reflexively looked over his weapon, checking for any damage or faults. It was by no means the most sophisticated option, but it was reliable, and a classic he couldn’t help but appreciate. He removed the magazine, inspecting the sabots.
“Is the Captain always like that?” Thorne asked.
Kyle smirked. “Who knows. Brass have always got a stick up their ass. Considering he’s Navy, probably literally too if I had to guess.”
Lee jutted in. “Watch your mouth there, Kyle. You don’t know who might be listening.”
Exiting the confines of the base through the gates, the guards saluted as they walked past.
“Good luck, sir” one of them said.
Boone turned his head and nodded in response.
Entering the darkness of the surrounding forest, the troopers activated the flashlights on their weapons, while Boone activated the lights adorning the sides of his helmet. The Knight’s enclosed helmet protected him from the increasingly violent downpour. His men weren’t so fortunate. 
Boone reached for a spool on his waist. Pulling apart some of the thread, he weaved it into a small orange bubble which began to lightly hum and float near him. It was a rudimentary song, but one that was still useful.
“Fancy lightbulb, sir” remarked Kyle.
“It’s a little more than that” Boone replied jovially.
The bubble floated forward, illuminating their way and creating a small pocket of warm air. The further they went, the thicker the brush and shrubbery got as they were further removed from civilization.
Kyle pointed ahead.
“See that?”
There was a faint red glow deeper into the forest, barely visible through the branches and leaves.
“Maybe they set a fire to stay warm.”
“Possible” replied Boone. “But not certain. Stay alert.” 
As they continued forward, the orange glow highlighted barbed wire, barricades, and other fixed fortifications, a sign they were near their objective.
Ahead of them lay a small set of trenches, leading closer towards the red light they saw before. Dropping into the trench, they searched for signs of life, hoping that Sakra squad might have decided to take shelter for the night.
The thick mud clung to their boots as they walked, making it difficult for the troopers to move as they sloshed through. Boone had no such struggles, for his strength, a little extra weight on his feet meant nothing.
As the red glow began to envelop them, they were met with a large clearing. Burnt and splintered trees lay all around them, as they heard the screeches of another tree tumbling to the earth below. The trench they were in seemed to have been breached, creating a gaping hole.
“What could have caused all this?” Thorne inquired.
Kyle shook his head. “I bet it was those Etovsikan rebels. Bastards.”
Lee picked up some of the ashes from the ground, feeling their subtle heat. “It had to have been some kind of bomb, what else could have caused this much damage?”
Thorne spoke up. “If it was a bomb, wouldn’t we have heard it back at the base?”
Boone stepped up the dirt mound where the hole was and positioned himself in the center of the clearing as ashes continued to fall around him.
He looked down towards his chest.
“Sam, get out here. I need you.”
In a brilliant, gilded light, the winged figure from before appeared once more.
The three troopers were awestruck; they could do nothing but watch.
The angel bowed before he spoke in an elegant and sophisticated manner. “Yes, Boone?”
“Sam, search this area for signs of IEDs or plastic explosives. I need to know what happened here.”
“Of course, Boone.”
Reaching out his hand, samples from the ground began to float towards him, and the angel cast an incantation upon them.
Boone pointed towards Thorne.
“Stay with Sam. The other two, follow me.”
Thorne dug into a small divot in the mud, while the others proceeded back down into the trenches. 
“Seems like you were right to be concerned, sir,” said Lee.
“Clearly,” snarked Kyle. “As if I thought it couldn’t get any worse.”
Boone stopped in his tracks, signaling the others to halt as well.
“Sir?” said Lee.
“Shh.”
Boone pointed to the mud ahead of them.
Footprints, clear as day etched into the murky soil.
The trio were on high alert now, Boone took the lead as the others followed closely behind, watching any and all directions for signs of hostile activity.
The trail pointed them deeper into the trench network. The orange bubble would lead the way, illuminating the path before them. A faint smell began to afflict the nostrils, growing stronger the further they went. 
Lee sniffed the air. “You smell that too?”
“Smells like pork to me,” remarked Kyle.
The trail ended in front of a wooden door in the side of the trench wall, a tarp canopy hanging over it. The bubble dissipated as it reached the door. The smell was overpowering now.
Kyle and Lee moved into position along opposite sides of the door, as Boone steadily opened it.
A pungent wave of odor swept across them as a torrent of flies followed in its wake. The two troopers began to gag as the diseased smell escaped the confines of the room. 
Boone set his helmet to filter out the smell as he stepped inside.
The ground below him was covered in a disgusting ooze of melted flesh and bone. Molten skin stuck to black charred bones jutting out of the disgusting mass of biological material. Only bits and pieces of some human faces and clothes could be identified in the mess. 
Lee covered his mouth and nose as he spoke. “Righteous Flame… how?
Boone turned his attention towards the wall. It was adorned with several large burn marks, smoke still fresh in the air.
He reached into the flesh puddles below him to grab any dog tags he could, hoping the metal hadn’t fused with the molten meat.
“Boone.”
It was Sam, he had returned and now floated in front of the doorway.
“What is it? Where’s Thorne?”
“He elected to stay and watch the rear. I found no traces of explosives residue in the clearing, though I detected abnormal levels of Xenon in the air.”
“Xenon? Any idea what it could mean?”
“My analysis indicates that it could be the residue of an experimental plasma-based weapon. It would align with the burn marks on the interior wall of the room you now stand in.”
Boone scoffed. “Plasma weapon? I’ve never heard of Etovsikan People’s Army cells having access to lasers, let alone something as sophisticated as plasma weaponry. It can’t be.”
“What if it isn’t the snowmen sir?” said Lee.
Boone looked down towards his balled fist, still clinging onto the dog tags he had just retrieved before stowing them in a pouch on his waist.
“We need to get back to base immediately. We don’t have the time to waste guessing. The captain needs to know about this as soon as possible. Let’s move!”
“Yes, sir!”
The angel retreated into Boone’s chest once again.
The trio returned the way they came, now with haste. The storm began to pick up as the leaves and branches rustled through the wind and the downpour grew ever stronger.
The Knight called out as the group passed by the clearing “Thorne, we’re leaving! Get your ass moving!”
No response.
They stopped and turned back towards the clearing.
“Thorne?”
Still nothing.
Boone went back up the mound to look for Thorne.
“Trooper, we have no time for…”
Thorne laid in the mud unmoving. A large smoking hole was left in the back of his torso.
Boone kneeled alongside the man, flipping him over. Eyes were rolled back, body stiff.
“He’s dead?” inquired Lee.
“We’re not alone.”
Kyle twitched in his boots. “What the hell, man.”
“Stay calm, keep your eyes open, we don’t know-
BOOM!!!
A shockwave roars past them.
Turning behind them, a massive ball of fire shoots up into the air, originating from within the confines of the base. The glow of the explosion illuminated the surrounding forest. Tracers begin to light up the night sky. Gunfire and the whining alarm grew ever louder.
Crunching leaves and skittering footsteps surrounding them.
They raise their rifles in a flash, assuming a circular formation. 
He could sense the unease in his men. Their hurried breaths, their rapid heartbeats. They gave it away. He understood their worries, he hardly knew what they were dealing with himself.
He was a Knight; he had to sway himself away from such thoughts.
Fear was for others.
He could hear the heartbeats of his stalkers too, though they sounded irregular. They spoke in a dialect he neither understood nor heard before.
“Sir?” said Lee. “What do we do?”
The footsteps silenced for a moment, a brief reprieve.
Click
The faint pull of a trigger.
“DOWN!”
POW! POW! POW!
Boone grabbed the two men and leaped into the trench behind them, narrowly avoiding a barrage of green, purple, and blue orbs hitting them from multiple directions.
A torrent of plasma began melting through the muddy trench as they were fired on from the surrounding trees.
Boone rose to his feet and lifted the two men, pointing back the way they came.
“Go! I’ll cover you!”
They made a mad dash to the relative safety the base provided.
Like a buzzsaw cutting into steel, his rifle screeched, cutting its way through the surrounding trees in a fury of lead. His bullets left behind fist sized holes, mowing through acres of forest with just a single magazine.
His attackers pressed forward, not human.
Small insectoid creatures attacked in droves; their shots began to strike his barrier.
With perfect precision, he blasted them into pulp, dozens had already fallen yet still they persisted. More shots struck his barrier, he couldn’t hold.
He retreated in the direction of his men, continuing to fire as the bug creatures dropped into the trench to pursue him.
Boone grabbed strands from the spool at his waist, ripping them apart with the sound of a violet guitar shred, now glowing red into a ball of holy fire. Tossing it behind him, the insects lit ablaze, violently screaming in high pitched voices as their chitinous exterior withered away.
Another shot from behind finally broke his barrier just as he made it to cover.
Respite.
A constant ringing in his helmet reminded him that his barrier was depleted. He grabbed another strand, stretching it across the width of his body. A white flash covered his armor and the beeping resided. 
The ammo counter on his rifle flashed red. The magazine fell from his weapon, and he loaded another from a pouch on his abdomen. He pulled back the charging handle.
“Breathe Boone.”
It was Sam, from within his mind.
He exhaled.
Ready.
Another bug came around the corner. A lighting fast round house kick into its body obliterated it instantly into tiny green chunks splattered across the trench wall.
Boone reached into a pouch on his chest, pulling out a flashbang. Pulling the pin, he tossed it over the trench into the swarm.
POP, POP, POP!
Several flashes and the thunderous crack of the flashbang disoriented his foes. The perfect opportunity.
Leaping out of the trench, he let loose with his rifle. They were turned into mulch in short order. Some screamed and desperately clung to life but another quick shot put them out of their misery.
He could hear more encroaching in the distance, but he had given himself an opportunity. With the lull in their numbers, he sprinted back towards his men, the rain parting as he did so. The ground quaked with every step and in no time, he was out of the trenches.
“HELP!”
Boone slid to an abrupt stop.
A massive creature stood around 50ft ahead of him, holding Kyle up by the neck. 
Boone readied his rifle.
“Put the man down!”
It turned its head towards him.
Its head was covered in tan colored fur, the rest of the body covered in blue bulbous armor. Long floppy ears adorned the sides of its head and two larger ones were positioned on the back. Curved horns jut out of the top of its head. A massive tail wiggled behind it.  
Its eyes were large and they glistened a vibrant violet. It had a small nose and short muzzle.
Boone yelled out again.
“Do you understand me?! Put the man down, now!”
It grinned from cheek to cheek, revealing multiple rows of jagged razor-sharp teeth. The beast licked its own face with its long, slobbery, tongue.
It widened its jaws further.
CRUNCH
It chomped into Kyle’s neck, causing him to scream in agony before his throat was ripped out.
Boone began opening fire.
The beast threw Kyle’s corpse to the side, splattering it against a nearby tree as it leapt towards Boone on all fours. He barely had time to sidestep it as it charged past him.
He kept firing, but to no avail as his rounds fizzled away on contact. 
An energy shield.
The creature turned back towards him and dashed forward, splintering his rifle in its hands, before sending him flying through a tree with a side kick from its massive legs.
He landed against a rock, cracking it in two. Boone grasped his chest and recoiled in pain. He was given no time to rest as it pounced on him once more, sending a quick jab to his gut and kneeing him in the helmet.
It then sat on him, putting all its weight on his torso as it wrapped its long-clawed fingers around his neck and its tail around his legs. It was unlike any pain he’d ever felt.
He was already tall for a human, yet this beast still dwarfed him.
“Why?” Boone asked, barely able to gasp for breath.
The creature laughed in a feminine voice, lapping up some of the blood left on its face.
“Do the cattle need to know why they are culled?” she said in a commanding voice.
She loosened one of her hands and scratched his chin with her pointer finger.
“We all heard stories of your kind as pups. Nobody really thought they were true though. But our goddesses have shown us the way. Now here we are. And oh, what a treat you are…”
Boone was filled with anger at his helplessness; he couldn’t do anything but watch her toy with him.
She brought her face to the side of his helmet and whispered.
“I hope you don’t break as easily as the others.”
She giggled, unhinging her jaw once more.
“Playing with your food, Overseer?” said a raspy male voice from behind her.
She lifted her head and turned towards him.
Another creature clad in glossy red metallic armor stepped up from behind her. He wasn’t nearly as tall, though he was still larger than Boone. A neon green visor obscured his face. He had broad shoulders and a wide torso with a tapered waist and stood in a hunched posture. His abdomen protruded from behind like an ant. The black undersuit hid a strong physique underneath.
“Let me have my fun, Varg.”
“There are millions more of these things. Hundreds in that pen alone. Don’t waste your time with one. The Reaper did her job well; they were not prepared for our arrival.”
She scoffed. “Of course she did, she’s one of the Chosen. Besides, you wouldn’t get it.”
Varg shook his head in annoyance and walked away towards the base. “You’re right. Just make it quick, woman.”
She turned back towards Boone.
“Where were we? Oh, right.”
She pressed her head against his helmet, fogging up the visor.
“Did I tell you how the other one died? He wasn’t as fortunate. He tried to run, too bad he was so slow. I grabbed him up and started popping his little fingers into my mouth, one by one. CRUNCH!”
She jabbed her claw into his side, causing him to wince in pain. He was furious.
“He begged for mercy. ‘Please stop!’ HA! An animal begging for its life! How ludicrous…”
Boone’s blood was boiling hot. 
“But that’s just the beginning. Soon enough, we’ll do the same for the rest of the monkeys. It’s going to be so fun to break them all.”
He wanted nothing more than to rip out her heart.
She pulled her arm up and ignited a wrist mounted energy blade.
“The Queens will it so.” She smirked.
“RAAHHH!” Boone screamed with all his fury.
The Overseer jolted back as the burning armor forced her away. 
He broke free of her grip and bashed her head with his own, sending her stumbling back. Before she got a chance to recover, he sent her flying back with a kick of his own. The Overseer barreled through the air, smashing through several trees as she smacked into the dirt next to Varg.
“I told you to kill that thing.”
The Overseer stumbled to her feet, spitting out a wad of blood and readying her execution blade. Varg did the same as well.
“Just shut up and hell me kill it!”
They began to sprint towards him.
Boone retrieved his sword from his back. Pulling it between his bicep and forearm, it ignited in a burst of holy flame.
“Show these heathens no mercy, Boone!” said Sam.
A mighty swing launched a ball of blazing fire towards his enemies. The Overseer leapt back to avoid the explosion as Varg pressed forwards.
The alien warrior slashed repeatedly, Boone gracefully avoiding each one before countering with a precise swing that severed the arm to which his blade was attached. To Boone’s surprise, he ignored the pain and instead wildly swung his stump of an arm.
But another swing from Boone bisected him straight down the middle.
The Overseer dashed towards him, but Boone would grab an uprooted tree to his side and bash her, causing her to fly into another stump.
She could barely move before Boone’s sword flew forwards and stabbed into her gut, followed by a haymaker that eviscerated the tree behind and buried her into the dirt.
She vomited up blood.
“What, going to have your-“
CRACK!
Boone gave her no chance, curb stomping her head into the dirt, scattering gray matter and blood. He lifted his helmet slightly to spit on the corpse.
He could barely breathe; it had been so long since he had felt a sensation like this. That he could actually did that is. The adrenaline was wearing off now; he felt the pain in his side return.
Boone punched into the Overseer’s chest, pulling out her massive heart. He crushed it in his hands, allowing the blood to flow down his arm and pour into the cracks in his armor.
His flesh began to heal rapidly, the whole in his side was no more and the suit itself was repaired as well.
“Remember to breathe.”
“I know, Sam.”
He breathed in.
And out.
“I just want to know why this had to happen. Thorne, Kyle, and Lee…”
“They are in a better place now. Focus on saving those you still can, the Flame will shepherd the dead.”
“Right.”
More came from behind, as an ending army of alien creatures marched through the desecrated forest surrounding him.
Gunshots and cannon fire still could be heard from the base; all hope wasn’t lost just yet.
Recovered in mind and body, he let loose, charging forward with superhuman speed. The ground cratered and the trees turned to dust in his wake. It wasn’t long at all before he had managed to reach the base.
At the gates, he could see that half the base on the side of the barracks had already fallen to the attackers. Most of the remaining personnel were centered around the command center, fighting desperately to hold their ground. He could hear the roaring sounds of a new threat, shaking the ground with every step as it approached.
BREEEEEEEEEEEEE
A colossal three-legged vehicle pressed forward from behind the barracks. Two pods attached to its main body by mechanical tendrils fired heat rays that evaporated those caught in its blast. 
Boone rushed towards the command center on the left, dodging a hail of fire from across the base. A trooper signaled from an open doorway at the side of the building.
“It’s the Knight, he’s here!”
As Boone passed through the door, a duo of troopers quickly shut the door behind him.
“Thank the Flame, we thought you might have died!”
“Is the captain still here?”
“Yes, sir, he’s still holed up in the top of the tower. He ordered us to hold our ground; he’s assured us that reinforcements are en route. We just need to buy some time.”
“What?! That’s suicide! The base is lost, trooper, you all need to leave!”
“But-
“Go!”
The trooper hesitated for a moment.
“Yes, Knight.”
The trooper rallied the other soldiers around him as the Knight made his way up the stairs to confront the captain. He could hear someone talking to him above.
“Sir, we’re about to loses the armory, how much longer can we hold? Should I relay the order to fall back?”
“No, continue to hold. It won’t be much longer now.”
Boone stomped forwards, pushing aside the Gunmen guarding the entrance.
The captain turned to look at the encroaching Knight.
“Commander Boone? Good to see you alive, I had feared the worst when-
BLAM!
His head exploded like a pinata, and his body slouched to the ground. Boone had shot him in the head with his revolver.
The men around him reeled in shock.
“What the hell are you doing!”
The sailors raised their weapons and pointed them towards the Knight.
“He’s not on our side.”
GRAHHHHHHHHH
A guttural roar came from the captain’s throat. His body twitched and convulsed, gradually rising to his feet. His body shook violently as the roar grew louder and louder.
AHHHHHHHHHHH
His flesh melted into pink pus, long tendrils sprouted from his back, and his rib caged opened into pointed teeth. A new head appeared from his neck. It was a round pink blob, with two massive green and purple eyes. Two glowing horn-like protrusions grew out of the top and two long tentacles grew out of the back of the head.
The old flesh melted away, as the figure of a pink alien woman appeared. Its torso, head, and abdomen were made of supple pink flesh, connected by large red tubes. Its limbs were long and girthy, two large claws adorning each foot. A long tail appeared from behind, with a red eye at its end. 
It extended it’s arms forwards at though beckoning them.
Everyone in the room began firing on the creature, to little effect.
A jagged smile appeared from the creature’s face.
Sharp tendril burst out from its body.
Boone avoided it, while the others would be impaled. They all screamed as their bodies slowly melted and congealed into the creature.
The Knight reached to grab his blade, but the creature smacked him with another tendril. He flew out the door and threw the window of the stairwell, landing outside the base perimeter as the troopers from before ran for safety.
One by one they were cut down, melted and torn apart by the unceasing barrage of the advancing aliens. There was no end to their numbers.
The tripod appeared from behind the building, and more still approached from the horizon. The land burned around him, and no more souls were left to witness.
Human, that is. 
He was the last.
His ears were ringing, his vision blurry, yet he stumbled to his feet.
A single voice cut through the fog.
“Boone! We need to run! Now!”
“Sam?”
The pink creature leapt hundreds of feet from the tower, landing directly in front of him. Boone stumbled back, still dazed.
It just stared.
“Run!”
He wanted to fight.
But he couldn't.
He turned and sprinted away.
It continued to stare at him, all the while the army continued to bear down on him.
It was too late for everyone here; he was the only one left.
He had to run, fast and far.
It might not be too late just yet.
He had to warn them before it was too late.