(Libertatem 1, 59 / 6:15AM)

  The world became upside down.

  Having his head be the first body part to plow through the reddened clouds, ash and smoke molested his windpipe and nostrils as it forced its way into his lungs.

  Like a fallen angel being kicked out of the heavens, like a mythical creature born out of God’s experiment.

  He felt truly free.

  Exiting the red smoke clouds, he saw the entire city with his body inverted.

  (Luke’s thoughts) So this is the world from below…

  The chilled air caressing the edges of his jacket and pants, blew the ends of his fabric clothing as he still held the metal water bomb that he tucked like a baby. Unable to draw breath, he dueled the monstrosity that was to the left of him.

  And with his own sharpened eyes, the creature that brought hell toward the nd of the living fmed the entirety of the east side of the downtown district, with its fmes melting the hardened cement like it was ice cream.

  (Luke’s thoughts) And I have one shot…

  Reaching the halfway point of the building, Luke’s eyes began to widen as he looked down onto the fastening ground. Opening his mouth, the ride-side bang that covered his right eye uncovered itself as both of his red eyes stared at the asphalt ground that awaited him.

  As the sounds of voices, all repyed a neverending movie that dispyed the past six years of his life.

  (Boris in Luke’s thoughts) Gamblers and soldiers are a lot alike.

  (Joseph in Luke’s thoughts) You’re not ready.

  (Luna in Luke’s thoughts) Then instead of being strong, how about strategizing a bit more?

  (Hope in Luke’s thoughts) You didn’t kill him, Luke.

  (Fred in Luke’s thoughts) Do I … do you still miss your mom?

  (Stan in Luke’s thoughts) I’m sorry…

  (Gwen in Luke’s thoughts) All I want in life … is to go to Paradise.

  All of these voices pying at a fastening pace, Luke began to close his eyes as the wind tried to force them open.

  His body not letting out a bead of sweat, nor letting out a groan from his vocals, for once his body was as rexed as the clouds that he had passed.

  And in one single whisper, another voice silenced the other voices that repyed over and over again.

  (Mary in Luke’s thoughts) Live for me!

  Luke opened his eyes.

  While he swung both of his feet backward, making a backward kick with all of the force inside of his legs.

  In that one single moment, a spark lit up not just from his beating heart, but from—

  The metal canisters that were lodged onto the back of his new boots that he wore.

  In one single burst, two bolts of fme and fire sprouted out from the ends of the boots, propelling a compelling force that battled against the force of gravity. As he was hundreds of feet from hitting the ground, his boots that were supposed to push him upward…

  Propelled him into the ruined buildings that were now right in front of him.

  (Luke) Ah!

  His heels being the engine and his legs being the steering wheels, Luke swayed and maneuvered back and forth against the concrete and brick buildings. As if it were natural for him, he avoided every building since the motion of the boots wouldn’t stop for anything.

  Having his feet being the ones to guide him despite them being on the rear, Luke noticed an incoming building that popped out in front of him.

  With little time to dodge.

  (Luke) Oh no!

  An old window awaited his arrival.

  A reverb service bell rang all around his soul, and his blessing became activated by will as he soon clenched all four of his mors in a grinding close. Tucking his entire body in…

  He welcomed the old window with mind, body, and luck.

  Despite the world going in present motion, his blessing made it seem as if he was going on a rollercoaster, as he made sudden evades and turns to avoid the tables and broken down doors. Feeling the edges of the obstacles with just the skin of his clothing, he didn’t let a breath draw in while going through the entire floor of the building.

  Coming out from the other end of the building, gss shards scraped against his skin as his bloodied knuckles and hands dripped down onto the ground below. His rocket boots still in motion, he turned his stomach so that his feet were still pushing him in the same direction while seeing the building that he was in.

  (Luke’s thoughts) That was close!

  Looking in the direction of where the water pump facility was, right next to it was none other than the fiery monster that emitted its lethal fmes. Noticing that the fiery monster had soon stopped, Luke bit down his lower lip, followed by the air around him fastening as he kicked both of his feet back again.

  Which sent his rocket canisters to second gear.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Time to finish this!

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  She bent down on both of her knees, csping both of her hands together.

  The fmes of her magma body dimmed, she hunched her body forward as her face soon began to look down onto the water pump facility that was right below her. Not letting out any malicious intent or smirk coming out from her mouth, the monster continued to keep her stance in check while ignoring all of her surroundings.

  (Sidney’s thoughts) Just like st time.

  Her knees beginning to melt the asphalt and concrete that she put pressure on, along with the many buildings withering its chemical paint away.

  Gripping her hands more tightly, the fiery fmes that were dimmed from the beginning soon ceased to shine. With no light or heat to the creature, then what would she—

  She slowly turned her head upward as she kept her muscle face still.

  Turning her head to the left of her, her eyes caught the whiff of a young man with light brown hair who held a heavy metal container tucked with both of his hands.

  No light emitting out from her eyes, she uncsped her hands as she id them motionless to the ground beneath her. Staring at the young man intently, the crevices of her magma skin eyes started to snt.

  (Sidney’s thoughts) I guess I steered his whole life huh.

  Leaving the water bomb tucked in his right armpit with his right arm, he used his left to pull out a little red gun that mimicked that of a toy gun from a dolr store. Bringing it up toward the air, he had his finger on the trigger as he pointed it up high with his tippy toes stabilizing himself.

  Pulling the trigger, red smoke rushed onward out of the barrel of the pstic red gun.

  Sending the red smoke fme up high, it lit the darkening morning sky that didn’t let the morning rays come forth because of the hellish clouds. With the smoke fre being up high in the air, it then died off as it struck the top of the bck clouds.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Hope that gives us the right signal.

  She soon used her right leg to push herself off the ground.

  Having one knee still on the ground, she also used it to push herself off as she stood up straight with both of her hands motionless to her magma skin thighs. Looking down on the young man, the fiery monster had its snted and pushed-up eyes onto Luke.

  Who happened to have his face and body drenched in a heap of sweat, his palms starting to loosen the grip upon the metal bomb.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Honestly, the idea seemed far-fetched, even for me…

  His breathing fastened, he noticed that the monster's right arm pulled upward, bringing her arm and hand up high in the air. Gluing both of her bare feet onto the holed asphalt, she steadied herself as the crevices of her eyes pushed down in just the snap of a finger.

  Also in that single snap, she hurried her open-palmed hand onto him.

  The fmes of her skin began to open up again, her magma skin soon turned from hardened va rock to actual magma that ran down her skin. Her right palm closer and closer to the defenseless Luke, he crouched down on both of his knees as he slouched his chest forward.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Is it going to work?

  Her now fiery hand was right on top of him.

  Luke’s entire soul screamed out in danger as a hearing of a reverb service bell shingled across his body.

  Closing his eyes, he awaited as he let his body succumb to the beauty of dy luck, his arms, and hands that were wrapping the metal water bomb still gripped toward him. Hearing his beating heart that didn’t implode from inside of his chest, even his breath was picked up from his ears.

  As he then opened up his eyes again.

  (Luke) What the…

  The change of pce was different, as before he was right in front of the monster.

  Now, he was in the back of her.

  Her hand came full force onto the stone asphalt and debris, creating a loud boom that thundered the sky and air. With the shockwaves riddling the entirety of the city as if a small earthquake had formed, the top of the debris that he was now on shifted and churned.

  Not only did his eyes catch a whiff of change, but his lower waist felt like two arms that were wrapped around him in an iron grip.

  (Luke) Next time, be a little bit faster okay?

  (Luna) How about not jumping off of a fucking building next time!?

  Turning her head rapidly toward the tanned beauty and the light-haired young man that were in the back of her, the fmes of her body glowed ever brighter as the heat caused them both to take a step back.

  Their clothes trapping the heat inside, Luna unwrapped her arms around Luke as she took out two metal batons that were holstered onto her hips. As the heat started to drench both of their bodies in a sultry sweat, Luke gnced at her with pushed-down eyes.

  (Luke) You know you can’t fight her with those.

  (Luna) Does it look like I already know that?

  As her magma hands soon curled up into fiery fists, her bck and red fingers curled into her magma rock palms. Having her fming eyes glued to the two of them, the monster took a single step forward as the shockwave of the step caused the debris on where they were on top to crumble.

  Noticing that the stone started to colpse onto itself, Luke huddled the bomb close as he raised his voice.

  (Luke) Quick! Grab hold of me!

  Barely in time to put back her metal batons onto her holsters, she quickly wrapped around his lower waist without question. Falling from the mountain of stone that they were both on top of, it gave Luke the chance to kick both of his feet backward, as the metal canisters from the back ends of his boots surged forth.

  (Luke) Brace yourself!

  (Luna) W-Wait what—

  Both of them flew up high in the air, avoiding not only the motion of the fall but also another deadly attack by the monster.

  Her fists smmed onto the area of which they were originally at, Luke looked down to see the burning fists melting the stone into waxed cream that resembled glue. His boots sent him up toward the monster’s chest level in height, his entire body strained itself by a weight that was simir to his.

  A weight that managed to ally itself with gravity.

  (Luna) Put me down! Put me down! Put me down now!

  Unable to even hit him let alone be angry with him, her entire body clung onto him as if her life depended on it.

  With Luke’s eyes continuing to analyze the monster, she arched her head forward while opening her mouth to let out a shriveling war cry. As the monster’s breath reached the flying Luke, he let the motion of his boots circle back and forth with Luna in tow.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Where could her weak spot be? Diego and the others said that her chest area was a no-go.

  (Luna) Put me the hell down now! Now! Now! NOW!!

  Ignoring her pleas and demands, her eyes widened as he continued to glide through the air as if he were oblivious to her wails and cries.

  Luckily for him, another red fre of smoke came forth from another building that was right near him, with the red fre of light unable to reach the top of the hellish clouds. Squinting at where the light was from that direction, he noticed that a couple of helicopters were on standby in a building that wasn’t affected by the burning heat.

  (Luke) It’s them! Look, Luna! It’s them!

  (Luna) Pce me there now! Do it or else!

  (Luke) Sorry Luna, but it’s all according to pn.

  (Luna) What fucking pn!? We don’t even have a pn you—

  (Luke) Just bear it for a couple of minutes.

  Continuing to grip his body, she let out a trailing hiss from both ends of her teeth. A low growl came from the depths of her vocals, her fingers began to stab and tear into his leather jacket.

  While ignoring her little fuss, Luke looked up to see another red fre coming from near the building that the group of helicopters nded on.

  (Luke’s thoughts) Is that the others?

  A white fre glistened the night sky, with the fre being the most west out of all of them.

  Looking toward where the military complex was, the group could be none other than David and the others who continued to hold down the fort. Letting out a small smile, the entirety of the little improv that everyone was a part of was now coming to its fulminated conclusion.

  (Luke’s thoughts) I guess Benn, David, and the others in the complex are sitting this one out…

  Looking toward the two main groups that awaited the coming battle, Luke pulled out a little metal earpiece that was inside of his jacket, putting it right beside his right ear. The sound of wind being filtered by the device, static soon started to pierce his ear as it cleared off, leading to a voice that trailed out of the piece.

  (Jack) L-Luke. Is this thing on?

  (Luke) Yeah, it’s on. Can you determine her movements exactly?

  (Jack) Sort of. She’s hell bent on trying to kill you guys. But it looks like she’s ignoring her main objective…

  With Jack being a support guide, Luke let out a single long breath out of his pink lungs. Feeling his body loosened, Luna cttered her teeth followed by her grip on him starting to worsen by the second.

  Turning his head back onto the wide-eyed Luna, he gave her a reassuring smile that caused Luna to stop her squirming.

  (Luke) Don’t worry Luna. Once we end all of this, then I could help you lower yourself down.

  (Luna) You better!

  Still grinding her jaws against one another, Luke motioned his head forward again as he saw the monster still eyeing them like an annoying housefly. Turning his feet, he made sure that the direction of which he faced was none other than the fiery creature that blocked their path.

  Like an angel, like a bird, he was free and he was fighting a demon.

  A demon that long tormented the pnet that used to be a pnet free from sin.

  Well, that’s what he thought at least.

  Soaring toward the monster, he sharpened his eyes while keeping his body straightened and rexed so that Luna wouldn’t have a hard time trying to keep still. Not only that, but it was also useful for her so that she would be able to teleport without feeling nervous or frightened.

  (Lieutenant) Form up!

  A ptoon of soldiers and elite soldiers alike awaited on the ground that was in front of the burning monster.

  With a total of barely 50 to 60 soldiers, many of the common Joes looked down onto the ground with darkened faces and gritting teeth. Unable to even look up at the monstrous sight that was in front of them, their wielded guns trembled as they couldn’t even lift their hands to aim down.

  As for the elite soldiers.

  (Miles) Remember to heal any soldier's Hope!

  (Hope) Got it!

  (Miles) Johnny! Elizabeth! You’re with me!

  (Johnny and Elizabeth) Got it!

  (Miles) Stan. Good luck out there.

  (Stan) You too man.

  Separated into three separate groups, Hope went off with the many soldiers who were low on morale, while Miles, Johnny, and Elizabeth formed their little group away from the ptoon.

  Meanwhile, Stan, Gary, Fred, and Diego were all alone with nothing but weapons and gadgets that they still carried even through everything they went through.

  With many of them on their podiums, they awaited the signal that would be bestowed by Luke and only Luke, as all of them looked up into the flying star that circled the angry giant. Infatuated with the young light brown-haired man, everyone held in their breaths as the heat from the creature raspied their throats.

  (Hope) Remember to give it your all!

  Pumping up both of her hands in the air, she was right next to the Lieutenant who pced her right next to him.

  With the ptoon of soldiers stationed in the front, they saw the three other soldiers going in the other direction. As Miles was in front of them, he wielded his typical dual-wielding sawed-off shotguns, his fingers id to the sides of the guns.

  (Miles) The ptoon is there to concentrate fire on her stomach and chest, while we and Stan’s group are aiming straight for her legs!

  (Johnny) Do you think it should give Luke an opening!?

  (Miles) It’s the only way!

  For the group that was toward the opposite of Miles’s group.

  (Stan) Get your best gadgets ready!

  The four of them took out respectively a pistol, revolver, razored whip, and an assault rifle. Not only this was their inventory, but rather their first card in py, since all of them had backpacks that caused them to pant under the strength of the devices in store.

  Wiping away an abundance of sweat, Fred used his right arm as it got coated by the salted water. Looking up at the fiery inferno that he ran away from six years ago, all three of them let out huge gulps down their throats.

  Except for Diego.

  (Diego) Don’t worry Stan. You know me when it comes to these streets.

  (Stan) Thanks, Diego. Just have a slight disadvantage, that's all…

  Pulling out his sleeve from his right pocket, Stan looked down at his right hand which was molded in white bandages. Right where his wrist was, were stitches and living tissue being clumped together to try to hold his right hand from breaking off.

  Unable to grab anything with his recovering right hand, he pced it back inside his pants pocket. Wielding an assault rifle with his left hand, he already had his pointer finger ced on the side of the gun.

  (Fred) Good thing that Hope somewhat healed it to the betterment of her ability.

  (Stan) If I’m being honest, I thought I was about to lose my right hand for good.

  (Gary) If you’re lucky, you might be able to barely use it for the upcoming months. Almost like your body has been given a new hand you know, have to train it from ground zero.

  (Stan) Hopefully.

  The four of them looked upward into the night sky, seeing the dazzling light show that circled the fiery beast.

  Propelling their heels to push off the asphalt of the street, every soldier sucked in a big breath that clocked and turned every corner of their lungs.

  (Stan) Everyone knows what part they do.

  (Miles) This is it.

  (Lieutenant) Buckle up, soldiers!

  Squinting his eyes as his vision blurred from the movements of his own body and rocket boots, Luke turned his head back toward Luna.

  (Luke) Luna, take out the red fre gun!

  Using her right arm, she tightened her hold around his lower neck while her legs cradled against his thighs. With her left hand, she scurried into Luke’s inner jacket as her knuckles grazed against the many objects and gadgets that were locked up tight.

  Feeling a pstic gun, she quickly pulled it out and pointed it up high in the air, the wind blowing against her face.

  Pulling the trigger, a rge red fre lit up the already early morning sky, the smoke glistening onto both of their faces.

  (Luke) Get ready…

  Because the battle between the weakest and the rgest commenced.