(Reverence 3, 59 / 12:21AM)

  (Luke’s group)

  Her hands bound her from picking up the gun.

  Despite the long bck metal crushing against her brown boots, her hands lost the motion to grab as they succumbed to blood loss. Her knees buckled, her breath heavy, she tilted her head downward as not even the fiery inferno lit up at her darkened eyelids.

  The turquoise-mustached man smiled smugly at the woman, along with his wife right next to him who had her left hand on his shoulder. As Luke and Hope were blinded, and Miles was patched up by the blinded Hope, it only left Iris to be the one to take on both Zirardges.

  And unlike a certain woman, Iris instantly clenched both of her hands, digging her fingernails into her palms as blood swept to the gravel road.

  (Iris) You’re just trying to falter my mood swings… I … I have enough of this …

  Not even looking down, she kept her eyes on the two Zirardges as she picked up her Thompson.

  Noticing that Betty extended both of her hands outward so that her palms faced Iris, she shut her eyes as she moved her finger onto the metallic trigger that she remembered by heart. Having the Thompson from her hip, she soon pressed fire onto the couple.

  The shattering of the air only intensified, with Doug pcing himself in front of his wife. Taking in the bullets, his stomach and chest were carefully grated by the hot lead, blood seeping out again as a pool of it littered his turquoise boots.

  While covering both of his hands over his heart.

  The piercing sound was repced by just two empty clicks, Iris dropped her gun as she lunged herself to the left.

  (Iris’s thoughts) If that man has some sort of blessing or Curse that deals with healing, then anything that we would throw at him would just be useless. Although…

  Dust being swept up into the desert cloudy sky, Iris dug both hands into her pockets, pulling out two wooden rolling pins.

  The rolling pins were yellowish and old, with bits of wood seemingly cracking off from its hinges. Along with the rolling motion of the pin not being able to travel freely with the wind, it meant that it was just a typical rolling pin used for—

  Two bdes flicked out from the front.

  (Iris’s thoughts) His weakness is right next to him.

  Pulling back her right hand and arm, her skin and muscles gleamed and worked together as she allowed the flow of energy to surge within her. Smelling the air that glistened with burnt garlic and ash, a hint of vanil hair conditioner and shampoo soon bristled her rge nose. Clenching her jaw, she then heard the sounds of a trench gun graze to the right of her, with bits of her jacket burning from the bullet.

  (Iris’s thoughts) And unlike him, she is weak in terms of strength and defense. Only a troll that specializes in support.

  The sounds of the trench gun piercing right next to her eardrums, tinnitus soon clouding her earlobes.

  Pushing her heels off of the gravel road again, another round of dust and pebble shot right up to the cloudy sky, as the smell of vanil extract began to increase. Feeling warmer, she soon began to thrust her right hand like the speed of a slingshot, as the moment that her body made contact…

  Another trench gunshot shattered the air.

  But at that moment, her bde seeped deep into something.

  (Iris’s thoughts) cough cough …

  Having her eyes closed, a small liquid trail flowed out from both corners of her lips, the liquid holding onto the edge of her chin as the right side of her stomach became soft and mushy. With the hot blowing wind breezing through her, another round of dry and wet coughs jumped out from her parched throat.

  But another liquid traversed from her right hand, the sticky substance soon encapsuted the entirety of the wooden rolling bde pin on her right hand. Another round of coughs seeping out in front of her, Iris began to slowly open her eyes, despite her eyelids trying to calm itself shut.

  Right in front of her, the old woman gasped as no blood seeped out from her, with only the stab wound dripping down onto the gravel road.

  (Iris) I … did it …

  Luke, Hope.

  The entirety of the soldiers that were near the ranch house covered their heads to escape from the darkness of reality.

  A light at the end of a tunnel appeared.

  (Luke) Huh?

  Like a time suck, Luke saw the sight in front of him, as Iris managed to inflict her attack on Betty. As for Hope, her healing was done as she also saw what y in front of her, her breath out of pce with a high fever still taking hold.

  Her forehead drenched in sweat, her throat glimmering underneath the burning fmes from above.

  Miles blissfully slept his worries away while the blue shield that defended them was long gone. His left shoulder fully healed, the hole in his jacket followed by the dried-up blood that poured from his arm dusted itself into the wind.

  Patting his head, Hope began to pull out her combat pistol.

  (Doug) B-Betty…

  Both women fell onto their knees, feeling the gravel road scrape against them. Both their breaths soft and mellow, blood continued to spurred out from Iris’s lips as her teeth chattered like a beaver chomping down on an old tree.

  As for Betty, she gripped the rolling pin with her right hand, keeping the bde in pce as she didn’t want it to let go.

  (Betty) I’m … cough cough … not going to be killed by you …

  (Iris) You and I both …

  (Sean) Hey, ya’ll!

  Everyone turned their eyes toward the ginger-haired elf that walked out of the thick smoke.

  Holding his right shoulder with his left hand, he also dragged a bit of his left foot with a pebble jamming itself into his shoes. His shirt untucked inside of his pants, he tucked his right hand into his pocket, as he soon made eye contact with the shaking Doug who kept his distance from the group.

  And with a forced smile, Sean cocked his head to the right.

  (Sean) Did you miss me? I know you miss me, right Doug?

  A low hiss came out from Doug, his teeth slewing out a multitude of saliva and drool as his eyes began to strain a crimson red. His fingers trembling, his breath heavy, he hunched his back slightly as his fingers dug themselves into his trench gun.

  Pointing it at the elf, he already had his finger on the trigger—

  (Luke) Don’t.

  Luke pointed two of his uzis at Doug, having the two barrels jab into the area where Doug’s heart is.

  Doug immediately widened his eyes, his anger seemingly vanishing as he moved his finger away from the trigger. Also noticing Hope drag herself toward Iris, Doug began to lower his aim down to the ground.

  Still having the barrel onto him, Luke kept his eyes on Doug, his stare not a gre but a look of disappointment.

  (Luke) We just want what we came here for. We didn’t do this for revenge.

  (Doug) Then what are you doing it for? For that leaflicker? For yourself? Or for someone else…

  Letting his pointer fingers y on the side of his uzis, Luke only pushed the barrel into Doug’s upper body evermore. Being submerged into the fabric of Doug’s jacket, a bead of sweat rolled down Doug’s face.

  Luke tilted his head downward to ignore the fiery inferno in front of him, seeing the fmes go up as it released ash and smoke. Bits of ember gnawing at his cheeks, only the light from his red eyes fully shined into the fmes of what he created.

  (Luke) I just wanted a normal life. A life where I could explore the world and make friends.

  (Luke’s thoughts) But I guess there’s always a twist to my goals…

  The rumbling beneath him began to thunder.

  Having their attention on Sean, even the ginger elf looked behind to notice a rge fog of dust and smoke brewing up from behind. Noticing a familiar animal, he let out a cheeky smile as the corners of his lips curled upward.

  Because right in front of them was a group of gun-wielding Pacitheists riding their green donkeys.

  Still clutching their Thompson guns in their primary hands, they soon stopped right in front of the elf who watched with his hands on his sides. The temporary leader of the group, a man having a cute button nose and bunny ears, gred at the elf.

  (Jumbo) Please tell me that you got what you’re looking for.

  (Sean) Rex, rex, I got it! Besides, you guys should get going.

  Jumbo took note of the bleeding Iris who still had her rolling pin bde stabbing onto Betty. Seeing this, Jumbo rode himself past Sean and toward the main leader of the mafia. Being right in front of her, both women looked up to see the bunny-human looking down on both of them, his eyes mostly on the old woman.

  Taking in the blonde hair that had a couple of white strands of hair, Jumbo let out a smirk.

  (Jumbo) It sucks being the losers huh?

  (Betty) gasps … shut it … your breath smells like carrots …

  (Jumbo) Yeah, original. Man, you discriminants come up with the most basic racial slurs. I heard better slurs from my friends.

  Jumbo then looked his eyes upon the dark purple-haired woman.

  Hope, who managed to finally reach her, began to press her hand onto the right side of Iris’s stomach. Her hand being soaked with blood, she clenched her eyes as a yellowish light seeped out of her, and her entire body began to feel like tiny ants were crawling inside of her body.

  Jumping out of his donkey, Jumbo pced his hand on the rolling pin; pulling it out to let the blood flow from the wound.

  (Betty) gasps …

  Blood pouring out of her stomach, Doug took a single step forward as he scrunched up his entire face. His cheekbones pushing whatever facial muscles, he dropped his trench gun as he raised both of his hands in the air.

  Everyone seeing this dispy, Doug cleared his throat while looking down to the ground.

  (Doug) Let me treat her … I won’t do anything, just let me tend to my wife…

  Both Jumbo and Sean who walked right near him looked at one another, giving them a little nod before staring at Doug again.

  Sean pushed back his ginger hair, with bits of leaves still lingering in his hair as he deeply tucked both of his hands inside of his leather jacket.

  (Sean) We’re not here to kill anyone. Besides, you guys decided to blow it out of proportion.

  (Doug) You burned half of our crops, and you think we overreacted…?

  Jumbo noticed a stable filled with green donkeys, the stable that Luke and the others left to avoid being detected. Pointing his finger at the pce, Luke’s group looked toward it in unison. Letting out a sigh, Luke looked down as he had his face pushed down while turning to look at both Jumbo and Sean.

  (Luke) So we’re going to have to ride ourselves out of here…

  (Jumbo) That’s our only way.

  (Luke) I’ll have to tie Miles and Hope to their donkeys. You could tie Iris to her right uhm … Jumbo, is it?

  (Jumbo) Got a problem with the name Jumbo?

  (Luke) N-No… no problem…

  Sean soon got behind Luke, who noticed that Hope only patched 50% of the wound on Iris’s body. Seeing her passed-out face, a rge nosebleed escaped from her nostrils, causing Luke to walk toward the two sleeping women.

  Picking her Hope princess style, she nodded both Jumbo and Sean to come near his position, their eyes gazing into the sleeping Iris and Miles.

  (Luke) Carry Iris Jim—Jumbo. Sean, you’re going to have to carry Miles.

  (Sean) Wait what?

  (Jumbo) No worries. Best you guys get out of here. Who knows who will go after you…

  Waving them off goodbye, Luke and the others headed toward the stables where they originally fled from. Carrying the sleeping Hope in his arms, Sean carried Miles on his back as both young men reached inside the stable, the smell of manure being repced by burnt garlic.

  One of the donkeys that licked Luke’s face prior began to show its teeth.

  Letting out a wheezing ugh, the donkey widened its eyes, followed by the rest of the donkeys copying the same donkey. Letting out a small chuckle, he then nestled Hope down on the hay near the donkey’s wooden gate, unlocking the locks as he opened the gate.

  Free, the donkey slowly walked out, rubbing its nuzzle onto Luke’s cheek.

  (Luke) I think this donkey likes me.

  Lowering its head, the donkey sneezed onto Hope’s face, its boogers and saliva running down her sleeping face. A bit of its liquid barely managed to get into her mouth, Luke took a step back as the donkey made another wheezing ugh that crackled the air.

  (Luke) And I guess it doesn’t like Hope…

  As Sean began to tie Miles up on his donkey, the elf had with him another donkey to ride on. Getting on his donkey, he had in his hand the reign of Miles’s donkey, looking back to see that both his hands and body were practically glued to the animal.

  The same went for Luke, who tied Hope up to a donkey that was near him.

  Getting on top of the goofy creature, ticks, and fleas were already raiding his pants and jacket, causing him to softly tap the donkey with his hind feet. Having Hope’s donkey in his hand, Sean rode beside Luke, seeing the view of the entirety of the ranch and its burning crops.

  Looking far into the southern part of the ranch, Luke squinted his eyes to see…

  (Luke) We’re going to need more donkeys.

  (Sean) What for?

  (Luke) Well, we need to get Luna and the others before we can bust out.

  As the two of them went back inside the stables, there y a man holding in his arms the woman of his life.

  Having her head on his p, his right hand had a stitching metal thing followed by a yard of string in his left. Her right stomach was wide open, he went through her skin with the needle that soon started to tighten the wound to close.

  While doing this, he looked toward the barn on the southern end of the property.

  (Doug’s thoughts) Good thing that I was a medic during the war.

  Squinting his eyes onto that rge barn, a small smirk was tched onto his face, with Betty’s breathing soon being brought back to normal. Her small left hand caressing his arm, he continued to stitch up the wound as blood stained his smooth yet rough hands.

  (Doug) Don’t worry dear, our little Kenny will give them a spook.

  ______________________________________________________________________________

  (Reverence 3, 59 / 12:27AM)

  (Luna’s Group)

  The fmes from the east soon began to sprout up again.

  Earlier, the bleach from Vivy’s explosion could only hold the first wave of fmes. The second fme now barreling towards them, Benn, Christian, and Chris all watch to the east, their faces blistering like boiled shrimp.

  Wiping his forehead with his bck leather sleeve, Benn's pants began to be brushed by the swaying of rumbling garlic crops.

  Seeing a small fog cloud to the east, all three of them began to wave their hands in the air, their fingernails grazing the wind. Noticing that a rge group of creatures were behind two riders, a fresh breath of air sowed out from them.

  (Christian) That’s Luke and Sean.

  (Chris) That’s a lot of donkeys.

  (Christian) It’s for the others to get on, including us.

  The fmes ever increasing toward them, the group of donkeys reached them three. Luke, who was leading the pack, gnced at the group before swaying his head left to right, as a bit of sweat rolled down from the top of his nose.

  (Luke) Where’s Luna?

  Christian pointed his finger toward the center of the ranch.

  Noticing a rge barn near the ranch house, the reins that Luke held soon began to tighten under his grasp. Squinting his eyes, three bck dots were seen many meters away, moving like ants etched on the edge of a table.

  Loosening his grip on the reins, a small huff escaped from his lips, with 50% of his mouth being cracked and dried.

  (Luke) She’s not making our job easier for us…

  (Christian) Me and Chris would meet you up at the hill where Jack is. I hope that everything goes well trying to get your girlfriend and my sister.

  (Luke) W-What! Me and Luna aren’t dating!

  (Christian) Really? I thought you guys were. Anyway, catch you ter.

  Christian and Chris walked past the ughing Sean and flustered Luke, as Christian rubbed the back of his head with his unmastered palm. As he and his younger brother reached their respective donkeys, both hopped on with ease, letting the donkeys gallop toward the very south of the property that held a rge Joshua tree.

  Leaves and stems swaying from the hooves of the creatures they rode, Luke turned his attention back to the barn ahead. Swaying his head left and right, his nostrils fred while clicking his tongue.

  Since wheezes and gasps continued to be the norm right next to him.

  As Benn barely managed to stabilize himself on the donkey he acquired, the donkey already began to wheeze. Sweat drenching every part of his literal being, a dry cough escaped from his mummified throat.

  (Benn) We have to get them now. No time for ughing.

  (Luke) A-Agreed! Come on Sean, let’s just get them…

  (Sean) Don’t sweat it, man. There’s always the western exit.

  (Benn) And that exit has the most guards.

  Instead of a slight tap on the donkey’s hind legs, Luke firmly jabbed his boot heel onto the donkey, sending it sprinting toward the barn. Followed by Benn and Sean, two extra donkeys rode with them, as they both held onto not only their reins but the other donkey’s reins.

  And since Hope and Miles were out of commission, they were taken back by both Chris and Christian.

  Through the fmes, the garlic stems.

  To the dirt and fertilizer that sufficed their bountiful harvest.

  To the gravel road that rumbled with pebbles and rock, y a rge red barn.

  The tallest, a tanned beauty, had her swords blotched in orange dust along its metal. A small stream of blood escaped out of her nostrils, she wiped it away with her right sleeve, her jacket already ruined from the bleach that she soaked in.

  And to the right of her, a woman with a much dark complexion tilted her head upward, strands of her hair swaying in the wind. Wielding nothing, the barely adult woman raised both of her hands yet again, with a batch of liquid coming out from her palms.

  While the turquoise-colored hair woman had burnt scars tched across her face, strands of it began to wither away into crusted nothingness.

  (Vivy) Why can’t … coughs … you guys just die …

  (Pacifica) We’re not … dying just yet …

  Pacifica raised both of her hands toward her shoulders, her knuckles wanting to burrow out of her skin while Vivy gritted her lower and upper yellow teeth. Her lungs stabbing her ribs, Pacifica clenched just her left eye while having her right open.

  Spitting out a bit of blood, a small front tooth also joined in on the escape route, leading her to move her tongue around the inside of her mouth. Tasting all the iron and metal that confined itself with her blood, she knelt and picked up her tooth, putting it inside of her pocket.

  (Pacifica) A beatdown … is a beatdown…

  Spreading both of her feet apart, she pced her right foot in the back of her while letting her heel dig the inside of the dirt. Twisting and digging itself to stay in pce, droplets of her liquid soon began to hiss and steam the dirt ground.

  On the third droplet, Pacifica pushed herself off of the ground, lunging herself to the right as she saw Vivy pulling back her right arm.

  Throwing her bleach-formed javelin, the tip of the spear narrowly managed to stab her, her right brown outdoor jacket being scraped off from its fabric. Letting the air soak in on her face, she stopped her entire motion with one foot as she arched her back.

  Another javelin flew through the air, barely grazing the top of her nose.

  (Pacifica’s thoughts) Now here goes nothing.

  The distance between Vivy and her was soon closed.

  Having her right hand pull back, her pink-shaded brown jacket rippled through the air. Vivy, who still had her back arched, already formed another bleach javelin, her hand gripping the center of the bleach weapon.

  And thrusting it forward, the tip of the javelin made contact with Pacifica’s palm.

  (Vivy’s thoughts) Do you think you could just block—

  The javelin bleach spear soon began to melt.

  Being sucked up into her skin, it absorbed like a sponge, or rather it was just bested by the strength of the liquid that soon made up her hand.

  Widening her eyes, Vivy watched as her creation was just eaten by Pacifica’s hand, causing her to stumble down. Letting her bottom graze the dirt and pebbles underneath, her own feet started to go numb.

  (Vivy) What are you …?

  (Pacifica) Oh me?! I’m something that eats other things like nothing! Metal, food, and fabric can be eaten by my liquid except for pstic.

  (Vivy) So it’s the opposite of my bleach…

  Her lungs were on the verge of exploding, she looked up toward the night sky that was sealed off from the heavens. Spreading both of her arms and hands out wide, not even a smirk or a frown was pstered onto her face, her lips forming a simple ft line.

  Luna, who dragged her right foot through the ground, barely held onto her sword, pointing it downward at the exhausted Vivy. The tip of the bde barely poked at Vivy’s chin, her hand and arm wobbled uncontrolbly, causing her left foot to lose itself on bancing her body.

  (Luna) Now … we’re still not fully finished with your beatdown …

  (Vivy) Just … gasps … let me use this time to rex …

  Pulling back her sword, Luna raised it high as she set her sights on Vivy's right hand. A small trail of bleach liquidized on her knuckles, and both of Luna’s jaws ground against one another to the level of some of her mors chirping.

  Her legs on the verge of letting herself be pulled down to gravity, an abundance of guns reloaded in back of her. Barely gncing from in back, a rge number of guards holding Thompson guns and carbines managed to break a drop of sweat from her right temple.

  Letting whatever saliva that she had inside of her mouth be swallowed up, her throat felt more parched than before.

  (Luna) I guess I have to make short work of these losers.

  Hunching her back, she pulled back both of her arms and hands, gripping them tightly while tilting her head to the ground. Her breathing heavy, a long dry cough escaped from her dried-up lips. Not taking any chances, the group of guards burst fire to the exhausted woman, the hot lead whistling in the air as it soon nded on…

  Two guards from in back of the group fell head-first onto the gravel road.

  Turning their heads, their weapons already aimed down onto the woman that teleported from in back. Still having half of their ammunition inside of the chamber, the rest of the guards pulled their triggers as the light from the barrels encapsuted itself onto the woman’s eyes.

  All the while she teleported to her original position from before.

  (Luna) Catch me.

  Four guards remained, they jumped back as Luna thrust her bdes onto them, one of the guards having his chest slightly peeled from the rusted bde. Being in the front, the guard held the Thompson onto his hip, blind firing in front of him to get the tanned beauty.

  Teleporting again, they immediately jumped in front to avoid the—

  (Luna) Too easy.

  The guard in the front turned to the left.

  In a dispy of manipution, he was then sshed, his chest being opened up to allow the contents of blood and bone to pour out. Instead of jumping back like usual, the three guards let their jaws drop as their fingers couldn’t pull down their triggers any longer. Like seeing a devil in the making, only a step back was needed for the three of them, as their breathing intensified.

  While Luna dangled her arms, her bdes swishing the air while having her back hunched.

  (Luna) Come … here …

  All three of them stumbling backward, their hands letting go of their guns as a loud metallic clunk sounded off from below their feet. Gripping the gravel, their lower body soon failed to push their feet, followed by their elbows locked in holding them up.

  Their hands trembling, their fingers twitching, and a couple of tears streamed out from the corners of their eyes. Swaying their heads left and right, she stood in front of them, her eyes darkened in a coat of charcoal.

  (Luna) Now what should I do with you …

  (Zirardge Guard #1) P-P-Please let us g-g-g-g-go! W-W-W-W-W-e’ll promise you t-t-t-t-t-that we’ll—

  Her right bde hovered over the guard’s foot, the tip of it barely poking at the tip of his boots.

  Letting out a high-pitched shriek, he raised both of his hands to his face, pulling back his legs and feet to tuck in. Shutting his eyes, every hair in his body spiked out like a technician that got zapped by an electrical cord. Not only his hair, but his fingers began to shake erratically, his bones cracking with every jolt.

  Seeing the man tuck himself in like a turtle, a sly smirk released from her, despite sweat traversing every corner of her body.

  (Luna) I thought you guys were tough. Hehe … you look cowardly in that pose…

  (Zirardge Guard #1) Oh god … just let me go … please … let me go …

  The guard sniffling right in front of her, only made her push the corners of her lips evermore, as she leaned down to take a good look at his sniffling face. Her eyes lowered, her throat mummified with dryness, she pushed her upper lip so that she could softly bite onto it as the man slowly opened his right eye.

  And seeing her face, a small liquid soon released from within him, staining his pants with a yellowish color.

  (Luna) Hmm…

  Right next to her, Pacifica pced her left hand on Luna’s shoulder, eyeing the three guards with the same look that Luna gave them. Having pushed-down eyes, a devilish grin, and her face perplexed with a yer of sweat, she also hunched down her back while letting her nostrils sniff the air.

  And smelling the foul odor of one of the guard’s accidents, she arched her head back, her hair swaying to the right with the wind.

  (Pacifica) Now you know what happens to bedwetters, don’t ya boy!?

  (Zirardge Guard #1) H-H-Ha…

  The barn door soon let itself creak.

  Immediately, the two of them turned around to notice a gust of wind blowing past them, a wind that caused both girls to freeze up. As if the frozen air of liquid nitrogen brushed against them, not even their arms or legs were enough to jolt them out of their state.

  Then the entire barn began to go up in fmes.

  Like the snap of a snapping turtle, the wooden barn from its roof and walls soon were enveloped by the fiery fmes that glistened both their eyes. Burnt hay going up toward the night cloudy sky, Luna in particur noticed a bck leather boot poking out of the door.

  (Luna’s thoughts) What is … going on?

  The doors to the barn swayed wide open.

  In slow motion, the colossally tall fmes reached the height of the heavens, its tip trying to touch and caress the clouds that blocked its path. Out the door, a man cd in all bck tilted his head down to the ground, while having his hands inside of his bck jacket.

  Wearing a bck fedora, his hair was still noticeable as Luna dropped both of her bdes.

  (Luna) Ha…

  She took a step back.

  Her breath was caught in her throat.

  Her knees were buckled.

  Blood flow was nonexistent through her hands and feet.

  Her elbows were locked.

  Her eyes widened.

  Eyebrows raised.

  Her face went pale.

  While the man began to pull out both of his weapons, those weapons being none other than two chainsaw-bded swords.