Striker: a R. A. T. H short story

3

They did as they were told and she found herself with 5 in total.

"As soon as that area shatters, start shooting and running forward, I'll cover us!"

Just as she spoke, it shattered and the firing of pulses filled the land as the team began their movement.

Shana tapped one mana bomb to activation as she hugged them all to her figure. She had 3 seconds. Her body glowed with light, a bird's screech resounded.

"Fly."

The spirit of flickering colors birthed itself into the world and its beak opened as she released the bombs, devouring them. A burp rang. The explosion that should have occurred was compacted, engulfed by the bird, and then it flew into the air and screeched as its multi-colored body exploded.

A rain of light fell from the sky.

Countless beams pierced through the heads of beasts and creatures of all kinds.

Not wasting any time, she gripped her rifle and began firing forward as well. Pulses flying and meeting the power of beasts. Creatures died around them and, then, the barrier that had held behind crumbled.

They had made nothing more than a dent.

A wolf crossed from behind them, its body flickering with electricity and its speed vast enough to cross meters with a single pounce. Eyes crimson. Teeth salivating. It reached their tail in a moment and lashed out.

Shana shot it through its head and it dropped dead.

But that wasn't the last of them.

More came from behind and now they fought on two fronts. Forward, and backward.

A scream tore through the air and she glanced to see John's left arm detach from his body, a solidified beam of mana passing through. Her eyes shook as the crimson of his blood splashed.

"Captain!"

A voice called out to her.

'Huh, what, what's going on?' Shana's eyes jumped and blood splashed upon her face.

Belmonts silver-haired figure stood before her gritting his teeth as a wolf stuck its maws into an arm he used to defend her while the other latched out to push her away.

"What the hell are you doing!" She tried to reach out her hand but the beasts had already reached their backline.

"Goodbye, Captain." Belmont laughed and pushed her away as he continued to fire his weapon. "Stay cute!"

"Wait no, don't you da-!"

Faust grabbed her and pulled her back, dragging her figure as the male grinned, blood spilling from his lips and body being crunched by the jaws of beasts. He kept unloading pulses from his rifle.

"Boom." He spoke.

An explosion of blue ripped apart the area and blood and mana mixed within the air, shattering the atmosphere. Shana found her voice caught in her throat at the realization that her underling had activated the self-destruction function of his body without her order.

The force of the powerful destruction left a crafter upon the land and the air pressure sent them flying as a rain of blood and gore splashed the land.

When she came to, three figures were firing their weapons as they surrounded her body. Of course, being homunculi, they couldn't pass out from being flung about, no matter how brief. Yet, they had chosen immediately to protect her before any thought of safety to themselves.