The survivors bolted toward the subway entrance, stumbling over cracked pavement and scattered debris. The Glint warriors moved fast, forming a perimeter around the fleeing humans, holding the line against the advancing swarm.
The orphans, alongside Vell and Gale, worked frantically to escort the survivors toward the subway exit. Dante's elite guards and several Blood Creed enforcers flanked them, carving down any Fades that broke through, keeping the escape route open.
Farther back, Bob, Iris, Gabe, Sly, and Dante stood as the last line of defense, blocking the advancing swarm from reaching the fleeing crowd.
Iris, Gabe, and Sly cut through the Fades with relentless precision, blades flashing and wings tearing through the mist. Bob stood like a wall, smashing through anything in reach, while Dante tore through creatures with savage force.
The tunnel echoed with the sound of chitin cracking, blades clashing, and the Hive Queen's furious wails shaking the very walls behind them.
But she wasn't stopping. She was gaining.
Her massive form lunged forward, razor-sharp limbs tearing into the ground as she propelled herself with terrifying speed. Each shriek commanded the swarm to chase, to consume. The earth trembled beneath her charge.
The subway exit was in sight.
Bob clenched his fists. "This isn't gonna be easy."
He was the last one through, shoving one final survivor up the crumbling steps before turning back toward the mist.
Then the ground shook harder. Louder. The sound of collapsing steel and splintered stone roared behind him.
Just when they thought they were safe, a deep, guttural screech tore through the air behind them, a sound so powerful it split the ground and sent cracks racing through what remained of the subway structure.
The Hive Queen was coming. The earth itself trembled beneath her.
Then, with a thunderous boom, the subway entrance erupted.
Debris exploded outward, stone, steel, and shattered concrete raining across the street. A wave of dust choked the air. And from the ruins, she rose.
The Hive Queen forced her way out, her grotesque, towering form silhouetted in the swirling Pink Fog. Her bioluminescent sacs pulsed with fury, mandibles twitching, and her blade-like limbs stabbed into the ground with each lurching step.
She screeched again, louder, sharper. A command.
And the swarm obeyed.
Fades poured out of the tunnel behind her, hundreds of them, their black chitin glistening as they surged forward like a living tide.
Bob turned, eyes wide.
"RUN!"
The survivors needed no further instruction. They bolted toward the safe zone, their panicked footsteps pounding against cracked pavement.
The Glint warriors moved with precision, falling into formation around the fleeing civilians, striking down any Fade that broke through. They weren't standing their ground; they were buying time, retreating step by step, holding the line as long as they could.
Iris, Gabe, and Sly took point, cutting down anything that got too close to the fleeing crowd.
"This is getting worse by the second!" Iris shouted, slicing through a charging Fade.
"Yeah? Welcome to every plan Bob touches," Sly muttered, blinking behind another and driving his dagger through its back.
Overhead, Gabe circled and called out, "Keep pushing! We're almost clear, don't stop!"
The Orphans, alongside Vell and Gale, fought fiercely to hold the middle, guarding the younger kids with grim determination.
Behind them, Dante's elite guards and the Blood Creed enforcers held the rear line.
"Hold formation!" one of the guards barked. "Buy them time!"
Blades clashed and Fades dropped, but the swarm wasn't thinning. It was only getting thicker.
Then came the shriek.
The Hive Queen's cry pierced the air, bloodcurdling and commanding. And with it, she charged.
The safe zone loomed in the distance, but it stood on the brink of collapse. The air thickened with dread as the swarm surged into view, an army of humanoid, bee-like Fades moving with terrifying coordination.
This was no mindless assault.
The Hive Queen didn't rush. She advanced with the slow, certain authority of a ruler. Her drones moved in waves, her warriors carved through obstacles, and towering enforcers cleared the path ahead.
This was a colony, structured, relentless. And it was closing in, ensuring that no one escaped alive.
Bob stood just beyond the safe zone's edge, his towering Goliath frame casting a shadow over the warriors assembled beside him. There were no barricades. No walls. Just fighters standing shoulder to shoulder in the open, ready to hold the line against the incoming swarm.
Iris, Gabe, and Sly flanked him, their Glint forms glowing faintly through the mist. The Orphans, every one of them transformed, stood nearby with focused, determined expressions. Dante's elite guards took their place at the rear, silent, disciplined, waiting for the signal.
Across from them, the Hive Queen's swarm approached like a living storm. Buzzing filled the air, a low vibration that grew louder with every second.
Then, from within the safe zone, a voice cut through the rising tension, steady and loud over the murmurs of the frightened crowd.
Dante.
He stood atop the fortified balcony of Graves Manor, high above the city, arms outstretched in a calculated display of control. He wore no armor, no Glint, his powers suppressed by the safe zone's barrier, but he didn't need them. Not here.
Not while every eye in the city was on him.
"Citizens of Graves Safe Zone!" he declared. "Today, we stand at the edge of annihilation, but we do not cower! We do not flee! We fight! Because this city is ours, and though no monster can enter its walls, they will try to starve us out, to make life unbearable beyond these borders. But we will not be trapped! We will push them back and show them that humanity will not be caged!"
A wave of cheers erupted from the gathered crowd, especially from the elite families and city enforcers. Dante smirked, basking in the admiration. "I will lead our defense," he continued. "I will ensure our survival! Under my command, we will push back this invasion and show them that humanity is not so easily extinguished!"
Bob crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Guy sure likes hearing himself talk."
Gabe sighed. "Just let him have his moment. If it keeps the people from losing hope, it's better than nothing."
Iris shook her head. "We don't have time for speeches. The first wave is coming."
As if on cue, the ground trembled. The Hive Queen let out a piercing shriek, and her army surged forward.
The battle began.
The orphans and Dante's elite guards took position just outside the safe zone, forming a defensive perimeter around the fleeing survivors. Vell remained inside the safe zone, coordinating the evacuation efforts, ensuring that the non-combatants were moved further into the city, away from the battlefield.
Outside, Gale worked alone, breaking off from the main group with the orphans who were already in their Glint forms. The humanoid bee-like Fades swarmed in coordinated waves, their sharp, segmented limbs slashing at anything in their path.
Gale relied on his speed, his Glint form allowing him to burst through weak structures, collapsing entire pathways to funnel the enemy into kill zones. Instead of explosives, he used his raw momentum to break walls and scatter debris, disrupting the swarm's careful formation.
Every time the battle threatened to tip against them, Gale surged through, shattering supports, toppling old ruins, or sending massive chunks of concrete crashing down onto the advancing horde. His movements were precise, controlled chaos, making sure that the orphans had the best possible advantage in the fight.
Bob didn't wait for an invitation. He waded into the battlefield, fists clenched, smashing through the humanoid bee-warriors with brute force. Some were smaller, acting as drones, but others, the warriors, were nearly as large as him, their bladed arms slashing through the air with deadly precision. His massive form was a beacon of destruction, his every strike sending waves of enemies sprawling.
Sly darted between the chaos, avoiding the swipes of smaller drones, cutting through their carapaces with pinpoint strikes, while Iris moved with deadly efficiency, severing limbs and bringing down warriors before they could regroup. Gabe, from a vantage point, rained down precise shots, targeting the flying drones that attempted to dive down at the fighters.
Despite their efforts, the enemy kept coming, their hive-like coordination making them relentless, adapting to every counterattack.
-----
Vell, catching her breath near a makeshift shelter, turned to check on the survivors inside the safe zone. As she did, a sharp beeping caught her attention. She looked over to see Bob's pickup truck, parked near the central compound. The radio inside was flashing with an incoming transmission.
She hesitated before grabbing the receiver. "Uh… Bob's not here right now."
The voice on the other end was calm but urgent. "Bob? This is Noah. Listen, we've got a situation."
Vell's grip tightened. "You might wanna get to the point."
"Graves Safe Zone is under attack. We've confirmed a boss-level Fade leading the swarm outside. If Bob is anywhere near, he should consider rerouting. Things are getting messy fast, and it's best to avoid unnecessary trouble if he can."
Vell's heart pounded. She turned, eyes scanning the battlefield. Bob was still fighting, tearing through the monstrous bee-like Fades without hesitation. He had no idea that Noah had been trying to keep him away from this mess, unaware that Bob had already walked straight into it.
Then Noah's voice came through again, this time more serious. "Bob said his grandfather is in District 2, right? We just confirmed a boss-level Fade in that area.…He might need him."
Vell froze. She didn't know what to say.