"The Half-Blood Arc: Ashes of War - Volume 1"

Part 10

So much was happening all around, a chaotic whirlwind of events, words, and actions converging at once. Matthias couldn't help but question the reality of it all. Was this his life? Were these events real? It was a thought he'd pondered but had never truly materialized until this very moment. Never in a million years did he want his life to feel more like a dream.

Matthias, still relatively young, had endured countless nights filled with nightmares, but the monsters he now faced were far more terrifying than anything from his dreams. Fear had frozen his body, urging him to remain still, to let the monsters take him and end this nightmare so he could awaken.

These monsters took on every conceivable form, embodying every nightmarish creation imaginable, all amalgamated into the menacing entities now closing in on him. It felt like the impending stampede of death, a hurricane of destruction heralding humanity's demise. At that moment, he yearned to scream, and for a brief instant, he thought he did. However, it was Heydrich who looked him squarely in the eyes and uttered a single word: "Run."

That command ignited an impulse, and both men fled for their lives.

Amidst the chaotic panic, some of the men were frozen in paralyzing fear, while others, like Heydrich and Matthias, ran for their lives. It was a disorganized and nightmarish scene. Some trampled over their comrades, and a few even chose to take their own lives.

Heydrich, driven by his instincts as a commander, took charge amid the impending catastrophe. His voice cut through the chaos, barking orders with an audible authority. His natural leadership qualities began to restore a semblance of order, even repeating commands in English for the American soldiers who were willing to listen to anyone at this point. It was a desperate situation.

As the first wave of monsters closed in on the trench, Heydrich and other captains managed to organize a firing line. It was frantic and disorganized, but many soldiers steadied their rifles and aimed in a desperate attempt to fend off the impending doom. They targeted anything that might explode or cause damage. There was a moment of hesitation as they all aimed.

Matthias pulled out his rifle, and Heydrich, armed with a shotgun, bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Fire!" The scene resembled trying to stop a charging bull with firecrackers, as bullets flew, destroying and even killing some of the monsters. Matthias managed to decapitate one that resembled a humanoid hyena, blowing its head clean off.

As for the monstrous abomination in the sky, numerous artillery shells struck it, repeatedly pounding it until it crashed back to Earth. For a brief moment, the monster ceased its assault, retreating into the darkness.

A tense and uncomfortable silence hung in the air, as the monsters withdrew into the surrounding darkness, their red and glowing eyes the only signs of their presence. From within the fog, Matthias began to discern a sinister figure taking shape. It resembled a wolf but had a humanoid form, clutching a human head in its hand. Its voice was nightmarish, barely audible, and horrifying, as it taunted, "I bet, kid, I'm a better shot than you. You're probably wondering why you're still alive. Well, that's quite simple - we like to play with our food."

With a mighty throw, it hurled the severed head at Matthias, who narrowly dodged it, but it struck a man behind him with a sickening thud, instantly ending his life. The werewolf let out a grotesque laugh and announced, "Alright, gargoyles and any other flying abomination, do your thing."

Hundreds of flying creatures descended from the darkness, snatching men one by one, tearing them apart, and dragging them into the abyss, where others eagerly awaited, mouths open to drink their blood. Amidst this gruesome scene, the werewolf, his fur drenched in blood, began to sing " Hey Jude don't Let Me Down take a sad song and make it better remember to let her into your heart" slowly making his way toward Matthias.