The End of Everything

Be Patient...Please

Thalia's POV

The darkness had only grown and with it the creatures had developed. The area we had secured was quickly over run once again. We weren't in well enough shape to fight off another assault the way we had previously.

The creatures still seemed desperate to attack us but there wasn't a specific reason for it. We were lucky enough to receive and occasional break in the endless assaults but it never lasted long.

"I don't think we can keep doing this. We'll have to fall back," I breathed, ducking behind a tree across from Zuri, Malia, and Zoë. The ground shook as a large rock splintered a nearby tree.

"We can't risk it. We have to hold our territory. That was the plan," Zoë argued, peeking around the tree trunk and firing an arrow.

"Plans change Nightshade and I'm thinking now would be a good time to do that." As if to emphasize my point there was a yelp as Phoebe went tumbling past us having been thrown out of the way.

"What do you suggest? We fall back and this-" She gestured to the creatures lurking past the trees, "just move closer to the public."

She was right. "Damn, it would be great if Reyna was here, I got nothing."

"Well we better think of something," Phoebe growled, crawling to her feet and brushing off dirt from her pants before taking cover as well.

Sensing a lull in the fighting I took the chance to fire off two shots. Both hit their marks but it acted only as an annoyance and distraction to the large creatures.

"Move!" Zuri yelled, scrambling out from behind her tree. We all darted in different directions as the spikes from one of the beasts' tails shot out in different directions. The trees were splintered and toppled to the ground with loud thuds.

Malia flattened herself to the ground as one of the spikes impaled the spot next to her shoulder. If she'd been any slower that could have been fatal.

"I'm going left," I called. The beast to the left was heavily armored, almost like a gigantic beetle, except its armor was spiked. It had little weapons except for the fact that it was an extremely deadly battering ram.

"I'll cover you." Zoë took up a position on a large bolder aiming for chinks in the armor. If I was right then hopefully the underbelly of this guy would be open to puncture. It seemed to sense my decision and stomped to face me, snorting in defiance as drool dripped from its mouth.

Lowering its head the monster sprang forward, large feet hammering into the ground as it charged like a bull. It was too fast for Zoë to effectively track meaning I was on my own if something went wrong.

At the last second I dropped to my knees grabbing arrows from the quiver on my back and stabbing them into soft tissue. The underside of its armpits, the abdomen, and the throat until its underside looked like a pin cushion. The thing made some sort of noise as it collapsed to the ground with a violent shiver before dissolving and leaving its armor behind.

Stumbling to my feet I was about to smile at the victory when I heard Zuri's warning. "Thalia put your shield up!"

Glancing in her direction I spotted the tail of the remaining monster rise. Spikes shot from its end in a scatter shot. I went to tap my wrist before remembering that my bracelet was gone. There wasn't enough time to get to cover.