Catalyst

Chapter 45: Time Isn't a Limit

CJ: "(coughing) Are we dead?"

CJ, James, Anthony, Edo, Rox, Ike, Dr. LeeAnn, Dominic, and Rose have stepped out of the storm.

Ike: "No."

Another dozen surrounds them.

Dominic: "What happened to these guys?"

Half leap into the air.

Anthony: "Something that they ate?"

Rox switches to giant form to repel them.

Rox: "Ouch!"

Her paws hurt from the force of impact.

James: "(analyzing) Strange."

Dr. LeeAnn: "What's strange?"

James: "Their bodies are producing energy signals like us."

The other six rush in.

Edo: "So it wasn't something that they ate."

LeeAnn is trying to find their weak spot, but she's forced into a dodging loop.

Rose: "(aiming) Well, can you find a weak spot?"

James can't catch a break either.

Dr. LeeAnn: "If we could have a minute!"

Rose fires with red energy, doing nothing to the soldiers.

Dominic: "I'll try and give you some help!"

Dominic is trying to use his Artist's Wave.

Bell: "Watch out!"

Ike pushes Dominic out of the way from a back attack.

CJ: "We're stuck!"

CJ is trying to grab his blades, but he's locked into evading as well.

Anthony: "They need a second!"

Anthony and Edo shoot at the soldier attacking CJ, but it's no use.

Rox: "Hey!"

The remaining eight soldiers are pummeling Rox's legs, clearly bruising and blood loss.

James: "(evading) We're getting nowhere! Tempo!"

James draws his scythe and holds back the onslaught.

Dr. LeeAnn: "Huh?"

James can finally pinpoint the weak spot after getting a breather.

CJ: "Enough!"

CJ slides to the side and finally gets his swords out.

James: "I can't hold this guy all day!"

Ike freezes the soldier in place.

Ike: "Edo! Anthony! Get Dominic and Dr. LeeAnn out of their situations!"

Rose backflips away from the scuffle around CJ and James.

Rose: "Ike, CJ, and I will help Rox!"

Rox falls onto her knee as she returns to her normal size.

Rox: "(in pain) I could use it..."

James: "I only need one minute!"

Edo and Anthony get a punch to the gut.

Edo: "(coughing blood) That really does hurt!"

Rox can't stand.

Rox: "(in pain) My legs are toast!"

Rose: "One second!"

Rose tries to hold back a soldier with the help of green energy.

Rose: "(awkwardly) Help?"

Rose is sent flying into the sky.

CJ: "Ouch..."

CJ blocks a few punches from a soldier and slides back three feet.

CJ: "Ouch!"

CJ shakes it off.

Dominic: "(dodging) Whoa!"

Dominic and LeeAnn get a roundhouse kick to the side, sending them flying in the direction of base.

Dr. LeeAnn: "(in pain) Any minute now James!"

James's eye flashes blue as the soldier who was frozen to the ground breaks free.

James: "There's an energy leak on the back of their necks!"

Rose: "Really?"

Rose lines up a shot at a soldier heading for Rox.

Rox: "(in pain) Hurry!"

Rose fires, destroying the soldier's neck and causing him to drop dead.

Edo: "A single shot is all you need?"

James: "It's the neck. It's lethal to break it with a normal person."

Anthony and Edo deal with another three as James decapitates the soldier heading for him by putting the scythe blade behind the soldier's head and pulling towards him.

CJ: "You guys get the injured to base!"

The black aura surrounds Rose and CJ.

Bell: "One second!"

Ike creates ice that skewers the back of another soldier's neck.

Ike: "We'll meet you there!"

Ike, Edo, Anthony, and James help the three injured onto their backs.

Dominic: "(in pain) Sorry I couldn't do much else."

Anthony: "It's not your fault."

Dr. LeeAnn: "(in pain) We're more support than combatant."

Rox: "(in pain) I'd better not make myself a target next time."

They hurry for base as the aura glows bright.

CJ/ Rose: "Synergy Attack, Charmer's Doorway!"

CJ and Rose fire energy with precision, killing all soldiers in a fraction of a second.

Rose: "Let's hurry in case the base gets attacked!"

CJ: "Oh shit! I never thought of that!"

They both follow the others...