Fighting in the Cold

Kyle and Sarah fall into the deep, cold darkness. Just moments ago, they were pushed out of a window thanks to an explosion of red light. The cold air pushes against Kyle's body, getting rid of the heat that he was feeling just moments ago. As his speed increases as he falls, he sees Sarah falling beside him out of the corner of his eye. He reaches out and grabs Sarah's shoulder. He pulls her into a hug to try to shield her from the fall. He closes his eyes and braces himself.

Kyle: Sarah, I am sorry.

Kyle starts to feel warmth on his back. He opens his eyes, and the first thing that he notices is that he has stopped falling. The second thing he notices is that he is being held by the bigger version of Rachel.

Kyle: Wait, how did you not get incinerated?

Even though Rachel shielded Kyle and Sarah from an explosion that was so strong that it pushed them out of a window, there was not a single scratch on her.

Kyle: Did you heal, or maybe you never took damage in the first place? Wait ... HOW DID YOU GET DOWN HERE SO FAST?!

Kyle was told that Rachel was strong, but never in his wildest dreams did he think she would be able to move that fast.

Kyle: Can you put me down?

Rachel leans forward and places Kyle and Sarah on the ground. Kyle looks at Sarah to make sure she is okay.

Kyle: Sarah?

Sarah lays still with a nosebleed and closed eyes.

Kyle: SARAH?! WAKE UP! WE NEED TO GO NOW!

No matter how much Kyle yelled, Sarah laid there, unresponsive. Kyle turned his body to look at Rachel.

Kyle: DO SOMETHING!

Rachel stands there, looking at Kyle with her green yarn eyes. Kyle grits his teeth and looks back at Sarah.

Kyle: Please stay with me.

Kyle stands up and turns to Rachel.

Kyle: Put her on my back.

Rachel picks up Sarah and places her on Kyle's back.

Kyle begins to run, with Rachel following him in the heavy snow. Kyle couldn't help but notice that while he was trying to run, it looked as if Rachel was walking but still keeping up with him.

Kyle: Just what even are you? Are you a part of Sarah's-

Kyle stops talking when he hears the sound of footsteps to his right. He turns his body to look, but he sees nothing through all the snow.

Kyle: There is something over there.

Kyle almost sent Rachel over to check it out, but he knew that he needed to keep her close. Kyle debates whether he should try to run or stand still. He continues to stand there until he begins to get worried that the guards and Hank will catch up to him. He starts to back up, and when he does, he hears the sound of metal clashing and sees the small lights of sparks in front of him. Rachel stood behind Kyle, her arm reaching over his head. Rachel now had five metal claws coming out of the fingerless stubs that it had at the end of its arms. These claws were blocking a sword shrouded in blue light from impaling Kyle's face. Kyle's shock was strong enough to make him fall backward on his butt. Holding this sword was a man with brown skin, whose black hair blew in the cold wind. He was wearing a Breaking Point white lab coat and had black eyes.

The Man: So, you managed to keep up with me. I am surprised not many have been able to.

The man jumps back far enough so that Kyle is no longer able to see him in the heavy snow.

The man was looking at and talking to Rachel. Kyle struggles to stand up. Snow started to get into his orange one-piece.

Kyle: Can you handle this?

Rachel doesn't respond.

Kyle: Is it okay if I take that silence as a yes?

Rachel doesn't respond.

Kyle: Okay, then.

Kyle turns around and starts running.

Kyle: Oh, and don't you dare get hurt. Remember, Gio is inside of you right now, so be careful. If he gets hurt, I will never forgive you. Sarah said you were strong... prove her right.

The man tries to jump out of the snow and impale Kyle through his back, but Rachel grabs his leg before his sword can reach Kyle. Its metal claws dig into the man's leg. Which drew much blood. The man responds by cutting off Rachel's arm and head. Stuffing began to come out of where he cut.

The Man: You were definitely surprising, but, in the end, I was faster and stronger. Goodbye, and rest easy.

The man turns around and starts to run after Kyle and Sarah, but is stopped when his instincts cause him to react to an attack. He blocks the attack with his sword but is still pushed back. He then looks and sees Rachel's body with one arm and no head. He looks down at his sword and sees claw marks. He looks back up at Rachel and watches as multiple golden strings come out of the side and top of its torso, where he cut off its arms and legs. The golden strings start to wrap and weave together. The man jumps forward and cuts Rachel's torso in half and turns around and runs in the direction that Kyle and Sarah went.

The Man: I wasted a lot of time with that thing earlier; they are probably already reaching the gate. I need to hurry and get there.

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Kyle continues to move through the heavy snow. His legs grow more and more exhausted. But he must keep moving forward. His body temperature continues to plummet. But he must keep moving forward. He was terrified of being attacked without Rachel around. But he must keep moving forward. With the combination of the cold, exhaustion, and hunger that he was feeling, it felt as if Kyle would collapse at any moment. But he needed to keep moving forward because he knew if he didn't, then his dreams and theirs would all die here. He needed to keep moving forward for himself and for them.

Kyle: How much farther are we?

Kyle started to grow impatient with the time it was taking him to get to his destination. It grew harder for him to breathe as he moved forward. He kept walking until he started to hear the sound of coughing. He realized that Sarah was the one coughing.

Kyle: I know it probably hurts. Just stay with me... please stay with me.

Kyle noticed out of the corner of his eye that blood was starting to run down his one-piece. Sarah's nosebleed was getting worse. Whatever was wrong with Sarah, it was getting worse. And Kyle knew that he needed to find her help immediately. Kyle started to run as fast as he could. Even though he was going much slower because of all the snow on the ground. Kyle could barely see five feet in front of him because of the snow. But he continues to run, and as he does, he hits something. When he hit it, he brought his hand up to his face. Kyle looks up and sees a white wall in front of him. He looks up but cannot see the top through the snow. But that doesn't change anything. Kyle smiles and puts his hand on the wall.

Kyle: We are almost there.

Kyle then starts to walk beside the wall.

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Kyle continues to walk beside the wall. For some reason, the snow started to lighten up so Kyle could see better, and the snow on the ground became easier to traverse. Kyle decided not to question it and just appreciate the good things that were happening right now. Kyle hears the sound of something humming coming from each direction. Kyle looks around the wall and sees three white torrents, each of them pointing at him and Sarah. Kyle sighs and puts his face in his hand. The humming noises that the torrents are making get louder and louder. Kyle sees a blue light emanating down the barrel of each torrent.

Kyle: Stop

The humming noises that each torrent was making stopped immediately after Kyle said that. Kyle exhales and starts to walk again. However, before he even takes five steps, he feels a great heat and notices a red light coming from above him. Kyle looks up and grimaces at the pain that he feels in his neck. But that pain didn't match the fear of what he saw above him. Above him was Hank, with his lighter in one hand and a giant ball of fire in the other.

Hank: Your luck is truly amazing to have gotten you this far, but unfortunately for you, it all ends here.

Hank throws the fireball at Kyle and Sarah. Kyle puts Sarah on the ground and extends his arms to his side to shield her from the fireball. When it hits, the ball of fire explodes and leaves a small crater with smoke coming up from it. Hank falls to the ground, landing on his feet. Hank then notices that the wall only gained a black mark from that explosion and no other scratches.

Hank: Damn, I put a decent amount of power behind that attack too.

Kyle: Really? I couldn't tell.

Hank then starts looking around, and on the other side of the smoke stood Kyle, Sarah on the ground, and Rachel standing by their sides.

Kyle: You said that was supposed to be a strong attack. It was mediocre at best.

Kyle exhales trying to calm himself down.

Kyle: So, I am guessing that you are the reason that the snow was starting to lighten up?

Hank: Does that really matter? You are about to die.

Kyle smiles and bends down to pick up Sarah.

Hank then flicks his lighter on, and Rachel responds by charging at Hank. Rachel almost kills Hank until the man from before blocks Rachel's attack with his sword. Rachel jumps back and kicks up snow, making it so the man and Hank can't see her.

Hank: I could've stopped that, Nicolas.

Nicolas: No, if I hadn't come in, you would've died without a doubt in my mind.

Hank: You underestimate me.

Nicolas: Not this time.

Hank: ...

Hank and Nicolas trained together. They have lived side by side for many years. They were like brothers. So, with this close bond, Hank knew when Nicolas was being serious. This response from Nicolas made Hank question exactly what Rachel was. Hank then realizes that they were so focused on Rachel that they stopped paying attention to Kyle and Sarah. Hank turns to look at Kyle and Sarah, and he sees that they are gone.

Hank: Damn.

Nicolas: They aren't the main problem right now.

Hank turns around and sees Rachel standing in front of both him and Nicolas.

Nicolas: If we don't take this fight seriously, we will die. I am sure of it.

Hank: I know.

Hank flicks on his lighter. The fire from his lighter began to travel from into his other hand. Nicolas reaches under the back of his lab coat and pulls out a second sword. The second sword was silver and was a little bit shorter than the first. Nicolas closes his eyes, and the second sword starts to glow blue.

Rachel vs. Hank and Nicolas