Covalence Lost

Levi was glad to see Nate still rolling uncontrollably across the vacancy.

He arrived with speed, ceasing his victim and flinging him up into the air. Levi leaped with vigour, meeting Nate up above and punching him downwards.

Nate landed in anguish, he tried to defend himself, but he was already too weak.

Levi stood over him, pinning Nate's arms with his feet. He crouched slowly, anchoring his bright blue veined gaze on Nate's blotched face.

"This is how you stood over her, right?" Levi asked rhetorically.

[Relieve this merge now, Levi!]

Levi paid no attention to Lexi, he slowly cupped Nate's head, bringing it closer. "How many times?" Levi asked another question. "How many times did you strike her?"

He pulled back his other arm, powering it with Azure, Levi punched Nate in the face, his head slamming back to the ground. 

Nate started to bleed immediately, gasping and wheezing for air. His eyes wide with surprise on how the grey academic looked like this, on how the grey academic could do something like this.

Levi stood up, watching the life leave Nate's eyes. 

He shook his head, "No," Levi said. "Not that easy." He grabbed Nate by the collar, as easy as picking a feather. 

With a spin, Levi slammed Nate to the ground again. He spun to the left, slamming Nate to ground once more, repeating the action.

Levi was getting satisfied with himself until he slowly felt the power leave his body. The veins retreated, the scales melting and his eyes returning back to the usual blue. But he didn't relieve the merge, what happened?

[You have caused a huge problem, Levi]

Levi felt a huge sharp pain in his chest and all through his body. A pounding headache and a throbbing heart rate followed, weakness in his limbs causing him to stagger and fall to the ground next to the bleeding Nate. His vision going blurry.

[Stupidity has gotten the better of you]

[Covalence lost]

[Liaison and Union build up lost, starting from 0% now]

[Critical Stressed Health]

Levi wheezed, gripping his chest, he felt he was having a cardiac arrest. Everything felt distant, everything sounded indistinct and blurry.

---

Chilly breeze shifted across Levi's face, the cold ground of the void south cooling his spine. He had a short dream of him and his father playing the Resident Evil System that he always wanted. 

Only if he hadn't fled, he could've prevented the gas leak from killing his father. He wouldn't have found himself in a foreign place with a foreign voice in his head. Everything was so foreign for him right now, foreign pain, foreign people, foreign feelings and emotions. 

What had driven him to brutally beat up Nate? He never fought anyone no matter how much he hated them. He was a good soul, he has always been. 

Was it because of Abby? He tried to avenge her by pounding Nate into a mash? What did she mean to him that he had the right to think of avenging? 

Levi hoped that he could see her, at least once before he dies. He is dying isn't he? People always have a flash of life before they pass away, right?

Levi felt his body shake vigorously by an external force. Levi hoped to ignore it, but this force really wanted him conscious. He slowly opened his eyes and activated his senses that were dulling. 

His vision and hearing was blurry, as a figure appeared over him. It was a humanoid figure and was yelling something that he couldn't make out. 

After a while of getting jerked sturdily and taps on his cheek, Levi could figurate Box's face over him speaking supportive words. 

Levi coughed and rolled, the pains still dominant in all regions. Box tried to raise him up in a sitting position, but Levi's reaction showed that his body declined to that. 

"Don't worry, you're okay," Box reassured, skimming Levi's body.

"Of course he's okay," Nate's voice from beside piped in. He spat out blood and continued his stressful breathing. "Bro moves with speed and-" he spat out blood again. "And punches with blue whatever and you ask if he's okay, what about me then?" 

Box ignored Nate's comment. He glared around their surroundings, spotting a cave not too far away. Noticing their predicament; his abilities gone temporarily, Levi weared away, Nate probably paralyzed. They would never stand a chance against any attack that comes now.

They needed to hide and stay somewhere, to live out the pains for the moment. But their heads are ticking and they have to get out of the South as soon as possible. Box frowned.

There was a distant buzzing sound that could be heard. The three academics stared at themselves trying to ascertain what it was.

The buzzing became louder and it seemed to be coming from the horizon far away. Box looked at Levi and Nate, they both stared afar in anticipation of whatever was coming.

Buzzing, louder and louder.

It sounded like a swarm of bees in battle against another swarm of wasps and mosquitoes.

The trio had their eyes widened when a multi colony of flying winged creatures like flies emerged from the horizon, swarming in their direction.

Nate stuttered. "Fuck no," he managed to say. 

Box looked at him and Nate looked back, he had a scared face like he knew what those things were. "Flyheads, those are flyheads," Nate stated with fear, trying to move his body and give a headstart run. But he was surely paralyzed. "Fly fucking heads goddamn it! Level 3 regenerates!"

That was all Box and Nate needed to hear to confirm they were in extreme danger. Box plotted on what to do as the loud buzzing sound danced through the atmosphere.

The cave was not too far away, he could run in and save himself, but he had to take Levi and Nate with him. That will be difficult, he may not make it.

Weighing his options, Box grabbed Levi's hands, pulling him towards the cave. The buzzing sound created a thick tension between them all as the flyheads approached.

Box groaned, pulling the heavy boy across and to the cave. He managed to bring Levi to safety, resting him on the walls of the dark cave. He looked out to the void, Nate still sprawled on the ground.

"Please! Help me!" Nate begged, trying to pull himself. "Please, don't leave me, please."

Levi, who was rested on the cave wall, watched as Box hesitated before running out to the void land quickly to Nate.

Levi felt a tinge of guilt overcome him. Box had risked his life to rescue Nate even though he knows he's a piece of shit. And what did he try to do? Avenge Abby by trying to kill him. He sighed.

He watched Box try to pull Nate as quickly as he could, not minding the blood spilled on him. Levi's attention was caught when he noticed them stare in the direction of the oncoming flyheads. 

From the now louder buzzing, he could only lipread Box say 'Abby' with an inquisitive look. Abby?! Levi's eyes widened. Was Abby there?

He moved his body, stumbling to the ground and crawling with as much strength as he could exert. Levi reached the eye of the cave, peeking out to the horizon. He could see the flyheads were closer now, noticing their disgusting features with round netlike eyes. 

In the middle of the herd, being chased was Abby. She was fleeing with her electricity, moving as fast as she could. Levi's heart skipped, she was in danger.

He noticed she was lifting Brody with one arm, flying as fast as she could. Brody was definitely weighing her down. His abilities must have gone, considering the fact he's a blue.

Box pulled Nate successfully into the cave and waited outside, waving his arms for Abby to notice and come that way. 

Levi was angry he couldn't do anything, he even attempted merging again but nothing happened. He could only watch as the flyheads were keeping up with Abby and Brody.

Box kept on waving his arms and Abby acknowledged, gliding that way. She looked scared, terrified but determined to make it. Her eyes white, sparks embroidering, keeping her above the ground and moving. 

Box gave a defeated look and a pitiful glance at Levi, passing the information that she and Brody wouldn't make it. He stepped back into the cave about to close it with a rolling rock.

"No, no- no, no," Levi begged looking up. "They'll...they'll make it," he stammered, tears forming in his eyes.

Box knew they wouldn't arrive in time. Although they were near, the flyheads followed closely. 

Box grimaced. He stepped out into the open and yelled out to Abby, over the extreme loud buzzing sound. "Let him go!" 

Levi shook his head, understanding Box's words. "No, no, you can't!"

"Let him go! We can't lose both of you!" Box yelled out again.

Abby, who could hear Box's words, had no plans on dropping Brody so she could survive. 

But with the loud buzzing sound of the flyheads just right behind her and reasonable thoughts rampaging her head, she started to consider it.

Logically, it would be better if she survives than the both of them dying. 

She looked down at Brody who was trying his best to hang on. He looked up at her too, shaking his head slowly, understanding what was about to transpire. 

Abby's lips trembled, she couldn't do it. After seeing Levi's sad face poking out of the cave, she confirmed she couldn't do it. She just can't.

But Box started to retreat into the cave. 

She thought about herself, her two younger siblings in an orphanage. Brody must have a family too.

If she doesn't drop him, her siblings lose her and his family lose him too. But if she does, at least...she could see her sisters again. 

Abby took one last glance at Brody as they approached the cave which Box was already closing up. Levi's calling scream disrupting her emotions.

She had to think.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded to Brody and pulled her arm from him. 

Brody struggled to hold on to her, he was crying already. "No, please! No." 

Abby wiggled away from his grasp, watching as the flyheads directed themselves to his falling body. She sobbed, gathering herself and flew quickly into the cave, Brody's and Levi's loud cry resonating.

Levi tried to dash out and save his best friend, but he couldn't move efficiently and Box had quickly rolled the rock, completely covering the cave. 

"No! No!" Levi screamed, banging his fists on the rock. "Let me out! Fuck! No- n, no!" 

Abby bent her head, she made her way to a corner of the cave, crouched and cried to herself. Box and Nate watched Levi frantically bash his fist on the rock.

The cry of Brody could be heard over the buzzing as the flyheads fed on him.

"Nooooo! Brod! Brod!" Levi hollered, tears rolling down his eyes. "Lexi! Do something!"

[I am sorry Levi, but I was renewing our Liaison and Union for situations like this]

[But you had wasted it, we can't do anything]

"No! That's a lie!" Levi looked at his colleagues. "Roll this fucking rock! Roll it!" 

There was silence as Nate and Box stared at him. Abby was unable to look at him, she placed her gaze away. 

"He's gone, punk," Nate squealed.

Levi shook his head, refusing to believe it. He pounded on the rock repeatedly, shouting Brody's name.

[I'm sorry, Levi]

Levi's lips shook, he bent his head, placing it on the ground as he tasted his tears. 

"Brod," he whispered with agony.