Bab 96: To the Top

I had half of my ammo left. My vision was no longer working despite trying and trying. The area was still silent while we continued to fire aimlessly at any form of cover in the area. I stayed behind cover, feeling more uncertain on firing back. I shut both my eyes this time, trying more to get a vision, squeezing my eyes in a bid to help make a vision happen. A sharp pain in my head hit me, grabbing in pain a glow of light slowly went in and out.

Another blurry image formed up, far more blurry and less illuminated than before. A figure that resembled a person was in front of me, leaning on a tall grey pole, a pillar. The person i looked through raised what looked to be their hand, before they both stepped out, creeping forward silently, moving straight towards what was our positions. I couldn't hear a sound.

I opened my eyes again, preparing to try and hit one of them or some of them, determined to not get shot again. Peeking the end of my barrel in front, i released an entire magazine of rounds. hearing them hit concrete or steel, along with this were a few yelps of pain. My team and others joined in, blind firing. Shooting everywhere until our magazines were empty.

As the last rounds were spent, we ceased fire once more. 6 stepped down the ramp. How many more? 4 more?

Closing my eyes once more gave nothing, my visions seemed to no longer work, hopefully this is temporary.

With a new mag in, i waited with the others, hearing for atleast a slight sound of movement, a footstep, a crackle of a foot hitting something on the round, something.

Just when i was about to peek, a sound of a boot stepping on the concrete floor, not masked by anything. With my new mag, i blind fired again, pointing my rifle at the direction of the noise. The others followed suit, this time a few of them began advancing forward while covering fire, no longer hiding under. I joined in with them, fully emptying my magazine before loading another to now hit any mercs. In the corner of my eye, hiding behind a car, the head of a merc and their weapon raised upwards. My body immediately shifted at the merc, firing a few rounds before seeing them fall back on the floor, raising up their hand in defeat. As they approached the pillars and cars, a light and gunfire erupted from one of the pillars, forcing us to hide behind cars while a few fell down.

I felt a spike of rage and an absence of fear, feeling the caution and fear i once had of getting hit disappeared. With the lack of fear, i felt more focused. I took a deep breath, with my rifle, i leaped out of cover, running to the opposite side of the pillar where the gunfire came from. Rapidly moving, i practically slammed onto the concrete railing and fired rounds at 3 who were hiding, all fell on the ground. As they fell, i turned around immediately, firing a few shots at another enemy merc, but as i pulled the trigger on the last merc, i felt a punch into my chest and on my head. I fell hard onto the concrete, squeezing my eyes as i lied flat on the ground. I got up with my rifle supporting me, my team and the others who were present looked at me, some lightly clapped. The 4 who were left headed back down, i followed behind them. The teams behind me went back to formation.

Back down, i jogged back to the flag. Seeing the enemy mercs and a few from my team standing around or sitting down, waiting for the round to end. Once i reached it, i began my run back to the ramp, the last ramp before the 5th floor, my allies ran with me.

Floor to floor, we practically stomped on the concrete before lightening our steps as we reached the 4th floor. Filled with casings from both sides.

On the ramp, i saw my team, i had a quarter of my ammo left, best to just waste it here on this floor now. No more saving bullets. We joined the teams, stacking up on the edge of the ramp with them. We waited on beginning our attack on the last floor. I stared up, aiming upwards, waiting for any enemy that attempts to cut us down from here.

While behind cover, gunfire began before we could even get up. From here we could hear something falling down from the stairwell, they got the teams again. Shooting continued, occupied with the stairwell. The team on the front started their attack, us supporting and covering fire. But the shooting didn't stop.

"5 MINUTES LEFT" The announcer yelled.

My team was the only one left, once the other times fired, we ran up, joining in shooting.

With no more pillars, i hid behind one of the cars with a fellow mercenary. We both crouched behind the truck, exchanging fire and hiding behind to reload. We silently took cover with one another, not even noticing each other's presence. I fired with them, expending my ammunition until i was left with only 3 magazines left along with the one on my rifle.

Just like before, a few advanced forward, advancing slowly while shooting and reloading, some stayed behind and kept up the fire, trying to pin down the enemy. I joined in with them, i couldn't see any open limbs to fire at, only their weapons, blind firing at us, missing or hitting a few.

I continued shooting, looking down, i grabbed the last magazine i had, slamming it in and racking the bolt. I fired singles this time, saving my ammo until i reached one of the cars. I sat behind the car's back. I peeked down, seeing if i have any shot. In front, i saw a pair of boots sitting behind it. Aiming my Shaksha below, i fired at them, the enemy fell back, grabbing their boots. I looked left and right, i saw 2 more pairs of boots.

Bullet after bullet, a click finally ended my shooting. I no longer had Shaksha ammo.

I only had my pistol left, from my holster, i pulled it out, positioning it in front of me. Still crouched, i crept up on a side of the car, pointing forward, aiming at my car and the car next to me.

Dings were heard below me, narrowly missing my boots i saw concrete dust fly up a little. I ran to the car where the rounds came from, making sure i was hiding behind the wheel for more cover. I was now at the side of the enemy's positions.

I took a deep breath, i leapt out of cover and ran to the other side of the car. On that side, 2 mercs hid, they both looked at me, with their rifles still aimed below, in succession, i shot at their chests and head. As they fell and started walking away with their hands up, i hid where they once stayed behind. Still hiding behind the tire part of the car. Gunfire continued on. Was time to finish the match before the time ran out. With little to no regard, i ran out and aimed at any enemy mercs, in front of me, six were blind firing at my allies, one of them pointed their hand at me, the rest faced me. Ap-8 In hand, i fired at them, hitting parts of their body one by one, before any can hit me, and until there were none standing. My allies joined in, running to the positions of the now downed defenders. They started searching the cars, shooting any opponents left.

A few walked towards the flag, and plucked it from it's base. One of them brought the flag to the railing, triumphantly raising it up for the announcer and anyone else to see.

"GAME END! THE ATTACKERS WIN!" The announcer yelled.

We celebrated, lowering our weapons and helmets. We started helping up the downed mercenaries, exchanging pleasantries of a good game before all of us went down. The one who carried the flag placed it back.

"ATTENTION FIGHTERS, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF MERCENARIES WAITING FOR THEIR TURN, WE HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT, WE WILL HAVE 10 TEAMS FOR BOTH SIDES THIS TIME, IF YOU WISH TO CONTINUE FIGHTING, GET SOME AMMUNITION AND STAY OUTSIDE WITH THE FLAG, IF YOU DON'T YOU MAY LEAVE! THE ORIGINAL TEAMS WILL NOT SWITCH." The announcer followed up.

We looked at each other. 5 Teams? On both sides? This is gonna be fun.

I met back with my team, with their helmets taken off and heading back alongside the others.

From the professional team attacking and advancing from floor to floor was now a group, chatting and talking. I joined in with them as they went down. As i did, they greeted me.