Amelia, Worm AU [Complete]

Amelia, Ch 230


Moments after Lily was absorbed into the bubble, bolts started streaming out. Small sputters at first, but 'first' in this case was a matter of an eyeblink. Then it was like trying to count the raindrops in a hurricane. The new Endbringer's front practically melted under the onslaught, and it moved to retreat from an attack that was coming from within its own defenses. She's winning, I realized with a thrill. She's going to kill the fucker. ExcitementHope.


The bolt wave stopped for a second and we got our look at the inside of the Endbringer. There wasn't a lot to say, it merely kept the same layers going throughout. It let itself drift toward one of its other time fields, and started regenerating. The stream of bolts started again, this time joined by the blasters. The brutes and Alexandria packages stayed back, they'd have to content themselves with watching the display of firepower. The bolt wave halted for yet another while the other ranged attackers kept up the pressure


"She's been in there about seven and a half days," Emma spoke. "That's my guess at least."


"Will she be okay?" Sabah asked.


"The life support systems for our armor is pretty good," Emma answered. "If it absolutely has to, it can keep you alive for years. Hers could last longer, since she doesn't have to waste power on dozens of offensive and defensive subsystems the way most of the rest of us do."


Another bolt wave cut into the Endbringer as they spoke. "It's not going to work," Lisa spoke up while we were watching the screen. "The Endbringer's core is protected by a time effect, much like the columns. In addition to all the other high density Endbringer bullshit we've come to know and despise. It's regenerating faster than Lily can cut into it, with or without the time dilation."


"You're certain?" Chevalier asked. Dragon had tied him in to our coms so he could coordinate, where possible. He was, unfortunately, not able to really participate in this fight, but he did his level best.


"If she could have, she would have by now," Lisa answered. "She's had months of subjective time to succeed. He's had years of subjective time to regenerate."


FuryImpotenceDisgust.


The time bubble popped, and Lily came out. The same moment, the Endbringer turned toward her, sending one of the other columns toward her. We knew from experience that this one was more like a hard wall of time, not unlike what Clockblocker could do, but far more massive. Or at least that was the theory. What we knew for certain is that it reduced any cape that had touched it to little more than a red mist.


Alexandria rushed in and collided hard with the damaged monster, forcing it back.


Lily shunted over, and started to fall. "I had to hit the overrides," Taylor informed us. "She wasn't responding."


Sabah was already rushing toward where Lily had begun to fall, the ribbons of cloth in place to catch her. At least her power's not still active, I thought. That would have been a disaster.


She wrapped Lily in her bandages, immediately rushed her to me. "You have to help her!" Sabah demanded. Thanks to her armor, I couldn't see her face, but I could hear in her voice that she'd been crying.


"Set her down," I instructed. Once she was in contact with the ground, I used the Yggdrasil chain to reach my power into her. Sleep deprivation was the only glaring medical issue I could spot, alongside partial malnutrition and dehydration, but nothing especially troubling with either of those conditions. I mended the sleep issues, and adjusted her metabolism slightly to make recovery for easier, then I gave the push that would allow her to wake up.


"S-Sabah?" she asked, then she flung herself into her girlfriend's arms. "I've missed you so much. I tried. I tried so hard. I couldn't... I'm sorry..." she started weeping uncontrollably, clinging to Sabah's armor.


"Sedate her," Rapture instructed. "She needs to rest."


I chose to trust the psychology tinker to know what she was talking about, and Lily slumped into her girlfriend's arms. "Sorry," I spoke, although I wasn't sure if the apology was meant for Sabah or Rapture or Lily.


....


FrustrationTiredDisgust. "You need sleep," I demanded of Taylor and Missy both, looking around at the condition of our mobile base.


Right now, Emma and Riley were manning our command center. We had thrown out the Clarice pretense after Rapture left. She, like most of the forces that had arrived early in the battle, had given up on contributing and had gone back home to deal with other responsibilities.


Zach and Theo were here as well, and Theo also looked exhausted. And I brought along Crystal and Trevor when I arrived to provide some fresh help. They, at least, had gotten some rest.


In the field, Victoria was fighting alongside a small swarm of the zerg. Legend and Dragon made up the rest of the force that actually mattered in the fight. The Endbringer, now designated Khonsu, was now terrorizing a small town in the Rocky Mountains which didn't even have any local capes. Although I had to admire the local normals, a number of whom opted to start shooting the thing with rifles.


"I can keep going," Taylor insisted. "Just restore me again."


"That's not a substitute for actual rest," I insisted. "Everyone else is fighting him in shifts. Even Dragon and Alexandria are taking time to recover, and their powers mean they don't actually need to sleep."


LoveImpatience. "I can't, not right now," Taylor insisted. "I know you're concerned, but I can keep going." You're repeating yourself, Taylor.


"Me, too," Missy demanded, stifling a yawn. I followed suit, having less than seven hours of rest in the three days we'd been fighting. "She did it for over six months. I'm not giving up so easily."


"She woke up a couple hours ago," I told them.


"Will she be okay?" Taylor asked.


"Rapture's diagnosed a number of anxiety disorder triggers," I informed my partner. "Isolation, the idea that she failed. They'll be taking shifts to care for her. She won't be fit to return to duty for a while." ConcernSympathyAnger.


There was a sharp beep from the command center.


"We're detecting the waveform," Trevor spoke. He meant the signal Khonsu radiated right before his teleportation. Thanks to the intel they got out of Azrael, they'd found a method to track the Endbringer preemptively. "Estimating approximately forty five seconds until he moves. Target location... Riyadh, Saudi Arabia."


Missy sighed, and then took a deep breath. Fuck. I reached over and touched her shoulder, repairing her biology where I could. Modifying brains was still something I did my best to avoid, especially when I was this tired. Removing fatigue was the best I could hope to achieve. She'd be okay for a few more hours. Missy stood taller and the tunnel opened quickly, although certainly not as fast as it would if she were rested.


I wrapped my arms around Taylor as I mended her next. While I worked, a small swarm of the selected Zerg went through the tunnel. Even they were being deployed in shifts, because moving the whole army through in a timely fashion was simply impossible. "Love you," she whispered as alertness returned to her mind and our link. "But you worry too much. I can do this."


"We're working on a solution," I told her. Lisa's been in contact with a few groups that might be able to assist in this."


CuriosityDoubtHope. "Such as?"


"Not sure," I admitted. "Cauldron's leadership, almost certainly. Some of the African and Middle Eastern groups. Protectorate will be there, too. Dragon. Maybe..." I hesitated.


"There's talk about recruiting help from the Birdcage."


ShockConcernSupport. "Do you think he will be there?" I didn't need to ask her who she meant. "Do you want me to come with?"


"No," I squeezed her harder. "Yes. But you're needed here. Lisa and I can handle things. Just... don't be surprised if our link cuts out. There's going to be a lot of people there who want to keep their secrets. We have the quantum tunnel device, but even if it works, don't let them know you're there."


WorrySupportLonely. "I understand," she agreed. "The mission comes first. Stay safe."


"Says the girl who was about to fall over from exhaustion," I muttered.


"Thanks." WarmSafe.


Vicky shunted back over seconds before the Endbringer vanished again. "Vicky," I spoke, leaving no room for debate in my voice. "I need you with me."


"What for?" she asked.


Before the end of the day, you might have to kill my father. "I'll explain on the way," I told her.


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A/N- PLOT DEVELOPMENTS!!!

Also. I got today's pair of chapters in early to do a thorough reread of a chapter or two in canon. Apply butterflies. And the like.

Because that'll be an interesting one.