Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 510

Chapter 510: Second Wave

Aegis

45:50:50

Ellen finally stabilized after some of the longest minutes of Cain’s entire existence.It made it worse that she could not be laid down to rest or the already unstable shield above them would be affected.

Cain’s throat closed up each time she whimpered or groaned in pain and discomfort. It was hard to watch know that they were just barely a day into the three that she would have to continue holding it if the civilians were survived.

Even vaccinated, he could still feel the effects of the radiation each time it touched him, that sweltering, dry heat that made your skin itch before it eviscerated the membrane only to wreak havoc at the cells. Twisting men women and children.

Dread lodged into his throat, a lump he could not swallow. And all that crushing weight was on her. Cain was certain that Ellen’s body gave out and shield gave out completely; she would not forgive herself if she ever recovered. She would be haunted by that failure for the rest of her life. Nothing that any one would say would ever sway her from the path of self loathing and self destruction.

So Ellen had to keep on carrying the moon.

The haze over her eyes cleared, her eyes rimmed red, her breathing laboured. Cain wiped at the blood dripping out of her nose. "You are loved." He whispered as the deltas returned to their positions.

Ellen blinked, her tired eyes flaring wide into shock and confusion. "Who?"

He needed to distract her away from the despair that ate away at her so he smiled, leaning on one side of the satellite dish, a smirk playing on his full lips. "You." He replied.

He turned to her so they were only mere inches away. "You know that?" He asked.

Her eyes still widened, her mouth moved but no words came out.

His smile widened and he hoped she could see the tension on his face,hoping that he tucked it away well enough. "You must have not heard her during your testing in that lab. Watching you unravelled her, she wanted it to stop. She loves you so much."

Her eyes dimmed slightly. "She loves. Eve always loves. Seeing the flicker of the best in people is enough for her to believe there is good there. It is not always the case."

He frowned. "You are not a burden. Not to her. Not to me."

The shield trembled, Ellen swayed.

Cain steadied her, voice low. "You’re fading. Stay with me."

Her lashes fluttered, breaths shallow.

"You’re loved," he whispered again, desperate. "And you’re not alone."

Cain cupped the side of her face, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Breathe. Anchor yourself to something real."

Her pupils were blown with pain.

"Ellen," he murmured, brushing the blood from her lip, "tell me something good."

Her brow furrowed.

"Tell me," he breathed, "a story of you and Eve. From when you were children."

As though sprinkled with faerie dust, her eyes sparkled. "Let me tell---about the unicorn---"

-----

38:23:02

Dawnstrike

Twelve hours later, the lull thankfully persisted. Eve was healing gradually, her beating heart grew stronger with each hour that passed by. Hades could tell that her health was improving even as the deltas only came every three hours after healing gammas.

He could tell because the faintness he left when he first came and she was in critical condition had started to recede. Breathing was no longer labour and he knew it because she was no longer on the brink of death.

The passive exchanges out on no man’s land have waned to few and far between. But Hades could feel it like the fading chill in his bones and melting ice in his veins that another wave was coming very soon.

Both Aegis and Frostfang had reported waves that were easily repelled and resulted in minimal casualties. That was six hours ago and half a day ago respectively.

As far as they’d come, Ironwall was yet to be attacked and the thought knotted Hades’ stomach. That much silence and inactivity was always a foreshadowing in times like this

Darius was regrouping and he would hit again soon. It was only a matter of time.

Hades broke out of his thoughts as he heard his wife mutter in her sleep.

He smiled, stroking her hair.

----

36:00:25

Frostfang

There was a rumble that shook the camp.

Maera did not need the radar to know that the second wave had come. Silas had geared up, his voice carrying as he coordinated the gammas. Maera took her place, leading the second group of gammas.

They both glanced at each other, silent words exchanged as the wave made its appearance.

Maera’s heart ceased its beating, her stomach suddenly in knots as she took in the figure that led the wave of gammas, flanked by the largest wolves she had ever set her eyes on. It was the size of the monstrous wolf that went out of control on that ’execution of Eve Valmont’ five years ago. The same one that had killed dozens.

But that was not the thing that made tears prickle her eyes.

Because even from a distance, her wolf howled, recognizing her pup.

In full Silverpine tactical uniform, a lopsided smile like her late husband’s but her brown eyes. The heated blade that slid between her ribs was agonizing.

Her knees buckled, almost.

She could feel Silas glance at her, despite the cold sweat formed on her brow.

She gritted her teeth against the torrent of emotions that churned within her.

Then he spoke. In the distance, with unnerving silence, his voice carried. "I see you, Mother."

The words barely registered before James raised his hand.

The ferals launched.

"OPEN FIRE!" Silas roared.

Gunfire erupted—a deafening wall of sound. Muzzle flashes lit up the snow. Bullets tore through the charging line.

Three enemy gammas went down immediately. Four. Five.

But the ferals kept coming.

Too fast. They dodged the bullets like frisbees, they could see them coming before they even left the gun. Even with so many shoots, the bullets found their mark only a handful of times. The times they did hit, these ferals healed ten times faster than any usual feral or gammas.

There was a reason this breed of ferals were not as many, to create a living weapon as powerful as these breeds would have not been an easy task.

One reached the line—massive, grotesque, the Mark of Malrik burned into its hide. It crashed into Frostfang’s front ranks, jaws snapping, claws ripping through a gamma’s throat before anyone could react.

"SHIFT!" Silas bellowed, already mid-transformation. "CLOSE QUARTERS!"

Maera shifted—bones cracking, fur erupting. Her rifle hit the snow as her wolf form surged forward.

She hit the feral from the side, claws tearing into corrupted flesh. It howled—wrong, distorted—and threw her off.

She rolled, came up snarling.

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