Level-Up Apocalypse: Surviving With The Assimilation System

There was no time to waste in waking up the other two; he gave Charlotte a light tap on her arm, somewhat startling the young woman.

"Ah–?" Charlotte let out.

"We have to go," Finn calmly ushered the young woman, gesturing for her to get up.

At the same time, a more abrasive method was taken by Jasper in waking up the swede who had passed out with empty bottles laying around him. A kick was given by the shorter man right to the side of the sprawled-out, taller man.

"Gah–the hell?!" Magnus sharply said, jumping and sobering up.

"Time to move out, champ," Jasper coldly told the rudely-awoken man.

The disgruntled cannoneer rubbed his side, scoffing, "You're really something, aren't you, jävla fan?"

"Curse at me in your language all you want, but do it while moving your feet. Monsters are going to be crawling wall-to-wall on this place any minute," Jasper said, pointing at the boarded windows.

"Like he said, it looks like we're resuming our hike to the Tower," Finn said.

Charlotte didn't take long to fully come to, nodding her head, "Alright, I'm ready."

Still coming off his drunken splendor, Magnus rubbed away the residual liquid from his bottom lip, tossing the pack of supplies over his shoulder, "...Phaw. Let's go, then."

Finn glanced over at Jasper, thinking of reprimanding the knight for giving the cannoneer such an abrasive awakening, though part of him felt it was justified.

The way out was led by Jasper, who unsheathed his sword, swiping it to cleave straight through the wooden planks barricading the exit.

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With the pathway opened, it was back into the chaotic streets of the city.

RUMBLE. RUMBLE. RUMBLE.

The moment Finn stepped out, those unmistakable footsteps were both heard and felt. They seemed closer than ever, bringing him to quickly glance back as the others did the same.

"We have to keep moving—they're closing in," Finn suggested, beginning to move with a light sprint.

Following closely behind, Charlotte called out, "They see us!—"

It only became clear then that the iron-clad giants had arrived on the very same street, turning in from multiple corners. The heads of the massive beings peeked over the building, locking their singular eyes on the fleeing group.

It wasn't just the terrifying giants; the calls, cries, and howls of monsters echoed through the streets.

"Shit!" Magnus yelled, spinning around as the gargantuan cannon manifested into his grip.

Finn was quick to reject the action taken by his companion, yelling to the cannoneer, "No! Don't try and fight! Just keep moving!"

Adding in, it was Jasper that pointed out something ahead, "There! There's a subway up ahead! Move your feet!"

With the now fast-paced rumbling of the chasing cyclopian warriors not far behind, the sight of the entrance to the subway spurred them to move.

While the others went down first into the descent lower into the city, Finn lingered close behind.

He stood on the first step, grasping the railing as he looked back; the armored horde of cyclops smashed the buildings in their way.

It was like a natural disaster, closing in as stone was blown in every direction.

"C'mon!" Jasper yelled from the base of the steps.

Finn decided to finally move, quickly descending into the subway area behind the others. Just as his feet touched down on the tile floor of the underground section, a loud crash turned his head.

The entrance crumbled beneath the weight of the colossal steps, bringing a rain of concrete and steel down. There was a wave of dust that brought him to raise his arms, only lowering them again as it settled.

"This has to be some sort of cruel joke, right?" Magnus asked with a tired breath.

A massive wall of debris completely filled where the entrance was, blocking it off entirely.

"That's just fantastic," Jasper remarked.

"It's fine…There should be multiple exits," Finn said.

"But who knows how far? We might be spit out completely opposite to the Tower," Magnus contested.

"We'll just have to see. Not like we have a choice now," Finn said, facing the path deeper into the underground area.

By some stroke of fortune, the lights were still active, though the fluorescent fixtures flickered every few moments.

"I've never been in a subway before," Charlotte remarked, looking around at the unfamiliar environment.

There were advertisements still on the walls, mostly for movies that were supposed to be coming out, though they'd likely remain unreleased. Though blood painted the white walls of the metro, the sight of bodies was absent.

"This place doesn't seem as run down as I expected," Magnus remarked, walking forward slowly while observing the area.

"Thank the monsters for that," Finn remarked, looking down at a trail of dried blood on the ground. "They've cleaned up any bodies that were here."

"That's one thing I'll give those creepy cunts," Jasper added, standing beside the poster to a sci-fi film by a dysfunctional escalator. "They don't waste anything."

"I can't argue with that, as gross as it is," Magnus said.

Charlotte was standing by a large map placed on the wall, pressing her finger against it. Curious as well, Finn stood beside her, gazing down at the guide.

"Looks like there is an exit down the escalator and on the other side of the platform, down the left after crossing the tracks," Charlotte pointed out.

"That's not too far then," Finn said.

"Assuming it's not caved in as well," Magnus remarked.

Jasper gave a slap to the back of the pessimistic cannoneer while passing by, "Didn't anybody teach you that if you believe in the worst, the worst will happen? Chin up, mate."

"Ah–damn you," Magnus scoffed, raising his shoulders at the abrupt gesture.

The way down the metro, as led by the knight, was descending the frozen escalator, now turned simply to steps. Finn followed right behind, quickly making his way down before arriving at the station.

"--Ah," Jasper let out.

"What is it?--" Finn began to ask.

There was no need to question it as he saw the same upon arriving at the bottom of the steps. A train was left toppled over, fractured and painted in blood. A sea of bones filled the space in the tracks, scattered across the platform as well.

"This is…" Charlotte quietly said.

"It's terrible, is what it is," Magnus added.

Undoubtedly an act of monstrous malice; the amount of bones had to account for hundreds, if not thousands of fallen.

The stench of blood was overwhelming down there, even more than he had become used to.

"Careful," Finn warned. "I'd wager this place is definitely occupied."

"Yeah, no doubt," Jasper agreed, using his sword to move the bones on the ground around.