The grenade sat in my hand, time ticking by, second by second, as the thing was ready to blow me into a million pieces. It hummed, glowing with a blue light, pulsating with each second. This was it. I hoped I could’ve been with Uwu one st time. In fact, I thought that if I was to go, it would be by his side in a bze of glory. Holding each other side by side while we burnt up in an inferno in space.

  Things rarely went how you wanted to. Often times, it seemed that I was just going along with whatever was thrown my way, reacting to what was in front of me. I never had the chance to lead a proactive life. I was never given the choices to, just the terrible circumstances thrust onto me. Until I joined the Yiffin II crew. It was the best time of my life. I met the best people there. I hope they would all go on to better things. Get off this moon. All of you.

  I gripped the grenade tight. No. This isn’t who I was. Not anymore. I wouldn’t accept the punishments anymore. That’s why I fight every day.

  The heavy stomps were getting closer. The Missionary was closing in on me. I couldn’t let him get close. As soon as he was near me, he had the advantage. His speed and power would overtake me. I had to do something.

  The high-rise where we were hiding out creaked again, groaning as the ground around it shifted. Chunks of debris spilled out, smming to the blown-out street below. Drop ships circled overhead, buzzing back and forth. I gnced over my shoulder. Past the oncoming dreadnaught was a small army of Deacons, strapped to the teeth with guns, rockets, and malice intent.

  This was it. My st stand. It was going to be glorious. Fuck these theocratic, fascist fucks.

  I stood and faced the behemoth down. His shadow cascaded down around me, blotting out the sun. I tossed the grenade up at his face, with a smile upon mine.

  “Fuck your Lord and Savior!” I jumped in the air without a second to spare. If this worked, great, but I might break a few bones. Whatever, I’m going to die anyway.

  The Missionary refused to flinch. “Heresy!” The metallic pang spoken was drowned out by the explosion of the grenade. Blue light burst from the grenade, enveloping the Missionary in an explosion. Dirt and debris ripped up around him.

  I shut my eyes, hoping the small bomb would blow his body sky high, showering his brothers in gore and viscera. I held my eyes shut tight and held my breath as the explosion shockwave bsted me back away from the Missionary.

  I nded hard on the rocks below, some digging into my sides. I rolled violently, tumbling around before I finally stopped in a heap of old furniture. My body hurt everywhere. My eyes shot open. I checked my body to make sure everything still worked. I was bleeding here and there. Rips and tears were cut across my skinsuit, but nothing broken, at least that I could tell in the moment.

  I scrambled to my feet as fast I could. Smoke covered the once standing titan. I smirked as nothing moved beyond the smokescreen. It must’ve done a number on him. I started walking toward the alcove again, watching as the building was shuddering now.

  My smirk faded quickly as the bck cd boot stomped past the smoke. The Missionary’s battle armor was just as pristine as it was seconds ago. He casually strode over as I was limping my way to the building. I kept gncing over at him. He was toying with me. Fuck, this was bad. I needed to get to my pn B.

  “What an insolent gesture to the vanity of man.”

  That damn, devilish, metallic pang. If only Mama was here to rip his head off.

  “Only man is foolish enough to stop God’s will.” The Missionary swung his arm outwards. A sharp bde protruded from his forearm, glinting in the faint sunlight. “Sinners get the sin cut from their flesh, releasing them to embrace God’s judgement.” He pointed that big, bad, sharp, overcompensating slice of death at me. “Now, face your punishment.”

  Fuck this guy. Amiright?

  “I’m tired of being punished. Can’t we just call this a draw? We both go our own way, tell everyone ‘you should see the other guy,’ you know what I mean?” I waved my hand nonchantly as I gave a friendly chuckle.

  The Missionary stood there, his visor staring me down with bloodlust. “No.” Is all he spoke before he leapt into action.

  “Fuck.” I shuffled along as fast as I could, wincing with each step. The bst had a bigger toll on me than I thought. I held my pistols up, spraying the oncoming giant with everything I had left.

  The bullets just glinted off his armor, not even slowing him down an inch. He was flying at me now, no more distance between us. He rose his sword up high, muttering a prayer before he swung it down at me.

  I tossed my guns aside, spping my gauntlets together, raising my right arm in front of my face in a st-ditch effort to save my body from being cleaved in half. His sword smmed down hard on my gauntlet. Sparks erupted as the force from the Missionary’s swing transferred over to me. My gauntlet vibrated violently as it burst into pieces. I flew back from the sheer force of the attack. The Missionary slid back, his feet grinding against the leftover road.

  I smmed back into near the alcove entrance. My lungs lost all breath as I nded. Something had to be broken now. I had to figure something out. I checked my arm. The gauntlet saved my life. My bare arm had some heavy bruising, but everything worked fine. All that was left was my other gauntlet.

  I quickly looked for some sort of escape. I wouldn’t survive another hit like that. I gasped as I started climbing up the alcove. My heart was racing with each heavy stomp behind me.

  “It seems God has given you another chance at redemption, or me another chance at completing his will. Either way, there is no more time left, God will have you.”

  I could hear him getting closer. The rocket that bsted the alcove left a pretty, little hole for me to climb into. A perfect gift. I slid into the gap, finally catching my breath. I yelped when something cut into my right shoulder as I slid into the dark hole.

  “Running will only prolong your suffering.” The hulk started smashing against the hole, cutting away at it, doing everything he could to fit inside. It was my chance to work something out.

  I limped into the darkness, trying to find anything that would get me out of here. This was a losing battle. I was out of weapons, and this monster wouldn’t let up until I was a lifeless corpse.

  I flipped my hood up, engaging the HUD. Glitching light guided me through the room. It looked like the lobby of some sort of fancy apartment building, or offices. There was one rge pilr in the middle of the room, cracked and pinched under the weight of the building. Whatever this building was, there was dirty furniture, more rubble, and the scurrying of something at the far end of the room.

  I quickly limped over to see what was making the noise. I gasped as I saw a group of Anthros huddled in the corner, shouting in fear at the sight of me.

  “Shh.” I looked around at the couple dozen people trapped in here, and I just led a whole Missionary down here. Dammit. This couldn’t get any worse.

  “Come out and face the wrath of God!” The metallic pang echoed around the dark room as the heavy footsteps came our direction.

  Looks like I was wrong again. This was my doing. All these poor people would be sughtered if I fell. I had to face him. This was it.

  “Look for a way out. I’ll distract him. You need to leave, now!” I turned and ran back out to the rge room.

  The Missionary rounded the rge pilr, lights on his battle suit blinded me like the sun. I held up my one good arm, my st weapon. He was faster, better equipped, and more rested than me.

  I smirked. Fuck these odds. I waved him over, “Come on, big boy. Let’s tango.”

  He muttered another prayer, and with one dash forward, he was right up on me. His sword was aimed right at my torso. I reacted as fast as I could, still sluggish. His sword gnced off my gauntlet, and penetrated my stomach.

  I gasped, spitting up blood as the Missionary raised me up. I held the bde with my gauntlet, trying to hold myself up. I kicked at him, punched him with my free arm. All of it in vain. Looks like this was it.

  *Please consider donating to my Patreon, every 3 helps! Early access to chapters and artwork!