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Description
   The world was never going to be the same.  The end of everything we knew was coming and it was still unclear how mankind was going to cope…

   Renae stood in front of the towering grey building before her, a monolith in the middle of ground zero.  The snow had begun to fall now and that recognizable winter silence had overtaken the empty city.  As the wind picked up, she looked toward the top floor; hazy and obscured by the low hanging clouds and the shadows of dusk.  This is the end of my story, She thought to herself.  After all I've fought for and all I've lost, this is how it ends; with more fighting and more loss. She let out a small huff of breath and smirked. "Typical."
   She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of bitter cold air, attempting to still her adrenaline fueled body.    It worked, slightly.  The anticipation of the battle to come was almost overwhelming.  With a small exhalation she drew her sword and broke into a run, her boots crunching heavily against the layer of snow on the ground.  She could see the mob of Enlightened waiting just inside the front doors and it made her smile with sadistic glee; sometimes her bloodlust got the better of her.  She picked up speed and within a few feet of the door, threw her sword through the glass panes.  It drove through with a loud crash before lodging itself in a wall behind the waiting throng.  Renae dove through the now empty door frame and dropped into a tactical roll that ended in a crouch just beneath her sword.  She quickly stood, and in one swift motion removed it from the wall and cut down two Enlightened.  She drew the 9mm from her leg holster and with a weapon in each hand began dispatching the small army of opponents.
   She moved quickly, slicing off limbs and stabbing through stomachs.  Blood and various bits of gore flew through the air around her, staining the environment as well as her dress.  She would reposition herself after each strike, maximizing her kill count, but it only helped to thin the horde slightly.  She worked her way across the lobby, slicing and shooting, sometimes both at the same time.
   As she approached the reception desk in the middle of the room, one of the quicker enemies rushed towards her; long legs propelling it forward faster than normal.  She quickly ran forward and bounded over it, grasping its head for leverage before breaking its neck as she passed over.  Landing with her back to the far wall she muttered, "Damn it."  The crowd remaining was slowly closing on her. She quickly checked the clip in her gun, and noticed she was low on ammo. "Damn it." she said, louder this time.  She slammed the clip back into the pistol and looked up to see a bulkier looking Enlightened had stepped to the front of the mob and was slowly trudging towards her.  She rolled her eyes and practically yelled it this time, "Damn it!"
   Renae's eyes quickly darted around the room looking for a way out. C'mon, there's got to be something.  Think Renae, think. She spotted an elevator to her right and with a quick glance to the muscle bound foe's head, the metaphorical light bulb lit up.  She smiled that sadistic smile again and ran towards it screaming, sword held high.  She dodged a heavy swing of its fist and kneed it in the stomach, causing it to double over from surprise more than pain.  With a quick downward slash from her raised sword she took the monster's head off its shoulders; its body slumping to the floor.
   Grabbing the severed head, she quickly climbed on top of the body to get a better view of the elevator, as well as to buy her some time from the shambling group around her.  She focused on her target, and then put her plan into motion.  She swung the severed head like a softball pitcher, waiting for just the right moment; then with a very well timed throw, she released the head towards the Up button.  It sailed in a high arch before hitting home and the button lit up with a dim orange glow.  "Holy shit, I can't believe that actually worked." She said, doing a small victory dance.  The monstrous hands closed in on her quickly, grasping at her ankles. She snapped back to reality, remembering she still had to make it into the elevator before she could really claim a victory.   "Time to go kids; it's been fun though, really."
   Firing off the last few rounds of her 9mm to clear a path, she discarded the weapon and broke into a sprint.  As she reached the doors they still hadn't opened yet; she hadn't considered how far away the elevator may have been from the bottom floor.  She tapped her boot on the floor impatiently, glancing at an imaginary watch on her wrist, then over her shoulder.    It was only a matter of time before the mob was on her again and she turned to face them, sword at the ready.  The point of this was to get to the elevator without having to fight them off.  I swear if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.  The loud ding of the elevator echoed through the lobby; over the angry moans of the remaining Enlightened.  "Oh!  Well, there we are then."  She took one step backwards and quickly tapped the Door Close button with the hilt of her sword.  She waved with a smile as the doors closed in front of her, slammed the button for the top floor, then slumped to the ground and let out a very heavy sigh of relief.


   The elevator stopped about two minutes later and Renae quickly rose and hurried out towards the only doors in front of her.  It was a large set of double wooden doors, innately carved with designs of angels and demons battling in an epic war from long ago.  Before she would have scoffed at images like this one, wrote them off as crazed fiction; now, she knew better.  She'd seen things that made this image as real as a portrait of a Civil War battleground and it made her shudder.   Then she felt the emotion, like an oncoming flood.
   It rose and poured over her, she fell to her knees.  She suddenly remembered everything she had fought for till this point, all flashing back in vivid memories.  The friends she had lost, the blood, the pain…the anger.  The anger was there stronger than anything, and she realized quickly that she couldn't control it any longer.  Her eyes became pure black and she let out a very audible growl.  Revenge was the only thought on her mind now, revenge for what he had done to her.
   A black and purple tinged aura surrounded her body and the white dress she wore, blood-splattered and tattered from the fighting.  Her sword was engulfed with a black fire that had transformed it into something she didn't even recognize as a normal weapon anymore.  She let out another growl and jabbed the gnarled black weapon in the ground as she rose to her feet.  With a loud, almost demonic, roar she kicked open the door; sending the heavy wood flying into the room and shattering the door frame.
   "Well it's about time," a man said in a condescending tone.  He was standing on the other side of the room, his back to her as he looked out over the now moonlit city.  "I was beginning to worry."  He turned slowly and withdrew a sword of his own from its sheath.  His eyes drew a lazy line across the room, surveying the damage.   A cold smile stretched across his face when his gaze finally found its way to Renae.  "Aw, you kept the dress.  How--" He paused, trying to find the right word; he finished his thought with a sneer. "Romantic."

Description
   The world was never going to be the same.  The end of everything we knew was coming and it was still unclear how mankind was going to cope…

   Renae stood in front of the towering grey building before her, a monolith in the middle of ground zero.  The snow had begun to fall now and that recognizable winter silence had overtaken the empty city.  As the wind picked up, she looked toward the top floor; hazy and obscured by the low hanging clouds and the shadows of dusk.  This is the end of my story, She thought to herself.  After all I've fought for and all I've lost, this is how it ends; with more fighting and more loss. She let out a small huff of breath and smirked. "Typical."
   She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of bitter cold air, attempting to still her adrenaline fueled body.    It worked, slightly.  The anticipation of the battle to come was almost overwhelming.  With a small exhalation she drew her sword and broke into a run, her boots crunching heavily against the layer of snow on the ground.  She could see the mob of Enlightened waiting just inside the front doors and it made her smile with sadistic glee; sometimes her bloodlust got the better of her.  She picked up speed and within a few feet of the door, threw her sword through the glass panes.  It drove through with a loud crash before lodging itself in a wall behind the waiting throng.  Renae dove through the now empty door frame and dropped into a tactical roll that ended in a crouch just beneath her sword.  She quickly stood, and in one swift motion removed it from the wall and cut down two Enlightened.  She drew the 9mm from her leg holster and with a weapon in each hand began dispatching the small army of opponents.
   She moved quickly, slicing off limbs and stabbing through stomachs.  Blood and various bits of gore flew through the air around her, staining the environment as well as her dress.  She would reposition herself after each strike, maximizing her kill count, but it only helped to thin the horde slightly.  She worked her way across the lobby, slicing and shooting, sometimes both at the same time.
   As she approached the reception desk in the middle of the room, one of the quicker enemies rushed towards her; long legs propelling it forward faster than normal.  She quickly ran forward and bounded over it, grasping its head for leverage before breaking its neck as she passed over.  Landing with her back to the far wall she muttered, "Damn it."  The crowd remaining was slowly closing on her. She quickly checked the clip in her gun, and noticed she was low on ammo. "Damn it." she said, louder this time.  She slammed the clip back into the pistol and looked up to see a bulkier looking Enlightened had stepped to the front of the mob and was slowly trudging towards her.  She rolled her eyes and practically yelled it this time, "Damn it!"
   Renae's eyes quickly darted around the room looking for a way out. C'mon, there's got to be something.  Think Renae, think. She spotted an elevator to her right and with a quick glance to the muscle bound foe's head, the metaphorical light bulb lit up.  She smiled that sadistic smile again and ran towards it screaming, sword held high.  She dodged a heavy swing of its fist and kneed it in the stomach, causing it to double over from surprise more than pain.  With a quick downward slash from her raised sword she took the monster's head off its shoulders; its body slumping to the floor.
   Grabbing the severed head, she quickly climbed on top of the body to get a better view of the elevator, as well as to buy her some time from the shambling group around her.  She focused on her target, and then put her plan into motion.  She swung the severed head like a softball pitcher, waiting for just the right moment; then with a very well timed throw, she released the head towards the Up button.  It sailed in a high arch before hitting home and the button lit up with a dim orange glow.  "Holy shit, I can't believe that actually worked." She said, doing a small victory dance.  The monstrous hands closed in on her quickly, grasping at her ankles. She snapped back to reality, remembering she still had to make it into the elevator before she could really claim a victory.   "Time to go kids; it's been fun though, really."
   Firing off the last few rounds of her 9mm to clear a path, she discarded the weapon and broke into a sprint.  As she reached the doors they still hadn't opened yet; she hadn't considered how far away the elevator may have been from the bottom floor.  She tapped her boot on the floor impatiently, glancing at an imaginary watch on her wrist, then over her shoulder.    It was only a matter of time before the mob was on her again and she turned to face them, sword at the ready.  The point of this was to get to the elevator without having to fight them off.  I swear if I didn't have bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all.  The loud ding of the elevator echoed through the lobby; over the angry moans of the remaining Enlightened.  "Oh!  Well, there we are then."  She took one step backwards and quickly tapped the Door Close button with the hilt of her sword.  She waved with a smile as the doors closed in front of her, slammed the button for the top floor, then slumped to the ground and let out a very heavy sigh of relief.


   The elevator stopped about two minutes later and Renae quickly rose and hurried out towards the only doors in front of her.  It was a large set of double wooden doors, innately carved with designs of angels and demons battling in an epic war from long ago.  Before she would have scoffed at images like this one, wrote them off as crazed fiction; now, she knew better.  She'd seen things that made this image as real as a portrait of a Civil War battleground and it made her shudder.   Then she felt the emotion, like an oncoming flood.
   It rose and poured over her, she fell to her knees.  She suddenly remembered everything she had fought for till this point, all flashing back in vivid memories.  The friends she had lost, the blood, the pain…the anger.  The anger was there stronger than anything, and she realized quickly that she couldn't control it any longer.  Her eyes became pure black and she let out a very audible growl.  Revenge was the only thought on her mind now, revenge for what he had done to her.
   A black and purple tinged aura surrounded her body and the white dress she wore, blood-splattered and tattered from the fighting.  Her sword was engulfed with a black fire that had transformed it into something she didn't even recognize as a normal weapon anymore.  She let out another growl and jabbed the gnarled black weapon in the ground as she rose to her feet.  With a loud, almost demonic, roar she kicked open the door; sending the heavy wood flying into the room and shattering the door frame.
   "Well it's about time," a man said in a condescending tone.  He was standing on the other side of the room, his back to her as he looked out over the now moonlit city.  "I was beginning to worry."  He turned slowly and withdrew a sword of his own from its sheath.  His eyes drew a lazy line across the room, surveying the damage.   A cold smile stretched across his face when his gaze finally found its way to Renae.  "Aw, you kept the dress.  How--" He paused, trying to find the right word; he finished his thought with a sneer. "Romantic."