One of the jeeps driving by them was suddenly sent flying sideways, crashing directly in the truck Laura and Zenesha were in. Other vehicles exploded around them as chaos descended the ranks. The vehicle Laura and Zenesha were located in was flipped on its side, and while it was dented, it wasn't breached.
Since neither Laura nor Zenesha were strapped in like they're supposed to, the two of them went flying, falling with the truck as it landed on its side. Laura had wrapped her body around Zenesha, using herself as a protective cushion. She had also used her powers to create a barrier around them, stopping themselves from being injured.
Although there was padding on the walls and ceiling, it wasn't enough to really stop one from being injured. Knowing this Zenesha thanked Laura for the soft landing. The two of them carefully got themselves back onto their feet, standing on the left wall turned floor.
"Well." Laura spoke. "Looks like the waiting is over."
"I don't understand what happened." The fox muttered. "Did we hit a mine field? No, they would've made a route to pick me up and get me home, they would've avoided areas like this."
"First we must get out of here, check on the Small School Division and check in with the Pigeon ranked officer in charge." Zenesha said, hearing fighting from outside. She made her way to the door, using her own ice abilities to make a platform tall enough so she can unbolt the door.
She paused however before turning her attention back to Laura. "You should keep what you can do under wraps." She said before unbolting and pushing the door open.
The two of them quickly climbed out of the large vehicle and dropped to the ground. Looking around they saw what remained of the thousand soldiers that made up the school. They were taking cover behind both unharmed and harmed vehicles as well as trying to set up barriers for extra cover.
Gun fire from both sides rang out loud across the wasteland, the enemy having taken cover in the hills. Zenesha looked around for the officer in charge, his own armored jeep shouldn't have been too far from hers. She soon spotted him further away shouting orders.
Laura followed behind Zenesha, occasionally firing her own pistol, the small ball of fire burning parts of the makeshift barriers the enemy had set for themselves. They ducked behind overturned vehicles, and portable barriers trying to get to the Pigeon ranked officer. Soon enough they managed to arrive unharmed thanks to Laura shielding them when needed.
"Commander." Laura said, addressing the man with a pigeon insignia on his uniform.
"Yes ma'am?" The ram man responded with the same shoulder salute used by the medic earlier. He had thick curly brown hair with two large, curved horns sticking out from the side of his head. His forearm was covered in brown wool but ended when it reached his hands, leaving them human looking. Though his legs were hidden from view his hooves were visible.
'This means he's not part human like Zenesha.' Laura thought as the fox continued to address the Officer.
"Do we know who the enemy is?" Zenesha asked, watching the battle carefully.
"No ma'am, no concrete evidence. However, it wouldn't be far-fetched to assume it's the White Ash Syndicate."
"Thank you, Commander." Zenesha said before grabbing the radio at her side. "I need the Sparrow leader located at our nine o'clock to circle the enemy, the rest of us will draw their fire."
Seconds later a group of about two hundred split off from them. They didn't head straight for the enemy, but instead they used the order to spread out to make it look like they were doing the same thing as the rest of the comrades. They slowly inched their way out of sight and behind the hills.
For the remaining soldiers, Zenesha had them advance slowly. Very slowly, so the enemy would keep their eyes on them. Meanwhile Laura had pulled out a bolt action rifle. Its barrel was a dark green in color with dark green etchings in its side.
Pulling back the bolt, she took out a .308 caliber round with dark yellow engravings on the casing containing the bullet. She pushed the caliber into the open slot on the side of the gun before chambering it, sliding the bolt back in place. She then took aim and pulled the trigger.
The bullet was expelled from the chamber and casing, as it traveled down the barrel its rotation seemed to increase more than what would happen with a normal rifle. By the time it exited the barrel of the gun, the bullet was covered in a thin membrane of wind, decreasing its wind resistance, and increasing its speed.
It flew through the air and thanks to the reinforcement etching it tore through the thick metal barrier with little resistance. All these essence etchings in this singular gun made it extremely powerful and dangerous. Unless your protection was enchanted too, there was little this gun couldn't penetrate.
Laura smiled in satisfaction seeing that she had indeed hit the person hiding behind the barrier. Every action she took just then only lasted for a couple of seconds when put together. She proceeded to reload the gun, aim it and pull the trigger, over and over again.
After a while Laura started getting bored and wondered when that one smaller school would get into position. She then paused as an idea popped into her mind, a mischievous grin gracing her face. She turned to the fox and leaned into her ear.
"I got a plan; I'll be back soon~." She whispered before disappearing from view.
She looked pleased watching Zenesha's ears twitch at her words before she started to casually walk towards the enemy. Unsealing a little more of her powers and embracing her true self a bit more, which meant Laura was able to walk through anything. Including the bullets. No one could see her properly anyway.
That's not to say she was completely invisible. She was like an apparition, only visible when viewed in the corner of one's eye. So even if she was spotted, when they turned to look directly at her she would vanish from view. Laura found looking at peoples confused and shocked faces hilarious, as they try to figure out if they're seeing things.
The wolf woman climbed the hill, enjoying the panic then confused looks of the soldiers who noticed her. Eventually she was standing amongst their ranks. With a devious smile that showed off her fangs she decided it was time for some more fun.
She had already put her bolt action in her bag, which seemed to be able to hold more than its size suggested. Laura was barehanded and the creature from the void was full of energy, more so than she's been a little while. She walked up from behind one soldier, put her hands on either side of his head and-
*Splat!*
Popped his skull like a balloon.
"What the fuck!?" "Jason!?" "What happened to his head!?"
The soldiers in the immediate vicinity started panicking, seeing their comrades' heads explode out of nowhere. Some of the viscera and brain matter even splashed out and landed on some of those lying next to him.
Laura didn't stay in one spot for long, she quickly moved a little further down, before doing the same thing to another person. Then she did it again, and again, and again. It didn't take her victims long to realize something wasn't right.
"I saw someone, I saw them!"
"It was a woman covered in blood!"
"Where is she!? Why does she keep disappearing!?"
"Is it a ghost!?"
Panic soon fell over the soldiers. The only thing keeping them from outright going crazy was their training. They had no idea who or what was attacking them. Laura danced between the panicking soldiers as she made her way to who she assumed was their commander.
"Calm down! If you panic now, you'll be killed by those Zari's too. Stay down, don't stand!" He ordered.
He was further back, far enough away that he wouldn't be seen over the hills ridge. He was an older man of about fifty years of age. Laura didn't really care though; using her claws she shoved her hand in the man's chest gripping his heart. Blood poured down her wrist and onto the ground.
Laura, just for a second let herself be seen. She had of course removed the animal features on her body so they couldn't recognize her later. The commander of this unit would be the only person to see her face. A bloody, toothy grin with crazed eyes staring deep into his soul as she relished in the kill. As she thought, hunting her prey herself was satisfying.
Everyone pointed their guns at Laura, but didn't fire, afraid to hit their commander. They couldn't see what she was doing, but with her body pressed close to his there was a good chance they could hit him too. For most of them that is.
One soldier's nerves got the better of them and they fired. They managed to hit the woman in the head without hurting the commander. The only problem was that it seemed the bullet passed through her. Only disturbing her hair as the wind pressure of the bullet caused it to fly up.
"Sleep dreams~." She whispered, pleased at the stunned looks before once again vanishing from view. She looked at the heart she removed with a pleased smile
=-=-=-=
Laura continued to terrorize the now commander less group of soldiers. Their second in command tried to take over, but she used the recently acquired heart she took and stuffed it down their throat before snapping their neck.
Any time someone tried taking command, she made each of their deaths as brutal as possible. She didn't dare show her face again however, she had her fun, now she just needed to create chaos. She continued slowly killing them until the strike team finally showed themselves.
It was only a few minutes, but Laura felt like they took hours. No longer feeling needed she quickly left the half mad soldiers for Zenesha's people to clean up. At this point they shot at anything that moved in their periphery. Killing each other more than she could kill them.
She made her way back down the large hill, and reappeared next to Zenesha, wolf features and all.
"What did you do up there?" She asked, her eyes still on the hill.
"Nothing much, just a little prank." Laura answered. "If you really want to know I can tell you later."
"Sure, tell me the-" Zenesha turned around to address Laura, but stopped mid-sentence, shocked by the state of the woman. "Why are you drenched in blood?"
"Like I said. Just a small prank." Laura answered with a shrug.
The small school division leader who was standing next to them pretended to see nothing. He wasn't about to try and learn why his boss's guest was drenched in blood. He valued his life and anyone that came back like that with a smile and a playful attitude couldn't be sane.