Seldon's Sheild

"They've landed."
It was the last coherent sentence Gwyneth Seldon heard her father say before the world went black before her eyes with smoke and dust. Screams and high pitched whining that reminded her of a box television turning on, but much more annoying like a mosquito whine. It was followed blasts of brilliant blue light that lit up the dusty darkness.
Several fires were started by the lightning-like light. Flailing bodies of fire ran in all directions, evidence of which she could now smell over the dirt that was in her face. Gwyn was lying on her stomach gagging and choking at the smell of burning flesh and hair. She found it hard to breathe with the smell and due to the fact that there was a heavy weight on top of her. Gwyn twisted and pushed against the ground. Her left shoulder made her cry out. The sudden pain made her shoulder throb horribly. Something was wrong with it. Gwyn struggled to see what was on top of her. The smell was worse from above, but there was fresher air ahead.
Gwyn crawled forward as best as she could without her left shoulder. She was almost out when the weight fell heavily on her legs. She managed to pull her left leg out but then her right was trapped. Frustrated and wanting to leave this place as fast as she could, she dug the fingers of her right hand into the dirt and proceeded to pull against the weight to no avail. Gwyn cried in despair, thinking she would never get out, but she realized that she was probably the only one that could hear her cries.
In a fit of survival vigor, Gwyn turned on her right side and raised her left leg to kick at whatever was holding her. She froze the moment she saw what was on top of her. Even thought they were scorched and charred bloody messes, Gwyn recognized her parents' bodies.
Gwyn's shoulder had caught on fire from one of the blasts. She was screaming from the heated pain as her dad and mom tried putting it out. They had her on the ground of one of the courtyard's gardens and swatted the fire out. There was an explosion and Gwyn blacked out. Gwyn managed to wrench her right leg away from her parents. Gwyn sat in front of the bodies and stared.
Ash rained from the grey and cloudy sky on the woman's dirty brown hair. She shivered in the cold October air as she stared at her mom and dad. It had happened so fast that Gwyn was still processing. Gwyn then looked around at the other bodies near her for any other clues to what happened. The sight of the charred and burned remains didn't bother her anymore. The smell was horrible, but the bodies in there fetal positions of anguish were nothing more to her than people sleeping.
Gwyn frowned suddenly as a spark of memory recalled one other that was with her and her parents. Her brother's remains weren't among the rest. Where was Marshall? There was no sign of him or any other life for miles around. The shopping center where they were visiting was irrevocably destroyed with scorched brick and metal ruins in their place. Gwyn sighed and a throb of pain in her shoulder made her gasp. Her hand went to it immediately and came back bloody. Now Gwyn was already covered in blood and dirt from whatever had happened, but this blood was fresh. She looked down and realized it was her blood.
"It's a wonder I didn't bleed to death." Gwyn smirked as she investigated her injured shoulder. The wound didn't look like it was made by a gun or knife of any kind, but as if by fire. The edges of it were burned and, Gwyn wasn't sure but, it felt like it went right through her shoulder.
"I need to find a doctor." Gwyn muttered to herself as she made her body stand up straight. Nothing else on Gwyn seemed injured. Her body was sore, but with no idea on how long she had been lying there unconscious under her parents' corpses, she just guessed that it was normal after such a trauma.
Gwyn walked carefully out of the ruins to where she felt it lead to safety. She hardly noticed that bodies around her in one of the stores but saw people, apparently soldiers, in light blue, slightly charred, and bloody, uniforms. Gwyn paused to look at one. The man that wore the uniform was lying next to a dead Marine. From the looks of it, the two were fighting and the Marine killed the man in blue, but sustained too many injuries to live and tell the tale. There was a pistol in his hand and a knife on his belt. Gwyn didn't know what was farther on and she didn't like guns, but she figured if the Marine was dead he didn't need them.
Gwyn hesitated, something didn't seem right. There was a wispy echo that bounced off the walls of the small store she was in. Gwyn used her foot and swept the pistol from the Marine's hand. Gwyn didn't really want the gun. She was more interested in the knife. Her uneasiness grew as she slipped the gun into the back of the waistband of her jeans and knelt down to get the knife. The knife's holster was slid onto the belt so if she wanted both the knife and holster, Gwyn would have to take the man's belt off.
"I shouldn't be doing this..." Gwyn groaned to herself. She stared at it for a moment and opted to just take the knife. Surely she could find a holster for it later. Gwyn reached for the knife to take it and the Marine's hand grabbed her. Gwyn jumped and gave a small scream. The man looked at her. His dark eyes scared her but then she came to realize that the man was Hispanic.
"Ayudame..." he gasped. Gwyn's fear disappeared at his call for help. She looked at him then around the store. It was a clothing store, Abercrombie by the looks of it. All the clothes in the store looked like what snobby rich kids would wear. There was a noise that sounded like voices. Gwyn looked back at the Marine and held up a finger.
"Un momento." She whispered to him. Gwyn had the gun in hand and walked around the store to see if the voices were friendly or not. Gwyn scowled at the clothes. She wanted to take a flamethrower to the preppy clothes.
"Give me a nice pair of jean and a camo hoodie and I'll be happy." She muttered. Gwyn found the door to the outside and peered out. Two men in blue with shiny guns walked towards the shop. They didn't see her, but they seemed to be making rounds or checking for survivors. Gwyn could see the Marine from where she stood. She went back over to him and checked his wounds. His injuries seemed to only be in his side and his left leg.
"Can you stand? We need to get out of here." Gwyn asked. The marine sat up and Gwyn helped him over to a tipped over wall screen advertisement for cover. There was no way they were going to get out of there, past the blue soldiers.
"Felipe Santos." The man whispered as he held out his hand to her. Gwyn glanced at him. A moment ago he seemed dead to the world, but now he seemed alright. She took his hand and gave a light squeeze.
"Gwyneth Seldon." She introduced herself. The man glanced at her shoulder.
"You're hurt." He said. Gwyn nodded and looked to the door. The men were getting closer. The blue of their uniform was reflecting off of some of the windows.
"I'll be fine." It was a lie and Gwyn knew it. Her vision was getting blurry. She blinked constantly to clear it but it wasn't working very well. Gwyn was so focused on the door that she didn't notice the Marine pull things out of his pockets. She flinched as she felt his hand on her arm.
"I'm just bandaging it." Santos told her calmly. He put a pad on each side of her shoulder and wrapped it up. Gwyn noticed that he had bandaged himself up too. Once he was done, he handed her an ammo clip for the pistol she had in her hand and pulled another gun from his boot. It was smaller and he held it out to her.
"Trade ya." He smiled. Gwyn glanced purposefully at his knife.
"Only if I get the knife." She told him. Santos unsnapped it from the holster and handed it over without an argument. They were armed and ready went the men in blue came in. The two men kicked at the rubble and cloth on the ground.
"Well this is a shitty job." One of them complained.
"Shut up, Colson." The other scolded. "At least we aren't searching homes."
They came closer to the hiding spot where Gwyn and Felipe hid. Gwyn glanced at the Marine at her side. Were they going to hope they didn't find them and leave as soon as they left or moved on? Felipe watched the men move along and didn't meet Gwyn's eyes. Santos crept to the edge of the wall screen where the two men would soon arrive, with his gun at the ready. Gwyn made her way to the other side, determined to make a break for the door while the men fought, but she watched Felipe.
His body was tired from the last fight, but he still crouched like a cat ready to pounce. Suddenly, the marine fired and one of the men cried out. The blue flash that Gwyn had seen in the courtyard came from one of the men's weapons. She saw Santos roll and dodge the flash, which set the wall screen on fire. Gwyn found herself running for cover behind a shelving unit, not running for the door as she had planned. The shelving unit almost ran the length of the store but it was broken down in some places. Gwyn crouched and walked along it, with the sounds of the strange gun fight just a few quickly disappearing feet from her.
Felipe had taken out one of the men in blue, leaving only one, who was giving the Marine a hard time. The store was aflame in front of the man. Santos' cover was quickly burning up.
"Seldon! Some back up would be appreciated!" he called. By then, Gwyn was behind the man called Colson, knife drawn. Colson almost turned to see her but the blade of the knife was on his throat before he could look.
"Weapon down, please." Gwyn demanded in a low voice. The man almost fought back, until Gwyn held Santos' boot gun to his temple. "I said, please."
Colson tossed the gun down and raised his hands in the air. Felipe peered out and when he saw Gwyn had him, he came out, pistol raised.
"Kinda overkill isn't it?" Colson muttered to Gwyn. "A knife and a gun?"
"Shut up!" Felipe ordered over Gwyn's chortle. Felipe had picked up the gleaming weapon that Colson and his partner carried and pointed it at the man in blue. It looked like it was made of silver or some white polished metal. It was so pretty that Gwyn almost forgot it was a weapon.
Gwyn's sight blurred over and found that she was leaning on Colson for support. She quickly righted herself, but not before both men noticed.
"You alright, Gwyn? You look a little pale." Felipe asked. He motioned for Colson to move off to the side and threatened to burn a hole in him if he moved. Colson seemed surprised to find a young woman behind him when he turned and move away. Gwyn leaned on the shelving unit she snuck around to get to Colson. She felt like she was going to throw up or faint, one or the other.
"Her bandage is all bloody." Colson pointed out. Felipe told him to shut up again and threatened him once more. Their words were so garbled that Gwyn didn't understand half of what they said.
"I'm fine. Just tired." She told them. Gwyn took her weight off the shelf and started to walk over. She suddenly noticed how dry her lips were, how blurry everything looked, and how her stomach rolled. Her breath came in shudders as she stared at the floor. Gwyn's right hand reached out for something to grab, but there was nothing there. The shelf was now behind her and out of reach. Her legs gave out. Felipe shouted and a pair of arms caught her just before she passed out.

Santos stared through the sight of the gun at Colson holding the unconscious Gwyn in his arms. Colson stared at her shoulder wound and went to do something.
"Quit it! Just put her down." Santos demanded. Colson looked at him and frowned.
"I was just going to check her wound, Sarge." He explained. Santos shook his hand and pointed the gun at Colson.
"Put her down!" he yelled. Colson grimaced and set the woman down to the side. Santos made him get up and move away for her once more. Felipe then went over and touched Gwyn's cheek with the back of his hand. She was very pale and her breathing was erratic.
"She's going to need medical attention from the Feudal Lord's Army." Colson told him. Santos glared at him.
"Oh, she will, huh? What's the difference between mine and yours?" Santos growled. His new friend was injured and Santos had no doubt that the FLA had something to do with it.
"The Feudal Lord's Army docs know how to deal with the injuries from the Kiran rifle." Colson explained. "If the lightning and fire don't get you, there's a virus that's in the round that... somehow... poisons the person."
Santos turned on his heel and pushed Colson against a support pillar.
"Why do you care if she lives or dies?!" Santos shouted as he held the man by the throat.
"Bargaining." Colson gasped. "I help your girlfriend live and you let me go."
The "girlfriend" comment took Santos off guard. He let Colson go, pushing him to the ground a little bit as a show of strength.
"She's not my girlfriend and you aren't leaving my sight." Santos declared. He glanced at Gwyn then fixed his gaze on his captive. Colson watched Gwyn and smirked.
"It's a shame. She's cute." Colson said easily. "Probably cuter under all the blood and dirt." He jeered. Santos kicked him in the leg.
"Shut it. Where's your camp? Could we get out of here without being seen?" Santos wanted out. He wanted to find his captain and buddies and get Gwyn help. Colson shrugged.
"Depends on which way you go. There's a watch tower looking over the Northern part of this shopping center. We had to pass them on the way over, but I suppose if you hug the walls and stay in the shadows once evening falls, you should be alright."
Santos blinked. It was more information than he expected from the FLA soldier.
"Does your superior know where my squad is at?" Santos asked curiously. How much was he willing to give up?
"Your specific squad, I doubt even you know where they are, but even for an idiot, Colonel Dickering does know where a few squads are. Most have disappeared into the scenery."
Apparently, Colson was willing to tell almost anything. He was pretty knowledgeable and, judging by the lack of markings on his uniform, he was just a Private. Colson kept periodically glancing at Gwyn. It was giving him the willies just trying to imagine what he was thinking about. He won't lay a hand on Gwyn if I have anything to do with it.
"So, what is it about her that's got you so protective of her?" Colson asked after some silence. Felipe eyed him, curiously.
"I don't know what you mean. She's injured and alone." Santos said stubbornly. "I couldn't leave her."
Colson listened to him and then started smiling. Santos frowned and then Colson started laughing.
"She saved you didn't she? Gave you a reason to live, she did." He nodded "That's why you wouldn't even think of leaving her and why you dote on her even now."
Felipe jumped up and frowned in hopes of hiding his reddening cheeks. He had helped his troop retreat. He had fought off the FLA Captain. The officer nearly killed him, but he had won. Even though his friend had promised to return, Santos had given up and laid there bleeding to death, consoled only by the fact that his troop had gotten away. When he opened his eyes to find a woman standing over him, it had given him something to live for. He would repay her for it.
"I don't dote on her!" Santos declared. Gwyn shuddered and both men turned to see her eyes fluttering open. Felipe was at her side in a moment.
"Are you alright?" he asked resting a hand on his shoulder.
"I told you she needs help." Colson said loudly, leaning his head against the pillar at his back.
"Not the kind that you can provide, I assume." Gwyn snickered. Colson smirked at her comeback. Her face was flush. She flinched when Felipe touched her cheek.
"You're feverish." Gwyn moved away from him. Her face was a bit redder than earlier.
"I'm fine." She muttered. "How long was I out?"