A Plague
1 Hour before
She watched him die in her arms, powerless to stop it. Shot directly in the neck, Amy watched Edwin bleed out in her arms, dead defending his home against invaders. Amy didn't say anything, not at first. How could her whole life come crashing down so early? They still had so many years they were supposed to live together yet.
"Fine." Amy said, as the battle continued to rage around her. "If I can't be happy, nobody can. You'll pay. You'll all pay."
Amy stayed low, and kept her protective barriers up as she made her way back to her workshop. When she got there, it was surrounded by dead enemy soldiers, and the entrance was covered in thorns.
"Verka." Amy whispered, carefully going to the side of the building and opening a hidden door. Before she realized what was going on, she was on the floor with Verka on top of her.
"Shit! Amy!" Verka shouted, letting go of her. "I thought someone had found that door."
"Verka, I'm glad you're safe." Amy said, hugging Verka.
"Where's Edwin? I thought he was with you." Verka asked, offering a hand to help Amy up. Amy didn't take it. "Amy?"
"He's dead." Amy said after some silence. "He bled out in my arms. I couldn't do anything to save him." Amy looked up at Verka, her eyes full of rage and anger. "I'm going to kill them all. You should leave Nautitus while you still can."
"What are you planning?"
"It's simple. I'm going to poison this city. For all time, this place will become a tomb for these wastes of life. The land itself will cry out for mercy." Amy started, as she got up and went to her shelves. "I've always hated building weapons, but for Edwin I'll make an exception."
"Amy stop what about the civilians still trapped in the city?" Verka pleaded, grabbing on Amy.
"You've always been so softhearted for a rusalka." Amy replied coldly. "I'll stop their advance in its tracks now, so that the Imperial Army can destroy them. I've already lost my husband, I'd prefer I don't lose my wife as well."
Amy turned around and kissed Verka. They embraced for long minutes while the sounds of gunfire and explosions from outside were a deafening cacophony. Deep in her heart, Verka knew she wouldn't be able to stop Amy from this path, so when they released, she relented.
"I don't want to lose you either, Amy. Come back safely." Verka said softly, caressing Amy's face.
"You know I can't make that promise, Verka." Amy said softly, before giving her another kiss on the cheek. "Now go, this burden will be mine alone."
The Release
It didn't take long to perfect it. A deadly airborne plague, universally lethal to all known forms of life. Donning her gas mask, and pulling her black leather gloves tight, Amy tested it on the vines covering the front door. They withered and died in seconds, and melted into a puddle of purple sludge.
"Perfect." Amy said, throwing the door open, surprising the invaders in the street.
Throwing a bottle to the ground, she watched in satisfaction as they died screaming, melting in their clothes. Amy started throwing bottles high into the air, shooting at them as she did so, the toxic black goop in each bottle vaporizing in each one as she did so. The winds dispersed the plague across the city in minutes, the sounds of fighting being replaced with the sounds of screaming, and then silence.
Amy took her time as she walked through the city, regularly breaking extra bottles of it, until she got to the harbour, and spotted the black ships they came on. Taking careful aim, an entire bottle broke on the deck of each ship. Nobody would be spared the pain in her heart.
Walking through the now silent streets, Amy reflected on her life as she headed towards the Naval Base. She had only ever wanted to help people, and yet here she was. At least Edwin didn't have to see this.
At the communication station, Amy picked up the headset, and adjusted the radio.
"This is Major Amaranth Waters, the invaders have been beaten, but the city is lost. To the best of my knowledge, I am the sole living occupant of Port Nautitus as of this moment. I am ordering a permanent quarantine of this city, due to the chemical weapon I deployed. Weep not for the dead, for they have seen the end of war."