When A Life Is Lost (NaNoWriMo 2013)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Heriatta smiled, the side of her face being illuminated by the flames that licked the side of the property.

"Do not leave until either you or they are dead," she ordered her men, before leaping up into the air. She extended her wings as she did, spinning to avoid the fire. She gave one final, cold smirk to Ania, before she flew off in the direction of Geramina.

Ania wanted to follow her, but she remembered that both Alykana and Eoius were trapped in the cottage. Their way was blocked by almost a dozen guards, and Ania knew she did not have time to use her abilities to knock them out.

She may, however, have time to disarm a few.

"Cover me," she muttered to Malus. He had a moment to react as Ania braced herself for the quick timing that was required for her ability.

Luckily Malus had quick reactions. She was protected as she managed to focus herself to use it. In an instant, she was surrounded by silence. She opened her eyes and looked at as many of the guns as she could, but many guards were being blocked by others.

She did not have time to try to get to them, because reality snapped back. About half of the weapons were plucked from the guards grasps and broken in half, but the remaining three or four still possessed their weapons.

They smiled smugly, aiming their guns at them. Leaping into the air, Ania and Malus flew above them. They sped so fast towards them that they didn't have time to react, and their weapons were hit out of their hands.

They looked stunned for a moment, hesitating as they looked at them.

"We have our orders," one guard said, pointing to Malus and Ania, "Kill them."

The guards looked perplexed for a moment, looking down at their hands as if they expected weapons to magically appear in their hands. When they didn't, they sighed in unison and launched themselves forward to try to fight.

Malus and Ania looked at each other, smiling, before they started to fight. It was quickly a mess of bodies. Ania couldn't see Malus in the scuffle, but she knew that he would be okay fighting. She blocked at attack aimed at her stomach, and managed to knock out the attacking guard with one blow to the face. More charged at her; all jabbing for her torso. She dodged them in one swift movement, arching her back backwards so that her head nearly touched the ground.

She put her hands behind her head and used them to push herself up, kicking the guard in the face in the process. He shot backwards, letting Ania place her feet on the ground.

"Nice," she heard a voice from her right, and she turned her head for a moment. The guards had parted for a moment, leaving her action to be seen by Malus. She smiled for a moment, but continued to fight the guards.

It didn't take long for them to knock most of the guards out around them, and they were left facing the final two after what seemed like an instant. Unfortunately, they turned out to be the two guards which still had their weapons. Instead of tranquilisers, they had proper guns.

Obviously the Ruby doesn't want to use us anymore.

"You're too much trouble," one of the guards said, as if reading her mind, "It's easier for the Queen if you're dead."

"I thought she wanted to use me," Ania shot back, stalling for time as she tried to figure out a way to get them out the way without them shooting.

The men both laughed and aimed their weapons at them, letting the bullets loose. Ania tried not to flinch as she tried to bring up a protection field in front of them. She'd only done it once before, and it didn't work very well. She tried to focus herself and was shocked that it actually worked.