Worlds Apart

Anything to Protect You

"No one told me those bitches could rise from the dead" Lui groaned, trying to push himself up. Shu kept his hands steady on the male's shoulders, protesting.

"Don't move, you're bleeding"

Lui didn't seem to have any intention of listening to Shu at the moment. The albino groaned in dismay, watching his friends engaged in fights with the Scorpions and the soldiers alike. His eyes shifted to Tatsu who hadn't moved from his earlier position. So they did not impress him, Shu thought. "Snowflake" Lui's voice caught him off guard. Shu moved his eyes to the White Tyrant. "You can let go of me, I can't sit here and-"

"No" Shu shut him off. He opened his mouth to say something else but a girl around their age ran up to them. Her blue hair bouncing in loose curls as he sat down. "Lui" She said and flicked her gaze to Shu. "You must be Shu"

Shu wordlessly nodded at the stranger. She dipped her head and started inspecting his wound, grimacing at the blood dripping down his clothes. "We need to take him for medical treatment. This looks plenty bad for me"

"I'm fine" Lui weakly objected.

"No you're not. Don't even bother answering" The girl muttered. Right at the cue, Gou was by their side. Shu didn't waste a second. They were fighting a losing battle. The only sensible answer was to retreat and attack when they have a solid plan, a goal in their mind. Or they will have more casualties than they could cope with at the moment.

"Gou" Shu turned to the male. "Take him back to safety" He said with a note of finality. He paid no attention to the White Tyrant's weak glare. It was almost as if he did not have any strength to word his discomfort. Gou nodded, hoisting Lui to his feet. Lui let out a pained groan, clutching to his side. Shu stood, the girl mimicked his actions. Her gaze burned against his skin. "You are?"

"Sasha" She answered after a beat.

"Okay" He said, turning to the podium where Ran was commanding the soldiers, yelling back and forth in a frenzy. Tatsu was just there, motionless and watching them like a hawk. His gaze slipped to the prisoner's area. They didn't have time to save all of them. Will they have time for anything at all? He quietly wondered, calculating, looking for answers. "Here's the plan" He said turning to Sasha who was still eyeing him sceptically. "You take everyone with you and retreat. I'll follow up with Free and Valt. We can't leave all the prisoners there"

"No" Sasha said, tightening her grip on the scythe she was holding. "I barely know you and those prisoners" She said, gesturing at them, swinging her weapon at a soldier who came charging at the duo mindlessly. "Are my responsibility too."

Shu let out an exasperated sigh. "But-"

She shook her head, "You listen to me" She said, "I don't know who you are and what position you hold among them. But right here, you're working to my plan and that doesn't include you"

Shu blinked, appalled by this hostility. But he prevented commenting on her behaviour instead, he drew out his axe and gestured at them. "All yours, princess" He muttered, trying to keep the cynicism out of his voice. But from the looks of it, he had failed to do so. She gave her a terrific glare, calling out to several of her comrades and charging straight to the thick of soldiers. Shu attacked several soldiers. His veins were pumping with adrenaline. His mind was driven with animated hatred towards Ran for hurting Lui.

He made a dash towards Free. The blond nodded at him almost as if he was expecting him. "What's the plan?" He asked, giving Shu a knowing smile. Shu scowled.

"Don't ask me." He mumbled, standing back to back with him. "That Sasha or whoever that is just lashed out at me and went to save the prisoners. And then there's Lui-" He stopped to attack another Scorpion swinging the vicious tail against them. It was getting clear. There was no way to win this. Retreat now, or else they'd lose a few precious lives in this chaotic struggle.