A World With/Out Home

Chapter 16: Nightmare (Part 5)

"Stop," Kyle called out suddenly causing Mr Devro to stumble.

"What's wrong?" the man whispered in a shiver.

He signalled around the corner and the director pointed his camera, using the external screen to look around. Immediately his complexion paled as he realised what it was. Bodies laid out against the pavement sprawled out and unmoving. It was clear they were no longer among the living. Four in total they wore the armour of the Lavise Guard. The black steel still released a soft glow between its joints but even with all their technology, against their enemy death was quick.

"A Lavise knight?" Mr Devro gulped.

"Looks like it," Kyle felt his heart churn at the sight of them. Even with his previous experience with them it was still a shock to see them fall. He went to take a step forward but was held back.

"Hold on. They're dead. You can't be thinking of going past," Mr Devro gripped his arm.

"We have to. Whatever killed them seems to have moved on and besides... I need a weapon." The words sounded callous but in their situation they didn't have much choice.

"Aren't you scared?"

Kyle stopped surprised that the answer was simple, "No. I don't have the right to be. There are people in much worse situations."

"Like Lillia?"

"Yes like Lillia...," his eyes reflexively looked to the sky.

Mr Devro let go, "Then we should get going. I hope she's doing well."

Kyle knelt down next to the fallen Lavise Elite. Signs of a fight scuffed the street around them but from the looks of it the action hadn't lasted long. Before anything else he picked up the nearest knights rifle and made sure it was loaded.

"Do you know how to use that?" Mr Devro asked.

"I think so. The Hero's Guard made me train with theirs, though this one does look a bit different. Why, do you want one?" Kyle answered and gestured to a similar firearm nearby.

Mr Devro shook his head, "I'd do more harm than good and besides, I'd have to put my camera down for that."

"You sould take one of these then," he picked up two small orbs that were attached to the knight's belt.

"What are they?"

"Grenades."

The director took a step back, "I'm fine. Please be careful with those."

With practised motions Kyle put the explosives away and made sure the gun was in working order. It seemed to be quite powerful and without proper bracing would kick back quite hard. Still it was better than the measly dagger he had at the moment. What was strange however was the dead knights. To be exact the wounds that killed them were too precise. Their black armour had been pierced and cut by a single strike and from the looks of it, it was done by a blade of some kind. While the Type A demons' arms acted as blades they were serrated and would leave a much messier mark. Further there was no blood on the scene.

"This doesn't add up," Kyle frowned.

Mr Devro agreed with a nod, "It does look a little strange."

"Exactly... and why would they be here of all places?"

"Hang on Kyle this one is holding something," the director bent over with a groan and retrieved a rectangular case. "Hmm this looks like a memory chip."

"A memory chip?"

"Yes we use similar ones for our cameras."

Kyle took the case from him, "I'll bring it up with the Captain later. For now we need to move on. We'll have to send someone else to pay their last rights once this is over."