A World With/Out Home

Chapter 27: A Growing Tale (Part 4)

The barrier still up, Kyle crashed into Lillia's open embrace. She held him tightly, "I'm so glad you're alright."

"You as well," Kyle breathed out the tension that had been lingering in his chest as the assault around them stopped with their abrupt appearance.

"Great," Valandus coughed on the ground. "I know it's Kyle and of course you would catch him but, at least pull me in nicer." He winced, not rising from his position and looking down at his side, noticed the pooling blood. "Of course I got shot."

"Valandus!" Kyle let go and kneeled beside him.

"You could at least call me Val before I die," he chuckled in pain.

"You're not going to die," Kyle spoke firmly and inspected the wound. It didn't look fatal but if left unattended could lead to him bleeding out. "Lillia how long can you hold the barrier?"

"If it was only rifle fire probably another ten minutes, but they just brought something out and it looks big." She pointed across the clearing where a group of knight were setting up a large cannon.

"Great they brought heavy arms as well," Valandus rolled his eyes only to yell in pain. "Yeow! Watch the side."

Kyle ignored him as he tended to the wound, stripping back the man's clothes, "That was the easy part, this is going to hurt." Without asking for further permission Kyle dug his fingers into Valandus' exposed side and wrenched out the bullet within. A white glow spread across the wound as it partially closed stopping the bleeding.

"By the Hero I almost bit my tongue off there, a little warning next time please," the driver managed to sit up and assess the situation. Though the knights were holding fire, their number had now doubled.

"Careful," Kyle supported his back. "I'm not great at healing. If you move that hole in your side is going to start bleeding all over.

Lillia scowled at the knights, her skin paling, "What do we do now?"

Valandus accepted Kyle's assistance and managed to somewhat stand, "Well if they have that cannon they'd need a transport. That may our ticket out."

"And how do we get that far?" Kyle looked at the knights just waiting to fire.

"Hope for a bloody miracle. Though I get the feeling their goal is not to kill us, or at least not to kill you two."

On cue a single knight wearing thicker armour broke from the formation and taking out a small box, spoke into it, "Members of the Hero's Guard surrender now. We have you surrounded and wish for no further bloodshed."

"Screw you," Lillia growled but held back as Kyle placed his hand on her.

"What do you want?" Kyle answered as he let his voice boom across the forest.

"Custody over the Hero and yourself," the leading knight replied evenly. "Do not make this come to another battle. You will lose."

There was no point talking. It was easy to see the resolve the Lavise knights held within them. They knew just what they were doing and how much it went against the world they lived in. The thought shook Kyle as he knew the man leading them was not dumb. He wouldn't try to kidnap them like this unless he had already made a greater move.

"Lillia let down the barrier."

"You're kidding right?" she snapped.

"We can't win against all of them." Though Kyle knew Estile could have, he was another matter. It would be too risky to try anything now. "But that doesn't mean we're not looking for a way out of this. Just right now, we're not in a good place."