A World With/Out Home

Chapter 27: A Growing Tale (Part 4)

"I agree," Valandus nodded. "That cannon isn't meant for demons. It's designed to break barriers. In other words they made it especially for you Lillia. I'd rather not see it fired."

"I...," Lillia's eyes lingered on Kyle. "Fine, but if they try separate us, I won't allow it."

With the barrier down, the surrounding knights immediately eased their tension. While they were professionals, they also held the Hero's Guard in high esteem, not fighting meant not risking their lives.

"You've made a wise choice," the leading knight gestured to his comrades. "Don't make any sudden movements and obediently allow us to cuff you." Several knights approached them, each holding a thick set of glowing iron cuffs.

"Great, mana-locks," Valandus sighed. "Hope you feel like throwing up because they're going to give you a bout of nausea strong enough to feel like you just drank a gallon of spirit."

Kyle frowned, while he had his own experience with similar cuffs, the ones held by the knights seemed much worse, "Well here goes noth-. Wait do you hear that?"

Lillia curled her brows as she concentrated, "Yeah, what is that?"

"It sounds like... chopping wind?"

Valandus suddenly perked up and grinned, "Lillia throw up a barrier now!" The Lavise knights had just reached them and at the driver's sudden words tried to draw their weapons only to be pushed back by a powerful force. "Get ready to leave."

It appeared quickly and immediately gathered the attention of everyone in the clearing. Shaped like a hawk in flight with a large undercarriage, the black armoured vehicle flew through the sky and dropped just above the tree line. As close as it was, the sound of the two rotating blades on its wings easily filled the open air, though the noise was pale in comparison to sudden spray of bullets it released from its front. With a roar of fire the ground before the knights suddenly sprang into tiny fountains of dirt as bullets repeatedly assailed them. Within seconds their formation was broken.

Valandus cheered pumping his arm only to immediately regret it as a sharp pain pierced his side, "Argh... worth it. Okay everyone get in quickly!" At his words the black hawk hovered behind them and its side open to reveal an open space within. Doing so however forced it to cut its fire and the broken knights quickly tried to regroup.

"Lillia come on!" Kyle helped the driver into the flying machine, turning back to help her in.

Lillia however grimaced as a powerful volley of bullets assaulted her barrier which had expanded to protect them all. "I-I can't! If I move the barrier will fall. Just go!"

"Like I could do that," Kyle firmly planted his feet beside her and placed his arms around her. "We just need one second. Once we're inside reset the barrier."

"One second?" Lillia growled. "They won't even give us a second." The knights around them had all began to fire in a successive volley and worse, their cannon was gearing to fire. "Please just-."

From the forest a sudden figure appeared and tore through the line of knights. Their leader caught off guard was suddenly stabbed in the neck as a powerful burst of electricity sprang from him to the surrounding knights. The culprit didn't stop and despite the oncoming fire dove straight into the centre of the clearing. It was Melissa and she had just given them exactly what they needed. With their commander incapacitated the knights paused and Kyle took the opportunity. Without saying another word he tossed Lillia into the waiting vehicle and quickly jumped after her. The barrier fluctuated letting several rounds dent the black steel of the flying machine. The machine however remained firm and as soon as Melissa managed to climb aboard began to take off.

With Lillia's barrier now set from inside the vehicle they were home free, that was until the cannon fired. The blast was louder than anything had been so far and suddenly Lillia's barrier shattered apart. The girl herself went frigid as the burden of the blow transferred to her. Her eyes rolled back and like a limp doll she fell to the floor.

"Lillia!" Kyle screamed as she threatened to slide out of the moving vehicle. Just in time, Valandus and Melissa grabbed her.

The driver groaned in pain, "Damn it, we've got her, but we can't take another hit." The cannon visibly aimed towards them, ready to fire again.

Melissa tucked Lillia against her, "We just need to get out of range."

"I don't think we'll get the chance," Valandus pointed at the shining cannon.

Kyle grit his teeth, a seething annoyance burning inside him. The knights of Lavise, determined as they were, frustrated him. They had hurt his friends, hurt the girl he loved and wouldn't just stop there. Their leader, and their methods, all of it went against his own and as the cannon pointed towards them, Kyle's anger became a desire to break it.

"I've got this." On the side of the wall, a set of equipment and tied in place, a sturdy rope. With purposeful steps Kyle grabbed the rope with one hand and took a sword in the other. Then he waited and as the fluctuations of the cannon reached its peak and fired, Kyle ran out of the vehicle. His eyes traced the path of metal slug hurtling towards them. The spells that inlaid in the spherical steel shone to break their escape but instead it met Kyle's blade.

A roar of strength broke Kyle's lips. The sound itself caused the world around them to pulse, let alone the power in his strike. Though it lasted only a moment, the sight burnt itself into the eyes of everyone who witnessed it. The sword shattered in Kyle's hands and defying belief, the cannon slug was repelled back the way it came. It exploded on impact, breaking apart the artillery that had fired it and with it, the Lavise knights could only stare in awe as their prey flew away.

Melissa who watched in utter shock quickly snapped herself awake as she realised Kyle still dangled from the end of the rope. With what strength she had left she managed to heave the rope and Kyle back inside, letting the door finally close.

"Kyle are you alright?" she asked deeply concerned, staring at the mangled arm that still held the hilt of a broken sword.

"Give me a second," Kyle's hair shone and with it, his arm snapped back into proper shape. He dropped the shattered sword and flexed his fingers. "There we go."

"You're crazy you know that," she heaved relief.

"How's Lillia?"

Valandus answered, "She just needs some rest. The blowback was too much for her system."

"And how about you?" Melissa asked. "Looks like you got shot."

"Yep," Valandus smirked. "Only once though, how about you?"

"A few grazes but no holes," she replied proudly.

"Of course," he rolled his eyes. "Now more importantly we should thank whoever saved us." He gingerly turned to face the open cockpit and the figure seated at the controls.

A quiet and drained voice replied, "You finally checking on me?"

"Reina?" Valandus blinked in surprise.

"Yes, it's me," she stood from herseat clearly struggling. "Now do your job and take over." With those last wordsshe collapsed to the floor and her true condition became apparent. Her stomachcovered in blood and all around her seat were the signs of a wound that hadbeen bleeding for far too long.