𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐒. empires smp (in progress)

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐕𝐈𝐈. BREATHING

With them taken care of, he took Jane's hand and they ran down the steps; at the bottom, the head guard was talking to the guards under her charge. She stepped aside when Atticus joined her at the front. "What are their orders?" he asked.

Cara smiled thinly. "Don't attack directly, try to save the people. Don't be idiots."

Atticus nodded, looking at the group of men. "Take the citizens to safety. I know the urge to fight the demon is there, but ignore it. Save as many people as you can, and then save yourselves." Atticus turned to Jane, hands shaking at the thought of sending her out there, but he knew if he didn't give her an order, she was going to do something dangerous. "Jane, take a guard. Get the orphanage evacuated. Once that's done, start an infirmary rin the castle; the biggest room you can find, set up the healers and stay with them," he ordered, tone leaving no room for argument.

Jane nodded, tapping the arm of the guard closest to her to choose them for the mission. "And what are you going to do, Foxling?" she asked.

Atticus nodded to Cara. "Follow her lead, of course. I'll help as much as I can."

Cara nodded, stepping up to her rightful place as the leader of the charge. Atticus was handed a sword by a nearby guard; it was heavy, but he could lift it. He would have preferred an axe, but knew this was no time to be complaining about weapons.

"The demon is powerful and should be avoided. Even if you have the chance to fight it, you are to run. Your main priority is protecting the citizens, not the buildings. Take care of yourselves."

With that pep talk out of the way, the guards dispersed, forming groups together before leaving the castle grounds; watching them head deeper into the kingdom, Atticus sent a prayer to the Numenvulpes, the first time he'd done so since he was a child; to protect the fighters and citizens alike, as they did not deserve to lose their lives so young.

With a sword and shield in hand, Atticus felt confident for himself, but the fear for his citizens lingered. Perhaps if he had put his reservations aside and gone with Scott and the others to the End, his people wouldn't be running from the burning remains of their homes.

As Atticus ran further into the kingdom, he was joined by three other guards—Kian, Han, and Tylan, only one of whom he was familiar with. They moved in silence toward the edge of the kingdom, where senior citizens resided—they would have a much harder time getting away from the demon's attack than the younger people.

With most of the citizens having already run toward the castle, the group found that it was easy to get closer to the source of the attack. They slowed to a walk, listening out for anyone who needed help, calling out for anyone trapped to respond. It pained Atticus to see the fire eating at buildings that had been in Vulpesterra for longer than he had been alive—but it was the people that mattered, not the structures, no matter their history.

"When did it start?" he asked Kian when the older man fell into step with him.

"Less than an hour ago. There was an explosion at the farms. The longest five minutes of my life was getting from my house to the armory." Atticus cracked a smile at his humor but didn't feel like laughing.

"Over here!" Han called. Further up the road, he was helping an older woman walk as her grandson clung to her free hand. Atticus and Kian ran over. The boy's arm was burned, but his grandmother looked fine, if not scared and lost. "He needs medical attention," Han told Atticus.

"Kian, take them to the castle," Atticus ordered. "Jane should have triage set up already."

Kian nodded, moving closer to the woman. "May I carry you, Miss?" he asked gently. She nodded quietly, glancing at her grandson in question. "He can be on my back. It'll be like a piggyback ride, kid," he told the boy, who smiled up at him shyly.