𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐒, ꜱʙɢ

26

Ash was panicking, her strength was giving in on her and she could feel the phantoms slimy breath fanning her face, and its wide, glowing eyes gazing manically into hers. Her gaze was spinning and her head dropped with crimson blood, pooling around the roof's tiles and dripping off their edges.

Ash looked up to the phantom, her arms shaking as she closed her eyes. Her limbs  finally gave out on her, and just as the phantom leaned down, aiming to take a bite out of her skull, she could feel it still.

She opened her eyes, confused and slightly relieved.

And that's what she saw it.

A glowing, pointing tooth sticking out of its chest, hovering just above Ashlyn's heart. She peered up, spotting a cold-eyed Dominique staring down at the deceased phantom with a glare.

She ripped her staff out of its body, kicking it down the side of the roof with the swing of her heel. Ashlyn stared up at Dom, looking with thankfulness coating her gaze as leaned up slightly.

"You okay, Ash?" Dominique asked, worry coating her tone as she leaned down, holding her hand out to Ash who sighed out, nodding lightly and reaching for Dominique's outstretched hand.

But that's when she felt a tug at the loop of her pants.

The phantoms claw had gotten tangled in the belt look of Ashlyn's cargos, and as its body fell, it pulled her down with it.

Panicked, Ashlyn desperately reached her hand for Dominique's; who leaned down, her eyes wide in horror.

Their fingertips brushed.

"NO!" Ashlyn screamed, clawing at the tiles of her roof, trying desperately to stay on top. She saw a frozen Dominique, and she shouted for her, tears falling lightly from her eyes.

"DOM!"

Ashlyn felt her fingertips leave the roof, falling through the air as she reached upward, trying carelessly to cling onto anything that could break her fall.

Ash could've sworn she felt time slow around her, starting up to the blood-red sky as her vision blurred. She could feel the wind rushing around her figure, her hair flailing around her and coating her head in a ginger halo.

She closed her eyes, tears falling from her eye-ducts as she cried out.

But, she felt her body jolt at the feeling of a hand grabbing her arm, pulling her from her fall.

She opened her teary eyes, gazing down at the horde of phantoms gathered around where she would've fallen, looking up at her with hungry, soulless smiles. She clung her palm desperately around the other holding her as she hung, suspended over the phantoms as they roared.

Hearing an anguished cry from above her, she gazed up to see a panting Dominique. She had stabbed her staff into the side of the roof, jumping down after Ashlyn and grabbing her arm, grazing her other hand over the cool metal of her staff and holding them both in the air.

"Dom..." Ashlyn whispered out, looking at her with wide eyes. Dom let out a cry, pulling Ashlyn up with all the upper-body strength she could muster. She could feel her hand slipping slightly on the metal of her staff, as she grasped her fingers around it with all her strength.