War of Praisers

Chapter 23

There are only two things big enough to own that many Automations, the Facility and the Clear Court. The Facility now doesn't exist any longer so the only option is the Clear Court. My breathing becomes harder to control, how could they have found us? Did they follow us? No, they didn't, he had made sure of that. My brows furrow from anger and betrayal. Only Yakov knew where we where, had he hold them? It's one thing to go after us but it's an entirely different thing to attack a whole village of innocents. I can hardly believe it, how could he endanger Ora like this. He would never to this to Ora, or Anthon.

I know that this is not the time to be thinking of this. I run into the village the way Ewan went. My eyes burn because of the smoke and the dust clouds. Automations are roaming the street and attacking everything that moves. They go after the villagers which remain and I go to help them. But the Automations have spotted me as well and come to attack me. I don't have the time to fight them, and most definitely not all of them. They aren't as fast as the Watchers at the Facility so it is easy to outrun them, but I do not want to lead them to Oras house. My decision was made when they started shooting at me. I turn back to them and dodge the many red lasers flying past me. Their metallic bodies stiffly approach me with their red robotic eyes glowing dangerously at me. I run at the three closest to me, I run up the wall next to us and I push myself from the sturdy material, swinging my foot to the closest one. I feel the hard impact of the metal on my foot and the head of the Automation snaps back from impact, falling over the other one. I grab the arm of the Automation still standing and rip it around, swinging the heavy figure at the wall I pushed off from. The Automation leaves a noticeable dent in the wall and it falls to the floor lifeless, but not long after it starts to stand again. I spot a long and thin pole on the sandy ground and I throw it at the Automation like a spear, the pole is thrown though its head and I turn away as I see the sparks fly out. I finally kick down the third Automation after pulling its head off its body. By the time I have finished more Automations have come. I rip a gun from one of the sturdy hands of an Automations I have gotten rid of, but I don't get it out in time before the first Automation swings its fist at the back of my head. I flip backwards just in time before it punches the dead Automation, crushing its arm in little pieces and the gun I was trying to get flies from its grasp. Another Automation comes at me just as I flipped back. I flip again but this time I connect my feet with the chest of the Automations as I flip back, the Automation falls to the floor and I finish my backwards flip onto the sand. I stomp my foot as hard as I can into its face, breaking the screen for its eyes and cracking the face slightly, but it still moves, it just cant see. The Automation that almost punched me is in my face again, and swing my knee up to its side, knocking it slightly. I try not to wince at the sharp pain my leg. I use that small time to dive for the gun on the dirty ground. I peel the Automation punch me in my leg, and I bite lip to hold in my small gasp. For any human that would have broken their bone, but the Prasiers were created to survive much more than that. I hold the heavy gun my hand and shoot it in the Automations face before it can attack me again. I pant slightly out of breath, but my body is sparked full of adrenaline. The gun is warm in my palm and I almost grin at the sight of more Automations still approaching me. I exited to beat them, to breath them one by one with my bare hands, old habits die hard, but I know I can't. I don't have time to do this, instead I shoot them all until I can't find another one in sight. I take this time to actually look at the damage. The trees are burning and some houses, but most are almost destroyed. Dust and sand is molding with the smoke in the air, and I can still see the aircrafts drop Automations into other areas of the village. The fire and the smoke gives off a mysterious and dangerous vibe, casting shadows here and there. I my eyes stop on two motionless human figures lying I the sand. I run to them and drop to my knees beside their lifeless forms. Laser wounds mark their chests. My eyes travel over the boys body until I reach his face. It's the boy with the red hair and the yellow trunks form the beach the other day, the boy Ewan was supposedly growling at. His caramel coloured eyes stare into the sky lifeless. I cant bare to look at him any longer, instead my eyes wander to the girl next to him. I regret my decision immediately when I see who it is. The dull blue eyes stare at the boy next to her, and new black hair sprawled over the dirt. Valentinas face is marked with dirt and stained with tears, her body has multiple laser wounds and her hands are covered in blood up to her elbows. It is obvious that she was in heavy battle, probably defending the redhead boy. The haunted look in her eyes makes me look away again. I brush their eyes closed and I stand to leave. I start to run the direction to Oras house and I remember that we are still in the midst of battle. I run up the dirt path to Oras driveway and the trees leading up to her house remain untouched my the fire, but I do not know for how long. My nerves don't rest as I see that the gate is open, so I just run through until I see the porch and my speed increases. All of the lights are on and I jump all of the steps at the same time. I rip the door open, all of the lights are on.