Love Among the Gifted - A Pride & Prejudice Alternative

Chapter Forty-Four

Lydia and Charles freed the last of the bound soldiers who had been pressed in to the first magazine. There were thirty of more of them, all in uniform, but without their weapons of effects. Each was simultaneously attempting tell his own tale of how they had been captured by a group of gifted assailants, creating such a clamor that Lydia could not form any coherent understanding of what they were trying to say. Overhead they could hear the sounds of conflict punctuated by occasional explosions.

"Everybody be QUIET!" she raised her voice at the last to be heard over the cacophony. "We have to get your away from the powder. It could go off at any moment. Follow Mr. Bingley out the door ONE AT A TIME!"

To her utter astonishment, the men listened and obeyed. Charles moved, and the others followed. Lydia hefted one young man who seemed incapable of walking on his own over her shoulder. She winced at his moan of pain, but carried him out behind the rest of his comrades. She was thrilled at this small success. She felt like she was making a real difference, rather than just being Jane and Lizzy's troublesome tagalong little sister.

A green light flared in the night sky just as the soldiers reached the wall of the encampment. Only forty or so yards away, Lydia saw a dozen men and women, some armed and some with obvious gifts pour out of a covered trench. They were running towards Sir John, who seemed to be fighting another half dozen or so armed men. Two took off into the air. She saw them moving towards Darcy, but could not immediately think of a way to reach them.

She looked to Charles, who seemed to be hesitating, looking between the soldiers they were saving, his friends in the air, and the newly uncovered enemies. She shoved the man she was carrying in to the arms of the nearest solders. She saw her brother-in-law standing, seemingly overwhelmed, mired in indecision. She was almost astounded that she was able to maintain her own presence of mind. She barked an order to Charles. "Find weapons and arm these men. They'll be more help in the fight with muskets!" Then she ran towards the enemy approaching Sir John.

Several of the armed enemy turned towards her. They must have heard her ordering Charles. They started firing at her. Suddenly time seemed to slow down, just like it had when she was practicing with Wickham on Oakham Mount. She was able to step or spin around the incoming balls, ducking and dodging, taking advantage of carts and walls for cover. She grabbed an empty cart, probably used for hauling barrels and supplies and swinging it in a full circle off the ground, she hurled it at the attackers who had stopped to engage her.

Her aim was true, and the cart bowled over four of the assailants. "Yes!" she expostulated, then continued into the fray.

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Darcy watched as the battle expanded below. He saw the familiar giantess, growing to her fifteen-foot height, along with a man carrying several swords and pistols, a dusky woman shrouded in mist, and two flyers, a man and a woman. The flyers proceeded in his direction. Darcy had extended his gravitic shield to create a dome that encapsulated the five magazines. Unfortunately, this was taking the preponderance of his capability and concentration, leaving only enough for him to maneuver to avoid the anticipated attacks form the aerial duo.

The woman seemed to be crouched low on a glowing golden platform that she propelled through the air. The man rode at the head of a dazzling trail. Both were attacking with energy burst which Darcy managed to slip between. He could not counterattack without removing the dome and there were too many ways the magazines could be detonated without his shield.

Below he spotted the forces clashing. Richard was engaged with the well-armed man, both were moving faster than humanly possible. The man drew and fired two pistols. Richard managed to avoid both shots, procuring a loaded musket for himself from one of the villains Miss Lydia had bowled over. The man avoided Richard's return fire with a spinning leap that ended with a blade in both his hands. Richard fenced with him, bayonet against saber. Scarlet blossomed on both men's raiment. They traded powerful blows that reverberated across the battlefield.