The Slayers: New Recruits

Chapter 7: The Rumble on Drury Lane

The path to destruction was not a hard path to follow.

Screams, screeches, crashes, gunfire, and explosions can all be heard from just right around the corner of where Ash was exactly heading. He saw civilians appearing from the corner fleeing from the chaos, fleeing from the danger, and fleeing for their lives, but despite those that ran and passed Ashton, Ash only kept moving. He looked over to the flipped red Toyota on the street; the headlights were flickering, the roof utterly crushed, and the windows completely shattered, but other than that, the vehicle itself seemed fine for the most part. Looking to the fine bumper and car sides, Ash could only guess that the car was somehow picked up then thrown on its roof by something - or someone. Ash decided to drop the thought and continued moving forward passing the last runaway and up to a familiar face that was currently looking around the infamous corner.

"What's going on over there?" Ash asked.

"John and Ceris," Brass replied.

When Ash then peeked around the corner to see for himself, he saw them. What John advertised about his life wasn't an understatement; it was hell. Ash found John, fully equipped with a sword on his right, now with the blade somehow covered in flames, and a sawed-off shotgun on his left, it constantly being emptied and reloaded with great speed, facing off two monstrous creatures that Ash had never encountered before. They were large, much bigger and taller than John, and had long serpent-like bodies that slithered in waves. They had large heavy lobster like claws on each side, clearly strong enough to easily snap off heads or any limb for that matter. As for their own heads which contrasted greatly from their scaly bodies and chitin arms, they had great round skulls covered in fur with characteristics greatly similar to a cheshire cat, but its hairs were long and pointed like quills of a hedgehog, and its iconic smile being farthest from friendly. They bore large grown fangs that stick out to the sides in a constant toothy grin, and their eyes, their sharp yellow eyes, looked like basilisks' with a stare strong enough to pierce any soul.

Ash both awed at the oddity and shuddered by its reality watching the two monsters pounce and attack John who's only managed to keep them off by staying on his feet, constantly moving, pushing them back with fires from his shotgun, and deflecting swipes and blows with his sword, but their blows were strong, nearly knocking John down every time, and John could only fire two shots before needing to reload again all while dodging more of the monsters' onslaught. It was an impressive feat to witness for sure, but as the battle continued, Ash already knew deep down that John can't keep running forever.

As Ash watched the battle, he noticed something significant about the setting as well; the great glowing crater in the middle of the street further down and away from the fight. The crater was large, large enough to park an entire truck, and the hole was covered in burning embers as melted asphalt slowly spilled into the pit with the viscosity of honey. Ash couldn't understand it, but he looked at the crater for some time before finally moving on.

"Brass... where's-"

"There," Brass said, pointing with his head to the yellow cafe across the street where a handful of civilians were hiding and looking trapped; however, a calm blonde man in khakis - Ceris! - was at the front door of the cafe watching John and the monsters as the others stood behind him all clearly frightened and hastily looking for an escape all waiting for Ceris's command.

"Ceris has been busy getting people out from the cafe and away from the danger," Brass said, "and it looks like John is just trying to keep those snake-cat-fuckers distracted all so they can escape." Ash nodded along, but Brass didn't see. They were both watching everything trying to figure out what to do. They can of course try to help John, but out of all of the current Slayers, it looked like only John would be capable of holding such creatures back without getting himself instantly killed, and even then, the duo wasn't sure how long John could manage.

Ash was getting desperate; the more time he wasted figuring out what to do, the more likely it was of John dying before Ash could even do a thing. He needed to move, and he needed to move now, but do what?

Ash thought more and more, but no sensible ideas came to mind. He then placed a hand on his side, right on the metallic cylinder on his belt. Maybe, he thought, just maybe if I can distract them long enough with you with me, we can both survive this along with John.

Ashely, don't put all your faith in me, the familiar voice said. I may be able to help with small things here and there, but not only am I still learning how, I don't even know if it'll be enough for all of that!

Ash looked to the two serpents watching the first one take a quick jab at John with an opened claw, but John managed to lodge his burning sword right between the two pincers keeping them away from his head. However, the power of the jab forced John to rebalance both his arms on the sword and leaning into it with his full weight and ducking his head right under the snapping claw. He pushed the angled sword up, keeping death away from his head, but the serpent was still stronger and started pushing John back as his feet skidded into the streets little by little. Before the serpent could raise its other claw and land the finishing blow, the flames of John's sword proved to be too great for the monster and burned the abomination released the sword roared in its agony of pain so loud, both Ash and Brass had to cover their ears from the scream, but John didn't have time to cover his. John fell forward and landed on his knees panting from the sudden release, but even then, John had no time to rest as he swiftly rolled to his side just in time to dodge another swipe at his head from the claw of the second serpent. John then swiftly released a shotgun shell into the second serpent's cat-like face pushing it back before John was able to stand again and once again, stayed on the move reloading his shotgun with shells once more. He was still moving, he was still fast, but Ash could see it. Little by little, John was getting tired, and John was getting slower, and eventually...

I need to help him before he gets killed! Ash thought.

If you go in now, you'll be killed! the voice replied.

If I do nothing, another life will be taken because I didn't do a damn-

"Psst! Hey, dumbass!" Brass whispered.

"What?!" Ash demanded, irritated by his new nickname but Ash spoke a bit too loud for his comfort. Both Ash and Brass duck their heads behind the corner again making sure Ash didn't give away their position. "What the hell are you trying to do?" Brass uttered through gritted teeth. "Kill us?"

Not a bad thought since you mentioned, Ash thought.

Ashely!! the voice cried.

Ash sighed and now more softly said, "what?" Brass then poke his head around the corner again and pointed down the street. "Ya see that?" Ash, still frustrated, took a second before finally looking and followed his gaze. Much further down the street way past John's fighting, Ceris's cafe, and past the crater, Ash could see him.

It was the man in the red hood.