From The Ashes

33

The thunderous sounds of stone crashing against stone was enough to falter the small group momentarily. "W-what was that?" Tilda looked expectedly up at her sister before looking to Alassëa. She tilted her head to the side, sheathing her sword she placed her hands against Tilda's shoulders and nudged her to move quicker.

Alassëa was not an expert when it came to warfare. She had fought many fights, never a battle, and she was rather sure that this whole thing was going to turn into one horrendous fight which would see many a life lost. But even still, she was rather sure that the tactic of siege warfare was taking place right now. The earlier noises of impact signalled the destructions of the outer walls of the city. Without the thick brickwork, or even without a piece of it, the city now had a direct opening which looked out over the actual battlefield. This merely meant that those who they really didn't wish to come in, were now streaming through in great numbers. Even as they ran down another side street they could hear fighting and shouting, screaming and then silence.

Placing her hand back to the sword at her side, she pulled it free. The promise she gave to Sigrid was now for nothing. At least one of them in the group needed to defend them, though the prospect of great numbers crossed Alassëa's mind and made her shudder. Her ability to fight was not awful, it could be a lot better, but one against many? She'd be doomed. Inhaling deeply she led them down another street and faltered when the children did. Looking behind her and over the shoulders of the children, she frowned deeply at the sight of a large grey form crashing against the wall. Its hand spread out and steadied it against the brickwork, only for the brickwork to give out and crumble beneath is weight. With blundering motions it fell on its hands and knees.

Naturally at the sight of what Alassëa struggled to identify, the girls screamed. Their cause for fear only heightened when a group of orcs charged in front of them. They chased a small group of people. "Where's Bain?" Alassëa suddenly noted how the young male must have continued on and was now missing from their little group. Turning each which way she pulled the girls forward and away from the lumbering form down the street.

"We have to find him!"

"Tilda," Alassëa crouched down, there was a sudden calm which really to her signalled no good was going to come. "There's no we, there is only me, I can do this, let me find him."

"We've been through this-"

"Sigrid, I cannot leave your brother out there, who only knows where."

"And you cannot leave us unprotected." Sigrid rightly stated. Though she wished to find her brother, how Alassëa intended to do that at this specific time she did not know.

Standing up straight she looked to the side, "Follow me," nodding she ran towards a small crumbled alcove. Clearly the space used to be a door of some sort. But now it had crumbled and basically fallen in on itself. There was still however a small space where they could climb in and hide. "I will be back for you. You have my word. If you stay here, and stay silent you shall be all right."

"You can't guarantee that." Sigrid whispered while helping Tilda into the space.

"I know," Alassëa said sadly. "You must understand something...I am not abandoning you, though it may seem like it. But your brother is untrained with a sword, his weakness will be taken advantage of. Orcs aren't known for their kindness against those less skilled than them." Orcs weren't generally known for kindness at all, but she didn't wish to state this. She was more than sure Sigrid was already aware. "Get in, and I will be back in no time."

"Promise?" Tilda's face peeked over a piece of rumble.

"Promise," Alassëa smiled and turned and ran back the way they had all come. They had lost Bain precisely at the time when the wall had crumbled, when that lone war beast had broken it down and fallen into the street. Unlike them he hadn't faltered, he had continued running onwards.