21
Despite the urgency in Únik's voice, both Shihiri and Hatyara took the time to pick up their belongings, leaving Únik almost frantic. Looking out of the door, the rains falling in great droplets, she could see the creep of the floodwaters edging further up the street, rising even as she watched. When the other two reached her, Únik wasn't even certain they could escape the flood at all.
"You'll thank me later." Tossing Únik's bag to her, Shihiri rushed past, pointing to the left as she exited the doorway. "I saw higher ground up this way, but, with the amount of flood water I saw, I'm not even certain that will be enough."
"Wait! Why don't we go back?" Gripping the sleeve of Únik's jacket, Hatyara pointed the other way. "The valley was higher back there. We can climb out. Go around."
As though in answer to the Ice-Kin's suggestion, Únik turned at the sound of rumbling and crashing back to the north-east. A different sound to the almost constant thunder, Únik raised her eyes against the rains to see a building, not too far away, begin to topple. Stones and shingles fell from the remains of the roof as the building fell, succumbing to age and the onslaught of the river waters flowing down into the valley.
"I don't think anywhere is safer. Trust in Shihiri." She saw the Fae, urging them to follow, at the entrance to another alley. "Just run, as fast as those little legs can carry you!"
With the waters climbing higher up their legs, Shihiri lead the way. Únik knew the Fae could move faster, were it not for Únik and Hatyara to hold her back, but Shihiri continued to keep pace, never straying too far, pointing the way with her staff at every junction. They twisted and turned through the streets and alleys and Únik lost all sense of direction.
More than once, they reached areas where the flood waters had not spread to, only for the rushing, black liquid to reappear, as though it pursued them as doggedly as Hatyara's sister and her soldiers. The rats that had swarmed past the building had all but disappeared, leaving only the young and the weak as stragglers, hissing and screeching as the three companions passed. Even Barsa ignored the remaining rats, running forward, turning and waiting for Únik and Hatyara, then running again.
"Patrons damn it!" Coming to an abrupt halt, Shihiri turned back to Únik, a concerned frown upon her face. "Dead end. Here, I'm going to get some height. See if I can direct you from above."
Handing Hatyara her staff, her bow, quiver and bags to Únik, Shihiri had already begun scrambling up the face of a near-by building, pieces of loose, crumbling stone and plaster falling as she tried to find hand and foot holds.
"Don't be stupid! Holding the staff as though it could harm her in some way, keeping it at arm's length, Hatyara scowled as Shihiri reached the top of the building. "If we get separated, who will fight if we need to. Not Únik and certainly not me."
"Worry about not drowning first." Únik didn't like Shihiri breaking away from them, either, but they had few options. The flood waters now reached her knees. She looked up towards Shihiri. "Come down as soon as you can!"
"There!" Shihiri pointed to an alley further down the street, on the wrong side. "You'll have to wade, but the next alley along goes straight up to an area that's still free of the flood."
The Fae disappeared, lost in the sheets of rain, the dark, brooding sky and the flash of lightning. Únik didn't have time to feel concern for Shihiri. Born of a race that climbed trees for fun, back in the Vale, Únik had little doubt the Fae could navigate the precarious buildings but, in this driving rain, with the ancient buildings crumbling around them, Únik wasn't certain that Shihiri could hold her footing.
Pushing aside her concerns, she reached the alley Shihiri had indicated and looked down into the raging waters of the street below. Much like the main street of the city, this one gave the waters too much room to pass through, with nothing to break or slow down the flow. And the waters continued to rise.
Hatyara, with her height and small frame could become swept away. Even Barsa, as strong as her hound was, could have difficulty swimming through the buffeting, crashing waters below. There was nothing else for it. She swapped the bow and quiver to Hatyara, taking the staff, and picked the Ice-Kin girl up, spinning her onto her shoulders.
"Hold tight! And keep that bow out of the water. I think it means more to Shihiri than she lets on." She felt Hatyara grip the material of her jacket, at the shoulders. Taking several deep breaths, Únik began to wade down into the rushing waters below.
As soon as she left the cover of the alley, she felt the current tug and pull at her. Using Shihiri's staff and her own whale hook, she thrust them both down into the waters, at different angles, arresting the current from dragging both she and Hatyara away. Using the long tools as walking sticks, she shifted one and then the other, taking her time.
Finding purchase, under the water, with the butt of her whale hook, she transferred her weight to that, moving Shihiri's staff further along. She pressed down with the staff, only for it to slip under the waters. Somehow, she managed to keep herself upright, Hatyara's hand pulling at her jacket. She hadn't released the staff, however, pulling it back up and trying to find a spot to brace it against once more.
Ahead, Barsa's front legs moved with frantic flaps, his head lifted as high as he could. He reached the alley entrance, but almost got caught by a rush of the water. Únik almost threw away her whale hook and the staff, willing to let Hatyara fall into the waters and fend for herself, before let that dog die. She had no need to, as Barsa caught his second wind and powered his way back to the alley.
Únik, herself, only had a couple more feet to go and she could feel her arms and legs tiring. Fighting against the raging waters took its toll upon her and she did not know if she had the reserves of strength needed. And, once she reached the alley, she had no idea how much more running and swimming they would need to do before they reached safety.
"Come on, Únik! You can do it!" As though she could read Únik's thoughts, Hatyara gave her words of encouragement.
She didn't know if she could do it. Her chest felt fit to bursting. The power of the flood waters was too much, even though they had almost reached the alley. If she could only reach the edge, she could toss Hatyara to safety. Barsa would take care of her.
With the very last of her strength, Únik moved the last couple of feet and tried to slip into the alley, but something caught her in her back. Instinct made her release both her whale hook and Shihiri's staff and she saw them both carried away, along with the log that had hit her. She reached up, grabbing Hatyara by her dress and shoved the Ice-Kin into the alley, away from the worst of the current. But that was almost Únik's last ebb of strength.
She felt the flood waters catch her legs, lifting her up. With hands cramped and cold from the waters, she grabbed for the edge of the building. Waters smashed into her face, stinging with the ferocity. She could feel the water entering her mouth as she struggled to breath and she choked, unable to cough or spit the dirty water out.
Her fingers could not hold the edge of the building anymore. She could feel them slipping and there was nothing more she could do. The flood current was far too strong and she had tired herself out beyond any chance of saving herself. As water splashed into her eyes, she could see no-one in the alley.
Not Hatyara, not Barsa. She felt a kind comfort in that. Even if she would not survive, at least they had. For now. With that last thought, she began to release her grip upon the corner of the building, happy that she had done some good in the world. It could never make up for the crime of taking her husband's life, no matter the circumstances, but a little good was better than none.
As her fingers slipped from the wall, she felt something, someone, grab the sleeve of her jacket. Then her other sleeve became caught. She felt herself becoming pulled into the alley and then a third something caught onto her jacket at the chest. Though she had no strength to help, she found herself dragged from the worst of the flood and into the alley.
Looking up, wiping water from her eyelashes and face, she saw three faces staring at her. An Ice-Kin face, beautiful ice-blue skin darkened and flushed. A Fae, silver-birch skin stretching as she grinned and laughed. And the fur covered face of Barsa, his tongue flicking out against her cheeks. They had saved her. Together.
-+-
The struggle to reach the area where the flood waters had not reached proved difficult. Únik tried to walk as best she could, but all strength had left her. She felt drained and spent, but her companions, her friends, gave her their strength. Their support. They all collapsed upon the ground, even Barsa, fighting to regain their breath.
"I lost your staff." With a hand still resting upon Shihiri's shoulder, Únik tried to sit up. "Sorry."
"I can get another staff. There's only one of you." Reaching across, Shihiri squeezed the hand on her shoulder. "Hatyara gave me my bow back. That's a good thing. Though the string is a bit wet."
Shihiri glanced at the look of sorrow that crossed Hatyara's features, a guilty admission she had not managed to keep the bow dry. Laughing, Shihiri leaned over and slapped Hatyara's arm, causing the look to change to one of confusion.
"I had other things on my mind. Like not drowning." The Ice-Kin's mouth turned to a pout, unsure how to take the Fae's laughter.
"It's alright. I have a spare string, all nice and dry, wrapped in a waxed pouch." Shihiri's laughter died away and she gave Hatyara a more serious nod. "You did well. We're all safe."
"For now." Únik didn't want to be the one to dampen anyone's cheer, but she had taken a look around as she tried to regain her breath. She pointed to the surrounding buildings and the tide marks upon the walls. "We still need to get higher."
Hatyara and Shihiri followed Únik's pointing finger and their faces dropped in unison. The tide marks came higher than where Únik's head would reach, if she were standing. As though fighting against the weight of the world, Shihiri pushed herself from the ground, looking to the surrounding walls for foot and hand holds.
"I'll scout." Reaching the nearest wall, she leaned against it, drooping her head before extending a hand towards the first outcropping.
"No. We're all too tired." Feeling her legs wobble, Únik rose to her feet. She missed her whale hook. "We'll just have to take our chances and hope we find a route that takes us higher. You can do amazing things, Shihiri, but even you're too tired to climb onto unsteady roofs."
The Fae looked back over her shoulder and Únik saw the drawn look in her eyes. She wanted to argue, Únik could see that, but her arms and legs, like Únik's, were arguing, too. They told the Fae she had not the strength to do what she wanted to do.
Únik held out her hand towards Hatyara and, after a second's hesitation, the Ice-Kin took hold, pulling herself to her feet. None of them could take another fight against the flood waters and the rain did not look as though it would come to an end any time soon. Whether they wanted to, or not, they needed to keep moving. They only needed to get above the high water marks upon the buildings. If they could do that, they could rest.
Even Barsa seemed reluctant to move, though he raised himself up, padding forwards to stand at Únik's side. She placed a hand on the sodden fur of his head and he gazed up at her with mournful eyes. She had to believe that they could all get out of this. Though the others had suggested it, it was her decision to enter this city that had brought them to the edge of exhaustion. She had to lead them out of it.
Despite her weariness, Únik drew herself up to her full height, belying her tiredness. She set her jaw and looked away, up the street. They had to move. Even now, the flood waters had begun to creep up into this area they thought was safe. She began to walk.
"How much water is there?" Hatyara had given up holding her skirts high, kicking her short legs against the wet material as she kept pace with Únik, Shihiri and Barsa. "Has a sea decided to fill this Patrons forsaken hole?"
"It's the storm. It was raging in the mountains for hours before it reached us. Then the river, to the north burst its banks as the rain water collected and added to the river. It's my fault. I should have known." For the first time since Shihiri had started warming up to them, she regained the sullen look she had held back at the pyramids. "I've been a fool. Some scout I am."
"Don't blame yourself, Shihiri. We all contributed to this." Placing a comforting hand upon the leathers on Shihiri's arm, Hatyara frowned at the Fae. "I agreed with you."
"And I made the decision. None of us could have known it would be this bad." The waters had risen above Únik's ankles, once again, and she ignored the tortured pain in her legs to urge them all to move faster.
Still on the same contour, neither rising or lowering in height, the street they walked upon curved around, after a while, heading back towards the middle of the valley. At this height, they could see the rest of the city as the flood waters began to devour it. Buildings disappearing below the surface of the still rushing waters. Únik tried to look through the pounding rain, to see what lay ahead.
Through the slats of rain, she could see a building, larger than any other. With towers upon each corner, she thought it a castle of some kind, at first, but then, as they moved closer, she could see the tell tale signs of some kind of temple. The towers were bell towers, the bells long since fallen. Before the temple, she could see a great crack in the ground, breaking a huge plaza in two and the flood waters had crashed upon a great, impromptu wall where two competing slabs of ground had smashed together, pushing against each other and upwards.
If Únik had to guess, she would say it looked as though a Patron had tried to protect the temple, all those centuries ago, during the last Upheaval. She could think of no other explanation for the strange soil, mud and stone wall that, even now, protected the temple from the worst of the floods.
If they could make it to that temple, Únik believed they would stand a chance of surviving. The only thing that stood between them and the temple was a city almost completely flooded and only a bare few buildings rising up out of the filthy waters. She looked across to Shihiri and saw the Fae contemplating the sight before them.
"We can do it." Murmuring, the Fae paced up and down, her feet splashing water aside. Using a finger, she traced a path from the top of one building to another and then the next and the next. "We can."
"What are you talking about?" Not even as tall as the Fae, Hatyara could not see over the buildings between where they stood and the temple. "Have you found a path to higher ground?"
"I don't think there is one." Únik gestured towards Hatyara, offering to pick her up so she could see. The Ice-Kin scowled, but gave a nod. Picking Hatyara up like a child, Únik braced her against her hip, allowing the Ice-Kin the same view she held. "If we can get to the top of that building there, we can jump from building to building until we reach that wall. Even if the flood breaks over that wall, it gives us a little time."
"I'll never make half those jumps!" Pushing against Únik's shoulders, the Ice-Kin scrambled her way back to the ground. She landed in water now up to her knees. "I won't do it! No. There must be another way."
"Of course you can do it. We'll just throw you over the wider gaps." Despite the dire circumstances, Shihiri could not help but laugh, grinning at the scowl thrown her way by Hatyara. "I'm joking! You can do it. We all can."
"Well, we need to do it now." The waters around them had crept even higher and Únik could now feel the tug of the current, once again, against her legs. She looked at the fear filled features of Hatyara. "It's our only option. There is no more high ground."
Taking no more time, Únik tapped her thigh, calling Barsa to a side he had never left, through habit more than anything else. She felt the dog nudge her hand in reply and she began to wade towards the nearest building that could start their journey across the rapidly diminishing rooftops.