Bloodlines: Severed Ties

Chapter 41: Boom, Time to Go

"Jesus Zalla, put some weight behind it!" Darian yelled out.

"I'm doing my best here, Darian," Zalla shot back. The two were stuck, backs against the gigantic crate pile they had created, holding the line. Occasionally a large object, most likely a vampire, on the other side would impact the crates causing them to shake. Zalla and Darian would then have to make sure their tower didn't topple, as well as holding the existing wall in place.

It was bloody hard work.

Darian had dug his feet into the bricks on the floor, using his legs to push himself back against the crate pile. Zalla had taken a different approach, instead facing the crate pile and placing her hands on key parts of the wall to apply pressure there. Either way, it appeared to be working.

Occasionally, a vampire would stick their head up above the wall, and receive a swift blow to the head from either the hilt of Darian's axe or the steel of Zalla's shield. They would then be sent sprawling backwards, on their side of the wall.

"C'mon Zalla, aren't you supposed to be the strong one here," Darian jested, with a hint of jealousy on his tongue. He still was pretty sour about those lost arm wrestling matches.

"When will you drop that?" Zalla groaned. She was gritting her teeth, unsure of how many damn vampires were on the other side. But she could hear them. Feet scuffling against the sandy steps, fingers grating against the wood. There were more than enough to motivate her to not let a single crate fall.

"I'm just saying, you made it very clear then, but not so clear now," Darian grumbled. He then thwacked a vampire whose head had popped up over the wall.

"Why do you insist on bullying me so much Darian? I know I'm slow but I'm not that thick," Zalla turned to face Darian now, hands still stuck on the wall and pushing hard. Darian looked back at her, eyes narrowing.

"Me bully you? Why couldn't you just let me win one arm wrestle, one log cutting contest. I'm younger than you are, couldn't you be the mature one?" Darian blurted out. He was unsure where these emotions were coming from, but remembered those times well. Losing to Zalla, all those years ago. His mother, saying he will get her next time. But his father...

His father never liked how Zalla, a girl, always beat his eldest son.

"You know I couldn't, not with my parents there," Zalla retorted. It was true, her parents had always been proud of Zalla's brute strength. They often bragged about it, that finally a Pallin could stand up to a Jenkins.

"I just wanted to win!" Darian yelled at her.

"And I just wanted a friend!" Zalla yelled back.

The two fell silent , as the weight of Zalla's words finally took hold. All that could be heard was the rattling of the crate wall behind them, and the occasional snarl or hiss from an irate vampire. Darian stared at her in disbelief, unsure what to say. Zalla too was shocked she had said those words.

She knew it to be true, but had never admitted it out loud. When they were kids, Darian and Sylvia would always run off and do their own thing. Leaving Zalla alone at the Sigil. It didn't help that she lived there, but they could at least have stopped by once in a while...

"Will you two stop arguing and hold the wall?" Dirella interjected. Darian shot her a look, a scowl almost.

"Why don't you help us, oh wise wizard?" Darian answered sarcastically.

"Who do you think is holding up the roof?" Dirella grunted.

"Huh?"

A rumble could be heard coming from above the stairwell, a deep sound that Darian could feel in his feet.

Then another rumble, closer this time, and louder.

Crack.... CRASH BOOM!

Dirella swore as the roof of the stairwell to their right caved in completely. Luckily, they were far away enough to avoid most of the dust and debris. But as she looked at the now completely covered stair case, she had one thought.

Where the hell are Aliyah and Sylvia?

***

Sylvia went to lunge at James once more, now that the rumbling had ceased. There were visible cracks in the floor, the entire Sigil was falling apart. But just as she went to attack, she felt a strong hand grab her by the cuff of her shirt, dragging her backwards.

"Aliyah what the hell?" Sylvia bellowed. She looked up to see Aliyah was heaving her backwards, their eyes scanning the room for a way out.

"We have got to go. Now," Aliyah replied shortly. Sylvia glanced back at James. He was looking around the room, his expression filling with fear instantly. As Sylvia looked, all she saw were vampires. They had somehow managed to fill the room. And in the middle of them, stood Tony.

Tony seemed to be standing still, watching in amusement at their little fleeing attempt. For now, the vampires stayed by his side. Why they weren't attacking, Sylvia didn't know.

As they glanced around the room, Aliyah spotted a small crack in the wall. It was large enough to fit all three of them, but it was a fair jump to the top.

"Give me a boost," they commanded Sylvia. She begrudgingly agreed, interlocking her fingers and allowing them to place their foot in. Sylvia then hoisted them up, and Aliyah was able to grab on to the ledge. They then lifted themselves over the edge, and extended a hand towards Sylvia.

It was a 9ft cliff, and Sylvia was only 5ft. She took a few steps backwards, before running full pelt at the wall. She leapt, kicking off the wall once to propel her upwards just a little more and reached for Aliyah's hand.

She just made it.

Aliyah lifted Sylvia up, and Sylvia kicked at the wall with her legs to help. The two then turned around to see James at the bottom.

"What are you waiting for? Help me up!" James demanded from the bottom. Aliyah went to reach down, but Sylvia held up a hand towards them. Aliyah looked at them, confused. But as soon as they saw Sylvia's face, they knew. She couldn't let go, she couldn't move on. Not now, and maybe not ever. She turned to leer down at James.

"I'm doing what's best for the Hunter line," Sylvia spat, as she turned to follow the crack to the other side. Aliyah reluctantly followed her.

James, still staring slack jawed at where they had been, slowly turned around to see Tony mere inches from his face. He recoiled instantly, startled by his presence.

"You... You won't kill me will you? We were close once..." James stammered out, trying desperately to appeal to a sense of morality that had been snuffed out long ago.

"Oh no, of course not. That would be way too easy," Tony laughed menacingly, before the vampires descended upon the traitorous hunter.