Ganersam volume 2

Chapter 23

Two cademons ran through the burning rubble of a once beautiful city.

"Are they still on us!?"

The cademon on the rear looked behind.

"Me don't think..."

But before she could finish her sentence, an arrow struck the ground just a few centimeters from her feet.

"Eeek!"

She let out a scream, but luckily she was unharmed.

The one in front looked behind and found an unsavory sight in her view.

"Amber, watch out!"

She grabbed Amber's hand and pulled her into an alleyway, barely dodging another arrow.

"Follow me!"

The two ran through the alleyway, dodging various obstacles that stand in the way. 

Walls collapsed all around them, blocking the way.

"Hot!"

The cademon screamed as her hand accidentally touched a burning plank of wood.

"Natalie, ye alright?"

"Just a slight burn, keep going!"

Boom!

The sounds of explosions could be heard coming from their left, from the north side.

"Right!"

The two girls turned right, they are now back on the main road. More explosions fill the air, shredding the surrounding buildings into tiny pieces.

"The route gets complicated from here, head to the roofs!"

"Alright!"

They climbed up a fallen lamppost.

Running up the metal rod, they arrived at the roofs of the burning buildings, smoke puffs out from the gaping holes in the ceilings, obstructing their views. They ran past the smoke, blindly and desperately piercing the darkness. 

The two headed south, away from the pursuing army. 

They jumped from roof to roof, not stopping for even a slight break. They leaped across a fairly large street.

Amber nearly slipped, but luckily Natalie managed to grab her just in time.

"Dragons!"

As if running through the rooftops wasn't hard enough, two dragons flew above them.

They flew past them before turning around and plunging straight toward them.

"Ye take the left, me right!"

"Roger!"

The two cademons increased their speed and jumped. Swinging their respective weapons in front, they plunged straight at the dragons.

Both weapons hit, penetrating deep into the dragon's skull. They pulled their weapons out and ran up the collapsing beasts' bodies which crashed into the roofs.

They jumped off the bodies and landed on another roof.

While they were in the air, they saw a wide blue line stretched in front of them.

"River up front!"

"Damn it, ye know where the bridge is?"

"Yes, here!"

The two cademons slid off the roof, returning back to the cobblestone roads below.

Seven goblins attempted to cut them off.

Natalie swung her ax wide, her sharp blade cutting right through the group like scissors through paper. She managed to take out five of the two goblins blocking their way, Amber taking out the last two. 

Escaping the goblins, they sprinted for the bridge. They ran above the bridge and had just got to the other side when the entire thing exploded.

"City gates in front!"

"A bit more!"

The two sprinted. If they could just get passed the gates and disappear into the wilderness beyond...

If only.

"Argh!"

One of the cademons collapsed.

Natalie took an arrow straight to her leg.

With all her power, she pulled the arrow out, blood started dripping out.

"Amber, go!"

"But what about ye!?"

She looked behind at her friend, who despite the pain, once again stood up. She struggled, her body wobbling. Blood continued pouring out, the wound clearly a deep one.

In the distance, a huge group of demons was catching up, a certain figure among them.

The cademon readied her ax and unsteadily got on her feet, standing against her pursuers. She looked back and reached for her pocket. She grabbed a piece of bread and threw her at Amber.

"Natalie!?"

"Go. I'll hold them back."

"But-"

"Go."

She said in a calm and firm manner.

Amber looked at her friend, tears forming in her eyes.

"Go, and live."

She said with a smile on her face.

With a heavy heart, Amber took a step backward, another step, and another.

Soon, she turned herself back and ran as fast as she can, exhausting all of the remaining energy in her body.

Tears ran down the girl's cheeks.

She took one last look back.

Her friend, bleeding in the leg, swung her ax bravely at the group of demons.

That was the last time she saw her face.