Valkyrie (Complete)

18: Guess Who's Back

Phoenix and Valkyrie are tensely waiting for the Ankathians to discover the entrance to their hideout, but as time passes and the explosions are still nowhere near, they think it might be safe to go outside.

"If we go out and they're there, we can just close the boulder. We would just have to defend it."

He nods. "Where is Kaj?"

"I left him with the others and told him that if anything happens, he should lead them into the forest so it's safe. He can create his own tunnels until they're a safe distance away and then he can protect them."

"Good idea. Now, let's go see how outnumbered we are." He winks at her, though it's a thinly veiled cover over both of the extreme nerves and adrenaline that they're both feeling.

Valkyrie looks down at her hands and sees that they're shaking. She takes a deep breath and Phoenix picks up on her feelings. "It'll be okay."

"I know," she murmurs. "We've trained our entire lives for this."

"We have, and we're better trained. Let's just stay by each other, and we'll be alright, okay?"

She nods, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. A plan forms in her mind and if they're as outnumbered as she's predicting, they're going to need it.

The boulder opens and light streams in. The Mauliks run outside and find no Ankathian soldiers awaiting them. The entry is open and they close the boulder quickly, hiding an proof that they were there. 

They sneak around to the area of the explosions, only to find a deep crater in the ground. The soil has been thrown all over the place and while it's not anywhere near the bunker where everyone is, it's right where one of the caverns is.

"If they keep doing that, it'll give out under their feet and they'll have a clear shot of Kaj and the others," she tells Phoenix.

"We have to draw them away," he agrees. "What should we do?"

"Stay here," she replies. "I have an idea. When I come back, we're going to have to run." She starts to stand but he stops her.

"What's your plan?"

"I'm going to get their attention, and then when we run, they'll follow. We'll draw them away from the caves and then we'll fight them in an area where we know our people will be safe."

He nods and crouches down. She moves forward, pulling her blades from her back and allowing lightning to crack around them and up her arms. Her eyes change to glow a purple-white and as she begins her attack, the soldiers turn to her and it's obvious that many of them are terrified.

She raises one blade and the sight of the lightning surrounding her arm is enough to send some of them fleeing. The ones that remain charge at her, weapons aimed on her torso. She drops her arm to her side and several bolts of lightning strike, some hitting soldiers and some landing in front of them, the energy radiating off them enough to send them flying.

She turns and runs quickly, grabbing Phoenix on her way. They run into an open plain where it's mostly grassy and the ground is even. It's perfect for battle.

Bullets spray around them and slam into tree trunks on the opposite side of the clearing, some hitting the ground and sending dirt shooting into the air.

A groan comes from beside her and pain crosses Phoenix's face. She grabs his arm and pulls him to a sudden stop behind a tree. His back is against the tree and she's in front of him. Her hands are on his shoulders and she doesn't have to say anything to get what she wants to know.