Dark Fall

Chapter 23 - Necros

"Then you must leave!" Joseph urged, standing. "You can take my vehicle."

Terra shook her head. "You do not understand what he is capable of. Necros will tear this town apart to find me. Go warn as many as you can, and see if you can find Will." She leaned forward to embrace the pastor, her head barely coming up to his shoulders. "And thank you."

As she ran out, Joseph called to her. "God be with you, Terra."

I hope so.

As Terra sprinted, burning vengeance flared from deep wounds, extending bitter flames through her mind. Necros took Anna, and so many more. This monster deserves to suffer for each one.

Arriving at her apartment, she bent over and panted while her thoughts swirled. The exhaustion spurred a moment of lucidity.

Necros is too powerful. Facing him in direct battle would be suicide.

The most rational response, as Joseph suggested, was to flee, to run far away.

But what of the good people in Freehold? I can't let them suffer because of me. And Will...

The semblance of a plan formed in Terra's mind. I have to draw him away.

Terra pulled a set of fighting spikes from her motorcycle saddlebag, sliding them into her boot. She suppressed her aura as much as she could, hoping Necros had not noticed it, at least not yet. Driving the motorcycle to the edge of town, she parked it out of sight between a rundown vacant house and a small wooden shed. A peek into the aura revealed the location of Necros and his Enforcers.

Terra ran back toward the hospital, stopping at the community center and peering around the corner to assess the situation. Necros stood before the hospital front doors under the awning, but all that remained of them were twisted metal frames and shattered glass. He stood tall, wearing the ceremonial gold mask and robe for someone of his high rank.

Such is his ego. I can use that against him.

Two Enforcers wearing silver masks and robes flanked Necros. Just from their adornment, even without an aura view, Terra knew they were powerful Talents themselves, likely of similar power to her own. Three armed guards in gray Dynasty uniforms stood behind them.

Four townspeople, including two white-shirted hospital security guards, lay motionless on the ground. Necros extended a hand toward a terrified woman, lifting her by invisible force and pinning her to the wall. She twitched as she cried out, her face twisted in pain.

Liz. No!

Terra took a deep breath and firmed her resolve. Now is the time.

She moved out into the open and drew three spikes from her boot. Shifting fully into the aura, she suspended the spikes in mid-air before her. With practiced precision, she telekinetically flung them at high velocity. Necros and his silver Enforcers observed Terra's intrusion into the aura immediately, and threw up shimmering shields to protect themselves, but they were not her target. Instead, the three Dynasty guards who stood behind them dropped to the ground, each pierced through the chest by the deadly projectiles.

Liz slid down the wall as Necros turned toward Terra. "So there you are," he shouted.

Terra cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Hey, Emperor's arse licker. Come and get me!"

That should do it.

Terra sprinted away while telekinetically launching rocks drawn from a nearby pile at her pursuers, hoping to delay them for a second. Running in a zigzag pattern by the community building, she raced toward her waiting motorcycle. Spikes hissed past her, pelting the ground to her right. Necros and his assistants began the chase, but not by running, instead floating just above the ground as if specters.