53. Mira
fifty-three
Mira
Sprinting alongside the small group of scattered citizens and infantry soldiers, I place my trust in their intimate knowledge of the city as we weave through narrow alleyways. The sound of our boots pounding against the cobblestone streets echoes off the surrounding buildings, a frantic rhythm that matches the beating of my heart. In the distance, I catch a glimpse of another allied force, their chaotic movements mirroring those of Yurghen’s army scattered throughout the city. Each of his roving bands seems to have no regard for anything but pillaging and destruction.
As we run through the rubble and debris, we pass the scattered bodies of both soldiers and civilians alike. The acrid smell of cannon blasts lingers in the air, mixing with the scent of smoke and burning buildings. The ground trembles beneath me as I sprint down a narrow alley, my feet kicking up clouds of dust behind me. My hand grabs hold of a doorframe, and I swing myself inside a three-story home, clearly housing multiple families.
The bottom level is a communal kitchen, filled with overturned pots and pans and abandoned midday meals. We continue upwards, passing by rooms with hastily made beds and personal belongings strewn about. Finally, we reach the third level where we can see the main street below. It’s chaotic and destroyed, but that’s where our enemies will be waiting for us.
As we reach the top floor, we are greeted by a chilling sight. Huddled in a corner, a group of people cower in fear as two men brandish kitchen knives at our approaching herd of footsteps. The women and children, their faces contorted with terror, cling to the men’s backs. Their desperate pleas drift over the cacophony of noise.
Their expressions soften at the sight of the uniforms of Valenfall soldiers at my side, their tense shoulders relaxing and their furrowed brows smoothing out. Slowly, they lower their makeshift weapons as we run to the window for a better view of the street below, our next battleground.
I hear one of the women call out in a half desperate whisper. “What’s the Vessel? How do we give it over? Just tell me where it is. I’ll take it to them myself.”
When Yurghen’s voice rumbled through the city, we all stopped to listen. A few of the soldiers nearby turned sidelong glances to me, but none said anything. I bite my lip nervously before responding to the group. “Just look outside. Souls are pouring from above. Even if we give him what he wants, he’s not going to stop. We have to fight him.”
A murmur of agreement ripples through the room, and I turn my attention back to the window. The milky substances falling from the sky scream as they plummet past the window, a sound the shakes me to my core. The city looks dense with fog, but I can’t tell if it’s clouds of dust from destruction or the haze of dying souls.
“There!” I whisper.
Twenty ethereal creatures, with pointed ears and even some with wings, slink through the once-bustling main thoroughfare, their eyes darting warily to every window and door. They know they are being watched. Our previous attack caught them off guard, taking out nearly half of their numbers before they even knew what was happening. Now, tension and fear hang heavy in the air as they creep through the city.
I duck down, sliding my back against the wall.
“Ok. Wait until they’ve already walked past. Their backs to us. I’ll bring fire.” I nod at the two archers I’ve rounded up in the process. “Light your arrows from my Chroma before you shoot.”
“I can help. I have a bow.”
A young voice trembles from the back of the group, overshadowed by the soothing whispers of his parents who try to silence him. But the youth defiantly rises from the huddle, standing out among the rest like a solitary rose amidst a sea of grass.
“No, I can shoot. I’m going to help.”
The archers eagerly wave him over to the window while he hastily grabs his bow and quiver, clearly homemade and used for hunting by the looks of it.
“Mark.”
With a fierce determination, I propel myself upright, unleashing a torrent of fire that scorches the earth below and transforms the street into an inferno. The screams of the creatures trapped in the flames reverberate in my ears as they plummet to their demise. Arrows rain down around them, each one finding its mark with deadly precision. I watch the destruction unfold with an unnerving calm.
The enemy retaliates with a flurry of arrows, one whizzing past our heads and shattering a nearby window. Women behind us shriek in fear and scramble to their feet, cowering against the wall for safety. As the last creature falls, I take a steadying breath.
“Let’s move.” I gesture to the family cowering in the room, reaching tearfully for their son about to go off to fight an unwinnable war. “Get to the castle. I need anyone able to wield a weapon with me.”
As we step back onto the street, a lone figure in tattered clothes approaches us. I hold up a fist, a silent indication for those behind me to pause and take cover. All those war movies I watched are really coming in handy.
As the woman steps closer, I can see her clearly. It’s Lisa. Her face is marred by dirt and grime, a layer of soot coating her cheeks and forehead. A thin line of crimson trickles down from a gash on her brow, mixing with the filth on her skin. Her eyes are weary, but her determination shines through. “I found you!”
“What are you doing? I told you to go to the castle.”
I give the signal for our group to move, and I grab Lisa by the elbow as we trot to our next location, doing our best to dodge the falling rain. I have to think of it as rain. Anything else is too morbid. Too upsetting.
“I got halfway there, but then that guy appeared in the sky. And… I don’t know. I just didn’t want to leave you out here to face it alone.” Her voice hushes to a whisper, and I understand. I really do, but Lisa isn’t a fighter. She can’t-
I stop that train of thought. She can and she’ll have to. I pull a dagger from my belt and place it into her hands with a meaningful stare. The group finds our next location and races up the next set of stairs through someone’s home, but I pause outside and grab Lisa into a body-crushing hug.
“Please take care. If anything were to happen to you, I would never forgive myself. I’m not sure if I can keep you safe, Lisa.” My reserve of magic is dwindling. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up.
“I came a long way to abandon you when things get real, Mira. I’m here because I want to be.”
Her voice cuts through the tense air, determined and unyielding. I know that stubborn look in her eye all too well. She’s always been fiercely loyal and never backs down from a fight. But I can’t help but worry. We’re running out of time.
I swallow a lump in my throat. I understand that feeling. That drive to make your own choices and free yourself of the expectations you’ve let others put on you. I nod my understanding and gesture for her to enter the house, but we pause as the ground beneath us shakes and rattles once more.
I fall to the ground, but still at the sight of something otherworldly emerging from a crack in the road itself. I stifle a scream as a clawed hand rips through the cobblestone, tossing them aside as it climbs onto the street. It’s winged with black scales, horns, and tail. Yet it’s not totally there. I can almost see through it, like it’s an illusion or a thick smoke. It lets out a deafening roar before taking flight.
It opens its mouth to reveal a set of sharp fangs and rips into one of the falling souls. A shrieking scream rips through the air between us as the demon eats the soul.
The horror of the scene pins me to the ground, my heart pounding against my ribs. My breath catches in my throat and I can’t tear my eyes away from the creature. I tug Lisa behind me as it circles overhead, its monstrous size casting a tall shadow.
“Let’s go!” I order over the new sounds of chaos that have erupted. The adrenaline coursing through my veins fuels a fierce strength as I violently shove Lisa towards the doorway to the building, my hands colliding with her back like a battering ram.
She takes off, dashing up the stairs to find our group waiting. I run after her, fearing that I’ve just signed both of our death warrants.