Chapter 87: To the Rescue

The sight was grim. A good hundred of the dusty zombies had bunched up around the front of the store the survivors were left in. Thankfully, the commotion had let their party slip up unnoticed. The birds had retreated just before they got to the alley, and they were still winded from the run, but they’d made it.

Then the mages cast, and everything went to hell. Bren cried out, casting a barrier over the front of the building. He got it just in time. In the same moment, Rosalyn lifted her staff and used Lightning Crash for the first time. Its effects were devastating and immediate. A good dozen or more of the zombies toppled over.

“Move! Rosalyn, casters. See if ye can at least drive ‘em off. Ann, we’re cuttin’ our way through. Bren, you do your thing.”

Bren nodded, focusing.

The next few minutes were sweaty, desperate work. Kat and Ann fell upon the zombies with a fury that sent the frail things scattering. Ann lost count of how many of the things’ heads she crushed with her fists.

Rosalyn harried the casters with thorns as she carefully moved with the party. Every time a circle appeared, a Thorn would sprout to interrupt it. She kept it up until they reached the makeshift barrier.

“Who’s still alive?” Kat asked, cutting the head off a zombie.

“Brains, two soldiers,” a gruff woman’s voice came back.

“Brains?”

“Scholars. Weak types,” the woman explained. Ann was too busy fending off more Warped to get a good look who was speaking.

“Gotcha. How many?”

“Twenty or so brains.”

“Twenty two. Gods,” Kat cursed, jumping through the window for a moment.

Ann took up the grunt work of holding back the enemy. It was fucking hard. She’d trained in one on one fights, but this was a brawl. Four came at her at once. She ducked a grasping arm, launching an uppercut into the thing’s chin. Immediately, she had to get closer to her now dead enemy to avoid the reaching arms of another. Pushing that body pushed back several others, and she kicked the legs out from a third walking corpse.

Two more stumbled over the bodies on the ground, and she killed them as they hit the ground. Rounding on another, she found Kat’s sword sticking out from its face, then disappearing.

“We’ve got ranged support fer ye, Rosalyn,” Kat called.

“Thank the gods,” the Druid panted. “This is tough keeping so many of them down!”

“Lucia, suppressing fire on the mages. Coleen, wit’ Ann an’ I. Keep the researchers in the middle, we’re makin’ northwest. Should be people waitin’ fer us outside.”

As she spoke, several people appeared in the window. First was a Thrundol just shorter than Ann was. She was a hard woman, with steely eyes and a grim expression. Also looked the most exhausted Ann had ever seen anyone. Probably not her best look, considering everything happening. She was, more importantly, lithe and athletic. She moved with a grace that rivalled Ann’s, and when she took aim, she was a perfect shot. Black hair was tied back in a long ponytail that kept it out of her face, and her tusks were polished and sharpened to points. Rings of gold and copper decorated each in a pattern Ann assumed meant something. For now, she was just happy the woman could kill Warped.

Next was a fighter with a hammer. Strong, stocky, and scarred, with brown hair and freckles. She was about Bren’s height, but quickly showed she could handle herself in a melee.

Then the researchers. They were terrified. Rightly so. They huddled together and moved slowly.

The next twenty minutes were spent getting them across the street and into the alleyway Ann and the party had come from. Once they broke through, things sped up. Kat took the lead, barking orders the whole time. She was really trying to live up to her mom’s direction of using her authority. She kept Rosalyn nearby for ranged support. The researchers were all lumped in the middle, as was right, and the rearguard was made of Ann, Lucia, Bren, and Coleen.

They had the unfortunate task of holding off the horde of zombies as the rest moved behind them. Bren and Lucia worked on dealing with the ranged threats, shimmering shields and rifle shots disrupting the black flames. Ann and Coleen fell upon any walking corpse that got too close.

They backpedalled as fast as they could, keeping pace with the researchers.

“Building up ahead!” Ann’s ears picked up Kat yelling. “Get in now!”

A few minutes later, the building they had left after evading the birds was far more crowded. There were also shelves pushed up on the windows and door. They held for now.

Everyone was exhausted, and they weren’t even in the clear. Lucia looked like she was about to fall over, and Ann reached out to help her.

“Do not touch me,” the woman growled.

“Just trying to help,” Ann said, taking a step back. “Sorry.”

“Do not need your help. Need to escape. Then sleep.”

“That we agree on,” Bren said, coming up. “You do need help, though. Come here.”

“I said no,” Lucia resisted.

“And I said you do. Do not argue with me,” Bren said firmly. He walked up to the woman, grabbed her hand, and started healing her. Not only that, he pulled out a book and placed it face up nearby. Ann felt a warmth radiate from the book and soon her body was feeling more relaxed. Almost refreshed.

“That the new spell?” Ann asked.

“Yes. It is the first time we have really needed it.”

“Well, glad it’s there.”

“You. What is your name?” Lucia asked, eyes fixed on Bren. There was a look there, something Ann suspected was respect.

“Bren Hedera,” Bren introduced himself simply, still holding her hand and focusing.

“Bren. Your barriers?”

“Yes. One of my basic spells. I can create a barrier that can resist spells or deflect objects. I may have gone a little overboard on casting it. It could have been more precise.”

“Didn’t know how big the spells were,” Lucia grunted, then opened her tusked mouth in a wide yawn. “Saved our lives.”

“Not yet,” Bren murmured, releasing her hand and patting her shoulder. “We still need to get you out of here. Anywhere else hurting?”

Lucia twisted, checking herself, and Bren took a long look over her. “I… no. I’m fine.”

“Let me know if you hurt anywhere. My Mind is not infinite, but I will do my best to see you through this,” Bren said, confidently tapping her on the shoulder, then turning away.

“You,” Lucia grunted, pointing at Ann.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Who is she?” the Thrundol pointed at Kat. The princess was busy speaking with the researchers, trying to coordinate them.

“Katlyn. Katlyn Farragher. Princess and all that,” Ann introduced. “Damn good fighter, and my girlfriend.” She couldn’t help the pride in her voice at that last part.

“She’s a good fighter. Will go far.”

“Damn right she will,” Ann nodded. “What’s up with you? How’d you get roped into all this?”

“Not important,” Lucia said curtly, suddenly growing cold. “You fight… decently.” With that, she turned away and began working on her rifle.

“The fuck was that?” Ann muttered to herself, confused. The woman seemed fine around Bren, and she clearly thought highly of Kat, but when it came to her, she just shut down? “Eh, probably stress, or still tired.” Ann shrugged and wandered off to find Rosalyn.

The druid was still by the barriers, keeping an eye on things. The mages had mostly kept to themselves for the moment, but the pattering of the zombies’ fingers on the metal shelves was constant.

“Holding up ok?”

“I… yeah. I’m fine,” Rosalyn said unconvincingly. “No, really. I’m just tired. That was stressful. So many of those mages and having to keep them all down and distracted so they couldn’t cast anything, and with my own cast times and trying to manage those against theirs. What if I got it wrong one time, and they got a cast off? I guess Bren might have been able to stop it, but that’s a resource used when he could have used it for something else, and that was my mistake he needed to do so. At least we have two ranged people now so I don’t really have to exert myself that much but there’re way too many people to protect all at once I wonder how Kat’s doing she seems stressed.”

Ann couldn’t help but chuckle at her girlfriend’s rambling. She was stressed, and it always brought out this habit. Taking a moment, she spent some Desire on Stoke the Flames, and increased Rosalyn’s feeling of calm. The effect was almost immediate, as Rosalyn’s shoulders lowered slightly.

“Thanks. Needed that. It’s still stressful, but that takes the edge off it all. Who’s the new lady, by the way?”

“Lucia, apparently. She talked to Bren fine, asked about Kat, but when I tried to talk to her, she just kinda ignored me.”

“That’s a little rude,” Rosalyn said, cocking a fluffy white eyebrow at the Thrundol. “Oh well, I’ll talk to her in a minute. If she seems all right. You ok, though?”

“I’m… no? Honestly, I don’t really think I’ve had a chance to process yet,” Ann admitted. “This is all so surreal. Some fucked up, twisted version of what I knew with all this fantastical awfulness on top of it. I think my head’s keeping that on the back burner until I… we, get out of danger.”

“Ah,” Rosalyn paused, contemplating, then gave Ann a big hug. As big as her arms could give, at least. “It’ll be ok. Promise.”

“Thanks, love,” Ann said, letting the happy smile rise to her lips. “Just need to get ourselves out of here first.”

“Wanna come with me to try to talk to the scary lady?”

“Yeah, why not? Sounds like Kat’s still jabbering with the pack while Bren fixes them up.”

They approached Lucia carefully. Something in her posture reminded Ann of a predator on edge. Her movements were swift and precise as she performed maintenance on her gun.

“So, uh, hi?” Rosalyn started, not letting go of Ann’s hand.

All they got was a grunt. It was something, though.

“Just, uh, wanted to say hi and introduce ourselves,” Rosalyn continued.

“No need,” the woman huffed back. “Can fight. All that matters.”

“You seemed interested in Bren and Kat’s names,” Ann pointed out, shuffling to sit next to the woman.

“Earned it.” After a long moment, Lucia sighed, apparently realising she wasn’t getting out of this conversation with just that. “Do not know you. Many come and go. Not worth the time.”

“Kinda a sad way to look at it,” Rosalyn mumbled.

“Brain like you wouldn’t understand,” Lucia replied gruffly.

“Brain? My name is Rosalyn, by the way. And this is Annita. My girlfriend. Well, Kat’s too, but it’s this whole thing and, well, yeah.”

“Yes, brain. Magic type. Or them type,” she said, waving dismissively to the gaggle of researchers. “Don’t care to remember names.”

“Really? Even after we fought together?” Rosalyn asked. Her face was a mask of confusion. Ann couldn’t blame her. The woman with them wasn’t really making the best first impression.

“One battle means nothing. Maybe you will earn it in time,” Lucia said simply with a shrug. There was no malice behind the words, just stating a fact. Then she yawned again. “Maybe after sleep.”

“And me? I’m a fighter, just like you,” Ann prodded.

“Fighter, yes. Unknown, untested, and inexperienced. Time will tell.”

“Yeah, sure. Listen, I don’t want to trample on some sort of belief, but you’re being kinda rude.”

Lucia just shrugged and kept working.

“Really?” Ann scoffed. The fuck was this lady’s problem? “Not even saving you from those Warped counted for anything?”

“Was prepared to die. It is wonderful that was stopped there, but we’re not out of danger yet. Time. Prove to me you’re worth remembering,” Lucia said, giving Ann a cold glare, before pointedly turning and resuming her work on her rifle.

“Fine, have it your way,” Ann grumbled, getting up. “And don’t call Rosalyn brain again, or we’ll have other issues.”

No response.

They pulled aside, and eventually Kat extricated herself from the gaggle of researchers. “So, we should be ready to move in about ten. How’re things going over here?”

“Thrundol’s a jackass, but otherwise, the wall’s holding,” Ann said, glaring over at Lucia.

“Huh? Seemed pretty cordial tae me. A bit feckin’ exhausted, but not bad,” Kat said, giving the woman a curious glance. “Feck, we’ve got bigger things tae worry about. Can deal wit’ grumpypuss later. The researchers should be fine tae move ‘ere. Coleen took a narsty hit, but Bren’s got ‘er patched up. Good enough tae move. Lucia, get yer arse o’er ‘ere. Need ye in this.”

Lucia, surprisingly, packed up her things and strode over without a complaint. “Yes?”

“Ye’ve been in ‘ere longer than the rest o’ us. What else is there besides tha birds, the humans, an’ the weird ‘raccoon’ things?”

“Not much. More human types. Haven’t seen the guardian. Good sign, that,” Lucia imparted brusquely. “Other human types less normal. More bodies and limbs. Liked to crawl.”

“Lovely. Not tae mention we’re loosin’ light,” Kat groaned, looking out through the cracks in the shelves. “All right, let’s get movin’. Ann, take the back wit’ Lucia. I want Rosalyn up wit’ me. Bren’s gonna stay in wit’ the scholars. We’ve got Coleen tae do whatever’s needed.” Kat fixed Lucia with a serious look. “Don’t know what ye’ve got against me girlfriends, but don’t let it endanger lives. Got it?”

“Will not be a problem,” Lucia nodded.

Kat gave Ann a look that told her to get along and marched back to the rest. Rosalyn, quickly pulling her down for a kiss, followed.

Ann turned to find Lucia with an eyebrow raised at her. “Got a problem?”

“It’s unusual. Your, uh, relationship. That’s all,” the woman shrugged. “We are on the back line. Should be easier if these hold.”

As if on cue, a louder bang shook the shelf, causing Lucia to jump.

“Er. However long they do hold,” she chuckled nervously.

“Yeah, don’t want to find out how long, personally,” Ann muttered. “Kat, let’s get a move on!”

“Right! Ye sorry sacks’re gettin’ rescued. Stay behind me but in front o’ Ann back there. We’ve got maybe twenty minutes until we’re outta ‘ere. Anythin’ ye can do tae protect yerselves is appreciated.”

The crowd of scholars murmured appreciatively, and a couple glowed slightly as spells were cast.

Kat opened the door in the back and led them into the back alley hallway thing they’d been through before. As they went, they noticed more doors had branched off the hallway, probably leading to other empty stores or rooms. Hopefully empty. Kat didn’t waste time checking each one.

The shelves held for a few minutes, but eventually a creaking sound echoed through the hallway, indicating the zombies had bent them out of the way.

“Try not to shoot in here,” Ann asked of Lucia, raising her fists as she stared down the dimly lit corridor.

“Ears?”

“Yeah. Really sensitive,” Ann nodded.

“Fine. Will fight with hands,” she said, slinging her rifle over her back.

“Can’t use it as a club?”

Lucia gave her a scandalised look. “Truly inexperienced,” she grunted. “Might bend the barrel, warp the rest of the frame. Gods forbid she breaks.”

“She?” Ann asked, still backpedaling as they walked.

“Rifle. You have not earned her name.”

“Gotta earn everything with you,” Ann sighed as the first zombie Warped lurched into their vision, clouds of shuffling off it.

“Yes, otherwise nothing has worth,” Lucia nodded, arms tensing.

That was… surprisingly philosophical. Ann had figured Lucia to be a bit simple, but that comment alone was enough to make her question that assumption.

She didn’t have much time to chat, though. The Warped reached them, and the pair got busy. Lucia was clearly not a melee fighter. Her hits were weaker than Ann’s and served more to push the Warped back than deal any real damage.

Grasping arms reached at them in the flickering light. Ann felt one grab her leg and squeeze. She kicked hard, but the thing wouldn’t let go. Lucia was there in the next second, cutting it off her with a knife.

“Thanks,” Ann panted, then slammed her gauntleted fist into another Warped trying to get at her crouching companion.

Just a grunt and a nod.

Ann’s leg hurt. Those things had a hell of a grip, and her legs weren’t exactly the most sturdy things. Bren tossed her a heal, but it didn’t do much. He’d used a lot of his Mind on the scholars and restoring their stamina. Hopefully, he had a potion. The man usually did.

Coleen joined them after pushing through the fleeing scholars and they formed a wall between their charges and the monstrosities.

Things were grim. They kept backing up, pushing the Warped back as much as they could. The hallway worked to their advantage. Even the tall, lanky zombies were forced to come four at a time at most. Getting them toppled tripped others behind them and caused them to slow down.

Between Coleen and Ann, they made quick work of any that got close, and Lucia fell back to a supportive fighter’s role.

“We’re through!” Ann heard Kat yell. “Bren, wit’ me!”

The researchers behind them poured into a doorway, leaving the fighters to back up. Coleen landed a good hit on a zombie’s leg and it toppled awkwardly back, blocking the hallway.

Together, they ducked through the door and slammed it shut. Problem was, it opened out, and the zombies would be there quickly. Kat was already shoving a shelf over the door as they jumped clear.

“No time tae waste. Need tae get out before night,” she panted.

“Yeah, no light would suck, but not that much,” Ann panted. “What’s the problem?”

A large, multi-tonal roar echoed over the city. Ann flinched reflexively and covered her ears.

“That,” Coleen said, running out to the entrance of the shop. “That’s the problem. That’s the Guardian.”