Help from the OtherSide

61. Facing Resistance

The once peaceful town I used to admire from my windows turned into a hellish nightmare. As we ran on the streets, I felt the heat of burning shops and houses on my skin. Hex took the lead, on all fours in his animal form, rapidly sniffing the surroundings.

Grant gripped his mace with both hands, looking around wildly. "There!" 

I whipped my head in the direction he was pointing and found a female elf crouching by a toppled food cart. 

Her back was turned to us and we crept up slowly so as to not panic her.

"Excuse me?" I shouted over the noise. She didn't acknowledge my presence, leaning stiffly by the cart. I kneeled behind her and touched  her shoulder. 

My breath hitched as her cold body fell like a brick on my lap. Amelia screamed in horror as the woman's glassy eyes stared mine emptily. The brown handle of a knife protruded from her chest turning her white clothes an unfortunate shade of red. 

I froze and Liam yanked me up by my shoulder; taking me away from the body.

"Are you alright?" Grant stood in front of the dead woman, deliberately covering my view.

Unable to find my voice I nodded. 

Seeing my shocked expression Hex growled, "This is war, you will find many like her. Do not let everything affect you!"

"Let's keep going." Amelia ushered us behind Hex who had already covered half the street. My mind was stuck on rigid cold body that fell on me. I could feel the chill creep up my arm as I shuddered.

 We pressed our backs against the shops and huts, using as much as cover as possible. Hex stopped at an three-way intersection and turned to us.

"Regular route will be from here. . ." He waved his huge paws at the right. "Either way, I smell a lot of blood. We might be entering the actual battle zone. Stay alert."

Hex explained like it was just another day for him. Remembering how little I know of him, there is a good chance that werewolves hunt on a daily basis. Maybe that's why corpses aren't a big deal to him.

"We can, and we will make it through." Grant pulled us all in a group hug with strange sense of determination. The second guessing Grant was replaced with a confident warrior that I suddenly admired.

Swinging his mace in practice, he nodded to Hex. Liam and Amelia picked up rusted metal poles from the debris of collapsed establishments.

Hex watched us silently. On receiving a signal from Grant, he got on all fours and charged towards the lane on our right. We sprinted behind him, clutching our weapons.

Hex was right, the air smelt of putrid blood and sweat all around. As soon as the street ended and the palace came into view, we witnessed the real battle field.

 Hundreds and hundreds of tall uniformed guards brandished swords and silver shields at the tattered, pirate clothed enemy; who were skilfully dodging attacks.

The sides were easily distinguished as the palace soldiers wore sophisticated armoury and moved in trained, coordinated manner.
 Their counterparts included warriors of every species. Werewolves who had shifted in their primal form slashing and biting at their enemy, ridiculously enormous green and yellow orcs swung uprooted tree trunks at a small group of palace guards who were crushed under it's weight.