Bent Fate (An Arknights Fanfiction)

Chapter 56

Blaze eyes on the stairs, her mouth left open as she found out the Doctor has already left — while she was still talking.

"He didn't let me finish?! Is he even listening??" the then angered feline rants.

"He doesn't need reassurance." Greythroat tells her.

Blaze blows out air from her nose. She faces what remained of the glass walls, putting a hand on her hip.

Flamebringer walks out into the street, glancing at both directions.

The feline, seeing him, scowls. She looks at the others, mostly their melee operators. "Hey, what is he doing out there?"

Gavial had a confident tone as she answered. "Like he'd be in any danger out there."

"I too think he shouldn't be out in the open." Vanilla expresses concern. She is crouching just behind Gavial, firmly hugging her halberd.

The sarkaz they have been talking about keeps walking away. His eyes are going back and forth between left and right.

Franka seems more relaxed, even while watching Flamebringer going without any cover. "We should just take advantage of what he's doing." she advised to her junior.

Flamebringer stops past the traffic island. His head turns to the right, moving his hand to the hilt of his sheathed sword.

A streak of light flashes in front of him, and at this point, his feet are already set apart.

Everyone tightens the grip they have on their weapons, two halves of a bolt lie in front of Flamebringer's foot.

"SHOOT! SHOOT HIM!"

The voice is followed by another bolt, which the sarkaz swordsman cuts with ease and the speed of lightning.

Then came another bolt, and another. The operators watching can tell the enemy is closing in by the increasing amount of bolts and arrows raining on Flamebringer.

The sarkaz easily creates a web of flickering lights as he deflected dozens of sniper fire, most of which rained down and snapped as they hit the road.

"Here they come." He whispers, glancing at the building.

"Form up!"

They knew what that glance meant, but not until Liskarm shouted did they start rushing to their defensive positions.

Franka walks to her partner's side. She takes a quick look at the ceiling before looking at their snipers standing behind the front desk. "Go up, third floor."

While the snipers relocated themselves, she looks over to Blaze. "We should pull him back."

The feline, looking very eager to fight, can't concentrate her gaze towards Franka as she asked. "Why? He's in a good position. You know what, it is we who should join him."

Just as she said it, Flamebringer jumps back. A mortar shell hits where he used to stand, destroying a part of the road.

"Oh..." Blaze uttered, watching the sarkaz retreat into the building.

"Back up-back up!" Franka commands, their entire line stepping away from the shattered glass walls. "Onyx, don't just fire that beam-thing indiscriminately."

"I won't." the vouivre assures her, steadily holding her shield at the front.

Like with many encounters they have with Reunion, the closer they get, the louder their voices become.

"They sure love attacking in large groups, now, more than ever." Liskarm whispers.

"That's what happens when you have abundance in manpower." Franka remarks.