Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 11 ~ Part 3||

Shouto stiffened. "What about it?"

Aizawa turned and looked back out at the ocean. "You haven't used your magic since you arrived."

"It's fine," he bit out, avoiding the orphanage master's gaze as he looked out at the pirate ship in the distance.

The bright light of the sinking sun began to cast soft rays of red and orange across the blue sky. As Shouto looked out at the pirate ship, a shadow flickered in his periphery.

Shouto froze. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

It was only for an instant, but he was sure he had seen something move in the fading light. He brought his hand to Endeavor's hilt and squinted into the brush.

"Todoroki, what is it?" Aizawa asked. His voice was tense.

Shouto's lips thinned, and he tightened his hold on his sword. "I don't know. I thought I saw something." The words had barely left his mouth when it hit him.

Dark magic.

It was so thick in the air; he could almost taste it.

Stymphalian.

They had never come out this early before; Apollo hadn't even finished pulling the sun across the sky yet, but the magic was unmistakable.

"Get inside!" he shouted.

Aizawa nodded sharply. "Hold them off!" He turned and took off back towards the house.

Another shape flickered. Closer. To his left.

Shouto pulled out Endeavor and took a step forward. Aizawa was almost at the door. He just needed to keep the stymphalian busy until they got inside.

Razor-sharp feathers suddenly shot out of the bushes on his left. Shouto raised Endeavor, blocking the stymphalian's attack, but his spatial awareness was off, and the attack knocked him off balance. Shouto twisted, catching himself from falling. He looked up. The hillside was filling with stymphalian. They had used the bushes and shadows of fading sunlight to surround the house.

From his right, a shadow emerged, launching itself at Aizawa's retreating back, its talons outstretched. Shouto lunged forward, and with a quick movement, cut the legs off the creature. The stymphalian screamed in pain as its body skidded across the ground.

Another stymphalian leapt at him, and Shouto spun and buried Endeavor in its throat. From the corner of his right eye, he saw the rest of the stymphalian dash after Aizawa into the house.

Shouto cursed. He pulled Endeavor out of the creature's neck and rushed after them.

The house was a war zone. Screams ricocheted through the hallways, and the tile was already slick with blood. Bodies and limbs lay scattered throughout the rooms. They had been caught unaware.

He wondered if any of them were Yaoyorozu's.

Shouto's stomach plummeted. He hoped she had stayed outside. He hurried along the corridor, checking each body quickly. None were her. He almost breathed a sigh of relief but forced himself to move on.

He knew that she was smart and a fairly good fighter, but that didn't lessen the sudden worry he felt for her well being. Shouto ground his teeth.

A woman's voice sounded from the courtyard. It was Yaoyorozu's. He was sure of it.

Shouto rushed towards the back door.

Sharp-edged feathers suddenly shot out of one of the side rooms to his left. Shouto twisted, but not fast enough.