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After wading through a sea of blood, Kell made it to Darling's house. The entire time she'd been fighting her way through the city, she'd been scared that she would be too late, that she would find the house reduced to a pile of rubble in an explosion or burned to the ground by a squadron of angry soldiers. What she found was so much worse.
A lean squad of Uhlaran soldiers were blocking the street. They wore the heavy plates awarded to veteran soldiers. It was a safe guess that they'd all been given Warrior Crests. Another squad was blocking the opposite end of the street. Overhead, one of the flying ships was hanging low, ropes trailing down to the ground. To make matters worse, Darling's front door had already been kicked in.
The soldiers spotted Kell sprinting down the street. She descended on them like a hurricane making landfall. She didn't care about her safety, she didn't care about injuries. The only thing on her mind was blowing through this wall of blue steel and reaching her sister and her partner.
Kell launched herself at the soldiers. They raised their broadswords, the signature two-handers of veteran Uhlarans. Kell smashed through them like they were twigs. Using her body like a cannonball, Kell crashed into the first soldier. She kicked him square in the chest and sent him skidding along the ground, his steel armor clattering over every stone in a discordant symphony.
Kell turned on the nearest soldier. He swung at her, bringing his two-hander to bear. Kell smashed the strike away, sparks flying as steel met steel. Before he could recover, Kell jammed her stolen sword into the soldier's neck, slipping it between the plates of armor. As he fell to the ground, Kell snatched up his two-hander, swinging it around with her single hand.
The other two jumped her together. One attacked her from the front. She blocked his sword, the strength of the blow staggering her. The second soldier attacked from behind, slashing her back.
Kell snarled in pain as the sword worked its way through her skin. Her defensive etchings were holding, but the sword was making slow progress. Kell planted her feet and shoved forward, pushing the first soldier back. She stepped in, moving too close for swordplay but within perfect reach for hand to hand combat. She bashed him across the face with her steel bracer.
There was a crunch and the soldier stumbled backwards, dazed. Kell swung around to meet the second soldier. She caught his sword with her bracer, the steel ringing out a high angry note as the etchings converted the blow into sound. Pivoting her entire body, Kell rammed the sword through the soldier's chest, piercing his armor and breaking the sword.
She picked up one of the fallen swords, there were plenty to choose from now. Two of the soldiers were dead and the other two were recovering. The squad on the other street were rushing to provide reinforcements.
Kell licked her lips. She was surprisingly thirsty. Blood was beginning to flow down her back freely. She cracked her neck and hefted the sword, resting it against her shoulder. She went to meet the second squad.
"Kell!"
Roran came running up behind her. He was just as bloodstained as she was. His sword was held low in his hand and he was gasping for air. He looked like he had run through a slaughterhouse. Given the state of the city, he likely had.
Sarah, or what Kell assumed to be Sarah, came slithering along behind him. She wore the form of the Ngirdi, a siren serpent from Esmun lore. They carried dead sailors down to the bottom of the ocean where they were laid to their final resting place. Now it was loose on King's City.
"The doors busted in," said Kell. "We need to get through these guys and get inside."
Roran grunted. "I'll take these guys, you go on ahead."
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Kings Game
Adventure[Updates Daily] THE FINALE BEGINS!!! After losing friends and family, fighting in two wars, and suffering through more than they could possibly imagine, Roran and his comrades set their sights on the Kings. Every obstacle has been cleared from their...
