The Dead May Rise ✓ (GxG)

Seventeen

"This way," Epifan called out to Donnie, Pyotr, Roman, Valeryan, and Dagmar as he led them along the long, winding corridors.

Dagmar continued to remain close to Aedona--she continued to hold the older siren's hand as well.

Finally, Epifan stopped in front of a door. "We're here," he exhaled.

"So..." Pyotr began. "Are we going to lock pick that? Because there's no way they'd just leave that door open for us to-"

Aedona pushed past her brother, raising up her leg and pushing it forward, hard.

The door caved inward, falling off its hinges and sliding across the floor of the room.

Pyotr blinked a couple of times in disbelief. "Or... you could do that... That's fine too."

Aedona stepped over a couple of splinters before running over to where Bear was chained up. "Bear," she called out to the older siren.

Bear raised her weak head a little in Donnie's direction. Her face was lined in cuts and bruises. Her nose looked broken. "Aedona?" She seemed surprised.

"I'm here to get you out..." Aedona breathed, softly. She raised her fingers up to dance them along the side of Bear's face--she stroked the bottom of it. Aedona's gaze drifted over to the chains that bound Bear. She inhaled deeply before ripping them in half.

Bear stumbled and Aedona caught her. Bear struggled into a standing position. "I guess it's your turn to save me from being tortured," Bear commented, weakly as Donnie helped her to the door where the rest of the group was currently waiting.

"Bear?" Pyotr asked. "Why couldn't you just break out yourself? Aren't you supposed to be the almighty Warmonger after all?"

In unison both Roman and Bear responded, "Essences of Xuviphas."

Roman continued to explain to the group, "The essences of Xuviphas are enough to even kill the immortal.... Demons, vampires..." He took a deep breath as he put extra emphasis on the word, "Sirens."

Donnie could see Epifan visibly gulp.

"What about me? ...A wraith?" Pyotr questioned.

"You're dead... Not immortal," Roman responded. "You can't kill what's already dead."

"I sure am loving this whole learning experience," Epifan began. "But, I think we should get out of here."

Roman nodded. "Let's."

Aedona approached the door, her gaze meeting one of Boris's men who was holding a loaded pistol.

The soldier fired the gun off.

Aedona froze right in her tracks like a deer when it heard the booming sound of a hunting rifle.

Roman quickly jumped through the doorway, pushing Donnie out of the way just in time to get hit with a bullet in the chest that was fired off.

Roman staggered to the ground.

Bear barrelled through, her golden eyes wide. "Roman!" She held onto him, trying to support him. Her gaze drifted toward the group. "Go!" She shouted.

Epifan reached for one of the knives in his belt before chucking it with the blade aimed right at the head of the soldier.

Pyotr and Aedona blinked a couple of times before corralling Valeryan and Dagmar to the closest exit.

Bear helped carry a limping Roman while Epifan pulled out his sniper rifle, ready to shoot it at any one of Boris's men who may emerge.

All the way to the exit, Roman kept coughing out blood.