Avatar of the Frozen Behemoth: Volume 1

Chapter 27: Graves of The Innocent

But there was no time to mourn. The building beneath him shuddered, a low rumble reverberating through the stone. Yukio's head snapped up, his eyes wide with fear as the rooftop began to tilt. The entire structure was collapsing, weakened by the destruction all around them.

"No... no, no, no..." Yukio muttered frantically, scrambling to his feet. He had to move, had to get out of there before he was crushed along with the building.

He looked around wildly, searching for another rooftop to jump to, but the options were limited. The closest building was a precarious leap away, its own walls buckling under the strain of the battle.

Yukio whipped his head around, scanning the surrounding buildings for something stable to jump onto. But just as he found a target, a searing pain shot through his arm. He looked down to see a trail of fire grazing his skin, the bullet missing its mark but leaving a deep, burning wound in its wake. The impact knocked him off balance, and he stumbled backward, nearly losing his footing on the crumbling rooftop.

"Ah-!" Yukio cried out, clutching his arm as the pain surged through him. The fire from the bullet burned through his flesh, and the heat made him dizzy, but he couldn't afford to stop.

Not now.

With a final glance at the building he was standing on-now barely holding together-Yukio steeled himself and launched toward the nearest building. The gap between them was wider than he would have liked, but he had no choice. He pushed off the edge with everything he had, flying through the air as debris and dust filled the space around him.

Yukio landed hard on the next rooftop, rolling upon impact to absorb the force. He winced as his injured arm throbbed with pain, but before he could catch his breath, he heard shouts from below. He peeked over the edge to see a group of Janoan soldiers pointing up at him, their weapons glinting ominously in the light of the fires raging around Spadia.

"There he is!" one of them shouted, raising his rifle. "Don't let him get away!"

Yukio's heart pounded in his chest as he realized they were coming for him. His mind raced as he considered his options." I can't stop. I have to keep moving." But with his arm injured, and the soldiers closing in, the situation seemed more hopeless by the second.

Damn it! I can't die here... not like this! Yukio thought, panic gripping him. He could still feel the warmth of Rome's blood on his hands, and the memory of his friend's final words echoed in his mind.

Rome, I'm sorry... but I have to survive this. I have to get out of here.

The building beneath him groaned loudly, snapping Yukio out of his thoughts. He felt the ground shift under his feet as cracks began to spiderweb across the rooftop. The structure was giving way, and fast. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut-if he didn't move now, he'd be buried under tons of rubble.

Move, Yukio, move! he muttered to himself, forcing his legs to carry him forward despite the pain in his arm. He leapt from the rooftop just as a massive chunk of the building crumbled away, his feet barely finding purchase on the next ledge.

The new rooftop was unsteady as well, swaying under the pressure of the collapsing buildings around it.

Yukio pushed himself harder, sprinting across the unstable surface, dodging falling debris and jagged ledges that threatened to trip him up. His foot slipped on a loose tile, and he nearly fell, arms flailing to regain his balance.

He bit back a cry as the sharp edge of a broken brick scraped against his already wounded arm, but he forced himself to keep going.

The building beneath him shuddered violently, tilting at an alarming angle. Yukio's heart was in his throat as he jumped from one collapsing section to another, each landing more treacherous than the last.