The Demon Sword: Sorataki

Chapter 10: Held to words

Andrew staggers up off the ground to the sound of something large crashing through rubble close by and the faint scream of heavy raindrops. Memory of how he got there were missing. His back aches and the back of his head throbbed violently. In response to seeing static when he opened his eyes, he pulled off the device that was over them. The shattered thermal goggle being a stark reminder of the current predicament he is in. 

Seeing the blurry sight of the dark brown slabs of concrete and the legs of Dawn just landing into view he gathered that he was somehow still alive and is on the same floor as the exit. He gathered that he must have only been out for a few seconds since Dawn only just got up here. Not that it helped him any. Getting up to his feet in a stagger and fighting for air he tries to hold his ground to the Nova.

"Surprised you're still standing," Dawn said coldly.

Andrew still trying to get his bearings could only see in a blur. He wanted to reply with a witty comeback but he was just too winded. He needed a moment to even consider deciding if he has anything left to give and he was flat out of options. The state he was in now he was not sure if running will even do him any good. Giving the weapons Dawn has to turn his back to him meant death.

"Well, I did what I could. The kids should be some distance from here by now." Andrew thought to himself.

As if to mock his thoughts he hears the faint but distinct sound of the little girl that speaks a different tong shouting unknown words at the top of her lungs. As if desperately calling for someone. 

Cursing his luck he locks his now readjusted eyes onto the Nova knowing for certain that he too heard it. He notices the handy work he did on the cockpit giving him just a sliver of a gap to into it.

Dawn suddenly comes in and kicks Andrew who blocked it to only stagger clumsily onto the ground and slide to a halt. The sound of rain got close as well as the desperate cries of the foreign speaking girl. All the whilst Andrew desperation rose.

"You hear that?" Dawn said through his speakers. "Just a hop and skip away from the children." 

Andrew could not see it but he could tell that he was smiling behind the cockpit. With his back to the outside and the rumbling sound of thunder enticing him Andrew clenched onto his blade and made a big gamble. Turning his back on Dawn he legs it for the exit, towards the light and freedom.

Stepping into the rain Andrew turns around to the sound of rockets propelling towards him. Spinning the sword behind his back in a reverse grip Andrew used

-Lone shadow- fading away from sight and into his shadow on the floor. The rockets pass the spot he was last standing in before exploding on the ground a few feet ahead of him. He felt like he avoided a disaster until he hears the screaming of children who were too close to the blast zone.

Andrew emerges from his shadow looking at the impact of the rocket, praying that nobody fell victim to his reckless decision. The heavy rain made visibility poor; no longer could he see the great mountains that surrounded the area.

He sees most of the children running and screaming from the blast sight and scattering in different directions. All save for the foreign girl who had her back to both him and the Nova; she kept on screaming the same thing out into the walls of falling water over and over.

"You first, then the kids." Dawn snarky said.

He hears the Nova closing in towards him. Using his sword as a supporting stick he knew that he had little strength to withstand another blow from the giant machine. He needed a miracle the time for that was quickly running out.