City of Fire

Chapter Forty-Four

"Ilona"

Ilona rolled clear, the blade sinking into the stone. Erin screamed her name and she stood up, scrambling back and away from the captain. He gave her lopsided grin, a giggle escaping his lips.

"You're gonna die, you're gonna die," he kept repeating the words over and over as if it were a song. Ilona felt fear touch her skin and she ducked as he swung his talons. It made rubble rain down above her head but she scrambled away, her hands clasping a spear. She brought the end of it up, backhanding him, and he tottered. She leapt past, missing him but he tumbled forward, his talons wrapping around her ankle. She screamed as she went careening forward, her head smacking the stone. Her vision went black, spots dancing before her eyes and she groaned, trying to sit up. Kicking her legs out she started to crawl away but the man yanked her back.

"Not yet! Not yet! You're gonna die, gonna die, gonna die." He started singing again, his teeth clicking as he chanted the words. Ilona couldn't help the strangled whimper that escaped her throat. He cocked his head, his eyes wild and filled with madness. "You left me to die, to die, to die." He chortled and leaned down closer, his breath smelling of rotted flesh. "Just like you're gonna die, gonna die." He leaned back and lifted the talons covered in blood. Before he could bring it down Erin tackled him, sending them sprawling forward and behind her. Ilona shot to her feet, reaching for the spear and grasped it with her wet fingers. She used the butt of the spear to backhand the captain again, sending him crashing into the stands and Erin was on his feet beside her.

"Go!" He shouted, trying to corral her away but before he could the captain screamed. The walls shook and Ilona looked down to see three Hollows scaling the walls. Dread filled her but when she looked up the captain charged. She lifted the spear but something grabbed her thigh, claws digging in and yanking her down. A scream left her lips and Erin moved forward to help but was struck across the face by the captain's fist. He flew backwards and slammed into the stone floor, the breath leaving his lungs. Ilona scrambled to get a foothold and raising the spear struck at the Hollow who'd grabbed her. It shrieked, releasing her and she shoved herself back. The captain snarled and batted her spear away. He reached for her, lifting her up by her throat and she felt the air being squeezed out of her lungs. It felt as if he was crushing her windpipe and she kicked out, her feet hitting him in the ribs and arm but his grip didn't slacken.

A gust of wind erupted behind her and a white blur shot past. Blood sprayed the wall as Adrian slid his blade along the captain's side. He screamed in pain, dropping her. She gasped her throat raw and angry.

"Dominus!" Adrian's hands carefully picked her up, sliding her behind him as he raised his weapon. She tried to say that she was fine but it wasn't working and her eyes widened when more Hollows scanned the walls. There seemed as if there were hundreds of them and she looked down. The lines of soldiers were scattered and each one was being picked off. She watched as a small group were slaughtered, their wails of pain filling the air. The sound made her stomach shrivel up inside her.

They weren't going to win...

They were all going to die...

That's when she felt it...

Her stone was burning with a fiery heat and she looked down. Each one of the talons was glowing and reaching down she clasped it. As soon as her fingers touched the metal, white searing light shot out. The force of it knocked her backwards and Ilona gasped as the force of the impact knocked the air from her lungs. Zane and Tidus stood there, shoulder to shoulder with Adrian and Erin, who'd picked himself up and had joined the fight once more. They all formed a line and as one, charged.