Fight

Part Eight

"Blue team, charge!" A voice yelled.

Lily's mind drew a blank. She could feel her feet move as she sprinted into the forest, the familiar path coming back to her. Some of her teammates had spread out around her, but many had gone in the opposite direction.

She made it over the creek and into enemy territory, her skin racing with familiarity as it came in contact with the soft waters.

It wasn't much different from the last time she had played Capture the Flag, the same rush of confidence and that boost of energy filled her body, and she felt like she was flying.

Around Lily, the sounds of battle raged on. But she had only one goal: protect the border.

Her first opponent came in the form of one of the Zhang twins, though she couldn't tell which one.

"Lily! Watch out!" They cried, but Lily had lived with them all her life, she knew all of their tricks. Which is why this was obviously Emily.

Lily sent a wave of water towards her friend, expecting her to jump out of the way. But she only raised one, shaking hand, finger pointed at something behind Lily.

Slowly, Lily turned around. And came face to face with a hellhound twice her size.

"Run!" Emily yelled. Lily didn't have to think twice. She kicked water in the hellhound's face and made a run for it, easily catching up to Emily.

"We can't outrun it!" Lily cried.

"I know that! But what's a hellhound doing in the forest anyway?!" Emily shouted back.

"Nevermind that now, run!"

Emily flicked her wrist out, and a wall of dirt rose up behind Lily and crashed down on top of the hound. It whined, and Lily sped up, racing to Emily's side. She reached to her side and drew her sword.

"Thomas!" Emily shouted, waving her hands in the air. Lily's head snapped up through the dark. There stood their friend, silhouetted in the shadows of the forest.

"Lily? Emily?" He cried, eyes widening. "Lily, on your right!"

Lily looked to her right, only to slam into the ground as she was hit by a large wall of black. The second hellhound growled in her face, pinning her.

"No!" Emily cried as the hellhound bared its teeth. In one swift move she brought her sword down on its side. While the hellhound growled in surprise, Lily rolled out from underneath it, bringing her sword up to slice it in the stomach.

The hellhound exploded into a pile of dust.

"Emily!" Lily yelled, watching her friend fend off the other hellhound. Emily pushed her sword forwards, stabbing the hellhound in the shoulder. With a sickening rip, she dragged the blade down, and the hellhound exploded into dust.

"Are you guys okay?" Thomas asked, zooming towards them.

"Why didn't you help?" Lily cried. She glanced down at her arms, wincing at at the massive claw marks she had because of being pinned down by the hellhound.

"I - I couldn't react, I'm sorry." Thomas hung his head.

Lily reached up and patted him on the shoulder. "It's alright... I guess seeing a hellhound in the camp borders must be terrifying." She chuckled.

"Speaking of which, do you think that there could be more?" Emily said.

"We need to warn the camp!" Lily exclaimed.

"I don't think we'll be warning anyone any time soon..." Thomas said, eyes widening.

"What is it?" Lily said. "Wait, let me guess: when I turn around there'll be another hellhound."

"More than just one!" Thomas cried.

Lily glanced behind her. Through the trees prowled what must've been an entire pack of hellhounds.

"Run!" She grabbed Thomas' arm and started dragging him along. He got the message and zoomed away. Lily shook her head and started sprinting, Emily close behind.

Suddenly Thomas zoomed back. "There's someone in Bunker Nine!" He said.

"What?!" Lily shouted.

Thomas sped away.

"Why does he get speed powers?" Emily grumbled.

"They've started the engines of the Argo III!" Thomas zoomed back over.

"Who is it?! We need to stop them!" Lily cried, speeding up. Up ahead she could see the rock wall entrance.

"No, I need to stop them."

"Wait!"

Thomas sped off again.

"Lily, they're gaining on us!"

"Oh, for the love of - we'll have to fight!" Lily readied her sword, spinning around to run at the hounds.

Taken by surprise, the hellhounds had no time to react as Lily slammed the hilt of her sword into three of their heads in succession. They dropped down, dazed, and Lily slashed at another, causing it to burst into dust.

And then there was a sudden bang, and everything stopped. Lily's head raised towards the sky, where a ship was flying overhead. On the deck stood two familiar people, swords locked. Surprised, Lily paused, staring. How?

But it didn't matter how, Lily had to believe it.

It was Thomas and Mia.