Rise of the Nephilim

Thirteen

Cora's POV

"Come on we need to go right now." We had made it half of the way across the city without incident, there was no sign of any members from the council or any demons. Michael kept flying above us looking out for trouble. Ruby and Alec had slowed down to a jog, Cole kept pace with me and we scouted ahead in case Michael missed something. We made it to the edge of the slums before anything happened. Michael flew down and stopped us before we could go any further.

"There are a group of five demons ahead at least that I could see. We need to go through the sewers from here on." Oh joy, we still have to crawl through pee to be free. Oh well. At least we spent less time in there than we would have originally. Alec and Ruby came onto the roof behind us.

"What's going on?" Alec asked.

"Demons. It looks like we're going to have to go into the sewers after all." Michael butted in before anyone could say anything. It was almost as if he planned this so his plan could be the one that got us out of the city. We had to run as fast as we could to keep up with him but even then we couldn't keep up with him. Me and Cole were running ahead while Alec and Ruby tried to keep up with us, they couldn't. When we finally caught up to Michael he was holding up a manhole cover.

"Down you go. I would hold your breath for as long as you can if I were you it stinks." Like we weren't going to do that anyway.

"Let's go." I turned to face the others. "The sooner we go down there, the quicker we can get out. All I want is a bed to sleep in and food. Scratch that, I don't need a bed, I'll sleep on the floor. Oh, and I think chocolate may be required in large quantities." Alec. Cole and Michael laughed while Ruby just nodded in agreement. "Let's get this over with." I said with a sigh.

Without looking, I stepped back and through the man hole, when I hit the walkway in the sewer without stumbling and stepped back. Soon they all climbed down the ladder and were in the sewer with me. Ruby started gagging instantly. I was still holding my breath, there was no way I wanted to smell what was down here. Michael lead us through the maze of tunnel as quickly as he could, we were all running flat out. When we finally made it out of the sewer we all were gaging, even Michael.

"Next time we need to get out of somewhere, I suggest we take on the demons and die fighting. I am never going in the sewers again." Everyone nodded in agreement as they were still recovering from the stench of the sewers. Looking around, I saw that we had emerged in the middle of a forest. As we had left just after it went dark, it was still night, an ice cold mist had wound its way through the forest like a silent snake.

"So, Michael, your mysterious friend lives in the middle of a spooky wood?" Ruby piped up.

"He owns these woods and has a big house in the middle. When I say house, it's more of a fort. His name is Oliver and he owns the place. It's kind of a safe place for hunters and people demons are desperate to kill." Sounds like the place for us, it could be the only place where we don't have anyone trying to kill us.

"Do you know how many hunters are there now as we don't want them spreading news to the council about our whereabouts."

"He said there's no one except him and the best hunters there at the moment and they're sworn to secrecy. While we are there I will be training Cora, you will learn how to use your powers and how to use those big wings of yours." Great, so school just finished but the teaching will continue. Though flying will be cool. Good bye getting a visa and paying for my flight.

"Ok. That'll be cool." rom out of the darkness came the sound of a twig snapping, not the kind of snap when an animal steps on it but something big. Something like a human or human like. Everyone was looking in the direction it had come from. Michael moved in front of me to block anything that came my way.

"It's ok Michael, it's me. No need to be alarmed." Michael was tense and ready to fight anyone who came at him but he visibly relaxed and moved away from me.

"Oliver, this is Cora and here friends. Turns out the council want her dead, they tortured her." Oliver looked confused.

"Why would they do that, aren't they supposed to help her? They're both working towards the same goal after all." There was something unusual that happened. It hadn't been there when we were got here.

"That was what I expected too, it appears that demons might have something to do with that. When I was flying above the city, I saw plenty of demons but no Hybrids. You would expect everyone to come out and comb the city looking for these four but there wasn't a single one." I am no expert but that doesn't sound good.

"Come on, we shall discuss this further in the house. These woods have ears." Oliver turned and walked off. Michael followed him and we followed Michael." Suddenly realized what that was, the birds. Before they were singing but now they were silent. I stopped and looked around me, turning in slow circles.

"Cora, what are you doing? You need to keep up." Michael appeared out of nowhere.

"Michael, something's wrong." Alec, Ruby and Cole had followed Oliver and were out of sight. I kept turning in circles looking at the woods around us. When Michael spoke softer this time.

"What's wrong?"

"The birds, they've stopped singing. They were singing when we got here but now they've stopped, all of them at the same time." Michaels hand shot out and grabbed my arm. Then he started running forcing me to run with him. We both went flat out until the fort came into view, I knew that later I would have bruises where he had grabbed me.

It was huge, when he said it was a fort. I was expecting a military base but this was something else. It was more like a small castle from a fairy tale, it even have ivy growing up its walls. It was the ideal location for a secret hide out as it was kind of in the middle of nowhere and sounded by a huge forest.

"Hurry up." Michael growled at me. He took off running again dragging me behind him, I didn't have a lot of time to admire the buildings outside. I ran as fast as I could but Michael was faster and I couldn't keep up. Faster and faster he ran but I couldn't keep up.

"Please slow down! I can't run as fast as you!" Michael didn't seem to care, he just went faster and faster until I couldn't keep up anymore and tripped over my own feet. As he was still gripping my arm, I didn't fall over but I did feel a tearing pain shoot through my shoulder and all through my arm as it was ripped from its socket. Collapsing to my knees, I screeched in pain. Michael bent down next to me.

"We're going to have to get your arm back into its socket before it's healed or it will be excruciatingly painful but we can't do it here." I stumbled to my feet but every movement I made me hiss in pain. In the end Michael scooped me up in his arms and carried me the rest of the way. When we made it through the huge entrance Oliver was there, he closed and locked the doors.

"What happened?" Oliver asked.

"The council sent someone here, they knew we were coming here. Cora fell and dislocated her arm, I'm going to have to put it back in its socket. I need you to hold her down." Michael gently lay me down on the cold stone floor while Oliver pinned me down. I heard Michael counting down from five, on two I felt the worst pain ever emanate from my shoulder and I passed out.