Guardian

Chapter 21 - Assault

Dawn

The exit of the city came in view as I sped up my pace and ended up running out of the gate. I ignored the guards their commands and shouting as I quickly got in the saddle of my horse taking of towards my home. The others were probably right behind me wondering what had gotten into me, but I didn't have time to explain.

All that mattered was getting back to my sister and hope she was okay. "Dawn!" I looked behind me for a second to see Lynn catching up to me, but I didn't slow down. In fact I just sped up more to avoid her questions.

It was hard to keep my horse going, but I couldn't waste time. As much as I hated myself for bringing him into this there was no other way to travel fast enough. Lynn had given up after a while as her horse needed some rest too, except she granted it.

When I reached the top of the hill I got a view of my home and what I saw brought fear in my eyes. There were troops nearing the walls with battering rams while their catapults were taking out our ballista's. I gripped my reins tightly before hitting the sides of my horse with my heels going in a gallop.

We have to use the escape tunnels as a way inside.

With that on my mind I rode towards the other side of the wall, it was much higher over there which was why it wasn't under attack. What they didn't know was that there were tunnels on that side as well, which I was going to use to counter them.

The bushed and trees covering the entrance of the tunnel came into view revealing numerous civilians as well as assassin's and guards helping them escape. I quickly glanced over each and every one of them until I saw my first commander. "Yaegar, where is my sister?!" I yelled getting his attention as I quickly got off my horse holding the reins.

"I don't know, Mia signora. We tried to reach the mansion, but one of the catapults set the place on fire." With that I handed him the reins of my horse as I ran of into the tunnels, in the opposite direction of everyone else. Luckily the tunnels were pretty high and had some old pulleys that I could use to bring me up much faster and onto a complete different road as everyone else.

People were screaming as they ran into the tunnels holding onto their children as they prayed that nothing would come here. It angered me to see what was happening to my people and families, but right now I had to focus on my own family. Lynn and the others couldn't be far behind anymore so I had to make sure to make this quick.

When I saw daylight I quickened my pacing and was now standing in my own office which was one of the entrances towards the escape tunnels. Luckily no one was taking this tunnel as my office was going up in flames making it hard for me to breath. I pulled my mouth mask up which covered my nose and mouth. When I was ready to search for Sky I busted open the office doors revealing the rest of my house going up in flames.

Lynn

When we saw what was happening to our homes Christina guided us towards the others side of the wall. I didn't know what was worse, knowing that my father was behind all of this or that Dawn was charging into that. "Don't worry about Dawn, she will be alright. We have to help the rest of the civilians with escaping." I nodded as Christina smiled at me to reassure me everything would be alright.

I smiled back, but it wasn't very real. Hagan placed a hand on my shoulder giving me a gentle smile as well, they all seemed so calm in the situation. I decided to stay silent as we neared everyone else that was running of the tunnel. We all got of our horses as we handed them to the guards so they could escort more people as Christine asked for the status.

"So far we have counted three-hundred-forty-five civilians exiting the city, which means there are around two hundred still inside the walls. We have no number on the amount of dead people nor on what's happening at the front gate." Christina was listening very well as was I, but I kept looking around the crowd of people trying to look for Dawn or Sky.

"Also maestra Dawn has entered the town in search for signora Sky." With that something inside me snapped as I ran into the tunnels against the crowd trying to push through. Christina called out for me, but I was already going and there was no stopping me.

It took a while to reach the exit, but when I did I heard a loud explosion going off in the distance. When I was outside I noticed I was behind the mansion on a lower level than the building itself. Some assassin's ran towards me yelling "They got through the gate, make sure to hide the entrance when you are the last one!"

With that they ran into the tunnels as I heard guards and soldiers nearing my position. Quickly I pushed a cart in front of the entrance before Climbing up one of the houses trying to reach the mansion. The air was filled with smoke over the whole village, but the mansion was completely on fire. My father his soldiers rushed inside though, which meant there were still people in there.

I didn't even need to think who could possibly be inside there that they wanted to go after so badly. When they were out of sight I pulled myself up the ledge and ran into the mansion as well. The smoke made it hard to see as pieces of the ceiling were falling down while the fire broke down the house. I quickly pulled op the piece of cloth that was made to pull up and cover my face so I could run through my own gas bombs.

It was hard to see so finding Dawn and Sky was really a challenge, I could see the staircase but was completely lit on fire. Without thinking I leaped up towards the second floors balcony right near Sky her bedroom door, which was open.

The smoke inside the bedroom was much thicker as I couldn't see anything. With my dagger in one hand and the other one ready to defence I slowly entered the room. After a few stept I hit something with my foot and when I looked down I could make tell it was a body.

Before I could even question it or call out for anyone something strook my left shoulder. "Aagh!" I cried out in pain gripping my shoulder as I swung my dagger with the other one in the direction of the other person. My dagger was deflected, but I kept a tight grip onto it and took another swing at their side this time.

I heard a faint whimper and immediately knew it belonged to a woman and not a man. I withdrew the blade seeing there was blood on it and heard metal clatter against the wooden floor. I realised what I had done and quickly grabbed her in my arms as she almost fell forward. "N-no...It can't be..." The floor underneath us started to shake giving me no time to think.

"What did you do to my sister?!"

I didn't react, I just couldn't. I watched as she took over and carried her sister out of the room which was about to collapse. Somehow I managed to get myself back up and ran outside with them through all the wreckage. Behind us we could hear faint screams as the soldiers were getting crushed by falling pillars, but we didn't care at that moment.

We ended up in front of the house as she laid her sister down kneeling down besides her. Quickly she placed pressure on the wound while I was still lost in words.

"Sky! Wake up!" She was unconscious "Come on...you can't do this to me..." Dawn was breaking down right in front of me, the person I loved the most was hurt by me. "You are all I have left..." She kept putting pressure on the wound while holding Sky's cheek in the other tears falling down her face.

I did this, I have hurt my lover and one of my best friends. I didn't know what to say nor what to do, the previous pain from my shoulder was gone. My whole body felt numb as I slowly walked past them, towards the main gate were all my father his soldiers were. I didn't deserve them, they didn't need someone like me.