Blend the Light

Blaring Alarms

We've just gotten to our feet when the alarm goes off. The sound echoes off the walls, becoming louder than it already is, if that's even possible. I can almost feel myself losing hearing as my ears start to ring. Hawk curses as the alarms continue to blare. "What's that?" Lily asks slowly. There's only one thing it could mean.

"The Wasteland guards are here," I say flatly. A slight tremble of fear shivers through me, but I force it down. There's no time for that. Her eyes widen, and her shoulders drop.

"Then we're in trouble." Her fist tightens around the bow.

People shout and scream upstairs. I quickly grab several knives from the walls of the basement while Hawk wraps his hands around a sword and a dozen stars. Lily fills a quiver and throws it over her back. There's a look in her eyes I cannot identify. I brush the thought away; I've got more pressing matters to think about. Who knows how many Wasteland guards are upstairs, and who knows what they'll do to all of us. The T-LOOT-Dians as Vladimir said. We break into a run, taking the stairs two at a time. After shoving all but two of the knives into my belt, I adjust my grip on the remaining ones and leap into battle.

I can't even begin to count how many Wasteland guards are here. It's like some out-of-control party. Everyone is packed like sardines in a tin can. The screams and shouts are deafening. I force back the nausea and bile as I take in the fallen bodies that are all around me. Hollow eyes stare at something I can't see. Hawk launches several of the stars, and they embed themselves in their victims with deadly accuracy. He pulls them from the bodies before racing off into the crowd.

They're on me in an instant. Three of them surround me. I take one out with a vicious slash across the throat. He falls with his hands wrapped around his throat as he chokes and red runs from between his fingers. A few minutes later, the second one falls. So far, I've only acquired a few scratches and a gash that cuts down my forearm. "Looks like it's just you and me, Jay," The Wasteland guard purrs.

"Indeed." I watch him carefully as we circle each other. He draws his sword, and in a quick movement, launches himself at me. I take a few steps back before deflecting his attack. A foot slips on a puddle of blood. The Wasteland guard knocks one of the daggers from my hand as I tumble to the ground. The air is knocked from my lungs when I hit the floor. The dagger clatters to the side, a foot or so out of reach.

He's over me in an instant, like Hawk did when we were sparring, and his hands hold me down. I barely dodge a punch to the face as I throw myself to the side. The Wasteland guard hisses in pain when I kick his knee, but he keeps his grip. Almost. I think as the Wasteland guard shifts his hold. When it's just one hand holding me, I Blend myself. Launching myself upwards, I lunge at him. A small smile crosses my face as we switch positions- now I'm the one holding him down. My teeth sink into his shoulder instead of my intended spot of his neck, and blood soaks my muzzle. A cry escapes from the Wasteland guard despite his attempt to keep his cool. He tries to attack me with his sword, and drive it through my heart, but I quickly lock my jaws around his throat and bite down. I curl my lip at the rusty taste of blood on my tongue.

I've barely looked up when I'm thrown into the air. My back slams into a wall, and I slide down into a heap, dazed. I shake my head to clear the stars from my vision and the swirling in my head. Several more Wasteland guards surround me, waiting a moment before charging. Some are easy to kill, and some take longer. I have to force myself not to dwell on the dead bodies, or the Wasteland guards I've killed. Focus, Jay. If you don't kill them, who knows how many T-LOOT-Dians will die. This is the start of the end of Guthrie Harper. I skitter out of the way, speeding up as I run so I'm behind the Wasteland guards. My claws wrap around the throat of a Wasteland guard, and tear through his jugular. Red sprays as I fall back to the ground, landing on my paws. As the other Wasteland guards lunge, I remove my Blend and leap upwards, swords slicing through the air where I stood a moment ago. With a flick of my wrists, I throw two daggers, then I pull them from the backs of the fallen bodies.