Echoes of the Past

Chapter Thirty - Part Two

Chapter Thirty: Escape Plan - Part Two

Up three more flights, he came to an open door between staircases. A soft wind and hot sunlight came through the doorway. He caught his breath and cautiously stepped closer, at all times listening for signs of pursuit. A concrete balcony ran along the side of the building, around six feet wide.

The streets of Riondon spread out below him. James hadn't realised he had ascended so high. The people below looked barely larger than insects.

A door burst open nearby, ringing in the air, and a moment later two guards rounded the corner of the building and ran along the balcony. James tensed. These guards wore helmets and were in polished black and silver armour. He didn't have time to think about who they were, or why they were after him.

The drop down below was too far. James surprised himself when he broke into a run towards them. He drew his sword, still not fully sure of what he was doing, but knowing he had to fight.

The first guard opened fire, spraying the railing and balcony with bursts of heat. James ducked as he ran, bringing his sword up defensively in front of him. A yellow-ish barrier expanded from his blade, catching the bullets with dull, heavy thuds. James startled, having forgotten that Liana had mentioned his new sword had shield tech. He raised the sword as the two guards fired again. As the shield caught several hits, a couple bullets thudded into his toughlet, sending jolts of reverberations up his arm. One struck the outside of his biceps, cutting a line across his arm in a spasm of sharp pain.

James grit his teeth and jumped up against the wall, and stepped alongside it before falling back to the walkway. He brought his sword down and cut through the rifle rising towards him, then shoulder barged the guard, shoving him back into the other one. Adrenaline surged through James, his earlier wariness and aches forgotten about. He surprised himself at how fast he could move, and was mostly able to ignore the pain in his arm.

James swung out and his sword dug into the shoulder armour of the second guard. He paused with the sword stuck in the armour – hesitated too long – and the first guard shot up and brought the butt of his rifle against James's jaw. James staggered back, seeing dark spots in his vision.

He regained his senses and charged into the guards again, trying to remember his training with Liana, and what Sam had taught him. But he couldn't think. He just moved, fuelled by adrenaline and the will to live. Keep doing what they can't do, he told himself.

Jumping up, he brought his knee into the visored helm of the front guard as he flew over them. When he landed behind them he swung his sword with both hands. The flat of the blade knocked the guard in the head and sent him spinning over the railing. James ignored the startling image of the guard flailing through the empty air and swung out to knock the rifle out of the hands of the second guard. Another strike to the guard's chest armour knocked him off his feet.

Gunshots drew James's attention to a square below

Several armoured figures were gathered in a dense collection, surrounding two men. James's heart jumped. Both Sam and Castan were caught within a group of armed men. Many carried staffs and batons, and a few had rifles. Some wore the black and silver armour like the ones he currently fought with. Two scorches of burned earth sent wispy smoke across the square; familiar signs of Sam's fire magic.

Along the streets nearby, more Red Guards were closing in on them all.

The guard in front of James reached for the downed rifle. James's eyes darted between him and his friends below. He was wasting his time up on the tower while they were being attacked. Once the Red Guards down there came upon them, it would be over for them all.