Karyne's back is the first thing I see before the cabbage king's armor crashes against me, shattering my ribs. I know because the cracks in my torso indicates it. It hurts, but not as much as the burn back at Rusar's.. Maybe it's because I regenerate quickly? Jean told me something about that. They both crash on a nearby building, shattering its limestone walls and a monument in the process.
"Get out of here! This is no place for watching!" A Chimerian shouts as I dust my now dirty clothes.
"It didn't hurt!" I shout back, raising my two thumbs up.
"That's not the point! I'm no-- Just get outta there, gods!"
The guard growls at me, but I'm not budging. There's something annoying about getting ordered to get the hell out of the way because someone said so. In this case, that bastard. I give him the finger and rush towards the two. The auras coming from their bodies are very hot even from afar, but that's not stopping me. I've been through some worse shit, now. This little tussle isn't going to stop me. The guard curses at me, but I don't care. I'm immortal, for fuck's sake.
"Sol?!" The high voice of my date shouts as I watch another wall break.
"Arra? Wait, what? What are you doing here?"
She doesn't answer. Instead, she takes my hand and guides me towards a building that's not broken. Yet. The roar of a lion breaks the glass windows surrounding us, and Arra tackles me to the ground. Then the adrenaline kicks in. Seconds seem to hasten as the thought of someone getting hurt protecting me kicks in. Of course, being the gentleman that I am, I flip her so she won't get cuts all over. Turns out, that was a bad idea, because the old lady guarding the place calls me a pervert. Yep. Calling me a pervert comes first before two powerful kings making a shitty mess of the city. Grandmas.
"Are you okay?" I ask as I pluck the glass fragments off my arm.
"Y-yes. What about you?"
"Obviously not. These glass are sharp as hell."
"Oh."
"Why are you here? Aren't you busy with taking care of the Dolls?"
"Yes, but these people keep on coming out of nowhere! The North and the South Gates are completely overrun! Whoever's doing this is giving the Legion a hard time! Go to the king's castle! People will be safe there!"
"Then why is the old lady h--"
"I'll take the old lady! Promise you'll follow to the castle and not watch?"
"No. The fight looks good."
"Please?"
Arra's deep blue puppy eyes grabs a hold of me like a lion does a gazelle. Without mercy, she persuades me some more by pouting, which only adds to her charm. At this point, I'm starting to wonder if I'm a pushover. A nod in the head beams her up and gives her the strength to sweep the old lady off her feet. I look through the broken windows to see if the two are still near. A weak roar signals their distance... Is the old lady blushing?
"I think they're gone, and why is the old lady blushing?" I open the door.
"I'm not blushing, ye darned crooter!" The old lady snarls.
"What does crooter even mean?"
"Come. I know an alley that leads to the castle. Excuse me, ma'am? Do you have any relatives in here?"
"Y-yes, dear. My husband is upstairs, but he hates getting carried. He's crippled and a germaphobe, you see."
Oh, boy. This is going to be a pain... Wait, there's that spell Strauss used. I wonder if I can use it.
"Er... Is there, by any chance, a spell that lifts its target up in the air?"
"Oh, ye. Now that you've mentioned it, I remember using it on my love. Aerys Vytae, if I remember correctly. You can control him with your casting hand."
"Y's instead of I's?"
"Y's instead of I's."
"Why did I even ask. Let's go upstairs and get this over with."
...
Why do I feel like the old man's glaring at me from above? It's not like I can do anything about it. He doesn't want to be carried, and he doesn't like contact. This is the reasonable way. I don't get why he's so angry. Maybe it's because I accidentally steered his head onto a small sign? I don't know. Arra puts the grandma on her right shoulder as we dash to the streets, wiping her forehead with her free hand. It's funny. Grandma's getting handled like a sack of potatoes.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?!" I pant as Arra almost stumbles on a broken cart.
"Yes! I know because this street leads to our house!"
"Our house? But we're not married."
"Oh, yes. Well, my adoptive parents' house are just around that bundle of barrels in there. Watch yourself!"
Arra sprints faster this time, leaving me and the old man behind. The scent of lager and dust tickles my nose as the old man curses at me for not seeing the peaceful sign of a beer shop. At least, that's what it looks like. I can't really understand what he's saying, but he's trying to spit at me. Maybe I should unintentionally do it a...gain? Gods. Arra's place is this big? There's the logo of the Chimerians, too. That's a large logo.
"We're getting nearer!"
Arra says, but she stops in her tracks just in time to miss the slash of someone. Clad in those signature robes, more of them emerge from the roofs, additional alleys, and from behind. They were Hamir's followers, but at the same time, they're not. Fuck. This whole damn business with Cerberus is getting even messier by the day. It's getting annoying at this point... Oh. This looks useful.
"Arra. Grab the old man and get out of here. I'll try my best to power through and distract them." I say, lowering the old man onto the ground. He curses again, but my smile shuts him up. So it works on old people, too. Neat.
"I can put them down and help. That sounds better than leaving you alone."
"And risk the two getting hacked? They don't have much time to live. I'm sure as hell they don't want to go out with their heads rolling on the ground."
"It's fifteen against one. Are you sure you'll make it?"
"Focus on getting out of here. Then you'll have all the time to worry about me. You ready?"
"That doesn't sit well with me."
"Go!"
The sound of broken wood fills the street as I throw a nearby barrel onto the bastards, knocking two out the way. Arra uses the chance and makes a run for it, but two of them draw their weapons out and leap at her. I press my mark and throw my scythe, and they respond mid-air by swatting the weapon away. The scythe lodges itself on a wall as Arra escapes, and I press my mark again, dissolving the weapon into light and making its way back to me. This whole binding thing is nice. I can throw my weapon around and not worry about i-- FUCK! I didn't see that gauntlet! FUCK!
"Shit. That hurt, you fucking donkey. Well. Not like I can TALK TO YOU GUYS! HAHAHA!"
My left elbow connects with her face as more robed men attack with their swords, daggers, and metal claws. One stabs me to the side, but I'm fucking immortal. I punch his stupid face, sending him flying along with his lanky companion. A sword impales my stomach, but I'm fucking immortal. I turn, smile, take the sword out, and stab him with it. Fools! I'm immortal! I can't be-- FUCK! Why are punches more effective?! This doesn't make any sense! That's it! I'm taking Mister Cleave out! Again! It's a good thing no one's around! I CAN FINALLY BE MYSEEELF!
"Mister Cleave wants to meet you too! HRAAAAH!" I take two of their heads off. This is ea--
"Pfft. Mister Cleave? Is that the best you got, Sol?" Shit... I recognize that voice.
"Oh, no."
"Do you need help, Mister Cleave? Oh. You destroyed Jayce's clothes again."
"I shouldn't have said that."
"Said what, Mister Cleave?"
"Fuck off, will you?"
I snarl at him as he leaps from the roof and hacks a robed man who tries to go against him. That's pretty go~od? Why the fuck is he--- ACK!
"Gods, Jean! Why did you jump on me? Your armor's fucking heavy!" I snarl again.
"Aren't you strong?" He grins, unsheathes his sword, and lunges at someone behind me.
"This is no time for games, Jean! We're getting fucking attacked by smoke and hu--"
"Human puppets? I get it. We're working on it. Chill out. We found new information."
"Tell me, then."
I kick an attacker and touch my mark. Jean leans on my back, and his armor shoves me into a trio of Dolls. The largest one punches me in the face, while the two plunge their daggers into my chest. Fuckin' hell. Thanks, Jean. I punch the guy back and remove the daggers, kicking the one in the right while I'm at it. One Doll is holding a barrel tries to throw it at me, but I step away just in time to see Jean mixing with wood. Serves you right.
"Serves you right."
"You're laughing, huh?" He bares his pearly whites. "We really do think alike."
"Highest body count wins?" I challenge.
"You're on."
A punch to the left cheek sends my head through a cart full of hay, and Jean laughs as I hear the sound of his blade dancing. One robed man leaps at me, but Jean's two-headed wolf blocks it and cleaves him, snarling as it did this. In the short time I spent on laying in the haystack, the numbers have thinned, and before I knew it, only five people are left. Jean sprints and tries to cut one, but they run away.
"Wow. Whoever's controlling these guys sure are specific." Jean sheathes his sword and snaps his fingers, deactivating the wolf.
"How did you know I was getting attacked?"
"Remember the tracking spell I put on you? It changes color if something's happening. Your white spirit turned radiant yellow, so I figured as much."
"My spirit's white? Do you know what that means?"
"No."
"Damn. I don't know either. What's your count?"
"Five."
"So it's a tie. There were fifteen because Arra counted."
"I saw seven running away, Sol. You lost if it really was fifteen."
"Wait, seriously? I thought I got five... Oh, right. I didn't slash some of them."
"Anyways, how did Arra know the numbers of the people? Were you together?"
"Ah, yeah. I made an entrance to help her escape because she's carrying two elders."
"Oh. So that's what it was..... Want to go to the king's castle and see the queen? She's outside lecturing everyone right now."
"Is she cute?"
"Jean-tested and verified."
"Okay... Wait, what do you mean 'Jean-tested'?"
He snickers and runs away, forcing me to follow him. Gods. Where does he even get all that energy? I know I've said this before, but Gods. His armor's fucking heavy, so how? Voices and sunlight cover us as we pass the endless maze of alleys, finding our way back to that same hill in the middle of the city. Civilians from all races gather as a large group of Chimerians surround someone with... a smaller version of the cabbage crown? I don't know if she's cute, though. She's too far away. That cabbage crown sure is large.
"That cabbage crown sure is large."
"Arra said she went here in the middle, right?" Jean asks as a roar echoes from the North.
"Yeah. I can't see her for some reason, though. Maybe she's busy helping people evacuate?"
"Huh. Maybe. Do you know where Nelen is?"
"I think she's in the Chimera Legion's headquarters. Everyone from the orphanage got attacked, so we were forced to come here."
"Okay. I'll go there. Wanna come along?"
"No. I think I'll go look for Arra."
"She might be somewhere near here. Are you sure you don't want to come?"
"Okay. I'll go there. Wanna come along?"
"No. I think I'll go look for Arra."
"She might be somewhere near here. Are you sure you don't want to come?"
"I'm good, thanks."
"Maybe she's in the headquarters? You mentioned two elders, right?"
"Oh, yeah. I forgot about them. All right. Let's go."
Is what I said, but in truth, anxiety is building up from within me. Roars and magic echo as we walk, but it's not bothering me anymore. What's making me anxious is the people. Men and women are scared along with their kids, and they don't even know what the hell's going on. The two Tyrants ascend into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. Just as easy as this whole thing happened.
Just what exactly is Cerberus after?