Ryu had run for at least an hour, the entire time he had not seemed to cover any gorund between himself and Luna's captor. He was beginning to tire, his legs losing the energy they had not long ago. He stopped for a while, breathing heavily and placing his hands onto his knees. The air was cold and rain beat down, wetting the roof tiles and Ryu. The cold was refreshing on his skin, cooling his blood and relaxing him a bit. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and inhaling deep before letting it out slowly.
A dull rumble echoed through the mostly empty city streets, bouncing off of every cobble and wall into a cacophany as whatever was making it drew nearer. Loose tiles started to rattle gently, the vibrations from something large drawing near coursing up into Ryu's legs. Soon afterwards the sound of squeeling engine gears pierced the air, accompanied by the sound of rock cracking under the weight of whatever creation was coming. Ryu walked slowly to the edge of the roof, careful not to slip on the wet tiles and fall. He saw what was causing the commotion, a tank. The slow moving, grey metal behemoth rumbled onwards, the huge forward cannon turning from side to side as the crew inside checked each building for fiends. Slow and steady, it crept through the streets, sounding its coming with the roar of engine and wheezing stone under its tracked feet. It stopped momentarily in the street, the top hatch opening and an armoured crew-member appearing, his hands gripping onto the heavy pintle-mounted machinegun. Ryu crept back from the edge slowly, he didn't want to be found but his foot came down on a loose slate, it slipped free from its bearing and flew off the edge of the roof. Ryu nearly went with it but he managed ot steady his footing. He watched helplessly as the tile slammed to the ground below. The guard noticed immediately as the sound of ceramic smashing on stone echoed out. He pointed up at Ryu, shouting down into the tank which turned its ominous gaze up at him. The sound of a shell being loaded into the chamber clinked out of the tank's cannon. Ryu cursed in his head and leapt back as the shell was fired, blasting the edge of the roof to pieces, nothing but a cloud of dust and pebble-like rubble which scattered into the air, peppering the roof and the adjacent building and street. The smoke and fireball created by the shell spun into the air in a twisted, almost demonic visage. A second shell followed, blasting more of the roof to shrapnel and powder. Ryu's grip on the roof became more and more difficult to keep as the shockwave from each shell loosened more of the tiles. A third shell caused the roof around him to crumble inwards, Ryu falling in with it. He landed heavily amongst dusty wreckage and charred wooden framework. Shouting from the street echoed out.
'This is going to get worse before it gets any better.' Ryu mumbled to himself.
Outside the tank re-adjusted its aim before firing again, blowing away the door and the surrounding wall. Ryu was shaken by the blast as he got to his feet. He managed to remain stable though, turning and heading for the door out of the room. He kicked it open as he drew near, the door flying open and slamming into the wall beside it. It slowly creaked back as if wishing to be closed again and Ryu slipped out. He stood ina darkened corridor, the top of the stairs just visible in the dim light. He crept slowly along the wooden floorboards, barely audible creaks sounding underfoot. He kept his gaze chained to the top of the staircase. The sound of hurried footsteps in heavy boots rattled through the windows and the borken threshold downstairs. The high pitched squeal of a megaphone rang out. Ryu stopped where he stood and listened.
'This area is under the supervision of the Vigoorian army. Come out and we won't fire. Armed guards are entering the building. If you resist you will be killed, if you surrender you will be kept alive.'
The megaphone system clicked off, another ring echoing out.
'They're terrible at lying.' Ryu thought.
The hurried footsteps had stopped, replaced by slow, cautious thuds of military boots on wooden flooring. Ryu drew the dragon blade, slowly and silently, the blade barely scraping against the edge of the scabard. The stairs were suddenly slightly illuminated with a dull blue light, emanating from the energy batons of the guards below being turned on. The near silent buzz from the weapons could be heard over the stagnant air inside the house. Ryu didn't make a move, standing still to await the guards which crept up the stairs. As soon as the first guard's head appeared in view, outlined by the light from their baton Ryu rushed forwards. He slid along the floor, holding his blade low and slicing through the banister posts, cleaving through the turning guard's neck along with them. A spatter of blood squirted from the clean slice, the head falling off and the body collapsing down the stairs, more blood soaking the steps up the stairs. The other assailants became more hurried, dashing up the stairs. One of them swang their baton at Ryu, narrowly missing and skimming across the blade of the dragon sword sending almost beautiful sparks cartwheeling through the air. Ryu rolled over, pulling his sword with him as another baton struck down on the wooden floor. He kipped up to his feet, holding his sword up to block an arcing baton strike, kicking the legs of the guard from under him. There was a heavy crash as the guard fell through the banister rail and thudded down the steps. Ryu flipped backwards, landing as deftly as a cat and blocking another baton strike. This enemy was helped by a second, both of them swinging their weapons at Ryu. Ryu leant back, a baton swinging straight across and skimming over him. The off balance guard was kicked in the chest, stumbling back and wheezing from the impact of Ryu's foot. Before he could regain his footing, Ryu's blade pierced through the guard's chest plate, pulling it out sharply with not even the slightest emergence of blood. The guard fell to the floor, and the second simply stepped over the corpse, swinging wildly in some hope of getting lucky with a hit. Ryu just backed off slowly, staying ahead of each swing and waiting for an opening. The soldier stopped, his swings becoming less frantic and slower as he tired himself out. He dashed forwards with the baton held ahead of him. A low sweep with the dragon sword sliced through the guard's boots and he fell forwards. Ryu sidestepped and the guard hit the floor, twitching form shocks as he landed on his own baton. Ryu walked by and peered carefully down the stairs before walking down. He kept to the shadows, hoping not to be seen by the tank which sat outside like a silent predator, waiting for its quarry to come out of its hole. The sound of the megaphone system blinked into action again.
'All soldiers, report status of enemy.'
The silence which greeted the tank commander's requests was not taken well. Ryu heard the beginnings of a lot of cursing as the megaphone went dead and the screech of the tank's turret turning pierced the air. Ryu sped from where he stood, heading for the opening in the doorway. The tank fired, blasting more wall away, turning and firing constantly, each shell blasting into the stone wall a few feet behind Ryu. He turned hsarply, dashing out into the street, the tank's gaze still following him. Ryu neared the opposite wall and turned sharply, running at an angle at the wall and planting a foot on the stonework, running a few paces along the wall before dropping to the floor beside the tank. The turret smashed loudly into the wall and cut through as if it was a hot knife through butter, bricks falling to the floor as well as splintered supports. Ryu stood up and turned, readying his sword. The tank's cannon swang towards him and Ryu brought up the dragon sword, carving neatly through the armor plated metal of the cannon. The spin of the turret flung the severed limb of the tank into the building, a thunderous metal howl echoing out as it met with more stone. The remnants of the cannon swung harmlessly past Ryu's head, missing by a mere few inches.The turret's turning stopped and a gunner shot out fo the top, gripping the machinegun hastily. Ryu's reactions were quicker as he gripped a kunai from his leg and flicked it forwards with an almost delicate wrist motion. The sharp, knife-like weapon pierced the guard's throat causing him to slump backwards onto the roof of the tank. Ryu hopped up, pulling a pin on one of the soldier's grenades and leapt away. Mid air the grenades went off causing a deafening explosion which propelled Ryu forwards, but it didn't set him off balance, he merely landed on his feet and stood up, sheathing the dragon sword again. The smoking, burning wreckage of the tank silhouetted Ryu ominously, dancing lights trailing across the entire street. Ryu was street-bound now. He dashed down the street, his feet clapping on the cobbles.
The blast was heard far off, reaching Luna's ears and waking her from her. She had fallen unconscious from shock and hyperventilating but she heard the explosion of the tank as if it was right next to her. She didn't recognise where she lay. She was indoors and yet the ground felt like cold stone, moss growing from the cracks. The creature which had carried her away was nowhere to be seen but all around the howls of fiends echoed louder than ever. Fear took a grip on her mind and her heart, crushing her hope and her resolve with its icy fingers. She began to cry, tears falling from her face like the rain drops which fell to the street outside. Each one made an oddly beautiful splash as it struck the ground, sending smaller droplets leaping into the air in dance-like unison. She stared into the puddle which slowly formed from her slaty tears, wiping a hand across her face. The tears stopped, leaving nothing but an impending feeling of dread and the cold numbness of hopelessness behind. She didn't feel there was any way out of her situation now. Ryu wasn't there to hold her, to save her. She didn't even know if he would come for her. She got to her feet slowly, gazing around. The room was dark, not even a single ray of light peircing in through some crack. Right now Luna would have adored that crack of sunlight, anything which gave her a sense of an outside world. Fiends scared her more than anything else in the world. They had razed her village and killed everyone. Her family. Her friends. All of them killed by fiends, they had taken everything from her in an instant and she couldn't help but feel it was all because of her.
'Ryu, where are you? Come and save me please.' Luna begged, as a small child would in a scary place.
The sound of heavy, slow footsteps echoed from somewhere, reverberating off of every wall and every rock. Luna couldn't tell where it was coming from when suddenly a beam of light shone into the room. A few second later the entire room was flooded with light and Luna saw more clearly. She stood in a cave-like cavern, bugs crawled across much of the floor and walls, disappearing into the moss in fear of the light. Luna was dazled momentarily, the light from what could be outside shining so brightly. As her eyes adjusted she was greeted by a huge figure. He stood like a giant in the doorway, a cape covering one arm and a helmet hiding his face. He wore no top and looked particularly human. Luna didn't feel as fi she had any reason to be scared but something stayed her feet where they stood. The figure spoke.
'Come.'
The figure's voice was gentle and soft, it made Luna feel comforted. The cape rustled and the figure reached out an arm. Luna gasped, holding her hands to her mouth in sock. The skin was dark and red veins ran along it, as well as protrusions of what looked like plate-armor but seemed more like bone. The hand ushered her forwards, a slight crack of energy whipping along the fingertips. Luna's gaze was fixed on the arm, her mouth agape as her hands dropped from her face. The figure looked at his own arm, pulling it hurriedly back under the cape which hid it. He outstretched the other arm, turning slightly.
'Come with me.'
Luna reluctantly went, her body seeming to ignore her mind as some force pulled her forwards. As she drew closer she lay her hand in his. His skin was warm to the touch but sent a shiver through Luna's veins. She felt herself grow weak and collapsed, her eyes lfickering shut. The figure whisked his arm under her, catching her gently and lifting her up before turning and walking away, the cavern closing behind him.