Author's Note: Why do I put author's notes at the top of each chapter?
The Lost Protector
This story is dedicated to Chichirui for she is the reason for most of my inspiration and without her these stories wouldn't be half as fun! So this one is for you my hyper active friend! Keep the hyperness alive!
Chapter 9: Battle, Fire, Blood and DeathThe time had come.
Alex, Nicole and Kat all walked out of their tent calmly and towards where Dilandau was waiting for them at the edge of the field. The Fanellian troops were starting to arrive. "We're here so what's the plan?" Nicole asked, her voice containing no emotion.
Dilandau was surprised. Her voice wasn't full of grief, worry, fear or even anticipation. Why was the most emotional of the Protectors suddenly so… cold? "Fanellian troops are on the other side of that hill there," he said, pointing at a hill to their left.
Kat looked at the field, the hill, and then to the forest behind them. They were in between the forest and the field with the hill on the horizon. Perfect for an attacking army to corner them. "We can't exactly retreat and going forward isn't an option. I bet they have people waiting on either side, right?" She asked, not really to anyone.
Dilandau nodded.
"Okay, so we go into battle and fight? Whether we come out or not." Alex asked. She wasn't really paying attention either.
Again Dilandau nodded.
"If Willow is with the troops, which she probably is, leave her to us," Nicole said.
Dilandau looked at her and was about to flat out refuse; saying that it was too risky. What was wrong with them? They were acting stupid, putting themselves in such a position that they would surely die. How could he let warriors go down in battle without honor? But then he saw their faces.
They were set in determination and a sort of trust in the other. They knew what they had to do and they were willing to do it-their bond was the only thing that kept them from flat out refusing. Dilandau couldn't believe it. Warriors that were willing to die stupidly to try and save a fellow warrior… they weren't going to let anyone get in the way.
He couldn't do anything to stop them. "Fine. But backup will be near if you need it," he said, sounding defeated.
Suddenly Kat felt a huge tug in her heart. It wrenched at her chest and almost made her cry out in pain. It hurt so much. She opened her mouth to say something, to reassure the others that everything would be fine, even though her heart was about to be yanked from her chest, but was cut off by a war cry. "They're here!" Gatti yelled from somewhere in the distance.
Dilandau, Kat, Alex and Nicole all leapt into action. They watched as hoards of troops came spilling over the hill, quickly meeting the other Zaibach army. It wasn't long before the area around them was filled with cries of defeat, victory and pain. Swords clashed, arrows flew, spears soared and men yelled.
The smell of blood and sweat mingled the air as sword was swung and attacks deflected. It was absolute chaos. Everything was crazy and there were so many people it was hard to stay together.
Originally the plan was to stay together, Kat thought as she blocked the attack of an over weight man, puncturing his heart with her sword. She pulled her sword out of him and searched the masses of men. But there are so many Fanellian troops… I lost them a while back. I have to find them again!
All around her swirls of green and white armored men clashed with the black and gray of the Zaibach soldiers and occasionally she could she the black and blue of the Dragon Slayers. Some were either covered in mud and blood that they couldn't be distinguished from the others. Others were just hard to distinguish.
However, through the masses, there was no sign of Willow-so far. She wants to save the best for last, Kat thought as she whirled around and caught the sword of a sneaking Fanellian soldier trying to behead her from behind. I hope Nicole and Alex are following plan, even though we're not together, she thought.
Near the forest Nicole was having difficulties. Kat had ordered them that when they went into battle they were to stay together. That way if they found Willow or if Willow found them they could execute the second half of the plan. Easier said then done.
Nicole blocked a swipe at her middle with her sword, another swing, and then clashed with a third attack. "Back off!" She groaned as she maneuvered the attacking soldier's sword so it slipped from his hands and then ran him through. She turned around as the man fell to the ground. She hated blood shed, she hated killing people, but she trusted Kat. Kat knew that she hated battle but this was something they couldn't avoid.
Out of the corner of her eye Nicole saw some flashy… well, it wasn't really like a camera flash back home, more like a sparkling thing, open and a cloaked figure jump out of it. The figure looked around, its hood slowly being pulled back by some invisible force, to reveal the face of a beautiful woman with sparkling, golden eyes that held an ever-present burning fire in them looked out onto the battlefield, glowing slightly in the darkness of the night. A dainty nose gently protruded from her slim face, full, luscious red lips, small chin, and well defined cheekbones were slightly hidden by the strands of lavender hair that fell gracefully from her head.
The woman drew a beautiful sword from a diamond-studded scabbard that hung around her waist and ran into the awaiting battle. Her cloak flowed behind her gently and made the scene of a heroine rushing into battle. But before she disappeared Nicole noticed that her face was a mask of fury. What… she didn't have time to wonder about the woman any longer for she was once again attacked. Into battle-I hope Willow comes out soon. I'm not sure how long I can take this, she thought.
Closer to the hill, Alex was having some serious problems of her own. She had lost her sword a while back so she had been fighting with her powers. Normally that would've been okay except that there were a lot more soldiers then she could possibly handle and, with no sword and her powers starting to fatigue, she hated the fact that no help was around.
Damn people, she thought as she punched the soldier she was fighting, sending him to the ground. Maybe he'll let me play with his sword. "Hey, can I borrow that?" She asked him, taking him by surprise as she quickly grabbed the sword he held. "Thanks a bunch, I owe you one," she said as she ran him through with her new sword. He fell to the ground, eyes closed.
"Debt paid, buddy," she sighed. "That had to be the fastest repaid debt I've ever done. Anyone else want to step up and try?" She asked as she faced the other approaching eight men. Instantly they all charged her.
She blocked one attack and countered with a high kick to one man. While he was on the ground she put weight on her sword against the other sword, then forced it up. As the sword spiraled through the air Alex fired a small ball of electricity, hitting the sword and forcing it down to land in the downed soldier's chest. She then ran the sword less soldier through.
Moving fast she fired off some elements and beheaded, ran through, and cut off limbs to the other men. Soon she swiftly cut through them. She didn't know how many that was but it seemed like a thousand. God this is terrible… I've never killed this many, she thought. Is this what it's like to be a murderer?
This battle was in Willow's hands, not hers. So that meant that since Willow made the first move and they responded, they were waiting for her to make the next-like a chess game. I hope she hurries up. I hate suspense and this is just killing me! She thought as she avoided a deadly swipe to the middle and decapitated the attacking soldier while stabbing the one behind him.
Kat silently counted the time in her head. All ready it was close to half past midnight and still no sign of Willow. By now the Fanellian troops had reduced from two hundred fifty men (from what Kat had counted) to at least a hundred. No problem to take out but it's a problem that Willow hasn't shown up yet, she thought.
Just as Kat swung her sword around and decapitated yet another soldier, she noticed that instead of her sword stopping, like she had wanted it to, it kept going. It flew out of her hands and landed fifteen feet away from her, which was very odd. It's time, she thought.
Kat
growled softly in the back of her throat.
Willow had decided it was time to come out and play. Now it was time for the real battle to
begin.
Author's Note: The end is coming! The end is coming! The end is coming to this story! A scary thought, no? Review and more action comes your way!
~The Shadow That Takes Form as a Kat~
~~ShadowKat~~