"Don't be a fool, musclehead!" Momiji snarled, her voice cutting through the chaos like a sharpened blade. The frustration simmering beneath her forced smile flared into a growl. "Save your hide! There's nothing you can do for me now."
Leopold's gut twisted into a knot. He knew she was right, yet the thought of leaving her to the mercy of her captors made his stomach churn. A flicker of defiance sparked in his eyes, mirrored by the fire dancing in Momiji's. "I'll be back, Tengu," he vowed, his voice ragged like the ragged breaths escaping his lungs.
With a final, desperate glance at the warrior, now bound and encircled by her foes, Leopold bolted. He burst through the flimsy wooden door, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the narrow corridor. Ignoring the searing fire in his lungs, he pushed on, his footsteps echoing a frantic rhythm against the stone floor.
He barely managed to rejoin the remaining Assassins and Onmyoji as he scrambled through an open window, his heart hammering like a trapped bird against his ribs. They clambered across rooftops like wraiths, leaping from one precarious ledge to another, their movements a blur in the dying light. The shouts of their pursuers echoed from every corner, a constant reminder of the relentless chase.
Buildings blurred into a dizzying panorama, rooftops merging into one another as they ascended. Leopold's focus narrowed to the next handhold, the next opportunity to propel himself forward. Every fiber of his being screamed with exertion, but the adrenaline surging through his veins kept him pushing.
A heavy thud alerted him to approaching danger. Pivoting on a narrow ledge, he met the charging Black Cross head-on, using the man's momentum to send him hurtling into the abyss below. He hauled another Assassin up beside him, and together they raced across the rooftop.
A barrage of mystical attacks rained down upon them, forcing their allies to scramble and deflect the onslaught with conjured barriers and counterattacks. Leopold glanced back, just in time to see a volley of Ofuda engulf Momiji in a blinding flash. A primal scream rose in his throat, choked back by the desperate need to survive.
He launched himself across a taut rope, his body stretched taut as he navigated the precarious path. Then, with a deafening crack, the rope exploded in a shower of fiery debris. Assassins lost their footing, their screams cut short as they fell to their deaths.
Leopold scrambled to his feet, a cocktail of grief and exertion churning in his chest. He and an Onmyoji fled down a narrow corridor, their breaths echoing in the stillness. Turning a corner, they stumbled upon a hidden storeroom, filled with an array of weapons. Their sanctuary was shattered when two guards materialized from the shadows.
The Onmyoji unleashed a swirling vortex of energy, while Leopold lunged at one of the guards, his fist connecting with the man's jaw with a sickening crunch. In the blink of an eye, the guard was sprawled on the floor, unconscious.
The chase continued, a relentless torrent of violence and escape. They burst into a room, interrupting the midday meal of a high-ranking Shogunate official and his terrified family.
"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent,"Leopold muttered to himself, the first tenet of the Creed a silent echo in his mind. These people were no part of their conflict.
Their moment of respite was shattered as a Black Cross warrior burst through the window, sending the family scrambling in fear. Leopold rolled under the table as the hulking figure lunged, his heart pounding in his chest.
A desperate cry pierced the air as an Assassin launched themself into the fray, hurling a knife at the Black Cross. The warrior deflected the weapon with a flicker of his wrist, but the distraction was enough for Leopold to escape through another door.
Desperation gnawed at the Assassins. Their mission a failure, escape became their only objective. They knew outrunning the Black Cross was a fantasy. Exhausted from intense combat, they faced a relentless pursuer. A glimpse over Leopold's shoulder confirmed their worst fears - a Black Cross warrior, his movements honed by the Assassin arts, was gaining ground alarmingly fast.
Ahead, a towering pagoda, part of a historic Kyoto site, offered a glimmer of hope. Scaffolding draped its side, hinting at ongoing restoration. With wordless understanding, they knew this was their only shot. Without hesitation, they launched themselves towards it, their leaps echoing against the creaking wooden platform as the Black Cross warrior, just as agile, followed close behind.
The only way out was up. They surged higher, navigating the pagoda's intricate wooden framework. Each step, fueled by adrenaline and desperation, pounded in their chests as they raced against their pursuers. Complicating matters further, the Templars' Omnyoji were also closing in, adding to the suffocating pressure. Fatigue gnawed at their limbs, threatening to turn their ascent into a death march. They had to reach the pagoda's peak before their enemies surrounded them, leaving them cornered and overwhelmed.
Reaching the pagoda's zenith, the town sprawled beneath them, a miniature cityscape. A gunshot shattered the tense silence, marking the tragic loss of another Assassin. Leopold, fueled by urgency and a burning desire to survive, pushed himself harder, his gaze darting back to see the Black Cross and their allies relentlessly gaining ground.
Cal's expression shifted, his features contorting with determination as his body tensed with newfound resolve. Sofia's breath hitched as she discerned the subtle change in his demeanor, realizing with a sinking feeling that Cal had surged forward, displacing Leopold from the forefront of his consciousness.
"No... not now, Cal," Sofia whispered inwardly, her apprehension mounting with each passing second.
"Jump!" she urged, her voice rising in urgency. "Jump!"
Leopold had executed this maneuver countless times in the past, making it an integral part of his training. With unshakable confidence, he dashed off the scaffolding's platform. Below him, the vibrant market awaited, its chaotic energy a stark contrast to Leopold's composed descent. Yet, he remained unperturbed, knowing with absolute certainty that he would land safely as he had done on numerous occasions before. As he plummeted downwards, the white squares of the vendor's canopies raced towards him.
Cal's arms flailed wildly, his body recoiling instinctively from the imminent impact with the stone floor, the specter of death looming ever closer. His descent abruptly halted as the arm holding him froze in place, leaving him dangling limply in its grasp.
"Complete desynchronization," barked one of Sofia's technicians, sending a shiver of horror coursing through her.
"Get him down!" she cried out desperately, racing towards him, her heart pounding with fear and desperation. "No, no, don't let this happen—"
Cal's unconscious body convulsed suddenly, his limbs thrashing about in violent spasms as the Animus arm lowered him to the ground. Sofia dropped to her knees beside him, her hands trembling as she futilely attempted to calm his frenzied movements.
"Where are the medics? I need help!" she pleaded, her voice tinged with panic.
Three medics swiftly rushed to Cal's aid, restraining his flailing limbs and immobilizing his head. Despite their efforts, Cal's body continued to fight against them fiercely, his eyes rolled back in his head as foam dribbled from his mouth.
Normally, Sofia, the composed researcher and scientist, would have deferred to the medical team to tend to the patient. But this time, she remained by Cal's side, grasping his hand tightly in hers while using her other hand to offer what little comfort she could.
Simple human touch—potent, powerful.
"It's okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the chaos surrounding them. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stroked his chest and shoulder soothingly.
"It's okay, Cal, stay with me—"
Her gaze flickered upwards as another medic rushed towards them, her voice ringing out in a desperate plea, "Hurry up!"
She couldn't bear to lose him. Pressing Cal's hand against her heart, Sofia watched as the medic placed a clear mask over his mouth and nose. His eyes fluttered open, wide with terror as he grimaced beneath the plastic.
Sofia squeezed his hand, willing herself to exude calm despite the turmoil raging within her.
"Look at me," she urged him, locking eyes with him as she fought to keep her own emotions in check. A tear trickled down her cheek, landing on his shirt unnoticed.
"It's okay," she whispered once more, her voice trembling with emotion as the intensity of the moment washed over her, relief flooding through her as Cal's spasms gradually subsided.
