CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Janah, Nedim, and Talik almost tore a door off its hinges running into an abandoned building. They blockaded the room with anything they could find.
All three were shell shocked and running on adrenaline. Blood seeped from various wounds. As they sat against the wall, explosions and screaming echoed in the distance.
“Such a shame,” Talik said. “I didn't think they could break through the barricade like that.”
Janah banged her fist against the floor. “It should have held! It’s those Erinyes and griffins and the stupid portals.”
Talik shook his head and pulled his knees close to his chest. “Still, in such narrow spaces, the numbers shouldn't matter.”
Nedim tightened one of the bandages on his leg. “Do you remember what Caycee saw?”
“You mean that poor world that was ruined in the Shadow Realm?” Janah replied.
“Remember,” Nedim said. “It could be a lot worse. At least we have a chance to fight.”
Janah turned to peek out the window. Two seconds went by before something suddenly flew past, making her flinch and close her eyes tight.
Nedim noticed Janah was beginning to fall in that yielding state of mind. “Keep it together, Janah.”
Talik crawled to the next room over and looked out of another window, but it was difficult to see. “Okay, we're on the third tier. It looks like the shopping district. The seventh plaza, I think, but I'm not sure.”
“No way,” Janah said. “I got disoriented too, but if this is the seventh, we covered a lot more distance than I thought and went in the wrong direction. We have to be in the eighth or tenth.”
“Eighth,” Nedim said. “The barracks isn't far.”
Janah began moving toward the door. “Then I know where we are. Let's try and stay inside the buildings.”
The trio had to sneak along an overhead path that ran over several buildings.
Nedim glanced over the edge and saw two dark figures running down the street. There was no way of telling if it was friend or foe, and he wasn't about to risk it.
Janah spotted Pelasgians coming up on an adjacent walkway. “Get down,” she whispered, taking cover behind a railing.
The Pelasgians quickly passed by, kicking in the door of any building they came across.
“Stay low,” Janah said. She hurried along, almost crawling to the next building.
Inside, they frantically searched for a way out.
Janah opened a door to a stairwell leading to the fourth tier. “Anyone feel like going up?”
In the next room, Nedim found another stairwell. “We can go down.”
Talik opened a door to find a Corinthian about to kick it in. “Pelasgians!” he yelled, slamming the door shut.
The Pelasgians barged in like madmen.
Talik quickly killed one Corinthian and was tackled by another into a table, where they wrestled.
Nedim came around the corner, shooting an energy blast into the back of a Satyr about to take a stab at Talik.
Janah ran in at the same time a Minotaur did. Both locked weapons, but Janah was easily overpowered, losing her sword as the Minotaur threw her back like a rag doll into the next room.
Nedim shattered a Corinthian's shield with an energy blast as they closed in on him, but it barely slowed them down. He deflected their attacks with his long knife as he backed away.
In the heat of battle, almost no one seemed to hear a loud crashing noise from above as if someone had broken through a door.
Nedim heard it, and thought for sure he and his friends were finished. His back was against the wall when Kadir popped up behind the Corinthians and killed them with his bare hands.
In the next room, Talik was still wrestling with a Corinthian, using every ounce of strength to keep the enemy's blade from his heart.
Kadir picked the Pelasgian up by the back of the neck and impaled him with his own knife.
One room over, Janah held onto the Minotaur's axe for dear life as she was slammed into the furniture. Weak and tired, she couldn't help losing her grip as she was tossed to the floor.
Before the Minotaur could raise his axe, Kadir grabbed him from behind and rammed his head into the wall.
Nedim rushed over to help Janah. “I thought you were dead,” he said.
Janah could barely stand. She fell into the only chair in the room that wasn’t broken.
Talik walked in and fell against the wall. “Thanks for the assist, Kadir. I owe you one.”
“You're welcome,” Kadir said. “I got here as fast as I could when I saw the Pelasgians come in after you.”
Janah picked her weapons up. “And here I am thinking it's more dangerous outside.”
“The barracks isn't far, right?” Talik asked.
Kadir nodded. “I just came from there.”
“Please, don't tell me the barracks fell,” said Janah.
“Relax,” Kadir said. “When I left, it was doing quite well. We heard your group had fallen back to the riverbed. After that, we feared the worst. Vizier Sadi sent me to find you.”
Nedim’s concern was clear. “Sadi is here, in Siriso?”
“Great,” Janah said smacking Kadir's arm. “You can take us to her. I don't like it much here anyways.”
Kadir went over to check on Talik. “I'll lead the way. Stay low and move fast. We’re going up one level, there are fewer Pelasgians.”
The moment Nedim stepped outside he could see Pelasgians in all directions. It was a wonder the group wasn't seen.
After crossing the street, Kadir led them up and down through a series of interconnecting buildings. They narrowly avoided several Pelasgians who entered the room as they descended a flight of stairs.
The group came to a small shop on the fourth tier.
“Barracks is right outside,” Kadir said.
Janah saw some Pelasgians blocking the way as others were trying to break into the barracks. “No choice but to fight our way through.”
Nedim opened the door a hair. “Let me try softening them up,” he said, before stepping out and firing what few energy blasts he could.
Two Pelasgians fell dead. One was only injured, and the rest charged the Hegirans.
Kadir easily killed two, and then found a Corinthian that put up a better fight.
If Janah and Talik weren’t weak from exhaustion they would have evened things out quickly. All they could do was fight with everything they could muster.
With his back to the wall, Nedim waited for a Satyr to make a move. He dove out of the way just in time and threw his long knife into the creature's chest.
“Look up!” Janah yelled, but it was too late.
An Eriny crashed into Nedim.
Even if he were at full strength, the Anubian was no match for a monster twice his size.
The Eriny grabbed Nedim by the neck with one hand and lifted him off the ground.
Nedim's legs flailed as he tried to resist the crushing grip. When it felt like his neck might give, he saw a blinding flash of energy that sheared off the arm holding him, followed by two more that struck the Eriny in the chest and head.
Lying on the ground and gasping for air, it was a miracle Nedim managed to roll over and push himself to his knees.
A female Anubian kneeled next to him.
Nedim instantly recognized her. “Sadi...”
“Save your strength,” Sadi said, holding Nedim’s hand.
Janah fell lazily next to them. “Good thing you came out when you did. I've got nothing left.”
Dozens of Hegirans swept through the area as Kadir helped Talik into the barracks.
Sadi gently rubbed her hand across Nedim’s upper back. “At least you're still in one piece. The enemy appears to be in retreat.”
“Are you sure?” Nedim asked. “They may be regrouping.”
“If they are, they're falling back pretty far,” Sadi answered. “Scouts spotted them entering portals on all sides of the city.”
“Yes,” Janah smi
led. “We beat them.”
Nedim stood and limped his way towards the barracks with Sadi. “When did you get back? I thought you were in Iza.”
“Word travels fast and so do I,” Sadi said, holding Nedim’s arm. “Good thing I came too. It's not every day I save my fiancé.”