"Cast again!" I roared.
But I knew. It was already too late for her to do that.
That man was already mid-air, sword overhead, descending like a judgement. His silhouette framed against the burning sky.
With augmentation, even a normal human could be that fast. His movements were blurred, almost unreal.
Beatrice raised her hand, panic on her face. She began to chant, but she was trembling.
"O flammae–"
CLANG!
I grabbed a nearby iron pipe at the last moment, the metal clashing against the edge of his sword, barely deflecting it enough to send it into the pavement beside us.
KRACKOOM!
The street cracked open.
He grinned, inches away from my face. "You're quicker than I thought."
"I practice a lot," I spat, planting my boot into his gut and kicking him back.
He slid across the ground, carving a trench into the earth.
Alice groaned across from me, still trying to stand up.
"We need to move," I said.
"Where?!" Beatrice shouted.
"Anywhere but here!"
I grabbed Beatrice's hand and bolted down the burning street, weaving past collapsed buildings and overturned carts.
The heat of the fireballs lingered around us, with smoke filling my lungs.
Behind us, I could hear footsteps.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Calm and methodical. Bastard. He wasn't even running.
And that's what annoys me most.
SHHHHK!
Suddenly, a thrown sword embedded itself into a car beside me, missing my cheek by mere inches. It sliced clean through the door like butter.
BOOM!
The car exploded seconds later from the sparks, throwing us forward.
"GAH!" I coughed, blood in my mouth. "Beatrice?!"
"I'm okay!" She yelled, pulling herself up.
Alice had found cover behind a vending machine, clutching her wounded arm. She looked at me, wide-eyed.
"Is that... is that...?"
I answered her. "That... is a butcher. A coldblooded killer."
I then turned to Beatrice, keeping my voice low. "Can you cast again?"
She nodded, pale. "I can try."
"Good," I said, eyes locking on the red-haired monster as he approached, now retrieving his sword like a gentleman picking up a cane.
"Because we're not gonna survive him without being willing to burn everything to ash."
**********
Back at the orphanage, the children hid and were shaking in fear seeing the town on fire.
So far, their only saving grace was that for some reason, whatever was attacking the town hadn't come here.
The older children were all contemplating on whether to take their chances and run out or to stay here and hope help arrives before the attackers do.
One of the older kids, a green haired thirteen year old boy, spoke. "Guys I really think we should get out now."
"And do what Micheal?" Another boy, brown hair, twelve years old snapped at the boy, Michael.
"Guys let's calm down." A black haired girl, thirteen years old tried to calm them down as they heated up.
Then–
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
A knocking sound was heard from the door entrance.
The three of them and the other kids all turned toward the door as the knocking sound resounded again.
Then just as Michael was about to respond...
"Children?" A voice sounded out. A familiar voice.
Sister Evelyn's.
'Sister Evelyn?' The brown haired boy thought suspiciously. 'Isn't she supposed to be at the church?'
He looked at Michael who seemed to be thinking the same thing.
'The church is on the other side of the town, so how did a non-combatant make it to... no its not her'.
But before he could say anything...
The thirteen year old girl and some of the younger children ran to the door, relief on their faces.
The boy looked at Michael who seemed to have come to the same conclusion as he did.
"Sto..." they said but it was too late. The door was opened.
In front of the door were men wearing jagged clothes with snake tattoos on their arms, with a creature with pink skin, long mouth with jagged teeth and a long tail and a collar around it's neck.
The men had a crooked smile on their faces as they spoke in a menacing tone.
"Hello Children... mind if we come in."