Chapter 17

I inhaled deeply, holding my breath for a few seconds before releasing it again, trying my best to calm myself. The Shinoa and Narumi squads were to rescue the hostages while Guren's team was going to distract the nobles. If all went according to plan Crowley and I would not even meet. If the Guren squad were lucky maybe they even killed him so I would not have to think about him all the time. I shook my head, clearing my mind of all these thoughts. Focus. Get in, rescue the hostages, get out. It were straightforward orders and should be easy enough to follow, I could not however stop the growing feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. An explosion pulled me from my thoughts. "That's the signal, let's move!" Shinoa ordered.We all started running towards the city hall as quickly as possible.Thanks to the illusion spel done by one of the Guren squad members, the normal foot soldier vampires were too busy fighting the illusions to realize that we were freeing their hostages.I jumped from one beam to another, quickly and efficiently cutting the ropes of the men who were bound to the wooden crosses. The others doing the same.Everything seemed to go according to plan to my relief. I had not seen any signs of Crowley yet, or any of the other nobles for that matter, which meant that the Guren squad were doing their job.An explosions on one of the upper levels of the building caught my attention. Through the smoke I could just see Crowley throwing Guren into Shinya before they all disappeared from sight.My heart fell. Crowley had not seen me yet but it looked like Guren was getting his as kicked.I quickly cut loose the last guy before regrouping with the rest of the Shinoa squad, just in time to hear Yoichi's voice."Yeah Shinoa, let's do it!"She looked at her clock before answering, a grave expression on her face. "Okay, we got three minutes." She replied."What's going on? Shouldn't we retreat?" I question. Shinoa turned to me, an apologetic look in her eyes. "We're going to save Guren, he needs our help." Yu answers before Shinoa can. "Let's go!" He shouts and starts running.Everyone follows, giving me no choice but to do so as well. This was not the plan, we weren't supposed to get involved with the nobles. My heart started racing again, my head trying to figure out a way out of this situation.

Coward.

Coward.

Coward.

Coward.

The word started echoing in my head. This was not the time to be afraid. I knew what I had signed up for the moment I became a soldier. A single vampire should not have this much power over my emotions. I grit my teeth, swallowing my fear. I promised my self to avenge my comrades, or die trying. I held my staff a bit tighter, more then ready to drive it into the heart of any vampire I met, even if it's Crowley.

We all follow Shinoa down a corridor and up a couple of staircases, but she doesn't go to the fourth floor. Instead starts running down a corridor on the third."Why are you going that way? Guren should be on the fourth floor!" Yu shouts in confusion. Shinoa turns around only briefly, "just stay quite and follow my lead!" She replied and starts running again.Without arguing we follow after her. I trusted Shinoa with my life, whatever she had planned I needed to trust her on it.After a short while I finally understood what Shinoa had been thinking once sounds of swords clashing and walls breaking started the be heard above us."Hana!" Shinoa turns to me, pointing up. I nod in understanding, bracing myself before throwing my double bladed staff into the ceiling where it caused it to explode. Without waiting Yu jumped through the hole in the ceiling, already screaming his battle cry. The others soon followed. I quickly retrieved my staff before also jumping after them.The first thing I see when I get up there is Crowley's sword heading straight towards Yu's face. Luckily Kimizuki blocked it just in time. Yoichi was quick to assist by shooting his arrows at Crowley, which he easily dodged.I saw my chance and slammed my staff into the floor, sending a bolt of explosions straight towards the bloodsucker. He sliced through it with ease. His eyebrows raise slightly in surprise when his blood red eyes connect with my brown ones. But the eye contact is broken quickly when Yu raised his sword, ready to the slice Crowley's head off. But Crowley quickly pulls Guren up by the throat, using him as a human shield. Yu is forced to stop his attack before harming Guren.Moving Guren slightly to the side so he could look at us more clearly he says, "Is that all you've got?" a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "Fan out!" He commands us, we all take a couple of steps away from him. Pointing his sword straight at Crowley. Multiple swords appear around Yu, all pointing in the same direction. They shoot forward, but get swatted away by the weapons of the two female nobles that were with Crowley in the previous battle."Dammit!" Yu shouts in annoyance as he runs up to meet the purple haired vampire, Chess. Their swords clash and it's obvious that she is very strong. The blonde vampire lets her whip snake around Yu's ankle, pulling him up into the air. Chess readied her blade, preparing to pierce Yu. Shinoa rushes forward, just in time to stop Chess's blade with her scythe, but the force of the blade throws both Yu and Shinoa to the ground.Shinoa forces herself to stand up, clearly hurt. "We have to regroup otherwise they will pick us off one by one!" She commands and rushes to us. Kimizuki quickly tries to pull Yu to his feet. I see Chess and the blonde advancing on us, and me and Yoichi rush forward to give our comrades some time to recover. While Yoichi shoots his arrows, I slam my staff another time into the ground, shooting more explosions towards the female vampires.The vampires easily slice through the attacks, continuing to advance. I hold my staff tighter, ready to protect my comrades, to the very end but Crowley calls the two of them back."Chess, Horn, Come here" he informs them sternly.They look surprised but go back to his side, he whispers something to them. Whatever it was they clearly look displeased by it. Chess more so than the blonde, Horn, her name is."Do you understand me." He asks them, his voice serious."Yes lord Crowley" they reply in unison before seeming to prepare for another attack.By now we had enough time to regroup again, we all stood in formation, ready to for whatever was to come.But Guren's hoarse voice broke the rare moment of silence, "what the hell are you doing, follow your orders, retrea-" Before he can finish his sentence he is thrown into the wall by Crowley, effectively silencing him. "Okay that's enough from you" he says, turning his attention back to us. I shudder."Shinoa?" I ask silently, my fear starting to come back again as soon as Crowley's attention is on us."We have to retreat!" Shinoa informs us. We all turn to run, but something around my ankle makes me trip.I fall to the floor. I grunt as the impact forces me to release my staff."Hana!" Yoichi is the first one to notice my situation and starts shooting arrows at Horn, whose whip is around my ankle. Chess effectively blocks his attack with her sword.Soon the rest of the squad realize what is happening and stop in their tracks.Yu, of course, tries to get out of Kimizuki's grip, his immediate impulsive to save me."Let go of me, we can't leave her behind as well!" He says fiercely. Kimizuki holds on to him tight, waiting for Shinoa to give the orders. I look behind me at Guren, half unconscious and bleeding. A flashback to my old comrades dead bodies makes me decide on what to do. I turn to look at Shinoa, who was already staring at me, not sure yet on how to proceed. I give her a nod.