Chapter 17

Meanwhile, from Layla's perspective.

Layla was running alone on the road, not encountering any Akumas. With fear and pressure on her, she keeps running in the same direction, not knowing what might happen.

"That was another explosion earlier," Layla thought, "I guess that means Mr. Gin is ok... hopefully,".

"Now, if Ray manages to tell them about Yuji and Elizabeth, I'm sure they'll be safe..." she thought, as doubts fill her head, she forces herself, "They'll be fine!"

After a few minutes, she saw multiple people from a distance, "people... vehicles...That's!" she said, as she smiled with relief.

After a short moment, soldiers came to her aid, taking her to what seemed to be a stronghold in the middle of an open space, quickly after seeing her from a distance.

The place seemed like a circular park, with no buildings near. It was surrounded by armored vehicles and soldiers and has a few surviving civilians in the middle. The buildings could be seen from a far distance, and passed the buildings is a completely open area, making it easy for them to see if something or someone is coming.

The soldiers took Layla to a chair, in the middle of the area, as one of the soldiers said "take a rest, we'll talk to you later,".

Layla stood up, "I'm fine! I can talk now," she said.

The soldier turned back at Layla "sit,".

Layla sat down, as the soldier stood in front of her.

"That uniform, are you from New Gen Academy?" the soldier asked.

"Yes, and right now my friends need help," Layla said, with a desperate tone.

"calm down," the soldier said, "we are ordered here to stay until our captain arrives, or we leave if things get desperate,".

"But we were separated from mister Gin!" Layla said, sounding more desperate, "he stayed behind to hold a high class, so we went forward and separated,".

"Your story...it seems to match with the other students over there," said the soldier, pointing at their left.

Layla glanced and saw Ryan, Jaspher, and Jack walking from a distance.

While looking around, Jaspher saw Layla.

"HEY!" Jaspher shouted as he ran towards Layla with a smile.

Ryan and Jack noticed and followed Jaspher.

As Jaspher got closer he looked around, and his smile slowly disappeared, "where are the others?" he said with a worried voice.

Layla talked about what had happened, and what situation Yuji and the others are in.

"We need to help..." Ryan said, "we have to help them right!?".

"I won't recommend it..." the soldier said, "the time is now critical, if you don't make it here when the captain is back, we're going to have to leave you behind,".

"But we can't just stand here..." Ryan said.

"Don't be a fool!" said Jack, "you're going to risk your life for a result that's almost impossible to achieve for someone like you!"

"but!" Ryan tried to counter.

Jack aggressively grabbed Ryan's shirt and pulled him close, "Are you going to let those sacrifices be in vain," Jack said, "can you even be sure you're not just going to die with them!?"

Looking around, Layla suddenly realized something, "now that I think about it... weren't there four of you?"

Jack and Ryan both scowled and looked away.

Layla realized as she looked down at the ground, "I see..." she said.

"DAMN IT!" Ryan shouted.

"If that's the case, how about I help" a girl suddenly appeared, taking everyone's attention.

The girl had long black hair and was wearing a unique uniform unlike the soldiers or the captains, she had what seemed like a mechanical bag behind her, with a belt containing multiple small gadgets.

"Yukina..." the soldier said.

"Who's this beautiful woman..." Layla thought, "she has silky black hair, and she seems like she's the same age as us..."

"You can't, you know your job is to delay the archdemon if needed once we start to depart," said the soldier.

"Delay the archdemon?" said Jack, "this girl is going to face an archdemon!?"

"Yeah, I've faced this arch demon before multiple times now," said Yukina, "anyways if what that girl said is true, then I can just hurry over there, then hurry back," she said with confidence.

"You can't... the orders were to stand by," said the soldier.

Yukina scowled, "I'll just hurry..." she repeated, but this time, sounding more hesitant.

"It's ok miss..." Layla said, "now that I've calmed down... the best thing to do is have faith in them," she said with a smile, yet, obviously filled with worries.

"That's right," said the soldier, "just hope that they will cross paths with the captains, I'm sure they'll be fine if they do so," said the soldier.

Everyone looked down as if they felt powerless.

"I don't know if that person with no ability is still alive, but they should be fine if Ray manages to beat the Akuma," said Jack.

"That's..." Layla said softly.

"Ray is a strong person, he'll survive, and he'll help everyone, I know that's the kind of person he is," Jack said, lessening Layla's worries, by a little.

Layla nodded, as she gripped her hands tightly.

"THE CAPTAIN IS COMING!" a soldier shouted taking everyone's attention, "start-up the engines! prepare to depart!"

"Looks like they're here," the soldier said, as they all rushed over to the front of the stronghold.

multiple people can be seen running from a distance, with one person being carried by a student.

"one seems injured, aid them now!" the soldier ordered.

they aided the people and took them to the standout.

Layla looked around and saw the person who was being carried by a student, laying down on a stretcher.

"that's..." Layla said as she falls to her knees, holding back her tears.

The others looked at the person on the stretcher.

"This is... Ray" said Ryan, as if he was whispering.

Jack let out a sigh of relief, "I knew he was going to make it... but too bad, if he's unconscious then..."

"Hey!" Jaspher called out someone from the crowd of the new arrivals.

"what is it kid," said Liz as she approached them.

"Ms. captain!" said Jaspher, "can you tell us what happened to him?"

"Hmm, that's..." as Liz was about to give a reply, someone stepped beside her, shocking most of the students.

"I'm guessing he took a blow to be able to land one," said the teacher beside Liz.

"Ying! oh yeah, you were at the front when this guy was found, right?"

"TEACHER!" said Ryan, in complete shock.

"Hey, we meet again," said Ying, "anyways..."

She went back to explain, as if it was nothing, as everyone had an awkward feeling, going with the flow.

"I bet, to land a killing blow to the Akuma he was facing, he took a hit from the Akuma himself," said Ying, "since what we saw was him slouching on the wall with cracks, as the Akuma was dead with half of its head missing,".

"So, when you saw him, he was already passed out..." said Jaspher, as he looked down on the ground.

Liz made a confused face, wondering if they were relieved or downed.

"I just noticed..." said Ying, I know he's got a really low presence, but... where's the brown-haired one?"

As Ying said that, some looked away and some looked down, averting their gazes.

Liz suddenly showed signs of slight nervousness, as she looked around.

"now that you mention it..." Liz said, "that person...Yuji... where is he?" she asked with a tense tone.

Layla answered, "he's not here..."

"I see..." Ying said, "your sister doesn't seem to be here too... sorry,".

"CRAP!" Liz shouted, "Yuji...this is bad..."

Jack was confused, "huh? is he that important?" he thought, "that Gin guy earlier seemed to be thinking of him as something too,".

"Erina is going to be..." said Liz. Suddenly Erina appeared behind her.

"I'm... what?" said Erina.

Liz turned around in shock.

"Aren't you a bit too surprised?" said Erina, "thought you got used to it by now..."

A drip of sweat fell from Liz's forehead, as Erina looked behind her.

"Oh everyone!" she said in a very lively voice.

Everyone stood silent, trying not to make eye contact with Erina.

"hmm? where... is Yuji..." Erina said, as her high-pitched voice slowly lowered. And with a blank expression on her face, she asked "where... is Yuji?"

Layla stood up "Miss. Erina..." she called, and with teary eyes and a shaky voice, she explained.

hearing what happened from Layla, Erina turned around, with a blank expression and emotionless voice, "I need to go..." She said.

Liz stood in front of Erina with a nervous expression, "you... can't," said Liz.

"And why not?" Erina said, with an emotionless tone, as her face shows slight signs of anger.

"move..." Erina said as if she was giving an order, as she moves closer to Liz.

Liz did not move a single muscle as Erina came closer, her legs started to shiver with an overwhelming presence dominating her.

"Stop it..." said Ying, as she grabbed Erina's shoulder "it took all this effort just to get you... there were sure to be sacrifices along the way, you know that!"

Erina stood silent.

"Leaving now means all the deaths so far, and all the effort they put through would be pointless," said Ying.

"I... didn't ask for this," Erina said aggressively, as she removed Ying's hand from her shoulders.

CRASH*

suddenly, a loud sound of a crashing building emerged from a distance, as dust and smoke raised to the sky.

"It's here! we need to leave!" Liz shouted.

Erina grabbed a syringe from her pocket and removed the cover.

"NO!" Layla shouted, as she grabbed Erina's arm, which held the syringe.

"What are you doing!?" Erina said, losing her composure, as she took back her arm and pushed Layla away.

Erina raised the syringe.

"STOP!" Ying said as she grabbed both of Erina's arms, making her unable to inject herself, "did you not hear what I said!?"

"Let me go!" Erina shouted.

Layla stood back up and grabbed Erina's arm which held the syringe, "she's right! if you go right now... EVERYTHING WOULD BE POINTLESS!" she shouted.

"you... your sister is with Yuji right!?" Erina said, "I can save them both! with your sister healing, Yuji will be fine!"

CRASH*

Another building crashed, and this time it was right in front of the stronghold, behind a few buildings.

"There's no time!" Liz shouted as she grabbed Erina's other arm.

"LET ME GO! I can save them... I" Erina shouted, as tears started to come out of her eyes.

"IT'S TOO RISKY!" Liz said as Erina struggles harder to break free.

"This woman! she's not even injected, yet she's this tough!" Ying thought.

"I! Have to save Yuji!" Erina shouted.

Suddenly, a syringe of different color slowly floated close to them and reached behind Erina's neck.

"What the? Ying thought, being confused.

The floating syringe injected Erina's neck.

"I... have...to save... Yu...ji" Erina said, as her voice slowly fades with her eyes slowly closing, tears came out, falling from her cheeks, she lost consciousness.

"What?" Layla questioned, being confused about what happened.

"It's a sleeping drug," Yukina said as the syringe floated its way to her hand, standing right behind everyone.

"I knew it..." said Liz, "what took you so long?"

"I went to find a sleeping drug at the medical supplies, it took me a while," Yukina replied.

CRASH*

A loud sound of something breaking and crashing emerged from a near distance.

"It's here!" Liz said "quick get Erina to a vehicle and step on it! we're leaving now!" Liz ordered the soldiers around, "same goes for you all!" said Liz pointing at everyone else in the area, "pick a vehicle and get in!"

Everyone moved quickly and went inside the same vehicle, except for Erina and Ray who were placed in the armored medical vehicle in the center.

As everyone got in the vehicles, Yukina stayed outside and started stretching, as if she was warming up.

"Don't do anything too risky..." said Liz.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on dying until I achieve my goal," said Yukina.

Liz walked away and got in a vehicle.

Yukina stood still in the area, looking at the place where the most recent crashing sound took place, as all the vehicles drove away.

"Now then," Yukina said, "delay the Akuma or lead it away, and if an unlikely case where I see the missing people still breathing occurred, I'm going to save them, but most importantly... I need to survive this,".

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Cover illustrated by: @s0ft.b0i.art -IG

@s_b_art- twitter

Author- @Ryk- Twitter

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