Fight or Die

Kayla ran with Todd through the trees. The rain starting was making the ground almost slick, but they were sure footed.

"They are gaining on us." Kayla said to him and he gave a nod.

"This isn't looking to good for us." She added and they came over a ridge. There was a clearing there, and they had been running for perhaps twenty minutes. However they could hear the others coming for them. It seemed like they were coming with a purpose.

What they saw below was a shock to them both. There was a camp there. It looked like those that were here were armed. A group of nomads. They hoped that they were friendly, if not, well they hoped that they could fight.

As they came down they saw Tina and Jack come out at another part of the woods. Jack was one of their group that had stayed behind as well. Good at least they wouldn't be alone here. They ran for it and were across the clearing with in ten minutes.

Kayla glanced back and saw the soldier demon that was following them. It wasn't the only one anymore. There was what looked like Kiore, but slightly different. Smaller coming for them, and a man. They reached the camp and ran into it. Tina was there explaining and others were getting ready to fight. Readying weapons. Clearly these ones operating on the free human code.

"They are going to be here in a minute." Todd cursed.

"What are we dealing with?"

"A soldier, hell hound, and daemon. I think." Kayla said.

"Hell hound? What the fuck is that?" An unknown asked.

"Dangerous." She said.

"There's a flier." Someone shouted pointing up. The rain was coming down hard now. The flier let out a loud roaring screech that had to be heard miles away. The others would be coming here, and in force.

It wasn't long before they had their hands full and were attacked. These humans were definitely well versed in the art of war. Kayla was glad to have run into them. Plus they just embraced it, they were blood thirsty lot.

There was near twenty of them and they had the numbers on their side. Kayla stayed by Todd and they fought side by side. The flier came down and went for one of the humans, just missing him. He rolled and came up by them.

"We have to get the flier. It's going to be the death of us." He said to them.

"You have guns?"

"None that have blessed bullets." He said to her question. She glanced around, they were crouched at one of the tents. Across the way was a tent that had some of their food in it, skinned animals.

"How do you hunt?" She asked glancing at him.

"That's a stupid question right now." He said to her, and stood swinging bringing down a soldier demon. She and Todd lunged forward helping to kill it as it hit the ground.

"You have arrows?"

"Yes." He said. "It's not going to take it down though." Kayla reached in her pocket and pulled out a glass flask.

"How about we cleanse the arrows."

"I like the way you think." He said and went to run toward a different tent. The two of them following. He grabbed three bows and tossed arrows at them fast. Kayla used the water to cleanse the arrows and the man tossed a small plastic pouch.

"Oil, holy. Coat the arrows." She nodded and did as he said.

"I can't shoot this." Todd said.

"Then watch our backs." Kayla commanded and took the bow. The man grabbed his and took two arrows and notched them. Kayla had one, and now she was more than glad she'd learned to use one. Even if her aim wasn't perfect it was going to injure.

"Wait till it passes over head." He said and they waited nervously. Fighting was all around them and Todd had expert shot with his few remaining bullets as a few came at them. Getting them in the heart and head. The flier circled back and came down toward them.

"Steady." He said aiming up. Kayla exhaled and as the flier dipped low they fired at it. All three of the arrows hitting it. It screeched and then plowed into the ground behind the tent. They turned and ran to intercept it.

It was down but still deadly. Todd fired at it and Kayla pulled her gun as well but the man with them had a blade. It slashed at them, snapped at them, swung its tail, but they prevailed in the end. They moved to go back toward the main fighting. The humans were getting the upper hand at the moment. Kayla slowed for a second as she thought that she saw Savon pass between an opening in the tents and people.

"What is it?" Todd asked.

"I thought I saw Savon." Todd's face paled.

"If you did, that would mean Astor is here." She snapped her head to look at him.

"Astor, have you lost your mind. What would he come all the way out here to this small group for?"' Their new found friend said.

"Because we are the group that has been killing all of his higher ups. Plus he'd follow Savon." Todd said the second part to Kayla.

"Ah." The guy said. "Well you had a good run, and so did we. Guess we'll have to take what we can. Kill as many as we can to take back to hell with us!" Well at least the ran into a fight to the death kind of guy. They moved back into the fighting, but as they moved past one tent a possessed man came out. His eyes a solid black color.

He kicked out and got Todd who went back and into the tent behind them. Kayla pulled out her smaller blade and managed to slash up and across his chest. He back handed her hard, and she stumbled back as well.

The man with them managed to stab him, and he was shoved back and through the tent. The demon came at Kayla and grabbed her by the hair. She grabbed his wrist trying to free herself. His other hand came to her throat and he dragged her backward. It felt like he was trying to take her somewhere.

Todd was up and jumped on him, he didn't quite let go of Kayla. Todd stabbed him in the back pulling up as hard as he could and that had the demon letting go of Kayla. It let out a sound of pain, grabbing Todd and flipped him off and over him.

Kayla smashed the glass flask she had, and it burned him. He slashed out at her but missed. The man who'd helped them with the flier appeared and ran forward ramming his sword into the demons back. He went down and Todd was up and fired several times into the demons head and then his heart.

"Thought I'd be sure." He said. He checked his bullet count. Not looking great, shoved the last he had into it.

'Good." Kayla commented.

"Your name?" Todd asked the man.

"Keith."

"Todd, Kayla. Let's move." Todd said and Keith gave a smile.

"My kind of fighters." Keith replied and they turned and went into the melee. They came out and Kayla saw a horrible sight. Astor was here and as they appeared, he just slashed some woman's throat and tossed her away. Her lifeless body hitting the ground next to several other women and Kayla felt her stomach knot.

"Savon!" Astor shouted a moment later. This wasn't good, not good at all. A different demon pulled an unknown woman to Astor now. Oh, shit they had to know. Had to know that there was someone Savon cared for. How did he know?

"We have to get out of here." Todd said. "This isn't going to end well." Others were already taking off into the wooded area.

"Yeah." Kayla said. She couldn't afford to be caught. He knew that Astor would be looking for her. Even right now, with that threat she did wonder what Savon would do if she was caught. Would he care like he said or not? She had a feeling that he would. That she was probably his weakness and that wasn't a good thing.

They ran between buildings, and as they came to the other side they saw Savon. There was a dead man at his feet. There was a group between them and him, plus three hell hounds that were at his side now. He looked nearly demonic himself, and the three hell hounds moving at his side was one hell of a picture.

"Holy shit who is that? He looks worse than Astor." Keith said.

"Savon. He's on our side believe it or not." Todd told him. They were hit from behind by something. A soldier demon and they turned to fight. Keith got a solid blow to his left leg. Blood rushed from it. Kayla rolled away just missing claws getting her face.

She hit something and then was grabbed. Whoever it was yanked her up by her hair and turned her. Then practically tossed her toward the tents. She stumbled and put her hands out to stop herself from going down. She hit someone else before that however.

Once again she was pulled up by her hair. If she lived past the next hour she was getting it cut. Men never had this problem. Her head was snapped back, and a hand came to her throat. Nails digging in on either side. It was painful, but that didn't matter. Her heart stopped beating in the next moment as her gaze met yellow.