The Best Laid Plans

I leave the building as more Guards start running toward the commotion. Time slows as bullets fill the air around me. I dematerialize and keep walking toward the new group of attackers.

"How are we missing?"

"The bullets are passing straight through!"

Panic erupts among the Guards as their attacks continue to fail. Some start to run away but are quickly cut down by an angel of death. Sasha and I close the distance and begin our close-range assault.

A few of the guards carry swords or knives as well and retaliate. I parry and dodge three men's attacks while Sasha fights off another two. The reverberation of metal on metal echoes from the buildings around us. After a few more attacks, the sounds of battle become the screams of agony as the five Guards are brought down individually.

"You mess around too much." Sasha rolls her eyes as she collects more blood.

"There's nothing wrong with a little foreplay." I wink and head toward the other side of the warehouse. Reinforcements from the farm had started to arrive. Skeeter sent the Guards working with us to help move the supplies into our base. His voice came over the headset.

"Healer, come to the farm. We can quickly clean up the remaining Guards here and start getting things ready for the portal."

Sasha was next to speak, "I'm going to the girl's holding cells. I will kill anyone coming this way."

I gave some quick instructions to the Guards coming to help Iona and Kreli before concealing my presence entirely and heading to the farm. Guards were running around, trying to determine what to do. Skeeter was attempting to keep the peace but also purposely making things confusing. I stealthily started killing men; I got through ten of them before anyone noticed.

"Someone is picking us off! Spread out and find him!"

Over thirty enemies remained, but they weren't prepared for the Guards in the towers to start shooting at them. Before they could determine what was happening, Skeeter opened fire, and I killed the ones furthest from the man group. In less than a minute, the farm was silent. Bodies littered the ground as the workers emerged from their hiding spots.

"It's alright, everyone; I am Healer of Worlds. I will open a portal to your new home. Work together to take as much as you can to ensure our longevity. Skeeter and Edmund will help keep things organized while I keep you protected."

I open a large portal, and Skeeter comes over to put magic into it to sustain it. Edmund immediately starts barking orders, and supplies, animals, and food storage start making their way through quickly. 

"Sir! A large group from the casino are going to the warehouses and our location. I estimate no less than fifty."

One of the Guards in the tower informs us of the new threat. I draw my weapons and leap up onto a tall barn. 

"Kreli, how is your progress?"

"We are still a long way out. I need at least half an hour."

I sighed; I knew this operation would require a lot of time. Thankfully, the guards didn't use vehicles, but they would overrun us in just a few minutes. Sasha would also have her hands full once she got started. The men in the Guards' quarter would be to her only five minutes after she started. 

"Sasha, where are you?"

"Almost to the holding cells. Why?"

"I think we can kill two birds with one stone. If we work together to intercept these reinforcements, the Guards in the quarters would have to respond by moving them further from the holding cells."

Skeeter chimed in, "I agree; after the fight starts, I will make the call to bring those reinforcements this way."

Sasha signed but agreed. I jumped down from my vantage point and ran toward the approaching army. I started to build up magic in my swords. This was going to need to be a massive attack.

"On three, one, two, three!"

Sasha unleashes a volley of blood spikes into the group of men. Every one that pierces an enemy absorbs his blood and splinters into more spikes of the same size. I aim my attack at the other side simultaneously. 

"Earth magic: Bottomless Fissure!"

A loud cracking sound fills the night as the planet seems to split in half. The Guards could only watch in horror as half of them were skewered, and the other half fell into a canyon. The spears disappeared as quickly as the devastation started, and the fissure closed. All that remained were shriveled corpses and a small crack in the ground. 

"My god, just who are you guys?" Skeeter's affirmation comes into the headsets. I collapse to my knees as I try to catch my breath. I overdid it again, but at least this time, I maintained consciousness. Sasha came over and shared some of her magic with me.

"You can't keep doing this. We still have a long way to go."

"I know, I'm sorry. But you have to admit that was pretty badass."

Sasha rolls her eyes, but her smile gives away her true feelings. "The reinforcements from the quarters will be here soon. I need to take advantage of the opening."

"Don't worry, I've got this side of things."

Sasha runs off toward the holding facility, and I retreat closer to the farm. I instruct the Guards in the towers to cover me while I handle things on the ground. A few minutes pass, and we don't see anyone advancing from the Guards' quarters.

"Skeeter, did you give the order for reinforcement? No one is coming."

"Yes, I did, but I didn't receive a response from the control tower. I'm not sure what the situation is."

At that moment, bright lights filled the night sky. I looked up and saw three large ships entering the atmosphere. The symbol of The Company was visible on the side of the ships. We should have had three hours, but the off-world reinforcements were already here.

While I thought about what we did wrong, I feel killing intent behind me aimed at Skeeter. I arrive just in time to block a bullet shot from one of the towers. I close the distance and grab the man responsible, holding him over the railings.

"What are you doing?" It was the man that took over my shift earlier that day. "What about your mother?"

"She's fine. She is one of the highest-ranking escorts in The Company. She freed me and my siblings from poverty. I won't let you take the girls. The farm and the food are worthless compared to those girls." 

I let him go. The fall didn't kill him, but he did break both of his legs. The bones protruded out in awkward angles. His screams couldn't escape his throat because I jumped after him and strangled him. I filled his final moments with pain and then snapped his neck.

"I'm sorry, Healer. I thought everyone we recruited was solid," Skeeter called out as I returned to him. I looked up at the approaching ships; all of them were headed toward the holding cells and the control tower.

"They aren't after the warehouses or the farm. Both you and Kreli should keep going. Take everything you can. I'm going to help Sasha."