Escape

Eita held Yua's hand tight as they made their way down through the building. Going from the club room, they seemed to be behind most of the crowd, but other classmates were still in the first floor hall, likely ones who tried to run for the front door first. Along the way, they flung open classroom and clubroom doors, but found that, fortunately enough, it seemed like everyone had gotten the memo to get out of the building.

What bothered Eita was why this had happening. Azalea and Penny hadn't really said anything conclusive, but Eita couldn't help but feel that this was an angelic problem.

Sammy led the way boldly, and with nerves of steel. She stood tall and moved fast, opening every door and checking around every corner like a proper leader. In that moment, it was easier than ever to believe that she was the one who commanded the Fallen.

They rounded the corner and came within sight of the back doors of the building. Standing there, waiting, were a trio of Angels.

One, Eita had seen before, and he thought he remembered the name Munkar. The other two were nearly identical, even more than the white and gold glow of the angels made them look more like each other than they otherwise might. They flanked Munkar, bearing spears and shields.

“What... are those?” Yua whispered.

“Enemies,” Sammy replied.

“Trailing even more pets, are we?” Munkar asked. Then he laughed in a way that made Eita's skin crawl.

“How many more have you got?” Munkar asked. Just then, one of the girls from another class ran by them towards the door. As she did, Munkar's wrist flicked. One of his blades stabbed into her shoulder, and she was thrown to the side, screaming as she fell against the wall.

“Not that one, hm?”

“Damn you, Munkar!” Sara shouted.

“Poor choice of words, given your position,” Munkar said. “Shamnail, keep the rat pinned.”

The angel on the side to which the girl had been thrown leveled his spear at her.

“Let's see how much these mortals matter to your design, Samyaza.”

Yua pulled her hand from Eita's grasp. Before he could stop her, she pushed her way in front of Sammy, pulling her gohei from her bag as she did. She waved it at the angels with bold force.

“Evil spirits begone!” Yua shouted. The gohei's streamers swished through the air, and while Eita didn't think that was any kind of ritual form, but it drew attention. Both of the angels beside Munkar stiffened, and the one he'd called Shamnail looked away from the bleeding girl at his feet, who began to scramble away. Shamnail, realizing his inattention, made to strike, but Yua hurled her bag at his head, and he swatted it out of the air as well. Pages of notes from a shattered binder rained down, as the angelic front was cast into disarray.

“Begone!” Yua shouted again.

Munkar wasn't distracted for long. Eita rushed forward and tackled Yua to the ground just in time for a thrown blade to sail over them.

“Let me handle this!” Yua shouted, “I can-”

“However you want to finish that,” Sammy said, “you can also die if things go badly. Remember that.”

Yua stopped struggling.

“Let me handle this,” Sara said.

“Sara?” Yua asked. Eita began to let her up

“If we work together-” Sammy began

“I... can handle Munkar and Turail,” Sara said, sounding confident, “You just need to get past Shamnail. In exchange, I want you to make sure Yomi is alright.”

“If you can handle it,” Sammy said, “you don't need me to make that promise.”

In Munkar's free hand, a new blade of silvery glass began to manifest. Behind him, Eita heard Sammy whisper.

“By the heavenly light within me, let thy spirit be open, and by our trust manifest the miracle.”

She helped Eita up, practically picking him up, and as she did her lips brushed his cheek. The shock was less intense, more like the first times they had practiced to know what Eita was capable of, but the fire inside seemed to burn hotter.

“You're very bold, plotting directly before me,” Munkar said, “But be my guest, because there is nothing the two of you can do.”

He meant Sammy and Sara, and perhaps that was right there. But there were four against his three, not two. Yua rose to her feet as well with Eita's help, and as Eita realized that there was only one object in reach that even resembled a weapon, he placed his hand on hers, still clutching the gohei.

“You're going to have a lot to explain,” Yua said.

“I will,” Eita promised. He tried to force the power he'd been given into the gohei, not as one cracking burst, but as a steady flow. Yua leaned into him, and Eita could feel her tremble, though he couldn't be sure if it was from fear or from rage.

“Alright,” Sammy said, glancing to Sara, “we'll do it your way.”

“Keep as far from me as you can,” Sara said, “I'm going to give it everything I've got.”

As she stepped forward, Eita could see. It was faint, but the light around Sara seemed to dim, and some part of him knew that what spread from her was some kind of void. He remembered how Muriel, a full angel, had only been able to weakly paw at Sara when they struggled in the alley, and for a moment he thought she might not have had that bad an idea.

A few paces ahead of Yua, Eita, and Sammy, Sara paused. Any closer, and she'd face the angels' spears. Eita felt Yua tighten the grip on her gohei. Neither side wanted to move, but eventually, one had to.

Without warning, Sara sprang forward. The closer angel with his spear stabbed her in the arm, but she still barreled into him and Munkar, and both of them reeled as the subtle darkness engulfed them.

“Go!” Sammy shouted. Yua and Eita needed no further encouragement. Yua swung the gohei wildly as they charged, and waves of invisible pressure struck Shamnail, hurling him first against the wall and then gracelessly back and into the open. As he toppled over, sprawling across the floor, he left clear a straight run for freedom.

“Don't look back!” Sara screamed, “You hear me? Don't look back!”

Eita, Yua, and Sammy ran. Eita didn't look back, but he did look to his side, and he saw that Sammy was crying.