Protection

“That’s not Evi is it?” I asked.

“No it isn’t,” Akira answered.

There was only one other thing it could be then. It had to be the thing that she was fighting. I couldn’t tell what it was exactly. Nothing more than a fuzzy flash of slightly lighter color than its surroundings. I feel like I probably wouldn’t want to see it clearly. Is it waiting? Since I’m pretty sure the creature Evi was fighting had to be the same one that smashed into our train, this seemed… odd.

When it first attacked us, it was blindingly fast.

What is it doing?

“Rin,” Akira hissed urgently.

“You don’t see Evi anywhere do you?” I squinted desperately.

“She’s not there.”

“Right… Let’s grab Ayano and start running.” We managed to gather her up in between the two of us, one arm resting on Akira’s shoulder, the other on mine.

Of course, Akira kept a hand over Ayano's side to maintain pressure on the wound. It wasn’t a pretty operation, but there was simply no way that either one of us could run if we’d been carrying her alone.

This was admittedly also a poor way of running.

But it was what we had to do.

“Don’t worry Rin, I’ll keep an eye out for Evi.”

“Thanks.”

Dragging the still unconscious Ayano with us, it remained strange to me that the creature hadn’t made a move.

“Akira, is it doing anything?”

“I… I think it’s limping?”

What?

Well it was in a fight recently.

But where’s Evi?

A sinking feeling hit me.

I still hadn’t seen her.

Ayano’s limp arm slung over my shoulder, it occurs to me that Evi’s safety might not actually be guaranteed. That monster has apparently been slowed, but it isn’t gone.

It’s here.

Behind us.

Alive.

Does that mean Evi…?

No. No, I trust her.

Lurching and stumbling, it began to dash forward after us.

Oh.

Oh no.

It is still very fast.

I don’t think we can outrun it.

If that thing hits us we’re not making it out of this in one piece.

“Akira, I-I think you should take Ayano and run. You’re in better shape right now and you actually have a working chance of saving her.”

“Maybe you should take Yaya-chan. I don’t want to accidentally drain her. And maybe if I stay behind I can steal that monster’s life force?”

“Or maybe we keep running!”

“Running is good!”

...

Running is not good.

It’s not working.

It’s gaining ground on us.

I feel a delicate stirring at my shoulder.

The tender twitch of a finger.

“…leav..e… me…behi.nd…” Ayano’s voice is barely above a whisper.

Almost imperceptible amongst the rustle of our uneven footsteps.

Akira and I looked at each other.

“No,” we said it in unison.

“…I’m… so..r..ry…” she spoke through choked gasps.

She was crying.

It’s almost here. I can hear it.

Please.

Please.

Let this work.

I need to protect them.

I turn to face it, raising a hand up in front of the beast.

The creature makes a final lunge.

…

…

…

…

It crashes into the flat side of the sword.

A floating sword made of shimmering golden-yellow light.

The sword is taller than one of me and its broadside is wider than two of me.

I can’t believe that worked.