Crowds of leathery skinned and scaled creatures filled the town streets. All of them rushed towards a single-minded objective as if they were drawn by a particular scent in the cool night air. Any that dared to stand in their way were met by fang and claw while they ravaged the town. From the western gate two large eyes shined in the magical explosions from atop the lord’s mansion. It let out a roar that shook every corner of the town as it stood there for more lizardfolk to follow its command.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Kuro gulped.
A man-sized lizard pounced from the shadows at Kuro with claws raised. In the air, he met it with a thrust from his staff for it let out a yelp while striking it in the chest. It fell to the ground raising its slitted eyes and stared death into Kuro while it writhed to its feet. Before it could make a second attempt the staff extended to fling it into the air and crash into the cobblestone wall behind it.
"There’s no hope! They're endless," Milly panicked as she shot three arrows into the crowd of reptiles.
Each arrow exploded upon impact making them slow down the tide for but a moment before they flowed down the streets behind them. Kuro and Milly dashed down through the town while a horde clawed and trampled each other just to reach closer to their prey. On the run, Milly reached into her bag and began throwing bomb after bomb yet with each explosion more lizardfolk trampled over the fallen to charge forward.
"At this rate, we're dead!" whined Milly.
"You're right, just don't get mad at me later," Kuro smiled.
"What do you mean, you look like you're up to no good!" Milly protested.
Kuro grabbed at Milly’s hand and pulled her in close. He angled the staff under his arm and had it launch them through the night air. A scream echoed through the town from Milly amongst Kuro’s laughter that erupted from pure excitement. The two landed atop the roof of the buildings while lizardfolk crashed into the walls below before flowing out from the streets to find a new target.
"I knew it! No good!" Milly raged as she began a flurry of punches that Kuro blocked with one hand.
"You're alive and safe aren't you?"
"Shaaaaaa! I feel like I died already! People belong on the ground!"
"Hey, I think I see the blacksmith from here," Kuro pointed out.
"Ah, it's really there. Don't tell me we're going to 'fly' over there. I already feel like throwing up from the first time."
"Nah, I got a different plan, we're going to just walk right past them."
At the highest point of the rooftop, Kuro laid the staff down and aimed it across the gap. It got thinner before it shot across and then wider as soon as it laid on the opposite roof.
"Instant bridge! What do you think?" Kuro proclaimed proudly.
"Oh! I thought I was the genius, you're actually pretty smart!" Milly teased.
"Thank you? Also hold onto me while we walk across. It is still pretty round at the top."
Milly nodded as the two climbed up the staff. It was oddly peaceful on their walk despite the chaos below with soldiers and adventurers engaging the lizardfolk. Their shortcut made their trip simple as they avoided all the winding streets that lurked with danger at every turn. At last, they arrived at their smithy with the proprietor nowhere in sight. Kuro took the staff in hand and aimed it directly below to the street. It became wide enough for two people to stand on as it reached down onto the stony road. While he and Milly stood on top he began to lower them slowly on the descending platform. Just above the warehouse, Kuro jumped down first and extended his hand for Milly to follow after. The way was clear and luckily there was no sign of the lizardfolk making it that far quite yet.
Entering the warehouse doors, Milly flicked on the light on her head to find a lever tangled up in a mess of cords. She turned it with a crackling sound bouncing off the walls to power the four columns of light aimed at the metal cart in the middle of the room. It had pedals similar to the device Milly had in her tower, but it was set up for two seats in the front. Behind, was a wagon bed-like space with a familiar chest, some camping gear, and an assortment of Milly’s tinkerings. All of this rested atop four rubber covered wheels at each corner of the cart.
“Awesome! Now that it’s all together it looks even more impressive” Kuro cheered.
“That’s not even the best part, come check out this lever behind the steering wheel,” Milly pointed out. “This is our chance to get out of here, but wait until I give you the signal. It won’t last long since it barely has any charge.”
“Got it, I can’t wait to get behind the wheel.”
Pounding came from the doorway making the two inside raise their weapons. From the entrance a disheveled Noelle burst into the room to Kuro and Milly’s relief. She leaned on her hammer and used it to walk into the room. Once the door was closed behind her, she slumped down with her back to it and stopped to catch her breath.
“Glad to see you made it out, Kuro,” Noelle grinned.
“It was all thanks to you and Miii-a," Kuro called out with his face turning a little cold. "Are you alright?"
"I've been worse. I'm glad I caught you two before you left."
"Are you coming with us? There’s still some room in the back," Milly interjected.
"No, I'm staying…" Noelle waved her hand. "I know it's foolish and this place is far from perfect but it's home. I'll fight to the end to defend the town."
"Fight to the end…," Milly whispered to herself.
"If there's anything we could do to help on our way out of here, don't hesitate to ask now," Kuro suggested.
"Actually, that's part of why I came here. I don't want you to feel obligated, but if you could give me a ride to the ground dragon that would be a tremendous help. Also if you could do that thing you did again to beat the first it would be even better. That way we could get it away from the town and slow the lizardfolk down."
Kuro looked at Milly as she met his eyes with a similar intention. Kuro shrugged with a smile while Milly responded to Noelle’s request with a thumbs up and a nod.
"Hop on the back and cover us," Milly pointed to the platform. "If things look bad, we're getting out of here."
"Thanks!" Noelle smiled at the two while she climbed up.
"Grab the doors Kuro! As soon as they're open we're out of here!" Milly commanded.
"Aye ma'am!" Kuro saluted.
The large warehouse doors slid open to the chaos that echoed from the streets full of rage. Rolling thunder approached just around the corner while Kuro and Milly kicked for their lives. Waves of lizardfolk chased the cart as it darted from street to street aiming at the north exit. Noelle let out shards of ice to slow them down, but there was no end to their chase. Panic and excitement swirled on Kuro’s face as he drove down the path out of the north gate. They were finally in the clear as lizardfolk crashed into a sheet of ice blocking the exit, losing interest with their prey outside of the walls. Noelle tapped Kuro on the shoulder and pointed to the towering figure hunched over the west walls. Each of its foot falls on the wall caused more of it to crumble underneath its jagged claws.
"By the Goddess, that's at least three times bigger than the one we beat," Kuro cried out.
"All the more reason we need to stop it somehow!" Noelle readied herself atop the cart.
"We're so dead!" Milly whimpered.
The ground dragon grew bigger and bigger as the cart drew nearer. Kuro’s heart felt like it was wavering as the dragon’s very presence imposed fear in all eyes that gazed upon it. He slapped his face hard with one hand while the other gripped the steering wheel with white knuckles.
"I don't think we can get underneath it this time!" Kuro yelled to deaf ears.
Milly was in a full panic. Her screams rang into the night and called a detachment of lizardfolk to charge at them from underneath the ground dragon. Noelle was on a knee gripping her weapon while her eyes looked lifeless. At the top of his lungs Kuro begged for his friends to awaken. With Milly passing out and not pedaling the lizardfolk were within reach and their claws at every corner as they chased.
"Hang on Kuro!" yelled a familiar voice.
Blades of wind arose around the cart cutting the waves of lizardfolk down. Three figures floated down atop the walls on gusts of green wind. Kuro hit the brakes and stopped in front of them, flicking a switch to reveal their identities in the light.
"Kuro? I thought his name was Jeff," the purple haired woman questioned.
"There's no way I'd ever mix him up," answered the blonde adventurer with a smile.
"Se-Sera?" Kuro gasped.
The three figures stepped forward into the light. Relief washed over Kuro as Sera’s familiar warm smile was upon him once more. Violet waved coyly at Kuro before the third figure stepped past the two.
"Save the reunions for later, I'm assuming you have to have some sort of plan if you're risking your lives out here. Let us in on it," Shiro commanded.
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