Session 66 – Four
Hannah
"Okay, we'll head to the library now, and start digging in. If I find anything, I'll shoot you a message. I learned the spell last time I leveled up." Sterling gave Lily one more hug and me a pat on the shoulder before grabbing her girlfriend and leaving.
"Let's head to the temple now." I gestured down the hall with my chin.
"Woof?"
Lily's face scrunched up. "I have no idea how Alexis understands him, but yeah, you can come with us, if that's what you're asking, Cerbe."
"Woof!"
Carrying Alexis in my arms, Cerbe and I followed Lily out into the city. I snuggled my face into the delicate woman in my arms. I could hardly believe that thirty minutes ago we had been out here goofing around and looking for food.
Arcadia really was a gorgeous city. They built the walkways from some dark gray rock whose name I didn't know. Alexis probably would. I smoothed out the skirt of her dress to ensure her modesty remained protected. Around us, towering buildings reached up into the sky until they disappeared into the clouds.
Thousands, maybe even tens of thousands of locals lived here, but they were a city of visitors, and the people knew it. The real heart of the city were the locations that people far and wide came to experience. The Infinite Library, Rising Falls, Grand Coliseum, and the Door.
We had to save Alexis. There was so much of her creations she still hadn't seen. And... I hadn't known her all that long, a few weeks before she disappeared and another week now. Nearly a month and I already felt... like I might be falling in love? Lily as well, for all her outward prickliness, really has a heart of gold. It all seemed so sudden, but the heart wants what the heart wan-"
"Shit! Fuck! Get downnnnn." Lily called out, her voice dropping off into a roaring growl as she sprouted fur and fangs and claws the size of my head.
I dropped backwards, cushioning Alexis with my body just as a demon soared through the space we had been walking in. The Lily-bear roared a terrifying challenge and broke into a gallop. She jumped up onto an awning, using that to gain even more height, sending her sailing through the air. Bear met demon and she ripped its throat out. I turned to shield Alexis as demon blood went everywhere followed by the thing's body.
Lily landed with a heavy thump and shifted back. Drenched in black ichor, she shook, not nearly enough, off with a disgusted shiver. "Gross. That was gross."
"Do you think-"
"Yeah, I do. RUN!" Lily pointed to the swarm of demons pouring out of a portal above us.
We took off at a sprint, huffing and panting as we raced across Arcadia. I felt exposed in a sundress with no armor, but at the same time, the armor would have slowed me down, so it was a mixed blessing. Alexis, at least, was light, so I kept up with Lily without too much trouble.
"Do you think-"
"YES!" She jumped and spun around, a ball of green light briefly appearing in her hand before streaking up at the demons who were, in fact, here for us. The cantrip did something, but not nearly enough.
All around us, people were screaming and panicking. Royal soldiers poured into the streets to meet the oncoming horde of demons. Chaos erupted everywhere.
A massive Ocre demon trundled into the path ahead of us, carrying whips in all four hands. Lily tripped over her own feet and tumbled across the ground.
"Lily! LILY!" She curled up into an unresponsive ball and shook with sobs. Great. Just great. So, it was all on me now. I skidded to a stop and shifted Alexis, tossing her over my shoulder as gently as I could manage, all things considered. I scooped up Lily and dumped her over the other shoulder.
The Ocre demon moved to stop me, so my holy symbol flared with Divine light and the demon roared as a magic beam blinded it and pushed it back. A first tier spell wouldn't push it far, but it was just enough to let me slip by and sprint away for all I was worth. I huffed and puffed as I ran full out. Two women, even two as skinny as my girlfriends, added together were actually quite heavy.
I stopped at a cross street, gasping for breath and trying to remember which way led to the temple. Demonic roars followed behind me, gaining ground as I hesitated. Time to move! I ducked right and pushed myself back into a proper jog in what I prayed was the correct direction.
"Help! Please, anyone! My children!"
Off to the right, a young mother was wrestling with a small demon as her two young children bawled behind her.
Why me.
Why today.
"Get back, you unholy monster!" I ran up and kicked the demon, my holy symbol flaring with magic as I did. It screeched and burst into flames as the Divine light consumed it until all that remained was ashes, to be blown away on the wind like the trash it was.
"Thank you! Thank you! Iridatha be praised!" The woman pulled her children to her.
I nodded officiously. "Follow me. We are going to the temple of Life."
She nodded and picked up both her children as we broke into a sprint.
Finally, the gods forsaken temple came into view. I had remembered the correct direction after all. I shouted as loud as I could manage, given how exhausted I felt after running for twenty minutes with two women over my shoulders. A familiar face peeked out between the massive doors.
"Champion! Inside, quick as you can!" What in the Hells did she think I was doing, sprinting while carrying two girlfriends for my health?
We slipped between the parted doors and two clerics immediately pushed the door closed and lowered a massive bar back into place, securing it against casual attack, although it would never stand up to a big demon. Nothing in this city would, except for our adventuring party. If a third of them weren't incapacitated.
I dropped both my girlfriends as gently as I could, which wasn't actually all that softly, and collapsed to the ground right next to them, heaving and gasping for ragged breath.
I really hoped the others were doing better.
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