Chapter 187: Its Worse
He dropped back to the ground, his legs nearly buckling under the impact. The creatures were almost upon them now, their hollow eyes reflecting the dim light from the vehicle’s interior. Arthur could smell their putrid stench, could hear the wet sounds of their approach.
"Get in the damn vehicle!" Arthur shouted at Aziel, moving to place himself between his friend and the advancing horde. His odachi came up in a defensive stance, though his arms shook with exhaustion.
Aziel’s eyes widened with understanding, and he nodded grimly. Using his spear as a crutch, he began to move toward the vehicle as quickly as his wounded body would allow. Arthur backed up alongside him, his blade flashing in desperate arcs as he kept the creatures at bay.
"Almost there!" Cara’s voice came from inside the vehicle, her tone tight with tension. "Just a few more steps!"
A creature lunged at Arthur from the left, its claws extended and its mouth gaping wide. Arthur’s blade caught it through the temple, but the impact sent him staggering backward. His foot caught on an uneven piece of ground, and he went down hard, his odachi spinning away into the darkness.
"Arthur!" Aziel’s voice was filled with alarm, but he was already climbing into the vehicle, his wounded shoulder making his movements slow and clumsy.
The creature that had knocked Arthur down was already preparing to strike, its claws descending toward his exposed throat. Arthur rolled desperately to the side, his hand scrabbling for his lost weapon. His fingers found the hilt just as the creature’s claws scraped across the ground where his head had been.
"Come on!" Cara’s voice was desperate now, and Arthur could see her preparing to jump back down from the vehicle.
Arthur surged to his feet, his odachi coming up in a vicious uppercut that took the creature’s head clean off. Dark fluid sprayed across his face and chest, but he was already moving, his legs carrying him toward the vehicle with the last of his strength.