40 The Southern Gate

Kyrie glared at the two-wheeled cycle in front of him. Ren had already settled herself on a similar one.

She chuckled and said, "You really don't like vehicles, do you?"

Kyrie sighed as he climbed on. "They're death traps." Why do we have to use so many of them? Couldn't we just make Laserath smaller. Taller and smaller means less vehicles, perfect.

Ren watched Kyrie with one brow raised. "Seriously? With your ability, there is nothing deadly about them."

Kyrie shook his head. "I could easily end up absorbing too energy much." And that would be deadly, for more than just him.

"We're ready to move out."

"Got it," Kyrie responded as he powered up his cycle and took off. Ren followed a little behind him. And the rest of the convoy after her.

Ren, Kyrie, the Sargent, and the squad leaders were connected to a chat that allowed them to speak with each other.

But Kyrie didn't trust them, couldn't trust them. He used his watch to create a private voice chat with Ren. "How long do you think it'll be before one of us has to go save them?"

"Hopefully, it'll be a while. They've got Amity to look after them." Ren trusted Amity. She knew her friend would use every survival technique they'd learned since the fall of their village.

Ren bit her lip and tasted her lipstick. Amity was a survivor she could do this.

"I'd like it if you focused more on protecting our friends then on me." They mattered more. They'd need it more.

Ren's grip tightened on her handlebars. "You heard how that Sargent felt about us. And you still want to deal with that alone?"

Kyrie shrugged. "I've been dealing with it for years."

Ren rolled her eyes. First Caleb, now Kyrie, they were really testing her patience. "You and Caleb don't seem to realize you don't have to live in melancholy just because," Ren deepened her voice as she continued, " 'I'm used to it.' I mean seriously you have friends and people who want to help you. So, no. Amity can handle them. Ana'll step in to tank damage. Rick'll watch Caleb's ass. I'll watch yours."

Kyrie smiled and said, "I don't live in melancholy. It's called reckless abandon and guilt." Or perhaps something else.

"Oh. Oh, I'm sooo sorry. I hadn't realized you were reckless."

Kyrie laughed. "Just wait."

James had told him to be careful. But Kyrie could already feel his blood churning. It was due to the very reason James wanted him to be careful.

♢ ♢ ♢

DJ had his eyes closed and one hand around Centra's shoulders. His relaxed look betrayed the tension running through his veins. Centra would have worried more about him, if it weren't for his tight but warm grip on her hand.

Jasper was seated next to Liza. He fidgeted with the wand his brother had given him as he worried over how things would go. Would they all make it back?

Liza was impatiently tapping her finger against her knee. Then it happened.

Kyrie's spoke through the command chat, "We're approaching the gate."

DJ sat up and kissed Centra. He was worried it would be their last. And Centra was as well. She clasped his cheeks and DJ pulled her into his lap. One hand on her upper back and the other warm against her lower back.

Liza nudged Centra in the ribs.

Centra was tempted to continue but Liza was persistent and now wasn't the time. Centra broke their kiss and watched DJ.

Centra definitely wasn't hearing anything Kyrie had to say. She rested her head against DJ's chest and heard only his strong–loud heartbeat.

DJ pulled Centra's warm body against his chest. He'd have to adjust things when he got up.

Liza sighed. She'd have to repeat their instructions to Centra and DJ later.

Kyrie had passed on a general plan of attack.

Liza pulled out a dagger and wiped her already clean weapon down. Soon they'd need to get out. Soon they'd be joining the fight to defend their city.

♢ ♢ ♢

Kyrie and Ren got off their death traps and headed for the guard manning the gate.

As they approached the guard, Kyrie glanced at the solid doors. They were Ironwood, like most structures in the city. But the doors and walls here were reinforced through construction and runes, powered by a separate aura generation unit. It was a last line of defense.

And they had to open the doors to get out.

When Kyrie got in range of the guard he said, "We're here on a counterattack mission. How are things on the other side?"

The guard shook his head. "You'll see soon enough. If you're here for what you say you are."

Kyrie nodded and placed his hand on the tablet the guard held out for him.

*Kyrie Say, Mission: Main defense of Laserath.*

"And the Miss?"

*Ren Perdita. Mission: Support Kyrie Say.*

"So, you want out. To do that we'll have to strengthen the barrier over the door before we open it." The guard frowned at the door. "The barriers already pretty thin. You'll need to relieve the pressure on it quickly to keep it from collapsing."

Kyrie glanced up. He nodded. There was an awful lot of blue coming through the barrier.

The guard glanced at the convoy. "Are you all going through at once?"

"No." Kyrie looked back at the guard. Sending all of them through at once would make things harder. "I'll be going first, then Ren'll follow. You can close the door behind us to relieve the strain on the barrier." Kyrie tapped the band of his holo-watch. "We'll tell them when we have a foothold."

The guard nodded. Give us a moment and we'll be ready to let you out. "The guard turned to go. But stopped as he realized something. "Do you want us to have the guards on the wall aim towards the gate or focus elsewhere?"

Kyrie grimaced, he didn't want to deal with friendly fire. "You can have them aim 30-feet ahead of us or wherever else they're need."

The guard nodded and entered the gatehouse.

Kyrie fiddled with his wallet chain, as he watched the gate.

Ren had her back towards Kyrie as she watched their teammates. She smiled and waved at them. But inside her heart was beating quickly and her clothes felt too tight, too restrictive. She'd been through fights like this before but that never made it any easier for her. It didn't help her nerves or the trembling in her legs as she waited.

Waiting always waiting. It seemed like she'd spent so much of her life waiting for what will come and shred things to bits. Even as she improved and grew, she waited. For the next betrayal, the next attack, the next loss of one she knew – of one she loved.

And here she was once again, waiting. Only this time it was one of the few moments where she waited to act, to do. To fight for the life she and Amity had started here, in their new home.

Amity waved back and turned to their friends and classmates. She'd give them a rundown on what to do, on the plan. On how to increase their chances of survival.

The gatehouse door opened. And the guard walked out. "We're ready. I'll open the door now."

Kyrie removed Taru from his back. Ren took careful hold of her claymore and stood slightly behind Kyrie.

The large wooden doors opened. They opened quietly and quickly. They revealed a sight that had the Sargent shocked and worried. "Well shit."

There was no room at all on the other side of the barrier. No room to get out. No room for the weapons of Ren and Kyrie's size to be swung.

It was worse than Kyrie and Ren had expected.

Because there was simply no room.