41 No Room (1/2)

Kyrie grabbed Taru from one end and swung her twice. Once to test and one more time to be sure he was ready.

There was no room. And too many trees.

He'd only have one chance to start things off right. Once he left this side of the barrier he couldn't come back until it was removed from covering the gate.

Kyrie turned from the open door and grinned at Ren. ”See ya in a moment.” He turned his back on her and the others.

The Sargent and so many others had thought, 'This is it we're done for.' But Kyrie hadn't even hesitated.

Kyrie's body lowered as he prepared his charge. Every one of his pounding steps left the clear image of a foot in the dirt. And just as he neared the barrier, he leapt. He cleared the first few rows of Tries – his weapon held in one hand, raised for its first strike.

The early afternoon sun glinted off Taru's blades as it fell, as they fell.

And when they hit the ground the Tries within three feet shattered along with the ground beneath Kyrie's feet.

And for a moment every member of the convey held their breath. They could no longer see him. They could only hear the sounds of crack, thud, and crash as limbs and cores broke.

Kyrie was killing the Tries faster than he had when he fought behind the dorms. And as he fought the temperature dropped from a warm summer day to a cool summer evening. Kyrie quickly drew energy in. Then expended it through his attacks. Right now, he could risk it. There was still a barrier standing between him and everyone else.

Soon Kyrie left the small crater and the glint of his blades could be seen amongst the Tries.

As the last Trie within ten feet of the gate fell, several thoughts came to the minds of the convoy, 'So this is a hero.' or 'He's a monster. He's a damned monster. When will he turn on us?'

Kyrie wouldn't have cared what most of the convoy thought, unlike Null. But he would have cared about the thoughts of his friends, of the ones he wanted to be his friends.

Kyrie's teammates had the soul-crushing thought, 'He doesn't need us.' For DJ and Jasper, this thought shocked and left an ache in their bones. One of them wanted to help him and the other wanted him. But he didn't need either of them. Perhaps, didn't want either of them.

For Centra this thought was racked with guilt. She hadn't listened to this person, this hero, who clearly knew what he was doing. But for Liza, this thought came with relief. She didn't need to worry so much that she'd become like her parents. She didn't need to worry that the handsome stranger who had walked into her life and was fast becoming her friend, would leave.

Well, most others in the convoy contemplated what they'd heard about this hero before them or compared themselves to the strength of a monster. Ren grinned. He'll be a tough one to keep up with.

Even as she thought this Ren ran through the barrier and to the side of another hero. One whose name was known and sung, unlike hers. But that was more than okay with her. It was perfect. All the fun, some of the responsibility, none of the blame. What could be better than that?

Before the others had finished processing what happened, the door of the gate swung closed with a bang. It was like a spell had been broken.

The Sargent shouted, ”Get in position! We'll follow soon.” The Sargent waited for those under his command to form up before he continued, ”Soon we'll join the battle. You've all seen what Kyrie can do. Let him take the brunt of the attack. We'll follow and make sure the Tries are down for the count.” The barrier above them flickered. ”We need to keep those things off the barrier, or our families will be the ones swarmed by them.”

The Sargent paused, glanced at his people, the lives he was responsible for. ”Don't be an idiot. The city walls may be right behind us, but we won't be able to return. Not until our mission is done.”

”We've cleared as much as we can without support.” Kyrie's voice came over the leaders' chat.

The Sargent turned from the members of the convoy and waited anxiously as the doors opened. ”We're on our way.”

The other side of the gate was a Trie graveyard. Leaves, sprouts, chopped and chipped wood, littered the ground.

Ren and Kyrie hadn't gained much ground, but they had killed so many Tries.

”Move out. We'll press forward and create a place for our med staff.”

”Got it,” Kyrie said as he took down another Trie.

Kyrie let his momentum spin his body, as he took stock of his situation. His and Ren's teams were a ways away from them. He might not be able to help them.