Picking at chipping wood from the windowsill, Liesel hummed absentmindedly to herself. She was trying to take her mind off of the protests of ignorance from the man on the floor. With a huff she turned and looked at him with narrowed eyes. The fact that he just started laughing at them both didn't seem to settle well with Erik either. With a shrug he flexed his hand in the air, the man's gun appeared in his hand. But instead of firing off a bullet he instead hit him firmly around the temple. In seconds the man was unconscious.

Turning the gun over in his hands, Erik gave a shrug. Placing it in his pocket, he walked over to her. Rocking on her heels she merely looked up at him. Erik frowned, she didn't even need to voice her question, her expression said it all. And truthfully speaking, Erik did not know what to do now. He had hoped the soldier would just confess all when put under enough pressure; and Erik really did apply some pressure to him, but no. He stayed silent. Resolute on being mute. They did not want to know all the inner most secrets to bring the empire down. They just wanted to know of a way out, and of the whereabouts of Liesel's sister.

Scratching her head in thought, she glanced out of the window and then at him. "It's not about the size of a dog in a fight. It's the size of the fight that is within the dog." Erik looked at her curiously with her choice of words. Liesel turned and looked at him fully. Reaching up she placed her hands against his shoulders. "I will fight to find my sister, and to get out of here...I may require help though, because...well, I'm small and not as strong as you."

Erik smiled and turned towards the door. "Anyone who can stop a man's heart with a touch is plenty strong." He nodded his head and she followed after him briskly. "But I won't lie, you are small, I agree with you on that. Everything else I don't." Liesel pouted yet sighed and hung her head. Waving a hand at him, she merely smiled and let it go. Opening the door the two of them tentatively peeked around it, seeing the coast was clear they ran out, making sure to keep low to the ground and in the shadows.

Hunkering down near a cabin, they paused and looked about themselves. Tapping Liesel on the shoulder, Erik merely pointed a finger to the side. She squinted against the bleak light and shook her head quickly. Grabbing a hold of her wrist, Erik dragged her around the cabin and closer to their target. A long driveway was situated peeking out between where the medical building was and the soldier's barracks. An hour or so earlier it had been the same driveway which Schmidt had driven down and disappeared on. Pausing again between the two buildings, they looked about. By now any prisoners which were milling about in the grubby space had disappeared. Neither knew where to. But with them gone, so were the soldiers. Even as they knelt in the mud they could hear talking from one building.

"It cannot be time for bed yet." Liesel whispered while looking to the side at Erik. "Do you think they are on lockdown?"

"Or are they doing something else?"

"Like?"

"News of the landings must have reached everyone by now, yes? If we are to presume that then they'd be preparing for an attack." Erik paused to see Liesel give a nod, so far she was following. "Listen to them...do they sound relaxed? They sound concerned. They are worried, Liesel. Also...is it not a bit too quiet? Even when everyone is shut away there is still noise."

"What are you saying? That they've done something else to the others here?" Liesel's concern was evident in her voice.

"I do not know." Erik said only to exclaim her name in a harsh whisper when she stood and bolted out from their hiding place. Gritting his teeth he clenched his fists before letting out a heavily irritated sigh. Impulsive little girl! Looking from one side to the other, Erik groaned.

The gate was so close. A five minute walk if that. Yet he couldn't rightfully leave her running amok. Standing up, Erik ran after her. She didn't make her presence secretive so why should he? It was a bit late for secrecy anyway. After all, a few soldiers were already dead thanks to him, and another was unconscious in a shack. Skidding around a corner he watched Liesel come running out of a cabin, prisoners shambling after her, all confused as to what was happening. Frantically looking about she picked up running again. Hearing shouting and the clicking of a gun being cocked, Erik moved forwards. Liesel got to him first and the force of sparking light which came from her hand all but punched a hole through the man's chest. He didn't stand a chance. Even before he hit the ground he was dead. Eyes staring blankly at nothing.

Kicking the gun from his hands, she managed to hook her foot underneath and flick it upwards. Looking it over she frowned. Suddenly feeling its weight double she dropped it and looked to the side. "You have no need for that." Erik said, a little out of breath from running and a firm look on his face.

"Coming from you?" Liesel countered and went to clutch at the gun again only to have it slide away from her. "Oi! If you can have one so can I!"

Erik raised an eyebrow, that didn't sound at all childish, did it? Musing sarcastically over her moment he put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her backwards. He heard the rushing of boots, and it didn't take much to figure out the soldiers were aware to the sudden freedom of some. The two rather childishly glared at each other only to snap out of it when there was a gunshot. Liesel flinched and looked around while practically taking to suddenly death gripping his arm. Erik frowned and edged them backwards to watch as someone had clutched onto the gun he had tried to get away from Liesel.

Noticing how the owner of the gun was a fellow captive, Erik pulled her forwards. "You know what you spoke of earlier?"

"Which part?" Liesel asked worriedly as she was tugged towards the fighting. More soldiers had appeared and easily outnumbered those who were free. Squabbles were happening left right and centre, and if it continued on; those who Liesel had freed would be killed.

"The fighting part."

"Yes?" She answered uncertainly. Not really totally sure where he was going with this.

"Time to hold up to that." Erik said while casting a quick look her way before rushing over to help a pair with a small group of soldiers.

Liesel stood there for a moment before shaking her head and jumping to it. Instead of running to join in with the fighting, she ran to a set of cabins and sent a shock through the lock. The door swung open. "Those who can, fight. But others must go and free those who are still shut away." With that said she ran and barrelled into a soldier. She yelped at being roughly picked up by the scruff of her shirt and shaken about. Reaching up she placed her hands against the arm holding her, there was a groan of pain from the man before she was dropped. Standing up straight she turned to only witness someone shoot the man. She gasped and ran away from the lifeless body. Suddenly being grabbed onto again, she screamed.

"Calm yourself, and stay close by." Erik held onto her tightly and looked her over. Perhaps when fighting came about, her saying it was one thing but actually following through was another. It didn't surprise him actually that she wasn't much of a fighter, that much had already blatantly made itself known.

"If we can hold out till morning, there may be some hope of us surviving this." Some man said while checking the gun in his hand.

Erik felt tugging on his sleeve and looked to Liesel. "What is it?"

"We must free the others."

Erik looked around and shook his head. "That's sorted, if your sister is freed she'll come here. Everyone seems to be..." Erik trailed off. Being in one place was perhaps not the wisest move ever. Turning, he looked to the man who had earlier spoken. "We must find somewhere to haul up."

The man seemed to ponder over this before nodding. "Agreed. Being a sitting duck isn't what we want. There," a finger was pointed towards a large administrative like building. It was large enough for everyone to go to, as well as being a sensible place to defend.

Feeling Liesel wiggling in his grasp, Erik went to say something to her only to see her relieved expression. Looking up, he looked to the girl which had her so fixated. Letting her go he stood and watched as Liesel practically threw herself into her sister's arms. Gretchen wasn't quite what Erik expected. She was taller than Liesel for one, with darker brown hair then Liesel's choppy auburn locks. They had the same features, just with different coloured eyes. Liesel's were a shocking green, whereas Gretchen's were a dull blue grey. For twins, they couldn't really look more different, he felt.

Liesel seemed to animatedly talk to her sister, and a few glances were sent his way as well as a pointed finger. Gretchen seemed reserved, not like her sister. Though Liesel was reserved when it was needed it seemed. But then, Erik had to remind himself, the sisters would've been treated differently. Regardless Gretchen seemed to listen to Liesel, even as she seemed to try and pull her back over to where Erik stood. Her sister was having none of it, which caused Liesel to huff and look irritated. It seemed to stand to reason, Erik turned and watched as those gathered moved to the building. If there were more soldiers, he didn't know. But it made sense that once getting her sister back, Gretchen would not want her to just run off again. A small part of him was irritated, much like Liesel.

Turning on his heels though he just left them to it. He looked downwards though when a small figure appeared by his side. "Where's your sister?"

Liesel looked uncomfortable at his question. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she looked hesitantly to him. "There's a woman...that was in the same cabin as her who seemed to look out for her. She didn't seem to wish to let her to walk with us."

"Us," Erik repeated in a thoughtful tone while looking up at the greying sky to her.

"Uh-huh, Gretchen seems to have a lady to look out for her, and I have you, right?" Liesel asked rather innocently while stuffing her hands in her pockets.

"Of course."

Liesel smiled and gave a small nod. "Consider it repaid. We've looked out for each other thus far, right?" Liesel looked at him hesitantly while watching as he gave a slow nod. The peace was broken rather quickly by the sounds of gunfire. Erik all but vaulted into Liesel and pulled her out of the way of the bullets raining down. He shielded her eyes from those who fell, she gripped onto his hand which was over her eyes yet remained silent. Managing to hunker down more in the ditch like structure he'd pulled them into, Erik looked through dying foliage as those freed scattered and tried to find anywhere to go before the bullets got to them.

So getting to a safe place to haul up and defend seemed to be a harder task than what he expected. Not that he expected it to go smoothly. Everything about this was far from smooth. Turning and pressing his back against the dirt behind him he shut his eyes and stayed silent as marching boots walked past them. When the sound dissipated, Erik opened an eye and looked down at the burnt ground before them. Noticing slight twisted forms, he paled and looked away and to the side. The ditch sloped and led to level ground. Keeping a hand over Liesel's eyes he pulled her away. The two stumbled a few times, and in the end Erik stopped.

"I want you to keep your eyes shut, Liesel." He removed his hand and noticed with relief as her eyes stayed scrunched tightly shut. Putting his arms tentatively around her, he hoisted her into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist as he walked off with some ease. His boots slipped and caught in dirt, snow, ice, and remains but he still managed to get them out of the pit. Managing to get to even ground, Erik continued walking for a few metres. The surrounding tree line thickened with thin silver bark covered trees with twisting branches and leafless boughs. Placing Liesel down, he looked about before tapping her on the shoulder.

Her eyes opened and looked about. "What...where is everyone else?" She went to move forwards only for him to stop her. She called out only to get cut off by him putting a hand over her mouth to mute the sounds coming from her. She wiggled and fought to get free only to slump in his arms. She didn't have the strength or energy to fight him.

"I am sorry, Liesel...but we had to go, I saw them retreat, but we got cut off." Erik explained as simply as he could while eyeing up a rusty looking fence before them. He had almost overlooked it because of the trees growing in out and around it. Letting her go, he watched as she slouched exhaustedly against a tree as he walked over to the fence. Placing his hand against it he frowned slowly at the feeling of bending buckling metal underneath his palm. Slowly but surely the fence bent into itself and a way towards the surrounding tree line was in sight. Erik turned and looked at Liesel, she looked at him blankly. She wanted to go back, that was obvious. She had someone to go back for, but he didn't. And he had silently vowed to try and keep her safe, alive, or at least alive enough to see freedom...after that, who knew. Holding out his hand, he sighed gently. "We're together now, Liesel. No going back, there's only going forward. We can't hesitate and linger here. Come on," Erik said while watching as she stumbled through the snow covered ground towards him. Reaching up she slipped her hand into his as they started to climb over the busted fence.

----

Edited: 7/June/2019

Reedited: 13/August/2021