"No..." Magnus said, as the thicket of sepia arboreal columns crumbled in its path.

A tanker barreled its way with white noise filling his ears as his father waved at everyone to clear the entrance. Citizens dispersed like insects, and the tanker was the shoe about to crush them. His hearing returned when the cannons began firing, launching rounds of lightning at the vehicular battering-ram. The southern wall rippled upon impact, causing everyone standing on it to stumble back. When Magnus recovered, he rushed to the edge and peered over to find the tanker wedged in the wall like a tick to flesh. Another wave from the army charged forward, and this time, they forced their way through the wake created by the vehicle.

"Protect this place!" Jupiter shook his shoulders. "I want you to free Estera, but do not let them have her. Do you hear me?"

"Why are you protecting her?"

"Because I knew her father."

"Who was he?"

"There's no time to explain. Now go!" he urged. "This fight is for Samson."

Jupiter aimed his rifle over the ledge and howled Spanish curse words while pumping electric bullets into the warriors climbing past the tanker. Feeding off his energy, Magnus raised his fist into the air and roared while running along the wall with his bow bouncing on his back. Down below, Rafi formed a line with other citizens as they sprayed bullets at the deluge of flesh pushing through the entrance. Above him, the hum of a drone flying over the wall caught Magnus's attention.

Pressing a finger to his ear, he called Mira. "Did we get a new drone?"

"Is it electric blue?"

"No."

"Then it's not ours, and you better watch your six because they're climbing up the wall behind you!"

"Thanks."

Drawing his bow, he aimed at the machine zipping past him and launched an arrow. It darted through the air in a sharp cry before puncturing the drone, and free-falling to the ground—shattering.

"Nice one!" Mira congratulated. "But you better turn around 'cause you've got company."

Magnus spun on his heels and drew two arrows—slingshotting them to one of the warriors climbing over the wall. They pierced the young woman's leather armor, and she tore them from her chest before collapsing backward. Magnus rushed to the edge in time to see her fall into the crowd at the base of the wall. However, it didn't stop them from clawing at the masonry with picks to help them climb, so he began shooting at the people ascending. Beside him, his archers released electric arrow, after arrow onto the mob, causing some to convulse before retreating into the forest.

"Are you good here?" Magnus shouted into an archer's ear.

"We've got this!" he replied. "Go on. Help the others."

Continuing his mission, he ran down the stone steps to where Rafi was. Only a few minutes had gone by, yet people were spilling through the entrance, and his friend's line of defense was being pushed back as citizens began panicking.

"Stand your ground!" Magnus shouted, and sent three arrows soaring towards a tall, muscular man swinging an ax.

Two people that he'd known all of his life, were struck in the face, knocking them sideways in a pile of lifeless limbs. He slung another arrow, with the glass tip flashing before sliding into the goliath's neck. As if being pricked by a mosquito, he slapped a hand to it before collapsing back in a shallow puff of dust. When Magnus glanced around, the line of defense was broken, and his people were engaging in face to face combat as they emptied their gun chambers while warriors swung their swords. Victims were dropping, and the street was glistening with scarlet puddles.

On top of the wall, Zemora rushed by in a blur as she sprinted from cannon to cannon, ordering her men to abandon them and assist in combat. She picked up a saber from the ground and began slamming it onto the hands reaching over the wall. Faint cries carried back to Magnus as she held someone's chopped hand high in the air, presenting it to Catalina before chucking it over the ledge. He searched about for his father and spotted him pumping his rifle as if watering his lawn with a hose over the people running through the gate. When he was out of bullets, his father tossed it aside and dove from the wall with arms wide. He landed on two men, causing them to collapse to their knees, and when Jupiter rolled to his feet, he dragged a dagger under their necks.

Magnus flinched. He'd never seen the animalistic side to his father, nor did he know that he even possessed one.

"Come on, Mag!" Rafi yelled beside him. "Don't give up."

When he spun to focus on his friend who's face was sprayed with scarlet freckles, he snapped out of his daze. A woman, dressed in spiked armor was charging their way while swirling a ball and chain above her head.

"Get down!" he shouted and launched an arrow into her chest plates. It didn't stop her, but it gave time for Rafi to turn and shoot an electric bullet into her skull. Her body was in the midst of toppling back when Rafi moved onto his next opponent.

"I have to go," Magnus said breathlessly.

"Do what you gotta do," Rafi grunted and shot another combatant.

As he ran from the main street, he slid past citizens fighting with Catalina's army and ducked into the alleyway for the Weather Room. If he was going to protect Estera, then he needed to get her out of the dungeon.

∆∆∆

When the jail cell door clanged open, Estera propped her head up, causing her dark hair to part away like satin drapes. Magnus inhaled a sharp breath at the sight of the dark caverns encompassing her mahogany eyes. She was still tied to the wooden chair, in the same dress, and with the stale scent of urine in the air. A tray of food was off to the side with flies buzzing around chicken bones. As his boots scuffed across the stone floor, he wondered if they'd taken things too far? Inhumane treatment was not something he wanted to condone or make a habit of, even if she had betrayed his people on a level that was unforgivable.

"Is my mother out there?" she asked.

"Yes." His fingers paused on the ties around her ankles. "You look like her."

"She had me when she was eighteen years old. Did you know that?"

"No."

"I never knew who my father was. She's never said. Maybe it's because she doesn't know either?"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I'm not a bad person, Magnus, and I need you to see me as a person."

"I do see you."

"No, you don't. You can't even look at me."

To prove her wrong, he locked his eyes on hers. "Well?"

"I'm not a bad person, but I was raised by one."

"You can't blame this all on her," he scoffed. "You made your choices. You chose to use me. You chose to follow my brother. You chose to scheme."

"And I'm sorry."

"What does sorry mean after all the lies you've told? My brother is dead."

"Then why are you releasing me?"

"Because my father wants me to, but if it were up to me, I'd leave you here."

"Why is he releasing me?"

"He wants me to protect you."

"You, protect me?" she snorted.

"Your arm is still injured. I doubt you can fight the way you're used to." He released the binds from her wrists, and she began massaging them.

"I have good muscle memory."

"You're not going to fight, Estera."

"You can't ask a wolf not to hunt." She stood and straightened her dress. "It's in my nature."

"Yeah, well, you definitely have the whole wolf in sheep's clothing down." He set his jaw and darted his eyes away with hands on hips. Looking at her was too difficult. Knowing that he'd been intimate with her was even worse. Not even scrubbing his flesh clean in the shower could wash away the embarrassment he felt for being fooled. Used. "We should go."

They climbed the steep steps leading up to the hidden door in the floor of his office, and when they surfaced, Mira was there waiting. Blinking light from the TV screens spilled across the concrete, illuminating the room. She held out a small pile of spare clothes to Estera, and when she reached for them, Mira narrowed her eyes.

"Zemora wants her dress back."

"She can have it!" Estera replied, and pulled the dress up and over her head.

"Jesus really?" Magnus turned away while she balanced on one foot and then the other to pull on jeans.

"Can't handle a little skin?"

"Are you ready?" He rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Yep. Just hand me a sword and we're good to go."

"Nice try, but you're not getting one." He nodded towards the door and began making his exit. "Let's roll."

"Just remember that I'm watching you, Estera." Mira motioned to the screens. "So if you try hurting my best friend, I'll have proof."

"Noted."

"Looks like we're all set then. Let's head out." Magnus brought his bow forward and began leading the way up the basement steps to street level.

Once they were outside, the ratatat from the gatlings and the soft purr from automatic weapons filled the air like the mountain mist anchoring to the buildings. When he turned around, screaming citizens were running past the alleyway with warriors on their heels, so he slammed the basement doors shut, sealing Mira safe inside. Doing a quick tug on Estera's sleeve, he sprinted towards the main road but flattened himself against the cold brick building. A shiver ran up his back with Estera's breaths warm on his arm as she stuck close to his side, but he ignored the sensation to concentrate on the street. Above them, the rope bridges creaked as people scurried across it to lock themselves inside the protection of their homes.

"We need to get to the weapons room. I saw explosives in there."

"Explosives?"

"Yes. Electric ones."

"Um, what?" Estera reeled back.

"Your people will go kaboom, but everything else won't."

"They're not my people anymore..." She looked away.

"Good. Then you won't mind if I do this?"

As a warrior ran past the alleyway, he raised his bow, aimed at their back, and released the arrow. It wedged between their shoulder blades, and they struggled to rip it out as if it was an itch they couldn't reach. Magnus released another arrow and this time it brought them to their knees.

"That'll buy us some time. Now hurry!"

He tugged on Estera's hand and took off in a sprint towards the Great Hall. They dodged the citizens running past, but when they came face to face with some of Catalina's people, they skidded to a halt. The warriors stared back at them with confusion creasing across their foreheads. One of them muttered Estera's name before pointing his sword at her in a challenge.

"Get behind me," Magnus insisted, but she balled her fists and clocked the fist person she set her eyes on.

A spurt of crimson flew from their mouth in an arc as their head fell back. She kicked their legs, forcing them to kneel in a thud that shattered their patellas like glass. The punch to their throat would've collapse them, but she held onto their mohawk to keep them upright before stepping behind them to break their neck. Magnus flinched, but Estera moved onto the next one.

"A little help," she grunted, as she kneed another opponent in the groin.

"Right."

As one lunged for him, he slid his bow open, revealing the hidden blades, and swiped at his attacker. From the corner of his eye, Estera was onto her third warrior and making swift work of taking them out. Meanwhile, he struggled to go toe to toe with the angry assassin whirling their cutlass at him. Sweat trickled down his temples in rivulets of panic, but when the sharp edge came close to slicing off his nose, shiny steel pierced through the warrior's chest. The man's jaw opened and closed as he stared down at the injury, and Estera stepped out from behind him while sliding the sword back out.

"Finish him," she said to Magnus, but he shook his head.

"Suit yourself." In one quick motion, she swiped the blade under their throat. "We should keep moving."

"Right." Magnus swallowed.

"And you should've given me a sword from the start," she said as they continued running.

They bounded up the stone steps, but the Great Hall doors were sealed shut. Magnus pounded a beat into the thick wood to signal those who were barricaded, but instead of a response from inside, a deep voice barked Estera's name from behind them. When he spun to confront the source, he didn't expect to find a tall warrior with sepia flesh that covered corded muscles. Nor the sleek, black hair tied in a knot which emphasized his chiseled cheekbones and sharp jawline. His posture was strong like the trees surrounding the fortress, and as he stepped forward, his confidence matched. Estera, however, was unfazed as she lifted her chin.

"I've been looking all over for you," Dev said.

"Sorry. Got a little tied up." She side-eyed Magnus.

"Who's that?" Dev nodded to him.

"Funny, I was just wondering who the hell you are!" Magnus spit back, but Estera stepped forward, her frame slightly blocking him.

"He's Jupiter Juarez's son. I turned him against his people. He's with us as long as we show him mercy when this is over."

"Is that so?" Dev grinned. "I don't know why I'm surprised. You're Catalina's daughter after all. What's inside those doors?"

"Their weapons. We're going to turn them on his people."

"Then let's get in there!"

When Estera faced Magnus, she winked, but with all of her lies, he couldn't tell who was playing who? As Dev approached, Magnus tilted his head back slightly to take in his enemy's tall form. The warrior dwarfed him in height and brawn and held Estera's heart as well since they were engaged to marry. He was a cornered animal on the Great Hall steps with two wolves nipping at his legs, but he jerked when Estera jumped onto Dev's back and ran her blade across his throat. She leapt down, causing his body to collapse, and circled him. Bending at the waist, she lifted his chin, forcing him to look her in the eyes as scarlet rivulets ran below his neck.

"Why, Estera?" he gurgled as blood coated his lips.

"Because the blood of my people relies on my hand. The blood of my people will never soak this land. For I am the chosen, a warrior, a mountain, a force no enemy can command, and the north are my people now."

Dropping his chin, she stepped back, allowing him to fall. When his body thudded with a splash at Magnus's feet, he jumped back. The pooling of crimson rolled towards Estera, and he finally looked up at her. His pulse was quick, and his eyes wide as he brought a hand to his chest.

"But... you were going to marry him."

"I was, but not for love." She wiped the blade on her pant leg and nodded at the Great Hall doors. "You should get the explosives. I'm going to look for my mother."

"I don't think so. You're not leaving my sight."

"After all of this..." Estera motioned over Dev. "You still think I'm against you?"

"I think you'd do anything to survive. Which means I can't trust you."

"Well, you're gonna have to." Estera began backing away, and when he tried reaching for her, she brought the sword up. "Trust me. Please."

Magnus retracted but nodded. "Don't disappoint me. Don't make me regret this."

To be continued...

***
Thanks for sticking with me! I got stuck on this chapter with some bad writer's block/imposter feels, but I snapped out of it. Yaaay 🎉

I also had to break this up because it was becoming a very long chap. Next update will be soon. My goal is Sunday 6/21

Cheers 🍻