Nikolai stood beneath the sewage access ladder beneath the bazaar, one hand on the cold steel, the other clenched at his side. "Don't prioritise anything other than your own life, if someone gets hit... as heartless as it sounds. We cannot afford to stop. The first goal is to reach Verda and the Shadow Guard."
'Without them, the gateway won't open...'
Brunhilde, Tanya, Sarah and the thralls watched him with quiet stares; some nodded, others lowered their heads.
He wasn't a stranger to this look, seeking his guidance, borrowing his confidence while they judged and sought answers within everything he did.
"Phew." Taking a moment, he closed his eyes, gathering himself.
The low rumble of explosions and ring of gunfire still reverberated through the steel lid above, "I'm going."
Psyching himself up, he began his ascent.
The foul stench of the sewer decreased the further he climbed, replaced by the harsh scent of ash, gunpowder and sickly heat.
