Quake grounded herself and added her own earth based shield to Serna's magical one, "IT WON'T HOLD FOR LONG! LADY! A LITTLE HELP HERE!"

The Shield Maiden gritted her teeth in determination as she bore half the brunt of Venger/Night Mare Monster's attack. When the creature completed its strafing run and flew off to circle around again, Serna did her best to hastily retreat with her friends.

"Thanks, Quake, I need that!" The Shield Maiden smiled as she ran.

Quake aimed the deck gun down and adjacent of the monster and fired two shots one on either side. ***BOOM! BOOM!*** The buildings closest crumbled and caved inwards creating a massive dust and debris cloud obscuring the party from view. "KANA grab Serna! I'll be right behind you!"

"RRRRAAAAUUUUGGGHHHH!" The Venger/Nightmare roared in dismay as the dust and debris cloud Quake kicked up not only slowed its attack but also hampered its vision.

"Not good! Not good! Not good!" The Drowling looked back and saw the others in peril, "Does anybody have anything that can STOP that thing?!"

"Now you care?!" The elementalist skidded to a halt, "Since when do you care about us? You're the immortal, why don't you do something heroic like,--" She was cut off when she heard Quake yelling for help.

"I am doing something heroic, you ninny!" War Scribe snapped, "I'm trying to lead us out of here through the only reliable back door that I know. If you can top that, Alyson, then please step up to the plate and do better! If not, shut up and keep running!"

"This being heroic, Scribe!" Growled the elementalist feeling frustrated that she couldn't do anything to help out. She hated running. She'd rather fight back but this city gave her a reason she had to get out.

"I have half a mind to kick your arrogant butt, Alyson," The Drowling shot back at the Elementalist, "How about showing a LITTLE gratitude to the people who are trying to save your life--NAMELY, ME!"

'Take Neven!' Kana Pathed to her sister. 'I'll take Serna back to help the others.'

Lysana sided up to Kana and grasped Neven off of her back as gently as she could and ran toward safety, or to create distance, while Kana ran back to Quake so Serna could help with her Shield.

"What in the Realm?" Neven gasped before he realized what was going on.

"Lysana," Irzen realized what The Monk was trying to do, "Can you support the both of us and still run? We might be too much weight. Are you sure you can do this?"

"Whoof!" Lysana noised. She knew that she could hold both of their weight and still run. Anything more and she would be hampered to a jog.

Irzen slid onto Lysana's back and patted her on her right flank, "We're ready when you are."

"Yeah, Willow, you are probably right. Bruno, where's that airship you promised me? THey're gonna have to clear us a pickup point while providing covering fire. Shoulda brought two." Roberts took up pace with the rest of the fleeing party.

"Waiting for your airship may not be the best option, Bruno," Willow offered as he quickly ran down the fallen tower, "We should reach the ground as quickly as possible and flee the way we came. As long as he keeps his current form; these buildings will hinder The Dark Lord's flight and give us plenty of cover to avoid the full force of his attacks."

"You go to ground, elf! You and your friends run for your lives if you can. Me, I've been running far too long." Bruno grinned as he noticed his ship coming into view, "Retreat and fight another day, elf. Har! Har! Har!"

War Scribe was the first to reach the ground. One of the undead Lizardmen tried to walk up to her and grab her but she caved in its head with her tome. Turning back to the others, she cried, "Move it people! Move it! We don't have all night!"

Kana ran up to Serna and scooped her up and took a few more pounces before she scooped Quake up as well. She then turned and ran as fast as she could to catch up with the others.

*********

Above the city towers an air ship appeared. It looked like a scaled down version of one of the ships from Jupiter Ascending. All metal with vertical feather bladed sails atop and on bottom. However, they were not fully deployed due to city towers and limited space. Figures could be seen by War Scribe, Willow and Alyson as it approached.

"Here comes the cavalry, ladies and gentlemen. Be ready to get aboard as soon as she sets down. Men, be ready to form a perimeter," Roberts called out. He knew that Bruno's airship might take a ding or two, but she should hold together with the onslaught that was coming. And, once clear of the buildings, she would be plenty fast enough to give the pursuers a run for their money.

"We're getting out of here on THAT THING?!" Irzen looked up at it in dismay at the descending airship, "With a half-Venger, half-Dragon monster already owning these skies? Bruno, unless you have a jet engine to get us out of here or a tac nuke to take out our pursuer we're going to be sitting ducks aboard that thing!"