"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.

Quake startled by the wolfen's initiative insisted to be put back down, "AH! I appreciate the incentive but I can handle myself quite easily here, Kana!"


Kana just growled and kept on running.

*********

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.

Lysana danced a little in fright as the air ship descended.

"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!

Bruno fired another flare with his flint lock pistol. The color was not the typical red color but blue. As if on que the main forward cannons charged up before unloading a barrage of Ball Lightning hits against the hybrid monstrosity bearing down on the party.

***SSKKRAAACCK!!***

They hit with full force knocking the creature onto its back crushing any of the unfortunate dezidens of the city. Two, the attack pinned the creature's wings to the adjacent buildings.

The airship touched down moments later within reach of the party. A sturdy plank was lowered just in time. From the bow, the first mate yelled, "MOVE IT PEOPLE AND LADS!! YOU GOT TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE NET WEARS OFF!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Roberts exclaimed. "Move it, people. We don't have all day." He ushered the rest of the party on board, then his men. He was insistent that he be the last to board. It was an old tradition that he brought with him - he would always be the first of his men into the fray and the last of hie men to leave. He would never lead from the rear.