45. Run!

Kiren reached Lace’s position and found her wounded but alive, being seen to by Steelfeather.

He did a double take at the nightmarish amalgam of a Beast that lay close by, wholly still.

There was little time to marvel at it, however.

The reinforcing Heroes had barely set up positions when more spawnlings rushed in towards them. There were only a few at first. They were easily dispatched by Haden, Titaness, and Goldcoin while Counter and Veera kept the perimeter around the wounded clear. More kept coming, however, and soon a tide of the creatures beset them from all directions, both spawnlings and infested, crazed humans. Their screams could be heard from several streets away, an unholy symphony that warped Kiren’s senses and threw everything out of focus.

There were hundreds of them.

They had no other choice. They were forced to flee. Kiren took Lace on his back, while Haden carried Cliff-Face over his shoulders. There was no time to recover the other corpses.

The spawnlings nipped at their heels as they ran. More and more added to their numbers, until the roar of their collective rage was almost deafening.

Only one creature I know has the power to command this many Beasts, Kiren thought.

Evangel.

He saw no sign of the man in the wooden mask, even when he looked back.

Kiren was certain, however. No one else could be behind this.

The gates to the Lodge were opened as quickly as the watchmen saw them approach, and closed behind them as soon as they were through. It was a miracle they made it that far without losing anyone, no doubt influenced by Goldcoin’s luck.

A large group of spawnlings still got through the gates as they were closing. Goldcoin picked off three or four with expert stabs of his rapier. Counter brought up shields of blue energy to protect the exhausted Heroes while Titaness pounded the remaining Beasts into mulch.

The gates rattled in their massive frame as the seemingly endless tide of spawnlings on the other side attempted to push their way through.

Kiren paid it no mind.

Lace was through. She was safe.

He let her down off his back. She could stand on her own. She flashed him a tired smile as thanks. Her arms were covered in soot and gore, and she cradled her side tenderly.

Tommyn ran down the steps of the wall and greeted Haden with a hug. Goldcoin had an apprentice dab his forehead with a cloth after the long run, and Titaness held the gates shut against the unspeakable horde beyond.

Kiren took Lace by the arm. “Let’s get you to the House of Healing and see what Good Doctor can do for you.”

She was in no position to protest, but as Kiren guided her towards the smaller building next to the Guild Hall, a frail woman with long, blonde hair approached them.

The woman from before.

Lace’s mother.

“Mom!” Lace exclaimed. “You made it! I was so worried.”

“I should say the same,” the woman said. “I thought I might never see you again. The way you stepped in front of those monsters…” She gently touched Lace’s face with the tips of her fingers. “I can’t believe you survived. It shouldn’t be possible.”

Kiren’s face grew hot with anger.

“Then why did you leave her behind to die?” he growled. “What sort of mother are you?”

The woman shrank away and pulled her hands to her chest.

“I-I…” was all she could stammer out.

“Kiren, it’s alright,” Lace said. “I told her to leave. She would only have gotten in my way. I doubt I would have survived if I had to protect both of us.”

The woman nodded insistently. “Please. We can talk about blame later. Right now I just want to see my daughter.”

“Oh, do not think I’ll let you off the hook,” Kiren said. “Lace told me what you did. Exactly the kind of mother you were.” He jabbed a finger in her face, getting more and more worked up. “Don’t think a few smiles and kind words can make up for what you put her through. That shit doesn’t ever go away.”

“Kiren, stop it!” Lace said.

Lace’s mother looked down at the ground. She nodded slowly. “You’re right. I have no excuses. I just… I just want to be in her life again.” She paused and glanced up at him. “I take it you’re her suitor?”

Kiren and Lace shared a look.

“Well, I mean…” Kiren said, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to figure out an answer.

He didn’t actually know what they were.

“Yes,” Lace said with a smile that was tired but genuine. “Yes, he is.” She kissed his scaly cheek.

Lace’s mother nodded. “Good.” She extended a frail hand towards him. “I am Nanna Amar. What’s your name?”

Kiren stared skeptically at her hand. He didn’t take it.

Eventually, she let it fall.

“Kiren,” he said.

“Well, Kiren. If I ever hurt Lace again, sock me one. Hard.”

Kiren grinned. “Easy.”

“Do something for me in return, though.”

“What’s that?”

“Hold yourself to the same standard. My daughter deserves a good man.”

Kiren snorted. “Lace is perfectly capable of punching me herself, thank you very much.”

Lace shared a hug with Nanna, and the three of them went to the House of Healing, where several patients were already being treated. Frog-Face was out, dabbing his runny forehead with a cloth while poking and prodding at a civilian who had ingested the tainted Angel’s Kiss.

Frog-Face and Good Doctor had assembled a small hoard of the drug in the latter’s office from the townsfolk who had taken shelter inside the Lodge.

Nanna’s eyes bugged out as she stared at the heavy sack of pink vials simply sitting there on the Hero’s desk. She licked her dry lips.

Kiren watched her intently, fists clenched and raring to go.

She shook her head violently and turned her back to the room.

“I need some air,” she said. “Please excuse me.”

She left the House of Healing, and Kiren unclenched his fists. At least he didn’t have to step in, this time.

They got Lace into a bed, and after a bit, she was seen to by Good Doctor. She had suffered three broken ribs from her fight with the humanoid Beast, and one of them had almost punctured a lung.

The better part of fifteen minutes later, her ribs were mostly fixed, and she was fit enough to walk unassisted. It was all the time Good Doctor could spare before she had to move on to the more critical patients.

“Wait, Master,” Lace said as Good Doctor made to walk out of the room. “Where’s Excelerate? I didn’t see him in here. He’s still supposed to be getting care, isn’t he?”

Good Doctor’s face seemed to droop with age all of a sudden. She set her jaw and stuck her hands in the pockets of her white coat. “Haven’t seen him in days. He refuses to let me treat him properly. He’s as pig-headed as they come, that one.”

“He must be in his room, then,” Kiren said. “It’s not like he can get far on those squeaky little legs of his.”

A quick check on the fourth floor of the Guild Hall debunked that idea. His room was empty. The bed was a mess, and there were several empty bottles strewn around the room, but no sign that he had been there recently.

On his way out, he kicked something with his foot. He bent down and picked it up.

A small glass vial, with a few drops of pink liquid left at the bottom.

Love potion.

Aw, fuck, Kiren thought. Looks like we need to find him, and quick.

He ran back down the stairs and stormed into the House of Healing. Lace had just gotten out of bed and was struggling to get into her tunic.

“Was he there?” Lace asked, voice muffled by the fabric.

“No, and I’ve got worse news.” When Lace had gotten the tunic over her head, he threw her the vial. “Found that in his room. He’s been using.”

Lace went pale.

Mina helped them find Good Doctor again, who was tending to a man with blood leaking from his nose, his eyes impossibly bloodshot.

“If Excelerate isn’t in his room, where could he have gone?” Lace asked.

“It’s not like he could have been out hunting Villains when this all went down,” Kiren said.

Good Doctor looked quizzically at them, but they only had to show her the vial for her to understand the gravity of the situation.

“He owns a house here in South Side,” Good Doctor said. “He used to live there, before… Well, before. It’s on Tinker Street. Big, red weathervane on top, you can’t miss it.”

“Thanks,” Lace said.

Kiren was already headed for the door.

“If Jorge has ingested any of the tampered drugs, he won’t have much time,” Good Doctor said. “If he is still alive at all.” Her hands curled into fists, and she closed her eyes. “I know it’s selfish of me, but please… Bring him back to me. Whatever condition you find him in, I don’t care, I just want to see him again.”

“We’ll bring him back,” Lace said.

“Alive,” Kiren added.