Chapter 35
Terror quickly spread among the people as the hounds began to flood through the southern gate. Hundreds of hell hounds were rushing about the streets as the guards struggled to take them down one by one using any means they could. The gate looked as though someone had deliberately taken explosives to it in order to blow the path open for them to rush inside. Flames were engulfing around the gate and spreading quickly to the surrounding buildings as they tried to slow the fire. It felt like an impossible task while the beasts were running amuck but if they allowed the flames to continue to spread they would surely have no buildings left for themselves to live among if they weren't burned to death by the flames themselves.
The screams of Prince Clyde's people could be heard throughout the entire safety zone as life after life was lost by the waves of beasts.
"Gunner," Prince Clyde looked away from General Tao back at him as he almost ordered the man to go somewhere safe. Stopping himself from speaking further he knew if he suggested him to hide it would only push him to do something reckless so he could only restrain himself from trying to force him to listen. Biting his tongue he uttered out the only words he could. "Be careful."
As Prince Clyde figure turned and rushed off towards the southern gate Gunner's heart beat fiercely against his chest. He could hear the sounds of the beasts as they ravaged the streets from a distance. They were slowly closing in on his location and if he did not move soon he could become a target on the streets. At his side stood Apollo while General Tao had rushed after the prince in order to aid him in protecting the people.
"Why are you still here?" Gunner asked as he glared at Apollo for standing next to him instead of getting involved in the battle.
"My sweet little hound if you got wounded during the hell hounds rampage do you think the prince would ever let me off?" Apollo smiled brightly as he left out the part that he simply wanted to remain beside Gunner. He had no interest in ensuring the safety of the prince just as the prince had no interest in ensuring his either. They had an agreement to aid in the restoration of the city but they had no agreement that he had to ensure the safety of Prince Clyde.
"I have something to ask you.." Gunner paused for a moment at the sight of the beasts running straight for them. People scattered everywhere as they tried to close themselves off inside buildings.
"What is it?" Apollo asked in response as he pondered over what would have the man so serious when everything was falling down around them to the plague of hell hounds.
"I want to make a deal with you.. Will you hear me out?" Gunner spoke once more as he began to take cautious steps in the direction of the incoming pack of hell hounds. He could hear their bellowing growls of desperation and hunger. Drool fell from their bared fangs as they ran directly in his direction.
"What are you talking about?" Apollo asked once more as he could not take his mind off the fact that Gunner was walking so casually in the direction of the incoming swarm of beasts. If he allowed himself to get caught so easily he would surely die. After a moment he realized that Gunner was not talking to him but at the direction of the hell hounds itself. With his mouth slightly open in confusion he found himself standing in place as he tried to understand what he was watching.
A streak of black shot across the air as a large hell hound landed on all fours beside Gunner from among the shadows. The beast looked under fed and starving but under the presence of Gunner it's body only shuddered slightly as it considered him the dominate one. It's dead white eyes glared at the incoming pack as a low growl echoed from it's throat. It's ears flicked back as it listened to the unknown whispers from Gunner to ensure that no one could hear their exchanging of words. After Gunner was done whispering down at the beast it bared it's fangs wide.
"Gunner.. what are you doing?" Apollo muttered under his breath while he could not help a faint blush from appearing on his face at the sight of Gunner controlling a beast that not even the prince nor anyone else could handle with care. It almost looked as though the man had become a king himself among the hounds as he watched the two rush into the swarm of hell hounds. Loosing focus to the sight in front of him he almost forgot that the safety zone was under attack and knew from the looks on the people around who saw the sight of Gunner and Jaegar fighting together that word would spread quickly when things were over. Due to the panic there were not many left who caught sight of them but all it would take was a single survivor to cause a panic over Gunner if he left it unattended.
"Forgive me.. but this must remain hidden for now." Not many options were left in Apollo's mind as he gave a faint smile and used his foot to send a survivor flying right into the jaws of a hell hound. As much as he personally enjoyed watching the growth of the man over time he knew he could not leave things alone. He was not willing to let Prince Clyde in on the things he knew about Gunner just yet as he wanted to see where the man would develop further as time went on. Taking note of the lives around who saw the action taking place before them he casually ensured that each and every one of them fell to the jaws of a beast. Gunner was so busy fighting the beasts that he could not see a thing leaving him completely unaware that the beasts he was killing had been casually fed the lives of those who'd witnessed him fighting along side a hell hound itself.