"Quick! Pick up the pace!"
The Count shouted, urging the retreating soldiers to speed up.
He could already smell it, the overwhelming scent of blood approaching ever closer.
The chaos of the unit tasked with holding them off bought them time.
Yet, the time gained wasn't enough.
The pursuing enemy drew closer, and both Kana and Alyris couldn't help but sense the scent of blood in the air.
"I see it!" a Knight shouted, his voice filled with surprise.
In the distance, they could see the boats downstream and the townsfolk on the shore.
Though somewhat chaotic, the fleeing townsfolk were boarding the rafts in an orderly fashion.
A sharp noise pierced the air, followed by a ringing in everyone's ears.
Now, unlike before, every soldier knew the cause of the ringing—an indication that the enemy was close behind.
At least a third of the townsfolk had yet to board the rafts, in addition to these soldiers.
Almost everyone knew that escaping safely seemed nearly impossible now.
