Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) by V.A. Lewis (autobiographies to read .TXT) 📕

They opened fire at us, as we ran the other way. Victor blocked a bolt of energy with his staff, and let go of my hand. "Go, I’m right behind you!" he shouted.

He deflected another two bolts, then fired a small missile of magic back at them. I saw flashes of yellow light coming from Victor as I ran for the stairs. But the gunfire did not cease.

I flinched as I took my first step. I bit my tongue as bullets soared overhead, and took the second. The third. And then the rest.

I flew down the first flight of stairs, sprinting as fast as I could. I kept up my pace as I approached the next flight, and jumped over all the steps.

I felt a sharp pain on my knees as I landed, and shifted the forward momentum into a roll. I got back up and stumbled a bit, but was back to running in an instant.

I ran out an exit, and into the market street. There were dozens of guards running past stalls as people fled indoors. My eyes flickered to a wagon as the driver hopped off and ran away. Victor appeared backing up behind me, as I pointed.

"Horse, there!" I called out.

The young man’s head snapped to the horse-and-cart at the same time as a guard saw me. I knocked over a nearby fruit stand, and Victor made a dash for the animal.

He hopped on top of the animal, and cut its bindings as he did. I followed behind him. He reached out and pulled me up in front of him. Victor clasped at the horse’s reins, and it took off in a gallop. Some guards tried to block our way, but Victor blasted them apart with magic.

A swordsman raised his shield to block the glowing yellow missile. It exploded on impact, and sent the man’s arm flying. He collapsed on the ground, screaming in agony. It was like Marcus’s gun!

More guards ran at us, but Victor tore through them. A spearman ran from carnage, as another swordsman had his head blown off. A rifler took aim at us—

But I shot a bolt of fire at her. I missed, of course. Yet it served its purpose as she ducked for cover from my attack.

We made our way down a few more streets before we saw the city gates. A row of guards formed a spear wall just before the fountain, and guards from the walls aimed their guns and bows at us. Someone was lowering the portcullis. They’re trying to lock us in!

We zigzagged down the road as bolts of energy and arrows flew past us. Victor raised his staff up, and a dark green magic circle appeared above his head. Small bits of stone broke off our surroundings, forming four shapes hovering over us.

A volley of glowing blue bolts shot at us, and Victor pulled on the reins. We made a sharp turn, dodging the hail of bullets, and ran straight at the spear wall.

The Dark Crusader pointed his staff forwards as four spears of stone finished taking shape overhead. They shot forward like a ballista. Two flew at the guards on the battlements and two flew at the spear wall. It tore into the ranks of guards barring our path, and with a yank, Victor made the horse leap over the opening.

The horse was galloping as fast as it could, past the fountain, towards the walls. A storm of projectiles flew at us, and Victor put both hands on his staff. A translucent barrier covered us like an umbrella, the rain of fire pattering on it.

We were almost there! But the gates were closing too fast. Victor was focusing on his magical barrier. He couldn’t do anything. But I could.

I turned my attention to the portcullis. I saw the guard lowering the chain, and pointed. My arms were shaking, but still three blue magical bolts flashed through the air at him.

The first missed, but the second struck his arm. Blood trickled out of it, and he flinched. And finally, the third sent him ducking for cover.

With that, the gates stopped closing. Victor ducked his head under the metal spikes of the grille. And with that, we were through. Past the gates, and into our escape!

I spun around and watched as the city disappeared into the darkness. Torchlight from the walls and gunfire were the only things lighting up the night. Their shots echoed in the distance, but the bullets just bounced off Victor’s barrier.

And finally, the shooting ceased. The only sounds left was the sound of a horse running on dirt.

I felt my beating heart slowly return to normal. My hands slowly stopped trembling. And then, a thought idly crossed my mind.

So... am I not a Duke’s daughter?

"Owowowow—" I flinched.

"Hold still. It hurts more if you keep moving."

"I know that! I’m trying!"

Victor sighed. He carefully uncorked the bottle he was holding with one hand, and raised my right leg with the other; I grimaced, but managed to keep still.

The young man carried the potion over my ankle, then paused. He raised his head thoughtfully. "Is this your first time getting a healing potion applied on you?" he asked.

"No. My mom used one on me before. When I lost my arm." I gestured my head to my right side, then I shrugged. "But I was unconscious then," I replied.

Victor blinked. "A healing potion regenerated your arm?"

"No, no." I waved a hand to the side. "It reattached my arm."

"Ah, of course not. Only a truly talented alchemist could concoct such a mixture. And in addition to the amount of time required to make it, it probably would cost in the hundreds— if not thousands— of gold."

"Oh, ok."

"Yes. But you were unconscious, correct?" Victor waited