[center][h1]Solitude, Main Thoroughfare[/h1][/center]

Explosions rocked the hundred-strong horde crowding the intersection. With the Kirins' bombs and grenades properly separated, the detonations ripped through the zombies, flaying skin and shredding muscle down to the bone. Rudolf's charged followed. While it wasn't clear if the undead could feel pain, their senses could still be addled. With the amount of noise and smoke kicked up, Rudolf found easy targets in the first few moments, his borrowed greatsword easily carving through rotting flesh and bone.

The strength of the reanimated lied in raw numbers, and the Kirins were doing everything they could to mitigate that advantage. With a path torn open by the explosives and continuously expanded by Rudolf, there was a brief window of opportunity to try and make the crossing. For their part, the wounded tried to make themselves as less of a burden as possible, knowing there was only one chance to make it across the road. Those able to move tried their best to keep up, and those unable to assisted in other ways, drawing pistols while they were being led and providing covering fire. 

Three-quarters of the way across, the horde was thinning, even if those revenants behind them were beginning to regain their wits. But it seemed as if they were going to make it through. And then a dark, mocking cackle rose from the direction of Whitewater Gardens, where they had just been:

[b]"What's this? It seems the little rats I've been searching for have been scurrying about!"[/b] To every Kirin, the voice was unmistakable: it was the demon they had fought in the ruins of Lunaris. Ferdiad. The abyssal jongleur seemed to manifest out of the shadows atop a roof from Whitewater Gardens' direction, staring straight at the thoroughfare with a demented grin and scythe in hand. 

[b]"Run, rodents, run! In the interest of fair play, I'll even give you a head start! The game will begin once you've crossed into the next district. Can you evade me? And for how long? Dohohohohohoho~!"[/b]