Chapter Text
It was quiet, the sun high in the sky as the farm animals calmly picked at the limited food around them without a care in the world. It appeared to be a normal day, with a couple of villagers going about their business tending to the area, and at first glance, one would assume that everything was as it should be; however, after spending four days running and hiding in the woods, Ella knew better.
She crouched behind the old, worn down wooden shelter, peeking around the corner to get a look at the villager who had his back to her, his focus on the object in his hands which gave Ella an opening to sneak up behind him.
Her heart was beginning to race in her chest, and Ella had to take a deep breath to calm her nerves as she readied to put herself in another dangerous situation. She really did not want to risk going into this small settlement of the village, and if it weren't for the fact that she was starving, she would still be in the woods where there was a significantly lower chance of engaging with anyone, but she would never make it out of this hell if she didn't keep her strength up as much as possible. The mint leaves, dandelions, and few other edible plants she found weren't cutting it anymore.
Fortunately, Ella could see that there weren't many villagers around from the woods, only noticing the one in her view and another woman behind the barn, who wouldn't be able to see her take out the man.
Gripping the rusty kitchen knife tightly in her hand, she began to slowly stalk forward, keeping low as to not be noticeable. Her combat boots made it hard to keep her foot falls quiet, but she had gotten used to walking lightly over the past few days, and she was to the point that her steps made virtually no sound.
Because of this, the villager was none the wiser, and as she neared the front of the building, she looked around to make sure there was no one else. She could see the slightest movement of a pitchfork that she knew was the woman she had already accounted for, but otherwise, it was clear.
Moving forward once more, she did her best to not disturb the animals that spilled out of the barn, lest she startle them and give herself away, and she managed to sneak up right behind the male villager, keeping her breathing quiet as she assessed her best move. He was a bit taller than her, but she would have to work around that, it being far too late for her to turn back now.
She had enough knowledge to know where the jugular was, and with a quickness she had gathered over the course of the last few days, she stood up straight, jabbing the knife deep into his neck and moving her hand around to cover his mouth to keep him quiet. He flailed lightly, but his body began to drop, and Ella did her best to help him fall quietly. However, grown men were heavy, and she stumbled back, falling on her ass as the man's body thumped to the ground. She grimaced, looking behind her and praying the other villager behind the barn hadn't heard anything. She was met with silence, and after a few moments, Ella determined the coast to be clear.
She looked to the dead villager in front of her, doing her best to ignore the twist of her heart at the sight of his wide, lifeless eyes; blood still spilling out of his neck and seeping into the dirt below him. This was the third person she had to kill since coming on this trip. Beforehand, she had never even punched another person outside of her defense classes, Ella being a pacifist for the most part. She knew these people were infected with something that made them violent and homicidal, and they wouldn't even bat an eyelash while gutting her, but that didn't change the fact that Ella was killing other human beings.
It was a fact she couldn't dwell on if she wanted to survive and escape this place, turning away from the dead man and pushing him from her mind. She couldn't stay in one place for too long, and she still had to clear the small barn area, or she risked being caught as she tried to cook her meal.
Getting up, she dusted her torn and dirtied tights off as much as she could, before wiping the bloodied blade of her deteriorating knife on the dead villagers clothes, her eyes purposefully avoiding his face. She would have to find another one soon, the one in her hand visibly about to break.
She straightened her back, turning around and beginning to slowly walk forward to gain a better view from behind the barn to where the other villager had been. As she got closer and closer, she saw the hay, but not the pitchfork, her brows furrowing. She must have left, but then where did she go? It didn't take long for her question to be answered, and Ella stopped, her eyes widening as she took in the limp body of the female villager. What happened? Had the woman just dropped dead?
Ella supposed it was possible considering the infection, but she hadn't seen them just keel over before; however, what was the alternative? Was there someone else here?
The very thought made her heart pound. She had just adjusted to the villagers and the large man in the hat and robe walking about. What else could there be?
It was then that Ella heard the slightest sound of movement behind her, the hair on the back of her neck standing as panic rose within her. Every possibility ran through her mind in a single second, her fight instincts kicking in as she spun around, ready to do whatever she had to to defend herself. However, what was behind her made her heart stop.
A gun was pointed at her, the man behind it giving her a suspicious and cautious look. He appeared. . .normal, and not from around here, with his not pale and sickly skin, steel blue instead of red eyes, relatively clean clothes, and damning of all- the gear she could see peeking out from his jacket.
An outsider. Possibly a police officer, or an agent. She didn't know, but maybe he was someone here to deal with whatever was going on in this hellhole, hope blooming in her chest for the first time in days.
Finally coming back to herself, Ella immediately put her hands up and dropped her knife, showing she meant no harm.
"Wait-" She breathed, her throat a bit hoarse considering she hadn't used it since escaping. "I'm not like them- I'm not infected." She tried to explain in a rushed and panicked voice, but her mind was still reeling from the shock of suddenly running into someone who wasn't a villager here. "I-I was out here hiking with friends, but we- we were attacked, and I escaped," He still wasn't saying anything, his eyes not moving from hers. Ella could only assume he wanted her to continue. "I just want to get out of here and go home, please. I swear I'm telling the truth." Surely he could tell she wasn't a villager, with her combat boots, black tights, dark jean shorts, black t-shirt, and dark green flannel. He had to know she was telling the truth, because why else would she be out here in the middle of nowhere? People had to have reported their group missing.
The blonde man seemed to take in her words, considering them a few moments before he lowered his gun, holstering it. Ella let out a breath of relief, though a dark part of her mind that had surfaced since this hell had started, wondered if him shooting her would have been the best thing for her after everything she had endured. She ignored it, her waning self-preservation instincts shoving the thoughts into a faraway corner.
"How long have you been out here?" He spoke for the first time, a gruffness to his voice that hinted to a tortured past.
"Um. . .a few days. I think four," She answered as she tried to think back to how many nights had passed. She had stopped keeping track and instead focused on surviving. This man didn't seem like he was one for facial expressions, but the twitch of his eyebrow made Ella think he was shocked. Sensing his curiosity, Ella moved her flannel shirt to the side, revealing a metal water bottle hanging at her hip. The bottom of it had an orangish to dark brown to black gradient, revealing it had been burnt multiple times.
"I boil water and add iodine tablets for good measure, I know some edible plants, though there aren't many around here, I was about to kill a chicken, and these villagers leave a lot of kitchen knives lying around." She answered his unspoken questions, and when he didn't say anything, she shrugged. "I was the survivalist nut of my friends," She murmured, leaving the explanation at that. The very mention of her friends sent a sharp pain through her heart and she had to quickly think about something else.
"It shows." Was all he said in response, before turning his head to scan their surroundings. When he noticed the dead villager on the ground, he glanced at her once more, but didn't say anything about it.
She waited for him to ask anything else, but he was quiet, Ella wondering what he was thinking. His expression was well guarded, making it almost impossible to tell, but after a moment, he reached into a large pouch at his hip, before holding something out for her. Her brows furrowed as she looked to see what it was, taking in the wrapping and the words across the front.
It was a granola bar. Food.
Without another word, she practically snatched the snack from his hand, unable to find it in herself to care as she almost tore it open with her teeth. She refrained, opting to tear the wrapping with her fingers and making sure not to waste a single bit.
"Thank you." She breathed, relieved she didn't have to kill a defenseless animal for now. He nodded in acknowledgement, before he moved to the open building to look around as Ella focused on her food.
She was careful not to eat too fast, taking a couple bites before unclipping her water bottle and taking a swig. It didn't taste great, especially compared to the honey flavored granola, but when you were in survival mode, it didn't matter how the water tasted. Just that it was clean.
Despite trying not to eat fast, it wasn't long before the granola bar was practically gone, Ella turned to the man as her curiosity grew.
Her eyes took him in for a few moments. He wore a leather jacket with a navy blue shirt underneath, black jeans and boots, and a pouch that clipped around his thigh. She had also taken notice of the fingerless gloves and combat belt that was at his waist when he had the gun to her face. He was ready for a fight, that much was clear.
"So what about you? You look prepared, you've clearly come out here on purpose for who knows what reason, and you don't seem like a cop to me." He stopped at that, turning his head enough for her to know he was listening to her. "Why are you here? Did someone you know come out here and go missing?" She probably shouldn't pry, but he was the first non-infected person she could talk to in days.
"Something like that." He grabbed a green herb that was growing into the barn, picking a piece off the stem and putting it into his pouch. He had more knowledge on plants and herbs than she did, as she had no idea what he had just grabbed.
"Does it happen to be a young girl? Blonde, kinda like you?" She went out on a limb, and it was the correct one, because his eyes snapped to her, the most emotion she had seen from him thus far showing in his expression.
"You've seen her?" He questioned, having clearly been traveling blind up until now.
"Yeah, they carried her into the church up on the hill. I wanted to help her but. . .she was surrounded and all I have are these crappy knives. I was hoping to get help once I got out of here." If the girl, or herself for that matter, lived that long.
After everything Ella had lost, the last thing she had wanted to do was leave that young girl by herself with the villagers, but she knew going in with just a rusty, deteriorating knife wasn't going to be of any help to her, and her best bet was finding help. It seemed she had found some much sooner than she thought.
"The church. . ." He was speaking mostly to himself, taking in the information Ella had given him. Ella wondered if it was the first piece of information on the girl the man had gotten since coming here.
"Yeah, it's that way." She pointed in the direction she had come from, the man's eyes following her finger. His brows were furrowed lightly in determination, and Ella could easily see that getting that girl back was important to him.
She didn't know why. The girl seemed a little young to be his girlfriend, but maybe she was his family. They were both blonde, but that was about where the resemblance ended. To be fair, Ella hadn't gotten a great look at her.
"Is she your sister or-?" She asked, but she had a feeling she wouldn't get an answer. This man was very clearly reserved, and he didn't talk more than he had to.
As suspected, he looked back to the area around him, preparing to leave without answering. Ella pursed her lips, unsure of what happened next.
Was he going to leave her here? That was likely for the best since he was venturing deeper into the area and she was trying to leave it, but at the same time, she had no idea if she was going to make it out alive by herself. She didn't even have a sure way out of here, having just been winging it thus far and hoping for the best.
That, and the girl kept flashing into her mind. Ella couldn't shake the guilt of leaving her behind even though Ella knew there was nothing she could have done for the girl. All she could think about was Alice's terrified expression right before-
Her heart twisted, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to push the feelings down.
"If you're going to save her, I want to come with you." The words were spilling out of her mouth before she could stop them, but she looked at him with determination nonetheless. He met her eyes then, his expression unreadable.
"I know some basic self defense, and I've clearly handled myself this far. Plus, I don't think I'm going to make it if I keep going on alone anyway, so I don't have anything to lose," She explained before he could reject the idea. "I won't get in your way. I just want to help." She hoped that would be enough to convince him, but his expression made her believe that he was unsure. "Look. . .I lost the most important person in my life to these cult assholes. If there's a chance I can help stop whatever the fuck is going on here, and save someone in the process, I want to take it. Even if I die trying." She hadn't been kidding when she said she had nothing to lose. Alice had been everything she had, and she was gone. Ella could do nothing but watch as those people in robes murdered her on the stone table. She didn't want to sit by anymore.
And truthfully, she didn't see a life for herself after all of this. Not after everything that happened. Not without Alice. So if she was going to die, it might as well be trying to do something good, like saving someone else' person.
"Also, you don't seem like the kind of guy who leaves people behind so. . ." Maybe that was a low blow, and for all she knew he was the type, but it was her last ditch effort. She saw his chest fall in exhale, and she knew then that she had read him right.
What she hadn't expected, however, was for him to grab another handgun from his waist belt, holding it out for her.
"Do you know how to use this?" He asked her, seemingly doing some of his own reading. Ella looked to the black weapon, reaching out to take and examine it. She tested the weight of it, and noted its specs, before looking back up at him.
"Well enough," She answered, and it was true. She knew he knew that by the way he had watched how she handled it- the way she purposefully kept her finger off the trigger, and how she checked to make sure the safety was on, as well as the way she seemed to know how it was meant to be held.
Ella had handled guns when she was younger. Her dad, who also taught her all the survival skills she knew, wanted her to know how to use one. Ella didn't like guns, and because of that she had left the skills in the past, but considering their situation, she knew this was an exception.
She'd get the hang of it quickly, considering it had only been a few years since she last handled one and she remembered the gist of it.
The man seemed satisfied with her answer and his own analysis on whether or not she should have a firearm, turning as he continued his exploration of the area around them. She tucked the gun in the waistband of her shorts before grabbing her dropped knife and moving to follow him. Her waistband wasn't the safest place to keep the weapon, but she didn't have much of a choice so it would have to do.
"What are you looking for?" She questioned curiously. Maybe she could help if she knew what he was searching for. Because she had come from the woods, she didn't really know the area, but two sets of eyes were better than one.
"A way to open the gate." He answered simply, proving that once again he was not a man of many words.
"Gate?" She had not seen one when she snuck into the area, but she hadn't been looking for it, concerned more with the animals and the amount of villagers nearby.
"Do you know another way around?" He didn't look her way as he talked to her, not slowing down for even a moment as he now had a clear direction to go thanks to Ella.
"Not a quick way." She sighed, knowing that going through the woods wasn't a good idea. First, she had almost gotten lost multiple times, and she was lucky she knew how to tell where North was. Second, it would take a while if they went the way she came, because there was a fence that she had to find an opening in to get to here.
Something told her he'd rather go through than around if it meant saving time, and with that, she began looking around herself.
Eventually, they found their way into the windmill, and Ella stayed behind as the man climbed the ladder to the top.
After some rustling and shuffling, Ella contemplated going up herself, not being a very patient person. Especially in this situation she had found herself in.
"We need to find a wooden cog." His voice called down just as she moved to climb up. A wooden cog? She didn't remember seeing one anywhere they looked.
"Oh, maybe it's in the barn!" She suggested. They hadn't been able to find a way in, but perhaps there was a way from up there as she remembered seeing a wooden platform on the outside.
"I'll head that way." Ella knew that meant that she stayed where she was to wait for him to open up the barn from the outside. Fair enough she supposed.
She sighed, crossing her arms as she awaited any news or a sound from him that told her if he found a way in. She began to look around the windmill for something to do, and she noticed another green plant just like the one he grabbed before. Hm. He clearly wanted them, right? Doing as he did, she grabbed a sprig of it, putting it into her back pocket.
There wasn't anything else of interest, and she no longer heard him walking around above her. Taking that as her que to head to the barn, she left the windmill, and it was then that she noticed the large man with a boar head and a giant hammer, her eyes widening.
"Hey!" She shouted just as he slammed the large hammer into the wood of the barn, hoping to get the guys (she should really figure out his name) attention, as well as the boar man.
She pulled out her gun, ready to test her neglected skills as she took a moment to aim, before opening fire. The recoil shocked her, as she hadn't remembered how that felt, and she hoped that the shot still landed despite the mistake.
Fortunately, she barely managed to get him in the side of the head, which was close enough to where she had been aiming; however, her relief was short lived, as the thing didn't even flinch. To make matters worse, other villagers were spilling into the area.
Before she could think of what to do next, a loud bang rang through the air, making her flinch and look to the barn in shock.
The boar man was on his knees, and the guy came out with a shotgun, before landing a spin kick to the creature's head.
What the- where the hell did this guy come from?!
She couldn't focus on that, deciding to take care of the villagers that were on their way to him. She took aim again, and this time when she fired a head shot, it was effective, her hold on the gun more firm.
Feeling more confident than she had in days, she stepped forward, focusing on the villagers while the man took care of the bigger threat. There were quite a few, but it wasn't long before the last villager fell to the ground just as the blonde finished his threat off. Ella was glad that she had remembered her previous gun lessons, because otherwise she would still be running off into the woods and hoping for the best when she alerted the villagers.
"What the hell was that?" She questioned when she turned to him, the adrenaline slowly leaving her body as she focused back on what she had seen him do.
"I'm not sure." He responded, clearly thinking she had been asking about the boar head villager.
"No, not him. You. That was skilled training. Knowing how to use multiple kinds of guns, remaining calm under this kind of pressure, and that kick? Who are you?" She couldn't help but ask, having not expected that from him. He reloaded his shotgun, seemingly contemplating his answer, and it was then Ella knew she wouldn't be receiving one.
"I'll explain later. Let's go." He replaced the shotgun on his back, which had been hidden behind his jacket, before grabbing the wooden cog they had been looking for off a table and walking past her.
Ella took a moment to process, before letting out a sigh and turning to follow him. She supposed who he was didn't matter, but she still wished she knew a little more about her new traveling companion.
He was back up the ladder a little bit later to place the cog in its rightful place, and it was then that Ella decided to ask a question that she really hoped she'd get an answer for.
"Can you at least tell me your name?" She called, though a moment later she heard the mechanism start and the creaking of the door sound from outside, Ella turning her head to look as if she'd be able to see it opening from inside the windmill.
It was then that the man decided ladders were unnecessary, jumping down and practically startling Ella to death as she flinched lightly, letting out a breath and putting a hand to her heart as she willed it to calm down.
"Leon Kennedy." He answered, and Ella could have sworn there was a hint of amusement in his eyes and a smirk pulling at his lips as he walked past her again.
She narrowed her eyes at him and followed him out, her look turning into a half heartedly glare at the back of his head as they passed through the gate.
"Ella Monroe." She returned, deciding to keep her full first name to herself. She hated it anyway and no one but her father called her by it when he had the pleasure of ever speaking to her. He didn't respond, but she knew he had heard her. Even if he hadn't, it probably wouldn't matter anyway considering he didn't speak much.
Letting it go and focusing on the journey, it only took a moment of walking before they came across something that made Ella stop in her tracks.
"Oh hell no." She found herself saying as she took in the rickety old wooden bridge. Leon turned to look at her with raised brows then. She could practically see the question in his eyes. "Oh come on, that looks so unstable." She pointed out (even though it wasn't really true), but he didn't budge, and she sighed, relenting.
She guessed he could see that she had as he started forward once more, and Ella pushed the fear from her mind as she reluctantly followed behind him.
"I said I wanted to die helping out your friend. Not falling to my death after going over an obviously deteriorating bridge." She grumbled, missing the way Leon's steps faltered just slightly as she was too busy looking over the edge of the rope. Wasn't looking down something they told you not to do? Even so, she found that she couldn't help herself.
All it showed her was that if she fell, it would probably be an instant death because she couldn't see the ground, so there was that. This trip was already putting her in life threatening danger.
But, she supposed that's exactly what she wanted.
xXx
There was a large door on the other side of the bridge, but it was locked.
"Maybe there's another way in?" Ella suggested as she began to scale the wall. She went around the left side, Leon going around the right, (not that there was much on that side), but it was no use.
Her side came to a dead end, and the wooden fence was impossible to climb with its spiked tops. Meeting Leon back around, she shook her head.
"Nothing." They would need to find a way to open the large wooden doors.
"How did you get through before?" Leon asked her, and she wished she had a good answer for him.
"I didn't. I was in the woods, over there," She gestured in the direction to the left of the wall, and Leon sighed. "I could see down into the area, but I haven't been in it." Ella looked around, hoping to see anything that might help them get through, and that was when she noticed the wagon. "Oh, look!" She pointed. She was sure Leon had noticed that before, but he didn't think they'd have to go that way. But maybe they could find a way around. It was really all they had right now.
She moved over to the back of the wagon, though she almost gagged at the scent surrounding it. A dead bull was inside, flies buzzing all around it as Ella swiped one out of the air in front of her. The bull would make it heavier and harder to push, but it wouldn't stop them.
"Gross." She murmured, before holding her breath as she pressed her palms against the wood, attempting to push it out of the way. It moved just a bit, but she definitely wasn't going to be able to get it on her own, Ella letting out a grunt at the effort before giving up. She looked to Leon, who was watching her in amusement, his arms crossed. "A little help would be nice." She sassed, a smirk tugging at the edges of his lips.
"Don't hurt yourself." He really thought he was funny didn't he? "Move over." He told her, and she rolled her eyes before she did as he said, giving him room to push as well. With his help, the wagon practically slid out of the way, Ella almost falling forward onto her face as she let out a yelp, catching herself.
She was pretty sure she hadn't even helped much. Leon, seeming very pleased with himself, began walking forward down the path.
"Well, I'm glad I could help wipe that permanent scowl off your face. It definitely makes you a little softer on the eyes." She huffed, her jab of course halfhearted, and he looked at her, the amusement still there. The fact that he didn't respond only annoyed her further, and she felt like throwing her hands up in defeat, to which he seemed to chuckle the slightest bit at.
She had only spent a little over a half hour with him, and she could already tell he was hopeless. However, if she was being honest with herself, this banter between them was a great distraction to keep her mind from wandering to everything that had happened, and she appreciated that immensely.
The way she could tell he had a comedic side to him that seemed to be suppressed told her he had been through some heavy things as well, and maybe, just maybe, he knew at least some of what she was going through. Maybe he knew he was helping her stay afloat in a shitty situation.
That was a lot to assume about someone she just met, and maybe she was projecting, but she had a feeling.
Either way, she- "Watch out!" Ella reached over, grabbing ahold of his arm with both hands and pulling him out of the way of a flying ax, the blade just missing his shoulder. They had been too distracted to notice the villager rounding the corner, and it was then they shouted out to the others. Leon readied his gun, and Ella followed suit.
These bastards were everywhere.
xXx
"You're welcome by the way." She pointed out as she checked the ammo on her gun. She was just about to run out.
Taking care of the villagers they had stumbled on hadn't taken too long, Ella getting better and better the more she used her gun. Killing the villagers was still making the weight in her chest grow, but she was trying to accept that she didn't have a choice if she wanted to survive long enough to help the girl out. She reminded herself of that every time she watched a villager's body fall limply to the ground, combatting the guilt in the only way she could.
"Thanks." She looked up at him, a little surprised he had actually said it as she had only been joking around. She definitely wouldn't complain.
She had been very conscious about not getting in his way, so to actually be helpful was a big plus.
"You're welcome." She smiled, her words more genuine this time. She was clearly satisfied with herself, and Leon had to refrain from shaking his head. "By the way, do you have any ammo in there?" She asked hopefully. Leon reached into the pouch at his side, his hand seemingly disappearing right into the thing before he held out bullets.
"What is that? Mary Poppins' pouch?" She asked in surprise as she took the bullets and began reloading her gun.
"It holds what I need it to, for now." Leon responded, though he seemed to find the reference entertaining, it showing in the slightly raised pitch of his voice.
"Oh, so he can show emotion in his voice." She teased, though she was glad she could get a reaction other than a smirk out of him. With that, he rolled his eyes, making her laugh lightly as she put the rest of the bullets in the pocket of her flannel. That would hopefully hold them, and she buttoned the top for good measure.
"Alright, we're coming up on another small village. Stay low and quiet." He instructed, and she nodded, following behind him as he began to move forward.
There was a small shack leading up to the settlement, and the sound of beeping could be heard as they neared.
Was that a tripwire? Ella hadn't even known they had those, but considering all her traveling was done in the woods, she wouldn't have come across one.
Fortunately, Leon seemed to know how to disarm it, making it a non-issue as long as they kept a lookout for them.
"You're going to have to teach me how to do that." She murmured, thinking that useful information considering the situation they were in.
He nodded, moving forward before putting his back against the wall, and Ella knew he was going to survey the area beyond the shack to get an idea what they were up against, staying out of the way and hanging back.
"There's a few of them, and it looks like they have bear traps scattered around the area." Leon stated in as he looked around the edge, Ella nodding. Of course they would have bear traps in the villages. She had ran into a couple in the woods, so she fortunately had some experience and knew how to look out for them.
"Okay, what if we split up? This area is bigger than the barn, and maybe we can clear it faster." She suggested, though Leon didn't immediately seem on board with that plan, his look of disapproval showing. "Oh come on," She sighed. "I promised I wouldn't get in the way, right? And you need to find a way to that church sooner rather than later. This will get us through faster. Besides, if you refuse, I'll take that as an insult to my survival skills and assume you don't think of me as capable of taking care of myself." She gave him a pointed look. She knew that he was just concerned that she would get herself hurt, but she didn't want him worrying about her. It would slow them down and take up more time if he was trying to keep her close and watch over her, which was the last thing either of them wanted.
Leon seemed to consider her words, before relenting.
"Shout if you need help." He told her, Ella unable to hold back her grin of satisfaction at succeeding.
"I won't, don't worry." He wasn't happy with that. Whether she meant she wouldn't need help, or she wouldn't shout for him, she didn't clarify, which seemed to be the main reason for his unhappiness.
She just winked, and he sighed through his nose in disapproval, but didn't comment further, already catching on that it wouldn't change anything.
He was a fast learner; she'd give him that.
"You go on ahead and find the best way through. I'll stay back and make sure the villagers to the right are taken care of and no more show up. Deal?" She suggested, and he nodded in acceptance.
"Watch the traps." He warned.
"You too. And be careful." She returned, and he nodded his head at her, Ella knowing he was echoing the sentiment. With that, he went forward first, and Ella following behind him and veering to the right, taking care of the handful of villagers so he didn't have to worry about his back. She had realized thanks to the crop of villagers on the way here that she needed to be more frugal with her ammo, so she decided she'd use the bear traps to her advantage. She shoved a villager into it, watching as the teeth of the trap clamped down on his leg, leaving him immobilized and allowing her to use the kitchen knife she had, stabbing him through the neck.
Unfortunately, the knife broke in his flesh, and Ella cursed to herself as she threw the handle down. So much for her plan to save ammo. She'd just have to try and make every shot a kill shot.
She got through her portion of villagers, letting out a sigh as she checked her ammo. She still had a bit left, but it wouldn't last her long.
She noticed one of the cabins had an open window, thinking maybe it would be good to check it out. She didn't see Leon, but she wasn't worried. Even in the small amount of time they knew each other, she knew he could take care of himself just fine. She'd go on ahead to look for him and see what he found in a moment.
For now, she jumped through the window of the cabin, gun at the ready in case there were any straggling villagers. Fortunately, it was clear, and as she searched the small house, she found another kitchen knife, smiling.
See? They just leave them lying around everywhere.
With that being the only useful thing she found, she moved to exit back through the window, but movement caught her eye.
Her eyes widened as she noticed the large man in the hat and robe walk through the small village, her eyes widening as she quickly ducked out of sight.
She had seen him around the village before, and he always gave her a bad feeling. He was different from the others. He seemed to have authority over the villagers, and he was clearly more intelligent and in control, like him.
She quickly shoved all thoughts of the man from her mind and focused on the threat at hand. There was no way she could take him with the limited skills and ammo she had. Hell, she didn't know if Leon could take him.
Leon.
The large man was going in the same direction her new companion had.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck." Ella murmured as she began to panic, looking out the window and seeing that he was gone. She had to do something, but what?
She jumped out the window, moving as quickly and quietly as she could in the direction the man went. She didn't see him, but there was only one way he could have gone. Nearing the big house at the end, she had just gotten to the kicked-in door when she heard the distant crash, fearing she was too late.
She froze as she tried to think of what she should do. Should she run in and help? But what if the best thing she could do is wait, lest she get in his way? But maybe her extra bullets could be of help. But she may also distract him.
She had no idea what to do, but she couldn't just sit out here.
Just as she was about to run inside, she heard heavy footsteps begin to come towards the entrance. Leon was a big guy, but he wasn't big enough to have those kinds of footfalls. Plus, he was stealthy, something she had picked up on along the way. That could mean only one thing.
Ella quickly ran to the side of the house, hiding behind it and waiting, hoping she was wrong. However, she knew she wasn't when she saw the large man walk outside of the house, her heart dropping.
He was carrying two people; one man she didn't recognize, and Leon. Ella had to look very closely, but she could see he was breathing, relief flowing through her.
But now she had no idea what to do to help him. If he couldn't take the guy on, then she sure as hell couldn't.
What did he want with Leon? He wasn't killing him immediately, which meant he probably wasn't going to kill him at all, unless he wanted to do a ritual like the one-
No, Ella wouldn't let that happen if that was the case. She may have only known him for a couple of hours, but she would not sit by and let him die if there was anything she could do about it.
She had a gun now, and while it wasn't much, it was far more than she had before.
For now, she had to put her stealth skills to use once more, and follow the man carrying Leon.