Dawn of a Thousand Suns, Book I: Arch De Angels

Chapter IV

The surgeon's knife was glistening white in the light. Lucius, curled up on the floor, was bleeding from the nose and lips. He was eagerly trying to reach the knife snatched from him, lying close by. He was being pressed by the sharp spur that made it infinitely difficult to grab the weapon.

"There is nothing to be done... The Commander loves beautiful women...". The wide-shouldered soldier had a deep and husky voice, heavier than the steel sabatons he was wearing...

The iron gate was rumbling and booming. Boom... Boom... Boom..."Quick, Michael!" Lucius felt as if his voice was cutting through his throat while he was running down the trail, panting. He jumped over large stones and bushes, trying not to slow down. While running fast, he bumped into the trees, rolled down the slopes; his clothes had become dirty, torn, and ragged. He ached and bled from painful scratches and bruises all over his body. A long trace of blood followed him, but neither the pain nor the scratches could stop him from rescuing her sister.

The silhouette of the city in flames flashed in the turns of the road and spurred Lucius to run even faster, but their bruised body made this impossible for both of them.

They were heading towards Mondelay, to the city lit up in bright crimson flames, to the city where Laili lived.

The fire made Lucius feel strange and experience an awful fear and unsurmountable attraction simultaneously, and he could not decide whether he loved or hated this yellowish, devastating force.

Apart from the wounded who kept his eyes shut, there was the Commander and a well-built warrior in the room. The warrior had a heavy voice and a long scar across his cheek.

"How did this bastard reach me?"

"Don't kill him", the Commander's whisper was distinctively sharp and memorably indifferent...

"Let's go!" He stood up instantly and walked towards the door. Without wearing armor, armed only by the sword.

The Commander suddenly stopped at the door and turned around: "When were you knighted De Caravel?"

"Sixteen years ago."

"Who knighted you?"

"Arian De Brail, I was his squire. Why?"

"I knew De Brail, he was an outstanding warrior. I will wait for you in the yard. Stop the bleeding first".

"I don't understand", said the scar-faced warrior heavily.

"My brother will even be grateful, the boy will confirm that I provoked you." The Commander pointed to the wounded boy.

"Is this some kind of joke?" De Caravel could not believe his ears.

The Commander looked at him with his amber eyes. "I will wait in the garden", he said and left the room...

The winter had robbed nature out of the green color. The bare trees painted skeleton-like shadows on the muddy ground.

The bare-chested commander was holding a sword. The knight in the greenish armor was spinning a spiky ball attached to the club. He was still bleeding from his wounds.

The Commander no longer suggested stopping the bleeding. He swung the sword several times.

They only used their weapons four times...

The Commander cleaned the sword, splashed with blood droplets trickling from De Caravel's throat into the cloak of the defeated warrior.

Boom... Boom... Boom... the voice of the terrifying rumbling could be heard miles away. "It must be really horrible up there", thought Lucius. Seeing the city burning in hellish flames brought back the memories of the huge bonfire in the center of Ardiel, where the red-headed woman was burned. The woman who...