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

Chapter XX

   It was already well past noon when they took Laili for a walk. Joyful laughter was heard all over the crowded streets of Mondelay. Lucius and Michael tried their best to entertain the little girl. Livia accompanied them too, she also took her little sister for a walk. On the way, she has asked several times about the reasons for their departure, but as the four of them avoided answering, she gave up at last. 

They stopped at a park-like location that was more of its remnant after the first attack. Here, they tried to start a game that would entertain children. It took a lot of effort to get Livia's sister in the mood as she was too stressed, because of the unbearable regime and dreadful dreams. About an hour had passed when the city bell rang and immediately the entire city felt that something had happened again. They ran towards the wall to see what was happening. There were already many people walking up the stairs, and it made no sense to get into that mess, especially now that Laili and Lizzie were with them.

"What's happening?" - Michael shouted at the soldier standing there.

"Let's climb to the roof of the tower!" - offered Uriel. Michael did not wait for the soldier to answer and chased Uriel.

The bell tower was the tallest building in the Noble district and overlooked a twice smaller wall. The huge bell hanging under his roof was still ringing so that it almost completely obscured the voices of the people gathered there.

"They won't let us through the stairs, the only way there is climbing on the wall." - noted Blondy. Lucius and Uriel were the first to climb, and by the time Michael reach the roof, they were already digging something into space. Exhausted, he rested his elbows on the edge of the roof.

"So what's there?" - Michael held on and stared at Lucius with his outstretched finger, though he didn't need an answer. Lucius pointed his finger towards the harbor, and there stood a gigantic ship - a ship that no one had ever seen before. They came with dusk. The soaring sails seemed golden in the rays of the setting sun. A huge ship was serenely swaying in the waves. It amazed Michael at how the vessel of that size entered the port of Mondelay.

"They are disembarking!" - shouted the officer below.

After some time, Michael himself saw miniature figures moving towards the wall. As they approached, the excitement increased. Fear and hope, joy and despair were growing at the same time among the townsfolk. They did not know what intentions newcomers had. The closer they got, the better they could be seen. They calmly moved in order. There was something special about those strangers as if the wind was obeying them, as it grew stronger and stronger as they approached.

Soon they would reach the wall and no one knew what would happen next. Whether the commander would let them in and how things will develop after that. The entire city was eagerly waiting.

"Look at the fire!" said Lucius, pointing to the torches on the wall. The abnormally strong flame rose even higher and brightened the city.

"Open the gate!" - Demanded a voice. These words were not commanded aloud, even so, everyone heard them as if someone had whispered in the ear. Nothing happened. Everyone was standing petrified and waiting for the commander's order.

"Open the gate!" - echoed the voice and the flame of the torches rose to the sky with such a noise, as if threatening to insiders. Immediately, the soldiers moved. Michael did not know who gave the order, the commander or anyone else, but soon an enormous iron gate was opened with a crack.

A sizeable crowd gathered near the gate, split in half, and gave way to the entrants. Boys could see well from the roof, the newcomers would be up to thirty men, moved peacefully in red and gold robes. Swordsmen dressed in white and red uniforms followed them. At the end of the entrance stood a commander with the accompaniment of an entire army.