A Shattered Dawn

Chapter 3

I am stirred from sleep, yet again, by the familiar sounds of the train. The dark sky above me is dotted with stars. I hear the shriek of the train's horn and pick up my head, steadying myself on the hard shell of the train. Another train is approaching, departing from the station in the city. The ancient Celestial City takes my breath away each time I glimpse it. Settled on the coast of the continent, the vast ocean is not far. I can taste the salty air. The lights of the distant city sparkle in the darkness like stars, and I know in my bones that it is time to do what I have been preparing to do for my entire life.

I wait for the train to roar past on the complex set of tracks leading into the city before I carefully sit up and climb to the edge, swinging down and back into my car. As I close the door, I unclasp my pack and feel around for the clothing I stashed inside. While I have foraged my way through the past few towns, I have carefully selected several items of clothing from the more upscale Celestial residences. The clothing I am used to wearing, dark colors in order to blend into the shadows, would appear severely out of place in a literal city of angels where the residents wear few garments, and the clothing the women wear is dainty and lacy to encourage more visibility of their unnatural beauty.

As for my own clothing, I quickly pull off my usual hooded cloak and instead dress in a small, feminine dress and a leather jacket to cover the tattoos spiraling down my spine. As soon as I can, I push open the door and glance at the nearing city in the distance. The wind whips at the lace hem of the dress as I prepare to jump. Since the train is slowing already, the brakes groaning at the wheels beneath me, I feel no fear as I launch myself from the train and run through the plush grass to slow myself, my feet steady in my sturdy lace-up combat boots. As I watch the train slide away, I head toward the city and begin walking along the tracks.

As I walk, I attempt to straighten out my appearance while the summer air fully wraps its soothing arms around me. I braid back my long hair, pulling my face out of the shadows in which it is usually shrouded. When I fully reveal my face, which is not a common occurrence, I am able to see my mother's beautiful face in my own. I remember her face so clearly, and my memory of it is clear enough that I can notice some of her own beautiful attributes in my own face, such as her slim facial structure and a light scattering of freckles across her cheekbones. I'm not sure where I inherited my height from, but I am sometimes aware of it as I fight men, more often than not I am taller than they are.

Now illuminated by the faint glow of the nearing city, I can observe my outfit fully. The dress is pale blue, complemented by the black jacket I picked up a few days ago.

I reach the outskirts of the city within a few minutes, the grass turning to brick and stone under my feet. The sea is now visible from the suburbs in which I walk through. The Celestial City is vast and expansive, with the royal grounds at the far end, close to the shore but perched high on a broad cliff that wraps around the southern tip of the continent, the water far below. I can see the royal buildings constructed centuries ago looming over the city, even at this distance. It is likely just past midnight now, with around six hours before the sun rises. I can only hope that there is somewhere I can stay that is still open at this hour—and since I still have quite a long way to walk, I may have to wait until sunrise to find a place to sleep.

I reach the heart of the Celestial City within a couple of hours, my body already tired from so much walking. I could have run, which would have taken less than a quarter of the time, but I need my energy in case my identity is revealed and I have to fight my way out of this web of a city. I am careful to commit several locations to my memory as I walk, such as specific diners and shops. These locations will help me get out of this place if I do need to flee.

The city is silent around me, nothing more than an echo of an energetic day.

Before long, I approach an upper–scale hotel that appears to be open. The lights in the lobby spill out onto the moonlit street, and I can hear the workers talking amongst themselves to pass the time on the late shift.