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

Chapter XXV

Lucius's intoxicated mind mixed up pain, anger, and dizziness. But all this was still nothing compared to the burning sensation coming from somewhere deep inside. The sight of his sister's face tortured him, with its unspeakable fear and the mystery of why she was so scared.

"What happened?! What is happening?!" - He heard questions from somewhere, far away. Rufus and Jahna, accompanied by several other wizards, went into the room.

Lucius's befuddled mind could not grasp why there were so many officers, wizards, and servants in the hall. It's likely that something occurred, so they all got together to figure out what happened. However, Lucius really could not think more than that.

Now he was just trying to deal with the feeling he got when he saw his sister's eyes, along with the feeling of dizziness and a racing heart. Wandering senselessly in the storm of these sensations, he realized Vittorio had entered the hall full of people. Angela, Michael, Uriel, and Livia were all sitting drunk in the seats and, amazed by the behavior of the children, could barely say anything. Instead of them, the caregivers answered what happened a while ago during the meeting with the four children. Vittorio paid close attention to what they were saying and then took one of the kids to observe for himself...

Wizards silently gathered around. One of them gave Lucius a strange liquid that quickly relieved his hangover from the day before.

Michael, Uriel, and Angela were sitting and waiting for the conversation to start. Only Livia was nowhere to be seen.

Eventually, the wizards started talking, but it was not a language Lucius was familiar with. Lucius felt his heart sink with each word Vittorio spoke. Then Rufus, the long-haired one, and two or three wizards spoke, but what they said was still unknown to Lucius.

Finally, when everyone finished talking, Vittorio stood up, took out his dagger, and start walking toward the youngsters.

"I'm sorry," - frowned the wizard.

"Wait! Why?" - cried, Blondy.

"Even though the vessel was destroyed, the traces of it were not completely gone and the children noticed it. We have no other choice." Vittorio replied.

"If I'm not mistaken, you weren't too knowledgeable regarding the Red Regad. How do you know that our killing is the only right solution?" Uriel attempted to start a conversation. Vittorio hesitated for a second. He was already dangerously close to them.

"The majority decided so..."

"I am Uriel Arch de Ludgar, son of Ryan Arch de Ludgar and Prince of Al-Moravid. I will not allow you to kill us here just because most of you have decided so!" - Uriel did not lose his temper.

"It doesn't matter if you are a prince or a slave, do you have one last thing to say?" - Vittorio was about to plunge the dagger when Lucius shouted - "Hold on, I want to tell you something!" The dagger only barely scratched Uriel's skin who was frozen like ice statue.

Lucius could see a query in Vittorio's expression.

I would like to explain to you the dream I had and then you could decide about our fate.

"We don't have the time to listen to your fantasies!"

"This was a vision unlike any other. I'm uncertain if it was a dream or a conscious one."

"Say it shortly," Vittorio said, despite the reluctance of several wizards.

"When the red-eyed invaded the city, Marcus guided us to the wall, where we stayed in the commander's house. The next day, Lord Felix asked me to join him in his room to talk about the wizard. We were in the middle of our conversation in Felix's office when the officer showed up. Fear had him struck mute, and he only croaked out Marcus... Gate... The commander hurried out of the office and I trailed behind. As we scaled the wall, I noticed Marcus on the other side, surrounded by people. He had painted the gate as it seemed with the blood of these people, and when he finished, the hands that came out of the paintings dragged the murdered people inside. Smoke ascended from six painted places on that gate."