Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 50: One's Determination

With the sun now set, a Colonial man with bright orange hair, dressed as one might describe a bartender, slowly peeks over the fence of a cattle farm. He has waited a while for the best time to try to clear the God of Fire's Wall. 

Knowing he can't get near the gate without being driven away, he opted to find a section between two. At least it's a new moon tonight, so it will make him harder to spot.

When it comes to the Wall, the security is mainly concentrated on the top of the Wall and the gates. Therefore, getting past the patrol at the top will be the toughest part. Hundreds of large bonfires line both railings on either side of the wall, spaced about 50 feet apart to improve illumination. Nevertheless, he has to reach the desert.

Leaping over the fence, he carefully watches the ground as he runs to ensure there isn't a ditch or large rock that could trip him and make noise. It takes him very little time to dash the mile-long distance to get close to the wall, where he can see the fiery glow of the lava people walking along the top. He can only see one side, unaware of whether there are more guards beyond the initial few he spots.

Puffing his cheeks, he rubs the back of his neck. 

'Okay, maybe I didn't think this all the way through.'

But what else can he do?

Looking up at the wall, towering dozens of feet high, he strains his eyes to find any parts of the oddly structured surface that might offer footholds. He spots a few, but they are several feet above him, making it an insurmountable task for ordinary individuals.

'Just get up as close as I can, and make a run for it...'

Locking his gaze on the best foothold he can find, he jogs backward several feet. He pauses to place his hands on his back, then on the bottoms of his feet, before sprinting toward the wall. As he sprints, he leaps once, twice, and then a third time, lifting high into the air.

His movement in the air is peculiar, as if he were weightless. With just one leap, he reaches the intended foothold, using his fingers like pincers to grasp the wall. Remembering the approximate distance to other footholds from earlier, he takes his time to carefully reach for his back and touch the bottoms of his feet. With a few more precise weightless leaps, the footholds become closer together as he ascends, close enough that he can begin climbing.

The closer he gets to the top, the slower he moves, and the more aware he becomes of his footing to avoid making any noise or slipping. Even as he picks a spot at the midpoint between two bonfires, they emit enough light for him to see where to step next. Only several feet below the edge, he can see the tops of spears moving across the railing.

Then there is a moment when the patrol stops, talking amongst themselves in their gibberish language and turning to the north. Worried he might be caught, he is ready to leap away until he sees their weapons lower, the sound of metal against stone. 

Slowly pulling himself up to peek over the side, he sees that the lava people are kneeling on the ground and bowing towards where fireworks are bursting in the distance. This is actually the first time he's seen the lava people in person, and they are so bizarre. All he's heard are rumors of Colonials given access to the desert, who only got a glimpse of them. But there is no time to gawk.

'This is it, it's now or never!' 

Slowly climbing up to the railing and feeling the bottom of his feet, he kicks off the slightly raised barrier to clear over the several guards and reach the other edge. At first, his descent is slow until his power fades, and he falls quickly.

As he touches his feet once more, he slows his fall as he descends toward a dune, though he still makes some noise upon impact. Immediately turning his head to look up, the glow of the lava people indicates they are resuming their patrol, the fireworks stopping as well.

A smirk of triumph spreads across his face as he pumps his fists into the air. Unsure how far they will follow him if they see him, he begins to sprint across the sand.

'I'll be there soon, Marlina, just hang on!'