Sword from the Sky

Sword from the Sky - Chapter Five

THE VISIT

MOST OF WHAT HAD BEEN PART OF THE MORNING’S colorful wardrobe had been replaced by a drab overcast. The air grew dense, and a hint of a fog lingered here and there, not noticeable yet—all for a reason. The crowd of people gathered outside the school, for they were not welcomed inside, and had become silent, if not completely inanimate. The wind brutally blew against the trees, as if running away from some eminent danger, and the only sound prevalent was in the distance, and it sounded to all like the clatter of hoofs; a carriage approached from the top of One’s Path as it made its way towards the front of the school.

The top of the carriage was covered, and it was impossible to note who rode in it, but the carriage itself seemed fancy and overdone. The color of the carriage was a peculiar blood red enhanced with black diamond trimmings. It was pulled by two abnormally large white horses, and though noble, they were thin, as if elongated. Two drivers sat atop the front of the carriage, dressed in black and having the same features, like twins, yet giving out the impression they were neither kin nor acquaintances. They had the whitest hair, neatly groomed, too perfect, and had the brightest green eyes. Their faces were done up, as if makeup had been applied, and they had grins on their faces that would make one’s shadow cower into a corner.

CLIP CLOP CLIP CLOP—the carriage rode in a perfectly straight line, and all eyes were on these unannounced visitors as they reached the great, golden doors. By this time all the students and officials had made their way inside the school, so there was no one left to greet any visitors—at least, so it seemed. The horses’ menacing look scared some of the kids in the crowd, and the families did their best to control their children’s fears.

The two drivers dismounted the carriage, and the crowd could tell that they were strange in size, for they towered over the average man. One made his way to the back of the carriage while the other walked towards the front, taking out a bag that was slumped across his shoulder. Reaching inside, he pulled out a handful of gems. Crouching down, he let his hand swing away as he threw a multitude of gems towards the door, creating a carpet of shimmering rocks; they were diamonds of all sizes, red, white and black.

The other man, who stood near the rear of the carriage, reached for the side door and opened it. The crowd turned their heads to look inside, and all they could see was shadow, and from the shadow came a form, and for an instance, the face of the form seemed foul, but out of the shadows it came, and now the form was that of an attractive woman, stepping out and setting her red leather boots on the ground.

As she revealed herself, the crowd stared at her remarkable robe, which was of a blushing red color. Underneath the robe, she wore a magnificent black dress. The woman also towered over the average man, even more so than her drivers, and her hair was unnaturally red. In her right hand, she carried a scepter made of gold with a huge, black diamond adorning the top of it. She made her way to the doors, elegantly stepping on the diamond carpet laid out for her regal presence.

In the silence of the stares coming from the peoples of Bune, only the crackling of the diamonds was heard as the women gracefully balanced her long body on the uneven jewels. Those few seconds were filled with the gallant march of the most perverted being the crowd had ever seen.

As she approached the grand doors, the men guarded her, one on each side.

“Get us inside as soon as possible,” the woman in red said.

With that command, one of the men reached for the wooden doors and tried to open it but failed, as it did not budge for him. He reached for a brass handle and used it to knock on the door.

A loud sound echoed inside, and the echo of the knock seemed to disturb the peace that the doors kept, for the school was not keen on entertaining unwanted visitors. Again the man knocked, and this time, it seemed to have sent a shiver along the lengths of the doors, for the stone bricks above the doors began to rumble, and things began to move some feet above them.