The last to go

1

"Long live the Empire... Long live the King, long live the Queen. Long live the memory of the soldiers who paved the road..."

A solid kick with a titanium nosed boot cut the speaker off. It sputtered through a few more notes of the anthem and finally died down with a croak. The radio next to it suffered the same fate. The black boots took a few more steps before stopping again. Little red drops fell on the ground and sizzled on the hot stones.

Kyra slumped against the remains of a house to catch her breath. Her right hand was pressed against the ever growing stain on her stomach. It was a small wound, almost as if a bullet had hit her. The blood made it seem much worse. She pulled the fabric of her shirt together and held it against the little wound. It hurt as if she got stabbed over and over again. Her hand was warm and sticky. The flow of blood still hadn't slowed down. It was pointless, she told herself. It would actually be better to just let it go. Yet, every time she tried to take her hand away, a little voice stopped her. It was her survival instinct. It told her to hold on while her brain and body begged her to let go.

That instinct was not much use anymore, she thought wryly. Looking down upon her shivering body she felt hopeless. Rivers of sweat dripped down her neck and into her shirt. The light fabric of her uniform had turned dark. Nothing to do about it, she had too many wounds and only one functioning hand to clutch them. Dust clung to her damp skin and entered the open wounds. It caused a terribly itch all over her body. She didn't want to know about the countless micro-organisms that had settled under her skin by now. If she paused, she could imagine them squirming around. It made her stomach turn.

Her vision swam and she wondered why she wasn't sitting down already. There was no one left in this city. The remaining citizens were evacuated, pets all transported and even the military had left. All except for her. The streets were desolate, the grand market square empty for once. There were a few trampled stands with some goods spread around it. Windows of shops were broken, the alarms blaring incessantly. It wasn't as nice as she had imagined it to be.

The great city of Xanbu had left its glory days behind in a single rush out of the city. It was now a ghost town paved with golden stones and brilliant gems that used to guide the citizens during the night. The streets had formed naturally around the turquoise rivers that cut through the city, the sound of clashing water always present.

The city curved upwards at its borders, dipping in the center where an ancient well was build in the ground. The water, fresh and icy cold, always reached the edges and was clear enough to show the bottom of the well. No one knew the source of the water. The rivers made a large circle around the well and ended in waterfalls to the sea so they were out of the question. Most people simple credited the God of Water who was known for pranks and riddles.

Houses were small and built close to each other, some close enough to share a wall between them. Walls were in shades of the suns, from bloody red to blinding yellow, the roofs plated with flowers and intertwined vines, leaving a little empty space underneath them for the batteries that powered their household.

Six enormous pillars of crystal rose like a crown in the south, cradling the city with golden arms that ended at the cliffs where the green sea started. The gold twirled around the pillars, like ivy spreading to the very tips. The Royal family once lived there, many centuries ago. Their castle had been designed by the most innovative of architects and build by the most experienced hands in this galaxy. It survived fire tornadoes, the merciless daily beatings of the suns, the salt in the air, and time.

Kyra could see the highest tower in the center without straining her neck. It was the first thing you could see when you entered the stratosphere. It was a siren, beautiful and at the same time blinding you with the reflection of the suns. If pilots weren't careful, they could land in the golden vines and get impaled on the thorns. Another option was to aim too far and land behind the city, in the far stretched fields of quicksand. The rivers of the city ran around the edges of the land. On some parts they almost merged with the sea. They originated from the high mountains far back where landscape filled with luscious plants and grass. Even from there you could see the tops of Xanbu Castle.

Kyra wanted to visit the castle, alone or with her father. She cracked a smile, while finding shelter from the suns underneath an overhanging rooftop. Perhaps if she had left Xanbu as well... Who knew, the castle might survive and be opened again. But she couldn't. She gave her spot up to a stray cat with her litter. They would make it.

Her boots were too heavy for her numb legs and trembling knees. She moved them anyway. Best to keep walking instead of waiting for the inevitable blast, the explosion that would wipe this city away along with her, with the possible exception of the castle.

There was no way of stopping it, her commandant had shouted over the howling of the jet's engines, the launching sequence had already started. He had been safe in the air, as usual. The soldiers on the ground gritted their teeth and pushed through. Hearts beat in their chests and sweat dripped down their brows. The soldiers were scared. They shook and held on to the one thing that was still steady: the voice of their superior through the comm in their ear.

Orders to grab everyone and put them on the carriers were given so that is what they did as fast as they could. Some took it literally. Lia, the Octorius who slept in the bed below Kyra, used four of her tentacles to grab civilians and used the remaining three to slither through the city. Kya later spotted the severed limb underneath a destroyed building. Lia would be able to return to her home and live a peaceful life with a medal for bravery and sacrifice. So many of them deserved it.

Blood of the soldiers colored the water of the river. Civilians were given pieces of armored uniform to keep them safe. Medical specialists worked until the last person was up again and refused to leave despite the danger around them. Old, retired veterans jumped back in action. Together they filled the streets and did their utmost to save the ones who couldn't defend themselves.

Among them were young trainees, thrust into a fight much too advanced for them. No one was going to jump in front of them to shield them. Kyra was just in time to dodge a missile before it hit her. Not a single soul looked at her. It was alright, she figured. It was her job to be a shield after all. Even if she didn't want to.