Pocketing the device, I only took a moment to grab a protein shake from the army’s cook, downing the bland powder quickly before I stalked back toward Axel and Eleana. Then, we began making our way toward the line of soldiers.
“This still just doesn’t feel right,” Axel muttered as he took a drink.
I shook my head, partially in agreement, as we moved through the camp, soldiers scattering from our path as we cut through the tents.
“It doesn’t,” I agreed. “We’re about to be an open target, under orders not to fire, even when fired upon.”
“I doubt the thousands of soldiers flying around The Wall will be taken as a peaceful action,” Eleana added as we drew closer to the starting cohorts of soldiers. “Not that it matters . . . Orders are orders.”
Axel and I both huffed a laugh.
“No,” Axel agreed. “But I’m not sure exactly what message wearesending by flying around The Wall, andnotattacking.”
“At this point, only Aeternus himself knows what message this is sending,” I replied.
“I think the message we’re sending is that someone bigger than ourselves is at work,” Eleana stated as we began to file in line. “We are positioning ourselves as a threat to Solis without actually doing anything to them.”
A series of horns sounded in the distance, and then the rumble of armed cohorts on the move filled the desert dunes as the first of our men began moving toward The Wall. A steady beat of wings filled the air as they took to the skies at low altitude. We could only watch from further down the line as row after row of angels, seven by seven, began flying toward Solis.
Axel and I took our position, side by side, in the first cohort of Guild members. While the Aurum Army was primarily divided by affinity, the Guild’s members were interspersed throughout the cohorts, each flying in sections with other Guild members.
“Do you think this will work?” Eleana’s voice sounded from behind me as she closed rank at my back.
“We have no choice but to put our faith in the commands we were given at this point,” I replied, my jaw tightening as our cohort began to move and we stepped forward. “That and pray we survive the flight each day.”
The front row of our section spread their wings, pushing into the air, and each line followed suit as we began to fly over the desert dunes in a uniform aerial formation. Flying toward Solis Quarter, toward the corruption that has spread.
My entire bodytensed as we approached the first section of The Wall. From this distance, I could spot the towering expanse of limestone—cement slabs standing strong as they formed a perimeter around Solis. It wasn’t difficult to spot the RSG standing at attention along the top section of The Wall, weapons in hand, as they shouted to their comrades. I could see the bullets raining down in the distance, and could only watch as the cohorts ahead of us strengthened their shields. The combination of illustratio flying in each cohort, with their affinities stretching over the soldiers, and then each angel’s elemental affinity covering themselves was a sight to see as they began flying around The Wall.
“When we get back,” Axel bit out from beside me as I felt his own affinity begin to circle around him, before it began to expand out, covering our cohort. “I’m having alongtalk with Elion about this. I did not sign up to fly into open fire without even attempting to fight back.”
I felt his affinity seal over our cohort as we began to approach The Wall, the shouts of RSG and cohorts ahead growing louder and louder. I huffed a laugh. “You do realize I could take all of these guards at once, given the chance.”
Axel glared at me as I strengthened my own shield, feeling my fire affinity swarm around my skin like armor. “Of that, I’m well aware.”
I could feel my vitas affinity rise up within me, desperate to unleash itself, but I held it back, knowing I couldn’t release it yet. Not until we officially struck Solis. Not until the very end.
The closer we flew, the louder the shouts sounded, both from The Wall as Lucanus’s guards rained down round after round of ammunition on our soldiers, and from the aerial cohorts, flying in tight formations as they shielded themselves from the onslaught. Gunfire sounded from every angle as we began to enter the chaos that was unfolding before our eyes. Icould spot the bullets flying, laced with RSG affinities, the ammunition carving paths through our ranks as we pushed on.
The gray cement and metal panels of The Wall began to tower over our cohort as we flew, drawing closer in rank. The closer we got to The Wall, the higher it loomed overhead. The temperature dropped as we flew in the shade of the towering obstruction. It was as though you could feel the darkness emanating from the barricaded Quarter, the shadows along The Wall seeming to call out as the corruption spread throughout Solis.
The space between The Rift and The Wall grew narrow as we flew along the center perimeter of The Wall. With our wings spanned wide as we cut through the air, there was barely any give between the two obstacles. To my right, I could feel the eerie chill of the mist, hovering ominously above The Rift. The deathly shrieks and screams filled the void as we were careful not to fly too close to the ledge, careful not to catch a bad wind current and end up floating in the abyss of darkness. Yet the other side wasn’t any more promising, as the limestone cement slabs rose high to the side, the barricade corralling us as we flew.
I tightened my shields as the first round of ammunition began to fall over us. Loud shots rang out in the air as the Royal Solis Guard aimed toward our masses, firing at will. All around, the air was ablaze with bullets as the soldiers on The Wall fired down in our direction. There was only so much we could do to protect ourselves as we charged along.
I felt the bullets bounce off my shields during the first few rounds of attacks, but I knew my shields could only last so long under intense fire—all our shields could only last so long before we would be at the mercy of the enemy.
I pushed my wings harder, catching a gust of air as we cut through the sky, moving at a swifter speed. Shouts of pain sounded around me as the hour stretched on. I knew fromexperience that, at the speed we were flying, it would only take roughly an hour to circle The Wall entirely.
We had to last for one hour.
One hour of flying under fire.
One hour of flying without fighting back.
One hour of draining our own affinities as we fought to stay shielded from the fire raining down from all angles.
It was a display of power and numbers as we flew . . . cohort after cohort. Refusing to fall. Refusing to attack as we circled their Quarter.
