We circled Solis from every angle as we flew in a circularpattern around The Wall. Aurum’s Army surrounded every inch of limestone cement slab as we flew, even under fire.
Bullets continued to rain down on us, affinities cutting through the air as they attempted to stop our forces from circling. As they attempted to protect the sacred wall they’d built. Screams and shouts filled the air as drones whirled by, and we continued to push forward.
Continued flying.
I lost track of the number of laps we made around The Wall, my affinities weakening with each lap as I shielded both myself and the seven priests who flew behind me.
Flames flickered as they surrounded us in a shield, my eyes constantly scanning The Wall as we flew, ensuring my shields were reinforced. I was covered in sweat and sand, my affinities nearing exhaustion as we continued on in a never-ending loop.
Angels dropped in cohorts before me as shields began weakening, bullets finding their way through our masses.
Still, we flew onward, our wings beating in the summer winds as we circled Solis.
The summer winds beat against us, bullets flying in rounds still raining down as we flew around The Wall, still not advancing, not attacking, merely surrounding them with sheer numbers.
I heard the first of the priests sound their alarm, then the next, and the next, until I counted six chimes in total.
Six laps.
We had flown around Solis Quarter six times.
Six hours of flight under attack. Six hours of narrowly avoiding being shot from the skies with affinity-laced bullets.
Six hours.
And so we flew the final lap around the Quarter.
I could feel the power behind each wing beat—the vibration that flowed through the aerial cohorts as we closed in on the final round. We were drawing near the end.
The energy shifted in the fleets as we flew this final lap around Solis, a new current pulsing through our wings as we pushed forward on this final lap.
I nearly veered off course as a bullet pierced through my shield, the metal cutting into the bullet-resistant material of my attire. Pain flared in my shoulder as the bullet bruised my skin, momentarily distracting me.
“Fuck.” A pained snarl ripped from my lips as I refocused my attention, attempting to strengthen my shield, along with the shields protecting the priests flying behind me.
I couldn’t afford to lose focus now. Not when the battle was only just starting. The suns were high in the sky as we circled the final lap. Drones still circled our troops, releasing rounds as they tore through the ranks, but the rounds of ammunition fired from above began to slow. Perhaps they were running low, or perhaps the RSG were beginning to suspect that this day was different.
That something far worse was coming for them.
I could hear the mutterings from cohorts before me growing as they flew, lifting prayers to Aeternus as we fought against the summer winds. Shouts began to sound from atop The Wall as we drew nearer to completing the final lap with every wing beat.
When the first of the chimes sounded, I couldn’t stop the grin that formed on my lips. Relief that we were done flying. That we could finally—finally—defend ourselves against the onslaught we’d been forced to endure.
I counted the chimes as each of the priests completed their seventh lap around The Wall.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
The final chime sounded.
And a silence fell through the air.
