The Savior's Throne

Chapter Fourteen

I let go of the two soldiers that keep me invisible and let my shape come back. Our group used our invisibly as long as we could and now we need both of our hands. I leave the gun holstered to my side and for the first time, wondering if I can end a life. I pull out two short blades and wait for any signs of the enemy. Half of their army is invisible and the other half is not. The other half is full of other Gifteds who could be insanely strong, telepathic, faster than light, the possibilities are endless.

War calls and death cries fill the air and blood brings a tangy scent to my nose. I crinkle my nose against the smell and ignore the painful sounds of those already dying on the ground. I become a blur as I swipe and stab and spin and crouch. I take all my lessons and training exercises and put them to use.

Blood coats me like an extra layer of clothing and I ignore everything about it. I ignore the pain when a knife gets imbedded in my side. I ignore the mixing of my blood with the blood of my enemies. When I fall to my knees, I ignore my urge to give up.

I swipe a hand across my brows, wiping away the sweat. My arms are weak and my mind is damaged and I miss the peace we had just yesterday. Tears sting my eyes as I plunge one of my knifes into the leg of an attacker. I hear several guns go off and see even more bodies go down. This is why wars were stopped and why peace was enacted, this is too cruel and there's too much blood and death and hatred.

I get shoved from behind and land in a heap on the ground. I look up to notice that we are infinitely closer to the palace gates than we were before. A small success, I think as I rise from my fallen position. I take a few more people down and get knocked down a few more times myself.

I'm a few measly steps away from the gates now, but am blocked by a Burn. Burns are always seven feet tall and their skin has a reddish tint to it. They are easily one of the most identifiable Gifteds. I'm standing off to the side and his attention is not on me. Instead, it is on a small group of Ungifteds who are holding their own against a few gifted. I don't have time to think of their abilities because all I can focus on the man who breathes fire. The Burn stands with his eyes calculating the scene in front of him. If he sends a wave of fire their way, he'll kill not only his enemies, but his allies. As silently as I can, I lower myself down pull my gun out. I look all around me to make sure I won't be attacked from behind and position my gun.

I hesitate with my hand on the trigger, mainly for the sole fact that he is not attacking me. He's attacking my kind though, and I am here to serve them, not the gifted. I click the safety off, a single note careening straight to the Burn's ear. His head cocks to the side and he prowls the land before me. The high grass is great cover from our distance, but if he comes any closer, I'm doomed. I feel my heartbeat everywhere and weigh my options.

I have no time left, when he looks down, his eyes finding mine, I pull the trigger. Flames burst out of his as he shouts in anger. A second bullet and his screams stop. The fire dies out and his body lands on the ground with a heavy THUD. I stand up quickly and shove my gun back into the holster. My hand finds my knives again and I squeeze my hands tighter, the metal making a deep indent on my hands.

I don't think as I run, not when I feel heat from another Burn blast on my back, not when I hear screeches from the sky, not when it starts raining down blood. I focus on my mission.

When I get to the gate, I pass through them, and head straight to the palace. Those were my orders, and like any good soldier, I follow my orders. We all have a role in this war and my groups role was to distract Sahil's army. If we were to make it to the palace, we were to enter it and help take control. A second group was with us to help fight off our attacker, but coming in from the opposite side. The third and fourth sections used their invisibility to sneak into the palace. Tulsa and Desmond were among the two groups who were sent straight to the palace.

I look behind me as I run and hate myself for doing this, but follow my orders despite my feelings. I see a few people from my group already pushing through the palace doors. I know without a doubt that there will be more violence in the palace. I'm positive that there was resistance when our first two groups entered the palace.

When I enter the palace, it is eerily quiet. I was expecting to hear more screams and see more fighting, but all I see is the dead. Bodies litter the floor and red colors the ground. Weapons lay idly on the ground, forgotten and discarded as their owners lay next to them, either dying or dead.

I weave my way through the bodies and my boots step in puddles of blood and water and probably urine. I leave tracks in my wake and don't even attempt to cover them up. I take a left turn and am bombarded with sudden smoke. A gangly fist connects to my face as I cough on the smoke. A Breather, I think with a sigh. Breathers puff out this thick, obnoxious smoke and I thank all that's holy that the smoke isn't toxic.

A huge form climbs on top of me and wrenches my knives away. I struggle against his or her-I can't tell which-grip and jam my knee into their stomach. A chirping grunt informs me of her gender and I unsuccessfully attempt to push her off again. Her hands find my throat and my hands search for the weapons I dropped. Her weight crushes me to the ground and my eyes are clouded from the smoke. Darkness starts to seep in and the little air I did have starts to disappear.

Suddenly a bullet cracks through the room like thunder, and my opponent flies off of me. A shadow hangs over me as I cough and cough and cough. The smoke makes everything hazy and my eyes can't seem to focus on the figure looming over me.

"Can't die on me yet, Salvare." The voice is coming from the shadowed figured and it is all too familiar.

"Desmond," I croak in a relieved whisper. He pulls me up and shouts close to my ear, "Take us to the throne room." The smoke from my attacker still fills up the hallways, practically making us blind. I grab ahold of Desmond's arm and lead our way without my eyes to guide us.