The Random

Chapter 27: Impaler

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Impaler

The spirals shot up to the skies like flare rockets straying away their supposed projections. The sky lit up suddenly, turning into a canvas of blinding white, stricken with balls of fire, so colossal that altogether, they sometimes occupied the entirety of the endless expanse of the firmament. There were rumbling sounds, rolling balls of thunder, piercing through the already turbulent night. They gathered further lights, now thick as dark masses of ghastly densed clouds. One moment, it spiked to its most blinding brilliance, and on another, in one sudden turn, it shut off. The whole city was veiled in horrendous darkness.

The spiral towers were completely shut down. It went off like a flashing streak, one by one, the flares disappearing like falling dominoes. And suddenly, chaos crept through the entire city.

"Decanthia. My beloved city" the man cloaked in black said almost whisperingly, as he took one last glance of the city. Now, fires were sprouting all over it like fountains, and each of them took their own path to follow, creeping through the city's length as they turn everything into ashes. But the fires weren't the only thing driving the city to its end. Around it, supernaturals were close to breaching the walls. Decanthia was heading to its doom.

"Vladimir!" a shattering voice streaked through the hurrowing scream of flames. The man turned around, searching for the voice's owner. As soon as he saw him, he stormed through the sea of scrambling people, trying to reach him. All around, panic was defeaning, and no other sound could soar past it.

"Father!" the man shouted in desperation, and as soon as his eyes caught sight of him, he struggled to cleave through the crowd.

"Father! I'm here! Let's run away!" he said, finally taking grasp of his father's arms. He pulled him toward the walls of a nearby building, clutching themselves against the corner.

"We need to get away from here. The beasts are already upon us, we're doomed here, father! Decanthia's falling apart!" Vlad said as he shook his father's shoulders

"I know son, but I need to let the capital know what's happening here. The city's telecommunication system has been down for days and-" he stopped at the sight of the city's light tower. Vlad set his eyes upon it too-it was shut off.

"I need to have it lit up so we could send the signals. You should go now and wait for me in Servidron". he went on, his tone bearing urgency.

"No. We should go together! Leave the city!" Vladimir protested, his eyes back to the influx of people seeking for their way out.

"There's no point in escaping the city when there's nowhere safe to go. I need to get those lights turned on and ring the alarm, let the other cities strengthen their defenses because as soon as the supernaturals are done here, they'll set their eyes upon the others. So go son, let me do my job" the father begged. He held Vladimir's hands with utmost tightness, asking for him to do what he said so.

Vlad shook his head relentlessly, now his eyes welling in tears. The city's conflagration reflected to his eyes, and he felt the terror crawling through his own body. "Father...I can't lose you. I can't go-"

"Yes, you can, Vlad" his father insisted.

"How? I can't run away, bearing those thought of the possibility that I might lose you...I can't father"

"Listen to me, Vlad. You grew up believing in destiny-that you are destined for great things. Maybe that's true, but maybe you make them. Maybe you don't wait for them to come true, maybe they wait for you to make them. But this place..." he took a regretful look of the nearly totally ashed city, terror bursting in flames getting reflected in his eyes. He pulled Vlad by his collar, toward him, his grip tighter than ever.