SILVER EYES (GXG)

Chapter 31: Red Stains

The terror became more present as the smoke, moved by the violent gusts of wind, revealed the bodies of those who had been reached by the explosions. Three bombs had shattered one after the other, in a matter of seconds, leaving us helpless in the face of the great demand for aid in so many different areas. Three strategic locations. A planned attack. One inside the tunnels, another at the gates, and the last one, of course, in the training field.

The Narval Officers ran scattered, possessed by the panic of another assault. Heather, who watched the scene as if she was witnessing her worst nightmare, took out a whistle and blew it with all her strength. The shrill sound priced the air frozing the chaos and everyone turned at her.

"Everyone listen to me! Take the wounded to the Narval House, the rest go to the training field to help, the reinforcements will be here in no time. Come on!" She yelled.

All obeyed her immediately.

I scanned the area and saw two Narval Officers lying on the ground, near the gates. The metal door had been bombed with an extremely powerful explosive, leaving a massive dark stain on the closing, along with a gooey smell of burnt iron that constricted my lungs. A significant portion of the gate had broken away, leaving there a large hole now connecting our divided worlds.

I approached them, desperately hoping to find any sign of consciousness. But just as I was about to kneel down, something in the distance caught my attention.

Dressed in their bloody red uniforms and with they distinctive black tattoos under their left eyes, a group of Phoenix soldiers ran toward us, engulfed in war screams. I had heard many stories about them, but I had never seen them in real life. They looked like a herd of wild beasts, their faces covered with red paint as if they had been gutting prey and were now ready for more.

"Heather!" I yelled, turning to run back to her. She glanced at me and then at the unstoppable soldiers behind me, who were nearly reaching the broken gate.

"Shit!" She mumbled and then she whistled again, making the Narval Officers turned to her once more.

"Leave the wounded! Get ready to fight!" Heather commended as she took out her laser gun and walked to the gate fearless.

We all formed a tight line behind her, standing shoulder to shoulder like a human shield, bracing ourselves to defend the border and ready for whatever danger lurked ahead. The deafening screams of the Phoenix soldiers seemed to suck the very air from our lungs, draining the oxygen we so desperately needed in that moment. I stole a brief glance at Heather, who stood beside me with her gaze sharp as a blade, capable of slicing through any creature that dared to stand in her way at the speed of light.

"Stay close," She said without averting her gaze from the gate.

I held my breath and tried to focus on the tumultuous soldiers. But the pounding of my own heart, which resonated uncontrollably in every limb, reminded me of the fear I was so fiercely suppressing.

Suddenly, the man at the head of the group, his face marred by a large scar stretching from his forehead to his left ear, hurled a small silver capsule towards us.

"Close your eyes!" Heather yelled immediately. The ball hit the ground and a thick red smoke swiftly contaminated the air, seeking its victims. Heather shielded my eyes with her hands just before the smoke engulfed us, leaving us trapped in profound blindness at the worst possible moment.

"Don't open your eyes yet; it won't last for long," Heather cautioned.

Screams from our comrades indicated that the Phoenix soldiers had breached the gates. Amidst the chaos, I heard the sounds of impacts and fighting, everything indicated that a battle was breaking out and we couldn't react, not without first being able to see something.