Chapter Three
"What's up there?" Civilians below gazed in bewilderment. They had never seen anything like this before.
"AAahhhhhh!!!" Women and children screamed as the rain mixed with blood fell from the sky.
Panic spread through the crowd as—
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOARR!!!
A roar that shook the heavens created a shockwave extending far beyond the clouds.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
"AAGGGHGHHGHGGHH!!"
"HELP!!!"
"WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
The shockwave made the ground quake, causing buildings to collapse. Some people were crushed by the debris, and their screams filled the air. the entire city almost fully got destroyed, it was like sky shaking monster was about to descend and crush everyone in its sight, it was terrifying people started to scream and yell out they started to run around. it was a terrifying sight to behold to, many people got crushed but rain made the streets look like it was filled with blood even if nobody fell there.
"Huh?" Gard looked up from Alex's house, where they had been waiting. The house, the oldest in the world, remained intact despite the chaos.
"WHAT THE FUCK!!!" Zachary yelled, his voice filled with panic. Everyone else was equally terrified.
"Guys... TO THE ARMY HEADQUARTERS NOW!!!" Adam commanded. Everyone nodded, including Captain Adam, as they headed toward the Army Headquarters. If this was an attack, the army would provide protection.
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!!!
"AGHGGGHGH!!!"
Another shockwave hit them, knocking most of them to the ground.
"GO, GO, NOW!!!" Gard shouted.
They scrambled to their feet, looking around to help injured civilians.
"Get them to the healing camps at the Army Headquarters. Don't waste time. If you need to carry someone, do it. Save as many people as possible," Captain Adam directed. Everyone with any military training sprang into action, assisting the injured and keeping an eye on the situation above.
Except for Alex.
Inside the Wall
"What the hell..." Alex looked around in confusion. He found himself in a vast open space. In front of him were thirty massive pillars supporting a grand rectangular building, similar to a library. A red carpet stretched across the floor, adorned with enormous 300-meter flags.
"That is—AGGHGHGHGHGH!!!" Before he could react, Alex nearly lost his balance. He looked down and almost panicked—he was standing at the top of the Emperor's castle.
"Don't fall," Pericles said, steadying him.
"What the hell happened?" Alex asked, bewildered.
"Well, that was Spark magic. It gave us incredible speed for a few seconds and brought us up here," Nikos explained.
"I see... so who are you all?" Alex asked, trying to make sense of how he ended up in the Emperor's castle.
"Well..." Maria began, looking a bit awkward.
"Alex seems like a good guy. Don't worry and tell him," Theodoros said, surprising everyone.
"Let's introduce ourselves... Cough. We are all princes and princesses of the Empire. Except for Theodoros, we are all here... as former..." Pericles stepped forward.
"I am Pericles Olympius Macedon, heir to the throne. I greet you, Alex..."
Alex stood in stunned silence. His mind raced. First, did the Greek Empire's succession pass to the eldest son? He thought it didn't, or perhaps he was confusing it with the Spartans. Second, how did he randomly meet the heir to the empire during a random exam at a prestigious academy? Third, what in the world was happening right now?
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOR!!!
"We don't have time to explain. Follow me," Maria urged. They all hurried into the castle.
Alex glanced to his left and saw another castle high up in the mountains, looking similar but with more stone mixed with quartz.
Inside the castle, Alex observed pillars supporting a pyramid-shaped room. Rooms extended behind these pillars. In front was a massive throne, but it was empty.
"Why isn't anyone here?" Alex asked.
"Oh, this is just for show. The real throne is up there," Maria pointed.
They rushed to the right side of the throne and entered a staircase. After several flights, they reached an open space behind the castle. It featured a colossal statue of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man, holding a severed hydra head. Water flowed from the hydra like a fountain.
"Oh, my Zeus... PRINCESS? PRINCESSES???" people in old Greek attire and aristocratic outfits were cleaning the massive space, which stretched three kilometers long.
"Hey, where's Adreus?" Maria asked a maid.
"Adreus is at the Emperor's castle, my lady," the maid replied.
"Alright, let's go." Maria and the others dashed toward the other end of the open space.
"We need to meet Adreus. He's going to protect us," Maria said.
Alex felt completely out of his depth. He followed along, amazed by the immense space that seemed larger than the university.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Theodoros voiced his concern, glancing back at Alex with a serious expression.
They reached the end of the open space and entered a building surrounding it. After a few minutes of climbing stairs, they arrived at a sturdy quartz bridge extending over the second castle.
Alex was stunned. The grandeur and architectural sophistication were beyond anything he had expected. His perceptions of these people were being completely overturned.
"Don't look down," Maria advised.
"Agghhhhh..." Nikos yelled. Alex looked down and saw they were suspended 15,000 kilometers in the air.
They crossed the bridge and entered a castle that combined elements of Greek pantheon architecture with old medical castles.
Finally, they reached a large door.
"HEY, OPEN IT UP FOR US!!!" Maria shouted. Guards quickly responded, opening the door.
They entered a circular room with seating around the perimeter. People dressed in a mix of aristocratic and old Greek attire were gathered, talking among themselves.
"What's going on?"
"Is this a scheme?"
"Are the guards going to do something?"
A murmur of confusion spread among the crowd.
"Huh? Senate members?" Maria exclaimed.
"Everyone, please listen to the Emperor's orders," a voice commanded. An extremely old man emerged.
"The order is—"
But before he could continue, Alex looked up at the sky and saw something forming.
"NOW!" he shouted.
End of Chapter.