The sun was starting to rise. Ardyn watched as it peeked out from the horizon, casting bright rays of light across the sky and surrounding area. The stars were no longer visible, but what replaced the appearance of night was something equally mesmerizing.
He sat down on a nearby rock near the city gates and waited for the last group of citizens to finish. Since it was a huge city, the evacuation process understandably took a long time.
He could have left with the first batch of citizens, but he didn’t want to leave so quickly. Under the pretense of waiting for a friend, he stayed behind, hoping he wouldn’t be suspected.
Fortunately, he wasn’t. Perhaps because the soldiers were also too confused to know what to make of the situation.
Even though it was clear that the people trusted the royal family, they were still confused as to what exactly the threat was. They didn’t know if they should leave quickly or take their time, especially since there was no visible threat or other alarming signs. But they cooperated with the evacuation anyway.
He wondered what would happen to Angelbay City after all this. Would the magnificent city be reduced to dust after the appearance of the Calamity? He hoped not. Such beauty should not be destroyed.
But he guessed that the people here were used to rebuilding everything, even from scratch. He couldn’t even imagine living in such a world. He would probably live in fear as the date of the breaking of the seal approached, wishing that he could come out of that period unscathed.
Ardyn sighed and turned his attention back to the sky. It was now a brilliant shade of blue, with two planets visible in the expanse. One, slightly larger than the other, radiated a soft, silvery glow, casting a gentle luminance from afar. It was situated on the east side.
On the west side, on the other hand, was the sun and a second planet. This planet was smaller and also took on a golden hue. Wide, thick clouds that looked like they came out from a painting drifted across them lazily, giving the appearance of an ethereal sky.
It’s like I’m in a video game simulation or something, Ardyn thought wryly as he continued to watch the skies, wondering why it made him feel a stab of longing.
At that moment, he remembered Leon.
Did he get out first? I haven’t seen him at all, he realized. I saw all the nobles and aristocrats exit the gates, but none looked familiar.
Maybe the Duke and the royal family have a different evacuation path? I don’t recall seeing the King and Queen, either.
“There are no more carriages left,” he suddenly overheard one soldier nearby saying. “The celestial caravans are on their way. I already sent an order to someone.”
“The royal family instructed us to make sure that everyone gets out before the sun rises at its highest. Currently, we have approximately three hours left.”
“Three hours? I’m certain that the caravans will arrive here way before that.”
“What about the royal family’s carriages?”
“Already prepared.”
“Why haven’t His and Her Majesty come out yet?”
Ardyn watched them, intrigued, when suddenly a group of people slowly exited the gates. They were certainly eye-catching, especially their choice of clothing.
The men wore long, flowing robes that came down to their ankles. The robes were shades of white and orange, decorated with intricate embroidery and unique patterns. They wore sturdy-looking sandals and had a simple corded belt to cinch the robe at the waist.
The women, on the other hand, were dressed similarly to the men, but they also wore a head veil made of semi-transparent material. They also wore sparkling jewelry around their wrists, necks, and even dangling earrings.
To Ardyn’s surprise, the soldiers bowed to these people respectfully.
“Your Reverences,” they greeted. “Have you finished packing your things?”
Ardyn watched them talk, fascinated. They were probably the priests and priestesses of this world that Evan mentioned.
“All right. Last batch, let us now depart,” a soldier called out. “The rest of the captains, go and coordinate with the other units to prepare for evacuation. Make sure to hurry before the deadline approaches! We need to get every single soldier evacuated. Is that understood?”
“Sir! We aren’t staying behind?”
“No. Royal family’s orders. Every single soldier is to be evacuated. No questions until we get to the safehouses. The royal family wants to ensure our safety first and foremost. After arrival, we will await their next order.”
Murmurs of confusion spread among the soldiers, but they eventually gave a firm bow.
“Understood, sir!”
The priests and priestesses started bursting into discussion as they, the last group of citizens, followed the soldiers towards the road. Ardyn followed reluctantly from behind, no longer having an excuse to stay a little longer.
For some reason, he just wanted to see Evan one last time.
Ardyn wondered if he could ever visit this city again, even though he was told never to return. It was somehow bittersweet.
He cast one last glance at the majestic capital of the Silver Kingdom before turning and following the last group of citizens.
Survive.
That’s what I need to do.
Let’s never come back here again.
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* * *
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Meanwhile…
-
“What is the royal family planning?”
“Evacuate the entire city, including the kingdom’s soldiers? This is unheard of…”
“We cannot disobey a royal order.”
“I know, but still… something’s not right about this.”
“Enough! Just follow orders. We have always trusted the royal family for years. Let’s show them that trust now.”
“Understood, captain…”
The King and Queen watched from afar as the kingdom’s soldiers rushed back and forth from several houses, presumably packing their bags and preparing for a long journey.
Throughout the island, there were several shelters designed specifically to house citizens during the evacuation process. Each batch was directed to specific locations on the map to ensure a steady and streamlined evacuation process. They had been doing this for decades during the Calamity’s periods of destruction.
“Father, Mother,” Evan’s voice resounded from behind. “Are you not going to leave?”
“The soldiers have not yet departed,” the Queen said calmly, closing her eyes.
“Still…”
“Son, we’re the leaders of this kingdom,” the King said firmly. “As they always say, the captain is the last to leave the sinking ship. It applies to us as well.”
The Queen nodded.
“We will always put our people’s lives first no matter what.”