57: Shatter the Stars

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The sky burned black, the gold armor around Grey's shoulders and arms glinting from the sheer power within its welding

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The sky burned black, the gold armor around Grey's shoulders and arms glinting from the sheer power within its welding. Gatekeeper rested in her palms, the sword's energy pulsing through her fingertips by the connection the First King created. His presence in her body grew exponentially, the magic of the Eternal Flame gracefully caressing the inside of her heart like phantom fingertips. Eyes set on the horizon, she clasped her sword with both hands, the blade stabbing into the ground.

The 42nd floor was a pavilion crafted of stone and marble walls connected by glass windows. Beige marble pillars stretched up to the rounded, coffered ceiling of the dome. Wall sconces brimming with white fire spilled light across the marble floor that used to house a clock. In preparation of Solis, Anaphiel stripped the greenhouse of its flowers and stream, transforming their palace replica garden into Grey's personal landing.

Here, she would monitor the angels' progress from indoors, using herself as bait to lure Solis towards the skyscraper's top floor. She purposefully stood in a window so that she could be seen by the Demon King when he approached. At her side was Vanity, the First Queen's auburn hair swept into a high ponytail. She wore a silver breastplate with a black long sleeve and black pants beneath, shinguards and two matching armlets on her upper arms. Luca sat on her hind legs before both of them.

All three of them stared into rain that mercilessly pelted the windows. Thunder clapped up above, the boom causing the fire in Grey's chest to leap and spread. Each time the lightning slashed at a different part of Seoul, the city grew darker in the resounding silence. So dark, that Grey began to see her reflection in the glass. Just on the other side of the window, the sky's tears cascaded down the sides of KSJ like a waterfall.

She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

Rowan. Please be with me.

As though he listened, warmth blossomed in her heart, a sense of peace soothing her nerves.

Aloud, Grey said, "I need to see through the storm."

Vanity raised a hand, making a sweeping motion with her wrist. The glass vanished, the rain streaming down like thousands of ink droplets. Meters and meters below, Grey noticed the silhouettes of seven men on the street just before KSJ's doors. They clasped hands, bowing their heads. 

"What are they doing?" Grey asked.

"Creating the ward," Vanity said. Luca's tail swayed in curiosity.

A few seconds passed with the angels standing there conjoined. Grey squinted to get a better look. She couldn't so much as see the change as she could feel it. The wind whipped at their circle, rustling their clothes. Yet, the direction of the air shifted, their hair blowing upwards, their shirts lifting out of their belts. 

The rain stopped falling. Grey stole a clear view of their block and the drenched angels. The sounds of water crashing against cement paused as though the world held its breath. As quickly as it had come, it vanished, the storm persisting towards the ground. 

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