City of Sinners

Chapter 29

No one knew who and what does the person in black is doing at the bank of the burning river. When one of Solomon’s men found out about that man, he quickly told us about it. What’s weird is that Solomon’s man says that behind the person in hooded black, is a fleet of small boats that is, still, colored in black, and is not being burned even though it was having a direct contact in the burning river. From that, our insane curiosities were being hungry, and we badly needed to feed it. Right now.

Quickly, we ran back towards where most of the gangs were resting.

“Gaston!” seeing Gaston, I called him. He was still talking to the remaining Owls, and they were all laughing. Probably, Gaston was telling them cheap jokes just like what he always do to every Vultures.

My calling to his name and with the obvious urgency in my voice had made the other groups looking at me. Perhaps, I was overreacting, but I don’t care. What is important is that I could tell to Gaston what the patrols has just discovered.

Gaston, sensing my urgency, has left the Owls in an instant, and quickly strode towards me. Same as Valour, though I haven’t called him, he knows that I would be needing him too. No, the whole gang would be needing him.

“What is it, Sitri?” asked Gaston the moment he came towards me.

“Fix yourselves. Tell the Vultures to condition their bodies once again for a fight.”

“Another demon?” Valour asked as he went towards us.

“No, I don’t think so. Yet either way, what I wanted you to do is to prepare. We cannot predict what would happen inside this place, isn’t it?”

From that, Valour and Gaston nodded.

Quickly, Gaston left us and then gathered all the Vultures that is waiting for the news of why there is a sudden urgency.

Words and news indeed has some wings bacause it travels fast. Now, every members of the gangs in the area are preparing themselves, and is feeling the sudden panic and nervousness from the patrolling news.

Now, when we are already prepared and all the group has been settled for another action, without any second thought, we marched away of the mini forest that we have been using for a rest. Along with the rest of the remaining gangs, we marched towards the Sao Garde river.

Even though we are still a bit far from the thing we are about to go to, most of us had already seen the black figure. Seeing its black hooded long cloth, and a big, sharp-looking scythe, most of us became wary and afraid. Even me, I could not deny the fact that I am feeling a bit worried about what would probably happen next. Maybe even Gaston and Valour, they are feeling the terrified sensation creeping through their bodies.

When we were now finally able to reach the place, most of us have finally confirmed who the man inside the black hooded cloth was. No—I must say, what is the man inside the black cloth. Because inside it is a skeletal figure. A thing that has no body, tissue, or organs, but just a plain skeletal frame. Its hands that was holding the scythe was all bones, and the face inside the hood was a terrifying, all smiling, fear-clutching skull.

As if to welcome us, he pointed his sharp scythe towards the fleet of small boats that is floating in the burning river. Then, it said, “the second gate of hell is waiting for you, survivors.”