Hall of Games [ REWRITE ] | The Varya Chronicles #1

Chapter Thirty-Two

The wind shrieked past her ears as she shot through the air. Her hair was forced back, her face felt like peeling off from the gale, and her cloak rippled behind her.

As she shadowed neared the wall, Cadence pushed against it, working against the previous force that sent her forward. The push countered her previous trajectory. She hit the wall just as she plunged both daggers into the stone. Celestium screamed against stone as Cadence slid, clinging onto the hilts for dear life. Her fall came to a stop when the daggers found purchase in the wall, jerking her arms painfully as the momentum halted, and leaving her dangling at least fifty feet off the ground.

Cadence laughed. It worked. It actually worked.

None of the Walker Hunter bothered to look up, their attention focused on the people trying to pass through the gates. They simply did not believe anyone would be foolish enough to climb the Great Wall. The Walls had kept out an entire army before, but Cadence was not an entire army.

She closed her eyes, sensing her surroundings for shadows she could use. The wall was an uneven structure with rocks that jutted out too much and rocks that had caved in from age. The protuberant stones cast their own shadows, visible enough for her pull on. Cadence pulled her way up, then pushed back at the shadows below.

Up and up she ascended, her arms moving like clockwork. One hand on the shadow above and one pushing at the previous shadow.

Push and pull. Push and Pull. Although she had her Affinity to help, her shoulders ached from the effort, especially her injured side.

The wind turned from a gale into a blood-curdling hurricane as she continued to scale the Great Wall. Cadence had to push and pull harder, for the gale beat her down. Twice she almost slipped, but she clung on for dear life.

Stop. Her muscles begged. We can't do it anymore.

The white top broke through her sight.

We have to. We must.

The temperature dropped. Although it was Spring, the tails of winter were still trailing behind, ready to drag down any unfortunate souls brave or stupid enough to taunt it.

So close. With one final push, Cadence soared above the top of the wall and landed on her side. Her cloak cushioned her fall. Her shoulder screamed from the impact, but her body was still intact.

Cadence flopped over on her back and splayed out her limbs. She did it. She had climbed the Great Wall.

She looked up and saw the last of the sun vanish behind the horizon, bringing out the stars and velvety darkness.

The eyes of the Dewas. There were hundreds, no, thousands of them, bearing down on her with their graceful beauty. Cadence lifted her arm and tried to touch one of them.

Papa, papa, are you up there? Can you hear me?

If her father heard her, she didn't know, for the stars only continued to wink and blink.