The confusion changed into hesitation. The people looked into each other, looking for anyone who would take initiative in the conversation, and said out loud their opinions.

Navia stood up and grabbed the young girl by the shoulder, when Mirabell turned around to face her she saw a kind smile. Navia gently closed her eyes and nodded her head toward the girl to thank her.

With her confidence back, she straightened herself and looked around to check the people's faces and what they were feeling. It was a mix of everything. “I know you may not know me! My name is Navia Silckthrone, warrior of the Order Of Tomorrow… Vice Captain of Squad number five. We were here on the day of the attack. I was on the frontline and thought that I died… I woke up between the remains of the battlefield, and the first thing I chose to do was to look for survivors, to look for you, to make sure you’ll live to see another sunrise.”

Some faces brightened up, people believed her, or at least wanted to believe her for at least a glimpse of hope, even if a false one. “I know how you feel about your loss… I also lost a loved one on the day of the Tide. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I am asking you to trust me with your life; I want to get you to safety, away from the monsters’ grasp.”

“You’re saying there are monsters still out there?!” Shouted a horrified young woman, letting her fear spread to the rest of the crowd.

“Yes. There are monsters.” Navia answered confidently as if that wasn’t a problem. “I only saw Barnacles out there, but I lured them away from the mountain. We could avoid them and get a ship from the port. There is a chance that some of them will come back, but it's better than waiting for death in this cave. I’m not forcing anyone, but who is willing to trust me and escape this hell?” Navia asked with vigor, looking around the people, waiting for someone to join her.

The Mirabell, who was half Navia’s size, raised her fist. The people looked at each other in shock, they wanted a clear answer from someone but were surprised that a child did that. The grandmother tightly clenched her lips but in the end, she let it go and raised her fist as well. The people slowly joined until all of them decided to follow.

A genuine smile appeared as Navia looked in each direction, looking at the people who were willing to go with her. “Pick up some food and something to defend yourself with. Don’t get too much, enough to survive, and enough to run with it if necessary! We’ll gather in front of the stairs leading out of the shelter.” Gladly ordered Navia, trying to lift the people's spirits up.

Navia was the last to leave the tent, looking back at the stage where the dead people were left to rot. They had to leave as fast as they could to have a chance of survival. It will leave a bitter taste in their mouths, but it's better than rotting with them.

Once she stepped out of the massive and colorful tent, she saw that half of the small tents were already taken apart. Many used the knives they had to sharpen the sticks that were used to support the tents. Some people picked up the pans they used for cooking to fight with. The materials of the tents were cut to wrap their supplies in them. The people seemed eager to see the sky and leave this place.

As Navia slowly got to the stairs, the noise calmed down as more people finished their preparations and waited in front of the stairs or helped others to get ready. Taking a few steps up, she took a look at the crowd of around four hundred people with wooden spears, makeshift bags, kitchen tools, and the will to live.

She raised their dagger high up for everyone to see, the last remaining light of the sunset slipped through the gap of the gates and reflected from Navia’s blade. “Let us see tomorrow’s sun!” Shouted Navia with confidence and vigor, which people were glad to see as they raised their weapons and yelled back.

The crowd of people followed Navia up the stairs with the strongest man in front of the group. Many stayed close to their families, but those who had nothing left were positioned strategically with their wooden spears.

People squint their eyes as the sun’s light touches them for the first time since they were trapped in the underground shelter. They were glad to see the sky, smiles were warming on their faces. Some even shed a tear or two.

The older woman tried to take in all the fresh air, expecting a refreshing cold wind from the sea. Instead, she smelt the pungent and nauseating odor of rotten flesh. The sweet, sour, and metallic scent of death.

A worried man rushed to the old woman as she began coughing but she reassured him with a wave of her hand that she is alright. “I just didn’t expect… Such a strong… smell…”

The plaza was clear, not a single sign of monsters. “Careful not to get close to the gate. The monsters are behind those walls in the fog.” Navia warned the crowd. Her eyes looked for a way out without going through the whole city. The walls were undamaged, not a sign of a hole to get out through. Jumping on the roofs was out of an option since there were children and elderly in the group.

“What now?” Asked a stressed woman with a pan tightly clenched between her fingers and placed close to her chest, her eyes rapidly moving around to look out for danger.

“I’m trying to figure it out… There are no holes we could use to sneak out… At least not yet.” Answered Navia as she figured out a plan. She ordered people to move toward one side of the walls in the corner. “Wait here. I’ll shoot from the cannons to make a hole in the wall. This will attract the monsters, but once all of us leave the district, we’ll be safe. So once I made a hole, I quickly ran and got to the other side. Head to the port and look for a ship we can take.”

When she mentioned the monsters coming toward them, the people began to question her idea, anxious and unsure. “It’s either that or die. Let’s get to it.” The blacksmith with his hammer broke the silence of the crowd, his statement calmed people about the plan but the monsters were still in their heads.

Navia was about to run but she felt a soft hand grabbing her. Looking back she saw Mirabell with a worried look on her face. “Be careful… And come back quickly.”

She kneeled down to be on her level and kissed her on the forehead. “Sure thing little one.” Whispered Navia. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Then she gathered her courage and left the group, running toward the wall’s tower to climb up and fire the cannons.

Slowly opening the doors, she looked inside to check if a barnacle was waiting for her right behind the wooden planks. “Clear.” Whispered Navia, entering the tower with a dagger in front.

Each step echoed through the spiral stairs leading up to the walls. A light slipped through the small windows of the tower. She stopped from time to time to check on the crowd of people waiting for her to create an escape route. She picked up her pace when she heard the creaking sound when she looked at the wrong side of the wall.

“Some of them are near the gates. I need to get moving.” Navia dropped the cautious stand and began running up the stairs. She pushed the door and was about to run to load the cannon.

“Missed me?” Sitting on the cannon was Sive with a short sword in hand, playing with it before Navia came.