Of all engineering accomplishments, Columbia surpassed them all in complexity and practicality. A symbol of American nationalism, the city was built as a utopia for all American ideals. It flies high in the skies, propelled by massive engines around the world, leaving its location almost unknown. Perhaps one can see it on a clear day, though the pilots (if there are any), likely avoid clear skies at all costs. For the utopian citys true purpose was not to support civilization. This was cover for a pastime America shares with its neighbors, as so shared it with a great number of Chinese civilians. Blasting guns from thousands of feet upon the civilians, the true purpose of Columbia was revealed as a war ship. Inevitably, the good souls of the American government and officials in Columbia argued over this monstrous creation. And thus, the city vanished into the clouds.

Those torn most in this philosophical argument were the citizens of Columbia themselves. Those who supported the American power of the ship, and the peacemakers, so to speak. A civil war broke out between the philosophies, and such war cannot take place in so small an area without carnage. Its a wonder blood did not rain from the skies, though there was likely an occasion body plummeting to their death or being disposed of.

This war will never be won unless one manages to capture a certain girl. Her childish appearance is deceptive of her true power. At five years old she was taken to Columbia, and has remained there since, in captivity. No such power has ever been seen on earth, the power of control space and time. With these abilities, the civil war will be ended by whoever gets into Monument Island first.

Inside the tower of Monument Island, a number of stories lead upward, higher than anywhere else in the city. And in these halls and rooms, Elizabeth dwells. It has been four years since her incarceration, seeing the sun only through windows. Her skin is deathly white and her auburn hair cascades down her shoulders. She hums as she plays with a number of toys brought by her guardian, who I shall detail later. Nearby is the siphon, a large room with electrodes crackling with electricity.

Unknown to Elizabeth, guns are firing on Monument Island as she plays.

The civil war has been taken to Monument Island. Both had planned an assault on the same day. Father Comstock, leader of the Founders, announced it hours earlier. Standing before his followers, he is an old man, with white hair flowing like a judges wig. His facial hair is also very long. A true patriot, he proclaimed that as long as victory is seized, casualties are no object. He himself cannot fight, for he is much too frail. But his nemesis, Daisy Fitzroy, is an adept combatant.

Across the city, Fitzroy preaches to her followers, rallying their will to fight for the extreme beliefs. They don red sashes and devil masks, loading up their shotguns, marching toward Monument Isalnd. But the guns she prepares are not for the Founders, but for Elizabeths vicious guardian.

Stop! cries Fitzroy. Her followers stop in their tracks. On the opposite island, she spots the Founders. Led by some second rate general Comstock elected, she scoffs at his cowardice. Panic runs through her veins as she sees them marching toward Monument Island. She sees them each get onto the skyhook and fly across to the island. With a wave of her hand, the snipers far behind her raise their guns. She forms a fist and they fire.

One by one, each of the Founders flying to the island plummet to the earth. All guns of the Founders point toward her and her army, but they shoot first. Line after line of Founders fall to the ground until a rocket shoots at Fitzroys troop. She jumps away, but the blast kills nearly six of her soldiers. Beneath her devil mask, she screams for her troop to attack. With a fiendish war cry, they use the skyhook to get to the Founders side of the city. As they land, they dispatch at least one Founder with a shot, never being shot themselves. After several minutes, they are all on the same island.

Swords flash and guns blaze, deafening enough for most of the fighters to lose their hearing temporarily. In several minutes, the ground is pure scarlet, splashing with every step. One Vos Populi slips in the blood before being shot by a Founder. The only Vos Populi truly holding their ground is Fitzroy, blasting her shotgun, killing several Founders at a time.

A Vos Populi runs past a Founders corpse, only to feel a sharp pain run through their leg. A loud snap accompanies their Achilles tendon being sliced. The fallen Founders stands up and slits the Vos Populis throat. Blood was spraying everywhere, covering the living soldiers to the point that they could have been dead. Which this Founder took advantage of.

For several hours, the battle between the small factions continued. Fitzroy finally spotted the petty general dispatching a novice of hers. Their eyes met. Teeth bared, the general raised his gun and shot at her. Dashing behind a bench, she fires her pistol back. A deadly shot, she hits his shoulder. Seemingly unfazed, he shoots at the bench. She reloads. A metal clang lands next to her and, without thinking, she runs out. The bench explodes with a grenade, and she opens fire with the pistol. He is not hit at all this time, but she is struck with a magnum bullet in the stomach.

Clutching her bleeding gut, she holds one hand to it as she waits for the general to round the corner of her cover.

Across the battlefield, another Vos Populi sees Fitzroys predicament. Stabbing the attacking Founder through the throat, she leaves the knife in him. The general approaches the corner slowly and dramatically. His body armor would protect him from her shot, and she was probably too weak to aim for his head.

The Vos Populi raises her pistol and fires a single shot at him. Flying past his face, he jumps back several inches, even though he was not hit. He turns toward the shot and falls to the ground with another bullet between his eyes.

Unseen by any of the fighters, the stray bullet flies up and strikes the window of the tower on Monument Island. It is not near Elizabeth, and she is unaware of the fight below. The fight is the least of her concerns when she hears music resonate in her room. An organ plays itself, a slow tune of puffy notes. Elizabeths blood runs cold and her eyes fill to the brim with terror.

Beneath the engines of the city, avoiding the fire, two glowing red eyes illuminate the twilight. Metal scratches as the monster detaches from the island.

All hearing is lost for those on the battlefield. The shrillest screech ever created stabs their ears, but it is so quick, they cannot even think about it. Fitzroy, her rescuer, and all the other soldiers look around. The sound is unlike any other, but was strangely birdlike. They all looks toward Monument Island. Perhaps it came from Elizabeth. But unknown to them, she is cowering fear in the corner.

The setting suns rays are blotted out, a shadow cast over the soldiers. They all turn to face the silhouette of a giant bird. Unable to see its features in the sun, the silhouette dives down to the battlefield, snatches up two soldiers and vanishes beneath the city again.

All fighting stops as the remaining soldiers wait. Landing several feet from Fitzroys side, the Founder that had been taken lands beside her. He has been disemboweled, landing on his seeping entrails, splitting them and splashing blood across Fitzroys face. She recoils and shuts her eyes. She hears air split as the creature dives again, slashing each remaining soldier with its talons. She leaves her cover and stares at the beast in horror. With one clawed leg, it picks up the solider that had saved her and crushes her head against the pavement.

Each of her soldiers dead, Daisy Fitzroy takes the skyhook back to her hideout where her other followers await her supposed victory.

Elizabeth stands up to the window and cringes as the shadow covers the light. She mutters to herself, Songbird, Songbird, see him fly, drop the children from the sky, when the young ones misbehave, escorts children to their grave.