Rise From the Ashes

Chapter One: Prelude to a Great Prophecy

(NARRATED BY CAMERON SETLER)

Dinner was an enticing prospect, but I could never have nice things.

What I got instead was an utter catastrophe that kickstarted my stint as a dog for some "disbanded" military organization. Given my usual luck, I guess I had no right to be surprised things would turn out this way. Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

I, the amazing and brilliant sixteen-year-old Cameron Setler, navigated the ruinous streets of an abandoned, centuries-old metropolis when the sweet smell of barbecue reminded me that I hadn't eaten in two days.

"Mmm... what is that?" my fourteen-year-old sister wondered aloud, whipping her head around as she followed close behind. Her long, jet-black hair swayed as she did so. We were both carrying "antiquated" weapons for the time. She had her bow, and I had my sword. Maybe a sniper rifle or machine gun would've done us better, but our mutual royal pal/pain Senti had no idea how to craft anything like that.

I shot my airheaded sibling a scowl. "Keep your guard up and quit drooling, Lola. Prince Senti said this place was dangerous, remember?"

"What's so dangerous about food?" she hummed, inhaling the aroma like a stay-at-home mom in an air-freshener commercial. "Isn't that stuff supposed to keep us alive?"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Lola's rampant ADHD often clouded her brain, even more than mine. "Just be prepared to draw your bow, okay? You never know what might happen if we end up facing that guy."

Adjusting her black glasses frames (which were nearly identical to mine), she frowned. "You mean the man with the pale-golden staff from your dream?"

"That's right," I confirmed. "According to that nagging man's voice, our mission is to protect those people in that castle." From our position on a hill, I pointed at the turrets which peered over legions of mostly dilapidated buildings and blocked out most of our view of the glittering lake to the northwest.

Lola still looked concerned. "If we don't know what we're up against, how are you so sure your powers will be enough, Cameron? Like it or not, you're still kind of new to this whole 'Chosen Hero' thing, and Senti isn't even with us right now. He's busy running errands or whatever."

As I looked over at the nearly setting sun, a wave of dread washed over me—yet I tried not to let it show. "That was probably some lame excuse to save his own hide," I wagered. "After all, it's just like him to chicken out right before something interesting happens."

My sister laughed, "You're probably right. Still, are these people really worth saving, Cameron? If we're caught prancing about the former capital of Pyro, we could be thrown in jail. After all, Aridian law states—"

"Pyro is off-limits to the public, I know. I sort of get it since it's a sacred place and the government wants to preserve it, but..." I glanced to the west once more. "If we don't stop the guy from my dream, who knows what will become of it?"

"Your dream, huh? Could that be your ancestor talking?"

The two of us immediately drew our weapons and turned at the sound of a man's deep, suave voice—only to find a friendly-looking, yet strongly-built man with pale skin and black hair, clad in a purple military uniform and a cool pair of shades. He wore the ranks of a colonel on each of his shoulders, and his name tag read, "NARIVADO."