LES DÉSCENDANTS

Chapter 1: Renaissance (Rebirth)

A terrible silence befell the streets of Paris that morning.

But then, as nature so often does, the birds began their singing, the sun grew higher in the sky, and Grantaire stumbled up to the Corinthe, completely intoxicated, but at the sight of Enjolras's majestic frame hanging upside-down out of the window, he remembered Avenir's dying wish and was immediately sober.

He sprinted up the half-destroyed staircase, up into the room, took one look at his fallen comrades, and fell to his knees as reality continued to knock him stone-cold sober.

It was at Avenir's feet that he fell, on top of two broken pieces of metal, looking astonishingly like the letter A that General Lamarque had entrusted upon him. It was then he knew that something had gone amiss...she had told him the artifact would be intact in her hand...

He slowly stood and walked to the window, using Enjolras's clothing and his own newfound sobriety strength to pull the fallen revolutionary back through the window. Enjolras's ankles, twisted and broken, still were supporting his entire body weight. Now, he fell forward, and Grantaire cried out as the weight became too much for him to bear. He was forced to deposit Enjolras on the wooden floor, where the blood from his wounds began seeping, and where Grantaire began pounding in grief, getting endless splinters but still pounding, until his own hands matched the shade of Enjolras's tailcoat.

But remembering Avenir's last wish, he placed their hands together and placed the broken halves of her artifact within them, closing their eyes for them and then wishing for someone, anyone, something, anything, to bring them all back.

He wished for mercy.

He wished for a second chance.

He wished for love to win.

He wished for good over evil.

He wished for a renaissance, a rebirth.

He bowed his head, and wept.

The artifact began to glow.