The Ashen Rebellion

22 | A life

THE REBELS MOVED THROUGH the forest like shadows, their urgency a palpable force that pressed them forward. The night was thick and oppressive, the air heavy with moisture and the scent of pine. Nyssa's heart pounded in her chest, each step a reminder of the vision that haunted her. She could still see the Firelord's men, their swords gleaming with malice as they ruthlessly cut down innocent lives. Every flashback sent a jolt of fear through her, causing the enchanted weapons she had prepared to flicker and dim.

"Stay focused, Nyssa," She whispered to herself, slamming her eyes shut. She couldn't afford to falter now. When she opened her eyes, the swords in her comrades' hands no longer flickered; they shone with renewed brilliance, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.

"This way!" Kael's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

The group followed him, their breaths ragged and their eyes wide with dread. The forest seemed to conspire against them, branches clawing at their clothes and roots tripping their feet. The cacophony of night sounds—crickets, distant howls, the rustling of unseen creatures—was drowned out by the pounding of their hearts and the whispers of fear.

As they neared the city, the air grew thick with the acrid stench of smoke. Enforcers patrolled the streets, their presence a grim reminder of the relentless oppression they faced. The soldiers broke into houses, dragging out any survivors and setting the buildings ablaze. The crackling of fire and the screams of the innocent melded into a nightmarish symphony.

Nyssa felt an almost irresistible urge to confront the Enforcers, to unleash her fury upon them, but Kael's strong hand on her arm held her back. "Not yet," He whispered, his voice a steady anchor in the storm of chaos. "We move quietly. Follow me."

They slipped through alleyways, the shadows their only allies, until they reached the hidden entrance to the sewers. Kael pried open the lid, and one by one, they descended into the darkness. The stench of death and ash was immediate and overpowering, filling their lungs and making their eyes water.

''Where's Lyra?'' Arjun questioned.

Nyssa looked around. Where was Lyra? "I don't know.''

Had she even come with them in the first place?

"Find any survivors you can and get out! We cannot afford to fall victim to an ambush!" Kael ordered, his voice a lifeline of authority amidst the chaos. The group nodded and dispersed into the smoke-filled tunnels.

The scene was a hellscape. Just as in her dream, Enforcers were everywhere, their swords dripping with the blood of the fallen. Camps were engulfed in flames, and the bodies of comrades lay scattered like broken dolls. Nyssa, driven by a desperate need to save what little she could, slipped past the fray and headed to the command tent. Inside, everything was as she had foreseen: maps burning, plans disintegrating into ash. And Agatha, dear Agatha, lay dying on the floor, her breaths wet and labored.

"Agatha," Nyssa whispered, her voice breaking as she knelt beside the wounded woman. Tears blurred her vision as she brushed the blood-matted hair from Agatha's forehead. She hadn't known Agatha long, but the woman's kindness had carved a deep place in her heart.

"Please," Agatha choked out, her eyes pleading. "Kill me."

Nyssa's heart wrenched in her chest. The weight of what Agatha was asking crushed her, but she couldn't stand to see her in such agony. The woman who had taken her in, who had believed in her, was now asking for release.

Agatha's hand moved, and Nyssa saw her trying to give her something. She opened her hand, and Agatha dropped a string necklace into her palm. It was ragged and made of uneven string, with large knots tied at the ends. A tiny shard of rock hung from it, a simple yet poignant token. Nyssa slid it into the back of her breastplate, giving Agatha a sad, grateful smile.

With a trembling hand, she reached for her sword. Closing her eyes, she did not stop until she heard Agatha's last gurgled breath. When she opened her eyes, Agatha was gone. Nyssa closed the woman's eyelids with reverence, the screams outside becoming too much to bear.

Salvaging what little she could from the burning maps, she tucked the scrolls into her breastplate and rushed out. She saw Kael and a few others engaged in a desperate battle with the Enforcers, their bodies bearing the marks of combat. She moved to join them, but a hand gripped her throat, yanking her back.

"You did this!" An enraged rebel hissed, his eyes wild with accusation. "You brought this upon us! We should have never let you into our hideout!"

Desperation and guilt clawed at her, but she fought back with equal fervor. "I didn't do this!" She shouted, trying to break free. "Kael—"

The rebel was relentless, his grip like iron. They struggled, a rough and messy fight that ended with Nyssa kicking him off. Just as she regained her footing, the ground rumbled ominously. She looked up, seeing the crack in the roof widen.

"Kael, the roof!" She screamed, but it was too late. The ceiling collapsed, sending debris crashing down. She saw Kael's eyes widen in realization and horror as the world above them came crumbling down.

Darkness engulfed them, and Nyssa's scream was swallowed by the collapsing earth.