Rising Ashes: Original

TRENCH

Clancy and Aimee crossed the Palladin Strait, the silent waves carrying them back into Trench.

As they reached the shore, Clancy extended a hand to help Aimee out of the boat. She took it, but her gaze remained fixed on the ground, heavy with the weight of their journey.

They walked back to the Bandito camp in silence, shadows of what they once were.

Torch spotted them from a distance and rushed over. "Oh my god, you're back!" His voice was full of relief. "We were all so worried. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Aimee replied, her eyes still refusing to meet his. The words felt hollow, like a reflex more than a truth.

Torch placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We're just glad you're safe. Take whatever time you need to heal."

Clancy barely heard him, his mind elsewhere. An idea had taken root, sharp and insistent. Without a word, he turned and began to walk away, his pace quickening with purpose.

"Clancy!" Torch called after him. "Where are you going?"

Clancy stopped but didn’t turn around. His voice was low, determined. "I'm going after Nico. This has to end."

"Clancy, do you understand how bad of an idea that is?" Torch's voice tightened with urgency. "They came after you. What if this is what they want?"

Clancy clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "Maybe it is," he said quietly. "But I can't sit here and do nothing while Nico keeps controlling everything—controlling us."

Torch stepped closer, his tone softening. "And what if it's a trap? You know how dangerous they are, how far they'll go. If you walk into this, we might not get you back."

Clancy finally turned to face him, eyes burning with frustration. "Then what? We just wait? Hope they don’t come after the rest of us? Hope Nico doesn't push Dema's control even further?" He shook his head. "I'm not waiting for their next move, Torch. This time, we act first."

"They just killed Aimee. We need to think strategically," Torch argued, his voice laced with tension.

Clancy gestured toward Aimee, his frustration boiling over. "And look! Aimee is fine. She made it. But what about the others? The people still trapped in Dema? I can't just sit by and let them rot while we sit idly, pretending we're safe."

"Clancy..." Aimee tried to interject, her voice soft, but he was too caught up in his emotions to hear her.

"Every second we wait, Nico tightens his grip. If we don’t act now, it’ll be too late." His passion burned through his words, blind to Aimee's attempt to speak.

"Clancy..." Aimee said, her voice louder now, trying to break through his rambling.

But he wasn’t listening. "You don’t understand! Every second we wait, they’re suffering. Nico’s controlling everything, and we’re just standing here, doing nothing! I can’t let them stay trapped while we hide out here, pretending everything’s fine—"

"Clancy!" Aimee practically shouted, her voice reverberating through the air as the ground beneath them trembled. Rocks around the camp shifted and rattled, lifted by a sudden burst of raw power. Her eyes glowed a vivid red, intensifying with her frustration, taking both Clancy and Torch off guard.

Clancy froze, wide-eyed. He had known about the red hue in her eyes, aware of the possibility she had psychokinetic powers—but he hadn’t expected this kind of raw, uncontrolled force. Even he seemed momentarily stunned.

Torch, however, took a step back, his gaze locked on Aimee's glowing eyes. "What... what the hell?"

Aimee’s breathing was heavy, but her voice was steady now. "You need to listen to me, Clancy. We can’t just rush in blindly. The last time we were blind to the Bishops, I died."

Clancy blinked, recovering from his shock. "Aimee... I didn’t mean too—" He shook his head, trying to focus. "You’re right. I hear you, but we can’t leave them behind. I can’t just sit here and do nothing."

Torch, still staring at Aimee’s eyes, took another step back, visibly unsettled. "What’s... what’s going on with you? Your eyes... How did you do that?" His voice was laced with confusion and a hint of fear, completely distracted by the sight in front of him.

Clancy glanced at Torch, realizing he hadn’t fully understood. "Torch, it’s... complicated." He turned back to Aimee. "Can you help us, or are you saying we shouldn’t act at all?"

"I never said we shouldn’t act at all," Aimee said firmly, her eyes still glowing as she regained control of her emotions. "I want to save the others. I want the rebellion to thrive in Dema. I want Nico’s head on a stick."

Clancy held her gaze, his determination simmering just beneath the surface. "Then what do we do? Because sitting here isn’t working."

Aimee sighed, the rocks around them finally settling back to the ground. "We need a plan, Clancy. A real one. Rushing in will only get us killed, and then what? Nico wins. We need to be smarter than him."

Torch, still trying to process everything, glanced between the two. "Wait... hang on. How are we just glossing over the fact that Aimee has powers? When did this happen?"

Clancy waved him off, still focused on Aimee. "It doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that she’s right. We need to regroup, think things through." He turned to Aimee, his tone softening. "What’s the plan, then?"

"I think it matters!" Torch exclaimed, his eyes darting between Clancy and Aimee. "What if her powers are useful to us? Or worse, what if they’re a sign that she’s under the Bishops’ control? How can we trust her?"

Aimee’s expression hardened at his words. "I’m not a pawn, Torch. I’ve been fighting this battle alongside you. You know me."

Clancy stepped in, holding up a hand. "Torch, this isn’t the time for doubt. Aimee just proved she’s on our side by trying to keep us from charging in recklessly."

Torch shook his head, still unconvinced. "But what if you’re wrong? What if she can’t control it? We can’t afford mistakes."

Aimee took a deep breath, steadying herself. "I’m not under anyone’s control. I’ve always had these powers; I just didn’t know how to use them until now. If we harness this, it could give us an edge against Nico. But I need you both to trust me."

Clancy’s gaze softened as he looked at her. "I trust you, Aimee. But we need to strategize. You’re right; we can use your abilities to our advantage, but we have to be careful."

Torch crossed his arms, still wary but beginning to relent. "Alright, then. Let’s come up with a plan. But Aimee, if we do this, you have to promise to stay in control. We can’t lose anyone else."

Aimee nodded, her expression serious. "I need to learn to control these new powers. I didn’t fully understand what I was capable of until now, and if I want to use this to help the rebellion, I can’t let my emotions dictate what happens."

Clancy stepped closer, a supportive look in his eyes. "We’ll figure it out together. If we can find a way for you to train and practice, you’ll get the hang of it."

Torch still looked uncertain but added, "Yeah, we can create a safe space for you to train. Just promise you’ll take it seriously. This is serious business, Aimee."

Aimee took a deep breath, determination flooding through her. "I will. I don’t want to be a liability. I want to be strong enough to take down Nico and free everyone in Dema."

Clancy nodded, a fire igniting in his eyes. "Then let’s get to work. We need a plan for your training and for the next steps against Nico. Time is of the essence."

Aimee felt a sense of purpose swell within her. "We can do this. I won’t let us down."