Aurora Arkov returned to the Outpost, only to find that Valentin Morosa was not there. Her best friend had promised to wait for her while she went to the Emperor’s Palace, however, as Aurora knew, her plan did not go as expected. She had ended up in a cult meeting and had almost lost her life.

‘Hey,’ She called to the members of the Outpost, ‘Have any of you seen Val? I have to tell her something. Tell me if you see her anywhere.’

‘Last thing I knew, she was going out to find you. That probably means she is in Razgaroth. You cannot go there now though, for if they find you, the Resistance will be over.’ One of the Resistance members told her.

‘What is the safest way I can get to Razgaroth?’ Aurora asked the Resistance member.

‘Probably through the Alyban Passage, though it may have been breached by the Empire since the last time I went through it was almost three years ago.’

‘Can you come with me to find her? Please, I beg you, accompany me to ensure that the Empire does not find me. Saltriana, please.’

‘Fine, however, we must take weapons. If there is a chance the Empire is there, then there will be Sentries.’ Saltriana went into the armoury and took two blades made from fine Gerisian silver, which was said to be the strongest in the kingdom.

They headed off, ensuring to take a repta with them to cover their faces. If the Empire had found the passage, then there would not be a single place in the kingdom which would not be patrolled by them. I have to find Val. If she gets caught, there is a possibility that she spills every single secret about the Resistance. Luckily, I did not reveal much. The Outpost must be ready to evacuate.

‘So,’ Aurora created small talk with Saltriana for they both knew that the journey would be long and winding, ‘What made you join the Resistance?’

‘My brother had inherited magical powers, however, I did not. He was found by the Empire, and my mother agreed she would go instead of him. They took my mother, and we never saw her after that. Our hometown, Shalit-yuq, was no longer safe, for it became part of the Syronian Empire. My brother and I tried to flee. The Sentries were behind us, and my brother was tired of running from the Empire. To ensure I was safe, he sacrificed his safety, and I have not seen him since.’ A tear streamed from her eyes. ‘I wanted to join the Resistance so other people would never have to experience what my brother and I did.’

‘How much further is it until we reach the start of the passage?’ Aurora asked, looking around, to see snow covering the floor. Perhaps if she was a child, she would play in it, but the Empire had changed everyone. Aurora looked around. The Retyl-Hern, this is it! The Retyl-Hern was an old fairytale Aurora had heard as a child.

‘Once upon a time, there was a sorcerer. His people lived on an iceberg, just north of the Okarian Ocean,’ She remembered her father telling her the story, ‘One day, in the Summer, the sorcerer noticed that the iceberg was beginning to melt. The only other place he could think of migrating his people to was the desert, but it would be too hot there. Each day, more and more of the iceberg melted, and eventually, the sorcerer knew he had to leave. He took the iceberg with him to the desert, hoping it would make the desert cooler. It is too hot here, the sorcerer thought, I must keep the iceberg from melting. As much as he tried to stop it, it melted, but what he didn’t realise was that there was an egg inside of the iceberg. After many days, the egg cracked, to reveal an ice dragon. The sorcerer begged the dragon to make the desert colder, and so, the dragon blew snow and ice all over the desert. The sorcerer and the dragon worked together and created a cloud of snow, which would put snow and ice all over the desert if the Sun melted it. It did this every day, and the sorcerer named the place Retyl-Hern, which in his tongue meant eternal snow.’

Aurora smiled after hearing her father tell the story in her mind. It also reminded her of the past, her past especially. At the age of seven, she was forced to move to a small village on a desolate island. At that age, Aurora never asked why, she just did it. One day, there was a knock at the door, and her father told Aurora and her sister to stay there. When he went out of the door, that was the last time the two Arkov sisters had ever seen their father. A sadness developed in Aurora. She had let her father leave them. Why was I so stupid? I could have had a normal life if I did not let him go. It was that which made her the freedom fighter she was. It was to make sure nothing like that would happen ever again.

‘We are here.’ Saltriana pointed at her. ‘I am afraid I cannot go past this point. If the Empire has truly conquered this kingdom, nowhere is safe. Good luck, ilatun, I hope you find your friend. Here,’ Saltriana gave her the repta, ‘Do not get found. You have much to live for, so do not die today.’

‘Thank you for leading me here, astuna.’ Aurora spoke in the same language as Saltriana had, Asderian, for she had spent a bit of her childhood in Asderia. ‘I hope to see you soon. I promise I will return with Valentin.’ Aurora waved goodbye, before entering the Alyban Passage.

The passage was narrow, it had been built beneath the same desert where she had found the ravine, and given up an artefact she had taken months to find. It had saved her life though, and without it, the creature would have feasted on her bones and would have been powerful enough to rule the kingdom. The very thought sickened her.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

Metal statues of the Dios were placed through the tunnel, every single one of them was there, even Kalyra, the same god that had created the Dark Being, which had almost torn the kingdom apart. Fortunately, a jewel had trapped him, and it was put behind the Gates of Galian, where nobody could access it unless they found the two items that led to it: the Talisman and the Golden Compass. Many speculated that the Dark Being would rise once again with his former master, and release monsters into the world of mortals. Usually, those people had been ignored by society, but it had happened to a royal. Lady Halthan, Queen Hilyun’s grandmother, was persuaded that the Dark Being would rise again, and so she spent every day worrying that it would come for her and her kingdom. She became paranoid and afraid to leave her chamber. After ruling for only seven months, Lady Halthan died at the young age of twenty-five.

Long, concrete pillars connected to the lowered ceiling made of mud. The place had been built almost 5 years ago when the Emperor expanded his twisted empire even more. To Aurora’s surprise, there was not a single traveller in the passage. On the way, Saltriana had briefly told her that once, this passage was full of people, that there were crowds everywhere; Aurora had not listened very carefully, so she never knew why. The Empire probably played a part in it, which did not surprise Aurora at all. The girl kept going but heard a noise that was not her footsteps. It was talking. Sentries, shit.

‘I’ll check this corridor, you check the others.’ Aurora hid behind one of the pillars as the Sentry walked past. ‘Huh, James, take a look. It’s a statue of Kalya, the Dios that created the Dark Being. I thought it was forbidden to represent Kalya in any way.’

‘Maybe ask the Emperor when he gets back from the Citadel. Apparently, Asderia is becoming part of the Empire. What do you think would happen if that deal went through?’ The other Sentry asked his friend.

‘The Emperor is going to try and get the East to become part of the Empire. I reckon the East will decline and the Emperor will declare war on them.’

‘That’s a pretty detailed prediction. It looks like nobody is here, so we can tell the Chief Sentry. I cannot believe that people created this tunnel, just to escape from the Empire. And this was before the Resistance even began.’

‘Oh yeah,’ The Sentry said, ‘I overheard the Chief Sentry speaking with one of the Emperor’s advisors, and apparently, he is locking down every region he owns to try and find Aurora Arkov.’ Aurora almost gasped. The Emperor was looking for her? If they locked down the cities, then Val would be stuck in Razgaroth. The Empire would find her, and she would rat the Resistance out. Without thinking, Aurora came out from her hiding place.

‘Here I am,’ She held her arms out wide, allowing the Sentries to capture her. It was all part of her elaborate plan, ‘Come and get me.’

‘Stay here,’ The Sentry said to his friend, ‘I will get the Chief Sentry. He will know what to do. Try and arrest her if you can.’

Aurora leapt from each statue. She got out the blade that Saltriana had given her. Hopefully Gerisian silver would be strong enough for what she was about to do. If her plan failed, then, the Resistance would be brought down with her.

‘I said come and get me!’ Aurora ran down the Alyban Passage, and the Sentry followed her. The Emperor would reward him greatly if she was caught.

‘James, she is slipping away!’ The Sentry shouted, requesting backup. Here she was, the infamous Aurora Arkov. It was a Sentry’s dream to be the one to catch her. Aurora kept running, waiting for the Chief Officer to get there. Come on, I cannot run much longer. She needed to buy more time. Here was where the blade came in.

‘Duel me like a man.’ Aurora whispered in the Sentry’s ear. The Sentry accepted because he knew the Chief Officer would arrive shortly. The girl moved the blade forward by just an inch, taunting him. The Sentry knew what she was doing; he went along anyway. Their blades clashed, and as Aurora went for a parry, he sliced her arm.

‘Just a bit of blood. It will not be nearly as much as you will be covered in soon.’ The Sentry took no regard to this petty threat.

As if a seventeen-year-old girl would murder a well-trained soldier. She would have been wishing to die if she thought so. The Chief Officer arrived. Aurora put the blade back in its scabbard. She held her arms out flat.

‘Go on, arrest me.’ Aurora let the Chief Officer put the chains around her wrists. She smiled wickedly. The Sentries had no idea what she was up to. Aurora would find her friend and get caught at the same time. The plan has worked perfectly. The Sentries accompanied her all through the Alyban Passage, with their blades out in front of them. All of them knew that Aurora Arkov was a young woman renowned for playing foul tricks on the Empire. What they did not know was the intention of the plan.

‘Is the Emperor at his palace?’ She asked the Chief Officer, who she thought had known the answer, which he did.

‘No, but he is due to return in a day or two. The meeting to discuss the fate of Asderia finished yesterday night.’

‘What happened at the meeting?’ Aurora asked politely. She was curious to see whether or not the Chief Officer would answer her private question.

‘That is confidential and none of your concern. All I shall tell you is that the Empire is still rising, just not as rapidly as before.’ The Chief Officer smiled, ‘The Resistance will soon be destroyed thanks to you, Miss Arkov.’ Aurora felt a pang in her stomach. What if the Emperor tortured her before she found Val? What if the Outpost had been raided whilst she was gone? It had only occurred to her now what a stupid plan this was. Valentin might have even returned in the time that she had gone, then, it would have been all for nothing.

‘Who rules over Razgaroth while the Emperor is gone?’

‘The Emperor’s brother. He is said to be strong as the Emperor, if not stronger. He also is said to be not as sympathetic. Out of all times you could have been caught, you choose when another person is on the throne, why?’

‘You will see.’ The Chief Officer threw Aurora in the carriage and took her to the Emperor’s Palace. For the rest of the journey, she did not utter a single word.

⤖

Aurora looked outside from the windows of the carriage. The walls of Razgaroth were coming up. She would have to say something to the Sentries otherwise the girl would not be able to look for Val, which was the sole reason she had wanted to get captured.

‘Can we walk the rest from here?’ She asked the Chief Officer, who had just awoken from a rest. Aurora hoped he would say yes.

‘If that is what you want. I must warn you, it is a long walk to the Emperor’s palace from here. Are you sure you would like to do so?’

Aurora nodded. All of them got out of the carriage. The Chief Officer gave the driver a coin and the carriage left. As they entered Razgaroth, Aurora looked around. She had expected children to be playing out in the streets, or to be at school, but her expectations had been too high. After all, this was the heart of the Empire; it was where the Empire had started, and Aurora wished it would be where it ended.

‘Where are the children?’ Aurora demanded. ‘I thought they would be playing out in the streets, having fun.’ The Chief Officer laughed.

‘Fun? Right now, the majority of them are underground, rotting away because of their magical powers.’ The Chief Officer stopped laughing. His face looked sullen, miserable at something. They walked up the hills, passing the schools, markets, parks, and houses that loomed there. No life anywhere. This was not the Razgaroth she had once known. Valentin was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she was not in Razgaroth at all, and that this was all for nothing. Aurora Arkov had been caught. If Aurora didn’t know any better, it was a stupid plan. She had been captured by the Empire. The freedom fighter had finally been brought to harsh reality.