Not just one, but seven hundred graves were dug that day. Aurora clung to the shawl that Saltriana had given her, and laid it on top of her friend’s grave. No funeral service was held, for the Emperor would not permit it. Aurora could not help but feel guilty, for if she had never blabbed, this moment would not have happened, but it already had, and there was nothing she could do but weep and mourn the people she had lost.

‘Do not beat yourself up about it, it was inevitable. I beg that you come dine with us at the restaurant down the street, the meal will be on me.’ Frederick put a hand on her shoulder.

‘No thank you, I will be busy.’ She brushed his hand away.

‘Doing what? We both know that the Resistance was destroyed that day, so now, your lifelong purpose has gone with them,’ He pointed at the graves. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘I am going to do what I should have done from the very start.’ Aurora headed towards the Emperor’s Palace.

‘And what is that exactly?’ Frederick followed behind her as she went up the hill that led to the Palace.

‘I am going to confront the Emperor, and I am going to kill him. Seven hundred people were buried today because of him! 847,700 he has now killed. How many deaths will it take for him to wake up? Hmm? Everyone else is afraid to overthrow him, but I do not have a care in the world!’

‘Your anger will cause more problems than it will solve. You are fueled by hatred, by sheer frustration. It is revenge you seek. Only villains seek revenge.’

‘It is not revenge, it is justice! I am saving this kingdom, and doing them a huge favour. The Emperor’s blood on my hands will save more blood from being put on anyone else's!’ Aurora took a knife from Frederick’s boot.

‘My brother was right, you are a criminal!’ Frederick took the knife from Aurora’s hand. ‘I thought you were different, that you were not like they said you were!’ He sobbed.

‘Is that all I am to you? A criminal. Yeah, I may be a criminal, but I show people who I really am, unlike half of these fucking people! What are you, my guard? Try and stop me, go on!’ Aurora pushed the man away.

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‘I saved you! Without me, where would you be right now? You would be in your cell, rotting away and counting down each day, hoping it was not real. Without me, you would have gone insane. I saved you,’ He walked down the hill, tears in his eyes. Aurora denied that she had stepped out of line; deep down, she knew she had lashed out at Frederick. There was no time to apologise for her actions. She had to storm the Emperor’s Palace, except there was a huge problem. The Palace was in ruins. What happened? How long have I gone? She climbed over the metal gate and touched the walls of the castle. It was coated in ash. The once magnificent building had fallen to oblivion as the Resistance had done.

‘It is sad, is it not?’ Aurora seemed to have company. ‘I cannot believe it is finally you! I have wished to meet you every single day since…’ He took his shirt off to reveal a scar along his chest.

‘Who are you?’ Aurora stepped backwards, knocking herself into the metal gates.

‘Who am I? My name is Ember, but you will not know that name. Perhaps this will remind you?’ A bright orange flame appeared above his palms. Aurora remembered him immediately. The Child of Ash. As if Ember had heard her thoughts, he said:

‘So you do remember me. Excellent! I was hoping you would. It seems you did not take all of your memories away.’ He clapped his hands together. What did he mean?

‘What business do you have with me?’

‘Lots, I could go on forever, but first, I want to show you who you truly are. The part of you that you locked away and sent to die. The part of you that goes against everything you have done with the Resistance. The real Aurora Arkov.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Aurora was confused. There was no part of her that she had ever “locked away.”

‘Come with me to find out your true identity.’ His offer was tempting to Aurora, yet frightening simultaneously.

‘Fine.’ Aurora followed behind him, having a plan in mind. When she got the chance, she would knock the man out and imprison him to find out all of his plans. It would be perfect and would lead the Emperor straight to her.

They walked into what was left of a castle. The tables were bare, stricken of anything, and the walls were all black. Ash coated everything in the castle. There was a metal prong near the fireplace. Aurora picked it up discreetly, and raised it above Ember’s head, and-

‘You really thought that would work?’ Ember conjured fire and threw it into the fireplace. The coal set alight. The man pushed her closer to the fire. She could feel its warmth against her head. Ember held out Aurora’s arm and stuck it out into the fire. He is insane! The flames danced along her arms, burning the layers of skin on her arm. The pain seethed.

‘Please!’ She begged him for it to stop. ‘Ember, please!’

‘Ember is dead, only the Child of Ash remains.’ He pushed her arm even further into the fire so that it would be more painful.

Sweat dripped from Aurora’s brow. When would the pain be over? The fire was spreading further up her arm, and to her shoulders. Her arms burned. She screamed in agony as the skin tore. Now, Aurora could feel the flames burning her bones. She sobbed and cried, hoping it would all end. There was nothing she could do but endure. As he had said, Ember had died, and only the Child of Ash remained.