"Forgive my insolence, my liege. However, these people are outsiders—foreign to our blood, deemed untrustworthy. They are filth! Scum!" an elder spoke.

"Indeed! Please reconsider, O holy one!" Another chimed in.

Angelus furrowed his brow, ensnared in the clutches of indecision. In a sudden burst of fiery brilliance, Zara ignited, seizing the attention of those present. "Outsiders, this. Outsiders, that. All we want is more info about this stupid prophecy of yours. Why do y'all want this kid dead so bad?”

"There is no need to tell you!"

“There is only one way!”

"Death to Aclima!"

"Execute the harbinger!" The elders roared.

“You little—" Zara's flames grew more aggressive as she stood up. She clenched her fist, preparing to strike one of the elders. "ENOUGH! I’ve thought of a way to resolve this matter," Angelus interrupted just before Zara could make contact. The elder fell back, caught by his fellow elders, his cheek slightly burnt and his hair singed.

"Zara. Mari. You shall be recruited to the resistance," Angelus declared, locking eyes with me.

The elders gasped, and whispers filled the air. As the weight of Angelus' declaration settled, the tent became a cauldron of murmurs and furtive glances. Zara's flames flickered, hinting at the tempest within her, and my own heart raced with a mixture of trepidation and newfound purpose.

Angelus continued, his voice cutting through the murmurs like a clarion call. "Mari, your fate is intertwined with Aclima, whether by chance or design. Join the resistance and help shape the fate that awaits us all."

The elders exchanged uncertain glances, caught between tradition and the urgency of change. A seasoned voice broke through the uneasy silence. "The harbinger joining the resistance? This is unprecedented."

A palpable tension lingered in the air, but before dissent could take root, Angelus raised his hand. "Trust that this decision is not made lightly. The threads of destiny are fraying, and we must adapt to ensure that Enoch will never be born into this world."

Acceptance, albeit reluctant, spread among the elders. The whispers transformed into reluctant nods, acknowledging the gravity of the situation.

Angelus gazed steadily at Zara. "I shall now grant you what you desire – information about our prophecy." Zara settled back into her seat, her flames gradually calming. "Adam, the father, and Eve, the mother, blessed these grounds with the gift of technology, giving birth to the city of opportunities, Ventura. To control the city and its people, they established two governments. Provenance, the elusive ruler in the shadows, and Union, a naive puppet manipulated as Provenance's facade. While the Union spreads its wishes about justice and peace, Provenance operates in the shadows, employing much darker methods to maintain control over its citizens."

Angelus continued, his voice carrying a weight of both revelation and caution. "The prophecy foretells a disruption in its delicate balance, causing the death and suffering of many. Zara leaned forward, her eyes fixed on Angelus. “That disruption is Mari then?”

“No, she is merely the catalyst for the disruption. Once Provenance seizes control of Mari, they will manipulate her into fulfilling her role as Aclima by any means necessary. Through the union between Adam and Aclima, she will inadvertently give birth to a new leader – a ruthless dictator destined to take over Ventura and, eventually, the rest of the world.”

Zara's expression tightened with concern. “That sounds…messed up as fuck.” She looked down, her voice barely audible. “H.r o.. Fa…r.” She whispered, and I couldn't make out what she said.

“What was that, Zara?” Angelus asked.

“It’s nothing. Please…continue,” she urged, her eyes reflecting a mix of worry and determination.

“Very well. Our elders prophesied this ever since the birth of our little village. To prevent that from happening, we created the Resistance in an effort to hunt down Aclima before Provenance reaches her and execute her ourselves. We figured that the death of Aclima is a sure way of preventing our impending doom,” Angelus revealed, his tone heavy with the weight of a desperate and grim necessity.

Zara's eyes widened, a mix of amusement and disbelief coloring her expression. "Execution, huh? You village people are more shady than I thought. That’s also me speaking from experience. If I wasn’t so cautious towards y’all, both of our heads would’ve been rolling in the ground by now.”

Angelus frowned. His disappointment and shame were clear on his face. “We were left with no choice. We started off honest and true, envisioning ourselves as heroes that would save our village. We vowed never to take a life unless absolutely necessary. However, after the deaths of many of our comrades, we realized that heroic thinking like that can lead to your own demise. The only way to survive in this world is through…darker…methods.”

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"Pfft..." Zara’s chuckle turned to obnoxious laughter. “YOU’RE SCUM LIKE US! All that talk about trust and outsiders were all crap! You village folks are just as twisted as the outsiders you all shit your pants about.” Angelus winced at Zara's biting words, the weight of the truth she exposed evident on his troubled expression. The elders exchanged uncomfortable glances, their initial defiance now tainted by a harsh reality.

Zara, still grinning, leaned back in her seat, her flames dancing with an eerie intensity. “You are correct, Zara. We are scum. But we did it for our people! That is what separates us from the city people who kill for money.”

Zara's flame extinguished, leaving the room in a sudden stillness. She fell silent, unable to respond to Angelus' weighty statement. "My apologies; it seems we've veered off topic. Let's return to thinking about a plan to stop the prophecy without the sacrifice of an innocent child."

A heavy silence settled in the room, with both the Elders and Zara nodding in agreement. Angelus, determined, turned his attention to me. "Mari, I want you to join the Resistance and aid us in dismantling the Provenance. Together, let's overthrow Adam and Eve, forging a better city for all. No more hunters. No more prey. No more senseless killing."

The weight of his words hung in the air, and the gravity of the decision I faced reverberated through the room. The Elders, once skeptics, now looked to me with a mix of expectation and hope.

As I took in the room's collective gaze, the enormity of the task at hand became clear. Joining the Resistance was no longer just an offer; it was a call to rewrite the destiny of Aclima. Zara, locked eyes with me, a silent understanding passing between us.

I met Angelus' gaze, determination building within me. "Okay…I accept. I'll join you.”

The room held its breath for a moment, and then, with a nod from Angelus, the tension lifted. The Elders whispered amongst themselves, their initial reservations slowly giving way to a sense of cautious optimism.

"That is good to hear. But first, you must prove to us that you are willing and capable of fighting alongside us. Tonight, you shall join our warriors in raiding the Golden Hotel. One of Provenance’s officials is staying there tonight. Your mission is to capture and interrogate him to gather information on how much they know about Aclima’s true identity. We need to ascertain whether the Provenance has discovered your existence."

As night descended, the Resistance prepared for the covert raid. Cloaked in darkness, our small group moved with purpose through the city's labyrinthine streets, the echoes of our footsteps masked by the night's shroud.

The Golden Motel loomed ahead, bathed in the dim glow of streetlights. The warriors dispersed, skillfully positioning themselves in strategic locations. Zara and I lingered in the back of the pack, our senses heightened as we followed their lead.

Equipped with speaker-like devices, the warriors executed a silent breach by shattering the windows of one of the suites with controlled vibrations. They moved with fluid precision, crouching in the darkness as they approached the door leading to the hallway. Tension hung in the air, the night fraught with the uncertainty of what lay beyond.

As the door swung open, a chilling tableau unfolded. They were greeted by a group of men in black suits, adorned with sunglasses and armed with rifles. The silent confrontation crackled with intensity, the only sound being the muted hum of the city beyond.

The deafening sound of gunfire cut through the silence like a relentless force. Multiple warriors at the forefront of the pack fell, their figures dropping silently. The air was filled with the acrid scent of gunpowder, a stark contrast to the initial hush that had enveloped the Golden Motel.

Chaos ensued as the remaining warriors, quick on their feet, scattered for cover, seeking refuge from the sudden onslaught. In a swift and coordinated response, they retaliated with gunfire of their own. The narrow corridor transformed into a battleground, flashes of muzzle fire illuminating the shadows as the clash intensified.

"This is getting fun!" Zara exclaimed with a fiery enthusiasm, her form erupting into ferocious flames. With a swift, deliberate motion, she lunged towards the men in black, her fist propelled forward with formidable force. The corridor danced with the intense glow of her ignited presence.

The burst of flames intensified as she closed the distance, creating a dazzling spectacle that momentarily illuminated the chaos. With unparalleled agility, Zara's fiery punch connected with its target, a fierce and unyielding strike that sent one of the men in black staggering backward.

Panic clutched at my breath, my chest heaving with the rapid rhythm of anxiety as chaos unfurled around me. My body shook uncontrollably. Swiftly, without a moment's hesitation, Desire wrapped around my neck, and the familiar pinch sent a surge through me. Suddenly, my anxiety receded, replaced by a potent wave of power and excitement coursing through my veins.

In the blink of an eye, my hand transformed into a scythe, the cold metal gleaming with an otherworldly radiance. In tandem with Zara, I lunged towards the men in black, propelled by newfound resolve.

Lifting the scythe into the air, I swung down with calculated precision, the blade slicing cleanly through one of the assailants. The clash between steel and flesh was swift and unforgiving, the unexpected appearance of the scythe catching the men in black off guard. In response, their gunfire pivoted towards me. I moved with a dancer's agility, attempting to dodge the incoming onslaught as I leaped towards another assailant. The scythe drove into the center of his chest. In a visceral motion, I widened the hole with my other hand, ripping him apart. Excruciating screams and blood painted a macabre scene. As my scythe cleaved through one assailant to another, a manic grin adorned my face. At that moment, I felt so…alive.

As the last one fell victim to my frenzy, a haunting calm descended. The warriors had halted their attack ever since Zara and I joined in. Their gaze bore into us with a mixture of disgust and fear. The stark realization hit me. What have I done? I looked back at the aftermath of my actions, and a sea of mutilated bodies lay scattered on the ground. What have I become?