“We both want the same thing, you know,” said Ayii.

Elysia was silent, letting the crunch of grass as the team marched to Dust fill her ears.

“I do not wish to do more than necessary, but it is unreasonable not to consider the rules of the game we play. Five hundred years ago, there was an option to spare someone who was put between us and Imal, but the rules of the old world do not seem to apply.”

Elysia sighed, annoyed.

“I’m trying to say – what I am telling you is – look to your companions; they are fighting the same fight. They want freedom from tyranny and corruption but do what they must to obtain it.”

Elysia looked to Ishh at the head of the group.

“Even him. He knows what must be done to achieve his goal.”

Elysia continued their walk in silence, ignoring Ayii for the remainder of the journey.

The team of 8 reached the town of Dust precisely at dawn. Stopping several meters from the gate, they hid behind a tree within a cluster of withering bushes. Turning their eyes skyward, an airship slowly rose above the walls and flew north toward the Beacon.

Observing the southern gate, Ishh noticed two guardians who did not patrol as expected. Their demeanor was incredibly lax as they sat against the gate, leaving their weapons and helmets on the ground. A third guardian was posted up in a rusted sentry tower. He, too, was visibly inattentive to his duties, staring at a tablet before leaning against the railing of the tower nest.

The two guardians at the gate stood up and moved towards each other, conversing. Confused at the disorganization, Ishh cued the rebels to flank the unwary guards.

Ishh launched an ice spike at the tower guardian, piercing his throat. His body, curling over the railing, rained blood onto the ground. Hearing the splatters, the gate guards looked up to the tower. Before they could react, the rebels had already greeted them with death. One inserted a glowing blade into the back of a guardian’s neck, emitting smoke as it entered. Another rebel covered the guardian’s mouth, forcing air down his throat until a soft pop could be heard. Seeing the bodies of the guardians still, the group moved up against the now unguarded gate.

Ishh searched for the next group of patrols based on his gathered intel. Spotting the two other sentry towers across town, Ishh signaled the six rebels to break into two groups of three. Before they broke off, he reminded them of the guardians at the western gate and the mine to the east.

Ducking behind broken structures along the way, the team moved inward, being sure to keep the two towers within sight. Ishh and Elysia moved in on the guardians patrolling the town center.

As the light of day grew ever brighter, sounds of life sprang up. Citizens beginning their day rustled within the buildings. Watching for the removal of the guardians in the towers, Ishh and Elysia took their place behind a broken stone wall, near three guards patrolling around a fountain.

“Take the one on the right. I will handle the other two. When they break off, follow and kill him quietly.” Ishh whispered to Elysia before positioning to stalk his targets.

Their routes took them around the town square, converging at a rusted metal fountain filled with stagnant red water. They circled the unmanaged structure and split into alleyways between nearby shops.

Elysia shifted to the opposite end of the wall and watched her target move away from the fountain. Ishh engaged as the two guardians disappeared past a shop, just as the silhouettes of the sentry tower guardians fell from view.

Water coiled around his wrist and stretched into a sharp icicle. Ishh carefully approached the first guardian. As soon as the second patrol turned a corner, Ishh quickened. His hastened pace caught the attention of the first patrol, but as the guardian turned around, ice impaled his chin into his brain. The tips of frozen, translucent branches tapped against the inside of his helmet. Retracting the ice, Ishh softly guided the guardian's body to the ground and continued his pursuit, making light work of the remaining target.

On the other side of the town square, Elysia followed her target at a greater distance. Her lack of nimbleness was evident as she bumped into petrified wooden crates while attempting to hide behind them. The guardian she followed stopped at the sound, looking toward the noise. Compelled to investigate, he moved toward the scent of rotting fruit.

Elysia could hear his footsteps approaching as she covered her mouth to muffle her weighted exhales and filter the smell. The sound of his heavy boots upon the cobbled stone loudened as he grew closer.

“We need to move, Elysia.” Ayii urged.

The guardian’s gun whipped around the cracked gray stone wall, aimed at Elysia’s head.

“You are not authorized to leave your home yet, citizen,” said the guardian. “The consequence of breaking curfew is prompt execution by the command of General Ome.”

“Move!” Ayii barked.

Elysia slowly stood up with her hands raised.

“Down on your knees!” he commanded, pressing his gun against Elysia’s cheek.

Her heart raced, pounding as hard as when she found herself buried in the ground, desperate to be free. The cold metal of the gun sent a familiar chill down into her chest, where it met the warm, panicked pumps of blood that tried to flow up to where the barrel pressed against her skin.

“You don’t have to do this,” Elysia said nervously, “We can find a peaceful resolu-”

The guardian lashed out, slapping Elysia with the end of his gun, painting the tip with her blood as she fell to her knees.

“Did I say you can talk?” he yelled. His voice was coated in bitter, indiscriminate hate.

After she caught the blood dripping from her nose, Elysia looked up and watched his energy grow into a cold, distant gray.

“I’m tired of this shithole.” The guardian fumed. ”I should’ve left this morning, but that cunt of an Enforcer,” he complained, venting as Elysia continued to think of what to say, looking for any way to stop this guardian without killing him – or dying herself.

“His anger is blinding his judgment. Now is your chance.”

“You know what,” the guardian stepped closer to Elysia, unbuckling his belt. “It’s been a stressful cycle. You might as well make yourself useful before you die.”

With his gun still pressed against her head, he grabbed her hair with his other hand and forced her face into his crotch. Elysia threw her arms forward, pushing the guardian away, simultaneously sending the stones that formed the wall behind her crashing into his legs and pelvis.

“Aaargh!” The guardian screamed as he fell to the ground. “Bitch! You’re fucking Scarred?!” he grunted painfully. Using his gun as leverage, he shakily rose from the rubble, holding his groin.

“Good job!” encouraged Ayii.

Elysia stood up as fast as she could, barely moving out of the guardian’s aim. The shot he fired rang out into the air above the houses. As Elysia regained her footing, she whipped her arms at the guardian again, ripping up the stone blocks from the ground and pelting them. Their force, unsuitable for killing, only frustrated the already berserk Ome soldier.

“I hate this fucking town!!!” he screamed, firing recklessly in a wide cone. Elysia dove behind the corner of the house. In his anger, the guardian chased, stumbling behind her. Tripping over a stone, he faceplanted into the cobbled street.

As he writhed in pain, she stood over him - arms stretched forward. Thin vines grew between the cracks of the ground, slowly wrapping around the flattened guardian. Noticing the growth, the guardian rose, exerting enough strength to snap the vines that had already begun to bind him.

“You need to want it, Elysia. The stronger your will, the stronger your power.”

I know that! Elysia replied to Ayii as she continued to summon vines.

Lifting his feet and pulling the remaining vines off his legs, the guardian took aim. The gray aura that hugged him turned crimson and thrust towards Elysia. Its lust for death nearly pierced her just before several ice spikes exploded out of the guardian's face and chest. His aura dissipated. His arms dropped, and the guardian fell forward against the impaling spikes. Blood glided down the large shards, freezing just before it hit the ground.

“Are you okay?” Ishh asked as he ran over to Elysia, pulling the ice back into water.

She wiped the blood from her nose and nodded.

“I hope the other guardians were killed before anyone heard those shots. What happened? I thought you would’ve killed this one fast like before,” he asked.

“Are you going to tell him now?” Ayii pressed.

“Would you please shut up,” Elysia blurted.

Ishh grew a look of confusion.

“Not you. Sorry.”

“What’s going on, Elysia?” Ishh asked, his confusion morphing into concern.

She sighed at the thought of explaining her conflict to him. Although Ishh was kind and trustworthy, Elysia did not want to burden him with her internal struggles on top of their current battle.

“I’m still getting used to using Ayii’s powers on my own. It’s more challenging than I expected.”

Ishh stared at Elysia shortly before footsteps approached.

“Is everything okay?” a rebel asked as the rebels returned to the town square.

“Yes, everything is great, Rana. We managed to complete the hardest part. Now, we need to gather the people.”

The team split off around town, knocking on every door and inviting people to gather at the water fountain. Elysia returned to the house where she fought the now-deceased guardian. She noticed the collapsed stone before knocking on the door and moved to the broken wall. The stench of rotten fruit had been replaced with a viler aroma. One that caused her to gag as it invaded her olfactory. The glimpse of still, pale bodies around the room was all she needed to see before moving away.

Soon, the residents filled the town square with chatter until someone yelled, “What’s happenin’? Where’re the guardians?”

Ishh stepped onto a pile of stones.

“People of Dust, Ome and his guardians will terrorize you no more. We, the Rebellion, have come to liberate you. By removing the occupation, Dust is yours.”

His words fell flat on the silent crowd. The dust that carried on the wind brushed against the stone wall, underscoring the quiet.

“You killed the guardians?” a man asked in the front.

“Yes! They control the streets no more. You do.”

“Won’t they bring more soldiers to replace them?” asked a woman with a child in her arm.

“No. The town is yours,” Ishh answered.

The crowd held on to their uncertainty. Ishh did not receive the celebration he had imagined.

After several moments of awkward silence, another man asked, “What about our food? The guardians also came with food. Is the rebellion going to feed us?”

Murmurs rose in the crowd, affirming the concern.

“No, the rebellion will not send food to Dust,” Ishh answered.

The murmurs swelled into upset groans and exclamations. Raising his hands to the people, Ishh continued.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“The rebels will not bring you food because you will be making it yourself,” he stated as he waved to Elysia, who stood by a large gray tree at the opposite end of the square. The faces in the crowd turned in her direction, their upset melting into confusion.

She rested her hand upon the withering tree trunk, and the gray faded. A flood of color washed over the tree, bathing it in saturated brown gradients, spreading to the bare branches that rapidly sprouted red and green leaves.

The people's eyes widened. The glow of Elysia’s eyes intensified as her palm against the tree let off the same light. Spilling down to the tree's roots, grass grew rampantly between the cracks of the cobbled streets, creating a lush green maze that covered the square in seconds. Flowers followed, releasing a sweet aroma that softened the worried air about the Dustans. The rebels who accompanied them also stared in awe at her power.

Growth continued throughout the entire town as Elysia’s eyes grew ever luminant. Golden light maintained its radiance as all the trees outside the walls grew. A wave of ethereal gold washed over the island. Once she felt her energy reach the island's edge, she released her hand from the tree trunk.

“You do not need Ome. The rebellion will work with you to rebuild and sustain.” Ishh smiled.

A cheer exploded from the townsfolk as they surrounded the tree and Elysia. Their joy filled her with a satisfaction she only started to remember. Her smile reached Ishh as they looked at each other across the fountain. He and the rebels also walked toward the crowd to bask in the victory, if only for a moment. After allowing them a minute to enjoy their newfound hope, Ishh addressed the people again.

“This marks a new era that unshackles us from the rule of the Ome Dynasty. Zephyr and its people can begin to heal. Now I ask of you – people of Dust; will you join us in the fight to remove Ome from power and dismantle centuries of his family’s corrupted influence?”

The cheers faded as the people considered Ishh’s question.

“Without your help, we cannot win against Ome. If you do not wish to fight, you can help in other ways: food, intel, and medical aid. But those of you with the grit, passion, and will – join us.”

A young man broke through the audience. His black hair, messy and dirty, fell below his shoulders. Thin and frail in appearance, he spoke in a way that made Elysia believe he was about to faint.

“I will fight with you,” said the young man.

Ishh approached him with an appreciative smile, resting his hand on the man’s shoulder. He asked the crowd again, “Anyone else?”.

Eleven more people stepped forward. Twelve of the 87 residents in Dust joined the rebellion as fighters.

“I thank you for your courage,” said Ishh to the new rebels. “Are there any Scarred among you?” he asked. None who walked forward responded.

A young girl standing with her father at the front of the crowd raised her tiny fingers. Ishh walked over and knelt by her, “What’s your name?” he asked gently.

The little girl retreated behind her father’s leg as Ishh looked up.

“Alyera,” the man said, “She’s seven.”

“They didn’t take her?” Ishh asked, meeting the man’s eye.

“We did well to restrain her from using her Scar, but in the last couple of years - the guardians grew less vigilant as Ome lost interest in our mine.”

“What Scar does she possess?”

The father looked down at his daughter and smiled, “It’s okay, Alyera.”

The little girl nervously walked to the fountain. Ishh followed closely. Resting her hand on the rusted metal basin, Ishh knelt beside her and watched as the water gently bubbled.

“Nice job, Alyera,” he smiled.

The water in the fountain filled with ripples.

It’s pretty impressive that you were able to move impure water. See, this water has oxidized iron particles in it, making it much heavier. I’m sure as you get older, and with practice, you-”

The fountain shook violently from the vibration of engines. Three airships flashed over the town, frightening the residents. Ishh and Alyera both fell to the ground which shook again from the close passing of several more ships.

Regaining their footing, Elysia and the rebels ran over to assist Ishh and Alyera.

“No! Help them, help the people!” Ishh ordered as he covered the little girl. The ships passed overhead once more, their force toppling a sentry tower. Rubble from collapsing structures collided with the group, knocking everyone down. Fumbling to stand, Ishh grabbed onto the fountain, immediately giving in to his weight.

The roaring engines faded to a low hum as they ascended high into the sky. A brief respite, enough for Ishh to gather himself and quickly delegate.

“On your feet, now!” he yelled, extending his arms to lift Elysia and Rana. Rana quickly turned to assist two other rebels, Chala and T’mo, up.

“Zetii, Lynolo, and Yulianna get these people to safety!” he commanded. “If you can stand, help someone and take them to the mine!”

Using the power of the god within, Elysia prioritized removing stones from the fallen Dustans as Ishh continued to organize his team.

Their progress forward was interrupted by sharp grunts and fearful screams. Blood misted over the crowd, accompanied by a familiar whizzing sound. Bullets rained down as the airships reapproached. The high-velocity impacts pulverized the stone as fast as it kicked it up. Collapsing walls created a thin fog from the debris, smothering the citizens, who cried out in fear.

“Get down!” Ishh screamed right before making a protective canopy of ice over the group. The bullets chewed at the shield and surrounding area, mowing down those who made the unfortunate decision to run ahead.

Now hovering over them, the engines were constant and loud enough to drown out any attempt at vocal communication between the rebels and the townspeople. Their attack continued, eating away at the only shield between the Dustans and death.

Under the bombardment, Ishh slowly walked the surviving Dustans east to the mine, their path now strewn with rubble and the dead. His ice canopy bounced up and down from the forces above and his effort to keep it suspended. The constant buzzing of the rotary guns ceased, and metal woven ropes dropped from the airships. The soft slap of their coiling ends marked a shift in the unfolding struggle.

Ducking further back several buildings west from the group, Elysia emerged from a pile of rubble. Unnoticed by the airships, she watched dozens of Ome soldiers rappel into town.

“Ishh!” she screamed.

As they touched down, the rebels attacked, doing their best to defend Ishh and the residents. Lynolo fired his rifle at descending guardians. Rana stepped out from the canopy, only to be blocked by T’mo. She stepped out in Rana’s place and took in a sharp, deep inhale. On her exhale, the airships rocked violently from a powerful gale. The rappel lines whipped wildly, shaking off several guardians, who fell to their death.

Gunfire from soldiers on the airships rang as they protected their descent. Lynolo and T’mo returned to the canopy. As they continued to move, the rebels sporadically peeked from underneath the ice shield and returned fire - an inefficient effort.

Guardian numbers on the ground rapidly increased as the airships released more and more Ome soldiers, nearly matching that of the original number of Dustan citizens. No longer able to hide in the shade of Ishh’s shield, the rebels engaged the eight dozen soldiers, and the Battle of Dust began.

Elysia stood in the background, watching the two sides fight. Freezing at the sight of battle, some part of her asked the question:

Fight or run?

The question lingered as she nervously pulled her feet from the rubble. Fire, wind, and water danced over the fight she had become somewhat isolated from. Gunfire echoed as the two sides fought, like a dreary prelude to the songs ahead.

Screams began to break through the chaotic symphony as rebels and residents fell. The guardians, equipped with element-negating shields, moved forward as their substantial numbers overwhelmed the rebels.

There are so many of them. Can I even make a difference? Elysia’s thoughts raced.

Doubt. A remnant gift of the corruption lingering within. Elysia knew the answer to her question, but it did not resound without Ayii.

Why are you so quiet? Elysia asked, noticing the missing voice of the benevolent god.

“You told me to ‘shut up.’ I am simply obliging.”

I didn’t know gods could be so petty. Elysia rolled her eyes.

“I am accommodating your request. You did not appreciate my input earlier, so I am doing the opposite. Silence will be your guide. Choose for yourself.”

This is not the time, Ayii! What should I do?

The severed god refused to answer.

Shaking off frustration from their conversation, Elysia worked up the courage to step out of her hiding spot. Dozens of guardians, wholly engrossed in the rebels, had not yet noticed.

Taking the opportunity, Elysia rolled the cobbled streets under the guardians, causing them to falter. The lull in their assault allowed Rana to hurl a massive fireball, exploding on several guardians. The fire splashed like lava onto several more guardians, creating panic and disarray in their lines.

“There she is – the Nature-Scarred!” one of the guardians announced.

A dozen guardians turned around and switched to Scar-suppressive tactics at the sight of her. Elysia felt a jolt course through her body. That natural instinct coded within all living creatures, giving them the agency to define their lives:

Fight or run?

Purple light from their Anti-Scar shields hummed under the knock of their boots as they moved in on her. The dense, choking aura of death bloomed once more as Elysia faced the puppets of corruption. Their incoherent demands and dark intent soaking her nerves in adrenaline.

Fight or run?

A two-sided coin flipped in her mind. She watched it tumble, awaiting fate’s answer to her dilemma - but the choice had already been made. Guardians screamed as they fell into a chasm. Stones that formed the street rolled into the maw as Elysia looked down at her foot.

When did I… she felt a tingle rise from her toes to her knee right before she noticed the growing hole. She moved her foot and thought to stop the ground from opening, and it did.

The guardians who could dodge the subconscious technique fired their suppressive weapons. It was a useless attempt as the pulse rings bounced off of Elysia as weakly as before. Elysia stretched her hands forward and called upon the vines. Several grew meekly from between the stones as a guardian jumped over and struck her with the handle of his gun.

The blow caused Elysia to fall against a wall. The guardian raised his hand again to strike as a bullet popped out of his chest. Pushing the bleeding guardian off of her, the wall she fell into followed her motions and crashed over them both.

“I’m sorry!” Elysia apologized, hastily pulling herself out of the rubble once again.

“Bring in the Collector. We have the Nature-Scarred surrounded!” One of the guardians radioed.

An airship that had been idle moved toward the west of Dust, settling directly above the area where Elysia struggled. More guardians who had been engaged with the rebels approached Elysia.

The airship released a large container that sunk into the street upon impact. The top portion of it lifted as it gave off a lilac glow, and a strange sensation crept over Elysia. The top of the container twisted around, suspended in the air, revealing what was held within: a man encased in a tube made of lilac light stood in stasis. That strange sensation she felt morphed into fear.

Realizing that they couldn’t neutralize her abilities, all the guardians adjusted something on their suppressive weapon that turned the glow from purple to red. Simultaneously, they fired. Elysia braced herself.

As the pulses hit her, wave after wave, her focus wavered as a feeling of numbness gripped her. Her last attempt to throw stones was a pitiful sight as they flew aimlessly. Where the purple pulses failed in suppressing her power, the red pulses succeeded in debilitating her physically. The disorienting sensation intensified, her muscles gave in, and her thoughts jumbled.

Elysia lay immobile and disoriented. The moment she stopped fighting was the moment another soldier dropped from the same airship. This one, larger than the other guardians, did not find the need for a rope to ease themselves onto the ground—a cocky show of resilience and strength.

The large soldier placed his hand over the Collector and guided it towards Elysia. The man in the container twitched. Another two guardians moved in on the weakened Nature wielder, lifting her by the arms. As they dragged her to meet the terrifyingly big soldier, she reclaimed a bit of her focus. The sight of the man in stasis sent chills up her spine.

The Collector twitched again as his eyes rolled rapidly behind his eyelids. Elysia knew she could not move any closer to the creepy lilac man. The fear ignited her nerves, allowing her to focus on her current predicament, though her physical strength still lagged.

Get off, she thought.

Roots busted out of the stone beneath them, tripping the guardians. The tingling in her muscles alerted Elysia of her resurging strength. She looked up at the approaching Collector, whose eyes began to open, and reached out to the big soldier guiding it. Another root erupted under the metallic container, toppling it and causing the soldier to stagger. The lilac light flickered. The man in stasis remained still, unphased by the trauma to the container.

The guardians that bombarded her with suppressive pulses were now distracted by Rana and T’mo, who proved to be a troublesome duo. Fires danced around them, burning atop the houses and shops. The grass maze that ran along the cobbled streets all burnt to ash. Rana stepped forward, her face smudged with soot, and her rebel uniform ripped and singed, gathering fire in her palm.

Hot air accumulated around her hand. Eventually, the temperature reached a point where the super-heated air that swirled about it ignited into small trails of embers that gathered rapidly. Within seconds, the embers formed a dense liquid fireball that singed her sleeve up to her elbow.

“Wherever there’s a flicker of hope, a guardian comes and snuffs it out,” she said with contempt as the guardians fumbled to switch their weapons back to their signature purple glow.

Rana hurled the fireball, which exploded on impact, splashing onto the ground where it lingered momentarily before evaporating. The guardians collapsed right before T’mo, who as swift as the wind, took one’s head off with her knee. The force behind her blow cracked the guardian’s helmet, sending it flying back with their head still inside. She spun around and blew a strong gust that rocked the screaming guardians, keeping them off their feet.

Rising to her knee, Elysia looked up to T’mo, who stood ahead of Rana. A ray of light phased through her. Looking down at her chest, she smelled smoke and burnt skin, followed by a searing pain. Blood welled in her throat, bursting out of her mouth and painting her uniform as she slumped over.

“T’mo!” Rana called out as she watched her friend fall.

The large soldier let out a cackle. “What a clean shot! Right, girl?”

He walked to Elysia and grabbed her hair. Dragging her along as he stepped closer, he aimed at Rana and pulled the trigger. The weapon's muzzle glowed for 2 seconds, then released a light.

Rana had already taken cover by a mound of debris. The ray of light phased through the broken stone and ash, missing her. She turned to look for the point of impact, but the shot didn’t leave a trace.

“Smart,” the soldier said, gripping Elysia’s hair tighter as he aimed at the debris.

Elysia struggled to break free, pulling at his massive fingers. In the middle of her attempt, vines reached for the soldier’s hands, wrapping up his wrist. The soldier lifted his arm, snapping the vines and raising Elysia to his face, still by the hair.

“Don’t make me kill you. The General would not be pleased with me,” he warned her in a grim, authoritative tone. The vines ceased growing as Elysia focused on keeping her head and hair connected.

Rana peeked from behind the mound, quickly locating T’mo and ducking. Another ray of light phased through the debris.

“An Enforcer? Fuck.” Rana whispered. A mix of sadness, fear, and anger roiled like an unfortunate cocktail as she tried to devise a plan.

“You know, I was never a fan of this ‘Scar-tech,’” the Enforcer walked to Rana, his gun still aimed. “I always found it…tasteless. I’m more of an old-world, beat-em-up kind of guy. But something told me to bring one today. And you know what, it’s not as boring as I thought.”

Firing again, the delayed light ray phased through the mound.

“C’moooon. Make this easy for me, will ya?” Beginning to circle for a better angle, the Enforcer focused on the debris.

“Just come on out and let me shine a little light on you,” he said impishly.

Concentrating on Rana, the Enforcer had not noticed his positioning and stepped too close to T’mo. With the strength she had left, she whipped up a wind that levitated the enormous soldier. The Enforcer was taken by surprise, dropping his gun and Elysia.

Hearing the commotion, Rana jumped out from behind the debris and released a stream of liquid fire at the Enforcer, coating his armor.

The Enforcer screamed in pain, then shifted to a melodramatic wale, turning to Rana with a menacing grin.

His armor glowed with the Scar-inhibiting purple, and the wind ceased to affect him, letting him onto the ground. The fire that coated him vanished, leaving his armor unmarked. With a large windup, the Enforcer dropped his hands on T’mo with a force that shook the ground. The gray stones that made up the walls and rubble in the surrounding area were now stained red and littered with bits of her.

Rana watched in horror as the remains of her friend exploded like a glass of water meeting a hard surface. The Enforcer, pleased with his actions, wiped the blood off his face and grabbed the stunned Rana by the neck.