Running Towards Revolution

Sayane could no longer contain herself and she let out a scream of adrenaline that roared outwards like a tsunami wave. Purple streaks of light rushed across every remaining refugee and all of them returned her commanding shout with their own. Attis leapt into Esca’s hand and waved to Sayane in encouragement.

“No one else dies!!” Sayane screamed.

“Not alone, but I’ve gotta start running! NOW RUN!!!!”

They were off. Sixty bodies of all sizes, screaming at the top of their lungs as they burst forth into the open field. Loose clay slid beneath their feet but no one fell. Sayane looked up, partially to look for attacks, but also to finally see the sky after two months of shelter. Once more, the sky was cold, pearlescent gold and grey. Pulses of massive hexagonal barriers shined down, as though the entirety of the heavens was shielded within a colossal bubble.

Then she saw the attack beam. It was coming towards them, but not perfectly accurate.

“Move left!!!!” Sayane screamed.

Everyone drifted to the left as swiftly as possible, and the enormous explosion shredded the earth thirty meters away before spinning and flinging debris in every direction. Enmot was struck in the head and nearly fell over, but Esca’s massive hand was there to stabilize her.

Daggers of exhaustion stabbed Sayane’s bruised ribs as she gasped for air. They were halfway there. But she couldn’t stop.

“STAY RUNNING!! STAY RUNNING!!!” she cried out, partially to herself and partially to the others.

“STAY RUNNING!!!” they all repeated back.

Up above, another beam howled down towards them.

“To the right!!!!! Right!!!!!” Sayane screamed.

Every footstep flung them rightwards, and the attack landed closer this time but still missed.

Two-thirds there.

Her throat was raw.

Stay Running! STAYRUNNING! STAYRUNNING!!!

It felt like a vice grip of ice had clamped on her throat as a blade gouged out her liver from the side. Every breath felt like knives. The skin of her feet may as well have been sawed away.

Another blast.

LEFT!

Left they went.

STAY RUNNING! YOU ARE ALMOST THERE!!

“Stay running!!!”

“STAY RUNNING!!!!”

“Run for your lives! Run for your dreams! Run for your hate! Run for what you lost! Run for everything yet to be gained! Run! Run and live!!!”

The portal was ahead. Another beam was coming. Finally accurate. Straight towards them.

“SPLIT! LEFT SIDE LEFT! RIGHT SIDE RIGHT!!!”

Everyone split perfectly, just in time. The blast tore a hole in the world right in between them, and every being shielded their heads from the coming burst. Chunks of burning clay struck Sayane’s stomach like a scalding punch, but she did not fall.

She was too close to fall. They had made it. The portal was there. Esca slowed to make sure no one was left behind. As Sayane passed, she could hear Attis and Azag screaming as well.

“STAY RUNNING! STAY RUNNING! STAY RUNNING!!!”

The last body leapt through the portal and Esca joined with an earth-shattering jump. Sayane fell onto the ground in victory as she gasped for air that felt like blades cutting down her windpipe. All around her, dozens were gasping in equal agony. The first wave was there to help the others stand and gain their breath. Everyone had made it.

“Move forward! Away from the edge! We must continue! Do not stop now you are almost there! The Shores of Time are a short distance from here! Rise! Rise and survive!!” Attis boomed.

Hands and paws helped one another from the ground. Echo pulled Sayane to her feet and she saw he was bleeding from his head.

“You’re hurt!!! No!!!!” Sayane cried.

Echo laughed and tried to calm her.

“It’s just a cut. Just a cut songstress. I doubt you’ll even need to hum a full verse to heal this,” he said with a tired smile as he pulled her forward.

Esca remained at the rear, watching the portal for any followers. Azag stood watch for several minutes as the rest of the refugee caravan moved on. To his great relief, they were not followed. Once he was satisfied, Esca turned and trotted forward to rejoin the others.

Minutes later, Sayane’s breathing had calmed, and the agony in her ribs began to subside. It no longer burned to breathe, so she gulped in as much air as she could. Sweat soaked her skin and clothes, causing her vibrant hair to stick to her shoulders and face along with the remnants of clay.

Fog rose to greet them, and the air turned cool. Alien rock formations jutted around them and over them. They were simultaneously underground and in the open. Sayane swore she felt and heard an otherworldly call drifting in the air. Though safety was ahead, something about this place was unsettling. It felt like the very earth was breathing in deep, synthetic breaths.

Every minute they walked led them deeper into the fog. It was beginning to become hard to see very far ahead. Grass and rock vanished, and the rocks gave way to reveal a silent beach. Silver sand greeted their feet with silent crunches. Every step caused a pale blue pulse to ripple out across the infinite silver grains.

“I do not like this place. And it’s not just because Erosc is here,” Azag said from within Esca.

“Shame. You could always leave then,” a familiar voice said from the haze before them.

Sayane looked up, and Erosc was there with several other armed warriors.

Though his fangs were bared and his eyes narrowed, he seemed calmer than before.

“You survived the Dead Fields. I commend that,” he said as he eyed the crowd of exhausted bodies.

Attis leapt from Esca’s hand to meet his comrade. The two shared a bow and Erosc returned his lance to his shoulder.

“Erosc, we are grateful to The Revolution for taking us in. The Silence laid waste to Omega. What of the rest of The Underworld?” Attis asked.

Erosc’s eyes were unreadable as he looked at Sayane.

“All were slaughtered. Thousands upon thousands gone in a night. There are other survivors here or on their way. This place has become the last refuge of the undersociety. The first ring is a warzone. The second and third rings are now being patrolled. True war has come.”

Numerous voices cried out in shock and fear. Hearing the confirmation that so many others had died pulled Sayane’s resolve into her stomach, and she felt like she might vomit. Was this her fault? The dread returned. But she did not have time to think about it, because Erosc stepped towards her and leaned forward to look into her eyes. Sayane did not look away, but instead held her ground. After a moment, he spoke.

“The whites of your hume-eyes have faded. Now you know true suffering. Now you understand our plight. Welcome to The Revolution, Sayane the Songstress.”