The night hung heavy over the Ember Line as a battered group of three staggered through the treeline, their breathing ragged, their bodies bruised and bloodied. The forest that shielded them now seemed to mourn the loss they carried.
Mora led the way, her face a mask of exhaustion and grim determination. Gad stumbled slightly behind her, his uniform torn, dried blood streaking his arms. Beside him was , the only other surviving member of the rescue team. Two of their comrades had fallen during the escape from the Greenland barracks, their sacrifice buying the rest of them enough time to flee with Gad in tow.
The fires of Ember Line glowed ahead, small and scattered across the hidden camp. It was home—what was left of it.
A low whistle pierced the air: the password signal. Mora answered with a short, sharp birdcall, and at once, the rebel sentries melted from the shadows, weapons lowered but faces grim as they took in the returning group—and saw the empty spaces where two should have been.
Word spread like wildfire.
By the time they reached the center of the camp, Asa Brown, leader of the Forun freedom fighters, stood waiting. Around him were his most trusted—Devon, Kael, Rhea—all tense, silent, the weight of loss already felt.
Gad's eyes locked on his father's. For a moment, neither moved. The years, the battles, the secrets—they melted away. Asa stepped forward and pulled Gad into a fierce, bone-crushing embrace.
"You're home, son," Asa said hoarsely, his hand gripping the back of Gad's head.
"I made it," Gad whispered, but his voice cracked with the grief he carried for Aren and Sefa.
Mora stepped forward, blood on her sleeves, her voice grim. "We lost two. Aren and Sefa... fought to the last breath. They knew what was at stake."
A heavy silence fell over the gathering. Heads bowed. Some clenched their fists in mourning; others simply stood frozen in disbelief. Death was no stranger here, but every loss carved a deeper scar.
Asa released Gad, his face set in stone now. He turned to the leaders gathered.
"Into the war tent," he said. "We mourn them tonight. But first—we must understand what comes next."
---
Inside the main command tent, the firelight flickered against worn maps and scattered battle plans. The circle was small—only those who had earned their place through blood and loyalty.
Devon, with his scarred hands clenched tightly on the table edge. Kael, arms crossed, sharp-eyed and calculating. Rhea, pacing like a caged lioness, anger simmering just beneath the surface. Mora stood silent but tall, a shadow of pain etched into her features. Gad, still smelling of smoke and sweat, sat beside his father.
Asa looked around at them, his expression grim.
Gad cleared his throat first. "They know," he said. "General Odo and Captain Tade—they know there was a mole. Held was captured. They caught the scavenger before they could reach me. I was lucky to escape at all."
"So what?" Rhea snapped. "They've lost their inside man. They'll be stumbling blind now."
Asa shook his head slowly. "No. Not blind. Angry."
Devon leaned forward, his voice low. "Explain."
Asa straightened, his voice steady and cold. "Greenland's forces have been gathering, beyond what we've seen. Reinforcements. Mercenaries. Foreign soldiers bought with promises of our land, our riches. Odo was only holding back because of the uncertainty—the leaks we created. Now that he knows he has no more rats to worry about, he'll strike."
Kael cursed under his breath. "How soon?"
"As soon as he can move the troops he's been hiding," Asa said. "He will hit us harder and faster than we've ever seen. And we are not ready."
The silence in the tent was suffocating. Every leader knew the truth of Asa's words. Gad stared at the map stretched out on the table. The Ember Line felt so strong, so sure—but against a full army?
Mora's voice was quiet but deadly serious. "We don't have the numbers, Asa. Even with every man, woman, and child willing to fight, we are outmatched."
"And running isn't an option," Devon growled. "Not anymore. If we scatter, they'll hunt us down one by one."
Rhea slammed her hand on the table. "Then we make them bleed for every inch they take."
Asa finally stood, his shadow falling long across the tent. "We fight, yes. But we also prepare the people. Rally Forun. This is no longer a rebellion. This is a war for survival. No one is safe sitting in the shadows anymore."
He turned to Gad, placing a heavy hand on his son's shoulder. "Your part is not over yet, my son. We will need you in ways we haven't even imagined."
Gad met his father's fierce gaze. "I'm ready."
Asa nodded once. "Good. Because the storm is coming—and it will show no mercy."