Night had not yet lifted when the first whispers began.
In the narrow streets of the eastern quarter, someone had carved the sign of a broken chain into a wooden door. By sunrise, the mark appeared again—on a well, on a grain stall, on the very steps of the governor's house. People stopped to look, their faces hidden under hoods. No one spoke of who had done it. But everyone knew what it meant.
The Prophet was dead, but his followers still ruled. And yet—someone dared to challenge them.
---
Shino stood at the edge of the square, his cloak pulled tight against the chill morning air. His companions watched with him as more marks appeared.
Juro's scarred hands curled into fists, a slow smile on his face. "It's starting," he said under his breath. "The city is waking up."
Aya's eyes were sharp, scanning every shadow. "Waking cities can be dangerous," she said softly. "They thrash before they rise. People get crushed."
Shino did not look away from the square. "Shadows march before the dawn," he said. "The question is whether we will march with them… or lead them."
Riku's heart pounded. He wanted to lead.
---
By midday, the tension had thickened like smoke. A group of townspeople had gathered near the broken fountain, whispering to one another, glancing over their shoulders.
That was when the guards arrived.
Their armor was blackened iron, their faces hidden behind masks painted with the Prophet's symbol. They moved like wolves through the crowd, shoving people aside, tearing down every scratched symbol they could find.
"This is forbidden!" the captain barked. "Anyone caught spreading this heresy will be punished!"
A man in the crowd shouted, "You are the heresy!" before ducking back into the mass of bodies.
The guards moved to seize him, but Riku was already stepping forward. "Stop!" he shouted, his small frame shaking with fury.
The guards turned. "Another little rebel," one sneered. "Catch him!"
Juro stepped in front of Riku before the guards could grab him, his massive hand shoving one back. "If you want to fight," he growled, "fight someone who can hit back."
Chaos erupted. The guards drew their clubs. Juro met the first blow with his forearm and drove the man back. Aya darted behind him, striking quick and precise, disarming one of the guards before he could strike Riku.
Riku, heart pounding, grabbed a stone and hurled it at the captain. It struck his helmet with a loud clang.
The crowd roared.
Suddenly, the guards were surrounded—not just by Shino's companions, but by the people themselves. Hands grabbed, voices shouted, stones flew. The guards were forced back, retreating toward the edge of the square.
The captain glared at Shino as he withdrew. "This city will burn for this insolence," he spat before disappearing down the alley with his men.
---
Silence fell over the square.
People looked at Shino. Some frightened, some hopeful.
Shino walked forward to the broken wall where the guards had scraped away the chain symbol. Slowly, without a word, he took a piece of charcoal from the ground and drew it again—bolder this time, so large that no one could miss it.
The act was quiet, but it was louder than any shout.
A single voice broke the stillness. "Down with the false light!"
Then another joined in. "Down with the false light!"
Soon the square was alive with chants, fists raised, chains of fear breaking in every throat.
---
That night, the city did not sleep.
On every wall, in every alley, the broken chain appeared again. The whispers became open talk, the talk became songs.
Aya sat by the fire, polishing her blade. "They will come back with more men," she warned.
"They will," Shino said simply.
Juro looked almost eager. "Let them. We'll be ready this time."
Shino's gaze was fixed on the flames. "This fight is not won with swords. It is won when they can no longer make us kneel."
Riku leaned closer. "Then what do we do?"
Shino looked up at him. "We march. Not with noise—but with resolve. Tomorrow, we move before they do."
---
Later, when the fire had burned low, Aya stiffened suddenly.
On the rooftop across the street, a shadow moved—tall, still, watching them.
"Shino…" she said softly.
"I see it," he replied.
The figure did not move closer, nor did it retreat. It simply stood, a dark silhouette against the moonlit sky, before vanishing into the night.
Riku swallowed hard. "They were watching us."
"Yes," Shino said, his voice calm. "And tomorrow, they will have to choose which side of the dawn they stand on."
The wind stirred the embers, scattering sparks into the night. Somewhere in the city, a bell rang, deep and hollow.
The march of shadows had begun.