The room was hot. The air was thick with yellow dust. It smelled like old sweat and dry earth. The only sound in the dark room was the slow click, click, click of a broken fan turning on the ceiling.Mayor Thorne wiped his wet forehead with a dirty cloth. He was a man who used to be fat, but he had lost a lot of weight in the last few months. His clothes hung loosely on his body. His hands were shaking on the metal table."We do not have enough food," Thorne said. His voice was small and full of fear. "We do not have enough guns. If we fight them, we will all die."Across the table, Commander Silas stood up. Silas was young, but his eyes were old. A long, pink scar crossed his left cheek. He hit the table with his fist. The loud sound made Mayor Thorne jump."If we do not fight, we will still die!" Silas shouted. "They are taking our water. They are taking our people for the labor camps. I will not sit here and wait for them to put chains on my hands!"There were three other leaders i

Silas hid behind a large rock near the edge of the cliff. He looked down at the empty road. Everett crouched next to him. Everett did not have a gun. He only had a pair of binoculars."Do you hear that?" Silas whispered.Everett listened. The wind blew the sand. But beneath the wind, there was a sound.Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.It sounded like a giant heartbeat. The ground began to shake just a little bit. Small pebbles rolled down the cliff."They are coming," Everett said quietly. "Tell your people to stay totally down. Do not look over the edge."Silas pressed a button on his radio. "Hold the line. Nobody moves. Nobody breathes."Around the corner of the canyon, Kade's army appeared. It was a terrifying sight. There were five hundred guild mercenaries. They walked perfectly in step. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. They wore thick, black armor that shined in the hot sun. Their helmets had no faces, just glowing red slits for eyes. They carried massive energy rifles.In the center of the army was a

The sound never stopped.Boom. Boom. Boom.It was like a giant hammer hitting the sky. The city of Sunforge shook with every hit. Dust fell from the ceilings. Small rocks danced on the ground.Sunforge used to be a beautiful place. It was the biggest of the Free Cities. It had tall chimneys that pushed white smoke into the air. It had big factories that made tools, guns, and farm machines. The people here were proud. They worked hard with their hands. They built things.Now, Sunforge was breaking.For forty days, Archon Kade’s army had surrounded the city walls. They did not attack with soldiers first. They attacked with fire. Huge cannons sat on the hills outside the city. Every hour, they shot balls of blue plasma at the city.Sunforge had an energy shield. It was a giant blue bubble of light that covered the city. When the plasma balls hit the shield, the sky lit up with bright, blinding colors. But the shield was getting weak. It used to be bright blue. Now, it was a sick, pale pi

Silas’s eyes went wide. "Thousands of people are down there! In enclosed spaces, gas will kill every single child and mother!""I know," Everett said. He looked at the giant metal doors of the main gate. The blue energy shield above them was sparking. It sounded like tearing paper. "We cannot just run and blow the city. We have to seal the tunnel entrance perfectly. But first, we have to stop them from bringing the gas machines into the city square."CRACK!The sound was louder than thunder. The entire sky seemed to break.The blue energy shield shattered. Millions of blue sparks fell from the sky like glowing rain. The shield was gone. Sunforge was naked."They broke through!" a soldier screamed from the wall.Immediately, the giant sonic ram stopped. In its place, regular cannons fired.BOOM!A huge ball of fire hit the main gate. The massive iron doors blasted open. Pieces of hot metal flew into the air, cutting down three of Silas’s soldiers. The heavy stone archway crumbled.Thro

The wind blowing through Oakhaven was bitter and cold. It carried the smell of smoke and unwashed bodies. Forty thousand people from Sunforge were now living in tents made of old blankets and plastic sheets. They were cold. They were scared. And most of all, they were hungry.Everett stood at the edge of the camp. He wore a dark cloak to protect him from the sand. He held a small, worn bag over his shoulder. He was leaving.Lyra and Rae stood in front of him. They looked very worried."You cannot go alone," Lyra said. Her voice was soft but full of fear. "The Dead Zone is poison. The air will burn your lungs. And Kade’s assassins will be waiting for you.""I have to," Everett said. His eyes looked tired, but his jaw was tight. "They have my sister, Lyra. I thought Sarah died years ago. If she is alive, I am the only one who can save her. If I bring an army, they will kill her."Rae hugged her computer close to her chest. "But what about us? What about the refugees? The Sovereign Counc