Chapter five

"Kael, we need to focus," Rian said, grabbing his arm. "We have to find survivors."

Kael shook himself out of his shock and nodded. "Right. Let's go."

They split up, running in different directions as they searched for anyone who might have survived the attack. Kael dashed into a burning building, coughing as the smoke filled his lungs. He stumbled through the darkness, calling out for anyone who might be there.

"Hello?" he shouted. "Is anyone here?"

There was no response. Kael coughed again, his eyes watering as the smoke grew thicker. He was about to give up when he heard a faint sound coming from somewhere in the building.

"Hello?" he called again, following the sound. "Is someone there?"

And then he saw her - a small girl, huddled in a corner, tears streaming down her face.

"Come on," Kael said, reaching out to her. "We have to get out of here."

The girl looked up at him, her eyes wide with fear. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Kael," he said. "I'm here to help you."

The girl hesitated for a moment, then took his hand. Together, they stumbled out of the burning building and into the daylight.

Rian was waiting for them, a look of relief on her face. "Thank goodness you're okay," she said, giving Kael a quick hug.

"We have to find more people," Kael said, still catching his breath. "There have to be more survivors."

They split up again, searching through the rubble for any signs of life. Kael's heart was pounding as he ran from building to building, calling out for anyone who might be there.

And then he heard a voice - a weak, raspy voice, calling for help.

"Over here!" he shouted to Rian, and together they rushed towards the sound.

They found an old man, trapped under a pile of debris. He was barely conscious, his face covered in soot and blood.

"We have to get him out of here," Kael said, kneeling down beside the man.

Rian nodded, and together they began to dig him out. It took all of their strength, but finally, they managed to free him from the rubble.

"Thank you," the man gasped, coughing as he struggled to breathe. "Thank you so much."

Kael helped him to his feet, supporting him as they stumbled towards safety. The man leaned heavily on him, his legs shaking as they walked.

"We have to find the others," Kael said, his voice trembling with emotion. "We have to save as many people as we can."

They searched for hours, pulling people from the wreckage, tending to their injuries, and helping them to safety. Kael had never felt so exhausted in his life, but he refused to give up. He knew that they had to keep going, that they had to find every survivor they could.

And then, just as they were about to give up hope, they saw a faint light in the distance. It was flickering and weak, but it was there. Kael and Rian exchanged a look of relief, and then broke into a run once more.

As they drew closer, they could see that the light was coming from a small cottage nestled in the trees. Smoke was pouring out of the chimney, and there were signs of life - a garden, a chicken coop, and a pile of chopped wood by the door.

They slowed down as they approached the cottage, cautious in case the inhabitants were hostile. But as they got closer, they saw an old woman sitting on the porch, rocking back and forth in a chair.

"Excuse us, ma'am," Kael called out, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "We're looking for survivors of the attack. Have you seen anyone else?"

The woman looked up, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What attack?" she asked, her voice crackling with age.

"The dragon attack," Rian said, stepping forward. "They destroyed our village, and we're trying to find anyone who survived."

The woman's eyes widened in recognition, and she beckoned them forward. "Come inside," she said, her voice suddenly warm. "I can tell you what I know."

Kael and Rian exchanged a look of relief, and then followed the woman into the cottage. Inside, it was cozy and warm, with a fire burning in the hearth and a kettle of tea on the stove.

The woman introduced herself as Margery, and she listened as Kael and Rian told her about the attack on their village. She nodded along, her face grave.

"I've heard of the dragon," she said finally, pouring them each a cup of tea. "But I haven't seen it. I've been hiding out here for weeks, ever since the first attacks started."

"Do you know of any other survivors?" Kael asked, taking a sip of the tea. It was hot and sweet, and it warmed him to his toes.

Margery shook her head. "I'm sorry, son. I haven't seen anyone else since I came here. But there might be others out there, in the woods or in other hidden places. I've heard rumors of a resistance group, people who are fighting back against the dragon and his minions. They might be able to help you."

Kael and Rian exchanged another look, and then nodded. "Do you know where we can find them?" Rian asked.

Margery shrugged. "I've heard whispers of a secret meeting place, but I don't know where it is. All I can tell you is that it's somewhere in the woods, near the river."

Kael and Rian thanked her for her help, and then set out once more. The woods were dark and dangerous, but they had a new sense of purpose. They were going to find the resistance group, and they were going to fight back against the dragon.

As they walked, Kael couldn't help but wonder about the group they were searching for. Who were they? How had they managed to resist the dragon's power? And could they really make a difference?

But he pushed those doubts aside, and kept walking. He was determined to find the resistance, no matter what it took.

Finally, after hours of searching, they saw a faint light in the distance. It was coming from a clearing in the woods, and as they drew closer, they could see that there were other people there. A lot of other people.

Kael's heart began to race as they approached the clearing. There were dozens of people there, of all ages and backgrounds. Some were wounded, some were armed, and all of them looked frightened.

Kael and Rian approached cautiously, their hands raised in a sign of peace. The survivors eyed them warily, but no one moved to attack.

"Who are you?" a man with a bandaged arm asked, his voice thick with suspicion.

"We're friends," Kael said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "We're looking for allies to fight against the invaders."

The man snorted. "You're a little late for that, aren't you? They've already taken over the city. We're the ones who managed to escape."

Kael felt his stomach drop. "What do you mean, they've taken over?"

The man gestured to the surrounding forest. "They're everywhere. They have some kind of advanced technology that we can't even begin to comprehend. They're unstoppable."

Kael's mind raced as he tried to process this new information. He had always known that the invaders were powerful, but he had never imagined that they could take over an entire city so quickly.

"We can't just give up," Rian said firmly. "We have to keep fighting. If we band together, we can take them down."

The man snorted again. "And what makes you so sure of that? You don't even know how to fight them."

Kael stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists. "My father fought them," he said. "He was one of the best soldiers this city has ever known. And he told me that there are others like him out there, people who are ready to fight back. We just have to find them."

The man eyed Kael for a moment, then nodded slowly. "All right. We'll help you. But we have to be careful. They have scouts out there, looking for us. If we're going to fight back, we have to do it smart."

Kael felt a surge of hope. He had been so afraid that they were alone in this fight, that they were the only ones left who cared enough to resist. But now, with these survivors at their side, he felt like anything was possible.

Together, they began to plan. They scouted out the surrounding area, looking for a safe place to regroup and strategize. They trained with whatever weapons they had, practicing their aim and their tactics. And they talked, sharing stories and memories of the lives they had left behind.

Kael was surprised by how quickly they bonded. In such a short amount of time, they had become like a family. They looked out for each other, offering words of encouragement and support when the weight of their situation threatened to crush them.