The Yensin Rebellion Chapter 1 (Caldiria story)

The Yansin Rebellion chapter 1

Kira shut the door to her ramshackle apartment, snow falling through the cracks of the ceiling as she slammed the door. Her muscles ached from working at the Reldishin Empire foundry. It was one of the few places in town where she could find employment. The work was hard and demanding but still better than selling her body at the other establishments in town.

Kira slumped down in her favorite chair and dusted the ash from her jacket. Even though the work at the foundry was more trouble, it did not pay nearly as well as the local clubs did. She slaved away all day, trying to keep the Empire's furnaces lit only to barely make enough for a measly frozen meal. She had to buy her food from a place that kept their reserves out in the frozen tundra.

She would focus on heating up her food later. For now, she just wanted to rest. She had to work a double shift today because another factory had been destroyed by the Yansin Rebellion. Kira wished that those fools would leave well enough alone as their war brought nothing but heartache and strife for those not involved. People she worked with had been driven to the bone all week trying to keep up with demand so the Empire could keep ahead of the rebels.

Kira had no sympathy for the Empire; she hated them for their involvement in her parent’s death. But there wasn’t anything to be done. The rebels had been fighting for long before she had been alive, and nothing had been gained. The Reldishin Empire used to be a force to be reckoned with in Caldiria, and now its people fought with each other, bloodying the snow. Deep down, she wished for one side or the other to just win this pointless conflict already so she could move on with her life and not have to worry about just scraping by from day to day.

Just as she was closing her eyes, Kira heard a knock at her door. “Go away. I paid my rent for this week.”

They knocked once more. Kira stood up, “Ok, I am coming.” The person knocked once again. “Hey, I said I am coming.”

She opened the door, a cold blast of air hitting her face. She looked out into the grimy street and saw only a few people shuffling about, none of which were close enough to have been banging on her door. Kira shut the icy barrier as she scratched her head. “Maybe it was some fool kid thinking he was funny impersonating the local guard.”

She turned around to see a young boy huddling next to the fire. “Hey, you. Get out.”

His eyes winded, and he dashed into her bedroom. She sighed and followed him in there. “Hey, kid. This isn’t a place for vagabonds. Now get out. I am warning you.”

She searched through her bedroom but couldn’t find the young lad. “Just where did he go to?” She looked under her dingy mattress, in her closet, and even in her clothing trunk but couldn’t find him.

“Kid, I am warning you.” Ice crept along the tips of her fingers. “Don’t make me drag you out of. . .”

There was a banging on her front door. Kira spun around.

“I swear if this is more of your friends looking to sneak into my home.”

She walked up to the door. “Look, the same trick isn’t going to work on me twice. Go away.”

A rough voice boomed from the other side. “This is the Empire. Open up.”

Kira gulped and did what she was told. A tall man in dark plate and brandishing a scythe on this back forced his way into her apartment. Once he was inside, he produced a parchment with a picture of a young boy on it. “Have you seen this kid?”

Kira crossed her arms. “Maybe lower your arms? I am not twelve feet tall.”

The guard sighed and held the parchment at eye level with her. She recognized the face; it was the rat that had snuck her way into her apartment moments before. He must have ducked in her to avoid this doofus.

“Have you seen him?”

“Why do you want him?”

The man used his plated glove to slap her across the cheek. Kira fell to the floor covering up the icy wound. “That is none of your concern. Now have you seen him?”

Kira fought against the urge to retaliate. “No. I came straight home after working at your foundry.”

The man snorted. “If you hear anything, make sure to contact us.” He left the same way he came in, his scythe scratching at her ceiling.

Kira stood up and closed the door behind him. She hated that she couldn’t fight back against these fools; it would be so easy. Back there, she could have just killed him if she wanted to. But that would have dire consequences. They would hunt her down and kill people at random in her sector to get to her. She wouldn’t let their blood be on her hands.

She went to the mirror in her bedroom and turned her hand to ice before applying pressure to her cheek. She could freeze her body and the air around her. She discovered it when she was young, just after her parents died. Still, despite her abilities, she kept them to herself; the only other person who knew about them was her uncle. If anyone found out she was special, the Empire would haul her away and use her in their war. “I will not let myself become a tool for anyone’s destruction.”

“Hey, how are you doing that? That is cool?”

She turned to see the young kid staring at her. “You? Get out.”

He ran to the other side of her bed. “Please don’t.”

“You already brought the guards to my doorstep.” She sent a wave of icy from her heel to encase his feet. Kira then ran over and picked him up by his torso. “Tell me why I shouldn’t turn you into the guards.”

“I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Kira narrowed her eyes. “None of us do, kid. Look around. The world is nothing but pain and misery.”

He reached out and grabbed at her clothing, and Kira resisted the urge to freeze his arms off. “They killed my parents. They said they were spies for the Yansin rebellion. They want me because I watched them murder my folks.” He started sobbing. “They are watching my house, my relatives. I don’t know where I can go. I don’t know why I came here. I just wanted a place to hide, too—“

Kira put her hands on his shoulders. “Ok, calm down.” She sighed. “It sucks what happened to you, but you can’t just barge into my home like this.” He looked down at the floor with sullen eyes. “Don’t give me that look.” Kira clenched her fist. “Look, kid, I am not in a position to help. I. . .”

Kira turned around, running her hand through her hair. She couldn’t just send him out as he wouldn’t last a day with the Empire guards looking for him. Am I really so cold that I won’t help this kid?

She turned around. “What is your name?”

He wiped away a tear. “Cresten.”

She bent down. “Cresten.” She sighed. “Look, you can stay here—“

His eyes lit up. “Really? Thank you.”

She raised her finger. “While I help either return you to your family or get you out of the city. Maybe in the Reldishin countryside, you would be safer.”

He crossed his arms. “So you want to make sure I am someone else’s problem, is that it.”

Kira stood up. “If you want to look at it that way, sure.” She walked to the doorway. “In the meantime, if I am not here, you are not to leave this room.”

“Or what?”

She whirled on him. “This is your life you are playing with, not a game.” He gulped. “The Empire will not hesitate to kill you if they find you. I don’t’ know if what the Empire said about your parents is true or not, but it is all they need to hunt you down like a Nrog.”

Cresten’s eyes became watery once more. Kira reached out her arm. “Look, I am sorry, but you just need to know the reality of your situation. We are in the middle of a war.” She bent down and put her hand on his shoulder. “It will be ok.”

“I miss my parents.”

She sighed. “I know. It is hard to lose your parents.” She felt a sharp pain in her chest as painful memories surfaced. “But you need to find a way to be strong now.”

He looked up at her. “I don’t know if I can.” Tears filled his eyes. “I don’t know how I am supposed to. . .”

She hugged him. She wasn’t sure why but she did. “You will find the strength; just give it time.”

I know I did.

Kira stood up. “Now, just stay here. I need to go out and double-check that the guards are gone.” She looked around. “I don’t trust them for a minute to say that they won’t be back. I need to make sure for myself that it will be safe for you to leave this place.”

Cresten took a step forward, and she put her hand up. “Don’t leave this room until I know they are not watching this house.”

“But.”

“No buts.” She turned around and made her way into the streets. “What have I gotten myself into?”