From Ashes To New

The glowing rectangular door hovered in the air in front of a man, its pale white edges reflected in his brown eyes. Through the door laid a city reduced to little more than rubble.

The man gazed sorrowfully at the remnants of what was once a great city, now reduced to naught but rocks in the face of the emperor.

The man began singing a song, sorrowfully observing the still-smoking rubble as his baritone voice blanketed what was once a bright and bustling city, lamenting at the horrible loss of life caused by a being that couldn't care less.

The thousands of people behind him joined in, igniting something within the man that he had never thought would burn again.

The man stopped singing and turned to the people behind him, gazing at their tear-stricken faces, watching as they raised their arms and voices in tandem to mourn for those who couldn't live on.

He held his chest, feeling his heart beat accelerate along with their fervor as they neared the end of their song.

"

These trials make us who we are, who we are

When we die, do we die from our scars?

Or do we die from our broken parts?

Return to dust from whence we came,

As we see the world we have changed.

A single breath can be a storm,

So don't hold your breath anymore.

Breathe in and let it out

As a collective and powerful shout

Fight for your emperor, your ruler, your king

We shall not fight for a fake being

That treats us with cruelty and scorn

From the moment we are born, we are more;

Than that which the emperor had in store.

For our family, friends, and the people we are,

These trials make us who we are, who we are;

We're motivated by the scars that we're made of.

These trials make us who we are, who we are;

We are a new revolution borne from within dark.

These trials make us who we are, who we are;

We are no longer shattered and broken parts.

We take our places in the stars

We'll return to the dust from whence we came,

But, only after the emperor does the same.

We swear on the fallen:

We will answer the calling

Of the suffering and beaten,

On the weak being eaten.

We will rise up,

Despite the odds.

Take that golden cup from that man's greedy hands,

And free everyone from the darkness gripping these lands.

"

The man's tear-filled eyes closed as he clenched his fist in front of his chest.

The man steeled himself, before he opened his eyes once more and began speaking to the somber crowd before him.

"

This is what remains of the millions of people that once lived here.

This is the legacy that the emperor wishes to leave for us.

This is the kindness he promised, the life he bid us.

This is unacceptable!

Our lives aren't to be ended at the whims of some overripe and pompous tomato in the capital!

Our lives should be fulfilling and enjoyable!

We shouldn't have had to live in fear all these years!

You, the people, have ignited within me the embers of hope.

Hope for a future of freedom, a future of joy and longevity.

With this hope I hope to slowly ignite the flames of a revolution.

Will you accept the spark?

Will you take this little ember and stoke it within yourselves?

Will you become the flames that will guide us through this dark night?

Will you fight with me for the freedom of a new republic?

"

And so the revolution began.