A/N: This chapter is a lot darker than the previous in the sense that you'll see someone die, as painfully as I could make it. Be warned.

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Thelia stood in a sea of people with bronze pins. To blend in she wore her own on her black cloak. There was too little light for her to distinguish any of the faces around her, but that meant none would recognize her in turn. She resisted the urge to take off her cloak in the warm cellar, she didn't want to draw any attention.

The buzzing excitement made her heart race and her knees go soft. But it had made sense for her to go to the meeting. If anyone noticed her she could simply pretend that things were as they used to. Anyone else of the four would have to fake a story.

The last time Thelia had been to a meeting felt like another lifetime. Then, she had shared the crowds excitement and been eager to hear Egem make his speech. Now however, when he made his way onto the small, wooden scene, her insides tied themselves into knots.

Even from a distance Thelia managed to get a good look at the tall, slender man. He had his short, black hair neatly combed backwards, piercing grey eyes which seemed to look straight through people and wore his ragged clothes like they were spun of gold.

"Welcome brothers and sisters," Egem greeted them with a loud and clear voice, spreading his arms as if to embrace them all. "It pleases me to see that with every passing day the number of Seekers grow." He began to pace along the edge of the scene with his hands behind his back. "For as long as anyone can remember, the barrier has kept us prisoners. We've been forced to live under the rule of cowards who makes our choices for us, with no chance to search for a better life.

"Who knows what we'll find on the other side? It might be devastation and chaos, just as we've been told." He shrugged and the crowd booed. "Or we might find a sea of opportunities which the council has been too afraid to believe possible." He paused for a moments to let the thought take root in people's imagination. "But we will find out. Together we have killed one of our five beloved council members. Today that number will be doubled, since our demands still haven't been met." The crowd sheered.

What demands? Thelia wondered as two muscular men dragged a woman, bound by feet and hands, on stage. Between the two she looked made of straw. Her blond tousled hair hung around her pointy face and her clothes had been ripped in a few places. She was brought to her knees in the middle of the stage, facing Thelia and the rest. Her blue eyes were wide with fear and she trembled from head to toe, too scared to move, speak or barely breath.

"Maya Blanch has on multiple occasions worked with the council to make our search for a way out impossible. She has denied us access to old scripts and documents in which answers may be found and she refused to question Verunt about life on the other side of the border." Egem never spoke directly to Maya, as if she was an inanimate object.

Egem moved closer to Maya, carefully rubbing his palms against each other. A long, thin crystal around his neck lit up like searing hot metal.

"Please, no, no, I'll do whatever you want, please no!" Maya tried to move away, tears streaming down her cheeks.

When Egem stood right behind her, his crystal spreading a menacing glow on both of them, he reached out a pair of slender hands and placed them on both sides of her head. Her hair instantly turned to flames which spread over her body in a matter of seconds.

When Maya's scream pierced the air Thelia had to bite on her fist to keep herself from screaming as well. Higher and higher the cry rose, competing with the flames, until only the roar of fire and a horrifying smell remained.

"I will not let the council hide the truth from us any longer. I will find the hidden scripts and set us free! Will you help me?" Egem finished his speech confidently with his arms held out as if to embrace them all.

Those around her let out a loud cheer but Thelia couldn't breath. How had she ever thought Egem stood for the right thing? She forced herself to breath as she stared at the burning body, tears silently running down her face.

The men who had dragged Maya up on the stage poured bucket after bucket of water on the fire until it was extinguished. Only a black, wet and smoking heap remained of the body who had been Maya Blanch.

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A/N: I can't really explain it, but this chapter was actually really fun to write. I guess I'm weird like that. Anyways, leave a vote if you liked it and maybe some thoughts in a comment?