The rebels were here. Despite their efforts, the Empire had failed to keep Helsng from being infiltrated. Now Einar, the leader of the rebels himself, was here in the city. The rebellion in Helsng had all but begun.

Einar made himself known to several others, including prominent Volcarrens and Vel, as well as laborers throughout the city. However, he did not speak with Utgar or Vydar, and Taelord found himself wondering why.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Helsng changed in the course of a single day. Every soldier Taelord saw seemed tense and alert, gripping their weapons tightly and watching anyone – especially Volcarrens – who passed.

Everyone else seemed unable to keep from smiling. Cheering and laughter could be heard in the streets all day, and what seemed like the entire population of Helsng accompanied Leran and Nya back to their home, where they were reunited with their children. Food was showered on them as it had been on the Volcarrens, and the celebration lasted long into the night.

G’shar seemed to share Taelord’s worry. He had gone to Yesen and arranged for his family to accompany them when they left, though it would be a few days yet. Rehs meanwhile was completely absent. Taelord had last seen him with the crowd surrounding Leran, and guessed that he had joined in the celebrations, along with Veth and Scar-shoulder, who were also gone. He only appeared when dinner was nearly ready, and gave a non-committal excuse about forgetting the time. Veth and Scar-shoulder were not with him.

They had just finished eating the evening meal when a knock came at G’shar’s door. G’shar opened it, and found Kran standing there, out of breath, an excited gleam in his eye.

“Einar,” he said, then paused for breath.

G’shar’s mouth tightened – though he hadn’t seen Einar, word of his presence in Helsng had reached practically every ear. It was one of the reasons the Empire was now so on edge.

“Einar’s called a meeting,” Kran said. “For any who believe in liberating Helsng. It’s happening now, at Jer’s home. I’ve got to let the others know.” He turned, and dashed off into the night.

G’shar closed the door, and turned to find every face watching him. Rehs was already halfway out of his seat. “No,” G’shar said pointedly, looking at his son. “You’re not going.”

“Of course I’m going,” Rehs said. “I wasn’t about to ask that. I was going to ask if you were going also.”

G’shar frowned. “Attending this meeting would brand us as rebels,” he said. “Leran was nearly executed for breaking the law; I don’t intend to find out what would happen to us if the Empire discovered this meeting. I’m not going, and neither are you.”

It was Rehs’ turn to frown. “I am going, Father,” he said, standing. “This is important. You can take Mother and Aiiva and flee if you want, but I’m staying. I’m tired of the Empire telling us what to do. I’m ready to fight for my freedom. I can’t do that if I run away. I won’t.”

He walked to the door, pulled it open, and was gone before G’shar could stop him.

Taelord glanced at his mother. She was sitting at the table, but hadn’t said a word. She stared at the fire dancing in the hearth, and only shook her head at the flames, a small, sad motion.

Taelord glanced at G’shar, somehow feeling like he should apologize for Rehs. “I’ll go with him,” he found himself saying instead. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t… do anything foolish. And I’ll bring him back.”

G’shar nodded, sighing. “Maybe that’s the most I can hope for,” he said. “Thank you, Taelord. And… tell me what they say at this meeting. I would know what Einar has planned for this city.”

Taelord nodded, and moved for the door.

“No,” a voice said.

He turned, and saw his mother looking at him.

“Stay,” she said.

“Mother—”

“These rebels are trouble,” she said. “If you go, you’ll be involved.”

Taelord frowned. “I don’t intend to get involved,” he said. “But someone has to make sure Rehs doesn’t do something he’ll regret.” He crossed the room and hugged his mother. “I’ll be back soon; don’t worry.”

She remained where she was, frowning at him, but said nothing further, so Taelord crossed to the door, pulled it open, and set off after Rehs.

He caught up to him at the door to Jer’s home. It opened as he approached, allowing him to see that a large crowd had gathered inside. He and Rehs moved in, several others joining them from the dark night.

Everyone seemed to be crowded around the edge of the circular home in a great ring. There was a good deal of excited whispering and muttering, and Rehs and Taelord squeezed their way through the crowd to a place where they could see the center of the room.

Four people stood there, one instantly recognizable as Einar. Curiously, he hadn’t removed his half-mask, and neither had the three kyrie with him. Taelord wondered if he had to hide his identity because he was someone well known. Or perhaps he was disfigured?

Besides the mask, he didn’t look like a rebel. He wore the same clothing as everyone else – a simple pair of pants and a sleeveless shirt, with a leather vest tied over it with cord. But his bare arms were lean and muscled, and several raised lines ran across them, which Taelord recognized as scars. Sword slashes, or perhaps spear thrusts. Einar had seen combat, probably more than most.

The three kyrie with him looked more like what Taelord had expected. Most kyrie were clean-shaven, but these three all had the shadows of stubble darkening their chins. Their hair was long and wild, and their skin appeared mottled with dirt.

They wore the same clothes as Einar, but as where his were clean and looked new, theirs had obviously been worn for a long time. They weren’t torn, but the ends had frayed, and they were stained with dirt, so that they looked more like discarded grain sacks than actual clothes.

Despite their general appearance of unkemptness, the kyrie exuded an air of capability. They were all built powerfully, and their dark eyes watched the crowd assembling around them. They each carried a simple hand axe, tied to a leather strap about their waist, the head chipped and rusted. Unless that redness wasn’t rust…

“I think everyone’s here, Kran” Einar called from the middle of the room, interrupting Taelord thoughts.

He glanced to the door, where Kran had appeared.

“Everyone who said they were coming,” Kran replied, closing the door. “Quite a few were frightened the Empire would find out.”

“Understandable,” Einar said. “I don’t normally hold a meeting this large, but Helsng is a special case.”

Kran settled against the wall near the door, and all eyes turned to Einar.

He was silent for a moment, then he looked up at them. “You all know why you’ve come,” he said. “You believe in claiming your freedom from the Empire. I am Einar, leader of the rebels, and I am here to make that happen.”

There was an immediate murmur of agreement and excitement. Many kyrie nodded their heads.

“When do we start?” one – not much older than Rehs – asked from near the middle.

“Soon,” Einar said.

“Will we storm the keep?” the boy asked. “Burn Helsng? Do we march on Elenrul itself?”

“That’s why we’re here,” one of Einar’s men said, his voice a growl. “The Empire’s time is over. Helsng will be ours, and—”

“Enough,” Einar said. He glanced at the rebel who had spoken, and the man fell silent instantly, looking instead at the floor. “We are here to free you,” Einar said, looking back at the crowd, “but this must be done carefully. The garrison here is strong – even a full uprising won’t overwhelm them, not while they control the keep. So, as much as I know you are eager to strike against the Empire, we must be patient. We will win this fight, but it will have to be fought through subterfuge and secrecy. In open combat the Empire would destroy us.”

The boy looked disappointed, but Taelord saw many of the older kyrie present nod at Einar’s words.

“First though,” Einar said, “I must make one thing plain. There will be no killing. Listen to me,” he added, raising his voice to quell the cries of protest which erupted almost instantly. “Utgar, our Valkyrie, does not want a war. He wishes to avoid conflict at all costs. Striking down Imperials in the streets would almost certainly start a battle. Therefore, we will avoid killing. I don’t want to be on the wrong side of a Valkyrie, and I doubt any of you do either.”

He was silent for a moment, watching the crowd, but no one contradicted him.

“How will we free ourselves,” one asked from across the room, “if we cannot kill the Imperials?”

“We will exercise what we can do,” Einar said. “Covert attacks.” He turned slowly, watching the faces of the crowd. “The Empire can’t fight what it can’t find. Our job is to make them unwelcome here. Threaten them. Make the streets unsafe at night. Make them fear the Maze and Docks. Make them feel the need to bar their door, or better yet, leave Helsng to us. We will slowly bleed the Empire of its people until, when they have no men left, the time will come to finally take the keep. When that time comes, the Empire will have no choice but to surrender.

“Additionally, we recruit. From now on, everyone in Helsng is either helping us or helping the Empire. Any who are not prepared to do either should leave. You came tonight; go amongst those who stayed in their homes, tell them what I have said, and bring them over to our cause. Eventually there will be too many rebels here in Helsng for the Empire to fight.”

“What of the soldiers?” one woman asked. “They might be Imperials, but they are laborers, like us. They aren’t Merchants. They might… understand. Sympathize. They might join us.”

Einar shook his head. “The Empire had been careful to select soldiers who have grown up fighting wars,” he said. “The guards in this city, and the soldiers Jandar has brought with him, are all well fed and well paid. They believe in the Empire. They might be laborers by class, but they are the enemy.”

“And what of Utgar?” a Volcarren asked. “Will he join us? Will he open the Wellspring?”

“That is not for us to know,” Einar said, frowning. “Utgar is undecided. I believe he has no love for the Empire, but I know he also wishes to avoid a conflict. He will refuse to join either side for as long as he can. In time though, he will have to choose. When that time comes, I believe he will join us.

“As for the Wellspring, that is his decision. The Wellsprings were sealed for good reason, and he may decide to keep them that way. Or he may seek to open them. Either way, he alone can do either.

“We cannot rely on Utgar to fight for us. He will have to join us eventually, but until then, we are on our own. We will not anger him by killing Imperials, but we will fight for our freedom, with or without him.

“Now,” he said, folding his arms and looking at the crowd, “there will be no organized resistance. The Empire can predict and stop order. Therefore, I will leave how and when you fight for this city up to you. I will offer only direction: make the Imperials fearful for their safety. Act in the night to avoid detection. Focus your efforts on the Maze and the Docks first, and then the Rows, where the Imperials feel safe, but avoid the keep, where they expect an attack. I and my men will handle that. Finally, understand that this will not be easy. Many of you may be captured, and several may be executed. I will save who I can, but my resources are limited. Therefore, use caution. Do not get caught. The rebellion needs you.

“Now go, return to your homes, before the Empire finds us here.” He bowed his head, and conversation broke out immediately.

Rehs turned to Taelord, an unsettling light in his eyes.

“It’s begun,” he whispered.