A/N: This is a one-shot was written while listening to "Rise" by John Dreamer. Inspired by it too. I had it in a different category, but I decided it didn't fit very well there. Reviews would be awesome, constructive criticism would be awesome too :)


We rose.

Spreading like a cold, chilling fog, the dull pain spread to our heads, our hearts, our bodies. It took over our lives, numbly beating down on our brows, our backs, taking the form of whips, or harsh, cruel words thrown like rocks from the looming forms of the Guard.

Rising.

The tyrant of our beautiful land had stripped away all of its glory, the once full of life forests were desolate, the last few remaining stumps faded echoes of an ancient legacy. Clear, silver rushing water from the jagged mountains, tainted with oil, fumes, chemicals. The towering stones themselves, plundered for all of its ores, barely supporting itself, cracking without the support at its base.

We soar, soar higher.

Once beautiful skies, filled with all the constellations, were covered with a thick, unnatural haze. The North Star is a treat to see, glimmering high above like an unattainable jewel, but only on days when the suppressing gray is torn away by vicious winds. Most times, we look up, day or night, and only see the monotonous, stifling air.

Above the land, the bleak wasteland.

It takes one person. One, to do what we all wanted to desperately do, with our aching bodies and hearts and souls. He toppled the cruel, ignorant ruler, who at the end, even with all his gold, rich red coats, could not stand a chance in the face of freedom.

Hearts lighter than air, flying, up and up.

And then we rose. We rose up against the Guard, with our picks, shovels, rocks, souls. We rose. Against the pain we suffered, the joyless surviving, the living like livestock. We shattered our fetters, crushed the shackles. The taste of freedom bloomed inside of us, outgrowing the cold, dull fog, filling everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest man, filling us with... hope. It refreshed us, healed our wounds. Filled us with vigor, the love of life. We could live, laugh, love. All under the clear blue sky, with stars twinkling down at us during the night.

Forever rising, risen, rise. Rise.