Chapter 21: The Old King is Dead (Long Live the King)

Ed stood up and went to the window. That event still haunts his dreams to this day.

"I remember this, the 5/20 attack." Joel said. "If the military wasn't a pain to deal with before, they became an even bigger pain after that."

"They were going to kill innocents just to him back. So much for watching out for the people." Tommy said.

"That was the day I became disillusioned with the Fireflies. Any connection I had with them was severed. The military could have slaughtered every last one of them that day and I would have been apathetic."

"Joel did." Tommy said. Joel shot him a glare.

"Good." Ed responded. Joel and Tommy looked at Ed in shock, jaws nearly on the ground. They could feel the anger rolling off of him. "They were too far gone. Fucking good riddance..."

Ed crossed his arms and turned around, leaning against the window. "That attack was the beginning of the end for Hartford. The Fireflies were eventually driven out but that day changed the landscape of the zone. Every military member there was a Firefly sympathizer and therefore killed. Then a new group came in and took over." He sighed.

"Because of the harsh new marshal law, Hartford couldn't maintain itself the way it used to. Then Hartford's heart just stopped beating altogether and it was too late for even the Fireflies to save it. Now it's a desolate land whose glory days would only live on in memory." Ed said.

"So what happened next? After you killed the Firefly." Joel asked.

"Fireflies wanted me, that much was clear. They wouldn't stop attacking until I was handed over. But turning myself in wouldn't have eased the situation. The Fireflies thought Hartford had betrayed them and were keeping me hostage, maybe even for ransom. The best thing at the time was to run and I did." Ed closed his eyes. "I wanted them to feel the guilt of disturbing and slaughtering innocents in vain. The Firefly name would be tarnished and rightfully so. But then things changed."

Ed walked to a chair and sat down, resting his arms on his thighs. "Marlene was there too. And instead of being hostile, we struck a deal; one that would benefit us both and eventually everyone else."

"Marlene was there too?" Joel asked.

"I was face to face with her..."

A series of emotions hit Ed like a tidal wave. Shock, bewilderment, remorse, but most of all anger.

"What the hell are you doing Marlene?" Ed asked to himself. He looked out the window and saw the bodies in the street, houses on fire, people running for their lives. He heard the continuous sound of gunfire. "This isn't what we are!"

Ed didn't have any more time to think as he heard footsteps rapidly coming up the steps. He quickly turned and opened the window. The drop wasn't enough to kill him but he would definitely feel the drop.

"Lawrence?" Ed jumped out just as the soldiers entered the room and landed on his feet. He felt his left leg buckle a bit but relied on his rising adrenaline to numb any pain. As he ran, he remembered his bus was parked just outside the zone. If he could get there, he could get far, far away from this place. Far away from all of this.

"That's all I'm good for anyway..." Ed muttered. He ran past the Nicholson house and hoped and prayed that they were all unharmed. Think of what you want of the adults, but the children played no part in this. Even if they did, it was involuntary.

"Ed!"

Ed stopped running and turned around. He saw Byron running toward him, panic and fear laced on his face. Byron was a hardened warrior that feared nothing. Seeing that much fear on his deeply worried Ed.

"Ed. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Byron said.

"What are you sorry for?"

"This...I..." Byron couldn't find the words.

Realization struck Ed. "Did you know about this?" Anger bubbled up in his body. He reared back and punched Byron in the jaw, knocking him off his feet and to the ground. He stood over Byron."Did you know this was going to happen?!"

Byron rubbed his jaw and shook his head, unable to speak.

"Do you not see what is happening here?!" Ed yelled. He then grabbed Byron's neck with a tight grip. A grip that was rapidly strengthening. "Did you leave them to save your own hide, to save yourself the guilt?!"

"Wait-" Ed's grip tightened even further.

"They are killing the very people we swore to protect!" His grip was unbearably tight.

"Ed...Ed..." It became extremely hard for Byron to talk, much less breathe. "Your...eyes..." Byron's eyes began to roll back and his face was rapidly turning blue as the life was squeezed out of him.

Ed quickly realized what he was doing. He gasped and immediately let go, taking several steps back. He grabbed at his head while Byron coughed and gasped for breath. He fell to his knees and apologized vehemently. This wasn't happening. This can't be happening.

"Ed...you know...I would never betray you, right?" Byron said through some coughs.

Ed didn't know anymore. He didn't know anything anymore. He had no idea what to think.

"The Fireflies planned these sorts of attacks for months."

"These sorts?" Ed's head snapped up. "They plan to do more?"

"Boston was the first. Hartford was the next. There's no telling which one is next but they won't stop until they're sure they rescue you or conclude that you're dead."

"Why? Why didn't you tell me this? I could have quietly left and all of this could have been avoided."

"There was nothing you could have done. Even if you left, they still would have blown this place to smithereens. Chase and Deborah being sent here made things more complicated."

"How did they get like this? Why this madness? Why all of this trouble for a singular, expendable person?"

"People will do anything for their king." Byron responded somberly.

"That's right." Ed looked over Byron's shoulder and Byron turned to see Chase and Deborah standing there. "Now we see your leave wasn't one of retirement, it was one of betrayal." Chase said to Byron.

Chase lunged forward and because Byron was still fairly dizzy, he was easily overpowered by Chase's considerably smaller frame. Chase held him in a headlock while Deborah came forward and pulled out two guns; one pointed at Byron and one pointed at Ed.

"What the hell are you punks doing?" Byron exclaimed, trying to get out of Chase's abnormally strong clutches.

"What are you doing, let him go!" Ed yelled.

"How long were you going to keep him secret, huh? We needed him and you kept him from us!" Deborah said to Byron.

Ed stepped back, bewildered. "What has Marlene done to you?"

"She, as much as everyone else, wants you home. We needed you to continue our cause."

Ed laughed bitterly. "What cause? You have completely torn down my cause and replaced it with your own. Because this," Ed gestured at the destruction around them. "is not what I envisioned for the Fireflies."

"They tipped our hand by orchestrating your death and keeping you from us. " Chase said. "This alliance was a folly. Nothing more to keep us out of Hartford so they could keep you away from us."

He shook his head as he asked again, now taking a step toward them. "What has Marlene done to you..."

That was when Ed really noticed the appearance of these two. In his paranoiac haze, he never took the time to get a proper look. They looked pretty similar, probably related. Siblings at the least, perhaps even twins. Brunette hair, Chase's short and Deborah's long, but currently tied back; fair skin tacked with blemishes, youthful. Ed took another step forward.

Their eyes were peculiar. Not green, not blue, not brown. Not even a light hazel. They were piercing.

They were a curious shade of red.

Those blemishes...they were fungus.

Oh no.

"No..." Ed muttered.

"We were getting infected," Deborah spoke up. "some of us dying but a select few immune, but we don't know for how long. We need your cure before it's too late."

"You're our last hope, Edward. Cure us and we'll be back on track. The Fireflies will be reborn."

"We're dying Edward. Please." Deborah said, lowering the gun pointed at him.

Ed sighed and placed his hands on his hips to think. He looked up at the sky, hoping the true king above could delight him with an answer in this time of need. But he soon knew in his heart what had to be done.

He took a step back and stood straight. With a firm voice he stated, "Just as the dead cannot be resurrected, they cannot be saved nor cured. If you want to call me king, then you all have committed the highest of treasons; betrayal. If my absence ensues it, then I will ensure that you drink damnation."

"We will have our king." Deborah raised her gun again. "Dead or alive." She sneered.

Two rapid fire gun shots filled the air.

Ed has his eyes closed, whether if it was to shield himself of the horrific sight of Byron dying or to dull any incoming pain, he wasn't sure.

After a pregnant pause, he opened them. He found Chase and Deborah lying on the ground with bullet wounds in their heads, blood seeping out, with Byron laid unharmed but still visibly shaken. Tommy stood to his right, a smoking gun in hand.

"Good work, Tommy." Ed said.

"You have to get out of here, Ed." Tommy said. "Fireflies know you're here."

"Did you know this was going to happen too?" Ed asked.

"Byron and I both did. We wanted to tell you, but it would have only been out of courtesy. This would have happened anyway."

Ed nodded. "I now understand why you left them."

"I've killed innocent civilians once, and I'm not about to return to that life."

"You need to get out of here, Ed." Byron rubbed his still aching neck.

"Not without you two." Ed walked over and gave Byron a hand, pulling him up. "From the sounds of it, it sounds like no one, not even Marlene, are keen enough to listen to reason. Fireflies will skin you both alive."

"We'll be fine." Byron said.

"With this attack, Fireflies will have severed their relationship with the military here. It may not be safe for you two to remain here, even if you two no longer have affiliation. You need to get out of here just as much as I do." Ed said. "They're rallying up the troops; they could be hunting for us right now."

"He's right. So what's the plan then?" Tommy said.

"I drove a bus here, I parked a little further out from the zone, north. If we can find it, we can get out of here. It'll be safe enough to stay in once while we're on the road."

"There are tunnels that lead out of the zone in case of emergency. We can use those to get out safely. I know where they are."

Attention, the Hartford zone is now under lockdown. All citizens must get off the streets immediately and remain in your homes until further notice.

"Well there's no emergency greater than this one, let's get going." Ed said.

Once they finalized the plan, the trio managed to scuffle through the chaos and managed to get a car, with Tommy driving. The entrance to the tunnels was on the east side of the zone and traveling by car would cut a lot of time. They needed to get out as soon as possible. With potential bounties hanging over their heads from both sides, time was imperative.

Ed's stomach turned when he heard a voice on the loudspeaker.

"For so long, you've been in the dark. The people still believe in you Edward. Guide them to the light."

"You mind stepping on it, Tommy?"

"Going as fast I can here, Ed! Hang on!"

Byron looked out the window just as an oncoming military truck was coming down on their left. It wasn't slowing down.

"Oh crap, not good-!"

"Tommy-!"

The moment of impact was deafening, barely felt.

Ed sighed heavily, passing his hands over his face. "There are days I wonder, what if-"

"Ed, don't-" Tommy cut him off.

"No Tommy, it's true. Would Hartford have become what it did if I hadn't step foot in it? Would all those people have to brave the real world after being rightfully spoiled for so long? Henry and Sam...they could still be here with us right now."

"Well with how aggressive the Fireflies became, I reckon Hartford may have ended up this way regardless. I think you just, sped up timeline." Joel said.

Tommy shot a disapproving glance at Joel.

"It's the truth Tommy. Real paradise doesn't last forever, despite how much we fight and hope that it does. Even yours seems to be in some sort of danger."

"And once again, it all my fault." Ed said. "Everything I've touched turned to shit. And the one thing, the one other thing that I created that should have died when I left had flourished in my absence. They seem to be stronger now more than ever. And now they want me home...and along with Ellie."

"Why Ellie?" Joel asked.

"They know she's one of us." Ed sighed. "But more on that a little later."

May 20th, 2020 - 4:42 p.m.

Ed's body felt absolutely wrecked, and he meant that unironically. Getting into a car accident leaves your body in a less than ideal state. His body was stiff, and it didn't help that he was sitting on an uncomfortable chair, arms tied tightly behind it.

"Welcome back." A familiar voice brought him fully back to consciousness.

Ed looked up and saw Marlene sitting across from him, a table separating them. He looked around and immediately recognized where he was. He was in the exact room from when he first came to Hartford all those months ago. "Hell of a welcome back party."

"It was last minute."

"Fair enough." A silence fell between them, the sounds of battling continuing to rage on in the distance.

"So, what now?" Ed eventually asked.

Marlene leaned back in her chair and raised her foot, leaning it on the table's edge. "We continue our- your work."

"Remind me what that entails?"

"Protect the people and save humanity."

Ed laughed. "Those were dreams and aspirations I had when I ruled the world. I don't anymore."

"You still can."

"After you've corrupted it? I don't think so." Ed replied bitterly. "Are you familiar with Lord Action, Marlene?"

Marlene squinted her eyes. "What?"

"Lord Action: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Truly a timeless statement, is it not?"

"I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I find that hard to believe, Marlene. You could handle the Fireflies just as much as I could, if not better. We were king and queen for a reason. We worked well together."

"And after your death, I realized I didn't have as much control as I thought I would." Marlene said, her voice rising. "My supposed apathy regarding you was working against me. A rebellion was growing to take me out. I had to agree to their qualms to at least remain in charge, retain some sort of control. There's no telling what the Fireflies would become if I was gone too."

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Marlene said adamantly. "When the infections started happening more frequently, I panicked. They were immune but rapidly descending into hysteria. The lead on you possibly being alive, it was a beacon of hope. I saw the light."

Ed chuckled and shook his head. "Now that's truly ironic."

"I still believe a cure is out there, we were so close before the fire." Marlene said. "We need you, Ed."

"No you don't. You can do this on your own."

"We do-"

"Hand me a pen and some paper. Oh and untie me, please. Not sure I've mastered the art of writing with my mouth quite yet."

Marlene stood up, pulled out a knife, walked to Ed and cut his binds. Once he was freed, Ed stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders. "Still as tight as always."

Marlene dropped a notepad and a pencil in front of Ed. "Thank you." He immediately began to write.

After a few minutes, Ed put his pencil down and held the notepad to his chest.

"Before I hand you this," Ed began. "I have a final request."

Marlene quirked an eyebrow. "Final?"

"Yes final." Ed responded quickly. " I never once said I would be returning to the Fireflies. I can't anyway because they're dead to me. Therefore, I have a simple task for you. Abandon the Fireflies."

Marlene's jaw dropped. "Abandon the Fireflies?"

"You heard me right. Abandon the Fireflies."

"I can't do that."

"The Fireflies I knew are dead and gone. They should be to you too."

Marlene shook her head and scrunched her face in confusion. "Now, you've lost me."

"How many of the Fireflies are infected? Right now, at this moment?"

Marlene let out a somber sigh. "Almost all of them."

Ed was taken aback. "Almost all of them?"

"Chase and Deborah were the latest ones to get infected. There's only a handful left, but it's only matter of time before they start changing too."

Ed nodded."The ones who are infected are no longer Fireflies. Fireflies are peaceful creatures, they would no way display barbaric behavior like this." Ed placed the notebook on the table.

"What I'm giving you, are the basic principles of the cure. A way to create a vaccine. You recruit new people, the best of the best, and work on saving the rest of humanity, or what's left of it. But you can't do that until you abandon the Fireflies."

"Okay, let's say I'm considering giving this a go. How would I do this? I can't exactly disappear."

"Yes you actually can."

"Again, I ask how?"

"Well there's nothing like a classic tale of a power struggle." Ed replied. "My plan was to get out of here, get on the bus I had parked not too far from here and escape. But now I find myself here and my friends are nowhere to be found."

"Byron and Tommy are in here too, in another room. They're bruised up but okay."

"Excellent, then this will be simpler than I thought. From what you tell me and from what I've observed, these people are deep into their hysteria. They will gobble up whatever I spin them. I can say I killed you and I've assumed power back."

"I thought you weren't going back to the Fireflies?"

"Like I said, these Fireflies are dead. From the ashes of the old Fireflies, a new group, led by me, will rise and work in tandem with the newly reformed Fireflies, led by you. Together we will do what is overdue to be done. Protect the people and save humanity."

"Ed, that plan is...mad."

"Sometimes you must fight madness with madness." Ed smiled.

"I guess we have no other choice. I mean when I think about it, this is might be the best choice. This group went to shit after you died, or rather, left. Maybe a reboot is what we need."

"It's exactly what you need." Ed responded. "It sounds like we have a deal?"

Marlene nodded her head. "Yeah, we do. I'll reform the Fireflies and get them back on track."

"That's what I like to hear." Ed handed the notepad to Marlene. "Don't let me down, Marlene."

"I won't." Marlene said with determination, taking the notebook from him.

"Now then, my bus is parked north of the zone. We reach that bus and we can move on from there."

Marlene nodded. "Alright. There are no guards here since it was only me that found you guys. Let's get Byron and Tommy and get out of here."

May 20th, 2020 - 8:00 p.m.

"You'll be hearing from me again soon, Tommy. And hopefully, the world will be in much a better place."

"I'm sure you'll be working to make sure of that." Tommy hugged him. "Good luck out there."

Ed returned the hug. "Same to you."

The two broke their embrace and Tommy turned around and got on the bus, Byron and Marlene already on board. He gave a final wave before closing the door and driving off. Ed waved as the bus drove off in the distance, into the sunset, and wished everyone on board well.

"Ed?"

Ed turned around and saw a young man standing there. He was also an unfamiliar face, but Ed easily identified him as a Firefly. Well, soon to be former Firefly. He also took note of the scabbing bite mark on his forearm.

"Is it really you?"

Ed nodded. "Yes, it's me."

"So the Fireflies are coming back?"

"Not exactly." Ed walked over and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"We have fallen but we will fly high once again. We are no longer Fireflies; no longer brightening the darkness, but now coloring it. We still stand as a symbol of hope, and in addition, as a symbol of change. The change this world so desperately needs. And we will accomplish this, I'll make sure of it."

The young man smiled brightly, even as Ed's eyes became a piercing, intimidating, bright red.

"Lord Action: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Truly a timeless statement, is it not?"

Hey yo. I've recently done some tweaking to the earlier half of this story but it's nothing major. If you want to check it out, head to my profile to see what was edited.

Don't be alarmed but this story might, operative word, MIGHT be coming to an end soon. Not next chapter soon, but soon. With the stuff I have planned for the climax and the events after the fact, I kind of felt like I had two separate stories in my hands.

For organizations sake, I feel like it would be better to have that stuff in a separate sequel rather than have it all here. But nothing is set is stone and I may have this story go on until it reaches its true ending. I'll keep you all posted.

As always, thank you for reading! Let me know what your thoughts are on this one.