Micaiah darted into the house and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. She relaxed as soon as her companions had slammed the door shut. Yune, Micaiah's little orange bird, alighted on her left shoulder and twittered in her ear. Micaiah gently stroke her with one finger.
"That was close", she panted.
"Too close", Leonardo, their group's archer, replied. "We shouldn't have done that."
"So, you say we should've just sat there, twiddling our thumbs, and watch those bandits rob the people of their small earnings?!", the myrmidon Edward said angrily. "No way! We're the Dawn Brigade! We fight for the people, and for justice!"
"You're right", Leonardo said soothingly. "I, too, would do it again. But I fear we will have to pay for this."
The door was opened again. The light mage tensed, but relaxed again when she recognised the men. Sothe and Nolan.
"The whole area is swarming with soldiers", Nolan said. "They seem to be looking for someone... is there something we should know?"
"Well...", Micaiah began, feeling a surge of guilt.
"We were waiting for Leonardo at the market", Edward explained. "We were starting to wonder if something had happened to him because he was late when we noticed some bandits harassing the vendors and townspeople. Since there were no soldiers in sight, we took them on. Leonardo came to help us."
"Yune told me what was going on", Leonardo continued. "We killed some of the bandits, and drove the others away. That's when the Begnion soldiers showed up. Instead of chasing the bandits, they went after us."
"I see", Sothe said. "That means we will have to move again, this hideout isn't safe any more."
"This is the second one they found within three days", Nolan sighed. "I hate to admit it, but they are getting better. And there I was, hoping to spend at least one night under a roof."
"At this rate, we might not be able to stay in Nevassa", Micaiah said quietly.
"It's outrageous, really", Edward fumed. "This is our country, but we are not allowed to live where we want. It's been two years since the war ended and Crimea simply walked away... they left us to the tyranny of those Begnion dogs!"
"To tell the truth, Crimea didn't have the resources to rule two countries", Sothe explained. "Queen Elincia couldn't have possibly managed that. Besides, no-one at the time expected that Begnion would rule with such an iron fist."
"They keep sending all able-bodied men to work-camps", Leonardo said quietly. "All that's left are women, children, and old people. They can't work the fields by themselves..."
"Calling us thieves", Edward complained. "We're no thieves – we just help those who have a lot of money share with those who don't have a lot of money. What's wrong with that?"
"I'll have a look at the situation outside", Sothe decided. "Gather your belongings and prepare to leave this place."
A few minutes later, he was back.
"The Begnion Occupation Forces have already blocked every road. We won't get out of this without a fight – let alone unseen. We should take the street that leads to the market. Once there, we can blend into the crowd, and disappear."
"Very well", Micaiah said. "Nolan, Sothe, you clear us a path, Leonardo and I will support you from behind. Edward, don't push yourself. Assist the others when they need you."
They managed to beat their way through the enemy lines and reached the market almost unscathed. They split into three groups, and Micaiah followed Sothe, who wound his way effortlessly through the crowd.
"Hey, you! Lady!"
Micaiah turned to the boy who had hailed her.
"You are the one we met earlier, when fighting the bandits, right?", she asked kindly.
"Yes! So glad you remember me. Those soldiers are chasing you?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Don't apologise", the boy's mother said. "We really appreciate what you do – the Dawn Brigade carries our hopes and dreams. Go, quickly! We'll stop them."
"General Jarod! Over there! The girl with the silver hair! She's one of them, the leader!", a Begnion soldier yelled.
"Damn, they caught up with us!", Sothe cursed.
Jarod led some of his soldiers towards the crowd. However, the people surged forward and formed a wall.
"What the – get out of my way, vermin!", Jarod bellowed.
"We stand by the Dawn Brigade!", someone shouted.
"Yes, they fight for us!"
"Unlike you useless people! You Begnion soldiers are never there when you're needed – like today, when bandits attacked us! But the Dawn Brigade helped us out!"
"Yeah, they're real heroes!"
"Come on, Micaiah. Let's get out of here!", Sothe whispered.
They dashed into a back alley and ran for it. However, after a couple of strides, Micaiah stopped dead.
"We have to go back! Something terrible is about to happen!"
Micaiah turned on her heel and sprinted back the way they had come.
As they approached the market, they could hear people shouting.
"Help! Someone... my son is dying!"
"How could you shoot a child?!"
"Murderers!"
"How dare you!"
"Listen, dogs! That's what happens to those who stand in the way of the Empire!", Jarod bellowed.
"So is it the way of the Empire to murder kids?!"
"I don't need to justify my actions before the likes of you."
Micaiah gently pushed the people aside and approached the child. He was still alive, the arrow had missed his heart. Micaiah knelt down and gently touched him.
Light flowed from her fingertips as she removed the arrow with magic and started to heal the wound.
"This is Sacrifice!", someone exclaimed.
"Then she must be the Silver-Haired Maiden! Only she possesses Sacrifice."
Micaiah felt her powers dwindle. As the boy opened his eyes, she smiled at him. Then, she fainted.