Chapter 20: The Burrow
The Burrow, before becoming the rebellion’s headquarters, was a makeshift shelter in an old warehouse building, where a handful of elders gathered in secret to tell stories about the world before Magnus Blackwood’s regime.
Tales that spoke of a time when espers existed and where citizens could still choose what to believe or what to fear.
The young people who listened to these stories, sitting on the ground or hanging from the metal beams, absorbed every word, until those stories planted the seed of rebellion.
Before taking up arms, they decided to start with what was essential: helping those who had been forgotten.
The Burrow became the rebellion’s rallying point. They took the food they managed to steal from the factories that supplied the wealthy neighborhoods there: canned goods, bread, and powdered milk. Later, they ventured out with medicines, blankets, clothing, and tools. They distributed everything secretly throughout the poorest districts, moving through the shadows like modern-day Robin Hoods.
It was in this environment that their two natural leaders emerged: Milo and Gunnar.
They weren’t the strongest or the most violent, but they possessed something much more contagious: conviction.
Their words weren’t speeches—they were promises filled with hope. Their presence instilled a confidence that was hard to explain. That’s why, over time, they became the faces of the rebellion.
Milo, in particular, was someone who left no one behind.
He was the one who rescued Rhys years ago, when a resistance patrol was ambushed by forces loyal to Magnus. A bullet had struck Rhys in the side, leaving him bleeding on the pavement.
Despite wearing the uniform of a regime soldier, Milo carried him to The Burrow, nursed him back to health, and during his recovery, spoke to him about the world they were trying to rebuild. He didn’t demand loyalty—he simply offered the truth.