Malachai's POV:

The Galena leaders had healed me with their machinery, a gift they usually only granted to the most important of people. There is no describing the honor I felt when they said they would heal me. Despite what I had done, despite the fact that I had betrayed all of them unknowingly, they allowed me to be healed by their best technology. 

A few minutes later, I discovered why they wanted to heal me. 

"It's going to be dangerous," one of the leaders told me worriedly. "But I want you to come with us to Chrysoberyl and Zincite. I want to show them that they might be able to injure one of our people, but that won't hold us down for long. I want to show them that what they did didn't affect you at all, because you're good as new. What do you say?"

It made sense, of course, but I didn't know what to say all the same. "You've always taught me that people in Chrysoberyl and Zincite are vicious and don't know honor," I finally stuttered, relying only on the information I had been taught. "Are you sure we won't just be immediately shot down? They might not even listen to what we have to say."

"Some of them are monsters," the leader admitted, "but we haven't experienced anything like that so far. We'll have others enter first, to make sure it's safe, and then you can follow. That way, we can ensure that you stay safe."

I couldn't find a reason not to go anymore. "Yes, then I guess I'll go along."

General Rorik's POV:

I felt beads of sweat appearing on my forehead as the train came to a screeching halt. I stood bolt upright and stared straight ahead as Galena leaders poured into the station. My station. My city. I was seething, but there was nothing I could do.

"You," one of the leaders said, pointing a bony finger at me. "A guard of Chrysoberyl, are you?"

I eyed his weapon nervously. "Yes... I guess you could call me that. I mostly guard the train station."

"Say," the leader began, with a smile that made my stomach twist into a knot. "Have you seen a woman named Safire lately?"

I frowned, praying that my expression was convincing. "I know Safire, sure, but I haven't seen her lately. Not that I've been on duty for most of the day."

He glared at me for a moment, as if hoping I'd break under his harsh stare. When I didn't, he rolled his eyes and pushed past me. "Fine, I guess I'll have to do this the hard way."

I watched more and more of the disgusting leaders dash into my city, pointing their horrible weapons at the innocent people on the other side of the station walls. I closed my eyes to block out the screams of the citizens behind it, and the yelling of the guards trying to cause chaos. I blocked out the sounds of my fellow workers freaking out, and the rhythmic pounding of feet against the metal floor. I blocked it all out, even though I knew it wouldn't help. 

What else could I do?

Ambrosia's POV:

"They're splitting up," Iolite noted, peering into the train station. "Half of the guards are coming here, half are going down to Zincite. Great." She shook her head, scowling. 

"There's so much going on," I said, sitting down and holding my head in my hands. "This is so much to take in."

We were hiding in a nearby building. Iolite and Isara wanted to go out and deal with it themselves, but they knew it would be a bad idea. And they had agreed completely on one thing- Cypress and I wouldn't be leaving this building until every guard was gone. 

"It'll be easier to deal with them if they're not all together," Isara pointed out, not taking her eyes off of the chaos forming outside of the train station. 

"But we don't know if the people down in Zincite are going to be able to take care of this," Iolite hissed. "They might not have had any warning. Who knows what Galena might do to them?"

"They're coming this way," Isara said suddenly, forgetting immediately what Iolite had said. "Is there anywhere else we can go? To get out of sight?"

"You two," Iolite snapped, turning to me and Cypress. "Run. Find some small closet or abandoned room and hide in it. We can't have them finding you. They'll be scared of me, but who knows what they'll do to you."

Cypress scrambled to his feet, and I followed. We took off down a long hallway, passing a countless number of rooms. I heard doors slamming in the distance, and shouting. Voices. Scared voices. Angry voices. 

"In here," Cypress whispered, nodding toward a partially hidden closet. We quickly hurried into it, and found that it was a decent-sized closet with cleaning equipment in it. We turned on the small light inside it, and closed the door so the Galena leaders wouldn't think to look for us in here. 

I doubted I had been more terrified in my entire life. 

Alyssa's POV:

Molybdenite stood almost seven feet in height, towering over Andor and I. Even Safire, who was far from short, looked minuscule next to the god. He had glowing eyes, much like Dianite's, and a thick white beard. Despite his slightly intimidating look, he nodded politely to us and had a calm reaction to Safire's news. 

"They're coming for us, huh?" He shook his head slowly, thinking of how to act. "I assume you're going to go into hiding, right?"

Safire sighed, rolling her eyes. "Jon wants me to, but I feel like that would be a stupid thing to do. I have machines that could counter their attacks, why wouldn't I help out? Why would I go hide in a corner while the rest of you deal with this? Why would..."

"Alright, I get it," Molybdenite sighed. "I'll go alert Elaina and Jeremiah, I guess. They'll tell the citizens what to do and prepare the defenses."

"Jeremiah?" I muttered to Andor. 

He shrugged. "Must be Jericho and Jeriah's alternate."

"Where should I take these two?" Safire asked, gesturing to both of us. 

"Down to the laboratory, for now," Molybdenite answered. "But you better go quickly. I don't think we have much time."

She nodded, and quickly hurried out into the streets of Chrysoberyl. Andor and I were right on her heels, desperate to get away from this place and into safety. 

But, as we saw the guards pouring into the city, screaming things to each other, and pointing weapons at innocent citizens, we realized that we were too late.