The sleeping quarters for the nones sat mostly quiet, except for a few that worked their way to the kitchen for preparations. Damien sat in the hall outside of his room, the hard door pressed firmly against his back. He watched as two nones solemnly walked towards the stairwell side by side.

     "Hey kid," Twill walked around the corner to spot Damien. He hobbled over slowly, his bones cracking with each step.

"Twill," he replied sitting straight up, his back still being held by the splintered surface behind him, "back already?"

     Twill struggled trying to sit on the floor, but he eventually made it, plopping down with a small grunt of discomfort.

     "Been back..you done with your chores today?"

"Yea, I've been here about an hour. Thankfully, I have yet to dig a hole in the boneyard," Damien replied.

     "They have something planned tomorrow," Twill kept his voice low and leaned closer to Damien, his head against the wall, "sounds like we'll all be free to live as we please."

     "Just wish I could help somehow," Damien brought his hands together on his knees and sighed, seemingly helpless.

     "Well, why can't we?" Twill asked.

     "What do you mean?"

     "Look around, kid," Twill brought his attention to the nones walking down the opposite hall, their heads lowered with no hint of expression to be found. Damien looked at the doors lining the stretch of hallways, which continued on by the hundreds.

"I'm sure we could do our part," Twill said.

Damien smiled and patted Twill's shoulder with one hard clap. Twill groaned.

     "Careful, kid. I'm old, and ya might break me doing that."

     Damien laughed, "well I better start gathering up these folks. We have a rebellion to assist in," he said smiling as he stood up and headed down the hall, knocking on one door at a time.

     ~*~

"They're planning on ending you, ma'am," Rina stated from inside while Dia held a limp wrist over the balcony.

"I knew those girls would be trouble," she sighed, resting both elbows against the chill of the steel railing.

Rina's voice shook, "what do you want us to do then?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

Dia turned around with a carefree smile, "do nothing."

"But--"

"No but's...I've been looking for a good fight for a long time," her bangles hit against the rail, echoing through the mountains.

~*~

The tunnels were always cold, regardless of the time of year. The dirt they walked on top of always seemed stiffer and less relaxed compared to the rest of the grounds outside. Tara, Erin and Gwen walked quickly to the opposite end, only to be stopped dead in their tracks by the swarm of black hoods that took up the tunnel.

     "How many does it look like?" Tara asked.

     "At least 150," Gwen replied.

     "How many furies in total? Including trainees?"

     "Four hundred and twelve...to be exact," Gwen stated.

     Tara's stomach started to churn and the air grew thinner. It wasn't going to be enough to take out all those combat trained women who held their loyalties to the beast living at the top of the fortress.

     "We'll never be able to take out all of them with just 150," she sighed.

     "Did someone need assistance?" Damien walked confidently down the tunnel behind him, followed by every none with the ability to fight. Each held a makeshift weapon or a tool at the ready.

     "Damien!" Erin ran after after him and threw her arms around him. He hugged her back tightly.

     "How many are there?" Tara asked Damien.

     "We have around 300 that could fight. The rest are on look out--making sure Dia doesn't leave her ivory tower."

     Tara smiled at him, nodding her head in surprise,"gotta hand it to you, I would have never seen you as useful, but you did good."

     "Uh.. Thanks?" He raised an eyebrow.

      ~*~

     Twill sat a floor below Dia's, leaning over the rail and looking down at the nearly endless spiral below him.

     "Too many damn steps," he muttered to himself shaking his head.

     "None," a voice barked from behind him. He disregarded it.

     "None," she stated again, this time with more force. Twill turned to see a fury staring at him blankly, her dark hair tucked beneath the hooded cape she wore proudly.

     "I have a name," he said, turning his attention back around to the stairs below. He noticed that each floor had grown less populated beneath him. Furies, holding either spears or swords took position at each floor directly next to the stairwell, standing at attention.

     "All nones are required to return to their chambers for the time being," the fury stated.

     "Go away ya she-beast," he mumbled. The fury wrapped a hand firmly on his shoulder and spun Twill around hard enough to nearly toss him off balance. He held on for dear life against the rail.

"Get--to--your--room," she commanded, standing closer to him until he felt her hot breath hit his face.

"Fine, fine, no need to be huffing your lunch breath in my face," he said. He moved away from the rail and headed down the stairs, behind other nones who had been kicked from their posts. They all moved slowly with uncertainty at the future outcome of the uprising.

"I sure hope yas have a good plan now," he said silently to himself shaking his head.

~*~

Commotion filled the tunnels between the nones and the furies alike.

"How am I supposed to get their attention?" Tara scratched at her head.

"Hey Damien, let me borrow your shoulder," Gwen requested. He walked over next to her and stood, confused,"grab one of Tara's legs."

Gwen and Damien bent down to grab Tara and hoisted her up on top of their shoulders. Tara wobbled slightly, until finally finding her balance. Gwen stood tall and stern, but Damien on the other hand kept making small painful noises.

"What is your problem?" Tara looked down and asked, seeing Damien turn red.

"Erin was right about how much of a cow you are," he stated. Tara slapped him upside the head then fumbled to find her center once more. Damien brought his free hand up to hold on to the stinging spot.

"Ow! What did you have to go and do that for?!" He asked, still feeling the throbbing.

"Call me a cow one more time, and I'll beat you until your whole body feels like it's on fire." Damien gulped loudly and looked away.

Tara clapped her hands together, "furies! I need your attention this way!" Damien coughed, "and nones!" She rolled her eyes at him.

Furies and nones chattered away until they began to notice the clapping of Tara's hands one by one. The commotion slowly died down, until the entirety of the tunnel's inhabitants turned to give their attention to Tara.