Change

All Charity could feel was pain. A searing, throbbing pain that pulsed throughout her body, making it impossible to tell where the injuries began or ended. The stench of antiseptic burned her nose, and her eyes fluttered open, bright lights from small, glowing rocks embedded in a rough, jagged ceiling stabbed at her eyes. Rocks? Where am I? With a shaky breath, she did her best to sit up, but a steady hand stopped her and gently moved her back down.

“Don’t move,” Andrew said, “Let me help you.”

“Andrew? What happened? How am I alive? I saw… that thing. I don’t know what it was, but it tried to kill me!”

“It’s okay, Charity. You’re safe now,” Andrew’s calm voice soothed her growing worries. Charity took a deep, shaky breath to steady herself.

“What happened?”

“An Elite found you. Uzziah and I saw it jump off of your roof and run in front of your car. It pulled you out and was going to kill you, but I-”

“He hit it with his truck and sent it flying through the air,” a deep voice rumbled. Charity turned her head to see Uzziah. He looked similar in age and size to Andrew, but those were the only physical similarities the two shared. Uzziah’s dark skin and brown eyes contrasted greatly beside Andrew’s paler complexion. A large, distinguishable scar stretched from his forehead to his chin, narrowly missing his eye. Charity would think this man was a fearsome, no-nonsense soldier if it weren’t for the cheeky grin and playful punch he landed on Andrew’s shoulder as he spoke.

“An Elite,” Charity questioned, “as in the Elite? That doesn’t make any sense. You even said it was an Immortal watching me. Those aren’t even the same thing!”

“Well,” Andrew rubbed the back of his head, clearly embarrassed, “technically, the Elite are immortal, they’re just not part of the Immortals.”

“Why did you lie to me?”

“I didn’t technically lie. I just… didn’t tell you the full truth. Speaking negatively about Abaddon or the Elite is dangerous for both the speaker and the listener. With your dad being who he is, I didn’t know if his house was bugged. I couldn’t risk putting you in even more trouble than you were already in, or having an Elite attack right then and there.”

“And all of this… almost dying… losing my family… everything that’s happened to me. Is all because of my mom.” Tears welled in Charity’s emerald eyes.

“Yes, but your mom is a hero. She gave everything to protect people like us,” Uzziah added, his tone serious and full of care.

Charity sucked in a deep breath, “This is all… a lot. I need some time, and I have a lot of questions.”

“Take all the time you need,” Andrew replied.

“Do my dad and Leah know I’m okay?”

“Leah does. She insisted on coming to see you after she got off, but I convinced her otherwise. Now that you’re awake, Uzziah will probably bring her here and explain everything to her on the way,” Andrew gestured toward his friend.

“What about my dad? How long have I been asleep? And my car! I crashed it right outside of my dad’s house! What if he saw it? What if he thinks I’m-”

“Don’t worry,” Uzziah interrupted, “we already took care of the car and any evidence of anything that happened. Your dad has no idea, and you’ve only been asleep for about 12 hours. He hasn’t called, so we haven’t had anyone reach out to him and thought we would leave that up to you,” replied Uzziah. “Just know that, when you speak to him, he can’t know anything about who you’re with, where you are, or what we do.”

“I don’t even really know the answer to any of those anyway, so that shouldn’t be a problem,” Charity’s tone was bitter, causing Andrew to flinch.

“Alright, well, I think I’ll take my leave,” Uzziah stated as he rose to his feet. He gave Andrew and Charity a simple nod and left.

“Charity, I’m sorry for upsetting you. I wanted to tell you. I just… I wanted to keep you safe,” Andrew said earnestly.

Charity sighed, “I understand that what you had to tell me wasn’t easy or even believable, and I do get your hesitations. But I hate being lied to and left in the dark. This has all left me with a lot of questions. As long as you answer me honestly from now on, we’re okay.”

“I’d be happy to,” Andrew replied.

For the next few hours, Andrew told Charity all he could. He told her about Joshua, their fearless, selfless leader who inspired hope in many and whose healing powers had saved the lives of countless citizens. He spoke of the underground city built of caves and abandoned mines where they now were and of the Immortals who both built and guarded it.

“So, the Immortals can just… magically make an entire city?”

Andrew laughed, “Well, yes. Stone golems can force the earth to shift however they see fit, but it’s not something that can happen instantly. It took the golems decades to build a city to this scale, and we all help chip away and carve out some of the buildings when the population grows faster than the golems can manage.”

He then told her about the heartbreak and loss nearly every resident had experienced. Those who were orphaned or widowed by Abaddon and the Elite. Those who lost friends and loved ones, or whose lives were risked simply for knowing someone who spoke out against Abaddon. And the part people like him, Uzziah, and especially Rose had to play in saving people from Abaddon’s clutches.

Stolen novel; please report.

Charity listened intently. “So, my mom was a part of all of this?”

“She was more than just a part of it. She was instrumental in everything we did. She alone is the reason at least half of the city is even alive.”

“All of this seems really hard to believe, but I want to see all of it with my own eyes! I want to meet Joshua and the Immortals, and I want to see the rest of the city,” Charity replied. Her emerald eyes gleamed with excitement.

“As soon as you’re better, I’ll take you anywhere you want.”

“Can’t Joshua help me? You said he can heal people, right?”

“Yes, but he won’t be back for a few days. He’s helping the hidden city in Piscina right now. He travels between all four territories a lot,” Andrew replied.

“There are underground cities in all four territories of Exoneron?”

“Not exactly. They all have some sort of hidden city, but Calidun is the only one with so many abandoned mines, so this one is the only underground city. It’s also the first and the biggest of the cities. In Megalopolis, there’s a city that’s actually hidden within the capital city.”

“A city inside another city,” Charity laughed, “that seems a bit… improbable.”

“Because there are so many buildings, it’s surprisingly easy for a small city to go unnoticed. With a few carefully placed barriers and the help of some Immortals, it’s sometimes hard to find even when you know what you’re looking for.”

“What about Saltus?”

“Well, given that Saltus is the lumber territory and basically just a giant forest, I’m sure you can guess where that city may be.”

“In the trees, I’d assume?”

“Exactly right. Saltus’s city is high in the canopy, well above the other cities and tree houses. It’s just hidden by Immortals like this one and the one in Megalopolis,” Andrew responded.

“But what about Piscina? I’ve heard that place is nothing but beaches with just some small towns right off the coast. There’s no way to hide an entire city.”

“The city is underwater. There are Immortals that can keep the city in a giant bubble, so people can live there.”

“Seriously? That sounds incredible. Have you ever seen it?” Charity asked.

Andrew’s breath caught as he met Charity’s eyes. They were so full of excitement and wonder that Andrew struggled to look away. But he shook his head and continued speaking, wishing their conversation would never end.

“Yes, I have. I’ve visited a few times with Joshua, but I lived in the hidden city in Megalopolis with my adopted parents.”

“You said you were initially from here, right? How did you end up in Megalopolis?”

“That was because of your mom, actually. She took me in after my parents were murdered, and she helped me find a family. They just happened to be from Megalopolis.”

“How old were you?”

“I was six. I was out playing with a friend one day, and I came home to find my younger sister and both my parents murdered. I’m not sure how long they were dead. I honestly don’t remember much from that day. I remember the stench of blood, the bright splatters along the wall, and how terrified I felt for my own life. I didn’t know what to do, so I ran as far and as fast as I could. And I ran right into your mom. She held me while I cried and gave me a home when I had none, even though she had her hands full with a three-year-old little girl at the time.”

He eyed Charity whose eyebrows raised at the realization that he was speaking of her.

“I lived with you all for about two years before she found a couple who had always wanted a child and thought it would be a perfect fit. After that, I moved to Megalopolis with my adopted parents. We lived in the hidden city there, and that’s even where I met Uzziah.”

“And then?”

“Then about seven years ago, Joshua found us both and asked us to follow him here, and Uzziah and I did without question. When we moved, I reconnected with your mom and worked with her until the day she died.”

“Andrew, I-”

“Where is she?” Leah’s voice echoed loudly through the rocky chambers. She burst into the hospital room the moment Uzziah pointed it out to her, and she practically threw Andrew out of his chair to get to Charity.

“Charity,” Leah wept, “this is all my fault. I should have stayed with you!”

“Leah, stop. There’s no possible way you could have prevented this. Besides, it doesn’t matter, I’m fine. Confused and sore, but I’m fine.” Despite Charity’s best attempt to console her friend, Leah still continued to cry.

“Well,” Uzziah cleared his throat, “given what’s happened, I think it’s best you both relocate for the time being, and it’d be best to do it as soon as possible. The longer you’re above ground, the more chances the Elite have to attack again. We have a new home that’s the perfect size for both of you and enough daylight above ground to get everything out of your old place today before the Elite start their usual patrol. Since Charity needs to rest, I could really use your help, Leah.”

“Leave our home? Is that really necessary?” Leah shouted, stupefied by the notion. “Surely there’s a better alternative.”

“This would be the safest option,” Andrew stated. “The underground is inaccessible to Elite. They don’t even know it exists. Charity could get the help she needs, and we have an entire team of people who are trained in handling Elite situations.”

“But what about our jobs? Charity, what about your dad?”

Charity flinched at the mention of her father but said nothing.

“You won’t be prisoners here,” Andrew’s tone remained calm despite Leah’s increasing anxiety. “You may need to lay low for a few days, but you’ll be able to return to your work if that’s what you want. We have procedures in place to keep you safe.”

“What do you think, Charity?” Leah’s voice grew softer as her attention returned to Charity.

“I think that I would do anything to not repeat last night. If they think it’s best we relocate. I say the sooner, the better. Even if it’s just temporary. We can figure out the rest later.”

Leah pressed her lips in a thin line. Charity could tell she didn’t agree, but the guilt so evident behind her chocolate brown eyes prevented Leah from protesting. Leah sighed and gave Charity a gentle hug. She said her goodbyes and then followed Uzziah out of the hospital.

“What happens now?” Charity asked Andrew once the two of them were alone again.

“We’ll get you and Leah moved into one of the homes here, so you’ll both be safe. Whatever happens after that is up to you, but it’ll be a few hours before Leah and Uzziah will be back. You should get some rest.”

“I don’t want to,” Charity groaned, “I just slept for half of a day already, and after everything you told me, there’s no way I could go to sleep now. Can’t I just leave?”

Andrew laughed. It was clear to him that Charity’s care-free, free-spirited attitude could never be diminished, no matter what uncertainties and heartbreaks life may bring. “Only if you leave in a wheelchair.”

“Deal,” Charity said without hesitation, “but you have to take me everywhere. I want to see everything. I need to know,” Charity’s face fell for a brief moment, “I need to know about my mother.”