Chapter 6

- The Nazgûl

As they prepared to launch the attack on emberfall, Spark found Alex string on the edge of an island staring at emberfall. She was fingering the necklace around her neck. It was a cross. Her parents had given it to her at Viking bay before they died.

“What’s been bothering you?” Spark asked.

“Nothing.” Alex replied.

“Alex. You can’t hide anything from me. You haven’t been yourself lately. You seem worried. And I know that Alex Stone is never worried.”

“When I went on that scouting run the other day, I saw the defenses of emberfall. We won’t survive the attack. I tried to reason with Joe, but he won’t listen. I did find a way in though. It is a one person job. All that has to be done is to blow the base with c4s. I can sneak in and do it.”

“Why do you say that like it’s a bad thing?”

“Because the exits must be sealed from the control room so no one escapes and the enemy will be defeated.”

“But that’s a suicide mission. You can’t do that.”

“There is no other way.”

“Then I’m going with you.”

“No. It’s a one person job. We would just be losing a great soldier needlessly.”

“Then let me go instead.”

“No. Jennifer needs you. She needs you more then me and you know it. I’m not worried about me. I am worried about her. Please watch over her, Spark.”

“Okay. I’ll go tell Jennifer.”

“I need to tell her.”

“Okay.”

Spark finally understood. He turned and walked away as tears filled his eyes. One of his lifelong friends was about to be gone.

As Spark walked away, Alex thought about what she would do next. She was about to tell Jennifer, her sister, what she had to do, and it was going to be the hardest, most painful thing she would ever do.