Page 65 of Storm of Stars
“Oh my god,” I breathed. “They’re… they’re Challengers.”
They were older now. Weathered. But unmistakable. The ones who had walked the path we now tread, years ago. Survivors of the Reclamation Run.
One figure stepped forward from the group. Tall. Solid. Gray hair cropped close to his skull. His frame was broad, but not bulky and coiled with the kind of strength that didn’t come from lifting weights but from a lifetime of hard work. He walked like he’d faced death and made it blink first.
His eyes found mine and even before he opened his mouth, I knew.
“Edgar Soonwater,” I whispered, the name catching in my throat. The most decorated Reclamation Run winner in the history of Nexum.
He gave a short nod, the faintest smile breaking the hard line of his jaw. “Brexlyn Hollis.”
“You’re here?” I said, stunned. “You’re a Runaway?”
“I am,” he replied. “We all are.” He turned, gesturing behind him. The figures I’d only just started to register fully,people hardened by time, by memory, by loss. Veterans of the Reclamation Run. The ones who survived.
“It’s about damn time someone lit the fuse,” Edgar said.
Emotion surged in my chest, sudden and sharp, catching me off guard. My gaze drifted past Edgar to the camp unfolding behind him—rows of tents set in perfect lines, gear stacked neatly, paths cleared and purposeful. People moved with intention, like they knew exactly what they were doing and where they were needed. It didn’t look thrown together at all. No chaos, no scrambling. Nothing like I would expect in response to the less than organized call for action that Briar and I sent out. “What is all this?” I asked.
“We’ve got four primary camps, spread out by skill focus,” Edgar explained, voice even but passionate. “Fighters in the east quadrant, they’re combat ready and mobile. Engineers and builders to the west, weapons, fortifications, mobility units. To the north, we’ve got the techies, signal scramblers, drone runners, sabotage teams. And in the south, the healers. Med tents, supply coordination, emergency evac prep.”
I stared at him, my brain tripping over itself to process.
“We’ve also got ration stores, backup comms, transport hubs. Teams rotating on recon watching the guard towers.”
I blinked. “How… how did you do this so fast?”
He chuckled, low and dry, like I’d just asked if rain was wet.
“We didn’t do it fast,” he said. “We’ve been doing it quietly. For years.”
My breath caught.
“When I came back from the Run, I thought I’d bought change for my people. That my wins would mean something. That Praxis would finally shine on us. But nothing changed. I was nothing but a fucking propaganda tool. A distraction. And when I saw that, I snapped. That’s when I met your mother.” His eyes flicked to Thorne and Briar.
Their eyes widened.
“She told me about the Runaways. Together we spread the word, started expanding our underground network…” His eyes turned sad. “I was incredibly sorry to hear of her passing. She was one of the best people I ever knew.”
Briar and Thorne nodded, soft saddened smiles on their faces.
Edgar glanced behind him again at the other Challengers. At his people.
“But she started a legacy. And we’ve been building ever since. Piece by piece. Underground. Off the grid. Waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” I asked softly.
“For someone brave enough to strike the first blow,” he said. “Someone who wouldn’t just talk about justice but risk everything for it. We were waiting for you, Brexlyn.”
I felt the Wildguard behind me, Zaffir, Ezra, Thorne, Briar, felt the way they steadied, drew closer.
“You all gave us the opening we’d been waiting for,” Edgar said. “And now we’re all in. We’re done hiding. You lead, we follow.”
I didn’t know what to say. My chest burned with hope so bright it scared me.
Edgar took a step closer holding a hand out for me. “Let’s finish what the Runaways started. Let’s reclaim Nexum.”
I gripped his hand and felt like we’d just made history.
