Ivory Chronicles

Act II - Revolutionary Insurgency Part 3

Unyielding Resolve

          This was my first encounter with such turmoil in the Itayó Forest. As we approached the protest site, a line of police barriers came into view, segregating Lucía and her group of protesters from the construction zone beyond. Behind the barrier, a flurry of activity unfolded. Workers, clad in hardhats and fluorescent vests, were in a frenzy, assembling a series of rudimentary structures and buildings, each bearing the unmistakable emblem of the USC.

The once lush and vibrant forest now bore the scars of the recent battle between fire and ice. Trees stood charred and broken, their leaves reduced to ashes, and patches of scorched earth marked the battleground. The scent of burnt wood still lingered in the air.

Amidst the construction chaos, Lucía, equipped with a megaphone, bellowed her voice towards the police. Yet, the continual buzz and hum of machinery overwhelmed the forest's natural sounds and even the protesters' voices.

"Man, it's hard to believe you were right here during the battle! Must've been insane!" Ryan exclaimed, clearly imagining the spectacle differently from my memory, me being desperate to stop it.

"Hopefully, we don't need to have a battle like that again." I replied.

"Que?! Come on, I totally want us to have an epic showdown like that, facing off against a villain. Our very own archenemy! Now that you've got ice powers, we can combine our attacks. Although, I'm not sure how lightning and ice would mix?" he rambled on, getting lost in his pondering.

Even amidst the turmoil, it was reassuring that Ryan hadn't changed a bit. I would need his support for what lay ahead, and I knew he was someone who'd never let me down.

"This way, you two!" Ivory's voice cut through our distractions, drawing our attention from the towering cranes.

We trailed behind Ivory as she navigated through the crowd until we reached Lucía's position. Approaching, the crowd around us initially bore menacing expressions, but those quickly transformed into waves and embraces for Ivory. Clearly, she was well-known among these protesters.

"I need to talk to Lucía." Ivory instructed a protester, who then gestured towards Lucía's location. Lucía put down her megaphone and descended from a small stool, her fiery orange hair dancing in the wind. Her face bore neither an impressed nor a pleased expression.

"Ivory." she uttered bluntly, her greeting hanging in the air.

"Lucía, hey." Ivory responded, her tone more appealing.

Clearly, there was history here, one rife with tension. Lucía's demeanor didn't seem to harbor much fondness for Ivory. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them.

"I know why you're here, and you know what I'm going to say." Lucía cut to the chase with Ivory.

"I understand that, and you know me well enough to know that I don't beg. I've come here to see if your stance has shifted. The circumstances have changed significantly, and action is inevitable, regardless of the outcome." Ivory asserted with unwavering resolve.

"And risk destroying what's left of the forest? Don't think I'm oblivious to the fact that you and your crew had a hand in the events here." Lucía's awareness extended even to the group and their abilities. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were somehow behind the incidents in Ororena as well."

"Hey, whoa! I know you're all cool and stuff, because you're the face of the people here, but you're acting like a total-" Ryan began, only to be interrupted by my fist connecting with his arm before he could finish his thought. "Ouch! I was gonna say 'ass'!"