"A lot has happened ever since we left. We traveled to Dreamtoe and defeated a Kitsune. Milmoor was ambushed, but somehow Sally and Belial managed to reverse the damage. Then, after Demon Beast Belial went on a rampage, a riot erupted from nowhere, leading us to form an insurgency. However, the capture of Asahi was unexpected… so now we're just stuck. We WERE... planning on getting the weapons…."
Belial clasped his hands tightly together and nodded his head with focused energy. He clearly understood every word in Drimi's explanation, especially the mention of Dreamtoe Forest.
The others eyed Brich respectfully, recollecting all the events that had happened there.
Wandering the treacherous fog of Dreamtoe, fighting a kitsune, wandering the outskirts of an eroding landform, and seeing The Perpetual Storm for the first time.
These thoughts, these events, wouldn't exist if it weren't for Asahi and Aletha.
And even though they 'lost' some friends along the way, they were sure they would return someday. If it weren't for the destruction of The Great Fountain, none of these events would have happened.
Slamming her fist against the table, Aletha pushed her hair to the side and raised her voice in a formal tone.
"I don't want to waste time! My brother could be in danger! All I care for right now is my brother! So please…"
Interrupting Aletha's cries, Phthonus stood up, sneered at her, and said sarcastically.
"Settle down, princess. We will save your brother soon. Right now, we're focusing on HOW to get your brother. And the first thing that comes to mind is--
Stepping aside and pushing her chair back, surprisingly, Sally intervened in the debate, unleashing an unfamiliar tone in her voice. One that sounded determined, solid, and trustworthy. All watched as she…
"For years, we have watched The Queen ruin many lives! Although I don't originate from this nation, I could sense and feel the tangible sadness lingering within the soil ever since I set foot on these shores. Cries for help, begging for forgiveness, and quotes of vengeance. There are vengeful souls trapped in the soil, and we are just blatantly ignoring it!"
Her voice ruptured; streams of tears flew down her quivering eyes.
The others backed away, waiting for Sally's temper to die down. Drimi's eyes broadened in absolute shock, seeing her best friend act and sound this way. The moment was far too unexpected for everyone.
"I have kept my feelings away from people for so long! Even Drimi as well! People's lives are at risk here, and we have done nothing to help them."
Sally slammed her fist on the table.
"I came from the Nation of Despondency. I am different from the rest of my family. I have changed, and I'm sick of seeing mothers or fathers cry for their lost loved ones! We have to do something, not just for Asahi but for the future of Pladtioa!"
Phthonus jumped up from his chair and gritted his teeth.
"And how would we do that?!"
Brich interrupted their shouts and said casually.
"I detect there is only one possibility to revive EVERYONE that lost their lives to The Queen's ways."
Everyone gathered at the table immediately anchored their eyes to Brich. He continued with an unsure tone.
"However, it's believed that the ones mentioned had to be a Ruler… that needed to be involved in a battle, during sunrise and sunset, residing within the territory of The Great Fountain. Nonetheless, that's the ONLY method to resurrect everyone."
"So, you're saying there's no other way?" Phthonus remarked.
Brich nodded profoundly.
"Indeed."
Everyone erupted in disbelief.
"REALLY?!"
Brich nodded, backing away slowly while taking a sip of wine from his glass.
"Yes, really."
Matched with an unexpected revelation, Aletha's mind was a jumble of thoughts, outcomes, estimations, guesses, and memories. These elements that lingered in her head all surged up as if appearing from thin air—a feeling of leadership, determination, and dignity.
As everyone continued to scream and panic out of frustration, Aletha pushed herself up, stood on the table, and yelled at the top of her lungs.
"ALL GAZES ON ME!"
Everyone fell silent and tilted their head upward to Aletha. As an awkward silence formed, Aletha thought.
(What is this feeling? I feel… like a war general. Was this the attitude that drove me to lead others in the past? Nevermind. I… must proceed with this.)
She then kicked a chair toward the barricaded front door and demanded.
"Do not hesitate to obey my orders! Drimi, kick those barriers down and open the door!"
Without hesitation, questioning Aletha's intentions, she raced toward the door and pulled the barricades away.
"OPEN IT!" Aletha ordered Drimi with a determined grin.
She nodded her head and kicked the door open.
The slam resounded outside, alerting people toward the pawnshop.
Aletha shook her head, not accepting this area. She leaped off the table and stood at the front door, with Phthonus, Drimi, Sally, and Phthonus staring at her dumbfoundingly and silently.
Stepping aggressively outside, Aletha grabbed a box, a megaphone, and wires, and tossed them outside without waiting for Brich's approval, then shouted to the others.
"I have an idea! We shall promote this insurgency! Don't question what I'm doing; I know what I'm doing! And I know just exactly how to do it!"
The sudden burst of attitude and overall will from Aletha was quite unexpected for them.
Nonetheless, knowing what Aletha had done in the past, they immediately entrusted her. They followed her through the city, exiting the pawnshop and advancing through the streets while carrying the table and their weapons.
* * *
Meanwhile, within a crowded place somewhere in Pladtioa City...
"What are you doing to her?! Your Highness, he's just a small child!" Screamed someone from the crowd.
A brown-haired woman stood atop another podium, carrying and prosecuting a small, brown-haired boy for a relatively… tame crime.
The crowd jumped in a fury, aggressively tossing objects at the woman like tomatoes and rotten food. More people gathered in the mob, aggravated by the noise and their Queen's actions.
As the crowd of people complained, a few turned their heads toward the flat roofs above, hearing a familiar voice sound out.
"Hmm, it appears that this bustling crowd… is quite angry at that woman now. Wait, isn't that my old master? What is The Queen doing with that boy? Isn't this going against her own rules?"
A voice of vast intellect. One that sounded more refined, intricate, and tame than others. Half the mob fell abnormally silent, watching the cyan infinite symbol beam fluently in the air.
"Is that…" Someone babbled, with their heart beating rapidly.
His hands opened up like a sprouting blossom.
Hovering over the individual's glove was a luminescent, floating, swirling symbol of infinity.
A long silence flowed out from the crowd, with only the sounds of the bells jingling on his jacket being heard, and the Queen was absolutely puzzled.
Atop the roofs, the individual who had made the group quiet was responsible for a truly captivating male figure with very fair skin, light lavender eyes, and long, silky, pristine dark hair.
"Quite fascinating, indeed."
Attached to the young man's left eye was a curvy, purple eyepiece, one shaped like the tides of the Ocean and the outlines of the Mountains, with his tight, long, dark pants stretching toward his ankles. He glistened and stood in front of the sun, staring down at the crowd with a menacing and disappointed face.
Even his eyes looked fierce.
"No way…"
The young man shook his head, sighed, and directed his gaze toward The Queen.
Far in the distance, he could see a mischievous, lecherous smile rising on The Queen's face, followed by a warm, heavy red hue glowing on her blemished tan skin. She made a posture, dropped the boy to the ground, and teased him with gestures, hollering.
"Aren't you a feisty one, huh? You know… I have heard that you are quite popular… Say, how about you go to my palace? Maybe you're the suitable one I'm looking for…."
Akwan crossed his arms, looked away from Narcissa, then tightened his fists. Descending from the rooftop, he approached The Queen as she smiled and reached out, rubbing his chin with slender fingers, before whispering to him.
"Interesting seeing you here, Akwan. Are you still inclined to join me and abandon the traitors?"
Akwan, without resistance, hastily pushed The Queen toward the ground and yelled with a disgusted look on his face.
"I am most definitely not joining YOU again! You're delusional if you think I'm…
He turned to the crowd and resumed, closing his eyes.
"...going to be the suitable one. My presence itself doesn't BELONG to you. Nor will it ever be. That is not the reason why I'm here…."
Upon Akwan vanishing into the distance, the Queen raced up the podium, prepared the wooden execution device, and pushed the innocent child toward the center.
Akwan's lavender eyes widened. He turned to the crowd and saw all erupting back to fury, with people begging them to let go.
"Stop!"
"Leave that boy alone!"
"Do you understand how many lives you have destroyed?"
The Queen tilted her head upward, showing no care, empathy, or emotion to the people. Akwan, stalking the event from the alleyway, rubbed his chin and pondered.
(It seems that the people are still angry even though she is intervening with her presence. And vice versa, when I appear, the people's concerns shift to me instead of the boy. My reflection is cast upon Pladtioa, for this isn't my proper form, as I'm residing somewhere far beyond the lands of Pladtioa. I have only arrived here because I sense… my bow.)
* * * * * * * *
Grappled on Brich's hands was a long, arch-shaped twilight blow, scattered with blue patterns and vibrant hues. Aletha was in front of the group, with Brich in the back and the others in the middle.
Approaching a somewhat populated area filled with dense buildings, open canals, and small patches of greenery, Aletha tossed the crate to the ground, slid toward a chair, jotted her head behind, and fixed her hair.
The area was surrounded by shops but had two entryways to the streets, one leading outside and the other further into the city. Aletha, pacing herself and hurrying, demanded the others as the rest of the group raced from the alleyways.
"Put the table there!"
Drimi and the others nodded and hurriedly placed the table in front of Aletha. This sprouted and drew attention from strangers, and one had chosen to help them set up.
Even weak children decided to stop what they were doing and assist Aletha.
"Alright, speakers are set up!" Said Brich as he attached the wires to the megaphone.
Aletha gave a thumbs up and diverted her gaze toward the approaching crowd. They looked familiar to her, but she couldn't truly identify them as they were too far away.
So, she sat on her chair and wrote a tiny script on her paper. Sally scratched her head, identifying the electronic objects lying on the table.
She commented as more individuals gathered in front of the setup.
"Aletha, those speakers right there came from the factories of Wraileza. Although the ruler could be tidy and selfish, she couldn't resist offering her devices to others. In which she opened only one trading port for the others to use. I guess that's how Brich obtained these items from trading."
Aletha nodded meagerly and replied.
"Uh-huh…"
Though they were prepared, most questioned how Aletha had taken such a stance so quickly. Perhaps it was her experience with tactics and planning from the past that led her to behave in this manner. Could it be a coincidence, or could it be on purpose?
Nevertheless, from the city's second crossroad, the same recognizable individuals were wearing tattered clothing and having rugged hair.
Everyone knew exactly who they were.
"Villagers? You have returned?"
The brown-haired man smiled and peered with his green eyes toward Aletha.
"Of course we have. I have heard rumors circulating that a setup is being orchestrated from here, so we decided to investigate. What are you going to present?"
As the noise of footsteps, setting up, and people circled Aletha, she closed her eyes and answered with a confident tone.
"You will know soon enough…."
* * *
An hour later, as a steady stream of individuals gathered over the spot, Aletha's megaphone started to ring. It quickly tuned in as Brich adjusted the speakers' volume to a suitable level.
"Fixed it!"
Anticipation coursed through her veins, coupled with bubbling adrenaline fuming in her mind. After discussing her plan with the others in the pawnshop, Aletha grew slightly nervous as she saw her plan being presented.
Memories of her loud yells at the group, her drawing, and sketching out the second phase of the plan on the map all pushed Aletha to start performing.
And so… as the sun scintillated over her face, as Drimi, Phthonus, Sally, and Brich bunch up behind the table, as the villagers praised and shouted, as Akwan pried secretively on the rooftops; Aletha closed her eyes, wetted her lips, took a deep breath, grabbed the microphone…
And… soon… she stepped forward on the table and screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Citizens of Pladtioa, I am here today… that you… Yes, everyone in here… will be included in something controversial. Something that will effectively shift the tides of the direction Pladtioa will be heading."
The audience fell silent and looked at Aletha, who made gestures, moved around, and spoke with the confidence of a genuinely confident woman. Her eyes beamed with hope, seeing all the faces glare at her.
She stomped her foot aggressively on the floor and tightened her voice.
"But to do so, we need your help… all of your help. Big or small, tall or short, I want everyone to gather in here and join as we spark an insurgency to all."
. . .
More individuals gathered in the expanding group, seeing Aletha scream proudly at the top of her lungs. A burst of hope filled the hearts of all the audience members as her words echoed throughout the entire city. Aletha turned to Drimi's face as she shouted at her mic, then turned back to the crowd.
"Power is not something that should be taken advantage of. Power is something that should be measured by not just strength but will, determination, and, more importantly, respect! If we all can respect each other, our strength as a group will increase rapidly. We have all gone through a journey, including the children. Each of us, each face, proves to ourselves that we can survive under the Queen's law, that we have the freedom to object to our ruler. It doesn't matter if you're poor, it doesn't matter if you're not attractive enough; there will ALWAYS be… a bigger fish."
Aletha clenched her fists and took a deep breath; adrenaline rushed through the crowd.
"You control the paths of where your lives take you! You control what YOU DO; you control your life, not some measly individual who proclaimed herself to be your Queen. Be your own Queen. Be your own ruler! Rule yourself, and stop judging yourself. Even if you are weak, you are stronger when you join a group, just like the others."
The group cheered and hollered, with Phthonus smiling and Akwan nodding in approval in the background. The wind blew strongly on Aletha's long white hair.
The Queen urged her guards to capture Aletha and stop her speech; however, the crowd itself stopped and pushed them away… all to let the girl speak.
"Your thoughts drive disgust; sometimes, disgust could be given because you think that you are repulsive. That's NOT what this nation is. That's NOT who we are. This nation is beautiful; its people are as well… but there is one problem, one tumor ruining us as a whole."
She pointed to the palace.
"Right there! That's what's sapping our hope. That's what's ruining everyone's lives here!"
Abruptly, Aletha pulled her hairpin off her bangs, letting her long white hair flow freely like the rising freedom of a flag. Her gray eyes peer in determination as all watch her, entranced by the pattern of Aletha's movements.
Everyone in the area felt hope erupt from Aletha's words, as her cracking screams echoed over the city.
"I am the Ruler of your world! Aletha Adtraic! I thought this world was gone to smithereens before, but now that I have traveled through countless worlds, I realize that humanity's effects sprawl everywhere in living worlds. But my past doesn't matter. Only yours. You DON'T need an object to control your life. You don't need to praise anything but yourself, as that's what's most important. You can make yourself beautiful, even if life throws unexpected things in the way. Throw your superstitions out the window! Even if you're not experienced in fighting, it's better to participate than do nothing! We are ALL in this together! From here all the way to the outskirts of Dreamtoe, everyone will unite as we create an insurgency against HER aversion! Your action makes your part!"
Aletha swiftly darted her eyes toward the quivering Queen. All jumped up and tossed their weapons. Even the guards, who many thought still stood beside The Queen, stepped down from their placements and united with the group, hollering.
"Freedom! FOR THE RULER OF PURITY!"
And then, everyone screamed.
"FOR PLADTIOA!"
Aletha stepped forward and dropped her mic to conclude her speech, screaming at the top of her lungs as The Queen vanished into thin air, indicating that she was one of Narcissa's many reflections.
"Respect is not given, but only earned. Even if there is no light at the end of the tunnel, if we can persist and overcome our superstitions and negative aspects, maybe we can finally earn our freedom and break free from the chains and strings of The Queen. After all, each one of us is a living being. So why stand here and instead go up that hill, prepare for war, and fight the Queen with all we have? There IS a way to get everyone back!"
Suddenly, a loud sonic boom burst through the air. A lavender streak struck from above, knocking hundreds of people away from its path. Aletha's eyes widened, seeing standing at the center of the crowd was an individual wearing advanced armor, purple leggings, a starry cape, and an intricate helmet. She gritted her teeth, seeing them open their weapons.
"But even if there is evil, justice will always prevail!"
The individual was Tear.
"Stop meddling and spreading your misinformation!"
"STOP!"
As he was about to ambush the entire speech, a massive beacon of light suddenly struck the opponent and teleported him away from the crowd. What followed was a brief glimpse of a figure with long dark hair, lavender eyes, and black attire.
"Akwan?!" Aletha screamed in confusion.
He slowly nodded and escorted Tear out of the city, using his magic and ability, sacrificing his time to reunite with the others just for Pladtioa to awaken.
. . .
The crowd fell silent, staring at Aletha; out of the blue, cheers, rejoices, and shouts of hope surged from every adjacent direction.
Distant screams from far in the city were heard, followed by celebratory gunfire and the rumble of cannons.
"FOR PLADTIOA!"
"FOR MY CHILD!"
"FOR FREEDOM!"
Even Dreamtoe, the furthest landmark from Pladtioa City, unleashed its roars and awakened, dispersing the fog and unleashing a massive silhouette of The Kitsune into the air.
These chants, accompanied by the raging crowd, further boosted Aletha's adrenaline.
Glancing at the distant palace shrouded in a brown fog, Aletha clenched her fists, smiled, and whispered to her brother subconsciously.
"Don't worry, brother… I'm going to save you and this nation. We WILL reclaim what we have lost. STARTING HERE!"
At this moment… the nation of Pladtioa's future was turned into a brighter light.
Just one speech from the goddess who once owned this world; it awakened EVERYONE in Pladtioa.
Those words have sparked something more than just a rebellion. People started to gather and befriend one another, planning their defenses and forging weapons.
It was indeed the beginning of a long-awaited insurgence, and the tumultuous start of The Adtraic Siblings' reclamation of their changed world.