The future of Osrona

[04:55] He had waited, now he would listen. Atlas had observed the actions of those who lived in Nysea but now he wanted to find the reason behind those actions. Alexander would be the key to this puzzle.

The words spoken by the King of Esshar granted some insight onto the situation. His main issue with the man was the stopping of this war. The rest didn't matter in the grand scope of Atlas' life. If that war would've been stopped he wouldn't be in this situation right now. He wouldn't be fending for himself and his brother in this chaotic world. He'd be at home in the comfort of his parents arms as he grew out of childhood.

Now he was just an orphan lost in the wild.

His eyes shifted from the King to Odin to Gallen as that max also spoke up on the situation at hand. Those same eyes began to water slightly with a rush of emotions. It was hopeless. From Alexander's words he now knew this was all...hopeless. The weight growing on his man's body was materialized in physical form. The area around him slowly fell to the effects of gravity.

There was no saving Osrona from destruction. If they were to give up and surrender the crown the Queen of Myllenoris would've swept through regardless, taking lives in her wake.

Even disregarding that Romani seemed as if they were making up things to sway people to their side. Enslaving a whole race seemed far-fetched to begin with but it was debunked without many words. A complete lie.

"So..."

"That lady...You brought an end to her and this still happened? Her followers still laid waste to Osrona as I knew it..."

"In that case..." He knew the answer. Obviously her followers must've done the deed if Asta herself was dead. He just wanted to put it out there for himself.

"Show me. If you plan to take back Osrona then show me...I'll be there. I'll fight as well since I wantmy home back. I want to see how bad you want it back as well."

A test. Atlas would surrender himself to the crown to observe. He'd join his brother in combat if it meant this King would show the gravity mage what it meant to be...well a King. His true decision would come after the battle. He needed to see Alexander's will in action.
(Atlas)
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[05:00] So then it had all been lies-- all that the two had been told by the man which called himself the Stellus. Nothing more than slander? But it had sounded oh so convincing.

Aeolus would step forwards, his head down in shame. It was time for him to tell the truth.

"First... I want to apologize, your Majesty. I had gone to Osrona too, and I heard the same things. My brother didn't go into as much detail as I'd like to so let me explain.

I was in the mines near Theria when I ran into a Rhoynish girl. At one point the topic of where we lived came up and when she told me that she resided in the current Osrona, I asked her why she stayed there because I felt it wasn't the 'true' Osrona-- the one that I grew up in with my parents.

She told me that sixty years ago her grandmother managed to escape Osrona where she was kept as an indentured servant since the age of twelve, also that even as recently as ten years ago, Osrona still kept the Rhoynish as what were practically slaves.

And now... following the most recent war her people are no longer slaves-- that they're now free and won't have to worry about that again. She ended by saying that she lives there to make sure Osrona never commits those crimes of slavery again.

After that she brought up a lot of old things in history, things I couldn't argue with her on because well... I don't know the history too well and I didn't want to speak on something I don't know just to try and prove a point.

At the end of our conversation we agreed to believe what we will, but she said that I should go and talk to Romani so that I could hear the other side of the story... and I did.

When I met with him, I asked him two questions at first-- the first being how the war even began and the second being why he thinks you're untrustworthy.

He told me the war began because at your wedding with Nebula, Asta and her husband appeared uninvited with a gift of cabbages. Nebula then took those cabbages and rotted them with her hands. Asta apparently stared at her and had some sort of special eyes that can sense things, but then before she could discern anything you ordered for her to be captured.

When that happened, Romani as well as the other forces of Osrona there attempted to capture her, it was for the purpose of you wanting to remove her crown. In the end Asta was said to have killed a knight. Romani said the thinks it was a witch that caused her to do so.

He told me that that moment where you wanted to remove her crown made her decide to have the war, she wouldn't back down after such a disrespectful action and you wouldn't back down either.

As for why he doesn't trust you-- Romani gave me five reasons. The first being that when your people were captured you abandoned them rather that trying to save them. The second being you removed their connections to the Petrakis Dynasty. The third being you imprisoned his cousin and claimed them to be a traitor. The fourth being you allowed his wife to be fed poison, and the fifth being you married a witch.

His wife then chimed in on the poisoned food part, saying that Stellus Del made it known that the bread was poisoned and you said it was alright with you that she eat it.

After hearing all of those things... I was beginning to lose faith and I am sorry for that I wanted to ask you if it were true or not, but ultimately I realized that even if you weren't the man I thought you to be, there are still people here that I want to fight to protect and see them have a better future."
(Aeolus)
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[05:31] "Yes. It was meant to be a fair duel where the war ended with whoever won. I struck her down after a hard-fought battle. Her followers, stricken with grief resorted to murdering everyone they could see. Asta, the spirits, they influence one another and the crown I cut apparently has remnants of their spirit, Aschea's Will, something of that nature," the Petrakis explains, still not sure of the full story himself.

And then a pause, where Alexander considers what Atlas says.

"I'm getting my city back. I want it more than anything. It is my home, my people's home and even now, the people that made it out safe, that I evacuated to Hessalia are awaiting for their King's return. But. To have you two fight," a glance spared from Atlas to Aeolus.

"You're much too young, boys. One of you even a cadet. I will bring my city back, and then you can show me once we return home. Once you become men," the Petrakis says.

Another step forward, where Aeolus is brought forward, head hung in shame. A lot follows, important conversations. The king is short with his reply, brief but addresses the points.

"It was never slavery. The Rhoynish launched attacks on our people nearly a hundred years ago. The previous Queen waged war to stop them, conquered them, and then brought them into Osrona and Esshar. Those that were brought in had to serve time - as is fair but it was not slavery and the indentured servitude has long since ended by now. And it would have definitely ended now, now that the Teraphim killed both rhoynish people and anyone that remained."

"People misconstrue the truth of what happened that day. It was never over cabbages. It was because Asta Hargrave brought about spirits in a place she wasn't invited and invited a sewer gang into my castle. It was because Regulus Grimmore was questioning my claim to the Throne. The truth of the matter is simple: Asta Hargrave and I had been meeting each other for a while prior due to our alliance. From it, I had learned a great many things about her. Her ultimate goal was to rule over all of mankind because she could not believe that man was bestowed right to rule. Jealousy for my crown." he explains, waving a hand once as he rises to his full height. No longer crouched.

"As such, I had her arrested for her crimes and told her to pass her Crown over to someone who could better rule. To ensure that what she wished to bring about did not happen. She instead waged war and killed my knight. In the end, I was right. Was I not? Her destructive ways, the way she wished to take hold of the world.

As for my people being captured? I denounced their ties to the Petrakis Empire so they had no political power and I exchanged a hostage for the other, it was a diplomatic move.. as for his cousin. That is August. A known traitor. A betrayer of the Crown who attacked me after we losta war battle.. the poison though? That was true. Ophelia Montclaire, I trusted her in my younger years.. but she betrayed me. Truth be told, I never quite liked her.

She went behind my back and caused trouble- leading to the death of a Princess, leading to the death of my people. To prove her loyalty, the Stellus Del offered to have her eat a piece of poisonous bread. She accepted and we took care of her, made sure she was safe afterwards. It was a cruel thing, but necessary.. in the end, she still betrayed me.

Finally I did marry a witch. I am not without flaws myself. Though, my wife hid her witchcraft from me," he tells them.

"The choice is yours - whether you believe me to be a righteous King or not. But to put it into perspective: thousands of our people in Osrona were murdered in cold blood for refusing to kneel. Innocent people massacred. Even High Lord Finley knows it was wrong. What did Romani do? Instead of asking for an apology, for amends. He looked to take Myllenoris help, the very same murderers to put the city in his name."
(Alexander rei Petrakis)
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[05:53] You're much too young, boys. One of you even a cadet. I will bring my city back, and then you can show me once we return home. Once you become men.

This was the first few words that almost made Atlas interrupt the man's speech. If he was going to put his trust in this man he'd want to be at the battle where he'd display his will to protect the city. Though unfortunately the two would not be fighting anytime soon.

Even more statements were given to debunk Romani's words, dismantle the man's argument and destroy it in it's entirety. Atlas was surprised as to how much new information was given that gave light to the past. The Rhoynish were captured, not enslaved, and that happened due to their own violent actions. Asta's desire was the true reason for attempted arrest, not simply the magical stares that Romani claimed.

Atlas had dismissed the witch facet of Romani's argument some time ago. He understood that there was no clear way to tell such a thing, and if Nebula announced her witch status outright then Alexander would've never married her. A tale of deceit.

There was only one thing that Atlas still had questions about. Alexander claimed the abandonment of high-ranking people was a diplomatic move. While Atlas understood the fact that they had no allegiance to Osrona itself and therefore couldn't be trusted. His baby mind was likely the reason he couldn't get over leaving these people to die under the hands of Asta.

"I see..."

"Then soon...I'll see when you get back here. I don't see why we can't fight though. It's not like age holds us back too much. I'd want to see this in person and fighting with you all might be the best way to do so."

"But Romani...I'm not sure I can trust his words anymore. That's for sure."

For now, he'd remain loyalto the heart of Osrona. King Alexander and the multitude of other people who had stood with the city in the face of death, and cut that same face in two.
(Atlas)
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[05:53] A fair duel. One in which the King reigned victorious but got the short end of the stick. It sounded like a nightmare-- having claimed victory only for the losing side to murder and pillage as they liked.

Aeolus didn't know much about the world of course, but it soon became obvious that it wasn't a very fair place.

Hearing the words that they were too young for the battle came as a shock to the cadet. All this time spent thinking on whether or not he should participate, only to be told that he shouldn't.

"I was looking forward to fighting to reclaim what's rightfully ours-- although my home may be in ruins now, it still lies within Osrona, but...

If it's your wish that we do not fight then I won't."

They were young after all, just as King Alexander said-- it may very well have been a suicidal battle for the two.

Listening on to the rest which King Alexander had to say, Aeolus would be silent, taking in the Petrakis' words. It all seemed to make sense, explanations which he couldn't contest even if he wanted to.

"I was thinking the same actually... even if she were a witch, there was no way you could tell." It was times like these why Aeolus sought to hear both sides of the story before making any rash decisions.


(Aeolus)
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[05:59] "You have noble hearts, the both of you. When I was your age I wanted nothing more than to be on the front lines as well, leading my men but to die an early death is not where you make an impact," he explains.

The Petrakis takes in a short breath where his chest rises, examining the two.
"If you both still feel this way after the incoming battle, and you match the standards my Lightbringer sets, I will allow you both to fight and I will protect your lives myself on the battlefield but for now, allow me and my followers to handle this."

"And once we reclaim Osrona, our Shimmering City, our home, I will ensure it is rebuilt better than before. At that time, I will need your help. To help defend it so nothing like this will happen again."
(Alexander rei Petrakis)
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[06:05] Perhaps they were simply growing up too fast. It was the time to work hard and improve rather than risk their lives on the battlefield.

Turning to Atlas, a smile was given.

"You know what that means? We're going to train twice-- no... five times as hard tomorrow!" It was said in a bit of a lighthearted manner but something about his eyes, should his brother have looked into them may have led him to believe Aeolus was serious.

Turning to face the King once more, a salute was given.

"Yes, your Majesty! We may not be ready now, and I can't speak for Atlas but from here on out I'll be training to ensure I meet not just the Lightbringer's expectations, but yours as well.

Thank you for hearing out a pair of silly kids..."
(Aeolus)
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[06:05] There was hope for a better future. A future where no child would be orphaned on the street due to some tyrannical ruler invading a city. No families would be split up in the way Atlas knew.

"You promise?" Atlas extended a hand to shake the King's. The same gesture given by his parents before they set off to meet their ends. At this point he didn't want to see this man die. The way he defended himself from these lies was admirable as the respect Atlas had for Alexander when he was a kid was restored. Now amplified with knowledge of what he went through in all this time.

Two deep blues stared at Alexander. Two eyes that wanted to meet the King's gaze after this battle was all said and done.
(Atlas)
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[06:10] A smile meets Aeolus, "You are welcome, cadet Aeolus. I will expect a lot from you, but I trust you will not disappoint," where his eyes fall upon that young cadet who asked to join the Order not so long ago. One of the few rising stars among the in-shambles First Light.

And then to Atlas does he look, where the King of Esshar's emerald-cut eyes meet the deep blue and a hand is extended. A seldom done gesture in recent times.

A scarred, calloused hand that had seen many battles and even more training meets Atlas own and a firm shake is given.

"I promise. You both are the future of Osrona, remember that," parting words as that shake concludes.
(Alexander rei Petrakis)
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[06:16] Atlas' hands met Alexander's and the shake was performed! The King would be coming back from this alive, Atlas was counting on it. Even if it took the blessing of the Gods, which Alexander did indeed have, he'd be coming back. Atlas believed it.

A furious nod was given by the young man as Atlas turned to his brother.

"I'm breakin' some law of physics tomorrow. Shattering it. By the time we're done it's gonna be over. For everyone else...hehe."

A smile brighter than the sun itself overtook Atlas' face as he looked at his brother. His eyes glowed with determination to grow stronger. Now they had a real reason other than blind pursuit. The next time this happened they'd be strong enough to participate.
(Atlas)
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[06:16] The future of Osrona.

He didn't know it at the time, but perhaps the future truly was in the hands of the budding next generation. If so, it meant that him and all others around his age had big shoes to fill and high expectations to meet.

Aeolus was left feeling even more so inspired to continue working on his new fighting style.

There was nothing more to say and so the youth would turn before taking steps towards the dojo.
(Aeolus)
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[06:16] Alexander rei Petrakis says, "Run along then. Perhaps one day I will train you both myself."
[06:16] Alexander rei Petrakis says, "Stars guide you both."