Ignavia looked much more different than what Eden was expecting. From what he had heard, the South of the Nation was swamped, overgrown with tropical trees and plants. Heading North, it became more exposed, the land shaved and animals driven far from home, more tame than the South.
Pitchforks
Eden was expecting something bright and green. Yet, it was more gloomy and eerie than he had anticipated. The capital, Fenzhou, was close to a small, most renowned river - Ku Wei.
The two stood on a cliff overlooking the city. The view was slightly foggy, with dark clouds overcasting the city.
It had been fifteen years since the King, Xie Fang, had completely neglected his nation. He had been given the crown but had no reason to keep on moving forward. At least, his consciousness had kept on repeating those words in his head. All control passed down to the council. It was now their words that held authority and control while the King drowned himself in despair.
"You should be familiar with Ignavia's story. At least, part of it."
"I am..." Eden seemed to be distracted by the sight in front of him. He blinked a few times. "My uncle told me. He himself was young when he heard it from a man at a tavern. Ignavia has been known for its lush greenery, spikey mountains that are called nails. Or was it fingers..?" He scratched the back of his head, patting the area there. "Yet..."
"That was years ago. Before people got a taste of freedom. Just a small bite was enough to get them to move. The current council is abusing its authority, and the King has given up on any thought, turning a blind eye to all that has been happening over the years. They're giving out orders as if it were the King's will. Under Xie Fang's name."
"Then... Perhaps there's no reason to harm him like King Crothorht. He hasn't done anything wrong."
The Deity didn't reply to his wish, as if telling him to wait and see. Or more than that, that she was already saying no. "You're young. You would not understand. Unless you are smart enough to understand when you see it."
The wind blew harder. Not a storm, but still eerie.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
"The time has come, brothers and sisters. Today, we take control of our own fate. Today, after years of being neglected and thrown into slums with our traditions, we attack the palace of Fenzhou and overthrow our king! For he is unworthy!" Zhang Shun spoke, yelled out even, the mission he announced held more than just meaning. If they overthrew the King, they could rule Ignavia however they wished, without anyone else holding them back, except themselves. Hang Shun and the other rebellion participants, all with different cultures, knew that a nation could not exist without law. It would fall apart. For they saw laws as a way, a reason to exist. Such laws were already underway, laws that people would feel proud of and follow for the better good. And if not, there would still be a penalty. "We infiltrate, take over, and have our way. A way where we shall be more than puppets to be controlled by royalty! We are more than puppets. We are more than just flesh and bones. We are our path pavers. And the path we pave, the future we have, shall be more than gold and wine... It will be hope for the dynasties of our bloodlines to have what we could not."
He spoke with purpose, walking back and forth on the platform, looking his associates dead in the eyes. It was a way for him to show that he was there with them, just as much as they were there for him. He was their pioneer, has been for years, and he would not give up. And when he raised a fist with the renowned amulet of an oath sworn to thousands, everyone in the hall followed suit.
He knew that the sacking of Fenzhou would not be an easy one. Lucky them, the nation was unstable. Even the soldiers weren't too happy with their lives. So, perhaps he could sway even the soldiers to his side. Partially, of course.
He had personally trained all the people in front of him and planned all of this for over a decade now. He would get there, take over Fenzhou's palace, and ensure victory, no matter the cost.
The hearts beat faster and faster, blood flowing through their veins like raging fire, an endless river fueled by ambition. It was all for his alternative father. It was his father's last wish to have a nation without a King. To hear people speak of Ignavia as the first and only ever nation to be independent, without a council or King, just tribes and their cultures. And perhaps, the other nations would decide to follow in suit, right after Ignavia's footsteps.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
Eyes hollow, skin pale like snow, lips parched – as dry as the desert. Although, his entire being was dry, devoid of anything that made him a being with a soul... This was what the King of Ignavia had been reduced to. A ghost, nothing but a shell of his former self. He sat upon the throne unmoving, not even blinking. Head slightly tilted to the side, gaze downcast. He looked like a corpse, if not for the quiet breathing.
"The anarchists have struck again, your majesty. They are getting closer to the capital. Brave ones they are, but not for long." One spoke.
"Just say the word, your majesty, and we shall put an end to their courage." Another added.
"And how do you expect to do so? These anarchists you speak of are more influential than us when it comes to the other tribes. They have more soldiers than us. And they have had plenty of time to grow stronger than any soldier that guards this palace. Face it, we are in the loss." A third protested. He was known as Jihou - the wise. Out of the twenty-four members, one could say he was the doubtful one. A voice in the back, ready to jump in and protest.
"And why are you worrying about such a thing? It won't be easy for them to pass through the wall. We have about five hundred men stationed at each entrance, not to mention the thousands that are inside. Fenzhou will stand. Besides, they won't destroy it, they can't. This is the capital, a place they hold more than close to their broken hearts, a place that marks the union between all tribes and cultures. Children!" He spat.
"We have thousands. They have three times the amount. Perhaps they're not as trained as the palace men, even if it's commoners with pitchforks and shovels, but they're wild, driven by a stronger power than our men. Their hearts aren't broken, and they have changed. They have it all, and we only have these walls and lands that don't belong to us anymore. Do you want your head put on a spike for demonstration?! What kind of nonsense are you allowing in that head of yours?! They're after us! Not the city! And you haven't even done anything to fight or fend for this nation over the years to know what the battlefield is truly about. Think about it! Perhaps we should change you, Drohi."
Then, the volcano erupted. The feud began again, the room drowning in the remarks of each man. Well, all but a few.
No battle could easily be quelled any longer. So, the best generals stayed at the palace, ready to lead their men when the anarchists attacked. But, out of the former strong three generals, only one remained – Zorig.
He himself was now lost in thoughts most of the time, but when needed, he would strike. Although, his thoughts weren't good. They were always about setting fire inside the palace, about punching each of the council members and even his King.
Duyang and Tien died years ago – because of them. Dyuang became a traitor in their eyes and was fed to the beasts. But he did not wail.
Tien turned down his position and left. His entire property was later set on fire, taking him and his entire bloodline. The Council wanted to be sure that there would not be any strong allies to the rebels.
No matter how closed off Zorig was, how deep-throated, he would never forget those with whom he shared a drink with.
Duyang's place was taken up by his younger brother, good, but not as much as his brother.
Tien's spot was taken by the worst kind of person – a tattler, always there at the worst moment.
Not all people were saints, all had, even if a droplet of venom in their blood. But, only those of the same stature could seem to agree on certain topics, no matter the internal differences.
The abuse was there, transparent, like glass that you could see through, but not walk through, for one would still hit the solid surface.
That was the way of things, the abuse, how Zorig saw the situation his King was in.
Xie Fang's downfall was with Xie Huo. Before his reign had even started.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
The breach was quiet, not a whisper. To say the rebels had insiders working for them would be an understatement. They didn't need to carry a blade to be considered a threat. Just their existence alone was a threat to all order in Fenzhou.
There was no wall breaking or getting in while screaming, a few furtive people were more than enough, concealing themselves as nothing more than mere tribal commoners with vegetables or cattle to let them pass through the gates.
But in the midst of it all, they were assassins sent to open the gates, the guards falling one by one. And it was imperial soldiers, best out of the best, their aim true to their title and honour. Yet it came to be that not even the strongest could escape the agile.
Seven soldiers ran into the throne room, sweating and panting, one even bearing scars from an unexpected attack. "Lords! Oh, with honour bestowed upon us, forgive!" They fell to their knees, interrupting the ongoing feud. "B-b-but the palace! It has been sieged! We are surrounded!"
And all chaos was sucked out of them, the entire room going quiet. Only but a moment...
The large doors were opening and closing on all ends, soldiers grunting and shouting commands to one another. "Some... heavily armed.." One panted, shivering.
"Pitchforks and shovels, you say?" Chao Sukkho muttered, puffing on his pipe, balls of smoke coming from his mouth. He didn't seem too bothered by it, leaning his body on one arm as he continued puffing. At the start of the meeting, he had kept his head down, too unbothered by it all. But now, with the information that the palace was being besieged, he felt the need to show off his vanity. "What lords are we? We are here to represent our tribes and cultures. And yet, It feels like we are blending in, becoming one boring body of water, our own tribespeople despise us. What would this land be with only one source of water. We are the downfall of our cultures." He spoke calmly, his words gaining him the eyes of distrust from the other members. It was clear that now his opinion did not matter.
"Well, I hope that they at least don't touch the gardens."
"And where are the other generals?!—"
What came next was a mess, a cry for help. Nothing could hold off the strength of hundreds of men and women from the outside, not when their will to keep on trying burned stronger. The large door opened up, shoving the soldiers away, the impact making them fall. Not all had the time to stand up before getting met with a blade.
The council members knew how to fight and always kept weapons at the ready, so defending themselves against the incoming enemies was not a problem—especially with three of the strongest generals serving as their guards.
But that was the issue. Only two of the generals were on their side at the moment, Zorig let a blade be pressed to his neck, he himself unmoving. His King was already halfway a corpse, so what was the point in holding up his honour any longer?
"You scum! What do you think you're doing?! Isn't Fenzhou your home?!" One of the council members got surrounded and snagged in a moment, an unsheathed blade pressed to his throat, choking him.
Bodies fell, be it the council members, or one of the many rebels.
The fight stopped when a masked man came in, covered in armour and a blue and white mask with two horns and a third eye. He was covered from head to toe, unsheathing his blade as he walked through the chaos and to the throne. "So, this is what our King has been reduced to. Ash? What a disgrace." That was what the man was here for – the King. He was already climbing up the marble stairs, one step at a time, before Zorig realised that he had to put himself together. Even if his King was holding on by a thread, he wasn't so dishonorable as to let his King die by the hand of a man who wanted him gone.
His eyes burned with fury and he gripped the blade at his throat, letting it pierce through the skin of his fingers and neck before stepping back and throwing his enemy over his shoulder, making a ruckus that alerted the others.
He pulled out his khet khutga and threw it at the man who dared overstep. It pierced through the muscle of his upper thigh, cutting even into the bone. He screamed out, taking a step back as he almost dropped his weapon. And Zorig hurled forward, not wasting another moment.
It was a duel. Not to test who is stronger, but to prove a point, to gain the upper hand.
"That must be their leader..." – Tien's brother thought, assessing the situation. They knew, that whoever came out victorious would gain the upper hand, the feeling that was victory.
Zhang Shun pulled out the dagger with a wail, using it whenever he could.
Zhang Shun was a good fighter, he had taken many lessons from many masters, but Zorig was the older and more experienced one. One moment, everyone took a deep breath in when Zorig pushed the dagger into the man's other thigh before taking it out and almost cutting the anarchist's head, but it was one of the horns of the mask, Zhang Shun had moved his head down at the right moment. Still, the mask fell apart with each hard blow Zorig dealt. Zhang Shun fell apart, the mask falling away to reveal an already bruised face. He spat out blood, glaring at Zorig, nose already broken. "Do forgive me... King Xie Fang follows the culture of Sango, which I respect, but it seems he has long since fallen out with us. I wish only the best.. for this nation."
Zorig understood, but he was too deep-throated to care about anything else but order at that very moment. "I am committed to nothing, but the crown. I pledged loyalty to none, but the emperor."
Just when all seemed to reach an end, a strong gust of wind began howling in the room, moving all the clothes wildly around. Zorig looked down at his weapon and started feeling the heat of it rise, it began burning his hand and he had to drop it, taking a few steps back. To Zhang Shun and the others, it was an opening, it was as if nature itself was helping.
But no, right at the doorstep stood a child and a woman covered in white and purpur cloth. No one moved.
When the silence was too deafening, the Deity was the one to step forward, the blood disappearing at her feet.
And then, all of a sudden, even Xie Fang seemed to move his eyes, staring into nothingness. "P-peace... the righteousness of life..." Xie Fang whispered, shocking everyone as he began rising from his seat. At that moment, no wound was as painful as the sight of him trying to stand. But he did, Xie Fang stood and reached out for the weapon at his side. None other than his own brother's. Slowly and painfully, he made his way down the steps. Two steps down and he stopped, sighing and tripping. He ended up falling down the stairs, weapon following after.
Nothing broke, by the looks of it. Perhaps at that passing moment, even the people began to realise and see the truth as it was. Their King had abandoned not them, but himself, lost all that the poets spoke of him. He truly had been reduced to nothing more than a white flower.
"My... freedom.." He got up after a moment or two had passed, reaching for the weapon and getting fully on his knees, head low as he offered it to the deity with both hands...
"My eternal... peace."
To the spectators, it seemed like she was hesitating. The generals and even council members seemed to understand what their King was seeking. They were on high alert and tried to get to him, but were held back by the vigilantes.
In the end, she took the weapon, spinning and twisting it a few times, one hand behind her back while the other held the weapon at an arm's length.
She didn't strike.
Xie Fang had to look up, not hearing the protests of his followers who were still trying to get to him, to wake him up from the fever dream.
Yet, they couldn't... His lower lip quivered and he tried standing up.
That's when the halberd side of the weapon pierced Xie Fang from his back to front. All seemed to fade away at that moment...
And yet, to Xie Fang, this was a reprieve, all he had sought and thought of. He had finally reached that end. And at that moment, he saw his life flash before his eyes. Not the pain or sadness, but all the beauty that is life.
Finally, in those moments, he saw his brother. It had gotten dark, cold... But, Xie Fang still saw his brother, even if as a blurry figure. Far, yet also close.
He held out his hand for Xie Fang to take it and get back up from his knees. Even in the darkness, Xie Fang could already feel and make out Xie Huo's expression – that typical easy-going smile. He took his wrist, rising to his feet with a groan and a wince, clutching the area where the wound bloomed.
He looked down at the area, slowly moving his hand away to realize that it was all but a dream. There was nothing there, just a phantom of the pain. And when he raised his head, he squinted his eyes as the room got brighter.
The same meadow where he and his older brother spent most of the time, if not doing their royal duties, appeared before him. An area that was used to escape unnecessary duties. Xie Fang smiled, breathing in the fresh air just like a little kid would after a rainy day.
Kids laughed and ran around, carrying sticks. It was the two brothers, without a single weight on their shoulders.
To Xie Fang, Xie Huo was an otherworldly figure. To him, he was flawless, open-minded, and had that critical thinking and mind of a philosopher that was necessary for a King. A warrior.
They were brothers who would quarrel, challenge one another and end up bruised, but in the end, they had each other's backs and would make up one way or another.
When young, Xie Huo was humble, didn't mind going back and dropping a coin or a few on the street for a passing beggar.
He made mistakes, but he later would repent of them. Xie Huo would help in any way he could whenever needed. Once, Xie Fang had a panic attack after a nightmare, a strong one, but his brother was there to comfort him and offer calming tea.
He was never high and mighty, never thought of Xie Fang as his shadow.
The weapon stayed lodged within Xie Fang, his body leaning forward, the weapon keeping his body in a kneeling position..
The rest was left to the seekers of freedom, whatever they chose to do with the generals and council members, was none of the Deity's business.
For her task here was over.
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
Eden was hungry, but didn't feel like eating after what he had witnessed. The Deity had even gotten him one of Fenzhou's local dishes to brighten up his palette. She understood the situation, had to, that a kid had seen a sickly King beg for death and just perish alongside the many other bodies that were there. A situation a six year old never wanted to find themselves in.
"But... if he truly did nothing wrong, why do that to him?.. I still can't understand it." He sat down on the grass, leaning against the rock.
"He had nothing left. All, except his own life. And that same life he was giving up."
Eden eyed her as if he had heard the most basic thing. "Perhaps you're right, I am too young to understand. Everything could have went well... So, what will happen to the body?"
"Do understand, Xie Fang saw his brother as an otherworldly being. Suddenly losing all that mattered, was his downfall."
"But they were brothers, just hope deep did Xie Fang depend on his brother?.."
"It is like that when you can only trust one person." The Deity didn't want to Eden drag himself a path that he'd walk once he's older, didn't want him to ruin his childhood for a dead man's choice. "Best not dwell on it for too long, don't ruin yourself."
The western gate to the palace opened up, a horde of horsemen riding out with loud shouts. Most likely commands or farewells. "Xie Fang was a King, he'll be buried alongside the others emperors. It wouldn't be like this if Zhang Shun and the other people hadn't realized the truth."
"These past years, they thought Xie Fang gave out orders, didn't they? All those crimes against their cultures, the people... they finally realized that the council was the one behind it all. But is it not treason to manipulate your own lord's name for personal gain, not to mention that they were representatives of their tribes and cultures."
The Deity turned her head, face covered, but Eden could still make out the hidden glare directed at him. "You're still a child, don't wish to be older, not yet. The moment is yet to come." The horses galloped further into the distance.
"I know, I know.... But, as a kid, I'm still allowed to be curious. And what about those men that seemed so keen on stopping their lord?"
"Their future lies in the hands of their tribes. The generals too. Although, Zorig, the one with braided hair, will most likely kill himself out of honour for his lord, or move back north. Where he comes from."
"Viridis Pactus..." He seemed to mumble. "Our next destination."
"You seem to have made your mind up. Planning ahead of time."
"Yes... I wish to leave my home for last."
"Where your mother resides."
"I know... But, before taking hold of my home nation, I wish to inflict fear into the King of Proecaedis. To let him know that he is all alone."
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
The two brothers stood in front of one another. One had a calming look on his face, while the other more serious about the situation...
"Forgive me, Xie Huo... Forgive, I wasn't able to uphold our rule." Xie Fang lowered his head, blinking away the incoming tears. "I have been given what I wanted, but... I failed everyone, I failed you.."
"Xie Fang..."
"I wanted to be like you. As wise, as resilient, but... I was never able to be like you, I never will be like you. And you know, I don't mind it. It is as it is. Because, in the end, I am not you."
Xie Huo's eyes widened, softly, as his brother stepped forward, not an embrace or anything. He walked past Xie Huo, fading into the distance.
"I don't hate you... And neither do you hate yourself."
꧁⎝ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ⎠꧂
"By the way, what was the actual cause of that insanity?"
The Deity looked to the side and down at Eden, who now had a burst of appetite? "He caught an illness." A virus, but what did he know what that was... "Temperatures, the entire climate and air change, not just the landscape. People unused to different areas are more open to catch an illness than the locals."