CHAPTER 14: THE FUTURE
Year 2000 AGS Underhaven Calendar
*After the Assembly
"Man, I always dislike seeing Michael angry. Scared me shitless." Elder Raziel spoke with his hands behind his head, elbows pointing upward, as he was going out of the Capitol.
"I did not even dare interrupt." Elder Abaddel spoke as he was walking with Elder Raziel, shoulder to shoulder, and Elder Azrael.
"Good thing, I had heavenly fortitude." Elder Azrael remarked as he replied from the back of the two Elders.
"Raziel, prepare yourself for the forthcoming awakening. I feel something might have changed in the world's flow of energy since a new element was circulated. Try listening in to every awakening now and then, including those in Domcrea." Elder Abaddel spoke as he suddenly stopped and looked Elder Raziel in the eyes, dead serious. "I feel the coming of a new era. Something unprecedented." He further added.
"You know, you and Michael are like polar opposites. But in foresight, you too are really alike." Elder Raziel commented as he looked at Elder Abaddel, then looked at the sky. A flying airship was passing. "Okay, I'll take note of it." He further spoke.
"The world is changing. I can also feel it. That new element, I think it will bring disaster. They should have killed it." Elder Azrael told the two.
"What? You want the Makers to be furious at us? They always told us 'Laissez-faire'. Letting things take their natural course without stepping in. It is their style. That's why many love them, aside from us Templars." Elder Raziel spoke lightheartedly.
"You know that element's powers, right. It can wreak havoc on us Templars…" Elder Azrael sighed heavily. "They can put Templar spies inside Underhaven. And those Templars won't even know what wrong they have done---" He looked at Elder Abaddel. "We would not trust each other anymore." He further added.
"Don't worry too much, Azrael. We have millions of lesser races vassals. Some of them will awaken such an element now that the barrier isolating it has been removed. Besides, it is weak to gifts with soul attribute." Elder Abaddel faced Elder Azrael at the back.
"You mean Rafael's Sacred Light can nullify it?" Elder Azrael remarked.
"In theory, yes. Since white flames and my flames work on it. What gift has the most soul attribute in it?" Elder Abaddel asked Elder Azrael.
"Sacred Light…" Elder Azrael commented.
"Indeed. The world is changing. Damn, makes me want to think. But---. I want to not think right now. Everything changed once the Makers started their slumber. As if some force began to enjoy its freedom and began to make bold moves. Neo-Illumina… Such brats emerged." Elder Raziel began to contemplate everything.
It is characteristic of Clan of True Sight members to actively dislike thinking all the time and to rest their minds. Because their brains are naturally coated in Light energy (for hyper-fast calculation) and Dark energy (for dense, limitless memory storage), they process an overwhelming amount of raw information. This constant mental activity causes intense, chronic mental fatigue.
"We should take this very seriously. I will initiate a massive Templar cleansing. All Templars must be tested. To know how many are in this 'enthralled' state. I will go with Rafael to test your theory, Abaddel. I hope you are right." Elder Azrael spoke as he turned around and began to walk away, waving his right hand goodbye behind his back.
"Tell Michael to calm his nerves a bit if you pass by him!" Elder Raziel shouted.
"You wish. Only Abaddel and Gabriel can do that shit." Elder Azrael replied in protest. "You try it, if you want." He then added further, his back to the other two Elders.
"Kikiki…" Elder Raziel let out a cheeky snicker, a mischievous, half-suppressed laugh, as Elder Azrael walked away.
"What would we see if we flew on Underhaven skies?" I asked my brothers rhetorically. "Imagine a massive number of cloud whales live there," I added further.
"Of course, they are originally noble creatures of Underhaven," James replied to me.
"They say life in Underhaven is bizarre." Miguel also commented.
The three of us then stopped talking and looked at each other. The wind is hitting us intensely as we are in a veranda of a luxury airship of the Republic of Saint Cobal. My ears hear it's blowing.
Adamantine-Class Airships are colossal floating luxury cruise palaces. Palaces that float in the sky. Imagine cruise ships on the sea but magnify them even more. And they fly.
"If it is bizarre, it would be bizarre in a good way." I replied.
"Well, they are the heroes of Bastion. Their moral compasses are always pointing north. The right thing." Miguel sighed as he replied. "Would they even respect me? James is physically gifted, and you, Selena, are a once-in-a-blue-moon anomaly. Where do I fit in?" He further added while looking at me.
"You are smart, Miguel. Strength comes from the mind, body, and heart. And you have two of them!" I consoled my older brother.
"Hey! Are you implying that I don't have brains and heart like Miguel?" James retorted in response to what I had said.
"Calm down! Why are you always making implications like that, James!" I irritably replied.
"Haha. Chill, I'm just messing with you." James, with his imposing figure, placed his hands on my hair and messed it up by scrambling it, then laughed.
"Hey! Stop! Brother!" I complained infuriatingly.
"Hahaha!" my two brothers laughed. James is clutching his stomach with laughter, and Miguel is holding James's shoulder as they laugh. Then they stopped. Suddenly feeling the gravity of their mission.
"This time, we have no excuse. We must make friends with the Templars. Or else father will be in big trouble… I heard Neo-Illumina killed many in their attack in Underhaven. The casualties were significant enough that the Templars were infuriated. They seek blood." James told us, and we felt the gravity of his words.
"How much more are we from the Republic where those Neo-Illumina were hiding. This one would be really difficult." Miguel added his thoughts as well.
"The Templars are honorable. They won't hate us. We were not at fault. We did not even know they were hiding in our territory!" I motivated them.
My brothers are really decent people. All of us were deeply saddened when our mother died because of an unknown illness. But her legacy is that she raised her children so well. Even though father doesn't usually have time for us.
"Stop it, Selena." My brother James called me out angrily. "Stop fantasizing too much about the Templars. If our Republic were attacked by the Templars out of hate and jealousy. Would we easily forgive them if we were in their shoes?! Think!" James added a bit of anger to his face. But I need to defend the Templars since I know more about them than James and Miguel do.
"Calm down, James. Selena's just 8. She still does not understand anything about deeper emotions at all." Miguel told my brother James, as he held his shoulder once again, to calm him down. Clearly contradicting the characteristics I just showed. My brothers see me only as a kid.
"No! Templars have the 7 heavenly virtues ingrained in them. While not all are present, they strictly study and live by them! I again defended the Templars.
"Sigh..." James placed his palm on his forehead. "We are really in trouble…" James told me in a disheartened manner.
"Wait, James. Selena might have a point. In their attack. Almost no civilians were hurt. Those who died were in those Neo-Illumina facilities. Actually, no civilians died in the process. If we were them, we would have plundered the city already. If what you told us was right. That many died on their part." Miguel consoled James, who is feeling dejected.
"Well… I hope you are both right. In the meantime, we have 3 years to prepare. Make sure you all read books on psychology and the social hierarchies of the Templars. It will come in handy. We need them as friends, not enemies." James reminded us again of our responsibilities.
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*End of Chapter