Story:Kings of Strife/Part 27

Part Twenty-Seven
She blinked, her sparkling green eyes broadcasted across the thousands of people she stood in front of. The sea-shaded orbs that were her eyes seemed to shine like lights in her face’s abyss, transmitting perfectly her determination and purpose to everyone who looked at her. But this brightness in her eyes didn’t entirely match the emotions swirling beneath her, as her fingers clenched tightly around the microphone she was holding, and her breath came to her ragged and forced.

She was nervous.

Why, she wondered. Why was she plagued with nervousness, now of all times? This was not the first time she had given a big speech to a lot of people. It wasn’t even the first time in a long while. The people she had spoken with last went on to destroy an entire city’s infrastructure and built a castle around her without seeing her for more than an hour, for heaven’s sake. So what was stopping her from speaking to a bunch of students on the first day back to school after a long break?

This was different; it wasn’t just talking and lying and revealing ambitions. This was a critical moment, one that needed to be built with crucial amounts of energy and the right amount of truth to encourage followers. Like a symphony created by a fabled, mysterious master, her words had to be articulate, thought-out, emotion provoking and, most of all, exciting. She would have to spontaneously come up with something that sounded like it had been rehearsed and rewritten for longer than she had been alive. To do any less would be an insult to those before her, the ones she wanted and needed and would use endlessly.

It wasn’t just students she was speaking to, and that was why she was nervous. Before her, staring at her with eyes of curiosity and confusion and recognition, was the future. Gauging her, taking note of her every move, making sure she was the one who could truly hold all of its weight, confirming that she was indeed the empress of whom the world would revolve. That was who she was about to speak to, and in her ears she heard the choir of heavenly regret and – her worst enemy – nervousness. She was really starting to wonder why she didn’t write these speeches beforehand.

She already knew the answer to that one. Writing speeches wasn’t her style. While she was a relative master at planning, and coming up with incredibly crucial strategies, they were always better when she was under pressure. That was when she worked the best, after all. Spontaneity was something she was good at, something she excelled in, and something she was very close to mastering.

Like a diamond born out of millions of years crushed beneath the dirt, she was born from a crushing situation and an unfair destiny. But this wasn’t about her; it was about the future.

Her slender fingers tightened their grip on the microphone as she cleared her throat once again. Now was the time, and she felt the pressure building beneath her breast. The future was calling her, and it was time she answered.

“First of all, I would be honored if you allow me to welcome you all to another fine year at the beautiful Zeta Academy. I hope you all had an eventful mid-summer break; I know I have!” A hint of a smile slipped across her thin lips; picking up on her amusement, a large part of the student body let out a jubilant cry, and another part let out a quick laugh. She took a deep breath before continuing where she left off.

“In this day and age, it is very important to stay informed. And, luckily for us, growing up in this new and changing generation, it is easier than ever to stay connected across this large world. Between the advancement of airship technology, the emergence of new and exciting engineering uses, and the Datalog – yes, I know all of you have one!” She smiled once again, and a laugh permeated through the crowd again, but this time she continued in spite of it, and the noise quieted much quicker than before. “We all know why we have come to Zeta Academy, and we all know what is expected of us as Inusians growing to take over from our predecessors. And for those of us who aren’t from Inusia, well, the world doesn’t just need smart and useful Inusians! My point, regardless of your nationality, is that this world needs you all. This world needs us. If you pay attention to any recent news, you’ll know that.”

“Eight years ago, the tropical nation of Nneoh exploded in a ghastly civil war that killed thousands. It started over tourist rights in a simple town and ended with the negotiation of every major country in a meeting of the World Government. Personally, I was 12 when that happened, and I remember clearly hearing about it from my parents. And just last week started the recent catastrophe in Shorica. The town of Phenicks disappeared off the face of the earth, suddenly eradicated by something modern science cannot comprehend. Do you know why I bring these up, my fellow students and adolescents? Because the adults of this age are struggling. That much is clear! They struggled over how to deal with the Nneonian Civil War and now they struggle to explain the Shorican disaster. Even in this age of constant information sharing, nobody knows what happened over there. There are no news reporters interviewing survivors, there are no blogs writing underground explanations, and there are no political statements being made. We just don’t know what’s happening. How could we let that happen? How?” She stopped speaking and looked around her for a moment. Everyone she looked to avoided her gaze, despite how invested they were in her statements.

“My point is this; the current world is becoming more and more inferior. That much is proven more and more with every change that occurs every day. And do you know what we can do about it? Do you know how this relates to you returning to Zeta Academy? It’s because of ignorance. This world is ignorant, of itself, by itself, and from itself. That is why I warn you of ignorance, my friends; because we all came to Zeta Academy in search of knowledge and a purpose in our lives. Come here to learn, I urge you! Come here to better yourselves, to become better Inusians, to become better people! That is why you are here, and that is exactly what I encourage you all to do! Understand, my friends?” The crowd was by now starting to clap and whistle out of support. Her speech was a success.

She smiled a different smile now, one that didn’t innocently tug at the sides of her mouth or made the edges of her eyelids curl in amusement. This was a true smile, one that transcended simple happiness or joy, one that showed pure primal pride at what was ahead and what she had achieved. The green pools that decorated her face began to glisten with anticipation, and her thin muscles strained tightly. This wasn’t anxiety and nervousness, no, she had surpassed that the moment she began to speak. This was anticipation, lust for accomplishment, true confidence and acceptance.

Now her real speech would begin.

“How rude I have been, my friends,” Vainia drawled. Now that she was speaking again, a change had visibly taken place in her, and the once cheering and moving students suddenly turned back to her and began to pay attention again. Her eyes that were just moments ago wide and constantly moving, staring and grabbing attention, had been reduced to barely open oases of sobriety. She looked upon them mercilessly, as if they were stars and she were a black hole, sucking up all of their enthusiasm and brightness. They had no choice but to be consumed, to watch in awe, and to completely give her all of their attention without her ever asking for it. Unlike before, when they had to watch her because of the traditions of the entrance ceremony, and they were pleasantly surprised by her message, now they were compelled to look upon her and knew from the beginning that what she had to say would be important. They knew, and they would not be disappointed.

“How rude I have been,” she repeated. Her skinny hands were holding the microphone very closely to her mouth, and every student could hear every word and every small noise she made, along with the tone that she spoke with. “not introducing myself sooner. I’d assumed you all knew who I was, but… that was perhaps a bit egotistical of me. Perhaps. But that is in the past now, and I am the future. Ah, excuse me, I am Nolstuvainia Sestrum. Some of you know of me, I assume a lot of you do not, but I would like to once and for all clarify my identity. I am a student of Zeta Academy; I would be a third year at the beginning of this term. I say would because I, sadly, had to take a leave of absence from the campus a few weeks back. Now, I know my personal business is irrelevant to you all, which I completely understand, especially in this momentous occasion of yours. But I ask that you just bear with me.”

“You see, I haven’t been away playing hooky. At the same time, I cannot entirely justify my absence, because I admit I have lost out on my studies. But you’ll all be surprised to hear about what I’ve done, I’m sure! Before I reveal that to you all, I admit that I have a question. A series of them; surely you’ll bear with me for them.” Although she didn’t ask a question, a multitude of the students watching her nodded their heads slightly, completely entranced and cooperative. Her sly smile only intensified.

“I’ve told you just two of the situations in which the world almost broke down. When the administration behind the scenes of our countries simply failed to cope with the changing motor of the world. I ask you all, now; what if you could stop the motor of the world? What if you could cause that sort of chaos, that sort of freedom, all the time and any time? Could you imagine living in a world where nobody tells you what happens, when nobody tells you what to do, when nobody tells your family how to make their money? When the only way to know what happens in the world is to go out and see it for yourself? Would you believe you were awake, and not dreaming, if the measure of other people’s stupidity never had an effect on you? If you lived in a world that completely changed based on your goals, your abilities, and your morals? What would think, then? What would you say?” Nobody dared to answer. “Of course, you have nothing to say, because you cannot even imagine such a world. Well I can, and I can tell you that I have seen it for myself!”

“I have seen what happens when the world’s motor stops, and chaos takes over. That can be defined in one word; anarchy. We all know the theoretical and philosophical meaning behind the word; it is a catastrophe, a failure of society, one that we all believe in but have never seen, because it would mean we have fell completely and are not able to stand back up. But we have come close, and we have indeed risen back up to the ‘heights’ of society. But do you know what anarchy is, with a strong ruler behind it? In such a situation, the word changes from a description of a hell to a description of a utopia. When anarchy is governed by strength, true, unshakeable strength, the stars align and all the constellations of natural history begin to twinkle in the otherwise dark skies of despair. That is when an empire, a true celestial gallery of the earth, has come to existence.

“I will tell it simply, and I expect it to spread simply. I have an empire.” She lowered the microphone and took a breath from her passionate speaking. Nobody in the audience spoke; they were all in awe, or confused, or teary, or completely interested. She was sure that her message had gotten through to them, and she was sure that her words were sharp and easy to understand. It was the first time there hadn’t been an outburst of excitement and noise in an expected area in one of her speeches. Vainia took a deep breath and raised the microphone to her mouth again.

“I witnessed the destruction of Phenicks, and I survived it.” Now, of all times, the audience gasped collectively. She took it in stride. “I rose from the ashes, along with every other person who lived through the heavenly arrow that struck the corruption of Phenicks down. I took the hand of a faltering revolutionary group, and I led it to greatness. Thanks to my own influence and my own power, the revolutionaries attacked Shorekeep, to the extreme west of Shorica, and laid siege to it. The city lives, damaged though it is, and it lives for me. My empire, I, my power, I created it, I perpetuated, I lived through it, I will rise with it, and I now stand before you as living proof! Shorica is mine, and I took it, and I will keep it! I have destroyed the Shorican government, and I have erected my own form of leadership, and I will hold it until my body runs dry of all the blood I have ever produced! I have created an empire; without a government, anarchy has taken over, but I have stomped it to dust and took its reigns, and in its place I rule! The empire is mine, and it shall live eternally! This is what I say, and what I said, and what I will say forevermore. I have conquered anarchy and built an empire from it! In my empire, no one disillusioned person will control the economy! No family will live off the stupidity or well-being of another! All are equal, and all can succeed, and all can ascend! It is only through chaos and equality will we find peace, and retribution, and prosperity, and all the attributes for which we all aspire! I have created the empire of paradise on earth, and I will spread it through the world. Inusia will fall, and in its place will be my empire, and together we will be the new holders of the world’s hands! That is why you are here, all of you, to rise in the ranks of intelligence and to look around at the world with your own eyes, and not the rose-tinted glasses of those born before us! The world is not equal, and peace does not reign, and you are not free, not as long as Inusia still stands! Weep, for the world will not change until I bid it! Prostrate yourselves, for I will free you and everything you love from the shackles of established order! Scream, for I will be the merciless savior that eradicates all forms of inequality in this world, in my world!”

Silence took over the large courtyard as Vainia took her breath, the microphone still held near her mouth. Everyone in attendance was breathless, just like she was, unable to breathe or function properly in the face of her overwhelming ambition. No one knew what to say, but somewhere, somebody started to slowly clap. Vainia winced at the cliché and unoriginal reaction to her passion, but was unable to stop the loud clapping that thundered through her ears moments later. She was finished, had said all she had to say, but still her breast burned with energy, and she wanted to continue, to give these people the guidance they needed and tell them just how her empire would continue, but there wasn’t enough time for that.

She slipped a strand of hair out of her face and looked down once again. The clapping began to slow down as she took another breath. “I have said all that I came here to say, so I will be leaving you all with a directive. A purpose. You will all continue your studies, and your life will continue like normal for a good amount of time, but I want none of you to ever forget what I’ve said here. Never forget the feelings of revolution in your hearts that I gave you, and never forget the ambition I have built my life around. Some of you do not believe in what I am saying, and some of you believe me a worthless, hopelessly idealistic radical who has taken matters out of my control into my own hands, but that is to be expected. Remember that fire I have gifted you, and I will return, and we will make use of it. The fire that I have given you will be the match that starts the fire. The fire that will raze this world to the ground as it is now.”

She turned her head slightly, an inch at most, before she looked up to the sky and sighed. Then she began to speak again, as if she had forgotten something, and she had to mutter it as an after-thought. In actuality, it was the main reason she had come to Zeta. “When I call your name, I want you to stand up from your seat and come to the stage and stand beside me. I will call five of you, and if you do not mind, you will come with me back to Shorekeep. We have business to attend to, and the five of you that I call are special revolutionaries that I have studied and considered as heavy keys to our future. The choice is completely up to you, but I would implore you to stand and come with me with the utmost trust when your name is called. The future beckons, and there will not be a second chance to answer its call.” With this, she gave out her self-confident smile once again and looked to the silent student body before her.

She called five names and five people came to stand beside her, with no hesitation. Within thirty minutes, they were all on a train that was headed back to Shorekeep.

*****

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