It didn't take Dissonance's group four months to replant the field. It didn't take them five months, either. Instead, it took them four and a half months.

Some would say Taza's prediction was accurate enough – Accurate enough for those four and a half months to be productive for the entirety of the newly founded Lasenberg. And indeed, it was. Thanks to his prediction, work could be spread out over the course of four months and possible improvements in the fifth month if it were to come around, ordered by importance. And although they had been hesitant with their movements and unsure of how seriously they were to take the whole idea of having their own city, with time they became more and more confident with their plan. People of the City of Dissonance asked questions and they always presented the same responses – They proudly told all of their independent city. The four month plan, as Will had dubbed it, went something like this;

For the first month, foundations were laid out for the walls, encircling a large area around the caravan and some of the forest nearby. Trees were cut down, materials were gathered, and everything was carefully planned out by Fonda. The five worked day and night, barely sleeping and spending all their days beginning their ambitious plan. Errett, together with Taza, had put work into preparing the uniforms for their country, eventually designing the final version and putting orders in place to have them tailored for everyone in the country. And although pessimistic at first, it was clear Errett had started to grow on the idea of having their own nation. And the day the five had finally began building up the wall, Errett excitedly returned to Lasenberg with a large box of something unknown to them. He opened it before the group with a grin.

"A little deal with Quawin and here we have them – Official Lasenbergian uniforms!"

Errett opened the box and started removing five carefully folded outfits, each one with a small label on top of it. While everyone else struggled to get theirs, Will stepped forward with concern.

"...A deal with Quawin? What deal exactly?"

He moved his hair aside. He knew more than anyone Quawin had some shady business practices, and wasn't exactly the go-to guy for deals around the city. Errett put aside his own uniform and then passed Will his.

"Don't worry about it. Just a few personal funds."

He came closer with the man's uniform.

"I had this one made special for you. Since you're technically our president and all."

Will picked up his uniform and inspected it for a while.

"Everyone! Try them on! Let's see how they look!"

In seconds the whole group scattered, finding places to change in peace. Tom rushed to the caravan, Taza hid somewhere behind it, Fonda ran behind some trees, and Errett, with a bit more control over himself, went to stand behind some of the foundations the group had made up for the wall. Will soon did the same, arriving at a spot alone and distant from everyone else. He changed quickly, at first struggling with some of the more complicated bits of the uniform but getting them eventually. A few minutes later he had made his way back to the front of the caravan, where he found everyone else still missing. With nothing else to do and great curiosity, Will wandered to the lake and glanced into his reflection.

The uniform, as quickly as Errett had strung it together, was stunning. Black, tight trousers with brown boots, and a clean, white shirt to go along with it. Over it, a dark orange coat with golden buttons and shoulder pads. Between the shirt and the trousers, around his stomach, he had wrapped a green piece of cloth, tightening all of the parts of the uniform and making it easier to manoeuvre. There was a belt going around from his right shoulder to the left side of his waist, with straps for a bow or a sword to be placed on the back. The uniform even had a green tie to go along with it – Will had never been a fan of ties, but it seemed to fit him quite well in this look. The man could even see the custom changes Errett had ensured he got – His name, alongside the title of "President", was carefully sewn into his jacket with a golden thread.

"...Looking good, Mr. President."

Errett emerged from around the wall foundations, his uniform already in place. His uniform simply had 'Errett' sewn into it with silver thread.

"How do you like it? I'd say you look ready for a war!"

The man got closer, both now looking down into the lake.

"You know what?"

Will turned and watched his reflection, inspecting his coat from every angle.

"I rather like it. It definitely makes us look like far more than some random rule-breakers."

He put a hand on Errett's shoulder.

"Thanks, Errett. You're really making this whole thing work."

"Happy to help."

Errett tilted his head, smiling.

"Once this war is over and done with, we're gonna make this country a force to be reckoned with!"

He lifted his hand in a fist for a moment, chuckling to himself as he realized how over-dramatic he had sounded.

"...I'll be happy to have you by my side, then.", Will told him, relaxing his shoulders. The two's peaceful talk, however, was cut short soon enough. Tom had run out of the caravan, grinning widely as he spun around and showed off his uniform.

"Look at this! I look proper badass!"

He paused, pointing to himself.

"Who's ready for a revolution? This guy, bitches!"

Errett and Will both couldn't help but laugh as they watched Tom run around with his uniform like a kid on Halloween with the best costume in town - His eyes were practically glimmering with excitement.

"...Your tie is all weird. Come here."

Will grabbed the boy by the shoulder and pulled him closer, forcing him to a stop. There was a child-like grimace on his face, but despite this, he stayed still and allowed the man to rearrange his outfit. A few silent mutters and one fixed tie later, he finally spoke;

"I could have fixed that myself, you know?", Tom mumbled with an impatient tone of voice, awkwardly shifting around as Will moved on to rearranging the collar of his shirt.

"You put it on wrong in the first place. You wouldn't have even noticed it was wrong."

Will arranged his jacket a bit more and finally stepped back.

"And I can't have my right hand man looking unruly now, can I?"

Tom's eyes went wide for a moment, and he gasped.

"Your-"

Before could speak, Will silenced him with a quick gesture. He pointed to Errett, now talking with Taza, who had just gotten there with his own uniform.

"Your right hand man, Will?", he whispered in disbelief.

"For real?"

"Tom, you're the only person who's seen the dreams. You're the only one here who will ever be able to understand me."

Will paused, smiling as he saw the young boy's eyes filling with glee.

"Just... don't tell the others yet. I'm still thinking about how to announce it properly..."

"You can trust me, Will!"

Tom saluted him as Fonda, the last to have fully changed, arrived at the group. His tail was awkwardly poking out of the top of his trousers, which Errett attempted to swiftly fix with a pair of scissors. The young blonde joined them soon enough, poking fun at Fonda with how ridiculous he looked trying to fit the fluffy tail into a small hole Errett had cut. Will looked at the whole group as they talked, himself standing at a distance.

This could work out... this could really work out.

The second month was spent with more focus on the wall than before. The group started doing odd-jobs around the town to get funding and materials, in some places even getting supplies gifted to them. Errett, with the uniforms completed, began making some changes to the wall's overall design, allowing them to build something far stronger far more quickly. The five spent all thirty days of the month laying foundations, layering large, black bricks and didn't waste any of their time. And for the whole month, Dissonance's group had refused to show themselves. Some of the people in the town took it upon themselves to protect it from the creatures in the woods - But there didn't seem to be a need for it. As the citizens scouting the outer edge of the city had reported, most of the monsters were slain by someone with expert precision. At the news, the city seemed to relax. They had dubbed the mystery hero 'The Blade', after the clean cuts he had made on the monster's bodies. The man had proven to be the peace of mind the city needed with Dissonance, Sapana and Georgie nowhere to be found... and yet, Will couldn't help but notice Tom getting uncomfortable whenever The Blade had been mentioned.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The third month was when doubt began creeping in. Errett continued questioning the stability of the wall - Although doing it under his breath, his small comments and remarks were enough to send everyone else into internal panic. Fonda's arm refused to heal, leaving him unable to contribute to helping build the wall. This left him disheartened, walking around with his head kept low and constantly whispering under his breath about being 'useless' and a 'burden'. Taza, although he wouldn't let it show directly, still struggled with the loss of the flower field and his home. The longing looks towards where it had once been and the late night walks to its remains were enough to show everyone he was struggling. And finally, there was Tom, the worst of them all. Ever since the first mention of The Blade and his heroic fights in the woods around the city, he had been giving the forest nervous glances. He'd tug at his jacket as they wandered through to gather wood or hunt animals, and at night he'd lose sleep patrolling the edge of great forestry. Will knew he had to interfere in some way - So while the others were busy working on the wall, he pulled Tom aside and confronted him about his strange behaviour.

"So what's the deal with you and The Blade?", Will asked without much context required.

Tom shifted his coat, played around with his sleeve and looked up, trying his best to sound confused. Tom, however, was not a very good liar.

"...What do you mean?", he asked, but his stammer gave him away almost instantly.

Will leaned forward, noticing Tom's tie to be off once more. Almost two months of wearing the uniform and he still struggled with it...

"It's not hard to see. You get nervous every time you hear about him."

Will began rearranging Tom's tie while he spoke.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Just know you don't have to be scared around me."

"It's..."

Tom sighed and moved the man's hand away, starting to fix up the tie himself.

"It's a long story, and it'd be too much to explain, anyway. Just don't worry about it."

Will grabbed Tom's arm before he could walk away. This was enough to force him to sigh and speak, unable to just turn away from his friend;

"...I've met him before.", the boy finally whispered, looking back.

"I mean... I think I did. I'm not really sure. Remember when Sapana threw me into that cave?"

Tom crossed his arms as Will nodded.

"Well, someone saved me. There was a spider... a huge one. And it was about to attack me, but then someone... something... killed it. A perfect cut, one stab. Just as The Blade does it."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?", Wilbur instantly asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Tom, there could be someone in those woods who could help us stay safe from Dissonance, why didn't you-"

Tom's hands suddenly clenched into fists, an angry glare coming to his expression.

"Because I was scared, Will! I don't know why that man he... he made me feel so afraid and... and I felt like if I told anyone he'd hurt me. But I decided to tell you because... well, you trust me, so I trust you too. But you have to promise to not tell anyone!"

Will thought about it for just a moment, but seeing the helpless expression on Tom's face, he made his choice.

"...Fine. I won't. I promise. But I need to know more."

Hesitantly, the boy let his fists relax once more and stepped back.

"Why are you so afraid of him?"

"...I... I don't know..."

Tom's voice became shaky and uncertain.

"...It's just... his voice, or... I don't know... I'm scared and I don't know why... It's like I know I should be, and- I- I don't-"

"Hey, it's alright.",

Will noticed the boy getting progressively more uncomfortable, so he pulled him closer into a gentle hug.

"He won't hurt you, Tom. I'll keep you safe. I promise."

"...I know you will..."

He wrapped his arms around the other's waist, burying his face deep in his shirt.

"But I still don't get it.... why am I so afraid?"

"Not everything makes sense.", Will muttered, slowly running his hand through the boy's blonde tuft of curly hair.

"Like our dreams. Those memories. And whatever lies in between. We don't understand it, but that's okay. We have each other, so even if we don't figure it out, at least some of it makes sense. So you might not understand the fear, but at least you know he's keeping us safe for now. Right?"

The boy sniffled and forced a sad smile.

"Right.", he responded, clearing his throat.

"Right.", he said again, moving away from Will.

"Thanks, Willz."

The man flinched - He had never been called that before. In a strange way, it felt incredibly familiar. He instantly assumed it to be from the dreams - most of this strange familiarity with the most random things came from it. He watched as Tom walked away, pleased he could at least give him peace of mind.

This peace, however, would not last for long.

The fourth month was when everything finally came together. The wall was completed, Tom finished designing the flag, and summer was coming to an end at a quickening pace. The air grew colder and leaves started turning orange and brown shades, falling from the trees at sluggish rates. With this season came a lot of worry and unrest, Taza claiming the field would be right about fully grown by now. Still, Dissonance did not show himself. A mix of past worries and impatience while waiting for the three leaders to return had left everyone uneasy and unsure of the future of their nation - A nation not yet officially independent.

Will knew he had to do something to motivate his men (even if there were only four of them), so he gathered them all together above a small piece of paper with a quill dipped in ink in his hand. He laid it out on a small table Fonda had made when his arm finally started working properly again. He insisted on helping somehow, and with the wall already built, he ended up pretty much single-handedly wiping out most of the trees within Lasenberg's walls. He started laying down bases for a home that Tom, Taza and Errett could stay in, as well as creating some crafting spots outside. One of these was a table Tom often used for designing the flag, by which Will was now writing something down and reading it aloud. The rest of the city gathered around him, carefully listening in to what he was writing. Accompanied by the scratching of the quill, his voice dictated the nation's declaration of independence;

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Forever the nation of the City of Dissonance has cast great troubles upon our great earth. Imprisoned us. Threatened us. Exploited us. This time of tyranny ends with us. This document declares that the nation which shall be henceforth known as Lasenberg is separate, emancipated and independent from the nation of the City of Dissonance.

The union of the friends-in-arms. Together we are one. When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one to destroy the bonds which tie us. Disregarding this truth is nothing short of tyranny. We hold these truths to be clear that all men are created equal. The right of the people exists above the right of leaders. The right of the government and the right of the economy.

From Lasenberg we shall prevail.

Life. Liberty. And the pursuit of freedom.

"First, I will sign it. As the president of Lasenberg, I officially declare this nation our own."

Will moved the quill down and under the text signed with his full name, Will Ash.

"Fonda, you next. sign here, please.."

Will passed his son the quill and pointed to a spot a large distance below his name, noticeably skipping a line.

"I am honoured to sign this document...", Fonda started, grabbing the quill.

He hesitantly moved his hand to the paper and wrote down, Flurry 'Fonda' Ash.

"...Declaring our nation independent, and our own."

Will smiled, passing the quill to Errett.

"I sign this document...", Errett started, and hesitated.

Will couldn't overlook how he held back, biting his lip. Then, finally, he wrote his name. Unlike the other two, he only used his title, simply spelling out ERRETT in all capitals.

"...Declaring us independent from the City of Dissonance."

The man paused for a moment and then passed the quill to Taza.

"With great pride, I sign this document...", the boy started, quickly scribbling in Toby 'Taza' Smith.

He looked up with a proud grin, putting his hands on his hips.

"And officially declare this nation independent from Dissonance's tyrannical regime!"

Now, all eyes settled on Tom, who was last to sign. He grabbed the quill and moved it down past Taza's signature, but Will stopped him and pointed to the small spot he left below his own name.

"...Tom. I am happy to finally be able to officially declare you... "

He looked at Tom with a grin.

"...My right hand man and my Vice-President."

To this, the whole group gasped. He moved closer, an excited giggle escaping him as he wrote his name down in a rush; Thomas 'Tom Indeo' Sabuta.

"Thank you, Willz!", Tom exclaimed, saluting the president.

"I won't disappoint! I promise!"

Will smiled gently and lifted the declaration up, seeing everyone's faces grow bright from excitement as it was displayed. No one else but Will seemed to notice this, however... for the first time since he first put on the uniform, Tom finally had his tie on right.

And a half a month later, Dissonance, Georgie, and Sapana finally returned, a stash of potions with them.

He remembered that day well. Dissonance arrived, looked at the walls, took a single look at the declaration of independence, and hid his whole face with his mask. He walked back to his city, and only minutes later he returned, dropping a small document before them. They didn't even need to pick it up from the floor to read it – The title was clear as day to everyone gathered around it.

DECLARATION OF WAR