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Chapter 30 - Focus 1

Early afternoon in the forest of Dantas is a warm, and bright time of day. The sun glares through the spaces in the sky of green, bright spots glow throughout the forest and provides enough light to illuminate the distance. Ara, Akheela, and the Leopards have been trekking their way North West to meet with a large squadron of insurgents. At present, the insurgents are scattered into three groups across Dantas- Two large groups consisting of eighty percent of the rebels and a small group of the remaining twenty percent.

The first group is at the northern tip of Dantas, being led by Tolith Encaryn himself. It is unclear what their current mission is. Secrecy was ordered amongst his generals to ensure whatever they have planned is kept secret.

The second group is led by Aiman- Tolith's second in command. Their mission was to liberate the city of Aliim in the next two weeks, but the plan was rescheduled upon discovering that Akheela had been captured and taken to Aliim. The leopards have been hired to join this effort and liberate Aliim alongside the rebels.

They have all stopped on the river bank to rest, having spent the entire night and early hours of the morning trying to escape the Dantian military that had been following them. They stopped a few minutes away from a small town called Eago- It is smaller than the dock town of Setii but still has a military presence. The town is situated above a large river from the East of the continent to the SouthWest, their only options are to pass through, or go the long way around- clients prefer if you don't arrive late. Matsuko and Kimi have made their way to scope out the town and determine the extent of military presence.

The war in Dantas has been developing for many rotations. It is a result of the uncaring leadership of Zeno Arel and his five sons, each of whom is the current ruler of Dantas' five capital cities. His oldest child- his daughter Zeari Arel, is publically known to be his heiress.

The next ruler of Dantas.

Aliim is one of the capital cities under the control of his son, Neho Arel. The city is known for its production of food, namely its grains, and vegetables. Aliim used to provide sixty percent of the nation's grain and vegetable supplies, but since Zeno enacted a state of arms it has been under Neho's control. He has restricted the supply of Aliim's goods to the military alone. Leaving many cities throughout Dantas scrambling to provide these necessities to their people. Many have died as a result.

Ara noticed how enraged Akheela is about the state of the nation. Hiking through the darkness, Nina and Chaung managed to pry context out of Akheela- despite her reluctance. From what Ara could gather, it is the neglect and antipathy that Zeno expresses towards the people. More than uncaring. He holds a deep hatred toward the citizens- And this comes as quite a shock considering the efforts his Father went through to empower the Dantian people. All undone by setting laws that stifle progress. Enslaving families and slaughtering renegades.

Outlawing the magic.

Ara feels her body tensing at the recollections of what she's learned. All of it feels and sounds eerily familiar. A nation like this would have her family killed too- have I been living in a hell like theirs my whole life without ever realizing it? Do these leaders not care about their people? She glances out to the sea of sapphire expanding in front of her. The SouthWest flowing river is like an oasis amongst the wilds of Dantas. The river bank serves as a haven from the claustrophobia of the neverending forests. On the horizon, the trees stand as a great wall of greenery that peeks higher than any structure Ara has seen, hiding all that may be amongst it.

Are they the ones I should kill? The abyss of her mind draws a silhouette of these strangers that take the lives of innocent families with no remorse.

I can see the sky. She notices. This is the first time she's seen the Luná blue in a few days, it's quite jarring- knowing your outside but always being enclosed. Surrounded. She turns her head to Akheela, who has her eyes closed and her legs crossed.

"The whole point is to avoid being consumed by your mind," Akheela scolds, with her eyes still closed.

Ara closes her eyes and turns her head, like a soldier being called out by their sergeant.

"Do not try to control them. Let them flow." Akheela adds.

Ara focuses on the darkness of her eyelids. The nothingness she can feel slowly consumes her body as the whispers of her mind start to arise in the distant void.

You couldn't save them. Does Nina hate us?

No, I killed them.

I should be dead too. Where is Chaung?

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Who killed Ma'ma?

I miss them all.

Am I too weak?

Akheela is powerful, I can feel her.

Strength is the answer.

Why?

There is no strength in you.

I hate myself.

Someone must pay.

Someone must pay.

Someone must pay.

Ara can't help but sour her face in her attempts to overlook the cries of her mind. Keeping her eyes closed feels like inducing a nightmare. The constant beat of punishment and anguish. The feeling of rage when she thinks about herself. It's impossible.

I hate myself.

Her breath stutters, as she finds herself panicking for air. Her eyes beamed shut as she feels the itching sensations of the rope wrapping around her neck. Her body tightens, squirming as her unrhythmic breathing discomforts her.

She's trapped.

Placing herself on trial for her way of being.

Her voice is a heavy one, filled with self-loathing and self-dissection. She always noticed it, but never knew it. Not like this.

Her body jitters as she loses her breath, unable to regain it as she drowns in the mind. It's suffocating. Not just what has happened but the fact that this is how she sees herself. She can't stand it.

Her body hiccups and she opens her eyes. Slouching over and gasping for air as the soft crashes of the river return to her senses. She feels a hand on her shoulder, and she turns to see Akheela crouched beside her.

"It is not easy," Akheela says, passing her an endearing smile. The grey of her eyes appears cold but holds so much warmth.

So much understanding.

"The first step is to realize the depths of your mind," She adds, clearly trying her best to support her.

But the rage. The distaste compressed within her expands with every day she tries ignoring it. This only took her deeper, making it all clearer than she wanted it to be. "I'm done with this," She responds, shrugging Akheela's hand off her shoulder.

"Tell me what you saw?" Akheela asks.

"Don't act like you don't know," Ara snaps. "If I do keep doing this, I'm going to hurt someone."

"Who?" She asks.

The bastards who decide our fate. Her mind barks, but she turns her eyes to the stones of the river bank. She doesn't want to acknowledge it. The hatred within her.

"I know what you're doing," Ara responds.

"And what is that?"

"You don't need me to say anything to get an answer."

"A'ra, this rage within you will only grow to control you if you do not embrace it. You cannot escape your voice."

Ara grinds her teeth, shaking her head at the advice, "I will not embrace this."

Ara stands to her feet, dusting off any dust on her clothes before retiring from the session.

"Listen to mine," Akheela calls out before she leaves.

"What?"

"Listen to my voice again. Properly this time,"

"You didn't let me in last time," She scoffs.

"I know," Akheela responds with a firm voice. "I'm sorry for that, but this time I will."

Ara sighs, putting her hands on her hips and wandering her eyes to their surroundings before looking back at Akheela- Who pats the rocks in front of her, gesturing Ara to come sit. She rolls her eyes and returns to her seat, this time facing Akheela.

"The voice is the essence of one's being. The whispers are the entryway to their mind. Listen carefully for the whispers of mine," Akheela instructs.

Ara briefly focuses on the sound of Akheela's voice before the ocean-blue energy radiates around her. This time, it feels much less focused. More open. She then directs her focus to the feeling of Akheela's voice, a strong quaking in Ara's core rises as she finds the whisper of voices start to echo in the forests around her. She turns her head in reaction, thinking she heard someone before looking back to Akheela. A sudden awareness arises that it is Akheela's voice she's hearing. It isn't as enraged as Ara, but not completely melancholy either. It's a spectrum of States ranging from whispered fits of rage to louder expressions of joy. All layering amongst one another like a swarm.

"Find one that calls to you," Akheela says, immediately prompting Ara to notice the fits of anger screaming in the forest.

The tempered howls vacuum to the forefront, and like a choir stood around, faint whisps of her glow surround her. Each one appears with a voice of its own, flailing on all sides of her. The one looming in front of her rings the loudest. The aura pulsates and shakes, mouthing the voice within Akheela.

Bellowing one thing without drawing breath between repeating-

Don't trust me.