Arc 4: What families entail
Road to a hero:
Three chances in another world
Chapter 39. Gotta build a brand
Gray and Edward walk quietly through the forest. Everything is silent until they hear thunder in the sky, and rain starts to fall.
Gray: “Dammit, good thing I started wearing a cloak huh.”
Edward: “Yeah, I got one too. I get why you always wore one now.”
Gray: “Yeah, and they look cool. Your armor is really cool by the way. And that sword, it’s smaller than your last one…but sharper and more like a big sword compared to a great sword.”
Edward: “It’s just more reasonable, I see you got your Leviathan armor. It fits you.”
Gray: “Thanks, it’s really light. And I like how it’s in parts and not some uncomfortable thing.”
Edward: “Did you get your mouthguard?”
Gray: “I did but I didn’t want it. You got a mask right? That skull-looking thing you got attached to your belt.”
Edward: “Oh it is.”
Gray: “Are you stealing my style?”
Edward: “Um…gotta build a brand or whatever you said.”
Gray: “Good point.”
Edward: “Do you…think we’ll be able to take back Walgonia?”
Gray: “I don’t know...if we kill Arthur…we’ll be freeing Walgonia from tyranny…but if we tell the world about Arthur's true nature and how we saved them from it they should believe in us. But what he should do is give the people the right to choose. Before only officials could vote and that’s just stupid.”
Edward: “But we aren’t rightfully the king, they wouldn’t just let us do that.”
Gray: “If we take Arthur and his army out they’ll have to listen. Because they know what will happen if they don’t.”
Edward: “So well force a government to do what we want by threatening them? Isn't that just like the Sect?”
Gray: “The Sects' ideals aren't outright evil, they just go about it wrong. We will give people choices, and the government will have to follow. If we were like the Sect we would just take over the country in our name, and say it’s for the people.”
Edward: “If you say so…but who would we want to rule if the officials are wrong?”
Gray: “I don’t know…I like Leo but I don’t think he would be a good leader. Lincoln might be a good choice but what if he runs away again? Ryo isn't decisive enough, so that really leaves Gordon for the choice.”
Edward: “Actually I agree; Gordon might be the best choice. He’s been leading for years, he knows the system and is content with continuing to be within the system. So I think he’s trustworthy.”
Gray: “We’re almost at the hideout, so I think we should ask them.”
They continue to speak to each other without break, stepping through the muddy forest while rain continues to drench them both. But Gray, who'd usually complain about something like this, seems to be quiet and accepting of it for once. Because, for what ever reason, he seems to finally be relaxed after so much stressful thinking.
Edward: “Since Arthur knows we’re here…we have to act fast so he doesn't come with an army. But if we leave Arthur will gain Beauregard's resources making him unbeatable. And even if we win we’ll have to act fast since that volcano will erupt.”
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Gray: “We lose every single time…it’s almost impossible. But if we take Beauregard out of power fast enough, Arthur can’t get Athens' resources.”
Edward: “OH! And if he starts a war, the other countries will step in due to the ACT act.”
Gray: “ACT?”
Edward: “All countries together. It was established after the Demi-human war to keep countries from starting another war by getting the other three to ban together and put a stop to it."
Gray: “So the only way to stop Arthur and the Sect from getting the resources is to stop Beauregard in a few days. And if we do that, the ACT act will be inplace and we'll be able to worn Valatrocitus and Ravoria and they'll come it to free Walgonia."
Edward: “It's a possibility, but sense we'd be attacking Beauregard they might turn against us, and we don't even know if they aren't compromised as well. So we'll keep in on the down low for now, Oh, we’re here.”
They step into the tunnel and walk to the main room. And once they do they open the door and see all the Red Arrows running around gathering things, restraining Athen guards, and talking.
Gray: “What the hell?”
Edward: “Let’s go to Leo's room.”
Gray and Edward force themselves through the mass of people and make it to Leo's room. When they get in, they see Rosemary, Soku, Leo, Julius, and Peter struggling to make sense of their goal.
Rosemary: “GRAY!...wait…EDWARD!?”
Edward: “Hey guys…”
Rosemary hugs Edward and kisses Gray, while Peter and Soku freeze in disbelief.
Soku: “How are you…alive?”
Edward: “Moro lied about killing me and I broke free. Oh and Leo…I found Lincoln.”
Leo grabs Edward out of shock, getting into his face and getting spit in Edwards only eye.
Leo: “WHAT!? You found my father!?”
Edward: “Yes…and he told me that…the volcano is going to erupt.”
And then nothing. For a moment, if only brief, the always cerotic and ecstatic man known as Leo Valentine had to stop. He slummed onto the floor, grabbing his knee's, completely removed of the will to fight.
Leo: “Mount Solon…is going to erupt…my home, my country will be destroyed. So all of this is for nothing, maybe we should just quit and tell Beauregard, wave the white flag and all that.”
Gray: “But we have time…kinda. Arthur will probably bring an army to stop us. So we have to act fast. Probably within the week.”
Edward: "And that volcano shouldn't be erupting for another few months. Giving us time to react."
Peter: “Is that even possible?”
Rosemary: “It should be.”
Gray: “Also why are the Red Arrows moving captured Athen guards?”
Gray looks to the lower floors below, watching as Athens guards are being striped of their things and are being tide up to be placed within the deeper tunnles.
Leo: “Because I knew Beauregard would send his men home. So I sent the Red Arrows to attack and capture them.”
Gray: “Damn…”
Leo: “Surprisingly, many of them already want to help us.”
Soku: “So we’re getting their help.”
Gray: “And where’s Caesar?”
Rosemary: “He said he got information on the Gravestone pirates.”
Edward: “WHAT!? WHEN!?”
Soku: “A little bit ago…we were going to attack them and get them out.”
Edward: “I’m in. I’ve been training for a while now and I’m ready. I’ve been watching them…I went back to the bay and I found their main camp.”
Leo: “Lucky, I can beat Beauregard by myself…and I assume Arthur left so I don’t have to worry about that again.”
Rosemary: “Calgary is an issue…but he took a lot of damage yesterday. If I go in with some help I’ll be able to beat him I’m sure of it.”
Leo: “Athens isn’t known for their healers, so he should be in rough shape for a while.”
Julius: “If I, Rosemary, and Gray attack Calgary you should be able to win.”
Soku: “What about me?”
Julius: “Moros right-hand man, Justone is a problem. I’ve done my research and I learned that he is strong but not nearly as strong as Moro. He is a fish demi-human and I assume he’s staying on the main ship, so he’ll have the power.”
Soku: “Yeah, he’s in his natural domain…I’ll get killed!”
Julius: “Your natural domain is the sky, you will have the power. Move in with Red Arrows for assistance and win. Get them out of this country.”
Peter: “We got a lot of explosives! The old one got one or two ships so if we sink them they’ll be STUCK!”
Edward: “Give me twenty men. I’ll attack the camp and kill all of them. Then I’ll move on to Moro.”
Peter: “Gray, I’ve been looking at the gun you showed me and I think I can make it shoot my poppers!”
Gray: “Give them some of the explosives. Wait for them to get on the ship and shoot it…nuke the ship.”
Leo: “That might work…it has to work.”
Julius: “So it’s settled. I’ll explain this to Caesar when he gets here.”
Caesar burst through the door, extremely excited.
Caesar: “I HEARD ALL OF IT!”
Gray: “Good, we don’t gotta explain then.”
Caesar: “We’ll need about one or two tons of crystals to bomb the ship. Send out some Athen guards dressed in Red Arrow outfits to “lose” the shipment.”
Peter: “What if they die?”
Caesar: “I’ll go with them and make sure that doesn't happen.”
Edward: “And what if they don’t put it on the ship?”
Rosemary: “Then blow it up in their camp.”
Edward: “Alright then…that was easy I guess.”
Gray: “If we move fast it should take like a day or two to get it set up.”
Leo: “Okay, Caesar, tell the guards to move the flame crystals. Gray, Soku, Rosemary, and Edward you go warm up and rest. You need to be in tip-top shape. Peter, you go set up your boom-boom weapon.”
Gray: “This is going a lot faster than before.”
Leo: “Well we didn’t have this big of a lead. We have my brother's men, his resources, cover, and a plan. All he has is time.”
Rosemary: “And If he leaves, we’ll have control of the castle!”
Gray: “Alright then, let's get started.”
END OF Chapter thirty-nine