Now that it was no longer early morning, the city had come fully alive. They quickly moved off from the main promenade of the city to the smaller, less patrolled streets. Well, not so much less patrolled as absolutely packed. The city was almost choking on its own citizens and several times they had to press through crowds of refugees so thick that Tilly felt as if he could hardly breathe from the bodies. The mood of the city, especially here, far away from the aristocracy was a heady mixture of near panic and dark melancholy. The refugees they passed were either so forceful in their begging that it amounted to a near mugging, or so still that Tilly had trouble believing they were still alive.
It didn't matter to Tilly that the refugees were mainly satyrs, with occasional members of other races. What was getting to him all over again was the kids… They were everywhere, sometimes playing in small groups protected by wary adults. Other times they just sat against the edge of the street, showing a more deadened hardness that spoke of truly hellish experiences. The weight of the city's plight once again pressed down on him and he felt a resurgence of the burning in his chest. The sensation clashed with the syrupy sweet tingling that was still throbbing up from his side and he wondered how he hadn’t thought much about the sensation until this moment.
Then he noticed the flashing notification icon in the corner of his eye. He was about to try and open it while following the lapins before remembering his hike through the forest and decided the thing could wait. Instead, he focused on keeping up through the press of bodies and tried to pay attention to his surroundings, Titus' threats looming in his mind.
Many of the houses and businesses they passed were abandoned by the more well-to-do owners of the city and had been boarded up. This opportunity had not been lost on the refugees who had taken to "repossessing" the buildings. This created a very post-apocalyptic feel as if these people were huddled in the ruins of a city, instead of taking refuge in the empire's capital.
Still, it was Tilly’s first magical city, and despite the growing squalor he still spotted some awesome signs glowing with magic. Shops selling items and armor that he had only ever seen in video games. Not that he had much time to sightsee. Hiro led them through the ever-shrinking streets at an unforgiving pace, taking turns seemingly at random, and sometimes doubling back the way they came.
Then, just like the sun peeking out on a cloudy day, their surroundings changed. They moved out of the general population area and were now surrounded by ancient, well-kept structures that had a distinctly island feel. There was also a notable difference in the people. Almost everyone in this new section of the city was from the turtle race and many of them walked around with an arcane implement of some kind.
Their pace broke down to a slow walk, and Hiro looked around as if waiting for someone. Shuji took a few deep breaths, trying to catch what he had lost in transit, and then looked over at Tilly with a smaller-than-normal smile, “We can't go to the Lapin district. They would find us immediately, and even if we fought them off, some of our people would die in the process. So we are taking a small risk in delaying.”
“I do not appreciate... the 'small risk'... you bring... to my people.” An ancient voice wheezed as an extremely wrinkled Turtle/Biped shuffled up to their group, leaning heavily on his gnarled staff covered in runes. Tilly thought he heard the sound of a seashore in the distance and looked around in confusion.
“Mr. Tillman, it is my pleasure to introduce Honored Elder Kihei Tide Caller,” Hiro said, following his words with a deep bow to the much older creature. The turtle-man was flanked by many of his kind although they stood a little ways off in deference. Hiro came up from his bow and continued, “Elder Kihei is the last elder of the Honu people and the greatest mage the Empire has left." He said introducing the Honu elder and then turning to address him directly. "The charade is almost up, the city would soon implode, even without the Cult of the Serpent at the door. So we have come to make a deal.” His expression was intense, yet still respectful as he looked directly into the eyes of the wizened elder which sparkled with a vibrant intelligence untouched by time's advance. In the face of Hiro's offer, that sharp gaze narrowed in suspicion.
“We often... found ourselves allies… in the senate… Yet never once did you… ask us for aid… Yours is a proud people… and your scheme to survive is obvious… even to the point of being narrow-minded.”
Hiro allowed himself a rare small smile at the words, “And I am sure your plan is well-rounded, conservative, and slow. This is happening faster than any of us thought, and I have already lost my son once because of pride. I will not lose my people by making the same mistake twice.”
“Very well…” the elder stated suddenly smiling, dropping his suspicion with deceptive ease.
“What do you need…from us... and what do you have... to offer?” Elder Kihei asked as if he had expected the offer for years. Those behind him, however, reacted in a comically slow display of shock. One honu literally took a full five seconds for his jaw to completely drop. Whatever was happening, it must have been unprecedented... Then moving to the front of the growing crowd, a distinctive-looking Honu arrived at the Elders's side, holding a conch shell. He moved without the exaggerated slowness of the others and wore practical and travel-stained robes along with a vibrant blue scarf.
Hiro's small smile grew more exultant at the elder's responce. “Is there any way we can be overheard?”
The elder did not answer but did tap his staff lightly on the ground, the sound of waves crashing against the shore grew noticeably.
“My gratitude, Elder, we do not share this secret easily, for it has been guarded for generations by my people...” Then his smile faltered and to Tilly’s surprise, he saw Hiro take a deep shaky breath before nodding to himself and continuing, “When my people attacked this Empire five hundred years ago, we did so because we too, were in decline and our Moon Goddess thought it was our only chance to solidify our position in the eyes of the Land. As you know, this attack failed and we became a conquered people, dishonored and relegated to vastly inferior classes as punishment by the emperor.
“This is all fairly well known. However, there are two facts known only to the royal line and a few close retainers. When our Goddess saw we would fail, she chose to sacrifice herself instead of serving the empire’s Rule of Law Divine mandate. With her life, she bought two things for my people. First were the two Mythic Bound weapons that could only be used by the royal line.” He said, gesturing to his sword,
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“The second thing she bought with her life was a Sovereign Crystal. Our people have called it our Promise for generations even though most don't know what it is.” The crowd gasped at his words, and even the elders' eyes widened.
“When we first received it, it was in its nascent stage, and still required a gift of 77 million experience. After five centuries, we are down to the last hundred thousand and we had planned to use it to break off from the empire and establish a new kingdom on the frontier. This of course will not work under the current timeline. I have too many people left in this city and no way to move them, neither can I come up with the rest of the experience in time to establish the new nation.”
“Wait,” Tilly blurted out, not even able to fathom how much it had cost the lapin people to donate that much experience. “Your people have just given up the chance to level for five hundred years to… uh, charge this thing?”
“That is correct Mr. Tillman,” Hiro said briefly turning to the side to address the human before turning back to the Honu and continuing to make his case.
“The majority of my people were forced to take servant or labor classes throughout our history here. They began certain stereotypes by leveling in those classes much slower than they should have to donate a portion of their Experience to the Promise. This earned us the reputation of being lazy and unreliable and we are widely regarded as a low-tier race, hampered by some sort of race-wide deficit.” As he concluded, his eyes hardened, and Tilly could feel the passion and dedication that had fueled these people to make such a sacrifice.
“Always… So stubborn… I assume the Emperor knew… some of this?”
“He knew that we would break from the empire rather than die here for ideals we did not share. He saw where this was headed and that he no longer had the power to stop it. He told me that as long as I didn't break any laws, or harm his people, he would not fault our desire to survive. Many now pursue the same end with much less honor.”
“On this… we agree. I see what you need from us: …a way for all of your people …to retreat to your new home…. Now what… can you offer?”
At this, Hiro gestured to Shuji, who quickly stepped forward, his loud and fast manner somewhat at odds with the rest of the conversation.
“Elder Kihei, it is an honor as always, I have always been fascinated by your entries into the imperial-”
“Shuji!” Hiro growled.
“Ah… yes, so sorry. We had a formal Covenant document prepared that would have rendered this in binding terms, but it was made as a contingency and does not include many of the pertinent variables that we currently face… But in essence, we offer you full access to the Sovereign Crystal to be housed on neutral grounds as well as a portion of the land we have subdued to be bound to your people until the new Lapin kingdom falls or you choose to move elsewhere. We essentially offer you a place in our... Confederacy.” Shuji finished, rattling off most of the details in two breaths.
The elder considered the terms for a long minute, as those behind him spoke back and forth in slow mumbling tones,
“Those terms sound acceptable… But I wish to add… one addendum…I too have… made a promise....to our emperor… When your people flee… we request you take as many… refugees as you can… through the portal.”
Hiro grimaced at the addendum and slowly that grimace turned into an expression of smoldering anger. Emotion warred on his face as he searched for a counterproposal and Tilly’s chest tightened as he realized he was witnessing the other side of that same racial blindness he had experienced in the senate. He was growing to respect the lapin leader and to see such a shallow shortsightedness in him hit Tilly like a gut punch.
He couldn't help but interject again.
"Listen, Hiro," Tilly growled, drawing all eyes in the conversation towards him.
"Your son named me a Friend to the lapin people, and you offered me your sword. I have followed you without question for the better part of a day, getting myself in a world of shit along the way. Whatever equity I have with you, I'm to putting it on the table. You need to agree to this. We need to get as many people out as we can before this city is destroyed."
Hiro’s smoldering anger evened out into something flat and controlled as he considered Tilly's words. Then with a slow deliberate cadence, he answered,
“They will not destroy the city. They will conquer it. And yes, many here will become slaves to the Cult of the Serpent, but we can do nothing about that. The empire has failed all of us! Now we fight simply to protect whatever little we can.” Hiro’s voice did not rise as he moved through his response, but each successive word was laden with increasing amounts of bitterness. As each word landed, Tilly began to feel the weight of decades spent fighting for an institution that prospered off the servitude of his people.
“The Ship. Is. Sinking. We each must look to our own.” He finished vehemently.
Tilly knew he was asking for too much from the man who was fighting to keep his people alive, but Tilly couldn't stop picturing the thousands of children littering the street, looking for some refuge from the war at their doorstep. Words poured out of his mouth before he could count their cost, or measure their implication,
“Fuck. That. If you want me with you for the rest of this little adventure, we are going to save as many of these people as we can. Or I am out. ” Tilly almost shouted, gesturing widely to the broader city behind him.
“I am afraid… That we feel the same… We can link the platforms… for your people to get through… but you must allow others… the same chance.” The elder cut in.
“Human, as much as I appreciate your magnanimous gesture, how can we possibly house, let alone feed all these people,” Shuji interjected desperately.
“We may have… some ideas on this front… We will contact you… midday tomorrow… and you will meet the others.”
“Do not share the information I have revealed to you this day with these 'others'. I see that this conversation must continue and I know we have imposed on your protection for long enough... I will come tomorrow.” Hiro relented spitefully.
“Understood…” Elder Kihei sighed, gesturing to the Honu next to him to come forward. The honu approached with uncharacteristically normal speed and handed a shell to Shuji. Even in the heat of the moment, Tilly couldn't help but notice the younger honu's scarf was drifting as if underwater.
“The divination is increasing in intensity, Elder. Whoever they are sending is very powerful.” He muttered, looking around as if something was going to pop out of the shadows at any second.
"Our guests know this... Franklin... Worry not... They are leaving now..."
Shuji pocketed the shell, “Yes, very sorry about that. We have a place to meet them set aside. We will be on our way.” Shuji said, accompanying his words with another bow.
“I will meet your people Elder. We will see what we can do in the time left to us.” Hiro said with a reluctant nod of his head. Then he turned to Tilly his gaze turning cold.
“If it is not too much to ask Mr. Tillman, we need to go now and get as ready as we can. They are coming, and after your performance today, they will have you in their sights as well. Whether you are with us or not.” Hiro challenged.
Tilly returned his flat look feeling slightly sheepish, but not at all apologetic. He quickly gave his own bow to the honu elder and then nodded in affirmation to the two lapins.
“Yeah... let's go. I hope you guys have one hell of a plan.”
At that, Shuji barked out a laugh, “Ha! Yes, Jonathan Tillman! I believe you will love it!”