Preface And Prologue
Just a few quick things before the prologue. Hi, I'm Let It Rain. My work is meant to be read online, although I have my patreon (and maybe my ko-fi), where I'll post more chapters if it happens to be helpful. I'm publishing this in Royal Road and Scribble Hub. For those in RR, you can check this in SH to see more tags.
There'll be light management and some little politics, nothing too much. It does matter, but it's not the focus here. This is an alternative modern world, another universe. Yes, there are 'winks' to certain things, but such is my wish. Now that I've said that, I do not intend any hate or negative opinions about anyone's peoples. Whenever something comes up, controversial or monumental, it's just satire, one way or another. It is also 'my story', not what I think 'history' should be like, and so on.
That's about it. Thank you for reading, and if you like this, I hope you keep reading, always ^,^.
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In the 10th century, between 910 and 920, the world witnessed disorder for the first time in nearly 200 years since the Green Transformation. Nearly all of that peace was gone, just because of a few wrong sentences and accidental slip ups on live feed.
Bioweapons made their appearance despite their very well-known end from another time. It caused utmost fear across the world. However, and fortunately, such a thing never went further than that.
Perhaps the night skies becoming illuminated by enormous bodies of light, soaring into the heavens, were scary, but they were handled, somehow… However, in the end, these accidental, extreme actions were ultimately neutralized.
They flew across the sky, only going up and higher. But they were guided elsewhere, where not much life is seen, even in the vast oceans, and saved everything and everyone from ever suffering something like that.
However, there was one ‘casualty’ that couldn’t share such aid, or luck. Preut, the once richest state in the Lýmoca, also not yet 200 years of independence, suffered one hasty self-destruction above its sky.
It was a beautiful sight, one to never forget, but also one that seeded fear into a few tens of millions of hearts since that night for the following months. A blast so light green yet illuminated like spheres of pure light spread throughout, falling on Preut, rich, beautiful, and flourishing even after several dozens of years.
But nothing happened, and as years went on, other than covered situations where people died from sudden toxicity, gaining a new word to the record of fearsome deaths, Preut continued shining. Of course, there was one discrepancy than before the event. Their luscious trees, known to harbor one of the most cherished types of wood in the world, began rotting and killing everything they rooted around.
The years went by, and like that, Preut gradually became a source of concern for the world’s nature enthusiasts and research organizations. One of the 10 richest states in the world worryingly became one without tourists and with some nations bad-mouthing the independent Nation State, as it was declared in the Green Transformation.
The world continued breathing, and the waters continued flowing underneath. Perpetrators and saviors weren’t much known, to the public, at least.
. . .
1,014, Lýmoca’s capital, Proteros. At the Presidential Precinct.
Everything was packing with people, cameras, mostly people, and bright lights everywhere. It was as if to make their brand-new president look whiter and more dashing in the cameras. He was already handsome, but even his suit was perhaps around 2 million credits, not counting any social points to discount it.
The new president laughed and held a young girl’s arm, saluting the cameras and craning his neck to look for some people. Not reporters, political parties’ members, supporters and those who lightly smiled and clapped, or more cameras; just people. However, that proved difficult.
His light brown skin and gray-black eyes were dashing, he was very handsome. And tall, of course. The internet would never let go of his 1.91 meters of pure leg-weakening genes. He had short, flat black hair, deeply accentuating a manly aura that made him seem like the best father beside his daughter, who hugged his right arm elegantly.
Although his smile appeared silly at times, the shininess he showed was enough to cover that up. His daughter was quite different, but knowing the beauty the country’s new president had wifed, one could only feel jealous and proud of such genes.
Barely 14 years old, the creamy white golden lass, with beautiful golden, blonde hair cascading down her body and flowing with her movements, made her seem like a modern little princess. Her profound black eyes suddenly narrowed just as her father’s smile was disappearing, failing to see a good spot of people to brag to his daughter about.
“I’m very proud of you, daddy!” The daughter said, rubbing her face on his arm, showing no makeup stains on the latter. The president looked down and tenderly smiled. He didn’t notice the infinitude of more clicks and powerful yet ‘transparent’ flashes flooding them as he petted his daughter’s little head and said loving words of a father only they could hear.
Lýmoca’s new president had been more or less confirmed about a month ago, but only now were those votes and numerous checks confirmed. Thus, after a ‘peaceful’, long wait, the country celebrated the new president of Lýmoca!
… A few minutes later, with endless images and footage of the president meeting his cabinet, shaking hands, smiling, palming their arms or backs, and so on. The president entered the Presidential Precinct’s main building.
It was immensely widespread in a square shape, with unique designs at the corners, making it seem like it used to be a monstrous fortress, huge and impenetrable. It was, and as a matter of fact, it is the historical center of Lýmoca’s early days, when they were only an immense tribe, the Lys.
However, it strangely had a very tall new addition. It soared up to a little more than 800 meters, becoming extremely large, larger than any other structure in the country. It was built during the last 200 years, far from the Green Transformation it once fathered to the world.
It wasn’t known how intelligent it was to create something like this for a perfect ‘palace’ that needed no further construction. It was meant to be for workers, leaving the security in the main building, while those in the tower did either paperwork or cleaning.
The president entered his office, wearing a gladdened, gloating smile. When he opened the doors, leaving his daughter to her security chief from now on, he was greeted by many faces. His cabinet had already rushed there before he entered his reception area outside his new presidential office, waiting for him.
His vice president, secretary, and the son whose father died before this ceremony, and was Lýmoca’s previous president, who also won the presidency with their political party, Lýmoca’s Vanguard. He looked at everyone, giving his female vice president a little nod, before smiling at the leader of Lýmoca’s Vanguard.
“Everything’s perfect, isn’t it?” The president said, wearing a wide, silly smile. The political leader politely smiled before saying, “Of course it is, we left it like that for you, hahaha!”
“Hahaha…” - “Hahahaha!”
The others laughed in unison, making the president a little embarrassed. He rubbed his nose and let go of the man’s shoulder, resting at ease and standing in a small circle. The man looked at him with side eyes before saying, rising his volume with his voice deepening.
“Hey, Luis. The day has come. Are you ready to be put to work?” The man said, lightly hitting the president’s back. Luis nodded, saying to his cabinet, “I am here for that, am I not? He-hum. I am grateful for everyone here. I will do my best for Lýmoca, and continue leading our country. For a better future!”
“Hurrah!” The crowd responded to Luis, who slightly raised his right fist and his chin. They lifted their left hand, with some hitting their chest afterwards. Their celebrating, quiet meeting began, with Luis catching up with his cabinet and the rest mingling together.
Luis spent more time with his vice president, excited to begin working his brand-new job. Who would’ve thought that years after his wife died, from a mere public servant to a politician, he’ll rapidly become the president?
Very few things could make a person believe and not believe their lives and fate so far. This was just one of them, but it carried so much heaviness. Did Luis know that?
At some point, Luis’s vice president reunited with him again, wearing a work-attitude face. She ushered him a little with her right shoulder before learning her back on a wall. “What are you thinking right now, president Heartez?”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Luis Heartez smiled and drank a tiny bit of juice before facing her. His voice was low but contented, clearly proud of his feat. “Lesly, I am, of course, feeling so damn great. Hey, are you ready to be put to work, vice president Rivera?”
Lesly Rivera looked at him and took a sip from her glass. She forced up a smirk before saying with a resting face, “We all here should. But, president?”
“Oh, um, yes?” Luis responded, a little silent. Lesly nodded and took half a step forward, nearly confronting him, and lifted her face. “Should you ask everyone if they are ready to put their part in this? Shouldn’t a president make sure they are doing their job instead? It’s your call… president.”
“…” Luis looked at Lesly’s back, who walked away and even headed outside after just an hour in the meeting. After a few seconds, Luis half-recomposed himself and began chatting with his cabinet and other supporters.
Finally, after another 3 hours, with the night seeping in, Lýmoca’s Vanguard’s president announced to everyone in the middle of Luis’s office.
“Guys, please come! It’s time to give an end to this celebration and let our president rest. Today, and from now on, we are a new Lýmoca!” His voice immediately gained attention from everyone, one way or another. Luis smiled thinly, the left corner of his mouth accentuated, before joining the rest in another small circle.
“It is with everyone’s effort that this was successful. Now, let’s give our president some respect and leave. Ah! If you don’t mind, I’ll have some words with the president. Leave us, leave us.” The man said, watching everyone exit the room with smiles and praising him and the president.
Luis waited on his spot, enjoying his popularity, with his left hand in his pants pocket and his right one holding an empty glass. He said to the man after only a few were left before they were alone in the office; in his office. “Mister Estandarte, you’re very handy for these things. You’re older and more experienced than me in politics. I’m very grateful for your aid.”
“Aid? Yes, I’m helping you. Come, right now. Let’s get some good shots. I saved it for the best, us, haha.” Estandarte said, putting a quizzical frown at first before humorously chipping Luis to follow him. While following the man, Luis thought back to Lesly and her departing figure, not noticing until now that the other ‘half’ of the 2 strongest political parties in the country’s leader left after her.
“That your glass? Give it, let’s enjoy a little chat first, ah~.” Estandarte grabbed the glass from Luis’s extended right arm before placing them together with his glass on a small table beside Luis’s desk.
“So, tell me. Have you thought which opportunities you choose first? I can repeat them to you, the first 3 were mine, remember.” Estandarte said, filling his glass as he did. Luis seemed to fully recover his wits as he shook his head a bit. He tapped the table with his left index and middle finger twice before saying, “No, I was actually working more on other things. I’ve thought of some matters that… do seem to be the people’s… unscratched itch, you know? They are easy to solve. Also, I’ve been thinking of my next cabinet for my second term. Miss Zebel-”
“What? Wait… Wait, wait, wait. First, you don’t want to pick some of the things we proposed for you? And what the hell is that of Zebel? Don’t tell me you listen to her now? Her husband is the figure you should care about, not his fucking wife!” Estandarte said, putting Luis’s glass at the side, just as he was about to fill it.
With only his glass full of rich, expensive, tasty liquor, Estandarte emptied half its content before looking at Luis with a hardened face, almost growing red. “What the hell is that about your second term? Have you told anyone? It’s important you do as we said, nothing else!”
“…” Luis halted at this moment, about to say something. He looked at Estandarte and suddenly felt he was seeing another person. He looked down at his empty glass and smirked a little before speaking with a slightly annoying, haughty tone. “I’m the president of Lýmoca. Lys count on me. They voted for me, and they want to see what I’m capable of. That, I have to say, Muñoz, it’s gonna be a lot.”
“Yes,” Luis nodded sideways with his chin to the left. “I did tell Miss Zebel. I’m even having her as my advisor. Her husband is the senate’s star, how could she be simple? Besides, they both have expressed goodwill towards me. Of course, I told her, and her husband should know, too. They aren’t dangerous to our plans. They want to help!”
Muñoz Estandarte’s face finally grew red as Luis spoke, but he contained himself, muttering many ‘how could’ and ‘what were you thinking’ but always stopping. However, when he heard Miss Zebel’s husband knows about it, and that the word ‘goodwill’ of them towards Luis Heartez, Muñoz froze.
“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” Estandarte blasted away with no further hesitation. He placed his hands on Luis’s shoulders. Only now did the president remember his status, but he was too stupefied to confront Estandarte, who only raged on.
“Haha. What are our plans? Aren’t you getting ahead of yourself? We planned this for decades! My father worked his fucking ass to pave the road. Do you think this was just because we sat and chatted, drank juice, and had a random talk but suddenly decided to do this?! Those are my plans! My family’s plans! And now you’re saying others know about it? Fuck off, ah!”
“Whatever. Don’t do anything else, okay? I need to check some things real quick, so can’t stay. Have a good night, president.” Estandarte said, turned around to down his drink, and gave his back to Luis, exiting his office.
Luis looked at Muñoz’s back, falling a little pensive with a flabbergasted expression.
***
At Lýmoca’s utmost, central western tiny lump of land. Preut.
In Prequa’s southwestern, high quality residential districts. In a night full of quietness and little to no bright coming from the night sky. Maybe a compensation for the brightness everywhere around Prequa and the other estate districts of the Nation State.
Whatever the case, in one of the those many rich houses, of the smallest in these neighborhoods, a house still had many lights on even as it was 11 PM.
Music came from upstairs, as did some yellow lights. There was no one in the kitchen downstairs, but their lights were bright, white, and on since hours ago. Some dancing, or other physical activities, sounded from above, where a bedroom with no door, leaving a gape of 3 meters of what a wall should be, was below.
In that bedroom, with only a thin curtain that barely impeded bright lights from penetrating, a small bed for a kid was placed in the middle, with a computer on a complex, large desk at the side. Besides that, there was only a drawer and a little table near the window, everything else was empty.
On that bed, over the blankets, a boy held his head. His fingers were separated and spread far from each other. His palms covered his ears as he pushed them further into his ears, sometimes hurting himself.
The boy’s eyes were fully open, but not extensively. He was calm and quiet, but only he knew how annoyed his heart felt. He didn’t move away or rotate. Ever since a few hours ago, trying to sleep ‘early’, he’s been unable to due to the music and hitting sounds from above. Each of them, even the smallest or even barely audible sliding sounds creaked inside his body like something cutting long and sharply from within it.
Yet, he moved not. He remembered, just this afternoon, how the Preut news broadcasted Lýmoca’s presidential celebration, which seemed more like a private meeting than a festivity.
Everything was quiet, tranquil, and serene. He even sat with his mother, sister, and his sister’s boyfriend on the sofa to watch it a little. Yet, just several hours later, things went back to him just ‘taking it since it wasn’t something harmful’, as if nothing changed.
It was a little cold, but the weather was heating up lately. Even then, this wouldn’t be in the 2 digits of times the boy has slept with no blankets, and only after semi-losing consciousness to tiredness.
‘So long… for tranquility.’ The boy thought, blinking once before relaxing his hands. The music and sounds from above became heightened like never before. He flinched at the absurdly loudness it had compared to just then, but he gave up. It wasn’t the first time it happened. It wouldn’t be the last time it happened.
He would grow more tired again some other day.
Before going back to his non-moving activity, the boy looked at a corner of the curtain, where a fine, decent wooden model of a palace-like structure with several systems for its livelihood intricately detailed, could barely be seen.
His darkened light black eyes looked at it for numerous seconds without moving before darting away without a ripple. No emotion. It was very beautiful and innovating, though.
***
3 years later. Lýmoca, Presidential Precinct. In the president’s office.
“…” Luis Heartez sat on a chair facing the window, away from his desk. But his face was down. He held his temples with his widened eyes slowly forcing out a squint, expelling tears as they became reddened, and somewhat sickly.
The phone several meters away, facing another armored window, kept screaming from a female voice who now seemed hurried. Meanwhile, the country befell an unexpected, heartrending loss.
The doors of the office opened, where a barely young woman rushed inside, with the president’s presidential secretary stopping behind her with a helpless face. The daughter went to her father’s back and hugged him, comforting him as if he was the child instead.
So far, Luis’s term was okay. Nothing was being critically achieved, but he wasn’t being stupid, other than embarrassing them here and there with their neighbor overlord, ANS, and other overseas leaders.
His secretary slowly stepped in and closed the doors, slowly backtracking to leave the lonely family to their grief. The secretary was really good at being quiet, and understanding the situation.
In another place in the main building, Lesly Rivera kept supporting herself on a golden, lavish wall as the surrounding workers looked at each other’s phones or monitors. Even the senior workers were engrossed in the media since a minute ago. It was… crushing.
“Sniff. No matter.” Lesly picked herself up and stood up before walking away. Taking her phone out, she began dialing someone whose voice was wholly broken and helpless. A man’s voice, one that would otherwise gain lots of attention and brighten any pair of eyes that heard it.
Today, right now… however… It only gained tears.
“He’s that opportunity… I don’t know what shit you and whoever else is planning… But if you’re to choose, let it be him, now.” Lesly voiced back to her phone before going out of the main building with her shoulders moving back and forth, back and forth…
…
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Let It Rain's note: 'Ly' is read as 'Leae'. Leaemoca, Lýmoca.