The Other Side

I failed, I ruined everything. We, the elvens, again failed to guide them. I can't think about something as of the moment as the loud bang lingers from my ear.

The cannon that I saw before, was fired towards my ships and sank them as if they were made out of paper boats. How can a cannon, not much larger than ours, fire like that?! T-that's just unfair!

I thought about what happen earlier as I remain alone inside a strange room while being restrained.

I was captured by them when I tried to shot their leader with a Fire Arrow, which he evades. They also shot me something that made me drop from my position and bear the pain while being held by both side. It was the worst experience in my life.

Thankfully, the pain have nowhere to be felt after performing a healing chant to it. It extremely hurt doing so, since I was restrained when I did it. However, right now, I can feel nothing.

Not exactly nothing. I am currently having a deep regrets. I showed a disgraceful act in front of the outsiders without knowing they came from the gate.

It's not entirely my fault though, since they really had a good amount of similarities between them and the lower beings, except their feature and height. However, I can neither blame them or despise them as I was the one who enrage them. And because of that, half of my fleet, half of my sailors were killed. I can never felt so ashamed.

What do I do now? I can't just apologize to them and head back to inform the elders right? Let alone them accepting my request, I doubt the elders will be calm after losing half of my sailors.

I... Really am a failure. I should've just listened to my father and married a young leader to form an alliance. Guiding an outsider is harder than I expected.

After that I stare at the strange glowing thing at the ceiling as I think about the things that can happen.

And then, a man came again. It was the man before. He has a feature of a small man but a good brown eyes similar to his skin which we rarely see amongst the lower being and the elves. He sit down in front of me making me stand on my guard.

Is it already an hour? Time flies so fast.

"Are you ready to speak now, Lady Floria?" The man ask me with a calm tone. I can see that he's being sincere. It is also one of their difference. They are kinda straightforward and speak or act what comes from their mind.

"Yes, I am. But will you please introduce yourself first, I haven't known your name since we've met." The man become visible shock as he back off slightly. Is it really that shocking?

"W-well, Of course. Then, My name is Julio Fernandez, the captain and the 2nd fleet commander of 'Republika ng Maharlika' or better known as Republic of Maharlika." The man spoke an unknown words but I can guess that he repeated it with the usual one.

Republic of Maharlika? Is it similar to the lower beings where a man rule one another?

"About that, what does this 'Republic' mean?" and so, I ask the man about it.

"Republic is a form of government system where instead of a man rule the other, it was the people who had the Supreme power and the one they nominated. The nominated one is called the president and the president will lead instead of rule the country."

Government? Supreme power? Oh, it's like those petty game of the lower being but I think it was improvised. If I compare them, the lower beings rule the country and the people doesn't hold any power and merely a livestock to their lords, while to them, the people had the absolute power to nominate and vote for their leader instead of Ruler.

But if they do, what will happen if they vote the wrong person, can they eradicate the nominated one and replace him? And why do they have thay kind of thing? Is it really required to do so in order to lead someone?

It appears I made an obvious expression on my face and so, the man answered the question inside my mind.

"Our people are capable of reading and writing, they can also decides for themselves and achieve something they want. And so, we were able to gain independence from a big country that held us for almost 60 years and form an independent nation."

"60 years?!! That long? How were you able to gain independence if you were held by them for 60 years? Won't they try to change on how the people view them and remain loyal?"

"Certainly, they did do that and so we can speak right now and made a conversation with this language."

Wait, does he mean the language we were using is a language they learned? T-that's news to us!

"Does that mean you have different language you speak?"

"Yes, in our country. We have this language we spoke as Filipino. And the language we are using is English."

English? Filipino? That's amazing! But wait..

"How many countries do your world have?"

"I have no accurate details about that. But I can assume, about 150 or 100 I guess?"

"1-150?!! And those countries have different languages??!"

"Yes, some of them."

"T-that's surprising." I mumble.

It really is surprising, our world, or the continent, only had 11 nation. 3 of them including us are powerful and the rest are from the middle to lower average kingdoms and only speak one language.

Does that mean everyday, war happens?

"Then, won't that be hard? I mean, the war and everything that can lead to conflicts of another nation?"

The man frown upon hearing my question. I didn't know the reason but I think I just trigger something bad. But I feel relief after he sigh and give an answer

"We... Just had an independence, right after the worst war to humankind. It was gruesome, it was traumatic. I don't think I can share it to you right now though." the man lowered his head. It seems he remember a sad memory.

"I-I apologize. T-then, can we now move on to that? I want also want to apologize from my extreme behavior before but I think it is uncalled to just massacre my sailors just because you almost got killed!"

"I also apologize about that, you see, sometimes I cannot really control my soldier and so he acted according to his emotion." The man say and smile.

I don't know but I feel somewhat familiar to his smile, as if I can fully trust him even if we just me and nearly killed each other. And my intuition never been false. Does it have something to do with my future?

We stare at each other for an awkward silence until he break it by inviting me.

"W-well, why don't we head to the bridge. My man wants to apologize personally about the matters. I had also punished him accordingly by demoting his position to become one of my crew so I can watch him. How about that?"

It doesn't sound satisfying but I will only know after seeing the other man again. I still felt deep anguish as I think about the man I lost. Half of them, which means 50 of my sailors died.