4. ii. They who are Unfree

Pillars entwined with more prominent crystals splitting out into a myriad of different patterns. Like an alloy of red diamond and steel fighting to see who gets more of the spotlight, illuminating the room in it's glorious red overshadowing all other colours anyone could be potentially wearing. The crystals were the same ones as used for the channels, except it was better lit since there were more glowing crystals stationed evenly around the room.

Beauty didn't keep Hiroto distracted from the elephant in the room, he immediately took a step back, intimidated by the amount of people. There were probably 400 people squashed here into a huge football field, some people were on crystal platforms above the ground. He could see Kanna staring at him, he didn't know if she was speaking. The amount of people there overwhelmed him and so her words went over his head. The others who were waiting as well walked besides him into the room and Hiroto's hair heated up in sheer panic. Too much, too many eyes, so many people-

"HIROTO!"

Hiroto looked at the source of the scream and Kanna was urging him to the back, "come with me!" she wagged her hands.

The man trembled and followed her, anything to get away from this sea of people. She gestured him into a dark corner of the hallway and Hiroto squeezed himself into the shadows, bundling himself up to calm down. He only then noticing the horrid tremor in his hand. He hid his hands underneath his cloak and tried to stabilise his breathing. He looked around, the hallway wasn't too different from the channels at all. The doors slammed shut, crystals branching over the gaps to make sure no one else came in. Everyone slammed their hands to their chests, silencing even the air of the room.

On the highest platform stood a familiar woman. Her red coat covered the shielded black bodysuit underneath, with bulletproof scales over her chest. Hiroto couldn't make out any more details, except her black hair, crystal armour and a beautiful traditional mask over her face. Handpainted in Juvian traditional paints, they weren't too saturated, meaning the stains and patterns were from beetroot juice. It must be representing or accentuating her features underneath. Something didn't sit right with Hiroto… this must be-

"AY OER PRINAYVIL AYNY OLI-ICHAYRINGHARING SHAYLO NOL LOGHAYRIN."

"THE OLIGARCHY SHALL NOT PREVAIL ANY LONGER." Raya outstretched her arms, The followers hooted and screamed out with her, "YOUR QUEEN HAS MURDERED YOUR BLOOD TALKING ABOUT MERCY," She laughed, "WE HAVE BURIED OUR CHILDREN INTO THE GROUND WITH OUR HANDS, WE not her. YOUR QUEEN SITS ON HER THRONE WHILE WE HUNT FOR SCRAPS BEFORE DAWN, but not anymore, not while I am here."

Raya's voice deepened and her palms glowed red, crystals floating off her hands as they condensed and broke off making faint tinkling noises even from this distance. People gasped in wonder as the gems on the roof melted and strings of beads strewn into bundles formed before they could hit the ground. The roof was covered in them. Unequal lengths, shimmering as they hung, "We gather starved here while the nobles and heroes rot with golden spoons! We slobber on their scraps, and they waste away on feasts. They think we are silent, that we are helpless, that our hearts are made of glass." She chuckled as the crowd laughed away their pain with her, others like Hiroto listened quietly, Kanna just sulked with her back sliding down the cold metal of the wall, "FOR TOO LONG HAVE WE BEEN SHACKLED BY THE NOBILITY, tortured by them time and time again. WITH THE NEWLY TRAINED VILLAGES WE ARE AT AN ADVANTAGE TO RECLAIM OUR THRONE FROM THEIR HANDS. There is no one more deserving of the seat than a man who is chosen from the people it is used to rule over."

Synchronised cheering erupted from the crowd, "we are gathered to celebrate the treaties with the herediyaladan village, and their son who comes in honour of his deceased father." The people turned to look at a confident, aged man dressed in batik and old jewellery, heirlooms. "The beads you see shine above you, are the unofficial counts of the deaths due to the soldier camps and weapons outside your villages. These are the memories of your loved ones, their encased belongings. We will not rest, TILL WE HAVE NOT BEEN SERVED JUSTICE. WE WILL BRING THIS QUEEN DOWN, I RAYA HINODE, YOUR PROTECTOR, YOUR KAKYUMIN, WILL NOT GIVE UP TILL I DIE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. That I will not abandon you all, or my head will be yours to take."

The people who came with Hiroto and many others shot their red items into the air to show their support as deafening screams filled the hallways. Hiroto looked at Kanna, "is this all she brought us here for?"

"Of course not!" She blinked, "She'll be giving another round of speeches to the villagers involving the soldier camps and several other plans, these introductions are only to acquaint the newbies and an elite or an old member always guides them since this location is usually from the nobles of Goquas, like you." Like it was obvious. He felt a pair of eyes on him, he shot his head towards Raya.

He huffed, curling in on himself, trying to look smaller and less obvious, pulling his hood over himself. He could hear people talking loudly, another round of speeches huh? He could handle that, if he was allowed. He froze as he felt a presence in front of him.

"Takahashi."

"How-…" He looked up to a much much closer Raya. Startled, he instinctively moved backwards shocked at her speed, looking around and figuring out how did she do so. He was disappointed when he found no mechanisms, he sensed amusement from the woman and shame enveloped him, he did not want to be belittled by the leader. Hiroto's barcode sent information to him regarding her falsified physical appearance, simply put; it could detect the hologram mist over her face. Her mask was still there so why should she even need to?

"Let us talk." Raya said with a comparatively softer voice, surprisingly it was parched from the loud speech at all. She gave one look at Kanna and had the woman twirling away without question. Raya turned to him, something was moving underneath her mask and Hiroto could hear gears turning, intimidated, "I keep my promises." He muttered. He tapped his arm anxiously looking at the beads before looking at the masked woman who seemed to understand. 

"You don't have to feel bad for them, these people watch over us as their spirits bless us. They don't need our pity. You need to accept that they didn't deserve their deaths, that it was wrong. Make me weapons against the queen, i'll give you the materials you need and i'll give you a community to live for. Where you are accepted, where you don't need to perform. I'll give you a home worth fighting for."

"Where I don't need to perform?" Hiroto narrowed his eyes at her, his frown softening, "what are your ideas?" 

He felt her smile radiate through her mask, "come with me." and he felt the fleeting urge to reciprocate. 

He didn't, but this time he followed her with less discomfort.