243 A Brewing Storm (1/2)
Orwell's Point
Shadowy figures darted past the unsuspecting patrolling soldiers from one alley to another. They made used of low roofs, sewers and other forms of cover to gather near the docks in one of burnt down warehouses still in the midst of being repaired.
”All here?” A voice whispered out among the gathered and someone struck a flint, only to be slapped away by the neighbors. ”No fires!”
”They can see us!” The voice whispered frightenedly. ”They have some cursed magic that allows them to see light!”
The gathered shadows muttered among themselves as they heard the panic tone in the speaker's voice. ”Be quiet! Let's be quick before they discover us!”
”Why have you called us here?” Another voice asked in the darkness. ”We might get caught!”
”The reason why I called you here is that our ex masters are rallying against us!” The voice hissed in anger. ”Despite the intentions of our new barbarians overlords... they can't win the might of the Empire!”
”And once the Empire descends on us with their full might, they will purge us all!” The voice rosed in terror and the gathered rest shifted uneasily in the darkness.
”If we want to live, we must fight!” The voice spoke again in a low hush. ”The Gods have given us a chance for freedom and revenge. The barbarians forbid us to take revenge as they desire the wealth of the Imperial pigs!”
”Yeah!” Some of the men agreed. ”Why must we listen to the barbarians! Sooner or later, we will still be like slaves to them!”
”No!” Another voice called out loudly. ”We must not! We gave our word to the new lord of the city that we will behave and they will treat us civilly!”
”Pah!” The original speaker spat to the side in disgust. ”Have you lost all pride and dignity? After bowing and scraping to the Imperial pigs and now you are kissing up to the new barbarian lords?”
”No!” The second speaker quickly said. ”I trust these new lords! Can't you see that they are trying to make sure our people are well fed and no longer discriminated anymore as slaves? Haven't they returned us our dignity and freedom from the farms and made those responsible pays for their crimes?”
”So? In the end, they are just making use of us!” The original speaker retorted. ”They are already siding with our ex masters by preventing us from taking justice!”
”They tell us to report all crimes to them and they will investigate!” The speaker scoffed. ”When did you ever heard an investigation from nobles and merchants led to any news?”
”Because they get paid off by the guilty parties!” The speaker fervently said. ”Where is the justice in that?”
”No! They gave us our justice already!” The second speaker replied. ”Did they arrested all the nobles and merchants who were found to be guilty of murders and mistreating us?”
”Yea so? Those they executed or imprisoned are small flies!” The original speaker retorted back. ”Where is the Imperial governor? Where are the merchant guild masters? Where are they?”
”That...” The second speaker couldn't reply back as he did not have the answer.
”See?” The original speaker said smugly. ”Of course we don't know where are they. Even if we demand for their heads. the barbarian lords would not give them to us! Why?”
”Because they have let them go!” The voice rosed angrily and the gathered muttering rosed along. ”They had bribed their way out! The barbarians are only making a show of goodwill!”
”I say we fight the locals and the Barbarians!” The speaker suddenly declared. ”We outnumber them more than half! We can't let ourselves be ruled by others anymore! We must take hold of our fate in our own hands!”
”But we have no weapons!” Someone in the group pointed out. ”And those Barbarians Lords have their powerful thunder magic. How can we ever win?”
”That is why we are gathered here to discuss!”
-----
Elsewhere in another part of the city
Another group of people with hooded cloaks and masks were gathering inside an underground cellar. They whispered among themselves in hushed tones as they waited for their leader to appear.
A hush came over the hooded group as three men entered the cellar from a secret door set in one side of the stone wall. They bowed as the lead trio removed his hood, and a face covered with a golden half face mask appeared.
”Come, we have no time,” The masked man said quickly as he sat down before the gathering. ”We must make plans against the despicable slaves!”
”Yes!” The people here all hissed their approval.
”The damn barbarians think they can just walk in here and be the lords of Orwell Point!” The gold masked man said. ”They think even if they removed the governor and the leaders of the merchant guild that no one will dare stand up to their atrocities!”
”They think that freeing the slaves gave them goodwill from the masses?” The gold masked man eyes glint with a fervent glow. ”NO! They dared to take our property! Our blood and sweat! Our livelihoods!”
”No!” The gathered growled.
”We are Imperial citizens!” The man continued to raise the gathered mood. ”We stand for righteous!”
”YES!” The gathered roared while the gold masked man gestured them to calm down.
”Tonight, this is the night that will further change your lives!” The man looked at each gathered in the eye. ”Tonight will be a night where future generations will remember us for doing the right thing!”
”Come, my brethren, we must make plans to return our city to the Empire!”
-----
Orwell's Point, Marine Stronghold
”Sir, we are picking up dozens of movements in the city,” The surveillance operator called out to the DO* (Duty Officer) in the command center.