AI10100
Expert Lurker
It was an arid afternoon when the Queen of Hearts and her personal telepath found themselves entering a quaint town somewhere at the Eastern part of the Heartwood forest.
The townsfolk of Aragon could only gape when a vehicle, obviously made out of metal, rolled down their city gates. It was quite the rare sight; never in their entire existence have they ever seen a contraption like it. It appeared to be something that would be more suiting in an Argossian environment rather than theirs. Nonetheless, the people knew better than to tremble with fear when one of its doors opened and out came their proprietor.
“It’s the Queen of Hearts!” One of them cried in delight.
Bellows of cheers followed suit as the common people flocked around the royalty. They all showed their respects by dropping on one knee, fists over their beating hearts. The first ones to rise were the children, running towards the blonde monarch and enveloping her in a tight group hug with their stubby arms.
“Oh my," Guin muttered between a short laugh, “It’s nice to see everyone as well.”
As the queen exited the automobile, Declan moved the car to the nearby facility where it could be safeguarded properly. While he was sure that there wouldn’t be anyone that would be stupid enough to mess with something that the queen owns, one can never be too careful. After greeting the guards stationed there, he quickly scampered out to rejoin Guin.
It was sometimes easy to forget that Guin was beloved by her people. It was rare to find a royal who the common folk was comfortable talking to, especially since many of the past ones radiated some sort of superior aura. Yet Guin somehow managed to get around that. Maybe her few months on the streets helped with that. But appearances still mattered as Declan placed himself behind Guin with his hands behind his back, idly surveying the area as the people interacted with her. “You’re quite popular aren’t you?” He mused, smiling as one of the townsfolk noticed him come and giving them a small wave in greeting.
“I guess you can say that.” Guin responded through their telepathic channel while her hands were busy with the young ones. One of them tugged at her dress before stretching his arms towards her. “Very well. Come over here, little one.” She picked the boy up, resting his weight on her chest and arms.
The child giggled at this, obviously pleased, although the same couldn’t be said for the other children who whined with envy. Half a moment later and Guin evolved from a regal queen to a monkey bar as everyone requested to be carried. A few of the adults rushed from the crowd to help her out.
While this rather silly scene transpired, a chestnut-haired woman approached Declan, her garb that of a typical peasant. “Good afternoon, good sir.” She bowed, although a little reluctant. “I’m sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries, but may I ask what kind of creature you and the Queen rode earlier? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Declan couldn't help the growing grin on his face as the queen quickly got overwhelmed by the children clinging onto her. She may not be physically strong, but a couple of children shouldn't be any problem. "I don't know Guin. Maybe you're in the wrong profession, you look great as a-"
He paused as the woman approached him, seemingly nervous but he gave her a reassuring smile. He scratched his cheek at her question. "No, it's quite alright." He first said as he pondered over how to respond without confusing her. "Well, ever since the end of the war, we've been researching Argossian equipment, see. We call the contraption a car. It's like a horse… without the need of a horse." Is… how he would explain such a thing. "Does… that make sense? I'm sorry it's the first time I've had to explain it." He quickly added, sincere in his words.
“So, a wagon powered by magic?” The young woman tilted her head to the left. She was a little bit taken aback by his psychic magic, but quickly got used to it.
He paused before nodding. "That's… exactly what it is. Thank you." Declan gave her a lopsided smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. Man, he thought he knew better than to overcomplicate things yet here he was. "We're, uh, working on making them more accessible to the public. To you guys." How exactly, he wasn't sure yet, but it was an idea.
A big grin broke out on her face, cheeks flushing. “We’d love that!” She exclaimed with clasped hands. “My family runs the local lumber mill. It’s not much, but it’s all we have. We have to transport woods from the forest on a regular basis, and gods know how difficult it is.” A forlorn look crossed her face. “Especially now that it’s just my mother and I. My father and older siblings were conscripted five years ago…,” she trailed off, finding no reason to point out the obvious.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that horses aren’t exactly the cheapest creatures or the easiest to tend. My mother’s already in her sixties. The regular wagons hurt her back.” She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
The war had taken a lot from the citizens and Declan did retain some guilt in being part of the organization that helped the Argossians get a foothold for the war. Still they could make it right. The Jokers fought for the people, and that meant they had to help them too. "I'll talk to her Heartship about it. We may be able to provide you guys transport." After all, they've been working on making their vehicles bigger for more versatility and to carry more objects.
"It might take some time… but we will try to help." The telepath couldn't promise her anything. It cost resources to create another vehicle, not to mention maintenance on it might be too much for the family. But he'll be damned if he wasn't going to help now. Funny, how he changed during these past few years.
The lady’s smile grew wider. She could sense the sincerity from the telepath. “Thank you very much. You don’t know how comforting your words are.” She gave a deep bow before turning to look at the Queen who was now slowly being freed from the clutches of rowdy children by the help of their parents.
“I… can’t believe there are royalties such as the Heartships.” She shared, admiration glimmering behind her honeyed orbs. “My parents used to tell me stories about the previous generation of Hearts royalties. They said they were rather self-absorbed, especially the former Ace, and they couldn’t care less about the small folks.”
"Make that the two of us." Declan easily admitted, turning his gaze to his friend. He knew of these stories, though his perspective has always been poisoned by his circumstances. But it nonetheless held true, none of the previous royals that he had the displeasure of ever hearing about cared for their commoner subjects.
“Sir telepath, do you think… they truly care about us this time?” She questioned, a faint gust of wind blowing on their skins.
The question struck him to silence once again. He would love to believe that the Hearts royalty could make the change. He's seen them move, he knew how they acted behind closed doors. He would love to wholeheartedly tell her that this time it was different. But the seed of doubt, the hatred he felt for the system, prevented him from saying it quickly.
"I would like to believe so." He settled for that answer. He shifted in his position. "I've seen a lot of things ever since I worked for her Heartship. And I hold out hope that this time, it's going to be different for us."
“Those words are enough for me.” The woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was easy to forget that even people like them, who stayed in the background, have their own lives too.
It was then when she began shuffling for something within her pockets. A moment later, the girl presented a pair of brass bracelets to the man. “I know it’s not much, but I’d like you to have these as tokens of my appreciation. The other one is for the Queen.” She basically shoved it to his hands, making it apparent that she wouldn’t be taking no for an answer. “Well then, sir, I’m off. Thank you for the time.” With one last smile and bow, the girl walked away.
Even so, Declan wasn’t given the opportunity to dwindle in solitude when Guin approached. The Queen’s appearance looked like it had seen better days yet the fondness in her eyes were unmistakable.
“My joints hurt.” She said as she rotated her left shoulder.
Declan stared at the brass bracelets for a few moments but was quickly pulled away from his stunned thought as Guin came to his side. He smirked. "You're getting old, you know? You should be more careful. We wouldn't want you breaking bones here." He teasingly commented, idly rubbing on the gifts he had just received.
“I will drain you.” She threatened. Although unlike a few years ago, it was empty.
"Wow, love you too." Declan commented with a laugh. "A citizen wanted you to have this." Declan continued, holding one brass bracelet up for her to see. It wasn't protocol to just give the queen a gift from anyone. He was sure it had to go through hoops of examination before she would be able to handle it. "As… thanks. I may have told her that I'd talk to you regarding providing transport for their lumber." He gestured towards the direction of the car. "The family is… low on manpower, you see." He continued cautiously.
Guin eyed the object in a scrutinizing fashion. It seemed to be devoid of any magic but one could never be too sure. It might be poisoned for all she knew. “Store it in the mirror for safekeeping.” She ordered.
“You of all people know we don’t have the means to start giving out cars for free.” The Queen said as she began to walk, gesturing for Declan to follow suit. The crowd was slowly dispersing around them, making things relatively easier. “But I suppose we can issue public cars when the Kingdom’s economy has fully recovered and we discovered how to make it cheaper. For now, I will see if I can donate a few airships instead. Shouldn’t be too expensive.”
Declan nodded and placed the two bracelets in their storage mirror. He can't stress enough how Samael saved them from so much hassle. Nevertheless, after an examination, he was sure he'd wear it around every now and then.
The telepath fell into step with her, giving her a helpless shrug at the prospect of giving away free cars. Money had always been an issue. Considering the resources they used for cars wasn't commonplace - not yet, anyway. "I… think one airship would be enough." He reasoned out. "And a pilot." He paused. Depending on where they were transporting lumber, an airship might not be the best option due to its size. But they could likely find a way around that. "...I'd say perhaps ask with Twig first for the expenses but then I remember you also have personal funds…"
It's not like he's riding on that money too.
“The airships will be for the entire village’s use, not just her family. It would be unfair if I show favor to them alone.” Guin said as they continued their steps. Declan gave her a nod in response. That's fair enough.
"So, what are we doing here?" Declan wasn't exactly given a briefing when Guin called for him and made him drive to Aragon. He wasn't complaining, he wasn't spending nearly enough time with Guin anymore and it was refreshing to get out of the warehouse.
The Queen didn’t give a glance to his direction but kept on walking instead. They seemed to be approaching a house slightly isolated from the rest thanks to its spacious lawn. It appeared to be a typical farm.
“I thought I told you you’re going to be teaching a few individuals. I would do it myself, but I don’t really have much knowledge regarding the production of weaponries.”
"Yeah but you never told me who I'm teaching. And why just me, more smiths mean lesser time to teach." He pointed out. It wasn't like they didn't have a couple of smiths to choose from. A couple of Jokers knew about the alliance and were fine with it, becoming Hearts smiths as well. Sure, they weren't high ranking Jokers per se, but they specialized more in smithing than Declan did.
“You asked me if I trusted you, didn’t you?” Guin’s vague answer came as soon as they entered the farm’s gates.
Declan narrowed his eyes at the queen but didn't question her. If it really was this confidential, then he should really feel honored that she trusted him enough for this. Hah. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist a small-time confidant.
The farm itself was… suspiciously empty. Aside from a well-tended grass field, there didn't seem to be any indication of farm animals or crops around. There were some horses grazing and a young man checking up on them. As far as Declan could observe, this seemed to be a new land.
The mansion itself was smaller in size compared to other noble housing that he's seen, but it was still something to marvel at. As they proceeded down the road, Declan's nose scrunched up before he turned to Guin. "Oh this is Vier's new home. Right." The man didn't speak much with the mercenary that roamed the Hearts castle for the past few years but he's exchanged pleasantries with her companions before. "Howard, her telepath, says that they've been expecting us. They're waiting for us at the receiving area."
As they came closer, a teal haired woman opened the door. Her demeanor looked stiff and it was obvious that she hasn't been in this profession for a long time yet. Nevertheless, she knew the basics of formality. She stood to the side and bowed deeply. "It is my honor to welcome you to this humble abode, your Heartship."
“The pleasure is mine.” Guin responded. “Is your master around?” When the unnamed woman stepped aside, the Queen entered before ushering her telepath to follow suit.
"Yes, your Heartship. She was preparing to depart later in the night." The servant responded and once they were inside, she closed the door and led them to the receiving area. The mansion wasn't well furnished, with only a few tables and chairs lying around as they moved.
The receiving area had much more to give, with a fireplace to the side and four chairs surrounding a table. Beside the fireplace was a long mirror. Vier was standing by the fireplace and once the door opened, turned and gave a deep bow. "Your Heartship." She greeted before standing up. "There have been no issues so far in your town." She reported immediately.
“Well your place is certainly looking more and more habitable.” Guin remarked as she looked around the foyer.
"It's…" Vier looked around unsurely. Having been more used to the outside world, it was certainly a big change to live back in such a large mansion. "A work in progress."
The monarch nodded her head. The last time she was here, Vier’s house could barely be called a house. “Moving on, have you been down there recently?”
"Yesterday. I was planning on doing another preliminary check later before I leave but since you are here…" She gave her an idle shrug. It wasn't that much of a problem to visit every now and then to make sure the area hasn't collapsed. They were rather friendly too, though that was likely because the queen had ordered them to be.
“Duly noted. I hope they didn’t give you much of a headache.” Guin replied before gesturing to the man with her. “This is my personal telepath, Declan Sarmiento. I am uncertain if the two of you have met before, but he’s the one I was talking about.”
"They're more intelligent than some people I've had the displeasure of talking to." Vier idly replied before turning to the telepath. She gave the man a small bow. "We have met once." She tilted her head before bringing her hands up as if she was holding a plate. "Delivering food. They were delicious. Nevertheless, Vier Tollamber. A pleasure."
Declan bowed as well. "Yeah, that was me. Strawberry cupcakes." He gave her an easy grin. "I'll send compliments to the chef then." He thought for a minute before taking out his mirror and pulling out a box before laying it down on the table. "Emergency pastries. Same chef. Just cooked earlier this morning."
Vier looked over to the pastries with a small nod. "Thank you." She turned to Guin once more. "I wish you luck on your endeavors, your Heartship. Shall I prepare dinner for you and Sir Declan as well?"
“That would be lovely. I believe we’d be exhausted in more ways than one after.” Guin answered. Vier and she have spent enough time together for the former to know her food preference. And she didn’t really need to elaborate on Declan’s because he would readily shove anything edible in his mouth.
However, although everything seemed well on the outside, a message of complaint reached Declan’s mind: “I can’t believe you brought pastries and not tomatoes.”
"Very well. Calvin will be glad to have more people to cook for." Vier mused idly, gesturing towards Howard who nodded and sent the house cook the orders. "I shall be in the house if you have any need for me, your Heartship. Or, Sir Declan, Howard will be in contact."
Declan nodded towards the mercenary. That'll be easy enough. Surely this place they were referring to wasn't far enough out of his or Howard's range. Guin's complaint almost made him smile. "Guin, I thought you trusted me? I have a bag of fresh tomatoes just for you once we get to wherever this place is."
The Queen simply arched a brow at him before nearing the standing mirror. “Well then, Vier, we will be heading in.” Her hand touched the surface of the mirror. A ripple-like motion began to occur upon the contact and soon, Guin felt Samael’s magic radiating off the object. It was one of his mirror portals.
"Take care your Heartship."
“I assume you don’t want to die, Declan. Stay behind me once you enter.” And with that, the Queen stepped into the gateway.
"Okay?" Declan unsurely replied as he followed behind her, through one of Samael's mirrors. The guy really did have mirrors everywhere huh? He wondered what was on the other side as Guin passed through first. He walked through right behind her and the first jarring thing was the stuffy air and the difference in light levels. It felt like they were dropped right into a deep cavern.
He blinked and the first thing his cleared vision could see was a line of people all with guns raised pointed straight at them. Declan looked at them to Guin - who looked strangely calm as if this was normal - and then back to the line of people.
Behind the people was a city of stone and dirt. There were layers of rudimentary buildings carved into the walls of what he assumed was a clear cavern before. These buildings were packed beside each other, leaving no room to squeeze in between them. From the windows under the dim light, Declan swore he saw something moving.
"So what you're gonna tell me now is that you created some sort of secret underground city for some super secret operation?" Declan asked as his eyes returned to the still poised people but something was… off about them.
“I guess you can say that.” Guin replied and even though her back was facing him, he could easily tell she was wearing that smug smirk of hers.
It was only after a moment when the Queen raised her hand, palm open and facing the armed row. She was obviously signaling them to lower their weapons.
Oddly enough, that didn’t happen. What transpired instead would shock even the most ridiculous man who most likely lived in the Club’s palace. The soldiers, with their weapons still pointed at the duo’s direction, lined up in a column and approached the royalty.
“My queen,” Each of them echoed as they used their free hand to give the Queen a high-five one by one. It was quite the ridiculous sight, especially knowing Guin’s usually composed demeanor and the fact that the silly soldiers weren’t only armed but also clad in armor from head to toe.
Declan was probably dreaming. He'd wake up from this weird dream and Guin would be back to normal. Yes. He covertly reached for his arm and pinched himself… yet he was still there. He was still watching Guin high-five a line of armed soldiers.
"... I don't know whether I should question this or not." Declan cautiously started. "But I'll just accept this as a fact and that this is standard greetings in this city of yours." Of course he had a load of other questions, like, who were these people? He knew he hadn't been paying too much attention to everything Guin was doing but he was sure he'd at least hear about her amassing a personal army.
As they approached and he had a closer look, he was convinced that something was definitely wrong with them. Every part of his body wanted nothing to do with them. He narrowed his eyes at the armored soldiers and finally released the questions. "Who… are they?"
It was only after he dropped the question did the informal streak of greeting reach its conclusion. Even so, the Queen remained frozen in place, her hand still raised as if she had lost all capability to move. A moment later and she high-fived her face out of disappointment.
“...They are your students.” She muttered, facepalmed.
Before Declan could even complain, the Queen straightened herself and drew closer to the soldiers who were now reforming their original line.
“Didn’t I teach you guys that this gesture,” she raised her hand in a similar fashion as earlier, “means you should lower your weapons?”
“Weapon...ze other hand… ze that hand…. high-five...,” One of them pointed out in an awfully strained manner, and one could practically hear Guin’s veins popping.
The Queen had to remind herself that she was a better woman now. She was much more patient. It would take so much more than this for her to activate her drain and obliterate every living thing in this damned city. She wouldn’t let her sessions with Olivii go to waste.
“Alright then. From now on, if you see me doing that gesture on either hands, you’ll lower your weapons and not give me high-fives.” She ordered before shoving a soldier aside and marching past them, clearly frustrated.
Oh.
Declan snorted at the interaction. Clearly, his "students" weren't a bright bunch and that Guin was not happy but the situation was completely and utterly hilarious to him. He laughed at what was happening, silent motions showing his amusement on what had just happened.
He wiped a tear forming in his eyes and Guin was already moving and he rushed to her side, slinging an arm around her shoulders, a little bit of laughter still in his motions - something she'd be familiar with back when they managed to successfully get a bountiful harvest.
"These are the people I'm teaching?" He looked back over his shoulder. "I hope you know what you got me into or else I'm worried about the weaponry they'll create."
Guin felt her right brow twitch in annoyance. “Continue laughing and I’ll have the weapons tested on you.” She forbode, moving her shoulders so that the telepath’s arm would slide off.
"Wow, harsh." Declan commented as he let his arm fall and stuck them inside his pockets. "So, where'd you find these guys anyway?"
“Here and there.” She answered, clearly unwilling to disclose further information. “Their origins are irrelevant. What matters is that they learn how to produce weapons. Preferably firearms.”
They continued down the poorly paved path, walking through a stoned bridge surrounded by greenish water, until they reached what appeared to be the city’s square. Hovering at the center of the city was a large ball of artificial light. One could safely assume that it was made of metal and light magic- something akin to the palace chandeliers except much larger and brighter.
“Any other questions?” She prompted.
"Where's the forge?" Declan asked, looking around the plaza. "With this many people dedicated to creating firearms, I'm going off a limb and guessing that we also have tons of forges to accommodate?" It certainly was going to make everything faster. They seem stupid but if they can learn to do one thing, then it's likely that they can speed everything up. Maybe they would even be able to dedicate more smiths to other creations instead of mostly just weaponry.
Guin gestured to the buildings on the wall. “Each room is equipped with the right equipment.” Or rather, those were literally the only furniture inside each cell. They didn’t even have any bed.
Now that they were considerably closer, humanoid silhouettes could be seen standing from each window. Regardless of how many moments had passed, they remained disturbingly still. It was almost as if they were all busy staring at the two.
“Don’t be afraid.” Guin calmly stated. “They won’t hurt you as long as you’re with me.”
Declan whistled and nodded. "Reassuring." Man, this is seemingly more and more like a slave ring. He looked at the windows, everyone just seemed to be staring and he's starting to feel trapped. Contrary to popular belief, Declan hated being the center of any attention. A few were no problem, among companions was fine but there were just too many.
"I'm more weirded out than afraid." He admitted, a shiver running down his spine as he felt more eyes on them. "Something's just… wrong." He admitted, hoping that Guin doesn't take offence in it.
If she was, then she certainly didn’t show it. Instead, she tilted her head slightly to the left, sanguine eyes tightly focused on him. “There’s nothing wrong,” her tone was leveled. “Don’t you trust me?”
"It's not you that I don't trust." Declan responded in a much lower tone, as if someone could possibly hear the private telepathic line. "I can tell myself I'm safe all I want but that's not gonna change my instincts, Guin." It had always been like that. Feeling safe had been elusive ever since he was a kid, even when he surrounded himself with people he should trust. "Surely, you understand that feeling."
Guin narrowed her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Well then, if you want to leave then just say so.” If that was what he wanted then he’d have it. She wouldn’t force him to stay.
He shrugged. "Eh, it'll help the cause. Let's just hurry along?" Declan suggested, his eyes quickly moving towards the windows again and the people are still staring. Do they have no form of entertainment aside from their new arrivals? Seemed like they were just dead people propped up onto the window to stare ominously down onto anyone who walked by the plaza.
"So I'm supposed to teach all of these guys?" He asked, making a gesture to all of the buildings around them and then jabbing his thumb towards the back where the legionnaire line was.
Guin crossed her arms. “Most of them. The others are tasked to protect the place.” She paused to raise her right hand. “I think it’s time for you to meet everyone.”
A small spear-like mana construction began to form on her palm. A heartbeat later, the Queen launched the projectile towards the tower looming at the heart of the compacted buildings. A sonorous sound quickly followed suit, bouncing across rocky surfaces and resonating throughout the entire city, after the spear hit something which sounded to be a gong.
At the third echo, the figures behind the windows began to move.
Like water filling a cup, hundreds of the mysterious soldiers gathered in front of Guin and Declan. They all seemed to be clad with either plated armours or hooded robes. All of their features were obscured, almost as if they were afraid to reveal even the tiniest hint of skin.
“Citizens of Necropolis, kneel before your Queen!” Guin commanded.
Lo and behold as the countless soldiers dropped to the ground on bended knees. Guin couldn’t stop the triumphant smile breaking on her face as she gazed upon the extensive display of obedience.
At least until one of them spoke up:
“Zervantz… uze thiz knee… or ze other?.... Both?”
Oh, it was amazing alright. The amount of people in Necropolis and how they seemed to come all at once, nearly synchronized in their movement. It was equal parts terrifying and fascinating.
But, just like the display earlier, this fell apart very quickly as one voice spoke out.
Another snort from Declan.
"I think that kind of kneeling is fine you guys." He couldn't help but respond, looking towards Guin and conveying the next message to her only. "These guys are cracking me up, Guin." He turned back to the hundreds of people that had gathered around them. Somehow, their stupidity eased him into a groove.
Guin honestly wanted to slam her head on the pavement. This was getting worse than interacting with the King of Clubs, and she thought there would be nothing more tortuous compared to it. She thought they’d at least get better, but nothing seemed to be getting through their thick, dumb heads! Now she could understand Mia’s pain, if not a thousandfold.
“As you can tell, these people are severely intellectually challenged.” Guin said as she massaged the bridge of her nose. “It would be like teaching a bunch of bricks. I know this seems impossible, Declan, but I may have a solution to make this easier.”
"Well, I won't say it's impossible per se…" Declan pointed out. It's going to be like teaching a child magic theory, which is very difficult. But if they can mimic movement and understand the very basics of what he has to teach, then surely it was possible.
"But I'll take any shortcut I can get. What's your plan?" He asked, waving at one of the people. They were still all kneeling, almost unmoving as if they didn't need to breathe. Damn. "Cause while it seems I have a lot of free time, we still have a bunch of Argo tech to study." Declan continued with his reasoning. They were having more and more manpower to study them but almost all of them were inexperienced with the prospects of the vehicles the Argossians had. Man, he still wanted to be able to recreate those Sentinels that Myles was talking about.
“It’s not exactly a shortcut, but I am certain it would make things more efficient. We’re going to be dividing these people by groups. Most would be taught how to smith explicitly one part of a weapon The remaining groups would be taught how to assemble the parts until they come up with the finished product.” She suggested, gesturing to the crowd with her hands as though she was already splitting them into teams.
“These individuals might be morons, but they’re tireless workers. Imagine how much they could produce in a day if given the proper practice and resources.” The Queen sounded very confident in her words.
Declan tilted his head as he listened to her explanation and nodded. She has a point. Even these guys would be able to make one simple task, and considering how many they are, it wouldn't be a problem. "Yeah I can work with that."
He grinned. "And yeah it'll definitely hasten the process! I like it!" He agreed wholeheartedly. It was going to take a longer time to have to teach them all individually - he doubted they could teach each other from how they performed earlier - but it was definitely going to be worth it. "So, how are we gonna do the groupings? I'm pumped up to start!"
A smirk formed on the Queen’s lips.
“That’s the spirit.”
P.S. The zombies don't sell guns.
The townsfolk of Aragon could only gape when a vehicle, obviously made out of metal, rolled down their city gates. It was quite the rare sight; never in their entire existence have they ever seen a contraption like it. It appeared to be something that would be more suiting in an Argossian environment rather than theirs. Nonetheless, the people knew better than to tremble with fear when one of its doors opened and out came their proprietor.
“It’s the Queen of Hearts!” One of them cried in delight.
Bellows of cheers followed suit as the common people flocked around the royalty. They all showed their respects by dropping on one knee, fists over their beating hearts. The first ones to rise were the children, running towards the blonde monarch and enveloping her in a tight group hug with their stubby arms.
“Oh my," Guin muttered between a short laugh, “It’s nice to see everyone as well.”
As the queen exited the automobile, Declan moved the car to the nearby facility where it could be safeguarded properly. While he was sure that there wouldn’t be anyone that would be stupid enough to mess with something that the queen owns, one can never be too careful. After greeting the guards stationed there, he quickly scampered out to rejoin Guin.
It was sometimes easy to forget that Guin was beloved by her people. It was rare to find a royal who the common folk was comfortable talking to, especially since many of the past ones radiated some sort of superior aura. Yet Guin somehow managed to get around that. Maybe her few months on the streets helped with that. But appearances still mattered as Declan placed himself behind Guin with his hands behind his back, idly surveying the area as the people interacted with her. “You’re quite popular aren’t you?” He mused, smiling as one of the townsfolk noticed him come and giving them a small wave in greeting.
“I guess you can say that.” Guin responded through their telepathic channel while her hands were busy with the young ones. One of them tugged at her dress before stretching his arms towards her. “Very well. Come over here, little one.” She picked the boy up, resting his weight on her chest and arms.
The child giggled at this, obviously pleased, although the same couldn’t be said for the other children who whined with envy. Half a moment later and Guin evolved from a regal queen to a monkey bar as everyone requested to be carried. A few of the adults rushed from the crowd to help her out.
While this rather silly scene transpired, a chestnut-haired woman approached Declan, her garb that of a typical peasant. “Good afternoon, good sir.” She bowed, although a little reluctant. “I’m sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries, but may I ask what kind of creature you and the Queen rode earlier? I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Declan couldn't help the growing grin on his face as the queen quickly got overwhelmed by the children clinging onto her. She may not be physically strong, but a couple of children shouldn't be any problem. "I don't know Guin. Maybe you're in the wrong profession, you look great as a-"
He paused as the woman approached him, seemingly nervous but he gave her a reassuring smile. He scratched his cheek at her question. "No, it's quite alright." He first said as he pondered over how to respond without confusing her. "Well, ever since the end of the war, we've been researching Argossian equipment, see. We call the contraption a car. It's like a horse… without the need of a horse." Is… how he would explain such a thing. "Does… that make sense? I'm sorry it's the first time I've had to explain it." He quickly added, sincere in his words.
“So, a wagon powered by magic?” The young woman tilted her head to the left. She was a little bit taken aback by his psychic magic, but quickly got used to it.
He paused before nodding. "That's… exactly what it is. Thank you." Declan gave her a lopsided smile as he rubbed the back of his neck. Man, he thought he knew better than to overcomplicate things yet here he was. "We're, uh, working on making them more accessible to the public. To you guys." How exactly, he wasn't sure yet, but it was an idea.
A big grin broke out on her face, cheeks flushing. “We’d love that!” She exclaimed with clasped hands. “My family runs the local lumber mill. It’s not much, but it’s all we have. We have to transport woods from the forest on a regular basis, and gods know how difficult it is.” A forlorn look crossed her face. “Especially now that it’s just my mother and I. My father and older siblings were conscripted five years ago…,” she trailed off, finding no reason to point out the obvious.
“I’m sorry. It’s just that horses aren’t exactly the cheapest creatures or the easiest to tend. My mother’s already in her sixties. The regular wagons hurt her back.” She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
The war had taken a lot from the citizens and Declan did retain some guilt in being part of the organization that helped the Argossians get a foothold for the war. Still they could make it right. The Jokers fought for the people, and that meant they had to help them too. "I'll talk to her Heartship about it. We may be able to provide you guys transport." After all, they've been working on making their vehicles bigger for more versatility and to carry more objects.
"It might take some time… but we will try to help." The telepath couldn't promise her anything. It cost resources to create another vehicle, not to mention maintenance on it might be too much for the family. But he'll be damned if he wasn't going to help now. Funny, how he changed during these past few years.
The lady’s smile grew wider. She could sense the sincerity from the telepath. “Thank you very much. You don’t know how comforting your words are.” She gave a deep bow before turning to look at the Queen who was now slowly being freed from the clutches of rowdy children by the help of their parents.
“I… can’t believe there are royalties such as the Heartships.” She shared, admiration glimmering behind her honeyed orbs. “My parents used to tell me stories about the previous generation of Hearts royalties. They said they were rather self-absorbed, especially the former Ace, and they couldn’t care less about the small folks.”
"Make that the two of us." Declan easily admitted, turning his gaze to his friend. He knew of these stories, though his perspective has always been poisoned by his circumstances. But it nonetheless held true, none of the previous royals that he had the displeasure of ever hearing about cared for their commoner subjects.
“Sir telepath, do you think… they truly care about us this time?” She questioned, a faint gust of wind blowing on their skins.
The question struck him to silence once again. He would love to believe that the Hearts royalty could make the change. He's seen them move, he knew how they acted behind closed doors. He would love to wholeheartedly tell her that this time it was different. But the seed of doubt, the hatred he felt for the system, prevented him from saying it quickly.
"I would like to believe so." He settled for that answer. He shifted in his position. "I've seen a lot of things ever since I worked for her Heartship. And I hold out hope that this time, it's going to be different for us."
“Those words are enough for me.” The woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was easy to forget that even people like them, who stayed in the background, have their own lives too.
It was then when she began shuffling for something within her pockets. A moment later, the girl presented a pair of brass bracelets to the man. “I know it’s not much, but I’d like you to have these as tokens of my appreciation. The other one is for the Queen.” She basically shoved it to his hands, making it apparent that she wouldn’t be taking no for an answer. “Well then, sir, I’m off. Thank you for the time.” With one last smile and bow, the girl walked away.
Even so, Declan wasn’t given the opportunity to dwindle in solitude when Guin approached. The Queen’s appearance looked like it had seen better days yet the fondness in her eyes were unmistakable.
“My joints hurt.” She said as she rotated her left shoulder.
Declan stared at the brass bracelets for a few moments but was quickly pulled away from his stunned thought as Guin came to his side. He smirked. "You're getting old, you know? You should be more careful. We wouldn't want you breaking bones here." He teasingly commented, idly rubbing on the gifts he had just received.
“I will drain you.” She threatened. Although unlike a few years ago, it was empty.
"Wow, love you too." Declan commented with a laugh. "A citizen wanted you to have this." Declan continued, holding one brass bracelet up for her to see. It wasn't protocol to just give the queen a gift from anyone. He was sure it had to go through hoops of examination before she would be able to handle it. "As… thanks. I may have told her that I'd talk to you regarding providing transport for their lumber." He gestured towards the direction of the car. "The family is… low on manpower, you see." He continued cautiously.
Guin eyed the object in a scrutinizing fashion. It seemed to be devoid of any magic but one could never be too sure. It might be poisoned for all she knew. “Store it in the mirror for safekeeping.” She ordered.
“You of all people know we don’t have the means to start giving out cars for free.” The Queen said as she began to walk, gesturing for Declan to follow suit. The crowd was slowly dispersing around them, making things relatively easier. “But I suppose we can issue public cars when the Kingdom’s economy has fully recovered and we discovered how to make it cheaper. For now, I will see if I can donate a few airships instead. Shouldn’t be too expensive.”
Declan nodded and placed the two bracelets in their storage mirror. He can't stress enough how Samael saved them from so much hassle. Nevertheless, after an examination, he was sure he'd wear it around every now and then.
The telepath fell into step with her, giving her a helpless shrug at the prospect of giving away free cars. Money had always been an issue. Considering the resources they used for cars wasn't commonplace - not yet, anyway. "I… think one airship would be enough." He reasoned out. "And a pilot." He paused. Depending on where they were transporting lumber, an airship might not be the best option due to its size. But they could likely find a way around that. "...I'd say perhaps ask with Twig first for the expenses but then I remember you also have personal funds…"
It's not like he's riding on that money too.
“The airships will be for the entire village’s use, not just her family. It would be unfair if I show favor to them alone.” Guin said as they continued their steps. Declan gave her a nod in response. That's fair enough.
"So, what are we doing here?" Declan wasn't exactly given a briefing when Guin called for him and made him drive to Aragon. He wasn't complaining, he wasn't spending nearly enough time with Guin anymore and it was refreshing to get out of the warehouse.
The Queen didn’t give a glance to his direction but kept on walking instead. They seemed to be approaching a house slightly isolated from the rest thanks to its spacious lawn. It appeared to be a typical farm.
“I thought I told you you’re going to be teaching a few individuals. I would do it myself, but I don’t really have much knowledge regarding the production of weaponries.”
"Yeah but you never told me who I'm teaching. And why just me, more smiths mean lesser time to teach." He pointed out. It wasn't like they didn't have a couple of smiths to choose from. A couple of Jokers knew about the alliance and were fine with it, becoming Hearts smiths as well. Sure, they weren't high ranking Jokers per se, but they specialized more in smithing than Declan did.
“You asked me if I trusted you, didn’t you?” Guin’s vague answer came as soon as they entered the farm’s gates.
Declan narrowed his eyes at the queen but didn't question her. If it really was this confidential, then he should really feel honored that she trusted him enough for this. Hah. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist a small-time confidant.
The farm itself was… suspiciously empty. Aside from a well-tended grass field, there didn't seem to be any indication of farm animals or crops around. There were some horses grazing and a young man checking up on them. As far as Declan could observe, this seemed to be a new land.
The mansion itself was smaller in size compared to other noble housing that he's seen, but it was still something to marvel at. As they proceeded down the road, Declan's nose scrunched up before he turned to Guin. "Oh this is Vier's new home. Right." The man didn't speak much with the mercenary that roamed the Hearts castle for the past few years but he's exchanged pleasantries with her companions before. "Howard, her telepath, says that they've been expecting us. They're waiting for us at the receiving area."
As they came closer, a teal haired woman opened the door. Her demeanor looked stiff and it was obvious that she hasn't been in this profession for a long time yet. Nevertheless, she knew the basics of formality. She stood to the side and bowed deeply. "It is my honor to welcome you to this humble abode, your Heartship."
“The pleasure is mine.” Guin responded. “Is your master around?” When the unnamed woman stepped aside, the Queen entered before ushering her telepath to follow suit.
"Yes, your Heartship. She was preparing to depart later in the night." The servant responded and once they were inside, she closed the door and led them to the receiving area. The mansion wasn't well furnished, with only a few tables and chairs lying around as they moved.
The receiving area had much more to give, with a fireplace to the side and four chairs surrounding a table. Beside the fireplace was a long mirror. Vier was standing by the fireplace and once the door opened, turned and gave a deep bow. "Your Heartship." She greeted before standing up. "There have been no issues so far in your town." She reported immediately.
“Well your place is certainly looking more and more habitable.” Guin remarked as she looked around the foyer.
"It's…" Vier looked around unsurely. Having been more used to the outside world, it was certainly a big change to live back in such a large mansion. "A work in progress."
The monarch nodded her head. The last time she was here, Vier’s house could barely be called a house. “Moving on, have you been down there recently?”
"Yesterday. I was planning on doing another preliminary check later before I leave but since you are here…" She gave her an idle shrug. It wasn't that much of a problem to visit every now and then to make sure the area hasn't collapsed. They were rather friendly too, though that was likely because the queen had ordered them to be.
“Duly noted. I hope they didn’t give you much of a headache.” Guin replied before gesturing to the man with her. “This is my personal telepath, Declan Sarmiento. I am uncertain if the two of you have met before, but he’s the one I was talking about.”
"They're more intelligent than some people I've had the displeasure of talking to." Vier idly replied before turning to the telepath. She gave the man a small bow. "We have met once." She tilted her head before bringing her hands up as if she was holding a plate. "Delivering food. They were delicious. Nevertheless, Vier Tollamber. A pleasure."
Declan bowed as well. "Yeah, that was me. Strawberry cupcakes." He gave her an easy grin. "I'll send compliments to the chef then." He thought for a minute before taking out his mirror and pulling out a box before laying it down on the table. "Emergency pastries. Same chef. Just cooked earlier this morning."
Vier looked over to the pastries with a small nod. "Thank you." She turned to Guin once more. "I wish you luck on your endeavors, your Heartship. Shall I prepare dinner for you and Sir Declan as well?"
“That would be lovely. I believe we’d be exhausted in more ways than one after.” Guin answered. Vier and she have spent enough time together for the former to know her food preference. And she didn’t really need to elaborate on Declan’s because he would readily shove anything edible in his mouth.
However, although everything seemed well on the outside, a message of complaint reached Declan’s mind: “I can’t believe you brought pastries and not tomatoes.”
"Very well. Calvin will be glad to have more people to cook for." Vier mused idly, gesturing towards Howard who nodded and sent the house cook the orders. "I shall be in the house if you have any need for me, your Heartship. Or, Sir Declan, Howard will be in contact."
Declan nodded towards the mercenary. That'll be easy enough. Surely this place they were referring to wasn't far enough out of his or Howard's range. Guin's complaint almost made him smile. "Guin, I thought you trusted me? I have a bag of fresh tomatoes just for you once we get to wherever this place is."
The Queen simply arched a brow at him before nearing the standing mirror. “Well then, Vier, we will be heading in.” Her hand touched the surface of the mirror. A ripple-like motion began to occur upon the contact and soon, Guin felt Samael’s magic radiating off the object. It was one of his mirror portals.
"Take care your Heartship."
“I assume you don’t want to die, Declan. Stay behind me once you enter.” And with that, the Queen stepped into the gateway.
"Okay?" Declan unsurely replied as he followed behind her, through one of Samael's mirrors. The guy really did have mirrors everywhere huh? He wondered what was on the other side as Guin passed through first. He walked through right behind her and the first jarring thing was the stuffy air and the difference in light levels. It felt like they were dropped right into a deep cavern.
He blinked and the first thing his cleared vision could see was a line of people all with guns raised pointed straight at them. Declan looked at them to Guin - who looked strangely calm as if this was normal - and then back to the line of people.
Behind the people was a city of stone and dirt. There were layers of rudimentary buildings carved into the walls of what he assumed was a clear cavern before. These buildings were packed beside each other, leaving no room to squeeze in between them. From the windows under the dim light, Declan swore he saw something moving.
"So what you're gonna tell me now is that you created some sort of secret underground city for some super secret operation?" Declan asked as his eyes returned to the still poised people but something was… off about them.
“I guess you can say that.” Guin replied and even though her back was facing him, he could easily tell she was wearing that smug smirk of hers.
It was only after a moment when the Queen raised her hand, palm open and facing the armed row. She was obviously signaling them to lower their weapons.
Oddly enough, that didn’t happen. What transpired instead would shock even the most ridiculous man who most likely lived in the Club’s palace. The soldiers, with their weapons still pointed at the duo’s direction, lined up in a column and approached the royalty.
“My queen,” Each of them echoed as they used their free hand to give the Queen a high-five one by one. It was quite the ridiculous sight, especially knowing Guin’s usually composed demeanor and the fact that the silly soldiers weren’t only armed but also clad in armor from head to toe.
Declan was probably dreaming. He'd wake up from this weird dream and Guin would be back to normal. Yes. He covertly reached for his arm and pinched himself… yet he was still there. He was still watching Guin high-five a line of armed soldiers.
"... I don't know whether I should question this or not." Declan cautiously started. "But I'll just accept this as a fact and that this is standard greetings in this city of yours." Of course he had a load of other questions, like, who were these people? He knew he hadn't been paying too much attention to everything Guin was doing but he was sure he'd at least hear about her amassing a personal army.
As they approached and he had a closer look, he was convinced that something was definitely wrong with them. Every part of his body wanted nothing to do with them. He narrowed his eyes at the armored soldiers and finally released the questions. "Who… are they?"
It was only after he dropped the question did the informal streak of greeting reach its conclusion. Even so, the Queen remained frozen in place, her hand still raised as if she had lost all capability to move. A moment later and she high-fived her face out of disappointment.
“...They are your students.” She muttered, facepalmed.
Before Declan could even complain, the Queen straightened herself and drew closer to the soldiers who were now reforming their original line.
“Didn’t I teach you guys that this gesture,” she raised her hand in a similar fashion as earlier, “means you should lower your weapons?”
“Weapon...ze other hand… ze that hand…. high-five...,” One of them pointed out in an awfully strained manner, and one could practically hear Guin’s veins popping.
The Queen had to remind herself that she was a better woman now. She was much more patient. It would take so much more than this for her to activate her drain and obliterate every living thing in this damned city. She wouldn’t let her sessions with Olivii go to waste.
“Alright then. From now on, if you see me doing that gesture on either hands, you’ll lower your weapons and not give me high-fives.” She ordered before shoving a soldier aside and marching past them, clearly frustrated.
Oh.
Declan snorted at the interaction. Clearly, his "students" weren't a bright bunch and that Guin was not happy but the situation was completely and utterly hilarious to him. He laughed at what was happening, silent motions showing his amusement on what had just happened.
He wiped a tear forming in his eyes and Guin was already moving and he rushed to her side, slinging an arm around her shoulders, a little bit of laughter still in his motions - something she'd be familiar with back when they managed to successfully get a bountiful harvest.
"These are the people I'm teaching?" He looked back over his shoulder. "I hope you know what you got me into or else I'm worried about the weaponry they'll create."
Guin felt her right brow twitch in annoyance. “Continue laughing and I’ll have the weapons tested on you.” She forbode, moving her shoulders so that the telepath’s arm would slide off.
"Wow, harsh." Declan commented as he let his arm fall and stuck them inside his pockets. "So, where'd you find these guys anyway?"
“Here and there.” She answered, clearly unwilling to disclose further information. “Their origins are irrelevant. What matters is that they learn how to produce weapons. Preferably firearms.”
They continued down the poorly paved path, walking through a stoned bridge surrounded by greenish water, until they reached what appeared to be the city’s square. Hovering at the center of the city was a large ball of artificial light. One could safely assume that it was made of metal and light magic- something akin to the palace chandeliers except much larger and brighter.
“Any other questions?” She prompted.
"Where's the forge?" Declan asked, looking around the plaza. "With this many people dedicated to creating firearms, I'm going off a limb and guessing that we also have tons of forges to accommodate?" It certainly was going to make everything faster. They seem stupid but if they can learn to do one thing, then it's likely that they can speed everything up. Maybe they would even be able to dedicate more smiths to other creations instead of mostly just weaponry.
Guin gestured to the buildings on the wall. “Each room is equipped with the right equipment.” Or rather, those were literally the only furniture inside each cell. They didn’t even have any bed.
Now that they were considerably closer, humanoid silhouettes could be seen standing from each window. Regardless of how many moments had passed, they remained disturbingly still. It was almost as if they were all busy staring at the two.
“Don’t be afraid.” Guin calmly stated. “They won’t hurt you as long as you’re with me.”
Declan whistled and nodded. "Reassuring." Man, this is seemingly more and more like a slave ring. He looked at the windows, everyone just seemed to be staring and he's starting to feel trapped. Contrary to popular belief, Declan hated being the center of any attention. A few were no problem, among companions was fine but there were just too many.
"I'm more weirded out than afraid." He admitted, a shiver running down his spine as he felt more eyes on them. "Something's just… wrong." He admitted, hoping that Guin doesn't take offence in it.
If she was, then she certainly didn’t show it. Instead, she tilted her head slightly to the left, sanguine eyes tightly focused on him. “There’s nothing wrong,” her tone was leveled. “Don’t you trust me?”
"It's not you that I don't trust." Declan responded in a much lower tone, as if someone could possibly hear the private telepathic line. "I can tell myself I'm safe all I want but that's not gonna change my instincts, Guin." It had always been like that. Feeling safe had been elusive ever since he was a kid, even when he surrounded himself with people he should trust. "Surely, you understand that feeling."
Guin narrowed her eyes, clearly unimpressed. “Well then, if you want to leave then just say so.” If that was what he wanted then he’d have it. She wouldn’t force him to stay.
He shrugged. "Eh, it'll help the cause. Let's just hurry along?" Declan suggested, his eyes quickly moving towards the windows again and the people are still staring. Do they have no form of entertainment aside from their new arrivals? Seemed like they were just dead people propped up onto the window to stare ominously down onto anyone who walked by the plaza.
"So I'm supposed to teach all of these guys?" He asked, making a gesture to all of the buildings around them and then jabbing his thumb towards the back where the legionnaire line was.
Guin crossed her arms. “Most of them. The others are tasked to protect the place.” She paused to raise her right hand. “I think it’s time for you to meet everyone.”
A small spear-like mana construction began to form on her palm. A heartbeat later, the Queen launched the projectile towards the tower looming at the heart of the compacted buildings. A sonorous sound quickly followed suit, bouncing across rocky surfaces and resonating throughout the entire city, after the spear hit something which sounded to be a gong.
At the third echo, the figures behind the windows began to move.
Like water filling a cup, hundreds of the mysterious soldiers gathered in front of Guin and Declan. They all seemed to be clad with either plated armours or hooded robes. All of their features were obscured, almost as if they were afraid to reveal even the tiniest hint of skin.
“Citizens of Necropolis, kneel before your Queen!” Guin commanded.
Lo and behold as the countless soldiers dropped to the ground on bended knees. Guin couldn’t stop the triumphant smile breaking on her face as she gazed upon the extensive display of obedience.
At least until one of them spoke up:
“Zervantz… uze thiz knee… or ze other?.... Both?”
Oh, it was amazing alright. The amount of people in Necropolis and how they seemed to come all at once, nearly synchronized in their movement. It was equal parts terrifying and fascinating.
But, just like the display earlier, this fell apart very quickly as one voice spoke out.
Another snort from Declan.
"I think that kind of kneeling is fine you guys." He couldn't help but respond, looking towards Guin and conveying the next message to her only. "These guys are cracking me up, Guin." He turned back to the hundreds of people that had gathered around them. Somehow, their stupidity eased him into a groove.
Guin honestly wanted to slam her head on the pavement. This was getting worse than interacting with the King of Clubs, and she thought there would be nothing more tortuous compared to it. She thought they’d at least get better, but nothing seemed to be getting through their thick, dumb heads! Now she could understand Mia’s pain, if not a thousandfold.
“As you can tell, these people are severely intellectually challenged.” Guin said as she massaged the bridge of her nose. “It would be like teaching a bunch of bricks. I know this seems impossible, Declan, but I may have a solution to make this easier.”
"Well, I won't say it's impossible per se…" Declan pointed out. It's going to be like teaching a child magic theory, which is very difficult. But if they can mimic movement and understand the very basics of what he has to teach, then surely it was possible.
"But I'll take any shortcut I can get. What's your plan?" He asked, waving at one of the people. They were still all kneeling, almost unmoving as if they didn't need to breathe. Damn. "Cause while it seems I have a lot of free time, we still have a bunch of Argo tech to study." Declan continued with his reasoning. They were having more and more manpower to study them but almost all of them were inexperienced with the prospects of the vehicles the Argossians had. Man, he still wanted to be able to recreate those Sentinels that Myles was talking about.
“It’s not exactly a shortcut, but I am certain it would make things more efficient. We’re going to be dividing these people by groups. Most would be taught how to smith explicitly one part of a weapon The remaining groups would be taught how to assemble the parts until they come up with the finished product.” She suggested, gesturing to the crowd with her hands as though she was already splitting them into teams.
“These individuals might be morons, but they’re tireless workers. Imagine how much they could produce in a day if given the proper practice and resources.” The Queen sounded very confident in her words.
Declan tilted his head as he listened to her explanation and nodded. She has a point. Even these guys would be able to make one simple task, and considering how many they are, it wouldn't be a problem. "Yeah I can work with that."
He grinned. "And yeah it'll definitely hasten the process! I like it!" He agreed wholeheartedly. It was going to take a longer time to have to teach them all individually - he doubted they could teach each other from how they performed earlier - but it was definitely going to be worth it. "So, how are we gonna do the groupings? I'm pumped up to start!"
A smirk formed on the Queen’s lips.
“That’s the spirit.”
P.S. The zombies don't sell guns.
Last edited:
