Chapter 196: The People of Bellvia

We leave the old lab and begin to climb the stairs. I turn my wings back on to keep up my angelic look. Now that the quest, An Abomination, is finished. All I have left to finish is The False One. I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to complete a bonafide legendary quest. I need to address the elephant in the room. Sally is still mad at me for what I did in the throne room. "I told you that you'd eventually see the human in me. I also warned you that it could change how you feel about me. I'm not going to apologize for my actions. They were what was needed. I'll understand if you don't want to be around me anymore." As I say that final sentence. I feel Sally grab my shoulder and actually pin me against the wall. I could've resisted, but she needs this. 

She removes her hood, and our eyes meet. I can see anger, pain, betrayal. The most prevalent are her tears. They fall freely to the ground. "Don't you ever say that! You hear me! DON'T EVER SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!!!" Her voice cracks and breaks as she speaks. Watch even more tears fall, and more pain spreads across her expression. "HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT! I CAN'T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU!!!" She buries her face in my chest, and lets go of my shoulders. She brings her hands up and places them on my chest with her face. I never want to cause someone I care about pain like this, but sometimes it can't be avoided. I wrap one arm around her back and the other around her head and hug her. 

As I do, her crying gets harder. I let her take all the time she needs. This reminds me that I ended up in the hospital after getting hit by a car on my bike when I was a kid. I didn't suffer any life-threatening injuries, just broken bones and bruises. Mom was the first one at the hospital. Apparently, she ran every red light to get to me. She got a big fat ticket a few days later. When she saw me in that hospital bed covered in bandages and casts, she had a fit. First, she was worried and asking me question after question. After I explained everything to her and she calmed down, she got really mad. I never had her yell at me like that before in my entire life once dad arrived. She was even angrier with him. He was supposed to be watching me. This was before Marcus was born.

I didn't tell dad I was leaving to ride my bike, so he was pretty mad. He didn't get a chance to yell at me because mom was too busy yelling at him. Thinking back to that memory makes me smile. "I'm sorry for saying that, Sally. I should have thought longer on that." She looks up from my chest, and I see her puffy blue-green eyes. I didn't know that I could hurt someone so much with words. I never really held conversations long enough to find out, another lesson learned. She backs up while drying her eyes and cleans the snot she left of my chest piece. After drying her eyes, she looks at me with a very tiny grin. I think that's a good sign, but I don't know. She tells me that as long as I never say that again, she'll be okay. Sounds easy enough.

We continue walking up the stairs, and this time it isn't full of so much tension. After climbing several flights, we open the door back into the throne room. I step into it, and there are new soldiers and commanding officers of the military investigating the blood bath. Kleager is on the other side of them. He and his daughter look at me. All I see is total fear. Everyone in the room sees me enter. They all stare at my title and wings, not moving an inch. The first to step forward is a general I didn't see here earlier. He must have just arrived. "Do you have any idea what you just did..." He continues walking forward. I'm not going to be the one intimidated here. I burst forward in speed they can't react to, and I pinned him to the ground hard with my right wing.

He tries to get free, but it's no use. He stares up at me with contempt. "I have freed the people of Bellvia, freed your government from the corruption of nobles. I have the mind to kill the entire hierarchy here in Bellvia, but I know that would make Bellvia crumble without proper leadership. You should be thanking me, Nameless General. Bellvia has a chance to evolve from the pit it has become." He looks at me with slight shame. He is a part of all this, to be sure. I can't kill them all though, the people beyond this palace have no idea how to run a country. I would be dooming them to another countries mercy. I doubt Bellvia has any allies willing to do such things, to absorb a failure such as all this. Hopefully, they will make a change.

I stop pinning the General, and we start walking to the big doors that lead outside. There is nothing left in the palace that we need. Once outside, the crowd at the gate to the palace grounds has increased in size. The whole town looks to be waiting. I begin walking to the gate will Sally right behind me, and as I approach, whispers and talks break out. I can see that there are mothers and fathers with their sick kids. The same can be said about kids bring their sick mothers and fathers. Once I make it to the gate, I can see the desperate looks on many faces. I pick up Sally with one arm and leap us over the gate and giant crowd. I bring us down to the empty street. The crowd turns and quickly swarms. I can hear many voices saying move or get out of the way.

I stand still and wait. I can leave these people with one more gift. As the sick are in front of me, I can see the begging looks on their guardians—all of them on their hands and knees in tears. "Bring your sick in front of me." They dart their heads up in hope. They follow the commands and gently lay their sick in front of me. I spread my wings wide open as I stand in the center of the sick lying on the ground. I use my healing skill that is only active when I have my title out. My wings shine with golden and white energy. Every single sick or healthy person around me is affected by the magic. After about 10 seconds of channeling the power, I stop and look at the sick. They all look to be in perfect health now and slowly begin to wake up.

Many rush their loved ones I have just healed. I look around, and many people want to reach out and touch me. They pull their hands back in hesitation before they do. "People of Bellvia!" All the people around me and the surrounding crowd listen. "The nobles that have been corrupting your city and neglecting all of you are dead! This is your people's chance to change this city and country for the better! Hold the king and his soldier responsible! Make them make changes! If they fail to do so, I will return and finish them off!" I finish my announcement to the people. Many begin clapping and cheering, and the ones that don't get on their knees and praise The Almighty Father. Bellvia has a chance now. Hopefully, they won't screw it up.

I start walking towards the center of the city, where a famous fountain and teleportation gate lies. I know for a fact that The Holy City is sending people here. I should greet them. Nightfall is still several hours off. As Sally and I walk the path to the city center, the crowd continues to follow us. I can see it in the distance as we get closer and as my eyes land on it. I can see soldiers and officers coming out of the gate wearing the church's armor. They look in our direction and see me. Many go ridged. This is going to be my first official encounter with them. I watch some highly decorated general come out of a tent and look towards the coming crowd and me. He barks orders to his soldiers in a hot fury, and many scramble.

Once we are within talking distance of each other, he orders his men to put a perimeter around the city center. Soldiers push the crowd back and stand guard. I stare at the man, and he stares at me. After a second, he gets on one knee and puts a hand on his heart, and lowers his head. "It's an honor to meet you, My Lord. I'm High General Oliver Blaker of the church's army, one of four high Generals." The highest-ranking official, Saintess Lucy, must be busy on a mission somewhere. He must want to talk, and I have many things to say to the church. Hopefully, I can get a chance to say them.