11 The Burden of Truth

[September 21th – Elpida's border, Clogwyn area]

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Once Nion finally arrived at the place that was stormed by outsiders previously, she had an intense feeling of a déjà vu. Hundreds of men and women of different ages were already climbing the precipice of Clogwyn, some others were running along the precipice hoping to find another way to get to the top. Many of these people were already injured; most of the young men and women were covered in blood. Once again, the groups were coming from the direction of that distant village of the lands of Elpida and the same scenario was about to take place again. However, this time the scale was at a completely different level, it was as if the whole village was desperately trying to get through the borders.

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\"Today today it will be different! I'll show him that I can manage it without killing anyone.\" Nion said to herself.

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Busy with the incident at the hospital, Nion had arrived much later than she was expected. Warning these people about the trespassing policies would be meaningless and only would make the situation even more difficult to handle since Nion was alone and the citizens of Elpida had already broken through the limit of 'Safe-zone' according to Aleksithimia's border control policy. Nion decided to contact the first line border control to get more details about the ongoing situation.

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\"This is Quarta, what is the situation at the main gate?\"

\"The main gate is under attack.\" Said the first borderline security agent.

\"Their identity?\" Quarta asked

\"The aggressors' identity is unclear; but, they are coming from lands of Elpida's direction.\" He replied.

\"Any casualties on your side?\"

\"Multiple casualties and about a dozen people are injured, we won't hold much longer!\" He said.

\"Is the prosper is aware of the current situation?\"

\"Mitera System has summoned you first.\" He replied.

\"Hmm, Mitera has summoned me, yet I haven't heard from the operator's yet... Strange.\"

She mumbled.

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\"Very well, I will handle the situation myself. Make sure to protect the main gate for another 10 minutes.\" She ordered.

\"Engaging!\" Nion announced to the patrol. \"Nobody is going to die tonight!\"

\"Operator, I request 'Physical enhancement'.\"

\"Physical enhancement - Activated.\" Operator replied.

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Nion jumped off the cliff in the very middle of the most concentrated area filled with trespassers. During nighttime the only source of light is the moon, so nobody saw Nion flying down until she touched the ground. Her landing energy had produced a small shockwave that made people who were nearby fall on the ground. Some people recognized her and begun screaming trying to alarm others.

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Single individuals and couples spread out running away from Nion as fast as they could, other small groups who were carrying injured people tried to hide, youngest and the healthiest ones regrouped themselves in small circles trying to protect each other.

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\"All of you! You should not be here, why are you keep trying?!\" Said Nion.

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\"The hell would you understand! You will be punished for all the evil you've done!\" Shouted a young man who his family who were holding him back.

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Nion charged into that man's direction, but he got suddenly pulled back to the middle of his group and an old woman came out in his place. She looked like one of the elders of the \"Grand Central\" who transmitted the power and elected the prosper Aleksithimia, she looked very old.

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The old woman said something to the young man in an unfamiliar language; Her voice was surprisingly calm and monotonous, which made it impossible to define the intonation of her phrase. After finishing her sentence, the old woman stood up in front of Nion and bowed before her.

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\"I am Quarta, the guardian of the East borderline of lands of Aleksithimia! You are trespassing our closed borders and you will be given a death penalty if you do not evacuate our premises immediately!\" Nion shouted to everyone.

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Some of the trespassers started crying as if they lost all hope to survive from the moment Nion arrived at the scene.

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The old woman carefully approached Nion and spoke out with a heavy accent that sounded very different from the one from Elpida.

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\"Machina...\" the old woman whipped the tears with her shaking hands. \"Quarta... forgive my people's rudeness. Gods have forsaken us, we have no place to go...We do not have a place to return anymore...\" She said.

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\"You should not be here, get out while you can!\" Ordered Nion.

\"They are chasing us out!\" Said old woman.

\"Who, they?\" Asked Nion.

\"The men from the Holy Order!\" She replied.

\"Elaborate!!\" Ordered Nion.

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\"Please, hear me out. We are a group of farmers who came from the North, because of the rage of the God of Sun, we had to live our homes and looking for a better place to establish ourselves. Speranta, the village behind the forest was our only home for years until recently, when the people from the \"Holy Order\" appeared in our village. In the beginning, they proclaimed themselves as bounty hunters and then offered us their protection in exchange for a part of our resources. We are nothing more than families of farmers, the majority of my people, as well as the other inhabitants, have no knowledge in combat and since we were attacked by bandits and vandals very often, that was a great deal for us.\" Explained the old woman.

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\"Months after, some of our women went missing. The rumors about that the Holy Order is not what they claimed to begin circling the village. Villagers became suspicious, some were scared of them every time they came for food or anything else.\"

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\"One day, one of my five sons saw two men from the Holy Order assaulting a young woman and then they killed her right in front of his eyes. The whole village went looking for her, but we never found her body. Two days after some drunk men from the Holy Order arrived in our village and set our houses on fire for no apparent reason. Our strongest men and woman reunited together to stop the abusive behavior the Holy Order was doing to us. Our dear friends never came back home alive...Eventually, they did...beheaded.\" She sobbed.

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\"Since that incident, the leader of the Holy Order whom I don't know the name came to our village and said that we are sinners and that gods don't want us here anymore... Since that day, they were coming in large groups murdering every man and elders as myself and taking away our woman and children. Speranta has become worse than the living hell. Even if we'd go back, all of us would be crucified or thrown to fire burning alive...Exactly like they did to most of our friends.\" Said old woman.

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\"What is your name, old woman?\" Asked Nion.

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During the conversation, those who did not flee slowly surrounded Nion, ready to attack her all at once.

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\"My name is Kernel, I am the last elder of the \"Shira\" tribe.\" She replied.

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Nion noticed the upcoming assault, in the dark, her purple eyes changed into flame purple color.

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\"Old woman! Tell your people to back off!\" Shouted Nion to Kernel. \"You should have heard of who I am. I am stronger, stronger than anyone of you! Lower your weapon, or I will turn this place into a bloodbath as you've never seen before\" shouted Nion while solidifying her weapon.

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\"LET HER BE!\" Shouted Kernel.

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People who surrounded Nion did not move an inch further, the tension was getting higher.

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\"I am looking for a little child called Asta, where is he?\" Asked Nion.

\"How do you know his name?\"

\"You are not in the position of asking questions old woman.\" Elder Kernel started crying.

\"He is...\"

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One of the men who surrounded Nion interrupted the elder Kernel.

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\"ENOUGH!\" He shouted. \"You do not have to tell her anything at all! Look at her, she is all alone and we are more than a hundred. If we charge together right now we can end this once and for all! For how long do you want us to hide and run away? We should avenge our friends and families who were killed by her bloody hands! I saw her killing Pipola in front of her kids! How can you trust someone like that?! She is no better than these liars from the Holy Order!!\" Said the man.

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\"If we don't kill her right now, there won't be a tomorrow for any of us!\" Shouted another man.

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\"You hot-headed idiots! How many sacrifices do you need to understand that violence will only spread violence in return! I have enough of seeing my people dying!\" Shouted Kernel

\"You hot-headed idiots! How many sacrifices do you need to understand that violence will only spread violence in return! I have enough of seeing my people dying!\" Shouted Kernel.

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Everyone was on the edge of stress and pressure, the air of the whole area was so tense that the sound of the wind sounded like a god of death dancing impatiently, waiting for the climax of this edgy situation. People from the Shira tribe were ready for the final resort of giving everything they have to stop Nion, as she was the last barrier that was blocking their way into the suburbs of the capital of lands of Aleksithimia, located within 20 kilometers from the Eastern border.

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Everyone 's minds were clear, the only option for them was to fight and each one of them was ready to die to protect their families. The only reason that everyone was hesitating to attack Nion was that she and the elder Kermel were in the middle of the human circle facing each other. The moon was glowing on these two as is they were two heroines under the spotlight of a theater scene that has reached its final act.

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\"His brother, Alex, is alive. He is currently under treatment in the capital of my country. I understood the reason for your actions and I am willing to cooperate... If you tell me where he is.\" Said Nion.

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\"All of us are having something or someone to protect. My duty is to protect my country and its people. I believe so do you...Kernel! The past cannot be changed and I am responsible for my actions. However, right now, your future is in my hands and I am asking to cooperate!\" Said Nion as she sheltered her weapon. \"Where is the child?\"

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\"I am afraid that he was taken away by the people from the Holy Order...\" Replied Kernel.

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Another dozen groups arrived at the plain. In a blink of an eye, Nion rushed to see if the child she was looking for was with any of these groups, calling out 'Asta's' name without any response. One of the people who just arrived pointed to the village's direction. After the nightfall, it was visible that the smoke was coming from that direction. Without losing a second, Nion rushed in that direction.