Where threatening news and subversive revelations come to trouble everyone and especially Geno, causing the council to end somehow with more new questions than answered ones.

No one's POV:
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The ceiling alternatively was glowing white and purple, at first at a very slow rhythm, then faster and faster. Until the purple light filled the whole stadium. Geno gulped.

"Ok, what the hell is going on now?!" He thought staring up intensively. The light glowed brighter one more time and suddenly a human face appeared on the ceiling. Everybody gasped.

"The big Aristo wants to speak!" Someone yelled. And faster than you could say bottle, every noise in the stadium stopped, all rebels stood up and did again that gesture Geno saw when the witch appeared and spoke. The skeleton observed the face better. Brown hair and eyes, pale skin and Roman like nose... he was familiar. Where had he seen that face before?

"Good evening friends." The voice boomed through the whole stadium, calm and polite. "I hope God still keeps you all safe and sound. I can see you, but not hear you. You can however. Without any delays, there is a very important message I have to pass to all of you..." The man paused for a moment, but soon started talking, much more serious than when he was greeting the rebels. "... Lord Raymond is planning to attack the monsters tomorrow."

"Oh hermano..." Geno thought.

"Secret informants managed to pick up what his next moves will be. If you have heard anything about ships not allowed leave their ports, nor come to Lisbon, that is to help Raymond. It is so no help can come. He did that mostly to prevent me from coming. He will arrest monsters and execute them, with the excuse they are suspected of being rebels. Beware, he doesn't just want to make the population of monsters shorter randomly, he suspects there is secret movement from you. He will try to lure you out, the real rebels, so he can eliminate you too. But you must not let the monsters that live above your heads be executed like that. There is a plan to save them. Despite no ships are allowed to leave their ports, I still have my way to travel and reach Lisbon, to stop Raymond. I have the power to do that, only if I am in front of him. But you all. You must delay him as much as possible until I arrive. Be prepared and do not let your brothers and sisters get slaughtered for nothing. Do not let Raymond do as he pleases. Because you are one. We, are one."

Nobody spoke, they just kept staring up, waiting if Bernard would say something else. Geno wasn't caring at the moment so much of what the man just a while ago announced as much as his appearance in such way. What kind of magic was that, able to let him speak through the glass? Was it part of his magic Alter forgot to mention?

"Should I close it now?" A different voice was heard and Geno flinched. No, it wasn't Bernard's magic, someone else was helping him communicate with all rebels.

"Wait son. Give me a couple more minutes." The human replied as he looked behind him. The other didn't reply and Bernard turned to look again at all rebels down. Unconsciously Geno chuckled, the guy was kinda talking like Alter when referring to him. Suddenly Bernard sighed and after a few more seconds of silence he spoke again. "I know you think most hope is lost since my closest friends and the ones you considered saviors and leaders too, Arhana and Aster, were gone. But... I must apologise, because it is completely different from what it seems. Many of you might know what happened to Arhana, she was displaced and since then never came back. But I assure you, for whoever is not sure, she's still alive. And when the time comes she will have her return. As for Aster... I think it's time, today, you truly know what happened."

Geno raised his brow. Things were getting spicy. He expected to hear the man start talking about that mysterious monster leader and get enlightened a little more. But instead, Bernard turned to look behind him and nodded, probably to his helper. And then, his icon started fading, disappearing from the ceiling slowly.

"Hey yo, wtf?!" The skeleton thought and rose up from his seat surprised as Bernard disappeared completely. The ceiling from purple, slowly became white and bright again. It all turned to normal. After that, suddenly all rebels started talking. Agitated, surprised, confused.

"Calma a todos!" The witch suddenly said, loud enough to make everyone slowly calm down and focus on her. "Let us thank Lord Bernard for the info he just gave us. After the council ends, in 2 hours let us meet again to discuss of a plan to prevent the disaster of tomorrow from happening. But now..." She paused for a moment and looked down. "... since the case of Aster and Arhana was brought up, let us hear if anyone has to say something about them."

At exactly that moment, perfect timing, a little shadow flew and landed on the tall man's shoulder Geno was sitting next to him. He eventually realised it was a bird, robin specifically. And it had a message tied around its leg! Although the man flinched feeling it sitting on his shoulder, he didn't wipe it off him.

Instead he crossed arms and leaned his head closer to the bird as it started whispering stuff to him. Geno wanted to hear too, but the only thing he heard at first was the word "... message..."

"From who?" The man asked loud enough for Geno to hear well. The bird whispered again something and the only words the small skeleton heard were "... Bloody rose..." What the hell was that, did he even hear that well? But that wasn't actually the thing to concern him the most. It was the fact the robin was talking to the monster next to him casually.

"Yup, that was what was wrong with him. He's a mermaid." Geno thought but tried to keep his chill. He saw the man untie carefully the letter from the robin's leg and holding it. He nodded, thanked the bird and the small creature flew quickly off his shoulder, disappearing only God knows where.

Then he rose up from his seat and... teleported! Geno's eyesocket widened up as he tried to find where he went. He eventually saw the man just casually walking towards the witch. The instrument players were about to approach and start searching him like they did with all others that wanted to share info.

But once they saw Echo raising her hand, they stayed motionless like statues. The witch approached the man and stood in front of him. Damn she was one head shorter than him! The other leaned closer to her and while handing her the letter he whispered something for a few seconds.

"Alright. Thank you." Echo said, who had listened silently and nodded. The man turned his back and the very next moment he teleported next to Geno, sitting down. He crossed arms.

"What was that a while back?" The smaller whispered demanding for explanations. The man guffawed.

"Demanding, aren't we príncipe enano?" He asked. Geno felt his skull boiling but swallowed his anger and looked away.

"Tch!"

"Great news everybody!" Echo said then out loud. "Lady Arhana and her crew sends her compliments from Caribbean! She's alright!" All rebels in the stadium started clapping, some of them whistling loudly.

"Wait, why are we all happy again?" Geno thought as the monsters were slowly calming down after Echo signed for silence. Then, she looked around.

"I see we're all happy for Lady Arhana. But now, it's time to talk about a more serious matter... it is time we hear, about Aster's case. What is there about it? What do we know? 4 years ago, with the scandal that ruined everything, the monster Ace was sended to decapitation. In public. Our eyes didn't deceive us, the execution happened for whoever saw it. Case closed..."

"Eee, poor guy." Geno thought and gulped silently holding his neck. But Echo looked around her one more time and then crossed her arms.

"... But perhaps there are rebels among us, who might have a different say to this." She said then. Suddenly Geno's eyesocket caught movement from the left side of the stadium. He saw 2 figures standing up and going down the stair-seats slowly. To the far opposite he saw a 3rd rebel moving too.

And lastly, he flinched seeing a 4th one walk passing just a few feet away from where he was sitting. He stared surprised and curious at the 4 cloaked figures carefully. The 2 of them were nor very tall, nor very short. The were both walking with lowered heads and slow careful steps towards the center of the stadium, near the witch.

The other 2 figures were quite tall. But while the one was moving with bigger and faster steps towards the centre of the stadium, the other, the one that had walk passed Geno, was moving slower and calmer. They gathered near Echo and bowed down at the same time, then stood upright motionless.

Echo didn't say anything and just stared at them for many seconds. The audience was waiting, barely breathing at this point because there was literally no sound at all. If someone wanted to sneeze or cough, at this point they were probably holding it in. Finally, the witch crossed arms.

"Who wants to go first?" She asked. A few seconds later, the one tall figure, the one who had passed closer from Geno, walked ahead and stood next to Echo. They looked around slowly.

"... A dream last night. A premonition rather..." They started and their voice was deep and wild. However Geno could tell that tone was forced, so he understood the rebel wasn't talking in his real voice. "... It told me it was time to talk again about Aster. That's why I came all the way here today. And it was right. Indeed the time to talk again about our monster leader has come. And for the case to begin... Aster wasn't the one who got decapitated that day, 4 years ago."

"Say what now?" The small skeleton thought as whispers and gasps were immediately heard through the whole stadium for many seconds, before Echo raise her hands and silence prevail again. She looked again at the tall figure that was talking, signing to continue.

"... I know it, because I had my involvement to his rescue. My part was to escort him secretly out of the Capital. I assure, just like how my other companions will do too, Aster is far from dead..."

The audience went once again crazy and the stadium was filled with conversations, surprise and interest was in the tones of their voices. Also confusion and some doubt yet. But once Echo raised her hand again, the rebels went quiet.

"This is so damn confusing..." Geno murmured staring at the rebel who had talk first. He waited to hear him saying more. But instead, he looked back at the others who were waiting and nodded. With that, he turned and walked towards them.

At the same time, the 2nd tall rebel and the shortest one walked together to the first's position and looked around silent before start talking too. The tall one sounded very much like a woman with deep and strong voice. Though funny, they were almost convincing that a woman was talking.

But with what Geno was told, he guessed that rebel was another man. Same as the short one as the siren was going to hear him talk soon, who didn't try sound like the taller, but had a very quiet casual tone.

"As you all probably know it, Lord Raymond had targeted especially Aster, from the time the 3 Aces' altruistic plans to unite humans and monsters of the whole Portugal were flourishing well! He needed to pin on him a crime so big, it would scandalise the human government and all humans. And he did it! The day of Aster's execution, was a day all humans wanted not to miss. Every single one of them had gather waiting to see the 'traitor' getting decapitated, waiting with joy for Aster to die. But that was one of their biggest mistakes. By calling ALL humans to see the execution, including their soldiers, there was literally nowhere else guard. Nor from the borders, nor from sea that day! And that helped a lot, to help Aster get away through sea."

"Damn, these dudes were well prepared and ready." Geno thought.

"How did he escape the prison?! If he escaped, then who was the one that got decapitated?!" A rebel protested and Geno found himself once again getting troubled and confused. Indeed, how? But then the short rebel cleared his throat and the taller took a step back.

"We managed to enter the prison Aster was kept, disguised as human soldiers. Only there were a few soldiers still, who weren't waiting for the execution in the town's plaza. It might was a little tough, but let's just say the one and only soldier who was guarding Aster closer to his prison, to lead him later with his other human 'pals' on his death, was really useful to replace the prisoner. His absence would make anyone think, he was most likely catching 'a break'. Aster was so bruised and injured, he was hardly recognised even by his torturers. Even by us when we saw him. And so, no one would understand the difference, until it was too late and the real victim for decapitation was far away enough."

"But wouldn't the soldier speak to warn what happened?" Geno said unexpectedly out loud. Many rebels' attention turned to him and he gulped. However the short rebel who was doing his revelations now, hurried to answer him.

"We thought about that. In order for the soldier to not speak we cut his tongue!" He said and Geno shivered.

"Sounds reasonable." He thought and the rebel turned again around the stadium to keep talking.

"And like that, we managed to escort Aster outta the prison..." He paused, shortly after lowered head and stepped back. With the tall rebel next to him they walked next to the one who had speak first. And finally the 2nd short rebel stepped ahead and everyone's attention turned at them.

They were a little taller than the first. Also their hood was making it seem like they had a rather big head in comparison with their body. They stood with hands on their hips and looked around the stadium slowly. When they finally started talking, Geno understood that it was a 4th man underneath the cloak.

"... The day of Aster's escape, I was waiting far away outside the borders after Sir Bernard's command. As the other rebels said, they helped him escape. The 2 before me, they broke in the prison and got him out. The first, took them and Aster and guided them through a secret path under the Capital, leading out of the borders. Then, through sea with a boat, they took our monster leader away."

"But due to his bruises and bad condition, we had it planned to stop by a monster village as far away as possible from the Capital. We couldn't risk travel for long." The tallest rebel who had come to speak together with the shortest said.

"I was waiting in that village." The 4th rebel kept talking now. "When I saw Aster my heart ached. There were possibilities he wouldn't survive and succumb to his injuries. But we hid him in a house and took care of him. For 2 whole weeks he was barely giving any life signs, the only things making us keep trying to save him. Then after these weeks, thankfully he gained full consciousness, we didn't have to worry that he would Fall Down at any moment anymore. But he was still weak. As long as he was resting, we feared that at any day, the humans would understand the hoax and send searching teams to find him, eventually reach the village we were hiding him."

"While it was kept secret from all human citizens and monsters. The next days we picked conversations and messages. Lord Raymond had understood the hoax and was crazily mad. He couldn't let the citizens know Aster was alive and the decapitation was for nothing. It had barely managed to stay hidden from the public. That sick in the head man wanted him dead instantly. It wasn't enough for him that he had ruin the 3 Aces' plans, that he had seperated them, that now Aster was far away hiding somewhere, no, he wanted to make sure he would dust in front of his eyes." The shortest rebel spoke again with spite.

"Only a few humans from Raymond's class and the human soldiers knew the truth. That Aster is alive and that he escaped death. Also the monsters of the village he was taken care of. Me... And now you all do too..." The 4th rebel said and lowered head. "... I couldn't stay for long and watch him, take care of him too. Before we part ways and I return to the Capital, for in the position I am, my absence would arouse suspicion, we exchanged words... if we weren't seeing each other again soon, he told me to keep the secret of his fake death until the time to reveal the truth was right again... but a week later... Lord Raymond started sending searching teams of human soldiers to all monster villages... to find Aster. He had suspected he had gotten out of town, he was clever enough to realise that because of the lack of guard outside the borders this must have happened. I started getting worried that at any day, any of these teams would search the village Aster was in and find him."

"Oh boy. And then what happened?" Geno thought feeling the tension and agony inside him growing more and more hearing such narration. He was suddenly extremely thirsty for more answers of what happened 4 years ago in here.

"Everytime a searching team would come back and I would hear they hadn't find him, it wasn't relieving me. I was afraid and feeling that at any day they would understand I knew things about where he's hiding. But 2 months passed and the searching teams were coming back without any clue of Aster. Even when they destroyed the monsters' houses, when some of the villages they burned them down completely after searching, even when they threatened and killed monsters trying to make them speak, it was for nothing. Aster had disappeared into thin air..."

"THAT CAN'T JUST BE!" A rebel suddenly yelled and jumped down on the stadium. He approached pointing with his finger at the others near the witch. "SO YOU ARE SAYING YOU KNEW ALL THIS TIME ASTER WAS ALIVE?! WHILE MOST OF US MOURNED AND BELIEVED HE WAS DEAD! HOW COULD YOU NOT SAY THAT AND ONLY AFTER BERNARD'S ALLOWANCE! FAITH AND HOPE WOULD HAVE BEEN RESTORED MUCH EASIER LONG AGO! AND YOU-!"

His words were cutted and he stopped walking towards them when in just a moment, in front of Geno's shocked eyesocket, Echo stepped in front of the rebels who had talked about Aster and in her hand a red majestic glowing sword appeared, which she pointed towards the angry rebel's chest.

Now as her whole right arm was exposed and not hiding in her cape even from far away Geno was, he saw a golden glow on it. even the cuff on the witch's wrist hiding it a little, there was no doubt, she had the siren symbol.

"Stop right there, ally." She said and her now clearly open eyes were emitting golden and red light mixed with seriousness. Though the rebel was caught off guard from this and was clearly showing surprise and some fear, he didn't stop talking and complaining.

"You knew things too all along, you witch! I am certain! And I just feel it, you also know where Aster moved next and where he is hiding! Just like how these other... other..." He was trying to find how to call the rebels behind the witch. But he seemed to soon give up or rather not wanting to call them anything in front of Echo. "... THESE OTHER REBELS, who might say they know nothing more! So why don't we all become a little more honest today and cut the damn act huh?!"

"You want honesty?" Suddenly another voice from the audience was heard and stood up making them noticable among the other rebels. "You and almost all other rebels in this very stadium, for your safety and Aster's, the less you know, the better."

That immediately caused the crowd to protest and like an aggressive wave was ready to drown the rebel who had speak and then the witch and whoever spoke about Aster. Aside them, Geno and the monster next to him were making no sound. The smaller though from worry about what would happen next. The other seemed chill as always.

"I come from the village that hospitalised Aster when he was brought to us..." Suddenly another rebel rose up, managing to be heard among the angry audience and the attention turned at them. "... and allies, despite your anger and confusion, you can't know from which village I am. Otherwise you would know where Aster was sended. And by that, what would happen if any of us was caught? What if any of us was betraying about that information? We would only help our enemies."

"Aster's security is tied with ours." Another rebel stood up gaining everyone's attention. "The humans have in documents all names from all monster villages outside the Capital, who lived in which and if they got destroyed. They don't know which villagers from which village had hid Aster and took care of him."

"If they knew, since we are monsters who require to live in the town above us, they would arrest us all immediately and inspect us."

"Either way, even if they were arresting us, even if they torture us, the secret of where Aster was hidden and how did we secure him later, will be taken to the afterlife."

"You all around almost, you can't know where Aster went." Suddenly 12 more rebels after the first 6, rose up from their seats too and all of them raised their one hand in the air, making that symbol everyone did from the beginning.

"We all come from the same village that took care of Aster. Alas, we are the last ones."

"Our loyalty will be shown through silence for our monster leader."

"Where he was and where he went next, will stay with us."

"We vowed to die rather than ever speak and reveal the truth. Whether it is a friend or enemy."

"But the hope will stay, for we all know now, he is alive out there."

"But his time has not come yet to return and stand officially with us."

"Once there are enough forces to help, once the 3 Aces reunite once again, only then the day we will all fight for the last time for the freedom of monster kind will arrive."

"And serve justice!"

"For the truth to shine!"

"For that tyrant, Raymond Aristo to fall and be punished!"

"For the human King to completely free us from his people who tortures us!"

"And a new dawn shall appear for us at the end!"

"Such loyalty. Wow..." Geno thought surprised as he was staring around at all rebels who had speak. He was speechless from what just happened. The whole stadium was speechless too and motionless. Slowly the rebels who had stand up sat back down, slowly and calmly. No more protesting, no more complaining.

The rebel who had entered the stadium with anger and demands to know more, slowly turned his back and was ready to walk back to his seat. But suddenly Echo held him from his shoulder and stopped him. She shook head left and right.

"No need to sit back." She said and then looked at everyone around. "Dismissed! You shall return in 2 hours and we will all discuss for a plan to delay Raymond's plans tomorrow, until Bernard Aristo comes to completely stop it."

And with these words, everyone slowly stood up, went down the stairs and headed towards where they had entered first.

phew! gotta stop rambling. 4200
words. thank you so much for
sticking around the fanfiction,
voting and commenting. until next
chapter we meet, stay always
determined and strong, even on
your hardest times. bye bye.

_Asra- hopefully you have a good day, week, month, year and so on, a good life ahead for you.

ciao readers

*noms suhar* *pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat pat*