Welcome to Vilanterna
Where Geno gets to wander in a whole new secret village of rebels for a little while, find some history behind the reasons it was built and make a few new acquaintances.
No one's POV:
-
In front of Geno's feet there was a whole new village, a whole new world! The houses seemed similarly build as the ones of the first village but they were in much better condition. However 2 things were making the explosive difference: First, there was extreme movement EVERYWHERE.
Wherever Geno was staring at, he could see all kinds of monsters wandering, standing, talking and fooling around. But there were also a few humans mixed with the monsters and in fact getting along just fine if they were interacting and talking with them. The second difference was the light on the atmosphere.
The only things giving light were lanterns hanging from some sticks nailed on the walls of the houses and tall poles, giving orange and yellow colors. The small skeleton could count at least 4 lanterns hanging from each wall, which could mean that at every house and building there might were at least 16 lanterns!
And that was how he understood they were underground right now. There was no physical sunlight and the ceiling... well, he couldn't see it, the light of the lanterns wasn't enough to reach it and vanish the huge shade. Geno avoided looking up, for it reminded him these dreams where he had mostly encountered Morganna.
"Alter... ¡¿Dónde diablos estamos?!" He asked after the first surprise. Alter looked at him confused.
"Pardon me son, me no habla Spanish."
"Right, sorry." Geno said calming down. Just a little. "Where on Lisbon are we?!" He asked looking at the other still shocked and surprised with what he was seeing. Alter pointed somewhere high. Geno followed his finger and saw a big wooden plank nailed on 2 huge poles:
BEM-VINDO À VILANTERNA
ALIADOS E ALIADAS!
"Vilanterna?" Geno murmured still looking around, more and more actually fascinated. He felt Alter holding his hand and let him guide him. They went down the stairs they had in front and Geno saw beneath them a river running. When they had climbed down the last stairs he looked back and saw the church.
But no, it wasn't a church the building they exited from. It was a huge and tall grey rock with just a door to it's base. Geno felt even more puzzled. How? Just how? He looked at Alter waiting for answers. But the priest just shrugged his shoulders.
"I'll be honest, I have no idea either son. I've entered only once." He just said as he had taken off his glasses to wipe them on his sleeve. Geno looked again around him silent and saw that many of the monsters had eyes nailed on them both now. But after observing a bit better he realised they were all staring at Alter.
They seemed to pry him very carefully and whispering to each other. But they didn't seem hostile, rather confused and curious. Once Alter was done wiping his glasses and wore them again, when he saw the monsters nailing eyes on him he stared back raising bonebrow.
"Algum problema amigos?" He asked with a rather cold voice and again out of his original. One Loox monster dared to approach closer still staring suspiciously at Alter.
"Quem permitiu que você entrasse?" He seemed to ask and Geno fought a little to understand what he said.
"A bruxa e isso." Alter said and showed to the Loox' huge eye the winged golden necklace. Immediately the other stepped back blinking surprised.
"O-Oh! Você é um dos amigos dele! Desculpe por isso amigo!" He said and sounded really agitated as he turned his back and returned to his companions. Geno prevented to see that the monster wasn't wearing magic blocker. And when he observed just a tiny bit better, all monsters around weren't wearing them.
"¿Qué es este lugar?" He murmured to himself, turned to Alter and asked him.
"This is a village of rebels and wronged ones of the law. They all live here. Echo is the Boss."
"But how was it built so well without humans understanding anything?!"
"It was a difficult job, but it was done under high secrecy." One random monster said.
"It was the witch's idea!" Another said.
"She's clever and provident! She felt that something would go wrong with the 3 Aces' plans to help the monster kind rise and stand as equal next to the humans."
"And so, she asked Lord Bernard to cover her as she would built this village!"
"Alas, her predictions came true!"
"Many of us monsters were blamed for traição and hunted down!"
"Any monster working in any way for the 3 Aces, even as servants to their houses, them especially were accused as from the biggest traitors!"
"They made us look like wanted criminals!"
"Many of us were sended to the guillotine, for hanging, they displaced members of our families!"
"We did nothing!"
"All because of that Satan's spawn named Raymond Aristo!"
"He was always jealous of his brother, who is nothing but a pure angel standing between us the sinners of human and monster kind."
"Luckily Bernard stopped the massive executions, or else his brother would have moved on killing even simple monster villagers!"
"But if he wasn't ruining Lord Bernard's plans, we wouldn't be hiding here! It might be a safe resident but we can hardly ever get out and see the light again."
"Oooh, if I could go up here, find Lord Raymond and f*cking tear him apart!"
The fuss and comments full of anger and hatred would have kept going if suddenly a loud buzz wasn't heard from far away. Literally all heads turned to the direction the sound came from and stayed silent and motionless, as if everyone had paralyzed. No one was talking. The streets became quiet.
Even when the sound vanished completely, no one moved, except Geno, who kept looking around confused. What was even going on? What was everybody waiting for? It became so quiet, even if a feather was falling and touching the ground it would be heard.
The buzz was soon heard for a second time but still no one reacted. Geno felt Alter tapping his shoulder and looked at him. He signed to climb on his back, which, although surprised the smaller, made him accept the offer. Soon he was sitting on Alter's shoulders and looked around from a different view.
The buzz was heard for a third time and as if everyone had planned it all together, they started walking and running towards the sound. Together Alter too. Geno looked at the roofs of the houses, he could see monsters jumping from one roof to another. He looked at the river that was going further ahead.
He could see water monsters swimming fast, towards the buzz sound too. Now he had understood why Alter wanted to carry him. With so many monsters -and the few humans among them, let's not forget them- walking and running, he could easily get bumped and stepped by them this small he was if he wasn't careful.
"Al, what is happening? Where are we going?" He asked looking down at Alter.
"We will have your meeting with Echo today son. But your business ain't the only reason we're here for, remember. I have my own business to attend too by coming here escorting ya."
"Why!"
"The horn blew 3 times. It is the sign that council of the village is about to be made. We happen to have arrived for it just in time."
"And what am I supposed to do while waiting for my appointment with the witch?! I'm sorry if I seem to be caring only about my ego at the moment but I ain't having much patience!"
"Just wait some more, please." Alter just said. Geno rolled his eyeoscket.
"How long will the council last?"
"If there aren't many new things to discuss, I assume it can take even less than half an hour."
"And the longest it can take?"
"2 hours. That's what I was told and remember." Geno fought to take deep breaths and keep it together for hearing that. He was suddenly extremely hyped to meet with the witch now that he was so close. Oh, he wanted so badly to know what else was coming for him just to get over the mess he was in as fast as possible.
And he had think about other questions he wished the witch would answer them. But he had to try and respect Alter's reasons too about why he was here. If his business was coming first, he would try and wait. He sighed and pressed his chin on Alter's skull.
"Fiiine. Whatev." He groaned.
"Thanks son." Alter said gently as he kept walking, further and deeper in the neighbourhoods of the houses among the mob of the monsters. To help the time pass faster, Geno was looking around. There were new, more things that had manage get his attention. With one of them being the posters.
There were many of them on the walls. Underneath the face they were snowing, it was writting with big letters DESEJADO. There were a few also writting DESEJADA. And beneath that was written other gibberish in Portuguese which Geno could not even see well because the letters were much smaller.
But he could see numbers and an O next to them. These clues were more than enough for him to understand these posters were for the ones wanted by the humans. The big letters were most likely saying WANTED and the numbers were the amount of gold, payment for whoever was finding any of these wanted monsters.
"But what use do they have down here if the rebels and criminals are safe from the soldiers and are hiding?" He thought. "Excuse me hombre!" He asked out loud in his girly pitch a little impish-like monster with grey skin and pointy ears, wearing jester's clothes who happened to be passing by. They stopped and looked up to Geno at first a little surprised.
"Oooh! You're Spanish Spanish, aren't you?" They asked then in a quite loud excited male voice as their eyes squinted in a both menacing and adorable way and smiled wide revealing yellow sharp teeth.
"Yes yes." Geno said quickly. "Because I join first time here and I have no idea of this place, can you answer me a question of mine?"
"Of course, of course. What is that question of yours?" The imp asked sticking out his purple tongue while skip-walking next to Alter. Geno asked his question, only for the little jester to laugh crazily. "Silly, silly! But we keep the posters down here of course to show off who is the most wanted of us all, all! The bravest, boldest and craziest of us come up, up, more often in the night's dark, we snatch the posters the human soldiers post on the walls and make collections! Us rebels, we like to antagonise and count who has more posters with their face on them, them! Or how much gold we're worth if we get captured! But no matter how much any of us is 'famous', no one is like the witch that runs this village! Not just the most wanted woman but the most wanted rebel! The soldiers sure love posting her face 1000 times in a row row around the whole Portugal!" He laughed loudly and crazily again, making Geno shiver a little.
"Weird, but if they find any short of fun with this, who am I to judge?" He thought. "Alright, now it's clear. Thanks... Uuuh..."
"Jevil my name is! Do not forget this..." The jester said suddenly quiet. But then he laughed again out loud and kept skip-walking ahead faster. "Chaos chaos! Council we soon have. Under the ground we scheme, how to drop to 0 our enemy's health! Ha HA!" He sang and finally Geno lost him from his view as he maneuvered through the crowd.
"So? Is your question answered now?" Alter asked looking up to Geno.
"Well, yes now."
"What didja think of that guy?"
"Purely chaotic." The smaller only said and the 2 skeletons laughed.
Something else that soon caught Geno's attention were the drawings literally e v e r y w h e r e. On the walls, on the poles, even on the streets he could see Alter was stepping right now. From tough soil ground, the 2 had passed like the others, to a floor paved with grey rocks. No, the rocks couldn't be called grey anymore.
There were a lot of random things drawn, but the majority were flowers. Which of course caught Geno's interest first. All colors of nature had come to the floor and in the most amazing combinations, he was seeing big sized flowers drawn so well, it wasn't actually impossible to believe they were real. He was staring down in awe, surprised.
"Who drew all these so well?" He asked out loud at some point, unable to hold back his question.
"The children that live here." Geno turned his head to the left. A human about 40 years old was walking next to him and Alter. He raised bonebrow.
"These masterpieces drawn on the floor are from little kids? But how? And why are there kids down here?!"
"4 years ago, any of us who lost their husbands or wives because we were announced as outlaws or accused for betrayal, or in general we were wanted for much longer, we brought our children down here to keep them safe. The human Lords aren't joking, they can even send children of 'traitors' for displacement to other lands or exploit them for slavery. It is difficult teaching them anything down here, but at least they adapt quickly and still have will to live and play. Especially the younger ones that were borned in here or just live the biggest part of their lifes..."
Between about 4-8 years old children he meant with these last words. Geno shivered. Captain had warned him that Lisbon was no fun at all. Well, he was more than right. It was horrible! And amazing how monsters still managed to keep living! He sighed and looked again at the human, who was about to start walking faster and dissapear.
"Wait, Mister!" He stopped him. The man looked again at Geno.
"What?" Geno paused. Ask or not? Eventually he decided to ask.
"If you humans have better living conditions than monsters, why would you be here? I've seen you and a few others around..." He asked and hoped the guy wasn't getting mad or annoyed. But he just scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Humans who used to work for any of the 3 Aces, after the scandal 4 years ago, they were given 3 choices: serve Lord Raymond and be loyal to him only, get executed, or get displaced. If any of them were lucky enough, they had the 4th choice run away and become real outlaws and rebels. Anyways, if any of these humans truly loved and respected the 3 Aces, in most cases they chose to die or get displaced than deny their loyalty to them. After all their lifes changed to the better by serving them."
"How?"
"If you're a beggar and don't have any job, nor something to eat, if you're a slave for selling, if if if... for any reason if your life was sh*t and someone so mercifully gave you a really decent job in a house, perfect working conditions and masters that doesn't treat you bad nor hit you, then you can't help it but being grateful and feel like, you know what, I'm going to follow and serve them for the rest of my life. And that is what truly grateful and courageous humans said. The weakest and more cowards preferred to follow and tolerate Lord Raymond to save their lifes after the 3 Aces fell."
"But Bernard is not gone? Why did the other servants have to leave him?"
"Boba menina. Bernard might did save himself and barely save monster kind too but he wasn't allowed anymore to have human servants and maids in his house."
"Ok ok." Geno said and looked away to think for any more questions.
"Anything else you want to ask?" The man asked the moment Geno had think of something to ask.
"And you Sir? Were you serving one of the 3 Aces or you had another reason to join the witch?"
"Another reason. Once I was a snitch. I would give to the soldiers information about 'crimes' the monsters were doing to get money. I didn't give a damn how the monsters were treated then. But when Lord Raymond so unfairly doomed them, even I got scared, even I felt fed up with his actions. I didn't like monsters but I never really liked him either and with what he did he gave me reason to despise him. He's repressive. EXTREMELY repressive. And he's suspicious of everything and everyone. What made me a 'potential enemy' for him was when I simply decided to help a monster stand up after they bumped on me. You can't even imagine how easily soldiers can misunderstand anything. I, who was 'helping' them for years immediately went to arrest me for helping a monster. I ran, the situation was getting out of hand. I didn't know for how long I could hide. But then... the witch herself found me."
"Really?" Geno asked with his eyesocket widening more.
"Sim. The most wanted rebel of all. When it was night, she approached me and talked with me. She already knew about me and promised she could help me hide, but I had to join her for something big she was planning. Upon my disappointment and frustration with the humans, I thought I had nothing to loose. With her being on the other side she was 'safe'. And so, she leaded me to Vilanterna. I was shocked to see the village."
"How come you didn't want to snitch on her too and reveal the village?"
"I'm more cautious than that. I was pretty damn sure that even if I was revealing such thing that threatens Lord Raymond, they would still kill me. They forgive no mistakes easily even for such little thing I did to help a monster. It would have no value for me. Besides, that skunk Raymond would have taken the credits and I'd rather shut up than letting that happen. Even if I joined the witch out of desperation at first, now I have no problem being on her side and participating in her plans."
"How long are you hiding here?"
"Somewhere less than 3 years."
"How long did it take for the monsters be ok with the humans' appearance here?"
"Many of them still doesn't fully trust us. I can't blame them. Us first did so many horrible things to them, their anger and suspicions are justified. They can't believe easily humans can be allies, even if the witch herself gave us a chance and she knows who is trustworthy and who's not. But we can all still have conversations like the sentimental socialising beings we are and if we don't get on each other's nerves we're all good. If we have many differences, we have at least 1 thing in common: we hate Lord Raymond. And it can be more than enough."
Geno looked ahead to progress these words the human said. He looked at him again quickly.
"And... how are you helping the witch? Are you still snitching?" He asked. The man here suddenly laughed. "What's so funny? Why are you laughing?"
"Nah nah, not exactly a snitch anymore. I help the witch, not the human soldiers. I am now an informant and spy. When I go up I'm disguised and change my face to not be recognised. I observe around and if I see or hear anything big and important I report it to the council for everyone to get informed."
"Wooow. Who are you Sir?" Geno asked. The human raised eyebrow still smiling.
"Martim. And you 2? Are you family or what?"
"Adopted daughter." Geno and Alter said at the same time except the taller was looking up to Geno.
"I am Guido. Pleasure to meet you Martim." He said smiling wider. There Martim seemed to get surprised.
"Guido, Guido... Wait! Don't tell me you're the one who punched in the face Francisco and João yesterday!"
"Oh, that's right."
"Damn, they give on everyone's nerves about 'what divine unbeatable dancers we are', bliah bliah bliah!" Martim mocked making Geno laugh and snort. But then he looked at the smaller skeleton even more surprised. "If you are the skeleton they were talking about, then you little girl are... you are... ah yes! Eugenia right?!"
"Yes, you found it!" Geno giggled. "But how do you know our names?" He asked then.
"A few of us rebels down here came up to the monster town disguised to watch what monsters are doing. They watched the show of Danarei Milos until the end. When they returned to narrate what they saw, they were talking mostly about you, a 16 year old girl making Francisco and João's lifes a living hell in dance battle!" Martim gave his hand first to Alter and then to Geno and shook them. "I'm surprised to see you 2 here in this village. Didn't expect you were allies of the witch."
"Oh yeah. I am not capable coming often but me and my bambina came all the way here not just for the council but also for some personal business she has with Echo." Alter said casually looking up to Geno at the end.
"Well then, so, do you know the rules for when we have council?"
"I remember them."
"Good. Because we are in the centre now." Martim looked ahead and so did the 2 skeletons. 2 tall grey rock walls were standing, leaving only one road open. However Geno couldn't see through that opening what was there. But then he saw that now the rebels were standing in a big queue, waiting.
"For what?" He thought.
"Father and daughter first." Martim said and willingly let the 2 skeletons stand ahead of him while he stood behind.
"Thanks." Alter said.
"Al-. Guido? What are we waiting for? Why is there a queue?" Geno lowered and looked at the taller confused.
"You'll see very soon." Alter simply said. Luckily the queue was moving fast enough and Geno was seeing he wouldn't get bored waiting to reach the entrance. He looked one time behind him. The line of rebels was going endlessly. Wherever they were entering, would they all be comfortable? He thought.
He looked again ahead. Now that him and Alter were much closer to the walls, he could see a beautiful symbol painted to the left and right of the entrance up high. He recognised the plants he saw the 3 Aces were holding on that painting back to the ruined church. There was the twig of basil with it's purple and silver flowers.
However the rose had it's spiky stalk wrapped around the basil's and the bloom was stuck close to the right of it. To the left of the basil there was again that purple-blue daisy stuck close. It's stalk was wrapped around the basil's, just like the rose. It seemed like a small bouquet, quite bizarre, but impressive and beautiful.
"If that was drawn by kids too, I'm gonna loose it." Geno said out loud. Martim behind him snorted.
"No. This time adults draw here."
"What is this blue flower?" Geno dropped the question now that he had remember to ask. Martim raised eyebrows.
"Don't you know? You really don't come here often."
"Sorry I'm not good with botanology!" Geno complained.
"Hey hey, it's fine." Martim said. He looked up for a few seconds before looking again at Geno. "So you see how these 3 plants are. Together, they symbolise the unity of the 3 Aces. Each separately are the coats of arms of their houses. The basil with flowers on it, is the coat of arms of the Aristos. The rose is for the Arhanos. Both these plants are connected with royalty and aristocracy and symbolise the authority humans have."
"Ok with these flowers. What flower is the blue one?" Geno asked then.
"That is the aster flower, from which the house of Asters, one of the most ancient monster families ever known, took their name. It means star."
"Aaalright, thanks Martim."
"It's nothing menina."
Geno looked again up and focused on the aster as if he was trying to uncover some secret behind the flower.
"Aster, huh?"
that's what you'll get here smol bambini. the first 4 subjects of the exams i think went well (???) (me and my pessimistic ass is afraid i didn't do well enough, sh*t-).
anyways, 4200 words. go on, the next chapter is waiting for you fasolakia! *pat pat pat pat pat*
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro