Meanwhile, in Clearstar City.
People gathered around the podium, waiting impatiently for the announcement.
On the other hand, Zeru spoke to a few members of the patrol and acknowledged them of Peruda's crimes, saying.
"I found these three beating up a defenseless girl in the alleway."
One of the men in the patrol, wearing a green mustache and cyan eyes, nodded his head in understanding and replied as he took out his notepad.
"Understood. Was there a pile of barrels scattered up near that place of crime?"
In a flash, Zeru hastily nodded his head and pushed Peruda toward the man.
"Yes. They were responsible for all of that."
Peruda sneered at the man and squeezed her fists, feeling her wrists get attached to wooden hand-cuffs, growling.
"You get back here you snitch! That train costed two million gincoins."
Zeru crossed his arms and exhaled with a disappointed face, saying.
"Yeah, and it would cost you two-million gincoins to get out of Clearstar jail. Your point is…?"
At that moment, her face burned in rage, screaming.
"Ugh, when I get my hands on you, you will pay for her crime as well! I hope you get beat up by my allies."
Confidently, Zeru pushed Peruda's face away, sighed, and shrugged with a cheeky face.
"Yeah, good luck with that. I healed you, you know. If you think your 'allies' will beat me up, think again. I can heal myself as many times as I want."
This response made her blood boil.
"GRRR!"
Screaming and flailing her arms around like a diseased kitten, the men in the patrol dragged Peruda and her "friends" into a jail cell, dismissing Zeru and saying.
"Thanks enough for acknowledging us in this situation. She won't come out any time soon."
A rare and transient smile beamed up on his face.
"Understood. Well, I'm leaving. Thanks a lot!"
Afterward, Zeru returned back to the main-square of the underground city of Clearstar without breaking a sweat. Then, in a glimpse, he heard the cheers of the crowd escalate as a beam of light shone on the podium like a spotlight.
Quickly, Zeru tightened his fists and lumbered through the alleyways desperately, trying to pass through the crowd and witness what this announcement would really signify.
Unfortunately, what he expected out of this event never happened. Instead, it was something completely worse.
Isa wasn't even standing up. Her body was against the floor, lazily extending her arms and slouching, yawning and unable to bear opening her eyes.
This indolent act appeased some of the audience-- yet people continue watching, hoping this was some sort of act. But it wasn't. The laziness got to the point where it felt hard for Isa to even breathe. As the audience started to get irritated by this site, Isa struggled to lift her arm and announce.
"Ugh… p… people of… Clear…potato. I mean, Clearstar." She hastily dropped her arm and slammed her head, panting heavily. "Y… You."
A member of the crowd hollered at her.
"Stand up and speak!"
Isa sneered at the man and snarled, shaking her head in denial, and yawning.
"Hold your horses. Let… the Queen relax. It's hard to stand up for me, you know."
The crowd's eyes widened in disbelief. Never had they ever seen their Queen, the one they respected for years, be in such a slothful state. Although they forgave her, Zeru didn't. He knew just by the cold, lifeless look on Isa's dark green eyes, that something was wrong with her.
"I can't trust her."
As he tried to pass through the crowd, all watched as Isa gradually slid into a slump, leaning her right arm on the ground and yawning consecutively. Her clover-colored hair rested against the ground, draping over the podium like strings.
Positioned sideways, with her legs slouched on the floor, and her head facing directly to the audience, Isa made yet another yawn and… announced.
"None of you deserve… powers. You try too much and… it's just unacceptable to me."
"WHAT?!" The crowd exclaimed with a confused tone.
Isa threw her head up and sighed, slouching and keeping her smile to a frown, because even that felt too much for her.
"Yeah… yeah. It just seems unfair to me that people are powerful. So ya' know what?" She snapped her fingers. "Let's change that."
The crowd all backed away from the podium, confused about what she was saying. Even the guards were confused, pointing their spears up to Isa and threatening.
"Queen, this seems even ridiculous to us."
"I… don't want to talk.*yawn*"
Around them, the block pulsed with a black mist. All felt pressure on their ears; witnessing streams of darkness expand and latch onto several victims. As the group flashed, a giant black flower blossomed between Isa and the crowd, spreading space-wide petals of translucent shadow all over the city, if not the nation.
Magic roared from her hand and rebounded with a savage eruption that smashed every magic around her down, except the weakening anomaly. Before any strong person could recover, a huge black laser descended on them in a pummeling avalanche, unleashing a huge black shockwave toward the entire nation.
The luminance on Zerus' hands flickered and dissipated. He panically looked for others and saw that even their powers have been robbed away from the strange weakening magic. People complained.
"Just what do you think you are doing?"
Isa yanked and snored, trying desperately to not use energy within her voice.
"I hate power. Only my magic can be used here, no one else. Either suffer and suck it up… or… leave. *yawn*"
Another person of the crowd shrieked in rage.
"YOU'RE INSANE!"
Black mist mixed into the green luminance of the Sealed Beatific, slowly corrupting it. All watched as every root of The Sealed Beatific was consumed by the weakening mist. Isa rolled her eyes and yawned AGAIN, before finally announcing with exaggerated low and monotonous tones.
"Power disgusts me. Here in Linuxinia, potency does not belong to the triers."
As people panically started running away from her, Isa started floating in the air, keeping her lazy position intact
. Seeing black mist encircling her, Zeru knew at this moment…
"Something is very wrong. Isa is…" He gasped and backed away, fleeing. "Corrupted."
* * * * * * * *
Despite her world being cloaked in darkness, Aletha could still hear the muffled voice of Alai.
"For my type of training, Aletha will be put in a series of five courses. If she doesn't complete them… she will have to start over, or suffer." It sounded like Alai was serious about this, almost merciless-sounding, distinct from her usual cheerful tone. "I'm serious. I NEVER want to see a girl like her be bruised like that EVER again. Treat Aletha as if you would treat a man. Show no mercy, go all out. Aletha has to learn what the harsh reality is, got it? Equality is final."
Five more voices replied.
"Yes, mam!"
Alai sounded like she was getting irritated.
"Ugh, how many times do I have to tell you guys? We have been practicing for an hour, and you still don't even know how to reply?" She growled.
"Stop calling me that. It's Alai, okay?! Do you all understand?"
Aletha couldn't move, she couldn't even move her legs. Although she was slightly unconscious, Aletha felt as if she was being carried by something or someone. Whoever it was, they smelled more like a man than anyone else. As her eyes remained shut, the group replied.
"Yes, Alai!"
Suddenly, it sounded as if she was clapping in joy. Then, as Aletha felt the breeze push against her fave, Alai spoke as if she never even spoke in a serious tone, honeyed and plummy.
"Great, great. Now come on and hurry up! It's gonna be a long week for her!"
. . . (To be continued.)