"Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."
― Helen Keller
"It looks like everyone in the city showed up…" Mara's paws danced an agitated half-step across the curtained platform. "How am I supposed to make a speech to so many people?"
The area beyond the curtain held thousands of heavy tables, positioned by the ants and filled with thousands of people. This stadium was built for public events, with this being its first time in use. Tiered platforms with tables of their own rose around them, all filled to burst.
"It will be fine, just talk to us," Ven patted her on the back. "It's just a recap of our plan for the future, plus a little thanks to everyone for all the help along the way."
"I know…" Mara sighed. "But, why do I have to do it? The King has lots of experience…"
"Pass," The King laughed from his seat, positioned at the head of the table. "I'm done with Kingly duties, this kingdom belongs to the guild."
"See, he's more of a figurehead, a powerless symbol of the past to hold people together," Ven nodded. "Useless when it comes to anything practical!"
"I DIDN'T SAY THAT!"
"Husband is right," Huan nodded. "The new generation is the future!"
"That's not what he said at all.." The King deflated. "When do we eat, the sooner I'm blind drunk, the better!"
"Soon, the crowds have almost settled into their seats," Ven squinted. "I think we're pretty much ready…"
"Good," The King snorted as he turned to Mara. "You'll do fine, just speak from the heart. You want the best for everyone, it comes through in your words."
"Alright…" Mara took a deep breath. "Let's get this over with!"
The great curtain parted, the vast colosseum on display. The crowds murmured, then stilled to silence as Mara tapped the amplifier created by the ants.
"Hello, everyone!" Mara's voice filled the stadium, carried by speakers planted within the audience. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Mara Sitel, Leader of the World Guild."
A brief eruption of applause broke through her words, quieted as she continued.
"The guild has many major plans for the coming years, as well as reforms that will be put to public vote, but before we get into that, I'd like to thank you all!"
She waved a hand across the crowd, a menagerie of species and peoples.
"This new kingdom exists because you helped create it." Mara smiled as she turned to the ants. "And because we've made some amazing new friends."
Another round of applause broke the air. The people had come to love the newest members of the kingdom. Their technology improved everyone's lives.
"Now, onto the finer details, and then we can eat!"
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Pretty speech…
Syy leaned back as waves of cheers swept in from the crowd. Mara had promised them something, more than any leader had promised before. Freedom, a chance to grow. A world where creative effort was valued as much as labour.
Too bad it's impossible.
Those in power always became corrupt, or stagnant. Eventually, this Mara would go blind to some small sufferings, then more. Eventually, she would bath in a sea of blood, eyes fixed on the golden statues around her.
Syy leaned back at the table, her appetite gone. Even if the beastfolk succeeded, her Master would tear this place to the… She stopped, frozen in her seat. The connection between herself and the one above, a constant since he'd forced her into service, vanished. The thread had grown dim, lifeless since her arrival, but she could still feel him.
Now, it had broken. She was a puppet free of its strings. An empty hole welled up in her heart, a loss that she couldn't repair. She had gained freedom, but she was still a thing, soulless and formed from her Master's power.
"What's the matter, Syy?" Brull leaned over, teeth displayed in a grin. "Don't like the crowd?"
"No, just thinking about the future," She flipped her hair to cover her eyes. "I'm worried that Mara's promised too much…"
"Don't worry," Brull raised a glass toward the end of the table. "The ants have us covered! They're pretty reliable and impartial, plus they work well within clear rules."
"The ants?" Syy turned to the one everybody called Speaker, who sat next to Lyra. "You're going to have them be in charge of everything?"
"Not everything," Brull shrugged. "They'll enforce rules that everyone will be able to vote on, alongside a volunteer force of cultivators."
"A rule of the mob… how can you make sure they won't create insane laws?" Syy frowned. The masses were better left to their individual work, governance was for the gods and their servants.
"Well, if they do go crazy, its not like they can overpower a Semi-Divine," Brull laughed, eyes on the food around them. "We hold all the cards, right?"
"For now…"
Syy's main interest in this new place was the technologies of the ants. The species was an abomination. They harnessed the powers and laws of the world with machines. If given enough time, they would adapt to the ways of cultivation.
"Don't worry," Brull slapped her shoulder. "Just enjoy yourself, how often do you see a million people sit down for dinner, all at once?"
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"Uuun, uuun…"
Ooulin trundled through the sands, face guarded from the wind by a simple rune. Something was wrong. His mind couldn't wrap around what it was, but his instincts told him that this was the way he must go. Two tentacled monsters battled in the heavens ahead, a pair against a swarm.
The Minder hoard filled his tiny heart with cold air, a breath of winter and death. The shadow monsters were ignored by his eyes as they flashed white, then black. Danger. Terrible twists in the lines of fate, bitter struggles and ignored pain.
Ooulin sighed and set his shoulders. Feet filled with purpose, he continued along the path that fate laid out. He must remember, recall his lost thoughts and get strong, stronger than he ever was before. His friends, the ones who fed him and kept him warm, needed his help.
"Uuun uun!" Ooulin cried out his determination to the cosmic sky, one turtle against the whole of creation.