Aethelos Pain and Blood

Brock said nothing for several seconds. He kept looking in the direction where Nayb and Eliana had disappeared among the trees. · “Violeta. · We’re leaving. Before I destroy this whole place.” · She nodded, nervous, already pulling him by the arm. · “Let’s go. Yes.” · The two of them retreated in silence. The stealth mission was aborted. The shock of seeing a colleague with the enemy — and in that way — was too heavy for any plan. · Halfway back, Violeta spoke quietly: · “What are we going to tell Joseph?” · Brock didn’t look at her. · “The truth. · Or at least what my eyes saw.” · On the other side, Nayb crossed the perimeter of Aldiana beside Eliana. · He expected walls. Guards. Weapons. The aura of war. · Instead, he found a small settlement. · Simple houses. Children running. Smoke from kitchens. People working the land. Nothing looked like a military base. · “This… doesn’t look like a base,” he murmured. · Eliana smiled, almost with pride. · “It’s our little corner, Nayb. · We want to be free. We want the right to a voice. · We want this place to be ours.” · He stopped. · “What do you mean? Live here?” · “We want this to be our nation.” · Nayb looked at her, surprised. · “So… everything you’ve been doing was because you’re separatists?” · “We weren’t always one,” she answered. “Why do we have to be one now, and not two?” · He frowned, hesitant. · “And why two? · Basically you just want the same power the others already have.” · Eliana’s gaze hardened, annoyed. · “Nayb… whoever says two says three, four, five, or ten. · If we don’t like who governs us, why are we governed by them? · Before there was only the kingdom of Aethelos, there were three kingdoms. And before the three kingdoms…” · An elderly voice cut through the conversation. · “Among us humans, there has always been division and difference.” · Nayb turned. An old man approached with a calm step. Elder Áquila. The weight of his words fell on Nayb like stone. It was too much information at once. · Eliana touched his arm and smiled again, softer. · “Come. I’ll show you my favorite part of the village.” · She led him down a narrow path to a simple, clean building with open windows. Inside, the air smelled of milk and washed cloth. · A nursery. · Nayb stopped at the entrance. His eyes moved over the small cribs lined up in rows. · “Eliana… there are around a hundred and fifty babies here.” · She corrected him with a light smile. · “One hundred and seventy-three, to be exact. · Little Lygar was born today.” · Nayb swallowed hard. · “Is any of them… yours?” · “No. · But have you noticed? They’re not only Noxians. There are humans too. And even Vindicari. · Nayb… the people want change.” · He stayed silent. · The soldier inside him screamed danger, ambush, manipulation. · The man inside him saw small faces sleeping. Saw a place that did not look like war. Saw Eliana looking at those cribs as someone protecting something sacred. · For the first time since he had entered Solaris, Nayb Cari did not know which side he should be on.