Imperium

Chapter 27: To Do a Great Right

After about ten minutes of talking and Cree gaining praise and admiration for being one of the only people here to have the guts to stand up to Jarvis like that, the room falls silent as Elder Haegen arrives, followed by Jarvis who has his head down like a lost puppy.

The Elder strides through the room, making his way towards the stage at the back that overlooks the entire hall. In the center of the stage is a microphone on a stand, but it's not even plugged in and it seems to have gathered dust. Haegen doesn't seem like someone who would have much use for a microphone to project his voice throughout a room.

He stands on the stage with his head high and his hands behind his back. Cree and Regan see how everyone gets up from their seats to stand and await their leader's command and they copy them, standing up with their hands also behind their backs and their heads high, not having to bow this time as they watch the massive man prepare to speak.

"At long last, brothers, sisters, and siblings of the Old-World Coalition, it is time to act. Thanks to the strenuous efforts of our long-honored Proctor Quintus and one of our newest members, Regan Angevin, the Beacon has finally been completed. With this device, we will be able to send a message to all of Eutria. To all the ears that have become deafened by The Director's lies and falsehoods. At last, we will bring the truth to light. And with the truth, comes unavoidable consequences," he starts, his commanding voice grappling the attention of every single person in the room.

"I know the price of war. My people, the centaurs, live, breathe, and die in the honor of war and battle fought for our tribes. But something I believed always separated me from most of my kin is how I saw the futility of it all. War should not be fought over the petty squabbles of man, but the sanctity of the people as a whole. War is not something to be taken lightly. And as you all have become curious of, and some even worried, I am going to end the mystery," Haegen starts a slow, drawn-out pace. Each step carries more power than the last and adds to the strength of his voice.

"Yes. By telling the people of Eutria the truth, I am making a declaration of war. However, this war is not brought on by our words in one moment, but by the countless actions and lies that have been sewn within this continent. The Imperium caused the world to lose natural order. Now, I aim to restore it."

"Our movement is not an affront to Eutria, but it is what I call the 'cleansing' of the new world to make way for the old. To bring back the times when these 'superior beings' known as Hexes didn't put down the people without the same 'gifts' simply because they couldn't afford to get abilities of their own. But it doesn't stop there. Unnecessary technological advancements to make humans into something that the 'powerful' people of the world consider 'better' is something we don't stand for. Humans shouldn't be seen as subjects for these atrocious social experiments, they should be free to live as they are and not be used to drive someone else's vision of the future forward."

Haegen stops his pacing to stand off to the side with his head down and he sighs, slowly nodding to himself.

"The Imperium knows we exist, but they don't see us as a threat," he turns to look over the group. "Their mistake. We here in Fulminare may be few, but I know that there are more people who feel as we do, but they cower from glory out of fear that the Old-World Order is unachievable. So, we are here to show them that it is possible, and that the future is not out of our control. We need only to open their eyes to the crimes commit by the people they thought kept them safe," he strides to stand in the center of the stage again, holding his head high.

"And we will."

Elder Haegen looks across all of their faces and nods as he sees the dedication and loyalty to the cause – to each and every word he says. "And we will do this sooner than our enemies may think. Tomorrow, I will be sending Giovanni Geobel, alongside our newest spy, Cree Tyrell to secure and light the Beacon. Umbra and Ray Jarvis will remain here to defend Fulminare while Regan and myself make the final preparations we need to broadcast our message. And after that... We wait. We wait for The Director's response and the will of the people will no longer be in our hands, but their future will be entirely up to them. This is more power than the people of Eutria have ever had, and they will gain it thanks to our endeavors," he says and raises his fist to his heart.