Perfectionist

Swear

General's POV.

Her white hair, beautiful horns-Brilliant smile.

Why did that useless Italian get a shot, why did the obvliates get a shot.

Why didn't I?

I was clearly better than them-I had it all-Money, power, influence, success and yet-

She had chosen that WASTREL.

She didn't even mourn for me when I died.

"I'll show you, Alexis. You'll be choosing me over them by the time I'm done! You should have chosen me. I even died for you."

Unable to reach the speed of light?

Hah!

"Gemini." A single tangible clone formed before me-A younger version.

"Why did she only see you as a friend? She didn't even rush to you when you killed yourself at the sanctuary."

"..." The clone couldn't speak.

Not without me willing it to.

"Am I that detestable?" I held its face,"You're better in every way compared to that useless man. Why are you merely dust to her then?"

"General," A man knocked the door and called me,"We have prepared for your live broadcast across the nations sir."

My clone melded back to me.

"Good. Bring me there."

———

I stood before the crowd, my emotions rumbling in inner turmoil.

"I speak not to Careshia's citizens. I speak not on behalf of the army or Careshia. In this speech, I'll be representing myself."

I stared down at the crowd from my podium.

People were looking up at me, hopeful eyes shining through the fog of despair.

"Duntians, Idyllians, Nyxlilians, Miskerns, Gammons, Strieclians, Aylarians, Xeonians, Frauthians, Careshians, Drajeelians, Afrions and Siouxians. Thirteen planets. Yet, we boil down to one race. Humanity. We are humans. Humans fighting a war against these miserable creatures that roam what was rightfully ours!"

"And right now, as I am speaking, your planetary leaders have voted to surrender to the obvliates!"

Gasps sounded as the crowd was thrown into disarray, cries and shouts following.

"THESE SCUM, WASTRELS, GOOD-FOR-NOTHING LEADERS HAVE DECIDED TO LEAVE YOUR FATES IN THE HANDS OF OBVLIATES! THE VERY SAME CREATURES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF YOUR HUSBANDS! YOUR WIVES! YOUR FRIENDS, CHILDREN, FAMILIES!" I screamed at the crowd, letting out my unbridled rage and aggression.

"ARE YOU JUST GOING TO LET THIS PASS? WILL YOU SIMPLY GIVE UP AFTER FIGHTING FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS?! EVERY TIME WE NEARLY FELL, WE ALWAYS GOT BACK ON OUR FEET! BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST GIVING UP!"

"They have no guts to stand up after a single loss."

"Is this what you wanted in your leaders? Not a single brave bone in their body? They'd be better obvliates than humans!"

"I can sense your fear. Your panic. But worry not. There is a solution."

"A government has only as much power as the people give it!" The curtains behind me unveiled, a blue flag with a golden circle and two crimson red wings seemingly made of fire on either side was revealed to the world.

"I PRESENT HUMANITY'S FLAG! THE FLAG TO UNITE ALL HUMANS UNDER A SINGLE BANNER! TO STRIKE BACK AS A SINGLE FORCE INSTEAD OF BEING SPLIT UP INTO SMALL DIVISIONS!"

There were billions of people watching the broadcast on each planet, I had to make it count.

"NO LONGER WILL THE TYRANNY OF THE UPPER CLASS BEFALL YOU! STAND TALL HUMANITY! STAND WITH PRIDE AND GLORY! WE CAN WIN THIS BATTLE! WE CAN WIN THIS FIGHT! WE CAN WIN THIS WAR!"

"UOOOOOOOOH!" The crowd roared with me, energised to no end as they screamed fervently, hands pumping into the sky-Refusing to back down!

Refusing to give in to surrender!

Refusing this future!

Refusing this given fate!

Refusing to follow orders!

"WE MUST RISE FROM THE ASHES LIKE A PHOENIX AND SPREAD OUR FIERY WINGS! A LOSS IS MERELY A TEMPORARY OBSTACLE! FAILURE IS THE FATHER OF SUCCESS! CROSS THIS HURDLE AND WE SHALL REMAIN UNITED IN OUR WISH OF ENDING THIS WAR IN PIR FAVOUR!"

"No more infighting! No more corruption! No more betrayals or civil wars! We must stand firm as one united people, regardless or race, gender, religion, ethnicity, age, language and cultures! JOIN ME! JOIN THE REVOLUTION! WE WILL OVERTURN THESE TYRANNICAL GOVERNMENTS AND WE WILL RECLAIM OUR RIGHTFUL LANDS! FIGHT ON MY SIDE! FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN! FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE!"

"If left unchecked, these corrupted men will be our downfall. Imagine losing a war because of your own side!"

"Down with the governments! Down with the minorities! Down with the classification of planets! Down with the rich! Down with the poor! Down with it all, I say! We will become a collective nation! A single race bound under a single flag! We will fight alongside one another despite differences-It matters not who you are-But what you are. A human."

"And at the end of the day, we all are. We are the superior race! We are not lowlife scum like obvliates! But to win, we must first root out the corrupt, those not willing to conform! So to those that side with me, go forth and spread the word! Tell of what cowards these men are! Speak the truth of the matter...And join me."

"I HAVE SPOKEN TODAY FROM MY OWN HEART! NOT A SINGLE WORD I HAVE READ HAS COME FROM HERE!" I jabbed my chest,"WE ARE ALL EQUAL! WE HAVE A HEART! WE BLEED RED! WE HAVE HOPES AND DREAMS!"

"And only by joining me, can those hopes and dreams be realised. Or else...In just a few days' time, that freedom may be washed away by the decision of twelve people sucking up to the obvliates."

"WE MUST TRIUMPH! WE CANNOT LET THESE VILE CREATURES LORD OVER US! WE MIGHT FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM SINCE NO ONE ELSE IS WILLING TO!"

"HUMANITY! LISTEN TO ME! The greatest power we have...Is our endurance! Despite never being as strong as obvliates, we have always survived! We have done so before and we can do it again now!"

"I, Maddox Brighton R. Quinn, swear to you that I will bring about an era of peace. No longer will we be bothered by obvliates! We will reach a future...That is bright."