A collision of opinions: Part 1
"Whose opinion holds more worth in society. Those discriminated against or those of the powerful and the rich, whose voice, ideas, ideals, and values have more worth in society than the other? We always say everyone matters! Your voice is heard. But we, in truth, are from that reality, and it can be wondered whether we will ever reach such a point in society where everyone truly matters, where one voice and opinion does not dictate the lives of others. In the end, it is up to every member of society to determine what opinion most correlates with theirs and which can be used as a representative of their opinions and lives. For without us, we will have a society where everyone wants to be heard, but no one wants to listen. Everyone wants to decide, to hold power over others, but no one wants to take responsibility when times require them. This is a challenge that every society and civilisation will face, be it in the stone age or the advanced technological age. Compromise is the cornerstone of society, for, without it, no opinion matters, and society will inevitably crumble."
-Author: Jean-Pierre Gallant
Time: 27th May 2021
Era: Era of Stagnation
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Location: Foundation Faction Harbour
Time: Year 17 of the Era of Change
Era: Era of Change
Eventually, Steven and his comrades had finally escaped the dreadful hellhole known as the Underground Mining Area 50 G of the Foundation Faction, and they were delighted and relieved. As the long torturous years, they had experienced, were finally over. Furthermore, they were overjoyed that once escaping the Underground Mining Area, the Foundation Faction members' significant presence was nowhere to be seen. The ones that had died in battle with the group in front of them were only a fraction of the members they had seen some five years ago. And now, the only members that were alive were, in fact, the same people that had enslaved them. They wanted to tear them brutally apart immediately, but Steven's comrades decided otherwise when thinking of the consequences. They observed that the other group wanted to do something with the two surviving members of the Foundation Faction, but they decided to hold off on their revenge rather than start a conflict they would not win since Phillip's group was much larger and more powerful than they were. In addition, they seemed a bit trigger happy, making it clear they wouldn't be bothered at all killing them here.
Another issue was that a small circle of members from the group that had previously joined them started to distance themselves from the main group, making the situation already more complicated than it needed to be. It also didn't help, that Steven was not the centre point of attraction, of all the groups. Xiang, John, Violet, Thon, Celine, Alene, and Melene had already made their way over to Steven to make sure nothing would happen to him. Before they could get to him, though, a giant blood-red pickaxe blocked their way. Phillip held the pickaxe up to stop these people from interfering with his reunion with Steven. Xiang and the others wanted to react, but before they could, a beautiful young teenager stood before them, radiating a powerful aura preventing them from moving.
As Steven saw this, he squinted his eyes and looked up to his two friends Phillip and Evelyn, who were now looking at Steven with a strong emotion of longing. Seeing that his friends hadn't forgotten about him and still cared dearly about him, Steven felt incredibly touched. But he knew the people in front of him, although still his friends, were not the same people from seventeen years ago. If the Awakening didn't change them for some reason, then being separated for so many years, would definitely be a considerable change. Phillip and Evelyn had to survive in this cruel new world, where their emotions and morals were continuously attacked and diluted until whatever remained were but fragments and twisted versions of what once was something that defined them. Steven didn't know how to approach his friends. What could he say? Sorry for disappearing for so long? How have you been? Did you miss me? Where was Michael? Was he alright?
Steven felt quite overwhelmed by all of this, but before he could think of what to say, he suddenly saw his two friends falling on their knees and hugging him. Steven didn't know what was going on. It wasn't only Steven that was shocked by what was going on. Evelyn's junior sister's eyes widened when she saw the normally cold and emotionally dead Evelyn hug Steven with her knees on the ground. She had never seen such a side of her senior sister, and for some reason, she felt quite jealous that she only saw something like this now with a stranger.
On the other hand, Phillip's comrades were even more shocked when they saw their robust, powerful and normally stoic leader showing so much care for one person, even going as far as to kneel and hug said person. Although, unlike Evelyn's junior sister, the group were not jealous; rather, they were highly intrigued by who this person was and what he meant to Phillip that made him react in such a way. For they had known Phillip for a long time and experienced the same perils and hardships as him. Being slaves for a decade left many scars, many that were not on the outside, but rather inside, in their minds, memories, and experiences that would forever haunt them. They could see that that man was extremely important to their leader and wondered from where he came from, as they had never heard of him from Phillip.
As all of this was happening, Steven had gathered his thoughts and decided what to say to his two friends that were hugging him and not showing any intentions of letting him go any time soon.
"Hey guys, I missed you too," said Steven, slowly smiling with a kind smile and eyes filled with love for his two friends.
On seeing something like this, everyone other than Phillip and Evelyn were shocked. Even Steven's comrades were shocked. Especially for Steven's comrades, since they thought that they had seen every side of Steven. Yet here they saw a side so gentle, kind and caring, which seemed to be reserved for only a few people. They felt uncomfortable, jealous, angry and sad. Why had Steven never showed such a side to them. But simultaneously, they felt happy for Steven. They could see he cared deeply for these people. They were most probably the friends he had previously spoken of, thought Steven's comrades. Thinking of this, those closest to Steven under the group decided that they would have to make time to later ask Steven about this scene they were witnessing. They also cared for Steven and didn't want bad feelings to exist between them and in the future.
After a long time, Phillip and Evelyn both stood up and helped Steven up. They then once more looked at each other with utter disgust. Seeing this, Steven was quite shocked. He didn't know his friends could have such expressions filled with hate, especially towards each other. Worried over this, Steven clapped his hands in front of Phillip's and Evelyn's face to get their attention.
"Um, guys? I know we haven't seen each other in a long time. I don't know what happened between you guys, But uh, could you maybe put your differences aside?" said Steven carefully, before he was interrupted by Phillip,
"Steven, get away from that witch! She doesn't deserve your trust, nor your care! Come with me. You can bring your group if they want to come with you. I promise you. I'll protect you this time! I won't let you disappear and or allow you to be near danger. You will have everything provided for you. Just…just step to me…" said Phillip with concern as he reached out to Steven.
"Ha! Protect?! You couldn't protect him back then! How is that different from now?! Steven, whatever I have done in the past and will still do is irrelevant. Only those with true power and backing will survive in this world. I can provide that. Steven, trust me. I will never let you go. All these years, I always knew you were alive, somewhere. I have been searching for you these last seventeen years! And now that I've found you, I am not letting you go! Especially to that fool! He thinks he can protect you! That his organisation of freed slaves are strong! A force to be feared! He is so far from the truth. The Foundation Faction is but an ant among the powers in this world. And even then, they are far, far stronger than one can even hope to imagine. Steven, only I can provide you with safety. You will never have to fear anything if you come with me. I swear it on my life!" said Celine with sparkling azure eyes and an expression of a person who had seen much of life, despite her young age.
As Phillip initially heard what Evelyn had said, he could only scoff at her, but when he listened to what Evelyn told about the Foundation Faction, as well as the other powers in the world, Phillip knew he could not ignore Evelyn's words no matter how much he hated her. Evelyn's words confirmed to Phillip that the Crowned Knights of Freedom were not ready to truly face the Foundation Faction. They needed much more training, equipment, better strategies, and many more people needed to be added to their current numbers if they wanted to achieve any form of sustainability. Phillip had liberated many slaves, but compared to the massive numbers of slaves still under the Foundation Faction and just, in general, the large number of members in the Foundation Faction, Phillip knew a long path still lay ahead of them.
After hearing what both Evelyn and Phillip said, Steven knew his friends had many problems that needed to be resolved. He just didn't know how he would have to fix them. Before he decided on how to answer his friends, Steven looked over to Colin and saw that Colin was also very glad to see him, but he wasn't currently in a very good situation. Seeing this, Steven frowned. Although, in the beginning, he blamed Colin for what had happened to him and despised Colin for letting him be thrown into the Underground Mining Area 50 G, he knew Colin couldn't have saved him anyway, and if he had tried, Colin would have died, and maybe even Steven himself would have died. Steven, therefore, had decided to forgive Colin and knew that if he could, he would try and help Colin escape from the Foundation Faction. Now, as he was free and seeing Colin in such a perilous situation, Steven knew he had to act.
"Ummm…before we do anything else… can we kind of release…um…treat those two guys better…I kind of know them…a little bit…" said Steven awkwardly while looking back and forth at Colin and his captain and then the sky.
Hearing this, Phillip's and his comrades' eyes widened, and they all raised their eyebrows in shock. They couldn't believe what they had heard. This was the same for Evelyn's junior sister. She thought to herself, who was this man that he thought he could just request and receive whatever he wanted. On the other hand, though, Steven's comrades sighed and chuckled since they were already accustomed to Steven being like this. They even felt a prickle of pride, knowing that they knew something about Steven that even Steven's dear friends didn't. The only person that didn't react with shock or amusement was Evelyn, as she simply smiled sweetly when she heard what Steven had said.
"Uh…Steven…why exactly…uh do you want him to be free?" asked Phillip while sighing and rubbing his forehead? He knew that whatever now laid before him now, would be much more complicated, than he once thought it would be, in the future.