An Eldian's Journal

Chapter 3: A wallkeeper - A home concert

An Eldian's Journal

Chapter 3: A wallkeeper – A home concert

"What do you say, Heinrich?"

I gazed at the scrunched-up face before me. All I could see was a look of desperation with a tinge of madness. This was truly a boy cursed with ambition.

"Viktor, I.." Right when I uttered those words, a moving shadow with a hat entered my vision from a house nearby. As it approached, it revealed itself bit by bit and I could make out a grey uniform and a rifle hanging awkwardly around his torso. It was the Marleyan officer from earlier. His mouth opened as if he was about to say something, but a measly cough crawled out instead. When he was finished with his coughing fit, he managed to ask his favorite question, "What are you doing out here?"

Viktor calmly took his hands off my shoulders and turned towards the officer while raising his arms in a pleading manner. I could tell he was trying his hand at the art of manipulation:

"Sorry officer but our parents were fighting, and w-we got s-scared so we ran out here."

Everything was almost perfect, yet he failed to complete the most crucial part: the tears. The officer unsurprisingly rolled his eyes. I could only imagine how many times he heard this pitiful response. He then told us to scram but just as he was about to walk away his metal gaze landed on Viktor's left arm. More specifically, his inside-out armband. Big Mistake.

"What's the meaning of this?!" A flame lit in the officer's eyes as he took one long, final drag on his cigarette and banished it to the ground.

"I can have you two reported for this! But because of the special day..." The man was already eyeing his second cigarette. "...I'll let you off easy. All I need you to do is recite the pledge."

Ahh yes. The honorable pledge basically saying that Eldians suck, Marleyans are superior and we are thankful for their mercy blah blah. Trying to avoiding conflict (like always) , I immediately raised my right hand and began the pledge. Each word pricked my tongue as it left my mouth. Ironically, the officer seemed more entranced by the fireworks than any of us.

"-great nation of Marley."

Upon finishing, I noticed Viktor staring at me with eyes as big as golf-balls almost as if I was a good little dog listening to its master. The officer looked away from the fireworks and glared at Viktor. He then closed his eyes, let out a sigh, and asked, "You know what can happen to your family if you don't listen to me, right?" Viktor bit his lip upon the word family.

"Fine, I'll recite it..." Viktor raised his right hand up. "...with my feet."

Just like that every male human, Eldian or Marleyan, within a one-mile distance felt a disturbance in the air. A disturbance signifying the greatest pain any man can ever feel: getting hit in the balls. It was so sharp that I almost felt a twinge in mine. In one agonizing second, the officer's legs failed him and his giraffe-like figure tumbled to the pavement with his lit cigarette burning his uniform. Without wasting any time, Viktor bolted past me away from the gate and I followed shortly after. Once I caught up, I asked him:

"Don't fighters fight with honor?"
He returned a light chuckle, "Honor can wait."

As we were about to enter "hell street" we heard a faint roar from a distance behind us, "You'll pay for that you little, Saukerl!"

"Speaking of paying back...you still owe me the fee, Heinrich"

***OFFICER HUBERT HAUSENBERGERDORFF***