Revolution! A nation in limbo

Chapter 3: The Unionelves

That same day in Parquis City

The familiar landscape of rising black smoke continued in the dense urban environment of Parquis City, the afternoon was approaching, the steel factory sounded the horn to remind everyone of lunch, while the workers took whatever space they could to eat lunch with their soot smeared face and hands as the machinery around the factory whirred down for the time being.

However for Pierre, he decided to skip lunch and go to the address Aywin told him about, a place where a supposed unionist meeting would take place, he provided him with a phrase he had to tell the doorman as the place had a secure door that would only grant entry to those who know it.

Pierre made his way through the busy and congested sidewalks, like every other day he does his best to avoid bumping into the people going into the opposite direction as him, though with how tightly packed the sidewalk was, it was inevitable that he was making contact with some people as they brushed past him though he didn't pay too much attention to it, this was the normalcy for the inhabitants of the city.

Tightly packed in living spaces, like sardines in cans, there were points where there were barely any space to move.

After passing through the dense parts of the city, Pierre recalled the directions Aywin told him about, he was standing in the middle of a residential area of the city, there were still a sizable amount of people going about their day around him, he was surrounded by rowhouses, he noticed the stay at home partners doing household chores, whether it be laundry or taking care of their infants.

Pierre remembered that he must take a left once he encountered the intersection he was in, passing through the rowhouses, he went onto the next block of houses, which he was told on of them had an underground entrance, he slowed down his pace and observed the houses he passed by intently, making way for a group of playing children who ran past him, he continued on his search for some sort of opening under the houses until he found it.

He saw what seems to be stairs leading to the basement of the structure, he went down it and was met with a metal door by his right, Pierre remembered that he must knock on the door five times or he will be ignored, he did as Aywin told him to and a metal slit opened to reveal a pair of brown eyes.

"What's your business here?" The elf behind the door said with a gruff voice.

"I wanted to see if there were books to be read." Pierre replied with a phrase which Aywin said would grant him access to the building.

The metal slits closed and Pierre heard multiple locks being opened from the other side, he waited eagerly as the sounds of the busy city can still be heard from where he is although a bit faint, once the door opened the eyes behind the door revealed a towering figure, Pierre can only look at him as he felt slight intimidation from the elf's aura "Welcome to the Drunken Rat comrade." He greeted as he put emphasis on the last word, Pierre nodded in response.

Pierre breathed in deeply as he entered the bar, it was lively and assuming from the clothes the patrons were wearing, they were working class people like him, a familiar sight which made Pierre lower his guard for a bit, the doorkeeper closed the door behind him and locked it again which made Pierre look back for a bit.

He then focused back on the bar, a few eyes stared at him for a moment before going back to their businesses, the atmosphere was warm, accompanied by music on a vinyl player playing on low volume, a sense of camaraderie can be felt even from strangers, Pierre looked around for Aywin on the booths and the tables in the bar, the establishment isn't that large but it's enough for a sizable gathering, he navigated throughout the murmuring crowd to find his friend.

Pierre took small steps as to not disturb the patrons of the bar, he then noticed a dark skinned elf drinking all by himself on the counter "There he is." Pierre thought to himself, he then approached Aywin and gave him a light tap on the back prompting Aywin to look back "Oh hey! You actually made it." Aywin greeted warmly "So you just wanted a drink with me then?" Pierre joked "Haven't been to these kinds of places in ages though." he continued as he sat in a wooden stool next to Aywin.

"No I did not lure you here for a drink, I mean we could but that's not why I made you come here." Aywin explain as he began to swirl the glass causing the remaining liquids inside of it to shake, he then leaned closer to Pierre and pointed towards what seems to be a wooden wall "That right there is a door to a larger room, that is where the the unionists meet up, discuss their plans and such." he said in a whispered voice.

"I see, multiple layers of security then, that explains this bar then, seems like you converted an old Underbooze from the Rum and Wine prohibition days." Pierre said as he understood the purpose of the establishment he was in "I thought you missed the days when we were in the army." he chuckled.

"Trust me I do, we were young back then, had a purpose unlike now, we're working ourselves to death, and for what? Nothing." Aywin said as a tone of anger was clear in his voice "Yeah, I miss those days too." Pierre sadly replied.

The barkeep by their side then went to the vinyl player to change the record, the song now being played was energetic, the lyrics were urging people to celebrate as the murmuring all over place got a bit louder "Remember the total security operations we participated in? We were the last batch of regional army troopers to participate in it you know." Aywin said as he recalled back on his days in the regional army with Pierre.

"Yeah, the safest places in all of Yvir after the last offensive took place, securing trade routes, clearing out spider caves, bandit encampments, ambitious dark mages even." Pierre clasped his hands together and lowered his head.

"We basically put the adventurer's guild out of business and they didn't like us for it." He laughed along with Aywin.

"Remember when we had to take back control of a village under the control of a dark mage? That person basically enslaved the whole population." Aywin sat straight on his stool as he recalled the event "I... don't like what we did back there." Pierre replied with a strong hint of regret in his voice, Aywin raised an eyebrow at him until he realized what he was talking about "Right, I'm sorry." he apologized "Must've been the alcohol." he tried to regain his composure.

"No it's okay, I just didn't like that we had to kill innocent people that day, innocent elves who were mind controlled by that damn mage." Pierre gritted his teeth "Hey, at least we found out the location of his tower and dropped some artillery shells on that bastard." Aywin tried to cheer up his friend "Death was too good for someone like him, compared to what he's done, it was a mercy." Pierre retorted as a grim look started to form on his face.