The crowd before him numbered in the thousands. He'd had no idea how far-reaching his words would become, when he'd started on this path- many members of the crowd were Bricksburg natives, but he could also see people from other realms, people who had traveled a long way to hear him speak. There was growing unrest throughout all the world, displeasure with the chaotic Master Builders finally reaching its peak. They called themselves innovators, but what good were their 'innovations' when they weren't shared? Or worse yet, attained by vandalizing others' property. And then they had the audacity to sneer down at those who couldn't 'keep up'.
No, he couldn't blame people for being upset. Or for lacking in the courage to stand up to the nuisances- Master Builders were renowned for being far more physically capable than the average human being, stronger and faster and more agile. They had to be, to accomplish the amazing feats they performed every day. But somebody had to get the ball rolling on making things better for the 'normal' people, and he figured it might as well be him.
He was young yet, barely twenty-one, but there was no denying he had a way with words. And he was passionate about his cause. He'd be the world's greatest politician one day, people said without a trace of jest. They believed it. They wanted it. They listened, enraptured, as he stepped up to the mic and began to speak, calling for action. Certainly, Master Builders were powerful on their own, but their egos were their greatest weakness. And they far outnumbered the Master Builders- if they stood together, the Master Builders would have no choice but to listen.
Beside him, his parents stood proud. It was the first time he'd ever seen that look on their faces. He didn't know, then, it would be the only time he ever would.
A group of Master Builders came to crash the rally, having a protest of their own. They brought their usual mayhem with them, disrupting his speech. There was a lot of angry chanting. Banners were torn down, carelessly left to drop onto the audience below, and several of the Master Builders were attacking the stage. Not himself, or his parents, or anyone else who stood on the platform with him, but the scaffolding itself. They worked so quickly, he didn't have a moment to spare to shout out a warning. The crowd was pulling together as he'd asked, trying to bring an end to the madness, but then the stage collapsed.
He fell, with his parents, into a pile of scaffolding and plywood. People were screaming now, in terror or for others to get back, make room, and God, there was so much pain...
Some people weren't so lucky. Including his parents.
The Master Builders got away scot-free.
YOU ARE READING
Penance
Fanfiction'I'm about to make Purgatory seem like Paradise.' [Part 3 of the Uncharted Territory series]
