There are sections in this chapter written mostly in galactic, so here's the translator I use: https://lingojam.com/StandardGalacticAlphabet I will maybe put the translations in the comments if I remember.
The Lords' palace was a towering building unlike any other in Misharin. It was made of purpur and endstone, with spires reaching quite possibly to build height, stained glass windows depicting scenes of heroism, gold mouldings, glass domes, strategically hidden spore blossoms and cherry leaves for particles, balconies, and more, but somehow didn't seem too ornate. It branched off in ways reminiscent of an end city and was a gorgeous building.
Too bad Pearl was going to blow it up.
Well, she'd save it if she could. Destroying a marvel of architecture like that would be a crime. And also the symbolism of using the Lords' palace once they were gone was pretty great.
Pearl turned to the army assembled behind her.
They were not the most well-equipped. Plain iron armour with a handful of diamond pieces for the best fighters, only one weapon per person, imperfect ranks, no extra-fancy stuff for the captains and leaders other than the diamond gear, no animals, but Pearl thought it was the greatest army she had ever seen. They even had a banner with her stylised cut-knot symbol on it.
She took a steadying breath. "Alright! Today's the day, and now's the hour. This is your last chance to back out. I will remind you that our odds of success are low, your odds of survival lower. I cannot turn the guards to our side. They will be more loyal to the Lords than anyone else. If you wish to see tomorrow, leave now."
Pearl had no fancy speech prepared. She had no illusions of their chances of success, the probability of survival, or anything else, and she didn't want anyone else to.
But hope doesn't pay attention to percentiles.
No one moved.
"Okay. Let's go, and fight for the hope of a better tomorrow!" Pearl raised her axe and charged the palace.
~*~
"∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷ ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ !¡∷ᒷᓭᒷリℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ ⍑╎ᓭ ᓵᔑᓭᒷ ᔑ⊣ᔑ╎リᓭℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ 'ꖎ𝙹∷↸ᓭ' 𝙹⎓ ↸╎ᒲᒷリᓭ╎𝙹リ ᔑ-⎓𝙹⚍∷ℸ ̣ ᒷᒷリ. ᓭ⚍ᓭ!¡ᒷᓵℸ ̣ ᒷ↸ ᓵ∷╎ᒲᒷᓭ: ᒲ╎ᓭ⚍ᓭᒷ 𝙹⎓ ᓭ⚍!¡!¡𝙹ᓭᒷ↸ ∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷ ᔑʖ╎ꖎ╎ℸ ̣ ╎ᒷᓭ. ∴ᒷ ∴╎ꖎꖎ 𝙹リꖎ|| ╎リℸ ̣ ᒷ∷⎓ᒷ∷ᒷ ╎⎓ ╎ℸ ̣ ᓵᔑリ ʖᒷ !¡∷𝙹⍊ᒷ↸ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ|| ℸ ̣ ∷⚍ꖎ|| ᔑ∷ᒷ ∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷ᓭ 𝙹∷ ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ᓵ𝙹ᒲᒲ╎ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ᒷ↸ ᔑ ⊣∷ᒷᔑℸ ̣ ᒷ∷ ᓵ∷╎ᒲᒷ." The Watcher that was speaking was tall, willowy. Her name was ⍑ᔑꖎꖌᔑ||.
̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ liked her. She would judge fairly and wisely.
She gestured to him and he took the stand.
~*~
Their first challenge was the drawbridge. The guards on top had closed it the moment they'd seen the army coming.
Scott drew an arrow from his quiver and shot one of the guards on top of the bridge. "Would you rather sit up there and get shot or open the drawbridge and battle us with a fighting chance?" he shouted, notching another arrow.
After a few seconds, the drawbridge lowered. There were ten or so guards standing before them.
The fight began.
~*~
"リ𝙹 𝙹リᒷ ᓵᔑリ ᔑ∷⊣⚍ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ꖎ𝙹∷↸ᓭ 𝙹⎓ ᒲ╎ᓭ⍑ᔑ∷╎リ - ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ リᔑᒲᒷ ᔑ-⎓𝙹⚍∷ℸ ̣ ᒷᒷリ ⍑ᔑᓭ ⊣╎⍊ᒷリ ╎ℸ ̣ ᓭᒷꖎ⎓ - ᔑ∷ᒷ ᒲ╎ᓭ⚍ᓭ╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ╎∷ !¡𝙹∴ᒷ∷. ᓭ𝙹, ╎リᓭℸ ̣ ᒷᔑ↸ 𝙹⎓ ∴ᔑᓭℸ ̣ ╎リ⊣ 𝙹⚍∷ ℸ ̣ ╎ᒲᒷ ℸ ̣ ∷||╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 !¡∷𝙹⍊ᒷ ᓭ𝙹ᒲᒷℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ↸𝙹ᒷᓭリ'ℸ ̣ リᒷᒷ↸ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ʖᒷ, ╎ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑ∷ℸ ̣ ∷╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣ 𝙹⎓⎓ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ ᒲ|| ᒷ⍊╎↸ᒷリᓵᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹∴ᔑ∷↸ᓭ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷᒲ ʖᒷ╎リ⊣ ∴ᔑℸ ̣ ᓵ⍑ᒷ∷ᓭ. ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ|| ⍑ᔑ⍊ᒷ ʖᒷᒷリ, ∷ᒷ!¡𝙹∷ℸ ̣ ᒷ↸ꖎ||, ᔑꖎ╎⍊ᒷ ⎓𝙹∷ 𝙹⍊ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ∴𝙹 ᓵᒷリℸ ̣ ⚍∷╎ᒷᓭ. ⍑⚍ᒲᔑリᓭ ╎リ ᒲ╎ᓭ⍑ᔑ∷╎リ ↸𝙹リ'ℸ ̣ ꖎ╎⍊ᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣ ꖎ𝙹リ⊣," ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ said, then glanced around to check the crowd's reaction. This was one of his weakest pieces of evidence, so there were a lot of doubtful faces.
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Not My Pyre (A Pearl-Centric Double Life FanFic)
FanfictionPearl grows tired of the wrongs committed by the leaders of her country, known as the Lords of Misharin, and decides to do something about it with the help of some friends who are trapped in the Lords' Life Games with her.
