Glory in War [EDITED VERSION - SHORTER CHAPTERS]

Chapter 33.4

51 YEARS AGO

17.09.1592

The Underground City

41:38

"From that very moment when I have entered the city for the first time, I was granted a new life, one of freedom and without the fear of conviction made by my own kind. He said to me that I need to start anew, to find myself redemption from the past self that I was and needed to be in the above. But I didn't listen. I started my life here just like I did above. I was still doing my usual and lived most of my time on the streets of the city, all by myself. I was used to this type of life and I had nothing against it. But it truly was something new the audience I was facing now.

Every corner of the city was the same, but every person seemed so different in its own. Above, I felt like I was performing in front of machines, all of them doing the same thing, saying the same thing all over again and with a reaction that I could sense it was either out of trying to escape the fears of the above or just out of boredom. But here... Here the reactions were real, enjoying every single thing I was showing to them. It was so weird the first time I performed in this city. The public seemed way too confident to interact with me and way too happy to see me around the city while I was minding my own business after the shows. It was as if these people didn't fear anybody.

They wished to talk to me whenever they got the chance, to get to actually know me even though I was just performing for the sake of money. I tried to avoid such things most of the time for some good days at first, but I never managed to get out of these situations. Adults of this city were talking to me as if I was some sort of an actual business man, telling me that my way of working might bring me a huge earning if I was to make some collaborations with other people that, from their sayings, I assumed they did the same things like me. Kids were invading my personal space, telling me to teach them how to do simple tricks that I never even intended to teach. It was way too chaotic for me and I really didn't like how open everyone was since I was used to something else. But I never said anything for the sake of keeping a good reputation and ensuring an earning.

At some point, I developed a sense of pity for these souls that were so open to me without even knowing what I truly am. For good days I have done the same things I did in the City of Above and they never noticed. But months later, I did a mistake during a performance and someone did see what I have done with the audience's money, yet still didn't say anything. He wasn't mad nor disappointed. Instead, he just gave me more money thinking that I really needed them. It was out of nowhere, I stood still looking at him like a dumb person while not knowing what to say.

When the performance ended, I tried to find the man immediately and try to have a talk with him. While doing so, I've heard many people that have seen my show and were also victims of my tricks talking about how the same man has given from his own money a part to them without saying why and just making it look like a small gesture of generosity from him. He has given back the same amount that I have taken, as little as it was. So when I managed to find and ask him why did he do such actions, he only told me that he believed I truly am in need of an earning that I cannot achieve from the shows alone and I was simply forced to take some other options that weren't so pleasant. As a consequence to what he believed, he thought of giving a bonus in order for me to buy whatever he thought I intended to buy while also fixing my mistakes on his own. All of that only because he saw the "talent" I was showing to some people that were passing by and thought that I do not get the recognition I deserve.

I didn't say anything. I stood as dumb as before and let him talk. I did not understand how innocent can you be as a person to believe that if someone is robbing people, it is because they are in a bad situation and need help. I never did that, I just did it for the sake of winning money. Why would I need them so badly anyway? To buy a house? I was fine with living and performing on streets. To buy clothes? I could've just steal them as well. Let's be honest now, I was barely doing anything with the money. Rarely it was for me to buy something, and the things I bought were only necessities or supplies for the shows. But all the money that I was winning were saved for darker days when I really needed to buy something for my own good. Yet that never happened.