Glory in War [EDITED VERSION - SHORTER CHAPTERS]

Chapter 36.2

The Underground City

12:21

And minutes later, they found themselves on the streets of the city wandering around the empty area. It isn't much to do since the city is asleep and there are only a few people around, but it is the boy's wish to see both of the cities after all, and the ruler tries to fulfil it for the sake of getting a reward as well. Now He finally has His crevaator clothes too, alongside His equipment, making Him able to walk around as He pleases.

[General]-Where do we go now? What do you guys have as places to visit?

[CHE5TER]-We don't have much though. Most of the areas of visiting are bars and a few parks. The city doesn't have that many special places, we focus only on survival. Do you guys have any?

[General]-Let me think... Oh, I think I know a few! We have the central building of the village which is the biggest building in our area, and in which we also have the machine that creates us.

[CHE5TER]-The Underground City doesn't have it, but the City of Above has it for sure. It is a tall building right in the center of that city in which we've rested yesterday. But it has the same architecture as all the other buildings in that city, so I don't know how yours looks like.

[General]-I guess it is something similar to a simple house, but a bit taller. Not as tall as your buildings of the above though. Compared to them, our building is tiny. But it is the tallest for us.

[CHE5TER]-I see... Anything else?

[General]-Hmm... Oh, we have a small lake of Histvorh that we've built years ago. Some of our people went into the wilderness and found a lot of supplies of solid Histvorh, so they've moved them during the night and put them in a nearby crater, exploiting it after as a source of Energy Killers during the day when the ore is getting to its liquid form.

[CHE5TER]-Really? We have very small areas of Histvorh being let to flow on the ground though. Our people keep the supplies in some special compartments to keep the ores in their liquid form all the time. Most of those areas are the parks to give an effect of a natural light, but below the liquid, there are a few lights to keep it in that liquid form. So it isn't as natural as people think... The ore lights up, don't get me wrong, but there is always something that keeps its form over there. What about the people there? How are they?

[General]-They are nice, how should they be? After all, why would I call them my siblings if it wasn't this way?

[CHE5TER]-So no conflicts?

[General]-I won't say that... Conflicts exist everywhere. We cannot do anything about that. But I guess my kind gets along pretty well with its people.

[CHE5TER]-...

Yet the ruler makes a small pause while He thinks of something. By how this child explains its village, it is a huge difference between these places that they call "home".

[CHE5TER]-...Do you... feel free there?

[General]-Hm? What do you mean?

[CHE5TER]-Just a thought...

But the question seems confusing for the boy. Maybe because it doesn't understand what the ruler wants to say.

[General]-...Well, what is the concept of "freedom" for you?

[CHE5TER]-To be able to do what you love, without the need of hiding in the shadows...

[General]-And aren't you doing what you love already? You do not seem to battle anything in particular to me. Whatever you consider this battle to be, it seems more like an illusion, simply hurting yourself by thinking about something that isn't there. You seem pretty free to me. You are free to wander these streets of this city, you are free to go above the ground and see the sky, even if you or your Original get concerned about each other. You do not consider it to be freedom too?