Book 3 | Agent 34 and the Storm of Darkness

Chapter 13 | Speech at Sehope

The four entered Sehope with ease. This was the second time Agent 34 had entered Sehope, and the first time he hadn't had to lie about his identity and why he was there. 

The guards that the Zena had sent there had taken out all of the forces of Braunick's in Sehope and were then stationed there. They opened the gates as soon as they saw Sercon and the Destigems, and the four of them strolled in with no problems.

"Thad had some soldiers come in earlier and set up a stage for us. It should be in the middle of Sehope if my sources are right," Sercon said as they entered, and began to walk towards the middle of the big city.

The citizens in the streets gasped at Agent 34 and Marque as they began to remember them from the large battle that they participated in around a month and a half ago. Agent 34 smiled at everyone as he rode by on his horse, Marque doing the same.

"Are you the purple-handed bandit?" A little girl tugged at Iciél's saddle.

"I was that person, but I am not a bandit. I was only helping the city by getting rid of that evil person," Agent 34 said.

"Why did you come back?" The girl walked beside Agent 34 and Iciél as they continued with the rest of the group up the street.

"We have important business to do here, and to make this city a better place." The Destigem said, looking forward broadly.

"Isn't Sehope already a good place to be?" The little girl asked, her big blue eyes staring at Agent 34.

"I'm here to make it even better." He said, and the girl ran away.

The four of them reached the wooden stand in a couple minutes, and tied their horses to a wooden post that had been placed there specifically for that purpose. The four of them climbed off their rides, and walked up the wooden stairs that led to the platform. 

Agent 34 was ushered to the front of the group, everyone telling him to iniate that speech.

"Go on," Arenia said. "You're the one that's contributed the most to this. You killed Xander, and you defeated Braunick. You're the real hero of the war," A bright smile lit up on her face.

Agent 34's face went red as he blushed, and smiled back. Turning towards the front of the small stage, he walked to the edge of it.

Clearing his throat, he began to talk to the villagers of Sehope who calmly walked by them without even casting a glance. "Hello, people of Sehope!" He started, throwing his arms out in front of him. "I am a member of the Zena, and one of the few Destigems in this country. I'm sure rumors have been spreading about that fight that happened here around two months ago, and rumors about another battle in Urania. I'm here to clear all that up,"

His voice echoed throughout the streets, and the villagers began to get curious. A few assembled at the base of the stage, waiting for him to continue.

"Now, I'll explain what happened here first. Two Destigems, me and Marque, Destigem of Blue," Agent 34 motioned to Marque, who stood behind him. "We were ambushed here by someone named Agent X. Not much is known about it, but I believe it's genderless. Anyways, the powerful enemy poisoned Marque with a legendary disease called Sephora's Curse. Me and Arenia here, the Destigem of Red," He then motioned to Arenia behind him again, and smiled brightly at her. "were sent to find a cure in Urania. Once there, we found it, but also found Braunick. After a long battle, we defeated Braunick and destroyed his castle, killing him and everything inside it. Braunick has been defeated, and the Zena is now in control of Renya."

There were a few gasps from the crowd that had assembled below him. "How'd you kill him?" Someone asked.

"We took two dragons with us to the capital and they then shoved the castle over. The castle was very tall, so when it hit the ground it collapsed and killed everything inside it, which Braunick and his army was." Agent 34 explained.

Arenia's eyes wandered as they answered questions from the crowd. She glanced over at the stone walls of Sehope, and a figure stood on the side of it. A torn black cape draped from the back, the figure heavily armored. Black hair and a black beard hung from its head. Arenia squinted as she looked at the figure. She spotted a golden crown on its head, and horror engulfed her. The figure was watching her, staring and focusing solely at her.

Suddenly, another heavily armored figure with a black cape walked towards it. The other figure handed the first one a sparkly orange object. It was a gem. The first figure grabbed it quickly.

Arenia blinked swiftly, rubbing her eyes. The figures were both gone, nothing there.

"I'll be right back," Arenia said, pushing off the stage. "I don't feel that good," Arenia stated as she walked off.

A thicker crowd had assembled as Agent 34 spoke, explaining what would happen to Sehope and the rest of Renya with the Zena in control. Arenia pushed her way past, eyes glued to where the two figures had been. People asked her questions as she walked through, but she ignored every last one of them. She was heading for that gem.

Arenia eventually reached the end of the crowd, and then ran for the wall that separated Sehope from the rest of the desert. Once she reached it, she looked along it and spotted a ladder to the left that led to the top of the wall. 

She climbed up the ladder, and pulled herself onto the wall. It was skinny, but thick enough to walk on. Arenia walked along the stone wall, and spotted something orange ahead on it. Once she reached it, Arenia picked it up. It was an orange gem.

Those two figures really had been there. And they left her a gem.