The Aether God: Chapter 29 - Flowery Fallout

I sit in the rumble seat of judgment, I damn myself for entertainment:

For wasting time on hopeless entertainment.

The Central District: City Hall

The crowd was in nothing short of an uproar. Immediately after decapitating Magnum, a Welkinean Barrier had been conjured over the entire stage. Nobody could see what was going on, or what went on. Nearly everybody had remained seated though, besides a number that rushed out, likely to inform others. Cerulean shared a number of looks with Nora, Celestia, and Solene, as well as the group that was with him. His primary goal now though, was to just sit and continue watching.

After a number of minutes, the barrier disappeared. Immediately, nearly the entire crowd loudly gasped. Some began to scream and yell, while others began to curse. Cerulean wasn't sure whether he ought to be laughing or angry. On one hand, things now seemed to be going well for him. On the other hand, his suspicions of the legendary sects had fully been confirmed.

Large sanguine splotches of blood were scattered all over the stage, as well as on many of the sect masters. Fragments of flesh and limp bodies littered the spaces between their ornate jade chairs. Counting the heads up, Cerulean guessed that around fifteen sect masters had been killed during the few minutes the barrier had been erected. The sect masters remaining on the stage were all now seated and silent. Not a single one of them had a pleasant expression on their face. Most of them covering their eyes with one hand, or were leaned forward with both hands covering their entire faces. Boreas in particular appeared most distraught, and was even shaking his head.

After a few moments, Malachi stood up.

Soon, the entire amphitheater returned to a state of silence as everybody awaited whatever he had to say. They didn’t know what to expect exactly, but it was a crucial moment... among the most important moments they would ever witness.

Malachi didn’t speak immediately, rather he took a large number of heavy breaths, choosing his words carefully. Finally, after clearing his throat, he began.

“Citizens of this Great Valley… Our Great Valley... I cannot hide that I now bear a most unpleasant responsibility. Perhaps it is a responsibility of the kind that none have had to bear in our many hundreds of years of peace…”

Malachi paused for a moment, but the crowd stayed silent.

“I will not use this opportunity to act as an arbiter between two contending forces... as no such division should even manifest itself! Rather, I will simply ask all of you to make a wise decision. But first, behold the present. We exist now as a civilization that is quite tranquil. I am sure that there is no lack of enmity between many parties that reside here, but we are not at war! We can live without fear! We eat, work, and sleep! We train and study! We fall in love! We bear children! We do not exist merely to massacre one another!”

Many in the crowd began to laugh, shout, and boo. The Amphitheater descended into a cacophony of noise, and within a few moments, people began hurling items at Malachi once again. One would be hard-pressed not to see a great deal of irony within his words.

“SILENCE!”

Aurelius shouted from his chair. After a minute or so, the crowd finally quieted once again. Malachi took a deep breath and continued.

“You all should understand that I am speaking on a civilizational level! This regards all of us! Our collective efforts over a milenium have yielded a valley of unparalleled tranquility and prosperity. No civilization can boast of such camaraderie as I have witnessed among you all! And I have seen other civilizations! Our violent crime rates are low, and harmony reigns among our ranks of cultivators, as is unseen among nearby civilizations!”

Malachi began to turn his head toward different sections of the crowd.

“Who among you thinks it is wise to squander this precious gift by succumbing to the siren song of division!? The Great Valley stands as a bastion of peace and prosperity! It is a beacon of hope in a world beset by chaos and prowling ethereal beasts! Yes, we are not without our fair share of hardships and troubles, but really!? To merely blame and despise those who have, perhaps, the heavens’ most plentiful blessings!? You may blame the seven of us, but who among you understands a fraction the responsibilities we bear!? Who among you all contends against the Lord Beasts which threaten our very existences!? I am speaking to every descendant and sect master present!!”

Malachi paused for a moment and shook his head before continuing.

“Is it not incumbent upon each and every one of us to safeguard this legacy, and nurture it with our unwavering commitment to cooperation and peace!? Is it not foolish to engage in such internecine conflict!?”

“Huh?”

Cerulean was astounded. Not by Malachi’s eloquence, but his abhorrent shamelessness. Malachi had seemingly shifted the blame in a flawless manner.

“Does… he not know that he’s totally covered in blood right now? Who is he fooling?”

To so swiftly massacre the opposition, and then begin a flowery speech of peace, prosperity, and tranquility was insane. Cerulean did, though, feel a tiny bit of remorse for Malachi. He was something of a public relations mouthpiece for the legendary sects. Still though, the situation was quite absurd.

“You may all despise us of the mountains after today, but I urge you all to consider whether or not our hands have been forced to act, in order that we protect this tranquility of our valley! We legendary sects have no desire to engage in such unnecessary internecine conflict! That is all! I ask that you all depart immediately!!”

Once again, a Welkinean Barrier was conjured over the entire stage. The crowd stood in dumbfounded silence for a number of moments, but soon descended into a cacophony of noise and shouts again. A great number of residents present had likely just lost their sect master.

Cerulean remained in his seat, and furrowed his brows. He sat thinking for a number of moments. Soon though, he smiled.

“This is going to make things so much easier…”

Cerulean deduced that the valley would soon descend into absolute chaos… Except… Who would actually try to take action against the legendary sects? They had just massacred thirteen powerful lord or master artists within a number of minutes. Who would be so foolish to take them on? They were clearly leaps and bounds ahead of everybody else, artistry-wise… If the playing field had been level, an intense battle would surely have immediately broken out.

However, Cerulean now knew, for sure, that his plans had a great degree of merit. He had initially plotted against them because he knew that they had been doing nowhere near enough for the valley, and were complicit in many millions of deaths. However, judging by Magnum’s words, they had actually actively taken part in the valley’s downfall.

“Another thing to go searching for… or ask Boreas about… I wonder what he’s thinking right now.”

Boreas had recently begun sending aid to a number of sects in South Haven, as well as making more efforts in line with his own conscience. However, after today, he would surely be earning a great degree of undeserved ire. Perhaps he had been earning it in the hundred-something years prior, though.

“Nonetheless, I seem to have far more potential allies than I expected… and feel better about what I’m doing… Hah.”

Though he had begun plotting spontaneously, Cerulean was now glad that he had done such. Many of his efforts that were already in motion would not be going to waste. Furthermore, the legendary sects would now be far less concerned with the guilds than with public relations. This was, perhaps, the greatest imaginable public relations issue.

Cerulean, though, began to wonder for a moment.

“Why do the legendary sects even stay around here? What do they gain from engaging with everybody in the valley? Couldn’t they move to a more prosperous continent? Do they just not know of anywhere better to go? Do they have operations outside the valley? Didn't I already ask myself this … I should have talked to Boreas about so much more than I did…”

Cerulean though, came back to his senses.

"Whatever the truth about them may be... This is only the beginning. The fallout from this series of events is going to be..."

The amphitheater was still in a state of chaos, but soon, many began trailing out of the hall. After a minute or so, Cerulean stood up and began walking out, his party in tow. He waved to Nora and the girls as he departed. He smiled.

"...nothing short of tremendous."

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