CHAPTER 69 #6
Tila hindi pa rin makapaniwala ang libo-libong kawal at mga mamamayan sa kanilang nasaksihan.
Seven hours of continuous fighting, ngunit hanggang sa huli ay nanatiling nakatayo si Rassia sa gitna ng battlefield.
Her armor was damaged, her body was covered in wounds, and her breathing was heavy, but she was still standing after facing all five Lords of Mysarea.
Hindi nila akalain na masasaksihan nila ang araw na tuluyang bumagsak ang lima na matagal nang namuno sa Mysarea.
Unti-unting humarap si Rassia sa libo-libong kawal na nanatiling nakatingin sa kaniya.
Mayroong namamangha sa kaniyang ipinakitang kapangyarihan, mayroon namang natatakot matapos masaksihan kung paano niya tinalo ang limang Lords, at mayroon ding tahimik na nagdarasal sa Dakilang Diyosa, umaasang may mabuting puso ito.
Rassia looked at Lucy Pearl and simply nodded.
Bigla namang nawala si Lucy Pearl mula sa pinakataas na bahagi ng pader at sa isang iglap ay lumitaw sa likuran ni Rassia.
Kasabay nito, tuluyan nang nawala ang barrier na nakapalibot sa mga kawal.
Rassia's armor slowly disappeared from her body, revealing her red dress once again. Her scythe also vanished from her hand as the remaining mana around her slowly faded away.
Tahimik lamang siyang nakatayo sa gitna habang libo-libong mga mata ang patuloy na nakatutok sa kaniya.
Napalunok si Rassia nang unti-unting manlabo ang kaniyang paningin. Bahagya siyang gumewang habang pilit na pinapanatili ang kaniyang balanse.
Mabilis namang lumabas si Anastacio mula sa kaniyang dimension at agad na hinawakan ang bewang ni Rassia upang tulungan siyang manatiling nakatayo nang tuwid.
"Master..."
Dahil sa presensya ni Anastacio, bahagyang bumalik ang lakas ni Rassia. Muli niyang inayos ang kaniyang tindig at dahan-dahang itinaas ang kaniyang ulo, pilit na itinatago kung gaano na siya kapagod.
She regained her composure once again.
"Thanks, Anastacio..."
Hindi niya hahayaang makita ng libo-libong kawal na siya ay nanghihina na sa pagod.
"People of Mysarea!" Rassia stepped forward to begin her speech.
The soldiers immediately straightened their posture, while the people of Mysarea slowly came out from the massive double doors, all of them looking toward Rassia.
She once again looked at the people standing before her.
She saw their thin bodies, their worn and dirty clothes, and the exhaustion written across their faces. It was clear that they had been living with hardship for a long time.
"I am Rassia Saint Quentin! I am not here just to conquer this city! I am here to give you the freedom you deserve. Narito ako upang pamunuan kayo, at nanunumpa ako na hindi ko hahayaang maranasan ninyo muli ang hirap at takot na dinanas ninyo sa ilalim ng limang matandang iyon."
"I will not rule Mysarea through fear. I will not take your homes, your livelihoods, or everything you have worked hard for just because I have the power to do so. From this day forward, you will have a ruler who will listen to your voices, protect your families,
and give you the chance to build a better life."
"I cannot promise that everything will change overnight. But I can promise you this... habang ako ang namumuno sa Mysarea, your suffering will not be ignored. I will rebuild this city, protect its people, and make sure that the power you were once forced to fear will finally be used to protect you."
"From this day forward, you are no longer servants of the five Lords. You are the people of Mysarea, and your lives belong to you."
Namuo ang luha sa mga mata ng mga mamamayan, maging ang ilan sa mga kawal ay hindi napigilang mapayuko dahil sa kanilang narinig.
For years, they had been living under fear, poverty, and the control of the five Lords.
They had learned to stay silent because speaking against those in power only brought them more suffering.
Ngayon, sa unang pagkakataon, may isang taong humarap sa kanila at nagsabing karapat-dapat silang maging malaya.
Some of the citizens began quietly crying. May mga taong mahigpit na niyakap ang kanilang mga anak, habang ang iba naman ay napahawak sa kanilang mga kamay na tila hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa kanilang naririnig.
Finally, there was someone who came to save them.
For the first time in years, they finally had something they had almost forgotten how to feel.
Hope.
"From this day onward, you are free from the chains those bastards placed upon you. No one will ever have the right to control your lives, your choices, or your future simply because they believe they are more powerful than you." Rassia continued.
"While I am ruling, binibigyan ko rin kayo ng kalayaan na kuwestiyunin ang aking pamumuno. You have the right to question my decisions, to speak when you disagree with me, and to tell me when you believe I am doing something wrong. I do not want people who will simply obey me out of fear.
I want people who are brave enough to speak when something is wrong!"
Nang sabihin ni Rassia ang mga salitang iyon, biglang bumaba si Razareth mula sa himpapawid at malakas na dumapo sa isa sa mga tore ng Mysarea.
Umalingawngaw ang malakas na dagundong ng kaniyang boses sa buong lungsod, dahilan upang mapatingala ang mga mamamayan at kawal.
Razareth spread his enormous wings as she stood proudly above the tower, her red scales shining under the light.
Tahimik lamang siyang nakatingin kay Rassia mula sa itaas, na para bang ipinapakita rin niya sa buong Mysarea kung sino ang kanilang bagong pinuno.
Meanwhile, the people of Mysarea did not seem afraid of the dragon. Instead of running away, many of them simply looked up at Razareth with curiosity and amazement.
They already knew that she would not hurt them.
Maya-maya ay napatingin si Rassia, maging sina Lucy Pearl at Anastacio, sa commander ng Mysarea Knights nang bigla itong humakbang pasulong.
Tahimik niyang tinitigan si Rassia bago unti-unting lumuhod sa kaniyang harapan.
"From this day forward, we pledge our swords, our loyalty, and our lives to our Queen..."
Muli niyang inangat ang kaniyang ulo at malakas na sumigaw.
"Long live the Queen!"
Pagkatapos niyon, sunod-sunod ding lumuhod ang tatlumpu't limang libong kawal sa harapan ni Rassia. Umalingawngaw ang kanilang mga sigaw sa buong lungsod, habang sabay-sabay nilang itinataas ang kanilang mga espada bilang pagkilala sa kanilang bagong reyna.
Maging ang mga mamamayan ng Mysarea ay nagsimulang sumigaw at magtaas ng kanilang mga kamay. Ang iba ay umiiyak dahil sa wakas ay naramdaman na nila ang kalayaang matagal nilang hinihintay.
"Long live the Red Queen!"
"Long live the Red Queen!"
"Long live the Red Queen!"
Paulit-ulit na umalingawngaw ang sigaw ng mga tao sa buong Mysarea, habang unti-unting napupuno ng pag-asa ang mga mukha ng mga mamamayan.
Sa ibabaw ng tore, muling dumagundong ng malakas si Razareth.
That moment marked the beginning of the freedom of the people of Mysarea.
For the first time in years, they were no longer ruled by fear. The chains that had held them down were finally broken, and the people could finally look toward the future without fearing the five Lords who once controlled their lives.
That day, Mysarea was no longer the city of the five Lords.
It became the city of the Red Queen.
Queen Rassia Saint Quentin was loved by the people of Mysarea, even though they had witnessed her demonic power and the terrifying strength she had displayed during the battle.
For the people of Mysarea, she was the woman who gave them their freedom.
Rassia soon discovered that the people of Mysarea were a mixture of different races and beings. There were ordinary humans, mages, and even a few Diwata among them.
Hindi na siya nagulat nang malaman iyon dahil ang Mysarea ay nasa pagitan ng Vermeleyon at Palazan, making it a place where different races and cultures naturally gathered.
May ilan ding Engkantari na naninirahan sa lungsod, along with other beings that had traveled from different parts of the continent.
Seven months had passed since Rassia began ruling Mysarea.
Malaki na ang ipinagbago ng lungsod. The people were living better lives, and the chains they once wore were no longer part of their daily lives. Mas maayos na ang kanilang mga tahanan, mas maraming pagkain ang makikita sa mga pamilihan, at unti-unting bumabalik ang buhay sa mga lansangan.
Wala na ring mga bangkay na basta na lamang iniiwan sa mga kalsada. Every person who died was given a proper burial, regardless of their status or background.
Rassia noticed the changes every time she walked through the city.
The Mysarea she first saw was filled with fear and suffering.
Now, it was slowly becoming a city where people could finally live happily.
Hinahayaan din ni Rassia ang mga bata na makapasok sa kaniyang palasyo at malayang magtakbuhan sa mga bulwagan. Hindi niya ito pinapagalitan kahit minsan ay nagiging maingay ang mga ito, dahil gusto niyang maramdaman nilang ang palasyo ay hindi isang lugar na kailangan nilang katakutan.
Madalas din siyang bigyan ng mga bata ng pulang rosas. They told her that the flowers reminded them of her red hair.
Sa tuwing inaabot nila ang mga rosas sa kaniya, bahagya lamang ngumiti si Rassia at tinatanggap ang mga ito.
For the children of Mysarea, the Red Queen was no longer someone to fear.
She was simply their queen.
Samantala, nasa loob ng palasyo si Rassia habang pinagmamasdan si Raquim na nakikipaglaro sa ibang mga bata. Running through the halls, laughing and chasing one another as though the palace had always been their playground.
Rassia simply watched them with a small smile.
"Don't run too fast, Raquim. You might fall."
Tumawa lamang si Raquim bago muling tumakbo kasama ang ibang mga bata.
"Queen Rassia! tignan mo!"
Napatingin siya sa mga bata habang ipinapakita nila ang isang maliit na laruan na ginawa nila.
"That's nice."
Agad namang lumapit si Raquim sa kaniya.
"Mommy... can we play outside?"
Bahagyang ngumiti si Rassia.