CHAPTER 71 #5
"Huwag ninyong gamitin ang pangalan ng Dakilang Diyosa para takutin kami! Kung tunay na kalooban Niya ang sinasabi ninyo, then why do we keep suffering while you continue living comfortably?! Bakit kami ang kailangang magtiis habang kayo ay nasa mataas na lugar at kami ang patuloy na nagbabayad?!"
"Sinabi ninyong hindi ninyo kami ninanakawan?! Then where does all our money go? We pay your taxes, your fees, and your debts, yet our homes are still falling apart! Don't stand there and tell us that everything is for our own good!"
"Sasabihin ninyo sa amin na kasalanan ang magtanong?! Hindi kami mga tanga! We have eyes, we have families, and we know what is happening around us! Hindi ninyo maaaring gamitin ang Dakilang Diyosa para pilitin kaming manahimik!"
Biglang may lumipad na itlog mula sa gitna ng mga tao at tumama sa damit ng High Priest.
Napaatras siya nang bahagya.
"How dare you!" the high priest gritted his teeth. Pinigilan na lamang niya ang nais niya pang sabihin.
Ngunit lalo lamang nag-ingay ang mga mamamayan habang ang ilan ay patuloy na sumigaw, malinaw na wala na silang balak umatras.
May sumunod pang itlog na mabilis na lumipad at tumama sa High Priest.
Nagsimulang maghagisan ng kung anu-anong bagay ang ilan sa mga mamamayan habang lalong lumalakas ang kanilang mga sigaw.
"Enough! stop this at once!" ani ng isang Holy knight.
Ngunit wala nang nakikinig.
Sa bawat lugar kung saan naroon ang mga High Priest, nagsimulang magkagulo ang mga tao. The once-orderly gatherings quickly descended into chaos as anger spread from one person to another. May mga nagsisigawan, may nagtutulakan, at may mga pilit na lumalapit sa mga pari.
Agad namang kumilos ang mga Holy Knights.
Mabilis silang humarang sa pagitan ng mga High Priest at ng mga mamamayan, forming a defensive line around the priests. Itinaas nila ang kanilang mga kalasag upang protektahan ang mga pari mula sa mga ibinabato sa kanilang direksiyon.
"Stay back!"
"Do not come any closer!"
Ngunit sa halip na humupa, lalo lamang umingay ang bawat sulok ng Sartores.
The message of the Holy Cathedral had been meant to calm the people.
Instead, it had only given their anger a reason to finally erupt.
"Put down whatever you're holding! You have been warned! Anyone who refuses to leave will be treated as a threat to the Holy Cathedral!"
"Do not approach the High Priest! Step away from him immediately! We will not allow anyone to harm the servants of the Great Goddess!"
"Enough! Return to your homes! This is an order from the Holy Cathedral! Leave this place before you make the situation worse!"
Ngunit sa halip na sumunod, lalo lamang nag-ingay ang mga mamamayan. Some shouted back at the Holy Knights, while others refused to move.
"Umalis kayo rito!"
"Sinabi na naming hindi kami sasang-ayon!"
"Why should we listen to you?!"
Mabilis na nagsimulang itulak ng mga Holy Knights ang mga tao palayo sa lugar upang tuluyang buwagin ang pagtitipon. Sa kaguluhan, may ilang mamamayan ang natumba at nasaktan habang pilit na inilalayo ng mga Knights ang mga tao mula sa High Priests.
"Move! Everyone, move!"
"Clear the area!"
"Do not resist!"
Ngunit habang pinipilit nilang paalisin ang mga tao, lalo lamang lumala ang sitwasyon.
May mga nagsimulang tumakbo sa iba't ibang direksiyon, habang ang iba naman ay sumigaw sa galit. Sa bawat sulok kung saan naroon ang mga High Priests, parehong eksena ang nagaganap.
The people were angry.
The Holy Knights were losing control.
And what had begun as a speech meant to restore order had now turned into chaos across Sartores.
A moment later, more Holy Knights arrived and immediately joined the others in forcing the citizens to return to their homes.
"Ano ba?! bitawan ninyo kami! ang asawa ko! buntis 'yan! Dahan-dahanin ninyo-ano ba?!"
"Pasensya na. Sumusunod lamang kami sa kautusan."
"Then don't treat us like criminals!"
"Pakiusap! Uuwi naman kami, hindi ninyo kailangang itulak kami!"
"Sinabi na naming aalis na kami!"
Ngunit patuloy pa rin ang pagharang at pagtaboy ng mga Holy Knights, habang pinipilit nilang linisin ang mga lansangan at buwagin ang mga pagtitipon.
Sa halip na bumalik ang katahimikan, mas lalo lamang kumalat ang galit ng mga mamamayan.
Then, a group of figures wearing black cloaks suddenly appeared among the chaos. Red phoenix-wing details were embroidered across the backs of their cloaks, making them instantly recognizable.
The Holy Knights immediately raised their weapons.
"Who are you?!"
The cloaked figures moved at once. They rushed between the Holy Knights and the citizens, blocking their path and forcing the Knights away from the people.
Some of them fought the Knights directly, while others stayed close to the civilians, helping those who had fallen and guiding them away from the chaos.
"Protect the citizens!"
"Don't let those fools reach them!"
"Keep moving! Get them somewhere safe!"
Nagulat ang mga mamamayan sa biglaang pagdating nila.
For the first time, someone was standing between them and the Holy Cathedral's forces.
The red phoenix insignia on their black cloaks became the only thing many of them could see through the chaos.
And soon, whispers began spreading through the crowd.
"The Phoenix..."
"Who are they?"
"Are they here to protect us?"
"Totoo nga sabi sa liham! may mag p-protekta sa atin!"
The Holy Knights tried to push forward, but the mysterious group refused to let them pass.
Nagsilabasan ng mga espada ang mga Holy Knights at sabay-sabay na hinarap ang mga nakasuot ng itim na hooded cloaks. The silver blades caught the light as the Knights formed a line between the citizens and the mysterious group.
"Stand down!" sigaw ng isang Holy Knight. "You are interfering with an order issued by the Holy Cathedral!"
Tahimik lamang na nakatayo ang mga nakasuot ng itim.
Unti-unting lumapit sa unahan ang isa sa kanila at bahagyang itinaas ang kaniyang hood, enough for the red phoenix emblem on his cloak to become clearly visible.
"You call that an order?"
His voice remained calm.
"You're forcing innocent citizens into their homes because they refused to believe your words."
"These people are under the protection of the Holy Cathedral!" sigaw ng Holy Knight.
"Then why are you treating them like prisoners?"
Nagsimulang magbulungan ang mga mamamayan.
The Holy Knight tightened his grip on his sword.
"Last warning. Move aside."
Bahagyang napangisi ang nakasuot ng itim.
"Or what?"
Muling itinaas ng Holy Knight ang kaniyang espada.
"Or we will remove you ourselves."
Isang malamig na tawa ang marahang narinig mula sa likuran ng hood.
"Then come."
Unti-unting nagsilabas ang mga espada ng Mysarea Knights.
Their black cloaks moved with the wind, while the crimson phoenix-wing insignia on their backs remained clearly visible.
"You wanted a fight with the people?"
The lead Mysarea Knight stepped forward.
"Then fight us first. These citizens are under our protection now."
His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.
"So if you want to reach them..."
He raised his blade. "... you'll have to go through us."
The Mysarea Knights and the Holy Knights finally clashed.
Magic circles appeared across the streets as spells were cast from both sides.
The sound of steel meeting steel echoed throughout the city, while bursts of magic lit up the surrounding buildings.
Chaos quickly spread through the streets of Sartores as the two groups fought for control of the area.
Meanwhile, the citizens were successfully escorted away from the conflict.
Isa-isa silang dinala ng Mysarea Knights sa isang ligtas na lugar, malayo sa labanan. Doon sila pinagsama-sama at binantayan.
Naroon si Desmond sa harapan nila.
Marahan niyang inalis ang hood ng kaniyang cloak, revealing his face. Nagtaka naman ang mga mamamayan nang makita siya.
"Ikaw ba ang nagbigay sa amin ng mga liham?"
Desmond simply nodded, his expression remaining completely blank as he looked at the citizens before him.
Napuno ng ginhawa ang mukha ng ilan.
"Tunay nga! totoo ang sinabi ninyo! you really came to protect us!"
"Maraming salamat!"
"Akala namin wala nang tutulong sa amin!"
"Salamat sa pagligtas sa amin!"
Tahimik lamang na nakatingin si Desmond sa kanila bago bahagyang tumango.
"You're safe now. The Mysarea Knights will protect you."
Muling umalingawngaw ang ingay ng labanan sa malayo.
Ngunit sa lugar na kanilang pinagtitipunan, nanatiling nakapaligid ang Mysarea Knights, forming a protective barrier around the citizens.
Tumalikod si Desmond at marahang itinaas ang kaniyang kamay. A magic circle suddenly appeared before him, glowing faintly as it hovered above the ground.
Ibinaba niya ang kaniyang kamay patungo sa lupa.
In an instant, the ground beneath the magic circle trembled before a large stone platform slowly rose from the earth. Desmond stepped onto it and stood at the center, giving him a clear view of all the citizens gathered before him.
Tahimik siyang tumingin sa bawat isa sa kanila. His expression remained blank and unreadable.
There are a lot of them...
I guess there are already thousands of people here, and there are probably more still being brought to safety.
Bahagya niyang sinuri ang paligid, taking in the number of citizens gathered before him.
Mabuti na lamang at nailigtas namin silang lahat...
The citizens gradually fell silent, wondering what he was about to say.
Desmond remained standing on the stone platform, looking down at the thousands of citizens gathered before him. Huminga siya ng malalim bago nagsalita.
"Sumusunod lamang ako sa kautusan. It wasn't me who protected you. It was someone who genuinely cares about all of you. Someone who heard your voices long before anyone else was willing to listen. Someone who knew that you were suffering, that you were angry,