Song of Change (Solo RP)

PeopleCallMeLucifer

PeopleCallMeLucifer

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In The Year 2014 The Union of Ilirja voted in a new legislature Forbidding all languages except the 'True Ilire' to be used in public. Everyone caught talking any other language outside their homestead would be fined or arrested for 'Destruction of unity. In midst of this outrage, a Histrian student named Ederix attends the university of Nesactea trying to keep his head below the radar, but braking the law with every letter we writes
 
March 2014

I speak the crime
at lest that's what I'm told
I'm ruining the UNION
as I watch 'JUSTICE' unfolds

That was a small poem written in 'True Ilire' language at the back of the notebook of a quiet and Reserved student Called Ederix.
Some protest art against the new law on languages, forbidding him from speaking his mother tongue. Unfortunately for him that was the only place in his notebook Standard ilire was present.
Everything else written in Ist, or if he was feeling slightly sympathetic to the government, Mercanti.
So no wonder He grew restless when he noticed one of his classmates who sat right next to him was skimming trough his Notebook. A notebook he was frantically looking for just a minute ago.
This could get him expelled or even arrested Epole be damned. [Epole = Histrian legendary hero/deity]
"This is probably the most idiotic thing I have ever done" - he taught
"Not only did I brake the law I constantly carried the evidence WITH me... serves me right"
In that moment his classmate, whom he never spoken to before handed him his notebook "You dropped this" he said and walked away
"Thanks" Ederix replied already planing his great escape, but to where? Wherever he goes He'll not find peace, His Mercanti is mediocer at best and no one outside Ilirja speaks Ist or 'True ilire'
He walked back to his dorm with a storm in his head just cursing the word 'True'. As his sat on his bed he took out the dreadful notebook and considered burning it.
"Well fuck this!" he said as he opened his notebook "If I go down I'll go down in style" he taught as he started looking for a poem.
He needed something short but memorable He knew the government likes to make a farse of people arrested for 'braking the Union of the State' so he knew he'll be given a chance to repent for smaller sentence.
He however would use it to recite his poem. At lest that was the plan until he noticed an alien handwriting at the end of his notebook . Much cleaner and formal than his ever was or will be.
'You'd better hide this book where random blokes from our class won't notice it.'

"Great I'm gonna get blackmailed for this ... add assault to the list of my charges I guess" Ederix taught, already mentally preparing for a fight
'My name is Dorian Durn' "Do not caaare, what do you want"
'And just like you I oppose the latest government actions' "latest? So a rebel for fashion..."
'I am a part of a small group of like minded individuals that plans to show at least the smallest spark of resistance to the government.To show them we will not just sit like mutes while they try to destroy our culture' "... Or an Idealist. Don't know what's more laughable"
'If you are interested meet us at The Unity square. We'll be at the blue apartment complex,just ring The first person on the intercom and tell them Vizassa sent you.Someone is always there so come whenever you please'
"... ooook? ..." Ederix said to himself visibly confused

'P.S. if you think about turning this in, check the middle of your notebook' "He didn't!"
Ederix opened the middle of his notebook and noticed that some of the pages were ripped out!
"IF he wanted to blackmail me..." Ederix taught "- i would have punched him once at best."
" But stealing my work..."he said out loud while his face twisted into an unnatural grin ".. Oh he'll need some painkillers"
Ederix quickly put on his jacket, put on his watch and sunglasses and grabbed the heavies concealable object in his reach (a metal flask he filled with water)
He walked out of his dorm room, locked it and, as he usually did, started jogging towards the square
 
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In the same time Dorian entered the afore mentioned apartment.
"I'm back."
"So how did it go?" asked His father, a short but strong built man in his mid fifties, being the exact opposite image of his tall and scrawny son "did you invite that kid you were talking about"
"We aren't kids anymore dad"
"No matter, did you invite him?"
"Yes I did."
"And are you sure he won't just get rid of his notebook and turn us in?" Asked another man that appeared around the same age as Dorians father although slightly taller and more slender.
"I took some pages from his notebook, it's written in the distinct Ist version of the Azbuka, some of his poems are in Mercanti even"
"So you blackmailed him?"
"Come on Gean, the kid wanted to secure himself"
"Emerik, Your son might have just costed us a young, educated and..." he said as he listed trough the pages Dorian took "... fairly talented ally he might turn us in just becasue we tried to blackmail him, he might even think we are working for the government and disappear all together"
"Than he wouldn't be of much use anyway" Said Dorian "we don't need cowards"
"A cowardly poet ca be worth much more than a brave bruit Kid" Gean Replied

Dorians face went red with anger and he just left the room
"That was harsh."
"That's was the point My friend. He might be your son, but we are all technically criminals, our saving grace can only be the support of the people. You don't get that by blackmail"
Ten minutes after that conversation someone called the intercom of the Durn apartment
"Durn apartment, who's there" Emerik answered
"Vizassa sent me."
"Top floor kid"
Emerik opened the main entrance of the building and waited for a minute until his guest comes to his floor.
"hello there, are you the poet?"
"I'm the devil himself uless I see the pages that were ripped out of my notebook."
"Relax, relax, no need for hostility, follow me and I'll give you what's yours."
Ederix smiled, walked back to the elevator doors, took his flask and took a sip
"They better be here in 3 minutes"
"Can't you at least ..."
"2 and a half minutes. Every word costs you ten seconds from now on, Get my missing pages before I do so myself!"
Emerik walked back slightly angry and disappointed. Ederix in the other hand, although he appeared indifferent, only held his hands crossed so his shaking wouldn't be so noticeable.
He heard a fuss and quiet arguing in the apartment. he readied his metal flask ready to use it as a projectile if needed.
After two minutes Emerik came back out "Here, this should be all"
"One page is missing"

In that moment Dorian walked out of the apartment "Wait you forgot this one dad"
When Ederix layed his eyes on Dorian his serious expression turned back the sickening grin he had when he left his dorm.
"So you are the one who blackmailed me"
"I know, I know, that was a dumb thing to..."
Before Dorian could finished Ederix slapped him "That's for the blackmail"
"Ok I d..." Dorian tried to say before he felt a blow of the metal flask across his face. The blow broke his nose and cut his lip as well as staggered Dorian who collapsed on the floor
"And that's for taking my poems" Ederix said calmly
"ARE YOU CRAZY" Emerik screamed
"Yes i am" Ederix replied twirling his bloody flask by the chain he attached to it "goodbye"
As he headed back down the stairs, Gean who just observed this situation walked past Dorian, who was slowly getting back to his feet and looked at Emerik
"Get the kid to the ER, I'll try to salvage this situation."
in the meantime Ederix rushed down a couple of floors, before he started feeling dizzy. He sat down on the staircase to try and get his composure. Seconds seemed like hours to him until he heard Gean addressed him

"Quite a scene you did up there"
Ederix immediately grabbed his flask, but felt to week to win a fight so he decided to try and talk his way out of this
"People usually leave you alone when they think you are a nutcase"
"Listen kid, I agree that what Dorian did was wrong and you deserve an apology"
"I don't care about apologies" Ederix said standing up, running on pure adrenaline at this point
"And what do you care about" Gean replied in fluent Ist
"Death of the Union" Ederix sarcastically replied in Mercanti
Gean laughed "I speak seven languages, but I do not know what that meant. And that is why I need you"
"There are other people speaking Mercanti that share my opinion"
"And how many of them would dare brake the nose of someone they think might be an undercover cop?"
"None, they are to rational for that."
"And that is what I don't need, change and protests can't be lead by fully rational people like I am, I need someone wild, someone idealistic.
I need a poet and a rebel!"
"What are you planing, a civil war?" Ederix chuckled "On the stairs of an apatmant complex"
he said as he started to lose control
"W-With the help of an Idiot who broke someones nose with a flask becasue of 4-5 sheets of paper"
"Yes" Gean replied seriously As Ederix started laughing historically
"AHAHAHAAAa Haaaa Wheeel HAH I- I guess I could at least hehear you out" Ederix said stopping his laughter only to gasp for air.
Gean did not appreciate the mocking he received from this rude young boy, but he knew he needed support and a good written poem could turn the dozen of think-alikes into hundreds.
 
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Ederix and Gean returned to the apartment, Gean sat down in the living room and invited Ederix to join him.
Ederix accepted but sat as far from Gean as possible, still holding his flask at the ready.

"First of all, let me introduce myself. I'm Gean Eri"
"Oh you are the guy who got kicked from the academic community a few years ago"
"Yes... that was me"
"Heh, and here I taught you were all just pushovers. Anyways what are you 'rebels' planing"
"For now, nothing, we are trying to find more people willing to join us. There is an old friend from The Nesactea University that is thinking of helping us."
"Might I know who?"
"Might I know your name?"
"Ederix Apolone Armatu"
"Hers is Teua D'vir."
"Professor D'vir? She teaches a few of my courses! ... I can't see her as anti Union"
"She is not, that's why getting her to our side would be significant"
"Good luck with that.... anyone else in this little 'resistance movement'?"
"You know I do not appreciate your mocking tone"
"I did not appreciate being blackmailed but I got over it"
"By Smashing someone with a flask"
"Everyone has different coping mechanisms, mine is payback"
Gean sighed "There is a couple of sympathetic students willing to help, a few other people we are certain we can trust"
"So basically a group of idealist with no support"

"Yes," Gean lost his patience " and if you don't like it there is the door"
Ederix smiled "Did I ever say that?"
"Listen kid! Yes there is just a handful of us even considering any kind of resistance, most of people just want to live their life and be left alone! I taught for a moment you might share our will to fight for your rights, but you are just a brat!"
"no, I'm just crazy enough not to get myself in more trouble than I want to without you having any semblance of an idea of what you want to achieve. Yes I make fun of you, I provoked you intentionally to see if you would actually give me something to work with. You think getting more people to agree with you will help? you're an idiot than. I haven't heard about you until today but I disagreed with the Union policies for a long time now."
"We NEED more support"
"You need to act."
"And How!?"

"How long does this underground society, let's call it that, exists"
"Don't change the subject, How do we act oh all knowing Armatu"
"How... long?"
"3 months so what?"
"You weren't able to come up with anything in 3 months and you expect me to have an answer on the spot? very mature Professor Eri.
I suggest you start simple, hide a music player on some city squares and blast music in every language possible except the True Ilire or however you want to call it"
"Are you stupid, that would announce our presence"
"And who are people more likely to follow? Shadow organization that uses plots or someone brave and or crazy enough to say 'Fuck you' to the government?"
after a moment of silence Ederix stood up

"Where are you going" Gean asked visibly angry
"To my dorm,I have to fix my Notebook"
As Ederix exited Gean started calming down and processing everything this man, less than half of his age, just said. Was he right? did they stay too passive? waht if his plan backfires?

In the meantime Ederix walked home slowly, looking around, observing peoples faces as they passed by, thinking of would they support the idea he was just presented with and if his plan would actually have any success.
In a moment of clarity he realized that he had his old music player and a speaker at his dorm. He stood dead in his tracks for about ten seconds, looking at the statue of a scribe in the middle of the Unity square. Than he smiled "I guess we'll have to test it out" he taught and continued on his way with a spring in his step.
 
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Ederix returned to his dorm and immediately started digging trough his belongings. He digged trough several wardrobes, tossed several drawers on his bed and just than realized that his music player and the portable speaker were on top of his main wardrobe. First thing he did was format the devices, painted a small traditional Histri sigil on one and an Eir ram on the other.

"These look like shit" he taught "but they will do"
After his 'masterpiece was done he filled it with several traditional songs, which the Unions government has banned under a pretense of combating National extremism.
there were songs from all over Ilirja on it, even songs sang in Eir language that were forbidden first due to the rebellious and unruly nature of the small nation.

There he was. A single man armed with a dozen songs and without a single care for cause and effect... well mostly, He knew he couldn't place the speaker on Union Square
becasue that would endanger his new 'associates', he knew he should probably do it away from the Uni as well to protect his own hide.

his line of thinking was "I'm basically tossing a Molotov in the air, I might at least be sensible enough not to toss it on my own head"
After a few more security checks making sure the devices won't be traced to him, Ederix had took his gloves, gently wiped the speaker and the player with a rag soaked in alcohol, and around 11:20 PM

Armed with his trusty flask this time filled with alcohol, and a small multi-tool just in case, he snuck out his dorm. No one was allowed to leave the dorm after 10:30 PM so he taught that if he manages to sneak past the Campus security, the city is his for the taking.
Unfortunately he was noticed as soon as he left the dorm. Lucky it was another student, a short, but rather athletic girl. They locked eyes for a moment not knowing what to do.

Ederix made a gesture for her to stay silent and pointed to a security guard making rounds across the park. the girl took one look at the guard, walked closer to Ederix and said
"It'll take him around 10 minutes to go around the entire park, the subway station is out of sight now"
"But they have cameras there"
"on the outside"
"I don't follow"
"Well you better start following, or you're not getting out tonight"

Before Ederix knew what's going on The girl started Sprinting towards the station. after a few minutes they were there. But instead of entrance,
The girl ran towards a two story building next to it.

As she punched in the entrance code Ederix said "Not your first breakout I see"
"Oh please, it's not your either" she said as she opened the doors and started walking downsatairs towards the basement
"no it's not" Ederix said as he followed
"How do you usually do it?"
"Over the west wall"
"... Could you repeat that"
"Yes i could"
The girl sighed" And would you repeat that"
"Yes i would, I said over the west wall" Ederix replied making quotation signs to
As they reached the basement The girl pulled out a key and opened a door that had a sign 'access restricted'

"You are a lunatic" the girl said
"I'm trying ok"
"Trying not to be a lunatic?" she said with a smile as she opened another door with another staircase
"No, trying not to show it too often"
"Well considering you just said you are climbing and jumping of a 8 meter wall to get in and out of campus ... you're not doing a good job"
"You just need to know the right trees to climb ... where are we anyways"
" I'm taking you to the subway station trough some old maintenance tunnels, or at lest I think that's what these are. Funny enough the station has enough blind spots so you can get on a train and not been seen."

"And you know this how?" Ederix said as the girl smirked and opened the doors that lead to a small janitors closet.
"Just stay on the right side of the billboard out there and ... where are you actually going"
"I'm going to set my 6 A.M. alarm in front of the parliament and it will play illegal songs"
"... Have room for one more?"

Ederix did not expect that that question but he taught it could be amusing "Just make sure not to call the cops on me becasue I'm pinning everything on you in that case" he said with a smile
"Right back at you"
They waited in silence leaning on the billboard waiting for the subway to arrive.
"What's your name" Ederix asked
"Eya. what's yours" the girl replied
"Ederix."
 
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During the subway ride the two runaways mostly stood silent until Ederix started looking around the cabin frantically
"Don't they have cameras here? Or on the other station as well"
"Yup" Eya replied
"you don't seem concerned"
"The nearest station to the parliament is 20 minutes walk. So if you if you manage to get to the parliament any faster, you won't be suspicious."
"So we're running?" Ederix said with a smile
"No, we walk out of the station and than we're running. We also need to walk out to the square in front of the parliament like we're not in a hurry otherwise someone could connect us to your plan."
"How about we go around the square, come from the back of the parliament and, as you said, walk up to it"
"Sounds good to me"

After a few more minute of silence Eya, who was laying over several seats Just asked
"Why are you doing this?"
"Honestly I don't know. probably because no one else is doing anything worth mentioning."
"is anyone even doing anything to oppose the government?"
"Not in a ways that matter. Everyone is so caught up in the language shit now that they are forgetting dreadful economy and complete isolation. Haha, oh how easy is to lead the sheep"
"That was mean"
"Is it a lie though?"
"no, I guess not... but you are using the 'language shit' aren't you"
"Hey, no one will care about some kook preaching about bad economy but people get very riled up about trivial things."
"Language isn't that trivial though"
"The 'True ilire' and Alborse have 85% similarities Ovirs has around 70%. The differences are dialectic at best in most cases. So for most of The nation, It is trivial... I think this is our stop"
"Ok calm and collected, we're on a small stroll trough the city."
"Aye Aye"

The pair slowly walked out of the station subtly keeping an eye for the cameras
"We're clear" Said Eya once she they passed the last camera
"you know this area" Ederix asked
"Not the best, I have only been here a couple of times"
"Than follow me" Ederix asked as he started running

After a few minutes of running straight towards the Parliment square Ederix took an unexpected turn which momentarily confused Eya but she decided to keep following him.
Ederix, knew exactly what he was doing. He entered a narrow alleyway that appeared to be a dead end until he jumped of the wall and grabbed the roof of one story building in front of him.
"Did I mention I'm into parkour and free-running in my free time?" he said after he climbed and offered a hand to help Eya climb up
"Haven't noticed" She said with a smile as Ederix helped her up.
"This way we'll surely avoid cameras,and get to the square quickly"

After no more than five minutes Ederix and Eya were slowly getting of the roofs and started heading to the Square.
"So how you gonna pull this off?" She asked
"Put a speaker on the hand of the statue and the music player on the palm tree over there. The player has his own speaker so when they unplug the one on the statue, the music will continue"
"so you gonna climb that?"
"Shouldn't take too long... Do me a favor would you?"
"Sure thing."
"Get to the other side of the square and wait for me there."
"What, don't want me to get in trouble?"
"Nah, I just planned this as a solo mission and i only have one pair of gloves."
"Oooh Ok that makes sense."

After the speaker was set and the player got placed on top of the palm tree. The duo left the square.
it was 1:30 A.M. at this point.
"where do we go now?" Eya asked.
"I'm hungry." Ederix turned toward Eya and started walking backwards" Let's get something to eat."
"Where?"
"I know a place. It'll also be a good alibi"
"I see more roof top shenanigans in my near future"
"You must be psychic" Ederix said as he turned on his heel and started running again "keep up"
 
After around half of hour of running across rooftops and alleyways Ederix stopped dead in track on the edge of the roof.
"Getting tired?" he asked looking at Eya.
"no.... not in ... the slightest" She said while catching her breath.
"Well cheer up we're here ... well across the street from the place"
"That? ... building?" Eya asked as she sat down.
"Yup. An old shabby building at the edge of the Nesactea industrial zone. This used to be some rich guys mansion once.He donated it to the city that made it a local community center ... that officially closed down because they organized Communty nights for different communities in the vicinity."

As Ederix said with a reminiscing expression that didn't escape Eya.
"You sound like you used to come here often"
"I went to high school and uni in the Capital. And they only closed this down two years ago for 'safety reasons'. Three months after that a group free-runners started using it as a personal playground and I had to check it out "
"and the rest is history"
"Exactly. Now let's get inside"

As the two approached the building they started hearing people talking and laughing. Ederix opened the door and was graced by a handful of free-runners exercising in various ways.

"Hi Guys. what's up?"
"Rix" answered a tall long haired man "Didn't expect you to see here today."
"Wasn't planning to be here today Ren. Also I brought company" Ederix added pointing at Eya who
"Please don't tell me she's a new recruit, I can barely handle these guys."
"Oh so these are the new guys."
"Yah. It's my turn to babysit them today. Anyways What brings you here at this hour " Ren asked
"I need a place to crash and an alibi for tonight"
"I have no idea what you are talking about good sir. You and the madame were here the whole night." Ren replied with an exadurated accent "Now Who exactly is your friend?"
"I'm Eya, I helped him to sneak out of the campus." Eya replied
"But you do that good enough on your own" Ren gave Ederx a confused look
"She got me to the subway station without being noticed" Ederix replied
"Impressive. Well I'm Evren Derra, Ren for short"
"Nice to meet you" Eya replied

"Well the brake room are on the second floor you can crash on the couch there, also feel free to help yourself with some snacks. And the restroom is near the back entrance." Ren told to Eya before turning to Ederix
"Since you are here You gonna help me with the rookies"
"Fair enough, just let me make some tea first" Ederix replied.
The rest of the nigh Ederix spent helping Ren. Eya quickly fell asleep on the couch unbothered by the constant noise coming from the ground floor.
After a couple of hours Eya woke up. The first thing she noticed was that everyone except Ren and Edrix were sleeping.

"Good morning" Ederix said "want some tea?"
"We're you up all night" Eya asked
"Yup."
"You know we have classes today"
"Don't remind me."

In that moment Ren, who was scrolling trough his phone stood in front of the two
"So is this why you needed the alibi" he said showing an article about A brazant act of disrespect for the government and the nation'.
Ederix took the phone, skimmed trough the text and simply said
"yup"
"Since when are you a political activist"
"Yesterday?"
"Did you drag him into this?" Ren asked Eya
"No, I just tagged along ... for some reason"

"So ... what is your story" Ren looked at the both with a concerned look
"I saw him free-running a couple of times and started talking to him about it because it looked cool" Eya said
"And I brought her here to show her what we do" Ederix added
"Timeline?" Ren continued
"we snuck out around midnight, snuck into the subway, got out at the Center station and walked here" Ederix added confidently
"That's a long walk though"
"well we are free-runners, I wanted to give her a small endurance test as a initiation."

Ren snickered while Eya turned to Wderix with an angry glare "Care to repeat that?"
"I'll rephrase that. I wanted to see if she will be able to run from the City center to this place"
Ren sighed "Well It's as good as I'm gonna get. But Do me a favor and please leave politics out of the squad. We don't want to have anything to do with that shit"
"Duly noted Ren. I will not involve any of you into this ever again."

After they grabbed something to eat Eya and Ederix went on their way while Ren returned to his squad
 
"You looking at your phone for news?" Eya said
"Just checking the time" Ederix replied " I got an early class today"
"You're crazy"
"You followed a crazy person to his secret layer"
"Hey, I never said i wasn't crazy"

The Two were heading to the nearest subway station talking about everything and anything. where they were from, what were they hobbies and similar things.
Ederix was a the youngest of 3 kids, passionate about vineyards. poetry and braking the rules. He lived in a small village halfway between Mirkaas and Faveria but away from the railroad or the major roads connecting the two.
Eya was an only child from the Ederi city of Issi. that alone made Ederix question why she joined him.
The Eir people have to pass rigorous screening screenings to even be allowed to visit the rest of the country, but to live and study in the capital? You need a spotless records and a lot of luck to even be considered.
This bugged Ederix but he didn't spake about it in the subway fearing someone might overhear and cause trouble for his partner in crime and friend.

"Do you have a phone?" Ederix said after exiting the subway.
"yes." Eya replied with a smirk
"Does it have a number I can call you on?" Ederix continued, knowing Eya was getting back at him
"Yes, it does"
"Would you please, kind lady, honor me with memorizing your number on my unworthy smartphone?"
As he said this Ederix bowed and handed his phone to Eya, causing quite a scene and atracting a few looks.
Eya turned red out of embarrassment "You're insufferable" she said as she typed her phone number in
"I try" Edeix replied with a goofy smile.

As Ederix walked in to his class and sat down on his usual spot Dorian appear beside him. He was still bruised and that gave his, already angry face, a more unsettling look.
"I still got the flask" Ederix added with a smile
Dorian flinched for a split second but quickly got a hold of himself.
"You wouldn't dare to do anything here. I'm just here to let you know that Mister Eri and my dad want to talk to you after class."
"What makes you think I won't deck you again? It would be crazy?Pointless? illogical? Heh, if you payed attention you'd notice that's kind of my thing"
"What's your problem"
"Says the failed blackmailer"
"I apologized for that"
"Says a remorseful failed blackmailer"
"Of piss off, the old guys want to talk to you after class."
"I can't wait" Ederix said sarcastically as Dorian was leaving

After the classes were done for today Ederix texted Eya if she wants to meet the people who inspired the last night shenanigans
Eya of course was delighted at the idea and as the additional bonus they don't even need to brake any rules to do so ... for now
 
"ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY INSANE" Emerik screams screamed the moment he opened the doors
"Good to see you too Emerik, by the way this is Eya." Ederix says pointing at eya that was standing a few steps back
"... WHO ALLOWED YOU TO BRING PEOPLE HERE?!"
"Do I look like a guy who asks for permission?"
"Whatever, Get in we need to talk"
As Eya was about walk in the apartment Emerik slammed the door shut in her face. Ederix just grinned as he opened the doors again. Emerik reached for the doorknob again but stopped when he heard Ederix speak
"She was as involved as yesterday night as I am. it's either both of us or none of us."
"Fine" Emerik grumbled
"Charming friends you have" Eya whispered to Ederix
"What can I say, I'm charming" Ederix silently replied
after a few minutes of awkward scilence Ederix spoke out again
"So where is the big boss?"
"Talking to Madame D'vir. hopefully your stunt hasn't made his job any harder" Emerik replied
"Do you know what could have happened if you got caught? They would trace you back to here, it wouldn't be only your ass on the line. were you aware of that?
Or do you just do this because you get some kind of a sick kick out of it? You..." Emerik was stopped in his rant by Eya

"When did you realize the Union was doing something wrong mister."
"The same time everyone else did girl, when thy outlawed our languages"
"Oh really?" Eyas face turned menacingly serious
"Than shut up!" se said in the Eir language. language that could get her up to a year in jail.
Emerik was stunned and ashamed. he walked out of the room while Ederix just gave Eya a thumbs up.
After a few more minutes Gean Eri returned happiest that he ever was.
"Everyone! Listen up. Professor D'vir said she is ready to express her support for us ..."
"Well that's a relief, I taught this idiot botched it." Emerik said
"... If we continue with public demonstrations like the one from last night" Gean continued.
"I like that lady already" Ederix replied
"Well she said she wants to meet you and ... who is that" Gean replied when he noticed Eya
"I'm Eya, I tagged along with Ederix yesterday"
"Oh, well, if that's so make yourself at home"

Emerik lost his temper hearing that and started shouting again
"SERIOUSLY ERI?! MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME?! You used to be reasonable! And now? You told me that a small wins like this one could doom us!"
"Emerik, I know. But think about it. We are risking a lot already, If we keep at it like this we'll achieve nothing for the at least a hundred years. But if we risk just this tiny bit more we might actually change something during our lifetimes"
"We might also get ourselves killed" Emerik said looking directly at Gean
"I'm willing to risk that." Gean said. returning the stare
"You two are a bunch of optimists" Ederix interfered standing between them
"Look oldies, we don't need dead idealists, and we need to agree on something. The language shit is a tool, the main problem is the fact we are a tin can of a state with abysmal economy and less than stellar civil rights."
"For once we can agree" Emerik said "how are you gonna fix it?"
"Me? I'm not. I'm gonna use it, I'm gonna write graffiti and play music until the government starts spending so much on catching me that the people get sick of it"
"Considering the art skills i saw on that Music player you placed on a statue, you'll need someone else for the graffiti" Eya snickered
"Exactly. And I know just the right people for the job." Ederix replied with a mischievous smile.
"I'm gonna leave that to you but I suggest you lay low for a few days, just to be safe. And yeah Teuta told me that she'll be in the city center tomorrow around noon."
"Good thing I don't have classes than"
 
Ederix decided to sleep in his free day, managing to drag himself out of the bed around eleven AM.
"I got an hour to get to the center" he taught "How does the D'Vir lady even look like. Well she knows how I look so that shouldn't be a problem"
As he was lazily getting ready he was planning his day in his head

"so I meet her, that will take around an hour or two I think. Do I bring Eya? Nah, she's probably in class right now.
After that I'm Stopping by at Evrens place and going for a run. Hopefully he'll help with spreading the message of what I'm planing to do.
After that I'm heading home studying fro an hour or two and than playing games until midnight. And who knows maybe write a poem... hopefully.
I haven't written anything in over a month"
He chuckled
"I suck at consistency."

After his morning routine He was ready to leave his dorm looking as conspicuous as he could be.
A Dark shirt with the words "Burn me alive" written on it, cargo Trouser, Classical Histrian hat (Straw with a feather on the right side and a narrow rope so you can kick it back from your head)
and a jeans jacket over his left shoulder.

When he reached a center he saw a lady in her late fifties looking at him
"Excuse me" She said "Are You Ederix Agera
"That's what they told me" He said
"Well it's nice to meet you, come have a seat" Teuta replied
"So..." Ederix said as he sat down "... You wanted to meet me"
"Yes."
"Because of my 'extra curricular activities' ... Ok that sounded wrong"
Teuta laughed "Yes, as you can see I'm a fan of your work but I wanted to ask you weather you have a long term plan for it"
"Nope, not for now"
"that's a shame."
"Why? Gean has a long term plan, I can always borrow that"
"Honestly Gean's plan is to broad, too ... how do I put it?"
"idealistic?"
"Exactly!"

"Well what makes you think mine ideas and 'plans' aren't? Maybe mine are even worse"
"You seam too uninterested to be that kind of idealist"
"Well You look like an exemplary lady and yet you are talking to a Delinquent like me"
"So you are a delinquent?"
"Only during my days off"
"You know what young man. I like you. You're ... different"
"The word you are looking for is weir, twisted, confusing, ... I can go on"
"Call it what you will, I think you have potential"
"Everyone has potential, just for different stuff"
"That is true" Teuta said before she stood up "Anyways,you keep doing what you do for a month or two and I will fulfill my end of the bargain."
"Will do"

Teuta left leaving Ederix alone in the cafe sipping his tea.
"Doing what I do... I don't do anything. I run on roofs and play games. I just taught it would be hilarious to play music in the middle of the night.
Hehe. What a cretinism ... well time to meat with Ren"

After a few more Subway rides Ederix was back in the outskirts. He knew he was pulling ren in outside his ussual time so He wanted to make it quick.
"Yo Rix. What's up" Evren said
"Something you are not going to like." Ederix replied

he explained his plan to Ren who was less than impressed but listened to the end. After Ederix layed out his plan Ren just said
"Well Ican try. most of the graffiti artist don't give a damn about politics, you know. And other Crew leaders like Jase and Cavi will hate it."
"I know. But look at it from this perspective. I'm not asking them to do anything they aren't already doing, I'm just asking for them to do it in different places and with a concrete message.
I doubt it will amount to anything to be honest, but it will at least cause a bit of chaos."
"I know that you say that no artist is sane" Ren said "but you are in a class of your own"


And just as Rix predicted, most people were not interested in sticking their necks out like this. Ederix was kicked out from the crew, which he didn't mind. But after a week of random graffiti popping trough the most prominent streets and squares of Nesactea More people joined in.
Soon enough there were news from Ragussa, Ossor, Faveria and even Pasadur of multilingual graffiti. After a month a few people were arrested but the movement grew stronger. At this point even the skeptical Dorian joined in.
But nothing good lasts and around the middle of April an official government statement was broadcasted over every television network in the country ...
 
"We interrupt our program with braking news." Said a very frighten news anchor
"The government of the Iliric union has issued a decree that as of today at 22:00 a curfew will be put into place.
Any person seen in the streets will be considered a terrorist and will be shot on site. The police and military forces will be placed both in major cities adn rural ares.
We also have a message from president Tusa"

A Stern looking woman in her forties appear on the screen
"The last month and a half we had a surge in vandalism. These lawbreakers have disturbed public peace and safety and devastated the cultural sites.
They think that clinging to the old and backward traditions somehow justifies their brazant disrespect of the law,well it does not.
These 'songbirds' decided to plague us with music in a hope to seed distrust and brake the Unity if the Ilire people.
Well from now on they will be shot on sight."

Ederix watched this news visibly amused with the result of his 'rebellion'. He was interrupted by Evrens phone call
"What's up Ren?"
"This is your fault" That is all Ren said before he hung up.
Ederix knew what this meant. the free runners wanted to distance themselves from him. He expected that though.
What he didn't expect was Emeriks reaction.

"So you're just gonna quit?" Emerik said.
"I'm not quitting, I'm laying low for a week or two."
"isn't inactivity the one thing you blamed us for?"
"Well you were risking jail time at worst ..."Ederix said calmly
" ... now WE are risking our fucking lives!!!" he shouted
"SO WHAT YOU GOT COLD FEET ALL OF THE SUDDEN?!"
"... And you say I don't take anything seriously."
"Dad come on" Dorian tried to interject
"NO. I am not leaving this god damn government any more leeway, We need to continue our work and if you two are to scared to do anything I'll do it myself"

Emerik stormed out and Gean who was silent all along just sighed "I hope nothing ends badly tonight"
"Well it's the first day of the curfew" Dorian said
"I doubt they would shoot with no warning, I mean some people might have not heard the notice yet."
"I wouldn't bet on it." Ederix said standing up.
"I'm going to the bus station, Eya is heading towards Ragussa today and will try to get in contact with their 'Songbirds' ... I like that name.
Anyways I'm going to see her off, You should go after your dad before he gets himself killed"
 
"Several deaths reported on the first day of curfew"
"curfue leads to violence escalation, union retreats from Deraz"
"Blood on the streets"

these were the titles that decorated the front pages on that day. A day with of fear and disbelief. Ederix was walking down the street looking in the ground. Those deaths were on his hands.
His disregard for consequence, his carefree attitude and uncalculated actions. They lead to deaths across the country.
"I'm going to fucking kill someone." he taught.
He spent several hours walking aimlessly across the city. he found himself on the square where it all started, now under heavy military supervision.
after watching at the statue for several minutes he turned around, retracing his steps like a criminal returning to the crime scene.
Before he knew it he was in the industrial zone, in the same shabby building he and Eya stayed a night just a few weeks earlier.

As he walked in there were several angry glares following him. He might have been outcasted by the free runners but he still knew they would meet up to discuss their plan of actions, as they do after every new restriction is put in place.
Evren stood in front of him
"You've got some nerve showing up here"
"Yes" Ederix said jumping over a counter and going around Evren
"You know that several of our guys were shot at yesterday"
"I know" Ederix continued walking towards the fridge with a crowd forming around the two
"If I had half a brain I'd turn you over to the government"
"Exactly" Ederix replied holding an apple
"So why don't you?" Ederix asked in Ist while pulling out a switchblade and cutting the apple.
Evren lost his nerve and started yelling at his former friend
"Oh for god sakes!!! Don't you see people are dying for your stupid language obsession!"
Ederix, completely unphased, grabbed Evrens hand and put his blade in his hand.
"Do something about it." He lifted the knife to his troath. "With a small flick of the wrist you can end it, hell you'll be a HERO!" he said with a smile
The crowd was swept by a deafening silence.
Evren went pale
"You're insane."
"Am I? You know what I find insane?" Ederix said taking his knife back and pushing Evren to the ground.
"When I arrived to the capital you guys were everywhere, running across the squares in mid day and no one cared. And now? Even before the curfew you could be arrested for public disturbance for simply hanging with your friend on a square!
You think I started this becasue of a ban on words? Wake the fuck up people! We don't have a right to protest, we don't have a right to say anything against the system, people are starving because of some idiotic economy dogmas!
And you are here threatening ME? Well if you want to live like this fine, but I'm gonna change something!"
"You gonna die" Evren said getting up. He was greeted by Ederix's hand. After a few seconds of thinking he accepted the help
"Well ... I guess this ain't living either..." Evren turned to other free-runners
"OK EVERYONE LISTEN UP! I can't speak for other crew leaders but I personally will join Rix's little rebelion! You act upon your concuss and if you don't want to be a part of this no one will hold it against you."
One by one the other people said they are joining, but in that moment Ederix got a phone call from Gean
"Hello?"
"Oh thank god I taught you did something stupid last night"
"I told you I'm gonna lay low.... Something happened right"
"Emerik went trough with his plan ... he's dead"
"Dorian?"
"He's been unresponsive since he heard"
"Fuck, I'll be there soon"
 
"Dorian" Ederix said
"..."
"OH for the love of... Fine. I taught you might be interested to know me and a few of my friends are doing another graffiti raid in a few days"
Dorian looked at Ederix with anger
"But this time we're changing the approach" Ederix continued
"You should have changed it before someone died" Dorian said
"Hey I told him to lay low, I'm not gonna hold anyones hand."
Dorian snapped and tried to punch Ederix succeeding after a few swings. Ederix just smiled even though his lip was bleeding at this point.
Dorian tried to swing again but Ederix moved out of the way.

"Did I offend you?!" he said mockingly?
"Are you angry?"
"SHUT UP!" Dorian howled
"Why?!"
"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
Ederix stopped avoiding Dorian's swings and with a single blow to the stomach got Dorian to stumble backwards for a few seconds
"I'm not the one who ordered the curfew, nor am I a sharpshooter.
I'm going to repeat what I said. In a few days we're going on a graffiti raid. you're free to join"

Ederix just walked out of the apartment where Gean paced from one wall to another. Seeing Ederix's lip he went pale
"What happened?"
"Therapy. Don't worry about it."
"If you say so"
"Anyways I need to talk to you Oldy"
"What about?" Gean looked puzzled
"You need to get the hell away from the capital and the major cities."

"Wha-why?"
"Some of the free runners got their houses overturned by the police for no other reason than being of Eir descent."
"And I'm supposed to run because of that?"
"Six people got shot in Pasadur yesterday, and five in the rest of the country. one of which at the south of lastovo.
So where do we have the biggest support? Also where would you be the safest from the cops just picking you up for no reason?"
"You make sense"
"Good. Your bus is leaving for Azzita in 2 hours from the main bus station. Here are your tickets."
"What about you?"
"Oh I created this chaos. I'm seeing it trough"

Returning to hi dorm Ederix noticed the weird looks he was getting. He didn't think much of it until he opened his dorm room and noticed several Polaroid camera pictures
of various graffiti all over the capital most of which he was seeing for the first time. It was in that moment Ederix new he started something major. It was also the first time he felt fear.
Until this moment he felt everything. Anger, spite, joy even jealousy. But until this moment he was never truly afraid, or aware of his own mortality.

"Shit."
He said sitting on the floor talking to himself
"I need to plan this raid out."
He sat there leaning on his door the entire day looking at the pictures and going trough every street he ever walked trough in his head.
 
for several days the curfew lasted uninterrupted in the capital.
Ederix did not just sit around however. He was planning along side Evren and a few other well know free-runners what to do.
Ederix was now, thanks to Eya, who actually studied architecture, well acquainted to how most building in the downtown were constructed.

Eya managed to figure out every nook and cranny of buildings by the blueprints she found online.
She showed this to Ederix after he asked her how she knew about the connection between the Subway system and the building through which they snuck off the campus.
Ederix was grateful for this knowledge, because it allowed him access to several buildings across the city. Combined with the free-runner "workstations" across the city
that were located at some easily accessible, but decently, hidden roofs. The town was theirs. The next couple of days the free-runners scouted the areas.

They wanted to know the nearest curfew snipers placement as well as the. In less than a week they knew the blinds spots of the routs and the plan was ready to be set in motion.
They were going to set several speakers around the city turning it into a giant jukebox. Ederix and a few more brave/mad individuals decided to throw paint filled water balloons on the military personnel walking around the city.

Trough the week the news from the rest of the country kept coming in. The Success of the Ederi Haye, unrest trough out Lastovo, new victims of the curfew everywhere else.
Ederix wondered what Eya and Gean were doing.

Unbeknown to him Eya was almost caught in Ragussa but managed to get on a boat to Lastovo where she spearheaded the unrests.
Gean arrived to the island shortly after her and she managed to keep his presence there on need-to-know basis.

But Ederix couldn't allow himself to think of that he was alone with a small group of friends going to war with paint balloons and music against snipers and assault rifles.
He knew that any trace of violence on their part will be used against them tenfold so this plan had to go on without a hitch.
So when Dorian approached him, Ederix was weary. He expected Dorian has just given up. But there he was in front of his dorm room.

"Dorian?" Ederix said inquisitively
"Got time to talk?"
"Sure come in"
Dorian entered Ederix's very messy dorm. "Nice place" he said with a mocking undertone.
"Nah, it's to tidy for my taste" Ederix said completely confusing Dorian
"Anyways, what brings you here." He asked
"I know you have been planing something big" Dorian said "I want in"
"No."

"What?"
"I don't trust you. You would probably try and attack the patrols. I do not want blood."
"And you expect me to just twiddle my thumbs?!"
"Nope. I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"I need you to call Teuta D'vir tomorrow and tell her what we're planing"

"Why don't you tell her yourself?"
"Because in 2 days I'll be the most wanted man in the country and I'm going of the grid in a few hours.
Honestly if you missed me now you probably would have never seen me again"
"Why tell her?"
"She promised us support. Public support. Just remind her of that. And if you want we are gonna regroup on the outskirts. will text you where exactly later.
Now if you'd excuse me I need to go and I need to lock after myself."

"You really think we can avoid violence?" Dorian asked as he exited the room
"Nope. I just think we need to avoid it as long as possible." Ederix responded locking the doors behind him
The two went their own way. Dorian towards the Subway station and Ederix towards the wall he usually left the campus trough. He wanted to be seen doing that and connected to the ensuing chaos.

On his way there he noticed people looking at him. They weren't blind, they figured out that whenever he was missing new graffiti and music "attack" were reported.
The looks he got were a mix of fear, support, admiration and a bit of resentment. All of this just gave him power.
"Don't get cocky" he told himself when he reached the wall, keeping his ego in check.
Followed by about a dozen people he climbed the nearby tree, hopped onto the wall, took a bow towards the crowd and disappeared
 
After getting away from the Campus Ederix went to the subway station, as he was going down the stairs another free-runner that handed him a face mask.
He couldn't be seen wearing one while leaving the campus. Holding it in his hand he entered the next rack towards the walls of Vissaza, the old core of todays Nesactea.
He did so begrudgingly since he wanted to go after the city center, But he was advised to stay of the Center because the security was too massive.
In that moment he taught again about heading downtown after he fulfills his mission but decided that would be suicide.

While going trough the layout of the, mostly uninhabited, Vissaza he noticed several other people with face masks around their neck.
He put his on with a smile but he didn't pull it over his face yet.
Unlike everyone else personalized masks, his was special, completely black. This is how the free-runners agreed to mark their leaders.

There were five areas they were going to hit tonight
First one was the the Vissaza, second was the area around the campus. Third was the scribes square, the square near Geans house that was situated in the south of the city. Next was the Industrial area on the north of the city and the last target was the well known Grafity artist center, the riverbanks.

a subway station before Visazza a group of free runners broke off, another one, including Ederix took the correct exit while the rest disembarked a station after.
There were a few people who lost their nerves and stayed on the subway, Ederix didn't hold it against them though.
This was an crazy plan after all, taught of by a guy in his early 20-es and as lead by several free-runners none above 30.

While everyone was slowly getting to their positions, their 'outposts' Ederix just strolled around Vissaza, checking how well hidden the outposts actually were.
While he strolled another taught came to his mind.
"those asses." he taught
"They gave me the least inhabited area, the one where we'll have the least amount of trouble."
He realized that Ren was spearheading the operation at the riverbanks so his maneuvering space was very limited,
the area around the Dorms is surrounded by wide avenues, perfect for patrolling and surveillance, the industrial area in the north was on lock-down during the night so the options of entering a building and hunkering down were minimal
And in the end the Scripts square was just that, a damn square! A snipers picnic.

"This won't do." he said out loud.
after that he went to his outpost which was on the Vissaza bell tower, it's basement to be exact.
It was around 7PM when he entered. The tower was always opened so getting inside was easy, making sure no one sees you entering the basement was a bit more tricky due to the fact that there was always someone around.
"For an empty place, this place sure is lively" Ederix said to himself.
After a few minutes he managed to slip out of view and enter the Basement.

In the basement were about 4 more people.
"Yo, I guess you're the boss for today" said a young girl, seventeen years old at best "Call me Iris"
"Rix" Ederix responded "It's a pleasure"
"D-do you really think they'd shoot at us?" asked a man, a little older than Ederix
"What's your name?"
"Varcian"
"Well Var, if you don't mind me calling you that, they did it before"
"But why? All we do is write fucking graffiti?"
"Be a little louder" said Iris "Maybe they didn't hear you"
"S-sorry" Varcian said

"Yes we are only writing graffiti. Graffiti that go against the Government.
And the government can only stay in power as long as the people tolerate it, we are make people tolerate it less.
And you two? who might you be?"
"Phantom and Spray"answered one of the two guys sitting in the corner sorting trough their spray cans
"Those are the most ... cliche artists names a graffiti master can have" Iris added

"Hey, I spray color on the walls I don't rally care how people call me as long as they know it's me who made the painting" said Spray. A medium built, nineteen year old guy who looks unnaturally unremarkable until he starts drawing.
"So can I call you Petunia?" Ederix added?
The entire crew almost lost it. even Spray. That comment broke the tension and the crew decided to play card games for a while.

After an hour or two Ederix just said
"Would probably be smart if we try to catch a few hours of sleep before the action."
"You think anyone will be able to sleep now?" said Varcian
"Do what he says Var" Phantom said pulling his face mask over his bright blue eyes
"Good night Petunia" Iris added
The crew chuckled before Ederix turned off the light.
 
Around 11PM. An hour after the start of the curfew and an hour before it was planned Ederix woke up his squad.

"Action time?" Varcian said inquisitively.
"Not yet." Ederix replied "But I got a favor to ask"
"I don't liek the sound of that" Said Iris
"Look the goals in Vissaza are simple. A graffiti at the side of the bell tower, a few doodles across the block and a few paint balloons...
What if We skip the paint balloon and keep Visazza a secret?"
"Well you're the one who has the balloons in the first place" Spray noted "so If you think it's too risky I won't oppose"

"He's not stopping he's thinking of another target." Phantom said
"Like what?"
"I'm going after the central square" As Ederix said that everyone just stopped. there was dead silence for over ten seconds until Iris just said
"You have a death wish don't you?"
"Look If I leave now I can ride the subway to the center and I'll be there in 15 minutes getting in and out of it is a bit more tricky but hanks to a friend I know how to get in unnoticed"
"Look I think we're risking enough as it is." Varcian interjected trying to dissuade Ederix
"Probably, but I never asked anyone to risk anything I just made a plan. A plan that can get carried out without me if need be."

After a few more seconds Phantoms eye flashed with some twisted form of inspiration
"You can get into the subway unseen?"
"Yes."
"Can you take someone with you? or is it a one-of?"
"I could. But You have to know the central square is a fort"
"Oh I'm not aiming for the square. Spray! Go for the plan B and give me my backpack"
"What are you doing dude! Aren't we a team!"
"Listen just leave out the bottom half of the drawing and the signature"
Varcian and Iris and Ederix didn't managed to follow what the two artist were talking about but soon the surprised and Excited look on Sprays face told them they understood each other
"Ooooh I get it! I get it now! You're a genius Phantom!"
"So, do we have an agreement?"Ederix asked

"Hold it cowboys What if something doesn't go as planned? What do we do than 'boss'?"
Ederix looked at his face mask for a moment, His fully black face mask that identified him as a leader
"Wanna trade?" He said looking at Iris who only replied with "The hell?"
"Look Varcian is more likely to call of the action right away, no offense dude but you're barely holding on.
And I can't give command to Petunia because he has the toughest task here and he'll need the rest of the people around Vissaza to keep the patrols on their tail and lastly you actually live in this neighborhood"
"Oh for the love of ... ! Hand over the mask and get lost" Iris said trading her mask with Ederix.

Phantom and Ederix left the basement and snuck out the bell tower. After a few minutes of running over the roofs they were at near the station.
"Now follow me" Ederix said to Phantom.
They soon found themselves in front of a building with a padlock. The building looked almost identical to the one Eya Lead Him trough during his first music 'attack'.
But this time he didn't know the code but what he did have was a crew that was camping on the inside. They called them to open the doors, but due them being on the roof it'd take a few minutes.
While the two were waiting a patrol showed up. The two Free-runners literally layed on the floor on the bottom of the stairs trying to look like a part of a staircase.
After the patrol passed someone opened the doors for them.

"The fuck are you two doing?!" said their fellow free-runner once inside.
"There has been a slight change of plan" Ederix replied looking for the janitors closet
"The fuck are you doing" Said Phantom
"You should return to your crew dude" Ederix said knocking on the walls of the closet. Once he found the hollow one he used his pocket knife to pry the panel on that side to reveal the doors.
"Eya you Goddess" Ederix whispered with a smile. The key he was entrusted worked like a charm.
"Go to your squad kid and if someone asks we were given a task by the Hood leader."
"O-oh ok!" the confused free-runner ran back upstairs while Phantom and Ederix started walking down the stairs

"This will take a few minutes" Ederix warned Phantom
"Do you draw" Phantom, asked
"I fuck up stickmen" Ederix replied laughingly "I'm a descent poet though"
"Good, I'll give you a spray later and you go crazy on the floor of the wagon."
"So that's what you taught off" Ederix said finally understanding his companions intentions
"Yes, but you're on your own afterwards I'm not getting anywhere near the square!"

As theyy reached the bottom of the stairs Ederix unlocked the doors to the janitors closet and the doors that lead towards the subway station
"You got a place to bunker down until the morning?"
"I'll stay in the subway, it's actually really easy to stay out of site here."

The two kept peeking from the janitors closet knowing that the sometimes patrols check the stations. Luckily there were none and when the train arrived the two booked it to the wagon.
"Ok now we just have to make sure no one from the outside sees what we're doing and we're safe" Phantom said as the train started moving
"Shit Now I have to think of a poem" Ederix replied taking a spray from Phantoms backpack
"Can't you just write down an old one"
"Where's the fun in that?"
"You do you 'vley'" (Lasti word for for brother/bro)
"A Lasti huh?"
"Guilty as charged" Phantom said as he started his drawing

Ederix laughed and started thinking of a poem. There was no erasing here so he had to know exactly what he will write.

After thinking on it for about ten minutes he came up with the following:

Silence

You wanted silence
You got a a scream
With a gun to our forehead
we started to sing

You wanted us silent
So you might as well oblige
We'll watch in silence
while your idea dies

It took him another ten minutes to write it down. This was his second poem ever written in 'true' Ilire. and he loved and hated it for that reason.

after reading it Phantom just said
"I'm impressed"
"This was the second time ever I wrote in the official language" Ederix replied smiling at his work
"well you should sign it somehow"
"Done already" Ederix pointed at an insignia on the bottom
"Well I still have some twenty minutes of work here and your stop is up in a few minutes. take a seat while you can"
"Good idea" Ederix replied still processing what exactly he wrote."
"Lucky you the other actions already started so you might catch a lucky brake up there"
 
"Good luck" Phantom Shouted as he watched Ederix walking to the janitors closet once again.
After another set of stairs Ederix found himself at the gates of the building. the could see the square in front of him but he didn't dare to step out. Unlike Vissaza which was dominated by single story buildings, this area was the place of offices and banks that liked to show their wealth with their headquarters.
"Should have went for another square" Ederix said as he exited the building.

To his luck Phantom was right and the empty checkpoints were a sign that most of the military left the area. there were still some snipers on the roofs as well as some patrols but Ederixy actually knew this area so evading them was not impossible.
What had him worried were multiple gunshots echoing across the city but that was also the reason he did not back down.

HE managed to sneak across to the fire escape of a nearby apartment block which he noticed had a sniper on the roof. when he reached the top he had a choice. Splash him with color and risk detection, or use the pocket knife he had with him. The idea of that terrified him but he pulled his pocket knife out anyways.
"worst case scenario he chanted to himself with no sound"
In split second the marksmen noticed something was happening behind him and tried to turn around pulling his gun but he was met with Ederix's knife to his throat
"hand it over" Ederix quickly took the gun and stepped back a few steps. he did not know much about guns but he did know about the safety brake which he quickly disabled
"Nice try with the safety brake" he told the marksmen."I presume you have zip ties"
"Yes" the solider said
"Tie your arms and legs together"
"Are you going to shoot me?"
"Hopefully not"
The solider who was a man in his mid thirties smiled as he tied himself up. When he was immobilized Ederix took off his shirt and showed it in his mouth
"ow fwh rwwy?" (oh fuck really?)

"Sorry dude I can't have you razing an alarm for a few more minutes"
Ederix proceed to take anything he could from this solider spraying his insignia on the side of an an air vent o the roof afterwards.
With no shirt but a handgun and a god damn sniper rifle Ederix took put the bottle of paint and water balloons.

"RRRGH" The solider groaned angerly as Edeix poured red paint on his hair
"If it makes you feel better others will get splashed with balloons"
The solider groaned unenthusiastcally.

after a few more minutes a patrol passed bellow the building Ederix was on. A perfect target.
Ederix let his paint bombs loose and tossed one across the square, just becasue he could.
Before any of them hit the floor Ederix was already mid jump to another roof
The tied solider just sat there and watched "sywwswy" (seriously) she shouted as he saw Ederix doing that with a gun on his back.

As Ederix landed on the second roof he heard shouting from the street. He lucky didn't have to go down there yet because the marksmen he disarmed was placed on one of the lowest building son the square with everything around it being accessible to a free-runner.
At this roof he left another speaker with forbidden music blasting causing even more confusion in the, already confused and thoroughly painted solider.
He just kept running the roofs for around five minutes before he stopped to look around.
He went the wrong way from the planned rendezvous.He had no other choice but getting on the metro. Unfortunately he did not know this part of the city what meant that finding the secret entrance would be near impossible.
The only choice left was the normal access. After a few more roofs Ederix spotted it. at this point he was too tired for another jump. so he slowly descended down the emergency staircase.
One thing he was sure of is that this area didn't have a lot of security thanks to the actions around the city.
The entrance to the subway was protected though, but there was no patrol in sight.

"if this works I'm calling myself a fucking deity" Ederix said as he tossed another paint bomb over the soldiers head without them noticing.
The two immediately held their buns at the ready and went to investigate giving Ederix enough time to sneak in. unfortunately one of the guards noticed him and opened fire.

"FUUUUUCK!" Ederix screamed as he ran downstairs knowing that he had aroudn a minute before he's back in the cross hair. he managed to reach the station, hide behind a poster column and pull out his gun.
He fired a single round as a warning

"DROP THE GUN KID YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO RUN!!!"
"Sure thing! How about I make you some tea and we can discuss the terms of my surrender in a civil manner"
"DON'T PLAY WITH US SON!"
"YOU SHOT AT ME BEFORE YOU KNEW I WAS ARMED. WHO'S TRYING TO PLAY WHO HERE"

The two sides came to a standstill for a few minutes. When the train arrived Ederix knew that the doors will be opened for a minute.
He ahd alaready readied his phone timer to ring after 50 seconds so it was just the matter of moment. A moment that couldn't come soon enough and yet was approaching in lightspeed
"DON'T TRY IT KID!"
The phone rang and Ederix started shooting in the general direction of the staircase. HE tossed himself in the wagon and crawled across the floor to the back part of his cart. After quickly reloading he fired another shot
"DON'T YOU DARE COME IN HERE!"

The soldiers seemed to have listened and Ederix saw their reflections in the window.
"Well I guess I'm not a deity ... maybe a demigod"
He knew that he had to get out on the next station or risk more subway showdowns.
That didn't matter now. This ride will take him to an area he knows, the old industrial zone and the free-runner headquarters.

This area was more heavily patrolled but due to his skeleton key as he called it.
Ederix got out of the Subway unnoticed. after another set of emergency staircase he was on the ground and he saw a dozen soldiers going down to the subway.
He of course put the leftover paint and spray to a good use down there an as a final touch he signed his initials at the building. he slowly started moving wall to wall, alley to alley, house to house until he reached the city limits.

After that he walked hours on end keeping the city to his right knowing that the only way he'll get caught now is a random patrol in whatever Graviter (Municipality) he was now
That luckily didn't happen and after around four hours of walking around five forty five in the morning Ederix arrived to the one of the designated rendezvous.
He was not the first person there probably not the last since the deadline was 8am. but he walked in tired beyond reason and not noticing the ghostly looks he got he flopped on the floor of the barn with the gun on his back, a gun at his side
and something that he didn't noticed, a small shrapnel wound behind his left ear that left a blood smudge around his ear and neck.

A free-runner whose paths crossed Ederixes a few times commented "If he's awake he'd probably say that at least he didn't get his shirt bloody"
 
Around 7:30am everyone who was supposed to come to the barn was there. Even Dorian showed up and was left stunned at the sight of the gun on Ederixes backs.
The deadline cheeped closer and everyone was wondering what next. No one seemed to know the exact plan except maybe Ederix.
The problem was, no one from about 20 free-runners dared to wake Ederix up.

Around 7:50 am, out of nowhere, Phantom appeared visibly tired.
"Glad I caught up to you folks"
"HEY! I know you, You were from the Vissaza group!" Said someone from the group.
"Yeah. Now, How are we getting out of here?"
"Well Ederix should know but no one dares waking him up." Dorian said
"That moron is here?"
"Yeah. He showed up with a gun on his back and just flopped to the ground. At least that's what these guys have told me"

Thoroughly confused Phantom went to wake up Ederix
"Hey, get up, it's almost 8!"
"Why is my ear bandaged?" Ederix asked half asleep
"Well I was told you had a shrapnel wound there and this is the only way they knew how to stop you from bleeding"
"HEY" Ederix shouted "Does anyone have an extra shirt? I'm cold"

Dorian took out a spare shirt out of his backpack and tossed it to Ederix.
"Much obliged" Ederix said
"Don't mention it, what do we do now?"
"Well a Bus ride to Issa. From there We brake off into smaller group in the Graviters around Albo ... at least that's what the most of us are gonna do"
"So you actually have a plan."

"Yeah ... I can't go with you"
"WHAT?" Howled Dorian
"In case you didn't notice I have a fucking sniper rifle on my back and a god damn handgun. I know this bus driver is a cousin of one of the runners here but I can't ask him to keep this secret."
"I'm staying with you than." Said Phantom
"Same" Dorian followed

"Guys here's the deal the groups are already made. there are several small towns and village we are gonna hide in in groups of 3 to 5. The groups are made already and they are not randomized. We spent 2 days planing them.
I know where my group is heading and you guys have different places to go. Dorian I planned to send you to Durmit since there isn't much interest in what we're doing up there.
"Well that's perfect" Dorian said angerly "you don't want me in the action because I'm a loose canon, now you're shipping me off to the sidelines and in the meantime you go around with your gun!"
Ederix looked at Dorian unamused, took out the gun emptied it and put it apart. He was no gun expert but he picked up on how to put the barrel apart from simulator games online.
"You're free to have this one. I'm keeping the rifle though" Giving Dorian an expression of disapproval and full negation of whatever conspiracy theory went around his head
"Hey" Phantom tugged on Ederixes shoulder who bluntly replied with "I'm done talking"

"You know the Vissaza crews were supposed to be dispersed in the Dirinus Graviter."
"So?"
"So you were a part of our crew! and we are on the wrong Randezvue point!"
"... Fuck. Sorry I'm tired and I just didn't think about it"
"Dude We're going to the same safe house I checked!"
"So you're stuck with me ... Sorry"

It was almost 8AM at this time. Ederix and Phantom went on their marry way following the small mountain roads while everyone else including the enraged Dorian awaited the bus.

"Why are there now crew leaders in this group though?" Phantom asked As the two hiked
"They are. but the south was lightly defended so there were mostly newer guys there"
"Huh .. and how long will this hike take?"
"There is a small town on the other side of this hill. It'll take us about an hour or two to get there. Than we get some info on what's happening around us rent a car and we're off to Dirinus hikers lodge"
"Fuck, I'm not an outdoorsy type." Phantom said jokingly

At the outskirts of the city Ederix hid his gun in a tree. The two bought some food and water, charged their phones in a cafe.
Phantom tried flirting with the waiter but unfortunately he wasn't interested. Around noon the duo was ready to hit the road. But they stopped when they heard a commotion and people gathering around the cafes television.

"BRAKING NEWS" flashed across the screen.

"Good day Ladies and gentlemen. We are reporting here today from the capital of our proud nation that was a victim of a well organized and horrendous act of vandalism. "
Lucifer snickered
"SSh!" a cafe patron hushed him.
"We even have unconfirmed reports of a wounded and disarmed soldiers"
"The culprits managed to get away but the military and police forces have announced an investigation and promise these vandals will soon be brought to justice. Most of the culprits also remain anonymous but some of them have been identified."
"oh fuck" Phantom whispered
"If you see any of these individuals" the news report continued as the images started showing on the screen "please contact local law enforcement and do not approach them."

Among the identified were Evren, a few free-runners from the North Industrial area, and Phantom.

The Cafe went silent as everyone starred at the two outsiders.
Ederix silently slipped his switchblade to Phantom and grabbed his flask.

"You guys need to get going" the bartender said
"The cops patrol here quite often."

"HERE" said an old man at the back tossing car keys "There is an old pickup at the back of this place. the tank is almost full. Just don't put it in the third gear and you can drive for days"
The two gave each other a quick glance and booked it out of the cafe yelling "THANK YOU!!!".
"Can you drive" Asked Ederix
"Yes!" Phantom replied
"Good meet me at the tree"
"You're going after the gun"
"Fuck yeah! If you didn't notice We're Fucking criminals so we might as well go all in"

The two managed to accomplish their task and booked it out of town in a shabby pick up with a gun in the back seat covered by a blanket.
Ederix removed the bullets for safety and kept them in an ice cream box. He found the box in the car and it was convenient.

A few minutes after they left a patrol came to the cafe asking for any information about the criminals from the news, but apparently the television was off the whole day.
 
The two just sat in the car driving over field trails and small roads for around twenty minutes before Phantom just stopped.
The adrenaline wore out and he just started shaking.

"I'll take over" said Ederix who appeared at least somewhat collected. He didn't drive for long though. Just to a nearby grove to get off the road.
"We'll stay here for a few hours"

"Turn on the radio" Phantom said
"You sure? you know it's only gonna be about us"
"Yeah, maybe they mention our graffiti though"
"OK"
Ederix switched on the radio and as he predicted the names of the identified "Songbirds" were repeated 3 times in around 5 minutes.
After around 10 minutes of sitting and listening to reports from different parts of the town something they didn't expect came from the mouths of the radio host.

"Even though these rioters caused millions lire of damage they seem to have attracted support from several prominent figures and a big part of the general public.
We have a confirmation that a distinguished University professor, Teuta D'Viry publicly endorsed these 'acts of defiance'
while the minister of foreign affairs madame Iapeta Ardiei resigned her position as a protest against the curfew..."

"Wow" Ederix said
"yeah" Phantom replied
"We actually have a ministry of foreign affairs"
"My taught exactly"
The two stayed silent for a few seconds and than broke into laughter

after they calmed down and started getting ready to depart once more the host started talking about recent unrest on Lastovo
Ederix, knowing that he sent Gean there paused. sitting in the truck he listened.
Apparently after the news of the 'night raid' reached Lastovo early this morning tens of thousands crowded the streets all around the island.

"...The protesters seem non violent towards the media but refuse to disperse and have clashed with the police forces in a few incidents. Our on the field corespondents told us before we lost connection that they have talked with some of the organizers of this protest.
It seems that a disgraced academic Gean Eri is one of them..."

"Hah, at lest the old man is having a good time" Ederix said with a smile

"...Other distinguished names among the protesters are ..." the radio host continued, listing name after name while phantom started the car and the radio cut off for a few seconds turning on just in time for the two to hear
"... and a student called Eya Myr that avoided arrest in Ragussa and has since been under the radar"

Ederix froze in place on his seat starring at the radio like it was a portal to another dimension

"I guess you know her" Phantom said
"She's the one who taught me how to get into the subways and she's quite a plesent person to be around"
"And a revolutionary by the looks of it"
"And a revolutionary... by the looks of it"

"You know I expected the government to cut off radio broadcasting and more negative propaganda towards us"
"They tried. you heard the guy, the connections with Lastovo are jammed and the fact we are mostly nonviolent, but the thing is that no one likes the curfew, the government is strained by infighting and we're just adding fuel to a fire"
"Yeah a fire in explosives warehouse"
"basically"

The two drove for around 4 hours trough small side roads and dirt paths until they reached the Dirinus hikers lodge. The other three free-runners that were stationed with them were already there.
Amongs them was Evren. He and two other people from the river banks were stationed here.
The reunion wasn't the most cheerful one since Evren was one of the more unluckier participants of the yesterdays 'attack'.
He got shot in the leg and was in a descent amount of pain. Luckily the bullet messed the bone and major blood vessels.

"Holly shit Ren" said Ederix "How are you holding up?"
"Currently? they got me drunk so I my leg won't hurt so much.... best... decision... eveeeer" Evren responded visibly drunk
"... IS dat a gun?" he asked "where did you get a gun?! Did you kill someone? I doubt it, the tv people would crufisy yous! OH did you hide the body? shoved it under a train?"
Ederix just looked at the two other free-runners huddled in the cabin "you could have knocked him out"
"He tried doing that hismelf." said one of them "we had to stop him from hitting his head on the wall somehow so we got him drunk"
"... Yeah sounds like him" Ederix concluded
 
Trough out the day, different groups checked to confirm they have settled. They were hidden across villages, towns, lodges and cabins around the Capital.
The fact most free-runners used nicknames came in handy here becasue it allowed them to avoid using real names, it was enough for them to say a nickname of one person in the group and say if everyone made it safely or not.

The day passed quickly with free-runners at the hikers lodge exchanging stories of their 'careers' and some card games. Evren slept trough the day and only woke up in the evening

"Ouch" he said "my head is killing me
"That tends to happen when you drink to much" Ederix responded
"Go to hell" Evren replied smiling "You know i was there the first time you got drunk"
"I will smother you with a pillow if you speak of that"

The rest of the group laughed at this bickering until Phantom spoke up
"So were were exchanging 'war' stories. I presume that you have a few"
"Yeah but before I talk about that I do have to ask ... the fuck did you two do yesterday? And Where did you get the gun?!"
"Weeel I taught that once the actions started the City center would be lightly defended. Turns out i was right.
The gun is from a solider I managed to tie up on a roof. I also took his handgun but I dismantled it and gave it to Dorian"
"The guy you didn't want to include?"
"Yeah, him. Anyways After I disarmed the guy I tossed a few paint bombs and booked it, got into a small firefight with a patrol but managed to get out of town, walk to the meeting spot on the south of the City and sleep off for a while.
And then me and Phantom started walking here, he got recognized in a bar because his face was on the TV and an old guy gave us his car keys so we could book it once again."
"He forgot to mention the fact we spray painted a metro cart." Phantom added

"Well you two are insane but ok. if it weren't for you All the riverbank crews would have probably be caught." said Evren "Your insanity kinda saved my skin."
"Most of it at lest." Ederix added pointing to Evrens gunshot wound
"you asshole" Evren said as he,and everyone in the room started laughing
"Oh yeah!" Ederix exclaimed "Where were you at Phantom? how did you get to the out of the city?"
"Oh that, Well I actually did a full lap until I finished my graffiti . Than I just hopped on the connection tube and went south becasue it was the easiest way out.
I figured I could hike to the Lodge but than I ran into you."

"So what now" asked one of the two Free-runners
"...What are your guys names? I haven't heard them yet"
"Slip" said the first one
"I'm Slide" said the other one
"Slip and Slide? really?" said Ederix
"Hey we like it so what does it matter?"

"Fair point. And to answer your question. Tomorrow evening you're hiking back to the city."
"What?"
"Look we need our guys to return otherwise we'll be easels screened out"
"what if we get caught?"
"The government was quick to post the faces they could confirm. If they go after you without confirmation they'd just give us more support. They aren't that dumb"
"Let's say I agree with" that said Slip " Why aren't' you going with us?"

Ederix just pointed at the sniper "Reason number one."

"You could leave it behind" said Phantom

"Reason number two is that me and a small crew of people are going to start causing more chaos around the island. We'll keep it non violent but having a gun will be a big determinant as well" Ederix continued
"I will also need people to keep the city ... musical and colorful, while I'm away"

"Ok" Slip interjected "but why only thew two of us?"
"Because Phantom is on the most wanted list and Evren has an extra orifice"
"Plese don't say that ... ever again" Evren said with a slightly grossed out face.

"Ah well, I guess you made the plan so you probably know what you're doing." Slide said "I just hope I don't get shot at again."

"Saaaame" said everyone in the room at the same time, causing another way of laughter
 
For the next couple of weeks the random "acts of violence" intensified
On the Island Ederi to the north the rule of law was falling apart completely,
The Governor of Lastovo stepped down after severe protests engulfed the entire island and Gean Eri was named the in-term president. Although he was a more of a figurehead. A face of a cultural revival.

There were a few arrest but the police was weary. They were well aware the public opinion was no in their favor.

Ederix and around a dozen others have gotten a habit of spraying the roads all around the capital.
The government implemented stricter and stricter rules, to a point police force started disobeying and there was viable unrest in the military as well.

This lased for a while. until one day a fire broke out in the National museum.
Since several government figures have spoken against the Museum in the past, saying that clinging to that kind of past is a "threat to unity",
Manny suspected the government to be behind it.Dealing a blow to the cultural revolution they have been failing to repress.

"This could be a problem." said Teuta D'vir as she watched the museum blazing with fire like so many others that have gathered around.

A lot of people volunteered to help but only professional firefighters were allowed near the fire by the army.
This, although ha reasonable measure, angered enough people, who saw the army as a force stopping them from saving their culture.
As the night drew closer the speakers were sat out warning the people to disperse before the curfew.

"Citizens of Nesactea, Be reminded that even though these tragic events the Curfew will be upheld. unless you start dispersing you will be fired upon in the next half an hour"

"IF WE LEAVE YOU'LL BURN DOWN WHAT EVER'S LEFT" shouted Teuta. She knew the fire was most likely an accident, but she also knew how to rally a crowd.
"SHE'S RIGHT" shouts started echoing trough the crowd "THEY CAN'T SHOOT US ALL DOWN"
"WE WON'T GO, WE WON'T GO" the chant grew stronger and stronger. over 200 000 people of this metropolis have converged on this one spot.
On the other side, there were less than 3500 military personnel in the capital district and less than 10 000 in the general vicinity.

There was no curfew that night. Even though the commanding officers got the order to shoot they knew. They Knew that these people aren't afraid of bullets,
They have performed their attacks although they were shot at several times in the past. They knew that they were cornered and a single act of aggression could lead to them drowning in a horde of really unhappy civilians.
They knew they were all in danger.
 
The next day was spent on a game of nerves. At this point no one wanted to make the first move but no one wanted the situation to continue.
The army openly disobeyed the governments order to shoot, the police was powerless to disperse the crowd and the protesters knew that a smallest act of violence would be used as an excuse.
late that night rumors started spreading of a truck convoy heading towards the museum from Albona.
Some of the free runner groups that stayed out of the capital confirmed that and took upon themselves to try and slow them down by blocking the roads.

One person however didn't want to stop them. One person saw the opportunity to end all this madness. That person Was Ederix Epolone Armatu.
He spent his time in Graviters near the capital reaping havoc with his paint bombs and music attack.
At this point he was in Central square at the city of Hallu sitting leaned onto a Statue in the middle of the square.
On the other side of the statue sat a familiar voice.

"I see you've been busy. Mister terrorist"
"I've heard same about you madame revolutionary" Ederix stood up to greet the person on the other side "It's good to see you again Eya" he said as he hugged her
"Same, but, can we get off the street, Someone might see me"
"Oh don't worry This City is under our control... we're just keeping it down for now becasue we have a plan"
"Oh and what's the plan?"
"Now that I can't tell you in public, too many ears"
"There's is literally no one here but pigeons here!"
"exactly, they aren't trustworthy"
Eya smirked "I missed your madness"

Eya followed Ederix for a while until they gotto the mayors office
"ladies first"
"...seriously?"
"What? hard to believe I'm a gentleman"
"What? NO! Not that! but ... this is the mayors office"
"Yes and I'm the mayor after the last one resigned 3days ago ... informally"
"WOW" "Eya entered the building still not fully understanding what's going on

Phantom and Evren were in the main office waiting for Ederix. They were both surprised to see Eya but before they could get a word in Eya noticed Evrens wound
"HOLY HELL what happened to you?!"
"A slight misunderstanding with authorities. And How are you here?"
"Oh I've smuggled myself to Cassal Lux a week ago and have been on a road trip since than basically."
"et me get this straight" Phantom interjected "You started from the capital, than dashed to the western msot point in the Country to raise a rebellion,traveling to the north afterwards, just so you can hop back south for the grand finale?"
"Yup, and i haven't met you yet. I'm Eya"
"I'm Phantom and I know, this madman couldn't stop gushing over you." he said pointing at Ederix. Evren snickered and Ederix just looked at Phantom with an unnerving smile
"I suggest you stop speaking while you still have your lower jaw attached to your face. And yes I was happy to hear news of what you were doing Eya because I got you into this mess."
"Hey If I didn't want to be a part of it I wouldn't be" Eya answered slightly flustered"Anywaaays, You promised to let me in on your plan."

"Yeah. So here's the deal" Ederix said while his demeanor went from cheerful and relaxed to stern and serious in an instant
"The Truck convoy is now nearing Albona and is heading this way. This is a massive win for us because the roads that lead in and out of Hallu are easily blocked."
"Wait" Phantom interjected "Didn't you say we aren't gonna stop them"
"I said we aren't gonna block them. We will Redirect them to Sarmatus."
"Ok why the detour?" Evren prodded
"Because to go towards Sarmatus they will have to pass trough the city where the police will escort them and 'unfortunately' lead them to a rush hour.
Than comes the tricky part. Taking the trucks"
"Taking the- Why?" Evren said
"To take stuff from the museum of course"
"Why would we do that?"

"To do that right under the armies nose ... you know how incompetent they would look?"
"And afterwards, when they finally decide to stop being nice and start shooting?"
"Oh there is not going to be an afterwards. we're taking the pictures, we're letting the public know we have them adn than I am marching towards the parlament with whoever joins me"
"Ederix" Eya just looked at him slightly disapproving of his plan but knowing full well that she can't convince him otherwise "Just ... don't get yourself killed"
"Rix, you are a lunatic and If I could I'd join you" Evren added "But I'm still CASTed out"
"Ren did you just make an awful cast pun?" Ederix said
"maybe"
"I fucking hate you sometimes, you aren't even wearing a cast!"

"Well when is this going down and where?" Phantom asked
"Tomorrow 5AM a block away from here"
"Do you want me to get the graffiti artist to decorate the place?"
"That would be a nice touch"
"OK than, I'll get Petunia and a few more boys on it"
"Two questions 1. He's here and 2 That actually stuck?"
"Yeah, I met him yesterday, he said he just came out of the bus as Iran into him. Also he's sjut signing his works by drawing a petunia in the corner now."
 
The city was dead silent as the night slowly pushed on.
There were two things braking the unnatural silence. First Ederixa, whistling traditional Histrian melody from a rooftop.
The second were half a dozen spray paints and graffiti artist down on the road.

Eya came to the roof around 3:30 AM
"You're up already" She said
"Heh.You're the one to talk"
"Have you slept at all?"
"Nah. but I woke up around 1 PM today ... or rather yesterday, so I'm good to go. Plus I have some good black tea to keep me up"
In that moment Eya realized Ederix was holding his rifle. She never saw Ederix serious so this situation was perplexing for her. And the rifle made her very uneasy.
Ederix wasn't blind though, and he quickly noticed Eyas gaze was fixed on this instrument of death.

"Don't worry, I didn't have to kill anyone for this"
"Oh! Sorry I didn't mean to stare I just ..."
"Realized people actually got hurt by this whole ordeal?"
"Yeah ... I mean Seeing Evren was a shock but ... people actually died haven't they"
"All becasue a music player on a statue." Ederix chuckled "Thing is, I'd do it again. If it wasn't tragic It'd be a comedy"
"Well you are the one who once told me 'The world is a hellhole and no one is fixing it' You are trying to fix something with it, and that's commendable"
Ederix smiled flopped on the ground and started whistling once again. Eya just sat there looking at the horizon as Dawn slowly creeped closer

Around 4 AM the streets were cleared of the graffiti artists. Phrases in all 6 Languages of Ilirja written over the road,
paintings of soldiers on puppet strings and even a rams head, the symbol of Ederi Haye freedom fighters/terrorist was painted on a few places.
The entire city looked like one giant and fully utilized canvas. Around 5 AM everyone was already in their places
Ederix climbed down from his roof and was sitting in a bus stop holding his gun nervously tapping his leg. Eya stayed behind nervously observing the situation from the roof.

The trucks entered the city at 5:30 AM right on schedule not suspecting anything at first the convoy traversed the city for a few minutes.
Than the Drivers noticed the recurring motives of started picking up speed. They also realized that a there were no viable escape routs on their way which got them even more nervous.
Once the central city road was in their sight the convoy slowed down. They obviously taught that they were in the clear so the shock of seeing City police box them in hit hard.
And a sight of a man just holding a sniper rifle and sitting in a bus stop was even more unnerving.
In that moment dozen of army men disembarked from each truck.
There were around 100 of them in total and as they started heading towards Ederix and the police blockades in front and behind them more and more people started to flood to the sight of the standoff.

"Who's in charge here" said the Commander of the convoy
"That would be me" said Ederix taking the clip out of his gun and the bullet out from the chamber
"I request you to order your men to stand down"
"Fine by me, we'll disperse ... as long as we get a few of your uniforms and the trucks"
"WHAT?!"
"No need to shout, I'm sue we can compromise"
"I do not negotiate with terrorists and criminals"
"You jsut shoot people on streets and fail to occupy an Island"
The officer lost his temper and reached for his gun.

*click clack*

Behind every car in the blockade, from every door and window, behind every street bench, a sound of policemen readying their guns, civilians brandishing their stolen or self made rifles rang trough the street. There were even a few people with Crossbows in the crowd.
"If I die, you die and we get what we want although a bit messy" Ederix said "If you stand down, we let you leave and we do what we want"
"Or I can cut off the head of the monster and be done with it"
"By this point you should have realized you are dealing with a shadow. I mean that is what you branded me"

The commander was visibly angry but emptied his handgun the same way Ederix did his a few minutes ago
"Fine we'll negotiate"
"Well For all I care You can keep your guns and jus give us uniforms and the trucks"
"...Seriously?"
"Yes. If you didn't notice we try to AVOID bloodshed"
"You'd just let us waltz out of here fully armed?"
"For what we are going to do we don't need guns and you'd have enough problems convincing anyone you're military we can take our sweet time with our plans."

"MEN LSITEN UP!" The commander shouted still somewhat angry but with a new found respect for his oponent
"I declare that you did your duty to your country and as any exemplary solider you are allowed to keep your weapon after the service. You are no longer soldiers of the Iliric Union"
"Are we allowed to tag along with these guys?" A solider said
"That's on your head, I don't command you any longer" The commander said "I however deny you your request for my uniform or the trucks.
If you want them you will have to subdue me." He said to Ederix
"Gentlemen" Ederis said calling a few police officers "Would you escort this officer the the nearest police station, I DO NOT WANT to hear any complaint from him."

"So where are we going?" The solider spoke again
"Why should I tell you?" Ederix said
"Well ... haven't we jsut gave you want you wanted? A-and we joined your side!"
"So did these cops, and all these people and the late Emerik Durn ND I don't fully trust any of them"
"B-but you need someone to drive the trucks!"
Ederix snickered "Guys Pick this guy up as well!" he said to the policemen

After a about an hour adn a half everything as ready to proceed Ederix took the Commanders uniform and the fake credentials were hastily made
"Will you be ok driving this thin?" Ederix said to his driver as the Convoy started moving.
"Yeah boss." the driver responded
"Good ... Let's do this right than"
 
As the Trucks advanced towards the capital Ederix who was placed in the middle of the Convoy grew more and more restless.
"Nervous" His driver asked him.
"Scared shitless actually" Ederix replied
"Good" The man in his early fifties said "Means you have some common sense"
"I think I lost the last bit of that the moment I went after a Sharpshooter with a switchblade"
"...I actually taught that was an urban legend"
"I wish."

"Well I gotta say. I taught you ware a weirdo. Now I see you are ma madman with no concept of risk"
"Correction, no concept of personal risk. I'm well aware that people got killed over my music stunt" Ederix said as he calmed down and turned dark
"Did you shoot them yourself?"
"No, but..."
"Than shut up. They made their choice and they followed a random rebel becasue he was the only one standing up for what he believed.
Most of them probably don't share the same ideas or ideals but they share the admiration towards this idiot with a talent for causing chaos."
Ederix smiled He knew that no one blamed him for what his act of rebellion caused but hearing it took a burden of his back.

After a few more minutes the Convoy entered Nesactea.
The Grand metropolis was ghost town with a handful of observes glaring daggers towards the convoy.
This helped Ederix snap out of his melancholy and put that defiant and spiteful grin on his face.
Combined with the uniform he stole He looked exactly as a hypocritical military man.

As they closed in to the museum the crowd on the street grew larger until it blocked off the street and surrounded the trucks.
It was followed by a lot of angry snares and water bottles flying on the truck.

"Everyone stay in the trucks" Ederix said over the radio. "I'll handle this"
"Good luck" Said the driver
"I will need it" Ederix said as he exited the truck
"That kid is seriously not normal" The driver commented after Ederix disembarked

Ederix just exited his truck ignoring the rain of lighters and bottles and walked to the front of the Convoy.
Standing face to face with the the people at the barricade he just smiled and took out his phone and called Teuta
"Madame D'vir"
"Mister Armatu" She replied as he picked up.
"You have been informed of the military convoy heading towards the museum I presume"
"Yes,I have."
"You have also been informed of- FUCK" Ederix instinctively cursed as he avoided a water balloon that was tossed in his direction
"Sorry about that, You have been informed who leading the convoy, yes?"
"Yes"Teuta answered inquisitively
"OK, so why the hell am I getting bombarded?"
"WHAT? I told those idiots to let you pass!"
"Well you better get down here before they start throwing something more than balloons with questionable content!"
"Uuugh, I'm on my way"

Soon, Teuta arrived to the blockade
"THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" she screamed as she approached the trucks
"We are doing what you didn't have guts to do teach!" said a cocky young man who was apparently the leader.
"Morei you idiot come here" Teuta said standing between the protesters and Ederix. As the man approached Teuta lowered her voice but could not conceal her anger.
"You and your lonewolfing have just put several lives in danger"
"They already were in danger, have you forgotten the curfew?"
"How could I forget I caused the fucking thing" Ederix interjected
This statement confused Morei
"Well I guess this is as good as time as any for some introductions. Morei, This is Ederix Epolone Armatu. Ederix, this is Morey my FORMER assistant"
"Now way" Morei said
"Look If I'm going to pull this off I need you to stay shut up, ok big guy?"
"No way"
"OH for the love of god stop fangirling and clear these people out before the actual military arrives!" Teuta snared
"...oh ... ok ok" Morei said trying to grasp the situation "OK EVERYONE LET THEM PASS!"
The Crowd was confused and displeased but two of their leaders tolde them to step aside. Not wanting to cause more problems than needed the disgruntled people obliged

The trucks entered the museum grounds and in several minutes all the artifacts were safely stored on board the trucks
"I was expecting backup" The Said the commanding officer
"Me too" Said Ederix "But apparently the government still fails to realize they have to react in a way that is not brute force"
"Truth be told If I wasn't honor bound to protect the country. I'd be out there"
"Truth be told They probably feel like that's what they are doing. Poor things, ready to die for a misguided ideal"
Ederix gave an evil smile to the officer. "OK MOVE OUT MEN!" He shouted as he climbed into his truck
As he was about to close the doors behind him he noticed someone was staring directly at him. It was the sharp shooter he disarmed.
Neither of them knew how to react to this 'reunion' but the sharpshooter gathered himself after a few moments and just put a finger on his lips saying "shhhh"
Ederix sighed in relief and saluted the man trough the window as the convoy started moving again
 
"we're out" Ederix said as the trucks climbed onto the highway "We're out. We're out" he repeated
"Nice work 'Commander'" His driver said
"... Yeah .... nice work... I'm going to throw up"
"Do it trough the window at least"
"Mmm... MhmbbB" Ederix Opened the window in a hurry and shoved his head out
He stayed like that for at least five minutes. Needless to say The people in the trucks behind him weren't very amused with the situation

The Convoy Stopped at a resting place near Sula, the easternmost City on the Island of Albo. Much to the shock to the workers on the gas pump and a few guests there.
The Shock quickly turned into confusion as the people took off their Military clothes and bought every can of spray the little shop next to the gas pump had to offer.
"Guess we're famous" One of the Drivers commented as he sprayed pink lashes on the trucks lights
"Don't let it go to your head" Another replied While drawing cartoon characters on the hood of another car

Ederix had less extravagant but more risky ideas for his truck. His personal insignia was, at this point, (in)famous throughout the country.
So why not capitalize on it. No one noticed what he drew at first, since they were still having fun with their own decorations
Ederix entered the store again and went straight to the counter
"H-helo, how may I help you" Asked a frighten clerk
"Yeah do you have some mint tea? I'm not feeling the best"
"O-oh yeah you can make yourself a cup over there" the clerk said pointing at a coffee machine
"But that's-"
"A coffee machine. But If You don't put in the coffee filter you just get boiled water"
"Right, sorry. I had a long day so I'm not the sharpest now."
"That's ... nice to hear actually"
"How so?" Ederix asked while he filled his trusty flask with hot water
"well, What people talk about you... it's like you are more than a mere mortal"
"About me?"

"Well I've seen your truck, you're 'The Songbird'"
"Heh ... I guess the name stuck. Yeah that's me"
"... Can I get your autograph sir?"
"Sir? Bro you aren't even five years older than me. And no, that'd be liek painting a bullseye on your forehead"
"O-oh.." The clerk looked down disappointing
"Hey cheer up, After we finish this mess we started I'm coming back here and I'll sign your shirt ok?"
"REALLY?!"
"Yeah ... just give mea piece of paper so I can write it down. I'm a rather forgetful person"
"Yes uuh ... Give me a moment"

Ederix wrote down a reminder and put it in his wallet, Afterwards he stuffed a few teabags n his flask and shook it a bit.
When he walked up he saw the entire crew was staring at his truck. They knew they were riding with someone important,
But At this point 'The songbird' was more Myth than a person
"I guess I'll be riding at the back of the convoy from now on, otherwise You'll all crash into each other by gawking" Ederix said teasingly.
"Rookie, take the lead" Said Ederixes driver. "We'll stay at the back"
"You got it" the second driver replied

After a few minutes the Convoy was back on the road reaching the end of the highway at the city of Sula.
The Colorful convoy attracted many eyes and a lot of cheering from the crowd.
In one moment two police cars blocked the road and in a moment of tension an officer came to the first truck.

"Gentlemen"
"Is there a problem officer?" The driver said visibly scared and discretely turning on the radio
"Well your presence in the city is kind of... disrupting to the city traffic network"
"Well We are heading out of the city the first chance we got, it's just that this is where the highway ends so... we got dragged into the traffic."
"I fully understand Sir and That's why Me and my partner volunteer to escort you out of the city"

Ederix , Who listened in to this conversation, picked up his radio "We'd be honored officer. lead the way"

Under the escort of two police cruisers talking the 'shortest possible rout' right trough the city center,
the convoy reached the outskirts
"I guess they like us here" Commented one of the drivers as the trucks were leaving the city.
Now the convoy was driving trough a network of local roads and dirt paths to their destination on the North of the island.
 
The next day scattered around several locations across the North of Albo the people of the convoy rested.
Everyone had a radio tuned and placing bets on how long the authorities (or what was left of them) will notice the entirety of the Ilirjan cultural heritage went missing.
What they didn't know is that in the Capital the situation was on the edge of chaos.
No everyone believed the story of the colorful convoy while the army and the police grew ever more frustrated and jumpy.
One wrong move and Nesacteae will go up in flames.

Ederix knew that. and that's why he started launching matches.

The State run media did not report o them missing artwork because of the fear of escalation but no one talking about an event so major rose tensions even further.

Ederix, using all possible channels. Radio, local TV networks,Internet (whatever of it the government didn't block at this point) and good ol' spam and chain messages.
Some poeple even started spreading this message by setting up accounts on dating apps.

And the message... was rather simple "Tomorrow we take the Parliament"
of course videos were circled as well showing the artwork and the exhibits to calm people down a bit but Ederix knew that This will either work or ... not.

It was time to hit the read once again. This time on his own.
Ederix, a poet who's motives were to simply write away his frustration, now leader of an uprising, had to sneak away from his own people because he knew they wouldn't have let him go back.

he wasn't alone though while on his way to Sarmatus a familiar, half broken pick-up truck slowly clunked closer.
"Do you require assistance good sir" Phantom said with a smile
"Glad you got my call" Ederix replied
"well yeah... I see you're still hauling that sniper with you."
"It's a trademark"

"Well your trademark can get dumped in the back becasue I'm not driving with a gun near me!" Eya said as she emerged from the back seat
Ederix did not expect to see her but he definitely didn't have anything against her presance
"Well what are you waiting for? a written invitation" Eya said "Get in, we got a riot to lead"

The path trough the local dirt roads was tiresome but the trio didn't mind. They exchanged stories listened to music and joked until they reached the exact same town at the outskirts Ederix and Phantom picked the truck up.
This time they didn't rush to leave, they didn't look behind their back and Ederix walked comfortably with the rifle on his shoulder.

They walked in the cafe hoping to find the old man and return his keys But it was already pretty late at this point so he wasn't around.
Phantom left the keys with the bartender, and piked up his number of course.

The three stuck around for a round or two on the house of course,adn as they were leaving to start their hike down to Nesactea a couple of people asked if they could join in. No one mind so the group continued.
The Hike would last for a couple of hours and yet with every passing minute the group grew larger and larger
After a few hours the group reached the first streets of Nesactea counting some 70 members, with the trio in the front.

Mow passing trough every street, intentionally taking a detour across the campus, just becasue Ederix heard the walls and buildings were "horribly defaced" with lines of his poems and copies of Phantoms drawings in particular.
"I'm flattered" said Phantom
"I'm confused" replied Ederix
"by what?"
"By the fact I started this"

The mach continued onward reaching the blockade in front of the museum and Ederix just went to the front of the barricades while everyone eagerly awaited what is going to happn next.

There were those who wanted to storm the museum, there were those who jsut wanted all of this to end and there were those who jsut followed the mass.
Ederix knew that his next word will mark history

"Commander Could I have a word with you" Ederix shouted towards the besieged soldiers
"I'm listening" the commanding officer replied
"We are going to turn around, and head towards the parliament square!"
"Is that so?"
"Yes. anyone left behind is nothing more than a criminal!"
"Even us?"
"Let me rephrase that ... Every Civilian that doesn't follow me to the parliament square is a criminal. Is that acceptable for you"
"On ONE condition!"
"And that is?"
"We have been living on canned sardines and biscuits for over a week now, Get my men some descent food and We'll not move an inch from our post"

Ederix turned to Teuta and Morei "Get a handful people to help you and get these men some food"
Afterwards he just turned and started walking towards the parliament square with a horde now counting over hundred thousand people behind him
 
The parliament was surrounded.
Only a handful of people were still held out inside.
The current government and a handful of Union loyalists.
At this point the police was mostly disarmed and the military trough out the country completely disobeyed the chain of command and not involving themselves.

after a few minutes of the standoff Ederix, who was sitting on top of the barricades surrounding the parliament, just stood up.
"If anyone follows me, stop them" He said to Phantom
"Wha-HEY. Where are you going?!" Phantom struggled to figure out what Ederix was up to
"Just do it. LET NO ONE FOLLOW ME!" Ederix said as he slowly strolled towards the parliament

As he approached he was of course stopped by the armed personnel held inside the building.
"HALT!"
"I'm unarmed" Ederix said lifting his shirt just to prove he has no hidden weaponry on him
"What do you want"
"to talk to the president"
"Oh really. And why is that"
"To settle this ordeal."
"You don't say"
In that moment the officer at the enterane recieved informations on his ear piece.
"I understand" He said. "Well msiter Armatu, the prezident is waiting for you"
"Lead the way" Ederix said

As they slowly walked up the stairs Ederix jsut looked arund the marble walls decorated with previous leaders.
Some he admired, some he despized... some he didn't even know about.

As he entered a great hall with a long oval table he noticed a person sitting on the other side.
An old but seemingly strong man. Cleanly shaved, dressed in a suit and with clean combed hair. A stereotipical "leader". He of course had 2 armed bodyguards at his side
"So you are the "Songbird, come sit" He gestured for Ederix to sit beside him.
"That'd be me,yes" Ederix said sitting dirrectly opposite of the prezident, on the far side of the table.

The prezident was unamused by this act.
"You know we'll have to raise our voice to even hear each other this way" he said
"Good. lest whispers the better, and we can at least look each other in the eyes, as equals" Ederix said with a smirk

The President barely held himself back from cursing Ederix out. This common thug dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, dares to consider himself as his equal
"As you wish" The president said "My proposal is simple. Stop this senseless violence and I promise amnesty for everyone involved"
"An interesting offer" Ederix replied in Ist, his now illegal native language "People like Emerik Durn Will appreciate it"
"I am not familiar with that man"
"You killed him the first day of the curfew"
"That is what happens when you challenge the authority"

"Tell that to his son"
"I did what I had to secure the interest of the people of Ilirja"
"INTERESTS OF THE PEOPEL?!" Ederix snapped not even noticing the two bodyguards had pointed their guns at him
"IS IT IN PEOPLES INTERESTS TO GET SHOT FOR NOT GIVING UP THEIR DIGNITY?! IS IT IN THEIR INTEREST TO BE BRANDED TRAITORS FOR SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR FOREFATHERS?!
IS IT IN THEIR INTEREST TO LIVE ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE FUCKING WORLD?!"

"And WHAT would yo have me do? Institute a 'Democracy'? This country would fall apart in an instant. The Northern barbarians would succeed in a matter of seconds, Lastovo would follow their example and than? we'd be easy picking for anyone."
"Well you have managed to unite those people I'll give you that. They are all outside of this building thirsty for your blood."
"And you will give it to them" The president said
"Nope." Ederix replied but the president didn't hear him
"I could have you killed and tossed out, that'd set them straight. That rubble would destroy everything I fought so hard to build"
"You are one of them you know"

"Don't you dare comparing me with them! They are uncultured, uneducated and divided, they can't beat US!"
"Who is 'us'"
"THE ILIRIC UNION"
"Well that 'us' is comprised of around a hundred people in this building while that disorganized and uneducated rubble is made of Students,Postmen,Mechanics,bakers and so on and so on...
Ann they listen to ME! If i told them 'Burn them alive' you'd be a pile of ash now. But I didn't, you know why?"
"Enlighten me"

"Because I do not want to be you."
"A leader"
"HAHAHAHAHA Leader? You couldn't lead a blind man of a cliff, no! I do not want to be a liar! I've said several times that I want to avoid bloodshed.
I want to change things and i cant change things If I say I don't want blood and than proceed to kill you.
SO! Here is my proposal. You have half an hour to walk out of here. You will be provided secured transport to the airport and you'll have a pilot ready to take you wherever the fuck in the world you want.
From what I've heard from madame Ardiei, your former minister of foreign affairs, you have some good friends in that 'hostile world' that is out to get us"
Ederix stood up and started walking towards the exit

"What makes you think I'd even let you out of this building alive"
"Because you are a coward. And this is the last chance for you to keep your head connected to the rest of your body." Ederix said as he walked out

As he returned to the barricades Ederix smiled
"What happened" Phantom asked
"YOU IDIOT!" Eya screamed "Do you want to get yourself killed? Because if you do THERE ARE FASTER WAYS!!!"
Ederix just hugged her leaving everyone around surprised

At this point Ederix was tired. not physically, but mentally. Tired of all the "action", tired of tragedies and tired of not caring what happens, jut becasue it might end up badly.

"I'm sorry..." he said "I'm sorry..." he kept repeating
"J-just don't DO THAT again" Eya said returning the hug

After the situation settled down Ederix explained his ultimatum and spread the word around. Many were displeased with this decision and they wanted to see the President pay, some even called for a public lynching.
But Ederix shut that down by saying "If we kill him we're no better than the Union and if I don't see my deal trough I'm no better than him."

After some fifteen minutes of waiting the Unionist decided to exit the Parliament. Ederix came out to meet them.
"Congratulations, you have ruined a nation" The president said to Ederix, making sure everyone heard him
"You left me nothing to ruin" cheekly replied Ederix

As per agreement the Unionists left the country undisturbed, the news of their takeoff was celebrated throughout Ilirja.
This was the day the people of Ilirja took faith in their own hands

The impromptu government established on Lastovo was put in power for a while after the fall of the Union.
It was tasked with creating fair constitution as well as organizing the first elections Ilirja has ever had.
Due to the democratic nature of the transitional government Eir was granted a referendum of independence that despite the expectations did not pass.
The Island of course demanded greater autonomy but in the end decided to not leave the newly established Confederation of Ilirja
 
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