The Other Side/Rise Of The Crow

"Are we there yet?" Jack asks nonchalantly.

"No Jack, we aren't." Sachi replies as she digs her head into her knees.​​

"Really? We gotta be there by now right?" Jack asks as he looks at Layla.

"No!" Layla responds.

"How about now?" Jack asks as he smirks.

"No, you idiot!" Mari snaps back, her eyes full of annoyance.

"Seriously? What about now?" Jack asks as I can tell he's trolling them now.

"Scavian Art:–" Layla yells as she unleashes her Taqa.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry, I'm just really bored! We've been on this damn carriage for three days now and it's getting a little tight in here! Feels like the walls are closing in on me!" Jack reasons as he puts his hands up.

"I don't know how you guys always fall for his crap, I just ignore him." I chuckle as I take a swig of water.

"It's hard to ignore him when he's such an idiot!" Mari replies as everyone is clearly on edge after being stuck in this carriage for so long.

"Am I going to have to come back there?" Kira asks from the front of the carriage.

"No need! Everything is going fine back here Kira!" I lie as I motion everybody to cut it out.

"He isn't all the way wrong though, this is by far the longest journey we've had since we got here. At this point, I'm starting to wonder if Borba even exists." Sachi comments as she yawns.

"All of you are complaining about traveling but I hope you realize that depending on what you choose to do after we graduate, this will be a big part of your lifestyle. Most Frodians in their primes don't really have a place they call home because they are always on the move. For example, my parents only came home three times a month and that was a good month! It ticked me off to no end as a youngling but now that I've gotten older I understand how hard it is to have a balance." Layla shares with us as she spins her short sword.

"Ugh, that's why I think I'll continue working for the Mikgar family! Sure, they have a lot of enemies so that means I'll always have to stay on my toes but their lives are relatively peaceful considering the state of this land. I don't care about the politics, fighting, prophecies, and all that other crap. I really just want peace, I'm positive that's what Jacob would want me to do… " Jack admits as he cleans his axes with a cloth.

"You definitely have a unique perspective, a lot of Frodians thrive on chaos and fighting. There are some that believe that Frodians are born with a curse that makes us want to divide and conquer. The more innocent people I've seen buried, the more I start to think that's true. What about you Sachi? With that brain of yours, I'm sure the prospect of war probably entices you." Layla asks as Sachi lets out a huge breath.

"I was always taught to use whatever god-given talents I have and turn them into a way to make a living for myself. The idea of hurting and killing people for fun isn't necessarily something I'm fond of. But after being in Goliath and really understanding the realities of this land, I'm going to have to fight hard to survive here. I honestly have no choice." Sachi responds introspectively.

"I see… Mari now that I've thought about it, do you even have a single clue of what you're going to do? I notice every time Kira has brought it up you tend to avoid it?" Layla asks as everyone darts their eyes at Mari.

"A lot has changed for me so I'm really not sure, Layla." Mari responds reluctantly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry or anything! I was just curious." Layla apologizes.

"No, no! It's okay, I trust you guys. In our old world Layla, it was pretty simple and clear-cut. Finish school, go get a job, have a family, and hopefully retire one day. That's what my parents always taught me ever since I was a little girl. Now, we're in the middle of a battle between our new mother and her psychopathic enemy who can summon 11 omnipotent beings that could kill all of us at any moment. And the big kicker about all of this is that all four of us Chosen Children are expected to defeat every single one of them." Mari points out as everyone gets really quiet.

"Damn, you got a point… " Layla sighs as Mari's words clearly struck a chord in her.

"What am I going to do? I don't even know where to start, it's as if this world wants answers out of me that I just don't have yet. Sure, being a Chosen Child has its perks, and being a Frodian means I don't deal with some of the petty human problems I used to deal with it but it doesn't change the fact that life has become really stressful since all of us have reincarnated." Mari admits as I can tell this has been burdening her mind for a really long time.

"That's understandable. It's very true that none of you asked to be brought here. Well, that just leaves you, Crow. What do you think you're going to do once you graduate?" Layla asks as leans her back on the carriage.

"After experiencing more of this new world, I find myself more conflicted than ever with what I want to do with my second chance. When I first got here, I just did whatever I was told to do because it was better than doing nothing. But now things are different, I actually care about this land and its people now." I reply as Layla and the rest of them looked really intrigued by what I said.

"So you'll probably end up joining a guild or maybe you'll join the imperial army like Sachi?" Layla asks.

"You know, I had kind of a weird goal cross my head when I first got here. I thought that maybe if I travel across Goliath and see everything it has to offer that, I might find a way to save it! No guild, no imperial army, just me! Why must we box ourselves in at such a young age? It seems a little bit too restrictive in my opinion." I ask.

"Crow, I hope you realize in order to do anything you need other people behind you, people with power. True change in Goliath only comes from those in power and without it, you'll struggle a lot harder to meet your goals." Layla explains to me.

"Honestly, to hell with all of those people in power! We've seen firsthand how our government and some of the nobles could care less what happens to the working class of this country. I don't want to be some myth or legend in the people's minds, I want them to know who I am and I also want to get to know them!" I reply adamantly.

"But even so bro, you know you're going to need money right? A task that heavy isn't going to be easy to pull off without a stable job." Jack reminds me.

"Yeah babe, you might want to think harder about that." Mari agrees.

"None of you guys get it, I had to survive on my own for a really long time without a dime in my pocket! Goliath is definitely scary but the process of learning how to truly survive in it on my own just seems better to me. I know I could go the easy route and use my status to live the good life but it wouldn't feel right unless I did some good in this world first." I explain my voice full of passion.

"That's completely idiotic and unrealistic Crow! Have you learned nothing since being here? Use your status to put yourself up first before you help others! That's just how it is in Goliath, there's no other way around it!" Layla criticizes as she points at me.

"Alright, Alright! Seems I'm going to have to butt in after all." Kira chimes in as she makes her way to the back of the carriage and sits with us.

"Oh crap, no we've really done it… " Jack comments his voice full of nervousness.

"Layla, just because you don't understand it doesn't give you the right to put down his goals. However foolish you might think it is, it's still his goals and what he believes in! If that dream ends up biting him in the butt one day, well hopefully he learns from it. But from my experience, the biggest truth of them all is that no one is truly wrong! Our world is a grey one where the right answer seems to be so close yet it's truly so far. All of you must take this life you have and truly do with it what you want to do!" Kira lectures as everyone gets really quiet.

"Yes Master." Layla replies.

"Even still, I hope you know that the dream you have is a very foolish one Crow! The people of this country are unforgiving and might get the wrong idea from you. So I hope you're prepared to have many naysayers because they will come and you're spirit and willpower will be tested." Kira cautions me.

"Yes Ma'am. I'll keep that in mind." I say as I try to soak in Kira's wisdom.

Suddenly, the whole carriage starts slowing down.

"Alright everyone, we've arrived!" Our carriage driver says as we look outside the carriage and see a sign that says Borba.