Revenant Slaves Chapter 24: Chapter 23: Zain

Read chapter 24 of Revenant Slaves by Zee on NovelPedia.

Chapter 23: Zain “People of Mortrum. It matters not whether you were artificially created; you are not the property of sovereigns. You think no one sees you, no one cares, but the princess proved you wrong. If she were here today, she would gladly be a witness to your bravery and acknowledge your pain. If there is one like her, there may be many more. So what will you do now? Will you forever cower in fear? ” Zain took another breath; the crowd was growing nearer, or was that his eyes deceiving him? Zain wasn’t sure he'd heard the next line correctly. Since he didn't speak, the voice in his ear repeated the words. “Soldiers of Mortrum, in the name of your families, in the name of our princess that I know you too admire. Lay down your arms. Any soldier who wants to stay may merge into the crowds, and any soldier who wants to leave may leave, unaccosted. Let there be no more bloodshed today. The elite have spilled enough of our blood already for us to be spilling more fighting each other.” The voice in his ears whispered a command solely for him to follow, and he moved forward, and so did Maya. Together, they unmasked their prisoners. “Behold, people of Mortrum, these people would fashion themselves as gods above you. I see no gods here, only men, the same as us. So do not fear them, former slaves and soldiers of Mortrum. How much longer must you serve these false idols?” Bentlix was glaring at him; the wardens, though, had their heads turned down. There was a commotion in the crowd; it seemed to be parting down the middle. It was too far to see, but Zain knew the source of the commotion. It was Rain, coming forward to join him, with the children of Mortrum. “The Sovereigns dealt with your ancestors in bad faith; they offered them endless labor to prepare the planet and its moons to sustain life, so that their children would be free to live on it. And then they took away your ability to have children, they took away the very concept of family from you. And so did you suffer, never breaking out of their contracts until eventually no one remembered the terms anymore.” “Everyone here is capable of what you've been told is impossible. The sovereigns have denied you your rights for far too long.” The projection above his head changed, showing Rain in her wheelchair being pushed by Ash, and behind them, the children and some pregnant women of the settlements. “Here is a hero, an example for us all to follow, a woman who managed that impossible dream. You know her already. You know her son. They are your future, not the sovereigns, because they are proof that the right people working together can make their own future.” Rain had almost reached him through the crowd of gathered people. “Soldiers, you see now where the strength of the Empire lies? Does it lie in the rulers who lord over you? No. People like Sovereign Bentlix use your strength and call it their own. Isn’t it time you took that back?” Rain had reached his side, and as Zain kept speaking, Maya moved away and began guiding the children and the expecting mothers to arrange themselves on one side. “This is why I call upon you all, soldiers and slaves, to reach towards the future that has been barred from us by those who laugh in the wake of our tragedies.” The projection had switched back to him, and as he walked over to the gathered children and mothers, it followed his steps. He reached Rain and extended his palm. Rain reached forward and grabbed his forearm, as he did the same for her. The crowd roared at that moment, but the voice in his ear had not yet quietened. Before he turned to face the camera once more, he spared a glance at Ash. ‘Oh boy, he seems confused, and… angry? He must not have been told about the plan. That boy had better keep himself in check until the right moment.’ “See, O people of Mortrum, isn’t this worth fighting for? Today, one of you will prove that you are their equal. We will replicate the rituals of our nobles. The ancient houses often resolve g