TBATE - The Legacy Of It All - What if Tessia was the legacy ?

A step up

Tessia Eralith

Leaning against the fine stone walls backstage, a few meters behind the huge red curtain in front of which the auction was taking place, I kept my eyes sharp, and my mind focused on my task. This would be the climax of this first phase of our plan, the official introduction of Unity to the world. I couldn't let them down, literally.

-Are the slaves ready yet?" Asked the auction's manager in a menacing tone while flipping through a pamphlet where he had written the organization of the entire event down to the minute.

-Yes sir, we just finished their make-up." Answered one of the maids who had just come out of the room the slaves were kept.

-Good, the drug should be in full effect, bring them here at once." He retorted without even looking her way as he hurriedly scribbled something on one of the last pages.

Bowing slightly, the maid quickly rushed down the hallway, passing right in front of me before taking a turn to enter the door leading to the slaves' room.

"It's finally about to start." I mentally commented to myself as I stepped away from the wall to the center of center of the backstage, right behind the red curtain. From here I could hear the crowd of nobles, merchants and adventurers excitedly chattering amongst themselves. Some were bragging about the items they had bought, others about their dungeon's dives, their abilities, a few taunted the rest with their seemingly endless wealth while a few others gave their story of heroism. They would soon all fall silent.

Staying perfectly still, I saw and heard dozens of servants walk, run and stop next to me, discussing the organization, bark orders and spit out their frustration without ever noticing my existence.

This much was rather reassuring as it proved that the illusion I had casted in myself to make me invisible was working wonders despite the large amount of mana I was currently controlling to keep all of my spells intact.

Taking notice of the incoming series of footsteps I glanced back to see the 7 people that would soon join me on stage. They all had the appearance of the most beautiful elven women I recalled seeing, with a mix of grace, purity, and a bit too much determination for some.

-Now." Let out the organizer as the curtain was pulled slightly to the side letting the servant and the 7 very well-behaved slaves step through to the stage as I followed right behind.

Seeing the group of 8 enter, the crowd let out a wave of surprise, confusion and cynical laughs, eyeing the slaves with so much intensity, it looked like they would dig through their skin just by staring.

Moving to the center of the stage, where the speaker had just been before moving to the first slave to present them to the overly enthusiastic crowd, I knew it was time.

Deactivating my invisibility, I presented myself under the traits of a nondescript feminine figure with a skin mimicking the night sky, an ever-shifting face, hairs neither short, nor long, neither blonde nor brown, but in an indescribable middle zone.

Waiting about a second for the entire room to freeze in silence, for everyone one of the almost 6000 people present here to lock their eyes onto me with a mix of awe, terror, disgust and slight excitement.

-Dear nobles, merchants, powerfuls of Sapin, and your majesty, my name is Unity." I stated as I looked up to the crowd while extending my arms to the side like a comedian about to bow. "I come here to tell all of you that, as of today, slavery shall be illegal in this kingdom." I explained with calm and a clear intent to make sure everyone knew that this wasn't a bluff, that I meant exactly what I said.

-For too long, the people of Dicathen have been separated and discriminated against by each other for their races, statues and abilities. Elves and Dwarves, Barons and Serfs, emitters and non-mage alike, those are all statues and casts people are placed into without their consent or approval, but which they have to bear the burden of." I explained matter-of-factly as I glanced at the crowd, making eye contact with a few in the process.