Chapter 40 - Truth (1)

The news leaves us frozen. Fear is written on our faces. Who could have imagined such dissension within our own walls?

_ Moana: " This civil war happened because of a revolt by part of the village. "

_ Son: “ Wait, wait... That means our parents… ”

_ Moana: " Under Emperor Oku's rule, the Cursed Village was considered a powerful and threatening village. When I was a kid, the village suffered several attacks from Reclus, hoping to bring down the empire and take control. But the strength of our army disgusted the attackers to the point where Oku's army instilled fear. In fact, he did not hesitate to leave the village and search without proof for Recluses to kill them. "

_ Ayden: “ I understand better now why some Recluses no longer dared to attack the village in their day. ”

_ Moana: “ Thanks to his exploits, the villagers could live peacefully. But everyday life was no better for it. ”

_ Maïko: “ Why? ”

_ Moana: " Oku was very strict about work, whether in agriculture or even among the blacksmiths. He rarely gave the villagers a chance to rest, to the point that some of them would fall ill. "

_ Kona: “ That's horrible… ”

With a neutral expression, eyes fixed on the ground.

_ Moana: “ But the breaking point is sacrifice. ”

A heavy silence hangs in the air, everyone holding their breath as they wait for the announcement.

_ Moana: " For centuries, a demon has lived in the village. Every ten years, a ritual takes place to sacrifice villagers to prevent the demon from gaining total control and destroying the village. But in Oku's time, some of the villagers could no longer bear the unbearable conditions. So a secret group was formed. They were the Resistance fighters. "

_ Son: “ The Resistance? ”

_ Moana: " Yes. The Resistance refused to blindly obey Oku while searching for a way to avoid the sacrifices and thus protect the future generation. "

Lifting her head, she looks at us, her face still neutral.

_ Moana: " You should know that your parents were all members of the Resistance, and that the leader of that group was my father. "

This dual piece of information, of unprecedented density, shakes our certainties. It constitutes a real turning point in our research, forcing us to reconsider all of our hypotheses.

_ Moana: " When Oku heard about the creation of this group, he didn't hesitate to declare war. "

_ Shailly: “ So the village ended up killing each other… ”

_ Son: “ I can't believe it… ”

_ Kona: “ It's unthinkable… ”

Although the mystery remains unsolved, everyone realizes the bitter truth, with heavy hearts.

_ Hazel: “ But wasn't that group part of a minority? ”

_ Moana: " You're wrong. The group was made up of about 350 villagers, compared to only about a hundred in Oku's army. "

_ Son: “ That's huge! ”

_ Ayden: “ What about you...? ”

All eyes turn in my direction.

_ Ayden: “ What was your position? ”

Once again the center of attention, all eyes are on her, eagerly awaiting her response.

_ Moana: “ I am a member of the Resistance, and that will never change. ”

_ Ayden: “ How can you prove it? Just because your father was a member doesn't mean you necessarily are. After all, you are the current leader of the village. ”

A sudden curiosity pricks her.

_ Moana: “ So what? ”

_ Ayden: " I assume that to be the leader of a village, you need to be of royal blood or come from a family of leaders. Having succeeded Emperor Oku, you may very well be of his caliber. "

A brief silence creeps into the conversation, long enough to amplify the resonance of my raw and poignant words.

_ Moana: “ Your reasoning makes sense. ”

Eyes roll to the sky.

_ Moana: " You're free to believe me or not, but honestly, I think my father and I contributed greatly to winning this war. Like you, after this episode, I became an orphan, so I know what it feels like to lose a loved one. "

After these arguments, I dare not reply, but only ponder the following questions.

_ Ayden: “ So who decided to elect you? ”

_ Moana: “ We chose universal suffrage. ”

_ Son: “ What's that? ”

_ Moana: “ Any villager can vote. Since there was no one left to lead us, we decided that this would be the most legitimate way. ”

_ Ayden: “ How many survivors were there? ”

_ Moana: “ About forty. Around thirty are currently members of the Resistance, fighting against a handful of Oku's loyal followers. ”

_ Hazel: “ I see, so the majority simply won the round. ”

_ Moana: “ Exactly. ”

_ Kona: “ But there were no other candidates? You became chief very young, after all. ”

_ Moana: “ I was the youngest, indeed. Even though I wasn't qualified to become a leader, the villagers wanted someone who could protect them and the village above all else. And my service during the war must have convinced them. So I accepted this new role and status for the good of the village. “

_ Ayden: “ That means she was 14. Was she already that strong back then?? ”

Then, I look away for a moment.

_ Ayden: " Although, considering what she did to Memba and Pico, maybe it's not that surprising. "

Closed eyelids coupled with a broad smile appear on Moana's back.

_ Shailly: “ I'm glad to be an orphan under these circumstances, then. ”

Everyone stares at her. The initial surprise gives way to a thoughtful silence, then, little by little, emotion takes hold of their hearts, translating into gentle smiles.

_ Maïko: “ Shut up, haha, you need to avoid talking and get some rest. ”

While discovering the truth about our parents' deaths is a challenge to overcome, we orphans nevertheless feel a noble pride in having had parents who fought for an ideal.