Hey! Look, another chapter! What could this be about, the runaways?
The Signless burst into the hive, full of the energy that was abuzz in the air around him. After the Neophyte had bid him farewell, he had decided that was the end of it, and stepped off from the stage. People shot him wary looks, while others were impressed by his bravery. Whatever it was, he took it in completely, and decided to go back to his hive, for it had turned dark in the short while that he had been out.
"Dolorosa, you won't believe what happened," I exclaimed upon setting sight on her. "I, well, I bumped into this highblood. Then, before I knew it, I was preaching. Can you believe it! I was doing the thing we talked about these past sweeps! And, you know what was the most amazing thing? They listened! They actually, truly, listened."
He was out of breath from his outburst of disbelief, so his guardian asked him to sit and calm down. As he did, she began to speak.
"Signless, remember when I said I would go anywhere with you, and do anything with you?"
She seemed to be thinking very hard about something. He was puzzled as to why she asked the question.
"I remember it clearly."
"Well, if we preached across Alternia, would people listen? If they will, then I will have to be obliged to run away with you."
"Of course they would listen! This is what others have been dreaming for for so long; this is what the slaves want! They will hear us out. And why must we run away?"
"Well," she said with a smile on her lips,"remember our lesson four days ago? Word travels like wildfire, but only if there's a spark to encourage it. You have to preach it to the world, Signless, and the world with work with you. Plus, Her Imperious Condescension would not be pleased with your little acts of rebellion."
The Signless was now speechless. He hadn't thought she had been serious, but then again, The Dolorosa was always serious. She wouldn't go back on her word. But if they ran away, what would they do? Where would they stay? How could they live, just gallivanting from town to town, with nothing? He voiced his concerns to her, and she laughed. Puzzled, he asked her why she had laughed at him.
"Why, any young troll would have been up and ready to go, an adventure! But you still think practically," she tapped the side of her head. "That is why they will listen to you."
"As for the question of shelter and transport, leave it to me. You just think about what we're going to do for your next sermon."
And with that, she ushered him upstairs to sleep, for it would be a big day for both of them.
2 of Alternia's moons hung in the sky. It was almost always night here, and that was beneficial to the trolls, for if they ever looked into the sun they would go blind. The Dolorosa had been up making plans for their runaway, if you could still call it a runaway. Practically all the trolls in town knew about The Signless now, calling him a leader, a loony, a brave man, a madman. They wondered if they would ever get to hear him speak as he did the other day. As a matter of fact, they would. Today.
As he stepped out of his hive, dozens of rustbloods and bronzebloods, as well as a couple of green and tealbloods rushed forward, asking him if he was crazy, or if he was being sincere.
"My fellow trolls, what I say is not a lie. It is the honest truth. Now, if you would let me eat, i might be able to say a farewell," he chuckled.
Later that day, he would announce to his town that he was to go on a journey to spread his vision elsewhere. "But do not waver in the belief of your dreams," he had said," for they are what make you, and they are what will bring peace to our planet."
Those were the final words he would say to his hometown, for never did he visit the same place twice.
The Dolorosa had prepared a bandwagon of sorts, although it could just as well be called a truck. It was filled with living essentials, such as food and extra clothing, and everything else that would fit and would prove practical. The closest town over was one given a bad name because of the ruffians and cave-trolls who inhabited it. Nevertheless, it was their first destination, and the first stop on this bandwagon of visionaries.
