Disclaimer : This is just a write-up for fun, based on my own perspective on what's the vision of BCH. There's no intention to degrade or stir up discord across communities. Peace!
"Long has the time for us to settle,
With the differences that cause us to meddle,
Our vision has gone astray,
In the endless loop of our divide,
O' must our gods hear us pray,
In this darkest hour, we stand side by side."
- The Usurper.
"It's been a long time since we have strayed away from the core. We could no longer tolerate another division between ourselves. It's time to settle this once and for all." The mad knight looked at the sunset before him, standing in the cliff, clenching at his three coins. "We are all fighting the same war…fighting for our freedom, yet everything still feels the same," He said before throwing the coins to the lake that lays below.
A few minutes later, a sound of gallops caught his attention. "Finally, some good news." He then walked towards his horse beside the trees, waiting to meet his men.
"Milord, the ravens have been sent. The meeting will take place according to plan," The emissary said in a hopeful tone.
"Good, we should then prepare ourselves for what's about to come," The mad knight then led his men back, with determination and grit in his eyes that what's about to unfold.
In the town of Resh
"Greetings, how much does it cost to enhance and sharpen this sword?" A male hooded figure asked in a low, calm voice. He handed the sword to the local blacksmith, and he examined it thoroughly.
"So, it's true? That mad knight is going to usurp the throne?" The blacksmith asked, "If he does, I hope he'll succeed; the old system's flaws plague this town."
"The time has finally come, do send your prayers." The hooded figure replied, "How much for the work?"
"That'll serve as my contribution to the cause," The blacksmith carefully puts the sword down and gently whispers to the hooded figure, "The fees are getting high, the people are getting weary, this must change."
"Your generosity is humbly accepted, and please do change as you what you seem is necessary." The hooded man gave him a nod before going his way.
The blacksmith gave a smile to him, delighted to see the sword before him.
"Trade fees have started going up! Ready your coins and prepare your pockets! Or you can hold them until it subsides!" The street criers announced in the town's podiums, carrying out a paper of transaction that shows an increase in merchant fees. The people gathered around and showed distaste in the news. "This is infuriating!" "How can we manage to transfer our goods when we can't make an income?" "This is ridiculous!" The townsfolk cried as they're up for another crisis in their trade.
"If you don't have patience, then have fun staying poor!" The crier mocked them and wryly smiled, knowing he'll have his rewards from the order.
"Tsch," Upon hearing the street criers, the hooded man only felt remorse as he rode on his horse back to the kingdom of the order.
On his way, he noticed a couple of wagons from different communities that have been turned away from the order of the core. He knew the time of reckoning has come, and he has a role to play. He then hurried back to the kingdom, where the most prominent commercial hub resides. Many big-time merchants and traders gather around to witness the lightning tower's construction.
Riding his horse to the streets of the crowded domain, he lifted down his hood to show his bare face. He was admired by the people of the realm, having fought numerous wars and helped establish the core, the prosperous kingdom that one can say in word of mouth and papers. He looked at them with sincerity, giving them a welcoming smile as they cheered for him as he continued to his quarters.
"For the people," He murmured.
As he arrived at his quarters, he was greeted by his friend Robb, his closest friend. "Is the sword secured, Sato?" Robb whispered to him as Sato got off his horse.
"Aye, did the raven reach your doorstep?"
Robb nodded, "Luckily, I caught the letter before someone did."
"The gods favor us after all," Sato laughed. "come, let's discuss the letter inside."
The two then went inside to Sato's humble abode; little did the order know that underneath his home lies a basement where Sato keeps all his assets and rare collectibles from merchants from all around the globe. But, ever since then, he wants to fight for the interest of the people of the realm, so he turned it into a room of operations.
There lies a map of the entire kingdom on a wooden table with pieces that symbolize each faction pushing for unity. The letter "H" piece stands out from the rest. It represents these people's visions for the land to achieve higher prosperity as the moon watches them from above, doing work overnight.
As Sato read the letter that the proclaimed usurper sent, Robb asked him, "Why do you think some people don't like the implementation of the lightning tower?"
Sato briefly stopped reading the letter and directed it to the map. "Look here," He pointed to the farthest region of the map. "The lightning tower benefits the people that are nearer to the kingdom, the farthest one has to navigate themselves, and eventually they get lost."
"They won't get lost if they can see the tower. It's visible to merchants as it is huge." Robb retorted.
"Yes, but the roads that lead here are not that secure, some merchants give their goods to a "trader" from the kingdom to entrust their goods, but they often get cheated. The tower itself doesn't give them enough justice."
"I see. That's why you're so eager."
Sato nodded. "The system that the mad knight offers will resolve everything. All it needs is a little sacrifice."
The sea rages under the star-speckled sky in the night. The leaders of each community meet at the farthest border in the kingdom, where an open field resides. The growing bonfire sits upon the center as they circle it discussing the future of their motives.
"So, the mad knight is mad, huh?" The leader of Resh chuckled, "Mad enough to unite all the communities of this land to come into a resolution." He boasted, riling up the people in the vicinity.
"How come did he choose this place? I had enough trauma wandering in the dark side of the kingdom," The leader from the merchant's guild stated. "This is a better cause than the proposed lightning tower, and if what was said in the letter was true, I'll give my all to this plan."
"Everything will fall into place, the tower will fall, and the kingdom will belong to the people," The leader of the secret clubhouse announced.
"Aren't you the clubhouse that sometimes steals from merchants along the isolated roads?" The leader of Resh asked in an unconvinced tone as the other constituents showed distrust and suspicion in their eyes.
"Yes, but it was all for this moment to come. It's about sending a message." He said, lifting his palm, grabbing a small blade from his pocket, and slicing it vertically. "We bleed for the vision that will do justice to its people." His men behind him start cutting themselves to show their proclamation of commitment to the cause. It was only minutes after that they heard the gallops of horses coming from the darkness-covered forest beside them. The waves crash to the rocky surface below the patch of land where they stood as horses neighed when the Mad knight made his way to them. The bannermen rally before him, carrying around the banner, which symbolizes their cause, which plasters a giant "B" on the center of the woven full moon. It was known to them that the symbol signifies "balance while surfacing to great heights." Its significance was engraved to the hearts of merchants around when the full moon shone upon them.
"My apologies for I am late," The Mad knight announced as he made his way to the center of the assembly, where the people gather around in a circle while a bonfire. "We were late because a merchant got lost in his way trying to find the way to the core; now you know what happened next." He said in an enraged tone.
"The lightning tow-"The merchant's guild spoke but then interrupted by the secret clubhouse's leader.
"I told you, it's never effective. These merchants get conned along the way, trying to follow that big structure. There's no concrete roadmap, and there are a lot of roads lead from here to there."
"That's why I invited the secret clubhouse to expose what needs to be done," The mad knight said and then grabbed their banner from one of his men. "You may show suspicion of why they're here because of their misdeeds but all of those leads to here, to the day that we will finally change the system." The crowd then cheered but eventually stopped when the leader of Resh asked,
"How are we going to do that? It's insane when you want to fight a system with a lot of high-class merchants supporting it, and it would be hard opposing it without going to war."
"Hard, but not impossible," The Mad knight retorted. "It's our very principle that we avoid wars. Our principle lies on the merchants, market, the free-will of people to let their money flow where they want it to be, and we're not getting through bloodshed," He explained.
"So, what's our course of action?" They asked.
"First," He looked at the leader of Resh pointing at him. "You, your town, should disseminate the information throughout the realm that we're going to lay siege to the kingdom of the core. We are going to stage it like it's a siege so that we would get their attention." He then pointed to the leader of the secret clubhouse, "You, you and your men must direct all merchants from existing roads to where we would be on the day of the feigned siege. And lastly," he pointed at the leader of the merchant's guild, "Prepare for a new beginning, tell all your colleagues that change is coming." Murmurs can be heard in the assembly, and the Mad knight made one final remark about the plan. "We are going to meet them at the open field to show we have strength in our numbers, and the system that we have will topple the pyramid and show justice to our merchants. Ready yourselves as the day of our salvation is within our hands. We ride in the dawn of the fortnight." The crowd cheered and clapped to their admiration.
"Down to the lightning tower!"
"Down to the core!"
"And hail! The new system!" The crowd said in unison.
"So, are you confident in your plan?" The leader of the secret clubhouse said to the Mad knight as he was about to leave.
"All it needs is a little sacrifice, my friend, a little sacrifice."
As dawn arrived in the fortnight, people start to gather around to the open field of the kingdom. The core anticipated that this would happen and sent their cavalry to defend if things go awry. The lightning tower was finished last week, and it still didn't alleviate the people's frustration, let alone the merchants. As time passes, more and more people come together at the open field, carrying the banner of their movement. Some people also protested towards the system as they have their placards to show discontent in the current one. Sato looked at them with hope in his eyes from inside the kingdom's walls. Robb then tapped him in the back, "You know you'll have to do this, right?" he said.
"Whatever it takes," Sato reassured himself.
As the morning sun sits on top of the realm, shining upon the countless heads across the field, scorching heat adds to the tension between the two factions. The Mad knight stood at the center, looking right at the walls, which he envisions to destroy. "The time has come," he said, as he carried their banner towards the center of the field that separates the two. As he arrived, he announced at the top of his lungs enough to be overheard by everyone. "I challenge the champion of your order to a battle to the death. Whoever shall reign supreme will have control of the entire system of the realm, and the one who the gods do not grace shall be banished from this land and never to return." There were murmurs across the two factions. Some made their way to save themselves from the aftermath, but those who stood to their beliefs stayed in the line, no matter the consequences there may be.
It was a couple of minutes before the order declared their champion through the lightning tower's horns. The hooded figure slowly walked outside the kingdom's walls with a mighty forged sword in hand, bearing a symbol that holds the order's pride. The blacksmith who was watching knew it was his creation and could not imagine that he was forging for the wrong side. He fell and shouted at the top of his lungs, "DOWN WITH THE CORE!" trying to alleviate his guilt. Those who heard him joined in with him until all those in the faction shouted in unison while the hooded figure made his way to the mad knight right at the center.
Sato, named the kingdom's champion, gets also cheered after lifting his hood. He was carrying the sword with both of his hands, holding it like a banner raising it between his chest, as he will fight the mad knight. When they met in the open field just meters away, a rough breeze of air flew its way into their direction. The Mad knight unsheathed his sword, as so Sato readied his guard as they only wore light armor. The tensions rise between the two factions as both then shared blow after blow on their swords, not until Sato landed a massive cut on the mad knight's torso. He fell on his knees as the blood spilled by the sword of Sato trickled down on its blade. The kingdom of the core cheered for the apparent victory of Sato. While the movement is horrified of the outcome, some ran for their lives, but the leaders of each community stood still as they know it was part of the plan.
"Is this really how you wanted it?" Sato asked the wounded Mad knight.
"There's no… another way… you got to do it." The Mad knight replied, desperately grasping for life.
Moments later, the kingdom then ordered for Sato to take the head of the Mad knight. Sato was hesitant to do it, but it was the only way to get into the order's chambers. No one was allowed to enter unless the order orders so. The Mad knight got decapitated, and the cavalry then moved to capture the perpetrators. The bells were rung inside the walls of the kingdom as they rejoiced in victory. People in the domain then condemned those who took part and shouted, "Have fun staying poor!" It was a horrifying day for the movement and a glorious day for the kingdom. A celebration has been set for Sato the next day.
The bells have rung, people cheered, a grand parade held on his behalf, and flower petals rained from the city from the walls. Sato stood firm as he rode his horse in the city streets with greeted with fanfare as he made his way to the order's halls while being escorted by two guards. As he arrived, the chamber doors open. There, Sato stood at the altar of the grandmaster with the ministers overlook them from above. He unsheathed his sword and swore allegiance to them.
"Arise, dear champion. You shall be the one that guards the kingdom against foreign threats and protect the best interest of our merchants," The grandmaster announced, sitting on his fancy throne. As the ministers also clapped their hands to show their appreciation.
Sato then rose up and quickly rose to the steps of the throne with the sword in hand, ready to strike at the grandmaster as he grabbed him by his shoulder with the tip of the blade facing his heart.
"W-what are you doing?!" The grandmaster exclaimed. Sato thought to himself as this is to avenge the mad knight, and the blade he was carrying carry the very principles of the cause.
"Succeeding you, master." He plunged the blade into the heart of the grandmaster as the ministers also lay lifeless unto the ground. He looked at Robb and the leaders of the movement above who took care of business. "Never hurts to be a jail warden, aye?" Sato remarked at Robb as the guards who escorted him put their weapons down when the leader of the secret clubhouse pointed their bows at them. "There is no need for bloodshed," he said.
"You did it," Robb cheered
"Now, let's clean things up!"
The cheers and laughter of people then turned into sorrow and confusion. The horns of the lightning tower announced the death of the grandmaster. The new system was to take place as Sato being the one to usurp the throne. The guards and cavalry had no choice but to follow who was in charge of the system. Still, Sato then declared that there would be no leader, only them, the people will take control of the realm. "This realm is not made for an empire dressing up as a system, but a system dressed up to topple empires! We are now free, and we are the ones that are in control. Together we will go to heights with balance in mind and connection in our hearts." Sato exclaimed as he stood upon the veranda that overlooks the kingdom.
The kingdom walls were brought down, and road constructions were in effect. Those who weren't in favor of the new system went on self-exile to other realms. The lightning tower was then brought down and was made another hub to make the merchants have ease of access to the domain. Communities were united as they forged an agreement to maintain the roads that led from one community to another.
All roads were connected, the merchants and people were united, the core of the problem was solved.
The flag of BCH was born, carrying in the values of Balance, Connection and Heights as it lays on the open field where the Mad knight was laid down to his death. Sato grieved every now in then, but he knows he fulfilled his part, and what they had now wouldn't happen if it wasn't for the mad knight.
Sato looked upon the realm in awe as prosperity begins to reign. He looked upon the already content people with the security and fast trade that boosted their welfare. All roads now lead to BCH as people worked together to be connected to the center.
"So, what now?" A voice behind Sato asked.
He smiled, "Make our vision a reality."
End.
Resources :
https://www.laboiteverte.fr/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/route-rome-paris-03.jpg
https://www.deviantart.com/hi-artist/art/Arthas-betrayal-521364720
https://c4.wallpaperflare.com/wallpaper/793/200/948/cityscape-city-smoke-tower-wallpaper-preview.jpg
heck that was intense OnO it would be cool if bch actually forced its fork that way 😂😂😂 i bet a lot of the 1bch peeps would have been on the front lines of it