Chapter Text
Long time ago, before the city was established as such, the territory was part of a duchy ruled by a prominent famiy: The Elliots.
Nathaniel, or Nate, He adjusted his pilot´s cap (Which Uzi had given him on one of his birthdays, claiming that he would look great wearing it… and, well, he believed her. He really like his cap).He cleared his throat as he passed to the next slide of his presentation.
—And the story of the Elliots sounds more like a fairy tale than a historical fact— He continued reading his presentation with a solemn tone.
—¡Nate, cut to the Chase! — A voice interrupted him from the couch. It was Uzi, whit her characteristic purple hair and dark eyes, hugged a pillow while staring at him—. You've been turning around to the same point since you started. We all know that legend since we were children. —
Nate shrugged, embarrassed, and let out a sigh.
—Biscuits… I did it again ¿isn’t it? — He ran a hand through his platinum hair before smiling sheepishly —. Thanks for helping me practice, Uzi. You are the best. —
—It´s not a big deal —Uzi gave a small smile —. Come on, you can do it. Just relax. You're going to get a good grade in literature, as always. Plus, you're almost an expert on that story.
Motivated by his friend's reassuring expression, Nate took a deep breath and started again.
—One more time, then — He sighed, reviewing his notes —. The story of Noah Elliot, the hero of Copper 9, is one of the most told in the region. According to legend, and the writings left by the Elliot family themselves, at a time when the witch hunt was at its peak, the duchy faced a great magical threat. It is said that two very powerful witches, known for their hatred towards those who did not possess magic, proclaimed their intention to destroy the territory.
Uzi raised an eyebrow, interested in how Nate managed to put emphasis on each word.
—They received a direct threat from both witches —Nate continued, his voice rising slightly —and it was the Elliot family who rose up in arms. Then Noah, who at that time was a simple servant even without a surname, led the duchy's troops, facing the witches' army and gaining the trust of the people.
Nate advanced to the next slide, where an old illustration of a figure holding a sword appears.
—After several battles, Noah managed to reach the two witches. Legend says that the victory was possible because, in an unexpected twist, the older witch attacked the other. In the midst of the chaos, Noah seized the opportunity, rose with his sword, and put an end to the magical threat.
Nate changed again the slide.
—Thereafter, Noah was awarded the Elliot surname, becoming part of the family and marrying an adopted daughter of the Elliots, Veronica Elliot. And it is for all this that Noah Elliot is considered the great hero of Copper 9, which is why we have a party around his heroic feat, a symbolic statue built in our central square and another statue in the image and likeness of Noah in the forest of the north, this being a sacred place for the citizens. —
—Thank you for your attention… and may glory protect you. — Nate looked at Uzi, waiting for some kind of reaction.
—That was amazing, Nate! The presentation is ready. —Uzi applauded him several times while Nate bowed somewhat exaggeratedly, causing his friend to laugh and him to blush.
They had a good time laughing together at Nate's house. And then while he was in the kitchen preparing some popcorn, Uzi broke the silence.
—Hey, N... have you ever thought that that story sounds too convenient? —She asked from the couch, hugging the pillow tighter and looking down.
Nate, who was standing at the microwave, frowned, confused.
—Convenient? What are you talking about?—
—Come on, Nate—. Uzi rolled her eyes. — You always tell that story with stars in your eyes, as if Noah Elliot were the great hero of an epic. But... what if it wasn't like that? What if those witches were just people with knowledge that people didn't understand? What if the story was manipulated to make the Elliots the good guys? —.
—Manipulated? —Nate raised an eyebrow as the microwave marked the end of the popcorn. He walked to the couch with the bowl in his hands. — Uzi, all the history books say the same thing. Noah Elliot freed the Duchy of Copper 9 from magical danger. If he had not done so, the city would not exist —.
-Yes of course —. Uzi clicked her tongue, tilting her head. — But witch hunts were almost always a pretext to persecute anyone who thought differently or had advanced knowledge. People fear what they don't understand, and many times those "witches" were scientists, herbalists, or simply people who knew too much —.
—Do you think Noah's whole story is a lie? — Nate asked, leaning forward a little and offering the popcorn to his friend.
—I'm not saying it's a lie. — Uzi stared at him, her dark eyes shining with defiance as she took the popcorn. — But stories are written by the victors. How can we know that the witches were the villains? What if Noah did something terrible and the story was twisted? Have you ever thought about it? —
Nate was silent for a moment, biting his lip.
—You have a point— he admitted after some thought. — But I guess some things we'll never fully know. —
—I guess... — Uzi murmured, although she didn't seem entirely convinced.
—Still, it wouldn't kill me to investigate a little more about it. I never thought about it — Nate said, seeing Uzi's crestfallen expression.
She looked at him, surprised, before flashing a playful smile.
-Good! I will help you. We can review the ancient texts in the library and then go to Noah's shrine this weekend— Uzi said while eating some popcorn.
Nate's eyes widened as he took in the true meaning of those words.
—Wait… are you saying that this weekend we will go to the old part of the library? —he asked, putting a hand to his face.
-Exact! Oh, and don't forget the sanctuary, an exploration in the forest doesn't kill anyone!—Uzi responded enthusiastically, taking another handful of popcorn.
Nate let out a long sigh.
—Well… I like to do anything… I guess—he thought as he watched her happily enjoy the popcorn, going to places that were quite questionable in terms of security was a very small price to pay to see Uzi happy he thought.