The World Aflame Book 1: Rise Of A Nation

The World Aflame Chapter 6: The Spark of the Flame.

The World Aflame Chapter 6 Settling In

By: Stratford Ukena

        After shaking Austin's hand I turned to the rest of the CAUs to address them.
       "I'm glad you all made it here safely. And I would officially like to welcome you to Castle Aria." I looked at them trying to gauge how they would respond to what I was about to say. After all it wasn't everyday that some decides to start a war. I  took a deep breath of the cold mountain fresh air and then I sprung my plan on them.
     "You may leave if you wish, or you can stay here and be safe. It's your decision but whatever you decide just know that from now on CAUs aren't going to just be hiding!" I shouted so that they all could hear.
     "What do you mean we will not be hiding?" Karliah asked confusion on her face.
    "If you agree to stay then we will train and ready ourselves to free our fellow CAUs and make a safe place for us all. And I will search for the reason that we were given the abilities we were and how we were given these abilities. If its possible we may be able to stop our persecution and change the opinion of the public."

  "But how is fighting going to change the view the public has of us?" Karliah asked.I paused to think then answered honestly. 

      "It won't," I replied. "But before we can change their opinion we have to capture their attention. They will see with time that we are not the monsters we are made out to be."

     "And how will they see that?" asked a CAU with fiery red hair

     "They will see the way we act, by not attacking the innocent, instead only fighting those who wish us harm.  By doing this, they will begin to see it's the government who is attacking us; not the other way around. If we band together the government won't be able to hunt us down as easily and it will result in us being more safe.  We can set up in our castle and be safe."

    "What if we come under attack here?" Austin asked.

   "Well we will naturally fortify this place and defend it. I assume there will be some who can utilize force fields." 

      "You mean to gather other CAUs here to be safe and to make this place untouchable, don't you?" Karliah said understanding what i had in mind. "And what if there are those who don't wish to fight you do understand that that is one of the reasons some CAUs refuse to go to the government." It was a fair observation but i had already thought of that.

    "Well we won't force anyone to fight that will be the difference between us and the government there are other things to do besides fight. like cooking and cleaning, maintenance, and building. This will ensure that we do not become tyrants. It is my hope that we can make a safe haven for all CAUs and protect those who wish to be safe. I had been planning this ever since me and Aria built this castle, but I must ask you all. What are you willing to risk to be safe again? Are you prepared to fight, to give up on going home, or... to die even" I looked at each of them in turn to make sure they were considering this. I couldn't tell if I had done enough to convince them. I hoped so but i had no idea. I had worked on this plan for the months I had been on the run and even more while I had been searching for Aria. 

   I honestly didn't know if I was doing the right thing all I wanted was for Aria to be safe and for no other CAUs to face the same fate as the probably hundreds who had been hurt or even killed by the government. If I could accomplish that by creating a safe place for us all even through violence then I would. The red haired CAU suddenly came to the front of the group. He was a few years younger than me but stood at my eye level. He had an impish face and a permanent smile that practically screamed trouble, but he looked resolved. He came up to me and at first he just stared at me. Then to my surprise he offered me his hand.

   "I don't really care to have to keep running and never feeling safe," he began. "And I don't like the idea of fighting but since I will have to fight either way, i'd rather fight to keep others safe not just myself. But if I'm going to join you I want you to swear to this entire group and before all newcomers that you will never be oppressive, that you will never force anyone to do that which they don't want to, and to accept all CAUs That wish to be safe. Regardless of their past or their actions. That is my one condition!" I thought about what he was asking me to do. This meant even if someone was my worst enemy as long as they needed to be safe they could come into this castle.  

   I then turned to Aria who was standing behind me next to Karliah. Aria just smiled and gave a slight nod. A feeling of happiness and acceptance flowed through me as I turned back around and grasped the guys' hand in a firm grip. "May I know your name?" I asked.

   "Henry," He replied, "Henry Gungage." I smiled at the unusual name. i could hardly believe what was happening. It was in that moment that I realized I was changing the history of the world in that moment.

    "Well Henry and all CAUs! I do hereby swear to all the terms in which Henry Gungage has presented, and I do swear to uphold and protect the CAUs of our world," I shouted in my most official sounding voice. "And I also swear that I will find out who is responsible for the abilities in which we possess because that is something we all deserve to know." Henry firmly shook my hand then turned to the gathered CAUs who looked at him with some admiration and some uncertainty. I just stood there and scanned their faces as they one by one came alight with joy.

    " I don't know about the rest of you," Henry said but i'm sick and tired of eating scraps from the dumpster! So shall we make a place for ourselves in this world!" With that the CAUs roared in approval and got to their feet. I just stared at Henry in amazement. With just a few words he had stirred their hearts and raised their spirits. "So where do you want us to start setting up?" Henry asked, but i just stared at him because all I could think of at that moment was how I was going to build a business out of Henry's promotional talent. So naturally the only thing that was going through my mind was how rich I was about to be.