Chapter 75: Call to Arms

The sun was already high when Sebastian and Rodrigo finally reached the central square. The city was beginning to wake up, with the noise of conversations and the movement of merchants filling the air. However, the atmosphere was charged with tension, a feeling that everyone shared, even without knowing exactly what was coming.

Rodrigo stopped in the middle of the square, observing the movement around him. "We need an assembly," he said firmly. "Let's gather everyone who can fight, everyone who has something to contribute. There is no more time to wait."

Sebastian knew that it would not be easy to convince the people to mobilize, especially in a place where many had settled into the fragile peace that remained. But he also knew that if anyone could do it, it was Rodrigo.

They headed to the house of the mayor, an elderly man, but respected by most of the residents. When they arrived, Sebastian knocked loudly on the door, determined to be heard.

The door was opened by one of the mayor's assistants, who recognized them immediately. "What are you doing here so early?" he asked, clearly surprised by the unexpected visitor.

"We need to speak to the mayor, it's urgent," Rodrigo said bluntly. "The city is in danger, and we don't have time to waste."

The assistant hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing the serious expressions on Sebastião and Rodrigo's faces, he decided not to question them. "This way," he said, leading them to the room where the mayor was already preparing to begin his day.

The mayor, a gray-haired man with a tired face, greeted them with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "What brings you here at this hour?" he asked, gesturing for them to sit down.

Rodrigo wasted no time. "Mayor, we are about to be attacked by an armed force. We have reliable information that an army is marching towards us, and we need to act now to prepare the defense of the city."

The mayor frowned, clearly disturbed by the news. "An army? Are you sure about that? Why would they come here?"

"That doesn't matter now," Sebastian interjected. "What matters is that we need to organize the defense, gather everyone who can fight, and prepare the city for what's to come."

The mayor looked from Rodrigo to Sebastian, considering the gravity of the situation. Finally, he nodded, seeming to accept the inevitability of what they were saying. "Very well," he said with a sigh. "I'm going to call a meeting of the city leaders. We're going to need all the help we can get."

"We need this meeting to happen now," Rodrigo insisted. "Every minute counts. The sooner we start organizing, the better our chances will be."

The mayor nodded, standing with new determination in his eyes. "I'm going to gather the leaders in the square. Let everyone you can tell. If we're going to fight, we're going to need every man and woman capable of holding a weapon."

With the mayor's approval, Sebastian and Rodrigo split up to cover more ground, warning the townspeople and calling them to the town hall for an assembly in the central square. The call to arms echoed through every street and alley, rousing the bravest and the most fearful. The fate of the town now depended on them all. As the townspeople began to gather, Rodrigo stepped onto a makeshift platform in the center of the square, preparing to speak. When the crowd was large enough, he took a deep breath and began to speak. "You all know that difficult times lie ahead," he began, his voice clear and strong. "But what you may not know is that an army is marching toward us. We don't have much time, and we need to be ready to defend our homes, our families, and everything we love." Murmurs of concern began to grow among the crowd, but Rodrigo pressed on, determined to maintain control of the situation. "I'm not here to promise that it will be easy, or that everyone will come out of this unscathed. But what I can promise you is that if we stick together, if we fight as a community, we will have a chance. And that chance is what we need to fight for."

Sebastião, who had been watching from the crowd, felt a surge of pride as he saw how Rodrigo was mobilizing the people. The old soldier, who had sworn never to fight again, was now leading the city in its darkest hour.

"So I ask everyone who can fight to come forward," Rodrigo continued. "For those who can't, help in other ways: prepare supplies, care for the wounded, do whatever is necessary. Each of you has a role to play, and we all need each other right now."

With those words, the crowd began to respond. Men and women stepped forward to fight, others offered their skills in other areas, and the city, which had previously seemed resigned to its fate, now began to unite in a common front.

Rodrigo