Chapter 17 Preparation Part 4

Ar nodded and stepped inside, Clau behind him. They walked through the flower garden surrounding the District Chief's house, the scent of flowers mixing with the cool afternoon air.

Once inside, Ar's eyes immediately scanned the room, recognizing familiar faces.

There were Uncle Theo, Uncle Jason, Aunt Garcia, and Aunt Martha, the elders of the district who often intervened in the problems of the residents. The children from the orphanage were also there, along with Mother Laila.

The atmosphere of this meeting was different than usual. Usually, when there was a problem that affected the neighborhood, they would gather at the neighborhood hall. But this time, the meeting was held at the district chief's house, away from the attention of outsiders.

A soft yet warm voice greeted him from the crowd.

"You people!"

Mother Laila.

The woman waved her hand, her face warming with her characteristic smile as she called out to Ar and Clau.

Ar approached her immediately, with Clau following behind. "Mother, thank you for coming."

Mother Laila took a deep breath, still maintaining her gentle smile. "Mother herself did not understand when Uncle Clemente suddenly announced this meeting at his house and not at the District Hall."

His eyes swept the room for a moment before he continued.

"But this is more than enough. With this meeting, the grievances of the residents of Floressia District can be conveyed to the Kaeliths," he continued, his voice sounding optimistic, but still with a hidden fear in it.

Ar stood in the center of the room, his eyes sweeping over the tense faces. Uncle Clemente was in the middle of the crowd, his face tired but still dignified. With a single breath, the old man opened the meeting with a firm voice.

"Thank you for coming, citizens of Floressia District," he said, his voice hoarse but still strong enough to command the attention of everyone present. "We all know the reason for this meeting. Baron Bartemus and his followers have crossed the border. They have seized our assets, traded in protected magical beasts, and now threaten to take what is left of us."

The atmosphere was immediately charged. The citizens began to vent their grievances, a mixture of anger and fear.

"They took our fields without permission!" an old man shouted in a shaking voice. "This is all we have to survive!"

"Baron Bartemus forced my husband to work in his hunting grounds!" cried a woman. She clutched the hand of a small child beside her. "My husband has not been home for months!"

Ar remained silent, his eyes catching every expression in the room. The people of Floressia District had endured this suffering for so long, and now they were finally speaking.

Beside him, Mother Laila finally took a deep breath, her voice shaking as she began to speak. "Last week, Baron Bartemus' thugs came to the orphanage," she said softly, but clearly audible over the din. "They forced us to leave our own homes. They never came back after that... but the threatening letters kept coming. I don't want to scare the children, but I feel pressured by the situation myself."

Ar turned to Mother and watched as the woman finally revealed the burden she had been carrying all along. All this time, she had never asked the District Chief or any other resident for help, perhaps for fear of scaring the children of the orphanage even more.

The atmosphere in the house grew heated, the conversation turning to panicked and desperate voices. Ar stood silently among them, listening to every complaint thrown into the air. His face remained calm, although in his heart he knew that if this meeting was not handled well, the situation would become even more chaotic.

Uncle Clemente raised his hand and asked the crowd to calm down. The angry and frightened voices slowly faded, replaced by a tense silence.

"I understand how you feel," he said, his voice softer but still firm. "I have experienced the same threat myself. Baron Bartemus wants this entire district to bend to his will. But..."

He swallowed, his hesitation visible on his face.

"We don't have the power to fight them. They have much more powerful channelers. In fact, Baron Bartemus himself has the full support of several Kaelith guilds. Going up against them... could be the end of us."

The room felt heavy. The citizens of Floressia District looked at each other, some with obvious fear in their eyes, others with simmering anger. The oppressive atmosphere threatened to derail the meeting until Ar stepped forward.

The crowd instinctively made room for the twelve-year-old. His sharp red eyes swept over every face before him, reading fear, confusion, and the last shred of hope.

When he spoke, his voice did not rise, but each word was clear.

"Fighting Kaelith is not easy," he said, his tone flat but confident. "But we have no choice. If we give up now, they will continue to torment Ethel. We may not be as strong as they are, but that doesn't mean we can't fight back."

The crowd began to murmur again, this time in a different tone. Not just fear and despair, but a glimmer of hope.

Uncle Clemente looked at Ar earnestly, then took a deep breath. "But how?" he asked finally. "I... I don't have the strength to lead a resistance. They have an army of channelers, while I have only essential power, which is hardly significant compared to theirs."

Ar nodded slightly, absorbing every bit of fear and doubt that radiated from the faces around him. He understood their unease, but he also knew that despair was not the answer.

"That's why we need a strategy," he said firmly. "We will not fight them head on. Instead, we will use terrain, traps, and tactics to wear them down. We will keep the bloodshed to a minimum, but enough to make sure they know that Ethel does not give up easily."

A young man in the crowd raised his hand. "What kind of strategy?" he asked, his voice still filled with doubt.

Ar looked at him, then calmly explained, "We know that they will most likely come tomorrow, either in the afternoon or evening. That means we still have time to prepare."

He swept his eyes over the crowd, making sure everyone was listening.

"This district has many small streets and narrow alleys. We can take advantage of that. We will set traps along the paths leading into the district, rocks, logs, even traps. We'll slow them down and make them lose their formation."

The citizens began to murmur, some whispering to each other, others nodding slowly.

"The Channelers we have will be tasked with slowing them down even more," Ar continued. "And when they are divided, we will attack with full force."

The mood of the crowd began to change. It was no longer just fear, but a slowly rising spirit. They began to talk, discussing ideas and resources they could use.

But in the midst of the enthusiasm, Uncle Clemente still looked hesitant. "But... who will lead this attack?" he asked, his voice carrying the weight of great responsibility.

Ar looked at him without hesitation. "You, Uncle Clemente."

The old man's eyes widened in obvious surprise. "Me?"

"The people trust you as the District Chief," Ar said. "You are the one who will lead them, keep them united."

Uncle Clemente looked at Ar, then at the people who were also waiting for his answer. His eyes showed hesitation, but there was something else in them, something stronger.

Ar continued, "Me, Clau and the other children will set a trap. We will make sure they are trapped before they reach this district."

There was a moment of silence before Uncle Clemente finally took a deep breath. He nodded slowly, accepting the responsibility.

"Very well," he said finally. "We will fight. For our district."

A small cheer rose from some of the people. Though the fear was still there, this time they had something more precious, hope.

Ar looked to the side and saw Clau. His twin brother looked worried, but his gaze was firm. He might not have said it, but Ar knew that Clau would stay with him no matter what.