CH. 47 The Trial of Leadership, Part III
The Trial shimmers again and reshapes around us.
Stone fractures. Light bends.
And suddenly Farro stands alone - well, not alone, technically.
He has somehow acquired an audience.
A group of twenty civilians huddles around him:
· mothers clutching children
· elderly men leaning on canes
· three shirtless young men flexing for no reason
· and two women who are obviously seconds away from asking him to sign their chests.
Farro brightens instantly.
"Ah. My people."
One of the women sighs dreamily. "He's so pretty."
Another whispers, "I want to braid his hair and ride into battle with him."
A child tugs his sleeve. "Are you the prince who cut off Uncle Farro's-"
"NOPE!" Farro coughs, shoving a hand over the kid's mouth. "Different Farro. Common name. Happens all the time."
---
Then the sound hits us.
An explosion of stone - BOOM.
Everyone jumps. Dust rains from above.
Farro pales. "What was that?!"
The civilians scream: "THE INVADERS ARE COMING!"
"THE NORTHERN RAIDERS!"
"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"
Farro holds up his hands. "Okay, okay, calm down! You!" He points at a random man. "Tell me what's happening!"
"I'm not a soldier!" the man yells. "I'm a baker!"
"Perfect," Farro says, relieved. "Bakers are calm. You knead dough, you knead solutions. Tell me what to do."
"I HAVE NO IDEAS."
"Oh great. Useless carbs."
---
A huge shadow approaches outside the ruined archway.
A monster.
A massive one.
A raider warbeast - eight feet tall, dripping with armor and fury - charges toward the civilians.
Everyone screams.
Farro screams louder.
Except - he grabs a child and dives behind a chunk of rubble, shielding the kid with his own body.
The monster crashes into the courtyard.
The civilians scatter like startled chickens.
Farro peeks over the rubble.
"Okay. Um. Hello, sir."
He waves weakly at the beast.
"You're... very tall. Have you considered not killing us?"
The beast roars.
Farro throws a rock at it.
"Bad! No roaring!"
The rock bounces off the beast's face and does absolutely nothing.
---
The civilians panic harder.
"WE NEED A LEADER!" a woman wails.
"THIS IS A DISASTER!"
"I CAN'T DIE BEFORE MY DATE TONIGHT!"
Farro blinks.
A tiny spark of something... uncomfortable flickers in him.
Responsibility.
He sets the child down.
Stands up.
Takes a shaky step forward.
"LISTEN!"
Surprisingly - everyone does.
He swallows hard.
"I am Prince Farro of Resan," he says, voice cracking but strong enough. "I don't know battle strategy. I can't fight like Gavin or Sorien."
A pause.
"But I am NOT letting any of you die."
The civilians stare.
The warbeast charges.
Farro shouts:
"MOVE BEHIND THE WALL! TAKE COVER - NOW!"
The civilians obey instantly.
Because for once - he's not flirting.
He's not posing.
He's not preening.
He's trying.
---
The warbeast lunges.
Farro grabs a fallen spear, spins, and - to his own utter shock - actually blocks the blow.
"BY THE MOON, DID YOU SEE THAT?!" he yelps.
"Yes!" a civilian shrieks. "NOW DO IT AGAIN!"
"WHAT?!"
"DO IT AGAIN!"
The beast swings.
Farro ducks, rolls, and ends up behind it.
"Somone distract it!" he shouts.
A civilian: "HOW?!"
Farro points to the three shirtless men. "You three - flex at it!"
They flex.
The beast hesitates.
Farro shoves the spear into its armored joint.
A roar. A crash.
The beast falls.
The civilians erupt into cheers.
Children hug him.
Women swoon.
The shirtless flexers flex more.
Farro blinks, stunned.
"...I did that?"
An old grandmother pats his cheek.
"You led us, dear."
---
But the Trial isn't done.
The ground trembles again. A second warbeast approaches.
The civilians waver.
One woman clutches her child, desperate. "Prince Farro... what do we do now?"
Farro looks at them.
Really looks.
These people aren't flirting with him.
They're scared.
Human.
Needing someone.
He squares his shoulders.
"Same thing," he says.
"We survive. Together."
He points, commanding:
"You- gather stones for ammunition. YOU- climb the carts and throw what you can. You three- flex only if necessary."
The flexers salute.
The civilians move, organized now - following him.
The warbeast charges.
Farro stands at the front.
Not the prettiest.
Not the most capable.
But a leader.
"Ready!" he shouts.
And the civilians echo him:
"READY!"
The battlefield shakes.
The Trial glows-
And freezes.
---
The warbeast dissolves.
The civilians vanish into smoke.
Farro stands alone.
Panting.
Shaking.
But... proud.
I step forward and clap.
"Honestly? That was impressive."
Farro wipes his brow, grins weakly.
"I, uh... didn't die. That's new."
Sorien smirks. "You did well, brother."
Gavin nods once - reluctantly, but sincerely.
Farro laughs.
Then winces.
"My flexers... I'll miss them."