Page 12 of Rising

The heat from the afternoon sun was blistering. The Pit was empty as everyone had already headed towards The Arena in The Entertainment Square of The Compound.

We kept pace through the streets and arrived half an hour later to a buzzing arena. I knew this untimely death had caused a sense of uncertainty and there were bound to be rumors now about a potential coup at play. While I hadn’t yet prepared my speech, a sudden realization hit me as Tomoe’s words echoed through my head. I needed to provide my people with the feeling of safety and peace, and to do that, I needed to lead by example. And since I wasn’t in the current headspace to do so, I it was time to appoint someone to take charge until I was ready. Someone who instilled enough fear to keep things in order. Someone who was capable of preventing any escalation of a possible coup d’état.

I took Riley’s hand and squeezed it. Understanding filled his eyes, and he gave me a small smile.

Amaia

The Arena was a massive Roman inspired building; the inside was filled with large columns and archways that coined elaborate designs engraved into them and the ceiling above. Beautiful paintings complimenting the shimmering limestone and flooring.

Once we hit the bottom stage before the long steps leading to the center stage, I stopped. Riley and Seth lined up shoulder to shoulder with me. Unity. Tomoe and Reina took their seats at the front. A soldier brought Harley out and placed her on the side of Reina, dropping her leash with a clank on the hard floors.

I took my time looking around, not caring that I was leaving a now hushed crowd waiting. The large room was framed in towering archways that allowed both sun and candlelight to highlight the pinkish tone of the limestone.

The earth elementals had taken their time in this building, allowing their magic and creativity to guide the way. Civilization needed the arts to ground themselves in humanity. Theater and music paralleled the need for bars. Always needed to allow people to find a way to shed pent-up emotions, cry and laugh in the same space as their peers, and bond through the shared experience.

Every inch of The Arena was thoughtfully made to complement each elaborate detail. The pinkish marble and burgundy pattern on the floor was polished so perfectly that I could see my blurry reflection off the rebound of the gaslights that light up the columns under the archways. They were encased in vintage inspired bronze fixtures, the welder opting to remind himself of the architecture in his hometown fifty miles east.

Chairs had been laid out in wedding fashion. Curving around to fit the bottom stage, though we were here to celebrate the end of a life, and not the beginning of a new chapter. I turned my back to the crowd and ascended the long staircase, leaving Seth and Riley behind.

One. Two. Three. Four.I counted my way up all thirty-eight steps and took another deep breath before facing the crowd again.

My soldiers rose, standing to face me at attention. Their moving bodies left an echo through The Arena. I glanced up, taking comfort in the well-crafted designs that were engraved across the ceiling.

“At ease.”

They dropped their arms and took their seats once more.

My eyes wandered around the room, finally landing on Prescott who sat with the rest of the Council to the left of the stage. He gave me a reassuring nod, eyes encouraging me to go on.

“Lieutenant Brennan represented the best qualities of us all. He showed kindness on his worst days and showered all with love and patience at his best. His ability to understand each of us when we could not understand our own desires made him not only a great lieutenant and natural leader, but also a great friend. A great partner.”

Taking a moment to collect myself, I cleared my throat. A ball seemingly caught in the middle of it, making each swallow hurt more than the one before.

“He challenged us to be better every day. Showed us there is no glory in battle and war, only immense pride in a place to call home and a fierce desire to protect those that we love. But what happens when we lose the one who showed us that going off the deep end isn’t always a path to darkness but rather a chance to ground oneself and find the light in a new beginning? A place to grow rather than drown.”

Wide eyes, some filled with tears, met mine as I took a chance to glance around the room once more.

“Every one of you here before me today is proof that Jax’s vision of this place is possible. That new beginnings and faith in every soul, no matter their past, are worth having a place to go. A place to grow into someone new. Someone who makes their own mark on the world. He saw something in each one of you and granted you a second chance. That is something that-” I stuttered, deciding to change course. “I’ll be honest with you. There isn’t another Jax. He is irreplaceable. There will never be another.”

Gasps crept from a few and shushes flew from those next to them, hanging on to the edge of every last word.

“And that’s okay. Because he would never want that to happen to begin with. There can’t be another Lieutenant Brennan, but there can be the promise that the future will be bright and his legacy will be upheld, even in a new light. I have full faith that Seth Moore will fulfill the role of my second with the fire and intensity needed to help us recover from such a loss as a family. One unit, one compound. Lieutenant Brennan would be honored to be succeeded by a man he called a brother.”

Seth’s shoulders pulled back slightly, and his head angled high as the soldiers muttered,One unit, one compound, back at me. He appeared proud, even on a day as sad as this one. His temper could cause us trouble. I was taking a chance on him with this one, but I knew it was the good faith and toss of opportunity for a friend I had known to be as solid as could come, that Jax would expect me to take. To always give someone a chance to show who they really are, what they are capable of once given a chance.

Riley’s face showed no indication that he’d heard the news that now shook the room, but I know he did. He understood where I needed him the most, without me having to communicate it to him. We would have our chance to discuss things later, but for now, he would not embarrass me by looking taken aback. No, he would show his general nothing but respect.

I could feel the intensity of Reina’s glare, now solely focused on me. Her sense of betrayal and confusion seeped up all thirty-eight steps as if she was pushing them out with her magic, though I knew she wasn’t.

“Riley Sullivan will continue on with his current duties and responsibilities for controlling the gates and the safety of the community. He’ll also be working closely with Lieutenant Moore and I on selective missions. He will begin putting together a trusted team this week. I expect you all to be operating at standards Lieutenant Brennan would find nothing but exceptional. The safety of The Compound depends on it. I want you all to hear me loud and clear when I say I will allow no further threat to our safety. I promise you, even if it means I have to take out each potential threat with my bare hands.”

Which themselves, if nothing else, were weapons. They all knew that. My hand-to-hand combat skills alone were enough to have me qualify as General if Prescott wasn’t intent on having a general that checkedeverybox, and not just the physical ones. But this promise was aimed at whoever the traitor out there, probably in this very crowd, was. A promise that although I could use anything in this world to take them out, I would rather use my hands to feel the life escaping them, for the life they allowed to escape from my partner.

With that threat hanging in the air, four soldiers entered the room carrying Jax’s casket. Blacker than death itself, with a red cursive J painted down the center and a golden snake to intercept in the middle. Per his request, I made a mental note to thank Reina for being delicately precise with the arrangements. Despite how angry she may be with me at the moment, she was a phenomenal friend. One I was lucky enough to also call a sister. I would make sure I lost no one else. Her safety and the others meant everything to me. Even if I had to risk others in The Compound to secure it.

If that made me a crappy General I didn’t care. Everyone had a weakness, and losing another family member was mine.

They placed his casket in front of Seth and Riley, a slight thud ringing out as it hit the ground. Now was the time for me to say my goodbyes in front of everyone.

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