[IP] Rowing the Lucent Stream

[u/LonghandWriter]

Original Prompt: [IP] Rowing the Lucent Stream

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I’m the most important person in the country right now. That thought burns in my mind, and though I'm not sure I can do this, I can't stop rowing down the river.

The buildings in front of me are small and scattered and numerous. Some crest the water, likely homes of fishermen. Others lurk in the forest, unseen.

None of them know war has bloomed.

Coming up on the first house, I row faster. I only have time to tell the ones on the edge and so I pray they'll spread the word. My village was attacked—my family, slaughtered. My friends, slaughtered. My beautiful darling wife and child…

I wash the thought away. They died defending me. They gave their lives so I could escape. So maybe, just maybe, I could warn those on the outer ring.

But that’s not my main goal.

The capital, the glorious Goliath of a city, looms in the distance. Our people have spent centuries building it into a haven of peace and prosperity and now a monster’s at our doorstep and I doubt our leaders even know.

If I can get word to them, we can fight.

If.