Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

"You've all bravely taken the first step and thrown off your shackles. None of you need prove yourselves to me. But this is not about a single battle won. This is about the future of how you will live your lives from now on-how your children and your grandchildren will live their lives. You've fought bravely. Many have already lost their lives pursuing our common goal and many more yet will. But victory over evil is possible and within your power. You won a battle for something profound: your own lives to live as you see fit. But don't now fail to see that the war for that ideal is a long way from being finished.

"You have won your right to live free today. Now you must have the fire to fight to live free always."

"Freedom is never easy to keep and can easily be lost. All it takes is willful indifference.

Richard lifted an arm back toward the statue standing proudly in the afterglow of sunset. "That will to hold life dear, to be free, is the spirit of this statue we all so admire."

"But Lord Rahl," someone complained, "that is too big a task for us. We are simple people, not warriors. Maybe if you were to lead us it would be different."

Richard laid a hand on his chest. "I was a simple woods guide when I realized that I had to rise to the challenges facing me. I, too, didn't want to lace the seemingly invincible evil that loomed over me. But a wise woman-the woman that statue is modeled after-made me see that I had lo do so. I am no better than you, no stronger than you. I am simply a man who has come to understand the need to stand without compromise against tyranny. I have taken up that cause because I no longer wanted to live in fear, but to live my own life.

"Those people in the New World to the north are fighting and dying every day. They are simple people like you. None of them wishes to fight, but they must or they will surely die. Their fate today is your fate tomorrow. They can't continue to stand alone and hope to win. When your time comes, neither will you. They need you to be a part of a free world, to attack those who bring the shadow of a dark age over all the world."

A man near the front spoke up. "But aren't you saying the same thing as the Order, that we must sacrifice for the greater good of mankind?"

Richard smiled at the very idea. "Those who wish to impose an idea of a greater good are simply haters of the good. It's enlightened self-interest that causes me to lift a sword against the Imperial Order. It's purely for your own self-interest, and your self-interest in those you love, that I think you should fight-in whatever way you think you can best help our common goal. I'm not forcing you to fight for the greater good of mankind, but trying to make you see that it's a fight for your own life.

"Don't ever make the mistake of thinking that such self-interest is wrong. Self-interest is survival. Self-interest is the substance of life.

"In your own reasoned self-interest, I suggest that you rise up and strike down the Order. Only then can you truly have freedom.

"The eyes of the Old World are upon you."

The dark figures of all the people in fading light stretched back as far as Richard could see. He was relieved to see a lot of nodding heads.

Victor's gaze swept over the men before he turned back to Richard. "I think we are of a mind, Lord Rahl. I will do what I can to see it through."

Richard clasped arms with Victor as the crowd broke into cheering. Finally, as men all across Liberty Square began talking among themselves as to how best to meet the challenge, Richard turned away and took Nicci aside. Cara followed close on his heels.

"Richard, I know the value of what you have just done, but these people still need you to.»

"Nicci," he said, cutting her off, "I have to leave in the morning. Cara is going with me. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I think it would be a good idea if you were to choose to stay and help these people. They're facing a terrible enough challenge just with the soldiers, but they additionally must face a wizard. You know a lot better than I how to counter that kind of threat. You could be a tremendous help to these people."

She looked for a long time into his eyes before she glanced to the crowd not far off behind him and down the steps.

"I need to be with you," she said in a measured tone, but it still sounded to him like a plea.

"Like I said, it's your life and I'm not going to tell you what to do, just like I'd not like you trying to tell me what I must do."

"You should stay and help," she said. She broke eye contact and looked away. "But it's your life and you must do what you think best. I guess, after all you are the Seeker." She again glanced at the men gathering around close to Victor, making plans. "These people may not right now voice objections to what you had to say, but they will be thinking about it and they may very well decide later, after they face the soldiers, after a terrible and bloody fight, that they don't wish to do more."