The Black Candle [EDITING]

Chapter Twenty-Three

The team of five made their way to the front of the mess hall, walking hand-in-hand as they felt the gazes of the children shift towards them. Soft murmurs filled the room, their thoughts wandering as they waited for what would come from their heroes.

"May we have your attention, please?" Lev gently called, turning to see that the children were already facing him. Akilina stood beside him, her frail body shrinking in comparison to his.

"How are you all feeling?" she called out, relieved to see that many of the recruits were nodding. Their healing was promising, reassuring her that the Survivalist's work was finally slowing. Lev cleared his throat, preparing to speak once more.

"It is clear that we have all gone through a traumatic experience. These things take time so we are able to heal, recover, and replenish our reserves."

The silence that filled the room was oddly soothing, relaxing the tense muscles of the children to finally relax as they sat further in their seats. They were looking towards the five people who were willing to take charge and who were willing to care for them.

"What happened out there?" one of the recruits shouted, their anxiety and frayed nerves overtaking the calmness in their voice. Rae looked towards them, seeing that it was a young boy towards the middle of the room. His eyes were wide with panic, a few younger recruits flanking him.

"We were ambushed by an off-site training facility for Veterans that were never stationed at our organization." Rae put a hand on his chest, giving a reassuring smile to the boy. "I promise you that you are safe now."

"Where are they now?" another recruit asked, this one slightly older. The gazes shifted towards them, seeing that it was a young woman.

"They have been taken to a jailhouse that we monitor," Dorian responded. "Elizabeth and I are in charge of orders within Archive Storage and the jailhouse. We are keeping them under lock and key and under control."

"But so many have died. How can we ensure that this won't happen again?" The level of fear was rising in the room, the bloodshot-eyes of the children staring deep within them. Their gaze was piercing, causing a few of them to shudder uncomfortably.

"Sadly," Titus sighed, "we can't ensure anything. We will always live our lives here without knowing when they may come back."

"So," a young boy called out. His voice was anchored and calm, a familiar ring touching Lev. "What are we going to do?" He searched the crowd, seeing that Justin was the one to speak. A grin teased his lips, pleased to see that the boy was prepared to grasp the situation.

"As for The Black Candle Organization, we will continue to expand. We will reach out and continue to work on training as a preemptive measure." Lev looked upon the rest of the children, relieved to see that they were eased by his answer. "We intend to continue our restoration work here so we can send you all home for some well-deserved rest." The recruits cried happily, rejoicing by the pleasurable words.

"At that point, if you wish to unenroll from the organization, you may speak with me," Dorian interjected. "There will be strict protocol, but we understand if this is not the right place for you."

"We know that you all came here to delve into training to return to your homes and live your lives." Akilina stepped forward, her eyes welling with tears. "I left my home in France, leaving my family and my life behind to train and gain the skills to protect my family and earn a living for myself. I came here with a completely different view of this facility. I expected to be trained as a hobby, not a full career. I, personally, was surprised and have found a new love for this organization. I want to further expand and defend our facility and I will do so. We understand if this is not the same revelation that you are experiencing."

A few more murmurs were exchanged, the strength in the room steadily raising as the recruits regained their excitement once more.

"Our journey will be hard," Titus began. "We cannot lie to you. This experience will be tough. And it will be grueling. But I can swear to you that we will have the respect and courtesy towards you that these Veterans lacked. We will treat you as human beings and not machines of war."

The mess hall erupted with cheers of sheer relief and victory. They had endured a war of torture, grief, and anxiety. They were able to overcome their fears and fight back. They had evolved as functioning members of a society: functioning members of their organization.

"The Black Candle Organization shall make a name for itself," Rae beamed, his voice cutting through the noise of glee. The recruits quieted down, their eyes wide with ambition and excitement. "We shall fight for justice and do things right the second time. We may have enlisted in this army against our will, but we are fully aware of this organization's ambitions and its true purpose. We are here to defend ourselves and our names against the Second Sanction."

Applause and cheers filled the room once more, adrenaline flowing through their veins. For once, they actually had a plan. They had clear goals and aspirations, working to complete them and fulfill their purpose.

"We shall be holding weekly meetings here as we go through and make this organization our own." Dorian stepped to the front, addressing the entire crowd in a formal fashion. "We would like to have an open council where you all can discuss your true and honest opinions. The five of us do not want to be making these decisions alone. This organization is not just ours, but yours as well."

"Rather than a team of recruits, we are a family." Titus squeezed Akilina's hand, unable to control his smile as he looked through the crowd. "We are here to support each other until the end of time. We will be here through thick and thin until our final candles burn out. We will never give in. We will keep our heads high and remain strong as a family. And you can bet that I will never break that promise. Because we," he shouted, raising Akilina's hand above their heads. Their fingers were tightly interlocked, her other arm doing the same as it passed throughout the team of five. The recruits did the same from their seats, their hands raised high as they stood with their fellow comrades. Titus smirked, feeling Akilina's hand as she squeezed back.

"We are The Black Candle Organization!"