The Riots of Chaos

Prologue

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My grandfather sat in the chair, gnarled hands clenching the wooden arms of the makeshift rocker we had constructed for his use. He had been struck by arthritis at a young age, leaving him nearly immoble in his later years. I was always in awe of him, so regal, his mane of white hair reminiscent of a lion. My fascination always led me back to his side, particularly later at night when he would settle by the crackling fire, flames dancing in his silver eyes as he spun me tales of magic and wonder. Though the stories seemed so insignifigant at the time, I realize now that they were all to build in me the qualities I needed so sorely. 

He would tell me not of princesses riding off into the sunset with their beloveds, but stories of war and epic battles, adventures with heroines of fantastic qualities that I aspired to be well into my early teens. But as to every fantasy story, there is always a moral behind it, and I would never forget the desperate direction my grandfather gave me on that last night. 

"Charlotte," He said, gasping out my name in the middle of the night.

I ran into the living room, my ten-year-old self terrified at the possiblities of what could be taking place in that room. 

He bit his lip, yellow-stained teeth bared as he gripped the front of my t-shirt. 

"Charlotte Alexandra Everett, you must know now. Terrible things are soon to come, the world taken by insanity. But you, my lovely granddaughter, it's you that'll survive. You will found a great civilization, a safehouse for those who are cast out, shunned, and ignored. Char, you will be the salvation of the fallen, and great things will come from you when the world falls to chaos. The world will be taken, and then it in turn will take the people. But not you, my lovely. You will take the world by storm.

"Never forget that, Charlotte Alexandra Everett. You will be the calm tempest, the level mountain, and the rock of gentility.

"But beware, child. Beware, for there will be many who stand in your way, some of which will seem to be friends. Remember that insanity can take root in even the rock of all minds, for even in a rock there is crevices that such seeds can fall. 

"You must be the impetrenable mind, Charlotte. Never allow anyone to plant ideas into your head. Always think for yourself, and be the strongest of the strong. Learn, be brave, live, and most importantly, love. 

"Remeber these things, and you will be all that I forsee you to be. I will always be keeping an eye on you, missy. Don't you forget it."

"Okay, Granpa," I said, my eyes wide. I was afraid of his words, barely understanding half of what he had said, but commiting them to my memory all the same. What Grandpa said, went. 

He let go of my shirt slowly, almost reluctantly. 

"Run along, Charlotte. Never forget what I have said to you this night."

As I stood up to run back to bed, he held up his hand one last time. 

"Yes, Grandpa?"

"You have my love, Char. Remember this as well, darling."

I grinned, a beaming smile breaking over my face. 

"I love you too, Grandpa."

I woke the next morning, and his chair was empty.

I never saw him again. 

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