The air was thick with the scent of incense as Apu stood before the grand pyre.
His father's body lay encased in ceremonial robes, surrounded by burning offerings. The mourners stood in silence, their heads bowed in respect, but Apu barely noticed them.
His eyes remained fixed on the flames as they began to consume the remains of the man who had failed their empire.
Cayoc Chakra—a once-mighty ruler, now reduced to ash.
Behind him, his mother, Sayri, quietly wept. Apu had never understood what she saw in his father. His three siblings stood beside him.
Huari, second in line and only thirteen years old, bore a complex expression as he glared at Apu—an unspoken accusation or perhaps a silent understanding of the weight of destiny.
They all stood directly in front of the pyre, surrounded by royal guards whose imposing presence lent an air of solemn authority to the scene.
As the fire grew higher, Apu felt a strange detachment wash over him—a mixture of relief and loss. He had long since abandoned any semblance of love for his father, yet the gravity of the moment pressed upon him. Today was not just a funeral; it was a beginning. His beginning.
A group of high-ranking priests, clad in long red robes, took center stage on a raised dais adjacent to the pyre. Their leader—a gaunt man with deep-set eyes and an austere presence—stepped forward.
His voice, softened by years of study and ritual, resonated across the assembly as he began his speech:
"Today, we stand at the crossroads of grief and rebirth.
Cayoc Chakra, though flawed in his rule and haunted by his own demons, served as a link in the eternal chain of our destiny. His time in this mortal realm is now concluded, consumed by the purifying flames. But let not his fall be seen merely as a tragedy—it is a lesson, a call to transformation."
After the priest finished, he descended from the podium, and one after another, high-ranking nobles, generals, and family members delivered their speeches. Apu, however, found himself drifting into his own thoughts—visions of conquest and dreams of a future unburdened by his father's failures.
When all had spoken, it was finally Apu's turn. Clutching the paper on which he had penned his speech, he walked calmly up to the podium, flanked by two royal guards.
"Friends, citizens, and loyal subjects of Shawaya," Apu began, his voice steady and clear, belying his youthful appearance.
"Today marks a turning point. Look at these flames—they aren't merely consuming the remnants of a flawed past; they're lighting the way for a fresh start.
My father's reign ended in chaos and hardship, but that failure does not have to define our fate.
I stand before you not simply because I inherited a crown, but because I see the chance to build something better—a kingdom where every voice matters, where hope replaces despair, and where our mistakes serve as the lessons that drive us forward.
Yes, I am young, and I know I have much to prove. But I promise you this: I will learn from the errors of the past and lead with honesty, strength, and an open heart. Shawaya has suffered under harsh rules and misguided ambition for too long.
It's time for all of us—from the hardworking farmer to the proud noble, to unite and create a future defined by fairness and unity.
I won't pretend that the road ahead will be easy. There will be challenges and hard decisions to make. But every trial is a chance to grow stronger, to learn, and to forge a new path where justice and progress aren't empty words, but the very foundation of our daily lives.
As we watch these flames rise, let them remind us that even in the darkest moments, new light can emerge.
Today, I ask for your trust, your support, and your determination to rebuild Shawaya into a kingdom we can all be proud of. Together, we can transform our future—one spark, one step, one united effort at a time."
As applause began to ripple through the gathered crowd, Apu stepped down from the podium, and his guards escorted him back to his family.
The murmurs of approval blended with the crackling of the dying fire, marking the end of his speech and the culmination of a day steeped in both sorrow and hope.
After five long hours, the funeral rites finally concluded. Later that evening, the official coronation of Apu Chakra was set to take place, heralding the start of a new era for Shawaya.