Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 121

Chapter 121: Chapter 59: The Name of Hope – New Dawn_2
Amira continued, unfazed. “This place has become a beacon of hope for many. People are looking for safety, for a future, and we need a name that represents that—a name that survivors can hear and know that they are welcome here.”

“Earlier, we asked the people in our settlement to suggest names and after which we gathered hundreds of responses, but we shortlisted four names that stood out the most.” She reached for a sheet of paper and placed it on the table.

“So we will vote among these which one represents us best.” She cleared her throat before reading the names and their slogans aloud.

Name 1: Heavenhold with the Slogan: A Sanctuary Reborn. A Future Secured.

Name 2: Frostheaven with the Slogan: Strength in Unity, Shelter in Ice.

Name 3: Ironvale with the Slogan: Forged in Survival, Built to Endure.

Name 4: New Dawn with the Slogan: Hope Rises Here.

A moment of silence followed as everyone absorbed the meaning behind each name.

“Each of these names has a strong meaning behind them,” Amira said, looking at the everyone in the room. “Now, let’s vote so we’ll go through them one by one and you can raise your hand when I call the name you support.”

Elias stepped forward to count as Amira began the vote. “First, for Heavenhold.”

A few hands went up, including Bard and Megan. Elias counted before moving on.

“Next, Frosthaven.”

Several people raised their hands, notably Layla and a few of Aiden’s more battle-hardened unit members.

“Ironvale?”

Few of them raised his hand, along with Tommy and a good portion of the security team.

“Finally, New Dawn.”

This time, Amira was the first to raise her hand, along with Bella and Eric. A surprising number of civilians had supported this name in the initial ballot.

Once the votes were counted, Elias looked at Amira and gave a small nod. “The final decision is clear—our new home will be called…”

“New Dawn.”

A wave of murmurs swept through the room, but no one seemed dissatisfied as the name carried hope, a promise of survival, and a rebirth in the chaos of this world.

Amira nodded in approval. “From now on, we are New Dawn—a place where those seeking refuge can find security, where survivors can rebuild, and where strength is forged together.”

Tommy grinned, nudging Aiden. “Looks like we are are making history.”

Aiden rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless. “Let’s hope we lives up to the name.”

Amira then turned to Elias and Ezzie. “Start working on getting the message out and broadcast it every few hours on all channels, and set up relay points along the cleared zones, also make sure the message should be simple and direct something like this….”

She paused before dictating:

“To all survivors: You are not alone. There is a safe haven, a place where you can find security, food, and a future. We are New Dawn. If you can hear this, follow the signals and the signs as Hope rises here.”

“Good message.” Bella gave a nod of approval. “Short and to the point.”

Amira glanced around the table, her gaze lingering on each of them before finally saying, “Alright, let’s end this meeting here and get some rest—we have a lot of work to do starting tomorrow.”

One by one, the members stood up and exited the room, murmuring to each other about the upcoming tasks.

Soon, the once-busy conference hall was empty, leaving only a handful behind—Aiden, Tommy, Ezzie, Elias, Bella, Rina, and Layla.

Amira crossed her arms and smiled. “Since we’re the only ones left, how about we head to my house for dinner? We can discuss and finalize the external force assignments in a more relaxed setting.”

There were no objections as a proper meal and a comfortable place to strategize sounded much better than another late-night discussion in the meeting room.

…………….

The group walked through the quiet town streets, the cool evening air brushing against them. Aiden and Tommy looked in their surroundings, seeing more structured, more alive environment.

After a few minutes, they arrived at what was once the mayor’s house, a large residence in the center of town that had now become home to Amira, Rina, Layla, Bella, and a few others.

As soon as they stepped inside, the sound of laughter and small giggles echoed from the living room.

Aiden and Tommy exchanged puzzled glances as they saw two young children—a boy around 3-4 years old and a girl who seemed to be 6-7—running around. A middle-aged woman with soft but sharp features, dressed neatly with her hair tied back, sat nearby watching over them, a gentle but watchful presence.

Before either of them could ask, the children turned and spotted Amira, their faces lighting up with joy.

“Mummy! Mom!”

They rushed toward her, clinging to her legs in excitement.

Aiden’s eyes widened slightly, and Tommy, usually quick with a joke, was too surprised to say anything.

Wait… kids? Since when does Amira have kids?

Aiden’s mind raced, analyzing the situation. If the girl was around six or seven, that meant Amira would have had her when she was barely eighteen. That didn’t make sense. And besides, he had never seen Amira interact with a partner, let alone mention having children.

Was there something he had completely missed?

Amira, completely unbothered by their confusion, ruffled the children’s hair with a soft smile before looking at them. “Alright, let’s head inside.”

The group followed her into the warmly lit home, but Aiden and Tommy were still too thrown off to let it go.

As Amira and the children walked ahead, Elias noticed their confused expressions and let out a small chuckle. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”

Aiden and Tommy snapped their heads toward him.

“We are not thinking anything,” Tommy immediately said, while ignoring eye contact.

Elias smiled but still explained. “Those kids… they’re not Amira’s biological children. They were the mayor’s.”

That only deepened the confusion.

“The mayor’s?” Tommy echoed.

Elias’s face darkened slightly as he continued. “After the mayor was killed and his wife died while being violated and tortured and all these happened in front of these children, mind you—the kids were completely traumatized and wouldn’t speak, wouldn’t eat, wouldn’t sleep properly for days.”

His voice was heavy with the memory. “It was Amira who sat with them, took care of them, and helped them through it. At some point, they just… started calling her ‘mom.’ And she didn’t correct them. Instead, she decided to take responsibility and raise them herself.”