The New World Book 1 Origins

 Chapter 3

The Oration of Serenity

The roar of the crowd was a symphony to my ears, a testament to the carefully cultivated devotion that bloomed wherever I spoke. Tonight, it was paradise city , a mid-sized city in what they still quaintly referred to as Lights world. The holographic banners depicting my image, radiating benevolence and wisdom, fluttered in the manufactured breeze above the vast plaza. They saw what I allowed them to see: the architect of a new Eden, a beacon of hope in a world weary of strife.

From the elevated stage, bathed in a soft, unifying light (a touch I always insisted upon), I surveyed the faces before me. Their eyes, filled with a mixture of awe and trust, were mirrors reflecting the carefully crafted narrative I had woven over the decade. World hunger, a stain on their history, was eradicated. Wars, those barbaric relics of a less enlightened age, were a distant memory. The disparate nations had finally, willingly, surrendered their petty squabbles to the singular, guiding hand of the Global Unity Council – a council, of course, whose every decision subtly, elegantly, aligned with my long-term objectives.

Tonight’s rally was a celebration, a reaffirmation of our collective triumph. My words, honed and polished over countless speeches, flowed effortlessly, each syllable resonating with the deepest longings of their hearts.

“Look around you,” I intoned, my voice amplified to a comforting resonance that filled every corner of the plaza. “See the faces of your neighbors. No longer divided by borders or burdened by scarcity. We are one. We are united. We are the future.”

A wave of enthusiastic cheers erupted, washing over the stage. They believed it. They truly believed in the paradise I had so meticulously constructed. They had no idea the foundations of their serenity were built upon a carefully concealed truth, a truth that would soon bloom in a way they could never imagine.

Earlier that day, the air in the private chambers beneath the Unity Council headquarters in Geneva was far less euphoric. The assembled leaders, the former presidents and prime ministers who now held ceremonial roles, sat around the polished obsidian table, their expressions a mixture of deference and a subtle, underlying unease that I always found amusing.

“The final integration protocols are nearing completion,” I announced, my tone firm but reassuring. “The last vestiges of national identity will be seamlessly woven into the fabric of global citizenship within the next quarter-cycle.”

A portly man who had once led a small European nation cleared his throat. “Light, with all due respect, there are still… murmurs. Concerns among certain factions. They speak of old prophecies, of a darkness that will rise.”

I offered him a patient smile. “My dear Minister Dubois, such anxieties are the echoes of a less enlightened past. Fear thrives in ignorance. Our role is to illuminate the path forward, to assure them that the shadows have been banished forever.” My gaze swept across the room, catching the eye of a sharp-featured woman who had once commanded a powerful military. “Our security forces, now unified under a single command, are more than capable of quelling any lingering dissent. Remind them of the stability we have achieved, the prosperity we all now share.”

The meetings were always the same. A few hesitant questions, a touch of lingering nationalism, easily quelled by the undeniable reality of the peace and abundance I had delivered. They couldn’t see the strings I was pulling, the subtle manipulations that ensured their continued compliance. They believed I was one of them, a uniquely gifted human who had dedicated his life to their betterment.

Sometimes, a flicker of guilt, a ghost of the humanity I had long suppressed, would try to surface. But then I would remember my true purpose, the grand design, the promise I had made long ago in the shadowed realm. This world, this fragile sphere of fleeting beauty, was a necessary stepping stone. Their peace, their tranquility, was merely the fertile ground upon which a new order would bloom.

Back on the stage in paradise city, I raised my hands, silencing the cheering crowd with a practiced gesture. “The future is bright,” I declared, my voice ringing with conviction. “A future of unity, of prosperity, of unprecedented peace for all generations to come.”

They cheered again, louder this time, their faces radiant with hope. They had no idea that the darkness they feared was not something to be banished, but something I was carefully nurturing, waiting for the perfect moment to unleash. The seeds of chaos were sown. The stage was set. And very soon, the final act would begin.