As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the newly formed village, a group of determined individuals gathered around a roughly hewn wooden table. It was time for the town planning meeting, a crucial step towards forging a future out of the chaos that had befallen them. The warm glow of a few strategically placed lanterns illuminated the earnest faces of Scott, Carlos, Helen, Kim, Derek and Donny.

“Who let the new guy in?” Carlos asked.

Scott sighed. “The new guy is Donny, he used to be a firefighter. Since this is a town planning session, I felt it was appropriate to include someone with actual city service experience to attend.”

“Who died and made you mayor?” Carlos asked again, almost like he was trying to stir stuff up.

“That is also something we are here to discuss.” Scott rubbed the bridge of his nose. “We’ve come a long way, but there’s more to do if we’re going to turn this place into a true home for all of us.”

Carlos, leaning back in his chair, nodded. “We need structure, organization. Not just for today or tomorrow, but for the future. We need to think about food, shelter, defense… and who’s going to lead us in making those decisions.”

Kim, her hands wrapped around a steaming mug, chimed in, “Food is my domain, and I’ve got that under control. But we need more than just a café. We need farms, livestock, a way to sustain ourselves long-term.”

Helen added, “And don’t forget housing. We can’t keep sleeping in tents and makeshift shelters. We need proper homes, and that means planning, materials, and… well, a lot of work.”

Derek’s gruff voice cut through the conversation. “And defense. We can’t ignore the fact that there are dangers out there. We’ve got to fortify this place, make sure we’re safe, day and night.”

Donny, whose imposing presence was a comfort to many, spoke up last. “I may know more about running into burning buildings than building them, but I’m here to help protect and serve this community, just like I did back in Atlanta.”

As the discussion continued, the group agreed on the necessity of elections to determine leadership roles. It was the fairest way to ensure everyone had a say in their future.

“We’ll need a mayor, at least to start.” Scott suggested. “Someone to oversee the daily running of the village, to make the tough decisions.”

“And a council,” Helen proposed. “Representatives from different areas; agriculture, defense, construction, health care. We need expertise to guide us.”

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Kim finally asked the question that had been bothering her the whole time. “Where is Gavrin? I would have thought this sort of thing would be right up his alley.”

“We don’t need him.” Carlos immediately countered.

Scott gave Carlos a long look. “I have already spoke to Gavrin. He said he will run the Adventurer’s Guild and nothing else. He said he isn’t suited for leadership.”

“First smart thing I’ve ever heard him say.” Carlos said.

Donny was slow to answer. He looked around the room. “I’ve heard of him, Gavrin. I haven’t seen him in action though. Is he really that strong? Do we really need him?”

Scott sighed. “Probably. We definitely need him more than he needs us. I get the feeling the guy is totally self-sufficient and finds people a bother.”

“Not a team player.” Donny rumbled. “Will he make trouble?”

Carlos immediately answered. “Definitely. He is up to no good. All that power, and absolutely no responsibility.”

Scott was slower to answer. “I don’t that is it.”

Kim looked around. “You guys don’t know who he is do you?”

Scott looked over at Kim. “He’s just some guy. Why would I know who he is?”

“Oh.” Kim replied. “That explains a lot actually.”

The silence lingered as Kim’s revelation hovered over the group, a pending storm on a clear day. She set down her mug, her gaze steady and serious.

“You really don’t know.” Kim started, her voice softer than before. “My brother met him once, a few years back when he was visiting on leave. Gavrin’s… well, he’s kind of a legend in military circles. A hero to some, an enigma to others.”

The group shifted uncomfortably, the air thick with newfound curiosity and an edge of skepticism.

Carlos scoffed, his voice edged with suspicion. “A legend? Here? Why would someone like that be in our small town like ours?”

“Because he wanted to disappear,” Kim said, her eyes darkening. “After his family… they were killed. It was a huge scandal, all over the news. He couldn’t go anywhere without being being recognized, hounded by reporters, or worse, pitied.”

“My brother talked him later that night. There was a hostage situation somewhere, he was unclear on the details. A group of terrorists had taken some hostages and wired a nearby dam with explosives. The entire region was in danger. Gavrin’s team was sent in to clear the explosives. Another team was sent to handle the warlord. The whole thing went south. Something tipped of the warlord and he was waiting for the second team. They took heavy causalities. The higher ups, watching the mission on satellite gave the withdrawal order. They were going to abandon that town.”

“Gavrin refused and advanced on the town. Everyone is murky on the details but after the dust settled, the warlord was dead and Gavrin was facing charges for disobeying direct orders. My brother said the rumor mill said he told the president himself was watching and Gavrin told him to fuck off.”

“Anyways, Gavrin was sent home and that’s when Gavrin found out his family had been murdered. It was another service member.”

“After that, no one wanted to prosecute Gavrin, it would look bad. So they let him retire and then he disappeared.” Kim finished her story.

The table fell silent, the revelation sinking in. Their perception of the reclusive Gavrin began to shift, morphing from a mysterious loner to a man burdened with loss.

Helen leaned forward, her voice a whisper of concern. “That’s terrible. No wonder he keeps to himself. And we’ve been judging him without knowing the first thing about his past.”

“Donny’s deep voice rumbled with empathy. “A man who’s lost that much, who still stands strong… he’s got my respect. I don’t care what else is said about him. In my book, he’s the kind of guy I want watching my back.”