The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the large grassy field just outside of town. It was the only space expansive enough to hold the entire population of Schoolville. As people gathered, the air was filled with a strange mix of excitement and tension. Children ran about, laughing and chasing each other, while adults grouped together in animated discussion. Vendors had even set up food stalls on the perimeter, taking advantage of the crowd to sell roasted nuts, grilled meats, and freshly baked pastries. It could almost have been mistaken for a festival if it weren’t for the serious expressions worn by many.

A makeshift stage had been set up at the front of the field, constructed hastily from wooden crates and planks. It creaked with every step as town council members took their positions. A handful of village elders sat off to the side, their faces a mix of concern and curiosity. Near the front, Evelyn Strauss and Scott stood together, whispering urgently as more people continued to fill the field. The murmur of voices grew louder, an anxious anticipation hanging in the air.

A bell clanged three times, signaling the start of the meeting. Derek, a burly and grizzled council member, stepped forward onto the creaky platform and raised his hands for silence. The noise slowly died down, though a few whispers continued to flutter through the crowd.

“Alright, everyone!” Derek’s voice boomed across the field, cutting through the remaining murmurs. “We’re gathered here today because of recent… developments involving Gavrin and his abilities.” He paused, his gaze scanning the crowd. “Some of you are upset. Some of you don’t care. But it’s clear that we need to have an open discussion about this.”

A woman near the front, her arms crossed tightly, shouted, “You mean the spying!” Her voice carried a note of accusation, and several people murmured in agreement. “How long has he been watching us? What else has he been keeping tabs on?”

Others in the crowd began to shout as well. "What about our privacy?" asked a man further back, while another person exclaimed, "He’s been playing god with his powers! It isn’t right!"

Not everyone seemed to share the outrage, though. Near the back, a young man scoffed, “Who cares? He’s done more for this town than anyone else! He built half the buildings we’re living in!” A few others nodded, echoing their support for Gavrin.

Kim, the owner of the local café, climbed onto the stage, raising her hand to speak. “I know some of you are angry,” she began, her voice steady and calm. “But let’s not forget everything that Gavrin has done for us. Those showers you enjoy every morning? He built those. The walls around the town that keep us safe? That was his magic. Even the crops that kept us fed during that harsh winter—he grew those.” She swept her gaze across the crowd, trying to catch the eyes of the naysayers. “He’s been taking care of us in ways no one else could.”

An older man with a deep scowl shook his head. “That doesn’t mean he has the right to watch us like we’re his pets,” he spat. “He could be using his powers for his own gain, and we’d never know.”

Emily, a waitress at Kim’s café, took a step forward from the front row. “I’ve worked with Gavrin directly,” she said, her voice carrying a tone of familiarity and ease. “He’s never once used his abilities to harm anyone. The only things he’s ever done with his magic were to make life better for all of us. The town’s grown stronger because of him. He’s practically the reason we’ve even survived.”

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“But why didn’t he tell us?” a woman called out. “If he was doing all this for us, why keep it a secret?”

Scott, who had been standing quietly near the stage, now stepped forward to address the crowd. “Gavrin’s never been one to seek praise or recognition,” he said, trying to sound as neutral as possible. “He wasn’t hiding his abilities to deceive anyone. It was simply that most of us didn’t need to know. His powers were just another tool he used to help the town. If anything, he kept it quiet because he didn’t want this kind of attention.”

“That’s a convenient excuse,” someone shouted from the crowd. “And what about the influence he has over us? If his magic extends to our food, our resources, even our defenses, then we’re already under his control whether we like it or not.”

The crowd’s murmurs grew louder at that, a ripple of unease spreading through the field. Some nodded in agreement, while others shook their heads in disbelief. The divide was clear—those who felt threatened by Gavrin’s influence, and those who trusted in the results they had seen.

Kim raised her voice again, trying to regain control of the conversation. “It’s easy to focus on the negative when you’re scared,” she said. “But let’s not overlook the reality. Without Gavrin’s magic, this town wouldn’t be what it is today. We wouldn’t be this safe, this prosperous. Are we really going to punish him for doing the very things that kept us alive?”

Derek, sensing the growing tension, took a step forward. “This isn’t about punishing anyone,” he interjected. “It’s about understanding the situation and figuring out where we go from here. If Gavrin is willing to discuss his powers openly with us, we can find a solution that respects the concerns of the town while still allowing him to help.”

“But if he won’t,” the older man called out again, “then maybe it’s time we find someone else to lead.”

A hush fell over the field at that, the weight of the words sinking in. The idea of forcing Gavrin out—or at least stripping him of his role—hung like a dark cloud over the gathering. But before anyone could respond, a voice rang out from the edge of the crowd.

“Are you serious?” It was Fernando, perched in a nearby tree, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You all talk like you have any idea what it takes to do what Gavrin does. Good luck finding someone else who can grow food, raise buildings, heal wounds, and control the damn weather. If you want to replace him, go ahead and try. Let’s see how long it takes before you’re begging for him to come back.”

The crowd erupted in a mix of laughter, shouts, and scattered applause. For some, Fernando’s words were a wake-up call, a reminder of the reality they lived in. For others, it was a dismissal of their concerns, a refusal to acknowledge that there were legitimate fears at play.

Kim shook her head slightly and spoke again, her voice soft but firm. “Look, I get it. It’s natural to be wary of someone with so much power. But we’re all here because of Gavrin’s choices. He could’ve left at any time. He could’ve kept his powers to himself. Instead, he used them to help, even when it meant putting himself at risk. We owe it to him—and to ourselves—to at least hear him out.”

The tension in the field seemed to settle somewhat at Kim’s words. The town’s divisions hadn’t disappeared, but they had softened, the lines blurred by the complex mixture of gratitude, fear, and uncertainty. People were talking to each other now, debating the points raised, sharing their own experiences and perspectives. There was no clear consensus, no simple solution. But at the very least, the conversation had begun.

Now, it was up to Gavrin to decide how he would respond.