Over the course of the next few days, Licht continued to farm the Manacle Blossoms. He had finally broken the two month mark since he had arrived in this world. Or perhaps, Hadea, as it seemed to be called. Though he didn’t know if the natives were referring to the continent or the planet.

“Compared to how I thought people were during the medieval era, it feels like the natives here are way more intelligent. I don’t think the people of Earth understood we were on a planet until maybe the fifteen or sixteen hundreds?”

Although his sample size was only a group of about thirty people, he still felt that their knowledge about their environment was out of the ordinary. Licht had been watching the elf camp for the past few days as he idly waited for the blossoms to fruit. What he had seen had raised the question in his mind if these particular elves were just smart, or if all of Hadea was.

It would be a lot better for him if the former was the case.

“Oh, this thing again.”

Licht watched as the elves gathered around a central campfire. They did this once a day, usually before lunch, seemingly to have meetings about their situation. Licht couldn’t understand what they were saying anyway, so he went directly off of body language. Luckily, oftentimes after the meetings he would find Racheal tucked away in some corner of the group and ask for a summary. This didn’t work out for him every time, as she was often occupied with taking care of the two children in the camp. Of whom Licht had been told their names were Siha and Arjun. A girl and a boy respectively, both of whom to Licht looked to be no older than twelve.

The summaries given by Racheal were often a little somber. As they concerned the resource needs of a group of what were essentially fugitives cut off from society, the meetings usually began and ended on a gloomy note. Today, by looking at the faces of those present, it didn’t seem like it would be much better. As he gauged that, a woman at the front began to speak aloud.

“Chisil! Telinis-sin jescu-pavrita scanima!”

Licht paid attention as the meeting began.

…

“Comrades! Today we must discuss our future plans!”

Emera, the female elf who had chosen to run to get reinforcements during the fight against the caravan, spoke aloud to the rest of her fellow survivors from atop a rock. They had looked to her as a leading figure following their battle for freedom, and so she usually spoke first at these meetings. Although in general, one might be elated to find their fellows looking at them with such eyes of respect and referral, today was not a day Emera found joy in her position. Today she, and everyone else, had to make a decision.

“Although we have found much bounty in this forest, we lack many things…”

Many heads nodded as she said this.

“We have made the best we could out of the remains of the caravan but we are beginning to see our shortcomings. It is my belief, and I think the consensus of most people here as well, that we are at a crossroads. We can either stay here and make this our home, or venture north for a settlement in which we won’t be prosecuted.”

As the words left Emera’s mouth she could feel it. The nervousness around the fire, the palpable anxiety for an uncertain future. A wrong step that might lead them down a worse path.

They had scavenged all they could from the caravan. Tents, wagons, bedrolls and cloth, armor and weapons. All had been torn down and made into the few shelters that the elves needed. It was modest but compared to before, they were living well. But the way things were currently wouldn’t last. Although those who were wounded were healing, they needed more supplies for everyone. Proper clothes, tools, a consistent source of clean water. All of these things could be low priority for now, but come winter? If they let things be, that season would be their end.

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“I say we leave now, all of us!”

A man stepped forward. As others recognized the voice, they couldn’t help but make slightly disdainful looks. The one who spoke was Kushal, whose fall from public opinion was due entirely to his own cowardice during the caravan fight a few days ago and his attempt to surrender. Kushal spoke sharply as he made wide gestures.

“There’s no point in staying within these backwoods when our homes are just beyond our reach! Nevermind winter, we’re more likely to starve before the frost ever comes! That is, does anyone even know of the beasts and vermin native to this forest?”

The elves, despite not being inclined to agree with the cowardly man, looked amongst each other. It was true, no one among them had studied their current location before being enslaved. Although they knew they were in the Trescult Woods, most of them had not had the luxury to learn things that weren’t in their immediate surroundings even before joining the caravan.

“No, we don’t. But that doesn’t mean the journey north will be easy, Kushal. Did it ever occur to you what would happen if we met another caravan of slavers on our way up there? Or what about the beasts along the way? If no one can say what lives in these woods, can you really believe we’ll be safe traveling through the forest?”

Emeras rebutted back. Though she had given the group two options, that didn’t mean she was without her own opinion. The main reason it was so hard to choose whether or not to go back to the Filigost Woods was because the journey back could be risky.

“Then I say everyone should be able to choose for themselves! Those who want to leave can go, and those who stay will do so.”

“No! That’s even worse.”

Emeras reeled back from the suggestion. Splitting their small group up would only lead to more risk. If either group was too small, their tasks would be harder. Defending and supplying the camp would become overly difficult and journeying north would be even more dangerous. The best case scenario was for everyone to agree on the same course of action, but with the presence of Kushal, Emeras didn’t have high hopes for that happening.

“Are you trying to restrict us then? So soon after being appointed the leader you’re tightening control, huh? I can’t say I didn’t expect it!”

“Kushal! Shut up!”

Delia, who had been among those injured, yelled from her position sitting down. Her legs had been slashed across by a blade. The wound was just deep enough to make it difficult to stand. Thanks to the blossoms provided by Racheal however, the elves had been able to dress and wrap her legs enough for them to begin healing cleanly.

“Although this bastard has no right to be speaking out, I do agree with some of what he said. People should be allowed to choose. We owe ourselves that much freedom. Especially after these past weeks.”

A heavy breath snorted out of Kushal’s nose but he kept silent otherwise. Emeras was frustrated. She tried explaining what was going to happen if too many people split up, but the idea of preserving freedom barred her from changing the minds of any of the adult elves. Aside from those she found at the corner of the campfire’s grouping, the two elf children and the fungoid woman.

…

“So they’ve decided to split up. How unfortunate.”

After the meeting, Licht managed to grab Racheal as the kids were eating and speak to her after she finished. Enclosed in a blanket of darkness, she explained what had taken place in the meeting.

“Seven others along with Kushal want to leave to go north. That leaves only myself, Siha, Arjun, Emera, and one other woman to remain at the camp. None of the men wanted to stay behind, and Kushal managed to drag the majority of the camp along with him.”

Licht cut the connection briefly so he could think without obscuring Racheal’s vision. She would tap on his root if she had something to say.

From Licht’s perspective, the situation seemed…complex. While he could understand both points of view, he personally felt that it was better for the elves to stay, at least for now. However that thought may have been tainted by his bias knowing that he, as a Woodland Ego, would be able to support those who remained within his connected territory. There would be nothing he could do for those who made the trek north, as once they left his connected range, he wouldn’t even be able to see them. The only things he could detect outside of his vision sense were the sun and moon, likely because of something to do with the large amount of photosynthesis happening across his ‘body’.

As for deciding what to do, did it matter? Although it was sad to see that most of the elves might leave in the future, it didn’t really affect him. He had originally planned on letting them escape out of the forest anyway, and they had only been here for a few days, about a week. The only one Licht had bonded with was Racheal, who he was glad to see was choosing to remain. That was likely for the safety of the children, but a part of Licht could hope he was a reason as well.

He spoke again to Racheal.

“So when are they leaving?”