The Eternal Guardian

It was sometime after sunset when Adika returned to the camp.

"The village council has given their permission for you enter the village tomorrow. We will depart from here tomorrow morning. Initially, there were some opposition to the idea but they changed their mind once I informed them of how quickly you slaughtered the Crimson Fur Bear."

Adika candidly informed Zuman.

"That's good to know. So, while waiting for the night to pass, would you mind telling me about your village? Garim here (pokes the young boy's cheeks) did tell me some stories about your village, but he is still a young boy. I want to hear your take on it as an adult and a person of age."

Zuman asked of Adika. He is well aware that negotiations is just a matter of determining who holds the better position of dominance, and in any battle for dominance, regardless of the form, knowledge is always the key to better maneuver himself.

"Eh? Is our village so different than your village Mr. Zuman?"

"Oh. I'm sorry but it's just that I've been a hermit for more than 20 seasons that I am currently unsure just how different it is with the world I previously knew."

True words, every last one of them.

"20 seasons?!?!?! Well. I can see how that would make you unsure of your knowledge. But you look so young to be an old hermit?"

"Well. Looks can be deceiving."

Zuman just gave him a gentle smile.

"Well, bear in mind that I am not yet an Elder myself, still being of a young age. With that said, the Village Council of Seven is formed by 7 Elders chosen from among the village elders. The Village Head himself is chosen from among these 7 people."

"Fascinating. Are they the only ones with influence in your village?"

"No. There's also the Medicine Elders. They have no direct participation in the running of the village, but they wield immense influence. After all, if you're sick, you will definitely go to them for healing. In recognition of this immense influence, it has been our village's tradition to ensure that at any moment there isn't less than 3 Medicine Elders. This is to ensure they don't misuse their position for personal profit or vendettas."

Adika explained. Zuman further considered the influence that medicine and shamans have in this world's society.

"Also, there is the Spirit Elder. This Elder tends to keep to himself and only comes to the front if there are festivals or dire events. The spirits tell him of any event in advance. The last time he gave us any important warning was 20 seasons ago just before the Starfall. This is what I heard from my elders anyway since at that time I was too young to understand anything."

(Oh? Someone predicted my crash? This world is quite interesting. But spirits huh. I wonder how I will quantify this subject.)

"So Adika, how do you determine your elders?"

"Well, Elders are chosen from those who are above 40 seasons. Also, the Village Councilmen are chosen among all the professions we have in the village. Currently we have an Elder each from the Hunters, Farmers, Traders, Blacksmith, Fishermen, Weavers and Husbandmen."


"Your village seems to be quite prosperous with all those professions. Just how many people are there in your village?"

"We have a few hundred people here. No one knows for sure just how many exactly since no one bothered to keep track. We all know there are more than 100 of us and left it at that."

"Fascinating."

Zuman was very much interested in this village. It seems the term village is quite apt, since the population would qualify it as more than a hamlet.

"Sir. How did you kill that Crimson Fur Bear so quickly?"

Adika's curiosity got the better of him and he blurted out this question.

"Well. Let's just call it a trade secret. You can rest assured that I mean no harm to you or your village. Well, at least I mean no harm unless you all attempt something anyway."

And after that, they spent the night chatting about trivialities before sleeping the night away.

-

They woke up in the morning and travelled all the way to the village.

By the time they arrived, it is almost noon.

The first sign of habitation was when they suddenly exited the forest to be met with some farms. The farmlands stretch for some distance. The crop being grown seems to be a form of barley or something similar. In the distance, there seems to be a herd of animals being tended to by a herder. However, due to the distance, Zuman is unable to identify what animals are there. He sees the occasional house in a clearing among the fields. It seems that the farmers here tend to build their house among their fields as a way to facilitate tending and harvest.

It was quite some time before they reached the village center. Here, he can see houses being arranged in a line leading towards the center. At the the center, or rather, it would be more accurate to term it the 'Village Square', since there's a large square clearing at the center of the village. Here, one can see a form of market for the village.

(For a society that's supposed to be of nomadic descent just recently, this village sure seems quite permanent looking.)

Zuman wondered in his mind.

"GARIM!?"

They heard a woman's scream.

Looking at the source, they can see a woman looking at them with a pale and shocked face.

Garim looked at her with teary eyes.

"Mother!"

He shouted before attempting to run towards her.

However, the hunters that were escorting them immediately closed ranks and stopped Garim from going towards her.

"Sorry sister Linda. But we need to go see the village council first. They will explain everything after."

Adika gently informed Garim's mother, the woman Linda.

Linda could only fall to her knees sobbing and nodding. She is very much shocked from seeing her son. She had resigned herself to his death but it wasn't easy. She kept having nightmares about how Garim would reach out towards her, pleading for her to save him, before something snatches him away from her. And now, she sees him alive and healthy.

She is conflicted. She is happy, yet she is afraid of this being a trick before losing him again.

While Linda is still kneeling on the ground sobbing, the surrounding villagers saw the commotion and one of them already ran towards the outlying farms to fetch her husband. They knew that today, something momentous is occurring.

While the party marches towards the only inn in the village, the villagers followed at a distance, out of dread and curiosity.

"This is the only Inn in the village. At the same time, it is also the place where serious or official discussions take place."

Adika introduced the place to them. The 2 story building is quite large and it is directly facing the Square. Rather than calling it a house, it more closely resembled a mansion. No wonder The Council would coopt the place as their discussion venue. It does lend a majestic air to the proceedings.

"Ho, Adika. How fare you?"

A burly man wearing an apron greeted them from the inn entrance while he is wiping the door.

"Ho, Jorgen. Doing well, thanks. We're here for a discussion with the Council of Seven. I trust you've made arrangements?"

"I sure did. So these are the strangers? Wait, isn't that Linda and Manan's child? The exiled one?"

"Yes, Jorgen, that is he. The man beside him is the one asking to talk with the Council."

"Well, well. I am Jorgen. Welcome to my humble inn, The Maiden's Cheer."

"Nice to meet you Jorgen. I am Zuman. The Maiden's Cheer is it? I hope that today's discussion would bring cheer to us all then. That would be quite fitting then."

Zuman politely responded to Jorgen's self-introduction.

"Aye. That would be quite fitting indeed. The Council has already assembled in the Hall of Words. You know the way right Adika? I still need to tend to my business here."

"Hall of Words eh? The Council really views this with importance then."

Adika acknowledged before bringing them all into the Inn.

"This inn seems to be quite large."

Zuman remarked.

"It is. It's main purpose is to play host to traders and travelers that pass through our village, especially during festivals. Also, Jorgen brews very good whisky, so that keeps it busy at nights. Ah, here we are."

Adika pointed towards the door guarded by 2 hunters.

"Adika here, with the person Zuman and the exiled Garim, to meet with the Council of Seven."

Adika said in a loud voice towards the door.

There was a moment of silence, before a voice came from beyond the door.

"Enter."

With that said, Adika, Zuman and Garim went into the room.