Chapter 146 The High Council

As the other leaf citizens left the hall, Lucius gestured for the remaining members to gather around. He then created chairs for everyone to sit on, before creating a massive round table at the center.

Once he sat down everyone else followed, and the discussions began.

"If I remember correctly, we had a meeting like this a few weeks ago... the only difference is that back then we had nothing," Lucius started off, remembering the little meeting the group had while they were still leaflings.

"Slowly but surely we're meeting the goals we've set out to accomplish... primarily creating a safe space for the commune to thrive," he continued, before using Elmando to create a map on the table.

"However, whilst all of you were undergoing evolution, a few issues have arisen. Perhaps the most urgent being the necromancer," he said, marking out the necromancer's camp.

"The necromancer is a being that can create an army from the dead. Its intentions are still unclear, but what we do know is that it seems to be trying to engulf the entire forest," he added, marking out the areas where the necromancer's influence had spread.

"A mission has already been put in place to prevent this. Ideally, I would've liked for the Warring and Special Operations Department to deal with it but there simply aren't enough members to create a viable force yet. So Alpha and Hannibal are going to assist Pagan and I with the mission," he explained.

"Count me in," Ghost said, looking towards Lucius with a serious gaze.

"Me too," whispered a few of the other members of the first watch.

"Not possible. Things could go sideways during the mission, members could be lost. I'd rather the camp have some form of protection whilst we're gone," Lucius replied. He kept the fact that they were too weak to help to himself.

"This leads me to our second issue. We recently discovered something about our past, well... the history of our species," he began, looking toward Pagan.

"Our creators... the fae as they were called, once had a civilization similar to the one we are trying to build. They were many times more powerful than we are, and had quite a number of allies who were more or less on the same power level as them," he continued, now looking at the table as he used Elmando to illustrate how the civilization looked.

"Then this fae... can't we ally with them as well?" Eleanor asked.

"They're all gone... wiped out. The only one of their allies who still seem to be active, or at least as far as I know, are the furry-folk. And they aren't exactly hospitable creatures," he explained.

"Wiped out by what?" one of the other members of the first watch asked.

"Humans. Probably the most major threat we face right now. At a certain point, they will come to know of our territory, and though they used underhanded tactics to destroy the Fae's kingdom, we should not forget that they had years to advance and fortify their civilization," he said, erasing the drawing from the table.

"If we don't prepare for that day carefully, then we could have a second genocide on our hands," he finished off, allowing the information to sink in.

"As such, I ask this council the following. Shall we allow the shrooms to join our forces? Knowing the risks involved in allowing outsiders into our camp, while also acknowledging the risk we face by denying outside help, what does this council decide?" Lucius asked.

"These shrooms... are we certain they are not part of the group that hunted us down?" one of the members of the first watch asked.

"We're certain. It seems the necromancer wiped out that group. Anyway, this group was settled quite far away from our previous camp," Lucius answered promptly.

"But aren't they still a threat? What if they one day wake up and choose to devour us?" another asked.

"Not probable. We are now on equal footing with them, hunters don't often hunt each other. And besides, the shrooms seem to believe that Lucius is some sort of living god... I honestly believe that out of all the forest creatures, they are our best bet," Hannibal explained.

"I vote no. Sorry captain," Alpha said immediately after.

Though it made no logical sense for him to do so, Lucius could understand where he was coming from. Alpha had been in charge during the first massacre, and living beside them would be a constant reminder of his failure.

"I vote yes," Hannibal said, looking toward everyone else.

Silence ensued, as the council took their time to decide.

"All creatures should be given the chance to bathe in his light. I vote yes," Pagan said.

"I vote no," Ghost said, looking toward Alpha.

"No," one of the first watch members said, also looking toward Alpha.

"I vote yes," Eleanor said, looking at no one in particular.

In the end, it was a 5-5 vote without Lucius's say. His vote would tip the scale.

"Even if we find more leaflings, which will be a priority, it won't be enough. I know humans, and what they are capable of. If they are anything like the ones I've encountered, we will need as much help as we can get. I vote yes," Lucius explained, and that was it. The shrooms would be joining the internal camp.

"However, I won't ignore the obvious resistance to this motion. As such we will do this on a mentor basis. I will assign a specific number of shrooms to every council member; those deemed fit will be allowed to integrate into the camp," Lucius explained. Though he doubted any one of them wouldn't since they all seemed to be heavily brainwashed with their 'shri'killian' nonsense.

"What about the ones who aren't deemed fit?" Alpha asked.

"We can't let them go sadly, they have seen our abilities. They will either go through... fixing, or be dealt with," Lucius replied coldly.

This was a world of magic, there was no telling what others might gain from a creature that spreads news of a 'god' living in the forest.