"I believe we could try to read and comprehend the books found there," Erik responded, mirroring Amos' thoughtful expression.
"But that won't be an easy task. I mean, the texts are old and complex, and the knowledge contained in them far surpasses anything you know or understand."
As Amos pondered Erik's words, the hall fell silent once more. After a long pause, the village chief inquired, "Could you study those texts, Erik? You have been educated in the city, after all."
Erik shook his head slightly, his gaze falling to the floor, before responding. "I'm afraid my education wouldn't be much help, Amos. I was trained in basic fighting skills and general knowledge, but nothing as advanced as the technology in the ancient city. Despite its age, it's far more sophisticated than anything we were taught at school."
Disappointment spread as a murmur ran through the room. Erik's words carried weight, carrying the heavy reality that their situation was more dire than they had thought.
The ancient city held the promise of solutions, but they were tantalizingly out of reach, hidden behind the barrier of knowledge they lacked.
"However..." Erik began, his voice trailing off, causing a sea of curious faces to turn toward him.
"What is it, Erik?" Amos asked, his gaze narrowing.
The young man paused, unsure of how to express himself. The idea seemed far-fetched and uncertain, but it was a possibility. He took a deep breath and looked Amos in the eyes before saying,
"There might be a... solution. It's a long shot, but it's worth considering."
"Care to enlighten us?" Amos inquired, his voice echoing throughout the grand hall.
Erik nodded, his gaze fixed on the elder.
"In the city, as part of our education, we were taught extensively about Frant's country - its landscapes, plant life, fauna. You see, the future of every child in the city was to be enlisted in the army at some point, so it was considered essential knowledge."
Erik took a brief pause to gather his thoughts before continuing. The room was silent; all eyes were on him, faces filled with curiosity and anticipation.
Amos' brow furrowed, his gaze inquisitive, as he asked, "I see. And what exactly is the point of all this, Erik?" The question hung in the air, a silent invitation for Erik to elaborate.
"Yeah..." Erik responded, his tone slightly irritated by Amos' apparent impatience. Despite this, he continued, clearing his throat before diving into his explanation.
"In Frant's territory, a certain tree has been heavily influenced by mana, enabling it to produce energy akin to what the sun emits. The Frantians use this to boost their agricultural production sustainably and in a less energy-reliant way. After all, there are few territories where humans can farm, so Frant's biggest production is made underground, where these trees play a role."
He paused to let his words sink in, his gaze scanning the audience in the grand hall. The room fell silent as everyone focused on the young man.
Erik took a deep breath before continuing. "I think we can take some of those trees and bring back one of those. We can plant it within the ancient city's greenhouse. If it works, we can harness its energy to grow our crops underground. Otherwise, I think you have to give up on moving there."
The hall was filled with a mixture of surprise and cautious optimism. Erik's proposal provided a ray of hope in these difficult times. It was a potential solution they were unaware of.
That was normal. With the thaids roaming around, moving an entire village wouldn't be easy.
"These trees grow in the Lumisgrove, southwest of here," Erik replied, a serious expression on his face at the mention of the foreboding location.
The Lumisgrove was known for its dangerous terrains and the creatures that lived there. It was nestled at the foot of the raging Lumifalls, a place where the air was thick with mana.
This intense concentration of energy transformed the local wildlife into fearsome beasts and affected even the vegetation. At school, Erik frequently saw pictures of the place. It was as dangerous as it was mysterious. Most of the plants there started producing a weird glow with different effects. Some attracted thaids, some produced light to attract insects; some others were deadly.
"It's not a journey to be taken lightly," Erik began, his tone becoming grave. "The Lumisgrove is saturated with mana, so dense it's almost tangible. This overabundance of energy has affected the local fauna so much that thaids further mutated there. They've evolved into monstrous versions of themselves, far more dangerous than their counterparts elsewhere."
Erik paused, allowing the grim reality of the situation to sink in. "Many creatures there are bigger, stronger, and faster, with deadly brain crystals."
"Moreover," Erik continued, "the Lumifalls that tower over the grove isn't just a natural spectacle. Due to its mana-rich environment, the waterfall can produce volatile elemental anomalies. Torrents of water can turn into razor-sharp ice shards or searing steam without warning. Besides, all that mana turned stone into Aclaitrium, meaning Frantian presence will be massive. I know for certain that it is."
Erik looked around, noticing the people's worried expressions. "To go there, we'll need your strongest warriors and most cunning minds. People trained in stealth, hunting, fighting, and survival in general. All of these are not skills you can find in the average villager. However, assuming you have them, even then, it will be a dangerous journey. But if you succeed, the payoff could be your salvation."
Even seasoned soldiers in New Alexandria found the prospect of venturing into the Lumisgrove daunting. Erik was aware of the dangers but knew the villagers had no choice if they wanted to move.
One of the villagers, a strong man named Gian, who had been quietly listening from the corner of the hall, stood up. His leather suit creaked as he pushed himself off the wall. As all eyes turned to him, the room fell silent.
"Should we form a small team to undertake this task?" he asked, his voice full of conviction. The crowd murmured. He raised his hand to silence them before proceeding.
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