Versi's hand trembles as everyone stares at him, waiting for his response. He reaches into one of his pockets and fiddles with something inside as the tension grows more and more in the room, with their frustration mere moments away from bursting.
Then, from behind him, Domita reaches her hand forward and grabs his own, causing him to say, "There is a path forward for us, and it starts with this rock."
From his pocket, he places a black rock in front of everyone and says, "This is a substance known as coal. It can be used through a method rather unknown to me to become a power source similar to Basileia Crystals."
Shock moves throughout the room, and one of the villagers says, "I know of that rock; it's been found in abundance for centuries. Are you really telling me they've found a third material that can rival Basileia Crystals?"
"No, unlike Basileia and Tempest Crystals, these do not have any medicinal or growth effects that can be utilised. They can merely be used as a power source, to help move items around."
A farmer raising his hand says, "I am sorry, but how does this really help us? Is there really any use we have of them then?"
"You all heard what Mono said; the world is advancing, but historically it isn't the biggest advancement we've made in recorded history. During the time of the Era of Levav, we had multiple different devices that were powered by the Tempest Crystals, and even the Basileia Crystals under the Tower, which all had to be decommissioned like trains, due to the fall of the Tower and the end of the Era. Tempest Crystals vanished, and Basileia Crystals remained rare. Though many countries are starting to rebuild them, the biggest issue remains the power source. They've been hoarding and buying Basileia Crystals. Tempest Crystals are almost under the sole control of the Rinastcean Union. Yet the countries without said crystals have found a way to fight back, and it's through this stone that they can act as a power source to fuel their new machinery. So a new possibility stands in front of us. First we mine the stones, then we convert our factories to large coal-powered ones, and then leverage our massive population in terms of manufacturing."
A farmer jumping up says, "I know for a fact our lands have giant amounts of these stones, so we should be able to make a ridiculous level of profit. This could single-handedly solve our issues."
Versi nods, and smiles start to appear across the crowd's faces, with the exception of one man. Mono raises his hand and says, "I have some questions; would that be alright to ask, old friend?"
Gripping Domita's hand tighter, he says, "Go ahead."
"First of all, I know many of these stones are not located in the kindest of places; mining them will be a harsh endeavour."
"Utilising Spirit Energy shall help us."
"Then does that mean you're going to teach Spirit Energy to the entire workforce? Or does this mean the majority of the people working in the mines will be actual citizens of the country who you trust?"
"No, just those who go down to the underground to mine; the majority of people will be working in these factories."
"That's still a very dangerous idea to have, as regardless of the situation you'll be strapping our own people in mines with a bunch of strangers who they don't know, who have Spirit Energy; it's a risk to their lives."
"Everything will be okay; Siegrund's teaching of Spirit Energy will enable them to overcome any trouble."
"Yet that means that the people mining will be using Spirit Energy to a lesser extend raising their own risk profiles. I care very little for them, but I do have an issue with the mentality of my grandkids learning that it's okay to profit off the mistreatment of others. Such a trait will eventually grow till it affects the people you care about."
"They won't be mistreated. We will be able to increase our investment into their aid as we profit more."
"Then moving on, how safe is this new energy source. For generations, people have speculated that Basileia and Tempest Crystals were gifts from God due to how useful they are; the idea that there has been this second power source that we've never known about lying around without any negative effects is too good to be true."
"A possible negative effect is that once burned to be used as an energy source, they release a smog, one that can, in bad cases effect the air quality, and may affect the heat levels."
"Don't just sum it up by saying it affects the air quality. We breathe the air, and it is used to nurture our plants; if it goes down, so does life itself."
"We are already decreasing the value of our land each day without return to match it. I am not saying this fixes everything, but it allows us to increase our return for the risk we are taking."
Mono clicks his tongue, then says, "Now, I need you to answer this last question. Where are you getting the resources to build these factories? We have been pushed to our limit, and it is impossible that you'd be able to make them with just the money we are getting from our sales minus the cost of food."
"I made a deal with the royalist."
The room goes crazy as anger fills the faces of everyone around, and Mono says, "What deal?"
"They will pay for the factories, and for the first 10 years, we have to give them a cut based on around 25% of what we make, and after that, if we sell to certain specific states, we must use transportation networks connected specifically to the royalist, as well as have to either cut down more forests or build the factories on their lands."
The people in the room all rise as their voices peak in disapproval. And from all around, a barrage of words lands on Versi.
"Are you insane?"
"You made a deal with those parasites."
"This gives far too much financial benefit."
"In practice, you will be economically linking us to those beasts."
"If our interests align, we will have to protect them as we protect ourselves."
"We have spent centuries keeping ourselves separated for that
"The forests are already teetering on their edges; if we have to cut down more as well as pump toxic stones into the air, it could do permanent damage."
"The wildlife is already fleeing; we need to focus on returning things to how they were, not pushing more away."
"The repayment of all these factories can't be a quick ordeal; how long do we even expect to let this go on?"
"If we build these factories, we will be locking in a new way of life for our people. We won't be able to get rid of the foreigners if our economy is built around them."
"This is a betrayal of all our values, of our people, of the legacy we all carry from our ancestors!"
Raising his voice, Versi says, "WHAT OF IT!" Causing silence to fall over all of them. "Before we are Aragers, before we are citizens of Zaad Ziener, before we are humans, we are the people of the Messiah, and it's due to that blessing that we even exist on this land; it's due to his power that the ancestors you call upon were able to survive her even when the Beastkin were raiding into our lands hundreds of years ago. He guarded us, protected us, and guided all your people from place to place till we all landed here, and due to all of that we have become Zaad Ziener, we, because Aragers the people of Varage. Before anything else, we must continue to abide by that commitment and follow his principles, and the Messiah asks us to care, love, and protect each other to stand beside the children who have been birthed into this world. So that's why we must continue to strive towards what's best for the most people."
His words fall heavy on all those around him, yet from the crowd a villager says, "Or maybe this is just an excuse for you to deal with the guilt of your son having caused all of this."
Versi turns his face into the crowd yet can't make out the face of the person who said it, but can see the dissatisfaction growing on everyone's face at his own words. One in the middle of this all decides to walk forward, and staring at Versi, Mono says, "I do not follow the Messiah. I never have. At one point I came close, and that was because your father was a man of intense faith; he was so amazing that I doubted myself.
He was a pragmatist and always made sure to do what was realistic and wise with the power he had; he was never selfish, or asked others to do anything without putting in equal or even greater amounts of effort in his own way. But he was kind; you only know of the times when he turned people away and denied aid to outsiders, but you forget the moments when he educated people who really wanted to learn his knowledge in a way that would enable them to better their lives.
Unlike your grandfather, he knew he could never ask someone to give up what they hold dare to carry out his morals, he relied on his own skill and prayer to accomplish all he did, and due to that he was able to buy back a giant amount of land reversing the damage your grandfather did, and at the end of that all I saw a man who I would follow to the ends of the earth. Yet you lack skill, you lack competency, you lack the foresight to protect and empathy to care for the people who've given everything to you, and who've rendered responsibility for their futures onto you. Instead, asking them for more and more, while moralising all the way.
The Messiah did not build this land; my ancestors did; their flesh and blood was poured into the ground we all stand on, and that's why I care for it. It is the crystallisation of their legacy, and their love for all of us. That's why it's precious, and that's why I care for it, yet you weaponise empathy and religion to hide the fact you don't know how to achieve your lofty goals.
I think it's fine to be selfish; I think it's fine to want to keep what your hands have made to yourself; I think it's fine to find making your children have an extra coat more important than feeding someone without it. Hence, I do not care about a bunch of strangers, and I cannot live under someone who doesn't share this value with me."
Walking up to Mono, Versi says, "A story of one's creation, but stories are fictional. The romantic idea you've made of this country's past is an illusion; most people were living from day to day, only caring out there pleasure. You exist far more because someone wanted to have sex than out of a need to pass things forward.
More blood in the soil came from your ancestors crapping themselves to death than hard work, the legacy you speak of is nothing more than an illusion of grandeur. In truth, more of us here stand together because someone had the kindness to allow us to live in this land with each other. Your legacy is built on compassion for strangers, and it's the Messiah that has bound that compassion together for nearly 2000 years. If we abandon that, if we move away from that, we will be robbed of everything we are in ways that one will never be able to comprehend."