The tension in the air was broken by Durlan's voice.
"We were hinting at it earlier and not being direct," he said while shaking his head slightly as he walked toward Christian. He paused in front of him. "Nothing we told you about us was untrue, but it is true that we want to settle down here if you would have us. We have been traveling from place to place for years, but none offered us a permanent residency or stay. Would you give us the privilege of staying here for a few months at least and see if we could be useful to you and your group?"
Durlan pulled something out of his pocket before Christian could reply back. That thing was a large amulet. The centerpiece of the amulet was a dark green crystal sphere encased by a metal eight-starred design. Surrounding the eight-starred design were four smaller spherical green crystals positioned in the north, south, east, and west positions on a compass.
He handed the amulet carefully over to Christian.
"This is a gift from us," Durlan said as Christian gently took the amulet from him. "Before our village was burned to the ground, we held onto this amulet that protected our local community. I was the former Deputy Chief of the village, so I was in charge alongside the Mayor to keep the amulet safe."
"Why was this amulet so important to your village?" Christian asked curiously as he carefully turned the amulet over in his hand. Rhea, Seraphina, and Castiel came over to look at the amulet as well. Even Flaro and Darya got curious about this amulet that radiated a strong presence.
"This amulet has the power to ward off evil spirits and it nurtures nature spirits. In other words, it enhances nature and agriculture around the things it is closest to and encourages growth and prosperity. It is part earth magic enhancer and part spiritual protector. In simple terms though, a good luck charm," Durlan explained with a wink.
Christian handed the amulet to Seraphina, who examined it more closely. She observed it and held it in both of her hands. She handed it back to Christian with a nod. She then gave her opinion on it.
"This is very authentic and it is real. We can sense the nature spirits within it. It is a very powerful magic amulet. It does not compare objectively to the power of your divine tool, which is just the truth, but it is still useful."
Christian, Castiel, and Rhea all nodded in response.
"We trust you to hold onto this amulet for us," Durlan said as he sat back down on one of the logs. "As a sign of trust between us. We will live with your permission close by this campsite and not disturb you while you make your decision. We will come back in 24 hours from when we leave the campsite for your decision. Is that okay with all of you?"
Everybody looked toward Christian.
"Yes, that does. You can go set up your temporary living space wherever you see fit. Come back in about 24 hours and we will have a decision," Christian announced to everybody. Durlan and Christian shook hands while the elves seemed relieved they were not shut down instantly.
When all the elves left, everybody else gathered inside Christian's cabin for the most privacy.
"So what are all of your opinions on this?" Christian asked the group.
"Objectively speaking," Castiel started speaking, "I can tell they probably do mean well. Seraphina verified the amulet was real and we could tell from experience they seem like decent folk. All the things they said about their stories were true. The conflicts between the Demon Lord Empire and Elvandor were true as well. It all added up. Even though your divine tool does a lot of the work for agriculture in this little oasis you created, having them as an addition would be a real benefit."
"I agree," Seraphina said. "I am not saying you should or have to accept them in. We understand it is a large responsibility and carries its own risks. However, we are saying if you did add them into the campsite long term that it would reap many benefits. Ultimately, we are here to serve in your best interest, Christian. We will support whatever decision you make."
Christian thought to himself as he considered the answers. "Thanks for telling me, both of you."
He turned toward Rhea and said, "And what about you? What do you think?"
"I think it is not a bad idea. I mean, when I first came here I only expected to stay for a few days, but I truly enjoy my time here so I just kept on staying for longer. The daily work I do, the research I do, playing with the wolves, and the atmosphere just all add up. It's truly a safe haven compared to many other places in the freedom to live, despite it being located within the Forest of Hellfire," she answered.
"I appreciate you thinking of it that way," he replied back with a smile. "I never thought that this place I built would ever become a place people would stay in long term. I never expected the Creator God to send Archangels to stay with me or for me to run into you, Rhea, or my wolves. However, I wouldn't change a thing about it. So I think taking that risk would be good. The more people, the more manpower to accomplish the things I want built."
They all continued to discuss it until the sun was starting to set. They ate a nice dinner at the campfire, and then they all went to sleep on the decision. Christian closed his eyes as he pulled the covers over himself while thinking of the future. Being a leader is not easy, especially in a fantasy world you've only known through pages in a novel, he said to himself.
The next morning he woke up with the wolf pup Ash licking his face.
"Good morning, Ash!" he said to the pup as he patted him on the head. Christian rolled out of bed and got changed. Rhea and the others were already up at the campfire preparing breakfast, which he was pleasantly surprised to see.
This decision would mark the first sign of a future great nation under Christian.