Chapter 186
Disclaimer: I have only second hand knowledge and resources of the Dene Th'a and their ways of life. I mean no disrespect, and have tried to make it as close as possible to what is real. If I have gotten anything wrong or you feel there is something that could be changed and are part of the Dene, please let me know! I would be more than happy to make revisions to more accurately represent your people and culture!
"That is an ambitious plan Chief, especially when it comes to six hundred people turning from a sedentary life and becoming nomadic. You might face some push back from the younger generation." Charlene brought up. She loved the idea, as that was basically the life she and Matis were currently living, roaming around an area. The only difference is that they had a home base just outside of High Level. The Council here had decided to become fully nomadic, not having a single place that would have built buildings. It would be a severe change for those who had grown up in that environment.
"If you had seen those monsters pop out of the walls like we have, then you would understand that the push back would be diminished greatly. That, and most of the people we lost are sadly from the group in question. They were usually found in their beds or going through their morning routines." The feeling of loss was clear on Chief Ahnassay's face when he responded. Unknown to the Vilkas, one of the ones lost had been his grandson, but he did not feel that was important to share with them. He could see in their reaction that they already felt pain for his people over their loss.
"My condolences, I had no idea that those were the ones you lost." Charlene replied. Revisiting the topic that happened to be the greatest loss for their community would still be quite a fresh wound.
"I understand where you are coming from, however it also makes sense for neither of you to have seen the threat that we..." as the Chief was talking, he froze mid-sentence and looked at the wall behind the Vilkas couple. Turning around, they saw a black portal open up on the wall. As a gangly green creature not unlike the one they saw earlier stepped out, the Cultural/Traditional Chair of the Council was already in motion. In one motion he picked up the spear that sat beside him and lunged at the creature. It was impaled through the torso within seconds of it leaving the black portal, but the spear ran through him incredibly easily. Before the man could back off, his leading arm was raked by the monster's claws. With a cry that was a mixture of pain and determination, he yanked his spear out of the dying monster before stabbing once more, going through the head. Its limbs dropped as if it just had its strings cut, slumping down to the ground with the spear still imbedded.
As he came and sat back down with the group, Matis moved over and started to apply first aid. After all, the wound was open and bleeding all over the place. They had already seen enough loss for the day, that he felt it best to try and help where he could. Before the conversation continued, both Matis and Charlene took one look at the wall. Where it had been perfectly fine before, it looked to have aged almost fifty years in the span of a minute. Cracks ran through the concrete wall, with it crumbling in numerous spots. The paint that had been on it only having specks of it left, and all of them were peeling. As they turned their attention back to the Council, the Chief spoke up once more, "As you can see, they are fairly violent and can come from anywhere that uses modern practices, possibly even the paved roads that snake all over the place."
The information made Charlene and Matis think deeply while they both kept their hands busy. Monsters were coming out, and they looked to be a modern variation of the monsters in question. As that had looked an awful lot like the creatures portrayed in manga, especially that one where the main character never removed his helmet and had a permanent hate on for the species in question. If they were truly those ones, Charlene shuddered at what could be happening everywhere, as what those buggers did was notoriously horrible. Matis however, had far less context than she did, his only foray into the nerdy and geeky stuff either watching stuff with his wife, over her shoulder, or the odd tabletop game that he had been dragged into. They were fun, just not something he would actively go out to do. As he checked his wife's face however, he realized that this situation was not the same as a violent dog. She recognized them, and it would have probably still acted the same regardless of it had been ran through first. Or possibly try and do worse before it was stopped.
Charlene was the first to break the silence that surrounded them. "Now I feel as if we have a better idea of the danger, having seen that from up close. Of course, the thought pops in my head that if these monsters can come through from wherever they are, does that mean larger and more dangerous ones can come through as well?"
The Council Chair of Justice was the first to respond. "Those fears and thoughts are the exact reason we have come to this decision, and likely the reason that the rest of the people here have agreed so readily to the change. For while all we have seen are these small monsters than can be dispatched easily, that does not guarantee larger and tougher monsters do not exist."
"Everything makes a great deal more sense now." Matis responded, having just finished with the first aid. "But with the new changes that have come forward, it should make your change back to the nomadic lifestyle much easier. Have you all discovered that your bonded can store and duplicate items inside you as well as themselves.?" Blank stares met his words, the jaws of all the council members around them dropping. Reading the room, Sheera got up from her position and temporarily disappeared into Charlene. When she came back out, she brought with her the plate and sandwiches that she had for breakfast that morning. As if to reinforce what Matis had said, she went in and out another three time, each time bringing out a set of piping hot bacon sandwiches on the exact same plate.
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