The council chamber felt smaller with only five people present. Haran stood before them with the leather pouch centered on the table.
"I'll be direct," Malcolm began, his hands folded on the table. "Haran has brought us an opportunity. He uncovered a blue soul crystal, which he recovered from a dead merchant north of here. The church would pay well for it. Enough to secure supplies for two seasons."
Silence followed. Then Henrik spoke, his voice flat. "No."
"You didn't let me finish," Malcolm said.
"I don't need to." Henrik's jaw was set. "We all know what that thing is. Bringing it into the village, even to trade it away, brings shame to our ancestors."
"What we stand for doesn't fill empty bellies," Olara, one of the elder members, said, surprising everyone. She leaned forward slightly. "The last harvest was poor. We barely made it through the winter. Are we willing to risk it for the next one as well?"
"Then we tighten our belts," Henrik interrupted. "We don't compromise our principles for convenience."
"It's not about convenience," Malcolm said. "It's about survival."
Emilia, who had been silent until now, spoke up. "May I see it?"
Haran glanced at Malcolm, who nodded. Carefully, Haran opened the pouch and tipped the crystal onto a cloth he'd spread on the table. The soul crystal had blue depths seeming to pulse with an inner glow. Tiny silver motes drifted within it, like snow falling upward.
No one moved closer.
"It doesn't seem dangerous to me," Emilia said quietly.
"It's corruption," Henrik said. "The moment we accept money for that thing, we become complicit in everything the cities do with it. Every weapon they forge, every tool of control they create."
"We're not accepting it for ourselves," Malcolm said. "We're trading it. The church gets the crystal, and we get resources. That's commerce, not compromise."
"It's a distinction without difference," Dimitri, another member, rumbled, speaking for the first time. His voice was deep, weathered, as he was the oldest living member of the council. "The crystal passes through our hands. That makes us part of the chain, whether we use it or not."
"Then what would you have us do?" Olara demanded.
"Have Haran take it back and do with it as he pleases. Or better yet, just destroy the damned thing."
Haran's head snapped up. "You can't destroy a soul crystal. Not without specialized equipment. If you try, it will defend itself and probably kill you where you stand."
"Well, that settles that. Get that thing as far as possible from us." Dimitri replied.
"Enough." Malcolm's voice cut through the rising tension. "We're not making decisions based on emotion." He looked around the table. "I called this meeting because I wanted to hear your thoughts. So let's hear them and vote."
Dimitri shifted in his chair, the wood creaking under his weight. "I remember when Adel was still chief. He used to say that our ancestors fled the cities not because they feared crystals themselves, but because they feared what crystals did to people." He paused. "Trading this crystal doesn't change us. We're still who we are. But accepting money for it creates a precedent. Next time, will it be easier to say yes? And the time after that?"
"That's a slippery slope argument," Olara said. "We're capable of making individual decisions based on individual circumstances."
"Are we?" Emilia asked softly. Everyone turned to her. "I watched Agnus nearly die. I treated him with everything I knew, and it wasn't enough. The city doctor saved him with crystal technology. I'm grateful for that. But I also see how the village looks at him now, how they look at Martina. How they'll look at us if we go through with this trade."
"Fear," Olara said. "That's all that is. And this is not even the same situation. Some of you are acting like we are going to use the power of this crystal, and not just trade it as we trade our crops."
"Exactly." Malcolm chimed in, "I am first to say that crystals shouldn't be used. I even scolded Emilia when she let them treat Agnus. But as a chief, I also need to see the bigger picture. And the bigger picture is we can get funding to keep the village stable for two seasons. There is no usage of crystal for that. We trade with the city. How many of those supplies are made with the crystal technology? How is that different from getting the money?"
Malcolm rubbed his temples. "I need your votes."
The silence stretched. Then, one by one, the council members spoke.
"No," Henrik said.
"No," Dimitri echoed.
Emilia hesitated, then: "No. I'm sorry, Malcolm. I understand the practical benefits, but Dimitri's right. This sets a precedent we can't control."
Malcolm looked at Olara, who shook her head. "Three against one. We are outvoted here, Malcolm."
Malcolm's shoulders sagged slightly. He looked at Haran. "I'm sorry. We can't accept your offer."
Haran carefully wrapped the crystal back in its cloth and returned it to the pouch. "I understand. It was a difficult question. Thank you for considering it."
"What will you do with it?" Emilia asked.
"Return it to the church directly. They'll log it as a field recovery." Haran stood, tucking the pouch into his coat.
Malcolm rose as well. "I'll walk you out."
They left together, the council chamber door closing behind them.
When they were well away from the administrative barracks, Malcolm finally spoke. "I think they've made the wrong choice if you ask me."
"I think they made the choice their conscience demanded," Haran said. "That's not the same as wrong."
"But?"
Haran stopped walking. The first stars were visible through the barrier's crosses overhead.
"But I think it is going to cost you people's trust, and maybe even lives. People need to eat, and when you put in all the labor and it is still not enough, they will blame the council. To be more precise, they are going to point the finger at you."
"Do you find me a coward for not pushing the issue harder?"
"Of course not. This is a very divisive topic, and I only think it shouldn't have been voted on right away. Everyone should have presented their thoughts, and then have a few days pass before voting."
"You could have said something," Malcolm sighed.
"I am not a council member. I even think that I being there with the crystal was the wrong choice. But there can still be a chance. You can hide it now in the old mill, then you convince Emilia to change the vote. Once they approve, you can grab it and sell it."
"Haran, I can't. That would be going against the council's will. Please, just take it with you. At best, I can talk with them individually again, in hopes of changing their minds."
"Okay. I will hide it myself close to the village. Be smart about it, Malcolm. You know this is best for the village. You said it yourself."
After their departure, Haran sat on the motorcycle and started heading for Jamtara. After getting some distance from the village, he stopped to think about where to hide the crystal. He couldn't bring it to Jamtara. He will have to be searched on entry. And to just put it in some cave, or bury it, didn't sit right. He wanted to have easy access to it. There was only one place to leave it at—the old mill near the river, which is at the end of the wheat field.
But the problem was, they had patrols in the village. If he gets caught, he is never going to be allowed into the village. Or worse, he could get killed while trespassing.
It is going to help my son. They need the money. I gave them the gold, but with this, others will benefit as well.
There was a chance to do it. He'd have to wait for patrols to switch. He paddled the motorcycle to the forest near the village and hid it as far as he could from the road without entering the forest. He'll go by the river, jump over the wooden fence, and sneak in and leave the crystal. He already had an idea of the place as he helped with hay collection last cycle.
As the dawn slowly rose, Haran, while lying on the ground in the deep green grass, watched with binoculars the warrior who was patrolling around the wooden fence. The fence wasn't high, but it had spikes to prevent the wildlife. But the fence ended at the river. He'll quietly enter through the water once the patrol leaves.
As the warrior left, he started running while keeping his posture low. He quietly entered the river; it was shallow, but he made sure not to make a noise. Then he snuck around the walls of the old mill. There was wheat there ready to be milled. But also, there was a small cabinet, which wasn't used. The crystal was small enough to be put under the cabinet's legs. Then he padded around with some of the wheat to cover the fact that he dust was now cleaned.
Then he looked around while exiting and went back the same way he came.
The Creators have given me their blessing. I think I wasn't seen. I feel ashamed for going behind their backs. But I'll make sure they never find out, and hopefully, they make the sensible decision to sell it, so I no longer need to carry this burden.
Haran didn't know it at the time, but the conversation about the blue crystal was never to be mentioned in the council again.