Decisions, Decisions

The crowd heard that and gulped. They could feel the aura of those three remnant spirits and knew their power was far surpassed their imagination. If they were not a part of Whatever Xasha had planned. The already wide gap between them and the Falling Stardust will only increase.

Thinking up to this point, everyone became serious. The first person stood up and greeted the three remnant spirits respectfully before posing his question to Xasha. "If there is an entire world outside with civilizations much more advanced than our own. How come our map makers have seen no evidence of them?"

Xasha calmly said, "everything the map makers mapped out is still a part of the Abandoned Region, even that is but a small part of Region know as Estia."

"So the Abandoned Region is a part of this Estia? Who is the ruler of Estia? is that person not our patriarch as well?" The man followed up.

"I don't know. These ladies are not from the Western Region. The powers here are too insignificant for them to remember their names. Plus, it has been millions of years since they died. The rulers change every day in this world where the strong eat the weak for breakfast."

This went on for two days as questions were asked endlessly. Xasha, Xandria, Mylyn, and Umi answered every question asked of them until the last patriarch sat down. The room was silent, as everybody now had a lot to think about.

After several hours, it was still dead silent. Fitzroy stood up and asked. "Ash. What do suggest we do?"

"Granduncle, I couldn't say, this is so new and we're all still adjusting. We have not even decided on the future of the Falling Stardust in light of this news."

Xasha paused, then continued, "our options are as follows, we can stay, train and then leave, or we can join hands and leave together. The 2nd option won't work. The Imperium here is too thin so we can grow no stronger than the first flame of the Lava stage. If we hope to get stronger, a better cultivation ground is needed but to get a better cultivation ground."

"The method is all too familiar to you all. We take it from whoever owns it." Fitzroy finished the sentence.

"Our real options are to stay or leave together. Anyone unwilling will have to train until they are stronger than the Falling Stardust is now." In the end, Xasha went and took his seat. His job was done. If there was anything to be said, it would be up to those fellows.

Fitzroy sighed, "so it's a damned if we do and damned if we don't situation. Nobody here will make the decision that's best for all of us so, how about we make the next best one?"

"Which is?" someone asked.

"I'm open to suggestions," Fitzroy said casually from his seat.

"I have a suggestion," Xandria said from where she stood. Everyone paid attention as they wondered what this most powerful being had to say. "All of you weaklings fall in line and follow the one person who actually knows what he is doing. The only person who has an above Zero percent chance of ever getting you weaklings out of this shit hole and back on the continent. If you try to do it without him, you will all die, and if you are going to do it with him, he doesn't need anyone second-guessing his decisions."

The crowd froze. They knew exactly what that girl meant, but none said a word as they knew it may cost their life should they say the wrong thing. This didn't stop them from being furious in their silence. She was telling them to submit to Xasha. How could they possibly accept that?

Xasha spoke up, "Xandria, I have to disagree. I do not want anyone serving under me who does not want to be. Nor do I want anyone who I have to worry about their loyalty, intentions, or even worse, having to watch my back. I would rather stay here in this place and live in peace than charge into battle with an unreliable army behind me."

"Well said," Mylyn commented.

The crowd had to agree, no matter the circumstance, they could never fully submit to Xasha. They had their pride, after all. They would rather stay than dissolve their power and become a member of Xasha's. Especially those who knew that based on the criteria, they may not qualify to join the Stardust Army and might be relegated to a life of selling fruits in the market.

As opposed to being the patriarch of a province and living a comfortable life of riches and respect. Nobody would choose the latter, so in their minds, the decision was already made. Whatever else was decided today, they would not be joining the Falling Stardust under any circumstance.

"If there is nothing else, we can end this Assembly here. We still have a lot of work to do, so if you all will excuse me." Xasha stood up and bowed politely to the crowd, then turned to the exit. Ari and Alexi followed closely behind him. The three remnant spirits also disappeared.

"Wait, Xasha, I have not adjourned this meeting, so where are you going?" Fitzroy spoke in a stern tone. People were shocked. He had never spoken to Xasha like that before.

"Granduncle, how long have we sat here in silence? At this rate, I'll have died and turned to dried bones before a decision is made. Besides, whatever you all decide has nothing to do with me."

"Does that mean you have decided already?" Fitzroy asked.

"It was decided for me. I am on my own, so I will act accordingly." With that, Xasha left the room. Ignoring Fitzroy's call for him to return or threats of a fine.

Fitzroy sighed after Xasha left and leaned back in his seat. He was not upset. He understood how Xasha felt and had to admit he felt the same. The time came for Henosis to unite, but they drifted further apart instead. Everyone was cowardly and selfish in their thinking. At least now, they weren't foolishly charging Estia with nothing but their overconfidence to get by.

Better they stay here and cling to their false sense of power. "I will fight alongside my grandnephew," Fitzroy stated before he left the room. What was the point of ruling over some nameless, abandoned land?

"I will fight with my granddaughter," Old man Lotus stated before he left the room as well. Behind him, several other patriarchs declared their intention to partner with Xasha and left in the direction he did.

It narrowed down to two choices, those who wanted to leave the Abandoned Region and those who intended to stay.

As time went on, those who wanted to stay were now less than half the number before. Some gritted their teeth and got up to follow Xasha. Eventually, the rest got up and left in a different direction. Among them were those from the Dauntless Province.

Xasha did not go home but headed to a public park and sat in the grass with Ari and Alexi. Ari's pets, Wolfy and Goldie, showed up in great moods. They had missed her dearly. Wolfy had evolved around the same time Alexi did into a beautiful rainbow-haired girl, Ari named her Liza. Goldie was still a Void Dragon. It would be some time before she evolves as the time Imperium here was almost nonexistent.

Ari hugged the dragon's nose and petted it gently as she turned to her father. "How many Void Dragons do we have?"

Xasha thought for a moment. " I'd say two million give or take a hundred thousand. We usually breed a hundred thousand a year from fertility Pearls, but the more mature ones are producing offspring."

"Good," Ari said happily.

"Why did you ask?" Xasha was curious.

"Because Xandria told me that Void Dragons are called Ferries. Because of their ability to fold space, the more powerful races and organizations used them for transport. I think we should do the same, but before that, we would need the required knowledge. Neither Xandria nor Mylyn ever managed to learn."

"I learned nothing like that in the Void Dragon's research. Well, they knew a lot about folding space and that's how I taught you how to do it, but I'm not sure how these involved Fantasma are going to learn such a complex skill." Xasha wondered allowed.

"Leave it as a future goal. My Goldie and a few others are already Gold Realm. If we go where the Imperium is denser, our chances will improve drastically."

"Well, we have six months to prepare. Let's make the most of it. Alexi, how's the breathing technique?"

"It's great my connection with Imperium is more profound than ever."

"Good, I'm glad you're progressing. I'm having a problem with that storm breathing. I can't help feeling that these breathing techniques are incomplete like some important aspect is missing. If I can figure it out, I'm sure I can make them more powerful. For that, we need knowledge." Xasha got up and dusted off his bum. "Now we know where to get it."

Xasha saw a crowd flitting over from the distance. At a glance, he knew who they were. Everyone landed on the path and approached. "We will work with you. Here is what we propose. We create a joint Army of which you will be the commander. We will also transition Henosis to a single entity where provinces do not differ from districts and leaders hold political power but no military power. Whatever we gain from our excursion on Estia, we will share equally." Fitzroy minced no words as he laid his cards on the table.

Xasha smiled at this. He was not too interested in his proposal, but it showed these people weren't all stubborn enough to cling to their delusion of power in this place. "I accept your proposal, but I will not lead the army. I don't even lead my army."

Xasha burst out laughing. "What do I know about leading armies?" He contained himself. "I will accept you and my father leading the army as joint commanders and a war council made up of those with political and military expertise. A mapmaker who knows how to navigate and is familiar with the environment. There will also be a team of Strategists of which I will be the leader. Last, the army will train here under my supervision. You all know the qualifications to join the army. Prove yourselves, by acing the required assessments."

"Assessments?" Fitzroy asked.

Xasha grinned.