"Is everyone accounted for?"
"Yes, the headcount is twenty-four…"
"Let us convene the first gathering of the Pilgrims!"
In an unnamed forest, in the borders between the Morsola Kingdom, and the Cosco Imperial Duchy, are the old wizened elves. Their white and graying hair is like an assortment decorating the green vegetation of the forest. Adding the midnight's full moon illuminating the sparse open clearings among trees, the scene of the gathering imposes a mystical feel to those who see it.
Each elf finds themselves sitting on dirt, rocks, and trees. They make themselves as comfortable as possible.
After informing the elderly elves to elect a 'leader' through Lameya's mouth, the elves quickly decide on Temeya.
Temeya who is the newly elected representative of the Pilgrims stands atop a giant boulder. In her hand is a parchment, a letter, from her Highness and Varen. Besides Temeya is her granddaughter, Lameya who has a carriage full of cages of pigeons.
In a 'secret gathering' like this, a person might imagine it to be tranquil and solemn, however, that is not the case.
"Hey, who here has any liquor? I can trade you with my nuts."
"I don't want your nuts. Anyway, the Capalla Viscounty further north has a grand waterfall!"
"Yeah? Hah~ if only you know grandness! The Anisia River is still the best…"
"You bastard! Because I haven't been to the Dark Forest!"
"Behave yourself, I am your senior, you old hag!"
"Hey, no fighting! Why go to the Dark Forest? We have our jobs here…"
"Yeah, I think I like this nomadic lifestyle more."
"I agree. As you grow old, you would want to see more of the world."
"Anyways, from what I hear, we will have a vacation system in the future…"
"Yeah, I read it from old hag Temeya's letter. I sneaked a peak just this dusk…"
"We should have vacations, the Fae Lagends advertise it too, you know?"
The spectacle of the very energetic old hags and geezers is truly entertaining… and awkward. Lameya after tending to the matters of the discovery of 'Gaia' immediately rushes to meet with the pilgrims in transition of a new set of orders. Expecting the atmosphere to be dull as it is full of elderly elves, she is expecting the 'meeting' to be horribly hateful and boring.
But what is this?
These elves really have the energy to spare…
Meanwhile, Temeya who is watching all of this from her boulder feels conflicted as she recalls one of the most dislikable stories in the 'Fae Legends' about how elves are generally socially awkward creatures. For some reason, Temeya is starting to agree with this line of thought. It is just so comically true.
"Ahem," Temeya softly coughs trying to gain the attention of the noisy elves. Alas, the hags and geezers continue to ignore her. "Ahem," She repeats, yet no one looks on her way. Her temper explodes at once. "SHUT UP AND LISTEN YOU SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF BITCHES!"
"…"
Complete silence.
A truly masterful display of speech.
"Ahem," Temeya coughs awkwardly feeling the cold sweat on her back. "First, I will read her Highness's letter." She unrolls the thick parchment of thin leather and starts reading its contents.
"Dear Pilgrims,
I am filled with gratitude for your efforts and sacrifice, and through your power, I hope that one day, humanity shall know of the greatness of our King. The Dark Forest is well, and our Einherjar is strong and continues to grow stronger by the day. The building of 'Tree Houses' still continues, and with the Dark Forest as the center of it all, our dreamt nation is finally taking shape. Every elf finds safety in their trees, and comfort from nature. By the time the Elf King wakes, we shall declare the capital's name, however, that is for the far future.
Currently, I ask the Pilgrims for their continued support. As per my most recent request for someone to be the unilateral leader of the Pilgrims, I thank you for all of your consideration. I hope the leader of the Pilgrims shall remain steadfast to our ideals, purpose, and goals.
To the pilgrims… I hope for those who are literate of the more ancient Elven Runes even before the empire to return to the Dark Forest. We are in urgent need of transcribers, and also linguists who can discern and derive the current continent's tongue to the now-forgotten ancient elven tongue. Research on the ruins 'Gaia' is underway, and we need to gather experts immediately as we believe, the ruins may hold secrets that could be related to the Fae Legends that his majesty penned. As it might be detrimental to the Pilgrims' numbers, I simply ask of approximately five best linguists among you.
About the vacation system, and the other concerns about the structure of the Pilgrims. I leave it to the Pilgrims representative. Also, a new system for delivering messages shall be implemented from now on. For this, please refer to Varen, the Ratatoskr's package delivery.
That is all.
Sincerely, Kara Glt Zorun."
The letter's contents leave the elves thinking to themselves. They don't know about Gaia, but from how her highness sounds, it is quite urgent. That aside, the elves' thinking falls in the direction of vacation.
Temeya grabs the pouch of water from her waist to drink and wet her throat. The elves stare at her with a certain expectation. "For our vacation system, I have decided…"
At her hanging words, suspense and tension start to rise among the elves.
And like a cruel slaver, Temeya firmly decides. "There will be no vacations! Dream off, fuckers!" Like a petty revenge for becoming the Pilgrims' Representative, Temeya endows her vengeance with a smile.
"Boo~"
"Fuck you, bitch!"
"We are so stressed!"
"And lonely!"
"Life is difficult!"
Temeya ignores them and continues to unfurl Varen's letter. After opening the rolled parchment, Temeya frowns at the demonic lines writhing in front of her. "Who wrote this? It looks like chicken shit…"
"It is Varen," Lameya nervously covers her mouth. "I swear I didn't see him doing it. I just know that he wrote it… Varen has a tutor recently hoping to learn writing and reading…"
"No wonder it looks like chicken shit," Temeya whispers enlightened. She can imagine the blind man doing it, and miserably failing it. But to fail at this point, of even sending these miserable scrawls, is utterly sad for Varen. "He is just starting to learn… So, let's give him some slack…" She wryly smiles.
"That Opina should know it, but she still sent it… Cruel bitch…" Lameya complains.
It is not Lameya's usual character to cuss. It seems that the Berserker Potion's long-lasting effect on her is becoming more vocal, which Temeya fully understands as normally, Lameya is a kind girl that tends to choose silence over violence.
Temeya consoles her. "That is what you are here for, right? Do tell us about Varen's reports, and stuff. This must be the reason why Opina, your friend, suggests to you to deliver the letter." Temeya gives up the high boulder from where she is standing so that Lameya can present 'Varen's message' to them.
After that, the gathering peacefully proceeds. The idea is for the Pilgrims to set up outposts in forests and take care of pigeons. Temeya patiently explains how the message delivery system works. There are many forests in the Ezelea Continent. The plan is for them to establish hidden 'Tree Bases' in the major forests, and divide the Pilgrims into factions according to the places they are responsible for sending information. The elves shall train their pigeons according to their factions. In time, with every passing season, the elves must exchange pigeons through their merchant caravans from the Beyronald Kingdom and the Dark Lands. This way, their carrier pigeons, will remember their 'homes' and effectively use them as messengers. The idea is entirely from humans, however, the elves adapt it to their situation. This way, the elves can have 'outposts' in plain sight, yet they shall remain hidden.
"Good work," Temeya compliments her granddaughter. "Now, let us discuss…" Returning to the high boulder where Lameya presents Varen's words is Temeya.
Hosting the elves, Temeya methodologically dissects the ideas that her fellow elves suggest to her. The old hags and geezer showcase their intellectual sides as even before the moon says its goodbye, the elves finally have a plan of action.
Three outposts— North West, North East, and South. This creates a triangle where the elves can spread their forces in a just manner, and also preserve their numbers as much as they can.
Temeya returns to the high boulder replacing Lameya. "These outposts are purely for circulating information, and also as rest stops for the Valkyries, the Einherjar, Ratatoskr, and in essence, the military. This is so that we can protect our outposts in a long term. We cannot house other elves. We cannot create villages in our outposts. It is purely for the use of the Pilgrims, and assistance for the military branch. Do I make myself clear?"
No one dares to contradict Temeya's unilateral decision. After all, every pilgrim present knows the weight of the uncontrollable. Maybe at some point, every pilgrim starts being influenced by the Fae Legends, so it is not so foreign for them to reject risks no matter how cold-hearted it might sound.
The idea of sheltering loose elf communities on the run might sound noble, but it is not worth the risk considering the value of information. Every hag and geezer in the Pilgrims is literate to some extent as their jobs require them to read the Fae Legends.
"You know me, I was among the twelve elves that his majesty recruited. Among these twelve, there are nine oldies who are nearing their life's end. One of us decided to become her Highness's Guardian Tree. Three of us decided to pursue other vocations like carpentry, writing, and cooking. Only five of us decided to become pilgrims. That is about half of what we started since his majesty's advent. You must know the story, after all, to become Pilgrims, it is necessary that you hear it…"
The advent of his majesty, his rise from the well, and rebirth through the fire. The war of vengeance and retaliation. The victory of the elves, the immortal elves, who no one loses their life. While Temeya conceals a certain half-elf's death, it doesn't matter one way or another, the story does carry truth.
"Since we became the pilgrims, us five originally from the nine old elves, we decide to dedicate our lives to the cause hoping to put our lives to good use… to find us death… Of course, we weren't the only pilgrims as some elves from the rescued domains also join us. On top of this, we also have a couple of old elves who recently joined us this past year. However, please do remember, we, Pilgrims started with over thirty… How many of us are there now?"
Twenty-four. In a year, they lose six, which is one-fifth of their original number. Their job as a pilgrim is just that dangerous which makes them totally expendable.
"Know that it is his majesty who decided on this plan for us to roam the world and spread his words. And while it might seem cruel because of the disregard for our lives, I feel that this is too nice instead of cruel… After all, there are still uses on us… just like old wheat that can be used as fertilizers…"
A self-deprecating joke, and while it sounds funny to Temeya, Lameya only feels sorrow.
There are still elves who cannot move on, and Temeya is one of them.
"Secrecy is of utmost importance," Temeya raises her hand in a fist with fanatic conviction. "The outposts will become our lifeblood in the future. For this, we must accomplish this with perfection!"