Chapter 17: Maya's Resurrection
Year 0008, Month I-III: The Imperium
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Day 02-84: The Last Month of Spring
Maya village had fully transformed into a settlement truly worthy of its name. It now boasted sixteen manor-style long houses, with each family having their own specialized architectural niche in the design. Built with future expansion in mind, the area allocated to each residence was considerably larger than most homes found even in wealthy districts outside the village. Each house could accommodate extended wings and second floors as families grew, representing fifteen newly constructed dwellings built over the past three years, alongside August's ancestral home and his family's former neighbor's residence, which had been completely renovated and repurposed as a warehouse for their growing trade operations.
The success of their expansion had created new challenges, particularly regarding housing arrangements. August's family home was becoming increasingly cramped as it continued to serve as temporary residence for those without family connections in the village. Currently sharing the space were August himself, Erik, Bren, Betty, Angeline and her father Jonathan, Red and his wife Theresa along with their children Isabel and Adam, and the former Corvus associates and slaves—Hiraya, Adarna, Donna, and Sandeval—all of whom had shared a painful past but had found redemption and purpose in Maya's growing community.
Sandeval's story represented perhaps the most dramatic transformation among their residents. He had originally served as head captain of the slave traders who were transporting the four escaped slaves—part of a much larger shipment requested by an influential person in the northern kingdoms—but he too had abandoned that life after retiring and being hunted by Corvus, his previous employer. His failure to deliver the slaves had resulted from an attack by territorial Grimfangs who had assaulted their slave trade caravan. He had never enjoyed working in the slave trade but had been coerced into it by his criminal superiors. His original application had been to Zargos Mercantile, which he had believed was a reputable trading company, only to discover it was merely a front for Corvus, the underworld syndicate that controlled much of the regional criminal activity across most kingdoms and sovereignties.
Michelle, the skilled embroiderer who had created their caravan banners, had also established her own workspace within August's home—at least temporarily, since the industrial zones still lacked buildings for industry, trade, and commerce, with only the pastures currently developed there. She lived under his protection while contributing her artistic talents to the community's development.
Plans were already underway to extend the main house once again to properly accommodate all these residents, ensuring that everyone would have adequate private space while maintaining the communal areas that had become so important to their social cohesion.
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Established Residents and New Arrangements
Master Ben Flameswrath, their sole pure mage whom they had met along the way three years ago on the old routes of the Kingdom of Ogind, had established himself in a magnificent tower built collaboratively with Sibus and the builder families. Located near the village's rear, positioned just below the quarry operations, the location provided him with an excellent vantage point overlooking the entire village while offering the privacy necessary for his magical research and experiments. He had created a comfortable home within the tower's multiple levels, dedicating entire floors to his various studies and maintaining extensive libraries of magical knowledge accumulated over his centuries of experience.
Buford and his three escorts had found their place in the guest house, which had been transformed into security team barracks to accommodate the village's growing defensive needs. The heir to the Millhaven household had spent the past three years learning from virtually everyone in the village, absorbing knowledge about frontier life, community management, and survival skills that no amount of noble education could have provided.
His education had been comprehensive and often dangerous, as he frequently accompanied August and his team during their hunting expeditions into the forest depths. The learning process had been harsh, with numerous close calls that would have resulted in his death if not for the vigilant protection of his three bodyguards. However, these experiences had transformed him from an arrogant young nobleman into a capable and humble member of their community.
Despite his commitment to learning in Maya, August had maintained Buford's connection to his family by bringing him home to Millhaven territory twice each year. August had developed genuine affection for Earl Hugo and his family, as well as appreciation for their territory's management and culture. These visits typically lasted five nights and served multiple purposes—they allowed Buford to maintain family relationships while also providing opportunities for other villagers, particularly Red and those living in August's overcrowded home, to experience the outside world and relieve the psychological pressures of isolation.
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Population Growth and New Life
The village's demographic transformation had been remarkable, with their population surging by fifty-nine newborns over the past three years. Among these new arrivals were two particularly precious additions: Griz and Hela, a boy and girl who were the new siblings of Adam and Isabel. It seemed that Red and Theresa had found considerable time for romance during the periods when most of the village's residents had been away helping August with the caravan operations.
The baby boom extended throughout the community, with new romantic relationships forming regularly and creating expectations of additional children in the coming years. Even within Team One, romantic entanglements had developed that would likely lead to marriages and families once the participants reached the traditional age of nineteen.
**Team One Romantic Developments:**
Erik and Isabel had surprised everyone with their relationship, their personalities complementing each other in unexpected ways. Meanwhile, both Adarna and Hiraya found themselves competing for Adam's attention, creating a complex situation since polygamy, while not prohibited, was not openly encouraged and generally frowned upon by women in the community. The traditional rule was that if a man could provide adequately for multiple wives, such arrangements were permissible, with similar flexibility existing in regions where matriarchy was more prominent.
Bren had developed interest in Nina Simone, despite her being several years his senior, while Milo Stone had begun courting Betty with genuine affection. The most closely watched relationship involved the two oldest residents of Maya village—August, being the sole remaining original villager, and Angeline, who had arrived as a refugee years ago. Their budding romantic feelings were obvious to everyone who observed them together, though they seemed to progress slowly compared to when their attraction had first become apparent years earlier.
Jonathan had maintained a protective watch over his daughter, not wanting anyone to simply claim his sole remaining family member. With his wife already passed away, he felt a strong obligation to protect their only child. However, he recognized that if August were the one to win Angeline's heart, everything would be acceptable, as he trusted August's character and intentions completely.
Interestingly, Jonathan himself had found love within the village community. Michelle, though several years younger than him, had captured his interest, and he felt the need for companionship and warmth. He had respectfully asked permission from his daughter Angeline and had even visited his wife's grave in the village cemetery to seek her blessing for moving forward with his life. It appeared that Angeline might soon gain a stepmother and potentially a sibling, though she welcomed the possibility since she knew Michelle to be kind and had interacted positively with her during their journey to the village three years ago.
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Family Growth Across the Community
The remaining fifty-seven babies had been distributed among the fifteen migrant families who had become fully integrated villagers of Maya. The distribution reflected both natural family planning and the prosperity that had allowed families to expand their households:
**FARMING FAMILIES:**
**The Greenfield Family** welcomed 4 new members: twins born to Jorin and Lysa, and individual children born to Sera and Alys, bringing their total to 16 members.
**The Harvest Family** celebrated 3 new arrivals: children born to Garlan and Jeyne, Mya and Edric, and Theon and Roslin, expanding to 14 members.
**The Plowman Family** added 3 new members: twins born to Martyn and Delena, and one child to Janei and Quentyn, growing to 13 members.
**The Barley Family** welcomed 4 new children: one each to Dameon and Lana, Reyna and Harwin, and twins to Agon and Helaena, reaching 16 members.
**The Thornwick Family** added 3 new members: children born to Brandon and Catelyn, and twins to Eddard and Ashara, expanding to 14 members.
**The Meadowbrook Family** celebrated 4 new arrivals: twins to Samwell and Gilly, and individual children to Talla and Dickon, plus one additional child, growing to 14 members.
**The Tillman Family** welcomed 4 new members: one each to Joffrey and Margaret, Myrcella and Trystane, and twins to Tommen and Shireen, reaching 16 members.
**HUNTING FAMILIES:**
**The Archer Family** added 4 new children: twins to Anguy and Bella, and individual children to Thoros and Melisandre, expanding to 15 members.
**The Tracker Family** welcomed 3 new arrivals: one each to Meera and Jojen, and twins to Hodor and Osha, growing to 13 members.
**The Wildwood Family** celebrated 4 new members: one each to Korver and Dalla, Ygritte and Jon, and twins to Val and Rattleshirt, reaching 16 members.
**BUILDER FAMILIES:**
**The Stonehammer Family** added 4 new children: twins to Tybur and Rita, and individual children to Mylla and Triton, expanding to 15 members.
**The Carpenter Family** welcomed 3 new arrivals: one child each to Gendry and Anita, and twins to Kiko and Loraine, growing to 13 members.
**The Mason Family** celebrated 4 new members: one each to Petyr and Cathy, Lisa and Toney, and twins to Edmure and Roslin, reaching 16 members.
**BAKER FAMILY:**
**The Millwright Family** added 4 new children: twins to Arlon and Heide, and individual children to Meredith and David, expanding to 15 members.
**SECURITY FAMILY:**
**The Martin Family** welcomed 3 new arrivals distributed between the two nuclear families, bringing them to 13 members total.
Each household now averaged three to four babies born over the three-year period, reflecting both the prosperity and security that had encouraged family expansion throughout the community. The boom of twins in the community was a surprising event that was even rarer than what other larger city-sized populations or even kingdoms had experienced.
There were also intermarriages between different families, which would surely increase the current population even further—at least for those who had reached adulthood and those who were still unmarried despite reaching the marriage age of 18-19. They had a few remaining young adults aged 13-17 who would soon contribute to the next generation of marriages and families.
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Infrastructure Development and Future Projects
The village's security measures had been significantly enhanced with future expansion in mind. They had created distinct zones within their defensive perimeter: the new lower zone was dedicated to industry, agriculture, and economic activities, while the original hilltop zone focused on residential homes, security operations, and administrative functions. The new perimeter wall, positioned much closer to the forest edge than the original fortifications, required regular patrols shared by the security team, which had finally been properly organized into a formal command structure.
**REORGANIZED COMMAND STRUCTURE:**
**Overall Command:** August served as supreme commander of all village security operations.
**Deputy Commanders:** Red, Jonathan, Axel, and Bjorn Martin served as his primary lieutenants, each responsible for different aspects of village defense and organization.
**Team 2 - Village Security Team:** Primarily composed of the Martin family members, this unit handled day-to-day security operations, perimeter patrols, and defensive preparations.
**Team 1 - Specialized Combat Unit:** The original crew had been formally designated as the village's elite combat force, responsible for specialized missions, forest expeditions, and major threat response.
**Team 1 Organization:**
- Combat Commanders: August (Pseudo Leader/All-Rounder) and Erik (Primary Leader/Scout)
- Core Combat Members: Adam (Tanker), Isabel (All-Rounder), Bren (Hybrid Tanker/Attacker), Betty (Attacker/Support Healer), Angeline (Attacker/Support Healer), Milo (Attacker/Berserker)
- Combat Supporting Members: Hiraya (Support Logistics/Healer), Adarna (Support Logistics/Healer)
**Team 3 - Community Defense Force:** A newly formed unit led by Jonathan with Red overseeing battlefield coordination, consisting of all remaining adult and young adult villagers capable of combat operations.
Master Ben remained outside this formal structure, respected as a village guest with complete freedom to choose his level of involvement. The wizard periodically left the village to address volcanic eruptions near distant settlements and visit old acquaintances, but he had become increasingly grounded in Maya's community life, serving as both honored guest and temporary villager.
Buford and his three guards had been integrated into Team 3's operations, providing additional combat capability for village defense while occasionally accompanying Team 1 on their hunting expeditions and training missions. They were treated as guests but did not conduct themselves as nobles, per Earl Hugo's request regarding his son's treatment. For the villagers, Buford was simply another community member like themselves. He, his escorts, and his servant had also kept their end of the bargain to not reveal any information about the village's location or activities—at least not until the day Maya village became strong enough to proclaim itself to the world and protect their claim in this part of the Great Forest, where the Empire had prohibited any occupation or settlement by kingdoms that bordered it.
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Future Development Projects
Several ambitious projects were already in the planning stages to accommodate Maya's continued growth and enhance its capabilities:
**Residential Expansion:** The addition of two new wings to August's home, including additional floors to the existing structure, would provide proper accommodation for the current residents while creating space for future needs.
**Mountain Stronghold:** A dream project involving the construction of a proper fortress deep within the mountain complex, which would serve as both ultimate defensive position and storage facility for the community's most valuable resources.
**Northern Lowlands Farm:** An expanded agricultural area dedicated specifically to livestock feed production, allowing the Western and Eastern Highlands Farms to focus entirely on grain cultivation and tuber production for human consumption.
**Orchard Development:** The Thornwick Family, with their expertise in orchard management and fruit cultivation, had taken the lead in establishing small-scale fruit production integrated into the family garden system. While large-scale orchard operations remained future goals, Magnos Thornwick's renowned expertise in tree grafting and his family's mastery of preserves and cider production had already begun yielding results. Their children Brandon and Catelyn specialized in tree grafting and orchard expansion, while Eddard and Ashara brought expertise in fruit processing and beverage production. The Thornwick family's knowledge of pest control and orchard protection, particularly through Benjen's specialized skills, ensured the health and productivity of their developing fruit trees.
The village had already begun producing its own crafted beverages from their grain harvests and garden fruit production, representing both dietary improvement and potential trade commodities for future economic expansion. The Barley Family, with their expertise in agricultural innovation and fermentation, worked closely with the Thornwicks to develop these beverage production capabilities, while the Millwright Family provided the grain processing expertise necessary for brewing operations.
**Current Agricultural Capacity:**
- **2 km² of arable highland area:** Including western and eastern farms plus various family garden plots and August's personal backyard garden
With other expansions to their agriculture such as grain mills and grain silos, forest outposts for their hunting parties, and potential infrastructure for road building—which they still found difficult to address since the forest was ruled by the great beasts who maintained their own territorial dominion over it—their current trade methods remained inefficient but highly effective with their available resources. The use of large magical storage pouches to transport goods they wished to sell outside was working for them currently, utilizing Kirpy and his siblings as temporary transport during these trading expeditions.
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Power Progression and Future Challenges
August found himself contemplating a crucial decision regarding his personal development. Most of Team 1 had already reached the maximum allowable level for the Party System, which mirrored his own Personal System at level 25. Only the newest members—Milo Stone, Hiraya, and Adarna—remained at level 10, having joined his party system recently and therefore missing the opportunity to participate in the extensive forest hunting expeditions that had powered the others' advancement.
**CURRENT PARTY SYSTEM STATUS:**
**Team 1 - Specialized Combat Unit:**
- **August Finn** - Leader [All-Rounder] - Level 25 (MAX) (70,000/70,000)
- **Erik Rubbard** - Sub-Leader [Scout] - Level 24 (37,750/66,500) - Category II High-Tier (Human) Level 45
- **Betty Snow** - [Support Attacker] - Level 23 (38,250/63,000) - Category II Mid-Tier (Human) Level 35
- **Bren Anglewood** - [Hybrid Vanguard/Attacker] - Level 24 (5,250/66,500) - Category II Mid-Tier (Human) Level 40
- **Angeline Ross** - [Support/Attacker] - Level 23 (38,250/63,000) - Category II Mid-Tier (Human) Level 30
- **Adam Peerce** - [Tanker] - Level 23 (38,250/63,000) - Category II Mid-Tier (Human) Level 40
- **Isabel Peerce** - [All-Rounder] - Level 24 (37,750/66,500) - Category II Mid-Tier (Human) Level 40
- **Milo Stone** - [Mercenary Berserker] - Level 10 (37,750/66,500) - Category I Mid-Tier (Human) Level 20
**Support Team:**
- **Hiraya** - [Logistical Support/Healer] - Level 10 (51,250/56,000) - Category I Mid-Tier (Human) Level 14
- **Adarna** - [Logistical Support/Healer] - Level 10 (21,250/38,500) - Category I Mid-Tier (Human) Level 14
The plateau that most of his core team had reached represented both achievement and limitation. To continue growing stronger and better protect what they had built, August would need to face the trials required to advance his Personal System to the next level. Such advancement would unlock new capabilities and potentially allow his party members to break through their current limitations as well.
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Reflection on Achievement and Responsibility
After carefully assessing everything he had accomplished in preparing the village for future challenges, August felt the weight of both achievement and impending responsibility. Maya had exceeded every expectation they had dared to hold three years ago, transforming from a dying remnant into a thriving community that could legitimately be called a success by any measure.
However, he understood that with great achievement came great responsibility, and with greater responsibility came the need for greater power to protect what they had built. The peaceful years of construction and community building had been precious, but they had also been a luxury that might not continue indefinitely. The wider world remained dangerous and unpredictable, and threats could emerge that would test every defense they had constructed and every bond they had forged.
The contrast between their small community's intimate struggles and the continental-scale conflicts that raged elsewhere served as a constant reminder of how fragile their peaceful existence truly was. While they had built strong walls, trained capable defenders, and established economic prosperity, they remained a tiny island of civilization surrounded by vast wildernesses filled with dangers both natural and supernatural.
August's contemplation of his Personal System trials reflected not ambition for personal power but recognition of the practical necessities facing their community's protector. The enhanced capabilities that advancement would provide could prove crucial not just for his own survival but for maintaining the safety and prosperity of the nearly three hundred souls who now called Maya village home.
With his mind focused on the future and the trials that awaited him, August prepared to take the next step in his personal development. The foundation they had built—both physical and social—was strong enough to support his temporary absence, and the leadership structure they had established would ensure the village's continued prosperity while he faced whatever challenges his advancement would require.
The peaceful month of spring's end would soon give way to summer's growth and activity, but before that season arrived, August would need to make the crucial decision about when and how to undertake the trials that would define not just his own future but the future of everyone who had chosen to trust in his vision of a better life in the depths of the Forest of Lonelywood.
Maya's resurgence was complete, but August understood that their greatest tests might still lie ahead. The strength he gained through advancement would determine whether their community could weather whatever storms the future might bring, whether they arose from the dangers of the great forest or from the broader conflicts that continued to reshape the world beyond their protective walls.