by Aleron Kong
He thought at her quickly, *You won’t hurt anyone, right?* She just gave an uninterested sniff. Taking that as affirmation, Richter continued.
“Lastly, I’m sure you have all seen our friends the Wood Sprites throughout the village. Some of you may have been here earlier, but I’ll repeat for those of you who were not. Tonight we will be planting a Seed Core. It will grow a magical tree that will greatly benefit us. The Hearth Mother has done us the great favor of placing a blessing upon the Seed that will let it grow much quicker than otherwise possible. We are truly lucky to have such good friends!” Richter looked up at the darkening sky. The color was not just due to the setting sun, but also because it was heavy with storm clouds. Richter gave a laugh, “All are welcome to attend the ceremony if you’re willing to brave a little rain.”
The people laughed good-naturedly along with him. A sympathy laugh, Richter thought, but I’ll take it. Richter raised his hand to signal that he was done speaking. The people dispersed and he walked down the slope that led from the tunnel to the village below. One of the sprites met him at the bottom. The green clad warrior stared at Richter’s familiar before speaking.
“The Hearth Mother is at the lake in the hills north of the village. She asks that you join her. She says that there is no rush, but to please come before sunset.”
“Please tell her I’ll be there soon.” He would have gone straight there, but a stream of air into his ear reminded him of his responsibilities.
He turned his head to look at the dragonling, “Don’t go getting fresh.” His familiar didn’t deign to reply. A quick question to a passing villager pointed him in the direction of the makeshift store houses for their food. He walked up to the small series of sheds. He was about to open the first door when his familiar jumped off his shoulders with a shriek. She glided through the air and landed on a deer that a hunter was dressing with a broad-bladed knife. The man stumbled back with a startled cry and raised his dagger. The dragonling hissed at the man, then turned back to the deer. She stuck her face into the bloody haunch, and then began tearing off bloody chunks and swallowing them whole.
Richter took in the scene and recognized it for what it truly was, a calamity in the making. There would be no bloodshed right now because he was here to intervene. In the future, however, that was not necessarily a sure thing. He needed to deal with this now. Better to establish boundaries early. He walked up to the dragonling, and said, “Stop.”
His familiar ignored him. He repeated himself only louder but had the same result. Having had enough, he reached out and yanked the deer to the ground. *STOP!*
The dragonling grabbed hold of the wooden frame that the deer had been hanging from. She twisted her sinuous neck to stare at Richter. She let loose a harsh hiss and bared her fangs at him.
Richter didn’t move. He just looked into his familiar’s eyes and waited for whatever would happen. He knew two things. One, in every pack there was an alpha. Two, that alpha was him. They stared at each other for long minutes, the dragonling’s back arched as she hissed at him intermittently. After a time, she stopped baring her teeth, though her wings remained flared.
*Mine,* she thought at him defiantly projecting an image of the deer carcass
He had a feeling that a well-reasoned argument would not convince his familiar. Instead, he thought of the image of her sitting on his shoulders, and communicated the thought, *Family*. Then he thought of looking at all of the people who had listened to his announcement. He projected *family* again, but with less intensity. Then he thought of the hunter and repeated *family* at the same level. Finally, he projected the image of the deer carcass back to her, *Ours.*
The dragonling kept her eyes lidded, but relaxed her stance and loosened her neck from full extension. She turned to look at the hunter who was still standing nearby, looking confused at Richter and the psi dragonling. Not surprising seeing as how the man could not hear the silent communication between the two of them. She looked back at Richter and thought, *Hungry!* The thought had much less animosity in it, though.
Richter relaxed his stare as well and put a smile onto his face. He extended his arm and projected, *Trust me.* She gathered herself and gave a small jump. She left the wooden post and clambered up onto his shoulders. He addressed the hunter.
“I’m sorry about that. I know it must have been startling to have her jump out at you like that. She is going to live here, though. Apparently she prefers fresh meat, a fact I learned at exactly the same time as you. I have told her it was wrong that she almost attacked you.”
“You told her, my Lord?” The hunter still hadn’t completely calmed his stance, not that Richter could blame him.
“Yes,” Richter said. “We are able to communicate without words. Mind to mind. The point is, she is my familiar, and she is here to stay. I doubt this is the last time that she will greet you or the other hunters looking for a morsel. If she comes around, I would appreciate it if you would cut off a large piece of meat and set it aside for her.”
The man looked at the other hunters who indicated with small gestures and head shakes that they would not be the ones to feed Richter’s vicious little friend. After a long sigh, the man walked forward towards the deer, but his gaze never left the dragonling. Even when he started cutting the meat, he kept looking back and forth. This was why he almost cut one of his fingers off. He was able to avoid disaster though, and he quickly removed a two-pound piece of meat. That was as far as he was willing to go. It was clear to Richter that he had no intention of getting any closer.
“Place it on the rock please,” Richter said, indicating a low to the ground piece of stone. The man complied and then walked several yards away. Richter turned his head to look at the dragonling. He sent several more thoughts. One was of his mother feeding him, *Family*. Then a second of Richter and the dragonling in the Great Seal chamber, *Family*. Last, an image of what was happening right now, Richter, the hunters and her, *family*. After that he said, “Go eat love.”
She flew from his shoulders and settled onto the meat. In no time at all, she was attacking it again and eating with abandon. Richter looked at the hunters. “I have to go. I have no idea how much she will need to eat. It would probably be a good idea, that if it looks like she is still hungry, just to give her more meat.” The hunters nodded vigorously. Richter didn’t really want to leave her so early, but he needed to go see Hisako. Despite the small battle of wills he had just won, he realized she was a wild creature. He couldn’t watch over her all of the time hoping she didn’t fly away. He decided to put faith in their soul bond.
*Come find me when you are done.* She didn’t give an indication that she had heard. He decided not to push the issue. He realized that he was lucky to have survived even one instance of getting between a hungry woman and her meal. He wasn’t stupid enough to try it a second time.
He started walking toward the lake in the hills above the village. The sun had just fallen behind the trees. No rain had fallen yet, but the first peals of thunder could be heard in the distance. Walking through the village, he couldn’t help but feel pleased at the gentle industry taking place around him. All of these people, human and nonhuman, were working together to create a meaningful home. He felt lucky to be a part of it.
It didn’t take long to reach the foot of hill. The hilltop was several dozen yards in elevation above the village. It was an easy climb if approached by the slope that was about ten yards across, the base of the slope being within the walls of the village. There was no other way to easily ascend. To the left of the slope was a steep escarpment that quickly became a sheer cliff. The lake above drained down the cliff forming a small waterfall. The waterfall in turn made a small river that joined another minor river that came from the base of the cliff. The resulting larger river flowed west into the forest.
Hisako, Yoshi, and the other sprites were waiting at the top of the hill, speaking softly. Mostly talking softly, Richter corrected himself. It brought a faint smile to hi
s face to see Sion’s beleaguered expression as Daniella continued to express her latest opinion of his Companion’s faults. Richter looked past the sprites out over the meadow he now stood in. It was the first time he had ever come up here, he realized. It was a beautiful sight.
The grassy field was more than a mile long, probably closer to between two or three. The southern boundary of the meadow curved outward slightly, the edge defined by the sharp drop off of the cliff. Along the edge, several rows of tall trees grew. They acted like a screen, blocking visualization of much of what was past the drop off. The northern and eastern borders were sharp cliffs of white stone. Grey lines traced through the rock and it sparkled slightly. Randolphus had told him the stone was called marbled quartz. It was the same stone that the Mist Workers had been collecting from the nearby quarry. It was apparently extremely strong. That coupled with its attractive appearance, made the quartz a highly sought after building material, at least according to his new chamberlain. The western edge of the meadow was a stand of tall trees that perched above another drop-off. The only easy entrance was the slope Richter had just walked up.
The western end of the hilltop was dominated by a lake. It was easily a quarter of a mile across. A waterfall came from the northern cliff face falling into the lake. A phosphorescent green algae hugged the lake bed, making it glow slightly in the fading light. The undulation of the glowing plants gave the appearance of slow movement beneath the surface of the water. The southern edge of the lake drained down the escarpment creating the second waterfall that fell to the level of the village. The entire rest of the meadow was a riot of color. Countless flowers and vibrant plants dotted the grassy surface, and even in the fading light it was beautiful.
“Thank you for coming, Richter,” Hisako said. “This is an amazing place. Some of the herbs and plants that are numerous in this meadow are actually quite rare.”
“Sion had mentioned that,” Richter replied.
“I asked you up here because this is the perfect spot for planting the Seed Core. The land is obviously fertile, and the tree would be protected by the landscape. We will do the ceremony in the northeast corner if you have no objections.”
“I don’t, and thank you again Hisako. This means a great deal to me. When should we start?”
“The storm is almost here and night has almost fallen. In a few hours the conditions should be perfect.”
“Which is just enough time of us to get some training in,” Yoshi said with a sly grin. He held up a length of wood and waggled it slightly.
Richter’s face did not have a grin on it.
CHAPTER 6
Richter went through his forms for the next two hours. At some point, the rain broke, but that did not slow Yoshi down. He kept drilling with Richter, correcting each improper stance with a whack of his stick. The villagers came up to watch the show. They began to shout out, “Keep your head up!”, “Don’t let your sword drop!”, “Oooh, that one look like it hurt!”
Richter didn’t mind the good natured ribbing. These people had been working hard, and it wasn’t the worst thing in the world for them to see him sweating and enduring hardship as well. During the training, Yoshi introduced a third form, Dancing Fireflies, and a fourth, Rain on Hot Stone. He was starting on a fifth, when Hisako called a stop.
“People of the Mist Village! Please douse your torches. The ceremony will proceed best in darkness. Follow me.” She started walking toward the northeast corner of the meadow. The Seed Core was held high above her head. The tracings of green veins cast a small but distinctive light, so following her was easy despite the rain and darkness. They walked until they were only a few hundred yards from the northern cliff face. She turned and faced Richter and the other villagers. The only light was from the green glow of the Seed Core, the soft white light from Futen and the phosphorescent lake in the distance.
“Richter please come stand beside me.” He moved to comply, and she handed him the Seed Core. He looked at her questioningly. He had assumed Hisako would do the actual planting. She just shook her head with that gentle smile she always had. “It needs to be you,” she said quietly. “Simply focus on the Seed Core, and you will know what to do.”
Richter turned his gaze from the Hearth Mother to the object in his hands. Being so close to the Seed Core brought its wondrous scent to his nose. This time, the smell was of pine, clean wood burning, and food baking in the oven. He was overtaken by a memory. He had been playing football in the front yard with his older brother. His brother had teased him about a bad throw, but did it with love and warmth in his voice, so it was alright. They had been out front for about an hour. Initially, they had been sent to the yard to rake the leaves up. Football had been a master plan to stay out of the way of their mother, and thereby avoid being assigned any other chores.
That morning, his brother showed him again and again how to throw a perfect spiral. Unfortunately, it was also something he failed at again and again. But then, he finally got it right! When they finally were called inside by their father, cheeks tingling with the cold, James was still riding a wave of elation. The warmth from inside the house competed with the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen to capture his attention. It had been a perfect day.
Richter came back to himself. Other nearby villagers seemed to have been caught in their own remembrances, and all had smiles on their faces. Not wasting any more time, Richter raised the Seed Core above his head with both hands. The rain fell down on him, and he had to blink the water clear. “Thank you all for coming up here and braving this weather. Those of you near me caught a taste of this object’s power. You have felt its goodness. It is not just an object of power, but also a symbol of what we are trying to create here. We will care for this tree, and it will care for us. That is how we will live.” The next words that he said seemed to come from somewhere else. It was if something was speaking through him.
“Through service, ascendance. Through dedication, transcendance!”
You have created the motto of your village! These words and the ideals they embody will find seed within the heart of all who embrace the Mist Village as their true home. Loyalty of all villagers increased by +100.
DING!
The Loyalty of your village has increased from Neutral to Dependable. You have shown yourself to be a capable leader and exemplify ideals they believe in. Your people are not just a collection of individuals anymore, they have a common goal. +25% to Productivity.
Richter read the prompt twice. There was still so much he didn’t know about this new world. Looking out over the sea of faces in front of him, he saw only joy and encouragement. The people stood a bit taller and waited for him patiently. He focused on the Seed Core.
Do you wish to plant the Seed Core at this location? Yes or No?
He was about to finish the quest, and then he realized he was missing an opportunity. He quickly withdrew a Potion of Clarity from his Bag, and drank it. Choosing ‘Yes’, he stood, arms above his head with rain pouring down over him. Then the Core began to vibrate. The vibrations grew, and the Seed began turning in his hands. The rotation was slow at first. As it picked up speed, the green veins on the outside glowed brighter and brighter. The Core was moving so fast that the friction burned Richter’s hands and he dropped it. The Seed didn’t fall, though. It continued spinning in midair. The green light was now bright enough to clearly see everyone in the Meadow. All of a sudden, the Core fell to the ground. Plummeted would have been a better description. It shot down, but was spinning so fast that only the barest ripple was felt in the feet of those standing around the impact site. A clean hole could be seen in the ground with the green light shining straight up onto the clouds like a spotlight.
Richter, Hisako, Yoshi and Sion stood directly at the impact site. Hisako thrust her hand into the light. Richter started to reach out to stop her, but she stood there calmly with no ill effects so he stopped himself. The beam of light lasted for about thirty seconds, and then
vanished, leaving a column-shaped afterimage in everyone’s vision. All was quiet and then a white light could be seen from the depths of the hole. That was when the rumbling began. It built in volume and was soon accompanied by vibrations in the earth. Richter felt like he was standing on the back of some huge awakening beast. It occurred to him that standing right next to this particular hole might no longer be the best idea. He picked his head up to share his sentiments with the others, but couldn’t. Of course the only reason that he couldn’t, was because everyone else had already backed away. He quickly followed their example.
Before he had moved twenty yards away, a silver tendril shot up from the hole. That metallic fiber was only the tip of the spear. The growth continued moving upwards and was joined by others. They all ascended until they were each one hundred feet in the air. Then they began to interweave into a complex braid. When each tendril finished weaving, only half the length of each had been used. The remaining segments arched upward and then bent outward. More branches sprouted from the original eight columns. Each branch gave birth to another smaller generation. Dozens at first, then hundreds, then even more. In the rain and darkness of night, the amount grew into an uncountable lattice of silver branches, weakly reflecting Futen’s light and the occasional flash of lightning.
It occurred to Richter that standing in the middle of a lightning storm by a tree that very well could be composed of metal could perhaps be a bad idea. It also occurred to him that he couldn’t be seen as the only person running away from what was basically a miracle. He’d look like a punk!
Apparently oblivious to the potential danger, Hisako cast a quick spell that sent a golden ball of light into the air above their heads. The shine was strong enough to illuminate the entire glade like the sun. As soon as the light fell upon the tree, she gasped in shock, “A Quickening!”
You have completed the Quest: Tree of Power I. The Seed Core has been planted within the boundaries of your domain.