Tree of Aeons

The path to hell

Year 81 Month 2

Spring began. A strange structure, spotted emerging from one of the rifts in our continent. Massive, it resembles a giant walking tortoise with a castle on its back. 

Any attempts to approach has been met with stiff resistance from new types of humanoid demons. 

"Uh... what do you think?" Jura read the circular from the merchants guild. It advised alternative routes of trade. Somehow, the merchants guild's trade routes circular is one of the best updates on the demonic invasion. 

"Sounds like a champion." Meela said.

"A large walking castle." 

"If TreeTree could walk, we'd have a Walking Tree versus Walking Castle fight."

"Ugh no." I groaned. "Not keen on that." Besides, I lose a lot of power and my consciousness the moment I am no longer connected to the earth, so, not exactly keen. "But it does sound like a... champion?"

"How far is it?" Meela asked.

"Not far enough." Jura smiled.

"According to the circular, they predict... maybe 4 months?" The merchant guild circular came with a map, and it has a shaded heatmap, resembling a hurricane path kind of map. The merchants use this information for trade-route planning, and there's a small disclaimer saying the information is not guaranteed and demonic movements are unpredictable. The merchants guild bears no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the use of these maps. 

"Should we do anything?" I asked the group present.

"Against demon champions..." Madeus paused. "We would need to get the temples' aide. Else we stand no chance."

"The Gaya temple and the other large temples are already mobilising their best priests and paladins to the capitols. I doubt we would get much aid from them, their resources are limited." Wesley, the senior priest responded. "And for them to aid another... uh... faith, is weird."

Yeah, we're kinda like a faith now, with me as the 'deity'. I still found it weird, but apparently that is what the temples say, since I have rituals, priests, and a focal point. I hope I don't get classified as a cult, though for now the temples classify the Order as a 'folk-faith.' A kind of animistic 'religion'.

"So we are on our own."

"Oh well, nothing different then." I have been making my own preparations for demon champions, I just did not expect it to be... a walking castle.

Madeus then went off tangent, "Ermm... if I may, Aeon? I would like to request we offer refuge."

"To who?"

"Uh... somebody from Baroosh got in touch with me yesterday. The demonic forces are very close to where they are, and although the army is trying their best to hold back the demons, it seemed the presence of this monster has tipped the scales in the demons' favour."

Ah Baroosh. That's where Madeus is from. They exiled him, didn't they? Looks like he still has some positive feelings for his former state.

"Many of them are still friends. And they want a backup plan, if the Barooshian army can't hold them back."

"Jura?" I wanted to add some conditions, but I thought of asking for views. 

"We could accommodate, but they are guests, so they would be expected to behave themselves and follow our rules." Hmm, looks like Jura has sinilar thoughts.

"Certainly, I will relay the message." Madeus nodded.

"Back to us, what should we do?"

"The walls are not going to hold if a massive monster like that can just... walk through it."

"TreeTree, that... dungeon we attacked. Is it still there?"

"Yeah."

"Can we convert it into a shelter? And I recall there was a deep tunnel from the giant demonic centipede?"

"The tunnel is now home to beetles and fungus, but I can make some space. The former dungeon is empty. I think there's rats, but that shouldnt be a problem?"

"Then it is decided. We need to start convert these 2 locations into fortified shelters. If we can't fight, we need to hide."

Theres an uncomfortable look around the group. A realisation that this is going to be it. Demons are real. 

Should we tell the people?

Vice Counsel Laufen nodded. Yes. If this is going to be hideout, its best if everyone knows about it.

Even those outside the order?

Yes. Were not going to pick survivors when demons come around. Laufen insisted, before anyone could respond. Whoever gets to the shelters deserve a chance.

The group discussed other matters, usual administrative, trade and training stuff, and they left when the sun was starting to set. 

TreeTree. The... [secret hideout], youre not willing to let anyone go in. 

Yes. As I said before, its only for all of you. The most Im willing to accommodate is in the outer [subsidiary trees], and those for the people I trust. Its a risk, and frankly, after what happened with the druids, I feel I should be more careful with whoever gets to come near me, what more inside me.

It is unfortunate that some lives will be lost this way, but I think my own self-preservation trumps that. I can't save everyone, and I don't plan on trying.

Laufen sighed. Im not sure whether shes happy or sad. Your [secret hideout] is probably one of the safest places this valley has, though.

If I still stand. But I believe the 2 options are pretty good. The tunnels dont require me, and the dungeons been reinforced. The root networks should last for at least a few months before the spatial magic starts to collapse on itself. Its probably a good idea to get the builders working on it. 

-

One of the things when disaster happens, is that people pray. Its not my first time to receive prayers, but there is something about impending death that causes more people to pray. Some of these citizens pray to every god, even if they only profess to one, some, even pray to me. 

Not all behave this way, of course. Some become more devout in times of crisis, putting in a bit more offerings, going for more blessings and masses. 

But, this... behavior, lead to something thats new to me. Throughout New Freeka and the valley there are about 7 tree of prayers. One in the Treefolks village, One up on the slopes of the Centaur camps, and the remaining 5 in New Freeka itself, mostly in the Orders compounds, thess function as mini-shrines. 

[Tree of prayer upgraded]

[Tree of prayers calming presence significantly improved. Those around more likely to express their grievances. Tree of prayer gains ability to extract some negative emotions and converts them into essence]

I mostly listen, after all theres no real need to interact. I think to a certain extent, most of these citizens know what they want to do with their lives, but anxiety, fear, and worries just cloud their minds, so... they need a place to vent, to relax, to just think in peace. So, if I could talk back, thats not exactly something pleasing. 

Instead, the Tree of Prayer just bobs its branches, the leaves shakes, and occasionally a small fruit will down on right on the persons lap, kinda like, hey-I-heard-you-have-a-fruit. The fruits just a regular fruit, its sweet, though, so... most of them eat it, some of them actually display it in their homes. Which is creepy. 

Anyway, the amount of too-much-information when people are poured their hearts out in their prayers and whispers is... well, immeasurable. Seriously. Elves, centaurs, treefolks, all still have their emotional problems, their professional challenges, financial and money issues. It may be a magical world, but problems are persistent across worlds. 

The [Tree of Prayers] have an odd side effect, which is...  it remembers the prayers. Especially those who pray often, regularly over the same thing. 

Its an annoying side effect. Because Id suddenly remember who-and-who cheated on who-and-who and I dont need that sort of telenovella in my tree life.

I tell myself that its a public service, and it helps to keep the citizens pacified. Like my other services, the birth and death services-

We should have more. Ivy suggested.

Huh?

Theyre good intel, it helps me with my dossier. Ivys like a real spymaster now. If you could create one in Ransalah, that would be ideal.

...thats a great idea.

On the Salah side of things, theyve finally responded to Juras letter. There was a follow up letter sent two months ago, just lightly reminding the kingdom of the official letter sent a year ago. 

So, it seems they picked someone to be the scapegoat. 

An unfortunate administrator and some of his subordinates was identified as the mastermind of the massacre, and he will be transported to New Freeka. 

A scapegoat.

Could really be him, we have to interview him to know for sure. The prisoner convoy will be escorted, and they will arrive in a month. Jura shrugged. Well, lets see what comes out of this.

Perhaps he has a passing involvement.

I would think so, Salah isnt that stupid to surrender someone with totally no involvement. The point is to sacrifice the tail to spare the head, so the real mastermind of such slaughter is spared.

It could be its just some Prince up there, who just goes, burn the rebels, and everyone down there just carries it out. Madeus chimed in. Its very common for royalties to say things without actually thinking about the lives lost.

You say that like its... an everyday thing. Meela/Mika frowned. 

Yes, Mika. That is indeed how the kings and royalties are. Our role as their servants and subordinates is to understand our liege, and guess what they truly desire. We cannot always take the words of our King for what it is.

At that point, I think to myself, that sounds like insubordination or treason. 

After all, our King has a wish, a desire, and sometimes, the words he has cannot communicate that will, though some kings have [skills] that help with that.

Jura raised a hand and everyone quiet down. Let us not speculate, we will wait for whoever they sent. TreeTree, I must trouble you to help us in our interrogation. Would you happen to have those... tree saps from long ago? The ones that makes them... delirious.

Of course. Ill make some. It wasnt hard to make different kinds of tree saps, regular plants make poisons and allergy-triggering saps all the time, so its easy peasy for a magic tree. In fact, I should totally infuse more magic into it.

Anyway, back to Ivy.

Ivy, you suggested to have a [tree of prayer] in Ransalah?

Yes master. These people seem to confess their challenges to the Tree so easily. Why go through all the trouble of spying when they are more than willing to tell a tree? There's nothing to lose, and if anything, we gain insights into the human mind.

...fine. But where and how should we do it?

New Freeka can make a goodwill gift, since they gave this scapegoat to us. Then manipulate the officials to plant the sapling in a public park, which we can then replace with the [tree of prayer]. Call it the [New Freeka - Salah friendship tree].

That sounded like something politicians do back on Earth, but I think it could work.

I could make a sapling-sized [tree of prayer]. 

And so, Jura arranged for a small sapling of a [tree of prayer], to be sent as a gift. Its sent, planted in a large vase so that the [tree of prayer] doesnt die, escorted by the [arborist]. Since Hutan sent a tree-caretaker, it made sense to call on his services for such transportation duties. 

-

The merchants completed their big deal, and the demanded goods finally delivered. 

Good job. Now leave them here. Wesley and the Master of Ceremonies pointed to a place. The workers start to unload.

Just... leave them here? The merchants stuttered. The Master of Ceremonies nodded, the jewels and gold unloaded.

Yes. Beetles start to emerge from the woods, and some start to tug at the shipment. The merchant wanted to say something and pointed to the beetles, and the Master of Ceremonies smiled. The shipment is for the Tree Spirit, and it is time for us to leave.

The Master of Ceremonies and a few of the Orders men start to walk. The merchants, still a bit shocked by the beetles that are pulling the shipments into the tunnels that suddenly appeared. Uhh... uhh... this is fine?

Have you not done business for tree spirits before? Wesley grinned. 

Aaaa... of.. Of course I have. The merchant tried to straighten himself up. Procuring the gold and hiring a large escort, only to put them in an empty spot for beetles... Its a first, for sure. 

After everyone leaves, the beetles continue unpacking the goods in the network of tunnels underneath my trees. I created these tunnels recently, because realising how vulnerable I am, I wanted some of the structures to be underground, and that is.. The 10 new root-brain complexes, and the Grand Mind Tree project. 

[Grand Mind Trees construction has begun. 18 months to completion]

Year 81 Month 3

The updates from the merchant network increases in frequency, especially from the Western Theatre head office. Two towns were lost in a month, a large army of demons escorted the walking demon castle wherever it went, and throughout the continent, the demons have been spotted in more locations. 

"One of our merchants were attacked. Half his convoy was destroyed, but luckily a party of riders managed to come to their aid!"

"Are we not far away?" 

"Well... it seems the demons now have small raiding parties, targeting weak spots and gaps in the nations defenses. It's a very... uh... kingdomish tactic."

The raiding parties are 100 to 200 demons strong, populated by mounted humanoid demons on hellhounds.

"Don't Kings and many generals have some kind of [Watcher] ability?" Jura asked. "I had the impression Kings have ways of watching over their territories."

"Well, yes, but such skills are not exactly... detailed."

The Council deployed multiple 200 strong militia patrols, to help protect the trade routes, but honestly, I would know. My [subsidiary trees] function like my watchtowers, failing that, there's the [rootnet] so if there is anything, I would like to think that I am the first to know the presence of demons near New Freeka.

But with demons, one can never be too careful, so I spread out my beetles to a few locations around, as an additional protection force. 

This month, I added more to my anti-demon bolts and more weapons for the elves and the Order.  In fact, this occupied most of my time, my preparations to face the demon champions. And made a whole load more bolts and weapons. 

[Woodcrafting upgraded]

[Skill learned : Wooden Anti-demon equipment-crafting]

[Essence infusion upgraded]

More! More bolts. Spears. Shields. More!

"What if it's the demon king?" Jura asked. 

"Then we die." If I could shrug, the demon king is as close to a death sentence, isn't it? If the heroes can die, how can we face it? I don't think some anti-demon shield is going to survive a nuclear explosion. 

Anyway, demon king not here yet. So that's not something to worry about.

"Heh. I guess we will all run."

"Yes. On that front, maybe we should be preparing like Madeus's friends. Tell the Hutan council druids to grant you safe passage, as compensation. Just in case."

Jura paused. "Okay." 

"I will be fine. I want you to take everyone as far as you can if a demon king comes our way. Arrange for some kind of teleportation..."

"I'll speak to Madeus about it..." Jura sat on his chair. "This feels... morbid."

"Why? Staring death in the face sounds morbid?"

"Not that. We villagers used to live and let live. Things happen, and then we react to it. For me, having to predict what might happen and then try to prevent or prepare for it..."

"Unusual."

"Yes. It's a strange thing to do. Plotting and planning. The most we plan for, was when to plant our crops, and when to build houses. And even then, we defer to the wisdom of our elders or tree spirits."

"It is the burden of those who lead, to see what lies ahead, and to guide them. Know that your actions will determine whether your friends and family lives, or dies." Is that me? Where did such TreeTree wisdom come from? 

Jura slumped on his chair. "That is a mindset I am still coming to terms with. Truly, only when faced with demons I realise how heavy this burden is."

"Everyone prepares for it. This is just on a larger scale, with more players. It was once about how much stronger you can be, but now, it is about how much stronger the Order is."

Jura paced the room and had a sip of ginger flavored tea. I think he prefers ginger tea over the other flavors. Meela's been experimenting on tea flavors as a specialty drink for her morning and lunch crowds, so she has funky flavors like Garlic Tea, Herbal Mint Tea, Grape-Ginger tea. 

"Ahhhh." Jura stretched. It's tiring. 

A knock and then a voice from outside the door. "Counsel, the suspect is awake." There is a small prison in the Order's compound, located beneath one of the buildings. It's lightly guarded, there's just two beetles there. 

The Salah's scapegoat. 

"Yes. I ordered the burning. I was the officer in charge of the military draft for that region." He said, when interrogated. He tried to put up a brave face, but it seemed like he's hiding something.

Jura looked. So did everyone else, behind the bars. The elves shared a glance, and one of them, Emile started to cry. Somehow it brought out a strange emotion in her heart.

A vine administered the hallucinatory sap I've prepared. 

Jura sat, facing the officer. "I ask you again, did you order the burning of Freeka."

"Yes... yes I did." He said. Something isn't right. 

So he went into the biolab pod, for testing. Hmmm...

His soulspring looked fine. The skills are okay... If he is lying, or being forced to, there should be something to hint at the truth. I would have to go deeper, and call on the powers of the soul forge. 

Knocked unconscious, a few beetles help to transport his body into the main pod in my main body. With it, I use the soul forge's power to pry into the outer soul shell.

What I saw was the usual human soul, semi-translucent, but in that soul's head, there was a small bluish blob. 

As I attempted to alter or touch it, a strong force repelled me. 

[Blocked by Oath]

Huh?

It seems there's no progress here either, and it looks like he's not under the influence of magic. 

"Is he lying?" Jura asked.

"I have no clue." The oath could have nothing to do with the burning. Or it could be key. 

It looks like I have to use other means of interrogation, so I subject him to some more hallucinogens and relaxants. 

With my vines wrapped around him, I use an authoritative version of my telepathic voice. 

"You died." I spoke to the prisoner, now in a daze because of the crazy cocktail of hallucinogens, relaxants and other stuff.

"I... I have? How?" He asked, he flailed his arms. 

"Poison. Died in your sleep."

"Ah... so that's what they were feeding me. Why am I looking at a scary looking Tree? Is this hell?" 

"Yes. This is the entrance to hell. You died near a Tree Spirit, so this is where you will depart to hell." 

He paused, and looked confused. "I still feel... a pulse?"

"What made you think hell would not have a pulse?"

"Ah... so I might not be dead?"

"It's a common mistake. When you die, your soul goes to this other [soul realm], awaiting reincarnation. During that waiting time, life goes on normally."

He paused. "Uh... okay."

"So, please wait. There's a long queue to enter hell, so it will take some time. Make yourself feel comfortable here." I don't know how successful this will be, but I am going to overload his body with so much of these saps that he's going to lose his grasp with reality. 

"Heh... there's a queue to hell?"

"Everyone's a sinner. So it's naturally the path to hell is extremely crowded, and why we have demons so often. Since we are on this topic, would you like to confess your sins?" That was a whole load of bullshit but he bought it. 

He paused, and he starts to break down, shouting and weeping. I am not sure whether he realised it, but I increase the dosage a bit more. 

He started talking about how many people he killed, the people he betrayed, the families he lost. It's kind of like we're having a session of [Tree of Prayer] confessions.

He talked for a good one hour, alternating between breaking down, crying, and anger.

But then I got what I wanted. "I... It is just fair that I died this way. I sent the army to burn the village. I mean, the Commander said that dissenters should be punished... but maybe I did go overboard. I gained levels in [Authoritarian] when I ordered all those villages burnt. I... I was drowning in joy when I gained levels. The skills were powerful too! I got a skill like [Submission], which worked so wonderfully with the commoner ladies!"

Oh. I expected a scapegoat... but, color me impressed, Salah actually sent the right guy. And a scum, too.

"But could you fault me? The Commander himself burned many villages to the ground when they rebelled against the King. All of us did. We did what we had to, to enforce order. Fear is key to maintaining control. It was either that or we would be chopped for punishing the villages too lightly."

Hmmm... looks like maybe not. Its an institutional failure. 

"We burnt many villages. When there was a plague, we culled. When there was a suspected demonologist, we culled the villages. There is no time for proper justice, we lack the resources, manpower, and even if we did, there was no way of ensuring justice was properly conducted. Every kingdom did what it felt was right!"

Uh...

"Maybe... maybe all of us should just burn to the ground, you know?"

He sat, surrounded by the vines and roots.

"I... All of us are sinners. Maybe the Demon King should just crush all of us."

Did I overdo the tree saps?

Uh... 

"Say, would I be able to meet the Commander here? Or is he already on the other side? How long a backlog are we talking about?"

I definitely overdid the tree saps. 

[Skill upgraded : Tree saps]

[Skill obtained : Condensed Tree Psychedelics]

[Dream tutor variant obtained. Skill: Psychedelic dreams]

[Dream tutor variant obtained. Skill: Mystical dreams]

Putting the trees, in trees :) Now I wonder whether TreeTree should go all Poppy/opium War on the other kingdoms...

Anyway, lately I have been obsessed by other story ideas, so I am thinking of taking a bit time off to write out these other ideas. So uh... maybe expect a slower frequency?