That was probably the best century long sleep I’ve had in the last century.
Whew.
Stretching my senses I notice a plethora of greenery around me, it appears while I was sleeping some gardening got done.
Rustle.
Empire? W-Why? The hell are we going to do with an Empire?
Rustle!
How could you let your stomach make such a decision!
…is the food really that good?
Rustleeee.
A competition every decade to find supreme chefs and get them to make delicious things to eat?
The hell!
Why didn’t you wake me up ninety years ago!
Rustlleeeeee.
Traitor!
So since it’s every decade, how long until the next competition?
Rustle.
What do you mean I just missed it?
Call those chefs back, they need to re-compete in my line of sight!
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
By the way…
Why are there all these people tending to the plants around here?
Russsstle.
Religion?
What religion?
Tell me you didn’t mix religion and empire building together, that never ends well.
Rustle.
Looking at the people dressed in their white robes as they move about I pick one at random.
A small grey flame bursts into being, I keep it the size of a candle flame to avoid alarm.
“Hey.”
My target whirls around staring about wildly.
“Hey, random person trimming the gessona plant, come over here.”
Aren’t I such a great Tree? I’m going to give this guy a chance to be famous!
“DEMON!”
Uh…
Wait, this isn’t good…
“Brother Alson, what’s wrong?”
“Did you see an apparition near the Holy Tree?”
“Summon the Holy Guards!”
What the…
Rustle.
What do you mean they think their Holy Tree is female?
…
….
…..
This is not my fault for sure, this time it is all you!
There is only one way I can let this slide.
Rustle?
Exactly.
Tell them to get those chefs competing again, immediately.
Otherwise I’ll do nothing but terrorize our worshiping masses!
I might even accidentally burn a few rare plants by accident…
Mana in this universe is so combustible after all…
Rustle.
I am not acting childish.
I’ve been starving since I woke up!
What is the point of being worshiped if the worshipers can’t take care of a minor thing like my hunger?
I’m sure this Empire can afford it.
I mean, I see no less than fifty rare plants in my immediate vicinity.
Rustle.
Wait, you let them experiment with Mana Wells?!
I told you that was only a theory!
They, they didn’t make one nearby…did they?
Rustleeee.
Oh, thank the heavens. Just in case anything goes horribly wrong we should be fine at 10 kilometers away.
Rustle.
More than one nearby?
I mean that shouldn’t be a problem unless…
…
….
…..
They built them in a circle around me didn’t they?
Ruussssssstleeeeeeeeee.
That’s it!
I’m taking this whole show up in the air!
My senses spread throughout the Garden to the limit of the entire structure around me.
The entire thing is a good chunk of real estate, however, I’m much stronger after a good nap.
I reach out to each of the Mana Wells around me, and I pull on them.
Thousands of tons of dirt rips free from its earthbound moorings pushing upwards into the air.
Runes cycle constantly outwards from my form, as I enchant everything to bind and fly.
A few unfortunate souls fall to their deaths from being too close to the edge, but oh well.
They should have picked another day to visit the Holy Tree.
Once I’m a decent height in the air, I craft another set of Runes to control floating.
“Attention. Attention. If you can hear this message, tell Empress Everlast she has one day to meet me. Or else the Tree gets it.” I say, spreading my voice throughout the entire structure.
Rustle.
Hmph. I’ll be as dramatic as I want to be.
Besides, being that close to all those Mana Wells made me nervous.
Those things are practically bombs waiting to go wrong.
I should know! I designed them!
Rustleeeee!
Those were theoretically good failsafe’s!
I’m not going to trust my life to them, good grief.