Jiran left Mayalyn in charge of organizing the People. He arrived at the center of the valley to find the Timberlings dashing about in a well-ordered bustle. As he looked down at them from above their ancestral trees, he was struck by a momentary sense of discomfort, almost like a large bug was crawling within his suit. The reason became apparent immediately: The Timberling were similar to the Graymin in how eerily quiet they were.

Only one of them can speak at a time or they’ll trigger a harmony.

He paused his flight, watching them closely. One at a time, with almost no hesitation, they passed the mantle of who was permitted to sing. Usually, it was the matrons loudly calling orders, though others would often chime in, somehow knowing exactly when they could without their songs overlapping. The rest were utterly silent, their bare feet padding gently on the soft forest floor. With nearly a hundred thousand bodies gathered below, the rustling of cloth and bodies should have been more than loud enough to drown out the current singer and that incongruity was hard to set aside.

How do they know when to sing? It must be tied to their skill and shared soul. Such a mysterious race, I can’t wait to disec-ahem. I mean, learn more about them. The matrons are back, I wonder if… Ah, there she is.

Jiran landed behind Lulu who was half-carrying, half-guiding a mature woman toward a nearby tree. Once there, she stuck a vine in the woman's mouth and turned around to trudge back to the smithing formations. She saw Jiran and stopped in her tracks. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

She stared at him dumbly for several seconds before he chuckled, “What’s wrong, is there something on my face?”

“Wah-uhm-bu. N-no! I am merely shocked by your glow.”

“My glow? What does that mean?”

Her face turned crimson and leaves blossomed to hide her cheeks, “L-like a light, it glows from your skin, blinding my sight. When we first met it was faint, but now you shine with no restraint.”

Must be my charisma, interesting that she can see it.

“Has anyone else mentioned it?” Jiran tilted his head questioningly.

“Yes, I must confess. Again and again. To the point I have grown weary from the constant theories and queries.”

So all of them can see it, or at least most of them. Too bad there isn't time to dig into the reason why.

Seeing her squirm with embarrassment, Jiran smoothly changed the subject, “It’s good to see you. How are you holding up?” He stepped closer, using one hand, he brushed aside some of the leaves covering her face. When her blush turned three shades darker, a huge smile split his face before he patted the top of her head affectionately.

This one, really is the cutest.

Lulu’s brain short-circuited and she stared up at him with wide, uncomprehending eyes. A flash of awareness eventually struck a chord of reason within her brain and she leaped back a step, her next words a quaking, incoherent mumbling, “I go have and be help is sorry do good now bye!”

Before Jiran could piece together her meaning, she dashed past him toward the smithing formations.

I wonder if she even realized she didn’t rhyme. I… probably shouldn’t block that skill anymore unless I can’t understand what they’re talking about. It’s what makes them unique. And honestly, of the races I’ve encountered so far, the Timberling are really special.

Huh, I’m feeling quite a bit calmer after messing with her. I definitely pushed myself too far again with the challenger density. I should probably feel bad about teasing her, but I really can’t bring myself to regret it.

With a peaceful, yet cheshire grin plastered on his face, Jiran followed Lulu. While they were speaking, another Timberling had approached one of the larger smithing formations. She set her newly-made weapons down and faced the rectangular block of metal nearly double her height. She placed her palms on its surface and a moment later the entire front side popped open allowing her to step inside. The door shut behind her and several seconds passed before it reopened and she practically fell out of the box into Lulu’s arms. The girl had already picked up the weapons, and together, they stumbled to the same tree where she was vined-up and left alone.

Jiran ran his gaze over the area, seeing the same process being repeated several dozen times across all of the smithing formations he had made. Within the few minutes he stopped to observe them, hundreds of their weapons had been modified and their bark reinforced into incredibly tough armor. With the formations drawing mana directly from each user, he didn’t have to lift a finger to outfit an astonishing amount of warriors and hunters in a very short time.

Another familiar face entered the range of his aura and he turned around to see Knife running at him full-speed. She dug her heels into the ground at the last second, barely stopping her momentum by wrapping her arms around one of his. She pressed herself against his side, looking up at him with a beaming smile, “I’ve missed you,” The muscles in her neck bulged as she finished her rhyme through grit teeth, “Since you withdrew.”

Jiran shook his arm lightly to free himself but that only caused her to hold on tighter. With a sigh, he relented, allowing the girl to do as she pleased. It was Knife’s funeral if she was caught, and the mental image of seeing what Mayalyn would do was funny enough to cause him to bite his lips and shake with repressed laughter.

Recovering quickly from the bout of emotional instability, Jiran questioned her in the most serious voice he could muster considering how she was clinging to him with a goofy grin, “How many Timberlings still need weapons and armor and what’s your estimate on how long that will take?”

“One thousand an hour, we can empower and all who wish to volunteer are long since here. Maybe two more hours to see it through,” Knife sang, her small body producing a pleasantly light melody.

Suddenly, Jiran’s other arm was wrapped up in an equally tight embrace. He had seen Lulu approaching with a determined stride but he never would have expected the timid girl to copy Knife’s salacious behavior. Lulu poked her head around him, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes at Knife who merely grinned in response.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

“You two better cut it out before Mayalyn whittles you into fire pokers,” Jiran almost lamented the fact he was wearing his armor and couldn’t actually feel anything they were doing. Then again, he was pretty certain that if he wasn’t wearing it, it would be him getting cut down to size.

“Fine, fine, it appears I’ve crossed the line,” Knife hopped back, holding her arms behind her back as she skipped along beside him. Lulu released him so fast it was like she suddenly realized he was on fire.

“Two hours, that’s not bad at all. Let’s go have a chat with the matriarchs and then I’ve got to go greet the Forkara.”

“The hive hunters have returned?! Should we be concerned?” Lulu asked nervously, her eyes glued to the skies as she subconsciously hunched behind Jiran. Knife, on the other hand, caressed the hilt of her weapon, the excited look on her face the exact opposite of Lulu’s.

“You have nothing to fear from them. I’ll explain to everyone at the same time, c’mon.”

The news of Jiran’s return had spread quickly and the matriarchs were already gathered a short distance away. He picked the two girls up in his aura and a deathly silence spread through the forest as he approached. Twelve imposing sets of eyes watched his every move, and the moment he landed, they bowed in unison. Starting from his left, they sang to him one at a time in rapid succession.

“Great Spirit, we see you and we greet you.”

Hearing the same words repeated twelve times was a little jarring but each of their voices was unique and carried so much gratitude and joy that the entire experience ended up being flattering enough that Jiran felt his cheeks warming.

He cleared his throat, making eye contact with each of them one at a time, “Thank you for your greetings and for gathering your people together so quickly. Seeing so many choosing to risk their lives for my home is honestly overwhelming. I… don’t know how to express how much your help means to me.”

The Matron of Conflict responded, “We were dead at your feet, from the harmony you did defeat. Then, you freed all our lives from the hives. You set us free, and none would disagree. You struck a bargain with the Great Mother, our lives are truly yours to smother,” Tears streamed freely down her cheeks before she finished.

Jiran took a deep breath, the conviction in her song so thick he could feel it entering his lungs. He locked eyes with each of them again, finding only steely resolve and unwavering dedication looking back at him. With a single, stiff nod, he firmed his resolve, “Then I won’t waste any more of our time as we’ve a battle to win. I’ll be heading there first as soon as I speak to the Forkara gathering at the edge of the valley. You should know that I’ve formed an alliance with them. For the next thousand years, sixty percent of their warriors belong to me.”

Jiran expected them to show at least a little surprise. Instead, their faces split into vicious grins and the Matron of Belief threw herself to her knees, her forehead touching the ground as she sang, “All hail the Great Spirit! Even the mighty hives are wise enough to fear it!”

The timid Matron of Cleansing softly sang immediately after, “You said you were leaving first, this plan is not what we rehearsed.”

“Here, take these,” Jiran threw two of the fully charged green crystals, one to the Matron of Hunting and the other to conflict. “You’ll have another hour to prepare. When those crystals begin to glow, toss them out in front of you. I could try to explain it, but it probably won’t make any sense until you see it with your own eyes. Just make sure everyone who’s ready to go in an hour is gathered, the rest can follow later.”

“Great Spirit, we understand your command,” They bowed to him again and he returned a salute brimming with the emotions struggling to burst from his chest.

Jiran turned to Lulu and rested his hand on her head, “I don’t want to see you on the battlefield, your strengths lie elsewhere for now, understood?” She nodded meekly and he gave her a reassuring smile before turning to Knife, “You’re coming with me, I have a few questions that you can answer before we get there.”

Knife puffed out her chest and lifted her chin, beyond pleased with being chosen to accompany him. Jiran clicked his tongue and gently chopped the top of her head, “Don’t get too cocky! You’re only coming along because you’re the least important person here who knows the information I need.” Lulu snorted, unable to completely hold in her laughter.

Before Knife could retort, he lifted her into the air beside him. When they were high enough that all hundred thousand Timberlings could see him, he infused his voice with mana, “Thank you all. Whether you came to share your energy or to fight beside me, I appreciate your efforts. What we’ve already accomplished would be considered an impossibility where I’m from and I promise you: We are just getting started!”

Waves of movement passed through their ranks as shoulders were straightened and heads held high. “I’m sure many of you have heard how I spoke with your Great Mother, the first Timberling. She begged me to protect you, to share my strengths with you, and together we would become a force so fierce, that our enemies would tremble with fear at the mere thought of facing us. I agreed to do as she asked, and I haven’t regretted that choice for a single second.”

Mana Confluence and Elemental Castigation zipped across the synapses of the framework to create a massive image of light that towered out of sight, its legs hundreds of times thicker than the tallest trees. The ephemeral replica of the Great Mother looked down at her children with a stony expression.

As waves of awe rocked the Timberlings onto their heels, Jiran continued, “She was a being that the gods themselves feared. Tall enough to walk out of this valley with a single step and I’ve no doubt that it was her who made this crater you have lived in since her passing. There was a secret she shared with me, something you should all know deep in your heartwoods is the truth. Before she killed them, the gods she fought shattered her soul into one hundred and twenty thousand shards.” The image he had created broke apart into glistening flecks of light.

Jiran gave them several seconds for his words to register. Considering their inability to birth a new sapling without another of them dying, it didn’t take a genius to understand the connection, “The Great Mother may be dead, but her soul survives and thrives as an undeniable piece of every single one of you!”

Jiran’s voice cracked like thunder, shocking them from their reverie, “So do not ever bow your heads again! You bear a fragment of the soul that once shook all of Madra with her might! Together, you are a whole without equal and when you step upon the battlefield today, you will teach our enemies a truth too long forgotten: When a Timberling comes to claim a life, there is nothing in this world that can stop her!”

Rustling silence followed Jiran’s speech. Mana Omnis revealed their quivering forms and the energies that raged within them as they barely repressed their desire to scream. He crossed his arms and slammed his fists into his chest, the sound echoing dully through the forest before it was returned a hundred thousand times. The emotions bursting within them refused to be appeased by a single salute and the sounds of wooden hands crashing into bark armor resounded again and again.

In that moment when their souls resonated with a common desire, Jiran couldn’t help but recall the words of their mother.

“Individually weak they may be, but together… you will see… the scattered pieces of my soul… are fierce indeed when given fresh soil.”

Fierce indeed… I can’t wait to see what they can do, and what they will become.