Chapter 140

They Were Trees Until They Weren’t

Throughout the next hour, the sand and leaf golem had risen from its meditation several times and made its way to the edge of the slab of sand. Through its power, it was expanding the land out into the plane to the oaks.

Abigail and I meanwhile discussed the Dream Cutter stone.

“What comes out if you don’t know what you’re trying to pull from your dreams…your memories?” said Abigail.

I clasped the Dream Cutter stone, closed my eyes, and focused mana into it. It was like forcing a cork back into a bottle. I tried not to use the Dream Cutter’s techniques which used intention. The effort had me grunting, and I felt sweat trickle down my brow. When I was nearly out of mana, I relinquished my efforts.

When I opened my eyes, I found Abigail chuckling soundlessly.

“What?” I said sheepishly.

“I don’t know why I’m surprised. Look. It’s all trees!”

A number of small trees waved in touchable mirages. When Abigail went to touch one, her finger went through the image. Her eyes widened. Things passed across her eyes.

She retracted her hand. “Do you recognize any of them?”

“I don’t think so. Let’s take a closer look.”

I drank from my mana collection jar, and felt the condensed mana run through me like a rush of adrenaline. My mana pool filled to the brim, and I felt rejuvenated. I clasped the Dream Cutter stone and focused on firming the mirage of trees until they were completely solid.

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“With you and the golem, this place is going to expand fast,” said Abigail.

“With the help of landmark ales too.”

“Hawkin, look!”

Abigail peered closely at the trunk of a tree. An outline had been worried into the bark with what must have been a blade. Sap oozed from the cuts as though they were fresh.

“What is it?” said Abigail.

“It’s a…a…a…”

Abigail tilted her head. “Is that an onion? An angry onion?”

I tilted too. “I think you’re right.”

This tree was a particular tree from a particular part of my woods! Ah, but what could that entail? Could I populate the plane with my woods? Favorite fantastic parts of my woods? Could I bring here the boulders I had cleaved more than a decade ago? Could I bring The stump which Thrush had chewed the rest of the tree from? I could bring so many different things that were touched by my friends.

The trees beside the one with Barnacle-eyes’ carving were unrecognizable. They were just trees. Ah, but the angry onion really evoked my woods! It gave me a sense of home, and I gawked in wonder at that.

These were just trees until they weren’t.

My memories and my dreams didn’t come from my time alone in the north. The evidence was right in front of me. The things that nourished my dreams and my strongest memories were of moments touched by loved ones.

They brought life to my woods.

Bellesweet ambled at the edge of the land, and the sand golem stepped out onto the bridge it had caused. The bridge extended a few feet out onto the plan like a dock over an endless sky.

I thought of my docks in the woods which the orcs had built. I had almost lost the coast to the orcs, and I had almost lost the woods to the goblins. Now, as more and more people threaten my peace in the woods…Ah, how tempting it was to replicate my woods here. I could bring the most precious things here.

And if I were ever to lose my woods to the goblins or the orcs or humans or whatever else might be in store, the most precious parts of it would be safe on the plane. If I was forced from the woods, I would always have this place, no matter where I was.

I took Abigail’s hand.

…No matter where we were.