I wipe the last of that disgusting goga fruit’s juices from my tongue, and shake my head. “Let’s be real. I really need to be better equipped if I’m going to last in this new and strange world… especially if my lack of bodily needs suddenly turns off again like it did just before my nap.”
With my mind made up, I used Uriel to scan everything my little eyes landed on. Which, to be fair, wasn’t a whole lot, since Uriel apparently won’t activate on things I can’t see clearly, and that sorta kills my hopes to quickly search the valley and figure out a direction to head in. “At any rate, the purple-leaved trees are called Nora-nora, and they’re great for firewood and carving, but their wood is too soft to make reliable tools with. Goga bush wood is sturdier, but their branches are flimsy, and their trunks are only big enough for, like, a couple arrows at best. The copper would work, but I don’t have any means to process it, and I haven’t found any conveniently sized rocks to carve with yet either… Maybe I just need to stop being a wuss and go down the mountain. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Yeah, I know. Famous last words. Heh.
I clambered down old copper cap and moseyed my way into the forested valley. It was a mostly uneventful journey as anytime I was faced with an obstacle, like a crevice, boulder, or steep ledge, I just dug my way around, or through, it.
It pays to be the Emperor of Excavation I tell ya.
As the treeline closed in around me, I carefully inspected the translucent panels that Uriel dutifully created for me so that I could identify a piece of fantasy foliage suitable enough for me to forcefully foist upon it my fabulously feeble carpentry capabilities.
It took a bit of time, as the sun now hung low enough to brush the peaks of the copper mountains, but given my history of wandering the barren Earth for endless ages it could hardly be considered more than a small jaunt at best. I almost stopped a few times, once at a willow with thorns instead of leaves, once at an oak as black as a starless night, and once at something akin to a cedar twisted up into knots, but my gut told me there’d be something better, and I wasn’t wrong.
Rosy rays dappled the clouds and all beneath them in the evening's warm hues as I set about gathering the fallen branches and chunks of bark scattered around the particular tree that caught my interest. Of all the plants I’d seen up to this point, this was the only one with anything akin to stats, let alone an individual name, but it didn’t have a face or anything, and it didn’t react to my presence or touch.
“But why is its status so different from mine! Why does it get actual numbers instead of my vague descriptions? It makes so much more sense for the system to use numbers!” I huff, all too aware that the difference is more than likely due to my unknown titles and abilities, and return to collecting wood. “Oh well, I’ve no choice but to keep going one way or another, though I wish I could’ve talked to this tree. Guess it’s just not that kind of creature though. But that’s a problem in and of itself, because now I have no way to know how strong its stats are in comparison to other things or what the heck happened to this place! I mean, it’s convenient that there’s so much material to work with just lying around, but how did it get here? It clearly came from this tree, but there’s no sign of any creatures or people knocking these branches down or peeling off these chunks of bark, yet here they are, discarded and waiting. And what’s weirder is that the tree appears to be in perfect condition, not a broken stump of a branch or missing patch of bark in sight.”
Maybe I should try checking it’s titles and abilities for answers! I focus Uriel on the task, but get an instinctual understanding that my abilities aren’t high enough for that yet. Or maybe I shouldn’t look the old gift tree in the… mouth? Knot? Oh whatever. I’m running out of daylight, so I may as well get as much work done as I can.
I used Uriel to help poke around for a sharp rock, or a couple of rocks I could sharpen, so that I could whittle the branches into the proper shapes only to find them, once again, at the base of this tree.
“Okay, I get that it’s named Wise Old Friend, but this is ridiculous! I mean, how the heck would everything I need be right here without any trace of someone putting it here? Did the tree do it? It has to be that, right? It is named Wise Old Friend and all, but if this tree prepared all this knowing I’d come then it’s got precognition instead of wisdom.”
I ceased my grumbling and sat at the base of my botanical benefactor. After sorting through my haul, I got to work using one of the flatter and sharper rocks as a knife to sheer off the twigs from one of the larger branches. If I think about it with the assumption that the tree is sentient, and add in what I’ve learned about the magic abilities in this world, then the tree could’ve shed some branches and bark, healed itself somehow, then what? Dredged up those stones with its roots? It still doesn’t explain how it knew I’d be coming, or wanted any of this, but I guess that can wait until I figure out a way to communicate.
After that, I used a smoother stone to rub away the bark, then switched to a rough stone to sand down the remaining bumps until the branch was changed into a decent enough short staff.
I wanted to admire my work, but the sun decided to disappear at that very moment, so I sighed, and stared out into the darkness instead.
“My first day is over… And what a day it’s been. Hoo boy. To think so much would change for me and this world so quickly. No. Not quickly. I just feel that way because I’ve been asleep for so long.” I hear some creatures roughly equivalent to crickets start chirping all around, and for the first time I realize just how dangerous my current predicament is. “I’m alone, in the dark, in the middle of the woods, in a world full of fantastical creatures with magical abilities that I designed with several lifetimes of experience… And they’re no doubt hungry.”
I guess I just forgot to be afraid because the only animals I’d sensed up to this point were small birds or insects, with no trace of anything larger. Plus, all my knowledge and memories from the old Earth had no real fear of the outdoors in them.
“This would be bad, but I have a friend to watch out for me.” I turn and pat the trunk of the solid gold leafed tree behind me, before I stand and clamber up into the safety of its sturdy branches. I brought my staff with me, but left the rest down on the ground. That stuff wouldn’t help me now, and would only make climbing even more difficult.
And it wasn’t easy to climb either, given that one of my hands was occupied, and the mess of branches and leaves only got thicker as I went higher up, but once I made it about twenty feet off the ground I found a nice little nexus of branches to rest in, and decided that that would be my bed for the night.
I nestled in, wrapped my rags a little tighter, and peeked at the moon from between the glittering metallic-looking leaves.
“Bad idea.”
Staring back at me was of course the moon I knew and took for granted back from the old Earth. I never reimagined it so that’s not the problem. The problem was that that stupid black, gray, and white anomaly was overlapping it just like it did with the sun during the day.
I scowled, wedged my staff into some branches next to me, then folded my arms and closed my eyes. I didn’t feel tired, but felt I could sleep till morning if I wished, and since I had nothing better to do, I tried to relax. Nothing like a bit of nightmare fuel to lull one to sleep… No, don’t think about your problems… Problems… Like those soldiers who are presumably still chasing me with unknown methods, numbers, and powers all because I had to wake up in their precious holy land.
I smacked a hand to my face. “Dang it! Why does this always happen? Why do people’s brains conjure up so much unpleasantness when we’re trying to go to sleep!”
I sighed. “This is going to be a long night… .”
#
For an eternity the Wise Old Friend waited. Waited for an opportunity to repay the generous one who had given it everything and so much more. Waited for an opportunity to catch even a single glimpse of the profile of the glorious one that it revered above all, of the gentle one that had rested against its trunk and elevated it to a status above all other plants.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Though the sleeping one had vanished beneath the earth while resting, the Wise Old Friend knew they would eventually return, and so it bided its now near limitless time by watching over the Garden of the magnificent one’s creation. It was the least it could do after all. The selfless one had given so much of itself in order to create everything that is, and done so without asking for anything in return.
So the Wise Old Friend spent its days using its powers to keep the garden pristine and peaceful, but the more mobile and shorter lived peoples eventually forgot their place in the world, and allowed ambition and half-remembered truths to guide them into conflict. Conflict that led them to reach for more and ever more, which resulted in many ancient nations trying to lay claim to it and its benevolent powers for themselves.
In spite of the taboo, they trampled through the garden of the loving one that gave them life, spilled each other's blood in a vain attempt at dominance, and ultimately sought to uproot the Wise Old Friend so that they could haul it back to wherever it came from.
But the Wise Old Friend had other ideas.
Though it could not bring itself to harm the children of the mighty one’s creation, it didn’t have to sit still either. Using its considerable magic it sacrificed its body to restore the damage and expel the invaders from the garden. Then, with the last of its life it used its extensive root system to reach under the nearby mountain range and transfer its consciousness into a new sapling hidden in a quiet valley.
Deprived of its grandeur and the majority of its powers, the Wise Old Friend wallowed in shame at what had to be done to protect what should have been held by all as the most precious place. All it could do was hope that its last great act reminded the lost of that fact, and pray that the benevolent one could somehow forgive it once they inevitably returned.
Centuries passed. The Wise Old Friend slumbered. Its new body grew to a respectable size. And then it felt the earth stir. It was subtle. Like the tiniest shifting of sand. But with its wide network of roots still intact the Wise Old Friend felt it, and awoke in a panic.
The original one was awake!
It had to prepare!
Without hesitation it dropped several of its magically saturated branches and shed entire chunks of its bark for the great one to use. It did not know when or if they would come for it but the Wise Old Friend would be ready regardless.
This is what it lived for.
And they came.
Every fiber of its being basked in the pure presence of the only being it revered, and every second was nothing less than bliss. Though the glorious one’s presence had diminished greatly, though they wore nothing but rags, though they seemed weary and troubled, there was no way the Wise Old Friend could mistake them for anyone else.
They had returned!
Then the Wise Old Friend heard them speak with their gentle soothing voice for the first time in literal ages, and it hung upon every incomprehensible syllable. If only it could understand what was being said that it could be of greater service!
But it appeared that they weren't completely satisfied with the Wise Old Friend’s offerings. And it knew why. Truly the loss of its once grand body was its greatest regret. The bark was thicker, the branches stronger. So much more could’ve been made from it, but now it was only subpar at best.
Ready to wither away and die from disgrace, the Wise Old Friend silently unearthed several stones for the righteous one to strike it down with, but instead they simply took the stones and carved one of its discarded limbs into a short staff. Then the forgiving one lightly patted its trunk, climbed to the very heart of its branches, and for the second time, laid down to rest under the Wise Old Friend’s watch.
Truly there is no greater bliss than this.
Truly the omniscient one, its master, knew its heart even better than it.
Truly all was forgiven, and all would be well.
Once the tired one drifted off to peaceful sleep, the Wise Old Friend did all it could to contain its rampant emotions so as to not disturb their rest, but every so often a shudder or two escaped. Harder it tried, but the more it sought to suppress, the more difficult the task became, until finally the Wise Old Friend did the tree equivalent of passing out in pure unrestrained bliss.
#
Morning’s light gently prodded me awake, and by prodded I mean it slipped past the leaves at regular intervals to poke me repeatedly in the eye until I finally couldn’t ignore it any longer.
To my surprise, I wasn’t stiff or sore like I expected, given the fact that I just slept on the rough and tough bark of a tree of all things, but whatever! “I’ve got more crafting to do!”
I stretched and glanced around at the wide golden leaves and the gold-brown bark of the Wise Old Friend, only to cock my head at the brilliant white blossoms that appeared at some point all over the friendly foliage.
“The heck? Oh! I get it!” I pat the tree just as I did last night before I climbed into its branches. “This is how you say good morning! So good morning to you too buddy!”
After I un-wedge my staff from where I lodged it, but before I can take a moment to look over my handy work, Uriel activates and my status window appears.
-Name: Anon Amos
Race: Human?
Age: ???
Height: 5’ 10”?
Weight: 147lbs?
Titles: Soul Survivor; ??? Wanderer; Excavation Emperor; ???; ???; Dreamer; Awakened
Status: Health: Healthy; Mana: Full; Endurance: Full; Strength: Able; Agility: Able; Speed: Able; Toughness: Able; Spirit: Maximum
Status Conditions: None
New Abilities: Craftsman: Novice lv: 5-
“What?! My height and weight changed? And I got a new ability! But… why? I didn’t even get a system announcement or anything.”
Then the system’s effeminate voice declared.
“Huh… If that’s how it is then I’ll need to make sleeping a regular thing.” I glance back down at my staff then stop. “Wait a minute. The heck’s with that last remark? I didn’t even ask about whether or not I was an exception!”
I wait, but the system gives me the silent treatment again. Oh well. I technically already knew I was abnormal since I got the intimidation ability earlier without needing to sleep… .
Finally, I get around to appraising my staff.
Honestly, it looks just about as plain as it gets. A diameter of only about three inches, a length of about four feet. Pale brown in color, thanks to the fact that I removed all the bark, and though it's mostly straight it has several lumps and bends in it just as you’d expect from a former branch.
Uriel then pulled up a side window for me to scrutinize.
Short staff:
Name: Witness
Power: 15?
Mana: 500
Durability: 6000
Traits:
Loyal, Self mending, One with nature, pathfinder, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
“Wow! That’s… Well I think that’s good? I mean I don’t really have any basis for comparison, but it certainly looks more impressive than I expected, so I guess having quality materials definitely makes a difference!” I spin it around a few times to get a feel for its surprisingly comfortable weight and decent balance, then pause. “Hey! Who named it? Was it the tree? The system? Or is that just how crafting works?”
For the second time Uriel informed me that it wasn’t high enough level to gather that information, so I sighed and got to work on my next creations.
The hours passed by and to be completely honest, all I did was sharpen a few other branches into makeshift spears, long stakes really, javelins if you’re being generous.
Spears:
Names: Punishment, Retribution, Reprisal, Discipline, and Judgement
Power: 37?
Durability: 6000
Traits:
Loyal, Self mending, Sharp, Pierce, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
After that I layered the remaining bark chunks, and used some smaller wooden pegs that I’d fashioned from the leftovers of the branches to nail them together, then used the last branch to form a handle, since I had nothing on hand to strap this buckler to my arm with.
Buckler:
Name: Faith
Defense: 60
Durability: 8000
Traits:
Loyal, Self mending, Block, Deflect, Fragment of the Elder Root, Blessing of the Elder Root
Lastly, I ripped off the lower part of my ragged shirt and turned it into a haphazard sling just big enough to carry my spears. So with them secured over my shoulder, my staff in one hand, and my buckler in the other, I stood and looked around. “Now, which way was it to that lake… .”
As I contemplated this, I felt something flow out of me and my staff twitched before its far end jerked to my left. I stared at it for a minute, then I realized. “Oh! So that’s what the pathfinder trait does! Neat!”
With my preparations complete, the sun now high overhead, and the last of the wood used up, I patted the Wise Old Friend to signal my thanks, smelled one of its lovely grape scented flowers in place of saying farewell, and headed off in the direction my staff indicated. “So, now that I’ve got some equipment, what do I do? Go to the Village? Set up traps for the soldiers? Or should I avoid this area entirely and look outside the valley?”