Tilly pushed until Shuji’s labored breathing began to get out of hand. Then, as they reached the base of the mountain he slowed and turned to wait for the large lapin. They had made it to the far end of the valley, where the muddy road narrowed into a small but clear path, moving straight up the slope of the mountain.
“Sorry for using up time on those farmers Shuji, but this run should have gotten us back on track, I think,” Tilly shouted over his shoulder pointedly.
There was still a way to go for the already sweating Librarian but he couldn’t keep himself from poking at him one last time for his insensitivity back at the camp. That farmer couple had been so earnest and Tilly hoped he never got so busy or important that he didn’t have time for people like that. He gave the mountain path a long look and let out a low whistle at the incline.
“Ah… Yes…” Shuji gasped, stumbling to a stop next to him, “Not too much farther now… I believe.” he huffed.
Tilly snorted in response, “Shuji, I have personally made this trip a couple of times now. If this trail is clear and extends all the way to the temple entrance, we will get there in two hours at a fast walk.”
Shuji began to groan before cutting it off by clearing his throat. “Ahhemm. Well, I likely won't have another chance in this lifetime to witness the activation of a sovereign crystal, so set the pace, Mr. Tillman, I will keep up if it kills me! They said they would wait until noon, and I'll not chance missing it.” He declared, the lines on his face hardening into a pattern of grim determination.
Something about his resolute love of discovery and the previously unmentioned timeline suddenly got Tilly feeling guilty. He realized that Shuji had risked not witnessing something he felt was historic just to make sure Tilly got some answers before being thrust into the middle of events again. There he was, jumping to conclusions before knowing the whole story… Aside from the rough start, the Lapins had been a huge help to him, and he needed to start giving them the benefit of the doubt.
That reminded him! There was one thing Shuji hadn’t finished explaining before the messenger bird had come and they had set off into the city!
“Shuji, really quick before we head up, you said we needed to think about making this place defensible as we activated the crystal. Why is that? What is coming?”
“Wha-” Shuji jerked, turning from his determined staring match with the mountain. Then the question caught up with him,
“Ah, yes. Apologies, Jonathan Tillman! This is a very important concept. When a new nation or power is declared through a sovereign crystal, Nephesh itself changes. It is a land that always maintains balance. Nations aligned with the light balance out those allied with darkness. The Isle of Light and headquarters of the temple of Light is far to the east, just off the coast of the Azure Vasthold. To balance this, the seat of dark influence on the plane is as far west as you can go. There, the sun ends its journey and light never touches the soil. Past the Blasted Lands are the Pits of Despair, where demonic Princes rise and fall with the tides of power.
“The rest of the nations on the endless continent fall in the middle of these two seats of power. They form a complex pattern of checks and balances over the whole, constantly changing, yet remaining more or less equal. None but the Cartographers know how to follow the endless shifting of the Land. Most nations just concern themselves with their immediate neighbors and those they have access to through a teleportation network.” Shuji had fully turned back to Tilly now in his lecture mode. Then a bird called from up the path and he jumped, before turning to look up the mountain path again.
“I am sorry Mr. Tillman. There is more to say on the subject, but in short, every time there is a great shift in power, or a new nation emerges, Nephesh itself moves. Rearranging borders and topography at the edges of established nations' territories. So while we are far in the frontier now, we will undoubtedly be moved once we declare ourselves a nation.” He concluded breathless in his rapid exposition.
“So this whole area is going to be teleported somewhere else, and we will be bordering completely new neighbors?“ Tilly asked, pulling the most immediately important piece of information out of the lecture.
“Yes! That is correct, although it is highly unlikely that we will be near the center of things. Typically, the more powerful you are, the deeper into the heart of conflict you are thrust. Those are the lands of eternal contestation, and at their heart are the unclaimed peaks. It is said that if those peaks are ever taken, the balance will shift one way or another and Nephesh will either ascend or descend fully into the hands of its new rulers.” He said, turning back and forth from the trail distractedly like a little boy having to go pee.
“Alright, let's get moving!” Tilly relented, having plenty to chew on after that exchange. Then softening his tone, he followed up with an apology,
“Also, I’m sorry Shuji, I wouldn’t have teased so much if I had understood the timeline you were under. I promise we will make it, even if I have to carry you!”
Shuji chuckled, his good-natured smile returning as he shifted his robes around his corpulent belly and gave Tilly a sharp nod in response, “I’m ready!” Tilly led the way up the path, setting a ground-eating pace that he estimated was right on the edge of Shuji’s ability. He kept a close watch on both Shuji’s physical state and the position of the sun trying his best to keep them on track.
They marched that way for an hour before Tilly recognized a certain clearing off to the right and did a double take. Shuji was still faithfully puffing behind him with sweat soaking the armpits and collar of his robe. He probably had time for a quick detour. He moved off the path and called over to his companion,
“Shuji, keep it up! There is something I need to grab, but I'll meet you nearer to the top, I promise.”
The lapin just nodded in response, keeping his eyes straight as he continued to march onward at the steady cadence they had set for the hike. Tilly gave a quick wave before jogging off through the clearing where he had met the Crononos, attempting to backtrack his way to the Charmin Tree for the third time.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
After a few minutes of tramping through the woods he found the small tree missing two clumps of leaves, but still looking healthy despite the loss,
“Sorry buddy, last time for a while, I promise,” Tilly muttered, as he riffled through his fantasy fanny pack and got rid of a few herb bundles that he had forgotten the use of. He did keep the last of the bandages and a metal tin that was filled with something that smelled like Vix.
Once the enchanted pack had enough room for like thirty or forty leaves… supple, pliable leaves. He gathered them as quickly as possible from a variety of low-hanging branches and stuffed them in the pack.
“Until next time.” Tilly nodded to the tree while attaching his fanny pack back under his jacket, then turned to go. But after a few steps, he hesitated and called back to the tree over his shoulder,
“And thanks. You probably don’t understand this, but you have been a small but needed comfort in a world of constant change...” Nodding to himself, Tilly continued hurrying off to catch up to Shuji who was still doggedly pushing himself to keep the pace.
Unnoticed, the small tree’s leaves rustled, as if blown by a windless breeze.
Tilly caught up with Shuji after about five minutes of jogging and couldn't help but notice pocks and vein-like patterns in the rock and plants around him. They were beginning to reach the area that had been riddled with Corruption’s influence. Except every sign they passed now had been scoured clean by purifying fire. Now all the plants that had once been infected seemed to be thriving, and Tilly’s hand unconsciously went to his side which had an annoying habit of itching every time he thought of it. He hoped that getting rid of it would be that simple... Once he learned to “Lay it down” as Thunder had said.
Aside from Herblore sending him notifications that he only bothered to skim, he spent the rest of the hike deep in thought. The implications of helping to start a new country in this world and the journey he would inevitably have to set out on to get rid of his own Corruption.
Before he knew it, the trees cleared and he was stepping through the tree line into the eerily perfect semi-circle clearing marking the opening of the temple. The roots that had once choked the entrance and fanned out into the surrounding forest were gone, leaving a faint dark gray ash that covered everything.
Standing at the entrance was the small group they were supposed to meet. The whole group was locked in a discussion, furiously arguing some important point. Well, not the whole group. Two familiar lapins with axes strapped to their backs kept watch on the forest, guarding the council.
Nyuk and Kuro both twitched their ears at his arrival, and Kuro shouted, “Human! Welcome back from your week-long nap!” Followed by an enthusiastic wave of his hand.
'Typical.' Tilly sighed internally.
At his greeting, the others looked up. The group was made up of two elderly Honu that Tilly vaguely recognized, Linus, now looking a lot older and wearing a lemon-puckering scowl. Next to him was another shorter satyr with spectacles and a very well-groomed beard. Making up the last pair of the council was Hiro and Ichiro. Hiro gave him a formal nod, while Ichiro smiled brightly as if seeing an old friend.
They all moved forward to meet the approaching pair, one looking apprehensive and the other breathing heavily.
“It is well you have arrived! We are very eager to begin Mr. Tillman.” said the spectacled Satyr.
“Yes… welcome… Have you been… briefed?” One of the two Honu Elders asked. As she spoke, Identify began to ping over their heads showing Tilly just how far some of them had come.
Level 46 & 50 Tidecallers
Level 65 Empire’s Bastion
Level 43 Bureaucrat
Level 58 Samurai Lord
Level 42 (25) Samurai Hatamoto
“I'm pretty sure I have a handle on what we are about to do and why, but I don't understand what my place in it will be,” Tilly replied, then he turned to the three he didn’t know,
“Also, my name is Jonathan Tillman, nice to meet you. It's an honor to meet the council members elected by the people! Sorry that I don't yet know your names."
“Ah… Yes, that is my fault!” Shuji broke in, putting on his best diplomatic smile which was more or less ruined by the sweat soaking his robes and face.
“These are Elders Kira and Kalea. They are the next oldest in line to survive our escape from the city.” He said gesturing to the female Honu, who nodded along with their names.
“This is Pupienus, he was elected along with Linus as the two most capable leaders for the refugee contingent.” Linus only scowled in response, and Pupienus gave a haughty yet wary nod.
“The other two, you know well. Each faction has the right to appoint two leaders in the manner they choose. The Council leader, currently Lord Hiro, has tie-breaking power. We have a charter that outlines a course of growth that has been ratified by all present members.” Tilly shivered at the political undertones that he could easily hear in the subtext of that explanation.
Pupienus' nose drifted higher in the air at the mention of ratification, while Linus’s scowl deepened into a full-on “Get off my lawn!” old man frown at Shuji's words. The others remained more or less impassive, except for Ichiro who seemed to be looking off into the distance, his milky white eyes following something.
Afraid that they were going to get any deeper into the explanation of the current politics, Tilly quickly moved on, “Got it, sounds like you guys are doing a fantastic job! So what do you need from me here?”
Hiro humphed, and Tilly might have imagined a slight twinkle in his eye as he turned back towards the temple and answered as he went,
“Temples and their effect on surroundings vary greatly and are entirely dependant on the Deity. We hope that establishing the nexus of our nation's power here will trigger some sort of boon from your “Origin”, and impact the classes we are offered, amongst other things. As the chosen Champion of this deity, we hope you being here to intercede will offer us some agency in this process.” With that, he started walking towards the entrance.
“Lord Hiro! Are we sure we have come to a proper agreement on priorities?” The spectacled satyr called after him. Hiro didn’t bother to respond, just waving off the question as he walked. Shuji and then the rest of the group except Nyuk and Kuro moved to follow.
“You guys aren’t coming?” Tilly asked as he passed them.
“We will stand watch out here… Typically being near you when something big is going to happen can be dangerous,” Nyuk said drily. Kuro nodded along solemnly at the words.
“Suit yourselves. I hear this is going to be pretty cool.” Tilly said, moving past the two and joining the group as they entered the simple stone opening to the temple.