(Ivan)

Ivan and Jane emerged at the edge of a lush valley, covered in fragrant flowers, and surrounded by jagged mountains. A brook chortled merrily nearby. Golden spears, crimson stars, and blue sage flowers swayed in the gentle breeze. A colossal tree, as high as a mountain, towered at the center of the valley. The tree stood like a lighthouse, tall and proud, amidst an ocean of color and surrounded by shrubbery.

Jane’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “Is that real?” She stared at the titanic tree. Even from here, the leaves looked as big as barn doors and the alabaster blossoms looked larger than oxcarts. “Have you ever seen anything like it?”

Ivan hesitated. “It can’t be…” He closed his eyes and tried to recall the image. His eyes snapped open. “It looks like a stonewood tree.”

“I’ve never heard of a stonewood.”

“I saw a sketch of it in the Alexis Botanical Almanac.” He paused, trying to recall the details. “Olivia Birch, a famous Nature Kingdom botanist, discovered it in the far northern range of the Frozen Mountains. She had been looking for the elusive icecap flower when her team stumbled upon a bigger find. They discovered a massive fallen tree, just like this one. The snow and ice had preserved it almost perfectly.”

“Ash and embers!” Jane yelped as she ducked behind Ivan. He stilled as a bee, the size of his fist, flew over their heads.

“Ahem,” Jane cleared her throat. “That bee scared the bones out of me. Give me snakes and scorpions any day over freakishly large bees.”

Ivan smirked at her.

She narrowed her eyes. “What?”

“That girlish yelp was soooo adorable,” Ivan threw Jane’s words back at her while imitating her voice.

She punched his shoulder playfully. “Hey! It was only funny when I said it.” They chuckled.

She nudged him eagerly. “Let’s get closer to the tree.”

Ivan nodded and they headed toward the stonewood. As they walked, they chatted about botanical almanacs.

“My favorite is Bosket Botany,” Jane said. “In addition to each description, it includes colorful illustrations. It’s so much better for visualization.”

“Yeah, Bosket Botany is a work of art in addition to being a great almanac. I really like Ferns Flora for the in-depth descriptions. I just wish that it had better sketches.”

“Maybe if Bosket and Ferns had a baby almanac, it would become our new favorite.” They laughed.

“I still can’t wrap my mind around the size of that tree.” Jane shook her head. “Look at the base. It’s as big as a village.”

“It’s massive! I’m looking at it and I still can’t believe it’s real.”

Ahead of them, they saw the thicket that formed a barrier around the stonewood. It resembled a wall of living brambles.

When they reached the thorny vines, they looked around, trying to find a path.

Ivan looked at Jane. “I can burn a hole through this.”

“Can you do it without setting the whole place on fire?” She gave him a sly smile.

“Yeah, absolutely.” Ivan opened his hand and a small flame rose above his palm. It snuffed out just as quickly as it had appeared. He frowned and tried again. The same thing happened.

“Something is suppressing my fire.”

Jane tried her new Water magic and even her Shadow magic. “My spells aren’t working either.”

“Well, that’s strange… I guess we’ll have to cut our way through this.” Ivan unsheathed his blade and started hacking. Jane pulled out Fiery Justice and the two of them worked together.

They had been slashing through the underbrush for a while when Ivan looked back. They had made a long tunnel through the hedge, and they had yet to emerge on the other side.

A subtle movement caught his eye. “Jane, look at that.” He tapped her shoulder.

She turned around. “What?”

Low screaking sounds set them on edge. The vines at the entrance of the tunnel lengthened and writhed as they crept toward each other. Ivan watched in alarm as the branches knitted together, closing the tunnel, and snuffing out the light.

“We need to move,” Ivan cried out. “Let’s push forward.”

They redoubled their efforts, hacking and slashing through the thorny brambles. Their glowing blades sliced through the barrier.

The scraping and grinding sounds got closer and closer behind them.

“I can see light ahead,” Jane shouted. “We’re almost there!”

Ivan whipped around and slashed through a vine that was reaching for Jane’s leg. “Go… Go!” They continued to swing their blades in a frenzy.

With a triumphant shout, they finally emerged on the other side of the thicket and raced away from it. The vines snapped behind them, closing the tunnel.

Jane sat down on a root, head bowed, gasping for breath. Ivan sat next to her, heaving.

“That was close,” Jane rasped between breaths. “And creepy…”

“Was that a pun?”

“Princesses never pun. I was just commenting about that ambush.” She gestured behind them.

“Ambush.” Ivan snorted. “Good one.” He stood up and looked around. “Well, hopefully we won’t have to go back through that hedge on the way out.”

“Ugh, I hope not.” Jane grimaced and got up.

They continued their trek toward the base of the tree. The ground past the bramble wall was riddled with roots.

“So, what else do you remember about the stonewood?” asked Jane.

“Not much.” Ivan tried to recall the things that he had read about the tree. “The Scaran Botanical Society speculated that it might be the only one of its kind. I don’t remember why. During their examination, they uncovered substantial fire damage on one side of the tree while the other side was completely fine.”

They clambered over a bulging root that protruded above the ground like a giant mud worm.

Jane and Ivan continued to talk until they reached the canopy of the tree. They stopped briefly to admire the luminescent alabaster flowers above them. Birds and bees breezed from blossom to blossom.

A small hummingbird buzzed by. “A colibri,” Jane squealed. “It’s so cute!” It was chased by two others. The little birds capered and danced in the air.

Ivan suppressed a tinge of sadness. In her excitement, Jane had sounded just like his mom when they had seen the tiny hummingbirds on Eel Island.

They resumed their hike over the roots. They saw some patches of mist clinging to the ground ahead of them. The closer they got to the trunk, the more pools of mist they encountered. They stayed away from the foggy areas as much as they could.

“I haven’t seen another portal,” Jane remarked.

“Hmm, maybe we’ll find it behind the tree.”

“You might be right. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. So, which way should we go? Angle off to the left side of the tree, or the right?”

“I’ve been following your lead so far and we’ve survived.” Ivan gestured toward her. “Make the call.”

“Very well.” Jane lifted her chin. “Let’s go left.”

They walked in silence, scanning the area. The size of the tree was even more imposing the closer they got to it. The tangled canopy of boughs, branches, and blossoms loomed overhead.

There was something eerie about this place. The air was thick and musty. The canopy cast a wide shadow. Ivan had the uneasy feeling that they were being watched. He looked around apprehensively, moving with caution.

A muscle in his jaw twitched. “Is it me or did this place become way too quiet?”

Jane’s eyes darted around. “I was about to ask you the same thing. All the bees and birds are gone.”

Ivan heard rustling behind him, and he whipped his head around. He saw nothing. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He reached for his blade.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“This place is making me nervous. I don’t like it,” Jane admitted, echoing his growing unease.

“Aaaaah!” she cried out. Ivan jumped and turned around. Vines had coiled around her legs, and she was being hoisted into the canopy above. Something wrapped around his legs and yanked him up into the air.

Dangling upside down by his feet, he flailed his arms around as he rose higher and higher. His stomach churned as he zoomed upwards, and branches blurred by. Abruptly, he came to a complete stop. His body swayed and he grabbed his spinning head. He reached for his sword, but the blade was not there.

He looked around in dismay from his inverted position. A vine from the stonewood tree was tightly coiled around his legs. Jane swayed nearby. She was in the same predicament, and she looked nauseous. They had been hoisted high off the ground and were dangling like pair of ripe fruit.

A creaking voice grumbled. “Intruders are not welcome here.” A tree-like creature scuttered toward them along a nearby branch. It looked a bit like Sapple, but larger and withered with age. It disappeared behind a blossom before reappearing above the branch that Jane was hanging from. It vaulted off the stonewood tree, whipped its roots around Jane’s branch, and began dangling upside down, right next to her.

“I surround my home with countless traps. You survived all of them and came here uninvited.” The tree scowled at Jane. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Uh…uh,” Jane stammered. Her face was red and puffy from hanging upside down. She still looked disoriented.

“You are not very eloquent, are you?” the tree rasped and spun her around.

“Stop that!” Jane protested. “We didn’t mean to intrude. We came here looking for answers.”

“Then you’d best be careful, seedling,” the tree warned. “Looking for answers can lead to more questions. Like walking in a circle, you might find yourself where you started.”

“Uhh.” Jane floundered for a moment. “If I end up walking in a circle, that’s my problem. After all, each one of us has our own path in life.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. Her eyebrow twitched. “Oh, those were your traps.” She gathered her thoughts. “Then, I guess we’re here to see you…” She recovered quickly. Ivan watched her as she feigned a royal smile to enchant the tree creature. “We need your help. We’ve come in search of your knowledge.”

“Knowledge is nothing without wisdom, and you are but a sprout, too young to have any.”

The tree was quiet while it scrutinized Jane. “I know who you are… Jane Sapphire. You’re that persistent princess who haunts my old passageways in your dreams. You are looking for a way to save your kingdom. You think you are seeking for a way to lift a curse, but in reality, you are looking for something else entirely.”

Jane’s eyes widened.

The small tree ignored her and turned to glare at Ivan. “I know you as well, Ivan Snow. Infernal blood brings ruin unless tempered.” The vines tightened around their legs and shook them again.

Ivan and Jane were jostled about like puppets on strings. A loud explosive noise erupted from the tree creature. The vines that suspended them stopped shaking. Their captor moved to and fro, making loud creaking noises while lashing its roots around. To Ivan, it looked like the tree was having a fit. It took him a moment to realize that it was howling with laughter. The vines from the stonewood tree lifted them up and placed them inside a nearby blossom that was as large as a tavern. One of the petals slowly opened, like a drawbridge, and the withered old tree glided inside.

“You’ve provided excellent diversion. Perhaps, I can hear you out.” The tree wiped a line of sap from its coal black eyes. “Introductions are in order. The wee folk call me the Ancient Archive, Keeper of Time, and Teller of Tales.” It looked at them expectantly as though waiting for their reaction.

Jane gave Ivan a sidelong glance and she lifted an eyebrow. He shrugged and shook his head.

The Ancient Archive continued, “For short, you may call me Leaflet. I do not get many guests, and my ever-growing tome of mischievous pranks and whimsy requires unsuspecting participants. With your unwilling help, I finally got to check off the Creeper Snare setup. It’s a shame that you didn’t run into the mist pools.” It made a clicking noise in disappointment.

Jane took a deep breath. “We’re glad that we could provide such an excellent diversion. I hope that you can provide us equally excellent answers.”

“Do you welcome all of your guests in the same manner?” asked Ivan.

“Indeed, I do. Some of my guests, like the Sprites, absolutely love my hospitality and humor.”

“In that case, they must have an elevated sense of humor,” Jane said.

“Yes, they do,” Leaflet agreed. “Sprites have an exalted jocosity that surpasses mortal customs.”

Jane tilted her head.

“I know that you are seeking knowledge, but I am not certain that you should possess it. Struggle, if you survive it, builds character.”

“Many lives are at stake,” Jane implored. “We need help!”

“Oh, yes… Lives at stake.” He waved a root dismissively. “What if the knowledge that you seek brings more death? You do not know who is moving the pieces, seedling. If this was a game of Blood and Honor, you would be but a lowly foot soldier facing a mighty giant.”

“Even a lowly soldier can defeat a giant,” Ivan countered.

“Well said.” Leaflet moved closer. “I see that you are determined. Saplings always have the passion of youth.”

Leaflet looked thoughtful before continuing, “Very well, I shall test you. Answer my riddles and I shall answer your questions.”

Answer his riddles? Ivan was baffled. That only happens in books.

The roots of the tree lifted it up and Leaflet loomed above them. It recited the first riddle.

“Her dance beckons you on cold winter nights,

And vexes the skulking shadows.

Her dangerous beauty allures on sight,

And tramples the meadows.”

“Fire!” Ivan and Jane replied at the same time.

The tree wiggled its roots and sighed. “That was too easy. I shall give you another.”

“I burrow the ground with the rest of my kin,

collecting the precious riches within.

In the darkness I live and gather my treasure,

I am a source of origin beyond simple measure.”

“Hmm, ‘I burrow the ground with the rest of my kin,’” Jane repeated. “Could be an animal that makes tunnels.”

“The next line, ’Collecting the precious riches’, doesn’t eliminate any of those,” said Ivan.

“’In the darkness I live and gather my treasure,’” Jane repeated the third line. “Again, that could be animals that live underground.”

“The last line is probably the most telling – ’I’m a source of origin beyond simple measure.’ That could be things like eggs, seeds, parents...”

“Right.” Jane nodded. “Though, none of those seem to be a good fit for the rest of the riddle.”

“Maybe we’re approaching it from the wrong angle,” Ivan suggested. “Maybe the answer is more abstract.” He paused, thinking.

“Wait! What about an underground spring?” he suggested.

Jane’s face lit up. “Yeah, they burrow through the ground and live in darkness. They’re also the source for some rivers.”

“It fits.”

They cross-referenced each line of the riddle until they felt satisfied with their answer.

Ivan looked at Leaflet. “It’s an underground spring.”

Leaflet grumbled but looked pleased. “An underground spring is an answer, but not the answer that I was looking for.”

“What!” Jane frowned. “We answered the riddle correctly. Even if that was not the answer that you were looking for, it’s still a correct answer.”

“Choosing the right answer is like choosing the right path,” said Leaflet. “When you choose one path, you reject many others. You had to choose from one of my three eternity portals. Only one of them would have brought you here. So, choosing an answer is not the same as choosing the answer. Still, I shall give you another attempt.”

“Very well,” Ivan replied.

He and Jane deliberated for a while but struggled to find another answer that would fit the riddle.

Jane sighed and looked down. Absentmindedly, she twisted a ring on her finger. Ivan enjoyed watching her when she was thinking. She had an expressive face. She cocked her head and gave Leaflet a curious glance. Her mouth curved into a smile and her whole face brightened.

She snapped her fingers. “I got it!” She pointed to Leaflet’s roots.

“You think it’s roots?” Ivan asked.

“It must be… and it’s so apropos.”

“Hmm, what about – ‘I’m a source of origin beyond simple measure.’”

“At first, I had an issue with that part, as well,” Jane replied. “The seed is the actual origin of a tree. But if you consider the other meaning of the word root, it’s synonymous to a source. It’s a tricky play of words meant to obscure the answer. After all, the definition of root is – the source or origin of a thing.”

“Jane, that’s brilliant! It makes me think of the old saying – at the root of the matter.”

This time, it did not take them long to review their response and give it to Leaflet.

“That’s the answer,” Leaflet creaked. “That riddle has stumped many.” He looked at Jane. “Ask your questions.”

“Why is my homeland being ravaged by volcanic eruptions?”

Leaflet waved a root. The leaves of the tree froze, the wind stopped, and everything around them stilled.

Ivan and Jane shared a look.

“A divine artifact composed of two parts was created by Tor’Sal, the Sky God, and Cea’Nia, the Goddess of the Earth. The part created by Tor’Sal is known as the Amulet of Storms, and the part created by Cea’Nia is called the Elemental Teardrop. Combined, the two halves are balanced. By themselves, they become unstable.” Leaflet looked at Jane.

“The volcanic eruptions in the Shadow Lands began after the Amulet of Storms was stolen from its rightful owner and taken to your homeland. The earth reacts to the essence in the Amulet of Storms. It has to do with the essence of matter and energy. All matter is part of Cea’Nia. Things like air, water, and earth. All energy is part of Tor’Sal. Forces like fire and lightning. Their powers are opposite yet interconnected.”

Ivan tried to process everything that he had just heard. Leaflet had spoken with certainty and had presented the information not as speculation, but with the conviction of someone who possessed absolute knowledge.

Leaflet moved closer to Jane. “Eleven years ago, your sister was enslaved and given the Amulet of Storms, so she would wage war against the Nature Kingdom and its guardian, Narture. She became entangled in a conflict that has lasted for millennia.”

Queen Esmeralda is under an enslavement spell, Ivan thought incredulously. He looked at Jane and stiffened. She did not look surprised at all.

“How can I break the thrall cast on my sister? It’s no ordinary enslavement spell. I know, I’ve tried to break it. I gave her an infused healing stone, which did nothing. I even confronted her in the throne room. After all, familial confrontation is one of the most effective ways to break the spell. In response, she killed everyone in the room… except me.”

Leaflet looked at Jane. “Few can remove that spell, seedling. It has taken deep roots within your sister and even if the spell is lifted, her mind would be broken. When the amulet is taken from her, her life will be forfeit. Such a relic was never meant for mortals.”

“Who enslaved my sister and gave her that amulet?” Jane looked angry.

“The enslavement spell was cast by Sháte.”

Jane staggered back. “Nooo,” she whispered. “That can’t be!” She shook her head. “Sháte is known as our ancient protector.”

Ivan placed a hand on Jane’s shoulder and looked at Leaflet. “Since the Shadow Queen has been in the Nature Kingdom for the last decade and the Amulet of Storms is with her… will the volcanoes in my homeland begin to erupt?”

“The land on your continent has already started responding to the Amulet of Storms,” Leaflet replied. “Columns of smoke are rising in the remote areas of the Old Mountains. The temperature of the hot springs along the Frozen Mountains has been gradually increasing. The hamlet of Ixia, located northwest of Tork, has already felt ground tremors, and seen their first ashfall.”

Ivan reeled. “So, what can we do? It sounds like we need to return the amulet to its rightful owner.”

“That’s the only way,” Leaflet confirmed.

“How do we find the rightful owner?” asked Ivan.

“Across the bounding main, find a place that you cannot find, but it can find you,” Leaflet replied cryptically. “The amulet is the compass.”

“What does that even mean?” asked Ivan. “Can’t you be more specific?”

“I’ve given you plenty,” Leaflet replied breezily.

A portal materialized next to Jane and Ivan. “The temporal interval of this event is coming to an end. You have spent a rather long time in your future. I am going to send you back in the past, which is your present.”

“Wait, wait! I have more questions,” Jane objected.

“Time waits for no one,” Leaflet creaked. One of its roots snaked around the side of the portal and pulled it down on top of them like a net.

Ivan was transported in front of the Temple of Cea’Nia. Jane appeared near the vaulted archways just ahead of him. The blaring of the Behemoth could be heard in the distance and Ivan somehow knew that the Archery Competition was about to begin… again.

It was as if all the time spent in the labyrinth had not happened at all.