I enjoy my time celebrating — eating a lot of food, joking with new friends, and sharing stories about wild encounters. I defend my title as the number one in the Cult of the Sword, defeating Sylva for the third time, Fury for the sixth, and a handful of arachnoids keen on diversifying their cult portfolio. Around the time children start to settle down for the night, I turn my attention from celebration to preparation.
Usually, Cru is one of the hearty partiers, spending all night drinking, fighting, and singing with the Synth Sisters and others. I think tonight he is recovering from his previous nights of celebration. I don't blame him. Cru is somewhat of a celebrity these days, and when he is not worshiped as a god, he is celebrated as the Hero of Wolvsden. Now that I'm looking for him, he is nowhere to be seen. I've circled the Golden Mana Tree, cafeteria, and dancing and dueling grounds several times. The goblin might as well be gone.
In my search, I find a lone spider spinning a web in the woods. She has crafted an intricate pattern with thick webbing in the center that looks like a soft blanket. Kali lies on her back, four razor legs sprawled out wide, and the other four support her head. Her eyes watch the specks of light in the ceiling sparkling like distant stars.
The trees on this side of the cavern are massive, have a golden bark, and are less dense. I believe the plan for this section is for it to be a natural habitat for livestock. Beef bears thrive in the forest. Their very existence nourishes entire ecosystems. They have short lifespans of four to six years, and their meat becomes incredibly tender, juicy, and delicious when they die of old age. Colby has declared it a high priority for the meaty bears to become part of our food source. Everyone agrees it's a great idea. The bears are hard to come by, let alone have a ranch full of them. We're going with the 'build and they will come' approach.
From what I hear, Kali spends most of her time in this forest tending to the trees. She was one of the few Takumi let into the den early. Judging by the tree trimmings mulched on the ground, she's just finished her latest task.
"Mind if I join you for a bit?" I ask the spider. Kali barely lifts her head in acknowledgment. That's not a no, or at least I think she approves. I take a chance and spin up my webbed bed beside hers. I adopt a relaxing position like hers and join her in faux stargazing.
I don't care if the sky is fake. The dark ambiance and multicolored spectacle of lights above us are beautiful. It's actually hard to accept that this isn't real. The silence between us lingers as we both let ourselves be mesmerized. I know I have a lot I need to do for the trip tomorrow. I ignore the calls to act and enjoy the moment.
"Thank you for letting me join you," I say to Kali after about an hour of relaxing. I dispel my bedding and get ready to leave when I notice the spider looking at me. Her eyes are soft and sullen. I thought she'd be happy with me leaving. Now, I'm getting mixed signals. "Do you want me to stay?" Empty stares are my response. Oh. I'm a fool. Now I feel terrible for my inconsideration. Hello Kali. I send a greeting through a mind link.
By Cru's beard, I am so glad you said hello! I notice a few things from Kali's response. One — and least important of the notes — Kali is sorta sacrilegious. Actually, I kind of like that about her, and I respect her curse game. Two, she's real chipper… definitely a socialite.
Why are you alone? I ask.
There was much to think about, and I did not want to scare anyone with my presence. The guard was already covered, and I couldn't get anyone to trade me shifts, so I decided to tend to the trees. When that was finished, I noticed how pleasant the sky was and wanted to watch the lights sparkle as I sorted through my issues.
Stolen novel; please report.
Issues? Want to talk about them?
Can I?
Of course. Kali lets out a sigh of relief. At the same time, a breeze passes through the woods. I can't help but notice a sweet, fruity aroma. Around where the spider has trimmed the trees, bulbs of sap are forming. As they fall, a cloud of pollen separates from the sap and is absorbed into the ground.
Until the beef bears arrive, the trees must rely on themselves for their nourishment, says Kali, noticing my gaze. If left to themselves, they would grow enormous and then wither and die. Once dead, their rot will spread to other trees, hastening their death.
They can't survive on their own? The trees are so massive and full of life it's hard to believe they're so dependent.
It is through dying that they survive. When enough of these trees die, the rot seeps into the earth. There, it finds balance and growth. A new tree will grow, outgrowing the originals, until it falls and waits for its family to join it in a new life. Eventually, the forest will become one tree that no longer needs nourishment. Instead, it nourishes everything else — we call them Golden Mana Trees.
But you're not letting them grow to become one...
I am not. Treena, the Golden Mana Tree planted here, wants to know what happens if we break the cycle of death and consumption.
Aren't Mana Trees a good thing?
They are. But what if they can become more than a grand sum?
You are forcing them to fight against their nature.
We are allowing them individual growth. Kali drops from her web and places her hand on a tree, motioning me to do the same. I oblige. I can sense life, earth, and power coursing through the tree. All the tree knows is to serve the one. We are trying to teach them that they are the one. That collectively, they are greater than their sum. The trees do not understand synergy, so we will show them.
Fascinating. When I return, can I spend some time helping you care for the trees?
I will check with Treena.
Thank you. I didn't mean to pull the conversation away from you. What's weighing on your mind?
My issue is similar to the plight of the trees. I want to be a part of Cru's battalions, but I can not worship him as my god. I want to follow my own path where he is not the center. As much as I love Cru, my heart belongs to another, and I feel so guilty about it. I owe him everything. I was going to die in a dark den until he rescued me and allowed me into his fold. Because of him, I have a new life and can follow my own path of cultivation. So why do I feel like I can no longer follow him? My sisters will ridicule me. Cru will think nothing of it. He will even be happy for me. I think his willingness to let me go scares me the most.
Kali talks through all of her concerns through our mind link and then moves on to her hopes, beliefs, and goals. She mentions her blossoming love for someone named Selene. I thought Rurik was the reason for her conflicted heart. The two are always close. I offer her support and empathy when she gives me space to respond. For the most part, she just needs to talk, so I listen. When she clears her mind, we talk more about the forest and our interests.
Cru is resting by Treena, Kali says after a lull in our conversation. Thank you for listening to me.
It was a pleasure talking with you. I look forward to more talks in the future. Kali nuzzles her head against my side and climbs back into bed. Before I turn to leave, she's on her back with her hands behind her head. Though it was one-sided, I enjoyed the conversation. Kali's mind is as conflicted as mine. I chuckle at the thought and head back to the Golden Mana Tree.