Willow
Outside Pop-Hopper Camp, Feather-branch Forest, Savriâ
After having a very quick team discussion, it was decided that they’d continue with their original plan for now. If they saw someone with pink wings, they’d look for an opportunity to fulfill Madrick’s “mission.” Having so decided, they settled in to wait and watch.
At first, everything was essentially the same as it had been the last time they’d scouted the place. Despite their best efforts, there were just as many pop-hoppers as ever. More, even. The things multiply faster than bunnies! They were also still continuing to build their weird little structures and harvesting the sun-child stones. This time, with Jonah’s RTS View ability, he was able to get a bit more detail on their stockpile.
“They’re bringing all of the stones into a kind of fenced in area.” That much they could all see, and Willow glared at him in an attempt to fast-forward past the obvious. He didn’t notice, but continued. The party voice chat Jonah facilitated was extremely useful. It’d be way riskier to have him tell us all this if it was out loud.
“The area doesn’t have a gate. It’s just fenced in on all sides with the access point being through an odd maze-like tangle of half walls. It looks like they realized they’d need a way to access the stock, and they realized they didn’t want it easy for just anyone to wonder in, but had no concept of doors. It’s weird. They also have several guards posted throughout the maze. However, any of us could probably just climb over all of the half walls to skip it. None of it is fenced in. The main walls around the stockpile are much higher though, maybe two and a half meters tall or so. There’s a constant stream of pop-hoppers going between the pile and the opening at the tree’s base.”
Naomi asked in her characteristically emotionless mental-voice, “Any likely areas for us to sneak in and steal some of them like Willow wanted to do before?”
“Awww… You remember my scheme!” Willow shot Naomi a thumb’s up across Jonah’s back. She noted the slight twitch at the corner of the stoic woman’s lips and gave herself a point. She noted Jonah’s eyeroll at the same time, and gave herself another one.
“No,” Jonah answered the question as he continued, “It looks like the place is pretty tightly locked up. I doubt any- What?” He stopped mid sentence, sounding baffled.
Reaching over, Willow poked his cheek as she sent, “‘What’, what?! You can’t just dramatically stop in the middle of an explanation while observing an enemy base! That’s SO unprofessional! Oh… Uh… We should be using our code-names. System, what surprised you?!” Had she less control over herself, Willow would likely be bouncing on her heels as she crouched beside Jonah’s prone form. They were all sitting at the edge of a hill behind a small thicket of sapling feather-branch trees they’d found. Even so, the movement would likely have made them a bit too obvious.
Not reacting to, possibly not noticing, being poked, Jonah answered. “I think I have eyes on the ‘Fae man’ from your mission, Willow. He approached the pop-hoppers from the east side of their camp. They see him but aren’t doing anything, they’re acting like they don’t even notice him.”
“Like he has a stealth ability or something? Maybe you’re seeing through his stealth with your gaming powers?” Willow suggested.
Naomi pointed out, “It’s unlikely Jonah’s nascent abilities can pierce a form of stealth that thousands of little monsters can’t.”
“First, outch. Thanks for assuming I’m less capable than the average pop-hopper.” Jonah said, sending a feeling of faux-outrage. “Second, I agree. I don’t think there’s any stealth at play. You two should be able to see him soon to verify. He’ll be crossing into your view in just a moment.”
Several seconds of anticipation later, his prediction came true. At this distance they couldn’t make any details out, but they could see the vivid pink wings, the large horns, and the glittering scales easily enough. The figure strolled through the pop-hopper base like he owned it, making a beeline directly for the sunsquat tree.
“Sooo… We gonna go get him?” Willow asked cheerfully. She was wearing a bright smile as her friends turned to look at her. One wearing an incredulous expression, the other wearing little expression at all.
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Nuu
Scene Incubator 3, Forest of Whispering Fronds, Savriâ
The forest whispered as feather-like fronds swayed softly in a breeze which carried with it the promise of predictability and cyclical consistency. The earthy scent of a simple soil lingered in the air, mixing with the bouquet of ten flowers which graced the planet’s surface.
Strolling through the tranquility of the forest was a fae of insurmountable beauty. Each of his scales caught the rays of the playful sun, taking them in and adding color before releasing the warming beams back into the world. Vibrant wings swayed gently behind him, fluttered subtly to aid in his graceful walk which oft tricked the eye into believing he hovered just above the ground. His mighty antlers sat atop a strong brow: their many points giving hint to the danger he represented, while their graceful curves reaffirmed his refinement and nobility.
As he walked, soft gusts of wind softly caressing his face, he smiled. The conclusion to his sojourn was at hand. The rough walls of a camp came into view. They were built of felled trees roughly hewn by imperfect hands. Yet despite the meandering shapes and chaotic placements, the walls were effective. Although Nuu himself might simply step through the small gaps here or there, availing himself of his superior agility, it was secure from baser beasts and simpler beings.
Feather-soft steps trod through the open gate, bright eyes of golden brilliance noting the diminutive guards on either side. They gave no heed to his presence, as he had been written out of their narrative. They could no more perceive their creator than could a book recognize its author.
The moment of tranquility was cathartic. As it happened the release was incumbent upon his soul. In that moment he was free. Free of the uncertainty and unease which had followed him since the sudden and unexpected alteration of his narrative upon the planet of Hesvāra. This was his favorite garden, favorite incubation world. In truth, this place was the most likely to bare forth the exemplary work. The work for which he strove such that his heart beat and broke each moment that he failed to garner progress worthy of note.
At last his fluid steps halted and Nuu looked upon the tree which he himself had wrought. A smile graced his delicate lips for but a moment, before he composed his suddenly unruly mind. The tree before him was less of beauty, but more of wonder. To a casual observer, curiosity of its extraordinary girth as compared to its modest size might be the end to their interest. For those with the wherewithal to peer more keenly, they might find wonder untold. Each and every leaf was comprised of millions of intricate fractals embodied by precious gemstones. Each diamond and emerald were set just so, creating a perfect illusion of life.
Reaching up, Nuu’s long delicate finger stroked down the length of one such extraordinary leaf. Even the feeling was that of a natural leaf, fibrous and soft with the slightest friction; each hair-like strand caught his skin and held for but a moment before releasing it as if a regretful lover leaving their beloved’s embrace. Every part of every one of these trees were a miracle and a tale of their own. They were cherished within Nuu’s heart - so much that even the nexus of his being was centered around one of his treasured creations. Having realized the superiority of his creation to the flawed natural tree which had originally resided as the focal point in his soul, he had ripped the flawed thing from himself and cast is aside.
The process had brought with it a bittersweet agony as he focused upon the confluence of his decision and planted a new seed. His new central sagacity had grown swiftly over the course of tens of years until it had born its first fruit. The fruit which, when in the fullness of its cycle, fell upon the fertile soul within his spirit. The sapling which grew from the seed within brought with it Nuu’s second ability. It was poetic, his first ability having allowed for the formation and cultivation of the medium for which his second would be born.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Casting his gaze around himself, Nuu turned in a slow circle to observe all that had come from a single scene. He saw that it was good, and softly serene, as he reaffirmed his decision to return to this wondrous place. Each cycle was the same as the last upon the surface of this planet, which supplied a unique opportunity for one of his ambition.
For another, the lack of catalyst might have brought distress and a sense of stagnation. To him, this world had been a blank canvas, an unbroken narrative which taught him an important truth. A truth which called for him to give voice to itself, a request to which he obliged. His full voice struck the air as chords in a melody, sonorous and unburdened, “A Scene May Exist In Isolation”
A sudden need to finish his reminiscence by reviewing the exact scenes which had in turn lead an unchanging planet to turn the page in its story came over Nuu. Indulging his sudden stroke of whimsy, Nuu took the lovingly cared for tome from its catch on his hip. Taking the time to trace the complex embossing upon the surface of the book, he noted the leather would need to be oiled in the near future. Completing their trace of the intricate and beautiful knots and whirls representing the unknowable nature of the great narrative, Nuu’s delicate digits lifted the cover and gently leafed through the volume’s many pages. It took the time of several deep breaths to find the pages which interested him. Lips lifting into a serene smile, he reviewed his work.
The recollection of writing these pages was ambrosia to his strained spirit. Having been chased off like a common cur from his most recent endeavor, it was worthy for him to recall the importance of these experimental passages. Here, upon the nothing planet of Savriâ, Nuu had learned much about his scene weave ability.
His convalescence here last time had been both productive and affirming. He’d struck upon the critical realization that he could weave multiple scenes together in a complex knot of conditions: uncertainties and certainties as one. His eyes flicked up briefly to observe the spindly creatures which he had purposefully left unnamed with the intention of determining whether names might come without his interference. They were much as he remembered describing. They were consequences of removing one of his precious soul trees. He knew not who, or even when, one of the trees had been removed. He knew only that one must have been, for the guardians to have spawned.
While he lacked the knowledge of the moment which one of his conditional scenes had spindled and woven itself into the tapestry of the great narrative, he could certainly hypothesize. He had seen several patches which would, almost certainly, be the result of the second to final form of his soul tree guardian’s wondering the surface of the planet. Many such areas had begun to regrow, saplings of the native trees and several of the flora he himself had written into existence hinted that it had been at least tens of years.
The first guardians would spawn a year and a day after a soul tree died, in the spot where its gem system had been. Following their original spawning, they would seek out a method of cooking and a specific mixture of the plants he had written into the narrative. Each plant would be added at the proper time, instinct driving the simple guardians to create the land-poison which would eventually kill the entire planet. From the perspective of a wiser man, Nuu now recognized such a harsh retaliation was perhaps beyond reasonable. Yet, an ignoble aspect of his character reveled in the thought of the greedy fools who stole his creation and damaged the scene returning. They would soon find that they themselves caused the treasure which they had coveted entirely beyond their reach. The death of this planet would also result in the death of every soul tree but the one in his soul.
Yet no narrative would hold any tension without some hope, and hope Nuu had penned for them. Should the defilers of his garden return in time, they would find giants running rampant across the surface of the planet. Giants born of diminutive and weak guardians which any sufficiently strong being would brush aside as little more than a diversion. Giants which would seek out each and every soul tree to seed them with additional guardian spawn.
The serene smile on Nuu’s lips twisted into something crueler as he watched the final stages of that seeding take place. The lines which the guardians had built in as a semblance of a structure begun to glow even as he regarded the area. Every iota of Potentia in the area began to coalesce, flowing into the representation of the pseudo soul which his guardians shared. The Potentia quickly condensed and resolved itself into mana, mana of an aspect unknown to Nuu.
His smile grew genuine again, full of glee and wonder. His creations, his scene, had taken such a life of its own that it was entirely capable of creating an aspect of mana which he himself was ignorant. The creation had done something which creator was incapable of. Should Nuu manage to achieve his ultimate goal, such miracles as creating seeds which would grow greater than himself would need be commonplace.
The color of the mana faded until it became invisible. A not unexpected occurrence, as most mana was not visible by nature. It need not be seen for its truth to fulfill its purpose.
Sparkling golden eyes watched rapturously as this mana’s purpose was fulfilled.
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Naomi
Outside Pop-Hopper Camp, Feather-branch Forest, Savriâ
The fae man had entered the village, all of the jimble-grimbs completely ignoring him. It was as if, to them, he didn’t exist at all. So far as she could see, they hadn’t even side-eyed him. Mostly ignoring the jimble-grimbs, the fae had continued on until he reached the sunsquat tree.
Once at the base of the tree, he had taken a book embossed with gold and purple from a clip on his hip. He ran his hands all around its cover, then opened it. After a bit, he turned around to look at the camp around him. Although it was too far away to be certain, she considered Willow’s assessment over the party channel that, “That guy definitely had has a creepy look on his face right now,” as possible.
None of them were sure exactly what the guy did, but after a while all of the weird buildings, which they had thought were haphazard houses, began to glow. That had been the beginning of the strangeness, rather than the end. As soon as the glowing stopped, every single jimble-grimb in the area suddenly converged in the center of their campsite and begun to assemble themselves.
The sight of the weird little creatures leaping into a pile and snapping together like so many plastic bits making up a child’s toy was nothing new. Rather, a dozen of them doing so wasn’t. Several thousand of the creatures all coming together was new. It was also horrifying to observe. Within minutes, the mega-creature was standing at least a hundred feet tall. Then two hundred. It continued on until she simply stopped trying to estimate how large it was. Bigger than most skyscrapers she’d seen in her home city. Chicago had some truly massive buildings, and only the very largest were taller than this monstrosity. The interlocked construct of jimble-grimbs had to be getting close to seven hundred feet. Then there were no more of the creatures to continue building the giant super-creature.
To her left, she heard Jonah let out a soft breath, presumably of relief that they had stopped. Then all of the structures which had glowed before flashed. The intensity was such that Naomi instinctively shut her eyes, although she’d been too slow and was already temporarily blinded. The explosion of light had been momentary, but the floating areas of darkness in her vision lasted longer.
Once they finally cleared, Naomi froze. Over the party channel Jonah’s voice summed up what she saw as well as anything, “Shite, that’s big.”
The previously seven hundred something foot mass of awkward limbs, torsos, and heads had been entirely transformed. What’s more, it had doubled in size. Now, they were staring up at a massive malformed humanoid with arms popping out from its hips, inappropriately long legs, and a blank boulder in place of a head. The entire thing seemed to be made of stone as far as Naomi could tell.
Glancing back down at the campsite, Naomi confirmed the fae man was still standing right where he had been. Even from so far away, she could practically see the manic grin on his face. His body language screamed to same emotion without actually needing to see it.
“Sooo… What’s the plan, leader lady?” Willow’s voice broke her out of contemplating why that guy would make something like that. The question was pointed. She was only the “leader” when they were in an operation, a dangerous situation. If Willow considered this a dangerous situation, then it probably was. A flash of dark blue and purple flashed through her soul-nexus at the thought. Of course it’s dangerous. Walking buildings aren’t safe.
She replied with the only plan she thought was reasonable, “It’s probably best we stay put unless that thing looks like it’s going to come this way. If we stay here, it’s unlikely to notice us. If we start running, the motion might catch its attention. We don’t know how perceptive it is.”
Phoenix replied promptly, “Heard.”
After a moment, Prism prompted, “System, acknowledge please.”
“Oh, uh, right. Heard.”
His voice was distracted. That was understandable, but a bit out of character. “System, report.”
He turned to her, looking surprised, “How’d you… Doesn’t matter. That thing is only level one, but it’s red and has a big detailed skull beside its name and level. I think it’s designated as a boss monster.”
“Think we’d get some kind of rare boss-drop from killing it?” Phoenix broke in eagerly.
Prism was shaking her head, even as System answered, “No. I doubt we’d get anything more than xp. Nothing else has dropped items, so there’s no reason this would.”
“Oh… Boo.”
Before the others could continue the tension-releasing banter, the giant moved. It turned and began walking northward. The BOOM-BOOM of its steps, the resultant bouncing earth and blowing wind, were all familiar. Thankfully, the movements were all slow enough that they had all had enough time to grab hold of the nearest most-stable-appearing sapling. This time, though, none of them were battered or moved in the slightest. Instead, the world drained of all color and stayed as it was.
Looking over System, Prism saw Phoenix watching the giant walk away with a serious expression.
“You’re not thinking about chasing that thing to fight it, are you?” Prism asked, her voice free of accusation or encouragement.
Phoenix’s shoulder’s slumped and she shook her head, “Nah, no point really. It’d be cool, though! Uh… Sorry I didn’t do this last time.” She waved her hand at the surrounding washed-out environment, “I… Well, I didn’t think about it.”
For the first time since meeting her, Naomi saw Willow blush. Flashes of blue and purple pulsed through her and she smiled.