Threat of War was often mentioned as the Elders always discussed the fragility of the collaboration of the Crater and felt offended by the ‘lesser beings’ living in the surrounding Nations scraping Materials on the corners of the Forest, but thinking of what would happen if Null made this threat come true, there would be at least heavy casualties and the destruction of everything they held dear.
“Oh, don’t soil yourselves. This Null said he would only do it if you would dethrone our Queen Mother. You are looking like it is already a done deal.”
Petals Grandmother chimed in into this heavy atmosphere. The Words held meaning but the threat they felt was still there.
“We see how disturbed our Mothers are over the words of Lord Null. You want to dethrone us that badly?”
“No, Queen Mother, that is not our thought, but-”
“But what? I said War would be only if you mess with your own Queen, as I feel more indebted to her and only her than to the whole Root, who are still seeing me as a nuisance after awakening your oh so magical Forest.”
That shut them up. They had so much to say but every sentence they had in their minds was filled with insults and right now that would just increase their worries. If they attacked Null for threatening them, they would be asked by their Queen again if they want to do regicide, if they insult him for being too crude as to even mention War, they would smear the one their Queen thanked for awakening the Forest. They were in a dilemma and could just shut up. Every time they just looked at the group of outsiders they felt their blood boil but had no way to vent their frustration.
“If one of our Elder Mothers wants to dethrone us, please speak now for we need to hold the vote early for my successor might be able to maybe have enough time to grow the World tree if it is quick enough. Oh, and if the Forest would still stand at that time. … No one? Then we see this discussion as over and we hope this will not be brought up again, as we have for once not much time to argue about such trivialities.”
With this the Elders all bit their tongue. While the Queen was the highest authority the Elders were unofficially the rulers as they held the power in all the family trees and could force the Queen into submission by vote of majority, but this is right now impossible as the Queen Mother could finally grow the World tree.
What Null did not know was the next Queen would not be called ‘Queen Mother’ any more but ‘Elven Queen’, as she is not bearing the Seed and therefore would not be in such a passive position. Not only would she be able to be more active in Politics but hold a higher position as the direct voice to the World Tree and its spirit.
“Well, I would like to go back to the topic. If you want to grow a Tree with Mana, we can help you out and hold the flow stable, but what do we get from it?”
“...How about a true Alliance? You said you are only here for a year or two? We will not only guard the Crater, but be ready to fight side by side with you against your Enemies. A high promise to not be hostile to you and your inhabitants for the time after your departure.”
“Queen, this is too much for-”
A look of the Queen made the Elder shut up. Right now all the Elders had never felt so powerless, as not only had the Queen all the Cards in her hand but Null became, even if they hated to admit it, their greatest benefactor in Millenia, which made their cold and rude attitude over the years a poisonous weapon that now was against their throats. Losing an opportunity to grow the World Tree would be a Sin written down in the history of this World forever.
While the Elders were forced into silence Null was pondering.
‘I will not be here much longer. A Year, maybe two? Who would protect Anna and all the other people in the Lost Village? This is great as even if the Alliance would be only for one Generation this would mean a Millennia, as they have such a long lifespan.’
“This would be more than enough for an exchange. I Null and the Starfall Crater would be honored to help you Roots and especially the Queen Mother to nurture the World tree with pure Mana.”
Null did something he rarely does anymore and bowed to the Queen Mother once. A smile grew on the face of the Queen as she knew how random that being called Null can be, but also knew it kept his promises and was trustworthy, as Leaf and even Petal were trusting him.
“We are glad you are content with only our measly tribute to an Alliance. Our whole reason for living is to grow this glorious Tree in different Worlds.”
“So you are Outsiders too?”
“Not quite. Our Race travels the branches of the World Tree to different Worlds to help them grow more radiant life. Our trees roil the earth, plants feed the creatures to make them multiply and the World Tree… When the World Tree is grown strong enough it will pulsate the Mana and filter Miasma.”
“Wait, the World Tree is for cleansing Miasma?”
“Partially, yes. It filters it to keep the growth of Monsters through the taint in check but not completely. Without struggle there is no growth, with only struggle there will only be barren waste. As the first Demon Lord was walking the Continent we were ready to start the growth but then he was killed by the Hero spreading the Miasma it kept in itself sealed and we lost the time to grow the Tree. Then we waited for the Miasma to recede enough but the former Tilean Kingdom suddenly expanded their technology by leaps and bounds through the Hero and Mana was drained too fast to grow the Tree again. Keeping the Mana secure was our next try but suddenly the Kingdom flooded the nearby Mountains with so much Miasma to keep some deep fungal Infection in check. Afterwards the Starfall happened and now we are here, Millenia into the future and maybe the last time for the Tree to set root before this World might lose all its Mana.”
“Losing all its Mana? Why is that?”
“If the World can not live with the Miasma it sheds everything of it. A world without Mana, without Magic but still somehow living. A fox caught in a trap would gnaw its own leg off to escape death even if it cripples itself.”
“There are no other ways?”
“While there are, the World Tree is the easiest and gives the World itself the tools to rule Mana. Not Gods, not Kingdoms, not some kind of being but the World itself.”
“Well then let us grow this tree and keep it nurtured for a while. You said a hundred years would be needed at minimum?”
“Yes, the roots need to grow far and wide. Creating a network of lines to let the Mana flow through the World.”
Small questions were asked and the Queen patiently explained while the Elders became numb. They would like the Queen not to explain too much but as the People she discussed it with were the ones who could single handedly help them grow their treasured tree, they could only stay silent.
Afterwards the Queen for the first time stood up from her throne and went to Leaf and Petal personally for a bit of small talk.
“Petal, it is great to see you healthy. We are glad you have a good life.”
“Thank you Queen Mother, but right now I am starting to wilt. I can not stay here for much longer, so I hope to talk to you in a more quick manner.”
“We understand. You can not be long and far away from the Flower your Elder Mother told me?”
“Yes. Right now I am only able to be here because of Lord Null’s help with it.”
A slight sneer came from the side. It was Petals Grandmother.
“To have the aid of a male. You need to work harder.”
Petal wanted to say something but Null was quicker.
“I am helping her out of my free will and she wants to be here. Not like you piece of old Bark can understand, but gender has nothing to do with it.”
“Shut it male. You were not asked.”
“I do not care if I am not asked, I step on every cockroach that nags me. Try me if you want.”
Looking at each other's eyes with heavy animosity for many seconds no one blinked. After a while Petals Grandmother nods.
“You finally have the guts of a Ruler. Maybe you can grow up. I do not know what happened in such a short time but right now you have an aura of someone who is qualified to have their own little place.”
“I do not need anyone's approval. Where I live I rule.”
“And that is what you should do. The change is surprising, and maybe you will not meet an uninvited guest like me as some kind of errand boy anymore.”
Null remembered the first meeting with her. It was true she was coming to see Petal and he greeted her personally. Now he would find it silly to even think about that Idea.
‘Did I change my thoughts or… I feel different, she said, and I feel it too. Something happened to me, better check myself and reflect on what is going on.’
The talks were short afterwards as Petal was visibly wilting. Her pink hair was starting to go matte and her skin looked dry. With the last goodbye from the Queen, Null and retinue went back, this time with honor guards and presents being quickly made ready for them.
—
“Ah! Back on my stem. I feel like I was in the desert before. I loved to see our Queen before the ritual but it was torture to be that long away from the rest of my Body.”
“You need to recuperate for a while. It was a close one. If you had dried up on the trip back you might have to grow a new body and I do not know anything about botany and Alraune in specifics, so I do not know if the Body would be the same.”
“While it would be bad I would have had a reason to ask my Leaf to explore my new Body for any-”
“Petal!”
*giggle*
Leaf got red in the face while Petal was giggling weakly while resting on her flowery main body. Null just thought that Petal at least did not lose her humor, while being so drained, trying to force himself to believe she just made a joke while going out of the Maze with Snow back into the Castle.
All the new Information was rather interesting for Null, as the World Tree is some kind of main Filter for Miasma while Monsters are the normal way for low Miasmic pollution.
‘With this I understand everything a bit more clearly. So Mana is there to create growth in magical ways. Enchanting and forming the World into something like a paradise. Miasma is the side product which challenges the creatures to grow hardier and expand in new areas. The Root appear and plop a symbiotic Tree for better control into the World and Humans… Do what humans do and exploit the shit out of the Mana resource without caring about pollution. If the Tree were already here it would be no problem as the World would counteract it, but without it either the World drowns in Miasma or just cuts off their own Mana forever to become a pure physical World.’
Realizing how Humans often are the parasites of the Worlds, Null wondered where they came from. How do Humans often come into these Worlds and why? The Root uses the original World tree somehow, but how he does not know. But Humans just pop out somewhere without a reason?
“More mysteries, but for now Miasma grinding.”
While they were gone for only a few hours the Runic Circles are again not working right. The Runes they use often fade and with more tests Null hopes to find a fully working system without backlash.
—
“World Tree? Such a Saviour.”
“Yeah Simov, if the World Tree grows strong enough you would not need to worry about Miasma anymore and live freely.”
“Other work awaits. Still much pain.”
While working on the Runic Language to make it more stable Null explained the World Tree to Simov. Esther is also there but is not bothered about something like Miasma or Magic but more interested in perfecting the Runic Language.
“Such a bother, Runes have such a fragile state if touched by concentrated Miasma. It feels like it breaks apart the rules by not conforming directly. A buffer rune might be better but this would mean a whole rewrite of the circle.”
“Changing to Runesource?”
“Bah! Your convoluted three dimensional Runes are not only unreadable after being created, they can not be rewritten afterwards! What will happen if a part breaks down? All must be remade and I get a headache to understand how you can do that even after I learned from Lord Null how to feel the Mana flow.”
“Just writing logic. Runesource more stable. Could help many.”
“And how do you want to give the people the knowledge to copy cleansing runes?”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“...point taken. Working on Circles.”
Simov and Esther are in a kind of hate relationship. Esther herself does not like Simov and is envious of his genius in Runesource, the three dimensional Runes working Automata and Golems. Simov himself does not directly hate Esther but does not like her attitude. If not for working together on the Circles they both would not even want to meet.
‘Arcane Magic and Magitech seem to make people hate each other. Still the Industrial Magitech Engineer is an environmentalist and the Arcane Person is working on efficiency first is somewhat ironic.’
Null mused over the two, challenging not only the task but each others patience. While thinking about if that hate might become a romantic relationship he dismissed that idea fully. Esther would never care for anything other than Runes and knowledge while Simov was always a Workaholic, never doing anything other than work and sleep being only forced to eat by the people around him.
“So any ideas for stability, you two?”
“Right now? Scraping the failed circles and starting anew. The Runes need to either be sourced by only pure Mana or have a way to filter each miasmic intake. If it were just a bit it would maybe work decades, but with how much Miasma they have around all the time it is like keeping a book in a bucket full of water and wondering why the ink gets smeared.”
“It worked fine before. Why now?”
“That was the surface Miasma. While we thought it high, what flows through those pipes dug by those things that guy made is now the real deal.”
“Not nice. Named Ground Digger. Hard workers all.”
“Yes, yes. Your toys are great.”
“Not toys!”
“Stop, both of you. The fact is, we need to work on it to make the flow work for a Century. While I am gone in around a Year, Esther would go wherever and I do not know if Simov can handle it all on its own.”
“Yes, dawdling here a Century would suck. I would rather find more runic Knowledge of the ancient Kingdom elsewhere.”
“Cursed knowledge. Made this Disaster."
“Knowledge is a tool you moron! It depends on who wields it to make it good or bad.”
“You are bad. Knowledge would hurt.”
“You scrawny little toymaker I will show you-”
“I said Stop! So we need to find a way to either route the miasma or make it not touch the Runes?”
“We could just use your freaky powers and make it flow docile, Null.”
“I am gone in a while, remember? What then?”
“Just stay a bit longer?”
“Never, I would have sent myself through, if it were not suicidal. Making the anchor was the only way to appease Snow not to throw a tantrum.”
“I can understand her somewhat. You are a bit too crazy for thinking of sending yourself first. While we are only acquaintances you would make me worry, if you were so reckless.”
“Um, thanks and sorry for being a bit impulsive.”
“Null be careful. Thinking before acting. Not worrying others.”
“...Okay, okay. I get it. To hear someone as distanced as Esther worry and Simov saying I need to care about myself shows I was a bit too overboard. Can we go back to the main problem?”
With this the drawings were reviewed and adjusted. All knew they needed a new Circle, but right now they had to stabilize the current ones for the Roots and their Tree to grow.
—
*sigh* “So much to do, so little time to waste.”
“Null, everything okay?”
“Ah Snow. Yes, everything is okay, but we need to contact Rendlar for the next transport of wares.”
“We can ask Doppel to do that, she is capable, beautiful, strong and dependable!”
“No, I just told Angie to send a letter for the meeting so we can- wait. Snow? No, you are not Snow, Doppel?!”
“Ah you saw through me.”
While giggling the body of Snow transforms into a new form. A woman with platinum hair in a rather grand dress stood before Null.
“You really have increased your expertise to even copy other people. You’ve changed?”
“Yes, after a long time I have finally become what you described.”
With another transformation Doppel became a somewhat pale humanoid. While the proportions of a human were all there, no features were to be seen. The Skin white and looked somewhat wet, the face had indents for eyes and a small bulge where the nose should be but no openings or even sensory Organs were there. Hair was black and thick like tendrils and not like normal hair. Her whole Body was like a clay doll crafted before the final details were made. After a short while she transformed back to her platinum Blonde form.
“I prefer for now this form, as it does not scare the children.”
“Yeah, that is better for now. You are extremely diligent in your training.”
“Thank you Father!”
While still feeling slightly uncomfortable of them calling him ‘father’, Null accepted they would never stop with it for the rest of their or his existence.
“Still I need to go with Snow a bit out. Angie made a point for our meeting at the corner of the Forest.”
“And you are working on what?”
“Oh this?”
Pointing at the lantern Null was making. It had a strange form and was filled with runes and strange Miasma.
“This I call the Demon's Lamp. You know the Forest is right now a bit crazy with all the small pockets, right? This Lamp forces not only the pockets to be intangible, but also reduces the fog in front of it. Well, hopefully."
“Neat! But would it not be dangerous if someone would recreate this lamp?”
“Not possible, at least as far as I know. It uses Miasma and radiates it. Like the Amulets I made before, but in reverse. This one is using pollution to mess with the surroundings. Not much and the small bubble it creates gets cleansed right away. Mana and Miasma really do not like each other while being both one and the same, huh.”
“And you finished it right now?”
“Yeah, that is why I wanted to go right now. I at first thought you were Snow, but I need to call her here.”
“Already here!”
Out of the shadows Snow manifested and startled Null.
“How did you manage to not be noticed by me?!”
“Evolved too! Well not quite as spectacular as Doppel, but I can now sneak in other peoples shadow without them noticing!”
“Is everything Evolving right now? Well no matter, we have to go. Hope the Queen has somehow already put the Alliance in motion. I bet the Elders will try their best to make it as difficult for her as possible.”
Exiting the Castle, Snow and Null wandered the street through the magical Fields to the Lost Village. While the Village was rather small and had only so many people it grew slowly with the Orphans growing up inside the Castle and migrating into the Village to become apprentices or making their own Families while farming the Lands Null gave them to tend to.
Being in the Village Snow put away a few tons of Produce into her Shadow as they exited the Village and further wandered through the Tunnel into the Forest.
“Well here goes nothing.”
Null pulled out the Lamp and lit the wick. After a few seconds the orange flame became a greenish purple flickering between the two extremes like trying to devour the other color to just be devoured afterwards ad infinitum.
The fog slowly recedes as it gets pushed away from the light of the flame, slowly the forest is more visible and some strange twisting mirages are seen at the furthest ends before the Fog takes over again.
“Well it works, but not how I wanted it. Too much Miasma pollution and the Miasma fights against each other making it rather volatile. I need to streamline that thing before making some for others, as that thing feels like it could explode if handled incorrectly.”
“Null, you should not hold it, if it is dangerous.”
“That is exactly what I need to do. I keep it from exploding. While it is a failure I can use it for the time. Also I can check what Runes are wrong and maybe scrutinize the source. In the Lab it worked fine, but under so much cleansing Mana it works more like-”
“Null, you are rambling again.”
“Oh, sorry Snow. Let us walk to the meeting place. We meet at dusk, so better not let them wait too long in the dark.”
Wandering through the Forest Snow is carefree and happy to walk with Null alone while Null himself watched not only Snow’s silly twirls and how she jumped around happily but also the Path and the Lantern. Hours later they were finally on the corner of the Forest where they saw a delegation already waiting.
“Welcome! You must be Lord Null, I have heard so much about you. We are delegates from the Peddler King. Could we ask, why we had to meet at this distance from the City?”
“The last time one of my people went to the City they wrecked nearly all wards. I do not think Halk would greet me with great hospitality. Can I ask a question too?”
Smiling to each other the person in front of Null was extremely courteous.
“Of course, if it is something I can tell you, I will do so immediately.”
“That is great to hear. It is just a small question I have. Where the fuck is Rendlar?”
While the first few sentences were extremely friendly from Null the question oozed hostility and also heavy pressure.
“Ah, please do not be that way Lord Null. Boss Rendlar is occupied, as you know he has so much to do, he can not see you always, so he sent us to make it easier for the transaction to work. For the slight he also said we are to pay two tenths more than previously arranged to make up for it.”
“Ah I see. Then you are?”
“My name is Bickle. I am honored to be the middleman for now on.”
“Great Pickle-”
“Bickle.”
“Great Bickle. As we are right now here I would like to ask you to bring Mordred here. You know, the one who is directly in command of the Transaction between me and Rendlar?”
“This will be hard, as he is not here, for he was transferred to another place.”
“Understood. Then I have no other choice but to go to Halk directly. I really did not want to trample on their feet right now as they might be a bit sensitive, but if it is not possible to see familiar faces here right now it cannot be helped.”
“Please wait! As you said, it would be a problem if you were to go to Halk right now. While we are independent in transactions, if they want to arrest you for the attack, we can not help you in any way!”
“So, you do not want us to go there?”
“It is not like we want you to go, but it would be problematic for your sake Lord Null.”
“Then could you answer the Question?”
“Which Question exactly?”
“Where. Is. Rendlar?”
“As I said-”
“Stop with the bullshit. I am not dumb. You might be Claire’s Men or even higher up. Rendlar has a handful of trusted People and I know their faces. You on the other hand are not one of them.”
“This is just a misunderstanding. I am rather new and-”
“For someone new you are rather pretty clothed. I thought people work from the bottom up? You work from the top down?”
“Please do not mock me, Lord Null. I am just a humble Merchant working for the Peddler King. Would you like to see my certificate?”
“If you have Rendlars seal with you we can cut the chase.”
“...”
“You know, he had his seal made especially for such occasions, right? His own seal with special markings to make it harder to just copy the one he has, but needs special attention to see the difference in the standard one he uses?”
“...”
“So will you now talk where Rendlar is, or do we have a battle on our hands?”
*sigh* “We are not here to fight or swindle you. Right now Rendlar is on his way to Ilstin. Mordred also, as he was multiple times inside the Crater of yours.”
“And he is going there, because…”
“Ilsitn sent an inquiry of the happenings inside the Starfall Mountains. While the Peddler King is still in his sickbed the higher ups ordered Rendlar to travel to Ilstin in order to give a statement directly.”
“And this could not be made by Message?”
“The Managers made the Order and I am here to fill in for the small time he is gone.”
“Don’t kid yourself, he will not come back, right?”
“Why would you say that?”
“As you are rather eloquent and your Guards have a rather impressive set of armaments it is clear this is not for a one off deal. You were sent with purpose right?”
“You are really bright Lord Null, I am humbled.”
“So you work under Claire?”
“No, former Branch Manager Claire is now elsewhere. Let us say she might be happy if her underlings are a bucket and a mop and if she got it worse she might do night shifts inside some old guys bed. Rendlar made clear how she sold the Amulet which gave people free passage through the Forest to some Noble before he left. If the Noble had taken over the Mountain, it would have been ignored, but he somehow vanished.”
“Better not ask where to. So, where is Rendlar supposed to be?”
“I don't really know, but can imagine him either in the Capital City Mammon or being in the border City behind Malek which would be Meldrin.”
“So Mammon it is. Meldrin would be too close for him to come back and resume the trade. Funny how corrupt Merchants can be if it might bring them Money.”
“I am sorry for you to see this site of the Peddler King, but we all work under our own superiors to step higher on the ladder.”
“No sweat. I Understand you for trying to be as humble as be to lull me into giving you trade goods. Well goodbye for now. I have somewhere to go.”
“Wait, what about the product?”
“No deal. Did you not know? I made a direct contract with Rendlar and not with the Peddler King.”
“That is inconsequential. If you just break the contract, you need to pay the penalties.”
“Read the contract. I made a contract with Rendlar and it also states you need to haul the Produce from the Starfall Crater to Halk yourself. Better find a way through this Forest then, as right now it is not only a death trap, it is also a maze with no exit.”
“But you took the Amulet!”
“Was in the contract ever mentioned an Amulet? I lent it to Rendlar… Well rather I lent it to Mordred, but whatever… It is not stated anywhere else. Oh, and the cheap price included the regular cheap selling to the Restaurant named Glowing Ladle, which you had neglected last Month.”
“How do you know?”
“Of course I talk to the people who market my Products. You don’t do that?”
“...”
Null had heard about the last shipment of Vegetables and other produce not being delivered by Betty, a Doppelganger working in the form of a quarter Elf girl in the Glowing Ladle. If she had not mentioned the missing shipment Null would have completely forgotten about how he needed to send more Products into the World.
“So I hope you can do something to not break our contract, Bickle. Otherwise you need to pay the fee for breaking the contract.”
“...”
With this Null just wandered south into the direction of where Kilt is. Behind the City of Kilt is Malek and from there the Border of Ilstin is not far. Right now what Null was worried about is not the Peddler King making a mess, but finding Rendlar and looking into if he is alright.
‘Leaf, please bring Doppel with a Carriage full of Vegetables and Cockratrice eggs to the border of the Forest. She needs to deliver them to Magus, to the Glowing Ladle disguised as a Merchant or Transporter, her choice. Oh, and she should take some Gray with her for security and training.’
‘As you will, my Lord.’
‘I am going on an adventure? Thank you Father!’