V2Ch122 New Tree

The roots of these trees made simple travel... not so simple. There was no road or path. The roots arched and intermingled with one another, exposed above the ground.

I happened upon an opening in the middle of the forest. There was one tree that had fallen and knocked over several other trees. Its roots were pulled up from the ground, leaving a massive gaping hole in the ground where it once stood.

This was nothing recent. There was moss growing up the side of the fallen trunk and along the floor of the crater. I could see remnants of camps set up and taken down over the years. A fire pit was in the middle. The roots provided some cover from any rain. It's not perfect though. I wondered if this place filled with water when it rains.

There were still a few hours of night left. I figured it would be fine if I set up camp and tried for a few hours of sleep. It didn't take me long. I skipped "dinner" and went straight to bed in my tent.

Much as I tried, I couldn't sleep. It was too cold. Not cold in the sense of shivering due to temperature. I was lonely. I was missing the warmth of my sleeping partner. I stared at the walls of the tent until the light started to show itself. I gave up and put everything away. I didn't want to sleep through the day anyway. I hoisted my backpack up and moved further into the forest.

I was curious to see what these friendly villages looked like. I kept looking up into the trees, hoping to see some rope bridges and huts carved out of the trunks.

By noon, I was disappointed at the lack of any such sights.

I was rounding a particularly large trunk when I nearly walked into the first person I've seen in here.

"Whoa. Sorry. I didn't see you there. I almost..."

This person was almost as covered up as I am. His face is nearly hidden by the shadow of his hood. His physique was impressive. I would guess that he could take on a burley lizard-man with ease. His eyes were shining and looking right at me. They were not amused.

"Why are you following us?... Me. Why are you following me?"

"Follow? No. I'm just a traveler. I just cam..."

"Do not lie to me. I know you have been following u... me, since this morning. I could hear your every step."

"Well, if I was walking in the same direction and worried you, I'm sorry. I had no idea anyone was ahead of me."

The mystery person smashed his hand against the tree next to us. The indent was... large... I don't think it would be on par with mine if I did the same but maybe close.

"Look... I think you have the wrong idea. I don't know anyone here and I have little reason to follow someone."

"LIES!"

He refused to listen to reason. I was getting ready to just ditch him.

"Hey, buddy."

"I'm not your buddy, pal."

... -_-

"Really? Okay. I don't know you and at this point, I don't want to. Let me be on my way and you won't see me again. I'm headed to Tianret after I go to Oofo Village. Now you know my destination and can avoid me. Kay?"

"We just came from Oofo village. You ARE following us!"

If he was trying to hide the fact that he isn't alone, he sucks at it.

"Us?"

"What? No. Me. Just me..."

He bit his lip in anger.

"I've had enough of you. I won't let you follow us any longer!"

A little absent-minded, this one?

He rushed at me with impressive speed. Nothing a large leap back couldn't help. I landed on a large above-ground root that was arched a dozen feet off the ground.

"Fight me!"

"No..."

"I said fight me! Let's settle this!"

"Settle what? Your own desire to fight? Not interested."

"You've been stalking us..."

"Us..."

"ME! SHUT UP!"

His shout seemed to have made the area feel a bit tense. I could feel as though he was stronger than he looked. He ran toward the left side of the root I was standing on. He smashed through it with a single punch, splintering the wood with ease. I almost lost balance as only half of the root was still connected to the ground.

He moved to smash the other half. I leaped away to prevent his plan from coming to fruition. I lost sight of him. I heard two cracks and then one large one.

*CRAAAA AAAAA AAAAAK*

He managed to grab onto the root and lifted it until it snapped away from what was buried in the ground. He threw the multi-ton root at me. I was almost impressed. It was an easy dodge. Though, I wasn't expecting him to come right along with the root itself.

I managed to dodge a punch to my face but, he got my shoulder. I was sent flying into a nearby tree trunk. I blacked out for a second when my head hit the wood. I woke up in a dent on the side of the tree, 20 feet off the ground. I saw my opponent shift his jacket and turn around as if he were successful.

If he wants to play, maybe I should humor him.

I hopped out and made little sound as I landed. I ran behind the tree that he had launched me into. I was only hoping that he didn't notice right away that I was missing.

I pulled back for a punch like no other. I let it fly into the base of the trunk. Nearly the entire diameter of the trunk was left with cracks that couldn't be explained by anything natural.

I found a large opening that was created and started lifting with every ounce of my strength that I could summon. This was a taller task than I had originally imagined.

My arm started pulling out of its socket. Skin began to tear. The skin on my fingers was smashed down to the bone. I crushed my shoes into the wood below me.

I almost failed my endeavor. The thing that saved me was force starting my explosive regeneration while I was still lifting the trunk up on this end.

I gave one last shove. The tree before me began to topple toward my opponent.

I just sent a skyscraper-sized tree falling. I just sent... a... skyscraper... falling...

Shit.

The sounds of the falling tree were horrendously loud. As it started to lean, the insane amount of pressure that was teetering on the edge of the trunk and the stump cause the stump to lurch forward before snapping and launching me up.

My path followed the tree as it fell. I caught sight of the stranger off to the right. He was out of harm's way. My intention was only to scare him. Hopefully, it was mission accomplished.

The falling tree hit another. The force was enough to launch the second tree toward his direction.

"ZEGGY!"

An unfamiliar cry called out.

A small girl was directly in the path of this new tree. Classic, running along the path of the falling object instead of off to the side.

I could only think of one thing to stop the falling tree.

Before I could even ask for help, Fear knew exactly what I wanted to do.

The first tree landed and sent a shockwave of air and dust blowing throughout the area. It didn't bother me at all because I was suspended between the trees with my shadows. In almost no time at all, my shadow Kraken had caught the falling tree and used several other standing trees to hold up the weight.

I watched as the two got out of the way. They looked up in horror. As they were out of the way, I let go of the tree and let it fall. Another large shockwave went through the forest.

This was a different feeling from being in the Swamplands. My shadow Kraken was the tallest thing for miles around. Now, It's not towering over any of the trees in sight.

I lowered myself to the ground and let my shadows dissipate.

The child was cowering behind the man. He looked like he was ready to cower behind someone else as well.

"Maybe try not to pick fights when you have a kid to protect?"

"KID?!"

The little one ran up to me and stabbed my shin with a knife.

"Nevermind. I see where you get it from..."

The man reached forward and picked up the little one.

"I'M NOT A KID!"

"Mimi! I don't think we should make him mad. I hit him with all I had and he survived to throw one of these trees at us. We are outmatched."

He got to his knees and bowed to me.

"Please. Let Mimi go. I'll go with you willingly."

He put his hand on the girl's head and forced her to bow along with him.

"NO! You cant take my Zeggy! He's my boyfriend. No. My husband!"

The size difference between these two was... odd.

"Seriously? How old are you?"

"I'm 72, not that it's any of your business..."

"73."

The man corrected her.

"Yeah, 73... That was... yesterday was my birthday."

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't deserve you Zeggy. You remember my birthday better than me."

She held out her hands as if I had handcuffs for her.

"Take me! Leave my Zeggy alone..."

"No! Take me!"

He protested.

"Oh! I have something just for this occasion."

They both looked at me in confusion as I lowered my backpack and started digging through it.

"Found it!"

*DONK DONK*

I conked them both on their heads with my wooden cooking spoon.

"I told you in the first place that I was just a traveler. I don't know who you are, nor do I intend to do anything with either of you..."

The man seemed to not notice anything while the girl was rubbing her head.

"Ow..."

"Don't assume everyone around you is after you. Just be careful. Don't go picking fights. Even if you are strong."

*Errrrrrreeeerrr*

The girl's stomach was rumbling something fierce.

I let out a sigh.

"Hold this."

I handed the spoon to the man and started pulling out my cooking equipment. I was a little hungry myself.

May as well feed these idiots while I'm at it.