Nature's heart

After seeing the walls of Aragane, I thought nothing could impress me anymore, but I was wrong. The tree in front of my eyes is a true marvel of nature, though it's hard to believe that water and sunlight alone could have produced such monstrosity. Tall enough that its top is out of sight, and wide enough to exhaust oneself trying to walk around it, this tree is undeniably the sovereign of the forest, the king among kings. Straight and bare like all the other ancient ones, this immense oak commands respect from its peers, which do not approach within a hundred meters, leaving it to reign at the center of a clearing scattered with short grass and roots that seem to bear the weight of the world. A mystrite stone as large as a house is lodged halfway up the trunk—assuming it's as tall as I imagine—flooding the entire area with a dazzling glow from its wooden prison.

As I approach the trunk—because my legs seem to have kept walking without my consent—I begin to notice details carved into the bark of this vegetal pillar. I don't know what divine force could have cut into such bark, but it wouldn't have had much more trouble slicing through a mountain. Two particularly visible cuts spiral around the trunk from its base up to about fifty meters high. In places, these twin serpents divide into thin branches, each leading to outgrowths that bud from the wooden armor. Now close enough that the trunk fills my entire field of vision, it seems these outgrowths are topped with slanted wooden planks aligned side by side...

∼ Could those be… roofs?! Is that really what I'm seeing? No, it can't be... Are there houses built into the cracks of the bark?!

As if to shatter my doubts, a male voice suddenly rings out from one of the bark's cavities, urging a companion to hurry up and get ready. Another voice responds wearily before the sound of a slamming door echoes to my ears. I finally see the two men descending along one of the branches carved directly into the bark, the first scolding the second for slamming the door carelessly. Reaching one of the two main notches, they start running along the spiral path and are quickly hidden on the other side of the trunk.

— Don't tell me you live in this... thing? I ask bewildered, unable to find a word fitting enough to describe such an enormity.

— Ishizora, let me introduce you to Elvijkiar, the eldest of the elders, the wisdom of the world, the heart of nature, and, as you guessed, it's also my home.

I can't believe my ears. It seems I could spend my entire life wandering through Historia and this country would never cease to surprise me.

— Come on, follow me. Mother is waiting for us on the other side, he says casually before striding off.

— She's waiting for us?! How does she know—

— Mother knows everything, he interrupts without even turning around, cutting off my question with the fewest words possible.

∼ Mother knows everything! Well, that's clear enough.

I linger for a few seconds, staring at the gigantic trunk, trying in vain to capture its summit. When my neck starts to ache, I hurry after Natsuki, who is not waiting for me.

Now that I'm just a few meters from the trunk, I can barely make out its curve. The only proof that I'm not moving in a straight line is that the scenery changes slightly as we go around the obstacle. A few moments later, we pass under a root large enough to probably shelter an entire family of grizzlions, including cousins and grandparents, with still enough room for them to dance around a campfire. Just thinking about it makes me smile. Old Tak often told me I had an overactive imagination and that it would be a powerful weapon in the future. I can't really see how imagining grizzlions dancing around a fire could be of any use, but it wouldn't be the first time I get a headache trying to make sense of his words. The root plunges into the ground about twenty meters ahead, like a giant earthworm that fell asleep and forgot to hide its rear end. This part of the tree, lacking luminous stones, is a true refuge for darkness. I close my eyes and inhale the fresh air circulating there. Unlike the stagnant air that made me dizzy during my last visit to these woods, the one near the trunk is as pure as it is soothing.

Once back in the light, my eyes squint for a brief moment. When I open them again, I see people busy with various activities. Young, shirtless, sweat-drenched men lean against the trunk, wiping themselves with towels while admiring the fruits of their hard labor, which appears to be a massive pile of logs. They smile, clearly satisfied with their work. A young woman brings them something to drink, and they start chatting together, their conversation occasionally punctuated by loud laughter. A man and a woman return from the forest with wicker baskets filled with black laundry, talking with smiles on their faces. A young girl with a long red braid is focused on stringing a bow. I wouldn't give her fifteen years, and I'm surprised when she finally manages it. But on closer look, the muscles in her arms make no secret of the fact that she's the rightful owner of the weapon, which is as tall as she is. She closes one eye to inspect her work, then draws the bow with disconcerting ease.

∼ I wouldn't bet much on the chances of the unfortunate souls she sets those azure eyes on.

She suddenly loses focus when children come running toward her, circling around her with ear-to-ear grins, one clearly trying to catch the others. She laughs heartily, then sets the weapon down and starts chasing them in turn. I feel my heart ache, touched by this cheerful atmosphere that reminds me of feelings from a forgotten life, of days long gone and forever lost in the abyss of my memory.

— Can you stop standing there with your mouth open? Ask Natsuki, not bothering with delicacy, before pulling me by the wrist. First of all, it's gross, and I've still got plenty of things to do.

When he notices the tear rolling down my cheek, he lets go of my wrist and asks if I'm okay. I don't know what to answer, since the cause of this overflow is unknown to me as well. I wipe the lone tear with the back of my wrist and rub my eyes, which had started to sting from being held wide open for too long. After a loud sniff, I signal to Natsuki that everything's fine.

— I swear… you're surprisingly weepy for a guy. So, it is true that clothes don't make the man, he teases, though the worry doesn't entirely leave his face. See that building over there? He points to a stone structure using one of the gigantic roots as a roof. That's the kitchen. Let's drop the bags off before going to see Mother.

Since we entered the forest, I completely forgot about the bags that had threatened to cut off my hands not so long ago. As we pass by the young woodcutters, they stare at me as if I were some strange object, but there's no trace of disgust in their purely curious gazes. Everyone we cross paths with stops what they're doing to look at me, quickly making me feel very uncomfortable. I settle for wearing a goofy smile as I follow my guide to the root that shelters the kitchens.

A tall, tanned-skinned young woman suddenly steps out from inside and freezes when she sees us approaching. Her dark brown hair is tightly tied back in a ponytail that rests against her lower back. Her bare shoulder, long eyelashes, the lace tied elegantly on her left hip to cinch her black tunic with red trim, and the two silver buds adorning her earlobes give her a coquette look that sets her apart from the other women here, whose appearance doesn't reflect any desire to look pretty. This all contrasts with her powerful forearms wrapped in tight red bandages and her visible biceps, proof of the effort she puts into her training.

— Eeeeyooo! Natsuki!

— Ishizora, meet the source of all my troubles, he says in a sigh, low enough for only me to hear.

Her stern expression suddenly softens when she looks at me, as if deciding how best to grill me.

— Sorry, Mai, I got here as fast as I could.

— Hard to believe those words coming from a chronic slacker.

— At least my breath doesn't smell like a viper's, he retorts, launching into a staring contest.

The fierce battle showing no signs of a winner, I step in with a timid voice.

— Pardon me…

They both snap their eyes toward me in frightening sync, making me instinctively take a step back.

— So? Who's he?

— A traveler I met in the capital. He seemed a bit lost, so I helped him out—hence the delay…

— Any excuse is a good one for slacking off, I see. And you even made him carry your bags?!

— It was a fair exchange!

— Right, sure, and what did you give him in return for having to put up with you all afternoon?

— Hey! When it comes to company, I'd say mine far outshines that of a cranky witch with a wart on her lower back.

— H-HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?! She shouts, outraged.

— Don't act so surprised, the whole family knows.

— It fell off three days ago! And it was tiny!

— As tiny as the Atalmor Mountains.

The young woman's face turns scarlet. Since their sparring—verbal so far but looking like it might turn physical soon—seems endless, I step in again before there's a casualty.

— Nice to meet you, I speak loud enough to grab their attention. Natsuki didn't mention he had such a charming sister.

∼ I never thought I'd say something so cliché one day, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

— Well, at least there's someone here who knows how to respect his elders. Though I'm wary of people who hand out compliments too easily.

∼ Just as I feared… Oh well, at least I've got her attention.

— When will you finally learn to tell the difference between a forced compliment and genuine sincerity? Needles Natsuki.

— I was looking for information, I quickly add before his provocation take hold, and Natsuki held up his end of the bargain in exchange for my services. Without him, I'd probably be back on the road empty-handed by now.

She now starts circling me, inspecting me from every angle.

∼ I'll never get used to being scrutinized like this…

— And may I ask why he thought it was a good idea to bring a stranger to a place supposed to stay secret?

— He doesn't look dangerous, replies Natsuki, and Mother always says travelers are welcome at her table. You know she can't resist hearing stories from an Ex-Muros.

— An Ex-what?

— Ex-Muros, answers the young woman without taking her eyes off me. That's what we call people who live outside the high walls, she explains while lifting one of my arms to examine the underside.

— Be careful with her, she wouldn't hesitate to attack you in your sleep if you so much as annoyed her, warns me Natsuki as she leans her face closer to mine, as if planning to dive into my eyes.

— If I'm not mistaken, aren't you supposed to be helping in the kitchen tonight? She asks sharply, keeping a remarkable lid on her irritation. What are you still doing here?

— But I promised to take him to see Mother—

— I'll handle it! Go chop the onions before I chop yours, she threatens without even glancing at him.

— Alright, alright, he admits defeat with a sigh, before taking vacation.

∼ These two bicker like a pair of baby swimming panthers. I guess sibling relationships transcend species.

— Sorry for the scene, she apologizes softly.

— Haha, don't worry about me. I shouldn't even be here to begin with.

— You're wrong.

— What do you mean?

— No one ends up here by accident. Your meeting with Natsuki was probably the will of Varandir.

∼ I find it hard to believe that some mythical creature lost to the sands of time could have influenced our entirely… random encounter.

— Chance doesn't exist, she declares, as if reading my thoughts. From the bloodiest battles to the flower where the bee lands, everything is written in the Vahna.

∼ Her devout words, free of any doubt, make me decide it's better not to share my hesitations with her.

— Besides, though it's hard for me to admit, Natsuki usually has a good sense when it comes to judging people.

— You've known each other for a long time, haven't you? I envy that.

— What?! I really don't see what there is to envy, she reacts instantly.

— Sorry, I spoke as if I knew something about your relationship. But for a solitary traveler, your bickering sounds as pleasant as the crackling of a winter fire.

A sudden flush rises to her cheeks, and she turns her head away, embarrassed, revealing an unexpectedly cute side of her.

— Follow me instead of talking nonsense. I'll take you to see Mother, she says, using it as an excuse to hide her embarrassment as she turns her heels.

I stop her by suddenly grabbing her arm, eliciting a small cry of surprise that catches even me off guard.

∼ Her arms are definitely as hard as rock. Only strict physical training could produce such a result at such a young age. I can't imagine what could scare a woman like her about me. Maybe I was too familiar? I still don't know anything about social boundaries and proper manners… Oh well, she forgot the most important thing herself.

— I still don't know your name, I say as I release her arm.

— Where was my head! You're right, I'm sorry. But that's still no reason to grab people by the arm without warning.

— Haha, sorry about that, I'm not used to all this…

— All this?

— You know, people.

— It's nothing, she says after stifling a laugh. I'm Mai, call me just Mai! And you are?

— Ishizora. Simply Ishizora.

— What a strange name… You're definitely not from around here. Nice to meet you, Ishizora. May the ancestors guide and protect you, she says ceremoniously.

∼ Must be a local expression.

At that moment, a shout echoes from the kitchen. Curious, I peek through the doorway and see Natsuki cutting vegetables with incredible vigor, his passionate intensity making it seem like he's charging into battle, ready to conquer or perish, though his vegetable opponents don't seem capable of fighting back. The other people in the kitchen have stopped to look at him, impressed.

— Holy dancing beetle, he sure is fired up, I say, equally impressed.

— He's always been like that, Mai admits with a blasé look.

— Hey Natsuki, the oldest cook chimes in, you might want to slow down a bit if you don't want to cut your—

Another shout, of pain this time, escapes from Natsuki's mouth as a few drops of red liquid bead at the tip of his finger.

— You see? It wouldn't hurt you to listen to your elders from time to time.

After finishing sucking on his finger, Natsuki apologizes before starting again with even more enthusiasm.

— Natsuki, you're getting blood everywhere, protests one of the cooks.

— His stupidity hasn't changed a bit, Mai sighs, to which I respond with an amused smile. Let's hurry now. Mother is waiting for us, she says coldly before setting off at a pace closer to a sprint.

∼ Even though it's the second time I've heard that phrase, it still sends a chill down my spine. What kind of person could this 'Mother' be?

Caught between impatience and apprehension, I walk quickly enough to keep my guide in sight but slow enough to create some distance between us, forcing her to slow down a bit. When she turns around and notices I've fallen behind, I pretend to be marveling at the surroundings. Mai suddenly stops in front of a huge root—too tall to consider climbing over and so long that I can't see where it disappears into the ground.

∼ Could she have gotten lost in her own backyard?

She turns toward me, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. When I finally catch up, just a few steps from the massive root—if you can even call it a root—I spot a spiral staircase descending beneath it. An

intense, shifting light spills from the underground, as if beings of light were dancing an enchanting ballet, inviting me to come down. Seemingly tired of craning her neck to check on me, Mai gestures for me to go first with a broad, obviously fake smile. I step onto the narrow staircase hesitantly—my way back now cut off, I have no choice but to follow the flickering light toward an uncertain destination.

∼ Was the staircase very short? Or have I simply been hypnotized by the glowing light reflecting off the walls, losing even my sense of distance? It wouldn't be the first time today.

At the bottom of the staircase, I stop in front of a curtain filtering the intense light beyond, like a portal to another world. Mai urges me to go through, and I swallow hard, trying to imagine what lies on the other side to mentally prepare myself. Just as I'm about to take the big step, she suddenly pushes me forward, and I find myself thrown into the light like a child tossed into the sea to learn how to swim.