Master Of None

2084  2084.Not Just Trees n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The change in mana had put them all off. The party had wanted to push it to the ruin forest faster. However, they soon realized that the approaching manas had stopped. This prompted Gil to leap and sneak forward. His scouting ability being the best with Midnight a close second. He moved through the trees and the stone ruin pieces as if it was second nature. Eventually, he spotted what could only be said to be a a treant that had been altered in some way. It had various roots shooting from the ground constricting around a few of the corrupted undead angels. Their bodies unable to regenerate and therefore falling apart. This sight made him wonder what other natural monsters were here. But since the treant looked so different, Gil made a move to return to the sporty. His mind focused on how there were many large roots and trees within these ruins. That they appeared to have taken over the entire ruins. "Walker, There's some weird treant up ahead. it moved to attack some corrupted undead and it is crushing them while bringing them under the soil. I worry about the rest of these ruins though." His worry was enough to make Walker wonder why. With only a look, Gil expanded on why he felt this was a bad thing. "The treant is using roots only. And it was able to move over the ground even though it had these roots burrowed deep enough to not be able to move around normally. I also didn't sense the mana we all felt when it was just dragging them under the ground. So, where did that mana come and go from?" These questions made everyone think for a moment, that this was important since there was a clear reason for there to be an issue here. The treant would normally not be a monster that could push enough mana around to surprise the party, let alone be known from a small distance away. The treant also often took more of a humanoid form. Not small, but giant. It would be able to walk around instead of burrow in the soil and somehow move around. While this was an island not touched for a very long time, these were just facts of what a treant was. "You think the large vines and roots are connected somehow? That these ruins were taken over by a treant. Or a monster that looks like one and might be a mutated or a grown version of one?" Walker showed how close he and Gil's minds were. He knew exactly what gil had begun to think. "If that is the case, it will be dangerous for the corrupted undead and our forces." Su's flat out realization made them push forward. While not wise, Walker would ensure that the Genesis forces were safe first. Especially since they would be the pens to suffer if they faced this sort of monster. The undead would just return to death where they should be. Seeing the tree with multiple broken branches and noticeably fewer leaves, Walker used the alla round appraisal. "Evil tree

This monster is related to a treant. However, instead of developing as a protector of a forest, it is called a glutton of the forest. This is due to the fact that it will drag any prey that nears it to the soil beneath its roots. However, this is not where the issue of an evil tree ends. It is very social with its fellow evil trees. This allows them to connect their root systems. Sending warnings of enemies or food from larger distances. By doing so. They will pull one another around underground. They will also be able to use each other's manas to be able to better attack with speed. This causes them to be much more intimidating when a larger area is infested with them. Luckily, they are deathly afraid of fire. This will make them retreat and burrow deeply within the earth. Often times just showing only their top branches. Their wooden bodies are an incredible replacement for fire wood. It will burn for five times longer than a normal tree's wood. It will also carry whatever mana it was most soaked in when it was defeated. Therefore, it is a useful crafting material…'

Waller share this information immediately. The fact that these were social monsters made it clear that they had to send out warning. Luckily, the harpies were still making their way around the island. Their communication an integral part of how they would reach one another. Goil leaped to the higher tree branches of a tree that Walker said was safe. He managed to spot a roaming harpy. They had been roaming for this sort of situation. Ensuring that they were able to be called down or to scout out important happenings. With Gil waving her down, he explained the details. Easily sending a communication back to the base where they could make everyone knowledgeable about this new monster. About this species of treant that could cause the entire Genesis forces to be pushed back if they were not properly handled. The fire mages and torches would ensure that they were safe. The corrupted undead on the other hand, would be crushed and used as fertilizer. It would be a fine method for destroying them. Nature could reclaim them by some aspect. The corrupted mana would also be smothered by the natural mana within the earth itself. Even if some mana was stolen away by the evil trees. Midnight breathed out a burst of red fire. She saw that the evil tree immediately flashed with mana and burrowed deeply. Only tips of its top branches poking out. Walker felt that she had taken the lead here with everything that they were doing. She and Onyx had been in the front for some time here. Unfortunately, the larger roots shifted nearby. A clear sign that one of the evil trees here has grown larger than what would be normal. It had been left alone for long enough. Whatever was living within these ruins and also not be hunted the same way as if they had their absolute natural predators. "I bet that a seed or part of this monster washed up here. That means it's not a problem if I burn it up." Remey smiled as she let her fists catch flame. The larger root sliding by being caught aflame significantly. It shipped around and buried itself in the earth. But multiple other roots shot up. Showing that this small section of the ruin forest were actually pieces of a larger multiple branched evil tree. "You angered it, you fix it." Walker pushed Remey forward a little. Onyx also giving way for her to push forward. Bit Remey wanted exactly this. She was the weakness of this monster. She had to handle it while the smaller of its kind could act as a way to handle some of the corrupted undead. The cracking sound of Remey's fist on the dark brown tree bark and then the crackling bruning sound were all they heard. "She is going at it very well. That tree won't be able to keep blocking us. Some holes in ruins nearby are already visible." Onyx made an open note for this. The open spaces appeared to be where the stones had been covered by roots and vines attached to these monsters. They hadn't hidden them on purpose. It was just how they had grown over time. With this though, they all understood that the entrance to the mountain was greater rin number. Mostly due to it weakening down as time passed on. The ruins had broken apart causing many passageways carved in to the stones to appear. But they all connected to the mountain. Eventually rising upwards to the mountain and the temple that was on top. The temple of top should have been easy to fly to, but when Walker thought about that while considering just taking the party up that way, he had a bad feeling. Liek if he were to do so, they would miss important facts about this place overall. Like there were aspects hidden within the ruins that would be important in the following battles. That would be important in the battle against the demon lord's pawns. "Remey! It's retreating. Let it go this time!" Walker called out to Remey who didn't have any idea why. She had just burned down a large chunk of the monster that had appeared. But now, she was being stopped. Lt it avoid us who know to keep it away with fire. Then it will hunt down the corrupted undead." Walker knew Remey would be fine with it. Making this mindless instinctual monster work for them instead.  …

….

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!