Tree Arch (1/2)

Year 131

On the proposals, I had agreed to the top two choices that Trevor and Patreeck proposed. For the marriage candidates, I had advised that we will decide on that at a later date. With the three winners decided, I started work on my long overdue Great Tree Road. I was already halfway to the other side anyway, when we reached the center of the Rottedlands.

Now for the remaining half.

The Rottedlands’ energy has become weaker. Right now, it behaves quite like creep or ooze, there’s still some push and inertia, but I’ve noticed the expansionary ‘element’ has been slowly disappearing. That said, hybrids will continue to spawn as long as the terrain remains covered with demonic substances. The god of spawning animals, monsters and plants doesn’t particularly care what is spawned, so long as they fit the terrain. It’s a bit of a runaway process.

Maybe some demons or hybrids, if they could think, would see me like I am an evil highway builder, destroying and encroaching on their habitat with this highway right through their homes.

On a macro level, it’s like how roots break rocks or dirt apart. A root goes through it, and smaller ones gradually break it up.  Some plants and trees don’t like hard ground and soil, and requires worms and all to help loosen up the soil.

Anyway, I started the building of the treeway and the entire process of spawning [subsidiary trees] and [giant attendant trees] took 7 months. Along the way, there were large parts that were submerged under the demonic sludge.

Ancient ruins coated with demonic goop, cities that were somehow not entirely destroyed by the sludge. Caves. Rivers. There were many interesting sights and locations along the way, and I made a note to Patreeck, and Trevor to return to them.

“We need another artificial mind. One to control access to the path.” Trevor suggested and I nodded. I had capacity anyway. I named my new mind in charge of the highway that branched to the 3 selected allies, Trent. I wanted Treerific, but what would the parents think of that name? So Trent.

“Hi Trent. You’re in charge of security and trade taxes of the Treeway. Alert us and escalate any unusual matters.” We mentally linked up and soon he was on his way. He’s been given a large regiment of beetles to ensure the security of the path.

The Council of Representatives made a request for a formal party to celebrate the new path that cut across the entire Rottedlands.

But it’s not ready yet. Although there is a ‘corruption-free’ path, the terrain along the path isn’t exactly clean. There’s still a need to build roads, build bridges, build rest stops. A lot of construction work needs to be performed before the path is ready for use. Some of this construction should start from the other side, since it didn’t make sense for a construction team to travel all the way across the Rottedlands. That was a 2 to 3 month journey if one walked!

I watched as the other kingdoms, these new partners of ours, send their builders and armies into the new path.

“It’s rather tiny for a path.”

“Big enough for a few wagons, for sure. But it’s so jarring. It’s like someone planted a row of trees on both sides and now there’s a path through the Rottedlands.”

“Hush!” A Lord on a horse said. “His majesty instructed that we build whatever’s needed for the trade route. This path will relieve our trade issues.”

“It’s probably calculated to be of a certain size. You can’t march a big army through it.” The builders talked. They clearly had no concept of being secretive.

The path meandered through the Rottedlands, there were natural hills and mountains underneath all the demonic sludge, and it didn’t make sense to cut a straight road and force traders up and down the path. I recalled highways from home usually tried to maintain a steady angle or slope, so I wanted to do exactly that.

I watched and admired how [builders] made bridges from nearby rock and stone. They didn’t dare to chop down my subsidiary trees, so they improvised and used other kinds of materials instead. Still, given how big and long the path was, the Builder’s skills would actually improve travelling speed.

They needed a lot of time to build, and on the Freshlands’ side, we’ve sent our best builders to work on it. I even gave out a few [Expert Builder] class seeds to the leaders of the build, to ensure that the path was built as fast as possible.

Because of the long distances, there was also a need for smaller towns. Back in the days of the silk road, I recalled that various cities would spring up along it.

Trevor and Patreeck had made some projections and calculated that since it took 2 to 3 months to walk from one end to another, horses and various mounts would cut that time by a third, to less than a month. So, there needed to be at least 4 large sized ‘rest stops’ along that path, equivalent to 1 week’s distance horse-ride, or 3 weeks of walking, and another 12-16 medium sized smaller towns in between, such that it took about a few days to walk from one town to another.

Back to the builders, they would need a long time to finish the road. A rudimentary basic road with a simple bridge would be ready within a year, but it seemed like the kingdoms, and also the Freshlands all talked about multiple upgrades, like bigger reinforced bridges, and proper towns.

“The territory on Rottedlands Pass belongs entirely to Aeon.” Kavio repeated to the envoys. “But he had agreed to all 3 kingdoms that each of these 3 allied kingdoms that they are allowed to set up 1 large city, and 3 smaller towns in these designated locations. It is important that the administration of these cities and towns be made clearly aware to obey the constitution of the Freshlands, or risk destruction.”

Envoys from all the 3 kingdoms were the first to make the trip through the Rottedlands’ Pass, even though the [builders] had not finished building. I witnessed how envoys have rather impressive skills. One had the ability to make his horse jump across the entire ravine multiple times, and another envoy could travel for days without rest.

It was easier to communicate and coordinate construction and plans with an envoy from our end. It seemed that Kavio and the Council had also sent envoys of our own to the other sides.

It was better that they were here..

Patreeck’s abilities quickly revealed their multiple objectives. One which featured in all 3 envoys was to assess my strength. Envoys are pretty much spies, and they all had some kind of [level-sensing] ability. It’s important when dealing with other kings and lords, since the level of the other king revealed the kinds of power they had.

[Domain has blocked level-sensing ability]

Well thank you. It’s really convenient that my Domain blocked most of these things.

“My ability was blocked.” The envoy said privately to his colleague. Each kingdom sent about 5 to 10 people to Freshka. “You should know what that meant.” They were most cooperative.

The road would only be ready next year. Even with the [Expert Builders] on the job. There was also a second round of migrationary movement, as we opened up certain sites for the future cities, which will be directly managed by the FFA.

“Migrate into the Rottedlands?”

Some looked at a chance to make it rich. Some saw it like insanity. I mean, all of them were probably insane when they accepted this plan, but there are 2nd-generation citizens of the Freshlands, where it was their parents who made the move into the Freshlands.

The Freshlands was founded about 20 plus years ago, some of them who came had children here, and now those children are young adults. That essentially made them 2nd-generation Freshlanders.

A lot of them grew up in the relative comfort and safety of the Freshlands, so the idea of moving deeper into the Rottedlands is weird and strange.

I suppose one generations’ suffering does not transmit to the next?

-

Some of the nations neighbouring our new allies were unhappy, but they didn’t dare to risk my wrath. They’ve heard of the stories of the Six Ports, and they were quickly focused on fortifying their own home cities. Some though, were quick to secretly extend an olive branch to our new allies.

A spy from Aiva was present too. “We’re actively trying to delay a second crusade.” The spy spoke to a small audience. Essentially me, Kavio, Jura and some of the Valthorn Elites like Lovis, Edna and Faris. Lovis was lower level than Edna and Faris, she only received her [spearmaster] class a few years back, and she’s in her mid 60s. “I believe we may be able to buy some time until the next demon king.”

“Essentially, you’re telling us that there will be a crusade after the next demon king?” Kavio frowned. “How’s that a convincing argument?”

The spy shrugged. “Sometimes, the best we can do is to delay the fighting. The Triumvirs of Aiva will not publicly renounce the war.”

“And what if we publicly call you out on it?”

“Then it will be a real war. It’s in our best interest to have this stalemate. The priests get to retain their divine duty and obligations, but no one actually has to die.”

“There’s going to be smaller skirmishes and rebellions. There will be death. The Triumvirs’ presumption of a peaceful stalemate is ridiculous.” Kavio said.

“It is.” The spy and envoy nodded. “But it is what it is.”

“Rubbish.” I said telepathically to everyone present, and the spy’s face paled.