Chapter 561: The very capable and cool divine tree that is awesome and definitely hasn’t taken over a (1/2)

Chapter 561 The very capable and cool divine tree that is awesome and definitely hasn’t taken over as the true author of this sto- retelling of history as it happened

Ilea made her way to the secret underground location near the city, blinking down into a room filled with old gear. Swords, halberds, spears, armors, all propped up on various racks and workbenches. It was just a ruse of course, in case somebody found this location. Strewn about silver coins would likely make this quite a find for most adventurers who would stumble upon it, just in case any information had leaked. The last thing they wanted was someone continuing to dig.

She felt the mark left on Iana about thirty meters below, despite the many enchantments that blocked her sphere and teleportation. It took her nearly twenty seconds to figure out the overlaid enchantments preventing space magic.

“She did it again,” Iana said when she saw her, squinting her eyes. “I was sure this one would be impenetrable.”

“I doubt there’s anything truly impenetrable,” Ilea said. “How is the project coming along?”

The facility was quite large. A near copy of the Core they had build within the Sentinel headquarters. Stone and various metal plates covered the outside, each holding enchantments against various spying, perception, and teleportation abilities. There was plenty of shock absorption, anti heat, self repair spells as well, all entirely too expensive to consider anywhere else.

Here however, they had the enchanters themselves.

Two gates had been prepared, both looking somewhat streamlined by now. Not as large as those the Taleen used but supported by enchantments and runes on the spherical walls surrounding the platforms.

A few tests had resulted in more failures, even Ilea’s newfound space magic discoveries not helping in the short term. It was possible that they could’ve figured it out in the span of a month, maybe a year, or ten. But there was a much easier solution.

“We’re ready, yes,” Iana said and handed her a stack of papers. Plans for the gates, detailed explanations of the various runes, enchantments, space magic theory, analysis of the key and Taleen gates themselves, as well as theories on improvements and next steps.

She hesitated for a moment, holding the papers up but more towards herself than Ilea.

“You know you can trust me,” Ilea said.

“It’s… of course. Just… if this gets into the wrong hands…,” Iana murmured.

“Meadow doesn’t have any hands, so that doesn’t apply,” Ilea said with a smile.

“Not very disarming,” Christopher said.

“This isn’t a time for jokes,” Iana snapped, handing over their research. “Make sure to destroy it once that creature has read it. I’d like to find out if it really is as capable as you suggest,” she said with a determined look on her face.

Oh honey.

“I’m sure you’ll become good friends in no time. Are those the materials?” Ilea asked, gesturing towards a few crates.

“Yes. Enough to build two gates that could respond to either of ours here. Any optimizations the creature could make, you’d have to bring back to us so we can further study and develop it,” Iana said.

“I’ll blink back once I’m done talking to it but I have a few other things I want to take care of in the next few weeks,” Ilea said.

“Of course. It’s not like this is by far the most important potential discovery for humanity as a whole,” Iana said with a smile.

“We survived thus far. We can make it a little longer without teleportation. Best case, you’ll somehow create a black hole and suck this continent out of existence. But I digress. I’ll leave immediately,” Ilea said and patted the woman’s shoulder, quickly collecting the various crates with materials.

“Don’t worry too much. You both did wonderful work.” She smiled at Christopher too and turned around. “I’ll leave you two to your research.”

“What’s that suppose to m-” Iana started but Ilea had already left.

Ilea wanted this to succeed, if only to stop being a messenger girl between Hallowfort and Ravenhall. My wings are just too fast.

“Raven to tree, do you read me?” she sent into the void, closing in on Hallowfort.

“I can hear you, if that is your question,” Meadow said.

“You’re supposed to reply with something like, Tree to Raven, I read you. But whatever. Can you summon me, or are you busy with grass reproduction?” Ilea said.

She had deactivated her space magic resistance, feeling the magic manifest before her view changed to black grass.

“Oh?” she exclaimed, taking in the rather expansive space. “You remodeled your room!”

“I did. Catelyn has allowed me to modify the ruins between Hallowfort and the Descent, under the condition that I provide elevator platforms for safe passage between the two. And the sealing of various leaks and open passages that local non awakened tend to use,” it explained.

A few floors both above and below had been removed entirely. Massive pillars of stone that shined with enchantments provided ongoing stability to the massive statuein which the ruins had been situated. The whole thing was likely improved even.

Hills covered in grass and plants native to the Northern regions spread out for a few hundred meters, the Meadow’s tree now standing on a small hill. A creek flowed through the scenery, often up and over a hill, finally ending in a small waterfall out into the expansive crystal caverns.

“As more creatures choose to live here… perhaps I will have neighbors at some point in the future,” Meadow said.

“It’s quite lovely,” Ilea admitted, watching the fireflies float through the wondrous space. Various chunks of crystal had been fastened or fused into the ceiling above, lending their magical light to the colorful vegetation either grown or rooted by the Meadow. “I wouldn’t say no to a vacation home here.”

“If you like, I can build you one,” Meadow said, floating stone appearing out of nowhere, shaping into various forms that first resembled her own house and then changed into various creations that seemed Hallowfort inspired.

“I’ll coordinate with you at some point,” Ilea said with a laugh. “I didn’t expect you to be my personal builder too.”

“I merely offer my humble talents to a friend,” the Meadow said. “You’ve come earlier than I had expected.”

“Well, my friends tend to be busy people,” she said, glancing at the rolling hills and massive pillars.

“They sure are… a lot of legislation. Elana Invalar is quite diligent,” it said with a sigh that flowed over its new cavern, like a summer breeze through a field of flowers.

“The Queen of Rhyvor. I can imagine. I have something maybe a little more up your alley,” Ilea said and summoned the crates and plans. “Do you have a moment, or am I interrupting you?”

“I appreciate the concern but as I have said many times before, I’m not quite as limited as a human like you. With only four limbs. Let me perceive,” it said, the stack of papers floating out of her hands and spreading out. The crates vanished, leaving the metals, stone, and tools hovering too.

The Meadow made a weird noise.

“What is it?” Ilea asked, now sitting at the cliff like edge of its domain, her legs dangling down towards the lake.

“Ilea… is this some kind of attempt at humor?” it asked, not haughty but perhaps a little insulted.

Ilea thought she was the only one that could make the creature cringe but apparently she had been wrong.

“It’s the combined research of two insanely talented and experienced human enchanters. They’re not space mages by the way, so do cut them some slack,” she said.

“… Perhaps… I’ll have to reclassify your species as not quite awakened. Ilea, there is no blade large or sharp enough to cut the slack I would have to remove to make this acceptable work,” Meadow said.

“That’s why I brought it here, oh wonderful god of space and flowers,” Ilea said, tilting her head back to look at the crystal tree with a smirk on her face.

“Now the baseline is quite interesting. I suppose their study of these Taleen Gates and the key they had used lead to this… abomination,” Meadow said.

“Ye. Can you write down adjustments and suggestions for me to bring back?” she asked.

“Why? They prepared a gate, let’s bring them here and I’ll show them myself,” Meadow said.

Ilea jumped up. “It could work already?”

“There are a lot of adjustments I’ll have to make on this side… and the mana required would suck most humans dry, but yes. It’s good that they didn’t change the baseline they found too much,” it said. “I do hope for their sake, that they didn’t test this on living creatures.”

“Ah, just me,” Ilea said.

“You are a durable test subject. Good choice,” the Meadow said, teleporting most of the materials a few hundred meters away. “I don’t suppose they can stand next to me.”

“Good call, no, they’d die immediately,” Ilea said. “I don’t think you can talk to them either.”

“Good thing I have a translator then,” it said.

Ilea watched as space magic coupled with roots bent and formed the metals and plates into various pieces that were soon put together into what looked like a platform. Gaps were filled by stone, new runes etched into various pieces before it started thrumming with power.

“Good enough,” it said.

“You did that in less than a minute…,” Ilea said.

“The pieces are already here. You simply need to understand how they work together. I admit that building something like this from nothing would have taken me at least a few hours,” Meadow said.

“I’ll think of more groundbreaking ideas to change everyone’s lives for the better,” Ilea said.

“I just so happen to be kind of an expert on teleportation magic. There’s no way for me to enhance your limited brain,” Meadow said.

“Was more thinking along the lines of defensive enchantments and agriculture, but sure. Let’s add brain magic to the list, maybe I’ll find some four mark mind mage ready to warp our understanding of reality,” she said.

“I would be vary of such creatures. Altering one’s mind is a dangerous prospect,” it said.

“So is teleportation, my dear Meadow. Who’s to say we’re the same people when we emerge on the other side?” she said.