Chapter 354 (2/2)

This was the point that those partaking in the rituals, perhaps 30 individuals arrayed in three rows, realized that the tree above them was acting strange. They seemed to confer, and one individual towards the front seemed to step forward.

“Great Arbor… are these initiates to our order…. Unacceptable?”

An air of tension immediately started emanating from the middle row of people. Now that he was watching this small drama unfold, Randidly took care to sneak forward, and noticed that the middle row was in simple brown robes. The back row had maroon robes with a golden leaf stamped on the chest, and the front row had hoods up that were lined with embroidered golden leaves.

Randidly almost groaned audibly. Of course, while he was away, they would found a cult… Which he supposed he deserved. He had tasked that girl with caring for Arbor, and he supposed that a cult was one way to do it… he had just assumed that children would be easier, and they would accept the sentient tree more easily.

“Has… has that ever happened before….?” An individual from the back row spoke up uncertainty, and the man who had spoken first glared at him.

“No, but the loyalty and belief of those that came before is… unquestioned.” The man’s eyes scanned across the middle row, scrutinizing them. Then he noticed Randidly, who was walking up, albeit silently. His eyes burned even more brightly.

“What?! An interloper? Who let you through?!?”

The man in the third row who spoke earlier looked behind him at Randidly, and then scratched his head. “...well you called everyone up to watch the initiation. So there were no guards.”

“Well… I….” The man seemed flummoxed, then refocused on Randidly as a target, who continued to advance further. “Sir, I appreciate your reverence for the great Arbor, but we are currently involved in a very sacred ritual. Please depart. Or you will be forcibly-”

“Don’t be daft.”

A small figure, who had been sitting at the base of the tree to this point, stood and smacked the speaking man with a long, gnarled pole. The man seemed almost… embarrassed, as he rubbed the back of his head and stepped to the side. Taking their cue from their outspoken pseudo-leader, everyone else stepped to the side too, as Randidly approached, creating a path forward.

Standing in front of him, wearing a cloak that appeared to be made entirely of red and gold leave stitched together, Kiersty looked at him, a cocky smile on her face. She had aged, quite a bit, as far as Randidly could tell, but he supposed that she was at the age where girls age very quickly. She had shot up at least a 6 inches in the intervening time, and her hair was longer, hanging around her in beautiful curls.

Randidly frowned. Her hair had taken on a definite reddish tint that hadn’t been there in the past, and the edges… it seemed to glow somewhat. Like her hair was made up the very burning leaves that hung above them now.

As if punctuating this thought, Arbor shook itself, demanding Randidly’s attention, practically preening as it twisted this way and that. Randidly rolled his eyes, and passed through the strange cult people, barely sparing them a glance. They, on the other hand, were goggling at him, recognition dawning in some of their eyes, while others just seemed intimidated that Kiersty had acted.

“You started a… following?” Randidly asked Kiersty as he passed her.

Her grin at him was wide, but her voice was quiet, so only he could hear it. “No, you did. I’ve just been tending it in your absence. Welcome back, Mr. Ghosthound.”

Randidly stepped passed her, mulling this information over carefully. Well, it wasn’t really new information. He had done these things, and he knew that Arbor would be a big help to Donnyton. But at the time… he just wanted his little baby plant to be happy. The ways it could be useful were readily apparent. So useful, that perhaps something like this was necessary to prevent the forces that would like to abuse his power from driving him to depression. But still…

The branches came down for him, surrounding Randidly and picking him up, rubbing ash on him, but Randidly didn’t mind. The whole tree was vibrating, and he could feel in that small vibration the purest form of joy. Arbor might be a very intelligent plant, but he was still a child.

And his parent was finally home.

Randidly smiled, rubbing the bark. “I missed you too buddy.”