My world-tree system-Chapter 35 - 34: New beginnings

Foster, standing in the centre of a vast open space, observed the bodies of the ancient woodland elves lined up in a row. They deserved more than a simple burial.

They would become the foundations of a new era.

Giovanni and Köflik waited in silence, sensing the importance of the moment.

Foster took a deep breath. Everything had to be perfect.

Foster had immersed himself in ancient treatises on elven military strategy and had even consulted Köflik on the subject. He knew the principles of defensive terrain, the logistics of living fortresses and asymmetrical warfare.

Foster stood there, observing the immense space where he had gathered the 156 bodies of the fallen woodland elves. The silence was heavy. Each corpse represented a life cut short, a brother or sister taken by war.

But today, they would not be forgotten.

They would become the roots of a new future.

Foster couldn’t just build a wild forest.

It had to be a weapon.

Before launching his ritual, he took the time to analyse every aspect of the terrain. Vollua was nestled between hills and a river, with only one natural access route for an army on the march.

A perfect bastion. To create an arrangement of bodies which, once transformed into World Trees, would form an impenetrable line of defence.

He divided the 156 bodies into five distinct groups, each with a precise strategic role.

The first group would be called the Vanguard Barrier.

These trees would be the first ramparts of Vollua. Foster arranged 40 bodies in staggered rows, forming an irregular but solid line that would slow down any frontal assault.

The aim? To force the enemy to disperse rather than advance in close formation.

The second group would be called the Labyrinthe Sylvestre

Scattered around the ruins of the town, these future trees would be the heart of a defensive strategy, forcing the enemy to lose their way.

Each World Tree would have roots extending underground and branches high enough to block visibility.

A natural labyrinth, deadly to anyone who didn’t know its structure.

Further on, the Natural Watchtowers.

These trees would be placed at key points in the terrain: the hills overlooking the city.

They would provide a panoramic view of the surrounding area and serve as anchor points for future defences.

Finally, the Sanctuary Wall

Around Lïanna’s World Tree, Foster placed 30 bodies in a perfect circle, to form a second natural rampart in case of enemy intrusion.

The aim would be to create a protected sanctuary, a space where the magic of the World Trees would be most concentrated.

Foster inhaled deeply.

His grimoire opened of its own accord, radiating a pulsing green light.

Ancient runes appeared in the air, dancing around him, forming an incantation circle as wide as the battlefield.

He placed both hands on the ground, closing his eyes.

- May eternal wood spring from the bodies of the ancients. he said before his spell [Renewal] was activated.

A wave of power exploded from its centre.

The ground began to vibrate and bodies shuddered as if taking their last breath.

Then the unimaginable happened.

Their flesh began to liquefy, becoming a pure essence of life that seeped into the earth. Their bones turned into roots, extending beneath the ground like veins absorbing the power of the spell.

And then... the first buds emerged.

One by one, the trees were born. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Foster collapsed from exhaustion.

- FOSTER!’ shouted Giovanni and Köflik as they ran to support him.

- I’ll be fine, I’ve just got one more thing to do.

Without a continuous source of power, the spell was going to collapse.

He had no choice.

He bit down hard on his finger, releasing a drop of his heir blood.

He let it fall onto the nearest bud.

A shiver ran through him as he felt the exchange take place.

The bud lit up, growing slightly. Very slightly.

Foster frowned.

- Was that all?

He looked at the other 155 buds.

He sighed.

- Shit... this is going to take a while.

He repeated the process.

One drop.

A bud quivered.

Another drop.

Another stretched out just a few centimetres.

And again.

Again and again.

He spent a whole hour like this, tracing little circles of blood on each bud.

When he reached the last tree, his hands were shaking.

His head was spinning slightly.

Giovanni, who had been observing the scene for a while, approached him.

- You’re as pale as a corpse, Foster.

- Thanks for the compliment...’ he growled, sitting down heavily on a stone.

- Do you realise that you’ve just given enough blood to trigger anaemia?

- That would explain why I feel like I’ve been run over by a heavyweight.

Foster ran a hand over his forehead, realising he was sweating profusely.

But when he looked up, he saw the buds pulsating slowly with an emerald glow.

They weren’t big.

But they were alive.

He smiled in spite of himself.

- It was worth it.

Giovanni sighed and sat down beside him.

The morning wind blew gently across the clearing, making the young buds of the World trees quiver as they began to take root. Foster, standing at the centre of the circle of new life, ran a hand over his tired face. His body was crying out for rest, but he couldn’t afford to slow down.

As he did every day, he moved towards the first bud, one hand resting against its still frail trunk. He could feel a pulse, a faint glimmer of life just waiting to blossom.He bit down lightly on his thumb, allowing a drop of his blood to trickle out, then pressed it against the bark.

The bud shivered, immediately absorbing the precious fluid. A green glow pulsed gently within it, testifying to the magic at work. Foster moved on to the next one, repeating the same ritual over and over again, kneeling before each shoot like a priest at prayer.

When he had finished with the trees, he struggled to his feet. His vision blurred for a moment and a feeling of weakness ran through his body. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to breathe deeply.

- Fuck... I’m going to end up anaemic at this rate,’ he grunted, running a hand over the back of his neck.

But he hadn’t finished.

The elves were waiting.

There they were, lined up in front of him, having accepted their new destiny without hesitation. Their features had already begun to change after several weeks of this ritual.

Foster went first to Yänn, his old friend who had been the first to join him in this madness.

- Ready?’ asked Foster.

Yänn nodded with a slight smile.

- Ready as I’ll ever be.

Foster started again. He pressed his thumb against a new cut and placed a drop of blood on his friend’s forehead.

Yänn closed his eyes and shivered. His breathing stopped for a moment, then he took a step backwards, shaken by an invisible shockwave. Foster could feel the change immediately. He couldn’t explain it in words, but a thread had been woven between them.

It wasn’t painful for him, but he felt something strange: a subtle suction. As if part of Yänn’s power was flowing towards him, mixing with his own Ki. And in return, he knew he could give him back what he wanted, amplify his strength, reinforce him if need be.

A shiver ran down his spine.

[Ding, new world tree elf created]

[3/50]

He continued with the next, and then another.

Each of the new World Tree elves felt the link, and each accepted without a word what they were becoming.

An hour later, the ritual was complete.

Foster stood in the centre of the group, short of breath, his limbs numb with fatigue. He had lost a considerable amount of blood, but that wasn’t what was worrying him.

It was that link.

He felt each of them as an extension of himself.

Their thoughts were not accessible to him, but he could feel their presence, their strength, and he knew, with a simple effort, that he could give them some of his own power... or get some back if he wished.

He took a deep breath and looked up into their eyes.

They looked at him with a kind of silent reverence.

They understood.

They knew what he had just achieved.

Foster hadn’t just created a new group of elves.

[Ding, Quest complete]

[Reward ????? distributed]

[Accept now]

[Yes / No]

- My boy, I think it’s time for you to talk to us again. Captain Köflik whispered to him.

Foster nodded, refusing the reward for the moment.

- I think so too, Köflik I think so too

He took a deep breath and spoke, his voice carrying in the calm morning air.

- You feel it, don’t you?

His question was met with silence, but he could see in their eyes that they understood.

He raised his hand, palm open towards them.

- We are linked.

A murmur went through the group, a mixture of apprehension and fascination.

- This is no ordinary magic,’ Foster continued. This is no simple gift of power. This link between us is alive. I can feel your strengths. I can feel your weaknesses. And I know that if I wanted to...

He closed his fist.

- ...I could make you stronger... or take that strength away.

Faces tensed slightly. A feeling of instinct, almost primal, made them realise the magnitude of what Foster had just said.

He shook his head.

- But I’m not your master.

There was a general sigh of relief.

- This link wasn’t created to dominate, but to unite.

He took a step forward, locking eyes with each of them.

- We’re a lineage now. A unique people. This bond, this strength we share, makes us a new kind of family.

The elves exchanged glances.

- And with that comes responsibility,’ continued Foster. This power must not be wasted. It must not be used for selfish ends. We are no longer woodland elves. We are... the Elves of the World Tree.

A shiver ran through the assembly at the mention of this name.

- We are linked to each other in a way that no one else can understand. What I feel, you feel. What you feel, I can feel. We are a whole.

Foster paused for a moment before adding, in a deeper voice:

- And we’re going to use this power to rebuild. To grow. To prepare for war.

He turned to Köflik, the former captain who had agreed to follow him.

- Captain Köflik, you are in charge of reconstruction. Vollua must not just be raised, it must become an impregnable city.

The high elf nodded gravely.

Foster turned his attention back to the assembly.

- As for you... You are the first of our line. But you won’t be the last. There must be more of us. Stronger.

The elves looked at each other, as if trying to fully understand what their bodies and minds were feeling. There was something new in them, an invisible but undeniable bond between them and Foster.

Foster felt a wave of energy emanating from the group, a subtle current moving towards him. His heartbeat quickened, his breath deepened. It was them. He could feel every beat of their life force, every thrill of their power still in gestation. They belonged to him as much as he belonged to them. With every second, their bond deepened.

Then, a movement caught his attention.

An elf stepped forward, trembling slightly, as if driven by a force he did not yet fully understand. He knelt before Foster, bowing his head, one hand resting on his heart.

- ...King.

A whisper, barely audible, but echoing through the air like an ancestral voice.

The other elves gasped, seized by an instinct they could not contain. They exchanged troubled glances... then another knelt.

Then another.

Foster shuddered. He wanted to speak, to tell them that they didn’t have to. That he had never sought to be their king. But at that moment, he realised that it wasn’t a choice. It was a given.

His power, his blood, his very will... it flowed through them. He was their origin, and they were his people.

One by one, all the elves bent the knee, bowing their heads before him.

The instinct of their new lineage spoke for them.

It was a pure act, devoid of obligation or compulsion. It was recognition.

Slowly, he closed his eyes and breathed.

There was no turning back.

So he accepted.

And, without a word, Foster opened his arms, letting his energy flow into the bond that united them all. A gentle warmth enveloped them. His fully activated [Will of the New King] had been engraved in their souls.

They were linked.