TMLoCL - Extra - Rei P1

This is part one of two because I suddenly had a fantastic idea that was *way* better than what I had planned.  Tossed out 2k words of writing, but after outlining my plan I am sure it will be worth it.

Also, just a reminder about that (multiple years late) AMA I am doing.  Only one of you guys asked a question - which is basically fine, this isn't a very serious AMA although I probably will do a bigger one once the first volume is done - but I did want to make sure everyone knew that as Patrons, you can just drop a comment with the questions and I'll put it altogether soon and post it up.  Ask me anything, or ask Cadence, or Podi ^_^

Without further ado:

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*Phu’Shahalidin (The Eternal Forest) 51 Years Ago*

*Rei’Reihammara Solily POV*

The only thing worse than the knowing looks and empty platitudes that the older elves gave me whenever I expressed my boredom was knowing that the platitudes weren’t empty and that they were right.  I had been taught about this well in advance, this boredom and the accompanying urge to do something, anything but spend another year practicing my Skills here in the forest.  A forest I felt I knew so well by now that I could navigate it blindfolded.

After all, Phu’shahaldidin was eternal and unchanging.  Nothing happened here that wasn’t part of some cycle, nothing happened that hadn’t happened before and that wasn’t expected to happen again on schedule.  Outsiders, especially the humans who lived such short lives, might believe it to change but the passing of decades would reveal that it was all a part of some repeating cycle or another.

The path I was running down now was a bitter reminder of this, one I reflected on.  Morning light shone through gaps in the leaves of the giant trees, illuminating parts of ground and shifting as the wind moved the branches.  The path wound around the trunks of the giant trees, taking care to avoid the worst of the roots and rocks - but only the worst of them.

I always passed this rock, that slightly jutted out from the path and was almost completely unnoteworthy save for a small splotch of lichen, with extra care.  There was little special about it, and I passed it without slowing my stride, but once years ago I had tripped over it and afterwards had thought to remove it.

I dug it out without effort and felt like I had accomplished something.  Something minor, true, but I was young enough that it had felt important to me.  Fifty years ago I had only been thirty.  Of course, the next time I walked along the path the stone was back.

First I simply tried removing the stone again, but over the course of a few weeks I ended up trying many things that all ultimately failed.  I took the rock with me, hauling it back to my home only to find it gone when I woke up in the morning.  Putting it in a locked chest didn’t help, and neither did, with the help of a hammer, breaking the rock into pieces.

Eventually, frustration gave me courage to approach one of the [Rangers] and ask them to get rid of it somehow.  That was when the knowing and amused looks started, the [Ranger] had that expression as she gently informed me that there wasn’t anything they could do.  Humans called Phu’Shahaladin “The Eternal Forest” and they were more right than they knew.  The cycles of the forest had continued for ages before and would continue long after I entered reverie, eternally unchanging and unmoved by anything but its own cycles.

However, today would be the smallest break from that tedium.  Human [Merchants] - probably Ian Gregor and his caravan - had come to visit.  They would bring things in from outside the forest, although what I really looked forward to was the tales they brought with them.  The older elves who traveled rarely did the same because very little caught their interest in the first place.  Which kingdom was rising or falling or at war or facing calamity and what kind, they had seen it all before and would see it all again and there was little that could touch them.

No one was sure if the incredible Vitality that came with us elves gaining one point of Vitality every year was the cause or if it was just an intrinsic part of our species, but as time wore on less in the world could touch us and we in turn fell out of touch with the world.  Eventually I too, many years in the future, would slow down until I slipped into reverie and just stopped.

It always surprised humans that I was comfortable with that.

I slowed down as I approached the clearing, trying to see if I could catch a glimpse of one of the [Rangers] who were no doubt keeping watch.  Considering how the forest was, I imagine that they were probably watching just to make sure I don’t leave with the [Merchant].  Still, trying to spot the [Rangers] was one of the other small bits of excitement I could find, even if I knew that any time I did see them it was because they had let me.

I didn’t catch a glimpse of them this time and walked into the clearing, blinking at the light as I stepped out of the shade.  There were a few, small, human style buildings here that were normally empty, but were now full of people bustling in and out.  A few other elves were here as well, probably to trade but I wasn’t really interested in checking.  Instead I was looking for…

“Gregor!” I called out and waved to greet the large man and walked over to help him with the table he was setting up.  “It is good to see you again.”

“It is good to see you as well Rei,” Gregor laughed and said.  “I have quite the tales for you this time, and I have someone I would like you to meet as well.”

He gestured to his side, drawing my attention to the boy - young man, I suppose - standing nearby.

“Ah, it is that time already,” I murmured my thoughts aloud, but it just caused Gregor to laugh again.

“That reminds me, my father told me to say hello for him.”

The first human [Merchant] I had met was Gregor’s grandfather just before his retirement from traveling.  He had introduced me to Gregor’s father, who had introduced me to Gregor, and now he would introduce me to his son.  It always required me to adjust my thinking a bit, when I was really reminded of what it meant to think on a human timescale.  At only eighty one years old, I imagine I thought more like the humans than I did the older elves, but I still didn’t really think quite like them - or even entirely understand them.

Gregor would introduce me to his son, and I would see them come back together for years - somewhere between ten and twenty, perhaps - until one day Gregor retires and it is just the son.  In another decade, the son would introduce me to his son and then he would retire in another couple of decades as well.

I was a young elf and already I had seen two humans learn their trade, make and execute their plans for their lives, and complete them.

“You know this isn’t exactly my favorite topic,” I sighed.  “I can’t help but envy you.  You live your entire lives while I just exist and get told to work on my Skills more…”

“Which reminds me,” he turned to his son to shout.  “You have to work harder, kid!  Your Skills won’t level well if you don’t put effort into it!  One of the most important things a [Merchant] has to learn is Hauling, because you will be doing a hell of a lot of it!”

*Later That Night*

I was sitting by the fire, mildly amused at how much humans seemed to enjoy telling stories around it, and happily listening to those stories.  A lot of it was just news, hearing about how the world outside the forest had changed since his last visit.  That was good, but the best was when news and tales mixed.  Whenever possible I liked to hear the how and the why as much, if not more, than the what.

“I have got a good one for you too,” Gregor took a pull from his drink before continuing.  “Some high-level came back with news about land over the sea to the south.  Dunno why they were flying over the ocean, but they didn’t get to stay.  Monsters chased them out, but some others put together an expedition and went over by boat.  Turns out there is a whole ‘nother continent.”

“Really!?” I started to excitedly ask questions, “What is it like?  You said there were Monsters?  Strong ones?”

“Terribly strong.  As far as anyone can tell the land to the south hasn’t ever been purged.”

That got a bit of a gasp from me as I sat back.  Purging monsters was…  Well it wasn’t something you could just stop doing.  If Experience wasn’t removed from the ecosystem the strength of monsters could become dangerous.  Strong monsters either got stronger or died to another monster and made them stronger and there was nothing stopping them from reaching the higher levels of power.

And monsters rarely have the kind of restraint a Sapient would, if they went on a rampage the damage would be cataclysmic.

“The expeditionary group was almost overwhelmed,” he paused for dramatic effect.  “Until one of your elders showed up.”

An elder had woken up!?  There must have been something truly dangerous…  To the point I am not even sure I would want to know, the elder elves don’t move from reverie for much.  I tried to tamp down the surprising frustration that had bubbled up as well, wondering why none of the older elves had told me about this and why I had to learn about it from a human [Merchant].