January Lore - Chapter Two

Chapter Two - The Prophet

On another planet, in another solar system lived a species known as the Treekin. These beings are born when a leaf is shed from a great and mystical tree known as a Life Tree which gets buried beneath the dust; one day growing into a Treekin. The Life Tree comes from a cosmic act, a meteor seed that crashes down onto a planet often leaving large craters. 146 years after their cosmic event a tree would sprout from the ground. It would grow to become the first Life Tree on Geo. There is a heritage of Treekin who lives under the shade of the Life Tree. The elders are often tasked with entertaining the young ones with fictional stories about the spirits and beings that live invisibly around them. The Treekin finds water and explores through means of mycilic expansion. Treekin appear stagnant. Yet they can communicate and commune  through the lengths of their roots

Life Trees spawn a rare substance known as Life Water which saturates the roots of the trees in order for the Treekin and trees to exist and fuel themselves. The Life Water substance is created when the seeds secrete nitrogen-rich liquid which is consumed by enzymes on the surface of the seed which create glucose crystals as a waste product, filling the crater produced by the seed and mixing with water drawn from their root network. This is the main food source the trees and Treekin consume.

On a cold fall day a storm began to blow into the Lifetree grove. One leaf had held onto the tree for so long that it had become quite late in the season. The trees usually lose all of their leaves before the fall winds blow in so that the Treekin are not born too far from the root network. But on this day a swift breeze rolled in and plucked the leaf from the tree pushing it far from the life-trees. No other Treekin had been blown this far before. For the first time, a Treekin would be born alone.

His name would be Sailus and he would be known as The Prophet of the Treekin. The first born Treekin that was not connected to the Life Trees and could roam freely independent of the trees. At first he was lonely and scared. He was inseparable from the trees and wouldn’t leave in fear of starvation or being attacked by predators. But as he matured he began to realize his role as the prophet. He knew he must venture beyond the grove.

He begins to roam freely, drinking water from the springs and learning of the faun and fauna of the planet. But he does not leave for long. He often stays with his peers and teaches them stories of the places that lie beyond just out of reach. There was always much excitement among the Treekin when Sailus returned from his journeys.

Before long, many young Treekin wished to journey as well, but Sailus knew it would be too difficult for many of them. Because he was born so far from the tree his roots formed into his legs instead of growing into the ground. If a Treekin ever wished to leaf the grove it would take much training and willpower as it was deemed too dangerous and cruel to birth a Treekin away from the grove purposefully. The ability to leave the grove had to remain a choice and Sailus would prepare any who he deemed strong enough to accompany him.

Sailus spends most nights in the desert where he has a clear view of the stars. Sometimes he feels as if the stars are telling him something. But he knows how odd that would sound to the rest of the Treekin. The Treekin worship the trees. But Sailus knows the trees worship the stars.

He imagines conversations between himself and the stars. They paint divine pictures in his mind and he dreams of that which is not known and that which cannot be seen. On one night in particular, he was dreaming of the stars when he was suddenly instilled with a vision. He saw himself leading young leafkin through the desert, exploring new planets, and learning the hidden secrets of the universe. He felt the star’s energy. He knew he must venture onward. Among the stars.