Chapter 35: We Didn’t Start The Fire

The forest continued to grow denser over the next three days. The edge of the forest looked less like a natural woodland and more like a wall. Branches intertwined too tightly that: try as they might they couldn’t even get a good look inside. New growth continuously crawled over old growth. Leaves unfurled and expanded along the wall even as Andy watched.

Initially, Andy assumed it would be as easy as waiting for his energy reserves to return and then using his life magic to control the growth. Bend and shape the vines and trees to allow passage. But every single time he managed to make progress more foliage grew to fill in the space he created. Andy spent hours staring at the side of the forest and only managing to make the problem worse.

Next, Andy cautiously attempted to channel his fire magic. As luck would have it, fire wasn’t a big fan of cautiousness and refused to ignite.

“You, know,” Andy said after concentrating on his horn for a good twenty minutes and producing nothing other than a “Uhnnnnnn” sound. “This has never happened to me before. I think I’m just nervous.”

Auri rolled her eyes and went back to her nap.

Andy took in a breath and channeled his frustration. Without the forest he couldn’t complete his speed trials. They weren’t even able to access the forest to clear out monsters for XP. Because of their treaty with Lord Fergus they were no longer permitted on the other side of the river, thusly the clearing and a small strip of land next to the river (And of course Barnacle’s rock) were all that they could currently traipse. which meant they were stuck unless they wanted to leave their home entirely.

The thought of Lord Fergus, of losing their hard-won home sparked anger inside of Andy. He thought about Fergus’ stupid over-shined shoes. Who wore impractical shoes into a forest anyway? He thought about his velvet cape and his pompous face and his–he felt it. The fire energy began building in his horn. He controlled it. He fed it more images of Fergus. More irritations about his lack of speed trials, and the grove where the good berries had been that now he had no access to. 

The pressure built, he could feel it in his skin, in his stomach, it was almost there. He allowed himself to feel the anger he’d been containing. He concentrated on holding onto that feeling and slowly slowly easing it towards the surface. A flame erupted from Andy’s horn. 

Auri woke up, “Well this wasn’t on my list of things I thought I’d see today.”

[NEW ABILITY: FLAMIN HORN]

Andy’s horn looked similar to a blow torch. (That is if blowtorches were worn on people’s heads.) The horn was glowing a deep radiant ruby and at the tip a stream of fire shot out twice the length of the horn itself.

He swung his head over to look at Auri who jumped backward who was back in her smaller spirit fox form today. “Watch where you’re pointing that thing!” She sent with shocked irritation.

Widening his eyes slightly and sending back a sheepish amusement he carefully turned back to the forest. Andy approached the trees cautiously, horn forward, flame beginning to caress the edge of its boundary. Bark charred, leaves burned away, vines shriveled and snapped. He turned up the volume on the fire allowing more of his anger out. 

He thought about Veronica and her lies. He let the pain of her trying to steal his magic, trying to steal what made him special. About her using him and the entire time she’d considered him to be less than. He thought about how she’d looked when she smacked him. 

Red gave way to white hot flame as the fire from Andy’s horn grew brighter, longer, hotter. Trees began to ignite as the leaves detached from their branches, the hot air rising and carrying them higher, bumping and igniting other leaves as they went. 

When Andy was spent, his energy reserves on low he sat back with pride and saw that he’d made progress.Several trees were on fire, more beginning to catch. Pride gave way to disappointment as the burning foliage fell and new grew in to take its place. 

Andy gave up, flopping onto his side next to Auri. He rolled onto his back, hooves in the air and stared at the clouds drifting lazily by.

“What if the sun is part of the problem?” Andy mused.

“Why would the sun matter?” Auri asked.

“Photosynthesis.” He declared as if the word itself explained everything.

Auri blinked slowly at Andy, her tail twitched in frustration.. “Okay, photosynthesis. What is it that you’re suggesting, Pony?”

“Well, Teeth, I’m suggesting we attempt to stop the growth at night, when the plants are cut off from the sun.”

She bristled. And Gustave screeched. “Acceptable hypothesis Andrew.”

“Fine, but if we’re going to be up all night, I’m going to nap.”

“Haven’t you been napping already?”

Auri didn’t respond. Andy gave up and decided a nap did sound like a good idea, especially since he’d run his energy reserves low again.

That’s how Georgina found them an hour later. 

“Wake up.” She demanded. 

“Huh, what?” asked Andy. 

“What have you done?”

“Is this about the fire?”

“...The fire? What fire? This is about the forest.”

“Oh this?” he gestured toward the forest. “Just some minor redecorating.”

She stared at him, her jaw set tightly. “There is nothing funny about this.” Georgina responded. “This is incredibly serious.”

“What is serious?”

“When did this happen? Was it something the three of you did? I need answers.”

“So, there were these Ants of Unusual Size, they were invading, and we had to get rid of them…” He paused, gaging her reaction and when she gave none, he continued, “They were going to decimate the forest. We fought them and we won and then well I don’t know what happened. The System said it was an Environmental Event.”

“An Environmental Event…” 

She began pacing. “Andrew. The Mythic Council has requested your presence.”

“What…? Why?”

“Well to begin when I found you, you’d more or less made enemies of a neighboring human city-state, the contract I helped you write up for landrights was signed under duress, your singing horn…”

The horn was in fact singing at this moment  “Do dodo-do do dodo. Do do da dodoodo do do da dodoodo”

“…and about how you managed to create a Life Nexus.”

“What is a Life Nexus?” Andy managed to ask as he attempted to quiet the ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ which was currently playing at maximum volume.

“This, this is a Life Nexus,” Georgina responded while pointing toward the impassable forest. “This is the product of concentrated energy to the point of creating a feedback loop. That loop generates near unlimited energy. In this case, life energy.  

“So you’re telling me that we accidentally created some sort of energy source?”

“No, I’m telling you that you created an indeterminate amount of renewable life magic that governments, kingdoms and at least three religions have spent centuries trying to re-establish.”

“Oh. So it’s a big deal.”

“Yes There have been no new Nexus’ for over eight hundred years.”

“Well, that seems like a good thing then, right?”

“In a manner of speaking, it’s an incredibly good thing. There will be groups of people who will want to study it,” Georgina said

“Like the Council,” Andy added hopefully.

“There are also people who want to control it.”

“I mean, we control it as it’s our land, right?”

“Maybe. The human lord could take it back given the manner of how you convinced him to sign away his land.”

“I’m not worried about Fergus.”

“You should be. Even more so you should be worried about the people who want to destroy it.”

“I can confirm that so far, nothing has worked in destroying it.

Georgina turned several shades of red, purple and ghostly white before she worked up the ability to speak again. “You cannot destroy this. It’s– The Mythic Council is requesting Lady Auriana’s presence as the official landowner. They’re also requesting anyone else that was present at the time of its inception.”

“Is this a request or an order?” Auri asked.

“The council will meet with you. There are several sects that are planning on purchasing the land to ensure that it doesn’t fall back under human control. You will be compensated fairly, and relocated so that we may study and attempt to replicate the circumstances of its appearance.”

“If this is the first Nexus in eight hundred years, that should mean it’s invaluable. How could we possibly be compensated for that? Not to mention, I’m rather cozy here.”

“I am not at liberty to discuss offers the council will be making. But know that you will receive multiple fair offers from varying sects at the Council meeting. Potential treaties are being drawn up as we speak.”

“What if we refuse?” Auri asked, her russet tail curled around her paws flicking in agitation. 

“There is no refusing to meet the Mythic Council. You will go willingly to the council in three days. Or they will come to you. That is not advisable. The offers however are able to be refused, but I would highly suggest thinking about them. Please, do not take this lightly. I’m afraid time is not on our side.”

“Could you elaborate, kindly, Miss Georgina? The Nexus doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. I continue to patrol its borders and it has not grown nor shrunk in three days.” Gustave sent from his branch.

“That may be Gustave,” Georgina explained. “However, the Mythic Council is bound not to be the only ones to notice a phenomenon of this magnitude. There are still those out there who would see humans as the dominant species. Not to mention entire sects of Sophonts in an uproar over the mere rumor of the return of the Nexus’, and what it means for the return of magic to this land as a whole.”

“So when are we leaving?” Andy asked.

“I, unfortunately, cannot stay to escort you. I must do my duty to quell discord and put minds at ease. You three truly have caused quite a stir.”

“Georgina, before you go?” Andy called.

“Yes, Andrew?”

“I am going to need the largest jar you can find, and a way to carry it.”