When the 170 cm, 90 kg, bald, blue eyed lumberjack named Hadorix awoke, he was no longer in his bed. He bolted awake, the adrenaline forcing him to a new state of consciousness. You see he had fallen asleep in the Mountains of North Carolina. And yet all the land he could see around him appeared flat. All the land he could see contained flat ground and trees. Fortunately, he did see his axe lying nearby, as well as his red and black flannel shirt, blue jean pants, and his work boots. He quickly dressed and grabbed his single bit wood cutting axe. While not an ideal weapon, Hadorix was rather familiar with its weight. In such a strange place, he felt much safer having it in his hands. Hadorix began to analyze the area in more detail. He hoped to see some sign of habitation or at least a stream. Unfortunately, he could still see nothing but trees.
Hadorix continued to analyze the area. He did not want to leave the spot without a clear destination in mind. As the sun continued to rise and the day grew brighter, he finally noticed that some of the trees to the west looked a bit different than the rest. With no other destination in mind, Hadorix decided to travel that direction. He had grown tired of standing still. It did not take long to realize that Hadorix that what he had seen was a fence. He decided to cautiously walk around it and find an entrance. Perhaps the inhabitants could direct him to the nearest road or provide him with an idea of where he was or what was going on. Upon travelling approximately halfway around the fence, Hadorix arrived at the gate. When he arrived at the gate, Hadorix began knocking.
It only took a moment for an answer. A lovely lady with vines wrapped around her body rather than clothing opened the gate. She had green hair and green eyes. They were the same shade that the vines were. Hadorix had never seen a person dressed the way she was. He began to question where in the world he was even more. In his confusion, he spoke to the lady.
Hadorix said, "I am sorry to bother you ma'am. My name is Hadorix, and I appear to be a bit lost. Could you please tell me where I am? And how to get back to Dutch Cove in North Carolina?"
The lady replied, "I am Junifer, and I have no clue where North Carolina is. You are in the woods of the World Tree. All of us Dryads live here. What are you? Your certainly no Dryad. I shall have to take you to the World Tree. He will know what you are, and he may know how to help you get home."
Hadorix replied, "I am a human. You can't be a Dryad. Dryads are merely myths. Please take me to the World Tree if it can help id be much obliged."
Hadorix had heard of Dryads before. They existed in many of the myths and legends he had read. They were not real. Hadorix figured he must still be dreaming.
It took most of the day for Junifer to get Hadorix to the World Tree. She did not speak for the journey. She merely left Hadorix to his thoughts.
Just before night fell, the duo arrived at a tree larger than any Hadorix had ever seen in the world. Its trunk was so massive, that Hadorix could not even see both sides. To his surprise, the tree opened a massive set of eyes when Junifer spoke.
Junifer said, "O great tree, I bring this being called a human to you in hope of your aid. He knows not where he is or how to return home. Can you aid him?"
The tree opened a gaping mouth that looked like it could swallow an army of elephants. It said, "This human has a weapon meant only to destroy my kind. Why are you here human? Do you intend to destroy my children? Do you dare harm my forest? Junifer, take this human to the arena. Many of his kind have come here last night. I initiated the calling. We must revive The Mystic Orchard. It has sat idle to long. Our champions must rise again."
Junifer turned to Hadorix and pointed at him. Vines shot out of her fingers and before Hadorix could so much as speak, he was covered from head to toe. He could no longer move a muscle. The vines began to release a gas, and Hadorix was knocked unconscious. When he woke again, he was in a cell. The bars were made of massive vines. His axe was nowhere to be seen. If he had it, Hadorix believed he could get out. Without it, he supposed he would have to wait to see what kind of place he was in. After what the Great Tree had said, he did not think it would be any place he would like. After all, he had been accused of being there to destroy the children of the Great Tree. In a way he supposed he had been killing the relatives of the Great Tree his entire life. After all, Hadorix is a lumberjack.
Hadorix sat there and considered what he could do. He felt he did not yet have enough information to even take a guess of what situation he was in, much less to figure out a way to get free. As such, he decided to rest and try to conserve what energy he had.
It was midafternoon before Hadorix received a visitor. To his surprise it was Junifer. Upon seeing her, Hadorix gave up all hope of escape. Even if he tried, all she had to do was release her vines and he would be right back in his cell.
Junifer said, "You're in luck, The Great Tree is in a hurry. Your first battle will be today. Survive and you can fight again tonight. You will continue to fight until either you die, or only 10 remain. If by then The Great Tree does not feel a champion is obvious among your group, you will continue until there is only one left. The one left standing will get the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of being the champion."
Hadorix attempted to reply. Instead, he was again surrounded by vines and knocked out. When he awoke, he was in a large arena with his axe in his hand. Across from him stood another human male. This man was much larger than Hadorix. He stood 195 cm and weighed 136 kg. Standing near him, Hadorix looked like a dwarf. The man also had a sword in his hand. Hadorix hoped he did not know how to use it as he knew this would be the first of many opponents. Slowly the man stood from the ground. He looked around and seeing only Hadorix he began to smile.
He said, "I am sorry that you had to cross my path small one. I intend to live today. I will give you an honorable death."
Hadorix did not bother to reply.
A loud voice boomed across the arena. Hadorix recognized it as The World Tree. It said, "Your fight begins now. If you do not fight, the Dryads will be in to kill you both."
As soon as the voice finished, the big man ran at Hadorix. Hadorix chose not to move. He stood still and held his axe like a baseball bat. The big man thought Hadorix would swing at his chest, so he kept his sword aimed high. When he got within range, Hadorix took a hard swing at his right knee. The man was big, but he moved slow. Hadorix chopped through his knee like butter, he never even had a chance to dodge.
Hadorix was a practical man. He did not care what most would consider fighting dirty. As soon as he severed the man's leg, he backed out of range of the massive man. Getting closer would merely give the man an opportunity to retaliate. If Hadorix was patient, the man would bleed out and die. Hadorix was a very patient man.
Once the man had bled out, The World Tree's voice boomed out again. "Hadorix you have won. Junifer will retrieve the belongings of the dead man. They will be placed in your storage with your axe. As he is now food for my children, none among you will know his name. If you fall, the same fate will belong to you. This world is not kind, nor is it forgiving. Yet you have done well tree slayer."
As the Great Tree finished his speech, Junifer appeared in the arena. She quickly surrounded Hadorix with her vines and knocked him out. When he awoke, he had a stone plate full of berries and plants to eat and a stone mug of water to drink. Hadorix grumbled, a meal without meat would be far from the nourishment he desired. And he missed his potatoes and milk. To him, being forced to eat berries and plants and drink water was a cruel form of torture. He begrudgingly ate the meal and took a nap. Junifer informed him he would fight again that night. Hadorix wanted to be well rested.
When night fell, Junifer came for Hadorix. As he was already asleep, she did not bother using the gas. She merely moved him to the arena with her vines.
Hadorix awoke in the arena, his axe in his hand. This time when he awoke, a woman stood across from him. She was the same height as Hadorix and weighed only 80 kg. Hadorix admired her lovely face and long black hair. The woman had a dagger in each hand. Hadorix regretted what he would be forced to do. Soon the voice boomed, "Your fight begins now. If you do not fight, the Dryads will be in to kill you both."
Hadorix charged at the woman. She did not expect this and was scared stiff by his rapid approach. Hadorix turned his axe around and struck her on the head. A single blow and she was knocked unconscious. He checked for a pulse and was glad to see she had one. He did not know if The World Tree would force him to kill her or not. But he could not bring himself to destroy such beauty unless it became the only way he could survive.
Junifer again entered the arena and spoke, "You ended the fight and kept her alive. She, and all that she owns now belongs to you. She will be your servant, if you die, she dies. Your fates are entwined. She will be returned to her cell until a champion is named. For her sake you had better hope it is you."
This was beyond Hadorix expectations. He merely wanted her to live, and now it would seem he would have a potential ally of sorts once he managed to become champion of this place. Hadorix began to wonder how many more he would manage to save.