The Gogglemonks screeched as they scurried up the Heartwood Tree, their voices echoing through the forest. They stopped outside a large hole near the top and looked down towards Evan. The one that had put on the performance smacked its butt, then darted inside while laughing. Their screeching announced the arrival of their new visitor, causing other creatures nearby to halt what they were doing and look towards Evan with curiosity.
With so many eyes on him, Evan felt nervous about what might happen next. He slowly reached for the satchel, preparing to draw the dagger at any moment. What the hell am I doing here? he thought. I should have stayed near the beach. These creatures are way too unpredictable.
Soon, the creatures lost interest and returned to their activities, slightly calming Evan's nerves. This calm didn't last long, though. Moments later, an ominous aura began to cover the area, focusing on Evan. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up, and his heart rate quickened. What now? he wondered, glancing around nervously.
He looked up at the top of the tree where the aura originated and saw a bright green hue in the clouds. He noticed the silhouette of a large figure resembling a muscular man with a robust build. Is that some kind of guardian? Evan thought. I really hope it's friendly.
He watched as the silhouette crouched, then shot up into the air in a quick motion. The green hue first dimmed, then began to brighten as the figure seemed to leap from the top of the tree. Oh crap, it's coming this way!
Panic surged through Evan as the figure, initially appearing small, grew larger as it approached. His heart pounded as he backed up slowly at first, then fully panicked and started running in the opposite direction, back towards the forest. I need to get out of here!
Just as he was ten feet away from the forest's edge, a massive figure landed in front of him, creating a huge crater that sent Evan flying. This is it, Evan thought as he tumbled through the air. I'm done for.
Scared witless, Evan scrambled to get up, but the giant creature was already overtop of him. It was a Verdant Warden, an evolved form of the Gogglemonks. Standing about eight feet tall, with vibrant green fur, four eyes, and a long, thick tail resembling a tree branch, the creature exuded an aura of power. What the hell is that thing? Evan thought, his mind racing.
The Verdant Warden stood up, beat on its chest, then dropped to all fours above Evan, roaring in his face with its mouth wide open, sharp teeth on full display. Spittle and rancid breath assaulted Evan's senses. I'm going to die. This is how it ends.
Throughout all of this, Evan screamed at the top of his lungs. This was the scariest thing he had ever encountered, even worse than falling off the mountain in his past life. In his terror, he ended up pissing himself. As the Verdant Warden stopped roaring, Evan continued to scream until his voice became hoarse and he could scream no more.
Evan lay on his back and raised his hands in surrender. "PLEASE DON'T EAT ME!! I COME IN PEACE!!" Maybe it understands me. Maybe it will let me go.
The Verdant Warden narrowed its eyes and said through telepathy, "Little human, why have you come to my sacred place?"
Hearing the beast speak left Evan dumbfounded. Did it just... talk? Instead of answering the question, all he could say was, "Holy shit, you can speak!? This world just gets crazier and crazier."
Having its question ignored, the Verdant Warden got irritated and let out a low growl. "I don't like repeating myself. WHY. HAVE. YOU. COME?"
Hearing this snapped Evan back to reality, and he stumbled over his words. "I... I... I didn't know this place was s...sacred, I swear. I was just trying to catch those monkey b...bastards for messing with me in the forest, and I was led here."
The Verdant Warden, with its eyes still narrowed, examined Evan to determine his cultivation. Then it huffed. "Hmph, you're too weak to be a threat to my children, or 'monkey bastards' as you called them. I shall talk to them and verify your actual reason for being here." It got up and started walking back toward the Heartwood Tree.
Seeing the Verdant Warden walk away, Evan watched for a brief moment, then lay flat on the ground and wiped the sweat from his brow. Phew, I thought I was gonna die for sure. I got too comfortable; I need to be more careful.
Fifteen feet away, the Warden stopped walking and glanced over its shoulder towards Evan. "Follow me," it commanded.
The command startled Evan stiff, and he shot up. "Sir, yes, sir!" he said, then ran to catch up. I don't have much choice here. Better to stay on its good side.
As they walked back towards the tree, the other creatures bowed to the Verdant Warden as it passed, leaving Evan awestruck. Jogging to keep up with the giant beast's steps, he said to himself, "So this is the big boss of this forest, huh? Must be nice to own this place."
The Warden, hearing this, responded telepathically, "No, I do not own the forest, little human. Nobody does. We just all live off the land, and this is my territory."
The rest of the time was spent in silence as Evan observed his surroundings. The forest was alive with vibrant colors and unusual plants. The trees were colossal, with trunks covered in a thick, mossy bark. Their branches stretched out like massive arms, adorned with bioluminescent flowers that glowed softly in the dim light. Strange, ethereal vines hung down, swaying gently as if whispering secrets of the forest.
Evan noticed creatures of various shapes and sizes moving gracefully through the underbrush. Some had glowing eyes that peered curiously at him, while others flitted about like shadows. It was a mesmerizing and surreal experience, unlike anything he had ever seen. This place is like a scene out of a dream.
As they approached the tree, the ape lowered one of its four hands to the ground. "Get on."
Evan complied with another "Sir, yes, sir," then the ape gently closed its hand around him and swiftly climbed the tree all the way to the top, which was above the clouds. At the top, the air was thin, causing Evan to have difficulty breathing. The Verdant Warden noticed this and emitted a green aura that adjusted the spiritual essence in the air to mimic the air on the ground. Evan could now breathe easily again and, realizing this change came from the ape, he thanked it. The ape just nodded in response. How powerful is this creature?
Then the ape lazily lay on its back with two arms behind its head and stared at the sky. Evan looked around and saw nothing but clouds, so he mirrored the ape and did the same. Looking at the sky, it was the clearest Evan had ever seen it, both here and back on Earth. The sky was an amalgamation of swirling colors with millions of stars that seemed close enough to touch. He saw three moons and even what he assumed were different planets. Evan glanced over and saw the ape gazing at the sky. This is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Maybe being here isn't so bad after all.
After some time, the silence was broken, but not by Evan. The Verdant Warden said, "Little human... what did you mean by 'this world'? Are you not from here?"
Evan, half-asleep from boredom and a long day, was startled by the sudden voice in his head. He shot up into a sitting position and wiped the drool from his cheek. "Huh? What?" he said as he looked around. Crap, did I offend it?
The Verdant Warden's brow creased slightly. "Making me repeat myself again... I said, what did you mean when you said this world gets crazier and crazier?"
Evan remembered what he had said earlier. "Oh, that. Yeah, I'm not from this world. I'm from somewhere called Earth. There, we have no such thing as cultivators, nor do animals speak. There aren't giant trees thirty feet high or three moons. Nothing you see here is on Earth." Might as well tell the truth. No point in lying to something that can probably read my mind.
Evan saw no problem telling this to the Verdant Warden because he had no reason to lie. This beast could squash him like an ant whether he told the truth or not. He was just a speck of dust in its eyes. The ape was intrigued by Evan's words. It rolled on its side and held its head up with two of its arms. "That place sounds horrible. Tell me more about it and how you ended up here."
Evan was at a loss for words at this sudden change in mood and asked, "I'm going to tell you, but first, what happened to the earlier might you showed before? I was scared shitless! I even pissed myself!"
The Verdant Warden waved its hand as if shooing away a fly. "That's unimportant. I can't be showing weakness to an intruder in front of my people. Now hurry, tell me about this Earth," it said with a sparkle in its eye.
Evan rolled his eyes at the ridiculous situation and then recounted his life from the abandonment of his family to deciding to live off the land, to the moment he fell off the mountain. He told the ape about meeting Kai, how his soul now inhabited Kai's body, Kai's final wishes, and what led to his coming here. He shared everything. This is insane. I'm spilling my guts to a giant telepathic ape.
Evan saw the ape go through a rollercoaster of emotions over the four hours it took to recount his whole story. It's actually listening. Maybe it understands more than I thought.
After Evan was done, the Verdant Warden paused midway as it was about to put another fruit into its mouth. These fruits were brought for both of them sometime halfway through the story, and the ape was chowing down on them like popcorn, while Evan was only on his first one due to the dense spiritual essence and his fear of passing out again from too much spiritual essence.
The Verdant Warden looked thoughtfully at Evan. "So you are from another world entirely. Fascinating. Your story is filled with hardship and resilience. It explains why your soul is so strong despite your weak cultivation."
Evan nodded, feeling a bit more relaxed now that he had shared his story. "Yeah, it's been a wild ride. But I guess I'm here now, and I have to figure out how to survive and maybe even thrive in this place." I can't believe I'm actually here. This is my life now.
The Verdant Warden nodded. "Indeed. You have potential, little human. Perhaps you can learn much from this world and its inhabitants. For now, rest and regain your strength. We shall see what your future holds."
Evan took a deep breath, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. He lay back down and stared at the sky, wondering what adventures awaited him in this strange, new world. I have no idea what's coming next, but I'm ready for it.
The Verdant Warden, sensing his curiosity, spoke again, "You are now in the Heartwood Forest, a place of ancient power. This tree," the Warden gestured to the massive trunk they were perched on, "is the Heartwood Tree, the oldest and most sacred tree in this forest. It channels the spiritual essence of the land and nourishes all who live here."
Evan listened intently, absorbing the information. "So, this tree... it's like a lifeline for the forest?"
"Yes," the Verdant Warden confirmed. "The Heartwood Tree sustains the balance of nature here. It is said that its roots reach into the core of the world, drawing upon the purest forms of spiritual essence. This is why the creatures here, including myself, have evolved to such forms."
Evan glanced around, seeing the forest with new eyes. "That explains why everything here feels so... alive. More than anywhere I've ever been."
The Verdant Warden nodded. "Indeed. The Heartwood Forest is a sanctuary, protected from the outside world. Few humans venture here, and even fewer leave. It is a place of learning and growth, for those willing to respect its ways."
Evan looked back at the massive tree, feeling a sense of awe. "I can see why. This place is incredible. But why are you helping me? I'm just a stranger here."
The Warden's eyes softened slightly. "You carry a strong soul, little human. Despite your initial fear, you show potential. Perhaps, in time, you can learn to live in harmony with this world. For now, rest and regain your strength. Tomorrow, we will see what you are capable of."
Evan felt a wave of gratitude. "Thank you... uh, do you have a name?"
The Verdant Warden smiled, revealing its sharp teeth in what Evan hoped was a friendly gesture. "Names are not important in the forest. But you may call me Verdant."
Evan nodded. "Thank you, Verdant. I'll do my best not to disappoint you."
With that, the Verdant Warden closed its eyes, indicating the conversation was over. Evan lay back down, staring up at the mesmerizing sky, feeling both humbled and hopeful about the journey ahead. This world is full of wonders and dangers, but maybe, just maybe, I can find my place in it.