He had become stronger and taller in these months as he continued searching for the elusive fruits in the dangerous parts of the forest despite the severe lessons and the numerous scars he had. These scars were proof of various dangerous situations that he had faced but he still could not find that intoxicating fruit. He continued searching for the fruit despite all the odds and situations that he faced.
On another day, he was traveling through an area where no sign of animals could be seen for miles then suddenly he perceived an alluring smell. This smell was similar to that of pear-shaped fruit which he was desperately searching for. This smell brought excitement spreading to his whole body. He immediately started running in the direction of that smell.
He finally saw a tree that was similar to the previous trees which bore those pear-shaped fruit. But this tree was different as it was very large and wide compared to the previous two trees which bore those fruits and had long branches spreading around the area. The alluring smell was also somewhat different from that of previous trees. As he went near the tree he realized the height of the tree was also very long as he could not see the top of the tree. The heart-shaped leaves on the tree were rustling in the wind as if bringing some soothing sounds. As he went near the tree, the alluring smell became stronger and stronger. He realized this smell was much stronger and gave a strange type of euphoric feeling that he never felt before which was not there in the previous two trees.
He also became slightly apprehensive that this tree might be more dangerous than the previous one as he recalled the illusion he felt when he touched that tree before. He also doubted if the fruits on this tree would have the same effect as the previous trees as he could distinctly feel that this tree was very different from those before. Nevertheless, he had decided to taste the fruits on this tree but currently, he was not able to notice any fruits in this tree.
He roamed around the tree for the whole day travelling near and far to look into each nook and corner of the tree. Finally, he found a pair of pear-shaped fruits in the tree. The difference in fruits this time was that the two fruits were more curved towards each other as if forming a circle together. The two pear-shaped fruits complemented each other perfectly, each one a striking half of a yin-yang symbol. One fruit was a deep, lustrous dark green, its surface smooth and glossy. The other fruit was a pristine, light green, equally smooth mirroring its counterpart. When placed together, their shapes and colors intertwined seamlessly, creating the illusion of the iconic yin-yang symbol. The contrasting yet harmonious appearance of the fruits evoked a sense of balance and unity as if they were two halves of a single, harmonious whole.
He immediately thought of plucking the fruit, but it was concealed within several branches halfway up the tree and was only visible from a distance, right where he stood. Even if he wanted to throw a stone or use another object like a stick he would have to go near the tree. But as he went near the tree, the fruits were not visible due to interweaving branches blocking it which prevented him from plucking it. He was in a dilemma on how to pluck the fruit. He had not thought of climbing the tree because the previous experience of trying to climb the tree was still fresh in his mind. Previously, he could not climb those similar trees despite all his efforts and instead was almost bewitched by the tree to serve it when he tried touching it.
He tried throwing stones but could not accurately hit the branch due to the large distance. He found sticks could not even go through the lower height of the tree due to interweaving branches. He thought of several ways to get the fruits but nothing seemed to be working. He pondered on any method he could use to raise his height at the level of that of those fruits. He thought of two intertwined trees that he had previously seen and decided to try using another longer tree like a ladder. So, he went in search of a tree with great height and he eventually found one. He used his great strength to uproot the tree from the ground and carried the whole tree towards his target. By the time he reached the target, his whole body was full of sweat as he carried the whole tree along the way and had to make several stops in the middle to take a rest. He then placed the upright tree at some distance from his target and climbed the tree. This time he could clearly see his targeted fruits hanging in the middle of the branch. But his stones and sticks still could not get to the fruits.
He decided to move the tree near his target. So, he again uprooted the tree and started carrying it further ahead to make it a ladder to the fruits but this time as the tree went within a certain distance from the target, it started withering as if life has been sucked out of the tree. Finally, his ladder tree became so weak that it would easily snap with a touch. This bizarre phenomenon alarmed him so much that he immediately went back to keep some distance from the tree feeling great palpitation in his heart.
He remembered the distance up to which the tree was fine, marked it, and left the area. He had decided to not cross that boundary that he set up. He reflected upon the method he wanted to use to get to the fruit. He went back to search for the dangerous spider's territory that he had encountered previously and almost lost his life. He eventually found that area and used several sharp stones to make himself several strong ropes cut out of the spider's silk.
He then went to find another tree with a large height which he easily found, and pruned many of its branches, leaving a few to step on. This was to make it lighter to carry. Then, he dragged the tree placing several ropes on it to his targeted destination, the tree with the intoxicating fruits. Being careful, he placed the tree inside the ground several feet near his marked area, he climbed the tree to a height several feet higher than the fruits and placed several ropes made of silk in it.
He made a few random knots to tie the rope to the branch but when he pulled the rope these knots came off easily which frustrated him. He tried several different ways and after hours of testing, he finally found one which did not immediately fall when he pulled the rope. He decided to use that one. He put some sharp stone in his skin bag, hung it around his neck, and clamped on the rope with both hands getting ready to swing to his targeted fruits.
He had realized earlier that he could not reach the fruits even with the swing. So, he wanted to swing to the furthest point that was nearest to the fruits and throw the sharp stone onto the branch holding the fruits.
He went in the direction opposite to the fruits. Facing the fruits, he forcefully stepped on the trunk of the tree to propel himself forward with a jump at a strange angle.
Whoosh
The rope started swinging towards the fruits along with the boy who was clutching the rope tightly.
In the meanwhile, as he was swinging with the rope, the knot almost snapped before he could get to his desired distance to the fruits as he had not accounted for the explosive power he used to propel himself. But something miraculous occurred and the knot suddenly strengthened itself making it strong enough to hold the boy's weight.
As he went near to the fruits, he readied himself with the sharp stone.
Whoosh
He threw the sharp stone onto the small branch of the tree holding the fruits.
Snap
The branch holding the fruits snapped off.
Because of the swinging effect, he easily returned to the branch of the supporting tree.
He immediately looked at the ground near the target tree but he could not find either the fruits or the fallen branch.
He looked up at the point where the fruits were and saw that the branch was clearly severed. He started searching for the fruits and found that the fruits and the branch were hanging between another two branches a few feet below their original position.
Though they did not fall to the ground, they came to a lower height where he could use his strength to throw stones with the rope attached to it to bind the branch.
After a few hours of effort, he finally managed to catch the branch with the rope he'd thrown using a stone that was attached to one end of the rope, and he slowly pulled the rope down finally getting the branch into his grasp.
He was very excited after getting the fruits because it was the fruit of his enormous effort of searching for almost a year. He wanted to immediately eat the fruit to get intoxicated but refrained from it remembering he was in the territory of that strange tree.
He immediately left the territory of the tree and found a remote, hidden, and safe area.
He brought the branch out of the skin bag and held it in front of him observing the fruits as if observing a lover.
He reached out with the other hand to pluck the fruits when a fair hand appeared out of nowhere to catch his hand, stopping him.
This hand was a masterpiece of elegance, with slender, graceful fingers that tapered to perfectly manicured nails. The skin was smooth and luminous, with a soft, porcelain glow that hinted at meticulous care. Delicate veins traced subtle patterns beneath the surface, adding a touch of natural artistry. Her fingertips moved with a gentle fluidity, revealing a combination of strength and tenderness. The hand, adorned with a simple, elegant ring, exuded an aura of refinement and poise, embodying both beauty and grace in every gesture.