Aldebaran watched around, flowers were everywhere, blooming in a vibrant display as if they were drawn to this spot. The tree itself was something else, its trunk twisted upward, and its blue leaves shimmered in the light.
"Unbelievable," he muttered. "Is this... heaven?"
A soft breeze ruffled his clothes, bringing a calm he wasn't used to back on Earth. Butterflies flitted around, and before he could take it all in, a rabbit hopped over, looking excited.
"I saw that!" the rabbit said, speaking as if it were normal. "That light came down from the sky and landed here!"
The rabbit tilted its head, its tone curious. "This area was never this beautiful before. Was it because of you? Who are you? Are you one of the divine?"
Aldebaran halted for a moment, then spoke, "What business is it of yours?"
The rabbit flinched, startled, but stepped after him, clearly annoyed. "What? Wait a second! You're male? Does that mean there's a male divine here too? That's so rare!"
"What do you even know about the divine?"
"Oh, I know a few things! Rumor has it the Goddess of Nature is somewhere in the crowded forest."
Aldebaran frowned. "You don't know where she is?"
"No idea," the rabbit said. "Wait, what do you want with her? Don't tell me it's to make descendants to rule some far-off continent or something?"
Aldebaran raised a brow, his lips curling into a smirk. "Huh. Not a bad idea. I might have a lot of them."
"Figures," the rabbit responded with a shrug. "We do the same thing to manage our own domains!"
Aldebaran shot the rabbit a sidelong glance and murmured under his breath, "Perverted little animal."
Shaking off the weirdness of the moment, he asked, "Are there people nearby? Maybe a village or something?"
"Sure! Oakspire Village isn't too far from here," the rabbit said, its oversized ears twitching. "I could show you, but only if you agree to one condition."
"I don't do negotiations," Aldebaran said, walking off without a care. "If it's close, I'll just find it myself."
"Wait!" The rabbit scrambled after him, nearly tripping over its own feet. "I thought... I thought you were here to free us from our despair!"
He stopped. "Why would you think that?"
"B-because..." The rabbit's voice wavered, weak and desperate. "Aren't you divine beings? Aren't you here to fix everything?"
Armed with what little the system had explained to him, Aldebaran replied coolly, "What are you talking about? Haven't you had the Goddess of Nature for eons?"
"Yes! But things are out of control!" The rabbit hopped in the spot, its frantic energy making it look even smaller. "Humans are clearing our lands, and the Goddess hasn't responded to our calls! Something must be wrong!"
Aldebaran tilted his head. "Calls? What calls?"
"It's how we communicate with her—magic rituals, offerings, that sort of thing," the rabbit explained, its expression darkening. "But nothing's worked. Please, you've got to help us! We're no match for human strength. Even the Prophet hasn't visited us!"
[Quest: Help the Rabbit Flock
Objective: Talk to Oakspire citizens about the issue.]
Aldebaran frowned, recalling the basic knowledge about the realm. Prophets were messengers of the Goddess, responsible for conveying her decisions and mediating between humans and other races. They could intervene to resolve issues, but there were cases where they couldn't, often due to other constraints.
"Let's see what I can do," Aldebaran decided, his voice calm but noncommittal. The rabbit relaxed, a sigh of relief escaping its small frame.
"Great! Follow me, I'll take you to Oakspire Village!" the rabbit said and led the way.
Aldebaran followed at a steady pace. Meeting Thalendra wasn't on his immediate to-do list, he wasn't ready for that kind of confrontation. His limited skills and the unreliable Aura of God wouldn't protect him against a force like hers. He needed more quests—more opportunities to grow stronger.
The route to Oakspire twisted through bends and steep downhill slopes until they reached a wooden bridge spanning a shallow river. On the other side lay the village. The humans there watched him cautiously, their faces showing more suspicion than welcome.
Beyond the village, Aldebaran noticed the real damage, trees felled in droves, their stumps left as scars on the land. Massive creatures were at work, hauling the timber.
"What are those?"
The rabbit's ears drooped as it sighed. "Orbivians. One-eyed Giants—they were once Guardians of the Forest." Its voice was tinged with sadness. "But look at them now. They've bowed to the humans, helping destroy what they were meant to protect."
This problem was more complicated than Aldebaran had anticipated. If even the Goddess, with all her power, couldn't fix things, rushing into action without a clear direction could make things worse.
"Think smarter. You're a God now," he muttered under his breath.
As he entered the village, a gruff voice broke his thoughts. "Nice clothes. Where'd you get those?" An old man dressed in tattered, dirt-stained attire eyed him curiously.
Aldebaran gave him a smile. "Handmade."
Before the old man could respond, a hulking brute stepped into view. His tone was as heavy as his muscles and made it clear he wasn't a fan of strangers. Aldebaran couldn't help but notice the man looked strong enough to knock him flat with one hit.
"An adventurer, huh? What do you want here?"
"Ah, this little rabbit needs shelter," Aldebaran said calmly, his tone almost absurd. The rabbit was surprised, clearly not expecting to be put on the spot. "Its home has been wrecked."
The old man chuckled. "Like we care about that. Look around, stranger. We live in the middle of the woods. What do you think keeps our bellies full? Timber's our livelihood."
"Maybe we can talk."
The brute scoffed. "Pointless. The Goddess of Nature had no answers, and now we've got to deal with those blasted Forest Spirits!" He gestured toward a distant hill, densely overgrown with towering trees. "And now you want us to care about some rabbit? Give me a break!"
Aldebaran didn't flinch. "How can I find the Goddess?"
"Who knows? Ask her Prophet—if they ever show up!" The man's voice was sharp, laced with frustration. "But don't count on it. And don't waste your time or mine with useless questions. You'll get nothing from them."
Aldebaran watched the man as he began splitting wood with an axe. Both sides had their own ideals. He needed to listen to both sides and gather information before making any decisions.
"What's happened now?"
"Patient little creature," Aldebaran uttered under his breath, his eyes softening as he bowed his head. "Looks like I have to communicate with the Goddess too."
[Objective: Talk to Oakspire citizens about the issue. (Completed)]
[Congratulations! You are now level 3!]
[New Objective: Find out how to perform the Goddess Call Ritual.]
Aldebaran furrowed his brows as he listened to the voice. "You've adjusted to the situation, haven't you?"
[The sooner, the better.]
Aldebaran continued to ask the rabbit, "How do I start the ritual?"