Master Of None

Stagnant water had seemed to pool here and there as Walker looked at the random dips. "What causes these random dips in the ground? It doesn't look like it's shifting from the mountains shifting. I would assume trees, but these places seem to be missing trees." Since Walker wanted to know, Seran and the other angels that heard his questions were fine with explaining the difference in the terrain. They had come through here many times and needed the knowledge to survive.

"It's actually from where trees used to be. The monsters and insects eat away tree stumps from fallen trees. Then the space is washed away by water. After all the roots and stump are gone, this is left. Rocks are exposed making larger and larger pits as more water pools."

"I see, so that means that the roots and stump must be pretty nutritious to those monsters and insects.' Walker was thinking about how the trees must grow and knew that because of all the nutrients from the mountain and in the soil would cause the tree itself to be the perfect food. "That must be why we don't see many smaller trees either."

"If there are not many smaller trees it is because things eat them. I wonder what they are." Gil overheard this and wished that he had Alma there. He was sure that she would have more insight about the way that the forest grew and survived. The trees were massive after all and he had a feeling she would be able to answer more questions about their seeds.

"This forest is also very fast growing. We have tried to take the wood for a few generations. The Rize empire used to get all the wood we could from here before we have trouble with the wyverns. The forest is self sufficient. Any tree cut down often is replaced with two or three in the next year." Seran had a good appreciation of nature in general.

"Midnight avoid the water there. It's not worth the risk." Walker caught Midnight exploring the smaller dip that they were passing. He could see pooled water and some rotting wood in it. In response, Midnight hissed at him before she began scratching at the rotten stump and revealing small brown seeds.

"Those are seeds from that tree? What tree is it Walker?" Remey had seen the small interaction and wanted the seeds immediately. It wasn't because she wanted to grow them but just like Gil, she wanted to show them to Alma. She had been with Alice, Alma, and Su when examining some herbs and talking about healing potions. As far as she was concerned, she would be helping out here.

Walker gave Midnight a slightly annoyed look. He wasn't happy that she had scratched at a rotting log in a place that could definitely have something dangerous hiding in it. His face told Midnight everything and she stepped back a little.

'Swamp oak seed

Even though these trees can grow everywhere, they require a very watery and muddy area to take root. The seeds will be stored in the center of the tree so that when it lives its fifty year life cycle and rots, the seeds can use the body of the tree to grow.

As water pools and eventually overflows the space where the swamp oak grew, they will float to other puddles and in the streams to find a place to take root. The wood is surprisingly soft and great to be used for growing certain grubs if one is to tame insect type monsters.

The wood is also very buoyant until water logged so it is ideal for temporary fishing bobbers or small floating platforms. It also has a great deal of nutrients that helps smaller plants grow. These smaller plants will hide the smaller seedlings until they are able to go through a massive growth spurt. They can reach a height of one hundred feet after fifty years. Then it will become top heavy and fall.'

The all around appraisal was very informational. The uses for the swamp oak was large since it could make things as simple as fishing bobbers to floating rafts. Even better way the fact that they could be used to add nutrients to the soil after it was already rotten and water logged. But the true key was that the tree could live for a set space of life; fifty years. That made it predictable as long as it was protected.

"So it can be used to help us grow herbs and be sold around Genesis. We can give these to Gil's mother." Remey didn't see much use for her other than helping herbs grow better. But this was a good thing. She wouldn't hound him to grab even more seeds since there would be people with better systems that could grow them.

Midnight looked at Walker with her own glare this time. He had shared the appraisal and she was sure that she had found something decent. "Don't give me that look. What if there were monsters' eggs or parasites or something in there? What if that pool of water around it had something venomous?" Walker was a little harsh but Midnight was being rebellious and shook her head at him.

"Walker is right. I expect you to have him check the next pool before you risk anything. You are a dragon but that doesn't mean you are invincible." Su chimed in and Midnight lowered her head. If Su was joining Walker then it was true that Midnight had made a poor judgment of risks.

"Neither of you will want to explore the upcoming dips. This portion of the forest had a storm pass three years ago. It is more dangerous but less large monsters live around it so we will follow through with our march." Seran had talent he map out to show Walker. Everyone gathered around and saw what he was speaking about.

"We know of the storm as well. There were many along the border that had to flee from it in our kingdom." The crystal healer had listened carefully since he was very curious about what the others were doing. It was also slower for the whalers since everyone was just marching along right now. No one needed healing.

It also went to say that the life mages, healers, and crystal mage were researchers in their own right. They wanted to see what Genesis had to offer. They had also been instructed to study the actions of genesis soldiers since all of the Fel empire was interested in what genesis had to offer them that they had yet to share. It would be an important report.

"The storm traveled through. It was thought to be a failed experiment before we realized that a typhoon tiger had been born in the area. A very rare monster that will ignore most things before it ascends to the wind elemental plane. It only comes here to defend its young. It had run in to monsters and sent a tornado to fend them off."

"I'm sorry, but a typhoon tiger?" Gil looked at the crystal healer as if he had just heard another language.

"Yes, a typhoon tiger. There are many different monsters that come to this continent to have their children at certain times. Just because a being goes to an elemental plane does not mean they can't return. We also have summoners but they are too rare in the fel empire. We have yet to attempt research within the elemental planes. We lack the strength to go there." Now, this was news. Not even Seran didn't seem surprised to hear this.

"Genesis is just beginning to touch on pure elemental manas and the fact that the elemental planes can be reached. But it seems that the Sigil continent is larger and has more access to the elemental planes because of this. We should look in to the information we have later." Walker made it clear that this was something both empires could use to trade information with them as their own cards.

Doing so did one thing, it gave the empires a little power and an important way for them to feel more equal with Genesis since Genesis had many unique things they had shown off already. But it also showed that Genesis was willing to learn in everything.

"Regardless of causes, the trees here fell sooner than they should have and this area was plagued by some monsters immediately. Now it has many pools and sharper stones exposed. Not to mention falls in to the pools from the top layer of soil." Seran reiterated the dangers while the soldiers passed the warning down the line. This left the party and especially the dragons to think about the elemental planes and what information they might be able to learn.

….

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