Shaman and Ariana were watching the teacups before them, especially the old chimpanzee, being reluctant to even touch it. Shaman was already suspecting that it could be poison. On the other hand, Ren simply raised it, sipping on it with closed eyes.
“Sweet. Not overly, but still… It has a very rich flavor and a strong aftertaste.” She said after putting it back down.
“I’m glad you like it.” ‘Catherine’ nodded.
“If I wanted to relax I could imagine myself drinking this but since discovering coffee, nothing can come close to its taste.” She added with a soft smile..
“I’m unfamiliar with that drink.” She answered honestly while Ren produced a small pouch with beans in it, telling her how to prepare it properly, passing it onto her. “You know,” She said after sniffing at it, “This was the first exchange between me and a human. Ever.”
“I don’t know what happened here that long ago,” Ren said as she looked into her eyes. “But more or less… I can guess at it, going along with your words. It does not mean I agree, but I can see your point.”
“Of course you won’t agree with it, you are a human. Your kind always exploited nature instead of coexisting with it.” She nodded without any anger, like someone who just states facts.
“Maybe. I can’t refute that claim… but I don’t think it is that black or white. Take for example how cultivators rose up after the Tear. They follow the steps of Harmony. It says a lot about how things can change.” Ren continued.
“Maybe. I heard and sensed it for myself, especially when that strong human, named Aerthus, came and visited the one called Rumira.”
“Oh? You really know about a lot of things, eh?” Ren chuckled.
“Yes. We are all connected, even if just faintly.” Catherine raised her own cup, acting elegantly and with a charming expression she gently took a small sip herself, closing her eyes. Ren fell silent, thinking about her words, coming to the conclusion that it was possible that every tree in the forest was somewhat connected to her. Even if only on a subconscious level. “If it is true, I hope your species may change your ways… But I feel differently about you.” She said as she opened her eyes again, looking into Ren’s eyes. “Your aura is more dominating, exploitative… forceful.”
“I can’t deny that.” Ren replied, not looking away as her eyes twitched a little. “I have my reasons that I turned out this way. Maybe it was destined as my nature can be… impulsive. After all these years, I still can’t help it. I do things based on my feelings and not on logic. I blame my early years for it.”
“Haahhh…” Leinor sighed inside her head as he clearly understood her real meaning. Knowing that in her previous life, she was blessed with a body, the same kind that Toobu has. Back then, she cultivated it to the pinnacle but it cost her to lose all emotions, incapable of feelings. It literally froze her own heart. She turned into nothing more than a machine, always searching for the best and most optimal course of action. When she ditched her old body, attaining Godhood, she formed a completely new vessel for herself and finally was capable of forming real feelings once again. Everything came back so suddenly it overwhelmed her and it took her years to finally stabilize once again, both in body and in mind. Since then, she never looked back, not as Athos the Mad God, not as Ren. She was an entity who always followed her pure and honest feelings, earning her title… and it didn’t change after dying once.
“You’re weird.” Catherine answered. “Sometimes I feel wisdom comes out from your lips and your eyes but sometimes I only see a human who is irrational and unpredictable.”
“You are not wrong about that.” Ren laughed. “But why are we talking about me? What about you? When sending out your message, you realized that the wording was way too blunt, no?”
“Of course.” She acknowledged it immediately. “Yet it was our honest thoughts. It is not just me but all of the rest of my children. I am the one who speaks but it is because only I can listen to the others at the same time. You may now see yourself only talking to me, but know this, you are talking with all of us at once.”
“Hive mind…?” Ren murmured, leaning back on her chair.
“No… not really. But if you want to describe it like that, so be it.” Catherine said as she shook her head but explained no further. “We are not against the demons unifying the forest, establishing their own empire or kingdom. We welcome it as this is what should happen. But it should happen on their own terms, doing it by their own two hands and not with you… not with humans’ interference! We won’t allow that!” She said with a somewhat more forceful voice, commanding presence for herself.
“So you don’t care even if they build up an empire that enslaves others or massacres them?” Shaman asked with an angry voice.
“We don’t. It is their choice. If it is a wrong choice it is going to be their wrong choice which is going to be important in the future. Without examples we can not point to what not to do next time. How are we going to know what is right or wrong if we do not make mistakes?” She asked back, looking at Shaman with a calm light in her eyes and her mixed voice sounded like a teacher questioning her student.
“It still costs countless lives!” Ariana said with a shocked voice.
“Yes. You humans should know it best.” Catherine said as she looked at her, only answering with that one phrase, keeping her eyes locked with Ariana’s.
“So…” Ren continued, grabbing back her attention. “You are fine with whatever happens if we are not here?”
“Exactly. We tolerated you for years because the region you built up was not run by humans. Yes, your kind moved a little back into our forest, but they were only guests and it was still led by demons… Yet now I hear that a human is here and she wants to build up an alliance? Leading it? Demons looking up to a human? Willing to follow her orders and will? Even hearing that some started worshiping her?” She asked again and again, leaning forward and they could hear leaves rustling in the distance and the golden light around them flickered a little.
“Worshiping? Me?” Ren laughed. “I hope not! Also, who said I’d want to lead that thing? No way! Too much work and hassle! I’d delegate it to Niji and the rest. Miss me with that endless and unthankful work!” She rolled her eyes while Shaman just nodded, completely agreeing with her.
“Hope he knows about it.” Shaman added while Ren just grinned at his words. “And I hope you won’t try to make me stay! After all this, I’m going back to the Sect!”
“He knows but he still does not realize what it would mean for him.” Ren replied quickly, before focusing her attention on Catherine once again. “All in all, your worries are based on hearsay and nothing else.”
“Then you won’t have any problems leaving this forest and never coming back.” Catherine said as she leaned backwards.
“Yes I would have a problem with that.” Ren replied without much fear in her voice. “You can’t tell me what to do! You are not my mother, father and neither my husband nor my Master. Also, you can’t tell the demons what to do either! Wasn’t this the gist of your big speech from earlier? Letting them do what they want? Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter? Now it all gets thrown out the window because they want a human amongst them? Are you even listening to what you are saying?” She laughed loudly while Ariana also smiled, crossing her arms, taking after her Master’s usual body language.
“That’s not it. There is a difference in human interference and-” Catherine said immediately.
“You are more human than you’d think.” Shaman exclaimed from nowhere, blinking his eyes with realization.
“What did you just say?” Catherine turned towards him and it was hard to say if she was angry or surprised but the calm and indifferent exterior was already shaken up.
“Yeah, you act like a human would! An overly emotional human! I saw how they act, with my own eyes!” Shaman nodded. “You are trying to act so differently yet you are using a human body, customs, etc. Hah… I just now realized it!” He snorted with contempt.
“He is right.” Ren agreed. “Especially the negative aspects of your thoughts! All of yours I mean. You keep the humans trapped and alive because of the grudge of yours from the past, no? For cutting down your ancestors and making furnitures out of them! This is why you ‘punish’ them, which I would call torture instead.”
“Master…” Ariana whispered as she thought they already talked about this, not to bring it up but it was already too late.
“What do you know?” Catherine raised her voice and the sound of rustling of leaves became even more apparent. It was sounding like a forest when the wind picked up before a storm. “You barely lived yet!”
“So what?” Ren tilted her head. “Just because you are older, that does not mean you are also wiser. Age does not bring wisdom. It brings experience, yes, but a dumb one would not know how to turn that experience into wisdom either way!”
“M-master…” Ariana interrupted her again, with a voice transmission. “You just called her dumb! This is going south, way too fast!” She tried to urge her Master to not let her lips be even looser.
“You know nothing, you selfish human! You just-” Catherine answered, further raising her voice but before she could berate Ren, an explosion-like shout resonated everywhere and it came from none other but Ariana.
“TAKE IT BACK! She is not selfish!” She was already standing, slamming her hands onto the table, while her face was turning red. The voice inside her head that usually told her to be calm and take it easy now was also fuming just the same. She could not hold back her words at all. “She would’ve sacrificed herself for us! Don’t you DARE to call her selfish again you overgrown twig!”
“Do you know who-” Catherine looked at Ariana but she was surprised once again. Even if it did not show it on her face, Ren could see it inside her eyes. She could not help but smile, letting her disciple air out her feelings, even giggling at her next words.
“FUCK YOU!” Ariana swore loudly. “Whatever you want to say, just… FUCK YOU!”
“Bwahahaha! That's a real human emotion!” Shaman laughed, slapping his own thighs. “No wonder we are cousin species, because I feel the same way! Hah! Yes! Fuck you! Bwahahaha!”
Catherine was already stumped for words. Everything went in a way she was not expecting. This conversation was completely unpredicted… and looking at the smiling Ren she realized, this is why she disliked humans. They were unpredictable. Her thoughts slowly traveled down this road, inside her head, hearing the constant feedback from the rest of the ents who were connected to her mind. They were raging about Ariana’s words but then another voice interjected into the ‘conversation’, coming from Ren.
“I can guess what you are thinking about.” Ren explained with a smirk. “Now tell me… aren’t you all acting the same as us? Aren’t you debating on how to punish us? Or my disciple, for her words? Tell me that I am wrong! Look into my eyes and tell me!” She said with a forceful tone before switching to a more friendly voice. “Let me ask you this, ‘Queen’ of the Ents;” She said as she leaned forward on the table while Ariana was still standing, huffing and puffing next to her. “When you gained sentience, I bet you were trying to talk with humans at first. Yet how did they react? Did they still cut your kind down? Looking down on you because you were… trees? Or with fear as you were talking, thinking and feeling trees? Maybe both?”
Her words visibly shook her body and ‘Catherine’ fell a little backwards in her chair while the voices of the other ents died down one by one. She was looking over Ariana then Shaman, before her eyes turned back towards Ren who was still watching her with a smile.
“Relax.” Ren sighed in the end, patting the back of her disciple, pulling her into her own lap, stroking her head. She was quickly turning Ariana’s rageful mood into a completely embarrassed one. Ren’s one word was aimed more at Catherine than Ariana. After a little pause she continued, still playing with her disciple’s hair. “We are not that different, no matter how hard you try to distinguish our species. We think, we feel, we live and die. You said you were not a hive mind, then I can guess, you all have your own thoughts, your own personalities. Who says some of you won’t act aggressively or out of line? Go against others because he or she feels above the rest?” tilted her head, as Shaman’s eyes also turned serious once again. “Have you ever looked into what the others were doing?”
“...” Catherine by now completely fell silent and her eyes returned to calmness just like her expression.
“You may say you are old compared to me, implying that true knowledge exists behind that timeframe. Yet your species is a baby compared to mine. If you want to play around with the concept of time and the ‘know how’, related to that, I can be a partner in that play too.”
“...”
“If you need time, we can continue this tomorrow.” She chuckled, finally letting Ariana stand up from her lap, sitting back to her own chair.
“Let’s do that.” Catherine said in the end, surprising Ariana and Shaman but Ren just nodded.
Not long after they were transported outside of the giant tree, it fell silent and unmoving. Even when the wind was blowing. Stepping onto the cobbled stone streets, the same falcon who delivered the message previously, was waiting for them. He said nothing and just led them to a luxurious villa. After arriving and opening the door with his beak, he did not follow them inside but it was clear, dozens of other bird demons were standing guard, watching them from the outside.
“Hah, you showed it to her!” Shaman laughed, after closing the door, slapping the back of Ariana, who was greatly embarrassed of what she did. “That felt good! Thank you!”
“Hauh…” She played with the edge of her clothes, darting her eyes left and right. “I’m just glad it came out okay! It could’ve turned out really, really bad and then I would have screwed up everything!”
“Yeah, it could have!” Ren giggled, already watching the ancient, somewhat faded paintings along the walls. They were depicting different rulers, the dates of their reigns marked below them, next to their names. It seemed that they were inside one of the royal lineage’s homes. Multiple, marble staircases led up to the second floor, to who knows where. Who knows what else may lay behind the old, closed doors, being kept shut for two millennia. “Especially because…” She added but in the end she went quiet.
“Because?” Both of them asked her at the same time, looking at Ren who just grinned, turning her head back over her shoulder.
“Because you were telling a true Demigod to fuck off.”
Shaman and Ariana were watching the teacups before them, especially the old chimpanzee, being reluctant to even touch it. Shaman was already suspecting that it could be poison. On the other hand, Ren simply raised it, sipping on it with closed eyes.
“Sweet. Not overly, but still… It has a very rich flavor and a strong aftertaste.” She said after putting it back down.
“I’m glad you like it.” ‘Catherine’ nodded.
“If I wanted to relax I could imagine myself drinking this but since discovering coffee, nothing can come close to its taste.” She added with a soft smile..
“I’m unfamiliar with that drink.” She answered honestly while Ren produced a small pouch with beans in it, telling her how to prepare it properly, passing it onto her. “You know,” She said after sniffing at it, “This was the first exchange between me and a human. Ever.”
“I don’t know what happened here that long ago,” Ren said as she looked into her eyes. “But more or less… I can guess at it, going along with your words. It does not mean I agree, but I can see your point.”
“Of course you won’t agree with it, you are a human. Your kind always exploited nature instead of coexisting with it.” She nodded without any anger, like someone who just states facts.
“Maybe. I can’t refute that claim… but I don’t think it is that black or white. Take for example how cultivators rose up after the Tear. They follow the steps of Harmony. It says a lot about how things can change.” Ren continued.
“Maybe. I heard and sensed it for myself, especially when that strong human, named Aerthus, came and visited the one called Rumira.”
“Oh? You really know about a lot of things, eh?” Ren chuckled.
“Yes. We are all connected, even if just faintly.” Catherine raised her own cup, acting elegantly and with a charming expression she gently took a small sip herself, closing her eyes. Ren fell silent, thinking about her words, coming to the conclusion that it was possible that every tree in the forest was somewhat connected to her. Even if only on a subconscious level. “If it is true, I hope your species may change your ways… But I feel differently about you.” She said as she opened her eyes again, looking into Ren’s eyes. “Your aura is more dominating, exploitative… forceful.”
“I can’t deny that.” Ren replied, not looking away as her eyes twitched a little. “I have my reasons that I turned out this way. Maybe it was destined as my nature can be… impulsive. After all these years, I still can’t help it. I do things based on my feelings and not on logic. I blame my early years for it.”
“Haahhh…” Leinor sighed inside her head as he clearly understood her real meaning. Knowing that in her previous life, she was blessed with a body, the same kind that Toobu has. Back then, she cultivated it to the pinnacle but it cost her to lose all emotions, incapable of feelings. It literally froze her own heart. She turned into nothing more than a machine, always searching for the best and most optimal course of action. When she ditched her old body, attaining Godhood, she formed a completely new vessel for herself and finally was capable of forming real feelings once again. Everything came back so suddenly it overwhelmed her and it took her years to finally stabilize once again, both in body and in mind. Since then, she never looked back, not as Athos the Mad God, not as Ren. She was an entity who always followed her pure and honest feelings, earning her title… and it didn’t change after dying once.
“You’re weird.” Catherine answered. “Sometimes I feel wisdom comes out from your lips and your eyes but sometimes I only see a human who is irrational and unpredictable.”
“You are not wrong about that.” Ren laughed. “But why are we talking about me? What about you? When sending out your message, you realized that the wording was way too blunt, no?”
“Of course.” She acknowledged it immediately. “Yet it was our honest thoughts. It is not just me but all of the rest of my children. I am the one who speaks but it is because only I can listen to the others at the same time. You may now see yourself only talking to me, but know this, you are talking with all of us at once.”
“Hive mind…?” Ren murmured, leaning back on her chair.
“No… not really. But if you want to describe it like that, so be it.” Catherine said as she shook her head but explained no further. “We are not against the demons unifying the forest, establishing their own empire or kingdom. We welcome it as this is what should happen. But it should happen on their own terms, doing it by their own two hands and not with you… not with humans’ interference! We won’t allow that!” She said with a somewhat more forceful voice, commanding presence for herself.
“So you don’t care even if they build up an empire that enslaves others or massacres them?” Shaman asked with an angry voice.
“We don’t. It is their choice. If it is a wrong choice it is going to be their wrong choice which is going to be important in the future. Without examples we can not point to what not to do next time. How are we going to know what is right or wrong if we do not make mistakes?” She asked back, looking at Shaman with a calm light in her eyes and her mixed voice sounded like a teacher questioning her student.
“It still costs countless lives!” Ariana said with a shocked voice.
“Yes. You humans should know it best.” Catherine said as she looked at her, only answering with that one phrase, keeping her eyes locked with Ariana’s.
“So…” Ren continued, grabbing back her attention. “You are fine with whatever happens if we are not here?”
“Exactly. We tolerated you for years because the region you built up was not run by humans. Yes, your kind moved a little back into our forest, but they were only guests and it was still led by demons… Yet now I hear that a human is here and she wants to build up an alliance? Leading it? Demons looking up to a human? Willing to follow her orders and will? Even hearing that some started worshiping her?” She asked again and again, leaning forward and they could hear leaves rustling in the distance and the golden light around them flickered a little.
“Worshiping? Me?” Ren laughed. “I hope not! Also, who said I’d want to lead that thing? No way! Too much work and hassle! I’d delegate it to Niji and the rest. Miss me with that endless and unthankful work!” She rolled her eyes while Shaman just nodded, completely agreeing with her.
“Hope he knows about it.” Shaman added while Ren just grinned at his words. “And I hope you won’t try to make me stay! After all this, I’m going back to the Sect!”
“He knows but he still does not realize what it would mean for him.” Ren replied quickly, before focusing her attention on Catherine once again. “All in all, your worries are based on hearsay and nothing else.”
“Then you won’t have any problems leaving this forest and never coming back.” Catherine said as she leaned backwards.
“Yes I would have a problem with that.” Ren replied without much fear in her voice. “You can’t tell me what to do! You are not my mother, father and neither my husband nor my Master. Also, you can’t tell the demons what to do either! Wasn’t this the gist of your big speech from earlier? Letting them do what they want? Right or wrong, it doesn’t matter? Now it all gets thrown out the window because they want a human amongst them? Are you even listening to what you are saying?” She laughed loudly while Ariana also smiled, crossing her arms, taking after her Master’s usual body language.
“That’s not it. There is a difference in human interference and-” Catherine said immediately.
“You are more human than you’d think.” Shaman exclaimed from nowhere, blinking his eyes with realization.
“What did you just say?” Catherine turned towards him and it was hard to say if she was angry or surprised but the calm and indifferent exterior was already shaken up.
“Yeah, you act like a human would! An overly emotional human! I saw how they act, with my own eyes!” Shaman nodded. “You are trying to act so differently yet you are using a human body, customs, etc. Hah… I just now realized it!” He snorted with contempt.
“He is right.” Ren agreed. “Especially the negative aspects of your thoughts! All of yours I mean. You keep the humans trapped and alive because of the grudge of yours from the past, no? For cutting down your ancestors and making furnitures out of them! This is why you ‘punish’ them, which I would call torture instead.”
“Master…” Ariana whispered as she thought they already talked about this, not to bring it up but it was already too late.
“What do you know?” Catherine raised her voice and the sound of rustling of leaves became even more apparent. It was sounding like a forest when the wind picked up before a storm. “You barely lived yet!”
“So what?” Ren tilted her head. “Just because you are older, that does not mean you are also wiser. Age does not bring wisdom. It brings experience, yes, but a dumb one would not know how to turn that experience into wisdom either way!”
“M-master…” Ariana interrupted her again, with a voice transmission. “You just called her dumb! This is going south, way too fast!” She tried to urge her Master to not let her lips be even looser.
“You know nothing, you selfish human! You just-” Catherine answered, further raising her voice but before she could berate Ren, an explosion-like shout resonated everywhere and it came from none other but Ariana.
“TAKE IT BACK! She is not selfish!” She was already standing, slamming her hands onto the table, while her face was turning red. The voice inside her head that usually told her to be calm and take it easy now was also fuming just the same. She could not hold back her words at all. “She would’ve sacrificed herself for us! Don’t you DARE to call her selfish again you overgrown twig!”
“Do you know who-” Catherine looked at Ariana but she was surprised once again. Even if it did not show it on her face, Ren could see it inside her eyes. She could not help but smile, letting her disciple air out her feelings, even giggling at her next words.
“FUCK YOU!” Ariana swore loudly. “Whatever you want to say, just… FUCK YOU!”
“Bwahahaha! That's a real human emotion!” Shaman laughed, slapping his own thighs. “No wonder we are cousin species, because I feel the same way! Hah! Yes! Fuck you! Bwahahaha!”
Catherine was already stumped for words. Everything went in a way she was not expecting. This conversation was completely unpredicted… and looking at the smiling Ren she realized, this is why she disliked humans. They were unpredictable. Her thoughts slowly traveled down this road, inside her head, hearing the constant feedback from the rest of the ents who were connected to her mind. They were raging about Ariana’s words but then another voice interjected into the ‘conversation’, coming from Ren.
“I can guess what you are thinking about.” Ren explained with a smirk. “Now tell me… aren’t you all acting the same as us? Aren’t you debating on how to punish us? Or my disciple, for her words? Tell me that I am wrong! Look into my eyes and tell me!” She said with a forceful tone before switching to a more friendly voice. “Let me ask you this, ‘Queen’ of the Ents;” She said as she leaned forward on the table while Ariana was still standing, huffing and puffing next to her. “When you gained sentience, I bet you were trying to talk with humans at first. Yet how did they react? Did they still cut your kind down? Looking down on you because you were… trees? Or with fear as you were talking, thinking and feeling trees? Maybe both?”
Her words visibly shook her body and ‘Catherine’ fell a little backwards in her chair while the voices of the other ents died down one by one. She was looking over Ariana then Shaman, before her eyes turned back towards Ren who was still watching her with a smile.
“Relax.” Ren sighed in the end, patting the back of her disciple, pulling her into her own lap, stroking her head. She was quickly turning Ariana’s rageful mood into a completely embarrassed one. Ren’s one word was aimed more at Catherine than Ariana. After a little pause she continued, still playing with her disciple’s hair. “We are not that different, no matter how hard you try to distinguish our species. We think, we feel, we live and die. You said you were not a hive mind, then I can guess, you all have your own thoughts, your own personalities. Who says some of you won’t act aggressively or out of line? Go against others because he or she feels above the rest?” tilted her head, as Shaman’s eyes also turned serious once again. “Have you ever looked into what the others were doing?”
“...” Catherine by now completely fell silent and her eyes returned to calmness just like her expression.
“You may say you are old compared to me, implying that true knowledge exists behind that timeframe. Yet your species is a baby compared to mine. If you want to play around with the concept of time and the ‘know how’, related to that, I can be a partner in that play too.”
“...”
“If you need time, we can continue this tomorrow.” She chuckled, finally letting Ariana stand up from her lap, sitting back to her own chair.
“Let’s do that.” Catherine said in the end, surprising Ariana and Shaman but Ren just nodded.
Not long after they were transported outside of the giant tree, it fell silent and unmoving. Even when the wind was blowing. Stepping onto the cobbled stone streets, the same falcon who delivered the message previously, was waiting for them. He said nothing and just led them to a luxurious villa. After arriving and opening the door with his beak, he did not follow them inside but it was clear, dozens of other bird demons were standing guard, watching them from the outside.
“Hah, you showed it to her!” Shaman laughed, after closing the door, slapping the back of Ariana, who was greatly embarrassed of what she did. “That felt good! Thank you!”
“Hauh…” She played with the edge of her clothes, darting her eyes left and right. “I’m just glad it came out okay! It could’ve turned out really, really bad and then I would have screwed up everything!”
“Yeah, it could have!” Ren giggled, already watching the ancient, somewhat faded paintings along the walls. They were depicting different rulers, the dates of their reigns marked below them, next to their names. It seemed that they were inside one of the royal lineage’s homes. Multiple, marble staircases led up to the second floor, to who knows where. Who knows what else may lay behind the old, closed doors, being kept shut for two millennia. “Especially because…” She added but in the end she went quiet.
“Because?” Both of them asked her at the same time, looking at Ren who just grinned, turning her head back over her shoulder.
“Because you were telling a true Demigod to fuck off.”
