Finding a Way (6) - Tall Tree Forest

When we entered the forest, the trees didn't look out of the ordinary to me. Tall, certainly. Wide trunks here and there. Feargal Pettyfur led the way, helped by markers that had been placed according to young Brady's notes.

 

We made slow but steady progress. Bruin Redbear was pulling a trolley of equipment and his strength came in handy when we encountered exposed tree roots.

 

Feargal came to a halt."I've been here many times and still find it incredible," he said. "These trees are old but as healthy as striplings. They don't seem to be growing any more. The bark is as hard as metal. Although they resemble common varieties they are unlike any others I've encountered."

"It's the energies of Sylvania," said Xenophon. "What some call wild energy. It's usually deep beneath the earth, but here it's close to the surface and it has travelled up the roots affecting all the trees. The interplay between branches is part of the reason these irregular portals pervade the forest. As for the roots... tell them, Delvin."

The mole, who had been examining the ground as he walked along, paused in his actions. "Last week I did a little digging here and there. A small tunnel I created also seemed to lead in unexpected directions."

 

"So we couldn't tunnel beneath the roots," explained Xenophon.

"More than that," said Delvin. "The roots from different trees appear to have fused together. It's almost like it's one big tree."

"It may appear like that," said Feargal, "but they are different types of trees above ground."

 

As if that was all that needed saying on the subject, Feargal's attention returned to following the path towards the next marker. 

 

"Is that tree stuff important to what we need to do?" I asked Xenophon. 

"Only in sense that the trees in forest are interconnected. The energy flows through them like blood in our veins. What happens to one tree has an effect on its neighbours and ultimately the entire forest. It might offer an explanation why the Ricardo's pathway was corrupted."

"How so?" asked Ricardo. 

"The entire valley rarely encounters severe weather. The name Mellowdene isn't by chance. This extends over Tall Tree Forest. Lightning strikes are exceedingly rare, but there was one a few months ago. When we flew over the forest there was evidence of charring of foliage in one place. The trees were barely damaged, but the strike may have affected the flow of the energies and, as a consequence, the portals in the region."

It was an explanation, I suppose. We resumed walking to follow Feargal. I wondered how far along Brady's path we would need to go.

 

 

At last Feargal came to a stop and called back. "This is the place. You'll need your map now."

We joined him and Xenophon consulted his map, turning it to orient it to our surroundings. With deliberation he chose a direction and pointed into dense trees.

"That is the shortest way to the clearing. It's time to use Morwenna's proto-crystal, Jackson."

o 0 O 0 o

Bruno assembled the equipment where Xenophon specified and it was orientated according to the map - pointing in the direction that we wished to go. Mrs Deerheart's shiny stone was placed on top of a custom-made support. 

 

 

There was a ring that had a small key crystal attached so that it could be moved in an arc. My job was to combine orientations of the stone and key to - hopefully - bypass the spatial random looping that made the forest impassable. Yes, I know that sounds complex, but I guess I'm getting used to the jargon. In effect I had to twist the crystals to give us a straight route onwards.

 

Before any of this, Xenophon had to take the proto-crystal out of its dormant state. He came forward and Bruno lifted him so that he could raise his medallion until the tiny fragment of Dreamstone touched the proto-crystal. "There," he said. "It's activated. Now you can show us what you can do." 

 

 

I placed a paw upon the proto-crystal and concentrated. There was the slightest of vibrations and, when I listened carefully there was a humming noise. It reminded me of a dozen or so cellos playing different notes - very discordant and I found it difficult to isolate the individual notes. It was reacting to the chaos of the so-called wild magic flowing in the trees.

"What can you hear?" said Ricardo.

Xenophon waved for him to be quiet but it seemed unfair that the normally jolly pig wouldn't get an answer.

I endeavoured to explain. "It's like a drunken string section of an orchestra playing different chords, not listening to each other. It's unpleasant. I need to make them play together."

"And that will open a path to Chunglewood?" he whispered.

Xenophon took him aside, speaking tonelessly into Ricardo's ear, "We hope so, but there's no guarantee." 

I had to agree. I didn't expect to have such a cacophony to resolve. But I would try. I continued to twist the proto-crystal, tentative in my movements. My companions waited in silence so that I could better hear the changes in pitch. Little seemed to happen. After I had rotated the stone every which way, I moved the key-crystal along its arc and began again.

 

It must have been nearly half an hour before I was able to get some of the tones in harmony. There was an intake of breath from Feargal and I looked up. The path ahead had changed and I saw figures in the distance. They seemed familiar. And with good reason. Rolf Billabong vocalised what we all realised.

"That's us!"

It was. The path I had opened had been yet another twisty loop, but this one ended in a portal to our left side. We were watching ourselves. A cluster of expectant critters watching an unusual piece of apparatus being adjusted by a rabbit. Me.

Xenophon smiled. "Extraordinary. The energies flowing through the tree branches are distorting space more randomly than I could imagine. Carry on, Jackson."

o 0 O 0 o

My twisting and adjusting continued for over an hour longer. My companions had been sitting, leaning and waiting patiently as I worked. The trees ahead swirled as new paths were created and abandoned. Ricardo was watching in fascination. The sounds I heard altered as I progressed, often discordant but sometimes approaching harmony. 

 

The end came quickly. All the notes came together - not in a tuneful chord, but in unison.

 

My throat was dry when I exclaimed, "It's done."

Xenophon peered down the path through the trees. It was straight and long. We all looked. Greenery everywhere. 

 

Nobody spoke until Ricardo turned to me.

"I can't see the clearing."

Xenophon sighed. "The proto-crystal doesn't have the range. Even if we walked to the end of the path, we can't predict where we would emerge if we attempted to go beyond."

"Can't we move the crystal down the path and try again?" asked Rolf.  

"Sadly not," said Xenophon. "As soon as we move the proto-crystal, the path Jackson opened will disappear. We would need another suitable proto-crystal. Which we don't have."  

  

"So we can't get through," said Ricardo. "Chunglewood remains cut off from the rest of Sylvania."

"Just for now, Ricardo. Don't despair. The branches and trunks, all the growth within Tall Tree forest may distort space unpredictably but we mustn't lose hope."

I was disappointed. There were too many trees. If only there was a shorter route... but Xenophon had taken Ricardo aloft and they had found the shortest one. Or had they?

"Xenophon," I said, my idea forming as I spoke, "If it's the amount of trees causing the problem, surely that's what we need to minimise."

"We did, remember? That's why we used Cedric Walnut's Skyrider to look from above."

"Yes... but the least number of trees is surely above the clearing. Could we not use the flying machine to hover above and use the proto-crystal from there?"

The owl laughed and momentarily left the ground. "Brilliant! Worthy of Newton's brain! We could. Of course, we couldn't land the Skyrider. It would need to remain immobile mid-air to keep the pathway open, but we could lower you down with the necessary equipment, and I could fly down to keep you company."

Ricardo frowned. "How would that help?"

 

"There are plenty of proto-crystals down there. Jackson could open up a sequence of paths from within. In fact, if we are lucky to find a higher quality stone, it may only take one to get through."

I was barely listening. The idea of being lowered down from a flying machine didn't sound like fun to me. Why did I open my mouth?

The expedition had taken on an entirely new aspect. Oh dear.

o 0 O 0 o

(To be continued)