The Brati and the Sentient Forest
Ardyn and Atina stood on a cliff looking down into a vast, broad valley. The valley was filled with massive, ancient trees. The canopy spread out before them, just a few feet below the cliff where they stood. Both felt the magic radiating from the trees, a magic ancient and sentient.
Ardyn felt its connection to Sidus Serpens, and it called to her, wanting to understand and explore this newfound bond.
Ardyn and Atina both jumped down – gliding with ease to the tops of the trees – and walked along the canopy until they reached a clearing. Seeing the trees from this angle was even more daunting. Their bark was a soft, silvery grey, and their massive trunks pressed together, seemingly blocking off all access. Their thick branches intertwined with each other in confused and chaotic patterns.
There was movement, and it seemed like the entire forest rose as one. Slender tree-people, tall and graceful, walked from the forest and looked down on the pair. For long moments no one moved, each group looking at the other.
Ardyn felt a flow move quietly across her soul sea. It was like a whisper seeking a distant, ancient answer. She looked up with a smile. It was as if she had found a missing piece to who she was.
One of the sentient trees stepped forward and bowed gracefully, its upper branches sweeping across the ground. It rose just as gracefully and began to speak.
"Greetings, young Empress of Serpentia. We, the Brati, welcome you. How can we help you?" Her voice was like a soft breeze gently rustling leaves high up the branches of old trees.
Ardyn bowed and spoke with a smile. "It is my pleasure, Great Mother of the Brati. Please grant my companion and myself passage through your lands."
All of the sentient trees seemed to shiver and quake – their leaves rustling loudly. Ardyn sensed that they were communicating, and she suddenly became interested in their language.
"You understand Sidus Serpens well. Our connection to the ancient lands speaks loudly through your sea. Come, Empress. Stay in Bratinus for a few days and learn from the Brati."
All of the Brati bowed before her in unison, and she felt powerful and humble at the same time.
"Please do not be so formal. Sidus Serpens makes us family. I would be honored to stay with you in Bratinus."
The Brati swayed; their leaves rustled wildly, and Ardyn instinctively knew they were happy and rejoicing. Again, she felt the power and humility behind the moment. Her mind instantly went to Varric, and she saw herself seated beside him – ruling as an equal – her heart thundered within her chest, and she suddenly felt closer to her goal. She was becoming his equal.
The massive trees parted, and they all seemed to enter as one. Ardyn felt a strong pull, and when her feet came back together, they were in a vast grass plain. The trees here were all sentient, and they seemed to turn to the newcomers as one.
Ardyn frowned; her Song of Nature stirred within her, and she saw a problem – many of the Brati were sick. She looked to their leader – the Great Mother of the Brati.
"You are ailing?"
"We are dying, Empress. It is the way of things – there is always birth and death. It would seem we have reached our death."
"As one?"
Ardyn frowned. She felt she needed to help. Determination welled up within her, and she vowed – within herself – to save the Brati.
Seraphis stepped into the deep red mountain pass and paused. He felt the humans around him—creeping slowly, cautiously. He narrowed his beautiful eyes and waited for them to take action.
His soft cream and honey scales flashed, and the arrows flying toward him all froze in mid-air – caught in the protection wards of his scales. The arrows all disintegrated – crumbling to dust as they fell to the ground.
Darkness began to pool around him, and the men closest to him began to taste death at the back of their throats. The darkness rose around him and shot forth like tendrils seeking something important. Everyone touched by the tendrils wailed as they turned into a fine black dust.
The tendrils continued out and hunted down every bandit within the red mountains. Seraphis exterminated every man, woman, and child on the mountain. Only then did he move forward and continue his hunt.
His death tendrils moved forward, looking for her trail. They searched as far as they could, shattered, and returned to his shadow. Seraphis was not perturbed. He pulled out the simple hairpin – Ardyn's hairpin.
It sat in the air before him, waiting. He pushed a little death magic toward it, and it began to spin. It pointed to the cliffs and then the broad tree valley below.
He stood over the canopy, looking at his target. He showed no emotion. His eyes narrowed as he felt the ancient magic so separate from him. He could tell it was connected to the ancient lands – but the Cobra Clan had been disconnected for eons – this magic felt terrifying and suffocating.
He descended into the trees and walked in the direction of the guiding hairpin. He walked and walked, and continually he was sent back to his beginning point in the clearing he had chosen. He stopped and rose above the canopy again, his beautiful eyes reflecting against the magic of Bratinus – its webbing expanding out over the entire massive valley of trees.
He would have to find another way to get to her.