After a few hours or so of studying maps for traps, locations and various points of the empire, the professor coughed and got the Roman commander’s attention from what he was studying.
Vatallion looked up “What’s up, Professor?”
The professor stretched for a second and nodded “We are here.”
This was the defining moment of their trip. This is the day they would go down in history as the first people to make contact with this lost empire.
Vatallion looked up at the forests with the professor, perhaps they’d meet up with other people over time.
Even though the Roman Legate held secrets of his own, he meant to keep to himself that Professor Baxter could only go so far with him before he had to go out on his own. But he had his promises to the man and he would not betray that trust.
The soldier grabbed instinctively for the gladius on his best as the professor eyed the thick grasses of the forest that hid any traces and clues of the hidden empire.
“Let me cut down our obstacles, it seems like this would be faster in the long run.”
The Legatus kept looking as he pushed the thick bushes aside as he cut branches ahead, as he swore he was being watched by some sort of creatures hidden from a distance away, there were skitters of feet in the distance but they kept away at the moment.
The professor gritted his teeth as he pushed forward with Vatallion taking the lead. Seconds later, a strange leaf covered trap almost snapped up a blissfully unaware Baxtor as the man tripped on a branch activating the trap.
The noise made Vatallion jump and turn towards the trap set “Be careful–!”
The professor muttered under his breath as he brushed off the leaves and dirt from his explorer outfit, glaring at the secretly hidden trigger underneath. “I’ve seen worse,” he muttered, examining the trap with renewed interest. Within a few minutes, the professor was able to disable the trigger on the trap. “See? I know what i’m doing, Vatallion!”
Still the Roman Legate was on guard, hearing frequent and closer sounds from where they were located. Yet the old professor was more occupied with the ancient and wondrous traps that the Reporcure empire came up with to protect what was left of their own empire from intruders.
As both of them kept walking, Vatallion looked around only to come upon an ancient tree all overgrown and twisted with ancient symbols that seemed to be hastily scribbled on it in a different language to warn intruders to turn back now if they hadn’t already been scared off by other traps.
As they navigated through a particularly thick patch of underbrush, they stumbled upon a small clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a massive tree, its trunk twisted and gnarled like the limbs of some ancient, diseased creature. Vatallion raised his sword warily, unsure what to expect. The professor, however, seemed more fascinated by the tree than anything else.
"This tree..." he muttered, running his fingers over the bark. "It's ancient. Perhaps older than any living being in this forest." He examined the base of the tree, finding strange carvings and markings etched into its trunk. "These symbols... they look familiar."
It prompted Vatallion to step forward, letting Baxter handle the strange details about the ancient symbols possibly belonging to the Reportore empire and the professor in his excitement began to take pictures of the symbols that were on the tree.
The Legate sighed and made sure there were no other problems, even though this forest seemed oddly quiet for being a nice forest, however. Where was the..
There was a rustling in the bushes behind them and before they could react, a group of creatures leapt out. They were like apes, but with a strange glowing aura around them. Their eyes were filled with an otherworldly intelligence. The leader of the group snarled at them, baring long, sharp fangs.
Vatallion's instincts took over as he drew his sword, readying for battle. Beside him, Professor Baxter cursed under his breath, scrambling to find a safe spot behind the legate. The creatures hissed and snapped at them, their claws leaving glowing marks on the ground. The fight was intense and brutal, with the creatures displaying surprising agility and strength.
The professor muttered something out loud “Shit”..
The apes found themselves fighting a lone Roman soldier as the professor found himself almost hightailing himself backwards toward the ancient tree.
The apes found themselves fighting a lone Roman soldier as the professor found himself almost hightailing himself backwards toward the ancient tree.
"You fools!" the old man shouted, trying to distract the beasts from their prey. "Don't you know who you're messing with?! This is Vatallion! The conqueror of empires!!"
The apes seemed momentarily confused, their glowing eyes darting between the professor and the legate. Vatallion took advantage of their confusion, landing a powerful blow on one of the creatures, sending it flying through the air. Another creature leapt at him, only to be deflected by his mighty sword. The battle raged on, with the legate and the professor working together to drive back the advancing apes.
Meanwhile, the ancient tree behind them seemed to pulse with energy, its leaves rustling as if in response to the conflict. The professor felt a strange tingling sensation in his fingers, as if the tree itself was trying to communicate with him. As he fought, he could sense the tree's power growing stronger, drawing strength from the battle raging before it.
The apes, despite their superior numbers, were no match for Vatallion and the professor's combined efforts. The old man continued to distract them with his words, while the legate methodically took them down one by one. Soon, the clearing was littered with the corpses of the glowing apes.
As the last of the creatures lay dying at their feet, the ancient tree behind them let out a deafening groan. The ground shook violently, and cracks formed in the earth. Vines snaked out from the tree, wrapping themselves around the bodies of the fallen apes. The tree seemed to be absorbing their essence, growing stronger with each passing moment.
Professor Baxter stepped forward, his eyes wide with wonder. "This... this is incredible! The tree is a living being! A being of immense power and knowledge!" He reached out, touching the trunk as if it were a living creature. "And it has chosen to ally itself with us!"
Vatallion’s eyes widened in shock, not sure what to believe anymore. He’d never seen such a wonder before.
The ancient tree continued to grow larger and more powerful, its roots spreading outward, wrapping themselves around the trunks of nearby trees. The canopy overhead grew thicker, blocking out the sunlight, creating a dark, ethereal forest within the clearing. The air grew thick with the scent of earth and leaves, and a sense of awe and respect filled the legate.
"This is truly a wondrous sight," he said, kneeling before the tree, head bowed in reverence. "What powers does the tree possess? And what does it seek in allying itself with us?"
Professor Baxter looked up at the massive tree, his eyes shining with excitement. "The tree is ancient, older than any civilization that has ever existed. It has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of countless species. It is a repository of knowledge, a living library of the history of this world."
He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "As for what it seeks in allying itself with us, I cannot say for certain. But I believe it sees potential in us, Vatallion. You are a great warrior, and your deeds have earned you respect across the realms. And I am a scholar, a seeker of truth. Together, we may be able to unlock the secrets that the tree holds, and use that knowledge to bring peace and prosperity to this world."
