Chapter 101. The Contract.
After one last scan of the garden, Severus still found nothing, so he had to leave without what he had really come for: the catalyst he had been seeking. Still, he was satisfied with the haul. Along with herbs that would last them two or three years, they had found double-striped fruits, and the best discovery of all was, of course, the serpent that was evolving into a dragon.
He had not wanted to kill it. That kind of transformation was considered legendary even in his world. But in his estimation, only a specimen like this could help Nagini evolve further, perhaps even become a dragon herself. The serpent was close enough to a snake that the ritual's chances rose sharply, and that was exactly what mattered most in this kind of work: proximity, resonance, compatibility. If he tried it with an ordinary dragon, the chance of success would be negligible. Still, this required real analysis, and Severus was not about to rush into it.
And if the serpent were willing to explain how it had become what it was and lead him to the real catalyst, he would not have minded gaining another guardian for the house into the bargain.
The return trip took far less time. No longer fearing traps along the path, they left the gorge in about ten minutes, and ten more brought them to the ents' forest, where they slowed to a walk.
After a couple more kilometers, they stepped into the clearing where a crowd of tree monsters was already waiting, packed so thick they formed a wall of living bark, the King of Ents standing at full height among them.
Severus did not expect a trap from them. He walked up without hesitation and stopped about five meters away.
"My young friend, we thank you for saving our forest." The King of Ents spoke warmly, and the others nodded in unison. "Our first meeting did not go well. Do not hold it against us. I sincerely apologize. From this day, you are our guest, and you will always be welcome in this forest."
"Thank you. I understand," Severus replied with a calm smile, not particularly surprised by the reception.
"And accept this as gratitude for everything you have done for us." Two rays burst from the ground and halted in front of him.
They formed into two rounded wooden orbs made of intertwined roots, radiating powerful magic, as pure as the magic that permeated the forest itself. Up close, Severus could feel how carefully the magic was layered inside, like years of memories compressed into wood.
"We agreed on only one. And as painful as it is for us to part with them, I am sure our ancestors would understand. If they could, they would hand them to you personally!" the King of Ents said firmly, pushing the spheres toward Severus.
"That was unexpected, but I will not refuse. Thank you." The moment they hovered before him, Severus flicked his hand and sent both into his pouch. Then he simply looked at the King of Ents, who looked back as if waiting for something. Severus simply continued smiling, and the green light in the King of Ents' eyes blinked twice. The pause stretched on, awkward and uncomfortable, like a standoff where both sides waited for the other to blink first.
The other ents exchanged silent glances. None of them understood what was happening, but nobody dared break the silence. One was their king. The other was a powerful human they had been ordered not to approach.
The King of Ents said nothing.
The others said nothing.
"What is happening?" Nagini finally asked, unable to stand it any longer. Between the rustling leaves, only Severus heard her.
'He believes this will make me reveal what was inside the serpent's cave. Naive.' Severus replied to her, maintaining his expression and continuing to smile into the King of Ents' eyes.
"Ahem! Then I suggest we celebrate this momentous occasion!" the King of Ents said at last, realizing Severus was not going to share and that the little maneuver had achieved nothing.
"I am sorry, but I cannot. I need to reach the safe zone by evening. But..."
"But?"
"I am willing to give you something if you answer a few questions and help me find something." The Ent King's right eye blinked again.
So I could have done this from the start. Severus sighed.
"Of course. We will celebrate later," the Ent King replied, then glanced at the others and said sternly, "Leave us."
The Ents dispersed at once. Their loyalty to their king was absolute.
When they were gone, only three remained.
"I am listening."
"This concerns several specific herbs I will need soon." Several dozen A4 sheets appeared in Severus's hand and he held them out. "If you can find them, I will tell you a way for the rest of your kin to gain full consciousness."
"You know a way?!" the Ent King blurted, disbelief sharp in his voice as he lowered his face to Severus's eye level. Had he truly found what helped the wolf and the serpent? "Answer me honestly. Did you really find it?!"
"If you do not believe me, I can simply leave."
"Wait! I believe you. I believe you!" The Ent King snatched the pages and stared at the drawn ingredients. Hundreds of roots burst from the ground and raced through the forest in every direction.
Ten seconds later the first root returned, clutching a clump of earth with a pale blue flower. Another followed with a white root whose tip resembled nettle. Then another, and another. It went on for about five minutes.
More and more herbs piled up before Severus until the last root returned, and the clearing filled with a multicolored radiance from the ingredients, though it faded quickly.
"Of the thirty-two, only twenty-seven grow in our forest. The other five are unknown to me."
Severus nodded, inspecting the pile, then smiled in satisfaction. Searching for most of these himself would have been pure masochism. They loved hiding in hard-to-reach, easy-to-miss places, under roots, inside moss, or in shadowed hollows where a careless step could crush them. Even Severus would have needed days. So he had used the King of Ents, who knew the forest like his own root system.
Leafwort, Snake Vine, Triff, Mellor, and Lavis root. Not surprising. The local magical environment is high, but they need half again as much magic to survive. Worth checking the inner and forbidden parts. Still, I am surprised some of these demanding herbs can grow here at all. While Severus was thinking, the King of Ents watched him without blinking, tense and waiting. When Severus finally looked up, the King of Ents swallowed. "Thank you. This is exactly what I needed. As for the five missing, do not worry. This is enough."
"And now?"
"This." Severus touched his pouch, and a box of miracle fruits dropped onto the grass. "These can help solve your problem. You wanted to deal with the serpent and come with me to its lair for them, did you not?"
"Yes," the King of Ents admitted at once. He wrapped roots around the box and yanked it close as if afraid Severus might take it back. Severus almost smiled at the reaction.
"There are seeds inside. The tree itself will take about a hundred years to grow, so I am proposing cooperation that benefits us both."
"I understand, but I cannot."
"I am not talking about Hearts. Herbs." Severus's tone stayed even. "I will come here every six months until I have worked out the barrier's structure and can enter when I wish. After that, every month. Deal?" He extended his hand. The Ent King steadied himself and shook it. "A handshake is a fine start, but we will still sign a contract," Severus added. The Ent King's hand trembled, and Nagini rolled her eyes.
Leaving the ents' forest, Severus handed them another box on the way out and finally headed toward the safe zone. He did not linger. Even gratitude could sour fast in a place ruled by instinct, and he had no desire to test how quickly a crowd could turn. Night was already closing in.
The safe zone was a barrier-protected settlement at the junction of two regions where monsters could not cross. Yet it was also one of the most dangerous places in the jungle. In addition to the people exploring the inner part, far worse magical creatures often lay in wait at the exit, happy to feed on human flesh. Some followed the scent of blood to the barrier like vultures, and others simply camped there because sooner or later someone always came out.
The difference between the outer and inner jungle was considerable. In the inner part, almost every creature had magic. In the outer part, most were closer to ordinary animals, merely tougher, and few had special abilities, like the blood wolves, of which only seven could breathe fire.
There were exceptions like the ents, but their strength came at the cost of their minds, with only one exception. And if they left their territory, they lost half their power. The blood wolves were their nemesis, keeping them in check if they ever tried to expand.
There had been a balance in the outer part, but what happened after the wolves were gone did not concern Severus greatly. If the ents took control, that would only help him. He doubted they would start wiping out everything else. And even if they did, he would stop them. Monsters were valuable ingredients. They could not be allowed to disappear.
The route to the safe zone wasn't far. They'd been traveling a little over two hours when they spotted a small dome beneath the barrier that separated the outer and inner jungle. But Severus didn't make it there without trouble. A group of ten wizards with hostile grins stepped into his path.