Chapter 112

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Chapter 112: Fallen Fruit

"I-I never imagined it would turn out like this." The Druid, feeling ashamed for having turned into a falcon, said, "It was just that I encountered a hazel grouse at that moment, a very plump and tasty hazel grouse… You see, when a Druid transforms, our thoughts tend to, um, become somewhat like those of the transformed object."

The Druid who brought back the Tree of Life seed unfortunately encountered a hazel grouse on the way back. This dedicated and focused delivery gentleman flew to the edge of the Angaso Forest, feeling very hungry, and his instincts momentarily overpowered his rationality. He swooped down and targeted the plump hazel grouse, his talons opened for the hunt, causing the Tree of Life seed to temporarily fall to the ground.

His remaining rationality made this incident occur just half a meter above the ground. Normally, a fall from this height wouldn’t affect the seed, as he could easily pick it up afterward. However, the Tree of Life seed was extraordinary; upon landing, it started to burrow downwards.

The seed from the wandering world, the moment it touched the homeland’s soil, took root upon landing.

This was the edge of the Angaso Forest, with sparse vegetation, only a few scattered herbaceous plants. In this flat and open area, people hundreds of meters away turned in surprise in one direction, seeing a huge seedling breaking through the soil, rising up as if it were reaching the sky. Just like the magic bean seeds in Earth fairy tales, the Tree of Life grew vigorously, its roots deeply anchoring into the ground, making the earth tremble.

Not long after, everyone nearby gathered around, gaping at the suddenly tall trees. It only existed for a few minutes, but it seemed like it had been there for hundreds of years. People strained their necks to see the top of the tree, but it was too high. Kids playing nearby looked up so much that they almost fell over backwards. Luckily, the ground was soft, so no one hurt their head.

Everyone looked around confused, and the only Druid there looked helpless, using a hazel grouse to cover himself. He was so flustered that he couldn’t explain anything.

The towering tree continued to grow, matching the Druid’s sacred tree in momentum. Instead of growing taller, it started to grow wider, with its canopy opening up like a canopy. It could grow a circle in a day. As it slowed down its expansion, fruits began appearing on the branches. Even the most experienced Druid couldn’t identify these fruits.

When Tasha returned, this is what she saw.

Everyone gathered around the tree, admiring the abundant fruits hanging from its thick branches. Although the distance between each fruit was quite spacious, the tree’s vastness was clear. Looking up, fruits were everywhere. If they emitted fragrance, the air for miles around would be sweet. The fruits were huge, making the Druids below look tiny in comparison. In reality, the fruits were as big as pumpkins.

"If one of those falls on someone, they might get knocked out," someone whispered.

"So don’t just stand under the tree watching, don’t you have anything else to do?" the Druid, who had answered countless questions in these days, said helplessly. "Go, go, go! These fruits are not for eating!"

The Orc with rabbit-like ears pursed his lips, looking disappointed.

Giant fruits hung from the huge tree. Tasha looked up and felt like she was gazing at a wishing tree in a theme park, with bells hanging from the branches that jingled in the wind. She flew closer and saw that these giant fruits wouldn’t hurt if they landed on someone.

They are fluffy.

Like dandelion fluff, but denser; like the white soft hairs on silver leaf chrysanthemum leaves, but longer and softer. As if a layer of fine white frost had landed on a plant, just like a big cat curled up in a ball, with no head or tail in sight. The fruit stems in front of the eyes are thick and sturdy, covered with a thick layer of fuzz, looking very soft.

Tasha reached out to touch them and was startled by the feel.

Temperature.

They were not the usual slightly cool temperature on the surface of plants, but a temperature similar to that of the body. The fruit feels not soft, but rather solid, as if touching a mother’s round belly. These strange fruits are obviously alive.

"They can’t be elves," a wizard specializing in paleontology said, "All existing records and songs about the Tree of Life, even in the shortest versions, mention that it takes at least ten years for elves to hatch from the Tree of Life. And look at these fruits, their outer hairs, warm to the touch, with a surface temperature of XX degrees, while elves are said to have a temperature of XX degrees, etc… If we could cut the fruit open for observation, the results would be more precise."

The nearby Druid turned pale.

"Teacher," his apprentice said timidly, "I don’t think the songs describing elves as ‘skin as smooth as cream’ mean their temperature is smooth like cream…"

Amid various speculations and debates, time quietly passed, and the fruits gradually ripened.

They grew bigger and ripe. The stems holding the fruits became thicker and stronger, able to support their weight. Over time, these long fruits gradually split into two varieties: one remained white, while the other started turning yellow.

It wasn’t the dry yellow of falling autumn leaves, but a lovely golden brown, like dough expanding in the oven, making the body fluffier and the shell golden brown. The fine fuzzy hairs on the outer layer of the fruit became thicker and denser, like a bird changing its feathers, so thick that you could warm your hands inside – Tasha couldn’t resist trying once, feeling particularly warm inside that layer of hair. As Tasha touched the fruit, it shivered as if in the dead of winter, someone had thrust icy hands into its collar.

When the feathers turned coffee-colored around the edges, the first fruit ripened.

It was a morning, the first light of the rising sun illuminating the edge of the forest, casting a golden glow on the edges of every leaf. The largest fruit began to shake gently, the thick fur looked like rippling water, the whole fruit swayed back and forth, the sturdy stem suddenly broke, and the fruit fell down.

The Druids on duty took a deep breath, and the protective blanket on the ground immediately sprang up. Thick lichen had already been planted under the trees, but who would complain about not having enough protection. Their eyes were fixed on the direction in which the fruit fell, watching it get closer and closer to the ground, and then suddenly farther away.

It flew up.

The furry coffee-colored wings spread out on the ground, a few meters wide, flapping in the air, the airflow hitting the ground like waves, lifting a large patch of grass. The furry fruit was ripe, bursting into a furry animal, with a head like an angry hawk and a body like a golden lion, the two parts harmoniously connected, feathers and fur transitioning perfectly. Just before landing, it suddenly flew up, initially unsteady, but after a few seconds, it found its direction, proudly circling in front of people, soaring into the sky.

It was a griffin.

It had already flown past the branch where it was born, brushing past without looking back. With its eagle-like coffee-colored wings flapping heavily, it left the ground and tree canopy far behind. The griffin navigated through the branches effortlessly, emerging from the canopy, basking in the sunlight, its blue eyes gazing at this unfamiliar land, what was it thinking?

The second fruit, the third one, the fourth one… fell down one after the other.

They had feathers and fur like sunlight, and eyes the color of ice and the sky. These newborn griffins circled and soared under the Tree of Life, making clear and melodious cries, cautiously exploring, calling for companions. Their bodies were slightly smaller than the pseudo-dragons ridden by the Dragon Knights, but their flight was just as powerful. These strange creatures frolicked in the sky, never tiring of it.

By noon, all the yellow fruits had fallen to the ground.

Or rather, all ‘fell empty’, hundreds of griffins left the branches and began circling in the sky. It was a scene only seen in fantasy movies, where they flew in large and small circles, some closer ones shining in the sunlight, while the distant ones appeared as tiny black dots. After the last griffin rose into the air, the massive flock of griffins scattered, leaving in groups of three to five.

The last recorded griffin passed away 175 years ago, and the last Griffon Legion fought to the death against the Orcs in a war. After so many years, this half-magical, half-natural miraculous creature appeared once again in Aryan.

"Did the big birds grow on the trees?" the child, who had been waiting a long time for the fruit to ripen, exclaimed in shock. His parents were speechless, gaping at the big creature perched on the chimney, unable to correct him in that moment.

The appearance of hundreds of griffins was no small matter.

In just the first week, the Tasmanian police station received hundreds of reports about griffins, ranging from theft to horses eaten, thankfully with no casualties. Griffins were clever, mischievous, and had big appetites, so intelligent that they could open stable doors and yet not smart enough to negotiate with horse owners. Druids had to work overtime to persuade these large, destructive creatures with the intelligence of mischievous children and strength surpassing that of brown bears.

The Dragon Knights law enforcement team rushed to put out fires, heading towards reported incidents to stop the griffins from causing damage, or accompany Druids on difficult persuasion missions. Dragon Knight Douglas’ enforcement was more effective; wherever the giant dragon went, the griffins scattered. Unmanned drones assisted in law enforcement, and it was quickly proven that small-scale shock was not a good idea, as it would anger the griffins and make them more violent. Wizards were frantically researching spells to repel the griffins, temporarily sealing off areas overrun by griffins, with factories and schools in the area closing for a few days. The students who got a break seemed quite happy, thinking the griffins were really cool.

Of course, the griffin brought more than just a commotion.

The number of pseudo dragons that the dungeon can create is limited. The reserve cavalry, who had learned but were forced to sit idle due to the lack of dragons, laughed uncontrollably when they saw another large flying creature – they could already imagine themselves riding on a griffin flying high in the sky. Over in the Empire, there was a group of people in high spirits. The knights were shouting that flying was the romance of a knight – dragon riders were not traditional! The Gryphon Legion was the pride of the Empire!

The unexpected cooperation between Tasmania and the Empire made significant progress. Tasha was surprised by the Empire’s strong feelings towards griffins. Probably because the Gryphon Legion had a long history, griffins looked majestic and powerful (if you look closely, you can see a griffin image on the Empire’s emblem), they died heroically, not tarnished, but rather became the people’s moonlight, a position akin to the white horse of a prince.

In the next round of negotiations, the Empire sincerely requested to transfer some griffins, offering surprisingly generous conditions. Compared to the impending headache of war, the appearance of griffins made things much easier, like engaging in panda diplomacy. Those in the Empire who possessed the Gryphon Legion training materials collaborated with the Druid to figure out how to rebuild a griffin army.

"Training such large griffins might be quite difficult," worried the people in the Empire. "I know griffins can’t be traded; to ride on them… no, to fight side by side with them, one must earn their approval."

"Fortunately, these griffins are all in good health," Druid said comfortingly. "Now is the breeding season for them. If we’re lucky…"

Can griffins that grow on trees breed normally? Tasha got the answer after just over a month.

The griffins’ nests were built on high mountains, their eggs were larger than ostrich eggs, adorned with beautiful patterns like agates painted with burning clouds. The reserve dragon riders, lost in thoughts, climbed the mountains every day. The passionate Paladin traveled from afar from other parts of the Empire, gazing lovingly at the bird eggs, even if he was beaten by the adult birds, his affection remained. They were like cat lovers still in a daze while being beaten by griffin parents in anger, creating a precious revolutionary friendship between them.

Wizards were also salivating, their eyes were not as weak as the first two kinds of people. Wizards stared at the griffin eggs, occasionally glancing at the adult griffins. Their gaze was filled with a chilling curiosity, "Clearly not good people" (as the knights said). Whenever these research maniacs appeared nearby, the reserve dragon riders, Paladin, and the mountain-wandering Druid had to unite together, no longer staring at the bird eggs but focusing on the wizards, treating them as formidable foes.

"You can’t see what we can see, this is discrimination based on our job!" the wizard protested.

The protest was ignored, the three griffin protectors continued to closely watch and deepened their friendship, which was a cause for celebration.

A month later, the baby griffins hatched, their white fluffy feathers resembling the fruits that had appeared on the Tree of Life months ago. In the following days, these little snowballs inflated like balloons, growing from cute little birds blinking innocently to energetic young dogs.

By three months, the young griffins were the size of large dogs, their wings not yet capable of flight. Their lion-like bodies could climb up and down rocks and leap agilely inside and outside their nest. Their parents began teaching them how to pounce, followed by lessons on flying and diving for hunting. In a few more months, their now plump wings resembling chicken wings would be covered in hard brown feathers, allowing them to take flight and develop sharp claws.

People yearning for griffins exerted their utmost effort to reach the griffin habitat, showing their sincerity in the hopes of winning over these clever yet wild creatures. The griffin’s youth was brief, and whether they would be favored would soon be revealed. Unlike pseudo dragons created in dungeons, griffins were living creatures requiring food, cleanliness, rest, and care, each with its own unique personality and preferences. Gaining their acceptance was challenging, maintaining the relationship was not easy, but with a lifespan of a hundred years, griffins were smarter and more loyal than pseudo dragons. If willing, they would accompany their riders for life.

Tasmanian established the Magical Creatures Protection Bureau to handle the troubles brought by new species and regulate people’s relationships with them. People would eventually get accustomed to their new neighbors, and the impact brought by griffins would only cause "raccoons rummaging through my mailbox" level of trouble.

The Magical Creatures Protection Bureau did not only deal with griffins.

There were another batch of fruits on the Tree of Life.

One type of fruit grew longer and fuzzier, turning more yellow as they grew, eventually shaping into griffins. The other type of fruits remained pure white, glowing brightly, with their fine fur resembling delicate wood carvings. When Tasha reached out to touch them, they remained still and dignified.

The pure white fruits ripen half a month after the griffin fruits, falling to the ground during a full moon. The silver moonlight shines on the earth, trees casting shadows, and all is quiet. In such tranquility, fruits the color of the moon fall to the ground.

It didn’t soar in the air, but landed lightly, without much noise, its steps as quiet as the moonlight. A white horse approached, its mane fluttering in the night sky like a veil.

On the top of the white horse’s head was a spiral horn.

If Marion were here, she would likely gasp and say, "I have seen this before!" – This unique white horse was just like the one she saw at the Druid Sanctuary, so graceful and elegant, different from ordinary horses, like comparing elves to humans.

This was a unicorn, possessing an elf-like beauty, slender, noble, pure, and ethereal. It had pure white fur like moonlight incarnate, and when it ran, it seemed like a colorful breeze. The unicorn’s limbs were so slender, as if drawn with a paintbrush. Tasha vaguely felt that this ratio and muscle content probably wouldn’t be healthy for a horse, too slim to run.

But the unicorn was not an ordinary horse; magic powered its flesh, making it faster than any horse. It glanced around, lightly tapped its hooves on the ground, and vanished like a phantom into the forest.

"Unicorns are shy little cuties, but they also enjoy the company of other creatures and actively seek companionship," Mavis said, with a nostalgic smile. "My mother said that when she was young, she had one – or maybe a unicorn tried to befriend her, as my grandparents were busy with war and kept leaving her at home."

Compared to the more beastly griffins, unicorns were closer to magical creatures. These shy magical beings preferred solitude; once the white fruits fell, they quickly departed, avoiding meeting their companions. They ran so fast that even with Tasha’s eyes scanning everywhere, she would lose sight of them. She didn’t feel worried though, based on Mavis’s description of their nature, unicorns would always reappear.

Reports about unicorns were popular, much easier than griffins – columns didn’t need to endlessly report on "how to avoid griffin harassment" or "encountering griffins at barbecues." Just a brief introduction to their habits was enough. Unicorns were powerful but gentle, with the ability to distinguish good from evil, so there was no need to worry about them being harmed by others. More people were interested in attracting unicorns; many readers, especially girls, fell in love at first sight with their graceful and otherworldly images.

Shortly after, the first lucky one appeared.

Elsa, a 19-year-old farmer’s daughter, played outside late, tried to take a shortcut home, unfortunately got caught in a rainstorm and lost her way in the forest. A silver unicorn came down from the sky on that dark night and led her home.

"What should I do?" she nervously asked when registering at the Magical Creatures Protection Bureau, "Why did it come to me? There were many people caught in the rain that day. I’m just more popular with animals, but they are all cats, dogs, cows, sheep, horses…"

"You don’t need to do anything," the staff smiled at her, "It just likes you. Also, have you considered taking a career test?"

This girl was later proven to have the talent of a Beastmaster.

After that, more people saw the unicorn one after another.

Pure unicorns also love pure-hearted people, they are always attracted by gentle hearts. Among the people registering at the Magical Creatures Protection Bureau, young girls were the majority, but not only them.

A 12-year-old boy named Gabriel blushed, kept saying that there must be a mistake somewhere. "They said only girls who have never had a boyfriend will encounter a unicorn, although I’ve never had a boyfriend, I’m not a girl, am I?" he stuttered, "I don’t know how to talk to horses, could you talk to it for me? I’m this close to showing it my underwear, but I think that would be rude…"

The staff struggled to hold back their laughter, and the old man next to them, who had three bottles of wine taken by a griffin, laughed heartily, not holding back at all. The boy’s face turned even redder like a ripe tomato. "Don’t laugh yet, help me out here!" he urgently said, "If it’s looking for the wrong person, then the girl it was supposed to find won’t ever meet her unicorn, right?"

Laughter turned into friendly smiles as the staff said, "We’ve found the right person, it’s you." The old man next to them ruffled Gabriel’s curly hair and added, "Who says it’s only for girls? Don’t listen to them!"

Ultimately, unicorns do not judge potential partners by age, race, or gender. They are simply drawn to hearts filled with tenderness and love.

Shortly after the unicorns scattered in Tasmania, the Magical Creatures Protection Bureau welcomed a new species under their protection.