Day 53

Warner Papadopoulos

His vision of immediately leaping up the trunks of the trees was shot down instantly. The rough bark would have made plenty of handholds, but few had the natural talent for aerial movement that the pugilist did. Even he had to admit that was a big limiter. With the few that could, it would be too dangerous. Who knew how many metal monkeys there were up there?

Instead, they returned home for further brainstorming. Plans and ideas swirled as the Council listened to anyone with a glimmer of something. Warner found it a strain for the vast amount was useless, but Malachi insisted. The leader of the Sixty preached that one shouldn’t deny a part to people in their futures and that you never knew what diamonds in the rough could be found among them. Exhausting logic that he was unable to easily deny.

Especially when a few tossed-out ideas birthed a likely solution.

The next day Malachi, Damien, and that grumpy woman Valerie Moore huddled together. Designing and building. Assuming those three could get the idea to work, it was a simple solution. At least in application. The building was plenty difficult from Warner’s perspective. A whole day was spent in several attempts before a final project was declared good enough.

“Alright, that’s the best I can do,” growled Valerie as she stood straight. Her body shifted like a snake as the arcanist stretched out. “Without access to actual tools… yeah these boots are what we got. Ugly, but they’ll do the job.”

Laid across a table were ten pairs of boots. Covered in patches and stitches, Frankenstein was the word that came to his mind. Ugly indeed, but Warner was wise enough to know that magic changed things. Looking like a mongrel didn’t mean useless.

“Alright, listen up,” called Valerie. Her red eyes with sleep deprivation burned into each of them. “These things are fragile. So be careful with them! There’s no self-repair function either as I have no idea how that shit works. Scary complex.” Then her eyes narrowed at Warner. “NO kicking with them! You break ‘em, you're stuck!”

“Sure, no kicking, gotcha,” nodded Warner just short of frantic. There was a little too much of his mother in her tone. “But, how do they work?”

The arcanist laughed meanly, “Tap ‘em like Dorothy’s ruby shoes! Hah! How do you think? Mana and think about it. Counting on how much force you want from them, you got two modes. Levitate at your current height or slow your fall.”

“Boots of Levitation, huh?” grinned Vincent with awe as he lifted a pair up.

“Eh, that sounds too fancy,” blanched Valerie, though her tone was mild. “More like Feather Fall or something. In theory, you can make it like your walking up stairs to gain altitude, but they’re not really strong enough for that. Should help climbing up the trees though.”

“More importantly, keep us from falling to our deaths,” said Julia with a pale face.

“O’ yeah totally help with that,” agreed the arcanist. “Once you all break through floor five I’ll make something really nice.”

“Excellent work,” praised Malachi. “One question, why did you make ten? Only seven of us are going up.”

“Leftover supplies so figured might as well. Plus, y’know… I wanted my own since I made ‘em and all.”

The battlemage grinned knowingly, “Fair. Well Team Treetop, boots on. Time to roll out!”

Back to the third floor the Sixty went and marched through the forest to the glassed ridge. It was decided that the best climbing spot was there as the metal monkeys seemed to avoid demon crane nests. Which Warner admitted was smart of the apes.

There were several monster assaults on the journey over, but everyone was an old hand at fighting those apes now. At least in a big group like this. The demon cranes did appear to pick off the metal monkeys as before, though this time the big birds fled confrontation with the Sixty. All and all an easy stroll through the woods.

Once the Sixty was settled defensively on the ridge top, seven people left the dome. Malachi led the way down to the trees and Julia strolled by his side. Warner placed himself on the other side. Walking a step behind without any sting to his pride. It barely fluttered through his mind. An absent observation. The rest followed in their wake. Damien muttering numbers, Vincent grinning, and Harken gilded serenely. Clarissa dawdled behind them all, whistling an almost familiar tune.

The tree they picked didn’t seem any different than the others. Tall and branchless until the top. His eyes traced the metal veins upwards where they showed in the rivets of bark. It looked almost molten in the light. There was no ceremony to start the climb. Warner clinked his heels together to laughter and leaped in a flash of Mana. As advertised, the boots held in the air once his momentum came to an end. The sensation was less that of standing on an invisible tile, but standing on a water bed. There was a subtle movement in reflection to his every shift.

Also, as warned, the boots’ enchantment didn’t like being forced upwards once activated. Warner made a note to turn them off when making another leap. Less resistance that way.

Climbing itself wasn’t much different than using a rock wall. Though, the boots removed any concern for leg placement. It was a simple matter of turning off the effect on one boot at a time to step up. The hard part was getting the rhythm down. Warner only had a few slips downwards when accidentally dropping Mana from both feet. The true surprise was how spry Harken turned out to be. Despite a constitution that looked elderly, the priestly man was the steadiest of them all.

Upon seeing his look of incredulousness, Harken remarked, “It isn’t enough to read the scriptures or myths. Not for any faith! You need to stand where they stood, see and feel in those places of origin. There is a special understanding you would be without if you do not. I was a good scholar because I went. Looking and feeling in those same places. The relation, you may be thinking? A lot of sacred places are not easy to access. Let’s say this isn’t my first sheer face climb.”

Warner laughed at himself, It is funny how often I must learn to not make assumptions. Judging the heart of a person is different from knowing their history.

The silence of the forest died off as the party approached the first branches. Bird songs and tweets faint at first. Wind rattling large waxy leaves. Under it, all was the cries of insects, a mix of buzzing and cricket-like chirping. Moving through the branches themselves was like trying to pass through a jungle gym as a kid. Gnarled and all tangled together so that the paths were limited. It was here that Warner’s shoulders betrayed him. Even in armor, the rest could find a path through. The pugilist was often forced to climb on the outside edge. Away from the trunk, he truly valued the assurance of the magic boots then.

A flat plane. That was the appearance atop the trees. The branches all more or less grew no higher than each other. With the leaves, there was an illusion of a smooth surface. With how tangled the branches became at the mysterious limit it was easy to walk around. One just had to be careful of pitfalls and knots to trip over.

The only area of note was obviously their destination. To the left, nearer to the entrance gate than the exit, was the sudden bursting of an even more massive tree. Its trunk rose above the plane of branches. Ashy bark with branches that reached almost to the ceiling of the floor. The plane rose gently into a mound that circled the great plant. All over the mighty tree were sparkles of light. Glinting stars that were stationary or constantly in motion.

The kingdom of the metal monkeys.

“That’s a lot of monkeys,” Julia stated with concern.

Vincent nodded, an eager look in his eye, “Poking that hive would bring hundreds down on us.”

“You’re a little crazy aren’t you sword boy,” grinned Warner. “Not saying I don’t see the appeal, but just the seven of us would have a rough go at that.”

“Maybe, but worse case we retreat back to the rest of us,” explained the swordsman. “It’s an easy, safe leap off the edge of the forest and we’ll float to safety.”

The shieldmaiden interjected on that fantasy with attitude. Warner approved. “The real worse case scenario is we all get mobbed to death before getting to the edge and a whole life is wasted on an idiotic death wish.”

Unaffected, Vincent apologized, “Pardon me, I was only enthralled by the rush of the challenge. The thought of facing such a horde on an open plain. Well, it gives me shivers!”

“Yeah, you're mad,” noted Malachi mildly. “Good thing I’m the man who makes the plans. This is a tough one though. The usual tools aren’t available, trying to get everyone up here would be a pain. Not to mention someone would fall and without the boots, that’s one hundred percent a death. So direct assault is out.”

“I could repeat the spell that was used on the demon crane nest,” offered Damien. Violet light flickered in his eyes as the obsidian thaumaturgist considered the sparkling tree.

“No, can’t do that,” sighed Malachi. “We need a fruit from the tree.”

Warner nodded seriously with a twinkle in his eye, “Burning up the key would be a bad move.”

Damien looked a little offended, “It certainly would not be hard to keep the brunt of the spell on the lower portion of the umm top … uh lower top of the tree. We need the highest fruit right?”

“I don’t think anyone doubts your ability,” soothed Harken. “Just a matter of avoiding risks.”

“Exactly, Harken has it right,” agreed Malachi with a smile for the magic man. “No reason to risk it. Still, there is always a place for your affinity for mass destruction.”

“Good, I like having a part in the plans,” said the obsidian thaumaturgist with cheer.

Malachi signaled for a huddle and the end to the loose conversation. “This is what I’m thinking. The seven of us can’t break our way in and out safely. No way I can see it done. Too many and too aggressive. Sneaking in is also out. Not even using the boots to walk in from above would be safe. They’ll see us coming, after all the metal monkeys can spot us on the ground from all the way up here. That leaves us with diversion.”

“I love diversions!” exclaimed Clarissa. “What kind we talkin’ about? More Bugs Bunny or Coyote, Super Genius?”

“I’m not totally sure how to answer that, but I believe I can safely say neither.”

“So, Coyote it is…”

“Ignoring you,” confirmed the leader of the sixty before getting back on track. “Here is what I’m thinking. To quote Vincent, we’ll “poke the hive” with one team and another team runs in. Simple smash and grab.”

“Didn’t we already decide that taking on the whole horde was idiotic?” glared Julia.

“Fighting it yes, drawing them out no,” clarified Malachi. “Damien and Clarissa make explosions and with you, Julia, and Harken for defense as you immediately retreat. Fighting just enough to keep attention, but please bail the moment it gets too hot. I’d rather abort today’s attempt than lose any lives.”

“So that leaves me, you, and Vincent to make the dash?” asked Warner, pleased. “Run in, knock anything in our way out of it, and then grab the top fruit before fleeing the way we came. I like it! Sounds fun.”

“You two are the nut jobs I’d want with me on this. One correction though, there will be no retracing our steps.”

“No?”

“No. We’ll just walk out into the sky. The perfect escape.”

Warner grinned, “Snazzy! Even better!”

“Not as exciting as facing a charging horde of metal monkeys, but this is still a unique experience. I have no complaints,” added the swordsman

“Seems too brash to me,” said Julia. “Are you sure this isn’t rushing things?”

Malachi held her eyes, a conversation spoken in an instant. Warner couldn’t help feeling jealous at the sight. Unbidden, but not unwanted, Molly passed through his mind. He pushed away the gnawing hole in his chest.

The male half of the couple only said out loud, “We’ll abort if it looks too much. Promise.”

Though there were more details and contingencies to discuss, the meeting was over. Once the plan was set the wrap up had become easy for the Sixty. Especially for these seven. Old hands working together. Those missing from their number were noted, but confidence was still high. Even Julia. Her fear disappeared behind determination.

Carefully and painstakingly, Warner’s trio moved closer to the great tree. Moving more parallel than growing closer. Being spotted before the diversion would ruin everything. The first potential failure that would immediately abort the mission. It was especially sweaty work for the pugilist. His natural boulder-like stature made stealth efforts draining. They spawned clammy paranoia every time. Every misstep, leaf tearing, or unintended sound sent nausea surging through him. Unwinnable odds against the monkeys was sounding better and better

Malachi finally called a halt. The distance was still far, perhaps the double length as the trees were tall. There was a hollow in the branches that provided cover. It was awkward for three men to share, but there was no guarantee that there would be better. Getting any closer was a risk not worth taking. Now it was time to wait.

Three pairs of eyes shifted across the treetop plain, seeking for their companions. The wind rustled leaves proved good camouflage. Finding them was difficult despite Warner being certain of the starting point and direction. It took tracing Malachi’s line of sight, catching the flashes of four steady figures. There was silence between them as tension mounted. Each was waiting for the other team to reach the invisible marker. The others stopped and they breathed in deeply. Seconds away now.

Flashy. That was the word for what happened next.

Violet power rippled outwards with no effort to hide a major casting. In the air, Mana coalesced into a field of arcane projectiles. Instead of shards of starlight, Damien had switched to blunt force. Meteors hovered at the ready in a swarm. A cackle broke the silence as a thick streak of green shot across the treetops. They were close enough to see the empowered arrow pass through the head of an iron monkey and reduced several behind it into a jumbled mess.

Then the sky fell.

There was another pulse of will and the meteors began to fall in waves. As planned the impacts stayed low, leaving the lush top branches untouched. The metal monkeys howled, a discordant chorus that slowly gained unity. All those voices settled into a single will. Even as the meteors fell around them, they raged unflinchingly. The simian monster charged from their home toward the four humans. Arrows met the horde at a steady pace and the meteors shifted to slow the menace.

Despite the bombardment, the metal monkeys drew closer. The arrows grew more frantic and the meteors ran out. At a hundred feet, the branches between monster and man exploded. Violet power reached up and over the apes. A barrier made by Julia and Harken protected the other team. When the air cleared there was a crescent shaped hole dividing the humans from the beasts.

Many of the simian monsters had fallen into the pit, but that didn’t slow the charge. The metal monkeys came to the edge and leaped. Those that made it met Julia’s sword. The retreat began as the horde started to divide around the hole. All smoothly occurring to plan.

When the last trailing apes had departed, the trio leaped to their feet.

They ran. Eyes glued forward for any sign of being sighted, ears open to the explosions and howls on their right. Their lungs burned at the push for ever more speed. Mana surged inside each of them, but not a streak or spark was allowed out of the body. As to noise, Warner agreed with Malachi, hopefully, the diversion team would make enough that it didn't matter. There was no stopping slap of their feet. In the end, it all came down to running. Rushing with all speed.

The details firmed with every leaping step. Ahead wasn’t just a great tree breaching above others, it was a temple. Wood molded and shaped into the appearance of something Asian and old roman. For a brief moment, Warner wondered if the metal monkeys were intelligent after all. Capable of the smooth, technical beauty, but the rising horror and awe died. The closer they came, the better the details. He saw the treatment of the sanctified place and knew that the temple was not built by the monsters. Without concern for the walkways or structures, the remaining apes huddled together at random. Using the gardens as easily as the hollowed-out cells. To them, it was just a convenient place to live, perched as it was above a demon crane’s reach. It was a natural place to den.

Metal eyes found them at last and an alarm of hooting rose up. Confused and frightful. Mana burst from their bodies as all three prepared to break through the opposition. Nothing came. Unmolested, their feet found the first step.

Warner searched for why. What apes he saw were small or of the mothering disposition. These ones hooted and howled, but only while cowering. No iron or bronze waves came at them, silver and gold hands stilled the too tiny ones that tried. Up the stairs, Malachi led them. Each with an uneasy look on their face.

Up and around to the backside, where another stair waited. The residents hid or fled from them for three levels. On the fourth two things changed. Metal fruits began to be found sprouting from unaltered branches. A scattering of different metallic shades. The only kind missing was the shade that would match the red metal monkey they saw on the first day. Warner made a note of that as they bashed through the second change. The opposition had finally shown up. Patrolling apes charged them and the three men broke through. Avoiding a fight to keep running.

A raging crowd began to gather behind them.

On the seventh floor, there were no stairs to take. Instead, the curving walkway corkscrewed upwards. It spiraled just short of the tree’s peak, to a shrine of weathered stone. Waiting, sitting, and grinning was the red metal ape. The three of them paused in a moment of hesitation. Decisions flicked through Warner’s mind. Snarling beasts behind them, a monster king ahead, and above the shrine he saw a gleaming red metal fruit. The look on Malachi’s face brought clarity.

“It’s ok to want something for yourself,” grinned Warner. “You got our backs, and we got yours. Have at him and I’ll nab the fruit.” The leader of the Sixty snapped to him, considering. The pugilist didn’t fault the flash of distrust that showed, but was touched, more than he would admit to himself, when it faded just as quickly.

“Cool, I kinda owe the bastard a real fight,” smiled the battlemage. “Vincent, you got a horde to face after all. Hold them back. Warner, fetch!”

Malachi rushed forward, blade free and laughing. Vincent left with a smile, unfazed by what he needed to hold back. Warner just rolled his eyes and moved to climb another tree.