The journey south was not easy.
At least—
Not for everyone.
For most adventurers traveling toward the newly discovered World Tree, reaching it had become an adventure all its own.
Roads disappeared.
Bridges became increasingly rare.
Forests grew thicker.
Rain transformed old trails into mud pits.
Wagons broke.
Draft animals tired.
Supplies ran low.
And every mile farther from civilization made the next mile considerably harder.
The Iron Tusks had learned that lesson repeatedly.
They had been traveling for nearly two months.
Two miserable months.
They had lost a wheel outside Dunmar.
Spent four days waiting for a flooded river to recede.
Lost another two when one of their draft animals injured a leg.
They had fought monsters.
Bandits.
Weather.
Terrain.
And now—
Mud.
"Push!"
Garrick Stonehorn planted both hooves into the ground and shoved against the rear of the carriage.
The massive minotaur was the leader of the Iron Tusks.
Strong.
Experienced.
Patient.
Usually.
"Together!"
Three other members of the adventuring party pushed beside him.
The wheels spun.
Mud sprayed everywhere.
The carriage moved approximately six inches.
Then sank again.
Garrick closed his eyes.
He breathed slowly.
Very slowly.
"We are not burning the carriage."
The dwarf standing beside him lowered the small flame forming in his palm.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were thinking it."
"I've been thinking it for three weeks."
Their elven scout wiped mud from her cheek.
"If the maps are accurate, we should be about seven days from the World Tree."
The others stared at her.
She immediately realized her mistake.
"Should be?" the dwarf repeated.
"Approximately."
"Why would you say that out loud?"
"What?"
"Now something else is going to happen."
"That's ridiculous."
Garrick's ears suddenly twitched.
"Quiet."
Everyone stopped.
Something was coming.
Not footsteps.
Not exactly.
It was deeper.
A rumbling.
Distant at first.
Then growing louder.
THOOM.
THOOM.
THOOM.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
The dwarf turned toward the forest.
"What the hell is that?"
Trees shook in the distance.
Birds exploded upward from the canopy.
Branches snapped.
Bushes bent.
Something enormous was coming toward them.
Fast.
Garrick reached for his weapon.
"Get ready!"
Then—
Two enormous black creatures burst through the forest.
"Beasts!"
The elf reached for her bow.
Then stopped.
"No."
She could see harnesses.
"They're pulling something."
Everyone stared.
Two massive Shadow Bulls charged through the wilderness with a speed no normal draft animal could possibly maintain.
They weren't following the road.
They were making one.
Bushes disappeared beneath them.
Branches shattered against their bodies.
Small trees bent or snapped as the enormous creatures powered straight through them.
And behind them—
A carriage.
A very expensive carriage.
The Iron Tusks watched in disbelief as it approached.
Then—
It blasted past them.
Mud exploded from beneath the wheels.
Garrick stepped backward.
The carriage bounced once over a fallen tree—
And continued without slowing.
Within seconds—
It disappeared into the forest.
The rumbling slowly faded.
Silence returned.
The five adventurers stood in the mud.
Nobody spoke.
Finally the dwarf pointed south.
"Was anyone in that?"
The elven scout slowly lowered her bow.
"I didn't see anyone."
Garrick frowned.
Neither had he.
The windows appeared empty.
The driver's seat had been empty.
There wasn't even anyone controlling the Shadow Bulls.
The dwarf looked at him.
"So..."
He pointed south again.
"Two giant Shadow Bulls are hauling an empty carriage across the continent?"
"Apparently."
"Why?"
Garrick had no answer.
The dwarf looked toward their own carriage.
The rear wheel sank another inch into the mud.
He looked back toward the disappearing trail.
"So this is a race."
Garrick sighed.
"Apparently."
The dwarf nodded slowly.
"We're losing."
"We were losing before they arrived."
"Yeah."
He stared toward the forest.
"But I didn't know it."
That somehow made everything worse.
Inside the supposedly empty carriage—
Jax spooned garlic butter across several thick cuts of meat.
It sizzled immediately.
Fresh herbs followed.
Then another light seasoning.
The smell filled the dimensional living space.
Four women watched him.
Closely.
Very closely.
Aurabelle leaned farther over the counter.
Jax didn't look at her.
"Don't."
Her hand stopped.
"I wasn't doing anything."
"You were about to steal one."
"I was checking it."
"With your mouth?"
Aurabelle slowly withdrew her hand.
"...Maybe."
Nyxian inhaled deeply.
Her eyes closed.
"When we marry, it won't be for your somewhat appealing charisma..."
Jax continued cooking.
"...your mild charm..."
His hand stopped.
"...or your squiggly but defined muscles."
Jax slowly turned his head.
"Squiggly muscles?"
Nyxian immediately raised a finger.
"I did say defined."
Jax stared at her.
"Squiggly?"
"Defined and squiggly."
"I don't even know what that means."
"Neither do I anymore."
Jax turned back toward the food.
"I think I'm cutting you off from afternoon sex for three days."
Nyxian's eyes widened.
"What?"
Jax looked across the room.
"Zee!"
Zee looked up.
"Yes?"
"Want to take her place?"
Nyxian immediately turned toward Zee.
The expression on her face said everything.
You can't do this to me.
Zee looked at her.
Then smiled sweetly.
"I'd be happy to."
Nyxian's mouth fell open.
Zee looked toward Jax.
"Can I bring my usual chains?"
"You got it."
"NO!"
Nyxian shot upright.
"I was kidding!"
She pointed accusingly toward Zee.
"You can't do this to me!"
Zee's smile widened.
"Why not?"
"Because I love you!"
"That's very sweet."
"It should count for something!"
Jax calmly returned to cooking.
"Should've thought about that before insulting the squiggly muscles."
"They were defined!"
Llandra covered her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to hide her laughter.
Aurabelle reached toward the cutting board again.
Jax slapped her hand lightly without even looking.
"Belle."
She pulled it back.
"How do you keep doing that?"
"Perception."
"That's cheating."
"Stop stealing lunch."
"I'm hungry."
"It'll be ready in five minutes."
Aurabelle sighed dramatically.
Travel was difficult.
Several days later, the landscape began to change.
Even inside the dimensional carriage, Zee could feel it.
At first it was subtle.
A pressure.
A strange sensation at the edge of her magical awareness.
Then—
It grew stronger.
She looked up from the book she had been reading.
"Jax."
He glanced toward her.
"What?"
"Something's different."
Nyxian sat upright.
"Different bad?"
Zee considered the question.
"No."
She closed her eyes.
"Just..."
Her brow furrowed.
"Powerful."
Llandra moved toward the front of the dimensional space.
"The World Tree?"
"Maybe."
Jax checked their location.
They were close.
Very close.
He opened the dimensional exit and stepped into the physical carriage.
The Vixens followed.
Outside—
The wilderness stretched endlessly around them.
Then Jax saw it.
His mouth opened slightly.
"Wow."
The others moved toward the windows.
Aurabelle's eyes widened.
"That's a tree?"
Far beyond the forest—
Something enormous rose toward the sky.
The World Tree.
Calling it a tree almost seemed inadequate.
Its trunk was wider than entire city districts.
Massive branches stretched across the horizon.
Leaves formed an enormous canopy high above the surrounding landscape.
Even from miles away—
It dominated everything.
Zee stared at it.
Her eyes glowed faintly as she focused on the magic surrounding the distant giant.
"That's what I've been feeling."
Jax looked toward her.
"The Tree?"
Zee nodded slowly.
"The magic isn't contained inside it."
She could feel it now.
Everywhere.
In the air.
The ground.
The forest.
"It's radiating outward."
Nyxian looked toward the enormous tree.
"How far?"
"I don't know."
Zee shook her head.
"But we're still miles away, and I can feel it clearly."
Jax smiled.
"Well."
He leaned back.
"At least we know we're heading in the right direction."
About a mile from the towering World Tree—
They found something else.
A settlement.
Jax slowed Grim and Steed.
"Looks like a village."
The Vixens peered through the windows.
None of them had ever seen anything quite like it.
Aurabelle tilted her head.
"Those are houses?"
Apparently.
Tiny structures dotted the landscape.
Some had been grown from enormous mushrooms, their colorful caps forming roofs.
Others were crafted from flower blossoms.
Vines had been woven into walls, windows, and tiny walkways.
Some homes resembled hollowed acorns.
Others had been carved directly into enormous roots and tree knots.
Tiny bridges connected branches.
Flowering vines wound between buildings.
The entire settlement seemed grown rather than constructed.
Jax stared.
Okay.
So Merriweather is apparently the tall version.
Good to know.
The fairies Jax knew were considerably closer to human size.
These—
These were the fairies from the stories of his world.
Tiny.
Winged.
Almost impossibly delicate.
Aurabelle pressed closer to the window.
"It's beautiful."
It was.
The entire village looked like something pulled from a child's imagination.
"Should we stop?" she asked.
Jax nodded.
"Might as well."
He gestured toward the World Tree.
"If anyone knows what's happening with the raid, it'll probably be the people living a mile away from it."
Grim and Steed continued forward.
The village had clearly prepared for larger travelers.
A wide path ran directly through the settlement, leaving plenty of space for wagons and adventurers to pass without damaging the tiny homes.
Deep wheel ruts showed that other caravans had already visited.
Then—
Someone noticed them.
A tiny figure flew upward.
Another followed.
Then ten.
Twenty.
Hundreds.
Suddenly—
The village exploded with motion.
Thousands upon thousands of tiny figures poured from mushroom homes, flower houses, hollowed acorns, trees and vines.
The air filled with wings.
Jax blinked.
"That's a lot of fairies."
"Tens of thousands," Llandra said quietly.
Zee watched them carefully.
The sky around the carriage was rapidly filling.
"Fairies possess powerful natural magic."
Her tone carried a hint of caution.
"And their magic can amplify when they're gathered in large groups."
Nyxian looked toward the rapidly growing swarm.
"So don't insult the tiny people."
"That would be advisable."
Jax smiled.
"Perfect."
The girls looked at him.
He shrugged.
"Then we treat them exactly like we treat every other village."
The Vixens exchanged glances.
Of course.
The voices began before the wagon even stopped.
"More big people!"
"Adventurers!"
"Look at the beasts!"
"They're shadows!"
"Those are enormous!"
"Wait!"
"Could it be them?!"
The wagon came to a stop.
Jax stepped down first.
The moment his boots touched the ground—
The fairies swarmed closer.
Hundreds circled him.
Then thousands.
Jax stood very still.
Some flew around his head.
Others inspected his clothing.
Several hovered directly in front of his face.
The Vixens stepped down behind him.
That made everything worse.
"It's them!"
"The Vixens!"
"That's Aurabelle!"
"Llandra!"
"Nyxian!"
"Zephrial!"
"JAX!"
Jax froze.
"...Okay."
Nyxian looked toward him.
"You haven't introduced us yet."
"I noticed."
The fairies rushed closer.
"It's really him!"
"He's even more handsome in person!"
"Do my wings look okay?!"
"Move! I can't see!"
"That's World Breaker!"
Several fairies immediately descended toward Aurabelle's enormous hammer.
They landed on it.
One sat directly on the head.
Another hugged the handle.
Aurabelle stared.
"Please don't be holding that if I move."
Then—
Several more fairies noticed Aurabelle herself.
They flew upward.
Two landed on her shoulder.
One landed in her blue hair.
Three others found a considerably softer location.
Aurabelle froze.
She slowly looked down.
Three tiny fairies were sitting comfortably against her cleavage.
One crossed her legs.
Another leaned back.
The third looked up.
"Hello!"
Aurabelle stared.
"...Hi."
She looked toward Jax.
Jax immediately found something fascinating in the opposite direction.
Aurabelle looked toward Llandra.
Llandra was having problems of her own.
A fairy flew toward her chest.
Llandra gently raised her palm.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you should sit there."
The fairy stopped.
"Oh."
Llandra smiled.
"You can sit here."
The fairy happily landed on her hand.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome."
Zee had adopted a similar strategy.
Several fairies sat along her shoulders while others hovered nearby.
She gently redirected the more adventurous visitors toward her hands and arms.
Then there was Nyxian.
Nyxian had absolutely no interest in redirecting anyone.
Several fairies landed against her chest.
Nyxian looked down.
"Comfortable?"
They nodded enthusiastically.
Nyxian smiled.
"You can go lower if you want."
"Nyxian."
Llandra didn't even turn around.
"What?"
"Diplomacy."
"I'm being welcoming."
Another fairy kissed Nyxian's cheek.
Nyxian turned her head at exactly the right moment.
Their lips met.
The fairy flew backward giggling wildly.
Three others immediately moved forward.
Llandra finally looked over.
"Nyxian."
"They're kissing me."
"You're turning your head."
"Reflex."
"That's not a reflex."
"It is for me."
Jax decided he wanted no involvement in this conversation.
He turned toward Grim and Steed.
Nyxian eventually joined him.
The Shadow Bulls were dealing with their own problems.
Dozens of fairies buzzed around their enormous heads.
Some inspected their horns.
Several were attempting to sit on Grim's back.
One fairy was hovering directly in front of Steed's nose.
Steed looked toward Nyxian.
For perhaps the first time since becoming a shadow—
He appeared to be asking for help.
Nyxian laughed.
"Alright, boys."
She patted Grim affectionately.
"Break time."
With a flick of her fingers—
Both Shadow Bulls dissolved.
Several fairies suddenly found themselves sitting on nothing.
They fluttered upward in surprise.
"Magic!"
"Shadow magic!"
"Do it again!"
Echo remained comfortably around Nyxian's neck.
That immediately became another attraction.
"Look!"
"Little shadow creature!"
"He's adorable!"
Echo raised his head.
A fairy approached.
Echo sniffed her.
She touched his nose.
Echo sneezed.
The fairy squealed in delight.
Nyxian smiled proudly.
"He's terrifying."
Nobody believed her.
Jax eventually stepped forward.
He raised one hand.
"Excuse me!"
The noise continued.
He tried again.
"Excuse me!"
Gradually—
The fairies quieted.
Thousands hovered in the air around him.
Jax smiled politely.
"First, thank you for the welcome."
Cheers erupted.
He waited.
Eventually they settled again.
"We were hoping there might be someone in leadership we could speak with."
Several fairies exchanged excited looks.
"And we'd also like to meet any merchants interested in trade."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Jax wondered briefly if he'd said something offensive.
Then—
The entire village erupted.
Cheers.
Applause.
Shouting.
Fairies spun through the air.
Nyxian blinked.
"Apparently trade is very exciting here."
Jax looked around.
"I guess so."
Then the voices started again.
"Jax wants to trade with us!"
"Get the merchants!"
"Get the Queen!"
"Someone tell the Queen!"
"She already knows!"
"Of course she knows!"
"He's here!"
The crowd suddenly began separating.
A pathway opened through the hovering fairies.
Several dozen approached in formation.
At their center—
Floated a fairy no taller than three inches.
She wore a delicate golden crown.
Tiny flowers had been woven into her clothing.
In one hand she carried a small golden wand topped by a tulip-shaped flower glowing deep violet.
Jax's Inspect activated.
Royal Bloom Scepter
• Increases magic output by 20%
• Grants sleep magic abilities
• Allows temporary size increase up to 20x the user's natural size
Jax's eyebrow rose slightly.
Interesting.
The fairy stopped several feet in front of him.
Her attendants hovered behind her.
"Jax Darquebane and the Vixens."
She bowed.
"We are honored by your presence."
Jax carefully returned the gesture.
"We are the ones honored, Your Grace."
The tiny queen froze.
Her wings fluttered rapidly.
A faint blush appeared across her face.
Jax continued.
"Thank you for allowing us to visit your village."
The Queen recovered enough to smile.
"The pleasure is ours."
Jax gestured toward the settlement.
"We're hoping to make new friends."
Several fairies whispered excitedly.
"And perhaps find some new trade partners."
That caused considerably more whispering.
Then he pointed toward the colossal World Tree looming in the distance.
"And eventually attempt the raid."
The Queen's expression changed slightly.
Not fear.
Interest.
Jax smiled.
"And in that exact order."
The Queen laughed.
That seemed to relax her.
Jax gestured toward the women behind him.
"And these are my wives, fiancées, and adventure partners."
He pointed toward each.
"Llandra."
The Elf bowed respectfully.
"Aurabelle."
Aurabelle waved while still hosting several fairies.
"Nyxian."
Nyxian blew a kiss toward the crowd.
That caused an alarming amount of excitement.
"And Zephrial."
Zee bowed politely.
The Queen smiled.
"We know."
Jax paused.
"Yeah."
He looked around at the thousands of fairies.
"I was beginning to suspect that."
The Queen laughed again.
"We have heard many stories about all of you."
"Really?"
"Oh, yes."
She looked toward the World Tree.
"We have only lived here for a short time."
Jax glanced toward the elaborate village.
"This is new?"
The Queen nodded.
"Our people travel where magic calls us."
She gestured toward the enormous tree.
"When word spread that a World Tree had emerged, many fairy clans began traveling toward it."
Zee's attention sharpened.
"Because of its magic."
"Yes."
The Queen smiled.
"The World Tree feeds magic into everything around it."
She extended her tiny hand.
A faint violet glow surrounded her fingers.
"Our magic grows stronger simply by living near it."
Zee looked toward the distant Tree.
That confirmed what she'd felt.
The Queen continued.
"Others have come as well."
"Magical beasts."
"Spirits."
"Creatures that feel the Tree's presence even if they don't understand why."
Jax looked toward the enormous canopy.
"So it's changing the region."
"It is."
"And you moved your entire village here?"
The Queen smiled proudly.
"We are fairies."
She gestured toward the mushroom homes and flowering structures.
"We don't require much."
Jax looked around.
Fair enough.
The village was enormous by fairy standards.
But building a three-inch person's house probably presented considerably different logistical problems than constructing one for humans.
The Queen fluttered slightly closer.
"But we knew you might come."
Jax looked back toward her.
"You did?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes!"
"How?"
The Queen smiled.
"From my distant cousin."
Jax waited.
The tiny Queen straightened proudly.
"Merriweather said you might be coming."