3. The Woodomaton

The gods had cheered, time and again, when the Ancient Turtles had swum even farther from the coast. Now, however, Ardex regretted it. He walked along the silent Midterra Sea and saw only open water, a long blue emptiness to the horizon.

“Surface!” he bellowed. “Abrahon, Ancient Turtles, the fire god wishes to speak and you will obey!”

No life appeared. He was certain they could hear him. Their ears had been pricked for Ardex ever since his threat to set them ablaze if they crossed the gods again.

He also knew he could not enter the water. His entire body, his entire being was fire, lava, heat. The moment it touched water, it turned to steam and he turned into the god of immense pain.

“Ancient Turtles, I give you one final chance. Meet me at the shore and provide answers.”

At the horizon appeared silhouettes he didn’t recognize. It was no animal. Across the sea there was only more water, and beyond that the Nordic Iceplates, so he didn’t understand the sight.

Ardex tried another method, though it still consisted of shouting at waves. “We are not the enemy. We are good. We helped the animals in the West when they were attacked by beasts from another continent. We helped you when you nearly went extinct. Come here and speak with me.”

The water remained still, but he noticed movement between the trees in the distance. Strange, he thought. I didn’t feel any living presence there.

He stepped closer and saw he was right: it was no being indeed. A wheel turned in the water. A round wooden circle with notches to catch the falling water, which then spun it round and round ceaselessly. No being was needed to make it move.

The word Ektro was carved on the outside. It meant light in the language the Ancient Turtles spoke before Dovish took over the world. Originating at the wheel, a near invisible line scratched by a claw led toward the trees.

Ardex stepped over it—and he shouldn’t have done that.

The treetops bent toward him. A flat tree trunk shoved in front of him like a wall closing in. He leapt through the tiny gap left. A snapping sound preceded a boulder flying at him. Rocks as big as his head came from all sides, but he still felt no life nearby.

He couldn’t dodge the last rock. It hit his side, causing him to stumble into a pile of leaves that immediately reacted by scattering and revealing a hole in the ground. Ardex spread his paws wide to grip the edges and prevent falling into the dark depths.

New trees bent to strike him. He’d had enough and spat fire from his mouth to burn everything.

It didn’t work!

A pattern of spatters ran across the ground. He followed it and discovered that even the water here came alive and constantly sprayed the trees wet.

Ardex jumped. His body nimbly turned and landed perfectly on its paws, as only a feline can. He raced back to the wheel, back over the line, to safety.

The trees returned to their original spots. Every leaf neatly hid traps again, and the water stopped spraying. All without anyone controlling it.

It happens automatically, he thought. The wood comes alive. But only the gods have magic, we made certain of that. Just as I’m certain the four Giants are the only living trees in the world.

He followed the line until, on the other side of the forest, it touched the sea again. He’d circled the entire area and had no idea what it hid inside.

I was foolish, he thought. I should have brought the others. Gulvi can summon the Ancient Turtles. Eeris can tame the trees.

It would take at least two days to fetch them. Two days in which anything could happen to Bella. They might have tossed her in a deep pit. They might be hurting her.

Ardex’ Fearvolcano rumbled again.

The Ancient Turtles had done it. And he would catch them red-handed before the day was through!

For that he had to enlist help closer by: a small village right next to this strange forest. Their homes were larger and sturdier than any Ardex had seen before. Everything was built from thick colored stones. They were polished and shaped into structures that reminded him of the Great Staircase from years ago, though only in grandeur. Where did this tiny town get all those money and riches?

Two snakes curled around the pillars by the gate.

“Take me into the heart of that forest,” he commanded. The snake eyes followed his paw.

“Elwoda? No one can enter there.”

Elwoda. Godswood. They even still spoke that ancient tongue of Abrahon here.

“You clearly maintain strong contact with the Ancient Turtles. Do you deny it?”

“Well, hmm, I wouldn’t say strong exactly. They come by every now and then. We’re acquaintances.”

“They have committed a grave crime. They abducted Bella. Send word they must meet me immediately.”

“They did? Abducted Bella?” The snakes slid down, leaving a wet trail on the stones. “And how exactly did they do that? What path did they take? How did they walk on land without leaving a path of destruction? How did they shrink to fit inside the throne room?”

Ardex had to calm himself to prevent lashing out at the slippery snakes. “That’s what I want to ask!”

“Tough luck, tiger cub. They only come ashore once a year, in winter, so you have some waiting to do.”

“I’m your god. You will speak to me with respect.”

“What god allows fellow gods to get abducted?”

Ardex’ claws were in the snake before he could stop himself. The being writhed and squeaked.

“You will bring the Ancient Turtles,” he hissed between his saber teeth, “or I will personally hurl you into my volcano.”

“I don’t know! I don’t know! They really only come once a year! But last time, they said rich creatures from the West were coming toward our continent. Look in the West! Look in the west!”

Ardex flung the snake back to the gate.

“Then they asked another species to do it.”

He stomped his paw. A path of black stones appeared, as if the start of a trail towards his volcano. “If I find you had anything to do with this, I’ll toss this whole village into the volcano!”

Why did those birds have to go to war with each other? he thought. I could really use some independent aerial eyes right now. And beings who could swiftly fly over the sea.

He thought of the numbers carved into the Throne gate, but still didn’t understand their meaning. It seemed unlikely someone from the Equianforest had come. They would have had to pass Darus’ Impossible Wall, and the lions, and the capital of Amor. All without being seen!

His search led him further into the bleak East, as swiftly as he could go.