As the group hesitated, preparing to take their third step forward, the ferret's voice rang out behind them, filled with mischief.
[You don't think I'd let you leave without giving you one of my chores, do you?] it said, pausing for added effect. [Of course, it will come with a reward, don't worry.]
Logan stopped, turning back with a resigned expression. "Chores?" he asked, wary of what the creature had in mind.
[Yes, yes. Relax—it'll be quick,] the ferret replied, waving its paw dismissively. [What I need you to do is simple: provide the Temple with some of your mana crystals. I saw how you gave them to the ants earlier. The problem here is important—this tree is growing too big. By draining mana from the Temple, it keeps expanding, and that's something we don't need anymore.]
The revelation hit the soldiers and Isabel like a tidal wave. For so long, they had lived under the bark of the great tree, revering it as if it were a divine presence, a symbol of life and protection. The thought that their silent guardian had unknowingly created such an imbalance was unsettling.
As for the ferret, it paused, letting out an exaggerated sigh, clearly fatigued from speaking human language. [If you introduce a new mana signature into the temple, I can rewire it so the earth mana flows directly to me instead. As a reward, I will… strengthen one of your earth-element creatures. The choice is yours.]
The ferret flopped onto its side, one paw scratching its belly while the other propped up its head, clearly unbothered by the gravity of its request.
Logan considered the offer carefully. He'd expected a task far more complicated, perhaps requiring a long and grueling journey. To his surprise, the chore seemed straightforward enough—and he had plenty of mana crystals to spare. However, his mind lingered on the reward. How much experience would the ferret truly grant his chosen beast?
His thoughts drifted to Silis—her growth was steady, but she could benefit from a powerful boost. Then his attention turned to Krexa, whose laziness often held her back. Strengthening her this way might help her skip several levels and avoid being dethroned by one of her goblins.
"Fine," Logan finally agreed. "But I imagine it won't be easy to get there without the ents noticing, right?"
The ferret sat up slightly, its mischievous grin widening. [The ents? Oh, they'll notice, no question about that,] it said nonchalantly. [But that's where the fun begins. Just don't do anything stupid, Hero of Taming, and maybe we won't end up making the World Tree very, very angry.]
[How long do you think I've lived here? It'll be easy. Now follow me, kid—we need to get this done before they start noticing new intruders on their territory,] the ferret said confidently, and yet his tone was laced with urgency. Without waiting for a response, it began digging a large hole in the ground, creating an entrance just wide enough for them to enter one at a time.
No one dared to question the guardian's authority as it confidently forged ahead. The large ferret, dug through the earth with remarkable ease, his movements fluid yet powerful. Each sweep of his paws compressed the loose soil around them, forming solid, compacted walls that resembled polished concrete.
The creature than ran his finger along the wall of the newly formed tunnel, causing it to emit a faint glow. The light spread just enough to guide the group, ensuring everyone could see what lay ahead.
"Say, ferret… how long is this going to take?" Logan asked, his curiosity winning over as they continued deeper into the passage about ten minutes in.
[Ferret?] the creature responded, sounding almost offended. [Ah, I forgot to introduce myself, didn't I? I am Ramos, the tame of Tyler—a boy who survived the vampires, and only because of me.]
The ferret stopped to look back as it puffed out its chest.
"Right… Ramos, how much longer till we reach our destination." Logan questioned not wanting the beast to gloat even more.
[Nearly there, you should know how big this tree is as you came here flying right? Yes, I felt when you arrived here boy,] The ferret kept moving deeper in, he made a peephole every now and then to keep everyone with fresh air as he kept moving forward.
It wasn't long before he stopped took a few steps back and turned around.
[Well we are here, the good news, we found your ent's the bad news, they are all in what I call meditation. Now pass me the crystals while you pick the ent you want to capture, you beast hurry because if they all wake up well, even I can't save you, while I am sure you can fight them all, its their mother who will most likely crush you for having come this far.] Ramos snickered while make a hole above him and beckoning Logan forward with one of his fingers.
[Come this will be your true test, I need to see just how strong you are,] Logan took a few steps forward and began placing around fifty crystals he had in ready, they were all he had for now and probably for a few weeks while they cultivated more.
As he finished, the floor beneath him began to rise like an elevator. The last thing he heard was Silvia calling out his name. He didn't even have a chance to glance back at her before his eyes were drawn to the beings surrounding him. They resembled ordinary trees, but with two legs and arms, each one standing motionless, as if anticipating something.
Logan took a slow turn, counting at least twenty ents encircling him. As his gaze swept across them, he noticed an altar at the center, pulsating with earth mana. The energy emanating from it was so intense that Logan silently conjured a mana shield, the overwhelming power was like standing near a roaring furnace.