Chapter 1131: Leaving Redspark
“What an unusual thing…” the Thunderbird said as she marveled in human form at the branch and seed of the Stormborn Oak in Leon’s soul realm.
Leon himself stood nearby, quietly contemplating his next move. “It certainly is… unique…”
“It’s more than that,” the Thunderbird insisted. “I’ve never seen something so close to the Iron Needle’s power in all my life! That tree… is precious beyond measure. Leon, you must ensure its safety!”
Leon gave her a long, searching look. “I get the feeling that it’s more than capable of defending itself. While I can’t say for certain since I haven’t ever seen it attacked, it is powerful, and possibly even possessing some level of intelligence…”
“The Nexus is impermanent,” the Thunderbird growled. “Twenty thousand years, by my reckoning. That’s how long this Nexus will last. That’s how long you have to conquer other planes and establish yourself amidst the universe. That’s how long the Stormborn Oak has to live, assuming it doesn’t die of other causes before then. That’s why I’m charging you with ensuring the tree’s survival.”
Leon grimaced lightly. “That… won’t be easy. If it’s even possible.”
“For an Anax or an Elemental King, it would be the easiest thing to move that tree somewhere it can more readily survive.”
“The sense I got from the Redspark Forest is that the tree is a product of that environment. Moving it somewhere else might just lead to its death.”
“If it didn’t think it could survive outside of where it is now, would it have given you its seed?”