World Tree Chronicles Pt. 1

Chapter 3

"Lets see if you can pass this test." Ulysses mumbled to himself. "I have high hopes for you, don't disappoint." He let a smile pull the corners of his mouth wide as he watched Dirk drag the bleeding Rea along the path. Before anyone could notice the reaction he spun around and began walking in the opposite direction, the way they had been going from the beginning. "Come children, we have a ways to go. If you fall behind, you will be left behind." The twenty remaining quickly turned away from their friend and left him to his ordeal, fearing the consequences should they lag behind. This too caused Ulysses great enjoyment, how fast they turned their back on their friend when their own skin was on the line. He didn't blame them. Part of their abandonment must have been because Dirk had done several idiotic things like this before and come back in one piece. He wasn't sure he would call it faith, but it was interesting nonetheless. There were few interactions with wild animals from that point on. The few times they encountered opposition, Ulysses finished them as fast as he had the wolves the first time around, without even stopping. They made good progress along an overgrown path long since swallowed by the forest. At times it seemed to disappear, but Ulysses knew the way and it always appeared again soon after. At long last, the trees began to thin. There was a small clearing, though to call it that is a little misleading. Rather there was a tree, and nothing but grass grew within near thirty feet of that tree. In this forest the trees grew massive, so thick around it would take five or six full grown men to surround it, and so tall the tops could not even be seen from the ground because the foliage was so thick. But even these monstrosities were dwarfed by the tree before them. It was more than thick enough to drive a carriage through. Ulysses smiled. He took a deep breath, savoring the smell of earth and moss. He turned to face the children.

"Now, it's time for your final test. Climb this tree, find the fruit that grows in its tallest branches and bring it back here. It will be proof that you have the potential to be useful." He let his piercing stare shift from one to the next as he saw them look up at the tree and despair. The branches didn't even start until almost twenty feet up, and they were spaced apart for quite a ways before it got dense enough to make climbing easy. "Oh, and be careful of the critters that call this tree home, they can be quite nasty." He said cheerily, smiling devilishly down at the kids. Their hearts sank and Ulysses relished in the reaction for a moment. He had no doubt that they would do as he asked, despite the impossibility of the task presented. He had trained them to do as he said, no matter how ridiculous or dangerous it seemed. The first to move was Ishmael. The boy was the most capable from among the children. Ulysses had high hopes for this boy. He was obedient, observant, and as reliable in a tough situation as many of Ulysses more promising officers. In some ways, he was the exact opposite of Dirk. Ishmael walked right up to the tree and began inspecting it, looking to see if there was anything to be used as handholds. Several others joined him, while the rest stood where they were and contemplated their options. Ishmael was the first to begin his ascent. He drew the short knife all of them had at their hip and began climbing the side of the tree. He planted his foot on knots in the tree, hooked his fingers between cracks in the bark, and dug his knife into the tree where there was no other handhold to be had. His going was slow, but Ulysses couldn't help but be impressed. He was making it look relatively easy, maintaining a steady pace without wavering for more than a moment to see where he could go. Those on the ground watched like simple minded sheep to see how he fared. Ishmael reached the lowest branch and sat there for a moment, catching his breath. Ulysses smiled when, like good little sheep several others tried the same tactic. Most failed quickly, though several had some success using this method. Only one other was able to reach the branch, and she was another interesting one. Cara was a very remarkable case. Many of the children Ulysses had taken in had their minds broken from the fear and intense stress of some of his challenges. They usually died or killed themselves soon afterwards. Cara was one of only two remaining who had gone mad and survived this far. Her hair was wilder than Dirks, though it was a lighter brown and she jumped at everything. Still, she had always been good at climbing things and ending up in odd places at odd times. That talent helped her here, and she sat on the branch next to Ishmael, watching the people below.

Cara began again before Ishmael hadfully recovered. She made quick progress, and as the branches became thinnerand closer together, she made even faster progress. Ishmael did not fall toofar behind her and the two of them were the first to disappear within thebranches. A handful of others were able to find success using their method, andthey trailed behind the leaders. Most everyone else had given up on that tacticand searched for another way to make it up. Several went into the forest andcame back almost twenty minutes later with a long branch, or young fallen tree.It was long enough to reach the lower branches and looked thick enough tosupport their weight. Ulysses smiled, they were making up for their discrepancies with resourcefulness, just as he had taught them. It provedsuccessful and one by one those that were left shimmied their way up the branchand reached the lower branches. From there, most employed the same tactic asIshmael and Cara to reach the next branch. With the shorter distance, most wereable to manage it. After roughly half an hour, Ulysses was left staring at fouruseless children who couldn't make it up. One had fallen and broken his arm,another a leg, and the other two were simply incompetent. Ulysses took each ofthem, dispatched them and dragged the bodies into the forest where they wouldbe out of the way.