One's Tranquil Garden
Maokai shifted restlessly on his relatively new legs while he awaited his escort. To say that he was out of place would have been an understatement anywhere that he went but the fact seemed more so in the Institute of War. But where else could he go?
The tree couldn't say he had been content with his former rooting place with its various contaminants but it had been better than this.
If the possibility of his own existence was baffling to him, it was nothing compared to the confusion in the little summoners scurrying around underfoot. Their mistakes compounded atop one another created his situation and yet they continue with their research all over Valoran? Further still, they claim that they will restore him and even give him a home since he had no other. A passerby glanced up at the Twisted Treant and the grin that was set permanently into his face. The boy's hurried trot snapped Maokai out of his wonderings.
"Bah," He grumbled loudly, making the novice bolt faster.
Another summoner, a veteran by her garb, followed in his wake. She glanced up at him as her predecessor did but offered a weary smile. "I'm sorry."
Unsure about the source of the person's regret, Maokai shrugged which sent an ominous creak up his trunk.
Without another word the older mage disappeared after her colleague, leaving the Champion waiting again. "I guess when you're not used to spending it, time stretches on…" He mused loudly.
"Yes it does stretch on, sometimes…" A sad and unamused tone rang out. "Also I should point out that I, myself, have never spent any on mine waiting for a tree, of all things."
Surprised, Maokai moved as gingerly as he could while pivoting on his broad and ponderous feet, The third and mage was even older than the second with very few hairs which had all turned a bright white. His robes were simple and his adornments meager which spelled out age without accomplishment. Rather like a tree.
"I am here." Maokai responded blandly. "Where is this new home?"
The old man, Nadu, heaved a sigh. "Nor our mages have been hard at work establishing an appropriate habitat where-"
Where is it?" Maokai's entire body shook from his feet to his branches.
"Very well." Nadu gestured towards the door the others had gone through. "You will be pleasantly surprised with what we were able to do."
Rather than responding verbally, the anxious guest let his loud footsteps talk for him.
After a short while the two made their way to a more ornate door that Maokai had come to associate with an entry or exit. His twigs twitched and his leaves shook with the anticipation of a comforting sunbeam.
"Are you ready, Champion?"
Maokai nodded confidently, eager to accept the first part of his deal with the League.
The heavy doors swung open in silence with nothing more than a wave of Nadu's hand. Beyond was an enormous circular courtyard, which was constructed from marble. The outer rim was in shadow and hidden by the noonday sun but an awning supported by pillars, but it was the center of the room that was impressive. Crafted in perfect relation to the adjacent awning was a bright, green garden with many different and exotic flowers as well as tall whisper bushes between each of the outer pillars.
Nadu, beaming, waved his hand forward, encouraging Maokai to explore. Quite willingly the robust Champion marched forward and stepped up the couple of inches into the raised garden. From within the circle he saw that, in many places, fruit bearing vines were growing out of a space atop the awning and were left to hang graciously into the space. In the center was a young blonde girl with a slight build, after she caught sight of the treant she backed away suddenly, but not in fear. She smiled and bowed, from off to the side allowing him to see the garden without humans roaming about it.
Gingerly, Maokai approached a ring of bright flowers that sported intricate red petals. They were almost like doses but looked more like daisies. Tentatively, he prodded the nearest one with his bulkier left arm but without warning he brought the bulbous appendage down upon the whole ring- flattening them all.
"Flowers, grown with magic!" He spat violently, shaking loose one of his volatile Saplings. "You…" He growled, turning on the petite girl. "You corrupted all of these flowers? These plants?"
The stray Sapling glanced about, unsure of what to do while the unstable arcane energies fluttered around inside of it. Its master, however, thundered across the open space to where he was almost within striking distance of the mage.
A dark and evil feeling crept over Maokai as the air around him seemed to freeze unnaturally. From the other side of the courtyard a most strange creature strode out of the darkness. She was like a human, but she had a pale purple hue in her skin as well as black tattered wings drifting lazily behind her.
"I told you this would happen, Nadu you fool." She spoke.
"If you have something to say to me, Harkken- wait until you've unsummoned Morgana, if you please." Nadu droned from way back at the doorway.
"Maokai…" Morgana continued. "We've misjudged you, it seems. Would you use this space after it has been cleared of magic?"
Furious, Maokai turned to the winged newcomer. "No, the stink of magic is all I will ever expect from you kind, leave it be." After collecting the Sapling that seemed ready to burst, he ate it and turned back to the girl who had backed out of the circle entirely.
"Do your best…" He challenged bitterly. "But so long as you have given me this space…"