this is a small side story, a fairy tale of remnant if you want to call it that, it is mostly to ease the wait for the next chapter a bit,you can actually skip if you want,
it's like a small lore thing, I will a make few of these and drop them in between time skip or volume (when i move from volume to volume,i do intend to follow the show)
it is said that one powerful druid was born long ago, Curae the druid, he had talent no one had, a talent even the Great Osiris had to admit,he had fought alongside Osiris in his younger years and was one of the very few who could achieve 11th level spells.
According to legend, a dryad, a spirit of nature appeared to Curae during a dream to ask for his help, a great fight between two gods had destroyed an entire forest.
Curae felt that as a druid he had to help. armed with his staff, he left for the burning forest, the journey took him in 3 weeks
when he arrived, he saw a vast land burning, almost a desert in front of him, not a single form of life was present, the ground was burning, the animals had fled, and no plants had survived.
Seeing this catastrophe, the druid of the circle of the earth decided to rebuild the forest.
first day: Curae brought out the waters in the depths of the earth with his powerful magic to heal the soil.
on the second day:he grew plants and trees of all types, both natural and magical, it is said that even plants from the desert and frozen regions could be born
. On the third day:the dryad announced to the animals and beasts that the forest had begun to be reborn and thus the forest was repopulated
on the fourth day: Curae summoned monsters and creatures to defend the forest against outside creatures and humans
the forest that Curae had created was perfect, even the god of light was impressed, however, this perfection will only be temporary, it was enraging Curae
as on the fifth day: the gods of light appeared before Curae and announced to him that the forest would be destroyed again sooner or later by mankind, but that the druid has to protect it as much as he could
the god of darkness also appeared and explained that the forest will allow entire peoples to be born and asked the druid to leave, as the wood and animal of this forest could feed and build an entire civilization
however the god of light was against the idea, nature was his creation, the two gods start fighting again
"stop! if you keep fighting the forest will be destroyed again and neither nature nor mankind will benefit from it !" called Curae
the two gods stop fighting and end up in an agreement
"You have the power to prevent men from destroying this forest or letting men destroy the forest, the choice is yours," said the god of light and the god of darkness pointing to the druidic staff of Curae
it was only the following day that Curae's reflection was finished
the druid left in the center of the giant forest under the eyes of the gods the druid planted the end of his stick in the ground and moved away reached for his staff and used all the knowledge and magical power he had access to
a giant tree appeared where the stick was, the tree whose branch reaches the clouds was linked to the entire forest
"This tree will be the greatest protector of the forest, the creature of the forest will protect from all evil! only those who respect nature and life can live here!" said Curae before leaving, some say, the amount of magic that he had used had killed him, and some say he survive and when to live in another realm, either way, he was never seen again after this
the entire forest obtained magical properties is said that each cut tree if you get there, grows back in less than a week
that animal species that have disappeared still live in the forest.
this is why dozens of lordships and empires wanted to monopolize this forest but never anyone could not tame the forest,
only druids and people respecting nature are able to enter the forest according to the legend if you headed toward the giant tree and manage to reach the center of the forest, the staff of Curae would still be at the foot of the giant tree, and anyone who could take it would gain Curae's power and kill the immortal forest.
to this day, many people considered this forest a mere legend, the name of the world has changed, the world itself has changed, most people forgot the story after the gods destroy the first humanity, and magic is now nothing but a fairy tale, however, to this day, all across remnant, there is always a few rumors here and there, some people from Vacuo, some people from the vale, from atlas, from Mistral that said that while traveling, they got lost in a giant forest that appears out of nowhere, that magical creature and monster that could not be found anywhere but there were roaming inside the forest, fruits were growing back the moment they were taken from plants.. and a giant tree reaching the sky could be seen in the center of the forest.
in a bar in vacuo,in the present
a man was drinking a bit of water,it was an old man, who look around 70 years old, somehow still in good shape, he had a brown cloak all around his body,he even had a face mask, probably to face the desert, the mask was off and hanging around the old man's neck
"hmm...this sand is not good...really not, no plant could grow of out it"
a man seating beside him was also drinking water,it was a young man...probably a bit older than 25, with red hair, he was fully dressed in white,he had a some kind of spear on his back, some people probably mistook him for a plan huntsman
"plant? what the hell are you talking about old man, Vacuo is nothing but a giant desert, are you so old that water can get you drunk ?" asks the man
"no,I am not drunk,"said the old man with a calm and deep voice
"but I'm searching for a forest, I believe the entrance should be around here soon"
"huh ?...you sure you okay old man ?" asks the man
"yes, i am okay...I'm just looking for something" said the old man as he get up, he seem to have difficulties even walking
"for what ?" asks the man
"a forest, according to legend it's around here, do you mind helping an old man walking to his destination...I can pay you" said the old man
"how much of what ?" asks the man
"if i'm right on the location, things you can't even begin to imagine," said the old man with a smile, the red hair man hesitate for a second, but he saw a crazy determination in the old man's eyes, it almost seems intimidating
"hmm...you're a weird old man...fine I'll go with you, it's not like I had anything better to do"
the old man raises his hand toward the young man
"My name is Iados...i hope we can get along"
the young man shakes the hand of Iados
"the name's Raam...when do we leave ?"
"now"said the old man