Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction

Year 84 Month 8

While Juras network was trying to gather information about the demon kings whereabouts, well, we found out what the trap was. Its tough trying to filter through crap and false-positives, so much so that by the time any good information is obtained, its often no longer useful. This is one of those times.

The demon king has been visiting the sites of the previous demon kings. The places of their death and destruction, and tapped into the remaining energies to create a massive demon monster thats stronger than the super cannon. We know this, because on the eastern continent was where one demon king died perhaps 50-60 years ago, the location of Astaroth.

Of course, at this point, I wonder if there is a limit. The world must have seen countless demon kings, so by sheer number and a long history, there should be some demon kings destruction in almost every location at some point of this worlds life. So... perhaps the residual magics get fully decayed and the demon king cannot tap into that energy?

Or only if theres remaining daemolite?

Is it looking for daemolite?

The new monster, well, apparently, resembled Astaroth. That said, very few descriptions of Astaroths appearance remain, so it could well be a corrupted version of the story.

The new monster, at least, doesnt seem to have a long range weapon. Instead, it was just a gargantuan creature that seemed to excel in short-range bursts, and well, it wrecked a few nations in its immediate surroundings.

Naturally, this means the demon king is headed for the other demon kings deathland.

This conjecture immediately caused panic, because theres actually a rather massive mining operation in the area to get at the daemolite. Mining daemolite suddenly doesnt seem that profitable now that the demon kings eyes is on it too. Hazard pay only goes so far.

-

> Are you there? <

> Do you speak to the mortals? <

My knowledge of the world is indeed lacking, and very much, what I know is shaped by what I can see, and what I can infer from observing the mortals. But I do agree that my viewpoints are colored greatly by these mortals that I mingle with. Its been something on my mind for a while, and I do sense the growing influence of the network of trees.

Every day I feel like Im switching between... myself, and a tree.

> I am... a young tree. I want to learn more <

Is there really a me?

Am I really an individual person, or am I conflating the previous me, the once human me, the one that is both a soul, and also a mammalian homo sapiens needs and desires?

Is there really a me, that is independent of our bodies? After all, our souls are plugged into the bodies we inhabit, we share and feel the desires, needs, the bodily wants of that body.

Now that I am a tree, naturally I will change. But is this change a new me, since I have lost my human body so many years ago? Am I still the same person as I am?

What should I do with this... aspect that thinks, behaves, and has the desires of a tree? Is it me?

Is my yearning for a social circle a relic of my once mortal, humanoid, clanning and family oriented society, something that is ingrained in my human genetic code?

> What if we once were something else? <

Im confused.

But I do feel like Im struggling a bit with an identity crisis. What should I be? What... am I? Am I just a talking, thinking magical soultree, bane of all demons?

Is there something more to me? That past history of mine, however short it now feels? Am I more TreeTree, or more Matt?

-

Locally, the demons are on a retreat, and a sense of normalcy returns for the inhabitants of the region. This, of course, ignores the fact that the demon king has somehow made a mini-demon king.

Its a stupid decision by the demon king, if I was in charge, I wouldve absorbed the energy from the previous demon kings and make myself stronger, rather than create new minions. But maybe theres some physical or magical limitation.

Its like letting the heroes get a trial run before actually fighting the real thing. How is that a good idea?

Anyway, its just like a regular citizen giving opinions on world matters, these to some extent, are matters beyond one mans control.

Focusing back on what I can do, trade and research! Trade routes restored, and the materials necessary for research gradually returned.

Research Status:

Phytoremediation process - advanced (mineral concentration) - 12 months

First things first, I resumed research for upgrades to the faeces-processing plant. Reason being... well, my previous solution could be better. Also, currently all the metals are absorbed by dedicated trees that function as a sponge for specific types of metals or toxin, so its mixed with that tree. The next step would be therefore, to then specifically expel these collected metals into some kind of usable form.

Then, Ive been thinking about what Ive been facing, and what my artificial souls said. About a counterattack, and also the strange magics from the [telco tower], and so, a bit more on the flexible branches needed to have a kind of tree-catapult. The lattice is derived from the tower, with the way its magic is twisted and intertwined to form a layered structure which results in greater endurance.

Ultraflexible compression branches - 24 monthsLatticeworks - 12 months

And on top of that, the hexs ability to influence my mental state was something worth researching, as its possible to design or construct specialised artificial minds, or at least, develop routines that are suited for absorbing these hexes. Still, as a field of research, it overlaps quite a bit with me absorbing shit. Just emotional shit.

Magical residue filtration - basic 1 - 12 months

I still have one spare [forest rod] that Ive not used, and thats something I want to find a place to plant. One spot that I am aware of, is the location of the demonic supercannon, and also where the heroes telco tower is. Once the demon king is dead Im going to attack the telco tower and replace it with my rod.

Thats a backup plan, of course. Im sure there are others....

> Lilies, are there... magical spots that you know off? <

It took one day for it to reply.

> Would you tell me? <

Hello Garrosh. I decided to speak directly into this head. Somehow, that caused his legs to buckle, but he quickly regained his composure.

....Aeon? He asked.

Yes.

I... I... I will go now.

Jura happily escorted him away, and apparently, he spent that day sleeping.

Why do they react like that?

Hmm... I think your voice has gotten more... complicated recently. Its almost as if you are multiple people talking at the same time, and theres a greater pressure in your voice.

Really? I clearly wasnt aware of what my voice sounds like when I telepathically speak to people. I mean, its not as if telepathy has an echo. How do you even record telepathy? Would that be possible, or is that like copying memories? Its like trying to replay a thought, isnt it?

-

Year 84 Month 9

A string of battles break out across the continents. The demon king has landed on our shores! Its probably headed for the former demon kings place, and so... thats not good news.

And apparently one group of heroes attempted to fight the demon animated from Astaroths residual energies.

They won. But a heavy price was paid.

[Pooja Pooran died. You received one hero fragment. You now have 68 fragments.].

-

Ive been observing the Giant Lilypod City from the shore, after all, my trees cant grow underwater, or at least, not yet. Perhaps some day Ill have submersible trees, or seaweeds, something of a thought for the later days.

Im particularly fascinated by the structure of the Giant Lily pads themselves, how these massive things manage to even stay afloat, or whats supporting them from beneath? Or is it magic?

Well, it seemed Lilies clearly noticed Im watching.

I decided to leave and ponder on that statement. I kept watching.

How do the citizens even build things on the lily pads? The Lily pads are clearly quite thick, so thick that the citizens must be able to drill or hammer some foundation into it, to support the tall stone and wooden structures, the highest of them are at least ten stories tall. The lilies themselves are not entirely stationary, they drift a little, and so the bridge that connects the various lily pads are usually based on some kind of magical string or ropes which can somewhat stretch.

The dark, murky waters, are they magical? Or are there monsters lurking in them? Despite it being a lake, theres very little fishery activity going on, though I do notice some people fishing.

Curious, I put another tree closer to the entrance, on the lakes shore. Perhaps some of the travellers or passersby would somehow reveal something.

> Is there something in the lake? < I tried my luck, the Lilies are quite secretive in a way, or maybe I havent figured out the trick to communicate with them properly. Its really a communication gap.

What.

Okay. That was two days later. I realised I didnt plan my meeting with another tree spirit well enough. What should I ask it? Or them?

-

Lausanne and gang finally had their first few adventurer missions, hunting some monster wolves and stuff. The retreat of the demons meant the return of native monsters, and they really dont get along.

If I were to put the world into factions, Id probably make it into a three-kingdoms kind of situation. The demons, the living mortals, and the monsters, all with their own gods.

Fun, for them, because for one, they get to wear adventurer gear and not in the usual Valtrian colors.

In fact, Lausanne had so much fun she came home and talked for hours about it to her mom. Perhaps it was that whole field-trip kind of effect. Just a group of young kids on an adventure, without adult supervision! In a way, its rare for Lausanne to go so far without a captain, or Yvon, or any of the older Valtrian Order people around. Even if she did outrank them in many ways, its still having an adult around.

Laufen just patted her on the head and looked really amused at her daughter.

-

The demon king is getting nearer to Takde and Nung, and that meant a round of fleeing. Its hilarious, really. The kingdoms should all just set up some kind of massive teleportation array between continents so that they can play hide and seek with the demons.

The death of that one hero though, quickly spread, and it becomes chatter in the bars and inns.

One hero died?

Does this mean this generations heroes are weak?

But many of them died before!

I mean, many dont really know how many heroes there are. They dont get fragments to track, and the past heroes didnt really talk that much with the natives, so eavesdropping on the chatter is amusing. I wish more of them die! After the demon king is killed! When the demon king is killed!

These kind of chatter would probably make Meela or Alexis feel depressed, but hey, thats what happens when one is reincarnated as the pawn of the gods.

Some of them, are making the journey to me, again. Sigh.

I wonder how Meela and Alexis are doing.