Not (Just) A Mage Lord Isekai
Chapter 152 - Poorly Tended

"That is not why you are here," Tender said, drawing my attention away from the door.

"Wouldn't be so sure about that," I muttered as Tender moved from the back of the forest-triceritops. To my surprise, it landed lightly, then sprang forward towards the first door on the left.

I was left gawking at its smooth movements, which reminded me of a deer more than an eight-foot tall vine-covered wooden-skeletal demon.

It turned back, its eyes flashing as it passed its gaze over each of us. "For you to grow, you must push against your limits, infused with my fire. Only then will you gain the strength to crack the earth that binds you."

"Yep, trial," I said, patting Calbern on the shoulder.

While Calbern inclined his head in agreement, Tender went down on a knee, bringing its gaze to Bevel's eye level.

My apprentice did an admirable job of meeting its gaze. Might’ve clenched up her fists a bit, but didn’t look away for even a second.

"Would you like to partake in passing beneath the canopy, young bud? Of all three of you, you stand to benefit the most," Tender said, reaching forward to gently stroke Bevel's hair with its massive clawed hands.

Instead of answering, Bevel turned back towards me. I… wasn't sure I wanted her to attempt the trial. I'd learned from Keeper that neither Conflict or the Final Rest's guardian would put us through anything fatal, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be punishing. Unlike with Conflict's trials, I hadn't been able to get anything else out of Keeper about the Final Rest.

There hadn't even been any notes about the Final Rest laying out the proverbial red carpet, as it'd done for us.

"Should probably let one of us go first," I said, looking towards Calbern. "Make sure it's safe."

"It is far from safe," Tender said, turning to look in my direction, its eyes flaring with green fire. "Safety would prevent the fields from being properly sewn. Pain and injury are required to reap the harvest."

"What about death?" I asked. If Bevel was going to actually listen to me, well, I wasn't going to cheapen her trust by simply forbidding her. Or letting her walk to her death either.

"None will die within the lesser forests, no matter how you fare. However, there is a chance your older companion could feed the trees, for to advance his path will require walking more dangerous steps," Tender said, gesturing towards Calbern.

At which point I realized we hadn't introduced ourselves. And unlike Keeper or Conflict, Tender seemed like it might actually use our names, if it knew them.

"He’s Calbern. And I'm Percival. This is Bevel," I said, stepping over to ruffle Bevel's hair. She nodded, though she stood silently. "Why's it dangerous for Calbern?"

"Ascension is always dangerous, and should he press himself within my forests, your Calbern will find his upon him," Tender explained, its voice like a triumphant trill of several songbirds filling the room as one of its forest-raptors pressed up against its legs.

"Are you saying I will be able to ascend without… without a Kinya bath?" Calbern asked, his normally perfect voice cracking as he stepped closer to Tender.

"Kinya? I have not heard it referred to that in… ages. And no, baths do not… they are a waste, a poor method for those with no skill," Tender said, its voice snapping like a branch torn free in the wind. Then it settled once more. "The effects will be superior in every way."

I caught Calbern's eyebrow twitch, though he smoothed it out a moment later. "And you believe I may perish if I make such an attempt?"

Several of its forest-raptors circled Calbern for a few seconds before Tender nodded. "There is always a risk, when a forest has been poorly tended, of everything turning to ash when exposed to fire. Yet it is more likely you shall emerge hardened, proof against the effects. There is little you would gain from delaying. A fruit not plucked will soon rot."

It almost sounded like Tender was implying that if Calbern didn’t do her trial, he’d be at risk of dying anyway. That… well, he had more experience than both my lives put together. If he wanted my advice, I’d give it. Still, he seemed to be lost in thought, his eyes narrowed slightly.

While Calbern was thinking, I went down to one knee to look Bevel in the eyes. "What do you think? You don’t have to do them, but… Might be painful, but these trials will make you stronger. Safer, in the long term."

Bevel chewed her cheek for a second, glancing over at Tender and Calbern before crossing her arms. "Not afraid of a little pain."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Yeah, I hear that," I said, ruffling her hair.

"Are you going to do it?" she asked, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her face.

"I… yeah, I am," I said, it being my turn to glance at Tender and Calbern. They weren't saying anything, both of them watching us instead.

"I'm gonna do it too then," Bevel said, nodding decisively.

"Right," I said, pushing to my feet. "Wait for me to finish, so I can watch yours?"

"That is not possible. You must all explore your forests at once or wait until tomorrow," Tender said, shaking its thick head with several loud cracks. "I wish it were otherwise, yet there are rules."

"Right," I said, nodding. Then I returned my attention to Bevel. "Do you want me to wait outside for you, just in case? I can come back tomorrow instead."

She shook her head, taking a deep breath. "I can do this."

"What sort of trial will we even be facing?" I asked, figuring Tender had been more forthcoming than Conflict.

"You will push your bodies to their limits," Tender said, nodding. "The forests will reveal the paths to you, and you must follow. Know that there are several directions you can focus your path."

"Don't suppose you could tell us what those are," I said, not actually expecting a response.

Tender, to my surprise, nodded. "While each path provides improvements, the red lilies above will take you on a path that will benefit speed and agility most. The blue roses will lead you through the deepest depths, where the greatest pain awaits, and by walking it, the focus will be placed on improving your resilience. Among the yellow daffodils, you will find tasks requiring brute force, which is what the path will focus on."

All three of us stood and stared at Tender.

That had been… surprisingly direct. Maybe I needed to try asking Conflict how to shape my path in its trials.

Apparently Tender wasn’t done, cause even as I was considering its answer, it added, "Of course, the long path, the path of the white lotus, will lead to balanced growth, with no weaknesses and no great boons."

"Agility," Bevel said, raising her hand.

"Yep, that’s definitely the one for you. Personally, I think I’d prefer the same, though being well rounded is good too. Might actually need to think on this for a bit," I said, pushing to my feet as I looked towards the nearby door. On the other side, I could just barely make out paths of flowers leading away. “Resilience might also be nice, and is probably easier to complete besides, but an increase to agility would help with casting. Especially when I need to do spell dancing or Stone Sculpting.”

"Is the path of the white lotus inferior?" Calbern asked, his eyebrow raised.

"It is simply balanced. And unlike with some methods, those under my care may take the time to walk each path they like as they like, guiding their growth as they do so," Tender said, stroking the mane of one of its forest-raptors as it shifted its gaze towards me. "While the sapling and the ancient one near their next stage, you have many dozens of paths to walk before you'll ascend, and each one you traverse shall leave their mark as you leave yours upon the forest."

"Wait, does that mean I'm ready to ascend too?" Bevel asked, scrunching up her face. "Didn't you say that could kill us?"

"I did. Though you are merely breaking through the softest of soil, an event untold billions have done before you. There is no need to fear death under my skilled hands for such a simple transition. That does not mean there will be no pain, little sapling," Tender warned, lowering its head to address her directly once more.

"Right. And we can only walk a path once a day?" I asked, stepping over and putting my hand on Bevel’s shoulder. "Do they change?"

"No, they do not change. Repetition is key," Tender said. "Slow and constant care will yield the most stable results, Perry. So yes, you may only walk one path a day."

"I am ready whenever you are, master Percival," Calbern said, inclining his head in my direction.

"Me too," Bevel agreed, nodding her head repeatedly.

"Very well," Tender said, waving its hand. Three of the doors around the edge of the room had green flames ignite near the base, only for those flames to race up around the outer edges.

Then the flame spread across the doorways like a web, though the web soon took the shape of each of us. Mine and Bevel's doors were both next to the entrance, while Calbern's was near the end of the hall, only three doors away from the black one that led to the Repository.

Behind us, I realized the entrance had closed, a pair of massive translucent leaves holding out the water as a school of colorful fish darted past where the stairs had been a minute before.

"Step through your doors. They will wait for all three of you to be inside before releasing you into the forests. Once you have all finished, your tending will be at an end for the day," Tender said, taking a couple steps back towards the forest-triceratops. "I wish you luck, and hope to see you again tomorrow. It is refreshing to have such bright sparks in my forests once more." Finished its piece, Tender climbed the back of the triceratops with surprising gentleness. Together they walked past us to the end of the hall, right up to the black door, all of the smaller forest-dinos in tow.

They touched it and were simply gone.

"Huh. Think it's a Waygate?" I asked Bevel, tempted to go over and study the door, now that Tender had left us to our own devices.

She scrunched up her forehead before shaking her head. "Some sort of Worlds magic, but it doesn't look the same."

"Agreed," I said, my attention moving towards the glowing fire of my door. The green fire flared at my attention, as if beckoning me closer. "How much you wanna bet that's gonna sting to step through?"

"Afraid of a little fire, master Percival?" Calbern called, striding towards his door at the far end of the room.

Nearby, Bevel had already stuck her hand out, testing the green flame. "It's not even warm," she reported before jumping forward.

“Good talk,” I said, shaking my head and chuckling.

As she hung there in the air, frozen and completely unable to move, I had a horrible realization. I was glad it was just the three of us. If this is what happened when we stepped through. If we were left that vulnerable. Well, it’d be even more important to make sure we could trust anyone we invited. All it would take would be for someone to not enter their door, and we'd be trapped until Tender decided to free us.

And that was assuming they couldn’t just stab us while we were frozen.

Would need to check with Tender and make sure it had some sort of failsafes in place.

Not wanting to make the others wait, I quickly moved over to my door…

And stepped into fire.