The treants paid no mind to the bewildered witcher, their gazes fixed on Tyche as they began to sing an ancient ballad in unison.
Lambert sheathed his steel sword and sidled up to Tyche, asking, "You're not from the same world as these treants, are you?"
Tyche's bewildered expression did not waver her exalted status in the eyes of the treants. As their song swelled, the forest began to transform.
Trees shed their withered leaves and accumulated snow from their branches, responding to the guardians' song with a hazy green luminescence. The green light spread outwards like wildfire, and more and more treants materialized within its glow.
"I suppose that's one way to put it. Though I don't see it that way, they won't listen to my explanation."
As Tyche responded softly, a treant clad in moss approached her. This moss-covered treant, seemingly their leader, had hair like roots, brown and overgrown with fungi. Her eyes held the weariness and wisdom of ages.
Vines unfurled with her every step, occasionally blooming with tiny, unidentifiable white flowers the size of rice grains.
Gazing upon Tyche, who emanated a soft white light, the elder treant wept profusely. She sank to her knees before Tyche, reaching out to touch the hem of the radiant goddess's garment.
"Please forgive my outburst. Since the Twin Holy Trees were destroyed by Sauron, it has been a long time since I have basked in the radiance of Telperion."
Wiping away her tears, the elder treant asked with hopeful eyes, "Companion of Ilúvatar, consort of Yavanna, the Queen of the Forest, have the gods finally heard our cries and sent a Maia to save us?"
Tyche was still recalling the familiar name Ilúvatar, and it seemed she had heard of Sauron somewhere before, as well as the inexplicable Twin Holy Trees, which seemed connected to a stunning individual.
Noticing Tyche lost in thought, the elder treant continued, "Noble Maia, do not be alarmed. All Maiar who descend to this land lose their memories. This forest is frequented by greedy humans and cunning, brutal forest spirits. For your safety, please come with us."
With that, the treants swarmed forward, lifting Tyche onto a net woven from vines.
A dumbfounded Lambert rushed forward to intercept the jubilant treants, taking Tyche's hand and pulling her away from their embrace.
The elder treant raised her wooden staff and struck Lambert's outstretched hand forcefully. A dark green hue spread across Lambert's body, and the witcher's legs gave way as he collapsed, convulsing.
"Do not harm him. He saved me when I awoke in the swamp."
Tyche's words caused the elder treant's wariness to melt away like ice in a raging fire. She bowed humbly, and the dark green poison that had spread across Lambert's body instantly dissipated into black mist.
The treants carried Tyche in front, while vines bound Lambert like a silken cocoon, trailing behind Tyche. The witcher, enraged, shouted and wriggled, trying to break free from his restraints.
They passed through the dappled forest, shafts of sunlight manifesting in the morning mist.
Among the treants were those with magical talent, capable of manipulating trees and vines to attack intruders. These treants, known as tree-singers, held great prestige within their community, often serving as leaders and advisors.
Deep within the forest, the treants' commotion alerted the wounded resting by the spring.
This group, composed of elves and dwarves, looked weary, as if they had just endured a fierce battle.
The sharp-eared archers, possessing eyesight no less keen than a falcon's, spotted a group of treants escorting a young maiden from afar.
The treants who remained by the spring also looked overjoyed. They knelt by the water and began to sing a melodious song.
Tyche paid no mind to these squirrel-like guerrillas, their faces etched with vigilance. Her gaze was drawn to the tranquil spring, where she saw fragmented memories in its reflection.
These treants were the companions of the Ents of Middle-earth, known as Entwives, and they dwelled in the gardens of Yavanna, the Queen of the Forest. After the Twin Holy Trees, which brought light, were destroyed by Morgoth, Yavanna created the sun and moon from silver flowers and golden fruits. Her husband, Aulë, the creator of the dwarves, fashioned immense ships to carry the sun and moon, bringing light to the world.
Tyche's expression turned peculiar as she looked at the haphazardly leaning elves beneath the trees, feeling greatly disappointed. Had the firstborn of Ilúvatar fallen to such a state? Those handsome men and beautiful women, who came with their own soft glow effects, had vanished into the relentless passage of time.
After the elves who had come to this world with the treants due to the convergence of celestial spheres intermingled with the natives, the blessings that originated from the gods and the Holy Trees had vanished. They were no longer immortal favorites; instead, they faced discrimination due to their distinct appearances.
"Firstborn of Ilúvatar, you have forgotten your past glory."
A soft silver light emanated outwards, instilling a sense of deep kinship in the vigilant elves, a feeling originating from the very depths of their bloodlines. In a daze, they saw two intertwined colossal trees enveloping a blessed land, where elf souls, weary of the mortal world, wandered among the flowers, returning to the blessed lands.
The elder treant raised her hand to stop the approaching elves and whispered, "Halt your steps. Return and inform Queen Francisca of the Valley of Flowers and the Elf-sage Aeda Amin that a Maia has come in response to our call. We have hope for our return to Middle-earth!"
The younger elves did not understand what returning to Middle-earth entailed, but as the elder treant spoke with such solemnity, they could only relay her message.
Tyche, by the spring, was still trying to reconcile the relationships based on her memories of the world of the Ring. This spring was the remnant of a powerful treant's life, her profound longing for her homeland still vivid after so many years. To continue her lineage and await the hope of return, they transformed human girls with their power after death. This spring water, known as Bronzilo, could heal wounds while also causing the drinker to forget their memories and become a treant.
Tyche’s eyes did not miss the anxiety on the elder treant's face. Tyche reached out, cupped some spring water, and sprinkled it onto a tall oak tree.
The oak tree's cracked bark immediately sprouted features, and its eyes opened, exploring the world with a curious gaze.
The treants, their eyes filled with tears, embraced each other and wept.
The newly born treant uprooted its roots from the soil and walked towards Tyche by the spring, offering her ripe acorns.
Tyche received the highest honors, and the witcher, benefiting from her presence, also secured a place at the banquet. However, fruits and spring water could not satisfy Lambert's appetite.
The treants placed a floral crown on Tyche's head, earnestly persuading the Maia, whom they believed to be amnesiac, to stay.
Tyche turned to look at the dejected witcher, smiled, and shook her head, saying, "I need to find a way to return to Middle-earth. The witcher's castle might hold clues that could save me time."