God’s Tree

The calm air of Malakar's home had settled into a comfortable rhythm.

Kaelred sipped his tea, his mood improving now that he didn't have to risk his teeth on another one of Malakar's cookies.

Argolaith, however, had other plans.

As he finished writing down everything about the tea and cookies, a spark of curiosity lit his eyes.

He turned to Malakar, setting his quill aside.

"I want to try making the cookies myself."

Kaelred nearly choked on his tea.

"What?! You want to make those cursed things?"

Argolaith grinned. "They weren't cursed. They were just… advanced."

Malakar's eyes glowed faintly with amusement.

"Interesting. You learn quickly. But making them properly will not be easy."

Argolaith crossed his arms. "I like a challenge."

Kaelred groaned, shaking his head. "You're insane."

Malakar smirked. "Oh, I agree. But that's what makes it fun."

Malakar guided Argolaith through the steps once more, this time allowing him to do everything himself.

The ingredients were the same—Spiritual Wheat Flour, Ember Rose Nectar, Frozen Shadow Essence—but the process was now in Argolaith's hands.

He mixed them carefully, feeling the mana pulse through his fingers as the dough formed.

"Don't overwork it," Malakar instructed, his gaze sharp. "Too much force, and the mana disperses unevenly."

Argolaith nodded, adjusting his technique.

Kaelred, watching from the sidelines, muttered, "This feels like some kind of cult initiation."

Malakar ignored him.

Once the dough was properly balanced, Argolaith portioned it out and placed it in the obsidian oven.

The heat was different here.

It wasn't normal fire—it was fueled by shadows, baking the cookies with an unnatural stillness.

After a few moments, the kitchen filled with the rich, warm scent of magic-infused dough.

When the cookies finally finished, Argolaith carefully took them out, feeling a faint pulse of energy beneath his fingertips.

Kaelred stared warily.

Malakar took one and inspected it, giving a slow, approving nod. "Not bad."

Argolaith smirked. "Only 'not bad'?"

Malakar chuckled. "For a first attempt, it is excellent."

Argolaith took a bite of his own creation—and immediately noticed the difference.

It was softer than Malakar's. Still dense, still rich with mana, but less destructive to the jaw.

Kaelred hesitated, then cautiously picked one up. "…This one won't break my teeth, right?"

Argolaith smirked. "Only one way to find out."

Kaelred narrowed his eyes, then took a small, hesitant bite.

To his utter shock, the cookie was actually chewy.

Not rock-hard. Not weaponized. Edible.

Kaelred exhaled in relief. "…Finally, food that doesn't try to kill me."

Malakar smirked. "I suppose this means you'll eat another?"

Kaelred paused. "…Maybe."

As the kitchen settled into a comfortable silence, Argolaith turned to Malakar, curiosity burning in his gaze.

"By the way… I've been meaning to ask."

Malakar raised a brow. "Yes?"

Argolaith glanced at the far corner of the room, where Fluffy lay curled up, its fur glistening like the night sky, all thirteen eyes closed.

"What exactly is Fluffy?"

Kaelred tensed. "Yeah, I'd like to know too. That thing creeps me out."

Malakar stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Fluffy… is an anomaly."

Kaelred blinked. "…That's not reassuring."

Malakar smirked. "I never said it would be."

Argolaith frowned. "But what is it? Is it some kind of beast?"

Malakar shook his head. "No. Fluffy is not a beast. Nor is it a familiar, or a summoned entity."

He paused, then added, "Fluffy is something that simply… exists."

Kaelred stared. "That's an even worse explanation."

Malakar chuckled. "Perhaps. But even I do not fully understand what Fluffy is. I only know that it is old. Older than anything I've encountered."

Argolaith nodded slowly, deep in thought. "…And yet it acts like a pet."

Malakar smirked. "Yes. Because I raised it that way."

Kaelred groaned. "That doesn't make it less terrifying."

Fluffy opened one eye, staring directly at Kaelred.

Kaelred looked away immediately. "…I hate that thing."

Argolaith laughed. "I think it's adorable."

Kaelred sighed. "You're both insane."

As the conversation drifted on, Malakar leaned back in his chair.

"I suppose this marks the end of your visit."

Argolaith and Kaelred exchanged glances.

"Are we leaving already?" Argolaith asked.

Malakar smirked. "Do you want to stay?"

Kaelred immediately shook his head. "Nope. We're leaving."

Malakar chuckled. "Then let us return to reality."

With a wave of his hand, the shadows around them trembled—and within seconds, they found themselves back in the real world.

The familiar weight of the sky above them and the distant breeze of Morgoth greeted them once more.

The battlefield of slain wyverns remained as they had left it.

Kaelred sighed in relief. "Finally."

Argolaith, however, looked thoughtful.

He glanced at Malakar. "Will we see you again?"

Malakar smirked. "I imagine so. My curiosity about you is not yet satisfied."

Kaelred groaned. "…Great."

And with that, the three figures parted ways once more.

But something told Argolaith that this wouldn't be the last time they crossed paths.

The world shifted as Argolaith and Kaelred found themselves back on the battlefield, surrounded by the slain wyverns that littered the scorched ground.

The air was thick with the scent of blood and burnt scales, and the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the land.

Kaelred let out a deep breath, rolling his shoulders.

"Finally. Back to reality."

Argolaith glanced around, scanning the area with keen eyes.

The battle had been brutal and exhausting, but now they were faced with another problem—what to do with the massive number of wyvern corpses surrounding them.

"There's a lot of good material here," Argolaith said, kneeling beside one of the larger wyverns. "Bones, scales, claws, even the wings could be valuable."

Kaelred crossed his arms, surveying the battlefield.

"The problem is, we can't carry all of them."

Argolaith smirked. "I can."

Kaelred groaned. "…Right. The infinite storage ring. How could I forget?"

Argolaith chuckled, pulling out a finely crafted dagger and beginning to harvest materials from the wyverns.

"I'll store as much as I can. We'll need supplies if we're heading to that human city Karthos mentioned."

Kaelred nodded. "And if we can sell any of this, that just means we will have some more spending money."

Argolaith hesitated. "…Yeah. That might be a problem."

Kaelred raised a brow. "Wait. You don't know how money works?"

Argolaith scratched his head, looking only mildly guilty. "I never really needed it."

Kaelred stared at him, his face blank. "…You've been surviving off of sheer stubbornness and theft, haven't you?"

Argolaith smirked. "Not just theft…mostly."

Kaelred groaned. "Unbelievable."

For the next few hours, Argolaith and Kaelred worked through the battlefield, harvesting as much as they could.

Scales that shimmered in the sunlight, strong enough to be used for armor.

Teeth and claws sharper than any ordinary blade.

Bones dense enough to be reforged into weapons.

Blood that still pulsed with traces of magic.

Kaelred wiped sweat from his brow. "What do you even plan to do with all this?"

Argolaith shrugged, storing more materials. "Sell what we don't need. Forge weapons with the bones. Maybe experiment with alchemy."

Kaelred sighed. "I feel like you're the kind of person who just figures things out as they happen."

Argolaith grinned. "It's worked so far."

Kaelred just shook his head.

As they continued working, the shadows around them flickered.

Kaelred stiffened. "…Did you feel that?"

Argolaith didn't even look up. "Malakar is still watching us."

Kaelred turned, scanning the darkened treetops, but saw nothing.

"That guy creeps me out."

Argolaith smirked. "You'll get used to him."

Kaelred sighed. "I'd rather not."

A faint whisper of laughter echoed from the shadows, but it was gone in an instant.

With their storage rings full of wyvern materials and the battlefield cleared, Argolaith stretched, rolling his shoulders.

"Alright. We're done here."

Kaelred exhaled, glancing toward the distant horizon. "Then let's move. We've got a long way to go before we reach the human city."

Argolaith grinned. "Then let's not waste time."

As they set off once more, the weight of their journey still loomed ahead—but for now, the battle was behind them, and the next chapter of their adventure was waiting just beyond the horizon.

The wind swept over the plains, carrying the faint scent of earth and distant rain as Argolaith and Kaelred walked north, the weight of their supplies secured in Argolaith's storage ring.

For a while, they walked in silence, the only sound being the rhythmic crunch of their boots against the dry ground.

Then, Kaelred let out a long sigh, rubbing his temple.

"Alright. We need to talk about currency."

Argolaith glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Is that really necessary?"

Kaelred gave him a flat look. "You don't know how money works, Argolaith. You stole an infinite storage ring but have no clue how the economy functions."

Argolaith smirked. "To be fair, I haven't needed money so far."

Kaelred rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, that's going to change when we get to the city."

Argolaith stretched, tilting his head in interest. "Alright, enlighten me."

Kaelred cleared his throat, getting into a more instructor-like mode as they walked.

"There are three primary forms of currency used throughout Morgoth. Equal trade, gold coins, and magic stones."

Argolaith nodded. "Go on."

1. Equal Trade

"Equal trade is the simplest form. You give something of value in exchange for something of equal worth. This is most common among small villages, nomads, and those who don't rely on minted currency."

Argolaith nodded thoughtfully. "I've done that before."

Kaelred smirked. "Of course you have. Stealing and trading—you've really covered all the basics."

Argolaith chuckled. "Survival is survival."

2. Gold Coins

Kaelred continued, "Gold coins are the standard currency in most large cities. They're stamped with the crest of the kingdom they belong to, and their value fluctuates depending on the region."

Argolaith frowned. "So, not all gold coins are worth the same?"

Kaelred shook his head. "Nope. Some kingdoms mint higher purity gold, while others mix it with cheaper metals. Some cities don't even accept foreign gold if they don't recognize the kingdom's stamp."

Argolaith sighed. "That sounds complicated."

Kaelred smirked. "You'll get used to it."

3. Magic Stones

Kaelred's voice lowered slightly as they reached the most important form of currency.

"Then there are Magic Stones. They're worth more than gold because they contain mana and can be used for crafting, spellcasting, and enchantments."

Argolaith raised a brow. "So they're like fuel?"

Kaelred nodded. "Exactly. The higher the mana concentration, the more valuable the stone. Low-grade stones can power basic tools or lamps, while high-grade stones are used by powerful mages and forge masters."

Argolaith rubbed his chin. "That actually makes sense. So we could trade the wyvern materials for Magic Stones instead of gold?"

Kaelred grinned. "Now you're thinking like a merchant."