The Forest of Cigam ( I )

Dusk was settling upon the sleepy town of More Bay, that sat on the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest of Cigam. Which began to awaken with activity. Firefly-like lights bobbed and weaved through the underbrush, some ascended tree trunks until they disappeared beneath the foliage.

From the edge of town, I watched the sun disappear behind the mountains that framed the valley we sat in the middle of. I took one last swig of my ale and tossed it aside before gathering my things. I flung my bag over my shoulder and sauntered into the forest like I owned the place.

Which I do, in a way, as I am a dealer by trade. The townspeople pay me to find and collect various rare substances from within. Which means I know more about it than anyone else in town, so by that standard I own it.

As I walked through the dimming forest, crickets chirped, frogs croaked, and a low hum echoed throughout. The deeper I walked inside, the louder the hum got and an eery golden glow pulsated along the forest floor. Like veins that pumped blood throughout a gigantic body. If that body were The Enchanted Forest of Cigam.

You see, this forest is special. It has a very unique ecosystem. The entire Forest of Cigam and all it’s inhabitants are fuelled by something called Life Force. A golden substance that is pumped through little channels that reach all the edges of the forest. Which is created and fed by The Tree of Life.

And that is what I am in search of.

During the day, it’s too light out to see the channels that carry the Life Force, which is why I waited until night. This way, I can follow a vein as it connects with others and gets bigger as we get closer to the Tree of Life.

I crept through the Forest of Cigam, careful not to cross paths with any guardians.

They are beings that not only protect those that live in the forest but most importantly The Tree of Life. Typically they aren’t violent by nature but more or less like to scold you when caught in their forest with nefarious intentions. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t be aggressive when there is a need for it. So I would prefer to avoid an encounter with one at any cost.

I continued to track a vein as it grew larger until I emerged from the thick covering of the forest. I stood at the edge of a clearing and there in the middle sat the Tree of Life.

It gleamed like a jewel in the empty clearing, its golden glow bathed the surrounding area in a warm light. With a low hum, it continued to produce Life Force and pumped it out through its roots and into the veins of the forest. Which spidered out in all directions, weaving under the forest floor until it faded from sight.

I continued to stand at the edge of the clearing and watched little golden balls of light sparkle past me. I was awe-stricken by the sheer beauty of The Tree of Life, so much so that I had almost lost the nerve to do what I came here for.

A rustling in the trees pulled me back to my senses as I regained my resolve and observed the clearing around me. Seeing nothing, I approached the tree, cautious of exposing myself to any beings in the area.

The hum of the Life Force was almost defeating and vibrated through the forest floor beneath my feet. I admired The Tree of Life as I continued forward and it continued producing Life Force, unbothered by my presence.

A smile crossed my lips as I walked toward it while I rummaged through my bag until I found my enchanted spile and hammer. Then I knelt beside the tree and got to work, hammering the spile in until the golden glow flickered for half of a second. Immediately, the shimmering golden fluid known as Life Force dripped from the spout and fell to the forest floor. I quickly hung my bucket upon it and began to collect the sap.

I leaned against the Tree of Life and listened to the steady dripping of the sap as it filled my bucket. She continued to hum and produce enough Life Force not only for me but for the forest, too. I continued to smiled to myself as I watched the dark forest around us. Secretly enjoying the low hum of the tree and the peace of this moment.

The tempo of the sap changed as it dripped into the bucket and drew my attention. It was almost full, which meant that I was finished collecting my bounty. As I knelt beside the tree again, I removed the spile and placed my thumb over the hole my it made. I began to pack up my things as I waited for the sap to clog itself.

“What are you doing?” An ethereal woman’s voice called from behind me.

I quickly stood up, brushed my hands on my pants and watched the sap leak out down the bark towards the forest floor.

“Just collecting something,” I replied vaguely, then I turned to face the owner of the voice. I laid eyes on a woman who wore a silvery sheen full-length dress, a guardian of the forest.

Her platinum white hair fell over her shoulders at chest length and almost blended in with her dress. The woman’s pale skin glowed like the moon on a clear night, glittering with every movement as she tilted her head at me in curiosity.

“You have injured the Tree of Life.” She accused. Her grey eyes focused on the trunk behind me. Her lips pursed together in a sort of pout, as though I’d injured her by extension.

I glanced at the tree and watched one large droplet of sap escape through the not-yet-plugged hole. It trickled down to the forest floor, and I felt a tinge of remorse. Like a small child caught stealing from their mother’s kitchen.

But I did my best not to show it, as I straightened puffed my chest out in faux superiority and looked down my nose at her.

“It doesn’t seem too affected,” I muttered, then slung my bag over my shoulder and collected my bucket of liquid gold. “Besides, I need to make ends meet,” I added with a shrug as walked past her.

“But what you have stolen isn’t yours to sell.” She protested in a soft voice of forlorn. Her eyes tracked me as I walked away. “This will cost you more than the pennies you will make in comparison.”

“Easy for you to say when you don’t have taxes to pay,” I grumbled and continued to walk into the darkness, leaving the Tree of Life and guardian behind.

“If only you knew the true cost.” She muttered in a barely audible voice as I continued.

I made my way back to More Bay and my small home within it. Where I got some rest before looking to turn a profit on my latest collection.

Rumour has it that if you stew the sap from the Tree of Life, you can make a serum that cures all ailments. It even has the ability to bring one back from the brink of death, just before their last breath.

So the next morning, that was exactly what I did; stewed the sap, bottled the serum and carted it over to Jasen’s place. The town apothecary, who was one of my biggest customers.

Fortunately, he bought the entire supply, and I had more money than I knew what to do with.

I wouldn’t have to make another trip into the forest for quite some time.

Or so I thought.

Part Two: