I Can See Evolution Paths

Chapter 86: Journey to the Su Tribe

Sunlight came through the enormous trees in pieces.

Arthur opened his eyes slowly and checked his situation before trying to sit up. Melo lay asleep across his chest, having clearly decided this was the optimal spot. Athy hung upside down from a branch directly above him, apparently making sense to her.

Kong had found Arthur’s shoulder during the night and was using it as a pillow.

Arthur looked at the arrangement. "Morning," he said.

Melo opened one eye, considered the situation, and closed it again.

"Five more minutes?" Arthur said.

Melo nodded without opening her eyes.

Arthur laughed and let her stay. He finally sat up when the camp’s activity got too interesting to ignore, and what he saw made him go still.

Yesterday this had been open ground beside the Mu Tribe’s settlement. Now it was cabins in two rows, a watchtower at the northern edge, a storage shed with proper shelving, cooking stations already running, and a road connecting it all to the main settlement gate.

"You built all of this?" Arthur said.

The nearest Builder scratched his head. "We couldn’t sleep," he said. "So we built."

Arthur looked around at the scope of it. "Builders are my favorite," he said.

Mithra arrived behind him. "You changed your favorite again."

"I’m confirming it," Arthur said. "This confirms it."

Sun walked through the camp inspecting things. He opened one cabin door, checked inside, opened another, checked the doorframe. "They’re definitely staying," he said.

Everyone laughed.

The rest of the tribe woke up around them, and even the morning routine showed the change. The Guide organized the Hunters by the eastern wall, moving with the ease of someone who’d been doing this for years but was now doing it better. Builders were already at the walls with their tools and golden measuring cords. The Healer moved through the group checking feet after yesterday’s march, exactly the kind of thing someone who’d evolved for this purpose would think to do. Two Archers practiced near the tree line, their emerald bowstrings glowing in the morning light, and several children stood watching, clearly deciding what they wanted to become.

Arthur watched all of it. "They’re already changing," he said.

Mithra nodded softly. "They finally have the chance," she said.

Vedas stood at the camp’s edge looking out over it, his expression a quiet satisfaction that didn’t need announcing.

When he raised his spear and said "Let’s move," the Goblins organized immediately, no confusion, no repeated instructions, no shouting. The formation assembled around the order and started moving.

One Goblin Hunter hurried after the others, then froze. "...My spear." He turned around in a panic.

Vedas had already picked it up. He walked over and held it out. "You’ll need this."

The Hunter took it with both hands. "T-Thank you, Chief!"

Vedas nodded once. "We move together."

Nobody stepped forward until the Hunter returned to formation. Only then did Vedas raise his spear again. "Let’s go."

Arthur watched all of this quietly.

Mithra noticed. "What?"

Arthur looked toward Vedas. "He noticed that hunter and figured out the problem pretty fast."

Mithra followed his gaze. "Well, the best Chiefs take note of all their members."

Arthur’s smile softened. "You’re right."

Sun came over, raising a brow. "Why do I feel like you always notice these things? Don’t tell me you’re always watching Vedas?"

"Hmm, no, it’s more like I can tell by how he feels."

"That tells me nothing."

"It just means you haven’t reached that level with Kong yet."

"Or maybe you really are just constantly watching him."

Vedas, slightly ahead of them, had ears turning slightly red.

Mithra noticed and smiled at nothing in particular.

The forest path wound west before curving east, and it was on the first curve that Arthur spotted the glowing flowers. Wind Butterflies, nearly translucent, drifted down from the canopy and landed on the petals, which bloomed immediately at the contact.

Arthur pointed. "Pretty," he said.

Elder Raku appeared beside him, ready for the questions. "Morning Bells," Raku said. "They bloom when mana touches them."

Athena appeared on Raku’s other side, notebook already open. "Do they only bloom in spring?" she said.

"In this Realm, they bloom whenever the mana current is strong."

"What pollinates them?"

"The butterflies."

"Average lifespan?"

"Three years, unless the mana density changes."

"And what happens if—"

Sun sighed. "She’s interviewing him," he said.

Arthur glanced back. "They’re getting along."

Athena, not looking up, actually smiled. "He’s an incredible teacher," she said.

Raku chuckled. "I’ve never had someone quite this interested in everything."

Athena answered immediately. "I’m interested in everything."

Sun muttered, "We noticed."

Raku found something worth explaining at every turn, and the group settled into a comfortable rhythm of walking and learning. The floating moss under the branches stored sunlight during the day and released it at night, which was why the forest never went entirely dark. Arthur pressed his fingers into a patch. "It’s warm," he said. Melo checked, found the temperature satisfactory, and curled up on the largest patch she could reach.

Further along, tiny bees with crystal-clear wings moved between crystal flowers. Instead of nectar, they gathered concentrated mana into floating crystals that drifted away in small glowing clusters.

Arthur watched one drift past his face. "Can I eat one?" he said.

Athena and Raku answered simultaneously. "No."

Arthur sighed. "Again?" he said.

Mithra was already laughing.

Arthur watched another tiny crystal drift into the air. "Do you think people ever get tired of discovering new things?"

Athena answered immediately. "Never."

Arthur smiled. "Good. Then we’ll just keep finding them."

Athena looked at him for a second, then smiled back. "Deal."

Raku chuckled quietly. "I think the Realm has enough mysteries to keep both of you busy for several lifetimes."

The sideways trees came after the next curve, growing at an angle that had nothing to do with gravity and everything to do with the mana current running along the forest floor here.

Arthur tilted his head to match the trees. "Why are they growing sideways?" he said.

"The mana current bends them," Raku said. "It flows east along this ridge. They follow it."

Arthur thought about it. "So the trees adapted," he said.

Raku’s eyes widened slightly, clearly not expecting that observation. "Exactly," he said.

Athena’s pen moved instantly, muttering something about adaptation and environmental mana pressure.

Arthur scratched his cheek. "Did I say something smart?" he said.

Sun, from behind him: "Don’t ruin the moment."

The trees opened suddenly and the glowing fish were there, dozens of them moving through the air above the path, silver and blue and faintly lit from within, swimming through open space like they’d found the medium that suited them.

Arthur’s eyes lit up. "Can we catch one?" he said.

Mithra looked at him. "How?" she said.

Arthur considered this seriously. "A really tall ladder?" he said.

Mithra started laughing and couldn’t stop.

Sun sighed. "That is somehow the least ridiculous idea you’ve had today," he said.

Arthur smiled. "Thanks," he said.

Sun pointed at him. "I wasn’t complimenting you."

One Goblin child raised a hand immediately. "Prophet Arthur!"

"They’re still calling you that—"

Arthur looked over. "Yeah?"

"And you’re responding to it?!" Sun stared in disbelief.

"We can build the ladder!"

Several Builders nodded immediately. "We can."

Arthur’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

Sun pointed at all of them. "No."

Arthur looked disappointed. "...Worth asking."

Mithra burst into laughter.

The fish drifted overhead in their slow, unconcerned way, and Arthur watched them for a while before saying quietly, "Mom would love this."

Mithra answered without prompting. "She really would," she said.

Arthur nodded. "If she saw this, she’d stand there for an hour and forget to blink."

Mithra smiled. "She told me about the first time she saw Flaming Hawks," she said. "They filled the whole sky. She said she stood there for nearly an hour and forgot where she was suppose to go."

Arthur laughed quietly. "That does sound like her," he said. His smile softened. "One day I’ll bring her somewhere like this."

Mithra nodded. "I think she’d love that."

Vedas, walking beside them. "She deserves to see it."

Arthur looked at him, then smiled. "Definitely," he said.

Vedas had been listening quietly. "Then we’ll become strong enough that nothing in this place can disturb her."

Arthur and Mithra laughed at those words.

Two Goblin children had attached themselves to Vedas somewhere after the sideways trees and hadn’t detached. The bolder one had been working up to a question, and it finally came.

"Chief," the child said. "How do you become brave?"

Vedas considered it seriously. "Walk," he said. "Even when you’re scared."

The child nodded, committing it to memory. The second one asked immediately, "Were you scared yesterday?"

Vedas smiled honestly. "Very," he said.

Both children stared. "Really?"

"Being brave doesn’t mean you’re never scared," Vedas said. "It means you walk anyway."

Arthur hadn’t said anything. He said it now, quietly: "So cool."

Mithra whispered beside him: "He really is becoming a Chief."

It was Athy who broke the quiet mood, diving suddenly and landing directly on top of Elder Raku’s head. She settled in, chirping once with great satisfaction.

Everyone nearby went still for a moment.

Raku laughed. "I suppose I’ve been promoted," he said.

That kept them smiling until Melo discovered the glowing butterflies in the underbrush vanished the moment she got close. She investigated methodically, approaching, watching it disappear, checking it was really gone, then picking a new target. Arthur watched. "Good luck," he said.

Kong, meanwhile, found a large round fruit hanging from a low branch, inspected it carefully, and pulled it free triumphantly. It split immediately at the seam, and juice went across his face in two directions.

Silence.

Arthur laughed first. Then Mithra. Then everyone. Kong looked at the two fruit halves, then started laughing himself.

Athy swooped down, landed on Kong’s shoulder, and started pecking the fruit juice off his cheek.

Kong blinked, smiled, and rubbed her head in thanks.

Athy chirped proudly.

Arthur laughed. "Free cleaning service."

Even Raku chuckled.

They were still smiling when the forest opened into a clearing and the waterfall was there, except it ran upward. Water rose from a pool at the base, climbing against gravity in a clear column, filling a floating lake at the top with no visible support, and from the lake’s edges smaller streams descended on the far side to start the cycle again.

Everyone stopped.

Arthur said, "Beautiful."

Nobody moved. Even Athena stood still, notebook at her side, pen uncapped and unused.

The only sound was the waterfall flowing upward. Arthur sat down slowly on a nearby rock. "Let’s stay here for a minute."

Nobody disagreed.

Mithra sat beside him quietly. Vedas stayed standing with the Goblin children, all of them staring upward wide-eyed.

Sun crossed his arms. "I guess one minute won’t hurt."

Athena closed her notebook slowly. "I suppose some things should be remembered first and written down second."

Arthur smiled. "I like that."

Melo curled into Arthur’s lap. "Kyu."

Athy lazily circled above the floating lake.

Kong quietly bit into another fruit. This one, thankfully, didn’t explode. The group simply enjoyed the view.

For a little while, nobody needed to say anything.

Thirty seconds passed with the waterfall running upward and the floating lake shimmering above them.

Athena suddenly gasped. "My notebook!" She grabbed it and started writing.

Everyone laughed while she caught up.

Raku smiled at the waterfall as they finally moved on. "The Realm evolves itself," he said. "Sometimes mana changes nature. Sometimes nature changes mana." He paused. "Nobody knows which came first."

Arthur thought about it. "Maybe that’s why it’s called the Realm of Evolution," he said.

Athena looked at him slowly. "I like that theory," she said.

In the evening everyone started making camp.

The Builders created cabins and Arthur checked out one of them.

The cabins weren’t identical.

Every cabin was slightly different. One had more shelves. Another had wider doors. One had a ramp.

Arthur blinked. "You designed these?"

The Builder nodded. "We built them for who would live inside."

Arthur smiled. "...Builders are definitely my favorite."

And then soon all the cabins were built before the Hunters returned with food. Archers brought birds down from the canopy. The Healer moved through the group with practiced efficiency. The Guide organized supply distribution.

Children helped carry what they could.

Arthur watched. "They’re already acting like one kingdom," he said.

Mithra smiled. "Because now they finally can," she said.

Vedas stood at the camp’s high point with a view of everything. Raku walked up beside him and stood there a moment before speaking.

"You’re doing well," Raku said.

Vedas watched his tribe building their camp. "I’m trying," he said.

The bonfire had the same feeling as the one at the settlement, genuine, well-fed, surrounded by people who’d survived something together and were glad of it. Arthur asked Raku what Goblin Kings were really like.

Raku smiled. "Larger than life," he said. "Just like the stories."

The children around the fire leaned in immediately.

"Did they really split mountains?"

"Were they taller than trees?"

"Did they fight dragons?"

Raku laughed warmly, clearly not tired of the faces these stories produced after decades of telling them. "Some stories," he said, "are true."

One of the children looked up. "Did you ever meet a Goblin King?"

Raku became quiet for several seconds. "No but King Mu told me about him."

Nobody spoke.

"King Mu said the King remembered every Goblin’s name." The fire crackled. "And... He said no goblin had ever forgotten theirs after that."

Arthur’s eyes shone. "That’s awesome," he said.

Raku chuckled while the other goblins cheered.

But soon, the camp grew quiet in stages. The first the children, then the hunters, then everyone else, until only the fire remained fully awake.

The King’s Mark pulsed once.

A thin golden line stretched through the trees.

Brighter than yesterday.

Longer than yesterday.

Arthur smiled quietly. "We’re almost there."

Vedas looked in the same direction. He couldn’t see the golden trail, but he didn’t ask. If Arthur said they were close, then they were close.

He simply nodded. "Let’s meet them."

The fire crackled quietly behind them.

The King’s Mark pulsed again. This time not once but twice.

Arthur frowned.

The golden trail split.

One path continued toward the east and the second led somewhere deep beneath the forest.

Arthur stared. "...What?"

Then the lower trail disappeared.

Like it had never existed.

Arthur fell silent for a long moment but he decided not to say anything for now.

Above the endless forest, the stars slowly filled the sky.