High pitched squeals and rapid chitterings woke him from his elegant slumber. The Fae King rose to greet a new day with all the grace and poise expected of the King. No sleep clung to his eyes, nor did he appear any less prepared for the day from his time in a crumpled yet still dignified position upon the Summer throne. Sitting up Oberon straightened out his robes, and brushed a stray strand of his luscious verdant hair from his sight. With a stretch the King welcomed this new dawn with his customary greeting.
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"Ahhh, yet another beautiful morning. It's so peaceful... And so boooooooriiiiiiiing... Where's the fun in just sitting around all day?
I wish more of those humans would visit. It's always fun with them around..."
While he was pouting, he once again heard a screech and a small chitter which broke the King's concentration. He looked to his sides and saw some of his subjects; many of the weaker insectoid Fae he was charged with ruling. They clung to his form, wormed through his hair, hovered in the air around him. He had half a mind to squash every one of them, maybe their dying sounds would be fun... Thankfully the other half of his mind recalled that they were his subjects, and what was a King without those beneath him? Well, in his case he would still be king, as the forest itself ordained him as such, but the point stood. He needed subjects, so killing them on a whim wasn't very nice.
"Well good morning everyone. Who told you you could lay a single wing or foot upon my Throne or person? Was it the Queen? Has she returned?!" Sad squeals told him no. "Oh well, no matter... I forgive you all this time, but next time I'll crush you without a second thought." He said with a genuine, honest smile on his face. Why are you all here anyway? What's that? You're all dying of boredom too? I know, why don't I tell you all a story, that always cheers you all up!!" Happy cries cheered out. "How about the tale of the One Eyed King? Actually never mind, that one's way too boring. We'd all wither away like that old boring idiot before I finished... Hm. What about the one the old bear had? The tale of first humans from beyond Albion? Ash and Ember I think their names were? Actually, that one didn't have too happy of an ending either... Hm... This is difficult...."
Oberon looked off into the sky, lightly tapping his chin as he wondered what kind of tale he would enjoy telling. Then it hit him. He would simply relive one of the worst and yet best days of his life. He gathered his tiny friends close, and cleared his throat. Then with all the theatricality he could muster, channeling William Shakespeare himself, Oberon told the tale of the Fae's first interactions with the humans of this world.
"Once upon a time..."
The Cataclysm had devastated the planet. Massive swathes of the mainland had been destroyed when the moon was destroyed by a piercing light. With nowhere else to turn, the refugees of the world looked to wherever they could. Some joined the Remnants of the Freehold, some with the hope of exacting revenge, some in an effort to preserve Humanity's presence in the former Freehold, and others out of a desperate desire for security. Whatever their reasons, they turned to humanity. Others found prosperity within the domains of the newly birthed Gods, Aureliana and Archelirion. Whether it was to seek safety beneath such awe-inspiring beings, a longing for the prosperity they once had, or simply out of a defeated desire to succumb to their rule. Whatever their reasons, they turned to the Divine. Finally there were those who didn't care for either. They would forge their own path. This last group of refugees heard about the excursions to the recently discovered "Outer Lands". An expedition that saw humans discover and explore this new and strange land. Many left behind smouldering piles of ashes, with only the clothes on their backs as their last remaining worldly possessions. They spent weeks at sea, assaulted by the waves and some even being attacked by unknown monsters from the depths. Then they saw it. Paradise. Seemingly unspoiled by the Cataclysm. Oh how joyous they all were. Except Kamiyasumi was, arguably, the most affected by the Cataclysm wrought by the universe itself.
On that day, a terrifying, amazing thing happened. A shard of mighty Eanna fell from the heavens, large enough to threaten even the Monks in their little huts with annihilation. They thought they were done for, but fate had other plans. The moment the shard touched the land, instead of destroying it, it awakened the energies in the roots of the Void tree, activating their limitless potential that had spread out through most of Kamiyasumi. In collaboration with the Grotesque Growth, the Heart of the Titan, and finally the abnormality that was Last Shadow, the land itself was swallowed not in destruction, but a planeshift of unfathomable proportions. One forest gave way to another, and here we now stand. But yes, I know, I know, this is supposed to be the tale of our first meeting, is it not? Don't worry, I'm getting there... And what fun we have had in this land.
Now, their firsts steps on this land were not the easiest. The humans who had arrived here first left them with huts, and a wall with some rudimentary weapons on it. It would be an insult to civilization to call it a town. Now, one of these humans, a large strapping man who's name I cannot possibly recall as I never cared to learn it had the wonderful, amazing, fun idea of taking some of the strongest men, and entering the woods. A dozen or so of humanity's finest survivors. And this is where we all come in, isn't it? Many of our people watched with their hearts aflutter. We hadn't seen humans in centuries back home, so this was all so exciting. We all wondered what kind of tricks we could play with them, what games they might enjoy. Oh how distracted we all were by thoughts of fun and games...
And when we weren't looking, these humans, these guests in our home, did the unthinkable. They started to cut down our trees. Dig up our land. Our home, our world. We were nothing but a resource to these people. From that second on, there was no going back. As of that first swing, they were sinners one and all. Some Fae tried to reason with them, but they were swatted like, er... Well, they were murdered in cold blood. And the humans continued like it was the most natural thing!! The gall!! The Unseelie wouldn't stand for it, and sadly I cannot blame them... What happened next? Well. Sad as it is to say with the death of our kin and all... But it was the most fun we as Fae have ever had. These humans came into our home and took without giving. They murdered and slaughtered our kin. As is our custom, we gave back. And the Unseelie were the most skilled at returning humanity's cruelty. They weaved their magics, and had their fun. Oh how they giggled and laughed as the humans screamed, torn limb from limb by the Unseelie. How their organs danced at our kin's touch. Their intestines hanging from our branches as decoration to celebrate our meeting and our parting. How they were still screaming, even when they were torn to shreds, thanks to the tricks of our mischievous friends. Living while dying. What fun and merriment they had on that day. And when we were done? We did as we have always done. Followed our rules. Gave back. Their bodies given back to the land they so callously stole from. The land they wounded so thoughtlessly... May their sins be forgiven in the next life, for we have none for them in the here and now.
To this day the peoples of the human settlement, this "Port of Dawn", search for their missing friends and loved ones. Even as their walls tower over our forests, we do not care. Our message was delivered and received in time. These forests are
ours. We will not suffer further loss. Those who enter this realm of the Fae seeking to harm it, or it's peoples? They will be shown no mercy.
"Well, that was fun. Now we just need to figure out what to do for the rest of the day... "
Oberon slumped in his throne, the petulant child King of the forest once again slipping into torpor, and slumber from sheer boredom.
Maybe it was about time he made his own fun...
