78 Recognition

"We didn't know you felt like that," Chloe said with her voice quivering. She never knew that her husband was going through that, she never realised.

"Of course you wouldn't, almost no one would. Even all the people taking care of the children wouldn't, they aren't in charge of sending you all on missions," Flynn said, his emotions changing his tone.

"Alright, I'll help," Lachlan abruptly said at the front, his head turned towards them just so only one side of his face could be seen.

Chloe's gaze snapped towards him, her eyes were filled with curiosity, "Why the change of heart, you also didn't want him to try it".

"That's because I kind of do know what he feels, although it wasn't as bad. During my travels to Mount Barker with my family, they were the ones protecting me, although I eventually got my first tame during that trip, before that, I was basically dead weight and another mouth to feed," Lachlan said.

Dylan didn't go on the mission, so he wasn't there to hear it, of course he would quickly disagree. Although Lachlan could be counted as dead weight at the start, during the ambush by the lake if Lachlan wasn't there they wouldn't have made it would alive.

"Thanks, just having you there would be enough," Flynn said happily, a small smile flashed across his face.

"No!" Chloe shouted, "I'll come along as well, the more people the easier it is for this mission to succeed without any problems".

"Alright, we'll go along as well," Simon said dejectedly, although he wasn't too keen on going back and fight that thing, if they could get it on their side then that would be one powerful ally.

After that everyone began to agree, then it was down to planning. It was quickly decided that this would be a blitz operation, get in, get what they need then get out as fast as possible. They were all going to be in charge of keeping the guards off them, not to mention now they know they'll be found out the moment they get there, there was no need to try and go stealth.

Lachlan got Temp to turn around, unfortunately, they were roughly 2 hours away from Perth. Fortunately, they still had everything they needed and didn't need a restock. In addition, the military should have moved out by now, hopefully.

As they made their way they discussed their way of entrance. Lachlan suggested they just blast the building to bits, that was quickly rejected as they wanted the Ent to still be alive. After a bit more discussion they finally decided they would make a hole through all the walls and if their theory was right then the main body was near where they entered.

Once they made it back they quickly realised the vehicles were still there, but no one was in them. Lachlan already had a bad feeling about this, if the Ent's puppet told them to go into the building then they could have all been eaten.

The hole they left previously was still there, they flew to it and jumped down. They were greeted by an empty hall and complete silence. The hall still smelt a bit like burnt leaves but aside from that it was completely clean, there wasn't even a body of the burnt puppets anywhere.

Lachlan put his hand against the hall, not too long after the metal began to melt and drip down, creating a perfect hole for them to walk through. But what they saw was rather shocking, they quickly went through the hole to get a better view.

They were on some railing at the top of the building that was connected to the wall. Looking over the railing there was a massive tree in the middle of what seems to be a garden, surrounding it was the bodies of soldiers, each had a hole either through the head or heart.

Around them were bundles of branches, it looked like it would have formed a human. Which means they were the puppets, they had been destroyed.

But after taking a closer look at the Ent it seems the fight didn't go exactly how they expected. Branches of the Ent could be seen scattered across the ground, there were also chips in its body that excreted sap. Near the roots there were a couple of broken roots, it looked like there was an explosion.

"Analyse"

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Name: Ent

Age: Elder

Attribute: Wood

Level: 53

STR: 50(+465), AGI: 0(+429), VIT: 5(+521)

INT: 67(+372), PER: 100(+267), WIL: 36(+74)

Weakness: Fire, Destroying the main bodies roots

Strengths: Creates Ent Puppets by consuming animals, can connect itself to all plant life surrounding

Description: The tree that lived long enough to obtain sentience, gaining wisdom similar to mankind. Through its abilities it causes fear through the forests, forcing animals to submit to it through its overwhelming power.

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"What do you want humans?" A deep booming voice resounded through the building, it sounded like an ancient and wise old man, one that has experienced the world.

The roots from the ceiling turned towards them, one of them shooting at them at a breathtaking speed, arriving in front of them in an instant.

Lachlan already saw it coming appeared in front of it, he quickly held out his palm and let the vine smash into it, causing a loud whip-like sound to spread throughout the building.

In front of the group was Lachlan, who had a vine caught in the palms of his hands. During that collision he didn't move at all and stood his ground, making sure the Ent realises the difference in strength.

"You are too strong for me, what do you want?" The voice became more distinct and the source of it was seen. A face on the tree could be seen coming into shape, its wooden eyes staring at them.

"I want to tame you," Flynn walked to the front of the group, his eyes shone of determination with a body stance that demanded respect.

"You are too weak to tame me, few have tried but all have failed," the Ent said, what he was saying was true. But they failed due to a different reason, the chances of them being compatible with plants is low and if they are compatible, their compatibility of plants might be too low.

Although Lachlan wasn't sure, there could very well be a limit to what people can tame depending on compatibility.

"I'll still give it a try," Flynn said with determination. Although the Ent thought it was foolish he wouldn't mind. A vine came down from the ceiling and wrapped around Flynn before bringing him over to the Ent.

The group all jumped down and walked towards he Ent, making sure to never let their eyes leave Flynn.

Once they reached the Ent, Flynn bent over and grabbed onto a root that stuck out of the ground, "Let me tame you".

The area was then engulfed by light that, it quickly disappeared after and Flynn was on the ground screaming in pain, a tattoo of a tree of his arm was glowing red and burning hot. Just as it seemed to darken and solidify something happened.

It was like someone pulled a massive prank on them, but what they were seeing was happening in front of their eyes. And Lachlan and say for certain that the Ent doesn't have the ability to force them into an illusion.

The tattoo that was engraved in Flynn's arm began to disappear, fading away to leave a completely clean arm.

"Just as I told you, you are too weak to tame me," the Ent said with a slightly disappointed tone, it thought for a second that this human might have a chance, but just like the rest, he failed.

"Why couldn't he tame you?" Lachlan asked, he was extremely curious about it since every requirement was met. Flynn is compatible with plants, the Ent was willing to become Flynn's tamed beast, yet it still didn't work, it didn't make any sense.

"He's too weak, what don't you understand about that?" the Ent asked back, he explained it clearly that Flynn was just too weak to tame him a couple of times.

"But that's never happened before," Lachlan tried to argue back, there was nothing that he's seen that says that taming can't work.

"The difference in strength is too much," the Ent attempted to explain, Lachlan shut up and listened. "Due to the difference being too large his body can't handle the change, it's too much growth in too little of a time period, it just doesn't work".

Everyone was enlightened, it did make complete sense. While all their beasts were strong, the difference in their strength when they tamed them wasn't that different. Even with Temp and Lachlan, although Temp's natural strength was more, Lachlan's bonus stats easily overcame it, not to mention, Lachlan was also incredibly strong.

There could also be another side, it was the level. It would make complete sense that a low-level human can't tame a high-level beast.

"However, there is something I could do, but you will need to pass my test," the Ent said.

Flynn puffed out his chest, "I'll take on that test".

"Haha, no need to try and prove your strength, it's not a test for that, but rather a test for your most important muscle, the brain," the Ent said.

"So you're going to test my intelligence?" Flynn asked while tilting his head.

"Yes," the Ent confirmed.

"Alright, ask away," Flynn was ready. Although he has never said it out loud, he was sure that he was the smartest in the group, at least when it comes to theory.

"I can only live when there is light but will die when the light touches me. What am I?" the Ent asked. It was riddles, the Ent was going to ask Flynn a bunch of riddles.

"A shadow," Flynn answered quickly, back when he was younger he loved reading riddles and answering them, he would even play with friends.

"You throw away the out and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside and throw away the inside. What did you eat?"

"Corn," Flynn answered with a smirk, he knew this one well since it worked the best on his friends.

"I am the beginning of sorrows and at the end of sickness. I am always at risk, yet never in danger. What am I?"

"The letter s" Flynn was getting more and more confident, it was too easy for him.

"Are you afraid of anything?" the Ent asked, its eyes staring through Flynn's soul causing him to shiver and his hairs to stand up.

"Yes," Although Flynn was shocked by the sudden change in questions he could still answer them.

"What are you afraid of?" the Ent asked, its question getting more personal.

"I'm afraid of dying, I'm afraid of losing any of my close friends, I'm afraid of failing to save people, I'm afraid of always remaining weak and powerless," Flynn began to get emotional, but that didn't stop him from answering truthfully.

"What would you do for the strength to make sure that fear never comes true?" the Ent asked, its voice getting louder and deeper.

"If I have to lose an arm and a leg for that strength then I'll lose them," Flynn answered the final question as the Ent stopped asked. Flynn was nervously waiting for the Ent to tell him how he did.

"Good, no, great!" the Ent shouted loudly, its voice echoing through the surrounding area in excitement.

The ground began to shake, the roots were moving, they were going up and causing the group to rupture. The Ent was standing on its roots, beneath it was a large seed. It looked like a normal plant seed but of course, many times larger.