Savagery Forest, 1000 years ago...

  Or what supposed to be the dense green forest as the entire field is just an wasteland full of ruin and destruction. The waste span for kilometers in all sides and in the middle of it

  A child is wandering aimlessly.

  "Mama... Papa..."

  The kid walks barefoot with no idea what and where she currently is. Her appearance is orderly and clean. Her well adored dress is a huge contrast against the destroyed environment around her.

  "Mama... Papa..."

  The kid continues to call her parents. Her single and small fluffy tail continues to wave gently as she walk. The kid have no idea why she suddenly find herself on an unknown location when just a moment ago her tiny feet is having a dip on the cold water from the creek near her home.

  With her mind foggy on each step. The kid didn't notice the thing that almost trip her feet and when she look down. The kid panics as in front of him is a human hand buried on the dirt.

  "!!!"

  The kid runs in panic, ignoring few things on her path which almost trip her again. From structural remains up to few corpses of unknown identity still under the barren soil.

  "MAMA! PAPA!"

  The kid is now in verge of crying as her legs starts to feel weak, already closing its limits. Her previously prestine clothing starts to become dirty due muk and dirt.

  And finally, the kid gets tired as she kneels down due to exhaustion. Breathing heavily for a while until.

  *hic*

  She looks around again, finally seeing the fact that she'e not dreaming.

  *hic* *sniff.*

  "BWAAAAAH! AAHHH! MAMA! PAPAAAA!"

  She can only call the name of her parents but despite how loud she calls them, there's no one to give her any semblance of comfort. Right now, she's just a lost kid trapped in an unknown world.

  As the kid cry her hearts out, she didn't notice an entity slowly walking towards her. She only notice it after its gigantic shadow is casted down on her tiny frame.

  "Ahhhhhhh-"

  The kid is obviously feeling fear after seeing what's in front of her. Standing in its six limbs, the kid stare on the gigantic frame of the pink beast in front of her, staring at her with its eyes.

  She wants to run away but not only her body and mind is already tired from the paniced running earlier, the fear makes the kid frozen in place as she can only do anything but to look up on the unknown entity with awe on its imposing size that makes the kid unable to to see its entirety.

  "P-p-please... D-don't e-e-eat me. I-I'm not... D-delisious." She tries to plea, shaking while crawling back slowly.

  Then she saw something stretch from top of the large entity which swiftly coming from her. The kid close her eyes, shortly accepted her fate as the creature's food.

  Only for her to feel nothing except a gentle tap on her head.

  "Eh?"

  The kid opens her eyes and see the potruding lenght to be the soft and fur coated trunk of the beast. The gesture only lasted for few seconds as the beast then stand on its 4 feet and with two free arms in front, he started doing something.

  And that is when the beast's arms glows before it gently place its now bright hands down touching the soil. The kid sees the beauty as the once previous desolated place around her are slowly turned into a field of green lush grass and blooming field of flowers. Drastically changing the entire place into a pleasant environment.

  "W-Wow! S-so Beautiful!" The kid's fear is now replaced by intrigued and wonder. Then she looks on the beast again, now with a milder view into it.

  The kid now feels a the presence of the huge beast as calming and reassuring, afterall it doesn't do anything bad into her for a while now.

  "M-Mr. B-Buchan... Can I call you Mr. Buchan!?"

  The beast just tilt its head.

  The kid stand up and hug the fluffy leg of the only one that shows her some sort of pleasant welcome to the alien place. The two have no way to communicate with each other but despite that, the two managed to somehow connect in emotional level.

  The beast lifted the kid with its trunk.

  "Mr. Buchan?!"

  And gently place the kid atop of his head.

  "Waaaw! Heee hehehehe! Weee!"

  The beast named Buchan with the kid on its tow proceeds to walk slowly, each step creating a field of vegetation everywhere he goes as the kid watch the miracle unfold, her amazement still not removed as she forgot that she's currently on a location unknown to her.

  "Mr. Buchan! My name is Natsuko! Nice to meet you!" Natsuko's happy greeting, Buchan just gives a short growl.

  .

  .

  .

  Mr. Buchan's magical action is what created the Savagery Forest that known today. And with the vegetation and forest prepared, the creatures soon follows.

  Natsuko as she grow up is starting to get used to her new life to the new world by helping the beast on recreating the forest using her very own water abilities while also befriending assortments of new animals. As years gone by, Natsuko also starts to accept the reality that she can't never return back home.

  At first the thought and homesickness makes Natsuko miserable, crying every rainy night while holding to the last remaining memories of her parents. But Mr. Buchan stays on her side and gives parental comfort in the best way he can provide. As for some reason, Mr. Buchan really treated Natsuko as its very own child despite their difference being night and day.

  And thus making Natsuko accepts of her new life as a otherworlder and some sort of maintainer of the new forest her and Mr. Buchan created.

  .

  .

  .

  Hundred of years gone by. Natsuko finally see it after exploring the vast forest her and Buchan created.

  While Natsuko is doing her routine of exploring the forest, there she spotted a very new scene far different from what she experience before.

  A small village consisting of furred humanoid people. They're getting encircled by a group of humans.

  "Humans?!"

  It's been a hundred years now since she saw a human and it's back on his previous world. In Earth, Natsuko only sees humans act very respectful to what they deems to be spiritual especially to her family's shrine.

  But the humans she's watching now is different. There's no semblance of respect on their gaze but instead it's full of greed and desire as they held their weapons, nets and shackles. All directed towards to the group of beastfolk who primarily consist of women and children with only few men holding their spears to their dear life in order to protect what is dear behind them.

  "Kill the men if necessary. Beside that, Don't damage to valuable goods." One of the men's non-chalant orders.

  Natsuko feels a ping inside her mind. She can't understand why but the words of the humans makes her disgusted, especially watching the afraid expression of children clinging on their parents.

  The scene reminds Natsuko of herself and family she treasured. And with that very moment, Natsuko is decided.

  The men commands his crew to dash forward only for him to feel awkward after nothing follows on his words.

  "What the fuck are you waiting for... Capture..."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  The leader didn't even finish his words when after he looks behind, there he saw tendrils made of pure water coming from the deep forest and ensnaring its targets while also drowning them.

  "W-WHA?!"

  One-by-one. The ensnares humans got yanked fast into the forest, never to be seen again. The leader tries to flee in fear.

  "A-AAAAAAAA!!! W-WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

  The leader got snatched on its leg before getting engulfed and drowned. After that, then dragged into the deep forest. Not even a single scream are heared from them as the beastfolk watch in horror

  The beastfolk then hear something approaching their location. The men pointed their spears to the unknown treat despite knowing they have no chance fighting whatever killed the slavers that chasing them.

  And from the foliage reveals Natsuko who calmly shows no sign of hostility and doing her best to be friendly. As expected, the beastfolk still feel alerted on the new unknown entity appearing in front of them.

  "W-worry not. I'm not your enemy." Natsuko's welcoming words. Natsuko gives her reassurance with a warm smile. Her 3 tails waving gently as she walk with soft demeanor.

  One of the kids hide behind her parents and stares blankly on Natsuko. Natsuko respond by smiling. Her gesture softens the kid's stare.

  Then Natsuko suddenly got an idea as she then got engulfed by thick white smoke and from it revealed a fox with black and white coloring and 3 tails. Natsuko thinks that maybe showing something that can connect her with the beastfolks would help in some degree.

  And it worked as her divine yet friendly and cute appearance makes the beastfolk trusting of her even for a little bit. The kids can't further resist their urge, run towards Natsuko and politely ask her to let them touch her fluffy tails. Natsuko obliges and let the kids enjoy her soft fur to their heart's content.

  The adults meanwhile now understands that Natsuko really wants to connect to them but Natsuko's powers and presence are very above their capacity so, the beastfolk decides the best action is...

  To give respect to Natsuko and kneel. At first Natsuko is unsure why she suddenly get the reverance only their family shrine on Earth gets but Natsuko feels their gratitude so she just let the Beastfolk on their action.

  .

  .

  .

  Years gone by and Natsuko is now fully integrated herself to the Beastfolk tribes scattered all around Savagery Forest by helping them to the best of her abilities. Protecting them from all sort of threats especially against humans while also learning their culture and history.

  And gaining their trust and knowledge plus her divine presence also increases Natsuko's standing on the tribe until the Beastfolk all decided to turn her as Priestess which she held for generations.

  Natsuko also introduce the tribe into her friend Mr. Buchan who quickly get accepted by them. Mr. Buchan is now called "Forest Guardian" and a deity the Beastfolk respects and admired dearly.

  As the Savagery Forest expands, as so the creatures living within it. And the lush dangerous and downright deadly ecosystem becomes a very lucrative source of resources for humans. With more human interactions also the higher rate of abduction of Beastfolks. Despite how powerful Natsuko and Mr. Buchan can be, the fragmented society of the Beastfolks is not helping the two to have an eye on the enture forest millions of kilometers wide.

  Not only Beastfolks are suffering from the humam slavers as in the forest, they also discovered another civilization who decides to turn the green place into their safehaven.

  The Elves.

  Natsuko is astonished at first as she never expected to see an elf in the new world but just a single glance on their magical body hastely convince Natsuko that they're completely different from the elves she known in her previous home.

  The Beastfolk and Elves only meet in accident when two sides just happened to tailing a group of slavers. And the two factions instantly reach the same conclusion. That the Beastfolks and Elves are together on surviving and fighting the humans who constantly trying to capture what dears to them.

  The two sides makes a silent treaty and help each other fighting humans and freeing the enslaved regardless of their race. Using each other's experties and vast knowledge of the forest to outsmart the humans who starting to gain riskier penalties for their hubris.

  But the fight between races will always lead to pain and suffering, especially on the victim's side who starting to lose on the the ingenuity, innovation and magical prowess the humans possessed who continues to become even better for every decade.

  And this devastating war lasted until the Elves hides themeselves to the deepest and most dangerous parts of the Savagery Forest and living in seclusion.

  And the Beastfolks, get even more fragmented with many tribes migrating North to escape the humans or most of the victims being sold all around Yhigressia and in the different human cities against their will.

  Natsuko and Mr. Buchan manages to protect a small tribe to the grasp of humans and they also follow the lead of the Elves on hiding in the woods and never showing again. The secret tribe gets hidden for hundreds of years with help of Natsuko and Mr. Buchan's mendling.

  Hundreds years gone by up until a millenia. Natsuko is now fully become a high priestess of the tribe for numerous generations of the Tribe now. Their isolation caused them to become unaware of the happenings in the human world, only finding out what's new after the elves visited their tribe in another chance encounter.

  And there, heared the news about the Kingdom of Nattunia with its new king deciding to ban slavery and fight back on those who trying to continue the practice with the help of Kingdom of Zelestre and Adventurers Guild. The elves already have a mutual relationship with the humans of Nattunia for years now to the Beastfolk's surprise.

  Despite trusting the Elves who they become ally for centuries, the suffering and pain Natsuko and her family recieved is something that cannot be mended by words and can't be healed that easily with a mere reconnection. Thus Natsuko and the Tribe decides to maintain isolation while also ensuring that they would not destroy the mutual trust between the Elves and Nattunians with an unfortunate encounter.

  An long lasting isolation that ended after the diseases spreads in the tribe.

  ~~~~~~°~~~~~~

  "That's quiet a tale Natsuko."

  "Did I make you sleepy?" Natsuko asked with a smile.

  Mateo yawns...

  "I'm tired. But not because your story is boring." Mateo smile softly.

  Natsuko scoffs.

  "You must be really tired. Can't blame you. There's so much that happened today."

  A seconds of silence...

  "Thank you."

  "For what Natsuko?"

  "It's been a while since I talked about my previous world. It feels good having someone that understand my predicament."

  "I'm glad that I can help in some way."

  "But still... 1,000 years. There must be so many things that happened back there."

  "If base on the time you left. So much has changed Natsuko that you're justified to call it another world."

  Natsuko is piqued.

  "Oh? Well then, can you tell me so many things about my country?" Natsuko smile.

  "Ahem... We might got a problem on that regards. I'm not really well verse in history. Besides, I'm from Philippines not Japa- I mean Nippon."

  "Firipin?"

  Mateo raises his eyebrow then realization hit him.

  "Ah right. The time didn't allign. Hmm... I basically live in an archipelago South of Nippon."

  Natsuko squinted her eyes.

  "There's so many archiepalagoes down there you know?"

  "Hmmm right..."

  Mateo thinks to the best of his abilities. Trying to give something that might give Natsuko an idea where his nation lies. And he finally remembers a very obscure history.

  "Do you know the Kingdom of Tondo?"

  Natsuko thinks for a moment and like a lightbulb opening above her head, she reacted joltly.

  "Ohhh! So you came from those islands?! I remember it from my parent's tales." Natsuko's excitingly remembers.

  "Kinda but just like I said. What you last remember when you leave our world, It's completely different now."

  Mateo then opens his BoS and starts searching for something using his hand.

  "There's also Bag of Storage on our world now?"

  Mateo chuckle.

  "No."

  Mateo then picks his phone and starts showing it to Natsuko who just staring on the device with curiosity.

  "Humanity in our world becomes so advance so much that we invented many amazing things. Some might even rival the supernatural."

  Natsuko scoffs lightly.

  "Come on Mateo, that's nonsense. Now you making me curious."

  Mateo waves his phone as he show it to Natsuko.

  "This small device can hold libraries worth of books, play theatre with music, replicate human voice, take paintings, write, send message from far away distances and store huge amount of information. It can also play games by the way."

  Natsuko eye's widen but she manages to compose herself and smirk.

  "Haha you're a jest Mateo. There's no way such item can exist."

  "Want some demonstration?" Mateo gives a confident smile. Natsuko is staring at him and fully see his confidence on his own worlds. Natsuko swallows a lump and she agrees with a slow nod.

  And there Mateo gives a detailed presentation and explanation of what a smartphone can do. He takes pictures, writes, plays music and videos some are taken by the same device, and Mateo also showcase other neat features like games and a flashlight. Natsuko is flooded by information completely alien from her frozen memories of her old world.

  Including some snippet of what Earth might look like throught the movies shown by Mateo. Natsuko seen absurdly tall buildings touching the sky she never seen even in Yhigressia, the cars, the fashion and culture and items she will never understand even with Mateo's explanation.

  "Wow... You're right Mateo. So much has changed." Natsuko speaks with melancholy.

  "You seems in deep thoughts Natsuko?"

  Natsuko sigh.

  "Yes. At first I'm excited on the prospect of returning on Earth after meeting you but..."

  Natsuko looks at the moon-litted sky in deep thoughts.

  "Now I'm scared. Scared that I might not feel welcomed to my home after missing it for a millenia. Afterall it's completely different from the home I remember in my memories."

  Mateo gives an slow understanding nod as he listens to Natsuko's soft words.

  "But still the thought of not coming back would eat your conscience.

  "That's the truth."

  "Then just do it. It's not like it's a one time thing anyway. After we fix our current problem. Let's return to Earth once and see it for yourself." Mateo's warm suggestion.

  Natsuko stares on Mateo and she feel her sincerity. Natsuko smiles warmly.

  "I gladly accept your offer. Thanks a lot Mateo."

  "Anything for a fellow otherworlder."

  Mateo yawns again.

  "I'm really tired now. Maybe it's time for me to sleep."

  "I guess so. Well then, good night Mateo."

  "You're not going to sleep?"

  "I can stay awake for few more days so don't worry about me. I'm gonna guard the place for a while anyway." Natsuko's proud declaration.

  "I see... Well then. Good night Natsuko."

  "Sleep well."

  Mateo gives Natsuko a slight tap on her shoulder before leaving her alone to guard the place above the Torii Gate.

  Mateo meanwhile is walking on the silent dark hallway of the temple when he meet Claustrine waiting at her.

  "Can't sleep Trinne?" Mateo's question.

  "I just woke up. Call of nature." Claustrine's casual answer.

  "I see."

  "Did you told her the state of Earth?" Claustrine's casual question. Mateo is mildly surprised that Claustrine hear his talk with Natsuko.

  "That's a given."

  "I mean. Did you tell her the supernatural side of Earth?"

  "Ah... So that's what you mean? No I didn't."

  "In my opinion, that's something she must have prior knowledge first before coming back. Natsuko being a mythical entity at all."

  Mateo ponders on Claustrine's reasoning.

  "Hmmm... I don't really know how I should describe it to Natsuko. She came from a completely different Earth era. Perhaps it's something that she must discover on her own once we cross the door again." Mateo scracthes the back of his head.

  Claustrine sighs softly.

  "I guess that's true to some extent."

  Mateo then starts to walks away. Passing on Claustrine.

  "I'm going back to sleep now. Good night Trinne."

  Claustrine smiles.

  "Good night."

  HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! UEU HERE!