If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound?

Anita can answer with full certainty, that, yes, they still make a sound. And that sound was what carried her over from her dormitory, which was nowhere in sight of any forests to the famed towering trees of Pillar Forest- the entry reserved only for one with high authorities.

Before she had time to worry about entry, (as she was only Tier-C on the Hex Ranking and only A's or above can enter), the guards who were standing guard immediately eased as soon as she approached the entrance. The gate was opened and she made her way in.

Before, the sound was merely that of a soft whistling but now it also included whispers. Of what, she doesn't know. When she entered the dense forest, a gentle breeze followed her journey, wherever that is. Her feet carry her forward anyway.

Closer and closer, the sound increased higher in pitch, the whispers turned louder until she had to close her ears- then, she noticed the fallen tree and she knows, she had arrived at the right place.

The forest went silent instantly.

She took the time to take in everything. One fallen tree amongst all the towering others. It had keeled over, almost hitting the nearest ones on its way down. It didn't have a clean cut, as the trunk was splintered open.

She approached it slowly. "Was it you?" She felt silly, talking to a tree. Hah! In all the classes she's been in, there was no one that could ever master the final part of the Earth Hex. It's been centuries since the last Master of Earth. Even the recently crowned Queen of Witches, which was rumoured to be a madwoman, strictly forbids anyone from achieving that mastery all because Her Majesty herself couldn't. A newly made law for 'funsies', as her roommate calls it.

Nevertheless, Anita continued to try. "Was it you?" she repeated. "Did you call for me? As a...last call for help?"

"For warning."

The silence was replaced with sounds of bristling leaves and the sharp gust of wind. The forests had come alive once more. The answer came for everywhere, echoing from the farthest region to the nearest whisper, carried by the cold breeze.

"Who's speaking?" Anita nervously asked, glancing once at the fallen tree, then towards the others.

"We all speak, true one." The voices of the trees were echoes of each other. A combination of unknown and familiar languages she has heard before, piled layers upon layers.

The trees all around sway with the pull of the wind. The sounds of branches creaking added to the symphony. Anita came to three conclusions; one, she was sure the trees were talking, two, this means she has somehow mastered Earth Hex and three, which also means if the others knew, she'd be put on trial for going against the Queen's Law. She's in big trouble.

"There's no time, true one. One of us has fallen and soon, more."

Anita snapped out of her stupor and steeled herself. Earth Hex, finally mastered. This was something that could change the world. Something big was coming, she could feel it.

"What did you mean by warning? And why do you call me ‘true one’?" she asked.

"We are getting weaker day by day. A sign of the evil that approaches. We have lived far too long. Seen too much. Know too much. Now, we know enough. It is time for you to gather trusted ones to fight."

"Wait, what do you-?"

The voices spoke quicker as if every second counted. The wind picked up and just up above, Anita noticed the clouds start gathering, darkening the forest even more.

"You've been given the gift to enter our world. Every ground you step on will be heard. If you call for us, we will come. What is ours is yours. You are now our master. Use us to fight. Control us for good only. Don’t ever give in to the evil ones."

Thunders began rumbling.

Anita suppressed a gasp. “Fight what? I still don’t understand!”

“You must leave now. It’s coming.”

“What-? What is it?! You can’t just ramble and expect me to understand everything!”

Lightning strikes one of the trees, the ground shaking upon its impact. She looked up to see the tree engulfed in flames. She picked up a wailing sound from the jumble of voices she was talking to which made her want to hurl.

“Leave!”

—

“You’re so funny, Anita,” Ilian said as he continued laughing. “So you’re saying they just… let you enter? Hahahaha! Oh, I’ve never laughed this much in so long. I have the best roommate! Seriously, Anita. Have you ever thought of being a comedian instead of a Witch?”

She had made it back safely. She went out the way she came in, albeit running frantically this time. The guards at the front were still suspiciously unfazed, and opened the gate when she approached it. Now, here she was back again in her dormitory, just done telling the whole story to her roommate, a Wizard named Illian. She was still shaken after everything, she had to get it all out.

“I’m not lying.” She stated matter-of-factly.

Illian has been her roommate since the beginning of the Wizards and Witches Academy. A master in Flame Hex and one of the top students in his class. He is her best friend, a Tier-C just like her on the Hex Rank, and she knows when she gets serious, he can sense it.

His boisterous laughter dwindled down to nervous ones. “Anita, you do realise what you’re saying right?”

She nodded her head and gripped her fist to calm her nerves. “They said…,” she paused, her mind wandering to all the words that were uttered. “...to use them.” She glanced at the multiple decorative potted plants Illian and her had hung on the ceilings. She reached out her hand.

Illian playfully jokes, “to use our potted plants specifically?” with a mischievous smile.

Nothing happened for a while and inside, she almost felt relieved. If everything was just a dream, then it would be better.

Then, the plants inside started to grow, from saplings to seedlings, even the roots grew larger and thicker until the pots couldn’t keep them inside and it shattered. The soils and vinery plants came flying down on both of them.

“Nice,” Illian whispered in awe.

“Sorry…,” she clasped her together in apology. “The trees made me do it.”

Illian shook his head, the soil on top flying everywhere. He chuckled, this time there was a more serious undertone. “What else did they say then?”

She paused. Her hands were still shaking. Then, she looked up.

“They also said to gather trusted ones to fight.” She locks eyes with Illian. “I can trust you right?”

No longer was that mischievous glint present in his eyes. He nodded.

“You can trust me.”