Submission (#7882) Approved

The Eldertree of Faerindell was impossible to miss.

Even from the far edges of the region, past the flower-strewn meadows, through the patchwork fields of dandelion tufts and wild thistle, you could spot its great crown brushing the clouds. A sea of soft pink stretched into the sky, the blossoms so thick they filtered the sun.

No one quite agreed on how tall the tree actually was. Some said it scraped the stars. Others swore they once watched a whole thunderstorm pass beneath its branches like it was nothing more than a misty day in spring. Whatever the truth, the Eldertree stood at the heart of Faerindell like a blooming anchor, pulsing gently with mana and age-old memory.

Its massive trunk towered above the nearby land, casting its shade over small settlements nestled in the glades and flower fields that surrounded it. Life bloomed in abundance beneath its boughs, wild flora spilled over hillsides, and cozy nooks formed naturally near the roots where fauna might rest. Petals drifted lazily through the air no matter the season, caught in warm gusts and tangled in fur or hair.

The bark shimmered and glistened faintly in certain light, almost like it was wet. It was an old kind of shimmer, not quite glow, but something deeper. You could tell the tree was full of mana.

In the early morning, the mist clung to the base like a veil, giving it a storybook kind of magic. And in the evenings, when the sun dipped behind the hills, the entire canopy turned into a sky of rose gold fire, casting long shadows and the smell of blooming sakura for miles.

Locals didn’t bother trying to explain it. It was the Eldertree. It had always been there. And as far as anyone was concerned, it always would be. Would it stay the same size though? No one was quite so sure.