The Origin of Greatroot

Long, long ago, before anyone can remember…

there was a tree.

It stood at the heart of Paimus.

Its branches stretched high above the forest.

Its roots reached deep beneath the earth.

But it wasn’t called Greatroot.

Not yet.

Then, one night…

something happened.

A tiny golden light appeared among its branches.

It grew brighter.

And brighter.

Until—

WHOOSH!

Golden fire swept through the ancient tree.

Through its branches.

Along its trunk.

Deep into its roots.

But the tree did not burn.

Its leaves did not blacken.

Its branches did not fall.

Instead…

the ancient tree began to glow.

Golden light travelled through every branch and every root, reaching deeper and deeper beneath Paimus.

And something changed.

Its roots reached farther.

Its branches stretched higher.

Hollows appeared where none had been before.

And deep beneath the earth…

strange new places began to form.

Some tiny.

Some enormous.

And some that seemed far too large to possibly fit beneath a tree.

By morning, the golden fire was gone.

But something had been left behind.

Not flames.

Not ashes.

Magic.

And from that time onward, the ancient tree became known as…

GREATROOT

But one mystery has never been answered.

What caused the golden fire?