The Gnome stood in the center of the empty lecture hall. Above him was a stone representation of the Tree of Time, spinning slowly and floating by way of magic. The Tree of Time didn't resemble much of a tree right now, but more like a writhing ball of tentacles made of roots. The roots seemed to be growing, but turning in on itself.
"Well, that's not good, not good at all," the Gnome said, scratching his short beard. His robes were loose and disheveled, as if made for someone slightly bigger. "That's not right, that's not supposed to be happening at all, no."
He walked around the circular area where the Archmage would hold his lectures when Anor's Post Mage's Guild was in its height. The Gnome's footsteps echoed in the empty room with empty seats, and the empty hallways that led to it.
"So many branches, so many roots," he pondered aloud. "Something has happened, yes. Something has changed. But this is not good, no." He thought for a while, and then walked up the steps out of the room.
He walked with a brisk pace down the hallway, passing the Transmutation and Evocation wings. He turned left to pass through the Warlock Lounge, stepped over the crumbled gilded doors of the Sorcerer's Tea Room, and climbed up through the Wizard's Reading Room, which was a shortcut he knew all too well. He pushed open the doors to the Abjuration Wing, following the large, old signs that indicated the Timeline Evacuation Route. He walked past a large wall of glowing script that asked all Mages to please make a choice as to their destination before reaching the front of the line.
As the Gnome followed the signs, he eventually made it to a large atrium with nine partially destroyed archways, and in the center a small badger was eating an apple.
"It is as you said," the Gnome said, looking at the Badger. "The Trunk is rotten and hollow, there are so many things different here. You know they call this place Anor's Post instead of Anour's Post? I could have sworn there was a 'u.' But the rest of the building is the same. Except that here there is a bust of Cedric the Brave instead of Bigsby the Banisher as the Hero of the Mage's Guild. Very odd."
The Badger continued eating the apple.
"But based on your suggestion, it does look like they had a tree map," the Gnome said excitedly. "And it looks like there's a single point where the rot began. I drew a diagram of it for you to look at."
The Badger chittered as it finished the apple and picked up another. The Gnome put down the piece of parchment in front of the Badger, who glanced at it as they ate.
"We must make haste though to investigate the source. Based on what I'm seeing, it's in the Green Sea." The Badger laid down flat after finishing the apple, and chittered sadly.
"Yes, I know," the Gnome said apologetically. "I did not know a version of you existed here anymore. All indicators pointed to this being a clear landing spot, but you must be here somewhere. Obviously that's why you are now a Badger. A very random reincarnation, and I am unfortunately unable to do anything to reverse it. Which makes things rather difficult."
The Badger turned his head and noticed an apple had fallen underneath a nearby chair. He started pulling himself over to it while remaining flat on the ground. He chittered.
"Yes, I know you know, but vocalizing it just felt right. But, your confidence gives me confidence, and I am filled with fiery passion to get things done," the Gnome said with a determined fist in the air. "Anyway, time to go, for it is go time. Step 1: Find the Source of the Rot, Step 2: Figure out a way to fix the line, Step 3: I don't know yet, Step 4: Victory. Does that sound right? Sounds right to me, and that's all that's left. Come on, Grishauld."
The Gnome picked the Badger up and carried him on his shoulder as he ran towards the exit of the Mage's Guild. As the doors closed behind him, the model Tree of Time spun slowly in place, silently screaming.