The world narrowed to the space between Ren and the advancing line of grey-robed figures. He struggled to his knees, clutching the limp form of Shiro to his chest, his mind strangely calm. There was no more energy for magic, no more strength for flight. There was only the end. The lead Hollow raised a hand, its fingers crackling with the same sickly violet energy that now scarred his leg. Ren met the unseen gaze beneath the hood and did not flinch. He had done his duty.
Just as the killing bolt was about to be unleashed, the ground violently shuddered. A sound that was not thunder but was far more terrifying ripped through the clearing—the roar of an enraged god of the forest.
From the dark treeline, Olthann erupted back into the clearing.
But this was not the maddened, pain-crazed beast that had been rampaging moments before. This was a warrior. The violet haze still clung to him, a faint aura of corruption, but his eyes burned with a clear, green light of pure, natural power. He moved not with blind rage, but with the focused, tactical fury of an ancient general. He was no longer a victim; he was a Guardian reclaiming his domain.
He crashed into the flank of the advancing Hollow with the force of an avalanche. The grey-robed figures, so focused on their helpless prey, were caught completely by surprise. The great bear's claws, which could splinter stone, tore through their ranks. He did not just use his physical might; the very forest answered his call. Roots as thick as pythons burst from the corrupted soil to ensnare his enemies, and he slammed a rotten tree trunk into a cluster of them with the ease of a man swatting flies.
The clearing, which had fallen silent, was now a whirlwind of raw power. The Hollow's leader shrieked orders, trying to rally his forces, but they were in disarray, their dark magic proving clumsy and slow against the sheer, overwhelming force of a living embodiment of the Weald's wrath.
Ren could only watch, awestruck. This was the true power of a Guardian Spirit, a power he had only just begun to comprehend.
Olthann carved a path of destruction through his tormentors, his eyes never leaving Ren for long. He was not just fighting; he was creating an opening. After taking down another two Hollow with a deafening roar that seemed to shake their spirits as much as their bodies, the great bear turned and charged directly towards Ren's position.
For a terrifying second, Ren thought the bear's rage had overcome him again. But Olthann skidded to a halt just before him, his immense form shielding Ren from the rest of the battle. A voice, deep and ancient like the groaning of ancient wood, filled Ren's mind.
"The one who carries the Serpent's Mark has a brave heart. You saved this forest. The debt will be paid."
Before Ren could react, the bear's colossal, surprisingly gentle snout nudged him, urging him onto his feet. Olthann then lowered his massive, furred shoulder. The intent was clear. Climb.
With shaking limbs, Ren managed to pull himself onto the great bear's broad back, settling into the thick fur and holding on for dear life. With his passenger secure, Olthann rose to his full height, let out one last defiant roar at the remaining Hollow, and turned.
The escape was a force of nature in itself. Olthann crashed through the blighted forest, his sheer mass pulverizing the dead trees and corrupted undergrowth in his path. The world became a terrifying, exhilarating blur of grey and black. The remaining Hollow tried to give chase, but they were quickly left behind, their dark magic useless against a creature that was now a part of the forest itself.
They ran for what felt like an eternity, until the oppressive, sickly atmosphere began to lift. The skeletal trees gave way to living ones, the black mire to soft, loamy earth. The air grew clean and fresh, filled with the scent of pine and damp soil. They had crossed back into the living part of the Redwood Weald.
Olthann finally slowed to a walk, his breathing heavy but steady. He carried Ren to the base of the largest redwood Ren had ever seen, a true titan of the forest whose canopy was a separate world in the sky above. The bear knelt, allowing Ren to slide carefully to the ground.
Ren stood on unsteady feet, leaning against the ancient tree for support. He looked up at the great bear. The violet taint in Olthann's fur was noticeably fainter now, overpowered by the vibrant life force of his own healthy forest. The bear's eyes, now almost completely clear, regarded him with a deep, weary intelligence and an undeniable gratitude.
The Guardian of the Weald was safe. And for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, so was Ren.