"What—did I hear something??"
I said, confused and unable to believe what I was hearing.
But I didn't have the luxury of thinking. I rolled to the side, avoiding the roots that had become wildly frantic.
"Nox, come here."
Elena shouted at me as she sent light spears toward the roots.
Slash!
I cut with my sword a root that tried to stab me from the front, then ran toward the roots that were targeting Elena and Ronan.
I jumped high and two chains of darkness shot out, stabbing a root that was heading for Elena and causing it to pull me along.
As soon as I reached them I cut the branch and landed beside Elena. The tree moved toward the lake and then slowly swam toward us.
"Who would've expected to fight a walking tree? That's a rare event even in novels," I mocked, cold sweat sliding down my face.
"You're right — looks like we'll have stories to tell others," Elena smiled, agreeing with my words.
"Sorry, but can you two be serious? We could die at any moment," Ronan complained, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"For your sake, Ronan, you should enjoy life too. and The only one who will die is you — I won't die and I won't let Elena die, so deal with it."
I smiled gently at him, but my smile made him tremble in place.
"Anyway, we must focus. Our only chance is to free that girl, then launch a wide-area attack—or run from here."
I became serious as I told them our plan.
"Elena, prepare an attack to open a path for us. Ronan, get ready to launch me again—I want you to send me straight to Riana."
I wrapped a long chain around my waist, then stuck it into the ground so I could return after freeing Riana.
Elena pointed her hands forward, concentrating a sphere of energy ready to launch at any moment.
Ronan summoned another tornado, larger than the first, spinning at incredible speed and shaking the surrounding trees violently.
Once everyone was ready I started moving. I leapt into the air and the tornado came beneath me and swallowed me; after bending forward it threw me with tremendous force.
Dozens of roots attacked from the front, then others rose from the lake trying to stop me.
But Elena fired her light beam; it shot forward as a narrow ray, and once it pierced the first root it deflected toward the next — this repeated several times at high speed, destroying all the roots without harming me.
I landed on the tree trunk, then chains shot out and stabbed the tree, anchoring me in place.
I swung my sword quickly, cutting the tree with all my strength without injuring Riana.
Crash!
The dead wood shattered into pieces and Riana's body was freed. Hands reached around her and I prepared to pull the chain, but the strange voice spoke again.
[Why are you hurting me? I'm scared. All I want is to live in peace. Please stop—I beg you.]
The voice was clearer this time; it sounded like an old, frail woman in terrible pain.
Before I could grasp the situation, the tree trunk opened like a human mouth trying to swallow me.
'Damn.'
I cursed as I tied the chain around Riana quickly, then threw her backward with force—this was our only way to survive.
The tree trunk lunged before it could swallow her too, then contracted, swallowing me and trapping me in the heart of the tree.
'I can't breathe. The power is leaving my body.'
My thoughts fragmented as I felt heaviness in my eyes; before I resisted, my body fell into a deep sleep.
...
Ronan's perspective
"Nox!"
Elena screamed beside me in panic as she tried to approach the tree and save Nox, but the roots had become stronger and more numerous than ever.
I ran toward Riana, whom Nox's chain had pulled before it broke due to its owner's disappearance.
I checked her body quickly—she was unconscious with no visible injuries.
"Miss Elena, don't attack recklessly, please. We need to protect Riana and then save Nox as soon as we get the chance."
I called to Elena and summoned two wind shuriken to prevent the roots from coming closer.
Elena bit her lip in frustration until blood stained it a bloody red; she was angry at her inability to save Nox, but she didn't let her emotions control her. She came to my side quickly and kept the other roots at bay.
Before we could decide what to do, the ground trembled violently.
"What's happening?"
I looked around, afraid of the violent shaking, but the sight in front of me made my jaw drop speechless.
The dead trees filling the forest all stood at once and slammed the ground hard, trying to move toward us.
"For hell's sake, what's happening here?"
I swore, trembling with fear. I felt a despair unlike anything before at the situation in front of us, but Elena's voice snapped me out of my despair.
"Carry Riana and let's run fast before the trees surround us."
She said firmly while gathering another beam of light.
"But what about Nox?!"
I asked in confusion about Nox's fate.
"Do you think I didn't think about it? If it were up to me I'd go save him now without caring if I died, but I'm sure he won't die that easily. After all, Riana is still alive after the tree absorbed her. So stop stalling and move quickly."
Elena scolded me harshly, then aimed her light beam at the trees and fired. The beam destroyed many trees, opening a path for our escape.
There was no need for her to shout at me again. I carried Riana on my back and followed Elena at full speed.
Elena looked back, staring at the giant tree.
'Don't you dare die, Nox. I don't want to become a widow,' she thought before darting forward.
As soon as they moved a little further away, Elena turned and hurled a sun of light toward the cluster of trees, destroying the whole area. She didn't have to worry about injuring anyone since they had moved away from the giant tree.
The other trees stopped in their tracks on the path; it seemed they didn't want to risk following Elena and dying.
"Hah—hah—did we make it?"
I breathed deeply, looking at the forest ahead of us.
"For now, yes. Let's go a bit further and rest. I can't launch another devastating attack—we need to wake Riana to increase our chances of saving Nox."
Elena said as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. The repeated attacks had exhausted her and she no longer had the strength to continue.
"I understand."
I gathered my strength and walked with her as we put as much distance as possible between ourselves and the forest and the white flower.
...
A dream — I saw a strange dream unlike anything else.
One day I was a tiny seed carried by the wind to the middle of the lake.
My first leaves sprouted and I slowly grew. Over the years I changed from a small sapling to the largest tree in the forest.
Birds built their nests on my branches, knowing that no creature could cross the lake to plunder their eggs.
I used to listen to the birds' beautiful songs every day. I thought I was living a lovely, wonderful life.
But one day I fell very ill. Rot spread inside me and consumed me slowly.
[Am I going to die?]
I thought with deep sadness and pain. I didn't want to die — I still had hundreds of years to live.
The birds were saddened when they saw my sickness and flew away. I thought they had abandoned me, but they returned after a while dragging a man by his sleeves.
I couldn't see the man's face, but I saw his white clothes embroidered with gold and the cross marked on his white robe that shone with a soft light as if purified from sin.
The man walked gently; even when he reached the lake he didn't stop — he walked on the water without causing ripples. He reached me and touched my trunk where the rot had spread.
He smiled kindly and said tenderly, "Poor tree, but don't worry — these kind birds brought me to help you."
His voice was so gentle the world itself bowed to it. My heart beat when I heard him; I loved this man deeply as if my very existence was for meeting him.
He placed his hand on the rot and said calmly, "In the name of the Creator, let this tree be healed of every disease that afflicts it."
As soon as he said this, light spread through the forest and quickly purified the rot. My color returned to normal, my weakened branches grew and leaves bloomed. My former strength returned and I rose above the rest of the forest.
I looked at the man with deep gratitude.
He smiled kindly, then turned back and left toward the place he had come from.
I wanted to know who he was; I wanted to thank him.
It seemed the world answered my prayers — I felt a pulse in my body and sensed a new ability to speak.
My leaves trembled as I spoke for the first time,
[Who are you?]
The man stopped in his path, turned to me, then smiled kindly and answered, "My name is Adam, tree."
[Thank you, Adam. You saved me.]
Adam gently shook his head and smiled with unmatched kindness. "The Creator gave us the power to help others. This is my duty, tree."
I felt warmth in his words. I wanted to be like him — to become a tree that helps other trees.
[Adam, can I become like you? I want to help other trees as you helped me. I want a name too. I don't want to be just 'a tree'.]
Adam nodded gently as he replied to my words. "That's wonderful. We must help one another in times of need; that way we will live the life the Creator wished for us. As for your name, what about—"
Adam paused a moment, placing his hand on his chin, thinking of a name for me.
"I've got it. From now on your name will be Elianor."
"[Elianor? I love it.]"
My leaves trembled with overwhelming joy.
Adam smiled when he saw my happiness.
That was the beginning of my story with Adam — the one who gave me a name and the man I came to regard as my father.