A blue dove for the princess

chapter 7

It was when the dove finally made its way to the rocky mountain that an old tree began to murmur to itself. "An ominous wind is blowing. It is about to reveal itself, I suppose. It doesn't seem I can make it through alive this time around. Demon of Razgriz... Hmm? A hero, this time?"
"

What is it?" the dove asked casually.
"When history witnesses a great change, Razgriz reveals itself. First as a dark demon." The old tree began to tell the same story that the dove heard at the castle. "As a demon, it uses its power to rain death upon the land, and then it dies. However, after a period of slumber, Razgriz returns. This time, as a great hero."
"Hero? Demon? What does it do?" The dove asked.
"When I saw it for the first time, I was young and thin. I had fewer branches then. In those days, humans often battled against each other. Razgriz then brought about a storm which kept raging for seventy days and kept scattering huge hailstones from above. Trees and grass perished and nothing was left for the humans and animals to live on. Consequently, this soil became desolate. All living things died, one after another. Friends of my kind, four-legged beasts, humans, and birds like you. Everything in this land was deprived of breath. In the end, Razgriz killed none other than itself. Shortly after, this place became a bare mountain as you see."
"So, it was an evil being, wasn't it?" The dove asked.
"... Nay," the old tree answered as if it was uncertain itself. It breathed out and took a deep breath in.
"This story still continues. After a long, long time passed since the land had died out, a traveler came to this land. The traveler cured those who suffered from disease, resurrected the rotted soil, gathered all those people who sheltered themselves away from here and founded a village and a town. The rivers were refilled with water. The soil became a wheat field. This country once again flourished. Thereupon, the traveler decided to leave the country. The villagers were far from happy about this. At the moment of departure, they heard the traveler say, "I am Razgriz." This marks the end of the story."
"I am here in pursuit of a tree that bears magic fruits," the dove finally said to the old tree.
"... Alright. There are few fruits left for me to give. You can take one though. By the way, have you any idea why this is called magic fruit?" The dove remained silent, gazing at the old tree. "This can become not only a medicine but also a poison. Or rather, this may be no more than an ordinary fruit and this may even turn into a stone."
"What do you mean?" The dove asked.
"This fruit will be what you believe it to be," the old tree answered.
The dove turned around to look at the castle, holding the magic fruit in its beak. Even beyond the furthest hill, the castle was still unseen.
"The ominous wind is starting to blow stronger. Fly carefully home."