Spirit Root

CHAOS

Making my way up the final staircase, I spotted much more people here then there was the last time I had come.
Maybe the ceremony had run late. Or maybe more people wanted to visit the tree this time.
But that’s when I noticed that the bows of the Aecretta weren’t as vibrant of a silver anymore. I started, my feet suddenly frozen to the soft ground in astonishment. What if the Aecretta were truly dying? What if the man was right? I pushed my small form through the crowd and made it to the front. The king stood in front of the tree, trying to calm the crowd down.
“It is alright, my people. It has just seemed that the Aecretta is getting tired. We will have her back to normal on the morrow. All of you must go home, and allow the Aecretta to rest.”
The crowd erupted in frantic yells. “But how could she get tired? She never ages!” “The Aecretta is dying!” “We can’t go home! Asluinia will not be protected anymore!”
Eventually, the king was able to get everybody to go home and go to bed but I knew no one could escape from fitful sleep tonight. I only stood there in a daze. That man had been right. The crowd had been afraid. We had been naive towards the evil in the Desolate Vales and now it lay on our doorstep.

I stood there until the air became cool and I shivered. Even the king had returned to the castle. But I hadn’t. How had that man known? It was totally silent, and I decided to try and see if I could talk to the tree. I slowly walked forward, the moonlight cascading over the tree and making her look heavenly, even if she didn’t look as heavenly as she would have on any other night.
“I told you.” I jumped and turned. The man was standing in the shadows, leaning against the stone wall. “Do you believe me now?”
“How did you know? Why did this happen? What are we going to do?”
“Well, you could listen to my prophecy-”
“No! I want no part in your prophecy. Find somebody else who is more willing to take on that task. I am no hero. There is no way I would ever be able to save such a glorious tree.” There must be a way to save her, but I am not the person to do it.
“Nysos...there’s no one else that could take on the job. You are the one the prophecy specifically said would be able to do it. ‘None will be left, except for if the girl with blue diamonds as eyes should find her strength and seek a way to protect the world from darkness again.’” He recited, and didn’t want to hear the rest of the prophecy. “Your eyes are the brightest blue I have ever seen. You must be the one from the prophecy.”
“But I don’t want any part of it-”
“Nysos...you have no choice. You are the only one that could complete the prophecy and bring the Aecretta back to life. A war will start and you must be the one to help me lock away the darkness again.” I started backing away, shaking my head.
“But the Aecretta is a barrier. No darkness can descend upon this world as long as she is here.’
“The Aecretta is dead, though, meaning she can be a barrier no longer. No one else believes she is actually dead, but she is. She has been dying for a long time, but has told no one but me.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone? We could have done something about it!” I was angry now. He had let the Aecretta die. I didn’t even know his name and I already hated him.
“I did tell someone, though, didn’t I? Two days ago, I seem to remember telling you.” My mouth hangs open and I fall to my knees. He was right. I had killed the Aecretta. I was the one that allowed her to pass away because I was naive and told no one about the man or what he had said. I looked up to ask him about the rest of the prophecy, what I needed to do to save her, but he was gone. I was about to yell for him but realized I didn’t know what name to call out.
I didn’t even know his name. I sat there, trying to talk to the tree the rest of the night. She wasn’t answering. The silence hovered in the air like a creature ready to pounce on me at the twitch of my hand, and my chest felt empty, as if no air could enter my lungs. I looked down at my fingers, realizing they were numb and saw frost on the ends of them. I needed to go home. But the Aecretta was dead and the world was in danger. All because of me. The Blazemutans and Shadefiends would return, for they would no longer be trapped in the Desolate Vales. All because of me. All because of my fear of the unknown. No, I would not be afraid anymore. I needed to save Asluinia if I were the only one that could. Standing with a wince of pain from my numb, cold body, I leave the Aecretta behind. I couldn’t talk to her; she was gone. We no longer had her protection. It was too late to try and talk to her. Leaving behind the Sacred level, I go and search for the prophecy man.