Phrocylan & The Tree of Life (The Spirit of the Tree Book 1)

Chapter Fifteen: Roots

»»Phrocylan««

I prepared to die.

Riko slowly stepped forward, grinning like a madlass. This time, I had nowhere to go, I had no secret magic powers, my energy was gone. My arms were shackled and I couldn't even see properly now, and hunger churned my stomach.

She knew I was dead meat, so she took her time advancing. I knew I was dead too, but I didn't whimper or beg for mercy. If I had to go, I needed to do the most I could before I went.

I smiled at her coldly.

She stopped in her tracks, "What are you smiling for, boy? Are you going mad with the thought of dying?"

I continued smiling, and eventually broke out laughing.

"What's so funny?" She was confused, maybe even scared... "Reply, boy! What are you laughing about?"

"You have no idea, do you?" I replied coldly.

"What?"

"You're gone, lady. The Queen has reached the tree. I can feel her presence in the roots."

"You're bluffing, boy. You don't have any clue what is going on."

And I knew I had been caught. I had thought I could trick her, and maybe buy some time for others... but my plan had failed. I had failed everyone.

She was standing 2 feet away from me now, and she held up her hand. A 4 feet long glowing sword appeared in her hands, so bright that it had no color. I could not look at it for more than a few milliseconds, like looking at the sun, but magnified a million times. Instantly, the room was illuminated. The mist parted, and I could see where I was kept clearly.

I was in a dark cavern, with cave sides jagged and rocked and pointy. Two chains came from the ceiling and held me down on the ground, two more from the ground. There was a metal bar on my waist, though it wasn't connected to anything.

The floor was made of the same silver rocks and glassy protruding parts.

I soaked in my last few moments of life, as Riko thrust her sword.

To my surprise, I was still alive. She had hit something- not me- but my chains. I heard a loud CLANG! And the chains, all 4 at once, flew open, setting me free.

Instantly, a surge of energy returned to me. I realised those chains were specially magical and kept me drained.

Riko apparently didn't realise that, since she was still taking her time killing me.

"I want to give you a chance at mercy, or go out fighting."

Reflexively, I jumped outwards towards her. She was too stunned to react, thus losing her guard. I punched her chin and she staggered back, dropping the sword.

I rolled off as she came to her senses. And I picked the sword up.

I knew I didn't have much energy left, and I was destined to die here. But I was pretty sure this wasn't in glory, unless...

Instead of holding up the sword towards her, I pointed it towards my chest.

When she saw me, there was a look of panic in her eyes, "Boy, do you know what you are doing? That sword is magical. It will eat in your essence." She calmed her nerves, but I knew there was something special... "Surrender, and let me kill you myself. It will be painless, you will not suffer if I do my magic on you first."

"No. The tree will be freed. Its roots will be deep, and other life will prosper. The Magic Fist will find another soul, another body. Riko, lady of scrolls, messenger of Gods, destroyer of stars, I announce you to be the cause of all death today, and through the power of Magic Fist, I renounce myself." I shouted, "FOR PEACE!"

She lunged at me, but she was too slow. I thrust the sword in my chest, and my sword glowed with an intense light, burning so hot against me I could feel my life, soul, and essence being devoured. My body began to melt, pain coursing through my blood, something I've never experienced before. Compared to this pain, the Whalius was nothing, the Magic Fist blast was nothing. All the bones in my body cracked. I heard Riko shouting: "NO! FOOLISH BOY!" but her voice was distant. My vision blurred, red spots searing into sight. I couldn't feel anything but pain. All my thoughts were one: Pain. My soul escaped. The sword sucked all life out of me. My face melted. My bones continued cracking and turning to dust. I couldn't stand, my nerves exploded inside me. Finally, with an enormous blast, the whole cavern filled with hot light, and I exploded.

***
»»Cylla««

I was sure she was wrong, she had gotten the wrong details. Phro was not dead. Every atom in my body panicked, but I calmed myself. I pulled her up. "No," I said gently, "He's not. What did you see?"

She looked straight at me. Her eyes still trickled water. "I found the roots of Suremus- Phrocylan. They were alive-" She paused to take a breath. Calmness rested over me, and I was sure I had heard her wrong the first time, then. But she still cried... "They were alive, but not with the essence of Suremus. Part of them were alive, with the soul of Magic Fist, but in a very grieve condition. The other part, where most of Suremus and the whole of Phrocylan were... They're dead. Suremus cannot be reborn in this state, or he has already chosen a new host. I'm- I'm sorry..." She broke down.

The other trepents comforted her, but I stood there in shock.

It was real... The trepents could link to any root, and all roots controlled the life of every single living creature on earth. If she had seen the root of Phrocylan wither and die...

I fell to my knees. My eyes watered and I wanted to scream, but my voice couldn't work. I wanted to shout, break something, kill the ones who cost Phro his life. I wanted to yell, I wanted to curl up and die myself. I swore an oath, if I- no, when I find the murderers of Phro, I would not spare them. They will die a painful death, they will suffer, they will beg for mercy but I will not grant them. I will see them die with my own eyes, I swore on my own root of life.