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

Chapter Seventeen: Vulture

Echo wasn't moving.

We ran to her aid, but she wasn't moving at all. She lay still, near the shredded Whalius, on the ground, on her side. We tried moving her, but we couldn't.

Her body was smoking, and she must have used more energy than she had while defeating Whalius. She was still breathing, but she was very exhausted. We were glad she was still alive, and the other 4 trepents fed her some tree-thingies. I didn't know what they were, and they wouldn't tell me about it.

We let Echo rest for a while, and the rest of us sat around her as well, just in case some other monster tried attacking the exhausted trepent.

"So... Are all of you this skilled?" I asked.

"No," Houre said, "Echo is the best of us, she fights better than any warrior to ever exist in all life. But she can only use her abilities once in a few weeks this way. She is still way above average when she's not using her gift of war, but using it today was just a tiny bit of it. The Whalius wasn't prepared for it, thus Echo was able to stay in her form after using her abilities. Every time she uses her full expense, her body disintegrates into pure energy afterwards, and it takes months for her to form a new body. She got this gift of war from the tree of life itself, since she served it well. All the rest of us, we are decent fighters, but each of us has our own skills. My skill is wiseness, knowledge and smartness. I know all, I can know anything in the world, as long as it is not related to the spirit of the Suremus or the Queen. Jusa is the spirit of healing, she can heal anything and anyone. Chira and Krei are both spirits of truth and lie, they can sense when someone is saying the truth or the lie. If they take the life on oath, and the life lies, its soul deforms and dissolves into their bodies. But they can only ask for an oath once a moon cycle."

I looked at the trepents, on how each of them had one or another ability, and if they used them together, they could do absolutely anything. I was grateful I was on their side.

"But know," said Chira, "We are not on any side. We side with life, and are not accountable to anything. We do what we think is best, even if it means destroying ourselves, or our friends."

I had a fearful feeling she could read my thoughts easily, so I stayed quiet and didn't try to think much. But it was hard.

This meant that they could turn on me if something goes wrong, if I turn out to be in harm of life. But I knew I wasn't, and if they had to destroy me for the better, I would side with their judgement. The queen spirit rests within me, and if the question comes to protecting her, I would give up my life without a second thought. Chira looked at me, then nodded.

We let Echo rest for a bit.

I was scouting the area for any monsters, and I heard a deep rumbling from one side. I stepped back and armed a make-shift bow, and aimed it at the voice. A big vulture flew out from the mist and disappeared above me.

My eyes widened and I ran back towards our encampment, and warned the others about it. They nodded. "The Vulture has surfaced. We shall defeat him." They said in unison, except Echo, who was still slumbering.

The Vulture... The leader of all plans, and the brains behind this whole stealing tree of life thing, and he had found us...

We made a circle around Echo, and got ready to fight. I called for the queen.

"Frovine Yov, Protect thee." We all said.

The Vulture flew in front of us in a burst of light. He had a large yellow orange beak, beady black eyes, red maw, and huge wings, his fur feather was brown and red, and I had no intentions on knowing why it was red. It stood around 7 feet tall.

Its claws were as big as my head, and it could've ripped me apart with its bare claws if it wanted.

"Hello, Frovine, Trepents. I am The Vulture." He said in a deep raspy voice which stung my ears.

"You. Killed. Phro." I said, my eyes flaring blue, I held myself from charging him. He would've loved if the Queen would do something foolish like that.

"He was destined to die. That fool, he sent the Suremus far away so we couldn't capture it. He was of no use to us, but he fought well enough. You, on the other hand, you can be quite useful to us in completely destroying the tree. Come with us, join us, and I promise you will be spared, along with your friends here. You will live among us freely, do as you will, just help us destroy the roots."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Chira looked at me. Her eyes were fierce, like she would not hesitate to make the right choice...

I burst out laughing. "You think we'll join you? Over our dead bodies. We will never join you, monster. We will fight till our last breath." I looked at the other 4 trepents, and a plan passed between us in thoughts...

Are you ready? I asked

We were born ready. All of them replied.

I was happy to have such a wonderful team, and even die alongside them. I charged at the Vulture.

After that, everything was a blur.

I threw my axe at him, he dodged it as I made my way over. Chira disappeared into smoke and Houre flicked her hands to summon her swords. She lunged and was to my side in one kick, and made her way forward. She had incredible speed, even more agile than Echo. The Vulture spread his wings, but before he could fly Chira appeared on top of him and dropped. He shouted in frustration as he tried to throw over Chira, but chira locked her legs on his neck, and I rolled in and picked up my axe. Houre slashed upwards with her sword and cut the Vulture's wings right off.

He jumped upwards with such force Chira flew back and landed head first into the ground, and I ducked back. Houre jumped sideways as a gust of wind made its way towards Jusa.

Jusa just stood there and held up her hands. The wind parted. "Moritus Incovela." She said calmly, and I had a gut sensation... The Queen spirit was taking over me.

Mauritius Incovela... protect the land... I had an intense surge of energy through me and I flew up above. I met eyes with the Vulture but he threw shards back at me, somehow managing to be in the air with only one wing. I dodged and sped up.

But I was too late.

The Vulture had escaped, leaving poisonous darts all over the field. I did not try following him.

We had managed to drive the Vulture away, but the damage was done.