As the King fixated his gaze upon Arlo, his eyes brimming with a profound loathing, Arlo found himself inexplicably rooted to the ground. The mere presence of the King disrupted his very instincts, rendering him immobile.
"You're the audacious thief who dared to pilfer the sacred power never meant for the likes of a mere human!" The King's voice reverberated through the air as he clenched his blood-smeared fist and pounded it against the barrier. The protective ward quivered momentarily, acknowledging the presence of the King's blood, though it remained impervious to his brute strength.
Arlo stood there, a bewildered and fearful figure. He had no inkling of what the King was accusing him of; he had never ventured deep into the forest, let alone stolen any power. But now, he found himself falsely incriminated, framed for a crime he knew nothing about. Summoning every ounce of his courage, Arlo locked eyes with the King, catching Ravi off guard. The King had not anticipated this young, apparently defenseless human to meet his gaze so resolutely.
"How dare you…" Ravi hissed, his voice a venomous whisper, his relentless barrage against the barrier continuing. The enchantment protecting the forest shivered, its magical defenses wavering under the King's ceaseless assault. "I will extinguish your existence just as I did Avianna's!"
Arlo's expression morphed from fear to shock. "Murder?" he stammered, his words distorted by the static disarray generated by the King's relentless attacks. The boy's world crumbled around him as he grappled with the revelation.
"I will sever your head, pluck your eyes, and immolate your body in the cursed depths!" the King declared, his sinister laughter punctuating his dire threats. Abruptly, his tirade ceased, and he stared at his bloodied, battered hands in perplexity. His attention turned back to the seemingly unyielding barrier.
"Do you see this blood?" Ravi sneered at Arlo, thrusting both his blood-soaked hands forward for the boy to witness. Arlo shivered, a chill coursing down his spine as he beheld the King's ghastly display. Unable to resist, Arlo activated his "Detect" spell, a reaction he hadn't anticipated.
"Yes, observe it with your rudimentary magic," the King taunted, grinning malevolently. Unbeknownst to Arlo, the blood staining the King's right hand belonged to Avianna Nightshade, a dark truth concealed in plain sight. In a sudden, eerie twist, all the blood on the King's right hand was inexplicably drawn back into his skin.
"I shall end your life, alongside the blood of the traitor," the King declared coldly, his right fist radiating a malevolent, golden glow.
Arlo remained locked in stunned silence. He couldn't fathom the depths of this tragedy. The one who had cared for him, Avianna Nightshade, was now gone, and he couldn't help but blame himself for this horrifying turn of events.
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The chaos erupted within the Sacred Forest as the protective barrier gradually waned, allowing the forces of the Elven King to advance. Malek, standing as a formidable sentinel, fiercely battled every enemy who ventured too close to the forest. The very ground seemed to respond to Malek's determination, as roots surged forth to ensnare or strike down intruders.
Tianna, watching in awe as the battalion met a destructive demise, couldn't help but remark, "That treant is the embodiment of a one-man army."
Among the royal guards, a figure emerged from beneath her hood. Her petite frame, golden eyes, and silver hair unmistakably marked her as a member of the royal family. Despite her bashful countenance and innocent appearance, she emanated an air of captivating authority. Fixing her gaze on the entrance to the sacred forest, she firmly grasped the long staff at her back.
Narhil, a high-ranking soldier within the King's ranks, observed her with surprise. "I can't believe I'm witnessing magic from Navi herself," he mused as he watched Navi, one of the King's Royal Guards.
With her long staff raised and determination in her eyes, Navi uttered, "Hear me, Goddess of Life, grant me your celestial power, Ephemeral Arboreal Dominion!" As she spoke these words, wisps encircled her and merged into her form. Her eyes glowed gold, and her long staff emanated a radiant green light. Navi aimed it at the sacred forest, and the ground trembled.
Malek's thoughts froze as he realized the magic being invoked. He attempted to counter it but was too late. All the trees and roots that guarded the forest's entrance shifted aside, tumbling to the ground. Even Malek himself was uprooted, revealing his treant form.
"How dare she..." Malek thought, realizing that the woman had wrested control over the very fabric of nature itself, rendering him powerless. Navi, her face briefly lit with satisfaction, soon began bleeding from her nose and eyes before collapsing.
Narhil and Tianna rushed to her aid, but another member of the royal guard intervened. When they managed to support Navi, her savior revealed his face: an elven man of the same age as the King. His dark brown hair, brown eyes, muscular physique, and a prominent scar on his face marked him as a veteran warrior. Placing his hand on Navi's face, he cast a spell, "Grant her relief, Numb." This simple enchantment eased her pain. Narhil, understanding immediately, raised his book and chanted, "Breathe life into the wounded, Nature's Spring." Flowers sprouted from the ground, took root within Navi's body, and bloomed, emanating a healing light that mended her injuries inside and out.
"Captain Nero," Tianna addressed him as she knelt on the ground. Nero, one of the Royal Guards under Ravi's command, acknowledged Narhil with a nod of gratitude before giving Tianna a subtle signal to rise.
"You may leave us now; thank you for your assistance," Captain Nero said. Narhil and Tianna bowed before departing, heading to the battlefield to aid fallen soldiers.
Captain Nero regarded Navi with a mixture of disappointment and concern. "I told you, Nature itself cannot be tamed," he admonished.
Malek lay in his vulnerable state on the ground, his treant body slowly rising as he uprooted himself, reconnecting with the very essence of nature. With unwavering resolve, ''With the life I offer experience, Nature expanses!'' he invoked a combination of magic instantly, allowing the forest's roots to intertwine with his form once more. As he transformed into a towering tree, the once-devastated area of the forest began to flourish. Trees, bushes, and exotic flowers sprouted and adapted, gaining traits to fend off the approaching soldiers.
The expenditure of magic took its toll on Malek; he could feel his vision dimming and his thoughts wavered. The distant sound of elven battalions marching grew louder, but what startled him was the choice of weaponry they employed.
Fire.
Malek was taken aback as the elves harnessed fire as their weapon of destruction. "They're not here to conquer; they aim to destroy the sacred forest.." Malek realized as elven soldiers used their magic to ignite the sacred forest.
"This may be the end, Avianna," Malek thought as he extended his roots, not only within the sacred forest but also beyond, desperately seeking Avianna. Yet, all he found was Arlo, traumatized, as he was about to be struck by King Ravi's powerful, bloodied golden fist.
Malek's roots surged with lightning speed, not to block King Ravi's attack, but to yank Arlo away from harm's way. The King grunted as his punch struck the ground, cracking it and sending shockwaves rippling outward.
"I ordered Navi and Halix to annihilate you," declared King Ravi as Malek's tree roots unearthed him, revealing his massive form, a mistake that would soon cost him dearly.
"Arlo, are you alright? Did you find Avianna—" Malek's words were abruptly cut off as he found himself suspended in mid-air, helplessly floating towards the King. King Ravi cast a powerful spell, "Ephemeral Arboreal Dominion," causing blood to trickle from his nose, a cost he seemed willing to pay.
"Now, meet your end," King Ravi declared, preparing his right hand for a devastating blow while maintaining control over Malek with his left. "Goodbye, Old Malek," he sneered, his fist radiating with a sinister golden light.
Malek felt utterly powerless, unable to protect his home or the people he cherished. He glanced at Arlo, who had regained consciousness but remained paralyzed by fear. "I still don't know what Avianna saw in you," Malek mused, though he continued to support the idea, sensing it held the potential to change something he deeply feared—destruction.
"MALEK!" Arlo's desperate cry seemed to briefly rekindle Malek's strength. He mustered all his remaining energy and seized the closest tree, hurling it with all his might to propel Arlo far away from their doomed land.
The King was momentarily taken aback by the sudden loss of Control to Malek with his magic, but it wasn't enough to deter him. As his right fist collided with Malek's treant form, it pierced through, shattering the once-mighty tree into fragments. Ravi's gaze shifted to where Arlo had disappeared, realizing he'd been thrown clear of the impending catastrophe.
With a chilling calmness, King Ravi ignited Malek's lifeless form, using it as a vessel to spread fire throughout the forest, a merciless act of retribution.
Arlo was sent hurtling through the air as the result of Malek's final, valiant effort. He watched helplessly, unable to utter a sound, as the King struck Malek with a fatal blow. The forest was aflame, a raging inferno of reds and oranges, spreading like a violent tempest. In those terrifying moments, Arlo's home was reduced to ashes before his very eyes.
Home.
In the midst of this chaos, Arlo lost his grandmother, Avianna, and everything he'd ever known. Strangely, his mind seemed to accept this grim reality as if it were an everyday occurrence. Tears welled in his eyes, only to be whisked away by the howling wind. As his body plummeted to the ground, the branches of the trees reached out to cradle him.
"Malek...?" Arlo spoke, though the tree offered no response. It was almost miraculous, the way he'd been expelled from his home, landing in an unfamiliar forest. This new place was vastly different, with distinct trees and strange animals.
His body descended from the tree, landing gently, without injury. Yet, Arlo felt drained and incapacitated, his muscles aching and his mind throbbing with exhaustion. He found himself sitting on the forest floor, propped against a tree, resting in solitude.
"Grandma..." His voice was barely more than a whisper, echoing into the forest. His eyes slowly closed, surrendering to the overwhelming fatigue. Just as a shadow appeared before him, his body finally gave in to exhaustion, slipping into an uneasy slumber.
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A woman, elegantly dressed in a rich, deep-blue gown, resembled a noble as she ventured into the river, her sights set on a unique prize - a flower that bloomed in the heart of a swift, azure stream. Its petals displayed a mesmerizing shade, a blend of blue and purple. This particular flower held a rare beauty that could captivate anyone, but its allure came with a price. Many had attempted to grasp it, only to be swept away by the river's unyielding current.
But this woman showed no fear. As she gingerly lowered her heels to the riverbed, the water responded to her presence, parting gracefully as she made her way towards the elusive bloom. She lifted the sides of her dress to keep it dry, and to her astonishment, the river's waters seemed to conspire, shifting aside to protect her. It was as if the water itself was forging a path just for her.
With an appreciative smile gracing her lips, the woman whispered, "Thank you, Ilus." Her joy mirrored the flower's beauty. She walked elegantly and confidently along the path made by the obedient river, her gaze fixed on the flower that had captured her heart.
"You... you are absolutely exquisite!" She couldn't contain her excitement as she reached the bloom, gently taking in its texture and scent. The flower was delicate, and she was acutely aware that merely plucking it would mean its demise. Without the life-giving current beneath it, the flower wouldn't survive.
However, her moment of captivation was abruptly interrupted by a sight in the sky - an airborne figure. It was much larger than a bird, and her instincts shifted from captivation to concern.
"In my experience, Enhance Boost," she declared. A soft blue aura enveloped her body as she levitated into the air, droplets and water trailing her as she dashed to follow the descending child. Her dash was swift, allowing her to keep up with the child's descent towards the trees.
"No!—" she exclaimed. "—Blue hue of life, Merge in the veins!" she cast with urgency, her eyes emanating a brilliant blue glow. She stopped mid-air and focused on the nearby trees, where the child was headed for an imminent collision. With the skill of a practiced nature mage, she harnessed the water within the trees, guiding it to cushion the child's fall.
She handled her abilities with extreme care, understanding that harming the forest could provoke a fierce response.
"Ugh..." Her concentration wavered as thoughts of preserving the delicate balance of the forest occupied her mind. She began to plummet to the ground, her powers dissipating just as the child was about to land.
"Oh!" Worry etched across her features as she hastily rushed to the boy's side. She noticed that he mouthed something she couldn't quite comprehend, but it stirred a sense of familiarity within her. Without hesitation, she lifted the boy onto her shoulder, heedless of the dirt that smeared her beloved blue dress.
She harnessed the droplets of water, floating in the air with the unconscious child on her shoulder, and dashed back to her home, determination etched across her face.