"Did it just eat its own fruit?" Kiaran asks, his voice filled with disbelief. His axe lowers slightly as he stares at the tree.
Seren doesn't respond immediately. Instead, her focus sharpens, her senses screaming as a surge of energy pulses through the air. The vibration isn't just heard—it's felt, crawling over her skin.
"Yes," she says, her tone tight. "But we don't have the time to think about it."
The tree's grotesque mouth twitches, its lips curling into what looks like a cruel, mocking smile. It creaks, the sound deep and ancient, like something waking from a long slumber.
A drop of liquid lands on Robert's head, sliding down to his shoulder. He freezes, instinctively brushing it off.
'Rain? Here in the Abyss? Impossible...'
The others notice it too. Small drops begin to fall, slow at first, like water dripping from the ceiling of a cave. But then they fall faster, heavier, the faint drops growing into a steady rain. It's cold, unnaturally so, and each drop feels heavier than normal rain.
"What the hell is this?" Finn mutters, wiping his face. His hand comes away slick, the liquid clinging unnaturally.
Kiaran tightens his grip on his axe.
"Screw it. I'm just gonna chop this thing down!"
"Wait, no!" Finn shouts, but it's too late. Kiaran charges forward, his heavy steps splashing against the now-soaked ground.
"Idiot" Robert mutters under his breath, his eyes narrowing.
'Really, charging in without thinking?'
Kiaran leaps, his axe gleaming even in the dim light of the Abyss. He swings it in a wide arc, aiming to bury the blade into the tree's trunk.
Before he gets close, the tree reacts. From its grotesque mouth, droplets of water gather and swirl unnaturally, forming into a dense, shimmering orb. The orb pulsates, then shoots out a high-pressure jet of water with a loud, screeching hiss.
Kiaran, mid-air, has no time to dodge.
A glowing blue barrier forms around him at the last second, Finn's outstretched hand trembling as he channels his Stigma. The water jet crashes into the barrier, the impact is loud and violent. Cracks spread across the glowing shield, pieces breaking off like shattered glass.
"Damn it!" Finn yells, sweat dripping from his forehead. "That almost broke the barrier!"
The tree doesn't stop. Above its mouth, two eerie eyes begin to form, their shape carved into the wood. Liquid streams from them like tears, joining the rain that now falls harder than ever. The heavy droplets hit like stones, drenching the team and making it hard to see.
"This rain… it's not normal" Seren says, gripping her sword tighter. The cold seeps through her clothes, chilling her to the bone.
She squints at the tree, its trunk pulsating with life. The faint glow of its roots grows brighter with every drop of rain. The bark, once dull and ashen, starts to shimmer faintly as if it's feeding on the storm.
"The tree… it's growing," Seren exclaims, her voice rising above the sound of the downpour. "The rain is making it stronger!"
Behind her, Ahri stumbles, her knees giving out as she collapses onto the muddy ground. Her hands shake, her eyes filling with tears as she clutches her head. "I can't fight… I'm so useless. My Stigma isn't even working anymore…" Her voice cracks, and she buries her face in her hands.
"Useless idiots," Robert snaps, his usual calm demeanor replaced by an uncharacteristic annoyance. He glares at the team, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. "Why did I even agree to lead this bunch of dead weight?"
"Robert, what the hell is wrong with you?" Seren shouts, her head whipping toward him. But before she can press further, Finn steps forward, his chest puffed out and his arms spread wide.
"Don't worry, everyone!" Finn declares, striking a dramatic pose as if he's about to leap into battle alone. "I'll sacrifice myself to save the day!"
"Finn, stop being an idiot!" Seren yells, her voice laced with frustration. Her eyes dart between her teammates, each one acting more irrationally by the second. Something isn't right.
The tree lets out a low, guttural groan, its gaping mouth contorting into an even wider smile. The rain intensifies, each drop feeling like a needle prick on Seren's skin.
Around the tree's mouth, water gathers again, coalescing into a swirling sphere. The air vibrates with power, a sign of an impending attack.
'Wait a minute…' Seren's mind races, trying to piece everything together. The rain. The strange behavior. The tree's sinister grin.
Her heart pounds as realization dawns on her.
"Everyone!" she shouts, her voice cutting through the chaos.
"This rain isn't just feeding the tree. It's messing with our minds! You have to fight it!"
But there's no use. It seems like she is the only one being rational.
Seren focuses her energy, her Stigma flaring to life as golden flames begin to dance along the edge of her blade.
The divine light illuminates the surrounding darkness, casting long, flickering shadows that seem to shrink back in fear. The verdict still gives her Aureth's power.
She narrows her eyes at the tree, her mind racing. Flames against water, a losing match on paper. But instead of relying on brute force, Seren decides to outmaneuver the creature's attack.
The water jet surges toward her, a roaring stream of liquid death. Seren doesn't dodge. She doesn't block. Instead, she sprints straight for the tree, her blazing sword held firm, its heat cutting through the oppressive cold of the rain.
Her hexed teammates stare in stunned silence as the deadly jet nears her.
"Seren, no!" Ahri cries out, but Seren doesn't falter.
At the last moment, something intercepts the attack. Finn lunges forward, his hands glowing as he summons a barrier around himself. The water jet slams into it with a thunderous crash, the impact shattering the shield like glass.
Finn stumbles back, clutching his chest as blood seeps from a shallow wound just beneath his left shoulder.
"I'll be fine!" Finn shouts, his voice strained but defiant.
Seren doesn't look back, though her heart clenches.
'I'm sorry, Finn,' she thinks, guilt creeping into her resolve, for using Finn's sudden heroic desire.
The tree's momentary distraction is all she needs. With a burst of speed, Seren closes the gap, her flaming blade aimed to sever the creature in two. The tree reacts, its roots springing from the ground like coiled vipers, reaching to block her strike.
But Seren's blade is no ordinary weapon. The golden flames hiss and crackle as they meet the roots, slicing cleanly through them. Severed pieces fall to the ground, smoldering with charred ends.
The tree groans in pain, its grotesque mouth twisting into a grimace. Smoke rises from the burned roots, and for the first time, the tree appears to hesitate.
"Let's see how you like divine fire" Seren mutters under her breath, her eyes blazing with determination.