The battlefield had become almost unrecognizable.
Only a short while ago, the western settlement had been surrounded by wooden walls and watchtowers, with narrow streets filled with merchants and families. Now half of those walls were burning, several houses had collapsed, and the ground outside the settlement had been carved apart by magic and weapons. Smoke drifted through the air, carrying the smell of scorched earth and blood. Above everything, the artificial World Tree continued to grow.
Its roots spread across the battlefield like enormous serpents.
Every root that touched the ground caused the silver-black tree to grow another branch. Its trunk rose higher with every passing second, piercing through the clouds and disappearing into the night sky. The strange light of the seed pulsed from its center, and each pulse sent a wave of energy through the Firstborn army.
The soldiers who had been struggling moments ago suddenly became stronger.
Their wounds closed.
Their exhausted bodies straightened.
Their weapons became brighter.
Even those who had fallen began moving again.
Aren stared at a soldier who had just stood back up after being knocked unconscious.
"You have got to be kidding me."
The soldier raised his sword.
Aren sighed.
"I was really hoping that one would stay down."
The soldier attacked.
Aren blocked.
The impact pushed him several meters backward.
His boots dug deep grooves into the ground.
Rowan rushed from the side and struck the soldier's shoulder.
The armor absorbed the blow.
Rowan's expression changed.
"Stronger."
Aren nodded.
"Much stronger."
The soldier attacked both of them.
Aren blocked the sword while Rowan caught the warrior's arm.
The Firstborn soldier twisted with unnatural strength and threw Rowan aside.
Aren immediately attacked.
His sword struck the soldier's helmet.
The helmet cracked.
The soldier stumbled.
Aren kicked him away.
"Rowan!"
"I'm fine!"
Rowan rolled and stood.
Aren looked toward the enormous tree.
"This thing is making them stronger."
Rowan nodded.
"Then we destroy it."
Aren smiled.
"Now you're thinking like me."
Across the battlefield, Kael was already running toward the tree.
Elara was beside him.
They moved between the fighting soldiers, cutting down anyone who tried to stop them. Kael's sword flashed repeatedly, each strike precise rather than wasteful. He wasn't trying to kill every enemy in his path. He simply created openings and kept moving.
A Firstborn warrior lunged from the left.
Kael stepped aside.
The blade passed within an inch of his face.
He caught the warrior's wrist and twisted.
The weapon fell.
Kael struck the soldier's chest with his elbow, sending him crashing into another.
Elara raised one hand.
A narrow beam of light shot forward.
Three enemies were forced backward.
"Almost there."
Kael looked ahead.
The artificial World Tree was enormous now.
Its roots had surrounded Lucian completely.
The Firstborn king stood beneath the tree with his arms raised.
The seed floated above his head.
It had changed.
The small object they had seen earlier had grown into something resembling a heart.
Its surface pulsed.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Each pulse made the entire battlefield tremble.
Kael narrowed his eyes.
"Lucian is using himself as the anchor."
Elara looked at him.
"Then we have to separate him from the seed."
Kael nodded.
Before they could continue, a massive figure landed in front of them.
The ground cracked.
Kael stopped.
A warrior stood between them and the tree.
His armor was different from the others.
It covered his entire body in silver-black plates, and six glowing lines ran across his chest.
Kael recognized him.
"Arctus."
The general removed his damaged helmet.
Blood ran down the side of his face.
He smiled.
"You defeated me once."
Kael raised his sword.
"I can do it again."
Arctus shook his head.
"Not anymore."
He lifted his weapon.
The massive sword was glowing with the power of the tree.
Kael looked at Elara.
"Keep going."
She frowned.
"What?"
"I'll handle him."
"No."
"Elara."
"You can't fight him alone."
Kael smiled.
"Then trust me."
She stared at him.
For a moment, she looked like she wanted to argue.
Then she nodded.
"Don't die."
Kael laughed softly.
"I'll try."
Elara continued toward the tree.
Arctus attacked.
His sword descended.
Kael blocked.
The impact created a shockwave.
Kael's feet slid backward.
Arctus attacked again.
Kael moved to the side.
The sword tore through the ground.
Kael countered.
His blade struck Arctus's shoulder.
The armor barely moved.
Arctus swung.
Kael ducked.
The sword passed over his head.
Kael struck the general's knee.
Nothing.
Arctus kicked him.
Kael was thrown backward.
He landed hard.
Dust covered his clothes.
Arctus walked toward him.
"You don't understand."
Kael stood.
"Then explain."
"You believe the Firstborn want power."
Arctus raised his sword.
"We don't."
Kael frowned.
"We want certainty."
Arctus attacked.
Kael blocked.
"You destroyed the old system."
Another strike.
"You removed the laws that protected existence."
Kael parried.
"You left everyone vulnerable."
Arctus pushed forward.
"Every world can now choose its own path."
Kael stepped back.
"And that's wrong?"
"Yes."
Arctus swung.
Kael blocked.
"Because freedom creates chaos."
Kael looked at him.
"Then why are you free to choose?"
Arctus froze for a fraction of a second.
Kael used the opening.
His sword struck Arctus's chest.
The armor cracked.
Arctus stumbled.
Kael continued.
"You chose to follow Lucian."
Another strike.
"You chose to fight."
Another.
"You chose to believe this world needs a master."
Arctus blocked.
Kael's blade pressed against his.
"And now you're telling me nobody should have a choice?"
Arctus gritted his teeth.
"The difference is that we know what is necessary."
Kael smiled.
"That's what every tyrant says."
Arctus roared and released a wave of energy.
Kael was thrown backward.
He crashed into a ruined wall.
The wall collapsed.
Arctus walked through the dust.
"You are still weak."
Kael slowly stood.
Blood dripped from his forehead.
"Maybe."
He looked at his palm.
The silver point glowed.
"But I'm learning."
The silver light expanded.
Arctus's expression changed.
"What is that?"
Kael looked at him.
"Something you can't control."
The silver light disappeared.
Kael's sword began glowing.
He charged.
This time, his movements were different.
He didn't fight like Elion.
He didn't rely on the old techniques.
He didn't follow a predetermined sequence.
Every movement changed based on what Arctus did.
A feint became an attack.
An attack became a defense.
A defense became movement.
Arctus couldn't predict him.
Kael struck his shoulder.
Then his knee.
Then his chest.
The armor shattered piece by piece.
Arctus tried to counter.
Kael moved before the attack was complete.
Finally, Kael's sword stopped against Arctus's throat.
Arctus breathed heavily.
Kael looked at him.
"Yield."
Arctus laughed weakly.
"You still refuse to kill."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I don't need to."
Arctus looked at the tree.
His expression became complicated.
Then he lowered his weapon.
Kael stepped past him.
Arctus didn't move.
For the first time, the general seemed uncertain.
Meanwhile, Elara had reached the base of the artificial World Tree.
The roots were enormous.
They moved beneath the ground.
She raised her hand.
A root attacked.
She jumped aside.
Another root struck.
She created a barrier.
The impact sent her flying.
She rolled and stood.
The roots began surrounding her.
Elara looked upward.
The tree was growing faster.
She could feel the seed calling to her.
Not with words.
With memories.
A forest.
A newborn world.
A small seed in her hands.
Elara closed her eyes.
"I remember."
The roots stopped.
A memory appeared.
She was standing beside Kael.
But he was Elion.
The two of them stood before an empty world.
Elara held the seed.
"We cannot decide what this world becomes."
Elion looked at her.
"Then who will?"
"Everyone."
"That will create chaos."
"Yes."
"Conflict."
"Yes."
"Death."
"Yes."
Elara looked at him.
"But they'll be alive."
The memory faded.
Elara opened her eyes.
The seed was responding.
She stepped toward the tree.
"You aren't meant to control them."
The seed pulsed.
The roots moved.
Elara placed her hand against one.
"You were meant to give them a beginning."
The tree trembled.
Behind her, Lucian appeared.
"You remember."
Elara turned.
Lucian stood several meters away.
His white armor had transformed.
Silver lines covered his body.
The seed floated behind him.
"You finally remember."
Elara stared.
"I remember enough."
Lucian smiled.
"Then you understand why I must finish this."
"No."
"You understand."
"You misunderstood."
Lucian frowned.
Elara stepped forward.
"The seed wasn't created to control the world."
"It was created to give the world a choice."
Lucian's expression hardened.
"Choice created the Hunger."
"No."
"Choice destroyed the cycle."
"No."
"Choice caused the old world to collapse."
Elara shook her head.
"The old world collapsed because someone decided they had the right to choose for everyone."
Lucian became silent.
Elara looked at the artificial tree.
"You are repeating the same mistake."
Lucian raised his hand.
"Then stop me."
The tree exploded with energy.
A wave of silver-black power spread outward.
Elara raised both hands.
A barrier formed.
The impact forced her backward.
Lucian stepped forward.
"You can't stop this."
Elara's feet dug into the ground.
"You're right."
Lucian smiled.
"I knew you'd understand."
Elara's eyes hardened.
"I can't stop the tree."
She looked toward the battlefield.
"But they can."
Lucian frowned.
"What?"
Elara smiled.
"You made one mistake."
She pointed toward the sky.
"You thought the seed belonged to you."
Lucian looked upward.
The seed was no longer silver.
It was changing.
The color shifted.
Gold.
Blue.
Red.
White.
Every color of magic that existed in the world appeared across its surface.
Lucian's eyes widened.
"What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything."
Elara smiled.
"They did."
Across the battlefield, people began responding.
The villagers.
The Firstborn.
Kael's companions.
Everyone connected to the new world could feel something.
Not a command.
Not a voice.
A question.
Do you want the seed to belong to one person?
The answer came from the battlefield.
No.
The seed pulsed.
Lucian staggered.
"What is this?"
Another question.
Do you want the future to be decided for you?
No.
Another pulse.
The artificial World Tree began cracking.
Lucian screamed.
"No!"
He reached toward the seed.
It moved away.
The tree's roots began withdrawing.
The Firstborn soldiers looked around in confusion.
Their enhanced power disappeared.
Several collapsed from exhaustion.
Aren looked at one of them.
"Looks like the tree stopped helping."
Rowan smiled.
"Good."
Aren raised his sword.
"Then let's finish this."
The Firstborn army began retreating.
But Lucian remained.
He stood beneath the collapsing tree.
His eyes were filled with rage.
"You don't understand!"
Kael approached.
"Then explain."
Lucian pointed toward the sky.
"Without the tree, something will replace it."
Kael stopped.
"What?"
Lucian smiled.
"The world always needs a center."
Kael looked toward Elara.
She shook her head.
"No."
Lucian laughed.
"That's what you think."
Then the artificial World Tree cracked from top to bottom.
A massive fracture appeared.
The seed fell.
Kael moved.
Elara moved.
Lucian moved.
All three reached for it.
Kael's fingers touched it first.
The moment he touched the seed, the world disappeared.
He saw a vision.
Not the past.
Not the future.
Something beyond both.
A massive ocean.
A continent covered in enormous forests.
Cities built around crystal towers.
Dragons flying through storm clouds.
Armies marching across plains.
A civilization far more advanced than anything they had seen.
Then the vision changed.
The continent burned.
The seas rose.
The sky cracked.
A gigantic shadow stood above the world.
Kael's eyes widened.
The vision ended.
He returned to reality.
The seed was still in his hand.
Elara stared at him.
"What did you see?"
Kael looked toward the west.
"The future."
Caelum suddenly appeared beside him.
He was trembling.
"You saw it too."
Kael looked at him.
"You saw the same thing?"
Caelum nodded.
"Not exactly."
"What did you see?"
Caelum looked terrified.
"The western continent."
"What's there?"
Caelum whispered,
"Something much older than the Firstborn."
Everyone became silent.
Kael looked at Nera.
She had gone pale.
"You knew."
Nera slowly nodded.
"Yes."
"What is it?"
Nera looked toward the western horizon.
"The Firstborn didn't steal the seed because they wanted to create a god."
Kael frowned.
"Then why?"
"Because they were trying to protect it."
Kael's expression changed.
"What?"
Nera's voice trembled.
"The thing they fear..."
She looked toward the distant ocean.
"...is already awake."
The seed in Kael's hand suddenly pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
Then a voice came from somewhere beyond the western sea.
A voice that wasn't human.
A voice that wasn't a dragon.
A voice that wasn't anything Kael had ever heard.
"Return."
The battlefield went silent.
The voice came again.
"Return what was stolen."
Kael looked down at the seed.
Then toward the horizon.
Lucian slowly smiled despite his defeat.
"You finally heard it."
Kael looked at him.
"What is that?"
Lucian's smile widened.
"The reason the Firstborn built the tree."
Kael tightened his grip around the seed.
"What is it?"
Lucian answered quietly.
"The firstborn of this world."
A distant roar echoed across the ocean.
The water beyond the settlement began rising.
Not like a wave.
Like something beneath it was standing.
Kael looked toward the horizon.
A gigantic silhouette emerged from the sea.
It was larger than the mountain dragon.
Far larger.
Its head rose above the clouds.
And when its eyes opened...
the two suns dimmed.
Elara stepped beside Kael.
The seed glowed between them.
Kael looked at his companions.
Nobody spoke.
There was nothing to say.
The Firstborn army had stopped fighting.
The villagers had stopped moving.
Even the wind had disappeared.
Everyone was staring toward the ocean.
The creature spoke again.
This time, every person heard the words inside their mind.
"You have taken what belongs to me."
Kael raised his sword.
Elara stood beside him.
Aren tightened his grip.
Lyra raised her staff.
Seraphine prepared her magic.
Rowan stepped forward.
Selene closed her book.
Mira stood beside the wounded.
Caelum looked toward a future he could barely comprehend.
Nera lowered her head.
And Kael realized something.
The battle against the Firstborn had never been the real conflict.
It had only been the beginning.
The western continent was waiting.
The stolen seed was only a key.
And whatever had awakened beyond the ocean...
had been waiting for the world to become free.
Kael looked at the creature.
Then at the seed.
Then at Elara.
"We're going west."
Elara nodded.
"Yes."
Aren smiled.
"Again?"
Kael laughed.
"Again."
Behind them, the artificial World Tree collapsed completely.
Its roots turned to silver dust.
The battlefield became quiet.
The Firstborn lowered their weapons.
And far beyond the western sea, the enormous creature began moving toward them.
The new world had finally revealed its first true mystery.
And the answer was coming for them.