Elven King Auriel and Ilos came together to the ornamental ancient tree at the very heart of the royal court. The king gently pressed his palm against the trunk.
With a low chant, the tree began to emit a soft green light.
In Ilos’s eyes, what looked like a simple motion actually undid layer upon layer of protective barriers; permissions only the Elven King possessed.
As Auriel continued, the entire tree split open and began to move!
Only now was it clear: this was no tree, but countless living vines braided together in disguise.
The vines writhed like awakening serpents, rustling softly as they slowly parted to reveal the core within.
At the center of the intertwined roots stood a staff thrust into the soil: the divine artifact Ilos had mentioned, the Heartwood of Genesis.
An artifact inextricably linked to the Sacred Tree.
Its shaft was woven from branches of the Sacred Tree itself. The living wood retained a faint golden-brown hue, warm to the touch. The surface naturally pulsed with breathing light, as if it were the most perfect creation in existence.
Yet upon this near-perfect creation was a glaring flaw.
Near the top, where the richest branches should converge, the central main branch was missing, leaving a scar as if violently torn away.
Though the break had long healed smooth, no new buds had ever grown. Only a patch of dull, withered color remained, like an unhealable wound on a beauty’s face.
Whenever the flowing light passed that spot, it faltered, as if the entire artifact sighed for its missing piece.
The king took the artifact into his hand, yet felt no excitement at wielding such power.
There was a reason the Heartwood of Genesis had been sealed away.
Its imperfection carried a terrible side effect: when used, life force would pour from the broken end.
In simple terms, it was a life-burning weapon; only the powerful could fully wield it, and the cost was their own lifespan.
If not for this fatal flaw, why would Auriel not have kept its radiance shining over the royal city every day, like the blood-clan Emperor did with his artifact?
Instead of using it only with the resolve to sacrifice oneself.
His fingertip traced the winding grain. Deep regret welled in Auriel’s heart.
The decision they had made centuries ago, blinded by ambition, that shattered the artifact and nearly doomed an entire generation of elves. Only a few old survivors had carried the race this far.
Ilos stepped to Auriel’s side. “My king, let me wield it.”
Auriel merely patted his old minister’s shoulder. “No. This is my duty, and the bitter fruit I must swallow.”
A flicker of emotion passed through Ilos’s eyes. He suddenly said, “Your Majesty, the demons have reached even the Sacred Tree. We must repay them in kind.”
Auriel nodded. “After this, lift the restrictions on aiding humanity.”
Yet Ilos was not satisfied. “With respect, that… is too soft.”
“I know, Ilos.” Auriel sighed. “But the elven race has only just emerged from our weakest era. Talented young elves are finally rising. We should not bury their lives in the continent’s endless wars.”
“For three hundred years, we were not the only ones weakened. And we must step outward…”
Ilos tried to argue, but the king had long made up his mind and would not be swayed.
Seeing this, Ilos fell silent. The emotion in his eyes quickly cooled into calm.
…
In the city above the trees.
With palace guards arriving and forest rangers returning in time, large numbers of elven civilians were systematically rescued and escorted in groups to safety around the royal city.
The animated giant trees had caused considerable casualties, but distance had limited the extent of activation. Even someone as combat-inept as Riel had managed to hold out for a while.
Civilians who banded together could resist for long periods. With many rangers and mages in the city, final casualties, while heartbreaking, remained within a painful but acceptable range.
Yet safety was only temporary.
The trees’ activation was visibly worsening. Left unchecked, the elves might soon find themselves defending the royal city against the forest itself.
The result would likely be the destruction of every nearby giant tree, leaving the elves staring at a barren wasteland.
Not to mention the main ranger force still trapped in the dungeon, with Guard Captain Eko’s fate unknown in abnormal space.
All these reasons led the Elven King, after Ilos proposed using the artifact, to retrieve it without hesitation. He had no time to waver.
The guards escorted the king and Chief Mage through Ysil Doline toward the dungeon.
Passing a clearing, Ilos paused briefly and glanced downward.
He sensed a young elf deep below, surrounded by multiple magical beasts.
Had she been dragged into a burrow during the chaos?
It might still be possible to save her.
But she was too deep. Rescue would take considerable time.
Reaching the dungeon even a moment sooner and letting Auriel complete his plan would preserve far more valuable ranger lives.
After only a brief pause, Ilos made his choice. He said nothing and continued forward.
The child below was merely one of the costs.
…
Underground, Riel stared wide-eyed at everything around her!
In the small emergency burrow dug just a day earlier, colorful glowing mushrooms filled the space.
She sat shoulder-to-shoulder with several Puchis.
The hole was tiny, but thanks to her small size, with Puchi help she had squeezed in.
Going underground had been unavoidable. The giant trees were growing more active; soon they would start moving. The safest place was deep underground where they couldn’t reach.
Riel was no longer scared. She looked like a child invited to a friend’s house, touching the Puchis beside her one moment, admiring the pretty glowing mushrooms the next, exclaiming “wow!” nonstop.
Good thing Lin Jun didn’t need to babysit her. His full attention was on Elven King Auriel!
Or rather, on the nearly complete divine artifact in Auriel’s hands!
【Divine Artifact: Heartwood of Genesis (Incomplete)】
Lin Jun had seen the other half of this artifact!
He knew roughly where it was!
In other words… in other words!
If he could get it, there was a high chance he could assemble a complete divine artifact?!
Don’t be greedy… don’t be greedy… just… a little greedy?
(End of Chapter)
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