Chapter 177 - Hand Tree

In the white world, Yuzu had been watching over the shrine for a while. After Char Char left, Yuzu had returned to the physical plane to have lunch with Xiang and Rabbit. Carts carrying people and equipment continued to stream in, though, and the construction work was scheduled to continue until early evening, so Yuzu still had the entire afternoon to kill.

Being the White Maiden isn’t too hard. Yuzu mused as she ate the juicy, aether-filled flesh of an offered peach. Especially once I help deal with the God of Life and Markus Gantt, things will quiet down and I can just live a relaxing life.

After mulling over her understanding of the current situation in Noga, she had put together a fairly straightforward plan. The biggest threat to the stability of the region was related to the God of Life’s reincarnation. However, for whatever reason the God of Life placed an undue amount of trust in the White Maiden, basically revealing all of His plans to her through Medusa.

Because of this, Yuzu was aware that the Life cultists in Kumin had all been killed, except for their leader Medusa, who was isolated and lacked resources to accomplish her goals. The Cloud Peak monks, under Markus Gantt’s influence, had set up multiple shrines to the God of Life and were gathering energy for his rebirth. Their plans were thus far proceeding smoothly, but there were still a few days before the ritual to revive the God of Life was ready.

Up until now I’ve been performing a balancing act between appeasing the monks, the God of Life and Lord Noga. However that’s only because it was convenient to me. There’s nothing stopping me from taking action against the bad guys. Yuzu nodded, making up her mind.

According to Argus, Lord Noga was likely dealing with other troubles, and was thus sending what resources he could to Yuzu, looking to the White Maiden as an ally to stop the impending disaster. In other words, her next actions were critical to prevent the God of Life from returning and wreaking havoc.

On her side she had connections to the police department and also to Char Char’s security company. In addition, there were many representatives present today from the various ministers and influential people in the city that she could use to gather the forces she needed.

With her powers over fate Yuzu could basically guarantee success in every plan that she initiated. Even if things were about to go wrong, Yuzu would be able to see most types of problems arise ahead of time and take the appropriate action.

From Yuzu’s perspective, the main components to the God of Life’s rebirth were the three main shrines in the mountains and Medusa herself. All Yuzu had to do was set a trap for Medusa and direct people to destroy the shrines, and the God of Life’s plans would be foiled.

It was almost too easy, but even that was explainable. Clearly the God of Life had faith in the White Maiden, mistaking Yuzu for some other entity. Yuzu had played the role properly and gained His trust, obtaining critical information in the process. In the end, the enemy’s game of trying to get the White Maiden onto their side resulted in their downfall.

As soon as Char Char gets back from handling Hakuya, I can get her to pass on the appropriate messages, delivering the locations of the Life God’s shrines to the police. Once I confirm that they’re on their way to take care of the shrines, I’ll set the trap for Medusa and have her apprehended…

Yuzu decided to make Char Char her official messenger to pass on her revelations. Since Char Char was already affiliated with the White Maiden this would be the simplest arrangement that would minimize the number of people that the White Maiden needed to contact directly.

Also, this will simplify things after everything is over. Yuzu’s lips curled up in a grin. The fewer people I contact now, the fewer people there will be that will expect a response from the Maiden. For important things, Char Char can be the White Maiden’s secretary, making sure that I’m only bothered for important things and handling all the trivial matters herself.

Thinking about this arrangement amused Yuzu very much and she let her imagination drift off as she dreamed about the days after the matters with the God of Life were over.

They’re taking a while, aren’t they… Yuzu thought, after a while. Her eyes glanced over the horizon in the direction that the Char Char had left.

Her relaxed posture suddenly stiffened as she sat up, her eyebrows knitting together in concern. Her spiritual intuition fluttered as she suddenly felt that something was not quite right in the threads.

~

Deep within the forest, Char Char and Reid followed Medusa’s trail at a slow, cautious pace.

The humid air grew dense and warm, full with the rich, loamy scent of earth. The pair walked through the tunnel formed from thorned brambles with thick, black leaves. The ground was soft, covered in a mushy, reddish mulch that squished under their boots.

At this point even Char Char could smell the blood. Warm, putrid, heavy and slightly metallic. She put her hand up to her nose, breathing more shallowly as her face contorted in sickness.

Are we really still in a forest? Char Char couldn’t help but think as she stayed well away from the moistened walls. It feels like we’re trespassing into a monster’s lair…

The light took on an orange hue now and seemed to radiate at them from all directions. It wasn’t bright, but erased the shadows, casting everything in a dull, muted tone. It pulsed gently, dimming and brightening in a disorienting, uneven rhythm. Reid’s dappled cloak appeared different in this light, blotchy and organic, blending in with their black and reddish surroundings. He seemed to sway unsteadily as he walked, but Char Char couldn’t tell whether he was actually swaying, or if it was a trick of the light or the cloak.

Ahead the light glowed brighter, and Char Char realized that they were reaching the end of the tunnel. Reid slowed, crouching slightly to the left side of the tunnel. Char Char followed his lead, moving to the right side, barely daring to breathe as she crept forward.

A small, secluded glade greeted them at the end of the tunnel.

The small clearing was fifty metres in diameter, forming a perfect circle. A reddish, leafy canopy rose overhead, rising uniformly to a peak forming a perfect circular dome. The ground was covered in the same reddish mulch and descended gently to the center of the space, where a single twisted black tree stood. A thick mist hung in the air, its fragrance ripe with pollen and the stench of blood.

The tree was not tall, only standing about two meters high, with a thick, bloated trunk and gnarled, leafless branches. The branches resembled limbs, with elbow-like joints and long forearms that ended knobs, from which claw-like fingers sprouted. It radiated with an intensely demonic aura that filled Char Char with a repulsive dread.

In front of the ‘hand’ tree, Medusa knelt reverently with her hands outstretched as she bowed continuously towards it. The white shrine robe had been tossed aside, and the cultist’s wild vine-like hair swayed heavily in the strange, jerky rhythm of her motions.

She prayed aloud in a strange, guttural language. Her words seemed to reverberate around the walls of the dome, which pulsed softly.

No, this is bad. This is completely wrong-! The young Kumin girl was filled with an explicable terror as she stared upon this unnatural scene. Her pupils dilated and trembled as she looked over to Reid for support, but she immediately saw that something was wrong.

The Hunter’s eyes were glazed over and his expression had relaxed as if he was intoxicated. He didn’t even seem to be conscious as he took a heavy step forward, walking out of the cover of the tunnel into the glade.

Reid! No! Char Char’s voice caught in her throat as she reached out to grab him. She grasped onto his cloak, and pulled, but the dazed hunter took no notice of her, continuing forward. Char Char was forced to let go as she helplessly watched the man trudge into the glade.

As he walked forward in a daze, he began to mumble the prayers to Prince Deka in a deep slurred voice. When he reached Medusa’s side he fell to his knees and began to sway.

Seeing this scene, Char Char’s courage completely evaporated as she immediately turned around and ran into the tunnel, kicking off the mulch behind her as she fled as fast as she could. Her heart was beating out of her chest and each breath came out rapid and panicked.

She quickly reached end of the tunnel. The thick, thorned brambles were continuously shifting into place, closing off the way back as she crashed into them.

“No, no, no!” She gasped, clawing at the foliage. Bright red cuts streaked across her hands as she tried to pull apart the branches.

Chest heaving, she stepped back and unsheathed her sword. Grasping the hilt with both hands she began chopping at the branches in wild, frantic swings. She hacked away a few branches, cutting into the foliage, but in the end she could only back off. Her entire body trembled as she watched the meagre progress she had made get swallowed up by the twisting thorns that continued to fill in the tunnel.

“Not like this… Oh lord…” Char Char pleaded, her mouth dry as she dropped the sword and fell to her knees. Her knees sank into the heavy wet mulch, staining the light fabric of her pants with a deep maroon liquid. She clasped her trembling, bleeding hands together.

“M-Maiden… White maiden please help me-!”