“, , !”

In rapid succession, I conjure multiple walls to intercept the thick roots assaulting us from our flanks. While we struggle to run through the mud, the Treant elevates itself on six of its thickest roots and storms out of the thicket like a wall of spikes. It’s pointless to remove Lili’s at this point, or rather, she’s now summoning more to keep our surroundings well lit. A ball of magic appears above the canopy, and somehow, I know it’s the Treant’s hateful eye, tracking our fleeing forms.

“It’s catching up!”

“How far must we run before it gives up!?”

“It’s a tree! It doesn’t know when ta give up!”

“Are you saying we’re doomed!?”

“No, we just hafta give it some space!”

“And how far is that!?”

“About 80 feet!”

“Really!? We might as well just turn around and fight!”

“If ya want ta die dat much, I won’t stop ya!”

“I’ll try to hold it back! !”

I conjure my construct directly in front of the Treant, and to my relief, it crashes right into my blockade without breaking it. It might be as powerful as a B-rank monster, but it’s still a plant. It doesn’t have the intelligence to walk around my barrier, and if it keeps running against it, it’ll never move from that…

“Argh, hell!”

“What happened, Enbos!? Did it fail?”

“No, but it’s going to! Keep running!”

As it turns out, the muddy terrain is a horrible surface to cast my skill. The pseudo-liquid soil is a poor medium to redirect kinetic energy, meaning my barrier is getting worn down by the Treant’s relentless push. Worse, with all the water running downhill, the muck is halfway up to our knees and every step is only dragging us deeper. Nobody is going to outrun the Treant, not when we’re stuck at walking speed.

Should I turn around and fight to buy time? I can always escape with , but it goes without saying that it’s ridiculously dangerous. Since I can’t cast fire spells in this weather, I may have to use that, but I’d rather leave it as a last resort.

Now then, since we can’t go forth and we can’t go back, that only leaves one direction… up.

“! ! !”

Stretching the limits of my magic control, I create a flight of large platforms in three and a half foot intervals along the escarpment, each wide enough to support our entire party. Everybody instantly realises my plan and scramble onto the first platform before hopping to the next. Behind us, I hear the Treant break through my barricade and resume its pursuit.

“Everybody get down!”

Obeying Sen’s command, we all drop on our bellies just as the Treant misses our heads and slams the watery slope. A curtain of soil slides downhill, and while it’s not enough to bury us or push us off, it could at any moment. I desperately conjure two more steps, but with only 44 MP left, I don’t have enough to defend everybody at the same time.

“We have to get above the Treant, ASAP!”

“Look out! Another attack!”

Once again, we react to Sen’s warning and evade another earthshaking blow. This isn’t good. A few of us are still on the fourth platform and the Treant is almost adjacent to the third. If this goes on…

Splash!

“Lili!”

Hearing that wet landing followed by Minna’s cry, I turn to find Lili has fallen off the platform and back into the marsh below. As she struggles to recover from her fall, I notice the shadow of a tree root directly above her.

“!”

I instantly appear by Lili’s side and conjure a just in time to save her. During the small window of reprieve, I pull her up by the arm then push her away.

“Go! Get Minna to lower a rope! I’ll stay back and be a decoy!”

“But if you do, you’ll die!”

“I can escape whenever I want. Now go!”

Of course, what I said is a lie. has a 60 second cooldown and costs 10 MP to use. I never thought I would use it get closer to the thing, but it’s not like Lili would have survived otherwise. With only 25 MP left, I’ll have to last an entire minute in close quarters and spare enough mana to escape. The very idea sounds impossible, meaning my only real chance of survival… is to destroy the Treant first.

I lure the Treant away from the slope and move towards the grove. I’m barely keeping pace thanks to my limitless stamina and light weight, but as expected, I can’t keep running forever. For my plan to work, I’ll have to get close enough to touch it, which is near impossible given the wet terrain and the Treant’s aggressive defence… if I go on foot. Stopping at the edge of the thicket, I draw my sword and assume a crouching position.

“! !”

The Forest Drake is a powerful C-rank monster I once subjugated on a quest that would use this skill to get itself airborne. Of course, if a spell that’s originally used to lift off a large winged reptile is cast by a fleshless skeleton… this is going to hurt.

Gathering air beneath my heel, I propel myself forward like a black bullet and activate mid-flight. To my luck, I avoid colliding into its roots and embed Bloodletter into the Treant’s base. The recoil wracks my bones and cuts into my HP, but it’s just the start of my rodeo.

“!”

Holding onto my sword for dear life, I conjure a protective bubble to envelop me against the trunk. Since its touching the Treant's solid bark, every attack is being redirected to itself, thus preserving the integrity of my barrier unlike the ones I previously cast on the marsh. The force of its iron-like branches soon creates a fracture, and in that literal opening, I remove my right glove and activate a skill.

“!”

A sinister miasma pours from my hand and into the Treant’s wound. Imagining the process of decomposition, the spell aggressively degrades the afflicted areas into dust. Ever since I unintentionally became a Dark Acolyte, I’ve had this dangerous ability. It’s dangerous because I can feel my magic and decay resistances work against the effects of my own skill. I’m not skilled enough to distinguish between targets, and personally, I hoped I would never have to use it. Of course, its effectiveness depends on the object and target’s magic resistance, but since Treants do not possess souls, it’s the perfect skill to take it down.

MP: 15/124… 14/124… 13/124…

Still, that being said, I don’t have all the mana or time in the world to reduce the entire thing to dust! The Treant has wrapped its roots around my barrier and is slowly constricting it with ever-growing pressure. At this rate, it’s going to exceed the force threshold and crush me along with it!

MP: 9/124… 8/124… 7/124…

“Come on, come on! Decompose faster!”

It might be as powerful as a B-rank monster, but it’s still a plant! Without a soul, a series of magic systems as complex as a Treant has to store its mana in a magic core. I’ve been scanning its body with the entire time, and the core has to be here! I have to reach it! All I need is a few more seconds…

Crack!

Damn it! I can’t go on!

“!”

Forsaking my sword, I cover my eroded hand and use to kick off the Treant’s trunk, just as my -

“Look out, Enbos!”

Too late. My feet barely touch the mud when I notice the Treant’s branch, mid-swing. I have to block it!

“!”

HP: 126/144

MP: 3/124

[Insufficient mana]

… How did it come to this? Why didn’t I realise sooner? Dear God, don’t let him die now.

I was atop Enbos’ magical construct when I was suddenly pushed into the marsh below. While I didn’t see how, I was probably struck by one of the Treant’s roots. I could hear Minna screaming my name, but even without her calls, I knew my situation was dire. Then, appearing out of thin air, I was saved by Enbos at the last second, and he proceeded to say these parting words.

“Go! Get Minna to lower a rope! I’ll stay back and be a decoy!”

“But if you do, you’ll die!”

“I can escape whenever I want. Now go!”

While it was true he had some form of instantaneous movement, I still felt uneasy about leaving him behind. Ultimately, I decided to follow his words. I thought if I left sooner, Enbos would have less reason to endanger his life…

I was wrong. He didn’t just save me, he had offered himself in my place. By the time I reunited with the others, I could do nothing but pray for Enbos as he threw himself at the Treant and trapped himself with his own spell. Regardless, I was given reason to hope as Enbos used an unknown skill to quickly damage the Treant. For a moment, victory seemed to be within his grasp… but then, his barrier started to break.

“Look out, Enbos!”

I wish I knew better. I wish my accident never occurred. I wish I could appear by his side and save him, like he did for me… but I can’t. None of us can.

Helpless, we watch in mute horror as the Treant swings its ancient branches with the force of a catapult…

Thwack!

… and sends Enbos flying into the shadow of the nearby trees.

“E-e-en…”

“ENBOS!”

By the heavens, i-it hit him. He couldn’t conjure a barrier. C-could he still alive after such an attack? No, I mustn’t think such a thing! He might be dying at this very moment! I-I have to reach him quickly before-

“… Come on, everybody, we hafta get movin’! Da Treant is comin’ fer us next!”

“Wha-”

“How can you say that!? Enbos just got hit by the Treant and yet all you’re thinking about is running!?” yells Minna.

“We haff no choice! We hafta go, now!”

“We can’t, Mr Kell! He’s still alive! W-we have to go down there and-”

“Don’t delude yourself, kid! You all saw da way his body went when it hit him! You all heard his bones break! Ya master’s last attack ravaged da Treant so bad dat it’s draggin’ two of its feet! Don’t let his death be in vain!”

“W-we don’t know that for sure! Regardless of his condition, running now would be no better than leaving him to die!”

“I agree with Lili! Enbos gave his all to get us this far! We owe him the same in kind!”

“Stop tryin’ ta be so goddamn righteous! Even after everyfing Enbos did to dat Treant, it could still kill another one of ya pals! Do ya fink dat’s right!? Do ya fink ya owe him dat much!? We don’t know how long dese platforms will last! Going now will only seal ya-”

“.”

I conjure a set of arcane steps that complete Enbos’ original flight of platforms. While my barriers are smaller and weaker than his, it should be strong enough to take a few people at a time… or just one.

“Please wait for us on the high ground, Mr Kell. I know you’re only worried for us, but we can’t leave Enbos behind.”

“Even if he may be dead? Even if ya can’t outrun da Treant?”

“If we can’t outrun the accursed thing, then all we have to do is destroy it,” answers Sen.

“Fools, da lot of ya. Like I said, I won’t stop ya if ya want ta die…”

“… T-thank you everybody. I-I can’t describe how grateful I am that you’re doing this.”

“We would never abandon him, Hachirou, especially after what he did for Lili. Besides, I have a feeling that if we left now, we’d also lose you.”

“Y-you guys…”

“Anyway, we mustn’t dawdle any longer! Lili?”

“! !”

After I finish casting my spells, we immediately descend the slope and charge towards the lumbering Treant. Despite the difficult terrain, Sen manages to take the lead and starts throwing stones to draw its attention.

“Hey, over here! Come and get- Woah!”

Sen barely sidesteps an overhead swing as the Treant stops advancing to attack him. As I’m about to join the fray, Minna raises her arm to stop me.

“Go! Tend to Enbos while the rest of us distract the Treant!”

“O-okay Minna, I understand-”

However, as I'm about to depart, Hachirou suddenly grabs me by the cloak.

“A-actually Minna, Lili, I think it would be better if I went instead…”

"Huh?"

"I-I mean, you n-need Lili here to support everybody here, r-right? P-please let me tend to Enbos."

“What are you saying, Hachirou!? Your master needs Lili’s healing magic more than any of us!”

“I know you’re worried for Enbos, but please believe in me. I promise I'll save him with my magic.”

“N-no, you don’t understand! Y-your magic would-”

Silently coming from behind, Norf gives me and Hachirou a gentle push before gesturing towards the grove.

“Huh, we should both go?”

“A-are you sure?”

“Norf is right. Let the three of us can handle this! Now go!”

“T-thank you, Minna.”

“Heaven protect you all. Follow me, Hachirou. !”

While Sen, Minna and Norf surround the opponent, I create a line of stepping stones over the swamp-like soil. Although it’s such a simple trick, I would never have realised such a thing without Enbos. I was always taught to use barrier magic solely for protection, and I never met anyone who thought otherwise. I-if I had realised sooner and conjured the platforms instead… No, now is not the time to regret. Instead, I should look forward to our next chat once this ordeal is over. Please God, let him be okay...

“Lili? I-I have to tell you something. Once we reach him… promise me you won’t be surprised. Y-you’ll understand once you see him.”

“Okay?”

What does Hachirou mean? Is he worried I will learn of Enbos’ appearance? If that’s the case, it’s a needless concern. No matter how aberrant he may be, it doesn’t change the fact he’s a brave and selfless soul. I would never abandon the man who saved my life.

Being careful to conserve my mana, I stop conjuring platforms near the edge of the thicket and continue to wade through the marsh with Hachirou. With every step, my heart beats faster and I desperately pray that he’s still alive. However, upon illuminating my surroundings with my staff…

“E-enbos…?”

“…”

N-no… No, no, no! D-dear God, please have mercy on his soul…

Laying facedown, submerged in the wet soil, I find Enbos’ mangled body and cover my mouth in horrified revulsion. His limbs and neck are bent at unnatural angles atop a dark red puddle. Not a single breath could be heard and his figure is as still as the trees that surround him. I’m too afraid to physically check, too afraid to have my hopes dashed further into the sinking earth. Hot tears burn my eyes and sear my cheeks as I struggle to endure my growing guilt.

Enbos… is dead.

He died because I left him.

He died because I fell into the marsh.

He died because I did nothing to save him, and now, I can never repay his kindness.

“En-… bos?”

I jump with a guilty start as Hachirou walks towards his former master with heavy steps. Facing his back towards me, he drops to his knees and puts a quivering hand over Enbos’ own.

“… Lili, about your healing magic-”

“I-I’m sorry, Hachirou.”

“Eh?”

“I’m so, so sorry. I-I know I asked you to believe in me, but... it’s too late. T-there isn't a single spell in this world... that can overturn one's final fate. Y-your master… is gone.”

Those words were meant as much for him as they were for me.

For the longest moments, Hachirou stares at me in tragic silence. While I cannot see beneath his expressionless mask, I can imagine the look of despair he must have. I want to console him, but my guilt weighs heavy on my soul. Similarly, Hachirou appears compelled to share something, but ultimately, he remains silent and looks back to his deceased mentor.

All of a sudden, a loud splash echoes from the clearing behind us. A sense of foreboding creeps up my back as I begin to worry for Sen, Minna and Norf. Anxious to return, I try to help Hachirou back to his feet but I find he is unwilling to move.

“… Lili, please go ahead without me. I need to stay with my master.”

“Hachirou, we have to go! I-if we don’t return now…”

“I’m aware I’m putting everyone at risk, but I can’t leave Enbos like this.”

“H-hachirou, I know how you feel, but now is not the time. W-we can come back once the Treant is gone to mourn him, so p-please…”

“I'm sorry, Lili. We… I-I’ll follow soon, but right now, everyone needs you more than they need me.”

Even as we speak, the sounds of the battle continue to ring over the falling rain. Torn between Hachirou’s reluctance and everybody’s fate, I offer my final condolences before returning to the marsh. As sorrow begets more tears, I wipe my weary eyes and rally the remnants of my resolve.

Forgive me, Enbos. I swear I will look after your disciple once this is over. May you return to the World Stream and be blessed in your next life.

Thank God for his protection, everyone is alive! Nobody seems to be in critical condition, although the situation is hardly favourable. Despite being slowed, the Treant is freely attacking our party and is slowly pushing everybody back. Worse, the terrain is continuing to sap our strength and Enbos’ platforms have now expired. I dearly hope my presence can turn this ordeal around.

Checking the condition of my party, I raise my sceptre and recast several spells.

“! !”

“Huh? This magic is… Lili, you’re back!”

“Is Enbos alri- !”

“Y-yes, he is! Hachirou is tending to Enbos, b-but he’s too injured to move.”

I can’t let them know of Enbos’ passing, otherwise it would devastate everybody here. While I would much rather if we escaped now, I don’t know when, or even if, Hachirou will recover from Enbos’ death. For as long as he remains in the grove, none of us will be willing to depart.

“Thank goodness! Now all we have to do is to beat… this… thing... first!”

“D-does anybody have a plan!?”

“We’ve been trying to tip the Treant over, but it’s too heavy for us to pull down! Sen found a blind spot, but we can’t hold out forever!”

“Blind spot?”

Looking at the Treant, I notice several roots appear to be idle. Although the Treant is greatly scarred by Enbos’ enigmatic assault, it shouldn’t be enough to disable parts of the entity. Curious, I activate and soon discover Enbos’ original intention: he was trying to destroy its magic core.

U-unbelievable. Despite throwing himself into certain death, Enbos never gave into despair, and with his dying breath, he even paved the path to our salvation. With so much bark and wood stripped from the Treant’s trunk, all we need is one more attack to finish his final deed.

“Norf, I need an arrow, quick!”

“What are you planning, Lili?”

“I’m going to imbue an arrow with holy magic! If Norf can fire it at its magic core, it should stop the Treant! I just need time!”

“Okay! Did you hear that, Sen!? We can’t let it move towards Lili!”

“I heard you! !”

Sen assumes a defensive stance and lets the Treant move closer, shifting out of its blind spot. Standing his ground, Sen waits to receive the Treant’s overwhelming attacks… and begins deflecting them with miraculous ease. Waves of mud and rain erupt around him as he parries blow after fatal blow within inches of his body. I’ve seen Sen use this skill before. greatly raises one’s strength, toughness and concentration at the cost of all movement. However, as powerful as it is, his body can’t endure the self-induced strain for long. I have to be quick!

Hearing my idea, Norf steps away from the Treant and throws his quiver directly into my outstretched arms. Taking an arrow, I immediately drop to my knees and clasp my hands over the arrowhead before closing my eyes to pray.

“[O Righteous God watching us from heaven, please bless this cold steel with your divine might.

Let this object of conflict be reborn, into a hallowed edge to aid our plight.

Let sanctity be wrought upon its mark, to pierce the darkness and spread your light!]

!”

Like a beacon of hope, I sense the warm light beat against the cold rain within my palm. Still, even after I finish my incantation, I continue to pour my mana into the tip, determined not to fail Enbos again. As the faint warmth becomes a stinging sensation, I open my eyes to see all my prayers made manifest into a radiant arrow.

“I-I can’t hold on! Minna!”

“Hold on! !”

Wrapping her weighted rope around Sen’s torso, Minna pulls him to safety just as expires. Meanwhile, I redirect one of my to mark the Treant’s core and make my way to deliver-

“Watch out!”

Reacting to Sen’s warning, Norf and I jump back in time to avoid an oncoming root. Desperate to deliver the arrow, we try to move out of its reach, but it gives chase and continues its relentless attack.

“!”

“We won’t let you! !”

Catching one of the Treant’s branches, Minna and Sen pull the rope in an attempt to delay the wooden behemoth. However, despite maintaining their posture, the two are getting dragged through the mud. Out of desperation, I cast to impede it but the Treant easily shatters my barrier with barely a pause. If only phantasm magic could work on this soulless being. Please God, grant us a miracle!

All of a sudden, one of the Treant’s legs seemingly buckles atop the shifting marsh as the swamp-like terrain finally works to our favour. Threatened by Sen and Minna’s constant pulling, it redirects most of its roots to keep itself upright. Not wasting this God-given opportunity, I throw the arrow against the rain and wind, and against all odds, Norf manages to catch it squarely by the shaft.

“Do it, Norf!”

“!”

Drawing his longbow to its upmost, Norf fires the blessed arrow with resounding force. Following the arrow’s flight, I watch with bated breath as it meets its mark and erupts into a flash of golden light. I look away to protect my eyes but turn back to find a deep vertical tear in place of the arrow. I immediately activate to check its magic circuit, and in the dark crevice left by our attack… I find the Treant is haemorrhaging all its mana. One by one, the Treant’s appendages come to a still before collapsing body and all in a thunderous splash.

“*Hah, hah* I-is… Is it… over?”

“Y-yes, it is… Norf split its magic core directly.”

“Ha, haha... W-we did it. We took down the Treant!”

Overcome with relief, we all collapse to our knees in overdue exhaustion. Sen appears especially haggard from using twice and Minna is little better. As for me, I’m experiencing the distinct fatigue of mana depression, but given my unique constitution, I should recover enough to take everybody to the top. Helping me up, I take Norf’s outstretched hand and stand back on my weary feet.

Huh, come to think of it, didn’t he shout during that final attack? I was so fixated on the arrow that I can’t quite remember his voice. I know Norf isn’t a mute, but I’m starting to second guess if I ever heard him at all. However, before I can ask for confirmation…

“Now that’s over, let’s carry Enbos and get out of this rain.”

“Agreed Minna. I want to show Mr Kell we were right after all.”

… I almost fall on my feet as an immeasurable sense of guilt overwhelms me. Norf reaches out to me out of concern, but all I can do is look away and hide my tearing eyes.

“Sen, Minna, Norf… T-there’s something… I have to... c-confess…”

“Hey Minna, isn’t that Enbos’ sword?

“Indeed, he couldn’t pull it out before he got swiped. In all honesty, I’m amazed he’s still alive after flying so far.”

“Thank god we have Lili. Let’s go fetch it before we check up on Enbos and Hachirou.”

It’s no use, they can’t hear me over the torrential rain. I-I have to speak up, but the words stop at my throat as I struggle to find the strength to confess. Noticing the misery written on my face, Norf’s eyes widen as he starts to suspect the truth. Feeling ashamed, I look back to Sen and Minna who are about to retrieve Enbos’ sword.

“S-sen… M-minna…”

“Yes Lili?”

“T-the tr-truth is-”

“DON’T TOUCH THAT SWORD!”

… Impossible. Am I hearing things again? Has my guilt made me retreat to fantasy?

N-no, this is no delusion. I can hear Hachirou calling out to us. I can see everyone running with elated expressions. Unable to resist my budding hopes, I turn towards “his” voice to find…

“Enbos, you’re up!”

“You shouldn’t be moving! Here, let us-”

“No, no, Hachirou is supporting me just fine. Also, don’t touch my sword. I, um, put a safety mechanism that would hurt anybody else.”

“By the spirits, that was really close! W-was Lili trying to warn me before-”

“Enbos, you’re bleeding!”

“Oh, this? Don’t worry, it’s just one of the bags of bait I had. The package burst and mixed with the rain. I just hope it doesn’t leave a stain. By the way Minna, where is Mr Kell…?”

T-that’s strange. Why aren’t I running up to him like the others? Why aren't I asking about his health? Why don’t I feel compelled to thank God for this undeniable miracle? W-why…

Why does his gaze seem so hollow?