Ch.119Successor (5)

“Why are you here?”

Her voice trembled. A mixture of hatred and gratitude made the World Tree bite her lip. She had so much to say, but it all echoed inside her before dissipating.

In the devastated forest, the two exchanged only fragmentary emotions.

“You said you were fulfilling your duty as a guardian. You should be protecting the sacred relic, so why did you charge at the angel army?”

“Destiny guided me. Glory was to be found here.”

“Glory? What use is glory achieved through death? Because of your unilateral decision, three hundred soldiers all died!”

The World Tree raised her voice. She was angry because the fact that they died for the forest pained her heart. The purity bestowed by the Creator God kept creating pain.

“I’m the one who drove you away. I couldn’t even manage the refugees properly, creating a traitor.”

“It was the only path you could choose, World Tree.”

“And I lost the forest as a result. Look at these flames. Look at the corpses. All the misfortune I caused. All of it was my doing.”

If she had been more capable, there would have been no deaths. It seemed truly laughable to be acting this way in front of the one who had brought the flames of war, but if she didn’t let it out, she felt she wouldn’t be able to contain herself.

It was a common symptom of someone experiencing war for the first time.

With a single choice causing countless lives to perish, she felt guilt for every action.

The World Tree clutched her head. Tears fell to the ground drop by drop. Even she was small before the flow of the vast world. Though powerful, she was an incredibly fragile being.

“Take the power of the god.”

There were no words of comfort. The world was cold.

Dantalos, standing at the brink of death, demonstrated this plainly. Despite spilling blood rather than tears, he proposed a deal to the World Tree.

“If you don’t want to experience the current situation again, you simply need to become stronger than you are now.”

The demon’s heart glowed. It was a familiar sight. This was the third sacred relic she had encountered.

“The angels will not yield and will come like waves. Those wrapped in celestial power will come to drive you out.”

“……”

“Even if you can keep winning, as you said, you’ll continue to feel the pain of losing those around you.”

But if she had the power of a god…

The World Tree swallowed the rest of her words. It was because it approached her so seductively. After experiencing such a great shock, the proposal felt sweeter than anything.

“Take it. For the forest.”

“For the forest.”

“Above all, the justification is sufficient. Do you remember the conversation we had when you first saw the sacred relic?”

At Dantalos’s words, the World Tree sifted through her memories. The good moments before she got angry in the forest council chamber. When she examined the demon’s various aspects with pure curiosity…

“That you would return the sacred relic if a battle occurred in the forest.”

“All conditions have been met. Justification, desire, and will. As the keeper of the sacred relic, I choose you, World Tree.”

Though half a corpse, his spirit remained dignified.

Dantalos addressing the World Tree in a place swept by the pain of war.

“Will you accept the succession? Last child of the Creator God.”

“So all these deaths were for this.”

The World Tree laughed hollowly. Both her regret and gratitude melted away like snow. She had gained power using corpses as sacrifices in a game set up by the demon, leaving her in a state close to resignation.

“So this is the form of glory you were shouting about.”

“That was my duty.”

“You’re still fanatical.”

“Without madness, one cannot survive.”

Dantalos extended his hand to the World Tree.

The snow-white ankle floating on a cushion of thick blood approached the great tree. Cruel yet noble. The sacred relic, now properly confronted, fascinated the World Tree.

“I can hear sorrow whispering.”

But as a child of the Creator God, the World Tree could see the hidden emotions. The pain left for the child who had no choice but to be cast out of heaven remained thick. That he was trying to complete even that through death made it a true tragedy.

“That too is a fate I must bear.”

Those were the last words Dantalos uttered. As death slowly approached, the world darkened.

-I won’t leave it at that.

Consciousness faded. Durin separated from Dantalos. He came to view the past scene from another’s perspective.

-You fulfilled your duty, but you didn’t heal the wounds you left me with.

Life force gathered. The World Tree took the stiffened hand and rose from her place. Blue energy filled the surroundings, enough to cover the blood scent seeping from the severed ankle.

-Come back to life.

The child of god caressed the guardian’s body. Breath slowly began to return. Before death, which had invaded the body, could push out the soul, she infused it with enormous life force.

-Since you’ve drawn me into your destiny, you must take responsibility for it.

Saaaaaaah-

The wind blew. The sound of rustling leaves grew stronger.

As darkness receded and light began to pour in, at that moment when Durin’s vision turned white…

“Are you awake?”

The World Tree’s voice was heard. Durin opened his closed eyes.

“Durin. The successor who carries on Dantalos’s will, Durin.”

It was a deep forest. A sacred interior far from Arminkerkishi.

Originally dark, now that light had returned, a remarkably beautiful landscape spread out. Like an embodiment of peace and tranquility, no noise could be heard. Occasionally, the rustling sound of leaves tickled the ears.

“How was it? The journey to the past.”

“Long and tedious.”

He left a harsh review as soon as he regained his senses. Durin faced the situation calmly.

“Due to arrogant past actions, the death of three hundred demons. I had to watch that for a long time.”

“Duty led them to glory.”

“You speak like Dantalos would.”

“I suppose so.”

The World Tree giggled. She approached Durin with light, barefoot steps. Flowers bloomed around her with each step.

“Perhaps I too have been given a duty.”

With her hands behind her back, she looked at Durin. Her enjoyment of the warm sunlight was much fresher than in the past. It was unlike someone who had kept a sacred relic for 1,000 years. Those who possessed death were endlessly gnawed at mentally. It would be normal for the body to twist or the soul to break, like the old cleric of San Moriano Cathedral.

It was natural that even a child of god couldn’t endure keeping the moment of bodily dismemberment that signaled the beginning of all tragedy.

“Duty.”

“Yes. You saw it at the end, didn’t you? The destiny that Dantalos was trying to complete by driving himself to death.”

He passed the sacred relic to a transcendent being and burned all the demons, including himself, who would become prey for the angels. It was a move to create endless conflict between the World Tree and heaven.

But…

“Dantalos survived, and the grand plan was ruined.”

“The endless conflict between the World Tree and heaven never happened. The angels’ madness to seize the sacred relic subsided due to the activities of a certain great tree who began to properly handle death.”

If she had merely kept the sacred relic and raised her power level, they would have deployed massive armies in successive battles to drain her strength, but they couldn’t lead the war as they wished.

“And you know what? The early demon realm was very weak.”

She didn’t give Durin a chance to respond. The World Tree spoke like a woman chatting with a close friend.

“They successfully completed the dimensional transfer safely thanks to the sacrifice of the relic carriers and guerrilla forces, but as you know, crossing dimensions requires enormous power.”

“What are you trying to tell me?”

“Could the defeated troops, with the first Demon King having exhausted his strength guiding his people, and having split their main forces to create a diversion, have fought against angels in that state?”

She told him an unofficial history not recorded in the scriptures.

“Dantalos. When he came back to life, the broken picture was reconnected.”

The World Tree smiled sweetly. It was a face like one looking at a past lover. Durin felt a disconnect here. From the very beginning. Clearly, demons were invaders of the human realm and an ill omen that signaled the beginning of all misfortune. But the World Tree was still smiling. Even with Dantalos’s successor before her.

It was different from the compassion she had shown as a child of god in the early days.

“World Tree. You…”

“Enough. We don’t have time. Let’s resolve your questions later.”

The flow was interrupted. It was time to move away from the beautiful interior of the forest. The World Tree rose from her place. She opened a path for Durin that led to an even deeper place, as if guiding him.

“It’s a very secret space made of vines. It was also a place where I once stayed.”

“Once?”

“I said questions come later, didn’t I? Someday you’ll be able to understand again.”

The World Tree urged him on.

“Go in. As the successor, you have the right.”

The trial was over. The World Tree recognized Durin as the owner of the sacred relic.

There were still so many unresolved stories, but the situation outside wouldn’t wait for the Regent. Even at this moment, tens of thousands of demons were sacrificing their lives on the front lines waiting for the Regent.

The southern front, and the sacred relic.

It was strangely similar to the situation a thousand years ago. Only now, it was time not to release the sacred relic but to take it and open a different future.

“I shall do so.”

“A good choice, Durin.”

Past and present intersected.

The red horn and the great tree. Their meeting passed by just as it had before.

Crunch, crunch.

Durin’s steps were heavy as he walked on the grass. The weight of the duty he bore was considerable.

“Then and now.”

The World Tree murmured. She muttered as she watched the demon’s back disappearing into the deep forest.

“I still can’t reach you.”

While holding onto the memories of that time.

……

The wind tells the story.

Originally, the World Tree’s trial was a test to be won if the challenger endured a bloody battle against the angel forces. It was the result of judging that such ability was necessary to carry on the will shown by the warrior a thousand years ago.

One who thoroughly fulfills his duty even as three hundred subordinates die before his eyes.

A warrior who enters the long scenes of the past unconsciously and must complete the task without succumbing to adversity.

“But it’s better to make an exception!”

On a certain day in the past. The sky was very clear with warm sunlight pouring down.

“I shouldn’t pass the sacred relic to just anyone, but with this level of test, no one will pass.”

“It doesn’t matter if you continue to keep the sacred relic as you do now.”

“What can I do with it now? Heaven declared victory the moment the demons completely crossed over to the demon realm.”

“They were just shocked because blood was spilled as the price of arrogance. If their forces grow strong again someday, they will harbor impious thoughts once more.”

The red-horned demon rose. Traces of time were engraved on his body. The warrior’s energy was no longer felt. Only the remaining scars recorded the past. There was no trace of his once combative appearance.

“I should return to the demon realm before that happens.”

Although hundreds of years had passed since the end of the war, his thoughts remained unchanged.

He was still thinking about demons. The trace left by an old duty was the driving force of his life.

“……”

The World Tree turned away. A sad expression was carved on her face. The affection that had grown from spending a long time together made her heart ache. Just when she had finally shed her hatred and was thinking about an advanced relationship, he was only thinking about distancing himself.

“Sigh.”

The World Tree gathered her thoughts. There were still happy days left. It was too early to be sad.

“That’s why all the more. I shouldn’t give it to just anyone. If the day comes for you to return to the demon realm, it will be when heaven raises a massive army, so safety should be even more of a concern.”

“If you protect me, I don’t mind. I can fight with peace of mind as just a legion soldier.”

“Oh my! We’ve gone back to the beginning of the conversation again!”

If she let the flow continue like this, it seemed they would forever talk about the same thing. The World Tree quickly took the initiative before Dantalos could add to the conversation.

“If your successor comes later, I’ll just hand it over.”

“My successor?”

“You said you’re going back to the demon realm. Then won’t you meet someone to teach or have someone carry on your will?”

“I’ll see when I get there.”

“You said you want to protect demons! The Demon King living in that time might carry on your will and someday return here.”

“That’s a possibility.”

“Now that I think about it, it makes sense, right? So accept it. I saved your life, so you could listen to me just once.”

The World Tree smiled brightly at Dantalos.

‘Showing the past to establish justification.’

‘A trial. Despite its grand name, it was actually the World Tree’s way of preserving memories.’

‘Holding onto happy memories forever, and revisiting sad ones, remembering the moment of meeting with pain.’

‘Because every single emotion ultimately connects to the being called Dantalos.’

“I wonder if I can endure it. Perhaps I’ll show a different side.”

“So you were thinking something else after all.”

At Dantalos’s words, the World Tree swallowed her sadness.

“It’s not like I’ll reach you anyway.”

For the first time, in front of the being she had spent a long time with, she ultimately didn’t reveal her true feelings.

Because she could only picture the place of Dantalos who would eventually disappear.

She simply decided to endure it.