Epilogue: A Blackened Knight, A Twisted Shadow

Selg’arious, of the twenty seventh generation, proud son of Elder Sil’darus master of the thirteenth Elder Tree, brought his failed experiment floating behind him as he entered his fathers presence.

The grove was dark, the light from the sun was blocked out and the ground under Selg’arious’s feet was cool and damp. He bent down to one knee, and waited for his fathers permission to stand, speak, or even breathe too loudly.

Elder Sil’darus was standing, feet braced, hands against the tree pouring mana into the mountain-sized trunk of a kind that Selg’arious had never sensed before. His father was always experimenting with new kinds of power, new mana variations, new essences, new changes to the coding of life that existed within every being. He was a master of that language, a language that had almost been lost generations ago, and that was now only ever taught to those who would be Elder one day.

Those destined to such great heights were those born under auspicious stars, and who had great power from a very young seedling age.

Selg’arious was not so destined. His destiny he’d have to burn across the face of the world. He’d have to claw his way to such heights of power that he could not be denied. Much like his father had.

And yet . . . Selg’arious was not sure if he could do as his father had. He was not as . . . ruthless.

But perhaps, perhaps he could get lucky. Perhaps with a bit of help, he could reach those heights. Heights no one ever thought he’d achieve. He had hoped his little experiment, the little oddity among the human rebels he had discovered, might prove a path to power.

Instead it had been nothing but a disappointment.

His neck muscles twitched at the uneven antlers on his head. And the newly grown bone on his skull burned, demanding he attend to it. And yet, Selg’arious had the self control, the wisdom, to endure it. If he did anything without his fathers express permission, here, in his fathers private grove?

He would become nothing but ash. Food for the Elder Tree that granted his father his title.

“Rise. Son. And show me your failure.” Elder Sil’darus sighed and turned towards him.

Selg’arious rose to his feet, but kept his gaze respectfully lowered. With a motion of his hand, he moved the floating cocooned corpse between them for his fathers inspection.

“Another experiment, father?” Selg’arious couldn’t help but ask, as he spotted a small blob as dark as midnight, oozing its way onto his fathers shoulder.

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“Not quite. Another source of power. Perhaps an alley. We shall see. Now, let us see what you have wrought, or rather failed to.”

His presence, all of it, washed over the cocoon and the corpse that was sealed inside. Halfway through his fathers scan of the corpse, the blob let out an eerie cry. As if it were a hound recognizing a pack mate. The thing began to undulate excitedly, and the elder laughed lightly.

“Alright, alright. Calm yourself, little umberling. Feel free to examine it yourself.” Selg’arious’s father lifted the black blob, the Umberling he had called it, and placed it on the floating corpse. “I see. The curses sealed him in, and he ran out of oxygen even as his own healing spell ran its course. A terrible way to die, but there are far worse fates. Hmmm. What do you think, little friend?”

The blob let out an almost cheerful cry, as it spread itself across the cocoon and seemingly consumed it.

The Elder smiled, and his sharpened carnivorous teeth gleamed even in the darkened grove. “It appears, child, that your efforts weren’t entirely without merit. I see what you were hoping to accomplish. Ambushious, even if it cost you six of your most valuable slaves, and one of my minor creations I had entrusted you with.”

“My apologies, father, for that failure.”

The Elder waived it away, his smile seemingly unflappable. “It was expensive. But, what you have here, if carefully husbanded? Can, in theory, change your stars my child. If this succeeds you might one day rise to rule your own Elder Tree along with me. And our family will be greater for it.”

Selg’arious bowed, and his three hearts raced in his chest. He worried they might burst out. His father had praised him! Not only that, but what he had done had impressed him. And it might yet still work!

The blob finished consuming the cocoon, and soon the entire thing became gelatinous and spongy. Then suddenly in contrast constricted, wrapping itself tightly around the corpse.

The failure, the corpse, gasped for air.

Selg’arious knew better than to gasp. But he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise.

The living corpse breathed in great gulps of air, and Selg’arious lowered him to the ground and forced his will over the creature to keep him from attacking his father. “What do you wish me to do with him, father?”

Elder Sil’darus glared at his son with disdain. “What have I said? Do as you would have done.”

“But this is not life, father.” The glare Selg’arious received nearly sent him to his knees. As it was he had to fight to keep his legs from openly shaking from the weight of his fathers mild displeasure.

“Take him, train him. He is unlife now, but soon? If he ascends, his core will fully heal and he will once again be welcomed on the many paths of the Dao.” His father glared at the undead creature. “Do you hear me, human creature? If you can ascend it will fuse your core fully back together. And you will find True Life, or Chie as your pathetic cultivators call it, filling you once again. Go son, take your toy. I have fixed it for you enough that you should be able to make use of it again.”

“Thank you father!” Selg’arious the general of the seventh army of the deep wood family bowed, grabbed ahold of the still gasping and groveling undead thing, and quickly backed out of the grove.

His father was whispering to another blob of darkness that had dropped down from the Elder Trees limbs. As he watched before the leaves filled in behind him blocking his view, Selg’arious saw dozens of the dark Umberlings, maybe more, descend on his father like hounds to their master.

All eager to listen, eager to obey.

As he left the hollow that led away from his fathers sacred grove, he heard his fathers sharp laughter rip through the world. It took everything Selg’arious had not to bolt into the woods and hide himself from that terrible, terrible joy.