Chapter 3. Reflection [Reincarnanted as a Tree]

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It alluded me, in what ways did I truly function? An echoing question, a seemingly damnable one and unforgiving hard to answer one. This essence, like life-force is part of a mechanism which holds the lock. In unknown ways it gave energy, subsequently a feeling of warmth shearing off from cold embrace- But it wasn't limitless, nor did it just appear. Or in means I yet knew... I felt security from what I had absorbed but for how long?

Wind had died settling into rigor mortis, the day having long since started as I remained rooted. However I was far from idle, I did not stagnate.. There was simplicity in darkness it held it like a fine cape, the nothing was just that; predictable, a force easily understood as solitude. But much has changed the world as I knew no longer held the same tune, former or present.. Looking upon the armored figure by now it came clearer to me.

I met the the hollow gaze half crushed, while my tree roots wrapped from below- As the images enveloped me, I found a name, my name. Tren resonated with me, yet still these flashes of memories were like though a fogged mirror. There was something once, maybe I felt a connection or maybe not, maybe my being filled with this green life force of its own accord- But I didn't think so. Somehow I am what I am, in a way was connected to the set of bones as I felt baring to its.. My name.

Gaussian blur came in waves with reoccurring echos, I had dwelled on them now as I did in darkness. Sounds distorted- And shapes fragmented, there was one thing I knew. Death wasn't sought.. It most never was, but my being I hadn't felt anything of it; what I am now... There was something important, a charring blob in orange halls, I had a goal to do. But something went wrong, terribly so. A cascading event lost to time. What meaning it once held may as well been intangible fog.

There was in no doubt of the lying paths ahead, the sands of time played a fickle hand on my understanding and mostly in part the energy in me. I wouldn't idly wait till the last second escaped me to do anything... However more than a passing thought was spent on where Fluff had vanished.

...

The suns fell wrestling between horizon's edge, their last rays reached my trunk as realization burrowed in my core. First I knew essence starved abyss, second it was a direct relation towards my influence, less made movement hard, and adversely a dense concentration reinvigorated more than my control. I could feel more, see more and manipulate finer. I found my core flowed with the most dense, as I looked to my crystalline form a minute shimmer swirled. Almost kin to a spherical aura I hadn't noticed before.

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Intent and mind were key, just as in each twitch of limb or ruffling leaf. I found solace with my successful funnel and relocation of essence, not only in the physical pathways of wooden skin and bark but mental and command. Though the former certainly helped I wasn't solely reliant. I asserted my conscious will, like waking to the thought minute traces of essence flowed in directions sought. I took towards the wide scar inches away from my core, laying essence over in a tight lining proved difficult.

Moving and concentrating were two different beasts. The essence flowed though me, in ways it became me, but was I it as it was me? Was this wooden body just a shell to be willed, a separate entity from my core? The discarded pieces, torn and littered at the base of my trunk. Other bits jammed between maw and claw, I felt nothing of them I had lost a piece of me, a piece of essence or something else...

In a separate vain of essence I drew, flowing to the tips of my branches. With a swipe and flurry of leaves I wrangled the broken pieces. Intently I watched the response of essence mingle, to hold what was lost to me, the tipping gambit wasn't lost on me, surely more as I waited- I pressed on, though direct contact held branch around the pieces. As I willed, the essence fought back almost like it was resisted. I couldn't reclaim it, or there was parts lacking.

..

Shinning past the haze of unending questions, I returned my attention to the gaping scar. A piece of me, history- A piece still within me, within my control. I felt different, it wasn't a lost part of me, I moved essence to fill the gap, in a constant thought of what was lost. Then the thought dwelled on me, was that it? Was it that simple... I took the torn off pieces, filling them into the gap best as I could. Once more I followed as before, in the end it fared no better. Yet, a singular truth stood. 'I couldn't make something out of nothing'

I held the pieces, as again and again my essence was stopped. So instead, just like how I manipulated my branches, I did the same lining the surrounding edge. Willing my wooden skin to move thinning and forming a mold over the broken gap and lost parts of me. Could I only mend but not regrow what was lost? Only time would tell.

Still she proved a cunning foe, much as I needed time it didn't care. I felt far from drained, what I had absorbed was strong within me, but I could tell the subtleties now. Much obvious as it was I needed to come to terms with the only way I knew, was I forced to do as the creature had? The thought betrayed me, but would I await here till the end, I wouldn't stagnate. If there is something I can do I'll do it, if there is a path I'll pursue it my way.

With what time I had remained unknown, it wouldn't last forever.

I needed to move.