Sera took out the metal keys she had taken from Vega, their cold surfaces biting into her skin with every touch. The chill seeped into her fingertips, numbing them slightly as she worked. She shot a quick glance at the frozen guards nearby; frost clung to their lashes and brows while the air around them was heavy with the remnants of their last breaths, hanging in a misty cloud that barely moved. Doesn't look like I'll have anyone bothering me anytime soon.

After a few tries, Sera selected the correct key, its jagged edges fitting perfectly into the worn lock. As she inserted it, she felt the mechanism resist for a moment before it yielded with a satisfying click.

The heavy door groaned in protest as it swung open, the sound echoing through the otherwise silent corridor. Cold air rushed out to greet her, carrying with it the stale, oppressive scent of decay. Although, surprisingly, each cell was empty with not a single prisoner remaining. How odd, one would expect to find at least some individuals in such a place.

Sera stepped forward, her boots making soft, deliberate sounds on the stone floor as she advanced down the corridor. The silence was oppressive, the emptiness unsettling, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Her eyes scanned the cells, searching for any sign of life, but there was nothing—just cold iron and shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly.

As she neared the end of the corridor, a sudden burst of movement caught the edge of her vision. Sera's body tensed, her senses heightening as she instinctively turned, just in time to see Aermo running down the stairs.

His breaths came in quick bursts as he reached her. "Boss, we need to run!"

"Slow down, tell me what's going on?"

"Boss, there's—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a deafening explosion tore through the air. The blast hurled them both to the ground, sending a jarring pain through their bodies. Dust and debris rained down around them, filling the corridor with a suffocating cloud of chaos. The acrid smell of smoke mingled with the scent of burning wood and stone, creating a thick, choking haze.

Through the swirling fog, a monstrous silhouette took shape, slowly emerging from the billowing smoke. At first, it was just an ominous mass against the swirling gray. But as it drew closer, the form became more distinct: a towering beast composed entirely of writhing purple flames. The creature's massive frame thudded heavily against the ground as it landed, sending tremors through the floor.

The beast's eyes burned through the haze, locking onto them with an intense, predatory focus. A sinister grin spread across its flaming maw, the edges of its mouth curling upward in a grotesque, mocking expression.

It chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed ominously through the corridor. "Trying to run away? Pathetic."

Aermo's legs trembled as he forced himself up. His chest heaved as he stared at the creature before them.

Sera, however, remained unfazed. She rose beside him calmly, her gaze fixed steadily on the fiery beast. Her eyes narrowed slightly, not in fear, but in cold, calculating determination. "What in the world did you do to become like this?"

The beast snorted, a violent expulsion of air that sent sparks flying in all directions. "I was once but a man named Vittorio, but now, I'm on the verge of becoming something so much more."

For the next few seconds, Sera didn't say a word. She took the time to think, trying to gauge how much of Vittorio's words were actually meaningful. Unfortunately, it would appear that he's actually become closer to the legendary beast-king's of old rather than just an ordinary shifter. Still, I can't let him notice any sort of fear in me.

"I'm not afraid of an abomination like you."

"And I'm not the one you should fear."

Suddenly, Vittorio unleashed a guttural howl that ripped through the air with a primal, bone-chilling intensity. Immediately after, Aermo clutched his head as the howl invaded his mind.

His muscles twitched under the strain of an invisible force. He fell to his knees, the stone beneath him cracking under the sudden pressure of his weight. His form started to shift and contort, bones audibly cracking as they realigned. His features twisted grotesquely, the pain etched deep into every line of his face as his muscles bulged unnaturally, the sinews beneath his skin straining as if trying to escape.

Sera reflexively reached out and touched his throat, intending to use her frost magic to subdue the transformation before it could fully take hold. But the moment her fingers brushed his skin, she recoiled in shock. His flesh was searing hot, the intense heat radiating from him burning her fingertips almost instantly. The frost she tried to conjure evaporated before it could even begin to take hold.

The air around Aermo seemed to draw inward, the atmosphere tightening with an almost tangible pressure. Then, with a violent surge, a burst of raw energy erupted from Aermo's body. The force of it was so intense that it seemed to warp the space around him, the shockwave radiating outward in a rippling wave.

Sera was caught in the blast, and was hurled through the air like a ragdoll before crashing against the floor with a sickening thud. The impact shattered her right arm and tore through part of her leg. The world spun around her, her vision narrowing to a tunnel of searing light and overwhelming agony.

The sharp sting of pain radiating through Sera's body like shards of glass embedded in her body. Not like this, no, I must stand.

Then, from torn flesh and shattered bones, dark tendrils emerged. They were thick and sinuous, their surface slick with a glossy, almost oily sheen. The tendrils writhed and twisted, moving with a life of their own as they snaked outwards and searched for one another.

Pale flesh reknit itself around the dark, pulsating cords, forming anew as if being sculpted by some unseen hand. Every fiber of her being screamed in protest, but Sera did not falter. Her jaw clenched tighter as she forced herself to endure the torment.

When the tendrils completed their work and reformed her limbs, Sera pushed herself up, the freshly formed appendages tingling with a strange, electric sensation. This will have to do.

Vittorio leaped to her side, his flaming form casting a hellish glow over everything. "I certainly hope you weren't relying on your little beastkin friend in order to defeat me."

Then, he unleashed a roar that pierced the air, a primal command that reverberated through the surroundings. Aermo responded instantly, charging towards Sera with terrifying speed.

Sera tried to duck, but she was just a fraction too slow. Aermo's massive jaws descended with terrifying speed, snapping shut around her. The moment his sharp teeth pierced her body, a searing pain exploded through her body, hot and immediate. She gasped, her breath catching in her throat as the pain radiated outward from the points of impact.

In an instant, she was lifted off the ground, body jerked violently upward as Aermo's powerful head twisted. The world around her spun in a chaotic blur, her vision a dizzying whirl of shadows and flickering light. The sharp jolt of the motion sent fresh waves of pain coursing through her, each twist and turn of Aermo's head intensifying the agony.

Every nerve in her body screamed as she felt herself being dragged deeper into the darkness. The constricting walls of Aermo's throat closed in around her, the pulsating flesh pressing against her from all sides.

***

Sera blinked a few times as she adjusted to her new surroundings. The damp, heavy air filled her lungs with a familiar, earthy scent. She found herself standing in the middle of a swamp she knew all too well. The ground was soft and spongy, covered in a thick layer of moss and decaying leaves. Tall, twisted trees rose up around her, their gnarled branches intertwining above to form a dense canopy that filtered the weak, gray light from the sky. I've… been here before.

The water beneath her feet was murky, a dark greenish-brown that obscured anything lurking below the surface. She could see the reflections of the trees and the occasional ripple as something unseen disturbed the water.

Sera took a cautious step forward, her foot hovering just above the water’s surface as a layer of ice spread out from where she stood, creating a path of frozen water beneath her feet. She walked slowly, each step deliberate, the ice cracking slightly with the weight of her passage but holding firm.

Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks. A sense of dread washed over her as she tried to pierce the thick fog that clung to the swamp like a shroud. She squinted, focusing on the shadowy figure partially obscured by the dense undergrowth.

When the fog shifted slightly, the figure came into clearer view. It was Winter, still impaled on a series of black, gnarled roots that twisted around her like a macabre sculpture. The dark wood had pierced through her body at multiple points, anchoring her in place, yet she remained conscious, eyes sharp and unsettlingly aware.

Winter's lips curled into a smirk, a chilling expression that contrasted starkly with her dire situation. The smirk was not one of pain or fear, but that of amusement and defiance, as if even in this state, she held some secret power. This was despite the fact that her skin was marred by the dark blood that oozed slowly from her wounds.

Sera approached cautiously. “How are you even still alive?”

Winter shook her head and chuckled. “Alive? It’s impossible to kill someone who is already dead.”

Sera’s brows furrowed as she looked around, taking in the desolate surroundings. The absence of the usual threats made the swamp feel even more ominous. “Why are all the abominations gone?”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Do you even know where this place truly is?”

“How would I know? You didn’t tell me when I asked you before."

Winter chuckled again. "It's good that you remember your previous time here. It means that you are ready to know the whole truth."

"What are you talking about?"

"Calm down, Sera, and think."

Sera clutched her head as a sharp pain shot through her skull. "I... I remember everything. You tried to warn me, and then you were impaled on those roots."

"Don't worry, because of your near-death, you managed to enter this place without going through the Spirit Tree. At least for the near future, we're safe from its influence." Winter said.

"How is that even possible? Each and every elder dryad is connected to the Spirit Tree."

"Because this place is the Long Death. It was originally a void where the Spirit Tree threw away everything it deemed unworthy. But I survived, and hopefully, you will never have to stay here for as long as I did.

Sera sighed, pausing for a moment to gather her thoughts before looking directly at Winter. "Was it truly the Spirit Tree that killed you?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Winter answered, "Yes."

The simple word hung in the air, heavy with implication. Sera felt a shiver run down her spine, the weight of the revelation settling over her. How much more has the Spirit Tree hidden from me?

"Tell me, why did the Spirit Tree try to kill you and hide the truth from me?"

"Because the Spirit Tree is afraid of our potential and what we could become."

"Could you elaborate?"

"I'll answer your question with a question of my own. Do you know what the Spirit Tree actually is?"

"It's the origin of all life, is it not? The source, the ultimate truth."

"An expected answer, and not entirely incorrect, but there is more that you need to know."

Winter extended a hand toward Sera, her fingers like frost-kissed porcelain. "Would you mind holding my hand?"

Sera raised an eyebrow as she considered the figure before her. The air between them felt charged, like the tense calm before a storm, each second stretching longer as she weighed her options. I suppose it's worth putting my trust in her, at least for now.

Finally, she extended her hand and clasped Winter’s outstretched fingers. The moment their hands connected, Winter’s body emitted a soft light that constantly pulsed with chilling energy.

The black roots that had cruelly impaled Winter started to retreat, slowly at first, then with growing speed, inch by inch slithering back into the earth from which they had emerged. The movement was almost hypnotic, the roots unwinding from Winter's body as if releasing her from a twisted curse.

As the roots withdrew, the wounds they had left behind healed rapidly. The gashes that marred Winter’s pale skin were soon covered by delicate layers of ice. Gradually, the ice crystals started to melt, the frost turning into droplets that slid down her skin, leaving it smooth and unblemished.

The once-impaled dryad now stood before Sera as pristine as freshly fallen snow, her body whole and untouched by the horrors it had just endured.Winter released Sera’s hand, the chill lingering for just a moment longer before it too dissipated. "Thank you for that."

Sera tilted her head. "To be completely honest, I'm not sure what I did to you."

Winter shrugged and turned around. "I just borrowed a bit of your strength, that's all."

"Interesting, I wasn't aware that energy vampirism is an ability that us dryads could use."

"Once you've had your second reawakening, you'll be able to do it too. But enough talk, there is a place we need to be."

Sera followed Winter through the swamp, until they reached a pond with water so clear it seemed otherworldly. The surface was smooth and reflective, like a perfect mirror framed by moss-covered rocks.

"Look into the water," Winter instructed. "Remember what you see, so that you will know what must be done in the future."

Sera knelt by the pond, her reflection mingling with the soft ripples. She peered into its depths, the clear water drawing her in. The surface shimmered, distorting her features briefly before settling into clarity. As she gazed deeper, images formed, sharp and vivid, as if she were watching memories etched into reality itself.

"In the beginning of all creation," Winter began, "there were only two entities: Zorion and Yssara. They were primordial forces, embodiments of light and dark, locked in an eternal struggle. Their clashes were so intense that they birthed the heavens and the underworld."

Sera's eyes widened as the pond revealed the colossal figures of Zorion and Yssara. Zorion radiated brilliant light, his form pulsating with celestial energy, while Yssara was a shadowy behemoth, her darkness deep and consuming.

Their titanic battles forged brilliant stars and yawning voids. The heavens glowed with ethereal light, while the underworld seethed with dark, turbulent energy.

"Eventually, the heavens became populated by angels, beings of pure light. The underworld, in stark contrast, was filled with demons, creatures born of shadow. To govern these realms, Zorion created gods and goddesses to serve the heavens. Meanwhile, Yssara fashioned demon lords to rule the underworld."

"Their constant fighting gave birth to the material world. The heavens and the underworld's clashes created a new plane of existence, a world teeming with potential and life. Naturally, Zorion and Yssara decided to make this world their plaything as well, creating all manner of animals, plants, and mortal races to inhabit it."

The pond's surface shimmered, revealing a vibrant world taking shape. Lush forests sprouted, their canopies reaching toward the heavens. Towering mountains rose majestically, their peaks piercing the sky. Vast oceans formed, their waters teeming with life. Animals of all shapes and sizes roamed the land, from the tiniest insects to the grandest beasts.

"Zorion created humans, elves, and dwarves, while Yssara brought forth the beastkin and dark elves."

"For the longest time," Winter continued, "Zorion and Yssara were equally matched. Their battles raged across the heavens and the underworld, each side gaining and losing ground in an endless cycle of conflict."

"But one day, with the help of one of the gods he created, Zorion managed to mortally wound Yssara in one of their conflicts."

The water revealed the climactic battle, Zorion striking a decisive blow with the aid of a formidable god, whose presence radiated sheer power. Yssara's form shuddered, her dark energy wavering as her strength ebbed away.

"But before Yssara met her final demise, she expended the remnants of her formidable strength on two final acts. The first was a plague, born from her all-consuming malice, which obliterated every last god and goddess in existence and forced Zorion to go into hiding indefinitely. The second, more enduring act, was the creation of her legacy: the Spirit Tree."

Sera watched intently as Yssara poured the last remnants of her essence into the earth. As the shimmering energy seeped into the soil, the ground trembled. A small sprout broke through the surface, unfurling rapidly as if time itself had been accelerated.

The sprout quickly grew, its roots burrowing deep into the earth with a quiet determination, anchoring themselves firmly in the fertile soil. The trunk thickened and expanded, twisting and turning as it stretched upward, reaching for the heavens with an almost desperate yearning. And as the tree continued to grow, silvery leaves sprouted from its branches.

Sera turned to Winter with a contemplative expression as she processed the scene before her. “Is there a reason why Yssara wants the elder dryads to die after they have served their purpose?”

Winter’s lips curved into a slight smile. “What do you think the purpose of an elder dryad is?”

"An elder dryad's duty is to serve the Spirit Tree and nurture it, as well as the dungeons connected to it."

"That's only half of the story. After spending far too long in this wretched swamp, I've come to the conclusion that the true role of an elder dryad is to become a vessel for Yssara's rebirth."

"If that's true, I still don't understand why the Spirit Tree would kill elder dryads if that's the case." Sera said.

Winter’s expression grew more somber. "Yssara desires a pliant vessel, one that is powerful yet unaware of their true circumstances. Every elder dryad that came before you, including myself, eventually came to realize our true purpose. Once we understood, we became a threat to the Spirit Tree’s control, hence why we were eliminated."

Sera stepped away from the pond, turning to Winter, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "Will I die permanently now that you've told me this?"

Winter's expression softened. "The Spirit Tree shouldn't know that you are aware of the truth, at least for now. But you must be careful in the future, especially when you merge with the Spirit Tree. Clear your mind and never think of what you now know."

Sera tilted her head, skepticism evident in her gaze. "Will that really work, or will it just delay the inevitable?"

"It's the latter. However, even if the Spirit Tree becomes aware that you know the truth, it is unlikely to kill you anytime soon. It is too weak and dependent on you."

"If that's the case, what can I do to ensure my survival?"

"Unfortunately, you must continue growing the Spirit Tree for now to gain more power. And perhaps, once you are strong enough, you can try to ascend to divinity yourself in order to challenge the Spirit Tree."

"Divinity? How would I even begin going about doing that?"

"For now, just continue to grow stronger. We shall speak again when you are ready."

"But will I not just die the same way you did, or like the other elder dryads before me?"

"No, because unlike me and the other elder dryads, you discovered the truth early. You are the exception to the rule."

Sera pondered for a moment before asking, "Could the other elder dryads talk to their predecessors?"

Winter laughed, a sound like brittle ice cracking. "I've only spoken to the other elder dryads in the swamp, meaning, after their death. None of them could speak to me during their lifetimes."

"Can I at least meet the other elder dryads?" Sera asked.

Winter's expression grew serious, the jovial light in her eyes dimming. The air around her seemed to still, as if the entire swamp was holding its breath. "You still have more important things to do, Sera, it's time for you to leave."

Sera's gaze wandered, taking in the swamp around her. She noticed the edges of the swamp fading into an inky void, the familiar landscape dissolving into an abyss that pulsed with an unspoken warning. It appears my time here is limited after all.

A sigh escaped Sera's lips, a soft exhalation that barely disturbed the heavy air. "How can I leave the swamp now that there's no portal for me to use?"

Winter's eyes gleamed with an enigmatic light, a fleeting smile playing at the corners of her lips. "That is quite simple, really. All you must do is utter my name."

"You mean your true name, correct?"

"Precisely, speaking it will grant you a measure of my strength, if only temporarily."

Winter stepped into the pond, the water rippling around her feet with a soft, melodic lapping. She moved gracefully, each step barely disturbing the glassy surface. As she reached the center, she turned to face Sera with serene determination.

Slowly, Winter clasped her hands together, the gesture deliberate and ritualistic. The air around her seemed to grow colder, the temperature dropping as an aura of frost emanated from her.

"My name is Amaryllis," she declared, her voice ringing with authority. "Herald of Winter and first of the dryads."