We had to put our discussion on pause, because I noticed something.

Vendi and Jack were all that time scouring the garden and the outside of the tree for anything that would be helpful for us. At that point, Jack was further out, closer to the place where I was captured a long time ago, inspecting the ground, while Vendi was right next to the tree, on the other side.

And it was right next to him where I noticed a sudden mana surge. Actually, both of us noticed it - it was large enough even for Kon to get startled.

-Is that the portal?! - he gasped, noticing how I immediately jumped up from the ground.

-No. That’s something far worse…

The whole garden sprung to life.

Instinctively, I wanted to grab Kon and get as far from the growing plants as possible, but I was too late, he was already too far away from my reach, running towards Jack.

Similar to the day when I was captured by Melle, all the flowers, roots, bushes and whatever else shot towards each of us. From behind the tree I heard a yell that definitely belonged to Vendi. Even without looking I could tell that he got grabbed, just like me the first time, and was now getting dragged towards the middle of the garden.

Jack, surrounded by plants from every direction, had no room to dodge, but at least he was far enough away from the “epicenter” and it took a second for plants to actually come to life, so he at least attempted to defend himself.

He managed to cast some kind of spell, creating a small shrub that surrounded him like a shield.

It worked for a split second, it looked like the plants stopped while hitting the newly appeared bush. Right after that though, the spell backfired. The plant that just a moment ago was halting the assault immediately turned against him and wrapped him along with the others that were now wiggling all around the garden.

Only me and Kon were able to evade the assault.

Well, I say that, but it really wasn’t that much of an achievement… I was straight up immune to their attacks. Even without protecting myself with the fire shield how I wanted to, the plants just wilted as soon as they touched me.

But what was more intriguing, was Kon.

It seemed like, I kid you not, the plants hesitated before trying to bind him. And even after they started moving towards him, they were so slow that he easily was able to run back towards me, where I just slapped them away, turning to dust.

-What the hell is going on!? - I heard muffled yelling from the one larger tangle of roots that was moving along the ground.

It was Jack. He already was turned into a nice and large wooden cocoon. For some reason plants were especially vicious around him, wiggling wildly.

-What the fuck!?

Ah, so he was not alone, that’s why the cocoon was so thick. Vendi was already with him, hence the viciousness.

-What’s happening!? - Kon yelped, panicked. - Are those the creatures that attacked the capital!?

-I don’t think so… - I stated calmly, walking towards the tangle, clearing my way by slapping the roots away. - This just looks like some kind of self-defense mechanism… Vendi… What did you do?

The growth has stopped moving.

-Mmh…

-Don’t pretend that you can’t speak, I know very well that you just were cursing at them a second ago… Come on…

-...

-I felt magic. What did you do?

-I… I tried making my way into the house…

I sighed.

-What part of “scout the area” didn’t you understand?

-How the hell was I supposed to know that this thing was going to retaliate?!

-Maybe because I told you that this place was sealed by a powerful mage that has connection to the current ruler of your country and is somehow so important that a current war is waged because of her? Come on, man, don’t be stupid.

-Ygh…

-Eh… I hoped to not destroy anything here but I guess it’s too late…

-Usc fi geksu.

I summoned my orb and in combination with draining I started making my way towards the tangle, with Kon right behind me, observing carefully.

At first it was going well, I was easily able to get rid of the plants and clear the way, but soon I realized that we are having a problem.

The plants never stopped growing. And I don’t mean that they were regrowing too fast for me to destroy, nope. It was just that the similar growths like the one that was keeping Vendi and Jack trapped started appearing everywhere, to the point where I couldn’t tell how many of them there were.

Did this thing want to try and confuse me in hopes of losing my target?

But that was not the issue. First off, while muffled, I still was able to hear each of them. I also was able to feel their presence despite the mass of mana that was in front of me - I was not going to get outsmarted by a plant that easily.

-AAH…!

They started moving, or rather getting dragged through the tangle towards the center of all the bullshit: the house. It was a bit annoying, since I had to literally turn 180 degrees and go back where I came from, while clearing the path AGAIN. This time, I doubled my effort because the plants that regrew and were barricading the way were twice as thick and there were a lot more of them.

Good thing was that I had a good source of mana in my opponent - after all, I only used fire to regulate my mana and expel the overflow I was constantly gaining from draining the plants around me. Hell, the draining was so effective that I had to increase my flame not to be a blinding beacon of manalight again.

But that was also an issue, as I soon realized.

First, it was a scream.

While startling, I didn’t think much of it - after all both of them were bound by the vines and it was not surprising that they would’ve started hurting them - I just needed to pick up the pace.

But, when I did, the yelling intensified.

-STOP! You’re burning me! - started yelling Jack.

I immediately stopped because that made no sense. I could tell that he was not even remotely close to the spot I was in the process of clearing, nor where I was standing.

Was I mistaken?

I took a better look, and it was not the issue of just sound bouncing weirdly - he was indeed further in, right next to the main trunk, along with Vendi.

Shrugging, I removed my orb and instead decided to bite the bullet and just tear through the vines just by using my crystal.

I made some progress, but I got interrupted by another yell and felt the presence of both of them start diminishing, at the same time the vines started regrowing right in front of me, blocking the path again.

-Well that’s a problem - I muttered, stopping.

As soon as I did, the vines calmed down and stopped regrowing, but were still tightly blocking the way towards the house and the hostages.

-What’s going on? - Kon asked from behind me.

All this time he was keeping as close as he could without touching me directly, while also trying to be as far as it was possible from the various vines. None of them were attacking us though.

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-Those things are pretty smart - I said, dispelling the orb of fire. - They are using them as living shields.

-But none of them are here…

-Yeah, I think they were able onto them, like parasites. They had to somehow connect both of them to the whole network of vines, making them feel what I do to the plants - I said, observing the flow of mana in the tangle. - And on top of that, they are regrowing as fast as I am destroying them. It would be annoying to deal even without the fact that they are also draining them…

-So what are we supposed to do!?

-That is a good question… We are at an impasse… While they are not able to hurt me, and you by proxy, I can’t destroy them without hurting Vendi or Jack.

-So we are stuck?!

-Aren’t you a powerful mage? - I heard from the tangle further away - Can’t you figure something out?

-Oh, I am not stuck - I replied calmly to Vendi. - You two are. I can at any point just leave, same with Kon. It’s just you two that are fucked.

-Hey!

-If that was my choice I would’ve left you two here… or at least Vendi, after all it was your fault that this thing got awakened in the first place.

I felt a tug at my clothes. It was Kon, looking at me with begging eyes.

-Isn’t there anything that you can do?

-Eh… Not really…

-What is this thing in the first place? - asked Jack, a bit calmer now, since because I stopped attacking, the plants did the same, just keeping hold on the two.

-I assume it’s some kind of self-defense mechanism - I explained after a moment of thought. - When we left from here, she did activate it somehow, but I never expected it to be that smart…

-Well, didn’t you say that you can understand that magical language or whatever? - asked Vendi. - Can’t you reverse this thing somehow?

-Good question. The main problem is I never heard the full incantation.

-So what? Can’t you figure it out.

-I only promise to try.

I started thinking of how last time I was here she secured that place, and how when I met her for the first time he bound me with the same vines. Whatever was happening, something similar was now the case… I probably would have to combine both…

Before I was able to even think twice about this, not even mention trying to attempt to figure out the incantation, I felt a surge of mana right next to me.

Instinctively I jumped a step back, just to see the source of this sudden spike was no one else than Kon. His eyes were now glowing green and he was staring blankly into space towards the tangle.

-Kon!? What are you doing?

But he was not the only one that started speaking. The reply also came from a source I didn’t expect to hear from right now.

-Wisfe wowu, nemmoho nop dimu lek vuzury op zy quq, no usfupet em wo voekp ip me punu fi Omue.

The voice definitely belonged to the entity, there was no doubt about that. While I didn’t have the opportunity to hear it often, I could instantly tell.

What was strange though was the source it was coming from, or rather sources.

I was pretty sure that I just heard it from two places - myself and Kon.

Yeah, while I was pretty sure that I never intended to say a word, both of us were now speaking, and both of us had the same strange voice coming out of our mouths. Needless to say, it was unsettling.

Also, the contents of the spell… Well, it was easier than expected, just ordering for the plants to unbind them, plus a phrase telling them to “return to yourself”. I don’t think I would’ve used it in this context, but that was not what intrigued it. It was the last part: it was ordering them “in the name of…”...

I could tell the spell was working.

Ah. So that was the case. Yeah… It made sense now…

The plants instantly started moving.

As soon as mana left us and we spoke the last word of the spell, it was like a wave that went through the whole place, the garden and the tree in the middle as well.

The garden started receding and slowly was returning to its former state, even taking some weeds with it. At the same time, the tree in the middle started shrinking, or rather going back to its regular form - a small house in the middle of a clearing, releasing Vendi and Jack, who were now sitting amazed at the spectacle that was playing out right in front of their faces.

It didn’t even take a minute for the spell to finish working on the plants.

-Wow… speaking of effects… - muttered Jack, gathering himself from the ground.

-Yeah, damn… I knew you could do that, but holy crap… that’s more impressive than expected…

Neither of us did reply.

-Are you alright…? - Jack sounded concerned. - Both of you are glowing…

-Your eyes can do that too now? - said Vendi. - You really are now one of those things…

Kon finally snapped out of the trance and almost fell over. I myself was more lost in thought than anything, so I didn’t even notice until he started speaking.

-What was that?! That was not…

I wanted to say something, but I was once more beaten to it.

-I am sorry, I didn’t intend to step in like that…

I flinched, not expecting to hear from it… her, so soon. This time it was speaking directly into my, or rather our heads.

-Welcome back - I directed my thoughts to it. - It’s been a while.

-Yes… I never thought that it would take such a toll on me, but…

-Toll?! What’s going on?

Ah. Right, now Kon was also in on it and was hearing our exchange.

-Shh. You don’t need to panic.

-Everything is fine - I said aloud. - The spell was just a bit much, even for the two of us.

-Oh… Well, it worked, so thank you.

-No problem - I cut off Kon again, who still was adamant on speaking up. - I think the doors should be now open and without traps, but please, no spells… I don’t want to handle any more alarms being tripped.

Vendi wanted to say something, but bit his tongue.

-Right, let’s get inside…

But as he wanted to take a step towards the house, he tripped on himself and fell back down on the ground.

-Jack!

Vendi wanted to dash towards him and help him up, but the same happened to him - he fell right down on his ass.

-Are you okay? - squeaked out Kon before I was able to say anything.

-I think so… but my head is spinning suddenly…

Spinning?

Right… They got drained from a quite a decent chunk of mana alright…no wonder they were now feeling woozy.

-I guess I was a tiny bit late, you are low on mana.

-Those fucking plants… - started cursing Jack. - Good that I still have some fruit on me.

He started looking through his belongings to find the supplies and soon he pulled out a small pouch with mana fruit.

But as he started looking through the contents, his face drastically changed.

-Something wrong? - asked Vendi, sitting next to him. - I also need one if you have some to spare…

-Well…

And he turned the pouch inside out.

Instead of the fruit, from the pouch poured only a handful of ash… a familiar ash - same one I usually turned miscellaneous things into after draining them dry.

-Huh… I guess those plants were persistent - I said, amazed. - Damn Melle, that security is nothing to scoff at.

-What are we supposed to do now?! - started complaining Vendi, as Kon was helping him out, sitting him up on the chair in the main room of the house. - Jack is drained, I can barely move, Kon has barely any control over his mana…

-It’s not that bad - sighed Jack, leaning on the chair and looking at the ceiling with a painful expression on his face. - We found the place, now it’s just a matter of time before we can leave.

-That is if we can even find something that will get us out of here… How are we sure that she didn’t take all of the anchors with her?

-We don’t - I said plainly. - But complaining will get us nowhere. - Now be a good baggage and stop talking and rest.

-I am not baggage!

-Then stand up on your own and help us search this place - I said, well knowing that it was not possible.

Even then, he attempted to, just to collapse back on the chair again.

-See? Just calm down. And you’re going to wake up Jack.

He turned his head, surprised. And sure enough, Jack was already asleep in his chair, with his nose pointing to the ceiling.

-Get some rest. We’ll handle this with Kon. While he might not be completely in control of his magic, it doesn’t mean that we can’t manage to manually search this place. And I am still in great shape.

-Mh…

He grumbled something, but apparently listened to me and corrected himself in the chair, trying to get a better position to rest.

Soon he was asleep too. I guess mana deficiency and overall this day drained a lot from them.

-Now then… - I quietly said to Kon and pointed to the door to the other room. - Come with me.

He nodded, not sure what to say and followed.

I closed the door behind us and sat on the bed, not even bothering to hide the fact that I was not intending to start the search any time soon.

-Aren’t we supposed to…

I just waved him off and pointed to the bed next to me.

-Come on, you also deserve some rest.

-I thought that you… we don’t need to rest.

-I don’t. You still have a quite significant amount of flesh remaining. Aren’t you tired?

-Not really…

-Good. Then we can have a bit of a talk…

-Yeah, I wanted to ask, what was that?!

-Good question. I can explain it to you, or at least tell my take on it. Or we can get the info right from the source. - I finished just in my head.

Kon flinched, not expecting to hear my voice that way.

-Right… But I am not sure I can answer all of the questions… I still have a lot of gaps in my memory…