Lucian watched in horror as Arzhel slowly stood, his limbs trembling like they hadn't moved in centuries.

The remnants of the chains that once held him prisoner clattered to the ground, their purple glow gone, leaving behind only cold iron. The figure before him—pale, gaunt, and bound for who knows how long—was once the legendary final boss of this world. And Lucian had just set him free.

Arzhel stretched his arms outward, testing his newfound freedom, though his movements were stiff. He tilted his head back, taking in a deep breath as though the air itself was foreign to him. His long, silver hair spilled over his shoulders, still dripping faintly from the cold mist that clung to his skin.

"After all this time…" Arzhel's voice echoed, deeper than before, but no longer carrying the heavy weight of agony. "I'm free."

Lucian tensed, instinctively taking a step back. He knew Arzhel was dangerous—legendary even—but there was something off about his current state. He wasn't as overwhelming as the stories had said.

"You look… weaker than I expected," Lucian muttered, trying to mask his unease with sarcasm. It was all he could manage to stay calm in front of this man.

Arzhel chuckled softly, a low and almost weary sound.

"You're not wrong. I'm a shadow of what I once was." His deep, multi-tonal voice, like several voices speaking at once, softened. "Centuries in that cursed tree have drained much of my power. Yggdrasil is relentless in its punishment."

Lucian crossed his arms, fighting the instinct to turn and run. "I don't care. You stay weak. I'm not dealing with you."

Arzhel's eyes, covered by the blindfold, still seemed to settle directly on Lucian. He inclined his head slightly in what could almost be called gratitude.

"I owe you my freedom, Lucian Ardent. For that, I am in your debt."

Lucian scoffed, waving him off.

"No thanks. I don't need anything from you. So, you can keep your gratitude, okay?"

But before Arzhel could respond, the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Dust and debris fell from the ceiling, and Lucian nearly lost his footing as a violent tremor surged through the cavern. The glowing blue mushrooms flickered like dying embers, their light dimming as the very air in the cave grew tense.

"What now?" Lucian muttered, glancing around in panic.

Arzhel's smile faded as he turned his head toward the tree. His lips curved downward into a frown.

"Yggdrasil… It has sensed my freedom."

Lucian raised an eyebrow, still struggling to maintain his balance as the cave continued to rumble.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Arzhel's voice grew grim. "This tree, Yggdrasil, was my jailer. It is no ordinary tree. It holds the power of the ancient world and keeps everything in balance. My presence, now that I'm free, disturbs that balance. And it will not allow such a thing to happen without consequence."

Lucian blinked, trying to make sense of the words. "You're telling me the tree is alive? And it's angry?"

Arzhel nodded solemnly.

"It won't stop until I'm either imprisoned again or destroyed. And now, it's likely that you've been marked too."

"What do you mean, 'marked'?"

The trembling intensified, and massive cracks began to appear along the walls of the cave. The once beautiful scene of the glowing tree now looked far more sinister, as if the very roots of Yggdrasil were stirring in response to Arzhel's escape.

Arzhel turned to Lucian, his blindfolded face somehow exuding calm in the midst of chaos.

"You freed me. That makes you a target. Yggdrasil will not forgive your interference."

Lucian clenched his fists, cursing under his breath.

'Great, just what I needed—an ancient tree out for blood because I made the mistake of pulling some stupid root.'

"I didn't ask for any of this," Lucian spat, his voice rising in frustration. "This was all an accident! Can't we… I don't know, fix it?"

Arzhel shook his head. "There is no fixing it. Once Yggdrasil sets its sights on you, there is no escape."

The trembling continued to worsen. Now, jagged pieces of rock began falling from the ceiling, crashing into the ground with earth-shaking force. Lucian dodged a falling boulder, his breath quickening.

Arzhel's cold voice interrupted his panic.

"If you wish to survive, Lucian, you will need me."

Lucian opened his mouth to argue, but another massive quake shook the cave, knocking him off balance. The ground beneath them cracked open, and roots began to snake their way toward Arzhel, glowing with that same eerie purple light that had once held him captive.

"Make your choice, Lucian," Arzhel said, as calm as ever. "You can try to run, but Yggdrasil's wrath is inescapable. Or you can let me help you."

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Lucian bit back a curse, his eyes darting between the roots that slithered toward them and Arzhel, still bound but now free enough to walk.

Lucian clenched his fists as the tremors continued to rock the cavern, the roots of Yggdrasil creeping closer with each violent shake of the ground. He cursed his luck. Of course, of all the things to go wrong today, he had accidentally freed an ancient, half-powerful villain who now thought he was some kind of godlike warrior. And to top it all off, he was about to be hunted down by a damn tree.

'No weapons, no power... and somehow I'm the idiot who has to deal with this.' Lucian thought, glancing at Arzhel, who was still standing calmly in the chaos.

Arzhel's blindfolded face turned toward him. "Lucian, if you wish to live, you must act. Yggdrasil will not hesitate to kill us both. But I, even in my weakened state, can aid you. Together, we can overcome this."

Lucian bit his lip, holding back a sarcastic retort. He knew full well that Arzhel had completely misunderstood the situation. There was no way he could take on an ancient, powerful force like Yggdrasil, and yet here he was, stuck in the middle of something he barely understood.

The roots continued to crawl closer, their glow intensifying, and Lucian's mind raced. "Look, I don't know what you think I am, but you've got the wrong guy." His heart pounded as he scanned the cavern for any possible exit.

Arzhel tilted his head slightly, his silver hair shifting with the motion. "You are modest, I see. But there is no need for that now. The fact that you survived the trials of this cavern speaks volumes of your strength."

'What trials!? I just stumbled my way through!' Lucian wanted to scream but held back, knowing it wouldn't make a difference.

Lucian hesitated, his muscles tense, ready to run—but where? The way they came was already blocked by falling debris. His only option was to trust the crazy prisoner standing next to him.

The glowing roots grew closer, the ominous hum of Yggdrasil's wrath now palpable in the air. Lucian felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he realized just how close the ancient power was.

Arzhel seemed to sense the rising tension. "There's no time for doubt, Lucian. Take control of your destiny," Arzhel's voice, though weakened, still carried that strange layered echo, as if multiple people were speaking at once. "I will fight at your side."

Lucian's stomach churned. "You don't get it, do you? I'm not strong. I barely know what the hell is going on here!" He felt the words escape his mouth before he could stop them.

Arzhel remained silent for a moment, then let out a small laugh—deep, yet somehow lighthearted. "Is that so? A man who traverses these dangerous depths, untouched by Yggdrasil's barriers and guardians, claims to be weak? You are either a fool or far more humble than any warrior I've known."

'He really doesn't get it...' Lucian thought with a groan, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Fine, whatever. We need to move. I don't care what you think I am, but if we stay here, we're dead. Can you… do anything about these roots?"

Arzhel raised his hands, his long, thin fingers still bound by faint remnants of the chains that had once held him.

"In my current state, I'm not nearly as powerful as I once was. But…" He paused, a slight grin playing on his lips. "I still retain some of my strength."

Lucian watched as Arzhel's hands began to glow with a faint purple light. The same eerie energy that once kept him imprisoned now radiated from his fingertips. The roots approaching them hesitated for a moment, as if sensing Arzhel's newfound freedom.

"Step back," Arzhel ordered.

Lucian obeyed, though still wary of the figure before him. Arzhel raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, the purple energy surged forward, striking the oncoming roots. The magical force sizzled upon contact, causing the roots to writhe and retreat, if only for a moment.

"It's not much, but it will buy us time," Arzhel said, his voice strained.

Lucian's eyes widened. "You could've done that sooner, you know!"

Arzhel didn't answer, merely gave a weak smile. "We need to escape. Yggdrasil's power is too great for me to challenge directly in this state. If we remain here, it will crush us beneath its roots."

As they moved deeper into the cave, Lucian couldn't shake the feeling that something much bigger was happening. Yggdrasil, the mysterious figure of Arzhel, the barriers and guardians he supposedly passed—nothing made sense.

The tremors were growing even stronger now, and Lucian knew they had to move faster. As they reached the far end of the cavern, Arzhel glanced back at the glowing tree, his expression unreadable beneath the blindfold.

"It seems Yggdrasil has awakened more fully than I anticipated," Arzhel murmured. "It will not stop until balance is restored."

Lucian panted as they rushed forward. "And what does that mean for us?"

"It means we either find a way out of here, or Yggdrasil will take matters into its own hands," Arzhel replied grimly. He then stopped suddenly, as if something occurred to him. "Lucian," he said, turning his head slightly, "I owe you for freeing me. But understand this—I am not at full strength. If I am to be of any use to you, we must find a way to restore my power."

Lucian glared at him, still catching his breath. "And why the hell would I want that?"

Arzhel chuckled, a low, rumbling sound. "You'll want it when Yggdrasil sends its guardians after us. Or would you rather face them alone?"

Before Lucian could respond, the cavern shook with renewed force. Large cracks snaked along the ceiling, and rocks began to fall in earnest. They were running out of time.

Lucian sighed heavily. "Fuck… Why me?"