Mila staggered and dry heaved. Just a moment ago, she had been floating in… Well, somewhere. And she hadn’t really been floating either. Existed would be a more correct term.

There really wasn’t a suitable description of Mila’s experience. With the being controlling her body, there was nothing that could shape her dreams to have substance.

And now Mila was back in her body, and it HURT!

Furthermore, there was no time to complain, even if she so wanted to. Mila’s eyes took in the surroundings as she tried to orient herself.

Mila’s primary concern was removing any threats that could endanger Isabel and her. She felt the dagger in her hand and watched Silinth’s disfigured visage do the same.

It took another moment for Mila to locate Isabel. Her girl was kneeling, her barrier wavering from the exposure to otherworldly forces. Mila was guilty of increasing the burden on Isabel’s defences as well.

And Mila was proud as Isabel had managed to withstand the hellish experience. She had listened and trusted Mila, never letting her attention wander.

It must have been hard. So hard. Mila wanted to hug her girl and shower her in love, as much for Isabel’s sake as for her own.

That could not be done now. There still was a standing enemy right in front of Mila.

But, at the very least, the Being’s promise had been fulfilled. The horrid creature that had damaged Mila just by existing was gone.

And now, in the Horror’s place stood another twisted creature. Silinth’s face grew red and showed pain. There was indescribable hatred in his eyes aimed at Mila.

The crooked mouth of the man who had led them here opened. “What did you… do?” A strangled whisper, full of confusion, questioned the situation.

With how bad her body felt, Mila was happy to indulge the remaining part of Silinth while she gathered her strength. She just needed a little time to get her limbs moving. Likely for the last time for the night as the Being had left her exhausted, if in an improved condition than before taking over.

“I removed the source of your strength.” Mila lied. Silinth was still a radiating sun of mana to her senses. But what had remained of the man was not all there.

The remnants of Silinth personality were lost. Mila did not know how the process of the Horror possessing someone worked, but she doubted it could be as smooth as the takeover she had experienced.

“Removed…” Silinth’s voice scraped. His eyes wandered to the side and widened. He gazed upon his gnarled limbs and made them twitch. “Are those…” Another twitch.

Mila didn’t miss how this reduced version of Silinth moved those bizarre-looking things towards her. She took a breath and glanced at Isabel. It would be nice to get her girl’s help.

And if they had more time, Isabel would. There were already signs of her considering the option that the greatest danger was over.

It wasn’t wrong. Mila allowed a wry smile. The greatest danger to the city was indeed gone.

As for them? A sudden, almost unnoticeable twitch of Silinth’s leftover muscles broadcasted an attack.

Mila forced her legs to move. Her muscles screamed for her to stop as she jumped back, barely avoiding a swipe Silinth had attempted.

It was almost comical how surprised the face of what was once human appeared. Silinth blinked, his lips curling upwards in a maniacal smile. “I am… better…” He murmured.

“Better how?” Mila bitterly asked. She felt indignant about the current state of affairs. Silinth was in better shape than she had thought.

But not everything was negative. The caricature of a man was struggling with what he now was. His mana was there but slowly vanishing.

On the flip side, it seemed that it was nurturing the branches that hung on ‘Silinth’s side. They grow longer and sprout spiky finger-like appendages at the ends of it.

“I… Feel… Better.” Silinth’s voice grew more garbled but still understandable. “Mila… Do you… Want… to… KNOW?”

That was one thing Mila was sure she didn’t want. Whatever Silinth could share could not be anything good.

“No, thanks.” Mila was forced to stumble backwards to avoid another lazy swipe. The damn thing wasn’t even trying. How had her own guardian spirit thought this would be fine?

“You must… Seeds have to… be planted.” The monster breathed. “Join… my garden. Become… another seed.” The legs of the creature started to bend, and from where Silinth’s bottom was, another pair sprouted.

And something was wrong with this statement. “Join what?” Mila suddenly felt coldness inside her. What had Silinth done?

Eary laughter started to come from the man’s chest. “They… will… learn… Soon…”

“What did you do?” Mila grew more alarmed by the second. The chance to strike was slipping away. She couldn’t even attempt to grab Isabel and run as her girl was too far away.

“I… planted…” More guttural laughter followed. The madness was not reality-defying as the Horror had been, but the cold creepiness was still chilling Mila to the bone.

Possibilities started to run through Mila’s head. None of them were good. She pulled out a throwing knife. It felt so useless against the growing plant-man.

As another swipe arrived, Mila cut into the branch and threw the projectile to gauge the defences.

The knife flew further than she had anticipated. It seemed the current Silinth was powerful but slow on the uptake. His eyes slowly moved lower to see the attack arrive. With exaggerated movement, he swatted the knife away as it was about to hit the chest.

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Mila watched as the branch she had cut started to sizzle and wither. Silinth didn’t react. It seemed his pain receptors didn’t work as the blackness crawling up the mockery of an arm didn’t elect any response.

“Where did you plant?” Mila tried to get more information.

“Ehehe… Why… should… I tell?” Silinth tilted his head, mocking the once-human gesture.

“Because you subserved yourself to me.” Mila ducked and took a step forward as another portion of Silinth’s mana vanished and nourished the monstrous abomination. She was trying to find a path ahead.

But to Mila’s surprise, Silinth’s face twisted in confusion.

“I… did…” The monster dug through his memory. “I did…” It concluded. “Yes…”

“So, tell me,” Mila demanded. There was more sluggishness to Silinth’s movements than before. Once the monster decided to move, it was quick, but it took time for him to do so.

“I… shouldn’t…”

“What would your ancestors think if they saw you like this.” Mila tried again. “Unable to even uphold his own promises.”

“No, no!” For the first time, the monster appeared to be agitated. “I have… been following their… teachings…” He swallowed. “They are… my creed…”

“Yet you hesitate to tell me your misdeeds.” Mila bit her lip as she twisted her upper body away from a branch that stabbed at her heart. The confusion Silinth experienced didn’t mean he stopped attacking. She took a step to the side and then was forced to roll as two ‘fingers’ tried to catch her.

It was hard. Mila felt her breath run out. There was a sharp pain in her torso that made her every move flash a searing pain through her brain. And her fingers started to lose grip on the dagger.

“No…” Silinth whispered desperately. “I… will tell…”

Mila glanced at Isabel. Her girl twitched. Just a bit more, and she would realise it was time to move. It would be an opportunity. She concentrated on not losing her conciseness but succeeded only partially.

A misstep made Mila tumble down to the ground. She gritted her teeth and rolled, letting Silinth’s abhorrent limbs puncture the place she had been just a moment ago.

But those attacks didn’t stop Silinth’s mouth. “I told them…” He tried to explain. “I told them to bring the… the new hope to our… ancestral home…”

It was vague, but… Mila felt her guts churn. “When?” She breathed out heavily. How had she missed it? “When did you do it?” She had seen them just a few hours ago before leaving. “How?”

“They… know… the path to our remains…I told them…” Silinth didn’t hear. “They will… bring them the hope…”

“You shithead!” Mila allowed one of the rare curses she saved for especially dire moments.

“Ever… Loyal…” The creature that had once been a father figure drawled on. “They won’t… disappoint…”

Mila pushed the desperate feeling aside. Maybe there was still time. When she had left, there had not been any signs of corruption anywhere but on the man in front of her. She just needed to get rid of this obstacle and escape.

“They left… Already… They are… gone…”

Another curse almost made its way out of Mila’s mouth. Only, she couldn’t waste her already lacking breath this way.

Was the monster taunting her? Mila blinked away the pain that clouded her view. She almost missed a step again. Her hand moved and made two quick incisions in the bark-like skin, making one of the hands completely useless.

It churned and died as the poison slowly made its way towards the creature's torso. It was too slow. Mila had to move closer. Her fingers found more throwing knives. It was almost time to attempt a decisive strike.

Mila saw the moment Isabel opened her eyes and removed her hands from the ears. Her girl looked miserable. She had been crying. Her eyes met Mila’s, and horror filled them.

Was Mila looking that bad? That wouldn’t do. After this was over, she had to dress up for her girl again.

“Tell me-” Mila spoke again, not letting the thing's attention wander. “- why did you doom your own adopted children to death?”

Isabel was scrambling back on her feet. She had long lost her sword, and all she had was the shield she carried. But she was not helpless.

“I…” The remaining mind of Silinth’s tried to speak again. “I made them… stronger… I… gave them… the seed.”

The logic just wasn’t there. Mila watched Isabel raise her head and mutter words. She knew her girl was gathering mana at her fingertips. Once she struck, it would be time for Mila to move. “When? They were still pure when we left.”

“Ah… Yes… You always… Watched… It could…. Not be done… Directly…” The damn thing did a creepy dance as if celebrating Its success. “But… There are… Ways…”

And it was then that Isabel struck. Much could be said about Silinth, but he always was a great teacher. A stream of fire hit the thing’s back and burnt. Isabel’s posture wavered as she pumped more and more mana into the spell.

Mila launched all of her remaining throwing knives in succession, aiming at different vital spots. She hefted her dagger and braced herself for the heat that Isabel’s flames carried.

And Silinth didn’t react. Not really. He started to reach for the knives, not even noticing the flames until the smoke from his burning flesh began to interfere with his vision.

And even then, Silinth moved slowly to turn around and see what was happening.

It was… Almost sad.

The once mighty mage was reduced to a plant.

And yet, in his downfall, Silinth had done so much harm. The man was a… failure.

Mila reached the creature's chest without further interruptions. Silinth’s attention was still on Isabel, who cooked him alive.

And the dagger easily slid inside where the creature's heart was. Mila feared it wouldn’t be there, but…

A strangled noise came out of Silinth’s dry lips. His body convulsed before freezing almost entirely. He looked down at where Mila pushed the dagger deeper.

Mila prepared to dodge. She let go of her weapon and let her unstable legs take a step back.

Silinth looked at the deadly wound with curiosity. One of the branches reached out and poked at the dagger.

It irked Mila. “Nothing to say?” She felt the world around her grow dark. There was nothing left in her to spend. Yet, she wanted to know if the man had any last words.

But Silinth didn’t respond. The blackness started to spread from the dagger, and the flames washed his back, making him an ugly torch.

“You doomed your children,” Mila added.

There was still no answer. The man Mila had once known was gone.

It was so disappointing. Mila wanted to scream at the man.

If only Silinth had denied Kefo and Tiff were his children… At least then, Mila could reason he was just an evil man with no capability to love.

If Silinth regretted the choice he made, Mila could try to forgive. Even if she didn’t, it would have helped.

But there was nothing. As Silinth - one of the most talented Mages of his time, died, there was just confusion in his eyes.

Mila closed her eyes. It was bitter. This whole night was a mess. There were only regrets. She found herself falling away from the heat. Her body hit the ground, and her mind started to shut down.

Before slipping into the world of dreams, Mila felt more mana enter her body.

Gentle hands reached around her and then lifted Mila to carry her limp body away from the sins that they had committed.