Floating down Clark looked down on his ring and willed it away in a flash of bright yellow light, restoring his former clothes back. He put a hand into his pocket brushing against the space stone from before while observing the scenery. He had done it, restored everything back, but still he wondered about the comeuppance he would receive from the others when they arrive. He was under no illusion that they hadn't contributed in adding the Fear to build up Parallax, so whatever they say about him would be rightfully deserved.
Shaking his head, the Light God turned back to looked at the vista once more. Absently he noted that while the greenery had bloomed once more, they all seemed dead…
Pinching the edges of his eyes Clark muttered, "Why the hell am I even thinking like that?" But that line of thought refused to leave him. It was like he could no more hear their Song, looking at all the green before him. He knew that while Time had brought back their forms, it did nothing for their souls.
Groaning he wondered if using that Ultimate Skill did something to his brain.
Crouching Clark placed a palm against the earth. He couldn't believe what he about to try, it was totally ridiculous. But who knows maybe it wasn't his delirium that was playing mind-tricks on him.
"Uh… hey grasses," Clark said by inwardly thanking God that there was no one left to see him, "Are you all trying to tell me something." He waited for some seconds feeling the mountain winds blowing pass him. Giving himself a deriding laugh, he shook his head about to remove his palm from the ground when he felt something.
A warm gentle pulsation pushed against his hand so imperceptibly he wasn't sure that it was really it. Clark with wide eyes asked again, "Can you please do that again?"
The pulse immediately returned back, proving to Clark that he wasn't going crazy. With a light laugh Clark said, "So… why are you calling me?"
The pulse throbbed against his hands, but it felt like he could understand what they were saying. Grimacing Clark pursed his lips as he got the whole situation. All plant possess a unique consciousness no matter how small, and as for the entire fauna of Canat mountain ranges, they were all a hive mind, and Clark destruction had left them in a state near death, even now they are on their dying embers with no way to oppose what was coming unless Clark decides help them.
Clark pulled a face as he said confused, "Bu-But I don't know how, all of my abilities… my Ultimate Skills they are all geared for destruction." His eyes were heavy when they mentally added, Even his Omega Effect.
But then the reply the hive mind rang against his mind loud and clear. It was like the millions of voices screaming all together, " You can do it, you can save us all if you wish, because we can feel it, our Origin your supremacy over all that comes out from Gaia, my Lord you can save us all… because you are… the Lord of the Green! " Clark knew that they had sputtered out, because as he looked up he saw that all plants without exception turned yellow signifying their death.
Clark stood up as he said, "So you got that Villa?"
{Yes Clark…}
"So all the things that they said just now, were they correct?" He asked in clarification.
{Yes Clark…}
Bringing his palm against his face Clark breathed harshly, as he muffled through his hands, "So I'm receiving another one already… a new Ultimate Skill..." Pursing his lips he continued, "Villa what do you think must have caused this… no forget it, I definitely don't want to deal with this right now. But is it ready?"
{It is Clark, all that remains is your signal to begin quantum chicanery of the World's Voice.}
Removing his hands down, revealing narrowed eyes he nodded, "Alright Villa do your stuff." Suddenly Clark heard a self-detached emotionless voice speaking loudly into his head.
[Ultimate Skill acquisition… #%$$]
"So that's the Voice of the World, eh?" Clark said while noting how it sounded, its voice resembled those independent audio readers in phones back in his world. Emotionless and grating to the ears. "Eh that just means Villa is better…" He said to himself.
{Why thank you Clark…} Villa suddenly interrupted sweetly.
Flushing furiously Clark cleared his throat before his A.I could say anything that might just make him to burst out his Heat Vision, "So Villa, are you done with everything?"
Thankfully Villa didn't say anything but she still replied back amused, {Yes Clark, it's been done, you should be hearing it right about now…}
Just as she said that the Voice of the World repeated itself in his head.
[Ultimate Skill acquisition, THE GREEN THE LORD OF NATURE.]
Calling up his HUD Clark saw the same thing. Satisfied he was about to activate it before he paused. "Hey Villa a quick question, this Ultimate Skill is not going to make me destroy anything is it?"
{No Clark apart from a little overwhelming sensation there is nothing wrong in using this.}
"Alright, alright…" Moving his arms back in stretches, while popping his neck. Clark began to prep himself up preparing to use his new Skill. Candidly speaking he was afraid, afraid of what might happen if his skills run amok once more. It was only through sheer luck that he had escaped the last one, and what he got from it was Fear, so safe to say he didn't want to even use this today. But all that happened was his fault, all of it, and while he wasn't a plant life activist, he still felt responsible for their apparent demise, so if this could bring them back, then it was only appropriate to cast away his uneasiness.
"Ultimate Skill… THE GREEN THE LORD OF ALL NATURE." The earth beneath Clark greened as the grass grew slithering all over his body before gathering over his head taking the shape of a halo like coronet, his eyes normal blue became a light shade green, and his body began to emanate a green gossamer aura. But what marveled Clark was the power.
Unlike the overpowering might of his Kryptonian Skill, the unhinged nature of his New God Skill or even the creepiness of his Lantern Skill. This Skill was overflowing but most important of all manageable, it was like he was everywhere all at once, and the power this Skill contained could even be compared to his other skills. The fact that he could use this one better made it his now new favorite. With a smile he beheld the world in new eyes, It's beautiful,' Clark said to himself with a smile. Oh why couldn't he had have this first…
While Clark was raging internally, the activation of his Ultimate Skill stirred up all of nature's denizens.
In the hidden Dryad settlement.
A light green woman of great beauty gasp opened her eyes waking up underneath the shade of an immobile treant.
"Treyni…" A voice said besides her, the woman turned to another woman who had her appearance only her hair was shorter. With serene smile she greeted, "Trya…"
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With a smile of her own Trya nodded, "Yes sister, please tell me can you feel the same thing, please reassure me that this is not an illusion…"
Fluttering her eyes, Treyni stood up descending down the large roots of the sentiment immobile tree her aqua dress billowing from the forest winds, her teal eyes beset in joy, "I can feel it too. Oh Trya, the consciousness of nature sings aloud, the elementals of all colors shiver in joy…" She moved holding the hands of her sister in bubbling elation. "The lord who shall lead us has been coronated in this land Trya. Gaia has finally manifested her will."
The sound of footsteps showed the gathering of female dryads occupants of the settlements, all showing various intensity of joy, amazement and happiness. Clearing her throat Treyni declared sternly, but still failed to hide the enthusiasm in her tone. "Everyone there is no time, come, leave everything. Let us process out and go welcome to our new Lord."
They all nodded as one, the hovering stem on their person snaked to the earth, and one by one, the dryads submerged into the grass moving on, their destination. Canat mountain ranges.
The Labyrinth.
"Ei, follow up you lazing bones! Why are you still lazing around here!" A small male humanoid creature of light pulled. He had a long blond hair, light blue eyes with markings over his body. His face squeezed while pulling up the slothful ruler, "You will not stay here while the others leave to welcome the Lord of the Green."
"Eh I will not go, leave me let me snuggle away in peace!" The one being pulled whined back pulling away at the opposite direction persistent in not attending the gathering, "By the way aren't I also an Elemental Queen, why haven't there been this much commotion for me as well?"
The creature of light released the Elemental Queen, arching an eyebrow, "Really Ramiris, do you really have to go there. Elemental Queen who absconded her post due to laziness, leaving almost everything to the Elemental of Light."
Ramiris turned away innocuously whistling, but the piercing gaze of the Light Elemental made her flinch, "I admit that I haven't been doing my duty for the last three thousand…" An interrupting cough and another glare, Ramiris amended, "I mean thirty thousand years, but still that doesn't I'll start doing it now." Waving her tiny hands she shooed away, "So go with the others… see the new King of the Green. I know he'll be better than me anyway…"
The Elemental hesitated for some seconds only decided when he saw the last fire elemental leaving, did he decided to do so, letting out a frustrated air. He said, "Look I know what he did to you and the others was unforgivable but still, Ramiris you've got to let go." Seeing that there was no reply, he gave one last frustrated sigh, and flew away.
As the Light Elemental left leaving Ramiris alone in the Labyrinth, she gave a melancholic sigh looking at the hole which they all used to leave, "I too want to go out, Light-chan. But I know who has been crowned the new Ruler of the Green. But, will he still remember me… and if he does, will he still want me…" She fingered the silver necklace that had a familiar S emblem. "Clark… will you come see me?" And she flew back to the depths of her maze.
In the Great Jura Forest.
Rimuru rubbed his belly which began to feel uncomfortable some seconds. Did I eat something that didn't agree with me this morning? Or was it this apocalyptic incident with Clark?' He was with his subordinates by his side as they all went back to Canat mountain ranges.
The bubble barrier had lobbed him back to town, which promptly dispersed after his arrival, but still he had to go verify what was happening. –The Demon Seed was charge to rule over the forest after all-
He would have arrived more quickly but based on the fact that the others couldn't fly and they wouldn't allow him to go unaccompanied, he decided to run with the others. He looked sideways spying the uncharacteristic mute Shion, a bead of sweat in the side of her head that did not come from as a result of tiredness, but on who she was about to see. But could he blame her?
Just looking at Hakurou, Benimaru, Souei and even the ferocious Ranga all looked like they wanted to be somewhere other than here. And he wouldn't blame them, because honestly he was of the same feeling as well.
Parallax, apart from an overpowered kryptonian he just had to be a yellow lantern as well.' Groaning Rimuru decided that he had to get a least a through explanation on Clark's cheats –because that's what they were- He hadn't forgotten the second Ultimate Skill he had displayed before even his lantern Skill.
OLGRUN THE GOD OF MADNESS
Just the name chilled his non-existent bones, it was that scary! Olgrun from what he found out when skimming his memory was an Old God in DC comics, the strongest of them all and also the one with a mental health problem. That and probably the energy pillar that held the potency to burn the entire continent a hundred times over…
He would have just left Clark to himself. That is if he didn't remember the way his eyes looked back then. Pain, tears, guilt… it was all too heavy that Rimuru emphasized with him.
Folding his arms as he rode on the body of Ranga, he groused, "Ah… why do I have a big heart, it's going to put me in trouble one of this days."
"Rimuru-sama…" Shion called in concern seeing her lord's scowl.
"Ah it's nothing Shion." He brushed off, not paying attention to her hesitant nod. Another warm feeling in his belly brought his hands as he rubbed it uneasily. Maybe when he gets back he could have Great Sage perform a prognosis.
And so Rimuru and his retinue shot away in blinding speeds heading back from where they came.
At Canat Mountain Ranges.
Eyeing at the shriveled up grass Clark began, " Sub-effect, The Revitalizer…" The phantom image of vibrant leaf materialized above Clark, and from it a single drop of water cascaded to the earth, the effects were fast. Visibly the vitality returned as the shriveled up grass and trees all began to regain their norm green, and if Clark was to have any say, they looked more vibrant and lush than before.
" Thank you oh Lord of the Green. We have been resuscitated only by your grace. " The voice returned again this time having a solitary voice that than the multitude. " Our lives are yours to command. "
Still disconcerted that he was talking to a plant –or in this case plants and trees in this case- Clark replied, "Yeah it's no problem, it's actually my fault in the first place."
"But nevertheless, it was by your power I am made whole again, and granted even more vitality than before. Thank you. "
Clark threw a two finger salute, "Once again you're welcome." At the silence of the hive-mind, he looked up to the sky notice it was getting pass afternoon. He had to see the others, if nothing else but to apologize. As he was about to deactivate his Ultimate Skill. He heard something that made him pause.
First, he saw tiny spots of light, probably thousands of them heading towards him, concentrating he realized they were actually small humanoid creatures with butterfly like wings.
"Are those faeries?" Clark said to himself bewildered.
Setting into a defensive pose, he waited for any sign of aggression only for him to hear cries of joy when the little beings arrived.
"It's really him. It's the King!" One blue female cried in joy.
"He's very tall!" A red fairy commented in awe.
"Of course he is idiot, he's the King!" A purple fairy admonished.
"He looks strong too…"
Looking around in a state of utter confusion, Clark tried to make head of what was going on. "Um, can anyone tell me please what's going on?"
"Oh, I will, I will." An ash glowing fairy said while preening as he heard the envious whines of his fellow elementals, "My King, I am a Time Medium Elemental, please use me however you desire." He sounded so smugly and surely like Clark was supposed to know what that even meant. But still the kryptonian filled the name for later research. "We have all gathered here to worship you as the new Lord of the Green."
Clark eyes widened, "Lord of the Green?! how do you know that term?"
Shrugging the time elemental replied, "I don't know. But that's not important because you're going to become our first King." And then it flew towards the others.
Stuttering Clark tried to make sense of what the elemental meant, when the others arrived. Giant gnomes with blue glowing Mohawk, big like hunching horned lizards. Bizarre humanoid beings of his size, all watching him with various intensity of adoration.
Gulping the kryptonian had realized that they were all filling the entire clearing meaning they were over thousands of them, and more still kept on coming. Excited murmurings about the seeing the first King droned out.
Clark was about to jet off and leave all this behind when the grass before him rippled and what arose was a bevy of beautiful but strange like women with green hairs and floating stems wrapped around their body.
"Ok~ now are you all supposed to be the group that will explain to me what is the hell going on?" Clark asked dubiously. For as gratifying as it was that they all looked at him with such adulated eyes, all of this was too suspicious, and he had half the mind to enter Fear lantern mode.
"Treyni-san?! What are you doing here?" Clark turned to see the astonished face of Rimuru with all his entourage with him looking at the group of women, while gawking at the congregation before them.
Before Clark could call out to Rimuru, a woman broke off from the group arriving before the Light God and genuflected on the earth, "Hail to the manifestation of Gaia, the Lord of the Green, and the first King of the Elementals."
Instantly the women behind her in addition to every spirit from lesser to greater took to the earth mimicking her all saying as one. " Hail!"
To the grandiose addressing Clark just replied back while looking dumb, "Eh?!"