CHAPTER 218: CURSE AND CURE [4]

Akamir stopped a few steps away, tilting his head back to take in the sight of the enormous trunk stretching into the sky.

The glow it gave off wasn’t warm.

It felt heavy, pressing down on him, like the tree itself was aware of his presence.

"...So this is what I’m supposed to burn," he muttered under his breath. "Great."

The closer he stood, the more his spirit eyes reacted.

Countless strands of light ran through the bark like veins, flowing up into the canopy.

He could hear faint whispers, not words, but something ancient, something that reminded him he wasn’t welcome here.

’Is it aware of my presence?’

Akamir wondered as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

It may seem like it truly was aware that he planned to burn the tree.

’...Oh, well. Not like it will change anything.’

Akamir thought as he stretched his body.

Nayomi, who had been silent all this while, finally moved in front of him.

"Why are you doing this?" She couldn’t help but ask. "She got nothing to do with you."

Akamir pushed her face away from him as he replied. "I am doing it for myself."

Once the elves lose the World Tree they will be vulnerable to the World.

They will lose the protection they have and can only rely on others.

’Well, I really hope they will have a good relationship with Krivos Kingdom.’

That way Akamir would be sure the other two human kingdoms would be wary of Krivos.

’...And I would profit the most from the chaos.’

Nayomi once again came close to his face.

"Tell me the truth, you like that elf right?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. "I never knew you had such taste—."

"Shut up." Akamir replied, pushing her face once again. "And I wouldn’t say I don’t like her."

Nayomi tilted her head in response. "What happened when you were in Kros’ control?"

Akamir didn’t reply for a while as he looked at the World Tree.

"I still have memories of the fake World." Akamir replied, his voice soft. "The time I spent with her wasn’t short."

Nayomi folded her arms, watching him carefully. "So that’s it. You can’t separate what was real and what wasn’t."

Akamir let out a low sigh. "Maybe, but does it matter?" He replied. "We have things to do."

"You sure you are alright—."

Akamir ignored her and raised his hand and took out the mask.

He covered his face with the mask as he summoned his Crown.

The place around him began to illuminate as he raised his hand.

"Come forth." He said as his voice echoed within the place.

Immediately after he spoke, his shadow flickered.

Soon after, hundreds of gruesome figures moved out of his shadow.

They stood in front of him waiting for his orders.

Akamir drew in a deep breath as he raised his hand towards the World Tree.

"Burn it."

The mimickers bowed in response as they all began to rush towards the tree.

Their bodies soon turned into that of a human as they took on the shape of human mages they had eaten before.

Hundreds of mages raised their hands as they all began to chant.

Akamir remained silent as he stared from behind as he kept on summoning more of the mimickers.

The chants echoed across the empty kingdom, hundreds of voices layered on top of one another, each different yet disturbingly unified.

Flames began to gather at their palms, flickering like dying torches before swelling brighter with every word.

It was a good thing that he asked Sephrina to go away as far as possible.

The mimickers unleashed their spells in unison.

A torrent of flame shot forward, striking the bark with deafening impact.

The ground shook, and the air turned unbearably hot as fire consumed the base of the World Tree.

Soon the light began to turn even brighter as the wood began to burn.

The mimickers once again began to chant as Akamir slowly turned to look to his side.

His eyes caught a sudden movement as he felt a presence.

But when he looked at the person, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

"....Velyrian?"

Akamir blinked in confusion....only for the man to be gone.

’...What the hell did I see?’

He wanted to check on it but he stopped himself from moving.

Because....there was something that caught his attention.

As the tree burned, a path opened up at the center of the main branch.

’...What?’

Akamir couldn’t understand as he stared at the open area in confusion.

"Akamir...." Nayomi mumbled, her voice soft. "....I feel an ancient presence inside."

Akamir didn’t reply as he slowly began to walk towards the area.

Even though the tree was burning, it didn’t stop him from going inside the darkness.

The moment his body entered the place, he felt the space around him tremble.

Akamir blinked to adjust to the light as he looked around.

He now stood in an empty area filled with nothing but darkness.

In all of it there was only one source of light.

At the high end of the darkness was a naked woman.

The woman who was crucified on an elongated branch of the tree.

"Ieril."

Akamir recognized her immediately.

She was the first elf that was sent to this world by the Golden Sun.

As he walked towards her, the crucified body moved gently.

Akamir slowed his steps, his eyes fixed on the figure above him.

"Ieril..." he muttered again, almost to himself.

Her eyelids fluttered at the sound of her name.

Slowly, she lifted her head, her eyes dull but faintly glowing as they struggled to focus on him.

Her lips parted, and a whisper escaped.

"...A...Akamir?"

He froze in place as he heard his name coming out of her mouth.

"How do you know...."

His words didn’t leave his mouth as the body began to fade.

"It’s a projection or a part of her soul." Nayomi replied, floating beside him. "She isn’t real...and with the World Tree gone, she is also fading away."

Akamir didn’t reply as Ieril kept on staring at him without any words.

There was something in her eyes that he didn’t like.

...It was hope.

"Come...find..me."

Those were the last words that came out of her mouth before her body faded into darkness.

Akamir was left alone in the place as it began to plunge into darkness.

He let out a sigh as he walked out of the strange space to the real world.

The World Tree was still burning, its glow no longer calm but violent, like a beast lashing out in its final moments.

The mimickers kept chanting, their fire feeding the destruction, though Akamir could already feel the resistance weakening.

The sacred roots were cracking, the veins of mana breaking apart one by one.

He pulled off his mask and rubbed his face, exhaling slowly. "...So that’s that."

Nayomi floated beside him, her gaze still locked on the tree. "You saw her, didn’t you?"

Akamir didn’t answer at first. His eyes lingered on the flames clawing up the trunk. "Ieril," he finally said.

"That projection was tied to the World Tree," Nayomi replied. "Now that it’s gone, she’s gone too."

Akamir scoffed lightly. "Doesn’t feel that way. She asked me to find her."

Nayomi tilted her head, her voice sharp but curious. "So you’re planning to chase after a dead elf now?"

"...Not sure yet," he muttered. "But if she’s tied to my mess, I don’t get to ignore it."

The air shifted suddenly, pulling his attention back to the burning sky.

A gentle glow left the tree’s body as it floated in the sky.

The glow was in millions as it slowly floated all around the kingdom.

When it touched those who were cursed by Kros...

....It began to heal their bodies.

Akamir let out a sigh as he rubbed his temples.

The curse of Greater One, Kros....

...Was finally over.