The Treant slowed his thundering movements. I know I’m getting close, I can sense them through the earth, he thought, I need to prepare myself before I do anything. This is a new body for me, I must know my own shortcomings.

 

He gazed upon the changed status.

 

 

A rumbling noise sounded throughout the forest.So my base value is 50, right? Plus the 5 I received from my race, I’ve got 55 total.

 

A long bar appeared on the corner of his vision.

 

 

200? I don’t know if this is good. What does it mean? He tried to Analyze the stat.

 

 

So by this definition my HP was 400 before. I won’t complain. I’m more balanced in almost every aspect now, and I can’t deny I love my new strength value. It really complements my Burning Hands spell. No matter, this isn’t why I’m here. My friend. I need to find whatever or whoever did that do my friend.

 

He started walking again; the trees shaking whenever he touched them. I'm lucky that is dark out here, he realized. The only lights in the forest were his flaming eyes, as the moon’s light was getting blocked by the enormous tree’s canopy. They were much bigger than him. He was a good three meters tall, but the older trees that blocked his path dwarfed him. I’ll try to talk to them later.

 

After a few good minutes of walking, the rain stopped as he saw an opening in the trees. He crouched and stood still, activating his False Shift skill. He could hear someone talking but wasn’t able to define any words. He needed to get closer. I guess stealth won’t work judging by my eyes, so I have to get any advantages possible before going there. This is for her. He knew inside that his actions were also for himself.

 

His Rooted Down ability activated, he could now tell how many were there. Eleven.

 

He started running, his stomps making the ground shake. The golden-leafed Treant activated his Burning Hands spell. He saw them. They were resting outside a burnt village, most wearing armor, but one of them was just with a red robe. That one must be important. He focused on him.

 

---

 

They were resting on the outskirts of Pern. Guess it isn’t Pern anymore, eh? He thought. The main party returned to Varania’s siege, but some got left behind to guarantee that, if any settlers who weren’t present on the attack returned, were killed.

 

The soldier was short, and a little on the pudgy side. He recently got himself married, but he couldn’t even enjoy this fact. His father-in-law insisted that he needed to enlist on Dracia’s army new campaign. “It'll be good. Maybe they will even reward you! Not everyone gets such a golden opportunity to become a Kindled!” His father-in-law had said. Yeah, I've got myself kindled alright. It isn't worth it. I just wanna make sum babies with my wife. I hate this forest, he thought. He got lucky that his now father-in-law allowed him to live after getting his daughter pregnant without marrying her first, so he couldn’t refuse. The old man is hoping that I get myself killed.

 

“Ohhh, you saw that grandma? She killed four of us before we dropped her!” One of the other soldiers said.

 

“Nah mate, Rogers told me she turned into a buncha leaves”

 

“And I say Rogers is full of crap!” He said while spitting in the fire.

 

"Please, stay quiet, I’m trying to concentrate here! And stop spitting at my beautiful flame," the fire mage Sendormist said.

 

Weird guy. Why is he always staring at the fire?

 

“Fuckin mages,” the soldier muttered as he spitted again.

 

“He's right, shut the hell up,” his Sergeant commanded.

 

“Aight boss…”

 

Everyone’s restless today… Even I feel something… Something in my bones, like… Like someone’s watching us. He thought of the villagers. Maybe their spirits are watching us right now, cursing and damning our souls.

 

He felt a shiver on his spine as he heard a stomp.

 

“What on the damned earth is this noise?” He said, before turning his head and seeing this giant, hulking mass of wood coming after them. It was fast. It was so fast that every step the monster took looked almost like a leap.

 

 

He immediately noticed that the tree monster hands were burning, the living fire entering every crevice its reach would allow, looking like burning charcoal. But what really terrified him was its eyes, looking straight at them like it was going to devour anything that stood on its path. He felt his pants getting wet.

 

 

He was right. The spirits summoned a monster to kill them.