Hikai: What happened to the tree?

Magicae went towards the tree and looked at it. She examined it for a bit before she spoke.

Magicae: Is this Miasma?

Hikai: Miasma?

Magicae: Yeah, this is caused by Demon Energy.

Hikai: Demon Energy can do this? So does that mean that I can also do this?

Magicae: No, Miasma is a type of Ailment magic but this one was enhanced by Demon energy. The real question is why was this tree targeted?

That was when the ground shook and the ground turned black.

Magicae: Oh no! The miasma is affecting the ground around the tree! Run!

As Magicae shouted, I tried to run away but I was still too late. The ground beneath me crumbled and i fell inside.

Hikai: Ahhhhh!!!

Magicae: Seriously!? Oh well, let’s go!

I fell underground as Magicae followed after me.

Hikai: Woah!

I used the Pole to lighten my fall even just by a bit. I focused my arms on the pole and I thrust it towards the ground as I fell. I was able to stop myself momentarily but I still hit the ground hard. I let go of the pole and rolled on my back to lessen the impact. It still hurt though.

Hikai: Damn, that hurts. Magicae?

I looked around me but Magicae was nowhere to be seen nor heard.

Hikai: That means that there are others here then.

As the dust settled I could finally see what was around me. There were around 5 men on my right and a really big tree on my left.

Man: Who are you!?

One of the Men talked to me.

Man 2: We don’t need to know! We can’t let anyone know that we’re here. Kill him!

3 of the men rushed towards me, they all had one sword while the two men behind them were holding staffs. I ran towards the pole and picked it up. I prepared myself for a fight. The two men behind them used fireball and attacked me.

Hikai: Absorb!

I absorbed the Magic and the men were surprised. I wanted to release the fireballs but my Magic Release is still Level 2 so I decided not to. They stopped running towards me as they gazed at me. I used the opportunity to attack them before they could react.

Hikai: Hah!

I hit one of the men with the Pole with a overhead strike then I spun around and hit his abdomen with all my might. The men finally reacted and rushed towards me. I tried to attack as well but the other two used fireball once again.

Hikai: Damn it, Absorb!

As I absorbed the fireballs, the two men attacked. I was able to block one of them but the other was able to slash me. My HP went down to 60 %. I jumped back and I put some distance between us. The big tree was behind me.

Hikai: What are you doing here?

As the man that I hit with the Pole recovered I decided to ask them.

Man: We don’t need to tell you, Human.

Hikai: Only demons would refer to us like that.

Demon: Hmph. I don’t know what you are talking about.

So they won’t say huh. They are obviously Demons though. I didn’t really notice earlier but those two behind them are showing their Demon characteristics after all.

Hikai: What are you plotting?

Demon: I told you we don’t know what you’re talking about.

They didn’t move any further.

Hikai: Why aren’t they attacking?

As I talked while whispering a voice suddenly talked to me.

Girl: They’re afraid of us.

I panicked as I heard the voice and I looked around. I turned around and that was the time that the Demons decided to attack.

Girl: I’m very sorry. Let us help you.

As I was still looking for the girl, I noticed the Demons attacking once again. They did the same thing they did before so I absorbed the fireballs but this time the 3 men didn’t stop. I prepared myself to fight but then a wall made of wood suddenly sprouted in front of me.

Hikai: What?

As I was surprised by what happened.

Man: Leave.

This time it was a Man’s voice but unlike the Girl, this one talked to everyone inside.

Demon: Retreat!

The man shouted and the Men disappeared. The wall of wood didn’t disappear and I was left with the big tree. That was also the time that Magicae decided to appear.

Magicae: What a interesting person to meet here.

Hikai: What are you talking about?

Man: She’s talking about me, boy.

The Man once again spoke.

Girl: He’ll have a hard time knowing if you don’t even move Grandpa.

A girl then appeared beside the Tree. She had vines covering most of her body.

Man: Is that so? I sincerely apologize boy.

The tree moved and faced towards me.

Man: I believe that I must introduce myself. I am called Maxim and I am a treant.

Girl: My name is Diana! I am a dryad and I am with my Grandfather!

As I finally recovered from my shock, I answered both of them.

Hikai: My name is Raimei Hikai and thank you for helping me.

Maxim: Raimei Hikai? I see. So that time has finally arrived.

Diana: Grandfather?

Hikai: What do you mean?

Maxim: No need to worry boy. It is nothing

Is it really nothing? Well, I guess I won’t pursue it for now.

Magicae: I’m sure you didn’t realize but she’s the one who gave you that branch you know?

Hikai: Eh?

Diana: That’s right! Grandpa can’t control his Magic anymore so I was taking care of the trees that were affected by them. I’ve heard a lot of stories about Humans greed so when you appeared I was pretty worried but grandfather told me that I could give you the only branch with enough magic!

Magicae: They are mostly true you know? You just got lucky with this one.

Magicae pointed at me.

Diana: Eh? Is that right? Anyway, there weren’t any Humans who approached after that so I guess we were really lucky huh!?

Maxim: Diana, calm down.

Diana: Yes, Grandfather.

Diana lowered her head.

Hikai: Why were the Demons here?

Maxim: I do not know.

Diana: I think they were here for us Grandfather.

Maxim: Why do you think that, Diana?

Diana: I heard them using the Trees when they were walking over here.

Hikai: Can you hear everything with a tree?

Diana: Hmm? No but when it’s infused with Grandpa’s Magic that’s when I can use it like that.

Hikai: I see. What did they talk about?

Diana: I heard that they were going to take the weird Magic that was lingering around here. I guess that would be us?

Magicae: Weird Magic! hahahaha!

Diana: You don’t have to laugh at that!

Maxim: Calm down.

Diana: Ah, yes Grandfather. Let me continue then they said that they should hurry since the Plan was going to start soon.

Hikai: Soon? The demons are planning to do something? I need to tell the others.

I tried to run to where the Demons ran since that was the only exit I could think of but the wall of wood was still there.

Maxim: Calm down Human. Diana is not done talking to you.

Diana: You should probably not leave yet. I can still feel them over there after all. You should stay here until then.

Magicae: Unless of course you want to fight them again?

Hikai: No thanks. Fine, I can stay here for a while. I am getting pretty hungry though.

Diana: Oh! Then take these!

Diana gave me different types of fruits.

Hikai: Eh? Where did you get them?

Diana: I grew them myself!

She puffed out her chest as she said that. I settled down and finally remembered what brought me here in the first place.

Hikai: Why did that tree end up like that?

Diana: Eh? Which tree are you talking about?

Hikai: The tree that you gave me the branches.

Diana: Hmm? I can’t feel it. What happened to that tree? I’m going to go check okay?

Diana disappeared.

Magicae: When are you planning to tell her?

Magicae then said it to Maxim.

Maxim: It seems that I can hide it no longer.

As I wondered what they were talking about, Diana appeared once again.

Diana: Grandpa! What are you doing!?

Maxim: So you have noticed.

Diana: Please stop it! You will die if you continue!

Hikai: What? What’s going on? Why are you fighting?

Magicae: Maxim is about to die.

Hikai: What? How?

As Diana argued with Maxim, Magicae talked to me.

Magicae: You remember the Miasma right?

I nodded to her.

Magicae: Maxim and Diana are connected through their Magic so if one of them is affected then both of them would feel it’s effect. Miasma is a deadly ailment that can kill anything which is why Maxim is currently preventing it from affecting Diana by taking it all to himself.

Hikai: Then I-

Magicae: Don’t bother. Miasma is Level 7 in Ailment magic.

Hikai: Does that mean that I can’t do anything but watch him die?

I received no answer from Magicae.

Diana: No! Don’t die Grandfather!

I looked towards them as Diana shouted, I could see that some parts of Maxim were turning purple. As I saw his body slowly turn purple, I also felt despair. His body wasn’t like that before. I watched as his body slowly turned and I couldn’t think of anything

Maxim: Human.

As I stared at him, Maxim called out to me. I approached him and sat in front of him. Diana was still clinging to him and crying.

Maxim: Can you bring my Granddaughter to the Ancient Continent?

Diana: No! Why?! You can go with me, Grandfather! Don’t leave me!

Maxim: That is not possible. Boy, can you promise me?

Hikai: Promise?

Even here, a promise is still being used on me.

Maxim: I do not have time left. I believe that you can do this. You will definitely be able to do it.

It was weird that he trusted me to that extent. Its like he knows who I am even though we haven’t met before. As Maxim talked about a promise, I remembered my conversations with Princess Jeanne and Beatrix. As I finally understood what they meant, I could feel an emotion. It was something that I felt for the first time and I could feel my eyes warming up.

Maxim: Human.

As I heard his voice, I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. So this is the weight of a promise. A promise to someone who is about to die, I was stupid. So stupid, how could I not realize it? How could I be so stupid!?

Diana: No! No! No! You have to stay with me Grandfather!

Can I do this? Do I have the resolve to uphold such a promise?

Maxim: Please Human, I beg of you.

I could hear Maxim’s voice quiver. I could feel the sadness from his voice alone. I don’t believe that I can do this. This promise is too heavy for someone weak like me. But a thought appeared in my mind.

Hikai: If not me, then who?

I gathered my courage as I said those words. There was no one else here. If I didn’t help then what would happen to Diana? Even though this is the first time I met them. Something is telling me to help them. Something is telling me that I can trust them.

Hikai: I promise.

With tears in my eyes, I said it. I could barely squeeze the words out from my throat.

Maxim: Thank you.

As he said that, Maxim then glowed. Yellow balls of light surround us and then a wave of Magic surged from Maxim.

Diana: Grandfather!!!

Magicae: So that’s the path that he chose.

As the wave of Magic stopped, only a bundle of branches was left.

~Chapter 21 End~