CHAPTER 30: AFTERMATH AT THE FORT

I don’t know quite how long I stayed there in a state of emotional overload as I sit there staring at the spot that the Living Vines core was located, now reduced to a pile of ash that lays there with the lack of a breeze.

The memory’s that I revived from the creature are still so vivid in my mind that I can almost believe that it was me that lived them, I experienced all the years that the vine grew, easily exceeding all of my meager 20 years and this clash of implanted memories and my own is creating a confusing clash of identity.

My mind feels numb having fought so hard and being hurt worse than I have ever been before it feels like something has broken ever so slightly within me. But I don’t even know what.

Time slowly passes until one though manages to surface after replaying everything i experienced these past few hours, days? Its hard to tell. But I do know one thing, I was asked one final thing before the Vine passed. To protect the egg that both the Dryad and now the Living Vine died to protect. I turn my head and look back at where the egg lays, it is still resting there on a seemingly healthy vine. However, I can feel that whilst that vine may have a strong aura of nature that is a near remnant of the Vines power and no more will ever flow from its core.

I stagger to my feet and distantly activate Touch of Life instantly I feel relief surge through all of my aspects and whilst the emotional turmoil i am in remains it begins to recede, no longer a gaping wound but one that has been tended to and can now slowly begin to heal. I instinctively know that my healing will never be able to erase emotional trauma but it can put a metaphysical banger over it to reduce the pain and aid in its healing.

I make my way over towards the egg and reach down to finally lay my hand on it feeling a slight chill comming from it, I instinctively run an inspect on it to see what comes up only to be quite supprise at the result.

[Egg]

I blink and redo my inspection but just get the same result back each time I redo the inspection. "What do you mean it’s just an egg!" I half shout to no one in particular I cannt understand why I can get no further information about what kind of egg this is. After a while I give up letting my shoulders sag as I reach down to pick the mysterious egg up. I also notice at that point that I am still quite naked and covered in black corrupted gunk from hacking at the vine wall and infected blood from what I was attacked. Grimacing at that sight I promise to myself that I will find a place to wash myself soon, in the meantime though I summon back my dress and hug the egg to my chest.

Letting loose a gentle wave of my healing into the egg and activating my Aura of Life at a low burn, only enough to have half a meter of space covered by it I try to make sure that the egg will be alright.

I can still feel the occasional tear streak down my cheek even now but I don’t let that deter me. Deciding that I need to see my friends if for no other reason that for their confort I decide to just make my way out of the Fort and back in their direction. Making my way back to the stairs I begin climbing them and find myself back in the central hall of the Fort only to see something that I did no expect. I freeze upon what I see and my already somber mood takes a swift turn to one of intense rage as I process the sight before me and I start rotating my mana as I rapidly plan how best to commit my first act of murder.

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~Amanda POV~

7 Hours after Kana went into the valley.

I am sat by a small fire poking it with a stick to add some entertainment Kana managed to pass out after working herself into a frenzy of worry seeing that Lilly didn’t return after a couple of hours but thankfull I managed to calm her down and remind her that Lilly herself said that she might wait till the morning depending on what she finds. Kana eventually agreed to just lie down and close her eyes for a time and almost instantly fell right asleep.

I smile sardonically whilst looking over at her both envious of the relationship she had with Lilly but understanding that both of them truly care deeply for each other. I wonder if Lilly will ever look at me the same way she looks at Kana, I know it’s not a healthy way to view things but I cannt help but ponder these questions and more as the night drags kn and slowly turns into morning as the sky slowly blushes with the incoming suns.

The perks of being a Vampire are that I can quite easily get away with not sleeping for a night or two and I feel that tonight would be a good time to do so given that we lack Lilly’s usual protections from the wildlife, and her ability to hide up within nature. I sigh once more as I glance to the side when a lone hog charged at me not 2 hours ago. Whereas when with Lilly the only time we got close to being attacked was during the beast tide but that can hardly be counted.

I just turn back to the fire when every single one of my senses suddenly screams of danger.

I bolt to my feel instantly dragging my daggers and look around me keeping my back to the simmering fire and focusing on my hearing thanks to be low light vision being currently impaired after gazing at the fire. Thankfully it is rapidly restoring itself as I scan the surrounding undergrowth. However to my mild worry I am unable to sense anything at all. I slowly turn towards Kana only to freeze when I see a figure crouched over her with a blade to her throat. "Lower your weapons girl." A destinctly male voice as cold as a glacier speaks from behind me, right in the direction that I was previously looking. I feel a shiver run up my spine as the realisation that these people can so perfectly sneak up on us registered with me. Gritting my teeth I slowly do lower my wepons as I glade the the figure over Kana.

"What do you want we have next to nothing on us." I state.

"But you do seem to have a reason to be waiting here don’t you." The voice replies. I begin to turn around but a dagger is quickly pressed to my neck halting my movement. "You are gonna keep looking ahead girl and answer our questions." I can feel a faint Iron Rank aura comming from the figure behind me causing me to curse internally once again.

"Yes we were camping here for the night, why do you ask?" I try to deflect with a half truth.

"Oh don’t play dumb we saw that woman waltz into that Death Valley last night like she was being welcomed home. We want to know who the fuck she is and why she can walk into there unharmed."

"I’m under oath, I’m a member of the adventures guild I cannt tell you anything about her." It is at this moment that I am truly glad about that particular oath from the guild.

"Tch." I hear the Iron ranker behind me mutter. "Bloody guild and its oaths." He pauses for a moment and I feel another shiver travel down my spine as he speaks up once again. "But I bet your half blood friend over their isn’t under any oath eh?" Then speaking to his companion he barks. "Tie her up and then wake her up." I feel my blood run cold, why is this happening, everything was going fine why did this have to be happening now?

The shadowed figure quickly binds Kana’s limbs and then slaps her awake. Kana gasps and instantly fights with her restraints as she looks up and makes eye contact with me and the figure behind me holding a blade to my neck. Before she can speak the figure behind me does. "Your going to answer my question or we will hurt your friend here." Saying this he quickly lashes out and cuts my cheek loosing a quick scream from my lips as I go to reach up only to be kicked in the back of the knees and fall to the ground.

"Now tell us everything you can about the girl that walked into the valley." As Kana stared in horror at this everyone suddenly freezes as an immense wave of power washes over us all from the direction of the fort. I try to use this opportunity to attack the one behind me but for my effort I am quickly subdued and an audible Snap echoes out as he breaks my arm. I let out a scream at this only to feel a cloth get wrapped around my mouth as I am gagged.

"What the fuck was that." The man growls, before pausing and speaking once more. "Let’s go investigate shall we." Saying so he drags my to my feet by my good arm and pulls me along behind him as he speed marches to the valley entrance. The sight I see before me chills me to my core. The innumerable vines that covered the valley are all withered and evidently dying out at a rapid pace centered from the Fort. "Well I’ll be danmed, the stupid slut actually managed to kill that vine. Well guess we should go congratulate her eh." Saying so both myself and Kana are quickly dragged through the valley and we quickly enter the fort. Once in the entry hall myself and Kana are thrown to the ground before them with me letting out a whimper of pain as I land on my still broken arm. Only to be dragged back to my knees as the man once again places his dagger at my neck as we wait for something to happen. I exchange glances with Kana and she too looks terrified but a face of grim determination is set on her face.

Time passes slowly but before long I begin to make out the sound of soft and steady footsteps making their way closer towards us. I can feel my heart racing and I glance at Kana once again and she nods ever so slightly at me. I ready myself to jump into action the moment I can.

The footsoets get closer until a figure can be seen climbing the staircase from below. I first make out the school of red hair and I feel my hope rise however when I see the state she is in with tears still running down her cheeks, splattered in a black gunk and black infected looking blood my heart jumps into my throat, curiously she is holding an egg? In her arms as if it’s the most precious item in the world.

However, when Lilly looks up and sees myself and Kana kneeling on the floor, myself clearly injured and Kana tied up with daggers pointed at us both, her previously sollem visage morphs into one of unbridled rage. A wave of power seems to emanate from her and the seemingly dead vines around her seems to spring back to life. The wave of power slams into us and I brace myself for its impact but feel nothing out life engulf me as my injuries begin to heal. However based on the screams of pain from the two behind us it wouldn’t appear to be so benevolent to them. I dive forwards away from them and then around to get them in my sights only for my eyes to widen as I watch in real time as their skin seems to rot away under the effect of this domain.

However their screams only last for a moment as dozens of roots stab into them from all directions, with their screams temporarily cut due to the pain shock I feel another burst of power behind me and turn my head into to witness as 2 spears formed out of vines and wreathed in a golden halo form hovering above Lilly before they shoot out at tremendous speeds, I can barely track their movements but as I do I watch as they both impact the heads of the 2 that so easily subdued both me and Kana. The two now headless corpses stand there imbedded on roots that speared from the ground.

I then hear a muted thump and turn my head once more just in time to see Lilly collapse to the ground.

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Slightly longer Chapter this time but didn’t want to end it early. Hope ya enjoyed!