I lifted myself up, bathing in this comforting sunlight was no longer an option.
Just a few more steps...
"NOO!! STOP THIS—YOU MONSTER!" It was the woman—pointing her finger at me,
"HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME—THE MOTHER OF THESE CHILDREN!" It stood in front of me, I didn't see it approach, I couldn't even hear a sound—it had just appeared out of thin air.
"YOU ARE THE ONE WHO TOOK THEM FROM THEIR FAMILIES..." The barren streets only had some adult, but I couldn't see any children.
It was clear why that small town was empty.
"No... no—NO! I DID NOT!" Following the last word, multiple trunks surrounded her,
It was a lot,
More than anything before.
I can't even deflect them... I need to minimize injuries. The trunks had been too heavy to deflect.
I jumped forward, ignoring the instability I felt.
Reaching the tree was all I needed to win.
The first attacks had reached me already,
I evaded them with miniscule footwork—I couldn't lose my footing anymore.
It followed up with the sharp branches it shot out, and the returning trunk.
Once again I slid away, limiting the lift of my feet.
I felt a rugged surface hit my back, with the shadows of its branches at my feet.
Those shadows got covered by a bigger one.
I could feel the weight compress the hair on my head, as I rolled away.
And I ran.
The trunks did not disappear after an attack.
I had to reach the hole high up in the tree.
I jumped on one of the remaining trunks, and ran.
With my first step I saw another block fly towards me, with another one coming from above.
I had no time to curse or think as I jumped down.
I moved my right arm to my side,
Cracks could be heard as my arm blasted into my ribs.
I was launched back onto the floor, but I stood upright—with attack already on their way.
Sharp branches and roots rained down on me,
I couldn't feel the injuries as I cut each of them apart, while evading the few that passed.
I had gotten slower, while these trunks were faster, with an unending amount.
Doesn't it have a limit?
As one of the branches passed cleanly through my good leg.
Pain was not needed for it to be clear—it would be hindering.
But I was close,
Seven meters was left between me and the end.
Five steps were all I needed.
I evaded attacks that came at me, without leaving the ground below me—with my first step.
Trunks came at me, and I evaded them all.
Along with them came sharpened attacks, I cut them off before they could reach me, but I was still scraped by a few, and ended up on a tree trunk—with my second step.
It was a barrage of attacks from all sides, most took a part of my skin or flesh with it,
I dashed forward as a shadow dawned on me, breaking the entire trunk that I left behind—with my third step.
The attacks had stopped, as I jumped through the air, landing on the tree hollow itself—with my fourth step.
It was in my sight, its real body—stuck to the tree itself, with a floor underneath it.
It was a woman's figure, but unlike a human it wore a green skin, with even darker hair, that was woven into the tree.
It was my fifth and final step that I took.
I was suspended in the air as I launched down—holding my sword in my trembling arms.
I have finally reached her.
I had forgotten it all, only the pain remained, and the satisfaction.
"ARGH!" I could feel a rugged weapon, puncture my gut, cutting through all the surrounding skin.
The pain coursed through my body—the high had worn off.
I could feel it all—from the tiny scratches to the loosened bones held together by my skin and muscles.
It felt as if the pain was clashing against one another, but the pain didn't lessen.
IT HURTS! IT HURTS...! It hurt so much... too much even.
But stopping was not a choice I could afford,
I had to survive, no matter what happened, it wasn't selfishness that pulled me forward anymore.
I wrapped both hands around my sword.
I struck the branch that held me.
No essence flowed through my body anymore.
I struck once again.
Each strike denting the branch.
I gathered all I had left for one final strike,
And I broke the branch, my weight itself finishing it off.
"AGHHH!!!!"
Smoke covered my eyes as a trail was left behind me.
I landed on top of it, I hesitated, almost forgetting that my cause went beyond reaching it.
And I cut it.
I cut right through it—
Through the core I could see.
"I've saved them..." I could feel all my strength leaving me, as I slowly let go of my sword into the tree itself.
"Saved?"
"I protected them!" A voice reached me, the same voice as the woman's.
It's a monster isn't it... why can I hear it?
"You... took them... you made them leave their families..." My voice ragged, it sounded like a whisper, no matter how much volume I wished to put behind it.
"No... you are wrong. I WAS PROTECTING THEM, THEY NEED PROTECTION—YOU NEED PROTECTION!" Her voice shook the entire tree itself, as it pulled itself closer to the hilt of my sword—closer to me.
"What... are you saying..."
"YOU IGNORANT CHILD. LET ME SHOW YOU WHY YOU NEED PROTECTION!"
"Show me?—" I could feel my body itself twist around, it was my essence itself—a feeling I had never felt before.
Huh... what am I seeing?
I was back in the town from before, but it wasn't the current one. It was complete opposite.
'Welcome to my world, young boy.'
'Allow me to show you the truth—the truth of the world you live in.'