Angel Monarch

The dark tendrils grew all across the wide clearing. They all grew thicker the closer one got to the gigantic tree. The vines also moved along the surface of great trees at the clearing's edge, where Sera floated.

She watched the appendages with a mix of awe and disgust. Their size and quantity were incredible, yet they all looked nauseating while they wriggled.

They continued dragging Bea and the hippogryphs away towards the main great tree, but Sera acted quicker than they moved. She flew into the ground with a massive explosion, destroying any nearby dark tentacle-like vines and roots.

The explosion created a dozen meter wide crater, which Sera filled with liquid Angelic Metal. Her body connected with the liquid, as if she became one with the substance. She didn't yet understand the reason for this strange feeling, but she didn't have time to ponder.

Multiple tendrils of Angelic Metal carved through the solid ground, making their way towards Bea. They were about halfway through the clearing when the tendrils caught up.

Sera poured more essence into the tendrils, greatly increasing their size. Giant spikes pierced the surface from the tendrils, cutting up every dark vine. The spikes moved around Bea and the hippogryphs, creating a protective barrier and severing the appendages dragging them away.

She also stabbed smaller tendrils into each of her friends. The sudden torturous pain woke them all up. Bea screamed in surprise, while both hippogryphs screeched loudly.

"Ugh... What the fuck... Where am I?" asked Bea in a groggy voice.

From one nearby tendril, Sera's body grew out, which surprised everyone. However, their eyes soon moved to the gigantic tree behind the Angel.

"We don't have time! I'll explain everything once we've left!"

Nobody argued against Sera's suggestion, as the dark vines began attacking again. They tried growing past the spikes, but every time, smaller spikes appeared from the giant ones, severing the tendrils once again.

Bea climbed atop Alyrine while Sera jumped onto Kastral. Both hippogryphs shot into the air and watched as the entire clearing writhed and reached for them.

'Don't go near the main tree's branches! It's infested with those vines!'

Kastral heeded Sera's warning and stayed far away from the enormous branches. He led the way, Alyrine following close behind.

After they were at least a kilometer away, Sera glanced back and raised her finger gun once again. A wicked smile split her face as a single word echoed from her mouth... "Bang!"

A second later, a loud noise shook the entire west coast as a blinding golden sun appeared behind Sera's group... The entire clearing exploded...

While Sera's tendrils moved to rescue Bea, the wide pool of liquid Angelic Metal kept evaporating and spreading across the clearing.

The tiny spore-like particles, filled with immense potential energy, covered the clearing in a few seconds... Sera just needed to begin the fission-like chain reaction of these particles...

Her golden flames spread high into the air, covering even the heart of the great forest!

Somewhere in the depths of the destruction, Sera heard a voice. A loud, feminine scream... The heart's scream of agony!

Sera burst into laughter while listening to an appropriate melody following a destruction of such magnitude. As she listened to the screams of pain, only relief and joy filled her heart.

Two words popped into her head, while chuckles still shook her perfect body... 'Good riddance!'

They flew a few dozen meters above the treeline until they escaped the main tree's influence. That's when they rose high above the clouds, where they slowed down.

Sera explained everything in great detail. For Bea and Alyrine's sake, she began right after they left Jörmungandr, by smashing through the back of his throat.

She also mentioned how she cleaned off Bea, which made the magnificent woman blush. The silk-like Angelic Metal dress still covered her body, and her hands kept playing with the fabric, while a loving smile danced along her lips.

However, the atmosphere changed when Sera told them about the Great Forest's Heart. That's the name Sera chose, since she had a feeling all the great trees connected back to that giant one, as if it were their mother.

Bea's expression turned thoughtful after the explanation, and Sera curiously awaited her next words.

"I think you're right about the giant tree being the Great Forest's Heart. When I looked upon it, I felt near overwhelming disgust, like how you felt when meeting Peace or the other angels with Marks of Judgement...

"That tree might be another escaped criminal from Dark Prism, and not just any... it's a world tree!"

Sera glanced away towards the sky with a curious expression. However, soon a cunning smile grew across her face.

"I trust your intuition, but I think we should ask a different source as well! Let's head to the Village! We've a meeting with the Tree of Endless Hunger!"

The hippogryphs and Bea all agreed, and together they traveled eastward, toward the Village.

The sun gradually stretched towards the western horizon, yet it would still take a few hours until sunset. The few thousand kilometers went by quickly, and soon they arrived at their destination.

Pakwa, the Scout Branch's leader, alerted everyone just as the hippogryphs landed on the Tree of Endless Hunger's top branches. They bent under the giant beasts' weight, yet the sturdy wood stayed strong and flexible.

Bea and Sera both dismounted. They turned to see an eight people procession approaching.

All the Branch leaders came. John needed to be helped up the nearby steps by his granddaughter, but everyone else looked alright, Amayeta most of all.

The Hospital Branch's lead doctor came nearly running at Sera, with teary eyes and a wide grin spreading across her face. Her wheelchair was nowhere in sight. She still wore the intricate Angelic Metal bracelet with the tiny glowing green gemstone embedded inside.

Sera embraced the young doctor in a tight hug, which Bea didn't appreciate. She pouted her lips and walked forward to the most handsome man within the leaders... Kangee, the Hunter Branch's leader...

"Nice to meet you! My name is Bea. What's yours?" she said with a faked smile and held out her palm for a handshake.

Kangee, ever the ladies man, wasn't the least bit flustered by the sudden approach of an extremely beautiful woman. It was only natural, since he was so handsome... At least that's what he believed...

"My name is Kangee. I'm the Hunter Branch's leader... I must say, Bea, you look absolutely gorgeous. Want to meet me later in private?"

As Bea stared into the lustful man's eyes, regret instantly flared in her heart. She shrunk her hand a few centimeters, so it would slip out of Kangee's grasp. Bea then smiled and, with quick steps and an embarrassed, disgusted expression, she walked away from the group.

The other leaders chuckled, as Kangee didn't understand what he'd done wrong. This trick worked on most women in his Village, but for some reason both Bea and Sera were immune... Speaking of the Angel...

Sera walked up and stopped beside the Hunter Branch's leader. She firmly grabbed his shoulder and whispered into his ear...

"If you bother or even look at her wrong, I'll cut off your manhood and feed it to you. Understand?"

Kangee went pale as his terrified eyes landed on Sera's wicked, smiling expression. He was too afraid to speak, and could barely nod to convey his understanding.

A lighthearted chuckle echoed from Sera's lips as she went after Bea. The other leaders followed close behind her as they went down towards the great tree's heart.

Both Sera and Bea felt the tree's gaze upon their skin, yet they didn't want to speak with her in the open. Most of the villagers still hadn't learned about Sabyr's existence, and the leaders preferred keeping it that way.

Along the way, everybody greeted Sera, especially the younger children. They all ran up and hugged her legs. They looked afraid of Bea at first, but after Sera introduced her, hugs landed on her legs too. They both giggled and patted all the children's heads.

Their progress was slow, but it was fun to greet everybody. She spent so much time in the Village and helped all its residents. It felt like they're all part of her extended family, like she came to attend a reunion of old friends.

Eventually, though, the fun came to an end. They stopped before the giant wooden doors leading inside the Council Hall. The intricately designed door led inside a beautiful, giant room carved inside the great tree's trunk.

The eight leaders followed them, and the guards outside closed the door. Silence reigned in the large room as Bea glanced around with curiosity.

Strangely, she felt no connection with this place. She felt the tree's life force, yet she couldn't control its life energy. No matter how hard she tried, no vines grew from the wood anywhere on the tree.

A light chuckle echoed from Bea's lips as her eyes glanced at the circular room's dark ceiling.

While Bea was testing her ability, Sera stepped up beside her and spoke into the darkness.

"Sabyr. I would like to speak with you!"

Her voice reverberated inside the hall, and moments later a familiar figure appeared before them, seemingly from thin air.

Their long auburn hair fell onto the ground, while their androgynous body was covered with a similarly colored flowing dress. Their piercing brownish-green eyes glanced between Sera and Bea with a mix of curiosity and the usual hunger.

"Yes, Sera? What would you like to know?" asked Sabyr, but before the Angel could've answered, Bea began dry heaving.

Sera and Sabyr both stared at her with raised eyebrows. A few seconds later, Bea straightened and grinned at the Tree of Endless Hunger.

"I feel your Mark! How did Dark Prism treat you?"

Sabyr's dark brown, bark-like skin went paler while their eyes widened in surprise and terror.

"Shit..." they whispered in utter disbelief.