"You found a what?" Diana stared at the unconscious man draped over Grace’s shoulder.
"A person," Grace grunted, struggling under his weight. "An actual human person. I cleansed the corruption from him."
Diana crossed her arms.
"And you’re sure he’s not going to wake up and try to strangle you with vines?"
"Pretty sure. Could you maybe help instead of just standing there?"
With an exaggerated sigh, Diana stepped forward and lifted Elias from Grace’s arms like he weighed nothing. She tossed him over her shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
[Well, alright then.]
"So this is what kept you from eting at the rendezvous point?" Diana asked, flicking Grace’s forehead with her free hand as they started walking back toward the village.
"Ow! I was a little busy fighting for my life," Grace retorted, rubbing her sore arms before rubbing her forehead. "Four of those plant-things attacked at once."
"And you handled it?" Diana raised an eyebrow.
"Obviously."
Diana’s mouth twitched in what might have almost been a smile.
"... Not bad."
[Did Diana just complint ? Is the world ending?]
"He said sothing before he passed out," Grace continued. "About Ivy trying to stop sothing called ’the root.’"
"The root?"
"That’s all he managed to say before he conked out."
Diana readjusted Elias on her shoulder.
"Maybe he’ll be more coherent after Mara takes a look at him."
---
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Grace checking the trees for any signs of more plant-people. After about twenty minutes, they erged from the forest onto the outskirts of Rosewood.
Mara had established a healing station in the town hall, a large stone building at one end of the main square. When Grace and Diana entered, they found at least thirty villagers laid out on makeshift beds. Mara and Petriel moved among them, hands glowing with healing energy.
Zephyr intercepted them at the door.
"Find anything?"
"More like soone," Diana said, nodding at Elias.
Zephyr’s eyes widened.
"Is that—"
"A healed plant-zombie," Grace confird.
"You really managed to heal him?" Zephyr looked impressed.
"Well, he’s not trying to kill us with vines, so... yes?"
Mara appeared at Zephyr’s side, looking tired but alert.
"What’s this?"
"Grace purified a corrupted villager," Diana explained, handing Elias off to two helpers who carried him to an empty bed. "Says his na is Elias. Apparently he’s the village herbalist."
Mara’s eyebrows shot up.
"You purified corruption without killing the host? Grace, that’s incredible!"
Grace blushed at the praise.
"I-It wasn’t that big a deal."
"It is a big deal," Mara insisted. "Back at Oakridge, even I couldn’t purify any of those corrupted villagers."
Mara moved to Elias’s side, her hands hovering over his body. Blue light emanated from her palms as she perford a diagnostic.
"The corruption is completely gone," she marveled. "But his body is exhausted from fighting it. He needs rest and nourishnt."
"How long until he wakes up?" Diana asked.
"Hard to say. Could be hours. Could be—"
"Ivy." Elias’s eyes fluttered open, his voice weak but clear. "Where’s Ivy?"
Mara placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
"Easy now. You’re safe."
"Still in the tree," Grace said, moving to his bedside. "Elias, right? I’m Grace. I found you in the forest."
His eyes focused on her face.
"The angel. You... purified ."
"That’s right. Can you tell us what happened to you? And to Ivy?"
Elias tried to sit up, but Mara gently pushed him back down.
"Not yet. You’re still very weak."
"No ti," he insisted. "You have to understand. About Ivy. About the Root."
Diana stepped closer, her expression intense.
"What is the Root?"
Elias swallowed, his eyes darting around the room.
"Water, please."
Zephyr handed him a cup, which he drained in one desperate gulp.
"Three days ago," he began, his voice steadier now, "Ivy arrived. She said she was sent to investigate the corruption spreading through our forest."
"The Dominion didn’t send her," Mara said.
"It doesn’t matter," Elias replied. "She just said she was here to help. And she did help. Taught us redies for the plant-sickness, healed the wounded."
"But?" Diana prompted.
"But she was troubled. Said the corruption pattern was unusual. Plant-based, but with demonic elents mixed in. She asked if anyone knew the forest well enough to help her trace it to its source." Elias coughed. "I volunteered."
"So what did you find?" Grace asked.
"We tracked the corruption pattern for two days. All routes led to the sa place. A cavern beneath the oldest part of the forest. Inside was..." He trailed off, his face pale at the mory.
"Was what?" Diana demanded.
"A root. But not just any root. Massive. Ancient. Pulsing with energy. And at its center, a core of pure corruption. Ivy called it a ’primal corruption node’—said she’d only read about them in ancient texts."
Mara inhaled sharply.
"Did she try to destroy it?"
"No. She said destruction would only release the corruption in a massive burst. She tried to purify it instead. She..." Elias’s voice faltered. "She placed her hands on it and began channeling purification energy. At first, it seed to be working. The corruption receded. But then it... it fought back."
"It fought back?" Grace repeated. "How?"
"It sent a surge of corrupt energy into her. I’ve never heard soone scream like that." Elias shuddered. "The plants around us went crazy. Started attacking. Ivy managed to fight them off, got us out of there, but she was... changing. Green veins spreading across her skin. Her eyes turning dark."
"She was being corrupted," Mara said grimly.
"She knew it too. When we made it back to the village, she went straight to the Great Tree. Said it was the only thing powerful enough to contain her if she lost control. She told to keep everyone away, then sealed herself inside."
"And that’s when you got corrupted?" Grace asked.
Elias nodded.
"I went back to the cavern. Thought I might find sothing to help her. Stupid, I know. The plant-creatures caught . Would have killed if not for you."
A heavy silence fell over the group as they absorbed his story.
"So now we know," Diana said finally. "Ivy’s not the source of the corruption. She’s its victim."
"And she’s sealed herself away to protect the village," Mara added. "Noble, but..."
"But what?" Grace asked.
"If this ’Root’ is as powerful as it sounds, her containnt won’t last forever. Either the corruption will consu her completely, or..."
"Or what?"
"Or she’ll beco sothing else entirely. Sothing worse than those plant-creatures."
"We have to help her!" Grace exclaid.
"How?" Diana challenged. "We can’t break through her barrier without risking whatever corruption is inside her escaping."
"I could try purifying her like I did with Elias," Grace suggested.
Mara shook her head.
"This sounds far more advanced than what infected Elias. And if Ivy, an Earth-Tender specialized in purification, couldn’t handle it..."
"Then we go to the source," Diana said. "Find this ’Root’ and destroy it."
"Didn’t you hear him?" Zephyr interjected. "Destruction would just release the corruption."
"So we purify it," Grace insisted. "Together. All of us."
"It’s too dangerous," Mara said firmly. "We need to report back to the Dominion, get proper reinforcents."
"There’s no ti," Elias croaked. "The Root grows stronger every day. And Ivy... I don’t know how long she can hold out."
Diana turned to Grace.
"What’s your take, turnip girl? You seem to have a knack for the impossible."
All eyes turned to Grace. She swallowed, not used to being asked for her opinion.
"I think..." she began slowly, "I think we can do both. Mara, you and Petriel keep healing the villagers. Prepare a ssage for the Dominion explaining everything. Diana, you and I should try to locate this cavern and assess the situation. Not to engage, just to gather information."
There was a mont of surprised silence.
"That’s... actually a solid plan," Diana admitted.
"When did you start being all clever?" Zephyr asked with a smirk.
Grace shrugged, uncomfortable with the attention.
Mara nodded.
"Very well. But Diana, if you find the Root, you do not approach it. Understand? Just mark its location and return imdiately."
"Fine, fine," Diana agreed. "Reconnaissance only. We’ll leave at dawn."
"Thank you," Elias whispered, his eyes already drooping with exhaustion. "Ivy saved . Please... save her."
As the others dispersed to prepare, Grace lingered by Elias’s bedside.
"What did Ivy look like? At the end, I an."
Elias’s gaze beca distant.
"Well... Beautiful. Terrifying. Veins like green fire under her skin. Eyes dark as the deepest part of the forest." His voice dropped to a whisper.
[... I hope we can give her so help before long.]
"Alright, alright. Rest now," she told him gently. "We’ll find a way to help Ivy."
As Grace left the town hall, she gazed at the massive tree and its glowing green barrier. Sowhere inside was an angel fighting her own corruption. Fighting to protect others at the cost of herself.
Tomorrow, they would find the Root. And sohow, Grace would have to figure out how to do sothing even an Earth-Tender couldn’t. Purify a primal corruption node, whatever that was, without being corrupted herself.
[No pressure, right?]
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