— POV Livily —

We have to run, to get out of here! As far as possible! Deeper into the woods than I’ve ever gone before, but we have to!

“Wi- Will he be alright Liv?”

“I hope so. I really do…”

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere where the dragon won’t bother us, where we can hopefully heal him without outside intervention.”

…

Eventually, a week has passed.

“It-it-it’s soooo co-cold Liv. Why are we climbing this mountain?”

“I sense a strong area of life just on the otherside of this mountain. Hopefully nothing will come here, and we can be safe. Maybe your father will be able to recover better over here. It’s all a gamble at this point. Here, move your fire mana around the outside of your body, you should warm up quickly. I forget that you’re still so young and new to magic.”

“Thanks Liv!”

…

“And now we wait. The rest is up to him. I’ve put some mana stones around him, and placed him in this fertile soil.”

“Please… dad… come back to us!”

— POV Mathias —

Ba thump

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So… Dark… So… Cold…

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It… Hurts… Everything…

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Where… am… I?

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What a pretty… light… A small bead… It’s missing a piece… But, so pretty…

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I… feel warm… It’s so nice… I feel like I need to do something… I want more of the warmth… But how?

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I don’t know… But, I also feel like I do… So… Odd… Maybe, if I sleep, I will remember?

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I feel like it worked. I feel even warmer now, maybe… I can move? No, not yet. It’s just me and my little light, that’s fine. Here on the floor… Alone… Surrounded by darkness..

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I think I remembered what to do. I need to grow. But not too much. Only a little bit. The night is dark and full of terrors - I don’t want to attract them.

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I remember a little more today. I can check on my status or health. I should try to call it forw——

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I… passed out a moment, a day, a week ago. I can’t remember. But now I’m accompanied by a strange, blue screen in front of my eyes. Of course, most of it is garbled, cracked, and I can’t read anything on it. But it does add another light source to my dim world. I can’t move or touch it, but it’s comforting. Just me, my two lights, and my heartbeat.

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I saw something change slightly on my screen. Slowly, a character stopped changing and solidified. I think that means it’s fixing itself. That’s good.

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My screen is mostly fixed, but my name field is still corrupted, and won’t settle. Like something… is wrong. But I can’t figure out what it is. I’m so tired. But, I did see something interesting. Apparently I’m a type of grass. That’s cool. So maybe I don’t have to worry anymore, I can just let myself grow some and live peacefully. Yea, that feels like a nice idea. No worries, no nothing. Just sleeping……

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Ba thump

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What is this? I feel a pulling, my body is being dragged away from my lights…

No…

Come back…

Let me go…

I want to sleep…

…

…

…

I think I’m flying now, in space. I see a planet beneath me getting smaller and smaller, and the stars ahead becoming brighter and brighter. Odd.

I’m slowing down now, after approaching a large, rocky titan, or something like that. It seemed to be putting together a new planet in its six hands. It’s covered in life, and seems to be putting it down here and there.

“Hmmm… It seems those kids of mine have been unreliable and unfilial. You were just about to finally crack and go back to being a soul remnant. Tsk, tsk.”

…

“I guess you can’t really talk or move right now, soul splintering is a nasty business. You’ve lasted pretty long so far, and normally I’d let it happen. But, I can’t. Too many things have been set in motion, and I want to see where this will go. To see if it’s possible if a darkness that is let loose can be brought back into the fold. I’ll solidify your soul, for now, but I want you to know, you’ve disappointed me so far.”

I feel… Shame, like I’ve disappointed the only one whom I should seek to impress at all costs… Like a Mother… But I also feel slightly more together now. I can remember some things. But barely.

“Probably want to ask what I mean about soul splintering? Well, remember that crystal you were lying next too? That’s a representation of your soul. More specifically, the base constituents of your soul. Experiences and growth expand from your soul, and make it grow larger. Conversly, damage and regression make it break off or shrink. This should never affect the seed of your soul. That should be rock solid, unbreakable. Unless you go and do something stupid like gain an ability that separates your soul seed into sections, and rarely seek to bring them together.”

… Was it from ?

“Yes, child, that’s exactly it. You treated each multi-tasking part of your mind as a separate entity, without melding thaem back together. So, they grew as separate parts. Normally, this ability is restricted to small pieces of life as a way of creating a soul seed. Pieces of a soul are random and drifting in the universe. They seek each other, as well as repel each other. It takes long time for a full soul to form, and this ability helps them combine together. Eventually, the soul evolves and the life it can support grow larger. Finally, when intelligence is born, the soul has a complete soul seed. It very, very rarely goes the other way, a soul splintering. Even small life forms view each as a part of the whole. You, however, did not.”

… I see… Where did my missing piece go? I feel… lost…

“Ah, so docile. Different from a while ago when I was reviewing your life. Not as much anger, hatred, of pain. But, that’s not always good. Like I said before, your situation is not “Normal”. I won’t tell you much, but I will tell you that your missing soul piece is now living in another body. It is being supported by another power - a power that hates as much as a person can love. It will grow, but just like you, cannot become whole without the other.”

How can I get it back? Will I be the same me at the end?

“Now those are good questions. Who is the real you? Each piece of your soul is you. However, in your case, the dominant personality will be the one with the larger soul when you two become one. Be careful, for at anytime it feels stronger than you, it may come and try to forcefully assimilate the rest of its soul. That’s right, it’s personality has just as much of a right to be in control as you do.”

Why, why did this all happen to me!? I was good, I didn’t try to kill people, I had friends, that were quickly becoming family to me. Why am I cursed?

“Hmmph, well, you can blame two people for that. One, is my wayward son, who’s currently reflecting. The other I won’t tell you, but I’ll let you know their power and will influenced your fate unintentionally. Your connection to them gave your soul the ability to resist the soul forge - normally it’s a painless process and the soul seed quickly finds happiness in their next life.”

Who—

“Hush now, your time is almost done. You’re dying right now, so let me tell you what you need to do and what choices you have.”

“First, when your friend Livily saved your life, she used magic and abilities that are attuned to trees, when you are clearly not. That’s put you in a quandry. You will die if you do not evolve. You now only have one evolution path: The Broken Sage Tree. It is a unique path, that can lead to greatness. But, it is also weak. While you have acceess to near limitless magic, you cannot employ more than a fraction of it. Your resistances and ability to adapt are limitless, but your offence is basically zero. This is caused by your soul and unique circumstances. Another reason to evolve is that grass cannot sustain healing a soul, only the inborn strength of a tree can do that, something with a strong energy and deep roots. Of course, you could always choose to give up, and in that case I will guide you to your new life.”

…

How will I take revenge?

“You can’t. You can only enhance your friends and your defenses.”

I’m afraid. I don’t want to evolve. Is there truly no other way?

“Unfortunately, no. There is no other way that’s available. The other option is death.”

But what will happen to my friends? If I give up? Will they be alright?

“…no. sniff”

Why are you crying?

“If you give up, I’ll have to start that world all over, you see. All that life will be extinguished!”

NO! I can’t give up on them! Of course I’ll evol—

“Wait, I also want to give you something to help you out. I will get rid of your curse from my son if you promise me two things.”

Of course, of course I’ll promise! That thing’s been trying to kill me since day one…

“Thank you, and agin, sorry child. Just promise me this: You must respect free-will and try your hardest to protect the life in your world. ANY, and all, life. Understand?”

…

…

Okay, I’ll do it. Please give me a chance to fix what’s happened. I want to protect my friends and new family, and heal my soul. Thank you… Mother…

“Ah, a good child you are, recognizing me for who I am. Much better than my other children. Now shoo!”

…

…

…

Poor child. He’ll eventually have to comes to terms with the damage his other self will do… Truly, he’ll be known by the world, but he won’t realize till later, as the deadliest blade of grass. His other side is monstrous, but I feel something that can potentially redeem him.

I’ll have to apologize to him about lying to him about his evolution. I cannot evolve one side without evolving the other - he is the same person. The powers were divided unevenly in favor of him, he has a good chance, but there are levels the other side would be willing to go I feel that he cannot anymore. So I do not want to help the other side - I feel like he’d be quickly overwhelmed if I messed with this situation too much. The only help I’ll truly give is save him until his friends can save him.

I want him to become stronger, and give up his shackles of being attached to staying as grass and keeping a low profile. So I’ll have Sin cheat his race and say he’s evolved, but only upgrade his grass energy to tree energy… His friends have been giving him a lot of energy, so I’ll use that as payment. Hopefully with this he will have the urge to become stronger faster. A tree can shelter his friends much better than a valley full of grass.

I just hope that at the end he can successfully merge together, otherwise his soul seed will disintegrate. The chances of there ever being another Mathias like him are nonexistant. If he fails, I feel like I may have to destroy this world. I WILL NOT LET THE POISON SPREAD!

— POV Rose —

Fuck! No, where did you go! I could still feel you! My soulmate… Who’s keeping you from being here! Who’s hurt you! I’ll take my revenge! I can barely tell you’re alive, but no longer can I feel a direction or strong pull…

“Young ladies, I need to go! I feel like part of me is in danger, or someone super important! I have to go!”

Stupid old elf man! Stupid Stupid Stupid! Uggh, what happened! We were getting closer! Who dares!

“M..Master, Rose? Caalm doown! Your magic is going to blow our carriage to pieces!”

…

“Cirili, since you can’t feel my inner pain, I’ll have you feel outter pain!”

“What, but Rose!!!”

“Go run a mile that way! And come back within 10 minutes! Any slower and I’ll blast you with itching powder!”

Ah, abusing others does help me feel better. Good, she started running as soon as I said that. The only way to stop the itching powder is to be held by me haha. I need to go blow something up though, I also need to somehow send strength to my beloved’s soul… Crap, I’m going to need a lot of resources. It looks like I might need to take over a kingdom or threaten one again…

— POV Livily —

We’ve finally made it somewhere safe, deep in a valley near the top of a mountain. It’s warm here, and the soil is extremely fertile.

Looking down at a small seed in a bag around my neck, he seems so small. This is all I can do for you, placing you in the sun and sending you mana. The rest is up to you. Please live!

…

It’s been three months, no change. It’s hard to keep a smile on Taeya’s face, as well as on the two cubs. I’ve taught Tayea how to use her magic, and she is the fastest learner I’ve ever met. We’ve also made some houses on the side of the valley. There aren’t any trees here, but we’ve made do in a cave. We go out regularly to the side of the mountain to gather food and firewood. The side we climbed was steep and cold, but the other side is temperate and humid.

But.

It’s not looking good.

…

Finally! I think he’s alive! I can’t contact him, but I see a new bud grow from his spot. I think he’s alive!

We had fun for the first time in a long time.

…

Nothing’s changed. He hasn’t grown more. I hope his soul is okay. Other High Elves have started to show-up. We were pleasantly surprised. I found out that Taeya was the first of her kind, and that other High Elves could feel a pull towards her. Once they met up it disappeared. Apparently it’s dangerous out there right now, so we’re starting a community on the warm side of the mountain.

They asked why we were here, Taeya clammed up, but I felt they should know something. I told them that a special plant was struggling to grow in the valley. It’s injured, and we’re here to take care of it.

…

The growth we saw started to wilt. This is bad. I’m keeping Taeya away for now, but it’s only a matter of time before she sees it too.

…

Taeya had an idea to try to create a strengthing spell for the tree, and while I was hesitant at first, I realized our time was short. And her plan made sense. We had to try it!

…

We came up with a two-part ritual. The first part will happen during the day, we will sit in a giant circle around him and pray for his well-being. We send out a large amount of our nature mana and guide it to his body. Taeya got the other High Elves to agree to it, surprisingly, after telling them that it was him who made her and let them all evolve. They all managed to create a magic circle that will help them all coordinate their efforts.

The seond part happens at night. If the first part doesn’t work, Taeya had developed a dance that weakens your own soul to strengthen another. She got the idea from when I described my process of saving him. Technically it should work, without damaging her own soul. She’ll be weak for a awhile, but ultimately be unaffected. Since she can’t enter his mind, I can’t either at this moment, the only way to contact his soul and make a connection is through emotion.

I hope this works… Otherwise, I don’t know what we’ll do…

— POV Rose —

Finally, after raiding three kingdoms’ castles and their treasuries, and putting requests out at my home base kingdom thingy and getting stuff from the King, I’ve managed to create an ultimate soul-strengthening spell that works over long-distance. I have to hurry, I feel like my soulmate is running out of time!

“Cirili, come here and help! I’ll teach you something cool afterwards!”

“What do you need help with?”

“Put the Dragon’s heart on the left, it’s mana stone on the right, a treant’s core on the bottom, and the last pheonix feather in the middle. Also, arrange the gold and silver around the circle. The bones of a hero go over there… King’s crown there… spirit’s slime bottle here…”

“… can’t you do this?”

“No. It’s nasty.”

…

“And finally, my own tears to serve as a guidance. Please save my soulmate!”