Chapter 111 - Eco-Slayer

The change in the land didn't so much as capture a flinch from Goldheve, who held his stance before sliding both of his blades together--unleashing a sharp shriek from the clash of steel as sparks flew into the stale air.

"Eight Vasus: Agni."

It was the first time something resembling magic left Goldheve's lips, but it wasn't something Ren had ever heard of. The phrase conjured black markings across Goldheve's body before flames coiled his drawn sabers.

"What kind of magecraft is that?"

Ren asked, enamored with the sight as the newly manifested fire held a different pressure and heat to that he experienced from standard heat. A streak of cobalt was present within the enigmatic flames, running through the flowing scarlet.

"Magecraft? Don't get it twisted, kid. What you're looking at is real power, not the flowery bullshit you're taught in the west. Watch for yourself."

Raining down upon him, spears of nature crashed at the ground which he stood--vanishing with speed that made Ren nauseous just watching it. He assumed Goldheve had dashed forward to avoid the incoming volley of branches, but he had instead leaped into the air to meet them halfway, rearing his flaming sabers back as the heat expanded into an exciting blaze.

Bringing one blade forward through the air, the wind pressure alone was enough to carve the limbs of the ent into two sections, catching them on fire in the process.

A pained groan that more so resembled a low hiss resounded from the monstrous tree's mouth, the rest of its limbs began to thrash about as in response to the bisection. Before the flames of azure and scarlet could spread further, the affected limbs tore off on their own, falling to the ground below before being reduced to ash from the hungering flames.

"It's intelligent?!"

Ren, who still hadn't done anything at this point, had spectated the battle. It seemed the ent noticed his slothfulness, spawning miniature creatures formed of bark and moss from its ancient roots. Compared to their parent, they had the proportions of human children, only composed of withered, old bark as they made their move toward Ren.

The uncanny way they stepped forward, swaying side to side made his skin crawl but didn't prevent him from removing his trusted blade from its sheath. It took a single strike to bisect one of the approaching bark minions, much to his surprise.

--This'll be easy!

Or so he thought. Cutting it in half resulted in the branches that formed its body sprouting outwards, reconnecting both halves as if it had never been separated from itself. In place of an edge, Ren opted for magic this time, yelling out with "Dunkle: Piecer!" as he threw one of his trusty lances of darkness towards the closest foe.

It had the same result, stabbing through the body of the creature only for the damage inflicted to be reversed by it regenerating with its natural compound.

"Urr...Any advice?"

Ren directed his question towards Goldheve, watching his toes as he danced around the infant ents as they attempted to grasp at his legs with their moss-covered limbs. All he got in return was the blade-wielding man simply waving his flaming saber in the air without turning to give him the time of day.

"...Very helpful."

At the very least, cutting down the spawn of the ent slowed them down.

--Wait. Flames. Is that what he's trying to tell me? Crap, I didn't tell him my affinity--is he just assuming it's fire?

Using his sword to pin one of the offspring of the tree down, he took a moment to ponder a way to put these creatures down for good. Only one thought came to his mind, and it was a complete long shot. Reaching into the leather pouch on his belt, he retrieved the crimson gem that Lucas had parted with him as a gift before tackling this trial.

"Red means fire, right? Let's hope it does--!"

Without any knowledge on how to activate the gemstone, Ren tossed it towards the incoming group of slow-moving mini-ents, watching in anticipation before it began to glow faintly.

--Come on...Come on…!

As the crimson gemstone shattered, his wishes came true as flames erupted from the broken jewel--consuming the lumbering offspring without any hint of mercy.

"Victory!"

He proclaimed, only to return to reality as one of the massive limbs of the true ent swiped across the floor, aiming for Goldheve but wounding up nearly hitting Ren as collateral as he narrowly rolled over the incoming mass of nature.

Watching Goldheve now, his focus sat on the fiery enchantment he used on himself, his interest garnered by the claim that it wasn't magecraft.

The dual-blade wielding warrior moved with agility unbecoming of his tall, bulwark build as he swiftly sprinted up the bridge-like limbs that stretched out towards him, dragging his ignited sabers along the length of the ent's arm.

--It isn't just the fire. Whatever that "Agni" is, he seems to be moving even faster than before, not to mention the strength behind that first strike against the ent.

The flames zipped forward up the ent's elongated limb, sinking into every groove and impurity as they exuded a hostile warmth. At the speed the fire carved through the air, sprinting against the flammable surface of the living tree's body--it was completely helpless to the carnage of the man who dedicated his all to the way of killing steel.

Performing a slash wasn't necessary, as with the agile movements Goldheve enacted, the flames dragged behind him, unleashing a wave of inferno in his path. Cavities parted all around the ent in the form of pores, shooting out a hail of speeding seeds towards the sword-wielding menace who traversed its body.

"--Not enough! It hurts, right? Right? You want the pain to stop, right? Then you'll have to do better! Kill me if you want the flames to die out!"

Goldheve taunted the ent with laughter before he spun in the air, creating a vortex of highly pressurized flames that decimated in approaching storm of seeds. In the midst of the battle, life returned to his somber eyes, dazzling with the same fire he held in his hands.

--I'm kind of starting to feel bad for the big ol' tree...If I had to fight that guy, I think I'd be pissing myself. It isn't a question of strength or magic, just that twisted personality of his.

Circling the entirety of the ent's body, a blazing trail was left in Goldheve's path before he found himself sitting at the peak of the creature's body. By this point, the flames had found their way to every inch of its body, consuming its matter as it did without prejudice to all.

Goldheve landed back onto the ground, kicking up a wave of dust before the flames that wrapped around his blades disappeared, along with the markings on his body.

"Disappointing. At least I got a bit of a warmup."

"All those monsters before weren't a warmup?"

"That was just pest control."

They watched as the ent fell into nothing more than burnt bark, now resembling charcoal more than anything as life was nowhere to be seen from it.