Chapter 436 Corrupted Dryad

The chestnut tree started to wilt as the nature spirit changed. The tree's leaves fell to the ground, wilting as two angry eyes appeared. The nature spirit shrieked in anger as it floated off the branch and hovered in the air near the tree.

"Tell me, spirit, how did you get corrupted?" Keng asked. The nature spirit lashed her arm out at Keng as the ground began to shake. Keng jumped right as the ground erupted with roots wrapping around him.

"Ah, shit!" The roots pulled him back to the ground as thorny vines wrapped around his chest and neck. Blood began to spill as the nature spirit giggled, maniacally. Sounds of harsh, dry sounds came out of the nature spirit's mouth as the thorns dug deeper into Keng's skin.

"I don't know what you're saying!" Keng groaned. The nature spirit pulled the thorny vines back, ripping skin and flesh off of Keng as her arm pulled back into its humanoid shape. Keng flexed and the roots around him splintered into pieces.

"ARGH!" The nature spirit and chestnut tree screamed.

"I don't think that's a ghost." Philip looked at his two older brothers.

"Let's go!" Bright motioned. They sprinted forward, ground shaking as roots exploded out of the ground. The three brothers slashed through the roots, splintering the roots as they continued forward. A sea of roots walled them off. Purple thorns sprouted from the roots, pulsing as they grew larger. The thorns fired at the Wang brothers. The three splitting in different directions.

"Phi, you should back off!" Winn shouted.

"Back off?!?" Philip scoffed. He ran right while Winn had sprinted left and Bright was forced backwards. "I can help you guys!"

"Winn and I will create an opening for you! You're the only one who's capable of turning this bothersome battle around!" Bright shouted. "Back off!" Philip gritted his teeth as he backed off.

'Are we syncing the hits then?' Winn telepathically asked.

'Two blows. You think it'll weaken its defenses if we hit it in different spots?' Bright asked, slashing a thorn needle in half. The thorn exploded in chestnuts that rocketed and sent Bright flying.

'We'll strike the same area. Philip, cover fire!' Winn made it three-fourths of the way as Philip's glaive shifted into a crossbow. Philip reached into his pouch and pulled out some red powder and pulled the bow into place. A red bolt appeared as Philip bounced side to side, avoiding the thorns.

"Ready?!?" Philip shouted.

"I'm good!" Bright jumped up and began to sprint. "There!" Bright pointed and a pulse registered in the three Wang brother's head. Their powers worked around explosions and shockwaves, so the three were quite perceptive when it came to each other's pings.

"Roger. Anytime you're ready, Phi." Winn jumped and fired himself straight for the specified spot on the wall.

"Ignis: Burning Shower!" Philip released the bolt into the sky, watching it light on fire. The bolt quickly filled the sky in red as they began to arc and hit burn the thorns as they fire.

"Go!" Bright shouted. "Explosive Rush!"

"Explosive Crash!" Winn shouted. The twins' speed picked up, exploding any thorns in their way as chestnuts rocketed out, exploding behind them. The two hit the point on the wall at the same time, creating a large shockwave behind the point. The roots shattered in an instant as fire rained onto the ground, igniting the broken wall in front of them.

The shockwave flew straight for Keng as he dodged the thorns and roots around him. It pushed him forwards, sending him straight into the tree as a mouth conjured, opening and letting the Silver Fox into its trunk. The tree slammed down, turning everything around Keng into darkness.

"Keng!" Bright shouted.

"Crap, did we over do it?" Philip whispered. The ground rumbled, catching their attention.

"Move!" Winn shoved his brother away as roots pierced his body.

"Winn!" Philip shouted. He started his way over when thorns flew out from the Ire and wrapped itself over him. Whatever was at the other end yanked and pulled Philip straight into the Ire.

"Philip!" Bright shouted. "Winn!" Bright slammed his swords together creating a vibration. "AHH!" Bright's voice strengthened the vibration, shattering the roots around them. The hold on Winn suddenly disappeared, dropping him to the floor as Bright clambered over.

"Winn! Winn!" Bright held his bleeding brother. The ground began to shake as Philip's screams grew loud. "Philip! Oh gods! What have I done?!?" Roots exploded all around Bright and his brother, shooting up into the sky and arcing straight for them. Bright's eyes squeezed shut as he screamed, "Help, please!"

The strum of a ukulele pierced through the sky. Everything around Bright and Winn became quiet. A calming melody began to play as Bright's squeezed eyes opened. Colorful notes floated around him and his brother as the melody continued to play.

"W-what just happened?" Bright muttered. The notes flew straight at Bright and Winn. The both of them felt a warm energy rush throughout their bodies. Winn's wounds began to heal as Lily appeared in front of her older brothers. "Lily, what're you doing here? I tho-thought you were supposed to be—"

"The moment I felt your energies come this way, I focused on you guys. Keng's energy disappeared with Phi's." Lily told him. "Don't worry, big brothers. I'll be your shield. We'll get Phi and Keng back in no time."

'Is this… The same little sister from then?' Bright wondered. 'She used to just cry all the time and now she's protecting her older brothers…' His fist tightened. Winn pushed himself up slowly. Lily turned and forced Winn back down.

"Stay there, Winn. Your injuries won't heal quickly. I'm not a great healer like my leader." Lily told him.

"But, Lil… You need help." Winn protested. Thorns and roots fired straight for Lily.

"Lily! Watch out!" Bright shouted. He began to move when Lily lifted her ukulele up into the air. The thorns and roots pulled straight into the ukulele and began to make loud plang noises as Lily gritted her teeth.

"Morendo! (Die Away)" Lily shouted. The thorns and roots exploded, turning into puffs of colorful smoke as the ukulele hovered in the air, unscathed. "Forte sforzando! (Very strong, loud sudden attack)" The colorful music notes fired off the ukulele into the Ire. Bright and Winn watched as their sister cleared the Ire with ease revealing a purple girl and a dead red-eyed tree. The notes slammed into the nature spirit, slamming her into the tree as the ukulele spun around Lily.

"Drums, let's go!" Lily cheered. Drums began to play around her as she began to conduct. "O corrupted Dryad of the Chestnut tree, come back to us!

"Come my friends,

Come with me.

Let's all dance underneath the chestnut tree.

Pick the nuts off the tree

Let's all share under the chestnut tree.

Come my friends,

Come with me.

Let's all dance underneath the chestnut tree." Lily sang. Energy built around Lily and her brothers.

"How did she know that?" Winn asked. He and Bright watched in awe as Lily's energy skyrocketed.

"She's… She's more powerful than we are." Bright spoke in disbelief. The colorful energy sprouted an ethereal tree that grew in front of their eyes. The lullaby of the Chestnut tree began to echo all around them.

"O, Cursed Dryad! You've taken my leader and my brother! For that, I will do what none would dare do to you! I shall end your suffering and let you grow anew! Lullaby of the Chestnut tree!" The ethereal chestnut tree began to fire off music notes at the dryad and the dead tree.

"ARGH! You shall perish like we have!" The Dryad shouted. The tree opened its mouth and ripped the Dryad to shreds. The tree began to grow as purple beams began to fire. The two energies clashed, pushing against each other. Bright and Winn shouted in unison, covering their eyes as the two energies battled against each other.

Purple energy swirled around Keng as the dark space seemed to grow more spacious.

'Did I disappear?' Keng wondered. He looked around. A purple field of thorns lit up as the sounds of sobbing echoed around the space.

"AHH!" Philip's voice shouted. Keng glanced upwards as a falling Philip fell on him, pushing him into the ground.

"Argh!" Keng groaned.

"Where in Asura am I?!?" Philip looked around. "And why is it so comfy?"

"H-hey… Get off!" Keng shouted.

"Oh!" Philip moved off and took in the surroundings. It was black and purple. The sound of sobbing came to him. "Where are we? What's that crying noise?"

"I don't know!" Keng hopped onto his feet. "Something tells me we're dealing with a curse."

"A curse?!?" Philip shouted. "I thought you cleansed the curse already!"

"I did." Keng answered. He moved towards the thorns and watched as they seemed to notice his presence. They swung towards him. "But I think this is something different." Keng moved back, bumping into Philip.

"What do we do? We have to—"

"Come my friends,

Come with me.

Let's all dance underneath the chestnut tree.

Pick the nuts off the tree

Let's all share under the chestnut tree.

Come my friends,

Come with me.

Let's all dance underneath the chestnut tree."

"Lily?" Philip looked up. "What's happening?"

"It seems she noticed it too." Keng sighed. He lifted his left arm up and pointed with his dagger ahead of him. Philip turned to look. He didn't see anything. "It's most corrupted there. We have to go there. Lily will deal with the nature spirit and tree whilst we deal with what's on the inside."