Supreme Magus novel Chapter 3465

Dir looked like a tall man, over two meters (6’7") made of brambles, with crimson-red hair that was actually thinner brambles soaked in blood. His arms and face showed the ritual markings that granted him part of the Sapling’s powers and authority over the city.

"Now I’m really getting confused." Feela furrowed her bushy brows. "How can no one know about the crisis at hand if we do?"

"Because what I told Lith was supposed to be a secret." Aalejah groaned.

"Too bad I can’t ask people to help me on a ’trust me, bro’ basis." Lith replied. "If someone has to risk their life for me, they deserve to know what they are going against."

"What secret?" Lotho asked. "How is Verhen supposed to stop this? Is this your fault, Verhen?"

"Finally you are here, Verhen." A dry cackle made everyone turn their heads and stopped Lith before he could answer any of those questions. "It’s a good thing you moved so fast. I’m barely holding on."

The Sapling spoke with two overlapping voices. One was young and vibrant while the other was old and rasping. The second voice reminded Lith of Nana exhaling her final words.

’I would expect the World Tree to sound like that if he was ten thousand years old when I killed them or if they were an undead.’ Lith thought.

"Hello, brother. What plagues you?" Lotho extended his arms and turned them into roots, wishing to form a communion to understand and help the Sapling.

"Lotho the Treant." The voices hissed and a branch of the Sapling slapped the tendrils away along with their owner. "A petty tyrant in a line of petty tyrants. A useless pile of leaves only good as fertilizer."

"But-" Lotho tried to deny the accusation but countless sickening lights surrounded him, each releasing the stench of Forbidden Magic.

"Be quiet, or I’ll give you a practical demonstration of what plagues me." The World Sapling rumbled and with it, the rest of the city. "You plant representatives failed to help anyone but yourselves.

"You grow rich while the rest of the Fae grow stale and the rot takes hold. We’re doomed. Doomed!"

"Calm down, Esor. I’m here for you." Dir tried to establish a telepathic connection to comfort his friend and understand what was going on, but the Sapling rejected the Redcap as well, albeit much more gently.

"No, Dir, you can’t and you must not get inside my head." The younger voice turned dominant. "Stay away. I won’t risk your life or worse, your sanity. You are a good friend with a long life ahead of you whereas my days are numbered."

The Sapling trembled and their voice sounded like they were panting from the effort of keeping the older voice under control.

"There is no time, Verhen." The Sapling said. "Wait until I’m done talking and only then ask questions. Not because I don’t want to answer but because I don’t know how long I’ve left. The sweet Aalejah already explained to you what she knew, correct?"

Lith nodded for the Sapling to continue.

"Good. What she doesn’t know is that you did more than scatter the memory and the power of the World Tree into fragments, you also killed the old fool. The Yggdrasill is both dead, beyond us, and alive, inside all those like me.

"The old voice you hear belongs to the late World Tree, tainted by madness, death, and visions I don’t dare dwell upon. Not all Saplings received a fragment, but those who did are entrusted with a specific portion of the Yggdrasill’s essence.