CHAPTER 4: THE ENTITY AWAKENS

As Shan and the 8 guardians approached the Tree of Life, they were astounded by the sight before them. The normally dark sky was now illuminated with countless stars, each shining brighter than they had ever seen before. The Tree of Life itself was glowing with a vibrant green light, pulsating with an energy that seemed to emanate from its core. As they drew closer to the tree, they could feel the power of the magic coursing through the air. It was as if the entire universe was aligning in perfect harmony, and the Tree of Life was at the centre of it all. Suddenly, a deep rumbling sound erupted from within the tree, followed by a blinding flash of light. As the light faded, Shan and the guardians saw that the bark of the tree had split open, revealing a glowing orb at its centre. The orb pulsed with a warm, inviting light, and as they approached it, they could feel a powerful force emanating from within. They could sense that something ancient and powerful had awoken from within the tree, and they knew that they were witnessing something truly special. With a sense of determination and excitement, they stepped closer to the pulsating orb, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. As Shan and the guardians watched in awe, a human form emerged from the pulsating orb at the core of the Tree of Life. The form grew more solid as it floated towards them, until they could see that it was a beautiful woman, with long hair the color of autumn leaves and eyes that glowed like the stars in the sky. They could sense the immense power emanating from her, and they knew that they were in the presence of an ancient being, the goddess of the elves they had been waiting for centuries. The goddess floated gracefully in front of Shan and the guardians, her eyes scanning each of them in turn. "I have awoken from my slumber to protect this world from the darkness that threatens it," she said, her voice echoing like the wind through the trees. Yurine stepped forward, bowing respectfully before the goddess. "We are honoured to be in your presence, great goddess Neko," she said. "We have been waiting for your guidance and wisdom." The goddess smiled, her eyes softening. "You have done well to protect this land thus far," she said. "But the darkness grows stronger each day, and we must act quickly if we are to save this world from its grasp." She turned to look at the Tree of Life, her eyes taking on a far-off look. "The power of the Tree of Life is essential to our success," she continued. "With its magic, we can defeat the darkness and restore life to this world." As the elf goddess Neko, she noticed someone, It was a young man, tall and strikingly handsome, with dark hair that fell in waves around his face. But it was the aura surrounding him that truly caught Neko's attention. As a goddess, Neko had the ability to sense and interpret different types of magic. The power emanating from this boy was unlike anything she had ever encountered before. It was raw and untamed, pulsing with an energy that seemed almost too potent to be contained within a mortal body. Despite her centuries of experience, Neko felt a surge of fear at the sight of this boy. She could sense that his power was unpredictable, perhaps even dangerous. But she was also drawn to him, curious about the source of his strength and the secrets that lay hidden within him. As she approached the boy, Neko could feel the intensity of his aura growing stronger. It was almost overwhelming, radiating heat and light that made her feel as though she was standing too close to the sun. But she held her ground, determined to learn more about this mysterious figure. "Who are you, young man?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tremble in her limbs. The boy smiled, and Neko felt a shiver run down her spine. His charm was undeniable, but she could sense that there was something darker lurking beneath the surface. "My name is Shan," he replied, Shan then left and went to his room, goddess neko, then gave an order to the guardians to give the book of knowledge to her. As the demon king sat on his throne, his senses heightened and he felt a strange disturbance in the forest of elves. He could sense a powerful energy awakening from within the forest, something that he had not felt in a long time. The demon king knew that he had to investigate this matter immediately. He summoned his trusted advisor and asked him to gather a team of his most skilled demons and scouts to investigate the source of this disturbance. The advisor quickly complied and soon a group of warriors was assembled. The demon named Meresse led the group as they made their way towards the forest of elves. As they approached the forest, they could see that it was shrouded in a thick mist, making it difficult to see what lay ahead. They cautiously entered the forest, their weapons at the ready, alert for any sign of danger. As they moved deeper into the forest, Meresse could sense that the energy was coming from a specific location. He motioned for his warriors to follow him as they made their way towards the source of the disturbance. As they approached a clearing in the forest, Meresse could see that there was a large tree in the center of the clearing. The tree was covered in ancient symbols and markings, and the energy was emanating from within it. Meresse approached the structure cautiously, his warriors following closely behind. As he approached, an overwhelming sense of death emanated from within the ginormous tree. Meresse focused his energy and channeled it into his eyes, using his magic to see through the massive trunk of the ginormous tree. As he peered through the trunk, his eyes widened in shock and fear. He could see the goddess standing in the center of a clearing, her power emanating from her in waves. Meresse knew that he had never encountered someone with such immense power before, and he realized that he would need to be extremely careful if he was going to have any chance of defeating her. Meresse then suddenly realized that he needed to take matters into his own hands if he wanted to increase his position in the demon kingdom and potentially join the powerful team known as the Demon of Destruction. Meresse signaled his army to retreat, hoping that the goddess would not notice his presence. As his army retreated, Meresse began to prepare his most powerful spell. He focused his energy and channeled it into his hands, the air around him crackling with dark energy. With a fierce determination in his eyes, Meresse unleashed his spell with all of his strength. A beam of dark energy shot out of his hands and headed straight towards the goddess. Shan sat in his room, surrounded by books on ancient magic and spells. He was deep in thought, his mind focused on the words on the pages in front of him. Suddenly, he felt a jolt of energy in his chest, as if a warning signal was going off. Without hesitation, Shan closed his eyes and focused his energy. He felt the magic coursing through his veins, and he knew what he had to do. In a split second, he opened his eyes and found himself standing before Neko, the goddess in mortal form. As he looked at her, he saw a bright beam of magic heading straight towards her. He knew that he had to act quickly. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a powerful shield, using his magic to block the beam from Meresse. The shield glowed with a bright light, and determined to protect Neko at any cost. Meresse's magic was like a pebble in the shield created by Shan's magic. As the beam dissipated, Shan lowered his shield and let out a deep breath. He turned to Neko and smiled, relieved that she was unharmed. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. Neko nodded, a small smile on her face. "Thanks to you, Shan. You saved me." After failing in his attempt to assassinate the goddess, Meresse the demon flew away at a fast pace. As he flew, he could feel his anger growing, and his mind raced with thoughts of how he could defeat the goddess and the boy. He knew that he could not face them alone, but he was determined to find a way to get the upper hand. With a snarl of anger, Meresse flew faster, his mind filled with thoughts of revenge and destruction. He would not rest until he had defeated the goddess and all those who stood in his way. Shan picked up a small pebble from the ground, feeling its rough texture against his fingertips. He weighed it in his hand for a moment, gauging its size and heft, before winding back his arm and smoothly throwing it towards Meresse. The pebble flew through the air like a tiny missile, hurtling towards Meresse with surprising speed and accuracy. Meresse, caught off guard, had barely enough time to register the incoming projectile before it struck his arm with a sickening thud. The force of the impact caused Meresse to stumble backwards, his arm now pierced by the pebble. Blood welled up from the wound, staining his sleeve a deep red, and he cried out in pain. "Is that boy a monster?" Meresse exclaimed, his voice laced with fear and disbelief. "Crap! My arm!" And flew faster to escape. Startled by the commotion, the Eight Guardians rushed to the scene, weapons at the ready. They found Shan and Neko standing before the gaping hole in the Tree of Life, their faces etched with concern. The Guardians exchanged wary glances, wondering what could have caused such damage to the sacred tree. Neko closes her eyes and focuses her energy on the task at hand. She begins to chant softly, her voice growing louder and more powerful with each passing moment. As she chants, a bright aura begins to surround her, emanating from her body like a radiant halo. With a sweeping motion of her arms, Neko calls forth the power of the elements. A gust of wind whips around her, lifting her hair and clothes as it swirls around her in a vortex. The ground beneath her begins to shake as the earth responds to her call, and flames leap up around her, dancing and crackling with energy. As she continues to chant, the magic shield takes shape, forming a shimmering dome of energy around the tree of life. The shield is impenetrable, a fortress of magic that will protect the tree from any harm that may come its way. Finally, Neko opens her eyes and the chanting stops. The aura around her fades away, and she takes a step back, feeling drained but satisfied with her work. The shield is now in place, and the tree of life can rest easy, safe from harm. After what happened, Neko couldn't stop thinking about Shan.