44: escape

""So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked, not giving much importance to his wanting to talk to me. He probably wouldn't tell me anyway; that's just how he is.

Under the shadow of another giant branch of the cursed tree, Jonathan looked gloomier than usual with the darkness behind him. He turned his head in my direction and spoke:

"I know you're not enchanted by the tree. That's what I wanted to talk about, we're leaving today."

***

'If this doesn't work with them, it will really be problematic.'

"Sunny, Nephis. Can you help me with a task near the ship we built to the west? It will be quick but I need both of you."

'I better be able to bring the other two. He left me the most dangerous ones if they turn against me.'

They both looked at me for a second and then Nephis nodded, Sunny resigned, and they both followed me.

After we climbed the hill, it was time to tell them everything. If they don't believe me, I'll be in trouble. Jonathan said Nephis would understand,

but he didn't tell me why he trusted she would believe it.

Alright, here we go.

"Nephis, Sunny. I don't need help, but I need to tell you both something."

They both looked puzzled, Sunny seemed to suspect something.

"Actually, the true identity of this tree is that of a nightmare creature, it has enchanted all of us except me and Jonathan. He used this past month to make us stronger with the fruits."

I paused and saw how both seemed surprised at the mention of the enchantment and the fact that we spent a month here.

I sighed and continued:

"Throughout this month, he told me that Nephis would feel like something was missing, an emptiness of purpose she didn't know how to fill. He also told me he was training Sunny to become stronger through his aspect."

"He said if you still didn't believe me, to check your runes. You'll see that the number of fragments you have is much higher than what we had before entering here. That's because of the number of fruits he used to feed us and make us stronger."

I paused again, trying to discern something in Nephis' expressionless face, to see if she believed me.

Sunny, on the other hand, looked shocked.

"You say that, but the 'cursed' tree has given us shelter and food. I don't understand how you knew what I felt. But I'm not leaving here."

It seemed Nephis had fallen deeper than Jonathan thought she would.

Well, it's time to use this. He said it would be dangerous and to save it as a last resort.

"He told me that, if you didn't believe me, I could convince you by saying this: aster, song, vale."

I saw how Nephis seemed to snap out of a trance and reach out her hand, her usual neutral expression disappeared, and I could feel her thoughts were a complete mess of anger and confusion.

A moment later, she disappeared from her place.

I ducked and felt a slight wind pass over my head, where my neck had been just a moment ago.

She was trying to kill me.

"Neph! Calm down!"

Sunny wanted to calm Nephis, but she was determined to fight me, so I used my invisibility and dodged her silver sword.

I quickly moved behind her, aiming a strong blow at her nape, trying to knock her out.

She spun quickly, her sword dancing with the wind heading towards me.

'It's fascinating, her great sense of combat. Not only did she know where I would attack from, but she also acted accordingly.'

She wouldn't reason with me anymore, but I saw Sunny running towards us.

She looked back, with furious white sparks dancing in her gray eyes.

"NEPH! Calm down already!"

Sunny yelled while grabbing her shoulders. She seemed to calm down a bit, and her sword pointed to the ground again, she raised her gaze and directed it forward, even though I was beside her.

"How does he know those words? Do you belong to some domain?"

I didn't understand what she meant by domain, but I would leave that for Jony to explain.

Anyway, it seemed her thoughts returned to normal as I didn't feel anything strange with them.

I appeared several meters in front of her after walking a few seconds and started talking.

"I don't know what you mean by domains or whatever, you'll have to ask Jonathan, he's the one who told me to say those words if you didn't listen to me."

She looked at me for a couple of seconds. Sunny had a hand on her shoulder while he remained silent beside her.

"Fine. I'll help, but when things calm down, I'll need to talk to both of you."

With a sigh of relief, I walked towards them and explained the whole plan.

***

"Sasha, come here for a moment, please."

She looked at him puzzled, he had taken Isaac a while ago and Isaac took Sunny and Nephis elsewhere.

'What is he thinking?'

"Sure, let's go."

"Hey, where are you going and leaving me behind?"

Ludwin asked, sounding indignant because everyone was leaving him behind.

"Don't worry, I'll take you in a moment."

Jonathan said, more serious than usual, which puzzled Sasha even more.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until Sasha interrupted.

"Hey, where do you want to go, we're pretty far from the others already." She questioned her friend about his strange behavior.

He turned, wearing a serious expression and a solemn atmosphere around him.

"Listen carefully to what I'm going to say, Sasha. It's very important that you help me right now."

He paused to take a deep breath and then continued:

"Everyone has been enchanted by this cursed tree, its true identity is that of a nightmare creature."

Sasha frowned, confused by the silly joke her friend was making, forcing a rough smile and responded:

"Jony, how could this tree, which is so majestic and kind to give us shelter and food, be an evil creature?"

She wasn't entirely sure what was happening to her friend today, but she tried to bring him back to normal.

"You're acting very strange today, why don't we go and eat some fruits while we talk? I'm sure we'll find many delicious ones to get those weird ideas out of your head."

She turned to walk away, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Jony, your bad joke is going too far. Let go of my shoulder."

Sasha's voice was calm but Jonathan felt the silent and dangerous threat from his friend.

"I can't let you go, Sasha. We spent a month under the tree, it has enchanted everyone and is slowly turning you into its slaves. We need to leave. Help me take Ludwin and Cassia to the ship on the western hill."

She looked at him for a second and, feeling something changing around her, Sasha walked without trouble despite Jonathan trying to stop her with all his strength from her shoulder.

"If you keep this up, it's better if you leave alone. Otherwise, I'll have to show you personally that the tree is benevolent."

'Well, this went horribly wrong. It will be hard to bring her with words.'

"Forgive me, Sasha."

Sasha felt her limbs becoming sluggish and immediately attacked her former friend.

He felt the strong warning from his ability and dodged Sasha's blow, who now turned to give him another strike.

"Sasha! Can't you see the madness you're doing, attacking me for a damn tree that controls your mind! You need to realize, Sasha! Didn't you say you trusted me? Then trust me now, please."

His voice was strong and clear, Sasha heard him shouting and, for a moment, she doubted the tree.

But a second later, that doubt was forgotten and she thought what her friend was saying was nonsense.

The tree was good and gave them strength and shelter from the black waters. But why, why did she feel so bad attacking her friend. She felt betrayed. No, she wasn't betrayed. She betrayed him.

He was right, she managed to remember that he was her only true friend in that place, he helped her with her defect after each fight and saved her from many fatal encounters.

She had no reason to attack this person. So why was she attacking him now? Why couldn't she listen and think clearly in this situation?

She suddenly realized she was attacking her best friend and stopped abruptly.

"I, I don't know why I attacked you. This, isn't normal. Something must be wrong, I would never attack you for a stupid joke. Jonathan, is it true what you just told me? The tree isn't benevolent and safe? It made me attack you?"

Sasha was going through strong emotions.

On one hand, there was the tree that gave her refuge in this hell, a place where she could rest while eating without worry and growing stronger.

On the other hand, there was her friend, her only true friend in many years, who saved her many times in the labyrinth and watched her back in battles.

Who should she believe? The answer was obvious, but her mind felt confused and her thoughts were weak and could vanish at any moment.

She bit her lip and used the pain to stay focused.

"Okay, I believe you. Tell me what I need to do."

She was determined to trust her friend, even if it meant betraying the tree.

"Thank you." Jonathan said with a long sigh after the tense moment with his friend.

"I need you to forcibly take Cassia to the ship in the west where Sunny, Isaac, and Nephis are waiting. I will follow with Ludwin. I'm incapacitating him with my ability."

Without more words, they both ran towards the camp, where Ludwin suddenly felt stiff and paralyzed, unable to move more than a centimeter.

He was confused about why Jonathan would do this to him, but he saw Sasha lifting Cassia onto her shoulder as the girl protested and pounded on her back, trying to escape.

Jonathan approached him and picked him up, carrying him over his shoulder and running alongside Sasha.

"Sorry, Ludwin. We don't have much time, we need to escape this island as soon as possible. I'll explain everything when we're safe elsewhere."

Ludwin didn't understand anything, didn't know why they were dragging him away from the tree like a sack over Jony's shoulder. He felt indignant and annoyed by such treatment but couldn't do anything and resigned himself to wait.

...

The sound of the black sea could be heard as Isaac finished explaining everything to Sunny and Nephis. The latter needed to convince Cassia to use her staff to summon the wind and set the giant ship in motion.

After a while, they heard the hurried footsteps of two people and Cassia's voice calling for help from Nephis, who tensed at the request and was about to summon a memory.

Isaac reminded her of what she had to do and she nodded in response.

When the four arrived, Sasha put Cassia into Nephis' arms, and Jonathan placed Ludwin inside the ship.

After exchanging a glance for a second among themselves, Sasha, Jonathan, and Sunny got off and pushed the ship towards the black sea.

Nephis calmed Cassia and convinced her to summon her staff and use it to blow the improvised sail.

As the ship teetered on the edge of the cliff, the three who were pushing climbed aboard and the ship fell into the black waters, moving quickly away from the cursed tree.

***

After several kilometers from the cursed tree, Jonathan was able to explain the situation.

All at once, except for himself and Isaac, they felt as if their minds were freed from an incredible weight no one knew they had.

Suddenly, Jonathan could feel the terror appear in their souls.

Isaac felt the chaos of emotions in everyone's minds.

It seemed everyone realized how close they had been to becoming mere empty vessels of will, only to protect the soul-devouring tree.

They traveled with Sunny's sense guiding them over the shadow of Crimson Spire while the others processed everything that had happened in that month. They began to realize that Jonathan, who had led them out of that place, had been making them stronger with the fruits, and their cores were almost entirely saturated.

Nephis also realized that the boy they met on their way to the castle was more mysterious than she had believed.

***

Unbeknownst to them, far away, many kilometers from the sleepers on the demon ship, a great tree was burning.

Many horror creatures moved beneath the black sea, ignoring the sleepers traveling across the water and heading towards the source of light in the distance, eager to consume all the brightness and light in the darkness of the night.