Weeping Willow

Within the Heartwood, A hidden god was sitting alone in a dark place. He was 80 feet tall, and he was naked, but his skin was rotten and decayed, no hair or anything. He was weeping to himself.

Elysion, encased within the Heartwood, is alone with his thoughts, his sorrow echoing in the hallowed chambers of his wooden prison. He speaks, his voice barely a whisper, consumed by the solitude of his condition.

"Ah, the Emerald Glades, my beloved kingdom of elves," he murmurs, a tear seeping into the Heartwood. "Once, I watched over you with joy, sharing in your laughter, echoing your songs with the rustling leaves. Now, I can only weep for you, my sorrow nourishing the very ground you walk upon."

He contemplates the cruel irony of his predicament, "Betrayed by my own kin, Moros, who was once my brother in arms, now my direst enemy. How I long to break free from these woody chains, to restore the balance he has disrupted. But I am bound, my power echoing faintly in the whisper of the leaves and the sigh of the wind."

His thoughts turn to the Nightshade Crystal, "Selunis, my old friend, your tear has crystallized into a beacon of hope in these bleak times. The Nightshade Crystal, born of your sorrow and your celestial dominion, is now a key to my freedom. It pulses with the energy of the moon, a mirror to the luminescence of your heart."

He thinks of the elven kingdom, "The elves, my precious children, unaware of the turmoil that threatens to engulf them. They live in harmony with the Heartwood, oblivious to the god trapped within. But I have faith in them, in their strength and their spirit. They are the hope I cling to, the light in my eternal darkness."

He speaks of the crystal's potential, "The Nightshade Crystal, lost yet waiting to be found. It holds the power to free me, but it can also bring about great destruction if misused. I fear for the elven kingdom if it falls into the wrong hands. Eulonde, the dark elf, seeks it for his own nefarious purposes."

Hope flickers in his heart, "But I believe in the prophecy, in the heroes who will rise to face this challenge. They will find the crystal, understand its power, and use it to release me. They will restore balance to the Emerald Glades, and perhaps, to my own heart."

His voice fades, swallowed by the silence of the Heartwood. But a spark of hope remains, a silent prayer carried by the wind, reaching out to those destined to change the fate of Elysion and the Emerald Glades.

Standing with him was Hana.

She said, "What an amazing speech, Elysian, the betrayed god."

"Huh? Who's there? How did you.."

"I'm Eolande."

"I don't recall…"

"Oh right. Well you see, I'm the one who is a part of your freedom. Moros, the god of rot and decay, betrayed you and the other gods of the divine circle."

"You know nothing!" Elysian exclaimed with a loud commanding voice.

"Mmmm. I know a lot, mister Elysion. You are known as the Weeping God, was once a celestial entity of joy, laughter, and the changing seasons. His laughter was said to bring about spring, his tears the rain, his joy the summer's warmth, and his slumber the winter chill. However, during an ancient celestial conflict, Elysion was betrayed by Moros, the God of Doom. Moros, driven by jealousy and a thirst for power, tricked Elysion and bound his essence into the Heartwood tree within the Emerald Glades. Moros's plan was to destabilize the celestial order, causing chaos and paving the way for him to seize control. With Elysion trapped, the joy in the world dwindled, and despair began to creep in. Unknown to Moros, Elysion's binding to the Heartwood turned out to be a saving grace for the elven kingdom. Elysion's divine essence, albeit trapped, nourished the land, making the Heartwood a source of life and energy, and the elves thrived. Elysion became the Weeping God, his divine essence entwined with the Heartwood, his tears nourishing the very roots of the tree. His joy became the life-spring of the Emerald Glades, while his sorrow was manifested in the form of the black ooze that began to corrupt the Heartwood when the elves unknowingly neglected their duties to the Heartwood."

"How…"

"Elysion was known for his radiant joy and unending laughter. His spirit was infectious, promoting harmony among the other gods and fostering growth and happiness in the mortal realm. But his entrapment has cast a lasting shadow over the divine and earthly realms. The once joyful god now weeps, his tears seeping into the Heartwood, both nourishing it and expressing his sorrow. His laughter is but a distant echo, his joy a forgotten memory."

"…You…"

"The Nightshade Crystal was originally part of the Heartwood, formed from a tear shed by you when you were first imprisoned. Selunis, the Elder Moon God, is a revered figure of wisdom and serenity whose dominion oversaw the night skies and the celestial bodies. When Elysion was betrayed and bound into the Heartwood, Selunis was deeply grieved. His tears, imbued with his lunar energy, fell onto the Earth and crystallized into a magical gem: the Nightshade Crystal. Although Selunis was powerless to directly free Elysion due to ancient celestial laws, he crafted the Nightshade Crystal hoping that one day, it would play a part in Elysion's liberation. The crystal was hidden, its location known only to Selunis and shared in a prophecy that only the worthy could decipher."

"You yearn for the crystal.."

"Which is ALSOOOO the key to you getting out! The truth is hard to decipher, but the elves lied about the crystal's origins to the Emerald Glades."

"Impossible!"

"Everyone thinks the crystal was formed from the gods themselves, informing us that it was created to spread light through the darkness."

"They wouldn't lie.."

"Oh but they would. You were forgotten by all, since the elder elves have passed on, your legacy wasn't brought to the present. Why do you think you're still trapped?"

"No…no!!!!!!"

The area rumbled, and Hana (Eulonade) had a grin on her face.

She said, "I can help you knock some sense into them, if you help me locate the Nightshade crystal."

"ARGH! What makes you think I can locate it?" Elysion tried to break free from the chains.

"You and the Nightshade Crystal share a common origin story. Both are born from the actions of the gods — you as a deity himself, and the crystal from the tear of Selunis. This shared divine essence creates a spiritual bond between you two. The Nightshade Crystal was born of Selunis's sorrow for your fate. This emotion, crystallized in the very fabric of the gem, resonates with your own sorrow and his hope for freedom. The crystal stands as a symbol of your past suffering and potential liberation. As a deity, you are imbued with celestial power, akin to the lunar energy that Selunis poured into the Nightshade Crystal. This shared celestial essence creates a spiritual resonance between you and the crystal, allowing him to sense its energy and vice versa. Your fate is intimately tied to the crystal. It holds the power to release you, thus connecting your destinies. This shared fate deepens their spiritual bond, as your potential liberation is intertwined with the crystal's purpose. Your divine duty is to guard the Emerald Glades, the same region where the crystal was lost. His spiritual duty to the land and its inhabitants aligns with the crystal's purpose to restore balance, further strengthening their connection."

"If my origins weren't passed down, how do you know all of this?!"

"…Moros told me."

"TCH! YOU BASTARD!"

"Moros is still very much alive by the way, bound to this forest as you are, but you are imprisoned, he was trapped. Give me your head so I can locate the crystal and release you. Then you can battle Moros again. As he also plans for his own revenge against the Elven race and the divine order of the gods he betrayed, who wronged his vision."

"…You seek war..I won't help you. Selunis believes in the divine order, as do I. Your plan is to use the crystal for yourself for your own plans, and for information on me, you used Moros to give you information. He's using you to cause another celestial war of the gods. Once I am free, and we clash, it will awaken the attention of the gods again, and it'll be a repeat. The crystal is known to give power to those who fully consume it, he will be much stronger once he has the crystal as well. And since Moros is a god like me, if he gets near this prison even an inch, he will be trapped as well.

Hana (Eulonade) smirked, "HAHA! HAHAH! No wonder you're a part of the divine order! Smart! Very smart! So are ya gonna help me or what? I have things to do, people to kill, and villages to burn down."

"I will not help you."

"Ugh. Fine. I knew you'd say that. Okay byeee! Enjoy being tormented all night! I'll be back tomorrow for a new answer from you!"

"Damn you!"

As Hana left, Elysion continued to cry.

Hana was outside now, back in the middle of the Heartwood, seeing the rot and decay slowly spread

She smirked, "So attuned to dark magic..this doesn't even efffect me."

Her unidentified subordinates, who were waiting for her, exclaimed, "L-Lady Eulonade! How did it go?"

Hana smiled, "Shitty. We'll come back tomorrow. Once he's tormented all night, he'll come to his senses."

Her subordinates, dark eleven that wear cloaked hoodies, said:

"Yeah! That'll teach him!"

"Right!"

"It's gonna be awesome! This curse specifically targets the victim's dreams, converting their peaceful slumber into a realm of relentless nightmares!"

"When Elysion surrenders to sleep, the Nightmare's Veil engulfs him, immersing him in a labyrinth of terrifying dreams! The curse feasts on Elysion's deepest anxieties and hidden fears, crafting them into haunting dreamscapes!"

"The curse has the power to revive painful memories from Elysion's past, compelling him to relive harrowing moments. These dreams will feature scenes from the Ancient Celestial Conflict or his subsequent entrapment within the Heartwood!"

"The Nightmare's Veil can also construct visions of dreadful futures, where Elysion's deepest fears materialize. These might depict the destruction of the Emerald Glades or the downfall of his elven allies!"

"Within these nightmares, the Nightmare's Veil can manipulate Elysion's perception of reality! Allies might seem like enemies, and painful events might appear unending, intensifying his feelings of helplessness and despair!"

They began celebrating and dancing together: "It's gonna be soooooo cool!"

Hana replied with an arrogant tone, "That's why I'm the best. I've reached Celestial Sovereign rank quickly, at a fast pace. The elves, king Elrond, Queen Luthien, they couldn't believe it. I am gifted."

There was a meow sound, and Hana stopped, and she kneeled, clicking her teeth, and here came a pink and white female cat with one pink eye and one yellow eye.

The female cat brushed up against Hana, and Hana rubbed her, smiling, "Haha! Lyra! You have blood all over you!"

Lyra, the cat, replied nervously, "Sorry, Eulonde! I just killed a few mythic bears a few miles north of here! T-They tried to eat me..!"

Hana's subordinates hugged each other, squealing, "ADORABLE!"

….

Traveling through the Emerald Glades kingdom on horses; Kaede, sat perched on Lirael's shoulder, her small body swaying with the rhythm of the horse's canter. Lirael, Caelan, and Yalla, three elves as diverse as the Glades itself, rode in silent awe through the heart of this sacred land.

The Emerald Glades unfolded before them like a living tapestry of verdant hues. Towering mithrilwood trees, their silver bark shimmering under the sunlight, formed a colossal canopy that dappled the forest floor with dancing shadows. The whisper of the wind through the leaves was like a symphony, a gentle murmur that spoke of ancient secrets and timeless wisdom.

Around them, the forest teemed with life. They glimpsed quicksilver foxes darting through the underbrush, their coats a flash of brilliance against the green. Birds of every color and size flitted from branch to branch, their songs a chorus of joy, while iridescent dragonflies skimmed over the surface of babbling brooks, their wings casting miniature rainbows in the sunlight.

Lirael pointed to clusters of ethereal moonflowers, their petals glowing softly even in the daylight, a testament to the land's saturated magic. Yalla, a scholar at heart, explained that these flowers drank the moon's light and exuded a luminescence that guided the nocturnal creatures through the darkest nights.

Caelan, the most attuned to nature, paused occasionally to touch the rough bark of an ancient tree or to inhale the scent of the rich, loamy earth. He pointed out a ring of stone mushrooms, a sign of a fairy circle, a place where the veil between their world and the realm of the Fae was thin.

Even as they marveled at the beauty around them, they were mindful of their quest. Each rustle of the leaves, each bird's call, seemed to echo Elysion's distant presence. The Heartwood's resonance was faint but undeniable, a silent guide leading them through the labyrinth of the Emerald Glades.

The Emerald Glades, the eleventh kingdom, was a living testament to the harmony between nature and magic, a symbol of Elysion's enduring guardianship. Despite their urgent quest, the trio couldn't help but be drawn into the enchanting rhythm of the land, their hearts resonating with the heartbeat of the Emerald Glades.

Alaric said, "Tch. You guys act like you've never seen any of this before."

Kaede commented, "I haven't."

"YOU DON'T COUNT!"

Yalla laughed, "It's always good to see the beautiful land!"

Caelan responded, "According to my hypothesis and studies, this land is very much alive and appreciates us adoring it."

Alaric said to Caelan, "No way you're telling me that."

"Yes. Yes I am."

Kaede thought, 'These elves, their names are Yalla, Lirael, Caelan, and Alaric. They seem to have a good relationship with each other…somewhat. They all have their own personalities and stuff. Lirael rarely talks, I only heard her talk once, she just nods and makes oomf noises. And she stares at me a lot. Yalla is always happy and jokes around a lot, she pranked Alaric by dumping water on his head, and he chased her with his sword. Caelan is a damn nerd, who always relies on studies and observations and stuff. Nothing really wrong with him though. And then there's Alaric. He hates everyone, everything, and wants to fight everyone. He sees me as his rival it seems, I don't even know why he hates me, but he hates my guts. I never really had friends, I only had Hana. My owner, the one I loved. She never wanted me to be around any street cats, but when she would take me outside to enjoy nature, I would communicate with a few cats, but never anything long term.'

Lirael pointed forward, and everyone saw what she was pointing at.

Yalla said, "Oooooh! Monstersss!"

Alaric stated, "Stay here, I'll kill them."

Kaede asked, "Uhhh, what are those bears?"

Caelan said confidently, " Ursus Mythicus, commonly referred to as the Mythic Bears. Ursus Mythicus, or Mythic Bears, are formidable creatures standing at an impressive 12 feet when fully upright, with a robust and muscular build. Their fur, a captivating mix of midnight blue and silver, shimmers under the moonlight, giving them an almost spectral appearance. Their eyes glow with a luminescent cyan hue, reflecting their potent magical abilities. These bears possess extended, razor-sharp claws, made of a unique metal-like substance tougher than the hardest steel, believed to be a result of their inherent magic. Their teeth are similarly durable and sharp. Their roar creates a sonic wave that can disorientate and paralyze their prey briefly. Possessing a magical aura, the Mythic Bears have an innate ability to manipulate the elements. They can summon icy storms and channel electrical energy, which they use both for hunting and as a defense mechanism against threats. Mythic Bears trace their origins back to the Age of Myth, a time when magic was rampant and fantastical creatures roamed the earth. They are believed to have been born from the celestial energy released during the Great Convergence, an event where the boundaries between the physical and magical realms blurred. Their habitat was initially spread across diverse magical hotspots around the world. However, with the decline of magic in many areas, their population is now primarily concentrated in the Emerald Glades. Here, the potent magical energy of the land sustains them, allowing them to thrive. Despite their ferocious nature, the Mythic Bears are deeply connected to the health of the magical ecosystem. Their presence is often seen as an indicator of the balance between the physical and magical realms. They are revered and respected by magical beings and feared by those who underestimate their power."

"Oh cool. Nice. Here I go then. "Watch closely, Alaric," he called over his shoulder. "This is how you do it." With a swift pounce, claws extended, he dispatched the first mythic bear with a savage swipe to its throat.

Alaric replied, "Tch! Trying to steal my prey?!" He began twirling the Emerald Greatsword with casual arrogance. "Amateur," he scoffed, charging at the second bear. The sword absorbed the bear's ferocious swipe, glowing with accumulated energy. With a swift, lethal thrust, he impaled the creature, releasing the stored energy in an explosive blast that tore the bear apart.

Kaede bounced back from the shockwave, grinning. "Not bad, not bad," he commented, before launching himself at another bear, his lithe body twisting in a stunning display of acrobatics. He landed on the bear's back, his claws sinking into its flesh. With a swift, brutal twist, he snapped its neck.

"Still trailing behind, Kaede," Alaric taunted, activating the gravity field. A fourth bear was caught in its grasp, immobilized. He strolled over leisurely and decapitated it with a clean, efficient cut. "You might want to pick up the pace."

Ignoring his taunting, Kaede focused on a fifth bear. He feigned weakness, limping as if injured. As the bear charged, he suddenly sprang upwards, his claws slashing across the bear's eyes. Blinded and in agony, the bear was easy prey for Kaede's deadly claws.

Alaric laughed aloud, a harsh, triumphant sound. He met the sixth bear head-on, his sword absorbing the brunt of the bear's brutal attack. With a smirk, he released the energy, blowing the bear backward and tearing it apart in the process. "Still think you're leading, Kaede?"

Kaede glanced at Alaric, a wicked grin on his feline face. "You're slow, Alaric," he teased. He leapt at a seventh bear, his claws raking its side. The bear roared in pain, turning to swipe at Kaede, but the cat was quicker, slashing its throat before it could retaliate.

"Not as slow as you, furball," Alaric retorted, his eyes gleaming with competitive fire. He activated the gravity field again, trapping an eighth bear. With a swift, vicious strike, he cleaved it in two, the sword slicing through flesh and bone with ease.

Kaede dispatched a ninth bear with a swift, lethal strike to its heart, his claws slick with its blood. "Not as messy as you, Alaric," he shot back, cleaning his claws meticulously.

"Who needs clean when you have power?" Alaric countered, blasting a tenth bear apart with a release of energy from his sword. He watched as the bear's remains scattered, a satisfied grin on his face.

Kaede quickly dispatched an eleventh bear, his claws ripping through its throat. "Brains over brawn, Alaric," he retorted, licking his paw nonchalantly.

Alaric smirked, using the gravity field to pin down a twelfth bear. He sauntered forward, dispatching the immobilized creature with a swift, brutal strike. "Why not both, Kaede?"

Kaede darted towards a thirteenth bear, a blur of motion. He leaped onto its back, his claws sinking into its flesh. With a swift, brutal twist, he snapped its neck. "Because brawn is all you have, Alaric."

Alaric laughed, absorbing a fourteenth bear's attack with his sword. He released the energy in a powerful blast, tearing the bear apart. "And yet, I'm still ahead, Kaede."

As the two of them were being swarmed with horses I'd mythic bears, Kaede and Alaric continued to slaughter them all, yelling:

"I got that one!"

"No I did, damn cat!"

"I've killed more!"

"No I did!"

Yalla said to Caelan, "Aww they're bonding!"

"It's strange."

Lirael turned around, as she felt someone else's presence.

It was the Royal children, Prince Earendil, and Princess Arwen.

Yalla and Caelan eventually turned around and saw them, saying, "WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!"