God's Tree-Chapter 99: A Battle of Blades and Instinct

The wind shifted—subtle, but unnatural.

Then—

Silence.

The fire dimmed for just a moment—

And then the attack came.

A blur of shadow and motion erupted from the trees, moving with unnatural speed.

Argolaith's blade was in his hands instantly.

The creature was fast—faster than anything he'd fought before.

A twisted shape, humanoid in outline, but wrong. Its limbs were elongated, moving in jerking, unnatural ways. Its skin was dark, shifting like living ink, blending into the night.

Kaelred barely had time to draw his sword before the thing was upon them.

Malakar did not move.

He only watched.

Argolaith's first strike was clean—a perfect arc of steel cutting through the air.

The creature dodged.

Not with speed—with anticipation.

It knew where the strike was going to land.

Argolaith's mind raced.

It's reading my attacks.

Kaelred lunged in from the side, swinging his sword low, trying to catch it off guard—

The creature twisted unnaturally, avoiding the strike at the last second.

Kaelred cursed. "Damn thing moves like it knows what I'm thinking."

Malakar's voice was amused.

"It does."

Argolaith and Kaelred both froze for a split second.

That was a mistake.

The creature moved.

A blur of motion—a shadow flickering against the dying firelight.

Its clawed hand lashed out at Kaelred's throat.

Argolaith intercepted.

Steel met darkness.

The impact sent a shockwave through his arm, the force unnatural, inhuman.

The creature hissed, its eyes flashing with something that might have been recognition.

Then it lunged again.

Malakar watched the battle unfold, his grin widening.

"Fascinating."

Kaelred barely avoided a fatal blow, rolling aside as the creature's claws slashed through the air where he had just been standing.

"A little help would be nice!" Kaelred snapped.

Malakar chuckled. "No, no. This is his test."

Kaelred scowled, dodging another strike. "Whose test? Mine?"

Malakar shook his head, his eyes locked onto Argolaith.

"His."

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Kaelred cursed again. "Of course it is."

Argolaith moved differently now.

He wasn't just reacting.

He was feeling.

Letting his instincts take over.

The creature still read his movements, but Argolaith was adapting.

Every feint, every shift in weight—it was learning him.

But he was learning it.

The next time it lunged, Argolaith did not attack.

He let it get close.

Too close.

The moment of overconfidence cost it.

Argolaith reversed his grip, shifting his stance mid-motion.

His blade cut deep.

A single, perfect strike.

The shadowed form froze, a sharp hiss escaping its mouth.

And then—

It dissolved into nothing.

The air went still.

Kaelred exhaled sharply, wiping sweat from his brow. "Gods, that was annoying."

Argolaith lowered his sword, heart still pounding.

Malakar clapped once.

"Congratulations. You passed the first test."

Argolaith shot him a glare. "You knew that was going to happen."

Malakar grinned. "Of course I did."

Kaelred scowled. "And you didn't think to warn us?"

Malakar's smile widened. "That would have ruined the fun."

Argolaith sheathed his sword, breathing steadily now.

He still felt the pull of the first tree.

Still thousands of miles away.

But he had taken the first step.

The battle was over.

The air was silent, save for the crackling of the dying fire.

Argolaith exhaled, rolling his shoulders as the tension in his muscles slowly faded. His heart still beat like a war drum, the lingering energy from the fight making it hard to calm himself.

Kaelred sheathed his sword, running a hand through his hair. "That was awful."

Malakar only grinned from where he sat, tapping his bony fingers against his knee. "That was only the beginning."

Argolaith stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Malakar leaned forward, his violet fiery eyes twinkling with amusement. "Do you really think the First Tree will accept you after one little test?"

Kaelred groaned, flopping onto the ground. "I knew it. Of course there's more."

Argolaith sighed, rubbing his temples. "Let me guess. Stronger enemies. More mind games."

Malakar chuckled. "Naturally. Each step you take toward the tree will bring greater trials. It is watching you, measuring your worth."

Kaelred let out an exasperated laugh. "Great. Just great."

Argolaith took a deep breath. He had expected challenges, but this… This was different.

The tree was alive in ways he hadn't anticipated.

And he could feel it—still thousands of miles away, yet growing stronger with every step he took.

Despite his exhaustion, Argolaith couldn't sleep.

The battle had been short, but it had shaken him.

Not because of the creature's speed or its eerie ability to predict their movements—but because it had felt personal.

Like something watching from the shadows had crafted that fight just for him.

He sat near the fire, staring into the dying embers, listening to the rhythmic breathing of Kaelred as he slept nearby.

Malakar remained awake, sitting cross-legged on a nearby rock, seemingly lost in thought.

Argolaith glanced at him. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Malakar smirked. "Of course. It is rare to see a trial like this unfold. Even rarer to watch a mortal attempt to pass it."

Argolaith frowned. "You make it sound like most fail."

Malakar gave him a long look. "They do."

A chill crept down Argolaith's spine.

Before he could say anything else, Malakar stretched his arms and stood. "Rest while you can, Argolaith. The next challenge will not wait for you to be ready."

Argolaith narrowed his eyes. "You know what's coming next, don't you?"

Malakar's grin widened, but he said nothing as he disappeared into the shadows.

Typical.

Argolaith sighed, leaning back against a rock.

Tomorrow, they would continue south.

And the First Tree's trials would only grow more difficult.

The morning was eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

As they packed up camp and continued walking south, the air grew heavy.

Kaelred shifted uncomfortably, rubbing his arms. "It's getting worse."

Argolaith nodded. He could feel it too. The weight. The expectation.

Malakar, walking a few paces ahead, looked unbothered.

The land around them was no longer the endless, barren Black Plains.

Now, the ground pulsed faintly with life.

Patches of grass—dark green and tinged with silver—grew in strange patterns.

The trees—crooked and ancient-looking—seemed to whisper in a language just beyond hearing.

The further they walked, the more it felt like they were walking into something else entirely.

A place not bound by normal rules.

Kaelred glanced at Argolaith. "This is unnatural."

Argolaith didn't respond. He didn't need to.

They both felt it.

They were entering the First Tree's domain.

And something was waiting for them inside.

By mid-afternoon, the path had shifted entirely.

What had once been an open expanse of plains was now a vast, dense forest.

The air was thick with magic.

Every tree, every blade of grass—it all hummed with unseen energy.

Kaelred ran a hand along the rough bark of a tree, frowning. "I've never felt anything like this before."

Argolaith stepped forward. "It feels like…"

He hesitated.

"Like the forest is… watching us."

Malakar's voice drifted from behind them. "It is."

Kaelred sighed. "Of course it is. Of course."

Argolaith tightened his grip on his sword. The tension in his body refused to fade.

The further they walked, the more he could feel it—something shifting, preparing.

Then—

The wind stopped.The air grew still and the forest came alive, the second trial had begun.