The Parasite Beneath the World Tree

I slowly descended to the ground using the manipulated platform of the World Tree's Truth, rolling my stiff shoulders. "You have my thanks."

As I did, Kairan approached me, sheathing his sword and offering a handshake. Sure, I'd charged in because I wanted scraps from the Red Dragon, but for him, this had been a matter of his people's fate.

"Well..."

The moment I took his hand,

A status window popped up. Come to think of it, this wasn't quite a full reenactment since the World Tree didn't burn... but it counted as fulfillment anyway?

"So you are a dragon."

"Well..."

"No matter. In the midst of this devastation, what use is dividing by race? I can't thank you enough for your aid."

He turned to gaze at the ruined Eterion, now little more than rubble. We'd won, but so much had turned to ash and vanished.

"■, ■■■!..."

A handful of surviving elves rushed out, bowing their heads to him. I took Hermes's Fragment back from Ha-eun and pressed it to my ear.

"Even as extinction loomed, you called me Proxy."

"How could we not, when you alone hear Mother's voice!..."

"...Then find the sapling. It's our only path to preserve the elven line."

"But..."

"And select a new Proxy... no, a queen. I'll attempt the sealing."

With that, Kairan looked at me, ignoring the anguished sobs behind him.

"I saw the fire you unleashed. Will you... help us one more time?"

"What's the deal? Spill first."

He closed his eyes briefly, mulling it over before speaking slowly.

"Burn Mother. Roots and all."

What the hell? Burn the World Tree...?

"W-wait. Burn it? The World Tree?"

"I beg you."

"No way, then what was all that fighting for?! Weren't we protecting it?"

"Half right, you could say."

As the surviving elves gathered, he turned his back to them and continued.

"Mother... is vital to us, yes. That's why I ordered the sapling retrieved. But is she more precious than their lives?"

He fiddled with his sheathed sword, frustration and anger palpable. Was it aimed at the Red Dragon, or himself? Hard to tell.

"Mother ensures our future. But they ensure our present. I only wanted to protect their lives."

"Then why burn the World Tree...?"

"The Red Dragon targeted something. A parasite beneath Mother."

"...Parasite?"

"Odd that you, a dragon of such power, didn't sense it."

Come to think of it, the Red Dragon had told me to go below.

"We tried remedies but failed. So it wished our total annihilation. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠And... seeing beats a hundred words."

He started walking somewhere.

"This way."

I glanced at Ha-eun and Terra. First things first... the Forest Gem goes to Terra.

"Terra, mind combining this one?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Ha-eun looked worn but, having leveled up, seemed ready for more.

"I'm fine, unnie."

"Hm. Getting tough, huh? Tougher mind than Terra's, even."

"Huh?"

"You've got a chat with me when we get back. Prep yourself."

"Uh..."

I followed Kairan, with Bern and Terra trailing silently. Ha-eun followed, utterly confused.

Clunk-

"...Even the imperial palace has crumbled."

The once-glorious citadel lay half-destroyed. Kairan entered casually, as if familiar.

"I planned to evacuate the civilians."

"And?"

"Nowhere to go. Too many enemies around an empire's fringes. Next chance, tell 'em to live simpler."

Crack- Screech!-

He opened a door to a hidden underground space in the palace, now exposed. A grassy scent wafted out—out of place here—mingled with rot.

"..."

Bern grimaced at the smell.

"That's... rotting plants."

"Bound to be. Parasitized trees rot from within."

"Linked to the World Tree's roots?"

Kairan nodded.

"Truth is truth, even if you'd rather not face it. Can't leave it like this forever."

The stench worsened deeper in. At last, at the World Tree's root base...

"...So that's what was here?"

A pitch-black Black Dragon, curled in a translucent membrane, sucking the World Tree's energy.

"Not fully formed yet."

Black Dragons thrive in darkness, born and active amid shadows. They revel in fear and death. They symbolize darkness and apocalypse. In my old world, they were top priority for extermination—worlds hosting them marched toward doom.

...That dangerous.

"Settling under the World Tree? Smart. Even if removed, darkness there would respawn it."

"...Indeed."

Worst part: they don't truly die. Special means can kill them, but otherwise, they revive in shadows with minor memory damage. Born under the World Tree? It'll suck up insane power.

Did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Red Dragon plan to uproot elves and tree to solve this? If so... it'd return anyway. No root fix.

And why didn't I sense it? Still nothing now. Gate effect? Or...

...No clue. Investigate later. For now...

"Burning the tree to eliminate this? Sapling regrows it."

"I know. But delays centuries."

"Irresponsible much?"

I glared; he shook his head.

"I'll seal with it."

"...? Seal?"

"Mother's blessing. Use it with Moonlight Sword to seal me and it. Then burn."

That'd hold millennia. He closed his eyes.

"By then, others find solutions. Can't end here... leave to future."

"What's this blessing?"

From books: World Tree's blessing. Or curse.

"Bury self and history beyond cognition. Gain partial authority in trade."

"..."

"I'll repay you. What do you desire?"

Desire? Obvious.

"Luna Carta."

"You knew of it. Very well."

He drew his sword.

"Burn Mother, please. Your treasure awaits—return home, revisit World ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Tree depths."

"You knew?"

"Of course. Those elves were anomalous."

He turned the blade on his heart.

"Mother, lend strength one last time. Though my existence and history fade unrecorded... for the future..."

Tap-

"Hm. Don't like this."

I grabbed his sword.

"...What?"

"Treasures aren't just physical. The stories within matter too."

Storyless treasures are mere odd tools. History of passage and acclaim makes them treasures.

"Forgotten treasure? Pointless."

I wouldn't let that happen.

"Goldie-nim, this..."

"Let's see. Won't fully block World Tree's will, but holds some."

"What..."

"Even twisted, preserves part of your info. Keeps you alive too. Record properly."

I snatched Moonlight Sword.

"Hey, World Tree. This work?"

Lifted Terra-processed Forest Gem in left hand.

"Guy calls you Mother. Too precious to forget here. Call it square."

Can't hear World Tree, but it responded. Fresh breeze underground. Power seeped into green gem; I gripped Moonlight Sword.

Whoosh-

Gem flew at Black Dragon's membrane. Then,

Thud!-

Sword pierced with gem, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠embedding sharply.

"Deal done."

"What did you..."

"My power. Substitute treasure priced by life."

Kairan blinked in confusion, then nodded.

"...I see."

"You seal. As sealer, curse skips you. Info twists, but name endures."

"...Thank you, outsider."

World forgets him male? Remember female. Proxy forgotten? Hero. Eterian history erased? New holy kingdom.

As Earth's elves know it. Their language vanishes to past too. Babel effect lets me converse, bypassing curse.

...I did this. Ironic. What even are gates, linking past?

Whoosh!-

Musing, I ignited golden spark in right hand.

"No more Proxy. Plans?"

"Write a book. Eterian forgotten; hope someone reads someday."

I smirked. I knew who'd read it.

"Tone it down."

"Oh?"

Spark drifted feather-light to roots.

Whoosh!-

Roots blazed golden.

We were ejected from the gate.

Step-

"Goldie-nim. This place..."

"FarmGoodHarvest. Best not tell other elves about this."

"...Punching a path to Mother's roots? Yeah, no good if known."

Back in reality, late evening, empty. Took FarmGoodHarvest and Bern to World Tree depths. No passage, so made one.

Similar space as gate. Old desk. And...

"That..."

Newly reborn Black Dragon, guarded by membrane with embedded Moonlight Sword.

"Shame elves forgot such danger..."

"Seal's broken. Over ten millennia... inevitable."

Grind- Thunk!-

I pulled Moonlight Sword. Still gleaming after ages. And...

Forest Gem I used. Need repair method.

"Bern."

"Mnyah?"

"Lending this to elves."

I handed Moonlight Sword to Bern.

"...What's your angle?"

"Angle? Last user was me—mine by right."

Be grateful for the loan. Ownership's basically mine.

Step-

Turned to desk. Purple-glowing map in small box. Luna Carta, huh.

"Journal. Kairan's?"

"Check it."

Not too thick. First page pristine.

Hm, still worried after. Next:

Oh... Moonlight-marked spots? Teleport via marks? Home as base—handy.

Flip-

More like messages to us than diary.

Last page:

Kairan went his way. No elf remembers his face anyway—no point staying.

"Story ends here."

I closed the journal. FarmGoodHarvest, who'd listened, asked cautiously.

"Um... Goldie-nim. The Black Dragon?"

"What'd I say at contract, FarmGoodHarvest?"

"All byproducts yours—"

"Not that. I promised to fix World Tree?"

Gold Dragons keep promises. Contracts especially.

"Ways to kill Black Dragon exist. Not now. Long-term contract."

Current state? No chance. Needs prep, treasures.

So.

"Regroup here when ready."

Done here. Got treasures. Time home.