At the heart of the Whispering Forest, the towering Ancient War Tree was beginning to wither.
Its enormous canopy had turned yellow, and countless green leaves, drained of life and moisture, were slowly falling away. For miles around, golden leaves blanketed the ground, while the massive branches had started to decay. Like a dying giant, the Ancient War Tree was fading in a manner as grand as its size, an awe-inspiring yet tragic decline.
Beneath the ancient tree, the once shimmering Sunwell had dried up—this was the very cause of the Whispering Forest's corruption.
Even when the Ancient War Tree had previously drained its waters, the well would always slowly replenish itself. But now, not a single drop remained. The surrounding moss-covered stones had lost their lush texture, turning as dry and brittle as coal slag. Though the sky remained cloudless, the sunlight that streamed down felt inexplicably dim. Even the beams of light carried a cold, somber gloom.
The Ancient War Tree did not rely on ordinary water and nutrients to survive—it drew energy from the earth's ley lines and the light of the sun. Though the Black Star had not yet fully awakened, the aura of death had already begun to seep through the ley lines, spreading its corruption. It wasn't just the Ancient War Tree—signs of decay and death had begun to manifest throughout the entire Whispering Forest. All the ancient trees were withering, and even the unicorns and winged pegasi grew restless and uneasy.
If the World Tree Leaves were still intact—even just a single one—their boundless life force, combined with the Sunwell's power, could have resisted the encroaching corruption. When all three leaves were whole, even the cataclysm from tens of thousands of years ago had failed to wipe this place from existence. But now, everything was lost. The Elven race, like all others, would have to face this impending calamity together.
Atop the tree, within the altar where the World Tree Leaves were once enshrined, stood Grutt. His skin had turned completely black, devoid of life, and he remained utterly still—indistinguishable from a statue of dark stone.
Beside him, several elves carefully lifted a massive leaf, from which streams of cool, glistening water trickled down. They poured the water with utmost caution, their expressions solemn as if what they held was not just water, but their very fate. Each droplet that fell was meticulously controlled, as if they feared wasting even a single drop.
Beside the altar, Ruya sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, softly chanting an incantation. Green magical energy swirled around the flowing water like a faint, misty aura.
"This is the last of the Sunwell's water… and you're using it on… on a lowly half-elf?" Kaylin muttered blankly, staring at the leaf held high by the elves at the altar's center. "If Elder Lloyd hadn't ordered us to assist you, and if I didn't know why even Elder Ruya listens to you, I would have gathered all the elves to stop you."
"A lowly half-elf… Is that how you describe the ally who once saved your entire race?" Asa scoffed coldly.
"I admit that General Grutt helped us," Kaylin said, "but he is still a half-elf. No matter what, the scent of his mixed blood and his appearance can never be hidden. Even if we acknowledge his status and deeds, we would never accept his bloodline, especially under these circumstances. Since ancient times, the offspring of noble elves and lowly humans have always been the most despicable. Only those with the pure blood of the royal lineage are worthy of touching the Sunwell and the World Tree Leaves. Only they can be truly embraced by the power of life and light—"
"Enough," Asa snapped, waving his hand impatiently, his expression dark. "I don't have the patience to hear another one of your long-winded cultural traditions right now."
His mood was foul. He had hoped that the Whispering Forest would hold the key to dealing with their dire situation, but so far, he had found nothing.
When Asa brought Grutt here, the elves had already realized the emergence of the Black Star through the changes in the Sunwell and the Ancient War Tree's Leaves. Surprisingly, Elder Lloyd did not display much shock or panic. Instead, he seemed more surprised by Asa's sudden arrival. After briefly gathering his things, he simply said he had urgent matters to attend to. Regarding Asa's request, he left behind a grand and generous statement:
"Mr. Asa has done a great service for our elven race. Whatever he needs help with, we must provide our assistance."
It was an undeniably noble sentiment, but despite it, Asa found no real help at all. Any records about the Black Star in the elves' ancient texts had mysteriously "disappeared." Whenever he asked how to deal with the Black Star, the elves—including Ruya—became evasive and hesitant.
Elves were not skilled at deception, and Asa could tell that the supposedly generous elder must have given additional instructions in private after making his grand public statement. Given how stubborn elves were, once they decided something was not to be spoken of, no force in the world could make them talk.
Asa sighed inwardly. He thought for a moment and could vaguely guess the reason. Back when he was imprisoned in the Glory Fortress, Lancelote had hinted at certain things. Moreover, the people who had been quietly tailing him all this time were already proof enough.
Still, he chose not to expose them—because even if he did, it wouldn't change anything.
Aside from that, the elves did provide assistance with Asa's other requests. All the elder elves capable of using nature magic had already cast their restorative spells on Grutt, yet the black aura lingering on his body had not diminished in the slightest.
Even though the Deathlord was not yet fully resurrected, he had already merged with the Black Star. Grutt's punch had been no different from striking the Black Star itself. Even the bodies of ancient dragons and titans could not withstand the corruption of such boundless darkness. What had initially been just a blackened fist had now spread across Grutt's entire body.
Asa could sense that only in the deepest part of Grutt's being did a faint intertwining energy of green and white still exist—the power of the World Tree Leaf. Aside from that, the once-mighty body, brimming with strength, had become nothing more than lifeless ash.
The elves' nature magic had not been entirely ineffective. Asa could tell that whenever they used their magic, the power of the World Tree Leaf within Grutt would stir ever so slightly. However, the Black Star's influence was simply too overwhelming—too dark—making it impossible for that energy to break free.
"Try using the Sunwell's water," Asa finally suggested after a moment of thought.
Under normal circumstances, such a request would not have been an issue. However, with the Sunwell's source already drying up, using its remaining water would immediately cause the collapse of the Whispering Forest's barrier, the Ancient War Tree's vitality, and the energy sustaining the Deadwood Guardians.
"Didn't Elder Lloyd say that you would help me with anything I needed?" Asa pressed. "The core power of the Sunwell is already lost. These remaining waters can only provide temporary support for the Whispering Forest's barrier, but that barrier could never withstand the Apocalypse. The water can no longer be drawn from the well for long periods. Since that's the case, it would be better if I used it now. As far as I know, General Grutt is the only one who poses a real threat to that monster."
"…Fine." After a long hesitation, Ruya finally nodded. The elven girl's face was shrouded in heavy gloom, vastly different from before. She no longer took the initiative to speak to Asa, only occasionally gazing at him with an inexplicably complex expression.
"Elder Ruya, if we do this, then the Whispering Forest will…" The other elders all objected.
"There's no need to say more. Elder Lloyd already told us to help him as much as possible. And what he said makes sense."
Aside from Lloyd, Ruya had the highest authority in the Whispering Forest. With her approval, the other elves had no choice but to comply.
As Ruya chanted her spell, droplets of water dripped onto Grutt's body. Instead of rolling off or scattering, the water fused directly into him, merging with the surrounding green magical aura. At last, the blackness that had seemingly solidified into the very color of his being began to shift.
Although the process was slow, the blackness at the points where the water dripped was indeed dissipating. More importantly, Asa could sense that the life force within Grutt, intertwined with the power of the World Tree's leaf, was gradually growing stronger, steadily expanding outward.
"Thankfully, it seems to be working," Asa finally let out a breath of relief. This was the first good news he had received in days—and the best news he could hope for under the circumstances.
His eyes remained on the fading darkness covering Grutt's body, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. He was deep in contemplation. Given the current situation, he seemed to be facing an unsolvable predicament.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out among the elves. Asa snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. A massive shadow loomed over the Ancient War Ancient, circling as it descended toward its canopy.
The surrounding elves immediately drew their bows, while others began chanting spells. It wasn't that they were hostile to every unexpected visitor, but the enormous figure approaching carried with it a wave of magical energy—one so overwhelming that the elves instinctively felt terror and hostility. Even Ruya and the other elves who had been casting spells abruptly stopped, standing up in alarm.
"Everyone, don't panic! This is not an enemy and poses no threat to you," Asa called out loudly, making a reassuring gesture toward Ruya.
The aura was very familiar to him, and at this moment, its presence here even felt somewhat comforting.
The massive flying shadow descended in an instant, revealing itself above the gathered elves. It was a monstrous being, enormous enough to rival a dragon in size, with an unnatural and grotesque form. Its entire body was composed of stitched-together corpses, exuding a suffocating stench of decay and an overwhelming aura of necromantic magic—precisely what had sent the elves into a panic.
From atop the colossal creature, Sandru leapt down, glancing around before exhaling deeply. "I never thought I'd have the chance to set foot in this place in my lifetime."