Chapter 249: Paying the Cost
Outside, Ashlynn found herself in a sprawling village with dozens of rush huts like the one she’d emerged from. In the distance, she could hear children laughing and chasing after each other along with the wounds of people splashing into shallow water and rustling through the tall reeds.
It was the sight behind the hut, however, that drove every other thought from Ashlynn’s mind. Her senses had told her that life was plentiful here and when she looked at the wilderness beyond the village, that seemed true.
Tall cypress trees rose in the distance and several bushes and vines grew nearby as well. The grass was tall and lush, swaying gently in the warm summer breeze and small birds could be seen wading through the ponds in search of small fish swimming in the murky water.
But in the center of all that life, one mighty cypress tree hung limp. Its needles had turned brown and fallen in great numbers, leaving it looking stark and naked among its greener peers. Branches hung low and many of them looked brittle, ready to snap in a stiff wind. Roots, protruding above the soil, looked dried and withered, as if they’d been afflicted by a terrible blight.
"You must have been taught, cher," the Willow Witch said from behind her. "Energy comes from somewhere. Dis tree was mighty and close and you done used her all up. You see, now, yeah? You ain’t ready for dis trial. I give you one more chance. Do de right thing, cher."
For several moments, Ashlynn stood silent. She was horrified at what she had done to the mighty tree. No wonder it had been easier to find and to draw from than anything else. But once she had, she hadn’t thought about where the power was coming from and just kept reaching for what worked.
And yet... even if she had killed this tree, she wasn’t certain whether or not she would feel remorse over it. She’d saved the lives of seven people in exchange for this. If she had to do it again, if there was only one great tree and she had no choice but to destroy it to save the lives of her loved ones, she wouldn’t hesitate to make that trade.
But this time, there had been an alternative. She could have reached farther to the other cypress trees. She could have taken a bit from the grasses and the bushes and the other growing things. A little bit from all around and everyone would have been able to recover. What she had done... it wasn’t the right way.
"I’m sorry," Ashlynn said, walking forward to the stricken cypress tree. Kneeling at its roots, she placed a hand on its dry and cracking bark, feeling deep within the tree to see if there was the faintest trace of life.