Chapter 150: Roots of Despair
Nero stood beneath the hollow tree, its twisted limbs clawing at the sky.
The veins of magic running through its bark pulsed like dim embers, a heartbeat echoing through the cursed land.
The old woman’s words lingered in his mind, heavy as lead.
A failed experiment to destroy the Dementors.
A creature that devoured both hope and despair, leaving only emptiness behind.
The weight of it settled in Nero’s chest, but he didn’t falter.
He simply observed, watching the tree, the silver glow of his Raven Eyes tracing the tangled coils of magic winding through its roots like veins of poison.
"I need to understand this thing," Nero muttered under his breath. "If I can understand how it works, I might find a way to sabotage Malrik’s plan."
The old woman shifted in her chair nearby, the creak of brittle bones barely audible beneath the tree’s ambient groan.
"Understanding is dangerous," she warned. "The more you try to grasp the creature’s nature, the more it will try to grasp you."
Nero glanced at her, then turned back toward the tree.