Chapter 110 - Shadows Beneath the Roots
The World Root Temple rejoiced for three days.
Ancient beasts emerged from their hidden sanctuaries.
The Verdant Crown Stag led hundreds of forest creatures to the sacred clearing, where Sylvana blessed the restored land.
Flowers bloomed with every passing hour.
The forest lived again.
Yet...
Kai could not shake the feeling that the battle was incomplete.
---
The Codex of the Beast Sovereign floated before him.
Origin Key Progress
✓ Sky Key
✓ World Root Key
○ Lunar Key
Mission Progress:
2 / 3 Keys Obtained
---
That evening, Kai stood beneath the World Root with Sylvana.
The Mother of Forests gently placed her hand upon the ancient trunk.
Her smile faded.
"There is still a wound."
Kai frowned.
"The corruption?"
"No."
"The memory."
---
The World Root glowed softly.
A vision unfolded.
Twelve thousand years ago...
The First Beast Sovereign stood beneath the same tree.
Beside him stood Noctis.
They planted a tiny silver sapling together.
Both were laughing.
"You always plant them too close together," Noctis teased.
"And they always survive," the First Beast Sovereign replied.
The two clasped forearms like brothers.
Then the vision shifted.
The laughter vanished.
The sky turned crimson.
An enormous shadow descended from beyond the heavens.
The vision shattered before Kai could see its form.
---
The Codex reacted immediately.
Archive Recovery
Historical Record:
Incomplete
Cause:
Memory Seal Still Active
---
Kai looked toward Sylvana.
"You knew them both."
She nodded slowly.
"They were inseparable."
"What happened?"
Tears filled her emerald eyes.
"I... cannot remember."
"The memory was taken from me."
---
Suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through Kai's chest.
The Seven Star Fragments began spinning around the Codex.
An unfamiliar page appeared.
Emergency Alert
Third Origin Key
Lunar Temple
Seal Integrity:
21%
Estimated Time Until Collapse:
36 Hours
---
Lucien immediately stepped forward.
"We can't waste another moment."
Lady Vesper nodded.
"The Eclipse remnants are already moving."
"They're desperate after losing the World Root."
---
Before Kai could reply...
The ground beneath the World Root trembled.
Not violently.
Softly.
As though something enormous had awakened far below.
The Verdant Titan suddenly slammed one massive hand into the earth.
"Something is climbing."
Roots burst upward.
A single black vine emerged.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
But unlike before...
These vines carried no corruption.
Instead...
Each one ended in a silver flower.
The flowers opened simultaneously.
Every blossom whispered the same words.
"The moon is crying..."
Then they withered into ash.
---
Sylvana's face turned pale.
"That was a Moon Blossom."
"They bloom only when the Lunar Temple is in mortal danger."
---
The Codex displayed another message.
Hidden Quest Unlocked
The Weeping Moon
Objective:
Reach the Lunar Temple before the final seal breaks.
Failure Condition:
Loss of the Third Origin Key.
---
The Aurora departed before dawn.
As the great airship rose above the restored forest, thousands of beasts gathered below to watch.
The Verdant Crown Stag bowed.
The restored Verdant Titan raised a massive hand in farewell.
Sylvana smiled gently.
"May the forest always guide your path."
Kai returned the smile.
"And may it always stand."
---
Far away...
Beyond the clouds...
Beyond even the floating islands...
A pale silver moon hung unnaturally close to the world.
Across its surface, ancient cracks spread like spiderwebs.
Inside a forgotten temple built upon the moon itself...
A lone woman in silver robes knelt before a broken altar.
She looked up as the cracks widened.
Behind her...
A colossal silver wolf lay chained by black crystal.
The woman's eyes filled with determination.
"I'll hold the seal..."
"...until the Beast Sovereign arrives."
A tremendous howl echoed across the moon.
The race for the final Origin Key had begun.