Spire of Wood

At that point in time, Uda had already joined us. We traveled across the sunken country, hoping to make it to the grand capital. We had only heard stories, how it shone in the night, the bustling merchants selling golden apples and ancient blades. If anywhere was safe, it would be there.

Of course, when we arrived, it had already sunken. Wooden crosses raised into the air with decaying corpses hung on them. Those damn Mobies killed everyone. The mountains had entrapped us, the seas were unpassable. Our country did not stand a chance at survival.

-Excerpt from the recovered journal of Absalon Ramorski.

♕♛♕♛♕♛♕

The tree ascended into the heavens, piercing through the clouds. Its branches spreading out from the orange-brown bark, casting large shadows over the city of gold.

Manako’s gaze lands on the large tree’s canopy as she exits out of the back of town hall, dragged by the girl in white.

“W-wait, what are we doing?” Manako calls to the girl.

“We shall climb the tree!” The girl in the white hood announces.

“Wha-what?! How-”

“You are an elf, are you not? We shall use your Pneuma Ability!” The girl says as the two enter a small doorway into the large tree.

“I…” Manako’s eyes fall to the ground. Aside from humans, who were an exception, each race's abilities focused on specific schools of magic. Elves focused on the ability to control plants and other living things.

The two enter the tree. A small spring made of ancient stone and two small streams lies in the middle of the hollow trunk. In the center is a stone statue of a small girl, a golden halo hovering over her head.

“This is…”

“The shrine. We shall climb up through the inside.” The girl in white responded. “Please begin.”

The two walk to the closest wall of wood. Manako, placing her hand on the cold bark, says-

“Fukeru”

A bulge grows out of the bark, splitting as a bare branch is born from it. The infant branch extends, growing buds and leaves as it grows in size. After a few moments, the branch had grown large enough to allow them to stand on safely.

“H-here.” Manako says, stepping onto the branch.

“Will it take this long each time?”

“No…It will be faster now.”

Manako places her hand on the bark a little ways up, on contact and repeating the word Fukeru, A branch grows in seconds.

The two continue upward.

–

“W-why do I have to do this?” Manako asks, looking at the spring which now appeared to be the size of a marble.

“Everyone else has their own tasks.”

“...” Manako’s thoughts shift from her current predicament to her previous ones. The man this morning, meeting Ms. Neia and the others, searching for the tickets, and the apothecaries…

Her mind turned to the old women who had given them two tickets as she placed her hand on the bark again, forming another step in the long spiral of branches.

That old miss… To think she actually knew who I am…

The memory of the conversation she had alone with the old woman played in her mind.

-

“Youngin, your the survivor of the great fire, aren't cha?” The old woman said with kind eyes.

“?!” Manako looked at her surprised for a moment. “Y-yes. Ho-how-”

“It’s quite obvious youngin. Kehehe.” The old woman turned slightly and picked up the case. “I always wondered what happen’d to cause such a thing.”

“...”

“It’s okay… You don’t need to tell me.” The old woman picked up the singular red flower in the case. “Here. If anyone should have it, it’s you.”

“I…”

“Please.”

Manako nodded slightly. The old woman lifted the flower to her silver hair and placed it on her head.

“Kehehe. I remember I used to do this with my son…” The old woman's gaze turned melancholic.

“Thank yo-”

“Now wait youngin, this is the merchant city, nothin here is free.”

“Hu-huh?”

“Don't ye worry, I simply ask you to help me up the stairs.” She said, a soft smile on her face.

“O-oh Okay.”

Manako grabbed the old woman, who was barely taller than her, by the shoulder and helped her up the stairs.

Once they reached the top, a small halfway with three doors revealed itself.

“Just here.” The old woman says, entering the closest door.

Manako follows her in, carrying the bouquet of flowers from the salesman.

“Hk?!” Manako’s eyes fall on a man laying in a large bed. His old features appear stiff and cold, like a corpse.

“This ere’s Stewart, my husband.” The woman says, sitting on the bed next to him. “Just place the flowers on the night stand there. Thank you.”

Manako moved with stiffness, placing the bouquet on a small wooden table next to the women, who had laid down.
“Youngin…” The old woman says, “Do not let what happened stop you from moving forward.”

“I… I should get someone, your son-”
“He’s already waiting for us.” The woman says, closing her eyes. “Get going youngin, your friends are waiting. May the Spirit bless you all.”

-

Manako’s mind returned to the present, they had reached a roadblock.

“These are…” Rocks and monsters were webbed in small gold silk, clinging to the side of the tree. Some appeared to be turning into gold statues.

“This is its ‘stomach’. I was told to go through it but…” The girl in the white cloak says. “I suppose I'll simply have to make a way past.”

The girl places both hands on the wall of bark next to her, careful not to fall, and says-

““Water slash””

Water appears on the surface of the bark, becoming thin sheets. At first the blades of water seem to seep back into the tree, however, it quickly becomes apparent that the bark is being cut into, due to the wood shavings falling, catching in the leaves of the branch.

After 5 minutes, the blades of water are no longer visible. The girl pushes on the wood in front of her and it moves, disappearing below.

“There, a path forward.” The girl says as strong winds flood into the tree.

“This is…” The city below comes into view, the hordes of monsters, the walls on its edge, and the warm glow of the setting sun.

Manako grows a branch and steps out, clinging to the wall as best she can.

The two had reached the canopy, only a couple dozen steps away from the pinnacle.

“We're almost there.” The girl says, following after Manako.

The two of them progress, slowing considerably in the cold, harsh wind.

I can see it, the store where those old folk rest… The experience had left a large impact on her, she had avoided anything that could remind her of that tragic fire. She had avoided magic, training, she even avoided cooking with flames.

The only reason I even attempted to sign up for this school is because of her… The image of beautiful purple hair entered her mind. She tried to convince me to join, not just the base, but the higher course… Though I wouldn’t have done it if it weren't for that strange merchant.

As she began to reminisce of the strange shop that appeared to her suddenly, the two made it to the top.

Stepping onto hard bark, the two witness the origin of the golden tendrils. An ornate treasure chest, made of dark red wood and golden outlines, the tentacles of gold pour out, facing the dragon in the sky.

Loud explosions and collisions wring out in the sky as the two walk close, stepping on a strange symbol carved into the bark.

“We must begin.” The girl says, allowing the white cloak to fall onto the wooden floor.

“Huh?!” Manako looks away quickly, blush appearing on her face.

The girl’s outfit was made of gold, white patches of fabric covering the necessities.

“Begin.” The girl says as she steps closer to the chest. So she is Ms. Nerrisa… She doesn’t seem to be happy to be seen wearing that garment.

Manako quickly shook her head, dispelling her thoughts on the outfit. She began to cast the magic.

““Gōrudo”” She says, as the feeling of forgetting something fills her head.

A large ball of gold appears in front of her, growing larger and larger. Eventually, this gold drops to the ground, filling the strange symbol carved into the wood with liquid gold.

Ting ting~

As if a music box had been wound, the sound of golden shoes hitting wood rings out on top of the grand tree as Nerrisa dances. Her dance sways with the winds, the white cloths, golden tassels, and her deep black hair following, as if in a trance.

The dance goes on for a moment, before Nerissa stops and falls into a praying stance.

Doing the same, Manako falls on one knee. The gold flowing beneath her feet, slowly hardening.

Moments pass, the sounds of wind and the fight happening above them play out.

Dung.

Suddenly, the chest makes a noise. The gold beneath their feet returns to a liquid and rushes toward the chest. The gold coagulates into the golden tentacles.

“?!” For a moment, Manako sees the figure of a woman, entirely gold, nodding her head to her.

The battle in the sky would now enter its final act.