Chapter 5 How I gained power after the End

The moment I grasp the seed I’m engulfed in the light.

I feel the seed’s roots begin to enter me through my hand, the warm light fills my body. The seed travels through using its roots to gain purchase, and then drag itself through my body until I feel it grip my heart. It causes no pain as it moves through my body, only a small pinch when it entered my hand, followed by a warm pressure then release when it embeds itself in my heart.

I struggle against the feeling, trying to hold back my discomfort. I writhe from my body trying to reject the seed and force it out until I feel the warm light explode from within me. In that moment my mind is transported.

I open my eyes and I’m floating among the clouds in a warm sunlit world. Beneath me is a plot of land with a single great tree growing out of it. I can both see it and inside it at the same time At the base of the tree there is a singular glowing point. It’s a bright light that has lines of dimmer light spreading out in all directions. This network of lines form a shape that matches the form of the tree, and its deep spreading roots. At many various points along the network are dimmer light point.

When my eyes lock on to any of these, points various phrases appear. “Nature’s wrath”. “Branch of Heaven”. “Ravenous Growth”. I can’t help but laugh. This is what I remembered most from the story. A literal skill tree. That center glowing point is the starting point, “Seed of Origin”.

The skill tree has two paths, named after the skill at their peaks. “Tree of Heaven” and “Root of Earth”. Both paths have their own identities. 

The “Tree of Heaven” path puts an emphasis on skills that augment Dawn’s physical body; turning Dawn’s body into hard armor, giving him strength and endurance. They culminate into skills that physically transform Dawn during fights.

While “Root of Earth” is focused on improving Dawn’s connection with the land; becoming almost like a spellcaster that can only cast spells that affect nature, like a Druid. Purifying water, growing vines, and summoning up carnivorous plants.

I always liked the tree of heaven path when I read the story. Whenever Dawn got a skill on this path it made the story more exciting. Dawn really became a Hero, being able to fight more dangerous monsters, explore more dangerous areas, and overall just become more heroic.

There weren’t really any obstacles in his path that couldn’t be solved with a skill from “Tree of Heaven”, so it was always a disappointment for me when Dawn got a skill from “Root of Earth”.

That being said, I have to choose “Seed of Origin” to exit this “menu”, for lack of a better term. I lock my eyes onto the bright glowing point and reach out my hand. I feel the space between me and the point of light rapidly closing, I feel an odd lurch in my body, like I’m falling, yet I feel no rush of wind.

I grab the seed at the point of light and in a heartbeat I’m back to the bottom of the well. The light is gone, but I still feel it inside of myself. My body feels strange, like my bones and muscles have some extra structure around them. I assume the feeling is the seeds roots creating a network throughout my body.

I look down, and in the darkness, Sarah is still there. Facedown, unceremoniously mouldering in the water.

I turn her over, and carry her in my arms. I look down at her face somberly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I know you’re not my real mother. I’m sorry I’m not your real Dawn” Looking at her I don’t feel the same despair I felt earlier. I guess no matter how kind she was to me, I only knew her for a short time. It was the idea of her that mattered so much to me.

“Still though, you cared for me in this short time. You were a lighthouse that gave me direction when I was lost and confused in this world.” I clutch her close for a moment closing my eyes in a show of respect and gratitude. “You deserve better than to be left to rot at the bottom of this well.”

I open my eyes with determination. Here goes nothing I guess. I crouch, and still carrying Sarah in my arms, I leap straight out of well. The pressure of my feet against the ground, the rush of the wind ripping against my face. They take me aback for a moment, but I realize now I’m not as tired as I was a moment ago.I don’t feel the pain all over my body. I feel fresh, like I’m a new person. 

I rise out of the well, and the air I force out the well creates a gust of wind that rustles the grass near the well, and causes the fires to dance. In the light I see myself for the first time since the seed entered my body. I look at my body and am awed at the thickness of my arms. If every part of me has grown like this, then these goblins are in for some trouble.

The pair of goblins who were just shooting down at me turn to see the cause of the gale, they catch sight of me as I land on the edge of the well.

As they begin the draw their bows in a panic, I hop down and lay Sarah gently against the well. As I stand I notice that the edge of the well seems to be further down in my sight than it was before. I turn to face the goblins and they seem a bit shorter as well. I must be a bit taller now. How strange. This is going to take some getting used to. Gawking at myself can wait thought.

I run at the goblins. Are they moving slower than before. I see where their arrows are aiming and move out of the way. The arrows fly by me and land in the tree behind me. Before they’re able to reload their bows I’m already on top of one of them. It’s not as big as that club, but it’s good enough.

I swing my extended arm, and crash it into the goblins neck, sending it tumbling backwards. The other goblin drops its bow, and draws a knife, but before it becomes a danger I reverse my momentum and drive my foot into its side. The goblin’s arm was in the way, but it didn’t seem to dampen the blow at all. It gasps for air, the wind knocked out of it.

It’s still standing, so I bring my fist to meet its head. I’m not a fighter, but these aren’t particularly complicated moves. As we separate, the goblin falls straight to the ground. I hear its head make an audible crack as it hits the ground. 

I draw my knife. I already did this once. What’s two more times? I kneel next to the goblin’s unconscious body, and with a pause, I took a deep breath. I try to remember what it felt like to stab the goblin before. 

If I wait, the same thing is going to happen. It’ll wake up and then I’ll still have to deal with it. I release the breath I took, then with more ease than before, I stab it through the heart. Ok, now the next one.

I hold my knife still dripping with blood, and search for the other goblins body. Where is it? I thought I saw its body land around here. I can’t find its body, but I begin to hear rapid footsteps heading my way. I look in the direction the sound is coming from just in time to see a goblin riding on the back of a large wolf.

Its wearing some crude leather armor, and another studded club. The moment I see it it lets out a guttural screech and swings the club at my head. I narrowly dodge, by moving my body as fast as I can. I’m off balance, but safe.

As I regain my balance, hear an arrow land at my feet. I look over to see the goblin I let go, with its bow drawing another arrow. I have to deal with both of these things now? This’ll be easier if I can get that one. I try to tear a path at the goblin shooting arrows, but before I can make it there the goblin rider has circled back and is taking another swing at me. 

This is so annoying, just fight me one on one! As I dodge out of the way again. I turn and see the archer goblin has moved. Great, now I won’t even know where he’s shooting from. They keep up this frustrating combination of striking then moving. Fine, I’ll deal with the rider first. I hope I really have become stronger! I wait for the rider to charge at me again, this time I meet it head on. With my knife drawn I charge the wolf directly, tackling it from a low stance and knocking the rider off balance.

The rider’s swing goes wide, and I manage to stop the wolf in its tracks. It hurts like hell, but my body is different from before, I won’t get knocked back like the last time. I position my arms around it’s neck and I hear it snapping it’s mouth in vain to try to sink it’s teeth into me. I use my legs to lift, and raise its upper body up. The goblin rider tries in vain to stay on its back, but falls off. 

I chose this moment for the simple fact that the it would put a wall between me and the archer. I can shield myself from its arrows using the wolf’s body.  

The wolf’s claws are trying their best to find my body, but I embedded my knife into its neck the moment I made contact. I feel the resistance to my grapple lose strength as the wolf goes limp. The rider that I knocked off of it seems to bear no sorrow for its steed as it swings at me and the wolf I’m holding. I drop the wolf to dodge pushing it in the direction of the goblin who’s currently attacking me.

It falls on him and I take the opportunity to stab it quickly, not a deep stab, but it’s enough to make it bleed. “You’re not so tough without your wolf, he was your real strength.” It tries to swing its club at me again, but I’m much faster than it. I stop its swing while it’s still winding up with one hand and put my knife in its neck with my other.

Now I have one more to deal with. I look around and see the final goblin. Its bow is at its side and it almost looks scared. “Are you scared? After your one sided massacre? You disgusting monster! You deserve to be scared.” It tries to run, but I catch up to it.

“I hope you have a taste of the fear that you’ve forced upon everyone you ever killed. I’m going to savor that look in your eyes when you die!” I grab it by the back of its neck and throw it to the floor. I revel in the look it gives me.  

I was scared at first, but now. “I’m starting to enjoy this.” I hold it down, and deliver the finishing blow.