Episode : The Touch of Healing and the Titan's Rage
Lian and his companions, weary to the bone, made camp in a quiet clearing. After a long journey, they slaked their thirst and hunger with fruits and water found nearby. A sense of relief settled over them as they shared the sweet fruit and cool water, their conversation light and easy for the first time in days. But as time wore on, a strange presence began to seep into the air.
Ivella was the first to feel it. "Something's wrong…" she gasped, clutching her stomach, her face contorting in pain. "This… this isn't right…" Her voice was a strained whisper.
Kairen, too, sensed the wrongness in his own body. He rose slowly to his feet, his gaze sweeping their surroundings. "There is something wrong with this food… This was no simple sustenance." A flicker of alarm ignited in his eyes.
Lian felt a haze descending over his consciousness. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and his limbs grew heavy, as if turning to lead. He sank to the ground, but the agony he felt was more than the symptoms of a mere poison. Deep within him, the slumbering power of the Titan had begun to stir.
"No…" Lian fought to hold onto his consciousness, but his body would not obey. The Titan's power, long suppressed, began to surge, a violent tempest threatening to break free. A dark energy bled from his fingertips, and a red glow slowly began to suffuse his eyes.
"Lian!" Ivella cried out, her face a mask of horror, but Lian was already losing himself. The Titan's energy, now raging out of control, vibrated through the air around him. Stones lifted from the ground, and the trees themselves began to tremble.
"He's losing control…!" Kairen tried to rise, but the poison held him fast. "If this continues, we are all in danger!"
In that moment, a soft light bloomed in the forest. The light drew closer, and from within it, a woman emerged. She was wreathed in a mystical aura as she approached Lian with a serene calm. She was Serin, a healer who wielded the power of nature.
She raised a hand, her voice a gentle murmur. "Be still… and surrender your body to the flow of nature." An energy of life flowed from her fingertips, enveloping Lian and beginning to soothe the rampaging power within him.
The Titan's energy, which had been churning inside him, slowly began to subside. The light that emanated from Serin's touch washed over Lian's body like cool water, gradually drawing his consciousness back from the brink. The red glow in his eyes faded, returning to their natural color. The dark energy that had coiled around him dissipated.
"Lian, are you okay?" Ivella asked, her voice filled with concern as she drew near.
Lian gasped for breath and collapsed to the ground. "You… if it wasn't for you…" he said with a great effort. "I could have hurt my own companions."
Serin smiled warmly. "It is alright. I could feel a great power within you. That power will try to consume you, but with my own—the power of nature—I can help you find balance."
Lian looked up at her and gave a slow, weary nod. "Who… who are you?"
Serin answered as she extended her hands, a purifying force flowing from them. "My name is Serin. I am a healer who wields the force of life through nature. A corrupting energy has lingered in this forest for a long time, and it seems its influence has touched you all." A soft light emanated from her, gradually cleansing the toxins that had accumulated in their bodies.
Ivella looked at Serin, a deep relief washing over her. "We would have been in grave danger without you. You saved us."
Kairen inclined his head slightly. "A truly remarkable ability. We would all have been in peril had you not been here."
Serin gave a quiet smile and a brief nod of understanding. "I came here to protect the nature of this land and to restore its balance. I believe that with you, I can set right many more things."
Lian took a deep breath and rose to his feet again. "My power has grown so strong I can no longer control it… but you saved me. Serin, join us."
She smiled faintly. "Of course. Together, we can restore the balance of nature."
Ivella and Kairen both nodded in agreement, welcoming her to their party.
Through this experience, Lian felt keenly that he was not yet in full control of the Titan's power. But just as Serin's help had been able to soothe it, he now believed that with his companions, he could find a way to master it.
"I have to find a way to wield this power on my own terms," Lian resolved, his gaze set upon the journey ahead.
**
Episode : The Forest's Whisper and the Spirit's Call
As Serin journeyed with Lian, Ivella, and Kairen, she began to sense a subtle whisper from the depths of the forest, a sound only she could hear. It felt gentle and warm, as if the woods themselves were calling to her. Though the others heard nothing, Serin knew it was a sign—the forest spirits were sending her a message.
"The forest is calling to me," she said quietly to the party. "I believe the spirits will show us if we are on the right path." Lian trusted her and nodded, and they all followed Serin deeper into the woods.
As they walked, the leaves trembled with a subtle rhythm, and the wind stirred with a soft caress. Serin could feel the very flow of nature in the forest beginning to shift. Small, glowing motes of energy began to gather from between the leaves, coalescing into the form of a forest spirit.
They arrived at a small pond in the heart of the forest. The place was unnaturally peaceful and serene. The trees were tall and lush, and the water of the pond was clear and transparent. Just then, shining droplets of water began to gather above the pond's surface. The light intensified, forming a single shape, and from it, a spirit emerged.
This was Eila, a spirit of life who ruled over the forest and the pond. Her form was of pure energy, shaped like water and leaves, and she wore a gentle smile. With her appearance, the forest was filled with an even clearer, warmer energy. The animals of the woods quietly emerged, watching her.
Eila's voice was like soft, flowing music. "It has been a long time, Serin. Keeper of nature's balance, I am glad you have found your way to us again." She greeted Serin warmly, her curious eyes then turning to her companions. "It seems you have been searching for me. How did you come to this place?"
Serin bowed respectfully. "We are trying to stop the spread of a corrupted ancient god's power. I sensed that corrupting energy seeping into this forest as well. We need your help."
Eila nodded. "What you felt is true. A part of the forest is being tainted. The corrupting power of the ancient god has begun to seep in here. But there are still places it has not yet fully corrupted. If I can help you, then together, we can restore the balance."
The spirit Eila explained that though a part of the forest had been affected by the corrupting energy, the spirits of nature were still holding it back. She offered to grant the party her blessing of life to help them stop the corruption.
Eila bestowed a different blessing upon each of them. As her hand touched Serin, her healing abilities grew even stronger, and she could feel an even deeper connection to nature. Ivella, with the spirit's blessing, temporarily gained the ability to communicate with animals, and Kairen, absorbing the speed of nature, could now move with even greater swiftness and agility in battle.
Lian was granted a natural purifying power that could temporarily soothe the Titan's power. Eila looked at him and said, "The power within you is dangerous and strong, but you will be able to control it completely. What I can give you is an energy that will, for a time, calm that power. But in the end, you will be the one who must overcome it."
Lian nodded, his expression resolute as he accepted her words. "I will strive to control my power."
Finally, Eila gave an important warning. "But be careful. On the other side of this forest, there is a spirit that has already been corrupted. He was once our companion who protected this forest, but he has been tainted by the ancient god's corruption. If you do not purify him, this entire forest is in danger of being corrupted."
A sense of tension fell over the party at her words. "Is there a way to purify the corrupted spirit?" Serin asked.
Eila shook her head. "His corruption is too deep. But by defeating him and banishing him from the forest, the balance of nature can be restored to some extent. You must be the ones to stop him. The path will be dangerous, but I and the other spirits will guide your way."
Serin thanked Eila, and the party, now with the spirit's blessing, prepared for their battle with the corrupted spirit. Eila gave one last smile. "As long as you are with nature, we will always help you. All the life in this forest will be with you."
With Eila's blessing, Serin and her companions were ready to set out to face the corrupted spirit that sought to taint the forest. Their journey would now become more perilous and dark, but they had gained confidence from the power of nature and the spirits' blessing. Their quest to confront the corrupted spirit was now truly beginning.
**
Episode : Ervan, the Ancient Guardian of the Forest
Guided by the words of the spirit Eila, Lian and the party sought out the ancient tree, Ervan. The tree was an ancient life form that had protected the forest for thousands of years, a tree in which the spirit Ervan dwelled. It was a crucial place that maintained the balance and flow of nature, and the forest itself seemed to breathe with a serene calm.
Serin, with her deep connection to nature, sensed Ervan's presence and led her companions toward his location. "The guardian of this forest is near. We must prepare to speak with him. The answer we seek will be with him," she said to her companions, and the party approached the guardian with reverent hearts.
As they arrived at the center of the forest, the giant tree-form of Ervan slowly began to awaken. The branches of the tree swayed gently, and his face slowly emerged, two eyes beginning to glow from between the bark. His voice was a rumble in their minds, as if the forest itself were speaking, and Lian's party could not hide their astonishment at the wondrous experience.
"So many ages have passed. You who have come, hearing the voice of nature, I have been waiting for you," Ervan said. His voice echoed as if through all the trees of the forest, and Serin and the party were humbled before his magnificent presence.
Serin stepped forward and greeted him. "Guardian of the forest, we have come here to stop a corrupting energy. We need your help. We sense that the balance of this forest is being threatened."
The expression on Ervan's face seemed to twist with pain. "The roots, deep beneath this earth, have been corrupted. The evil power of an ancient god has tainted my roots, and those corrupted roots are tearing through the land, spreading a black energy."
A massive branch of Ervan slowly pointed to the ground. The earth split open, and from the fissure, a corrupted root extended, the sight of it unfolding before their eyes. The root was black and twisted, destroying all life around it as it continuously grew up from the ground.
Ervan: "This root extends deep into the earth, tearing through the land and draining its life force. Nothing can survive where it passes, and the forest will soon die."
Ervan's eyes seemed to dim for a moment, the pain of the forest connected to his roots palpable. He looked at Serin and warned in a deep voice.
Ervan: "This root is digging deeper, trying to consume the very heart of the forest. My strength alone cannot stop it. I need your power. If you do not cooperate with the spirits of the forest to purify the corrupted root, this forest will vanish completely."
A branch of Ervan pointed deeper into the earth, showing how the corrupted root had already infiltrated deep into the ground. The earth was cracked, and from the fissures, a black, fog-like energy was flowing out, causing the surrounding trees to wither and producing tainted fruit, which in turn began to corrupt the animals that ate it.
Ervan: "The forest is the life and breath of us all. Before the corrupted root swallows the forest, we must sever it. Only if you gather the strength of the forest can you purify that root. Otherwise, the forest will suffer for eternity."
Serin was shocked by Ervan's warning. Lian comforted her as they resolved to find the source of the corruption and eliminate it.
As Ervan's warning ended, Serin was shaken by the realization of how deeply the corruption had spread. Knowing that the tainted root was tearing through the earth and killing the life of the forest, her heart was crushed with pain and a sense of powerlessness. She was a part of the forest, and the forest's pain was her own.
Serin's gaze wavered, her voice trembling.
"To think that… to think that the corruption has spread so deep…"
Serin sank to her knees, unable to look up. She was no longer sure if she could save this forest with her abilities. To her, who was so deeply connected to the woods, this situation felt like a personal failure, a guilt for not being able to protect nature.
"The forest is in such pain… and I couldn't do anything. My power is too weak… this root is too strong. I can never stop it on my own…"
As her words faded, Kairen slowly approached. He maintained the quiet composure of an ascetic and sat down beside her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and comforted her in a gentle voice.
"Serin, I cannot fully understand the pain you feel. But one thing is clear. Pain and anxiety are merely enemies that try to stop you. If there is one thing I have learned in the monastery, it is how to accept pain. Pain is the proof that you can become stronger."
Serin, even after hearing Kairen's words, could not shake her anxiety. She was terrified by how deeply the corruption had spread. Just then, Ivella came and knelt before her. The fierce warrior, with her strong will, spoke in a firm voice.
"Serin, we are all fighting. I, too, have many things I failed to protect. When the men of my village disappeared, I decided I had to protect it myself. When I took up my spear and resolved to defend my home, my brother was already gone. If I had just grown up a little faster, I might have been able to save him. But I learned something after that. If we do not fight, no one will protect us."
Ivella gripped Serin's hand tightly, her gaze unwavering.
"We are fighting with you, too. This forest is something you must protect, but it is also something we can protect. You are not fighting alone as a warrior; we are fighting together. If you grow weary, we will protect you."
At Ivella's words, Serin slowly began to find her strength again. Though the anxiety still lingered in her heart, the fact that she was not alone slowly began to steady her. She slowly raised her head and met Lian's eyes. He said nothing for a moment, but his gaze was filled with a sense of responsibility and determination.
Lian took a step forward.
"Serin, we can protect it. But you must let go of the thought that you have to do it all on your own. Do not try to carry everything by yourself. I am here. So are Ivella and Kairen. I know how strong this corruption is. But in spite of that, we will not stop. That is my duty, as a warrior, and as someone who has people to protect."
Serin could feel the strong sense of responsibility and determination in Lian's voice. He was fulfilling his role, not just as a companion, but as a guardian. Lian continued firmly.
"The life I have lived has carried more burdens than you can imagine. But I was able to bear it, and we will protect you so that you do not grow weary. We are one. We are a team."
Serin closed her eyes at his words and took a deep breath. She was no longer alone, and she realized once more that she had companions who would fight with her for this forest. Tears welled in her eyes, but this time, they were not tears of anxiety, but of resolve.
"You're right. You are all here. We are together. If I want to protect this forest, I must do it with you."
Lian smiled and nodded.
"Yes. We can overcome this. Together, we will surely succeed."
Kairen also smiled and gave a brief nod of understanding.
"Every battle begins in the mind. Now that you have steeled your heart, we can all move forward together."
Ivella gripped her spear and said to Serin.
"From now on, I will take the lead. You can watch from the rear with us. You can fight again when you are ready. That is the way of warriors."
Feeling the warm support of her three companions, Serin hardened her resolve once more. To reclaim the life of the forest and the breath of nature, she was ready to fight with them. The battle with the corrupted root would not be easy, but now, she was not alone.
"Alright. Then let's find the source of the corruption and remove that root."
Lian nodded, his expression resolute.
"That's right. We must protect this forest. And we will do it together."