I plucked another fruit and slipped it into my pocket, reaching for the next one. That was when I heard it. A voice, deep and guttural, rumbled from behind me like a growl from the earth itself. The air trembled with its power.
"How you so bright?...You dare feast upon me!"
I froze, my heart leaping into my throat. The voice had come from behind me, near the water hole where I had eaten the strange fruit. Slowly, I turned, my mind racing. The clearing looked unchanged: the same shimmering pool lit by the glowing rocks, the same tree swaying gently, its branches rustling as if in innocence. Nothing else stirred. My pulse quickened, and I forced a steady breath. Maybe I was imagining it, some lingering effect of the exhaustion I had only just shaken off.
But the voice came again, louder this time, vibrating through the ground beneath my feet. "Do you think you can take what is mine without consequence, Human?"
I swallowed hard, my eyes darting from trunk to trunk in search of an explanation. Then my gaze locked on the tree I had plucked the fruit from, and panic surged through me. No... that was impossible. Trees don't speak. They don't roar with anger. They're just trees... aren't they?"
But before I could fully process the thought, something happened. I saw it. The bark of the tree began to twist and contort, as if something was moving just beneath the surface. Cracks formed, and long, jagged slits ripped open in the trunk. My stomach churned as I watched what could only be described as eyes...dark, hollow, and full of rage, emerge from the bark. They fixed on me, and I shuddered.
And then, the tree spoke.
"You've taken what is mine, without thought, without respect!" its voice boomed, each word shaking the ground beneath me. I stood frozen in place, my mind refusing to accept what was happening. My heart pounded in my chest, my skin prickling with a cold sweat.
"No... this isn't real," I muttered to myself. It couldn't be. Trees don't talk. But as I watched, the bark of the tree continued to split, a large hole forming in the middle of the trunk. Splinters of wood jutted out like razor-sharp teeth, and from the twisted mouth, the tree let out another roar of fury.
"You dare consume my fruit and offer no thanks, no offering? You mortals are all the same. Greedy. Thoughtless."
I stumbled back, my mind racing to find an explanation, anything to rationalize what I was seeing. But there was no denying it. The tree...the tree I had just eaten from...was alive, and it was furious.
"I... I didn't know," I stammered, struggling to find the right words. My throat felt dry, my pulse quickening with each passing second. "I didn't know you were... alive. I didn't mean any disrespect!"
The tree's bark twisted further, forming what looked like furrowed brows above its grotesque mouth. Its voice, now filled with anger, echoed once more.
"Didn't know? Ignorance does not absolve you from consequence, Human. You take what you do not understand. That is your nature."
I held up my hands, stepping backward slowly, trying to diffuse the situation. "I didn't mean to offend you! I was exhausted, and I didn't realize the fruit was yours to guard. I just... I didn't know!"
The tree let out a deep, menacing growl. Its massive branches creaked above me, shaking the leaves, and it swayed forward, looming over me with terrifying intent. Its shadow fell across me, chilling my skin.
You dare steal from Añkantu, the Guardian of the Ruby Fruit?" its voice boomed, like the rumble of distant thunder. "You will pay for your arrogance, mortal!"
"I didn't know!" I shouted, dodging a root that shot toward me like a spear. "I was starving! I didn't know the fruit was yours!".
Añkantu's laughter echoed through the cave, low and menacing. "Lies!!, you're a thief. The fruit of Añkantu is sacred, and you have defiled it."
My breath came in short gasps as I darted between Añkantu's attacks. The roots were relentless, slamming into the ground and walls with enough force to send shards of rock flying. It had made sure to block the exit with thick root from ground to ceiling, trapping me in the chamber. I ducked behind a boulder, my mind racing. I needed a plan, but Añkantu wasn't giving me a moment to think.
"Your ignorance is an insult in itself! You took what is sacred without permission, and for that, there is only one consequence. You will pay with your life."
Before I could react, one of its thick branches swung toward me with surprising speed, the wind hissing as it cut through the air. Pure instinct kicked in, and with my renewed strength, I leapt to the side just in time, the branch crashing into the ground where I had been standing only a moment ago. The impact shook the earth, sending a spray of dirt and leaves into the air.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. Añkantu wasn't just angry, it wanted to kill me. Its branches swung wildly, and each time I narrowly dodged, feeling the air shift around me as they smashed into the ground or the rocks nearby.
I tried to dart to the side again as another branch came crashing down, its force cracking the stone beneath it like brittle glass. But something grabbed onto my leg and all I could do was dive to the floor to escape the flying root. Capillary-thin vines, glistening faintly in the dim light of the cave were wrapping themselves firmly around my legs. I barely had time to roll out of the way as one of the root lashed out at me, striking a boulder instead and crushing it into rubble.
"You will not escape, thief!" Añkantu bellowed, ripping its roots from the ground with a deafening roar. The earth trembled as the massive trunk lifted itself fully from the soil, its roots now coiling like the limbs of some great beast. It towered over me, its bark splitting in places, revealing even more jagged wooden spikes beneath.
I backed away, as the vines moved further up my body. My eyes wide as I tried to process what was happening. The tree was alive...and it was hunting me.
My mind raced as Añkantu drew closer. I couldn't break free, but I couldn't give up either. I twisted my body, trying to reach a sharp rock close by, but the vines held me fast. Desperation fueled my strength, and with a final, desperate effort, I managed to grab the rock and slam it into the vine wrapped around my arm. Thick sap oozed from the wound, and the vine loosened its grip just enough for me to wrench my arm free.
"I'm not giving up!" I shouted, slashing at the vines with the rock. I cut through one, then another. My movements frantic but determined. The vines recoiled, and for a moment, I thought I might break free. But Ankantu was too fast. A massive root slammed into the ground beside me, sending me sprawling. The vines surged forward again, wrapping around my legs and pulling me toward Añkantu's gaping maw.
My mind raced as I was dragged across the ground. I couldn't let it end like this. I had to survive. I had to get out of this cave. With a final burst of strength, I twisted my body and slammed the rock into the vine holding my legs. It snapped, and I scrambled to my feet, my chest heaving.
You cannot escape! Añkantu's grip will find you, no matter where you run!
But I was done playing by Añkantu's rules. I sprinted toward the pool of water, ensuring to stick to the edges of the chamber and avoiding the vines as best i could. My mind clear for the first time since the fight began. I didn't know if it would work, but I had to try. As I reached the water's edge, I turned to face Añkantu, my eyes blazing with defiance.
"You're just a tree," I muttered, my voice trembling even as I tried to steady it. Fear churned in my chest, but I forced myself to look it in the eye. "I already said I was sorry... what more do you want from me?"
I plunged into the water and flailed, arms beating wildly just to keep my head above the surface. I wasn't swimming, not really, just fighting not to sink. Yet with every frantic stroke, the water seemed to push me forward, lifting me, feeding strength back into my body. Somehow, thrashing and gasping, I made it across and dragged myself onto the far side, my chest heaving but my limbs alive with new energy.
Añkantu turned to face me and resumed his onslaught of attacks. I kept moving, darting left, then right, narrowly avoiding its branches as they lashed out, leaving deep gouges in the ground. My breath was coming fast, but I felt strangely exhilarated, my body lighter than it had been in hours. My energy, renewed by the water, fueled my movements. I wasn't exhausted anymore. I could keep up, but for how long?
"Wait!" I shouted, dodging another branch that nearly took off my head. "I said I was sorry! I didn't know you were alive! I just, please, let me explain!"
Añkantu let out a mocking laugh, its deep voice rumbling through the clearing. "Explain? There is nothing you can say to undo what has been done. My fruit is sacred, and you're just like every other human that has entered here."
"I didn't know!" I yelled back, my voice trembling. "I thought it was just a tree...just a fruit! Please, just let me go. I won't take anything else, I swear!"
But Añkantu wasn't listening. It swung at me again, the thick branches slicing through the air like giant wooden fists. I jumped backward, avoiding the strike, my feet sliding against the dirt as I tried to find my balance. He moved toward me, ripping more of its roots free from the ground as it advanced.
"I will show you the consequence of your actions, thief," it snarled. "You will feel the weight of your transgression."
Panic surged through me as I realized Añkantu wasn't going to stop. It was tenacious, and it wasn't about to forgive me. I scanned the area, my mind racing for a solution, for anything that could give me an edge. There had to be a way to stop it, some weakness, some chance to reason with it. But all I saw were more branches lashing out, each one more aggressive than the last.
My renewed stamina kept me on my feet, but I knew it wouldn't last forever. If I didn't find a way to end this soon, he would eventually catch me, and when it did... I didn't want to think about that. I had to act.
Summoning every ounce of courage I had left, I stood my ground, breathing heavily as I faced the monstrous tree. "Look," I said, my voice firmer this time. "I made a mistake. I took your fruit because I was desperate. But that's it. I didn't mean any harm. If you want your seeds back, I have them. Just... stop this!"
Añkantu hesitated for a moment, its massive body creaking as it paused, branches twitching in the air. Its eyes narrowed, and I saw something shift in its expression, an acknowledgment, maybe, or a moment of thought.
But then, with a low growl, it spoke again. "Words mean nothing to me, human. You have stolen from me, and for that, you must DIE."
The branches swung again, and I leapt out of the way, my heart pounding harder than ever. This was it, there was no reasoning with it. I was on my own.
And I had to survive.
I didn't know what to do. I had no weapons, nowhere to run, and every option that crossed my mind felt like it would fail. The cave walls closed in around me, and the air seemed heavier, as if the very earth was trying to trap me here.
The voice still echoed in my head. Añkantu had spoken to me, it had yelled at me for eating its fruit. It had felt insulted, disrespected, and now I was paying the price for my ignorance. I should've known better, "Nothing in Life is Free"... but my exhaustion had clouded my judgment, and now this... thing was ready to kill me for it. I felt the fruit seeds still in my left pocket, along with the apple I had stashed away. It was a little bruised but still good, and as my fingers brushed over it, a plan began to form in my mind.
I had no way of fighting this creature directly. It was massive, with branches thick as tree trunks themselves and a rage that would crush me the moment I made a wrong move. But what I did have was my wits, and the cave around us. The stalactites hanging above, sharp and jagged, could be my only chance. If I could get Añkantu to thrash against the walls, maybe...just maybe, I could bring those deadly spikes down on it.
With renewed determination, I pulled a fruit from my pocket, the one I had grabbed before Añkantu spoke, and stared at it. Añkantu was already furious after learning I had eaten some of its fruit. If I ate more right in front of it, maybe that would push it over the edge. I looked up at the snarling face in the bark and took a bite.
The reaction was immediate. Añkantu let out an ear-splitting roar, a deep guttural sound that reverberated through the entire cave. It shook, ripping more of its roots from the ground as it swung its thick branches wildly. I could feel the wind from its movements, like a giant hand trying to swat me down.
"You dare eat from me again?" Añkantu howled, its voice echoing from every crevice of the cave.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to tremble. "Yeah, I dare. You're just a tree, after all."
It screeched, its branches flailing in fury, and for a moment, I thought it would crush me then and there. But I had to push it further. I needed it to lose control, to charge.
I stuffed another piece of the fruit into my mouth, chewing deliberately, trying not to show how terrified I was. Añkantu's bark twisted as more of its faces contorted in rage. "You tink you can disrespect me so? Yuh ago pay, sure as di sun rises." it bellowed, tearing its final roots free from the ground.
The earth trembled beneath my feet as the Añkantu moved forward, its roots slithering across the cave floor like tentacles. It lunged at me, swinging its massive branches. I barely managed to leap out of the way, feeling the wind whip past my face as one of the branches smashed into the ground where I had just stood. The impact sent chunks of stone flying through the air.
The cave shook again as he charged, crashing into the wall. This was my chance. I dodged another branch, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to stay on my feet. The walls quivered from the force of the impact, and I looked up, seeing the stalactites above me tremble. They were sharp enough to do serious damage, all I needed was for him to hit the wall again.
I shoved the last of the fruit into my mouth and yelled out, "You missed! You're nothing but a dead piece of wood!"
Añkantu screeched again, this time losing all control. With a violent roar, it tore through the cave, charging straight at me. Its branches lashed wildly, one missing my head by inches as I dove aside. The ground quaked when it slammed into the wall, but in an instant its roots twisted and struck my side. Pain exploded through me as I was hurled across the cave.
I crashed into the pool, the cold water swallowing me whole. Panic shot through me as I flailed, my arms thrashing wildly. I couldn't swim, but instinct kept me moving just enough to break the surface, choking on gulps of air as pain tore through my abdomen. Then I heard it, the sharp crack of stone giving way. My eyes darted up in time to see the stalactites snap free from the ceiling, jagged spikes plummeting toward the enraged tree. I plunged back under, the water burning in my nose and throat as heavy rocks crashed down around me. My lungs screamed, and I kicked upward, breaking through just in time. Gasping, I turned and froze. The stalactites had driven straight into the creature's body, pinning it with a sickening crunch.
Añkantu let out a final, ear-piercing screech as it collapsed, its branches twitching as the life drained out of it. Its enormous body sagged under the weight of the rocks, and for a moment, the cave was silent.
I got out the water and approached cautiously, staring down at the once-mighty tree, now reduced to a dying heap of splintered wood and jagged roots. It was breathing, or at least it seemed to be. Its bark shifted one last time, and a mouth opened near the base of the trunk, the sharp, wooden teeth stained with sap.
Añkantu's voice, once thunderous, had grown weak and broken. It tried to shift its roots toward me, but the effort failed. The wounds where the stalactites had pierced were clearly its weak point. It strained, forcing itself to move, but collapsed under its own weight. 'This... is what you are,' it rasped, every word dripping with bitter malice. 'A destroyer of life'."
I stood there, breathing heavily, my heart still racing from the battle. Its words echoed in my mind. A destroyer. Was that what I had become? I hadn't meant for this to happen. I didn't want to kill it. But here I was, standing over its dying body.
A pang of guilt hit me, followed by a wave of self-doubt. Had I really had a choice? Or had my actions been inevitable, a symptom of some deeper flaw within me?
I crouched down, pulling a small branch from its broken form. I held it in my hand for a moment, unsure of what to feel. I didn't even know why I took it. Maybe it was a trophy, or maybe a reminder. I wasn't sure. Before standing up, I grabbed one of the fruit that had fallen from Añkantu, slipping it into my pocket.
Without another glance at the fallen creature, I turned and walked down the passage, the echo of its final words lingering in the air. As I continued forward, my mind raced, but I couldn't shake the hollow feeling in my chest.
A Destroyer. Was that really who I was now? I didn't have the answer. All I knew was that I had to keep moving, had to find a way out of this place and back into the light. And hope that someday, I could leave this moment, and the weight of Añkantu's words, behind.