Alba walks through the damp rainforest, wading upstream through a rushing clear river. The cold liquid does not bring her back to her senses; the Witch's Seal on her forehead firmly controls her body.
She retains a hint of consciousness, but it's only enough to let her see the outside world as a spectator, using her former eyes.
Towering, lush trees, vines, and lichens densely cover her view, with the sparse sunlight filtering through the leaves and onto the leaf-covered ground.
If it were in the past, perhaps such scenery would relax and delight her.
But now, it's different.
Her mind cannot control her body's actions; though she is conscious, she can only act according to the commands of Witch Mother Hecate.
Watching her uncontrollable body head to the deepest part of the rainforest, feeling her face continually sneer.
She wants to scream at the top of her lungs.
Unfortunately, she can't.
She is Black Orchid, a warrior of the Green of All Things and the Red of All Beings, a hybrid of plant and animal, fighting countless times for them.
Yet the destination this time is one she has only heard of in legends.
In the forgotten dark corners of magic, the greatest existence within the Green of All Things lies sleeping here, their consciousness recording the entire history of this planet.
For any animal, going there would be considered sacrilege; it is a domain that belongs solely to plants.
These great existences are the Tree Council.
Thanks to Earth's primitive energy, these ancient trees are at least three hundred thousand years old.
They are not undying, but in the Amazon, where the Green of All Things is strongest, they can remain in a special state of slumber.
Parting the obstructive vines, stepping over troublesome rocks, Alba finally reached her destination.
Surrounded by giant trees as if bearing faces, these trees look entirely different from others in the rainforest.
They possess their own consciousness.
The Green of All Things conveys these consciousnesses, asking her why she has come here, why she harbors thoughts of murder and destruction.
Alba wants to break down and tell these beings how beautiful their Earth garden is, how much joy plants have brought her.
Unfortunately, she cannot; the engraving has given her a mission.
The Tree Council must die!
She will sever the ties between life and magic, and Witch Mother Hecate will take over.
Su Ming and others, directly teleported here by the Justice League's device, are currently hiding behind dense trees.
Though these plants initially showed great hostility to humans, as conscious beings, they are very afraid of dying.
When Su Ming took out a large number of Burning Bottles made with strong liquor, and Albella showcased Hellfire, the Tree Council finally agreed to properly communicate with them.
He explained that the Witchcraft Engraving has arrived, Hecate wants more than control over the Magic Realm.
Everything in the world has its balance, and the Green of All Things is the foundation of nature.
Without plants, the Red of All Beings representing animals will collapse, next affected will be the Rotting Kingdom that houses the dead, which is the domain of Death.
When everything is only death, with no rebirth, the rule of death will be changed by witchcraft; now that eternally smiling girl will cease to exist.
Su Ming has seen through Hecate's goal; she wants to become the new rule—that is witchcraft.
With witchcraft eternal life, by then, she will be everything.
Deathstroke smirked hidden within the thick canopy, thinking this task should really be God's work.
This level of crisis involves the Endless Clan and beings outside the Origin Wall; is it not a bit forced for a four-person team like ours to solve it?
Su Ming can handle Black Orchid, and believes the fifth person shouldn't be too challenging either; after all, every human has weaknesses.
But Hecate, as the rule of magic and witchcraft itself, is a bit troublesome.
A seal? But look at Albella drinking on the tree, her mind full of demon flames, how could she know the Sealing Technique?
That's why she's inferior to Constantine; when dealing with demons, she always used large fireballs to settle it, what even is a Sealing Technique?
Facing an existence like Hecate, actually God should have sent Ghost to handle it.
But that green-hatted Ghost, now without a host, only seeks you out; humans can't find him.
Plus, he has grudges against the Shadow Contract Team, Constantine, and Albella, with more than half the people in the Magic Realm he wants to kill.
Even if he appeared now, it's more likely he's against us rather than helping.
"Are we going to act or not? Black Orchid is starting to unleash witchcraft." Albella quietly reminded.
Black Orchid isn't a warlock, and the dazzling witchcraft spectacle ahead is all from the power given by the Seal.
Su Ming briefly observed.
Like Divine Don, she's manifesting purple energy with her hands, swinging it everywhere, almost like hundred-meter-long light sabers.
He's already figured out Hecate's criteria for choosing an Engraver.
Female, can fly, rare bloodline, and as for spellcasting, that's secondary.
If Black Orchid's level is similar to Don's, then using the old strategy of a one-day space trip plus a 'Heaven and Earth Toss' should resolve it as well.
"I'll take care of it, hoping things go smoothly." Su Ming turned the Godslayer into a lasso, with the drooping Magic Floating Cloak stealthily approaching from above.
Though Black Orchid's battle experience in the jungle isn't comparable to Don's retired superhero abilities.
Almost as soon as Su Ming started moving, she immediately detected him.
"It's you again! Witch Mother has informed me of your treachery!"
Su Ming got goosebumps; Zha Kang really wasn't wrong, the engraving turns their voices into Hecate's voice, like an old witch full of grievance.
Still like those who've been hormonally imbalanced for tens of thousands of years, the resentment in her tone practically tangible.
With the sneak attack failed, then it's a frontal assault.
Su Ming immediately dove, leaves scraping against his armor with a rustling sound, dew shattered in mid-air.
However, Black Orchid melted away.
She, like a puddle of purple sludge, instantly changed her form, flowing like liquid on the ground's fallen leaves, evading the attack.
"Tsk, trouble."
Su Ming shook his head, turning midair, seeing Black Orchid reformed into human shape.
Her half-plant, half-animal characteristics gave her Transformation Ability, she could transform infinitely.
She clearly mastered this ability well, and with Hecate's warning, the same tactic obviously can't be used twice.
Seems like a team assault is needed after all.