Reborn as a Demonic Tree

Stella was unsure of what to do as she crouched on a branch of one of Ash's offspring and watched the horde of crazed people rush below. There was a creak as the branch she was perched on bent slightly from the weight of someone landing beside her.

"What do you think, Grand Elder Redclaw?" she asked the man as the temperature in the air notably rose.

"Vincent got us good," the man grumbled as he stroked his chin. "I've confirmed that each person's strength is around the lower stages of the Soul Fire Realm, with a high focus on defense."

"Like body cultivators?"

The red-haired man sagely nodded, "They have no clue how to use Soul Fire Realm-level techniques or harness the blood Qi inside their bodies. They are simply mindless puppets."

"How durable are we talking?"

"I put down a wall of Star Core Realm fire to test, and they could regenerate from the burns. However, cut-off limbs did not regrow."

"Mhm, so not as good regeneration as a true blood cultivator. But to regenerate from such burns, that's concerning. Anything else?"

"Yeah, they explode on death."

Grand Elder Redclaw glanced across the landscape. They were halfway up the mountainside, and through the intense storm, the seemingly endless sprawl of Darklight City dominated the horizon. Between them and the city was a dense forest of demonic trees. "If we were in a large open field, I could barrage the land with large-scale hellfire. While costly to my Qi reserves, it would wipe out many of them."

"But we aren't in an open field," Stella said the silent part out loud. While it would be quite tricky for just a few of them to deal with over a million rabid Soul Fire Realm people, it wouldn't be impossible if they expended their Qi reserves without restraint. But the location of the battle changed things. The cities were densely populated with believers in the All-Seeing Eye, and thousands of Ash's offspring were located between the city walls and Red Vine Peak, giving the encroaching horde the perfect cover.

"We could stage the fight on Red Vine Peak, but I suspect that is Vincent's goal." The Grand Elder paused, thinking, "Whether they are to serve as a simple distraction or have a more direct purpose, such as exploding near Ashlock or their blood being used as fuel for some grand technique, Vincent has got us good. Is there really no way to save them? I doubt every one of these mortals was a devoted member of the Eyepatch group?"

Stella bit her lip and shook her head. "Ash managed to save Sullivan by using desolation Qi, but it was far too intensive of a process to use on a million people. Not to mention, his soul core was shattered in the process, reducing him to a mortal."

"They will hate us."

"Mhm?" Stella tilted her head, "What do you mean?"

"They believed that if they touched Ashlock, they would have their wish granted, did they not? If they are denied from reaching the mountain peak and have their chance of becoming a cultivator stolen from them, they will come to hate us." The Grand Elder clicked his tongue, "Vincent has presented us with a lose-lose situation. No matter what we do, people are going to die, become crippled, or the beast tide will draw closer if Ashlock is forced to waste his Qi."

"Let's focus on what we can do for now," Stella straightened up, causing the branch to creak again. Her gaze lingered on Red Vine Peak, which was to their back, and she sighed. "We must hold them back until Ash can lend us some aid. You lock down this area while I check on the northern ridge bordering Ashfallen City."

"Hey," Grand Elder Redclaw put a warm hand on her shoulder and stared into her shifting eyes, "Don't worry, it's going to be okay."

"I know," her shoulders sagged, "It's just killing these people goes against what Ash stands for. These people aren't our enemies; they were forced to oppose us. Hunting other cultivators is fun, but this is just sad."

"I know, but remember you are what Vincent is after, so stay safe and don't get any crazy ideas about giving yourself up. You die, and Ashlock over there will devour us all along with the nine realms in grief. Forget these mortals. The entire realm will be reduced to ruin. Understand?"

Stella chuckled, "I don't think he would eat you guys—"

Grand Elder Redclaw tightened his grip and looked deathly serious. "We have gone over this before. Be serious."

"Okay," Stella said in a small voice, "Maybe he would. I promise I'll keep myself safe."

"Good, now go. A slaughter awaits you." Bright orange flames flared to life down his arms, illuminating his face in the dim lighting, "With how frantically they are rushing up this mountainside, I bet these puppets will have reached Red Vine Peak on the northern side."

Turning his back to her, he slowly raised his flaming palms and aimed down the mountainside. "By the will of the heavens, may my hellfire cleanse these poor souls of their control and free them to the afterlife," he muttered as his hair ignited and flames erupted from his hands, cascading down the mountainside and engulfing thousands. Their harrowing screams filled the air as their regeneration kept them alive long enough to experience being burned to death. With a pained expression, the Grand Elder lowered his hands and whispered, "For the glory of Ashfallen."

The intense flames snaked around the demonic trees that were thankfully only slightly burned due to all of Ash's offspring on this side of the mountain having either fire or water affinity, making them resistant.

Stella winced as the smell of burnt meat wafted under her nose, followed by the sound of innumerable explosions as the people died. The ground trembled, and pieces of wood went flying.

"Don't wait around here." The Grand Elder's tone was colder than ice as his hands wreathed with flames again, "Go."

Stella nodded and stepped through the aether, leaving the man to defend the flank facing Darklight City. While the majority of the blood puppets were coming from that side, Ashfallen City was closer in proximity, so it was the priority. She arrived at the edge of Red Vine Peak, just beyond the wall of mist and the illusion array that obscured the peak from outsiders.

Walking down the jagged rock face, she peered down the steep slope. Expanding her spiritual sense, she gulped at the sheer number of people rapidly approaching. The ground trembled from distant explosions as Stella saw Diana soaring overhead with her wings spread wide. The demoness was spreading demonic mist and raining down bolts of demonic Qi, but Stella could tell she was hardly making a dent. The explosions from the dying puppets took pieces out of nearby trees or blew off branches.

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"I'm so sorry, little trees," Stella said a quiet prayer. This suffering was all because of one bastard who was hellbent on drinking her blood. Stella knew this wasn't her fault, and she kept the Grand Elder's words in mind. Yet she still felt partially responsible for the suffering before her. If only I was stronger and could kill him myself without the help of anyone. That way, nobody would have to get hurt or waste their Qi on my behalf. Unfortunately, I'm lacking in strength. Stella raised her hand and called on the aether, "Luckily, I have beings crazy enough to stand at my side that I can rely on to make up for it. Come on, Guppy. I have some snacks for you."

The Darktide Devourer emerged from the aether with his signature low thumping noise, matching the pulsating crimson veins running down his body. Guppy twisted his head to look at Stella with multifaceted eyes glowing a sinister purple hue. His head was a nightmarish amalgamation of serpent and insect. His face split as he slowly opened his maw, revealing rows of jagged and uneven teeth. He drooled a viscous black liquid that dripped down the sides of his mouth and dissolved the rock.

"Oi," Stella smacked his mouth shut, "No drooling, remember?"

Guppy let out a small cry.

"Now go devour as many of those blood puppets as possible," Stella gestured with her chin toward the trees. Guppy complied and rushed down toward the treeline with surprising silence, considering his size.

I wonder if Guppy will one day grow to the size of that worm that caused the hole in the mountain that later became the citadel. Stella thought as she closed her eyes and entered the aether plane. Reality faded away, and she only focused on the uncountable number of presences rushing toward her. Her many spatial rings flashed, and dozens of daggers appeared orbiting her with telekinesis.

"Go," she pointed, and the daggers shot out into the forest. Like a conductor, Stella hummed to herself as she moved her hand, causing the daggers to whistle through the air before tearing holes through multiple people at once.

As howls of pain echoed in the forest, Stella wrapped the dying people in telekinesis and gestured upwards, flinging the bodies into the sky. For a single moment, a hundred bodies dangled in the air, with the last rays of sunlight illuminating their dying faces before they exploded from within, raining blood onto the trees below.

Diana noticed her presence and changed her trajectory to come and land beside her.

"How did Vincent get control of so many people so quickly? This feels endless." Diana said as she took a moment to catch her breath.

"He's a master of control," Stella replied with closed eyes, "an ancient cultivator who's likely survived more wars, uprisings, and attempts on his life than the years we have been alive. I'm not surprised he has the upper hand on us, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it."

Diana slowly nodded. "Yeah," she glanced over her shoulder. "I just hope Ashlock can come up with something soon. We are moments from getting overrun."

"Where's the others?"

"Bastions and Ents have been sent to deal with Vincent. The city guards were told to stand down to reduce casualties. The new recruits from the tournament have already been put to work and are assisting where they can alongside the Redclaws."

"Douglas and Elaine? Where are they?"

"Urm," Diana scratched her head. "I saw them leading a charge down the mountainside with some recruits a while ago. I'm not sure how they are doing."

"What?! They may be in the Star Core Realm but can't hold off thousands alone. Elaine will run out of void Qi in minutes, and Douglas's earth affinity is unlikely to do much to durable opponents who can regenerate anything below lost limbs."

"Shit, you're right." Diana leaped into the sky and flapped her wings to stay airborne while looking around. Stella tried to look in the aether plane, but with so much interference from all the puppets, it was like trying to pick out a smidge of brown in a sea of red.

"Damn it," Stella cursed under her breath. Despite her efforts to trim their numbers, she opened her eyes and could see the faces of people in the tree line only a dozen or so meters away. They scurried out of the darkness, looking like drowned rats due to the intense rain. Yet their gazes blazed with fierce desire. "Stay back," Stella was about to unleash a wave of aether Qi despite the damage it would cause Ash's offspring, as she was left with no choice when a sudden blaring horn sounded.

"What was that?" Stella shouted up to Diana, who had a better view.

"No idea—" Diana was cut off by the horn blaring again, this time so loudly it was as if it were the calling of a god. It echoed across the entire mountain range and shook the hearts of all who listened. It was so effective it even briefly shocked the puppets out of their stupor as they paused.

"Did we anger the god of karma or something?" Stella murmured as she looked to the heavens for answers. But the strange drumming below her feet and shaking ground told her she would get her answers from below.

The ground began to fissure like the gates to hell. Stella raised a brow as she heard what sounded like war drums. From the darkness of the fissure, what appeared to be small metal golems marched out and spread out to form multiple lines. In their hands were swords or hammers wreathed in earth Qi.

One of the golems broke file and walked over to Stella, stopping before her and standing at attention. The suit of armor's visor snapped open, revealing two big glowing blue eyes.

"Wait, a Mudcloak?" Stella raised a brow at the pressure radiating from the small monster, "And a Star Core Realm one at that?"

"The king has called, and we have answered." The Mudcloak said more clearly than she ever remembered one talking. The other Mudcloaks banged the handles of their weapons on their armor in agreement. "We will defend our king's home to the death." The Mudcloak's visor snapped closed, and they turned on their heel before marching back to their group.

"Well, this is something," Diana said as she landed beside Stella, "From up there, I saw dozens of similar-sized groups emerging across the mountain range."

"They sure are funny little guys, aren't they?" Stella couldn't help but smile, seeing all the little suits of armor lined up and looking serious.

"I admit it looks funny from where we are standing, but I wouldn't want to be on the other side." Diana gestured to the Mudcloaks with her chin. "Those are all runically enhanced suits of armor and weapons imbued with the earth affinity. You know that aether-controlled dagger you were throwing around earlier? I doubt it would get through more than two of these guys before the blade shattered."

Stella crossed her arms, "That is impressive. But it's still hard to take them seriously. I mean, you could just kick them over so easily..."

The ground rumbled as many lumbering earth golems towering over everything emerged from the fissure. Sinister metal nozzles extended out of the golems' hands like fingers.

Diana raised a brow at Stella, "What about that."

Stella frowned, "Okay, okay. That is a little more impressive, but still. How are they even going to fight off a million enemies with earth Qi—"

"Attack!" The commanding Mudcloak pointed at the tree line, and fire erupted out of the nozzles of the golems. The flames were incomparable to Grand Elder Redclaw's and did little more than annoy the puppets and make the charred-skin humans rush forward.

"See?" Stella said.

"Don't judge them for that," Diana said seriously, "Just watch. I know a predator when I see one."

Stella shrugged, "Fine. Let's see what they can do." She stood there and watched, and the more she did, the more a look of horror appeared on her face.

The Mudcloaks had charged forward, meeting the incoming blood puppets. With ruthless efficiency, the Mudcloaks chopped off the puppet's heads or bashed in their skulls with far more speed than she had been expecting, but that wasn't what earned such a reaction.

No, it was being reminded that these were monsters.

After killing their opponents, their armor visors snapped open, and like a snake, they swallowed the considerably larger humans whole before they could explode.

Stella blinked at the sight. Are their stomachs linked to the void? How is that even physically possible?

After the Mudcloak warriors finished their meal, demonic Qi surged toward their silver armor, turning it a sinister black and increasing their speed and strength. They would then leap back into the fray while their comrades dragged headless bodies into the backlines to be devoured.

"You expected this?" Stella turned to Diana in disbelief.

"No." Diana turned to look at Stella, "Are we even needed here anymore? It's like they are creatures born for war."

Stella surveyed the slaughter and gulped, "I don't think we are."

An impossible challenge before them had been solved by the most unlikely group. Stella hadn't even considered them when thinking of ways to protect Ashfallen and regretted it.

"Should we leave?"

"Yeah..." Stella slowly nodded, "Let's go check on Ash and the others." As she turned and stepped into the aether, all she could think about was the realm domination scripture written by a Mudcloak that Sam had been holding. Maybe that hadn't been a joke.

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