kscans

t/n: apparently the <> is considered as tag and was hidden. so i edited some part of the chapter.

CHAPTER 7 CHALLENGE TO THE LABYRINTH – Episode 3 Those Who Has Taken Root in the Earth

1

The group stayed in Agis’s village for seven days after that. Karz and Quinta went hunting. They brought back an astonishing amount of game. This was dried into jerky to serve as provisions during their travels. The villagers were in a frenzy draining the blood and butchering the carcasses.

Godon acted as a guard. The smell of blood from the game attracted many wild beasts. He spent all day swinging his battle hammer to drive away the beasts that gathered, and at night he ate heartily, saying he was hungry. Bard helped out from time to time as well.

Carla tended to Temperoid. Not only did Carla find and concoct several medicinal herbs, but she carefully monitored Temperoid’s condition as she administered them. She stayed by Temperoid’s side almost constantly, stroking and caressing his body. Rather than an apothecary, this was the work of a physician. Her questions and instructions to Temperoid were smooth and authoritative, demonstrating that this girl was an experienced doctor beyond her years. Temperoid made a visible recovery and by the seventh day was able to resume normal activities.

“Hmm. Apothecaries are quite something,” remarked a villager.

The villagers were overjoyed at Temperoid’s restored health. Additionally, Carla prescribed medicines and provided treatment to the villagers as well. Those who had been suffering from chronic illnesses and old injuries saw dramatic improvements. Carla’s actions inadvertently made the villagers aware that Fyuzarion had excellent doctors and apothecaries. This seemed to greatly heighten their desire to immigrate there.

Taranka was busily investigating the surrounding area. He seemed interested in the way the plants grew and the condition of the soil. He also went around asking the villagers about various matters.

On the eighth day, the group left Agis’s village behind.

2

They tried to enter the Misty Valley from the north side, but were unable to. It seemed the only entrance to this valley was on the west side they had passed through before. Seven years ago, Bard had entered this valley. There was a settlement of the strange demi-humans known as Lujura-Tiant here. At that time, he had been with Godon, Jurchaga, and the Lujura-Tiant boy Maura. No, there was one more. The spirit Sui. Bard and his friends had rescued the boy Maura and Sui who had been imprisoned in Lord Enzaia’s castle, and escorted them to the Misty Valley. They had been able to enter the valley without any trouble then, but this time it took them great pains to find the entrance. The trees grew thick, making it dim even during the day, and the pervasive mist threw off their sense of direction. After much difficulty, they finally entered the valley and were greeted by the Lujura-Tiant.

“Humans. What business do you have here?” they asked.

Bard said they had come seeking the truth of the spirits. The Lujura-Tiant murmured amongst themselves.

“Humans. You were able to enter this valley. That means you are connected to this valley by fate. What relationship do you have with this valley?”

“Seven years ago, I escorted the boy Maura and the spirit Sui here. I had been allowed to stay the night on that occasion. I wished to meet with Maura or his father if they were present,” replied Bard.

“I am Maura’s father. Ah, so you’re the human from that time. Come to think of it, you seem to be carrying a special sword. The human beside you also has a special sword, but its light is dark and subdued. Your sword is bright and lively.”

“This sword is inhabited by the divine beast spirit . Come to think of it, Maura had perceived that. Maura’s father, with this sword I freed spirits from two hundred demonic beasts. And I learned what demonic beasts truly are. There is someone controlling the spirits and creating demonic beasts. I wish to uncover their identity and put a stop to the needless creation of more demonic beasts.” said Bard.

“Then you should meet with Maura. Maura has become one who has “taken root in the earth”. However, only you alone may meet him. The others must wait here.”

Bard asked what it meant to be one who has “taken root in the earth”. But Maura’s father did not answer and turned to head deeper into the valley. Bard told Godon and the others to make camp and wait there, then followed after Maura’s father. He proceeded deep, deep into the valley through the mist. They stopped for the night partway. Eventually, the appearance of the trees changed. Up until then, various kinds of trees had been growing in overlapping layers, but here only one type of tree grew. Overhead, the branches and leaves of the trees covered them like a giant umbrella, layer upon layer. The same kind of leaves extended from slender branches growing up from the ground. Here and there between the branches and leaves stretching overhead, there were faintly glowing things. They drifted lightly and flickered with a soft light. Whispers, murmurs, and giggling laughter echoed in his mind.

Could it be? Were those lights…spirits?

Bard somehow felt that to be the case. On the other side of the curtains of mist he passed through one after another, giant trees suddenly appeared. Looking closely, there were several more giant trees beyond it. The canopy of branches and leaves they had been passing under had all been extending from these giant trees. At the same time, the slender branches that had been growing up from the ground must have also been extending from the roots of these giant trees. Maura’s father stopped in front of one giant tree. Bard stopped as well. Was Maura here? Was he living in the treetops of this giant tree?

《Human Bard》
《You came》

Suddenly, a voice echoed in Bard’s mind. It was not a threatening voice. Rather, its resonance was kind. It even felt somehow nostalgic. This voice… That’s right. It was Maura’s voice.

《I had a feeling》
《that I would meet you again》

Where was he? Where was Maura? The voice seemed to be coming from the large tree in front of him. He tried looking up at the upper part of the tree. Amidst the branches intertwined and growing thickly, an especially bright, large ball of light was dancing.

《Look》
《Sui is happy too》

When he looked at Maura’s father, he was gazing up at the large tree with its luxuriant branches and leaves with a look of affection. Bard realized what the giant tree before his eyes truly was and was struck with a sense of awe. Truly. So this… This giant tree was Maura. These branches, these abundant leaves were Maura, the roots underground were Maura, and the grove of young trees they had passed through to get here was Maura. What an astonishing thing. There were all sorts of bizarre rumors about the Lujura-Tiant, but the sight before his eyes was even more wondrous than the most far-fetched rumor. To think that a person, a demi-human, could transform into a tree.

“I have become one who takes root in the earth. This was predetermined. Lujura-Tiant are brought to this place soon after birth. Usually, nothing happens. But very rarely, someone favored by the spirits appears. They are individuals with high sensitivity. I made a pact with the spirit Sui. Those who make a pact with a spirit eventually take root in the earth, drawn by the spiritual power of this place, and converse with the world. The spirit who made the pact also greatly increases its power to influence human hearts. The pact-maker and spirit remain connected in heart no matter how far apart. From the moment I saw Sui’s form, heard its voice, and became its friend, this outcome was decided.” (t/n: each sentence of him is placed inside 《bracket》. so i simplified it)

Indeed. This place. This is the cradle of the spirits. A place where spirits can find peace. The flickering lights in the trees since earlier. Each and every one is a spirit.

Tears welled up in Bard’s eyes and flowed uncontrollably. The spirits he thought had perished. The spirits that avoided going mad. There are so many of them here. Bard was simply overjoyed.

Bard spoke. About the story of the apothecary who absorbed the spirits. About encountering the sword inhabited by a divine beast. About wielding the ancient sword to free spirits from two hundred demonic beasts. About the strange voice he heard then. About what he heard from the Queen of Manuno. That a being called the King of Evil Spirits manipulated the Manuno and created an army of demonic beasts to attack humans. And he said that he wants to know what is happening. And he wants to prevent further tragedies from happening.

Maura listened intently to Bard’s long story. And when Bard finished, Maura began his own tale.

3

We Lujura-Tiant have been friends with the spirits since long ago. In the past, even more, countless spirits used to gather in this Misty Valley. Eventually, when humans arrived in this land and started absorbing spirits, this Misty Valley became a special place. Spirits protected by the branches and leaves of those who has “taken root in the earth” within this Misty Valley cannot be absorbed even by humans. This valley became like a holy land for the spirits. The spirits rarely left here, and came to spend all their time within the branches and leaves of those who has “taken root in the earth”.

But the spirits are decreasing. They are decreasing, Bard.

Originally, spirits die and are reborn every few hundred years. Some die after two hundred, three hundred years, while others live over a thousand years. They are reborn but retain their previous memories, so it’s the same as not dying. No, that’s not right. Spirits are not originally of this world. Most of their bodies remain in their original world. And by completely returning to that world once every few hundred years, they regain their energy and seem reborn.

But some time after the great war between humans ended. Spirits that returned to that world once started going mad. Even if mad spirits are reborn here. They are no longer the kind spirits they once were. They just possess beasts and become demonic beasts.

No. Wait a moment.

……

……

I just spoke with an old one who has “taken root in the earth”. There are several who has “taken root in the earth” here. The oldest has been rooted here long, long before humans arrived in this land. I don’t talk much with my old companions. Because the old companions are mostly sleeping. They are traversing many, many memories in their sleep. The older they are, the deeper and longer they sleep. Having lots of knowledge and memories makes one sleepy. Talking with such old ones makes me sleepy too. The virtue of the young is their youth, so I don’t talk much with old companions.

But there was something on my mind, so I tried talking with an old companion. The old companion says this. For some time after the great war between humans ended. It seems spirits were being reborn normally. In various places around the world.

Then after some time. Spirits started going mad. When reborn in this world, they are already mad. Why that happens, I don’t know.

Originally, we lived more widely in various places. We were friends with the spirits but neither fought nor befriended other races. Eventually, when humans arrived and the world became noisy, we gathered in the Misty Valley and hid away. We stretched Wall of Dreams in layers, so hardly anyone can enter here. Even when humans started their great war, we sided with neither and did not become enemies.

When humans found a way to consume spirits, we didn’t particularly think it was bad. We thought it was like a new game. We thought when humans died, the spirits would become free again as before. At first, that’s how it was. Even spirits eaten by humans, at first they were properly reviving. But at some point, spirits eaten by humans started going mad when they revived.

No, wait. That’s not right. When the great war between humans ended, there were still many, many spirits in the world. But the spirits disappeared. As if driven out from this world. The spirits rapidly disappeared. This is a strange thing, Bard. Because every single human was already absorbing spirits. Originally, there were far, far more spirits than humans. Despite that, the spirits disappeared. They disappeared but did not revive.

This continued for a while. Then spirits started reviving. As mad spirits. As soon as mad spirits revived, they possessed nearby beasts. When the host beast dies, the spirit returns to its original world and revives again. As a mad spirit.

This was a very sad thing. Because we who has “taken root in the earth” can hear the voices of spirits around the world. Hearing the laments and rage of mad spirits was very painful.

Humans made the “Red Stone” and “Blue Stone”. I don’t know much about that. Because we rarely leave this Misty Valley. I just know the “Red Stone” attracts reviving spirits and the “Blue Stone” soothes raging spirits. Humans also made the “Great Barrier”. Since then, spirits mostly revive outside the “Great Barrier”. Even if they revive outside the “Great Barrier”, spirits are still mad and immediately possess beasts to become demonic beasts. But where there are no humans, demonic beasts do not rampage and live peacefully. So we were very relieved.

But there was one problem. When spirits are revived, they are drawn to the “Red Stones”. That’s why the spirits have almost stopped reviving in this valley. Originally, a great many spirits took refuge in this valley. As long as they stayed here, they wouldn’t be absorbed by humans. The spirits here now are all very long-lived. But no matter how long-lived a spirit is, it has a lifespan. When a spirit reaches the end of its life and dies, it is drawn to the “Red Stones”, revives outside the “Great Barrier”, and becomes a demonic beast. So the number of spirits in this valley has been slowly, slowly decreasing. Eventually, they will probably die out completely. When that happens, there will be no more uncorrupted spirits left in the world.

So please, Bard, I beg you. Stop the spirits from going mad. It must be due to something the humans have done. So only humans can uncover that secret and solve the problem. Please, Bard. I want you to save the spirits.

And one more thing. Originally, there were a great many spirits in the world. Hundreds of hundreds of hundreds times more, and many times that number. The spirits in the world now are probably only a tiny fraction of that. Where have the spirits gone? Are they locked away somewhere? Somewhere even we can’t find? If so, I want you to find them and set them free. That must be why you wield that great Divine Spirit Blade. Please, Bard. Save the spirits.

That “King of Evil Spirit” is probably that being. I heard that voice. The being that uttered that voice is outside the Great Barrier. It is a mighty and terrifying existence. I don’t know if that being is connected to the spirits going mad. But having the “Red Stones” transported to birth demonic beasts inside the “Great Barrier” is a terrible thing. Bard. The spirits you freed at that time definitely regained their sanity for a while. I clearly heard their joyful voices. But then they vanished immediately after. It’s strange. It’s strange. It’s a strange thing. But if you wield that “Shantra Megierion”, you can free the spirits from the demonic beasts. And when you do, the beasts do not die, and the spirits return to a normal state, if only for a time. This is a wonderful thing, Bard.

About the Dragonoids, please ask your friends Jameen and Gerkaast. We Lujura-Tiant have had absolutely no involvement with the Dragonoids. But Jameen, Gerkaast, and the other races must have had dealings with the Dragonoids. A long, long time ago. There must be clues in the legends passed down by their tribes.

I’m sorry, Bard. For not being able to tell a coherent story. My mind is filled with so many memories. When I try to recount old things. It comes out in scattered pieces like this.

But please, Bard. I want you to save the spirits. I know you can do it.

4

Maura’s long story came to an end. An especially large ball of light that had been clinging to Maura descended towards Bard. He could see it. Inside the pale purple light. There was a spirit in the form of a young child. Floating in the air with six beautiful wings spread wide.

《Bard》
《Bard》
《Blessings and prayers upon you》

He heard the voice. So this was the voice of the spirit Sui. This was the form of the spirit Sui. Sui descended on Bard’s forehead. Bard closed his eyes. A warm rhythm entered from his head and suffused his entire body. The pain receded, his vitality welled up, and his mind became clear. Thus Bard received the spirit’s blessing.