System Evolution

Back on the battlefield, the entire fog created by the dust began to settle down slowly making the area quite visible.

The scent of death had grown stronger than ever, and it was much more evident now. The trees on the battlefield on both sides, once mobile and immobile had all fallen.

On the battlefield, a thick fog could be seen, where the shield wall of high ranking knights once stood in formation. The silhouette of two figures standing together could be seen through the fog.

Both figures stood close in the middle of a warm embrace with each other, even though under the fog, told a different story altogether.

Embracing Loghark was no one other than the very person he once called a brother, but had ended up as a murderer of not only his wife and daughter, but also a great chunk of his clansmen - Eyrik Redwood.

His attack was never truly aimed to kill him, but to isolate them while having every possible interruption, well taken care of.

Loghark had lots of questions for his old friend as he knew Eyrik more than anyone could.

He had been through thick and thin with him, slaying multitudes together on the battlefield.

Eyrik had even sacrificed much just to get through many bottlenecks in the past.

Their conversation was brief, and he had a request for Eyrik who accepted without hesitation- a parting gift.

Loghark stared at his system screen, his time was up and he would meet them again. At least, he could rest at ease knowing the clan was in safe hands.

To receive the honor of dying by the arms of someone he could call a brother, Loghark had no regrets.

Their embrace was heartfelt, despite a dagger being pierced into his heart, he had a smile up his face, watching the time limit of his skill go nil.

"It was an honor Eyrik, it indeed was." Those were the last words he managed to whisper into his ears before he fell, just like the mighty tree he was.

The entire battlefield had become clearer once again, one could now see quite further and better as it was before the fog engulfed it.

Heading North, in a battered up armor which from a single look, one could tell of its high quality, was none other than Eyrik.

He had done whatever he had to do, and busy searched for the few trees whose names weren't grayed out on his system.

Among the allies was a certain Chief he had barely heard about, for he had left the recruitment among other army related issues, to his trusted golden generals.

Being a Chief himself, he knew how important the lives of anyone in that position, determined the fate of thousands.

So his next goal was to find Ramold, Chief of the Yomerwood Clan however, he had no idea of where he could be and so decided to go in any direction - heading north.

Either his luck was good or Ramold's own was, as after covering a reasonable distance, he could feel the resonance which one felt when drawing closer to another Life Root.

It was a brief feeling barely noticeable but with the silence on the battlefield, he could even notice a pin drop, meters away.

Standing still at the very spot he scanned the area, trying to spot at least something or anything that would give away Ramold's position.

Not getting anything, Eyrik kept on walking forward past chunks of fallen knights, his eyes darting around in hope of finding a hint of any sort.

Feeling pain all over with a heavy weight on him, he slowly opened his eyes, only to be met with horror. Before him was the face of a bloodied and dead tree, his lifeless eyes staring down into his.

Abruptly, he tried to move his right hand only for him to feel an excruciating pain causing him to scream louder, than a human lady seeing a common bug.

Hearing a fierce scream, Eyrik automatically turned towards the direction of the sound, being so loud, as if it was directed straight into his earlobes.

Getting there, before him was a pile of fallen knights, and that was where the scream had come from.

Pushing away the weighty bodies they were seemingly of the shield class of knights, popularly known as "Meat Shields".

It was quite impressive how Loghark's attack had sent shield knights all the way here, not only being one but a dozen of those tanks.

Finally getting the weight off him, a miserable sight of Chief Ramold Yomerwood lay before him. He was injured and scared all over, having deep wounds which still bled out.

His face was priceless being sliced and diced with shallow cuts on every part of, it as if tiny blades were used to torture him.

As though that wasn't enough, his right arm was ripped off to the extent that only his plank bones could be seen, barely holding both ends together.

Baring through all the pain he felt, he slowly opened his eyes which still hurt, only to see a thin layer of green energy with a red tint, covering his entire being.

Miraculously, he felt the pain going down bit by bit and after a few minutes he was more than half better than before.

Eyrik was now spent and had to get some rest, he had used the few photons left in his system to heal up Ramold. This had even to halted his own recovery process, the sky was still dark making his photons restore 60% slower.

Ramold, who wondered why Eyrik would spend time and photons to heal him up, a no name chief from a backwater clan.

He had next to no future in this world anymore, yet such a great and strong entity had saved him.

He didn't deserve to live neither he nor his entire clan, but Chief Eyrik gave him another chance to have another go at life's race.

From now on he was convinced to live and die with Eyrik and the Redwood Clan.

Standing up, he walked and stood before Eyrik who now rested his back on the hard earth with his eyes closed.

Clapping his hands together, fingers facing the skies, he raised both hands up his head. Bending both knees, he went down repeating it thrice. Finally on the third, he placed his forehead and hands held together to the soil- completing the Ritual of Total Allegiance.

...

•The Yomerwood Clan wishes to merge with your Clan...

Accept / Decline

...

"Accept." Eyrik said after pondering on it for minutes, and at that moment he felt a surge in his power as another message popped up.

...

Redwood System Evolution Initiating...

...

"Find and bring back the survivors." He ordered not having enough time before it began.

...

Redwood System Evolution Countdown..

...

"Yes Chief!" Ramold exclaimed, unaware of Eyriks' current situation.

And so running in any direction with a new goal, and a life to live he couldn't help but smile at such a fact.

...

1

2

3

...

Eyrik smiled, knowing what would follow behind after the countdown, yet what brought up his smile, was him now climbing a step higher to the top.

...

6

7

...

Being at the top was his greatest goal ever since his childhood. No matter what, he was willing to turn whatever stumbling block he faced, into a stepping stone.

...

8

9

10...

Redwood System Evolution Initiated...

All systems down...

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