The Guardian gods

Chapter 870

He stopped, waiting for the impact of his words.

But it did nothing. The deeply ingrained pride of the first human nation ran too deep, and the fear of losing their identity outweighed their fear of death. To them, a short, mortal life as a human was worth more than an eternity as something else.

When the final deliberation was over, the division was stark and devastating. Out of the hundreds of thousands of citizens living beneath the shattered dome, Erik was only able to convince a meager few ten-thousands to step forward and stand by his side. The vast majority remained where they were, tightly grouped together, rejecting his offer with quiet, hardened eyes.

There were two more human sanctuaries hidden beneath similar protective domes across the territory. Erik traveled to each, repeating his offer and laying out the same stark choices. But the result remained largely unchanged. In the end, out of the entire remaining uncorrupted population, Erik was only able to convince a few hundred thousand citizens to step forward and accept the transformation. The overwhelming majority fiercely chose to remain human.

Accepting their decision with a calm face, Erik addressed the masses of pure humans one final time, preparing them for the inevitable reality of the world to come.

"The shield is gone, and the transformation of this land cannot be stopped," Erik announced, his voice echoing across the assembly. "The kingdom you knew will change to fit the needs of an Elven civilization. There will be no more stone masonry, no more industrial building blocks or smog. Our kingdom is turning into a realm where nature will thrive, and the landscape itself will adapt to the roots of the Sanguine tree."

He looked at the vast majority who had rejected his gift, offering them a final gesture of respect for the heritage they so stubbornly defended.

"Because you have chosen to preserve your identity, you may keep the name "Humanity Kingdom." It is the ultimate concession I can grant to honor your pride. For those who walk the path of the transformation, we will take on a new name entirely "Sylvan."

He paused, his gaze softening with a sense of enduring responsibility.

"But do not think you are abandoned. If you will still have me, I promise that I will remain your king and leader. Your safety will always be my concern, and my forces will still protect your borders. I will ensure you have a place to exist in this world, to build your home and grow on your own."

His words were met with a heavy, suffocating silence. No one had any idea what to say or do. Breaking the tension, Erik wasted no time and immediately began the bloodletting process required for the transformation to begin.

Under the watchful eyes of the gathered folk, they watched as those who were once their neighbors and friends fell into a state of deep sleep, their faces turning pale from the sudden blood loss.

Erik glanced back at his people, intending to remind them to care for those who had fallen into the sedated state. However, before the words could leave his lips, action was already being taken. People were already gathering to gently lift and carry the fallen back into their homes.

Sighing in quiet relief, Erik took to the sky. Meanwhile, back where the ritual had commenced, the dragon construct swallowed the gathered essence and vanished into the earth.

It took a while for the construct to emerge above ground at the root of the now-towering Sanguine Tree. Like a farmer watering a plant, the dragon opened its mouth, but instead of water, a torrent of crimson blood poured out, quickly absorbed by the waiting roots.

Because of the sheer volume of blood, the process took some time. The moment the last drop was drained, the Sanguine Tree hummed with sudden power and began to shake. Sensing the shift, the dragon took a cautious step back.

The previously lifeless look in the construct’s eyes vanished as Viridrigon took direct control, eager to witness the transformation firsthand. Before his eyes, the already giant tree began to swell, its branches stretching further and wider into the sky.

Then, a massive pillar of light erupted from the heart of the tree, punching into the sky. To an ordinary observer, it looked like a solid beam of energyb, ut through Viridrigon’s eyes, it was revealed to be a swirling vortex of countless, glowing, microscopic seeds.

As the pillar of light reached its zenith, it collapsed outward, bursting into a spectacular display that resembled a meteor shower. Each glowing seed carried a clear instinct, acting as a catalyst for transformation as they eagerly sought out their specific targets.

They rained down upon the collapsed bodies of the cursed beings. The moment a seed of light seeped into a person, the energy expanded, shifting into a large, transparent, cocoon-like womb. Inside, the affected individuals could be seen resting in a fetal position, the color slowly returning to their previously pale bodies.

From inside the palace, Eldrin observed this surreal sight. His mother, the queen, was right beside them, already wrapped safely within her own glowing cocoon. He turned to look at his sister, Alinar, and noted the deep worry etched across her face.

Saying nothing, he quietly turned and walked out of the room, eventually passing through the grand palace gates. There, the entirety of the capital stretched out before him, silent, shattered, and in ruins.

The sun was already going down, welcoming him with a sight that was both eerie and profoundly beautiful. From the palace steps where he sat, Eldrin watched as millions of glowing cocoons, looking like a sea of lanterns, spread across the ruined capital as far as his eyes could see.

Erik dropped down from the sky, landing softly beside him. He looked utterly exhausted, but like Eldrin, he was quickly captivated by the breathtaking view before them. Without a word, he collapsed onto the steps next to the young prince.

Eldrin reached up, pulled the crown from his head, and tossed it carelessly to the side. It was a relic of the old world, something that belonged to the past and had no place in the new future unfolding in front of them.

The two sat there in silence all night, watching and observing the glowing landscape. It may not have played out exactly as they had dreamed or hoped, but this revival was the dawn they had been waiting for.

One doesn’t truly know the preciousness of what they hold until it is lost, a bitter truth both father and son knew all too well. They had fallen from being the undisputed center of power on the western continent to a quarantined zone of shattered ruins.

To make matters worse, the Sun Kingdom, which had always been a step behind them, had used these lost years to overtake them, cementing itself as the continent’s new superpower.

Both men were unsure if they would ever rise to become a top kingdom again, but that wasn’t going to stop them. They had achieved the impossible once before, they could certainly do it again.

And so, as the morning sun began to break over the horizon, Erik and his son noticed a subtle change in the cocoons scattered across the city. Their transparent appearance was slowly washing away, thickening into a dense, protective membrane that shielded the changing souls within.

It was clear that the final stage of the transformation was taking place. Soon, though not immediately, the people would emerge in their entirely new state of being. Erik and his son watched with clenched fists, waiting as the minutes ticked by.

Finally, a cocoon close to the palace steps began to tremble and shake, as if something inside was desperately trying to break through. After a tense few moments, a hand pierced through the dense membrane, gripping the edges and tearing the shell open from the inside out.

From the cocoon emerged a man. He was strikingly tall and handsome, with longer, elegantly pointed ears. A look of sheer confusion washed over his face as he frantically touched his own body and face. "Where am I?" he whispered, his voice cracking.

Similar scenes were playing out simultaneously across the capital city and far beyond its borders. Countless citizens, who after long years of existing as hollow, cursed beings, were finally being brought back to a normal state of life.

To them, it felt like a long, deep sweet dream. A dream that had lasted so long it had ceased to be sweet, leaving only an empty blur in its wake. Many found themselves completely naked upon awakening, yet for some reason, they weren’t overcome by shame, their minds were far too occupied by the sheer bewilderment of the present.

Confusion rippled through the awakening masses. Where were they? Why did their bodies feel so entirely different? Why was the world around them in absolute ruins? What was the sweet, calming scent hanging in the air? And most importantly... had the sky always looked that way?